(AN: I'm enjoying writing this so far, but I think we can call it quits after this story is done, at least on the Grimmerie-series. I feel like I've done what The Mummy movies did - the first one was scary, the second one was just a fun adventure, not that scary. What do you think? Is it scarier, or even darker, in this one, as opposed to the last one? Or am I just making it seem greater than it really is?)

A Thing of the Past

"I will not ask you again, Elphaba," the fish-faced woman glowered angrily. "Where is the book?"

"I told you already," she breathed. "I don't know!"

Morrible waved her hand, and a strong gust of wind sent Elphaba thrown roughly against the wall.

"You cannot lie to me," she returned. "We have your little friend, and I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to get the information out of you, even if it means..."

"You b*tch!" Elphaba shouted. "I'm the one you want, Glinda doesn't know anything."

"Do you think I'm stupid, Elphaba?" she asked. "I remember how close you two were at Shiz. Whatever you may now be, you must feel something for her."

Suddenly, the doors opened.

"Your Ozness!" Morrible exclaimed. "I have not yet extracted the location from her."

"Let her go," the Wizard commanded.

"What?" both Madam Morrible and Elphaba queried at once.

"You heard me," he repeated. "Let the Wizard's Heir go."

They all looked rather shocked by what the Wizard had just let go.

"But, Your Ozness!" the fish-faced Press Secretary exclaimed. "She's is our enemy! She's the Wicked Witch of the West!"

"Do you dare defy Your Wizard?" the very unimposing Wizard, who was actually a bit shorter than the cod-faced Gilikinese woman, returned.

"Your Ozness, I must insist..."

"Guards!" the Wizard announced. They stepped up to the command of their Wizard. "It behooves your Glorious Wizard to place Madam Morrible under house arrest until further notice. Take her away!"

They snapped at attention and dragged Madam Morrible away, who was crying out curses and shouting "No!" as they pulled her out of the room. Glinda, who had been watching this, ran to Elphaba's side.

"Are you alright, Elphie?" she whispered.

"Why are you here?" Elphaba asked. "Playing the nice guy role in this little interrogation?"

"I don't want to interrogate you, Elphaba," the Wizard replied. She gave him a look of disbelief.

"No, really," he said. "You're free to leave if you want."

"I don't believe you," Elphaba replied, rising to her feet. "You must want something."

"Absolutely nothing," he said.

"You mean you'll just let me walk out of the Emerald City? Why?"

The Wizard put on his best sentimental face. "Because it's a father's duty to protect his only child."

Elphaba slowly walked over to the Wizard, her face expressionless. Suddenly, an emerald fist flew out and struck the Wizard square in the face.

"Elphie!" Glinda shrieked.

"You're not my father!" she roared at the Wizard. "And if you were, I think I'd prefer Frex. At least he was honest about what he did."

"Elphaba, please, try to understand..."

"Understand what? What you did to the Animals? To all of Oz?"

"That's easily remedied! Honest! One proclamation and the Animals will be free to do as they please."

"And what will I be doing? Huh! Returning the book to you?"

Pause. Glinda looked at both Elphaba and the Wizard interchangeably. Her green-skinned beloved was scrutinizing the little old man heavily. As for the little old man, he was scrutinizing her question very seriously.

Suddenly, sounding like he'd just found the secret of life, the Wizard spoke.

"I don't need it," he said. "I'd rather be a father than have all the power in Oz."

"I don't believe you!" Elphaba retorted.

"It doesn't matter if you believe me or not," the Wizard said, wiping the blood off his nose and straightening his glasses. "You don't even have to accept that I'm your father. It's enough for me to know that you're my daughter. Oh, Elphaba..."

"Don't say another word! Your lies won't work on me!"

Suddenly, there was the sound of breaking glass, and a voice was shouting: INTRUDERS! INTRUDERS IN THE PALACE!

Elphaba and the Wizard looked here and there, and suddenly there was a sound of an explosion. A cry was heard, then two guards came running out of the hallway, screaming and shouting in fright.

"Run, Your Ozness!" one shouted. "She's coming this way!"

"Who? Who's coming?" the Wizard asked.

The doorway suddenly became pitch black. An essence like smoke appeared, flowing out of the hall and into the Throne Room. It manifested itself in a tall pillar, that slowly began to take shape. The shape was tall, slender and feminine. Decked from head to toe in black, with a long cloak of black feathers hanging from a silver pin about the neck: it was fashioned like two swan heads made of silver with ruby red eyes, their wings clasping each other.

Both Glinda and Elphaba gasped. For both of them had seen this figure before.

(AN: Oh noes! Who can it be? It's not Madam Morrible, we know that for certain [i don't think 'slender' is an adjective used to describe her], and it's not Mombi. Who could it be?)