disclaimer: owning nothing gets really annoying sometimes. Once again, I own nothing, shocker.

Chapter 12: Why Can't We Learn?

Fayba wasn't sure if this was going to work. She spent the past couple of days preparing. Jasmine worked on making the brochures and posters; she truly had a gift for making things colourful. Lance and Fayba gave as much information that they had about the full story to Conlan. He worked on trying to tell the story the best he could without people freaking out. They all worked together and even Miss Libree helped a bit. They went over what they were going to say, repeatedly, making sure that they have it just right.

She thought about the consequences if she went through with this. Everyone in Oz could turn on her, but she felt that Elphaba was able to do it because she knew what was right, so she could do it too. Fayba hoped that the strength that Elphaba had would come to her. She took a deep breath because they were about to start the celebration, eleven o'clock sharp. She had been at Emerald city every year for the celebration and her mother was right, everyone was really going full out for the 20th year celebration.

She never thought that her mother was a very strong person. She thought running Oz was easy. Everyone took care of themselves, only coming to her with problems that they couldn't handle and with a flick of her wand, Glinda would fix it. Fayba now thought that her mother was so strong. She had to come here to Emerald city every year, and celebrate the day that her best friend died. Fayba didn't think she would ever be able to be strong enough to do something like that. How her mother was able to celebrate was a mystery to Fayba.

"You alright?" Lance asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"I should be asking you that question, it's your mother's death that we're celebrating," Fayba said.

"Ya but I'm a tough guy," he said hitting his chest with one of his hands, causing Fayba to laugh as she shook her head at him. Then they suddenly stop laughing, staring into each other's eyes. Fayba thought that Lance was going to kiss her and she wondered why she wasn't pulling away. She felt drawn to him for some reason.

"Ew, look who it is," a female voice jokingly said, causing Lance and Fayba to pull away from each other. Fayba turned to the source of the voice and smiled.

"Ruby, Ander!" she said running to them, giving them each a hug. "How's life in Emerald city?"

"It's good," Ruby replied.

"Ya good for you, your not the one who keeps getting night shifts to take care of the horses," Ander said.

"That's because the horses like you so much," Ruby said in a baby voice, pinching Ander's cheek. He quickly smacked her hand away and Ruby and Fayba laughed.

"I want you to meet some people," Fayba said pulling both their hands to her booth. "Ruby, Ander, this is Jasmine, Conlan, and Lance. Jasmine, Conlan, Lance, this is Ruby and Ander," Fayba introduced as everyone shook hands with each other.

"So what's the theme for your booth?" Ander asked. No one was able to answer him because Madame Torrible came running around shouting.

"Places people, places, the celebration is starting in one minute!" she yelled.

"We have to go, we promised to help serve drinks for the first hour, we'll drop by later," Ruby said to Fayba. "It was nice meeting everyone," she said while pulling Ander's arm to the table that was serving drinks.

Fayba turned to face the booth; their sign was still covered, waiting for the celebration to begin to reveal what they were doing, so that Madame Torrible wouldn't shut them down. "Ready?" she asked everyone. They all nodded as the doors opened for the celebration to begin. Fayba grabbed some brochures as Jasmine revealed the sign. This was it, no turning back now.

---

"So that went well," Lance said and everyone turned to him, all looking annoyed. "I just wish that egg throwing contest booth wasn't beside ours. Who knew people would pay just to throw eggs at the others who were trying to tell the truth," Lance continued.

Fayba, Jasmine, Lance, and Conlan were all sitting outside Emerald city on the steps. It turns out the public didn't like them trying to ruin the celebration, as Madame Torrible put it. They had the booth for only half an hour before the word got around that there were people saying that the Wicked Witch of the West wasn't evil. They were lucky that they got out of there alive, with only raw eggs on them. Madame Torrible spent fifteen minutes yelling at them, assuming that they were playing a practical joke. She didn't let any of them explain, and after shouting at them, they were instructed to stay outside, on the Emerald city steps until the bus came to pick up all the Shiz students.

Before anyone could comment to Lance, Glinda approached them from her bubble. She looked extremely angry. No one said anything, staring at Glinda, who had her hands on her waist, and tapping her fingers. Conlan, Jasmine, and Lance didn't say anything because really, what could you say to the leader of Oz about this? Fayba didn't say anything because she wasn't sure what to say to her mother. Everyone just waited for Glinda to say something.

"What the hell?" Glinda said. Everyone was surprised because no one had ever heard her swear before, not even Fayba. "Let me tell all of you a little story. I'm in Emerald city to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Wicked Witch of the West's death and I ask Nancy where my daughter's booth is. She then whispers in my ear that the booth has been closed because it was a conspiracy. I'm shocked, I can barely think straight and then I find out why. It turns out that you were saying that Elphaba wasn't evil but good and everyone threw eggs at you until you were at the safety of the outside! Have I left anything out?" Glinda said, looking straight at her daughter.

"No," Fayba said, having a sudden interest in her shoes.

Glinda dropped her hands from her waist and knelt down to her daughter's level, which was hard to do since she was in a huge puffy pink dress. "Why would you do that?" she asked the question directly at Fayba.

"We thought the public should know the truth," Fayba said, looking at her mother. She couldn't help but feel a bit thankful that her mother was yelling at her, instead of on her deathbed.

"On the 20th celebration of the Wicked Witch of the West's death?" she cried, standing up and beginning to pace.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Fayba said, watching her mother pace.

"What could have possibly come over you to think that was a good idea?" Glinda asked. Fayba dropped her gaze to the ground again, biting her tongue so she wouldn't blurt out the answer. Now wasn't the time for Glinda to find out that Elphaba is really alive.

"We're sorry, we just thought that it was about time to let the truth come out," Lance said, sticking up for Fayba.

"Well I hope all of you have learned you lessons to never tell the public the truth," Glinda said, but stopped talking to think about her comment. "Well, you know what I mean. Now I have to go inside to do some damage control, and for goodness sakes, get that gunk off you," Glinda said, getting onto her bubble and directing it to the inside of Emerald city.

"I'm sorry Fayba that it didn't work," Jasmine said once Glinda left. She rubbed her friend's back to give her support.

"Hey, at least we tried," Conlan joined in.

"Ya, we did our best," Lance added.

"We just have to try harder next time," Fayba said, standing up and using the same spell that she did to get the honey off to get the raw eggs off her. She then pointed to Jasmine and Conlan to get the eggs off them too. She knew that Lance could get the eggs off himself.

"What do you mean, try harder next time? I don't think there should be a next time," Jasmine said, "and I don't want there to be a next time."

"We can't give up, we have to keep trying for the greater good, don't get discouraged," Fayba replied.

"No offence, but save the cheerleading pep talk. We were lucky that we got out of there with just eggs on us and not pitchforks. We're lucky that Madame Torrible just thinks it's a prank and that your mother is going to do damage control. It may cost us our lives next time, not just posters and brochures," Conlan said, getting a bit annoyed. "How much longer do you expect us to risk our lives? I'm out, I'm done, that's it."

Fayba looked at Lance. "Do you agree with them? Do you think that we should be cowards and give up?" she asked him. Lance just kept his gaze to the ground.

"I think my mother would want us to stop," Lance said slowly.

"You don't want to help, fine. Just fine," Fayba said, picking up her bag and walking away.

"Where are you going?" Lance asked, following her as Jasmine and Conlan stayed where they were.

"Away," Fayba said.

"To where?" Lance said grabbing her arm, forcing her to stop walking and face him. "Madame Torrible told us to stay where we were."

"Since when do you listen to authority?" Fayba asked, in complete disgust. "I'm going to try to figure out a plan, now let go!" she said, trying to pull her arm out of his grasp but he just held on tighter.

"It's no use, we tried. My mom won't be angry that we failed, honest. Besides, it's not so bad when you're in hiding. It's quiet and peaceful, except when Eland tries to invent a potion, but hey, gotta love that kid." Lance rambled. "It's okay, really," Lance reassured.

"Why did you come to Shiz then?"

"What?" Lance asked, confused at the sudden change of subject.

"Why did you come to Shiz if living in isolation is so great?" Fayba clarified. Lance didn't know what to say. He wanted to go to Shiz because he hated being in hiding for all those years. "Well?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter," Lance said.

"Yes it does matter. You didn't like being isolated did you?" Lance didn't answer. "Did you?" she asked again.

"No," he admitted quietly, releasing her arm.

"And now you're able to go freely wherever you want. Don't you think your mother deserves that too," Fayba said.

Lance sighed. He knew that Fayba was going to continued trying, even if no one was going to help her. She was sometimes too stubborn for her own good. "Your right, she deserves better, I'll help." Fayba smiled and jumped on Lance giving him a hug but quickly pulled away when she realized what she was doing. "Let's go back and convince Jasmine and Conlan now," he said walking back to the steps, Fayba followed, even though she expected that Jasmine and Conlan weren't going to help. "I'm helping Fayba," Lance said. Jasmine and Conlan were surprised. They thought that Lance convinced Fayba to not try anymore, not the other way around. "You two can give up, but I'm with Fayba, my mother deserves better," he said to Conlan and Jasmine. "So let me ask you this, in or out?" he questioned.

Conlan looked at Lance, then at Fayba, then at Jasmine, wondering which side to pick. He didn't want to try anymore but Lance was his only friend and this was his mother. "I'm in," Conlan said, knowing that he had to help his friend. "We need to help, what if it was your mother," he said to Jasmine.

Jasmine looked at Fayba. She had been doing Fayba so many favours and she did them because she had never had a best friend like Fayba since her childhood best friend died. She sensed that her friend was telling her to stick by Fayba. "I'm putting this on your tab. One of these days I'm gonna need a favour from you and you are going to say yes, with no questions asked because I think I am going to do something crazy someday as I am doing today. I'm in," she said and Fayba hugged her.

"Thanks! Okay, so let's discuss plans," Fayba said before she was interrupted.

"Dude, what are you learning at that school?" Ander asked as he walked up to them with Ruby beside him.

"You know you could have given us the heads up," Ruby said as they sat down on the steps.

"So what's the damage?" Jasmine asked them.

"Well your booth is gone, as well as your posters and brochures. Everyone wanted a piece to rip up, you guys were lucky that you were able to grab your bags and get out of there so quickly," Ruby said as Ander nodded.

"But I did manage to save one brochure and I read it. I must repeat, dude, what do you learn at that school?" Ander said, handing Fayba the brochure.

"Thanks," Fayba said, putting it in her bag.

What was surprising was this could have been the most likely time that Fayba would have noticed that her notebook was missing. She could have also noticed it when it fell out of her bag, but then again, she was trying to run away from the mean people throwing eggs at her. If she did notice, some things may have turned out differently. That notebook had many secrets that Fayba wanted to remain kept, like the location to where Elphaba was hiding. She didn't intend to take it to Emerald city, she just forgot about it because she was so busy preparing the booth.

So, as Fayba was outside Emerald city, laughing with her friends, someone inside Emerald city picked it up. Curiosity got the best of him and instead of just reading who it belonged to, (if he did, he probably would have given it to Madame Torrible or Glinda), he decided to read it. He thought it was a girl's diary and he always wanted to know what went on in the female mind, since he hasn't had a date in almost thirty years. When he discovered that this wasn't a diary, but a notebook and when he uncovered the secret that Fayba had been hiding, he ran to the head guard of Emerald city, telling him what he had learned.

"Tell no one, we can't let this leak to Glinda," the head guard had instructed him. He nodded and went back to work, sweeping the floor, which was how he came across the notebook in the first place. He saw the head guard whisper to others at different times the rest of the day. It had gotten around to only a few, and there was a plan, and the plan was to be discussed after the celebration, when all the students from Shiz left as well as Glinda and her servants, to make sure there were no spies.

---

"Bye," Fayba said as she hugged Ruby and Ander. "This was a lot of fun, well, besides the getting eggs thrown at me part," she continued.

"Ya, this was fun, write more okay, I want to know exactly what you are learning at that school," Ander said.

"Oh, give it a rest," Ruby complained and Fayba laughed.

She then turned to the bus and got on. Every student on the bus stopped talking when she walked in. She slowly sat down beside Jasmine. "I guess everyone is talking about it," Fayba said to Jasmine.

"Gee, what tipped you off?" Jasmine asked sarcastically.

Fayba laughed and looked past Jasmine and out the window, hoping to see Ander and Ruby one last time. She saw them wave and she waved back but noticed something odd behind them. Madame Torrible was talking to the head guard of Emerald city. She never liked that guy. Fayba always suspected him having something to do with her father's death. Her father was the head guard before he died and she knew that he always wanted her father's spot. She did mention to her mother once, but her mother brushed it off, and of course she did, who would take the suggestion of a child.

"You okay?" Jasmine asked.

"Ya, of course," Fayba said, turning her attention back to Ruby and Ander who clearly were trying to mouth something to her. Madame Torrible came onto the bus moments later and it started moving. Fayba leaned back in her seat, looking at Madame Torrible, in hopes to read her mind.

"Bye!" Ruby shouted, still waving even though Fayba wouldn't be able to see or hear her anymore.

"Dude, she can't see you," Ander said.

"Is dude like your new word or something?" Ruby asked turning her attention to Ander. "Cause it is really getting annoying."

"Dude, duuuude, duuuuuuuude," Ander started saying.

"Stop that!" she said as she smacked him.

"Ander!" someone called, interrupting their conversation. "I need you to take the night shift with the horses, I'm sorry I can't do it, my sis just went into labour and if I'm not there for her to break my hand, you will end up everyday doing the night shift," the man said once he reached him.

"Sure, no problem," Ander said.

"Thanks dude!" he said as he ran away.

Ruby turned to Ander. "So that's where you got the word, I should have known, you two are like connected at the hip when you work. Anyways, I got to go; it's getting late, see you tomorrow," Ruby said, running home.

"Bye," Ander called after her.

Ander started walking towards the stables, oblivious to the fact that there were more people walking into Emerald city then out. As he walked into the stable, from the outside entrance, he noticed that the door that led to the inside of Emerald city was opened. He walked over to shut it because he was always told to close the door so the noise wouldn't bother the horses. Once he reached the door, he noticed that the head guard was talking and there were many people listening to him, as if he was making a speech. He thought that was kind of weird because why would he make a speech now when the party was over. For some reason though, he had a strange feeling that it had something to do with Fayba telling him earlier that day about Elphaba being alive and not evil.

"I'm sure everyone has heard about the booth that Glinda's daughter and her little friends sat up today. They claimed that the Wicked Witch of the West isn't really evil. If this is true then what is evil? That witch destroyed our homes, cursed innocent animals with wings, turned people into straw and tin! If that isn't evil then I don't know what is!" the guard shouted as everyone cheered. "I found Fayba's notebook and I shockingly discovered that the Wicked Witch isn't dead but in hiding." This caused everyone to gasp. "I believe that the Wicked Witch cast a spell on Fayba and her friends to try and get us to believe that she isn't wicked so she can come back to Oz to do more horrible and evil things. The only way to break them from the spell is to kill the Wicked Witch. Luckily, the witch slipped up and let Fayba write in her notebook where she was hiding. We shall go tomorrow, as soon as the sun rises and kill the Wicked Witch!" This lead to more cheers.

"But what about Fayba and her friends?" someone in the crowd screamed, causing everyone to quiet down.

"Don't worry, I spoke to Madame Torrible and she has a plan to keep them at Shiz. Tell everyone you know about the plan; just make sure no one from Glinda's castle or Shiz find out. We can't have spies telling Elphaba that we are coming," the guard said and everyone cheered.

Ander couldn't believe it. He silently closed the door and went to the fastest horse in the stable. "Buttercup," he whispered. "Buttercup, please wake up," he continued saying while taping the horse's head.

"What do you want?" Buttercup demanded, clearly angry that someone woke her up, even if that someone was Ander.

"I need you to take me to Ruby's house, it's life and death," Ander said. Buttercup nodded and Ander hopped on her back and she quickly left the stables.

They reached Ruby's house in no time and Ander banged on the door. Ruby still lived with her parents because she was not yet married, once she was, she would live with her husband. Ander hoped that one day he would marry her but he couldn't think about that right now, he had to think about the crisis that is going to happen. He was grateful that Ruby answered the door and not her father, because it was late and he was sure her father would be cranky.

"Ander what are you doing here?" Ruby asked, clutching her bathrobe that was over top of her nightgown.

"They're going to kill Elphaba. They have Fayba's notebook, I don't know how, but they are going to leave tomorrow at sunrise. What do we do?" Ander asked. He had no idea what to do. He knew that he wouldn't be able to make it to Shiz on time, Buttercup couldn't run that fast in the night. Horses tend to get very sleepy at night and travel slower.

"Tell Pete," Ruby said. "We should go to the castle and tell Pete. Flying is the fastest way to go so he might be able to make it in time," Ruby said closing her front door and running to Buttercup. "I'm coming with you," she said climbing onto the horse, leaving enough room for Ander to climb on in front of her. Ander nodded and got on Buttercup.

"Go to Glinda's castle," he said to Buttercup and she immediately started running to the castle.

Reviews are always welcome!