A/N: It's back! I managed to get a chapter in and we learn something new about Jo! By the way, what did you guys all think of Wendy's transformation in that flashback of who she was before she let herself open up to Jo?

Fae'sFlower: I don't think the "Hunter" would be able to do that. You'll see why in the next chapter. I know! Don't worry, Wendy's past will be revealed later on. What is your theory, though? I'm interested to hear.

The Family Dinner Disaster

The next day, Adette spent most of her time in her guest room and reading one of her books but kept a huge smile on her face the whole day. She kept thinking about her date with Jo and how it went perfectly - despite Jo's insecurities. After coming back to the palace they both agreed that they had fun and they should do it again sometime, even bring Wendy along with them whenever the Wendigo felt like it - although they both doubt she would refuse any request from the two of them.

Adette then began to think about their relationship so far; they've only known each other for weeks, almost a whole month and yet they're already going on dates with each other. Before she met Jo, Adette had promised herself to never believe in the love-at-first-sight line because she saw how well that turned for her cousin. She decided to wait until she was older and she knows someone well enough to be her first date.

But when she saw Jo dance on that stage she knew she wanted to get to know him better. He was different from all the other boys at their age and it made her wonder how he was like that. Then that night with the brothel when he answered on why he didn't leave her alone when she ran out of the brothel after disowning herself from her cousin she knew that she didn't make a mistake of being intrigued by him.

Looking at it now, the two of them had a lot in common; they were both orphans, one of their only family members alive practically disowned them, they both set off to be who they want to be without caring what others thought, and they managed to get on a good side of a Wendigo.

Then again, she probably only got on Wendy's good side was because her first impression on the Wendigo was defending the boy she's been looking after for a very long time. If it were any other situation she figured that it won't be so easy to gain the hundred and fifty-year-old's trust.

A knock at the door cut her off from her thoughts. "Come in!"

The door opened to reveal her aunt Baxiana. "Adette? Can we talk?"

The young blonde didn't like the way that sounded but she still let her aunt in.

"Now, Adette," her aunt's face looked stern as she spoke. "I've heard the word that you went on a date with that Chim Dancer yesterday."

Immediately, Adette bristled. "Who told you about that?"

"I know it feels hard to believe that he doesn't care about us, but Fiyero is only doing what he thinks is best for-"

"Fiyero?!" Now it made sense; the two cousins never had a good relationship and Fiyero and Jo were far from friends so it would make sense that the Prince would do anything to get the two in trouble just to get back at them. "You believe a thing he's saying?!"

"I'll admit, I didn't believe it at first either, until I saw you walk into the castle holding that boy's hand," she gave her niece a stern look. "Anything you would like to explain?"

"Aunt Baxiana, Jo's not a bad guy!" Adette defended the dyslexic boy. "He's been through a lot, he can't read or write like other people and he's an amazing gentleman. If you even start going on about him being a peasant-!"

"That's not just it, Adette," Baxiana cuts her off before she could continue. "I know you would expect me to talk about his status but it's not just that I'm worried about."

"Then what is it?" She took a moment to register the slight look of fear in her eyes and immediately figured what this was about. "Is this about Wendy?! Aunt Baxiana, I can't even-!"

"You saw what that thing did to your sister-in-law!" Baxiana was quick to protest. "Imagine what it could do to you!"

"First off; that thing is a she," Adette said hotly. "Second; the only reason Wendy even attacked her was that she attacked Jo! What? Did you really expect her to not retaliate from that?"

"What about your cousin? My son?" Adette could feel herself fuming with anger when her aunt deliberately changed the subject. "He's only met that thing three times and out of all that time it's tried to kill him!"

Adette felt like she could have kept defending Wendy since one of those times she technically wasn't trying to kill him - the only times where she tried to killed was when Fiyero did anything to Jo - but she felt like her words would only fall on deaf ears so she just huffed and turned her head away.

"Adette," her aunt's voice was softer now. "I realize you felt neglected; wherever it be from me, Marillot, your brother, or even Fiyero. I won't lie when I say that you finding someone to court at a young age is a wonderful thing, but you have to remember that he lives with a monster. I don't want you getting-"

"She's not a monster!" Adette finally snapped. "She's human just like me and you; sure, she's severely mutated and has a pride problem. but it still doesn't change she has a human conscience! What would it take to convince you?!"

She was met only by silence. Adette desperately tried to think of a way to put her aunt's worries to rest - even though it probably won't rest if the Queen said something wrong to set the Wendigo off - when her thoughts turned to the upcoming dinner tomorrow night. It was a dinner between the two families of the Vinkus and the Wizard. She remembered somewhere that they were allowed to bring guests if they wanted too.

"How about I bring them to that dinner coming up?" Her words with met with the wide eyes of her aunt.

"What?!"

"It's technically a family dinner, right?" Adette asked rhetorically. "And we're allowed to bring in guests we're in relations to, right? And since I'm technically dating Jo, I have a right to bring him and Wendy to the dinner. Trust me, once you get to know them you'll realize that Jo is the sweetest person you'll ever meet."

She may have unintentionally not mentioned Wendy for a reason because she knew that the Wendigo's overall mood tends to be grumpy so she didn't think it would be a good idea to mention that.

"Alright," Baxiana finally relented. "Your uncle and I will give Jo and his friend a chance for us to get to know them. We will be expecting them at the dinner."

Adette had never felt more relieved when her aunt said those words before she got up and left the room. But then the young princess remembered that she had to bring a boy from a lower class and a former cannibal to an evening, formal dinner with people from royalty.

Not to mention the fact she's going have to tell them that she invented to said formal dinner without their permission.

She should probably get some earplugs for this.

"You did what?!"

SHRIEK!

Adette winced when Wendy gave out an inhuman shout after telling her and Jo - who's voice wasn't as loud as Wendy's - that they were going to attend a dinner with the Tiggular and the Diggs family.

She found them in their room, Wendy was happily weaving away some new tapestries while Jo seemed to be working on something in his typewriter ("It's for the wizard," he told her when she asked). They both seemed to be in great spirits when she arrived, especially when they saw her. However, it looked to be the opposite after she told them the news.

"I sort-of invited you guys to a family dinner without your permission?" She said meekly.

They had already heard it the first time but hearing it a second time seemed to be too much for Wendy as the Wendigo let out another shriek before she stomped her way to another corner of the room, probably trying to find something to take her anger out on. Leaving Jo being the only sensible person of the duo to talk with the person.

"Adette, why would you do this?" Jo demanded, unable to get what he heard out of his ears.

"I'm sorry," she said over Wendy's screeches of possible profanities. "But my aunt found out we were dating and she thought my life would be in danger with Wendy around so I thought that if you invite guys over and let my aunt and uncle get to know they'll worry less."

"Okay, I understand that," at the moment, a shoe flew past Jo's head. "But are you forgetting that fact that you-know-who is going to be attending the dinner with us and Wendy is not on the best terms with them?"

"I'll get my aunt and my uncle to control my cousin," Adette tells him reassuringly while another shoe flew past the both of them. "I honestly think the worst he can do to Wendy is make a bad sex joke."

"It's not just him I'm worried about," Jo sheepishly admits while rubbing his hands together nervously.

A pillow flew in-between them.

Adette's eyes widen in horror when she realized who Jo was talking about. "Elphaba..."

It honestly would explain Wendy's mood right now since all that Fiyero has ever done to her, personally, was hit on without knowing what she actually looked like. Elphaba, on the other hand, had hurt the person the Wendigo loved very much right in front of her while downgrading him because of his former position. That was why she saw Jo and Wendy doing their absolute best to avoid the green girl.

"Okay, I'll admit I have no idea how to deal with her because I absolutely know nothing about her," Adette said before a thought popped in her head. "What about her father? You guys seem to be on pretty good terms with him."

"Well, he got me a job on writing a braille article but that's about it," Jo admits.

"He still let Wendy off the hook even though she broke his daughter's arm because he knew his daughter was the one who started it all. So as long as Wendy isn't the one who starts the fight, you'll both be okay with him!"

Jo still looked unsure. "I don't know, Adette..."

Seeing that she had no other options, she decided to compromise. "Okay, how about you two don't stay the whole dinner? You'll only stay until my aunt and uncle asked enough questions. If you feel like you're uncomfortable at any time you two can leave. How does that sound?"

"I think as long as it doesn't give Wendy enough time to throw somebody, like your uncle, out of an open window then I think we'll be okay." Jo finally agreed, making Adette sighed in relief. Things were going okay.

They both suddenly ducked when a horse saddle came flying too close over their heads.

Their eyes landed on the raging Wendigo with disbelief.

"Where did she get that saddle?!"

"How am I supposed to know?!"

The whole dinner table was awkward.

After getting Wendy to finally calm down and stop her rampage against helpless inanimate objects, the three of them got themselves ready for the dinner; Adette was wearing the outfit Wendy had given her for the wedding, Jo was wearing his clothes from their date and Wendy was wearing a cleaner version of the cloak she always wears. Afterward, they came to the large dining room and sat in their respective seats.

It left an awkward silence in the air.

Adette was well-aware of the eyes that were on the Wendigo - if Wendy was aware of the eyes on her she did pretty well to show that she didn't care as she waited for her food to be brought - and she realized that they're all having dinner with a former cannibal that has severe disfigurement so it wasn't easy for most of them.

Her aunt and uncle were staring at the walking skeleton with cautious eyes while Fiyero was shooting Wendy dirty looks whenever he could - even though it was obvious the Wendigo would never see it. Elphaba, who was sitting across from, was the most intimidating person at the table since she was giving the coldest look ever to Wendy and Jo.

While Wendy was able to ignore the glances in her direction, Jo did his best to not look at anyone straight in the eye. Especially the princess when he noticed her arm in a cast and sling.

"So, Jo," Baxianna was the first to talk after a while. "When exactly did you meet our little Adette?"

Jo looked at his food since they didn't exactly meet officially at the best of terms. "At the Emerald City," he finally decided to tell most of the truth. "Wendy and I were on a night out and we found Adette when she was looking for her cousin."

"Oh, I hope Fiyero didn't cause you any trouble. I heard he was causing a ruckus in the city with his bachelor party." Baxianna had no idea how true her words were, especially since Fiyero was pouting at those words.

Jo gave a nervous chuckle while Wendy had an unamused frown on her face. "Well, he may have caused something but everything's fine now."

"Fine?" Fiyero sounded outraged at this. "Fine?! That thing nearly crushed my head. I could have died, mom!"

His words made his wife roll her eyes, and she's married to a whiny baby like him why?

"Fiyero, that's enough!" Marillot ordered. "If Miss Wendy, I presume, wanted to kill you she would have chased you down afterward. Now, shush!"

The next-in-line ruler of Oz pouted like a child and sank down into his chest with his arms crossed. Adette did everything she could to not snort at the scene.

"Was it love at first sight that made you want to see Adette more?" Baxianna continued on with the questions.

"Well, I did think she was pretty when I first saw her," Jo admitted sheepishly, making Adette blush a little bit. "But, she's not like any other girls I have ever met and I didn't exactly have a lot of experiences with other children so, I just thought I wanted to try and get to know her better."

Baxianna seemed satisfied with that answer and returned back to her meal. Marillot, however, looked like he had something to say and Jo felt more terrified. This is as close to an overprotective father he could get with Adette and from the stories he was told by the Animal Master, they're every male's worst nightmare.

However, the king of Vinkus didn't even get a chance to speak since the chief came in and slid a plate full of raw meat over to Wendy. "Your dinner, ma'am." The chief said in disgust before he made his way back into the kitchen.

Wendy's face broke into glee before she took a piece of raw meat and downed it in seconds. She took another piece and did the same thing.

Everyone, minus Jo and Adette, stared at Wendy's lack of mannerism. Thanks to the fact most of them still have no idea what Wendy really was they had no idea about her occasional hunger pangs that take over.

"Anyway," the Wizard spoke up after shaking himself out of Wendy's behavior. "I know it's probably a little early to mention this, Jo, but how is the article about Animals I asked you to write about?"

"It's actually going pretty well, your Ozness," Jo said with a smile. "I only need one more sentence before I'm officially done."

"That fast?" Oscar looked at the boy in amazement. "My boy, this is wonderful! You know what? In order to show my gratitude, I would for you to have a book that belongs in my world."

Jo's eyes practically bulge out of his head when the Wizard handed him a book with a yellow cover and a monkey on it. "I-I don't know what to say, thank you!"

"It's no problem at all, my boy," the Wizard said gently. "I hope you enjoy the book."

Jo gave him a small smile before he took a look at the cover. "Curious George,"

His words made Adette freeze in her eating, as did the Wizard. The two slowly turned their heads to face the raven-haired boy, who was previously enjoying his meal after putting the book down before he noticed their stares.

"What?" He asks, sounding extremely nervous. "What did I do?"

"Jo," Adette began slowly. "You just read..."

"Well, yeah," Jo didn't see the problem with this. "I mean, I read braille texts all the time."

"That wasn't a braille textbook, Jo." Adette finally said the thing on her mind, making Wendy freeze in her eating when she realized what the young princess was saying.

Jo read something without the use of the Braille texts.

It took seconds for her words to fully comprehend in Jo's mind and once it did the boy couldn't believe it himself. Quickly picking the book up, Jo flipped through the pages. To his complete shock, he was able to understand everything right in front of him; no words were rearranged into messy scribbles that he couldn't comprehend. It was just as clear to him as Braille texts.

"I can read?" He mumbles in shock, Wendy looking down at him with concern eyes. "How is this possible?"

It was then the Wizard spoke up. "Uh, Jo? Has your dyslexia always acted up when you try to read Ozian texts?"

Jo slowly nodded, not seeing where this was going. "Yeah, why?"

The Wizard blew out a breath when he realized his thoughts were true. "Just as I thought... Jo, I don't think you were born in Oz. I actually think you were born in the world that I came from before I moved to Oz. I had trouble reading the language as well before I got used to it. It's the only thing that can explain how you're able to read this and not anything else."

Jo was silent for a moment before, "I-I'm not from Oz?"

"Jo," Adette didn't know what to say, even Wendy looked at lost since she looked torn between putting her hand on his shoulder or not.

Then came the words that broke their two hearts.

"My own mother didn't want me that much so she sent me to another world?"

Those words left a dreadful silence at the dinner table, making everyone realize the seriousness of the situation and stopped what they were doing to stare at the boy. The King and Queen of Vinkus were now looking at him with sympathetic eyes, Fiyero's face, though unreadable, has softened when he turned to look at Jo while Elphaba remained neutral through the whole thing.

Suddenly, Jo stood up. "I think I need to go..."

Adette tried to reach him. "Jo," but he was already gone. Disappeared from behind the door. Immediately after him, Wendy stood and headed out the door, her half-eaten meal now forgotten.

The silence was still present.

"I think it's time we all go our quarters for the day," the Wizard's voice managed to cut through the awkward tension and bring them back to reality.

For the first time, Adette couldn't help but agree with one of her in-laws.

The moment she stepped into the hallway that leads to her room, Elphaba found herself furious.

Apparently, one of her in-laws weren't as smart as she would like to believe and she brought those two despicable peasants into the dinner that was supposed to be with families only. Thoughts of that monster breaking her arm and getting off scotch free only fueled her anger. How could her own father do this to her? She could have died from that encounter and yet he still let that monster roam free?

Then again, she shouldn't be really surprised; he sent her off to the Quadling Country after her mother died because he couldn't bare to look at the thing that reminded him of Melena, then she had to face horrible treatment by her peers, calling her names, throwing things at her, and even beat her. And even though after years of not seeing each other, the first thing her father does when they're reunited was throwing her away into a arranged marriage with an obnoxious prince.

Now she's here with a broken arm while her father was off with some boy that's been causing her nothing but misery ever since he came to the Palace, treating him more like his child that his own. Not to mention that same boy came from the same world her father came from, giving them more of a reason to get closer to each other.

That was not going to happen. Not on her watch.

She stopped in her tracks when she noticed a door to her right. Judging by the smell of raw meat coming from the room, it was clear that this belonged to the monster and boy.

Thoughts of her father talking to the boy about an article suddenly popped into her head, making a smile curl into her lips.

She'll teach that boy a lesson for trying to take her father away from her.

What is Elphaba planning? Nothing good, I'll tell you that. The next chapter is where things really get set into emotion. Any one got any ideas on what's going to happen?

Also, who else was surprised that Jo actually came from our world?