WELCOME TO SHIZ UNIVERSITY
OF HALLOWED HALLS AND VINE-DRAPED WALLS
THE PROUDLIEST SIGHT THERE IS
WELCOME, NEW SHIZ-IANS!
Elphaba stood in the enormous hall and drank in the details thirstily, resisting the urge to pivot around slowly like some dizzy idiot. Students and their parents (or in some cases, escorts) milled around the foyer, looking at various flyers and posters, chatting in small groups or bidding tearful farewells. It was a crisp January morning, and her first day of Shiz has begun.
Elphaba pushed her glasses up nervously. So far, no one had noticed she was – well, green. But then again, she had just arrived and hadn't done anything else besides gawk at the surrounding campus. Mentally preparing herself, she took a step towards the crowd.
"Excuse me, Miss? Excuse me – ARGH!"
The boy let out an involuntary yelp and hurriedly backed away as Elphaba turned around. She tried for a friendly smile and stretched out her hand.
"Hi. I'm Elphaba. Are you looking for some help?"
"Um, I'm Boq." The boy (A Munchkin, definitely, thought Elphaba) stuttered, not taking her hand. "And, uh, no thanks. I'll better …"
He scurried off.
Elphaba let her hand drop with a sigh. Unfortunately, the Munchkin's shout had attracted some attention, and Elphaba heard a few murmurs as she craned her neck to scan the parking lot for a sign of Nessa and Father.
"Is it some kind of fashion statement?"
"Don't be daft, Pfannee. What, dye your skin green? I don't think so!"
"Sweet Oz, she looks like a walking Lurlinemas tree!"
"Minus the decorations, you mean."
Elphaba gritted her teeth as soft chortles spread through the growing number of spectators.
Stay calm. It's your first day here. Blowing it up would be a record, even for you.
The school bell tolled, and the few remaining parents dispersed, waving.
"Hellooo! Excuse me, excuse me! Oh – Careful there!"
Everyone switched from staring at Elphaba to ogling the absolute mountain of suitcases pushed by three red-faced porters … And the blonde girl perched daintily on top of them.
If that's Madame Morrible, I …
"Why, don't look so stupefied! I'm merely saying hi!" The blonde beamed, clearly reveling in the attention. She climbed down nimbly, showing off her expensive-looking cream coloured matching blouse and skirt, as well as her perfectly curled golden hair.
"I'm going to introducify myself in a second and – Oh, goodness! You're green! Are you seasick?"
Elphaba could've sworn that Fate had something against her.
"Yes, I am." She replied shortly.
The entire school population continued to gape at her, and that grew very annoying.
"What are you all looking at?" Elphaba demanded. "Or wait, do I have something in my teeth?"
The students merely stared and whispered among themselves.
"Alright, let's get this over with." Elphaba slammed her suitcase down, stormed towards them and began counting off her fingers. "No, I'm not seasick. Yes, I was born green. No, I didn't eat grass as a child. And – "
"Elphaba!" Nessa's voice called.
"… And that's my sister, Nessarose. As you can see, she's a perfectly normal colour –"
"Elphaba!" Father grabbed her hand and dragged her to a quiet corner where Nessa waited.
"Stop making a spectacle of yourself!" He seethed. "I only allowed you here for one reason, and that's to –"
"To take care of Nessa, I know," Elphaba finished.
Surprise flitted across Frexspar's face before it hardened.
"Good. Now, my darling girl, as a parting gift …"
He pulled out an ornate shoebox and opened it with a flourish. Inside, a pair of silver shoes glittered and cast specks of light onto the ceiling. Nessa's face lit up in delight.
"Oh, Father! Jeweled shoes?"
"As befits the future Governor of Munchkinland." Father said, smiling. He leaned in to whisper something that Elphaba didn't catch, and Nessa looked at him in surprise before nodding.
"Elphaba." The Governor stood up and snapped the box shut. "Take care of your sister." He kissed Nessa's cheek and muttered to Elphaba, "And try not to talk so much."
Elphaba pushed the wheelchair towards the foyer's center and waited until their Father was out of earshot before asking, "What did he tell you, Nessa?"
Nessa stared at the sparkling shoes in her hands before answering, "He said they belonged to Mother. And he told me to take good care of them."
Father gave Mama's shoes to Nessa?
Nessa sensed her momentary pause and turned to say sympathetically, "Elphaba, I –"
"What could he have gotten me, anyway?" Elphaba said quickly. "I clash with everything."
Nessarose gave a slightly uncomfortable smile and settled back into the wheelchair. Suddenly, she wished that Father had given Elphaba those shoes instead. She had hardly known Mel – Mother; holding her shoes, the ones her feet must've danced in, made her feel as if she was desecrating a relic that she had no permission to even touch.
"Good morning, new students! Welcome, welcome!"
The student body shifted towards what must be the Head Shiztress as she strode into the hallway.
"I am Madame Morrible, Head Shiztress of Shiz University. And whether if you're here to study to Law, Logic or Linguification…"
Galinda raised an eyebrow at her new Shiztress. With an overly made up face, hair that could either be described as "bedhead" or "deceptively messy" and a gown that looked like it had been taken out of a carpet shop, Madame Morrible looked …
"Charming," she whispered to Shenshen and Pfannee, who giggled accordingly.
"… I know I speak for my fellow faculty members when I say we have nothing but the highest hopes for – some – of you," Madame Morrible finished with some scattered applause.
"Elphaba, I think you should let her know that I'm here," Nessa said quietly to Elphaba. "She told me that she would be taking charge of my things."
"Alright. Excuse me! Excuse me – Let us through …"
"Ah!" Madame Morrible exclaimed. "You must be the Governor's daughter! Nessarose, isn't it?" Nessarose smiled politely. "What a tragically beautiful face you have! And who is your – Oh my."
Elphaba shrugged. "I'm the other daughter, Elphaba. I'm … Beautifully tragic."
"Well, I'm sure you're very bright!" Madame Morrible managed, placing a hand on her ample bosom and taking a deep breath.
"Bright?" Galinda said, slightly louder than she intended. "She's phosphorescent!"
Madame Morrible raised a hand to silence the laughing, and continued.
"Now, regarding room assignments …"
The Blonde raised her hand at the same time, and Elphaba was pleased to see that Madame Morrible did not look happy as she asked the Blonde (as Elphaba had named her), "Is this regarding room assignments?"
"No, but thank you for asking, Madame Morrible." The Blonde replied (pompously, in Elphaba's opinion). "I've already been assigned a private suite. But –" (as the crowd hanging around her gasped in envy) "… You can all come and visit me whenever you want!"
"How good of you!"
"You're so good!"
"No, I'm not!" (tinkly laugh)
"Yes, you are!"
"Oh, stop it!"
"I think I might barf," Elphaba murmured to Nessa.
"Did you have a question?" The Head Shiztress snapped.
"Oh, yes – You see, I'm Galinda Upland, of the Upper Uplands. I applied to your sorcery seminar but I was notified that it was unsuccessful. Well, of course, I thought to myself: communicatution problems always happen in offices as large and as prestigious as this! Perhaps you might recall my entrance essay: 'Magic Wands: Need They Have A Point?'"
Madame Morrible frowned in an attempt to remember said essay.
"Yes, however, I do not teach my seminar every semester. But, if someone special were to come along –"
Galinda smiled and nodded encouragingly. "Well, exactly!"
"This is taking up way too much time," Elphaba muttered and pushed Nessa's wheelchair forward. "Madame Morrible, we haven't received our room assignments."
The Blonde – Galinda, was it? – glared at her, and Elphaba glared back. That's for calling me phosphorescent, Blondie.
"The Governor made his concerns for your sister's wellbeing quite apparent," Madame Morrible was saying. "She will share my compartment, where I can assist her when needed."
"But I've always taken care of my sister!" Elphaba protested. "Father said … "
"He never mentioned you," Madame Morrible said apologetically, mistaking Elphaba's panic as a reaction to not having a room. "Just a slight gulch, no need to fretify, we'll find a place to put you!"
"No, you don't understand – Madame …"
"Elphaba!" Nessa hissed quietly. The other students were looking at her with pity now, and she hated that. "Elphaba, please, it's no big deal."
"Attention! Which of you young ladies will volunteer to share a room with Miss. Elphaba?"
Galinda watched the proceedings with a furrowed brow. "You know, I don't think she even read my essay!" She complained to Shenshen and Pfannee.
"That's so unfair! You should say something!" Someone piped.
"Should I?" Galinda mused as Shenshen and Pfannee bobbed their heads in unison ("Yes you should, Galinda!"). Making up her mind, Galinda walked over to the Shiztress determinedly.
"Madame Morrible! You really must –"
"Oh, thank you, dear!" Madame Morrible exclaimed in obvious relief. "That's so very good of you!"
"What?"
What?
"Yes, Miss. Elphaba, you can room with Miss. Galinda!" Madame Morrible continued. "To your rooms, then, ladies!" She seized the wheelchair's handles from Elphaba and started to push it away.
"No, wait!" Elphaba called, an irrational fear gripping her heart. Nessa has never been away from me for more than a few hours at a time – Madame Morrible can't possibly know what she really needs –
"Elphaba, I'll be alright!" Nessa said, reaching a hand out to placate her sister as she was wheeled further and further away.
"But I promised Father!" Elphaba shouted. And Mama!
"Young gentlemen, to your rooms!" Madame Morrible said, dismissing the boys.
"LET. HER. GO!"
All of a sudden, the skylight darkened and the wind whipped the various flyers into tiny hurricanes. Nessa screamed as the wheelchair was wrenched out of Madame Morrible's hands and thrown backwards towards Elphaba, who caught the handles safely.
For a moment, all was silent.
"How did you do that?" The Head Shiztress breathed.
"How did she do that?" Galinda said in disbelief.
Nessa wheeled back to face Elphaba, angry tears in her eyes. "Elphaba, I told you it was going be alright! Why did you lose control? You promised things would be different here – I tried so hard to let you come and now Father …"
"You mean this has happened before?" Madame Morrible interrupted.
Elphaba hurried over and tried to explain herself. "Well, something just comes over me sometimes. I can't describe it but I'm trying to control it – Nessa, I'm so sorry."
"What? Never apologize for talent!" Madame Morrible ejaculated, taking Elphaba's hand. "Talent is a gift, my dear! And this is my special talent: Encouraging talent!"
Elphaba only nodded mutely, exchanging baffled glances with Nessa.
"Have you ever considered a career in sorcery?"
"I – Well … Not really," Elphaba stammered. Sorcery? What on earth is happening?
"I shall tutor you privately – And take no other students!" Madame Morrible proclaimed with a pointed glance at Galinda.
"What?" Galinda said faintly. "No other students?"
"Thank you, Madame," Elphaba replied in surprise. "But why … Me?"
Madame Morrible chortled and patted Elphaba's hand. "You see, Elphaba – Many years I have waited for a gift like yours to appear. Why, if you practice hard enough, I wager the Wizard could make you his … Magic Grand Vizier!"
"The Wizard?" Elphaba repeated in astonishment. "You mean … The Wizard?"
"My dear, my dear." Madame Morrible said excitedly, scribbling something on a sheaf of notices and schedules and handing them to Elphaba. "Join my seminar! And when I deem you ready, I'll write at once to the Wizard and tell him of you in advance. Afterwards … Oh ho, a world awaits at your feet! Why, with a talent like yours, there's a definish chance – if you work hard, of course – that you'll be making good."
"Don't worry about your sister, Elphaba!" Madame Morrible chuckled once again as she picked up Nessa's scattered baggage. Nessa grinned at Elphaba and gave her a thumbs-up as she mouthed, "I won't tell Father!"
"Keep it as a surprise!" Elphaba mouthed back, feeling a smile stretch her face. Who knew that this weird quirk I have is actually a talent? One that could help me meet THE Wizard?
"Now, Madame –"
"Not now, dear." Madame Morrible waved Blondie off. "Shoo, shoo, shoo!"
Realizing that most of the crowd (save for the ones clinging to Galinda) had dispersed, Elphaba picked up her bag and walked towards the Dormitory buildings. Passing Blondie, she heard a plantitive, "Something's wrong … I didn't get my way. Oh Oz, I need to go lie down!"
"Our room is this way if you want to follow me," Elphaba replied, rolling her eyes.
A brunette shot eye daggers at her. "Haven't you done enough already?"
"I don't know what I did, really," Elphaba said blithely as she continued on her way. "All I know is that I'll be attending Madame Morrible's Sorcery Seminar at," she glanced at her schedule, "10:30AM to 1PM, Monday mornings."
Galinda groaned something in response, and her clique carried her off to the Sick Bay with that Munchkin (Biq? Or Boq?) following behind anxiously.
Elphaba fought the urge to skip along like a small child as she climbed the staircase of the dormitory. Finally, something was happening! Finally, I'll be standing with the Wizard, feeling things I've never felt! She laughed aloud. Oh, I'll probably never show it … But I'm feeling so happy I could, well, melt.
Elphaba stopped suddenly an image filled her mind. She was standing with The Wizard, gazing across a crowd of cheering people. Her family stood in the center; a beaming Nessa, no longer ashamed of her sister. Father, ruffling her hair as he always did with Nessa, smiling and telling everyone, "That's Elphaba, my eldest daughter!" Dear old Nanny, grinning with pride. And Mama … Smiling gently, as she always did in Elphaba's slightly misty memories of her.
"Held in such esteem." Elphaba whispered to herself. "Maybe people will see me and scream – and not at my colour!" She unlocked her room door and took a deep breath.
"Because I'll be half of Oz's favourite team … The Wizard and I!"
A/N: - plays the final "The Wizard and I" chord as Elphaba belts out the last word -
First of all, a GIANT thanks to all who've reviewed; ComingandGoingByBubble, xMegxGiry, wickedmetalviking1990(I hope I got that right), and all reviewers. wmv1990, I was and am so touched by your comment that I should write the screenplay! If I could, I would! - itches to sing "Defying Gravity" too -
Elphaba's habit of pushing up her glasses (as you'll see later in the chapters) is taken from the wonderful Julia Murney, who did a terrific Elphaba acting-wise. Singing-wise, she sadly got her vocals slightly damaged at the end of her run, though I think they're back to normal now. I've always prioritized acting over singing.
Sorry, no Fiyero this chapter. He's decided to be fashionably late, thanks to several reasons (official and non-official included). By the way, I know most schools traditionally start the term in September, but in MY place and Oz we do it in January. Fits the timeline better, anyways ... Fiyero likes spring a lot. Because it's green. Yeah ...
Anyone else in excitement and slight trepidation for Disney's "Oz: The Great and Powerful"? Okay, wait - I just Googled it and found that Elphaba's name has been replaced by Theodora.
... WHAT?!
What is this, a British period drama? (I love British period dramas, by the way. DOWNTON ABBEY!) Theodora is suited for an old crochet-y lady with a thousand cats and a thousand more lace curtains! Theodora is NOT someone who makes Quidditch look sexy! THEODORA IS NOT ELPHABA!
Also, there's no Fiyero.
NEIN! (does a Fiyero riff)
At least Elpha - I mean, Theodora - looks rather good in whatever promo pic they've released. Then again, she's acted by Mila Kunis. While Idina Menzel does voice acting in Frozen.
The world's messed up ...
Since it's raining outside now, a good cup of tea (or coffee for any Americans out there ... I'm just being stereotypical), chocolate wafers and sugar cookies. The review button is dying for a sign of love.