A/N: So I realized this chapter took place immediately after ch8. So guess who gets two updates in one day? You guys!
To Fae'sFlower and everyone else asking about the Gelphie: they'll get there, it's coming, I promise. But don't you think Elphaba deserves her revenge first? ;)
Stupid blonde…doesn't know what she's talking about…would've been fine if she had just left me alone at the beginning of the year.
Elphaba spun around and kicked the door she was standing by. It gave a satisfying shudder, and now the throbbing in her foot was enough to distract her from her anger. With a small groan, she sat down on the front steps of the building. She didn't even know where she was—she had stormed out of Crage Hall in a blind rage, focusing all her energy on keeping her magic under control. Oz knows what would have happened if she had stayed with her roommate any longer…
"Miss Elphaba?"
The green girl jumped up at the sound of the voice. Dr. Dillamond stepped out of the building and closed the door gently behind him. "Miss Elphaba, is everything all right?"
Elphaba avoided her teacher's eyes as she wiped the dust off her clothes. "Of course, sir. Why wouldn't it be?"
The Goat's mouth worked beneath his beard as he regarded her. "Would you like some tea?"
"I—what?"
"Tea, Miss Elphaba. I always have a cup in the evenings, and it would be lovely to have some company. Would you join me?"
Her first instinct was to refuse, but something held her tongue. Dr. Dillamond, her favorite teacher, one of the greatest scholars in Oz, was inviting her to tea. Except…
"I…don't drink tea, Professor."
"I have cold cider as well." The Goat's eyes twinkled. "I insist, Miss Elphaba."
Elphaba swallowed and nodded, slowly following Dr. Dillamond back into the building. He led her to his office—a small room with little more than a cluttered desk, a wardrobe that held more books than clothes, and a pile of blankets in the corner, beneath a tiny window—and motioned for her to have a seat as he poured the drinks. There was silence as they both settled, sitting across the desk from each other. Elphaba kept her eyes on her glass.
"How have your classes been, Miss Elphaba?"
"Good." She cleared her throat, hoping she didn't sound as nervous as she felt.
"Most of my colleagues speak very highly of you," the Goat said with a smile. "But what about your roommate? How have you been getting along?"
"Everything's been fine, sir."
"I see. So going around campus kicking things is simply your way of celebrating how wonderful things are."
The green girl flinched, but Dr. Dillamond's eyes were still regarding her warmly. "Miss Elphaba, I sense you're not the type to open up to others. I'm not going to make you do anything. But I do want you to know that if you ever do want to talk, I will always listen."
Elphaba forced her mouth to curl into a smirk. "With all due respect, Dr. Dillamond, there are those who would say I already talk too much in your class."
"Ah yes, well, those with something will always be regarded bitterly by those without."
Elphaba looked startled at that. What in Oz did she have that those other girls didn't? Something must have shown on her face, for the Goat simply smiled at her. "Passion, Miss Elphaba. Purpose. You are your own person in a world where others are taught—and even persecuted—to conform." Dr. Dillamond stood suddenly. "I'm going on a walk. It seems like a decent enough night. Would you care to join me? I'm most curious about continuing the conversation we started in class today, about the truces of Animal-led clans in the ancient Vinkus."
Elphaba didn't know exactly what to do, so she nodded and stood, setting her full glass down and following her professor out of the room.
A sharp rapping on the door made Galinda jump. She bolted upright, drawing the blanket around herself. She hadn't been sleeping—how could she with the murderous look Elphaba had given her still burning into her mind?—but the room was dark and quiet, and the sudden noise had sent her heart pounding in her chest. The blonde sat still and listened. Who had knocked? Had Elphaba locked herself out? Well, that monster could just sleep in the hallway for all Galinda cared.
But…what if this was one of her tricks? What horror was waiting for her outside the door?
The knock came again, this time accompanied by a giggle. Galinda's eyes widened. Definitely not Elphaba.
She rushed to the door and opened it to find Pfannee and Milla and Shenshen.
"What took you so long?" Pfannee demanded.
"I was fixing my makeup in the bathroom," Galinda said with a shrug.
"Is the green bean here?" Shenshen asked quietly, leaning around Pfannee to peer into the room. Galinda shook her head.
"I haven't seen her since class today." She wasn't sure why, but the thought of talking about her last fight with the green girl made her slightly sick. "Anyway, what's going on? It's almost dark. Why are you here?"
Milla and Pfannee shared a glance before giggling again. Shenshen grinned. "There's a new student at Shiz. He's arriving soon. Oh, you should hear the thing they're saying about him, Galinda. Someone said he—"
"Hush, Shenshen!" Pfannee said, waving her arm at the other girl to cut her off. "Let her see for herself."
"See what for myself?" Galinda asked, pouting slightly.
"Come on!" Milla grabbed Galinda's wrist and tugged. "We're going to be late if we don't hurry!"
The blonde was still confused, but she shook her head and ducked back into her room to pull on a pair of heels and grab her purse. Within seconds she had rejoined her friends, and the four of them dashed out of Crage Hall to the entrance gates.
Students, mostly girls, had begun to crowd around in the square, standing on tiptoes to catch a glimpse of the iron gates. Galinda caught bits of conversation as she followed the others to the front of the growing mass.
"A new student, you said?"
"Why is he coming late?"
"Where is he from?"
"I heard—"
"Shh! Look!"
Galinda peered through the dying light toward the sound of wheels against cobblestone. An elaborate carriage, painted deep brown and fiery orange and decorated in strange carvings, rolled into sight. The horse pulling it was tall and bulky, colored like midnight. A hush fell over the onlookers as the cab slowed to a halt.
"Pardon me. Excuse me. Let me through, if you please." Madame Morrible broke through the front of the crowd and hurried toward the carriage, frantically straightening her dress and hair—a lost cause, Galinda thought.
Morrible beamed and shuffled forward, blocking the view as the carriage door creaked open. "Welcome to Shiz, Master Tiggular." She said with a slight bow. The girls exchanged a look. Morrible was sucking up to a student? Who was this kid?
The Madame Head snapped her fingers at a couple of boys in the front of the crowd. "You there, Masters Avaric and Boq. Come help with Master Tiggular's bags."
"That's alright," a voice said. A boy jumped down from the cab. "And call me Fiyero, please."
The crowd erupted in whispers.
"That skin!"
"Are those tattoos?"
"He's handsome," Pfannee said delightedly. Galinda took a couple of steps forward, desperately trying to get a better view. To say that Fiyero was handsome would be an understatement. His skin was a rich brown, except for a trail of tattooed, bright blue diamonds that gleamed in the sunlight. His silky dark hair hung messily above his face, and his eyes sparkled golden as he looked around the square. His lips curled into a mischievous half-smile as he took in all the attention.
"Why does he look like that?" Milla asked. "So…exotic."
"He's from the Vinkus!" a girl beside them whispered. "And I heard he's some sort of royalty there."
"Really?" Galinda asked, staring back at the boy with wonder. "A Winkie prince…"
Across the square, Elphaba and Dr. Dillamond had come to a stop between two buildings.
"You'd think a celebrity was arriving, the way they're all crowding around," Elphaba muttered.
Dr. Dillamond chuckled into his beard. "I wouldn't be so quick to judge, my dear. Even the teachers have been talking about this new student. A prince from the Vinkus, they say he is."
Despite herself, Elphaba was intrigued. Shiz was made almost entirely of Munchkinlanders and Gillikinese. In fact, she was sure that she was the only student here who had ever been to Quadling Country. To have another person who was well-traveled…
But still. She spotted Galinda and her friends on the other side of the square, practically swooning as they stared at the new boy. She didn't say anything out loud, not with Dr. Dillamond standing right there, but she found the whole thing completely pathetic.
Something caught the corner of Galinda's eye, and she turned to see what it was. Her despicable roommate was standing at the edge of the crowd, her dark eyes hard as she took in the gathering. Galinda swallowed and looked back at Fiyero, but it wasn't as easy to admire him now. Something about the smirk on Elphaba's face was making her awfully nervous.