Okay guys! Here's the next chapter!

The next morning came quickly. Elphaba awoke abruptly, though she kept her eyes shut. Inside, she felt drained and empty. Yet there was one hope left…

It was a nightmare. It had to be. When I open my eyes, I'll be in Glinda's and my room at Shiz.

She opened her eyes to an incredible and blinding amount of green.

She sat up in the immense and comfortable bed, her heart sinking further. This was real. It was not a nightmare. Yesterday really happened. The Wizard really was a fake, and he was not about to help the Animals.

So what was she to do now? She couldn't work with the Wizard and help persecute the Animals! But what would happen if she said no and went against him?

"What does it matter?" she said aloud to herself. "Nobody normal cares about me, so why should I care about them?"

She began thinking to herself that maybe if she said no, then maybe she could go against his efforts. She could try and save the Animals from losing their speech. She could tell the citizens of Oz that their wonderful Wizard was not so wonderful. She could expose him! She could save the Animals, reveal the Wizard for who he was, and be forever celebrated throughout Oz!

Are you insane?! Nobody's listened to you before! Why on earth would they believe such blasphemy about their beloved Wizard?

Elphaba knew that simply running and going against him was out of the question. Her already miserable life would be ruined further if she did. It wouldn't do her, nor the Animals, any good to ruin her life for their sakes. But what was she to do?

She held her head in her hands desperately, digging her fingers into her scalp, trying to make her mind work. There had to be something that she could do! There just had to be!

As thoughts, memories, and images bounced around her mind, she remembered something that Madame Morrible had told her months ago at Shiz.

"I predict the Wizard might make you his Magic Grand Vizier!"

She froze.

"Magic Grand…Vizier…" she whispered out loud.

And suddenly, it was clear to Elphaba what she could do.

She could take that position! She could accept the Wizard's offer. She could play along and work with the Wizard and Morrible…or at least, make them think she was.

The question now was how?

What could she do with that power? And even if she could pull it off, how would she hide it from the Wizard and Morrible? It was more than just risky; it could possibly destroy her life if it all went wrong.

Elphaba sighed to herself. There was simply no way to know what to do until she could figure out just how the Wizard was stopping the Animals from speaking. Maybe then, she could come up with a more detailed plan. What she needed was to buy some time. For now, the best thing to do was to just play along.

She slipped out of her bed and wandered the room. It was very spacious and circular, like an observatory. The ceiling was even domed. The walls were adorned with artwork, woven fabrics, and tapestries; the likes of which Elphaba had never seen. They held her interest for some time, as she stared intently at them, trying to invoke some meaning, but the memories of the previous day kept tugging at her thoughts, distracting her like an annoying fly that wouldn't go away.

Across from her bed was an elegant, full-sized mirror. She stared at herself in it, taking note that she would need to fix herself up before seeing the Wizard again.

Beautifully tragic…she thought to herself.

She went to the window and opened it. Looking down, she saw that she was at least a hundred stories off the ground in one of the highest towers of the Emerald City Palace. Below her, she could see the citizens going about their business in their cheerful way. Children ran through the streets playfully, while adults went about shopping, bartering, and working. Their lives were so carefree…so blissful. It was all a lie.

Elphaba closed her eyes, feeling the anger seethe within her.

Everything she had ever believed…what she still so wanted to believe…was all nothing more than a lie; smoke and mirrors. The Wizard couldn't help her. Glinda would sooner wear black in place of her signature pink before the Wizard could help Elphaba's cause or (she hated herself for even thinking it) de-greenify her.

At the thought of Glinda's name, there came a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Elphaba called out halfheartedly.

"It's me," Glinda's melodic soprano came muffled through the door.

"Come in," Elphaba replied.

Glinda came into the room, shutting the door slowly behind her. For a moment, she remained silent.

"Elphie?" she finally said quietly. "Are you alright?"

Elphaba sighed and looked around at her best friend.

"Elphie…how can this even be?" Glinda whispered. "How could the Wizard really be doing this?"

Elphaba couldn't help but laugh harshly at that.

"You of all people should know," she said, catching her breath. "Remember what you told me that night after the party?"

Glinda stared at her best friend, unsure of what was going through her mind.

"'Celebrated heads of state or great communicators don't have brains or knowledge,'" she recited. "'They're just popular.' Glinda, you were right. People are so blind to the truth. They only see what's skin deep. They never look beyond what anything appears."

She caught a glimpse of her own reflection in the elegant mirror across from her, her green skin reminding her all too well of just how much people focused on appearances.

"With that ignorance blinding the citizens, the Wizard can do whatever he wants. All he has to do is rally up the citizens to get their support."

Glinda hung her head. "I just can't believe it."

"I know," Elphaba replied quietly, reaching out and holding onto Glinda's shoulder. Glinda looked up at Elphie.

"What are you going to do?" she asked quietly. "I'll stick with you no matter what Elphie."

Elphaba beamed at her best friend, her gratitude and joy for Glinda's friendship swelling.

"I'm going to stay," she replied.

"What?" Glinda said incredulously. "Elphie, are you sure you're feeling ok?"

"I'm fine Glinda," Elphaba replied, not sure if she even believed the words that came from her mouth. "But what else can I do?"

"Elphie…I would have thought you would have told him 'no' immediately." Glinda said, her voice rising into its higher octave. "If I know you like I think I do, you wouldn't even want to stay in this palace for one more second!"

"I know. And I almost did that," Elphaba said quickly, trying to calm her friend who was dangerously close to yelling. "But who would I help by going directly against him? Before I could even set foot outside these palace walls, I would be willing to bet my life that he would have all of Oz set against me and my efforts."

Glinda remained silent as she thought this over. Slowly she nodded. "But then you're just going to work with him? Elphie, even I'm thinking of telling him no!"

"Glinda, calm down," she replied. "I'm not going to work with him."

"But you said-"

"I said I wouldn't go against him directly."

Glinda's mouth hung open, a look of pure confusification on her face.

"I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do, but I don't think I will until I make him think I'm on his side," she looked out the window at nothing in particular. "Don't worry. I'll come up with something. I'm not going to let Dr. Dillimond down. I can still make good."

Glinda smiled at Elphaba, who returned it. After a few more moments of casual conversation, the two of them decided it was time to get ready for their audience with the Wizard. Elphaba walked to her suitcase which was set on the right side of her bed and lifted it up onto the sheets. She flipped it open and reached in for one of her simple black dresses she had brought.

"Elphie," Glinda said, sounding ashamed. "You're not going to wear the same thing two days in a row are you?"

"So what if I am?"

Just because Glinda was her best friend did not mean that Elphaba was immune to her annoying devotion to appearances. Glinda stared at her incredulously.

"Liar or not, he's still in a position of power, and you need to look presentable before him!" she cried.

Knowing it was a lost cause, she closed her eyes and replied in irritation, "Well, what would you suggest?"

Glinda stood up and strolled buoyantly across the room towards the bright green wardrobe, giggling all the way. Dramatically, she opened the doors to reveal a menagerie of dresses of all sizes and colors. Elphaba fought the urge to retch as she imagined herself wearing any of those colors, especially the pink.

She rolled her eyes and said blandly, "I clash with everything."

"Except for one," Glinda replied with a broad grin. She stretched her arm out, moving her hands gently across the dresses, passing the rainbow of colors, over the immense amount of green, to the very last dress in the wardrobe. She pulled it out tenderly, letting it flow gracefully through the air.

It was a simple black dress, and yet it was so much more. It was form fitting and yet it elegant in its own way. Only her arms and her right shoulder would be visible. The black silk was lined and hemmed with thin, glistening threads of emerald green, which stood out vibrantly and beautifully all the same. Her thoughts briefly lingered on Fiyero, how he would react to seeing her in such a stunning yet simple gown.

Shaking the thought off, Elphaba stared at the dress for a few moments. Then a grin spread across her face. She stood up, crossed the room and took the dress gently from Glinda's hands.

"Go ahead!" Glinda squealed excitedly. "Try it on!"

Rolling her eyes gleefully, Elphaba obliged. She walked to the curved door across the room and opened it to reveal a lavish and beautifully decorated emerald bathroom, complete with vanity and a gigantic and artistically designed bathtub.

She shut the door behind her and quickly slipped into the dress. It was a perfect fit and, she noted, it was actually quite comfortable. She smiled guiltily to herself, thinking how unlike her this was. Slowly, she walked to the door and gently pulled it open.

"Don't say anything," she said immediately as Glinda opened her mouth to react. "I want to see it for myself."

Glinda closed her mouth abruptly, but the girlish squeals of glee, muffled as they were, were completely audible. Her eyes were shining with delight as she stared at her best friend. Elphaba walked to the floor length mirror. Before she reached it, she closed her eyes. For one brief second, she stopped, eyes still closed, unsure of what she should expect. After a brief moment, she exhaled calmly, stepped forward, and opened her eyes.

Her mouth fell open.

Who was this beautiful woman standing before her? This dress was, without a doubt, the most gorgeous thing she had ever seen on her body. It complemented her natural curves with sheer perfection, and the colors went so well with her skin that, if at all possible, it was almost unnoticeable.

Tears sprang to her eyes as she stared at her beautiful reflection. Never before had she ever stopped to realize how beautiful she really was. She was always so focused on the color of her own skin, like the rest of the world, that she never thought to look beyond it to see the physicality of the woman underneath it. Now, however, she saw perfectly well that she was as beautiful as any woman.

Not beautifully tragic…She thought, Just beautiful.

Glinda's reflection appeared next to her own.

"Miss Elphaba, you look stunning."

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"Miss Elphaba, you look stunning!"

The Wizard's exclamation echoed around the grand hall as Elphaba and Glinda walked briskly towards him and Madame Morrible.

Though Elphaba smiled, it was the last thing she felt like doing. Her plan had seemed so simple back in her room, but now as she drew closer to the man who she had lost all hope in, some of the fear and anger she felt was beginning to return.

You can do this. You can do this. Deep breaths.

She obliged her thoughts and continued walking forward, replying in a light tone, "Thank you, your Ozness."

She and Glinda stopped before him on his throne and they both curtseyed. Elphaba had never done so before, and having only learned that day from Glinda, she felt herself go a bit lower than she should have. Her hat, which was added as a last measure to finish her ensemble, slipped and she reached up to steady it as she stood back up.

"And you look marvelous as well Miss Glinda!" The Wizard said joyfully.

"Oh thank you, your Ozness!" Glinda said happily, lifting the hem of her baby blue dress to curtsey again.

Elphaba stared at the Wizard and noted that he looked much more presentable today than he did the previous day. Yesterday, he had worn a large gray trench coat, gloves, and goggles. Today however, he was in a marvelous pressed gray suit and top hat. He held in his gentle hands, a cane with a large "O" on top with the letter "Z" in the very center. Even if he was a liar, he was a very handsome and charming man, Elphaba admitted to herself.

"Did you ladies have a good night's sleep?" The Wizard asked.

"We did, your grace," Elphaba replied curtly.

"Excellent!" Madame Morrible chimed in. "Well then, I suppose we should get right down to business. Elphaba, have you made your decision?"

Elphaba gulped. This was it. The deciding moment of her life. She still had time to turn back…to change her mind.

She smiled up at the Wizard and said, "I have."

Both the Wizard and Morrible leaned in eagerly to hear her response.

She took a deep breath.

"I'll accept your proposition…"

"Wonderful!" The Wizard cried giddily.

"…on one condition." Elphaba finished.

Glinda, the Wizard, and Morrible all stared at Elphaba expectantly.

"Yes?" The Wizard asked curiously, leaning even further forward.

"You allow Glinda and I to return to school before we start our work here," Elphaba said. "Our education is vital to the decisions we will make once in our positions."

"An excellent point," The Wizard said thoughtfully, sitting back in his throne. "One that I hadn't considered yet. Madame, what do you think?"

"I agree with Miss Elphaba your Ozness," Madam Morrible said in her shrill operatic tone. "A good education is the most valuable thing in the world after all."

"Very well then!" The Wizard cried, clapping his hands together. "You two shall finish your education at Shiz University and immediately following, you shall take residence here at the Emerald Palace and together we shall make good throughout all of Oz!"

Elphaba smiled, her heart leaping a bit at his choice of words.

Making good…

Well, she thought to herself, I'll be making good at the very least.

"A thousand thanks, your grace!" Elphaba said jubilantly.

Glinda gave a side glance to Elphaba before echoing her best friend.

"Not a moment to waste then!" The Wizard said, leaping from his throne. "You two should get back to school immediately and get going! How much longer do they have until they graduficate, Madame Morrible?"

"They both only have one more year left," she replied.

"Very well, then!" The Wizard said. "Then my dear witches, good luck in school! I shall call upon you from time to time to fill you in and get opinions! Farewell my witches! Farewell!"

And with that, Madame Morrible led Elphaba and Glinda out of the hall.

"A very wise decision Miss Elphaba," she said joyfully. "Very wise, indeed! I always knew you were an intelligent girl!"

"Thank you Madame," Elphaba smiled. Now she had bought herself a decent amount of time to think her plan out thoroughly. And her occasional meetings with the Wizard could prove to be beneficial as well, she thought to herself.

After all, any insight to what he's actually doing can give me a better idea of what I should do.

These thoughts bounced rapidly through Elphaba's mind as she began to hope to the higher power that she knew what she was doing. Because if she didn't, everything would be ruined forever. Of that, she was sure.

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