unusually and exceedingly peculiar: a reimagining

Our Dearest Galinda,

Your mother and I write to you with our deepest thoughts and love. We are displeased to inform you that we unfortunately have not heard much from the Head, Madame Morrible, in regards to both your acceptance into her seminar and the relocation of your unusually and exceedingly peculiar roommate, whom you have deemed as impossible to describe. As you know, Momsie and I have made plenty of donations to Shiz in the past, so we see no reason as to why she does not respond to our letters so that we can solve the confusions surrounding your situation. 

In the meantime, while you are forced to work things out with Miss Aelphaba (was it?), I hope that you have been focusing on your studies and giving them your utmost dedication. During my own days at Shiz, I too found it hard to focus and balance responsibilities, but look at me now. Momsie asks if you are still taking your Introduction to Ozian History course with the Goat? If so, I ask if he has come around to properly pronouncifying your name in the traditional Gillikinese fashion. Even with his own goat-like ways, I see no reason as to why he cannot master the art of name pronouncification, especially one as radiant as yours. I am sorry that you must face such hardships this far, my flower. I hope that you continue holding your head high as you always do whilst I work on things from behind the scenes here in Frottica to the best of my ability. 

How is Ama Clutch, the old thing? I have written to her, as I have you, but with her own peculiarities, we sometimes worry that she is getting lost in her own thoughts, as the elderly do, with her lack of communication and handling of your roomie situation. Do write to me in regards to just how she is holding up as your Ama. Should we find a new one? She has been with us since you were so little, but if she is not keeping up with her job, perhaps it is time that she finally retires. 

In other news, your Granny Arduenna, the other old thing, asks if any Shiz boys have piqued your interest? I told her that you likely haven’t, with your oh-so busy schedule and roomie difficulties, but it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out, now would it? Though, it is important to remember your status as an Upland. Very few men are deserving of the attention of such a beautiful young lady like yourself. 

Additionally, Granny Arudenna has put together a few more pieces to add to your closet; I sent them with this letter and they should be arriving shortly after, or with it.

Between the three of us, Momsie and I have heard some whisperings from other parents that a prince from Winkie Country is to be joining the ranks of Shiz soon enough. We shall see in due time with it being a rumor, but we do hope that you can find a way to make a good impression on this prince and I am keeping my hopes up that you can, indeed, dazzle him with your charm and wit, dearest Galinda. 

We are sure that you will make us proud in every way possible, especially with the prince. Good luck, my flower! 

With our love and admiration, 

Your dearest and darlingest, 

Momsie and Popsicle 

Misses Larena Upland and Highmuster Arduenna of The Upper Uplands

Galinda folded the whitish-pink piece of parchment paper in half, lightly sighing as she finished reading the letter from her parents and set it in the top drawer of her vanity. Did they want her to focus on her studies, as they said at first, or would they rather have her dedicate her time to wooing a prince and joining the royal scene as a housewife and call it a day?

There were many Shiz students who tried to pursue the Gillikinese beauty that was Galinda Upland, but she never so much as even glanced their way. She had plans to save herself for someone that actually felt deserving of her attention and so far, none of them did. There was Avaric, who was also from Gillikin, like her, and a member of the aristocratic Tenmeadows family, but he felt too self-absorbed, even if he was charmingly handsome. He was also too easy. Then, there was that Munchkin boy who Galinda found herself unable to escape the sight of. What his name was, Galinda couldn’t remember. Biq? Buck? Bach? 

A prince did sound appealing to Galinda and there was no doubt in her mind about that; a man of such high regard at her fingertips could elevate her (and her parents’) status in the Ozian social climate. He could grant her the sort of fairy-tale life that Galinda always imagined herself living, complete with the ball gowns and extravagance of a royal lady. It was either him or whatever Gillikinese banker or businessman that Popsicle found for her. This Prince Charming character was undoubtedly more intriguing to the young woman, even if he was a Winkie .

But it was her heart’s greatest desire to become a sorceress, and she did not see both paths uniting harmoniously. Well, they at least wouldn’t flow well together at the same time, especially if this supposed prince required her utmost time. With time, once she mastered the magical arts and (more importantly), Madame Morrible quit playing coy and finally accepted her into her private seminar, Galinda could pursue both lifestyles. She would not settle on becoming a housewife—or, maybe she would under certain conditions. She always wanted to be a princess, after all. 

Once her studies were finished satisfactorily and she graduated from Shiz as the most accomplished sorceress that the university had ever seen, she could turn her attention to the whims of romance, she thought. Oh, to be in the arms of a prince . That would make her parents proud, perhaps more so than they would be when she obtained her degree in Sorcery, even if that was the real reason she attended University. 

This got Galinda thinking: if this prince were on his way to Shiz, why not take a break from her studies and give him a shot? What would be so bad about making a good impression? She made a mental note to ask her friends about this alleged royal the next time that she saw them. Pfanne would surely know everything that there was to know, the gossiper that she so proudly was. She knew everything that there was to know about anyone and everyone, having provided her with information regarding her mysterious roomie that was thrust upon her by the Headmistress.

Then, she remembered that disgusticifying roommate of hers that she could never escape from or clear her mind of, Miss Elphaba. She was allegedly the Thropp Third Descending, whatever that meant. She was the granddaughter of the Governor of Munchkinland, or the great-granddaughter. Galinda couldn’t remember, nor did she care to ask Pfanne for the specifics again. One thing was for certain, and that was that Miss Galinda couldn’t stand Miss Elphaba. 

She loathed her roomie and everything about her. Every little trait about Miss Elphaba, no matter how small, Galinda found herself annoyed by. Elphaba’s green skin; her somehow perfectly symmetrical face; her all black wardrobe that was strangely gothic and almost occult in a way like a demonic creature of sorts. Like the Kumbric Witch, Galinda thought to herself and snickered under breath. Perhaps Miss Elphaba did this to spite her father, who Pfanne claimed was infamous in Munchkinland for his patriotic unionist approach. Elphaba’s clothes were all so pointed, kind of like a crow’s feathers, sharp and stark against the soft hues that Galinda preferred and decorated their shared suite in. 

That’s it! Galinda thought; Miss Elphaba reminded her of a crow, the most hideodeuos of birds. She always sat perched on her bed as she read from one of those dust-filled books she carried around as though her life depended on it.

All of this was Ama Clutch’s fault. Had that stupid old thing not stepped on a nail like she did right before she was set to accompany Galinda to Shiz, Ama Clutch could have been present to stop the Head from assigning Elphaba to Galinda’s private suite. Then, the private suite could have been, well, private , as her parents intended when they paid the extra expense. But, Galinda reminded herself, ‘ these things are sent to try us .’

What Galinda despised the most about her roomie, however, was the magic that she possessed. Elphaba made it look so easy, as if it were a natural talent that she was born with. She didn’t even use a wand! And, she was a sorceress in training, no less. Simply unheard of. 

Whatever the reason for her skill may be, Elphaba was the sole student that Madame Morrible agreed to teach this semester. Miss Elphaba didn’t even want to be a part of the seminar. She wasn’t even supposed to be at Shiz, Galinda remembered the story that Elphaba had recited to her when she showed up at the door, her one suitcase in tow. 

She was escorting her younger sister, Nessarose, to her college orientation when Madame Morrible spotted her after she accidentally unleashed a surge of power. But how? How did she do it? More importantly, why couldn’t Elphaba stay with Miss Nessarose? Oh, that’s right, Madame Morrible and Miss Coddle made it very clear that the girl needed her own suite due to her ailment. It hardly made sense to Galinda, if the two sisters were shoved into one room, it would allow Elphaba to be closer to Nessarose who would likely need her help and care, the poor thing. 

Miss Elphaba hardly ever showed any true interest in magic, at least in front of Galinda. She never talked about it or practiced any spells in the room. For Oz’s sake, she didn’t even offer to help Galinda with understanding the ways of sorcery! Roommates are supposed to help each other.

This infuriated Galinda especially as she permitted the green girl to live with her (in what was supposed to be a private suite) and she didn’t even get some magic lessons as a token of Miss Elphaba’s appreciation. No, instead she got those strange looks from those emerald eyes that she was beginning to get used to despite her own wishes. 

Anytime that Galinda asked Elphaba for some quick pointers or an explanation on a spell that she was trying to understand, Miss Elphaba often brushed her off, instead. During move-in, Galinda questioned the Munchkinlander woman how she accomplished the feats that supposedly captured the attention of the esteemed Madame Morrible. She received no real (or helpful) response as Elphaba simply said that she ‘didn’t know.’ How convenient, Galinda thought to herself. According to Miss Elphaba, she had always had some sort of power. Again, how convenient: a sorceress born with power? 

Even with Madame Morrible as a teacher, Elphaba seemed not to care much about magic outside of the classroom setting as Galinda often found her laying about their suite, reading old-timey history textbooks and Animal rights based pamphlets instead of practicing spells or flipping through tomes. How could one be gifted with such talent and not care about magic, Galinda thought. Elphaba was, apparently, a natural born enchantress, yet seemed to be more interested in the things that Galinda would never even think about thinking about for no reason other than academics. 

Even worse, Miss Elphaba said she ‘wasn’t sure’ about what she would be majoring in during her time at Shiz, given her very late admittance into the university. How could one be naturally gifted in magic, or at the very least, have some sort of raw talent in it, and be taught by the Madame Morrible, yet not have a clear direction or ambition? 

To Galinda, it was baffling. It was like having the key to a grand treasure chest and choosing to leave it locked simply for the sake of curiosity. Miss Elphaba seemed to be utterly indifferent to the very advantages that laid at her feet. The very advantages that Galinda could only dream of. They were the only things that she wanted that she couldn’t have.

Popsicle and Momsie would take care of it, no doubt, Galinda thought. She just had to give them some more time. They were in a back-and-forth dispute with Madame Morrible, who happened to be the Headmistress of Crage Hall, the dormitory building in which Galinda (and in turn, Elphaba resided). The infamous fish-like sorceress was once the dean of sorcery at Shiz and was Galinda’s role model, though she had decided to step down in more recent years, choosing to focus on her influence on and connection with students, instead. This resulted in her having one very small and hands-on course that was taught every other semester and open to very few students to make time for her duties as the Head.  

Galinda had written several application essays to Madame Morrible in hopes to join her highly prestigious seminar. While she never received an acceptance letter from the woman, Galinda tried to ambush her during orientation, but that only resulted in her getting stuck with the steaming artichoke that she was forced to call a roommate, who just so happened to be the one person that Morrible took any interest in at all. 

Galinda paused for a moment, the letter still clutched in her hand. Her thoughts drifted once again to Miss Elphaba. Why her? Galinda thought. It didn’t make sense. Elphaba wasn’t even trying to be magical. She was a walking commotion of sorts—a girl who could command the forces of nature without a single flick of a wand, yet refused to do anything with it. What was her deal? How could she be so careless with her extraordinary gifts? Gifts that Galinda could only dream of. The only gifts that Galinda couldn’t have.

It was as if Elphaba took no real interest in Madame Morrible as Galinda could never get a word about her idol from her roomie. Maybe Miss Elphaba was fond of Morrible, it was unlikely that she was able to resist her charms, but it was almost definite that sorcery was the only subject known to man that Elphaba had no interest in. 

How unusually and exceedingly peculiar. It was almost impossible to describe. 

She loathed her roommate in every way possible. She detested her.

All this thinking about the viridescent girl was making Galinda feel a certain way that she couldn’t quite put her finger on, but perhaps it was a side effect from the so-called ‘loathing.’ 

Galinda found herself growing quite flustered as she sat at her vanity, everything around her beginning to get hotter. As she found her pulse rushing and her face flushing for inexplicable reasoning, Galinda grabbed the satin fan on her dresser. She flung it open elegantly, waving the white and pink fan around in an attempt to try and cool herself down.

What was this feeling? It was so sudden and new.

It was all the loathing. The vigorous, unadulterated loathing that she held for Miss Elphaba. 

Great, Galinda thought, Elphaba continued to intrude on her personal life, even when she wasn’t doing anything at all. 

Galinda spun around in her seat, turning to face Elphaba’s side of the suite. 

The green skinned girl sat criss crossed on her twin-sized bed wearing one of her wool night robes. She sat in the exact position that Galinda expected she would be as it was a sight that she had become all too familiar with. Miss Elphaba sat slouched, her face falling into that of one of those old books. What could possibly be so interesting about it? The features of Elphaba’s face were concealed by her hair, the intricate braids falling over and around her head like curtains that shielded her view of the outside world. Or perhaps, shielded the outside world’s view of her. Maybe she wanted to be hidden. The emerald color crow’s beak was lodged firmly between the pages that she examined and flipped through carefully. 

She was holding an apple in her hand and every few clock-ticks, she would pull her face out of her book to take a bite of the crunchy, bright colored fruit. The sounds annoyed Miss Galinda, sending a shiver down her spine. As Elphaba continued eating her apple, she found herself reaching the pith that she worked her way to. Then, she would chew on it as well as she continued reading whatever the hell it was that she was reading, which repulsed Galinda. 

“Must you chew so loudly, Miss Elphaba?” asked Galinda as she brushed her hair, breaking the prevalent silence for the first time tonight. Matter a fact, in a whole week, it was the first time that Galinda spoke directly to her roommate. She spun around once more, sighing as she looked over at Elphaba who did not respond and redirected her attention back to her book. This annoyed the Gillikinese blonde to no end. 

Galinda sighed once more and said, “What is so captivating about that book that you can’t even respond? What in Oz’s name are you reading anyway, all through the night and day?”

Elphaba lifted her face back up from her nightly reading and brushed her hair aside, pushing it over her shoulder so that she could look at her privileged roommate when she snarkily said, “Well, Miss Galinda. I don’t read the same thing every day. In fact, there are several books that one can choose from, you know. Thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands,” she said with the slyest of smirks that made Galinda shudder. It was all the loathing. Elphaba would lean back against her pillows and say, “There is a library on campus, actually. One can rent and borrow any book that they so please. That is why I always have a book on my person.”

“I know very well about the book place,” said Galinda. “Do you take me for a fool, Miss Elphaba?” She abruptly set her brush back onto her golden vanity and placed her hands on her hips.

“I do not,” said Elphaba dryly as she kept her eyes on her book that she held open above her as she lay down. “If you must know, tonight I am reading some essays on the Great Drought. Perhaps you’ve heard of the catastrophe once before?” 

Galinda rolled her eyes and tossed her silky hair to the side. “I know all about it. It’s all that old Goat talks about during those boring lectures. Surely, you know enough about it with all the preaching that he does as opposed to actually teaching us history.”

Elphaba sat up again and set the book on her nightstand table. “ Dr. Dillamond ,” she said in a tone to signify that she was correcting Galinda, “is not just an old Goat, as you say. He’s a brilliant scholar and one of Shiz’s best professors. This book is actually one of his many graduate dissertations.” 

“Tell me about,” Galinda said almost sarcastically with another one of her signature eye rolls, but Elphaba actually carried on, as if she were waiting for this very moment. She was a strange thing eager to get her thoughts out into a world that didn’t care to ask her the questions that she longed to answer.

“The Great Drought, as every Ozian should know, resulted in devastating consequences for all of Oz, with there being a significant decline in both the crops and the nation’s water supply. It lasted for half a decade, resulting in hardship and famine for all citizens, both human and Animal. Then, as I’m sure you know, our Glorious Wizard came along and fixed everything with his wonderful prowess, descending from the heavens in a balloon. I’m sure that you know the rest of the myth,” said Elphaba. She was passionate when talking about the Great Drought, and Galinda had never seen her roommate demonstrate such interest before in regards to anything. 

“Ahh, yes,” said Galinda as she recalled the tale that her parents told her as a child. “Then, he built the City of Emeralds and promised prosperity throughout the land to all Ozians. It is a heartwarming story, I’ll give you that, Miss Elphaba.”

“But that’s not the end of it,” Elphaba said as she looked over at Galinda, leaning forward ever so slightly. “You see, the Great Drought resulted in social unrest, especially in Munchkinland, where hysterical unionism took place. Dr. Dillamond didn’t touch on religious fanatics much in his essays, but my father was a unionist minister during this period, so I know a thing or two about the subject, unfortunately .”

Ahh, so what Pfanne said was true. The green crow was the daughter of some religious nut from Munchkinland, like he said. Apparently, Elphaba’s father had been beaten to a pulp by the villagers of his town because of his zealous ways that he tried forcing onto those around him on the very night that little Miss Elphaba was born—that was the town tale, anyway. 

A strange family. Was Miss Elphaba as devoted to the Unnamed God as her father? Galinda could only wonder.

“And you?” asked Galinda, ever so curious to know as much as she could, regardless if it was the topic of discussion. Elphaba replied with a quirk of her black eyebrows and Galinda said, “Do you take to unionism, roomie? Follow the Unnamed God and his ways, I mean. Like your dearest father?”

Elphaba wasn’t sure how this tied into the conversation, but shook her head. “No,” she said simply. “My father was a well intentioned man, but I don’t support the pressing of one’s beliefs onto others. It doesn’t sit right with me. In fact, it stands against the very beliefs that I stand for.”

“And that would be?”

“Respect for individual choice,” said Elphaba. “The desire to unite everybody under a strict set of beliefs and rules does more harm than it does good, Miss Galinda. I don’t believe in the oppression of others just because they are different from you, or think differently.”

“Fair enough,” said Galinda as she thought about it a bit. “What of Nessarose?” She was curious to know about Elphaba’s stance with the familial traditions. 

The first time that Galinda spoke to the wheelchair-bound girl, she was beyond surprised to learn that she was the younger sister of her peculiar roommate. Little Miss Nessarose was fair skinned, lacking the green pigment of her older sister, which told Galinda and everyone else that Elphaba’s skin was in fact, not hereditary. There were greater forces at play that caused the skin tone, but Galinda didn’t ask what they may have been. It would be far too improper and unladylike to ask your roomie why she looks the way that she does, Galinda thought. But it wouldn’t be unladylike to snicker and sneer at her with your friends, or loathe her unadulteratedly for being her strange, bird-like self.

While Nessarose was tragically beautiful , confined to a chair because of her impediment, Elphaba was beautifully tragic . Must have been some sort of curse put on the Thropp sisters, maybe. 

“Nessa’s preferences are unimportant,” said Elphaba.

Galinda sighed, knowing that she may have overstepped. All she was trying to do was learn as much as she could about the Thropp sisters, though. She nodded and said, “I suppose you’re right, Miss Elphaba. My apologies.”

“If you must know, though,” Elphaba began, and Galinda bit her tongue, “Nessa follows Unionism like our father. I don’t believe in the foundations, or the myths, of the religion. I do wish that she would stop pestering myself and others in regards to her beliefs, however. I don’t want her following in the footsteps of our dear father,” said Elphaba worriedly. 

Galinda silently agreed. When she was chit-chatting with Nessa during their first encounter and she mentioned her intention to major in Sorcery, the other girl urged her otherwise, claiming magic to be inherently dark and the ‘devil’s work.’ Nonsense, thought Galinda. Elphaba was onto something about fanatical zealots. 

Did this mean that Miss Elphaba was a heathen? She was relatively pagan- looking with her gothic aesthetic, so it would make sense. Galinda could only wonder so much. Maybe she was even rooming with a devil worshipper. 

“So you don’t follow unionism at all?” Galinda asked again, interested to know more.

Elphaba sighed and said, “I don’t follow anything at all.” 

“Not even social norms, I see,” Galinda quipped. She giggled lightly at her own sassy remark, but Elphaba remained composed and silent, as she always did. Like a crow perched on a rooftop or tree branch, watching the passersby on the path below. 

“I don’t follow any sort of set religion to answer your precious question,” said Elphaba. 

“Not even the great Lurline above?” said Galinda, referencing her own set of beliefs. She was a born and raised Lurlinist, though she herself was hardly religious, hardly practicing the systems of the church. 

“Not even your great Lurline,” said Elphaba. She made it clear not to add the ‘above’ part of Galinda’s question when she answered it with a more forward statement. Galinda took note of that. This pagan, she thought. How hedonistic.

“Not even the Other Land?” 

“Not even your Other Land.” 

“So what do you figure happens to us after we die?” Galinda was curious to know. “What happens to our souls, I mean. What do you think?”

Elphaba shrugged and took a bite of her apple pith, gnawing it between her pearly teeth. Galinda never noticed how well taken care of and straight they were until this very moment. She was surprised that they were rigid and pointed like that of a storybook monster. However, the sight of her intricately working on the pith resembled a vampire meticulously savoring its prey. “I don’t believe in a soul in the way that you do, I’m afraid, Miss Galinda,” she answered quite promptly.

“Oh, Miss Elphaba. You heathen!” Galinda gasped and shouted as though she was scolding her roomie. Both girls knew that it was just a simple tease, though neither of them cared even if it wasn’t. 

What a strange conversation for a pair that only just recently met. Galinda had never met an atheist before given the sheltered life she led at Frottica in the Upper Uplands of Gillikin with her overbearing Momsie and Popsicle. As they say, university is full of people with thoughts different from your own. She quickly learned this upon meeting her roomie, though the differences between them only became more evident as time went on. 

How unusually and exceedingly peculiar Miss Elphaba truly was in the eyes of Galinda. 

“You sound like my father,” said Elphaba with a smile that Galinda had never seen before. “That old shoe,” she added somewhat fondly. 

Galinda shrugged. “And he sounds like my mother. A devout Lurlinist.” There was some silence that was all too familiar between the two before Galinda spoke up and asked, “What of your father, Miss Elphaba? Does he still preach, or do whatever it is that a unionist minister does?”

“He is mostly retired,” said Elphaba. “Though, with both Nessa and myself here at Shiz, I wouldn’t be surprised if he continued his pursuit of proclaiming the gospel of the Unnamed God and ‘saving’ Oz,” she said with a touch of sarcasm. “He’ll continue his work until he falls dead, I suppose, one sermon at a time.”

This made Galinda chuckle softly. For the first time, the two roommates shared a laugh, but it was a quiet and short lived one. 

Look at the two of them bonding and getting to know each other. 

Pfanne and Shenshen could never find out about this, thought Galinda. She figured that Milla wouldn't care much, so maybe she’ll confide in her regarding this unusually and exceedingly peculiar situation.  

“Anyways,” Elphaba began again, getting the topic back on track, “The Great Drought led to scapegoating, you see. When something as unholy as it happens, the blame has to be pushed onto someone in an attempt to ‘fix’ everything.”

Galinda sat up straight on her vanity’s bench and looked at Elphaba, genuinely a bit curious. “Whatever do you mean? You sound like an old soul, Miss Elphaba. Speak modern Ozian, please,” she begged with a more playful than usual hint to her voice. 

“I mean, the blame of the Great Drought was shifted onto that of the Animals. Everyone pointed their fingers at them. They were an easy target, after all—they had already been marginalized and oppressed by the higher-ups, whoever they may be. Because of everything that came from the Drought, humans pointed their fingers at the Animals and proclaimed them to be the source of all that was wrong. With the Ozians all so small minded, it was classic fearmongering at its best,” said Elphaba.

“Fearmongering? And you think the Wizard is to blame for this act against the Animals?” Galinda wondered.

“I’m not sure,” Elphaba admitted. “If you want my truth, I used to think that the Wizard was as wonderful as they say in the picture books, but now, after coming to Shiz, and learning what I have from Doctor Dillamond, I’m unsure. That’s not to say that I think he is directly responsible for the Animal oppression—no, I have no evidence of that, but it seems that he’s been batting an eye to it with how much it has worsened.”

Galinda listened intently, something she didn’t do in her classes. She was surprised to see how much her roomie was talking to her. It was the most that they had talked since Elphaba first moved into the room. Here they were, Galinda thought, chatting away like old chums. How gross… but it didn’t feel gross. Shenshen and Pfanne could never find out about tonight, she noted. She had to admit, though, even if only to herself, it was a bit interesting—just a little bit. 

“Like those words that were written on Doctor Dillamond’s board last week?” Galinda asked, referring to an incident in class the week prior. When the old Goat spun his chalk-board around to begin his lesson for the day, he and the entire class were shocked to find a horrendible message waiting for him, written in big, white letters: ‘Animals should be seen, not heard !’

“Precisely, Miss Galinda,” said Elphaba in an almost proud tone, “now you’re getting it. It is so much bigger than just this specific incident, though. It happens everywhere. Everyday. And not just in microaggressions. Animals are facing official restrictions and enduring hate crimes.” 

“Is that so?” Galinda asked in one of her trademarked, sassy tones, but her eyes glistened as if she were eager to know more. 

However, because of Galinda being who she was and speaking the way that she did, Elphaba thought that she was asking in a sarcastic way, as she did earlier. Therefore, the green girl decided that she was done conversing with her roommate about her passion. She took off her glasses and set them on her nightstand beside her book from Doctor Dillamond. Then, she placed the apple pith that she had been vigorously working on for the last hour down on the bedside table as well. 

“Well, I needn’t bore you anymore, Miss Galinda,” said Elphaba as she crawled under covers, not getting up from her bed, but rather simply repositioning her body, contorting it to pull herself under her bed sheets in a single movement like a snake slithering into its den.

“Oh, Miss Elphaba!” Galinda said as though Elphaba were being petty. To a degree, she was acting as such, but Galinda ignored her own wrongs and accepted Elphaba’s response. It was simply the social awkwardness of Elphaba that was to blame in the eyes of Galinda.

“Fine then,” she pouted and crossed her arms. The Gillikinese girl maneuvered herself in her seat, spinning to look at herself in her grand looking-glass so that she could continue readying herself for bed.

It wasn’t until a few moments later, while Galinda was adjusting her blonde hair in her pink colored curlers after finishing the rest of her nightly routine that Elphaba made another attempt to talk, perhaps not wanting the rare conversation to end. Secretly, Galinda didn’t want it to end, either. This encounter was far more stimulating than anything she partook in with Pfanne and Shenshen and Milla.

“What do you make of religion?” she said, staring up at the ceiling above. Elphaba spoke absentmindedly, as though the question were a normal thing to ask out of the blue.

Galinda paused mid-curl, her eyes slightly widening with surprise. “I already told you, Miss Elphaba. My family are Lurlinist,” she answered. “A bit of a heavy topic to bring up at bedtime, don’t you think, roomie?”

Roomie . Both girls would remember that. The first attempt at a pet name in the shared dorm room. 

“Well you asked me about it first,” Elphaba recalled and Galinda nodded. “I’m asking though, what do you make of it? Do you follow it? I’m not asking you what your family raised you to do? Otherwise, I would’ve said I was a unionist, which I’m not. I’m asking for what you make of all this. Does it do you good?” she asked. “Does it comfort you? The thought of these all powerful forces supposedly at play? Good and evil?”

Galinda took a breath, trying to gather her thoughts in the midst of the unexpected weight of Elphaba's question. “Well, I suppose it does serve a purpose,” she said slowly, her blonde brow furrowing in contemplation. “For some people, it’s like a big, fluffy blanket. You know, all warm and cozy. It gives you something to hold on to when everything else feels as dark and chaotic as you and Doctor Dillamond like to make it seem. I suppose. Some people need hope, I guess.”

Elphaba nodded and sat back up, pushing her blanket downward so that she could position herself upward once more. “So it protects you, you would say? Makes you feel better about the stark reality that we live in? That the Animals endure everyday?”

“You really get worked up over this stuff, don’t you, Miss Elphaba?” asked Galinda as she placed the curling ring perfectly in her already perfect hair.

“How could one not?” said Elphaba.

“There is more to this life than what is wrong with the world, you know. It's not all about atrocity and whatever nonsense you like reading about,” said Galinda as she stood up and walked over to her bed. She fluffed her pillows and pushed her comforter to the side, making room for herself on the pale pink linen. Perhaps, the comment that she made about blankets was fortuitous as she was about to climb under her own to shield herself from the unpleasantness of the conversation.

Elphaba shook her head and said, “And what good would neglecting the truth do for us, Miss Galinda?” She asked in a tone of bewilderment and determination. “You remind me of my Nessie. Though, I think that you aren’t as blinded by religion as she. I don’t see you hiding behind it,” Elphaba said before adding one final word after a quick afterthought, “ yet .”

“What is wrong with religion?” said Galinda as she climbed into bed and pulled her blanket over herself. Miss Elphaba made it sound like religious faith was the worst thing that a person could partake in.

“It's not that anything is wrong with it,” said Elphaba. “It's that it is so often used to ignore and permit evrything that is wrong about our world just because of what the Oziad says. Do you see where I’m coming from?”

Galinda nodded, but before she could verbally reply, Elphaba continued: “I personally don’t see the comfort in worshipping and believing in something that simply does not exist,” she said bluntly before correcting herself. “Well, something that there is no proof of. There are no Unnamed Gods, or great fairy queens, or Kumbric Witches, Miss Galinda. Neither is there a soul,” she said absentmindedly, not caring for Galinda’s religious preferences. “There is only man, and woman, and Animal and animal. I just wish that we could all stop looking to tall tales as a means of history, rather than ignoring what actually happened. That is why Oz is where it is today; man and Animal stand against one another because of the small minded ways that have been engraved in the nature of its people for centuries.”

“Miss Elphaba! Enough with your paganism for one night! I can’t handle anymore of your existential dread at this hour,” said Galinda as she lay down comfortably on her mattress. “Besides, I need my beauty sleep.”

She did in fact need her beauty sleep, especially if the Winkie Prince was on his way to Shiz in the coming days. She would make it an effort to make herself look the best that she ever did just to make a good impression. 

Elphaba sighed. “Very well then, Miss Galinda. My apologies.” She fell back onto her bed, pulling her blanket over herself entirely, enveloping her head as she curled up to keep warm.

Galinda didn’t respond. She simply rolled over to shut off her magenta lamp, and for the first time ever, looked across the suite at her roomie and said, “Goodnight.”