Chapter 4
This would be her year. She would be the most popular girl in school, have the most handsome boy at school as her boyfriend, and finally get into Madame Morrible’s magic seminar.
Yes, this school year would be perfect for Galinda Upland.
Her overloaded boat with pink sails docks at the small harbor of Shiz. She smiles to herself, waving to the many students who called her name excitedly. Fame, wasn’t it just perfectly amazifying?
The girl clad in pink gets off her boat, turning to address her parents so they’d just leave her to get settled. She opens her arms, returning the hug as they tearfully embrace her.
“Remember,” she says as they pull away, “it’s not goodbye, it’s farewell.”
As soon as the words leave her mouth, her parents rush back to embrace her once more.
“Okay, now it’s goodbye.” Galinda says, over it as she gently pushes them away.
Her parents nod, each giving her one last kiss on the cheek.
“Goodbye, precious,” her father says.
“We love you,” her mother reminds her as they board their now much, much lighter ship and sail away. The boat moves faster out of the harbor now that it’s not weighed down by Galinda’s luggage.
Galinda waves to her parents as they sail out of sight.
“They are going to miss me so much,” she sighs with a smile.
“Mine aren’t even gonna notice I’m gone,” a skinny, red-headed boy says shyly as he stands next to Galinda, nervously handing her a handkerchief. “I’m Boq. From Munchkinland. And I know we don’t know each other but-”
“You know what I believe, Bick?” Galinda interrupts him with a well practiced, polite smile.
“Boq, I mean-- what.”
“That strangers…are just people I’ve never met.” Galinda turns away from him as he stands there, slightly stumped.
“Oh. My. Oz.” Galinda turns when she hears the voice, and gasps in excitement.
“Pfanne, ShenShen!” She embraces her two friends. They pull away after a moment, squealing in excitement and rushing to tell each other what they got up to over break.
“Oh my Lurline, did you hear about the princess attending Shiz this year?!” Pfanne blurts in excitement, grabbing ShenShen and Galinda’s forearms as if to stabilize herself. “Can you believe it! Royalty! Going to the same school as us!”
“Oh I know!” Galinda practically swoons. “The Wizard’s daughter. What do you think she’s like? Is she as powerful as him? I mean-- no one has seen her in a year. Is she even a real person?”
ShenShen giggles and lowers her voice to a conspiratorial tone. “What if she’s secretly a Flathead?”
The three giggle at the comment.
“Oh, can you imagine?” Galinda tosses her hair over her shoulder, looking around the courtyard. “We better hurry. The introduction speech will be soon.”
The other two nod and follow Galinda to the seating area.
This year was off to a great start.
Elphaba gets off the train, unsurprised to find 4 guards awaiting her arrival. They wordlessly move forward and take her bags, only three. Elphaba had insisted she pack light, not wanting to be a burden to the staff her father sent to attend her.
Two guards take her luggage to her room, while the other two escort Elphaba to the courtyard where the introduction speech will soon take place. Students are already wandering about, catching up with friends and claiming seats.
As Elphaba walks closer, more eyes turn to her. She knew it was common knowledge that she would be attending Shiz this year, but due to her father’s overprotective tendencies, no one has seen her in public. Very few people know that their beloved Princess of Oz is green in color.
As Elphaba continues forward, the students part ways till they form a circle around her, spread out as if to avoid touching her and turning green. Elphaba notices quickly, she is not the only one in the circle.
A blonde, covered in pink, is talking to two other students with her back facing Elphaba. She doesn’t turn around until the two other students she is talking with suddenly freeze and point Elphaba out.
“Ah!” the girl in pink yelps when she sees Elphaba.
“What, what is everyone staring at? Do I have something in my teeth?” Elphaba questions despite knowing very well why they’re staring.
“You…you’re green.” the girl in pink says in a startled whisper.
“I am?” Elphaba responds with the same questioning tone. She sighs and turns to address the student group. “Alright, let’s get this over with.”
“No, I am not seasick; yes, I’ve always been green; no, I didn’t eat grass as a child.” As Elphaba speaks, she paces slowly so all the students can get a clear view of her.
The girl, Galinda, stands up straighter and musters up her courage. She places her mask back on. “Well, I for one am so sorry that you’re forced to live with--” she gestures to all of Elphaba, “--this.”
“Is that so?” Elphaba responds in a flat tone.
“Yes, and it’s my intention to major in sorcery, so-- if at some future time you wanted to-- address the problem? Perhaps I could-- help.” Galinda glances around, keeping a virtuous look on her face as if she’s a saint for offering help. As intended, the students silently swoon over her for her kindness.
“Offering to help someone you don’t know with a skill you don’t have. I’m sure everyone’s duly impressed.” The green princess raises a brow at Galinda, aloof in appearance. “If I were interested in having a normal verdigre, I would have asked my father for that a long time ago.”
“Your…father?” Galinda asks faintly, though a part of her suspects she already knows the answer.
“The Wizard of Oz.” Elphaba clarifies.
A gasp ripples through the crowd as the students react to this information, realizing that this green skinned girl is the Emerald Princess.
Realization hits Galinda like a slap to the face. Before she can say anything further, the Shiz president walks to the podium at the raised platform and calls out.
“Attention students, introductions are about to begin!” the Shiz President says. The human professors behind her are all seated, while the only two animal professors (a distinguished looking goat and shoebill-bird) stand off to the side a few feet away.
The students reluctantly break away from the confrontation between Elphaba and Galinda, and fill in the seats. Galinda moves to sit near the front, between Pfanne and ShenShen.
Elphaba chooses to stand in the back, despite someone of her status belonging in the front. She didn’t want to draw any more attention to herself than necessary.
The student body soon settles down as the Shiz President speaks, introducing the staff members.
“...and rounding out the rest of our faculty, we have two scholars, eminent in their respective fields of Forestry and Agriculture…” she gestures to two human professors as she says this. The two professors stand and nod to acknowledge the polite applause, as all the other teachers had done when introduced.
“As well as Professor Mombi, of the Biological Arts... And of course, the head of our History department, Doctor Dillamond.” Now, the Shiz President gestures to the only two animal professors. Unlike the others, they receive no applause. Something that causes a frown to form on Elphaba’s face. She gives a polite clap, unbothered by the fact that she’s the only one.
Up on stage, standing in the back to remain hidden, Madame Morrible frowns to see Elphaba clap for animals.
The Shiz President continues, “Finally... In today’s Oz, a real sorceress, one who possesses true magic, has become all too rare…”
Elphaba feels a pang of longing at the mention of magic, a part of her greatly misses her old abilities. But as Father has told her many times before, he would utilize them better for the good of Oz.
Meanwhile, Galinda perks up when she hears the mention of the sorceress. She was determined to learn magic, after all.
“Which is why we are so privileged to have, here at Shiz, our esteemed Professor Emeritus and Dean of Sorcery Studies... Madame Morrible.” The Shiz President says with a dramatic flair as Madame Morrible makes her grand entrance and gets up on stage.
The students cheer excitedly, standing and clapping for the famous sorceress. A girl in a wheelchair, Nessarose Thropp, struggles to see over the crowd. Boq, a few seats away, struggles as well. They catch sight of each other and share an awkward and sheepish smile, finding humor in their shared plight.
Madame Morrible walks up to the podium, oozing confidence and charisma as she looks out at the audience.
Galinda, in her seat, practically vibrates with excitement and anticipation as her idol speaks.
“It’s really her!” she whispers excitedly to Pfanna and ShenShen, “Madame Morrible is why I applied to Shiz! They say she’s been looking for someone to mentorize, and it’s my dream to someday fill her shoes!” Galinda pauses and looks at Madame Morrible’s shoes, “Which are amazing.”
Madame Morrible speaks up now, addressing all the students.
“Welcome new students. And congratulations, on having been accepted to Shiz. Whether you’ll be studying Law, Logic, or Linguification, I know I speak for my fellow faculty members when I say that we have nothing but the highest hopes. For some of you.” Madame Morrible smiles at the students, her eyes twinkling with wry amusement. Yet her gaze softens slightly when her eyes land briefly on Elphaba. Though Elphaba no longer has magic, Madame Morrible has the utmost confidence in the green girl she had grown to care for over the years.
Madame Morrible steps back from the podium and turns to address a short and stout woman with wild red hair. “And now-- Miss Coddle, if you please..”
Miss Coddle steps up and speaks to all the students, she seems to have a permanently anxious demeanor. “I am Miss Coddle, Head Shizstress. And these are your dormitory designations and room assignments!”
As she says this, five scrolls positioned around the courtyard and attached to poles, unfurl and roll down till they reach the cobblestone. On the scrolls are all the room assignments. The students all get up and rush to the different scrolls to find their room assignments. Elphaba calmly walks up to one, the students around immediately part ways as if they're scared to touch their green skinned princess and be infected.
How unfortunate, Elphaba thinks, her face twisted in slight annoyance. I’m rooming with that obnoxious pink girl.
The pink girl in question is trying to keep up with Madame Morrible while speaking.
“Madame Morrible? A moment of your time if you please--” Galinda huffs, trying to keep up with the older woman.
“Yes, miss…?” Madame Morrible frowns, irked at being disrupted. She’d rather not spend any more time around the plain students than necessary.
“Oh, I am Galinda Upland. Of the Upper Uplands?” Galinda speaks as if she’s expecting Madame Morrible to know of her, a bit surprised that the older woman shows no signs of recognition. “I’m the one who’s been sending you those letters about your magic seminar. I was wondering if you’ve accepted my application?”
“I do not teach my seminar every semester. Of course, if someone very special were to come along—-” Madame Morrible starts to walk away, her body language clearly showing that she does not care for the conversation and that she does not believe Galinda is worth her time.
“Well, naturally! Which is why I wanted to talk to you…” Galinda trails off and pouts as Madame Morrible just continues her brisk pace, completely ignoring the blonde.
Pfanne and ShenShen approach Galinda with concerned looks when they see her pout.
“Something is terribly wrong,” Galinda says to her friends with a befuddled look. “I didn’t get my way.”
Elphaba is in her suite, putting away her things while leaving plenty of space for her roommate, who has yet to arrive. She dismissed her guards, having wanted to be alone while she unpacked.
There’s a firm knock on the door. Glancing up from the drawer she was placing her school uniforms in, Elphaba stops what she’s doing and answers the door.
“Madame Morrible!” She gasps in excitement and steps aside to let her old mentor in. Even after Elphaba…lost…her magic, the Wizard had Madame Morrible stick around to continue to tutor ELphaba since the Gillikin woman was the only other person Oscar trusted to be alone with Elphaba. The green princess hadn’t seen her mentor in a few months since the older woman had to leave to prepare at Shiz for the upcoming school year.
“Elphaba, my dear.” Madame Morrible says fondly and gently embraces Elphaba. The woman was sort of a mother or aunt figure for Elphaba. “Welcome to Shiz, how are you?”
“Excited,” Elphaba grins and returns the embrace, “And nervous. It’s nothing like I thought.”
“Hm, is that a good or bad thing?” Morrible questions with a gentle smile, leading Elphaba to the bed and sitting next to her.
“Bit of both,” Elphaba shrugs with a small grin. “I should have known people would be surprised by my skin, it’s just a bit surprising…” Elphaba trails off, looking at her green hand. She’s asked her father many times why she was a different color, he had always said it was because she was special. Though Elphaba suspected he didn’t know the answer either.
“But everything else is amazing,” the green girl says, her tone bright again as if she hadn’t been contemplating a big insecurity a second ago. “I’ve never seen so many people before.”
Madame Morrible chuckles softly at the statement. She chose not to bring up the girl’s brief zoning out. She knew her skin color was a sore subject for Elphaba.
“Indeed there is. You’ll get used to it soon, I’m sure.” Madame Morrible gently rests a comforting hand on Elphaba’s shoulder. “I am most pleased you’re here, my dear.”
“I am too,” Elphaba says softly with a small smile. “I’ll do my best here, I promise.”
“Oh, Elphaba dear.” Madame Morrible gives the princess an affectionate smile, “I never had any doubt.”
Ten or so minutes after Madame Morrible has left, the door opens and in walks the same girl in pink, Galinda.
Here we go, Elphaba cringes internally. Let’s get this over with.
“Hello,” Elphaba says in an attempt to be polite, though there is a hint of awkwardness in her tone.
Galinda manages a small smile, though it looks more like a grimace. She looks around the room, seeing Elphaba had left exactly half the space empty for Galinda’s own things.
“Oh, now this just won’t do.” Galinda muses and steps forward, turning to Elphaba. “I’ll need more space.”
Elphaba frowns and looks around. “I…left you exactly half the room. That way we have equal amounts and it is fair--”
“Fairness is such a fickle thing, wouldn’t you agree.” Galinda interrupts, stepping towards the empty bed meant for her. “I mean, I was promised a private suite.”
Elphaba sighs through her nose. They’ve been talking for only a minute and already she’s tired. Elphaba silently admires her father for somehow being able to handle the politicians of the countries of Oz, while remaining diplomatic.
“I’m sure you were,” Elphaba says slowly, “But seeing as that is no longer the case, we will have to learn to compromise. Or else this school year won’t be very pleasant for either of us.”
“Fine,” Galinda hums, wandering slowly around the room, inspecting it. “But I demand one extra drawer. For all the letters my momsie and popsicle will send me.”
“Alright,” Elphaba relents with an eye roll. She walks to a spare nightstand and takes out some of the things she had placed in its bottom drawer, leaving both drawers for Galinda’s use. “Satisfied?”
“I suppose.” Galinda claps her hands and instantly the door opens and servants come in, carrying her luggage and unpacking it for her.
Elphaba’s eyes widened in brief surprise. This girl was more high maintenance than her, and Elphaba was a princess.
The servants, being very efficient people, soon leave once they're done unpacking.
“Ahem, right.” Elphaba clears her throat and steps toward Galinda, holding out her hand to shake. “I don’t think we’ve formally met. I’m Elphaba.”
Galinda flashes her usual, fake and polite smile before accepting the outstretched hand and shaking it. “Galinda,” she says sweetly. “I’m sure you’ve heard all about me.”
Elphaba hadn’t, but not wanting to start any beef, she simply gave a stiff nod. Thankfully, Galinda was easily distracted and didn’t notice Elphaba.
“Hm, it’s quite…stuffy in here.” Galinda muses and walks to the balcony door, throwing it open and tossing her hair over her shoulder with a satisfied smile. “There, that’s better.”
“You don’t mind, do you?” Galinda asks Elphaba, though it’s clear the blonde doesn’t really care what Elphaba wants. “I just enjoy a little air.”
“Not at all,” Elphaba says with a strained smile. With Galinda as her roommate, it would be a long year.