Let us be glad...
Let us be grateful...
That I could work past my ADHD to get this chapter out.

-

Y/n reached into the water, letting it run over her hand as her boat came closer to the island holding Shiz Academy. Seeing the school, she sat atop of one of her many f/c bags with her first initial on them, kicking her feet and screaming a squeal when she saw two of her friends, Pfannee and ShenShen, already on the shore, waiting for her.

At the gateway, her bags were placed down and Shiz staff immediately began to take it to her room. Unlike the other students - who flocked her - her blazer was completely f/c with her bottoms being a lighter shade. Her parents flanked behind her, fretting over her every movement, until she turned around to give them a hug.

"We love you!"

"And you will write?"

She pulled back with an obvious smirk. "Of course I will. Remember, it's not goodbye. It's farewell." Seeing the boat ready to take back off, she pushed her parents towards it. "Okay, now it's goodbye."

"I love you!" her mother repeated, sobbing.

"Love you, too! Okay! Bye-bye! Mumsie and Popsicle board the boat!" Once they were by the boat, she felt herself tear up. "They are so gonna miss me," and said with a smile, sniffing.

"My parents don't even know I left."

Startled, she whirled around, where a munchkin boy was awkwardly standing, holding out a red handkerchief, which she took it and dabbed at her eyes. "I'm Boq. From Munchkinland. And I know we don't know each other yet, but -"

"You know what I believe, Bick?"

"It's Bick - it's Boq."

"Right...well, I believe strangers are just friends we haven't met yet," she said with a genuine smile, then tucked the handkerchief back in his pocket and sashayed away. "Bye."

Boq watched her, lovestruck, as she walked through the crowd that parted for her.

Shiz Choir:
O hallowed half and vine-draped walls,
The proudliest sight there was

A boat stopped at the dock and a dark boot stepped out, making a noise against the pavement.

Shiz Choir:
When grey and sere our hair have turned,
We shall still revere our lessons learned

The boy reached behind him, pulling his braid off his neck so that it went down his chest. A few students dropped their bags, starting with their mouths open at him.

Hearing the whispers, Y/n moved closer to the choir, giving her hair a toss-toss, assuming they were about her.

Shiz Choir:
In our days at dear old Shiz
Our days at dear old Shiz...

They began to trail off, eyes widened in Y/n's direction. She checked her nails, then stepped one foot forward, arms extended out.

Y/n:
Oh - oh - oh - oh - oh...

She turned then and let out a startled yelp: there was the boy, covered in a green pigment.

As an adult, Elphabud had kept his dark hair and glasses. He now wore a black outfit, complete with an edgy jacket.

While she looked on in curiosity, Elphabud merely replied with a silent stare. "What? What's are you starting at? Oh, do I have something in my teeth?" He brought his hand up to his mouth to check.

"No, it's just that..." She swallowed, glancing him up and down. "You're green."

He looked at his hands, a look of horror washing over him. "I am..."

"Sorry, it was just startling -"

"Fine," he cut her off, hands down and face back to normal. "Let's get this over with." He walked around the crowd, who backed away from him in horror. While he circled, Y/n did the same, more afraid of his sharp tongue than his skin. "No, I'm not seasick. No, I didn't eat grass as a child. Yes, I've always been green."

"Oh, so..." Y/n looked around and cleared her throat, composing herself. "This is normal then for you? Well, I'm...very sorry, that can't have been easy."

Elphabud gazed at her with a bored expression. "No shit."

"Well," she continued, bouncing around the crowd. Even though she was speaking to Elphabud, she seemed to want to address the whole crowd. "I intend to major in sorcery, so...if you ever wanted to..." She looked back at Elphabud, waving her hand dismissively. "...address this? Maybe I could help." She gave another toss-toss, to everyone's surprise and delight, then another, this time receiving cheers.

He looked at his hands again, a little more deflated. "This?" He got rid of the defeated look and lightly glared at the pop-uHU-lar girl. "Offering to help someone you don't know with skills you don't have. I'm sure everyone's duly impressed."

"I couldn't care less what others think," she answered curtly, making Elphabud raise an eyebrow. He has to admit, he was impressed she knew the difference between could and couldn't.

"Elphabud!" someone shouted, breaking the tension in the crowd. An old gentleman came through, pushing his daughter's wheelchair: his father, now with a grey beard, his hat tilted. "Elphabud Thropp!"

"Oh, and this is my younger sister, Nessarose. As you can see, she's a perfectly acceptable color." He gestured towards the non-green girl - light brown skin and beautiful dark eyes that could make anyone smile.

Frexspar yanked him away, hissing, "Stop making a spectacle of yourself!" To Nessarose, he spoke sweetly, offering her a wrapped gift. "My precious little girl. A parting gift."

"Father -!" She giggled and unwrapped it, gasping lightly at the silver shoes. "Mother's shoes?"

"So they'll all see how beautiful you are - right down to your toes." He took the shoes back. "I'll put them with your things," he said, leaving the siblings alone.

Elphabud and Nessa both looked ahead, the brother speaking first. "I shouldn't have sprouted off like that."

"No you shouldn't have. Today is..." She drifted off, leaving Elphabud to finish for her.

"The start of your new life."

Nessa looked up at him from her chapter, giving a sad smile. "I'll miss you."

"No you won't. You'll be having too good a time."

The bells rang and students began to leave. The governor, back, reached out for the chair.

"Don't help her."

"Don't help me." Nessa wheeled herself away, waving.

When she had vanished, Elphabud felt an ache in his chest. He looked at his father, who watched the empty space now with heartbreak. "She'll be fine," he said for both his father and himself.

"Go with her."

"What?"

"Just until she's safely settled. Make sure she has everything she needs."

"Father, she's on her own now, I can't just -"

"Stop jabbering and do as I say!" His voice dropped again, head lowered. "If anything should happen to her..."

Surprised by his tears, Elphabud was unable to refuse him and rushed after the crowd and his sister.

-

Before the Main Hall was a huge cave, animal professors carved into it. Elphabud stopped to admire it, then saw a carving of the Wizard, the man he had admired his entire life. He took a step closer, eyes fixated, and reached out only slightly before shaking off the weight of the feeling and going to find his sister.

-

"...and rounding out the rest of our faculty, we have two scholars, eminent in their respective fields of Forestry and Agriculture."

The audience applauded politely.

"As well as Professor Mombi of the Biological Arts and, of course, head of our history department, Dr. Dillamond."

They stepped forward, one a bird and the other a goat, to no applause, which confused Y/n, but she refused to be the odd one out by clapping.

"...finally, in today's Oz, a real sorceress, one who possess true magic, has become all too rare. Which is why we are so privileged to have, here at Shiz, our esteemed Professor Emeritus and Dean of Sorcery Studies, Madam Morrible."

Everyone stood up to applaud the Faragonda-looking lady as she confidently took the podium. Nessa tried to look around, her eyes meeting with Boq, who was also staining to see, despite standing. Noticing old about, they offered the other a smile, Nessa giggling and her smile coming very naturally.

Y/n giggled, looking down at her shoes, clinking them three times excitedly.

"Welcome, new students. And congratulations on being accepted to Shiz. Whether you be studying Law, Logic, or Linguification, I know I speak for my fellow faculty members when I saw we have nothing but the highest hopes...for some of you."

The crowd tittered, but not Y/n, who was nodding along, positive she was speaking of her.

"And now, Ms. Coddle, if you'll please."

A heavy woman took Madam Morrible's place with a tight smile. "I am Ms. Coddle, Headshiztress. And these are your dormitory designations and room assignments." At her signal, five assistants ran over with a scroll each and unanimously pulled them, letting the schedules out for all to see. The students went to look, expect, again, Y/n, focused on Madame Morrible and strutting up to her with purpose. "Excuse me, Madame Morrible? I'm Y/n L/n."

Disinterested, "If this is regarding room assignments -"

"Oh, no! I've been reserved a private suite, thank you for asking." She walked just behind her, desperately trying a different approach. "Um, actually, I was hoping you would just...know my name? I - I was referenced by my previous school? I was top of my sorcery class? Magic Wands: Need They Have a Point?" She was referring to the paper she had submitted for her scholarship.

"Mmm."

"Um, actually, I was hoping to talk about my submitting to your sorcery seminar?"

"I do not teach my seminar every semester. However, if someone very special were to come along..."

"Well, naturally! And, you know, top of my class! So..." But Madame Morrible was gone, having ignored her completely. "We'll be in touch?!" she tried desperately.

-

Ms. Coddle practically ran to Nessa, who was just trying to look for her room, fawning over here immediately. "There you are! Miss Nessarose, isn't it? The Governor's daughter?" She nodded with a polite smile as Ms. Coddle took her hands in her clasped ones. "How tragically beautiful you are! It's an honor to - AHHH!"

She screamed at Elphabud, who managed an irritated smirk. "I'm the son. I'm beautifully tragic."

"Elphabud?" Nessa questioned.

"The son?" Ms. Coddle asked, rattled, a hand on her chest. "I wasn't...made aware, but...not to fret. Just a slight glitch. We'll find someplace to hide you - I mean! ...house you."

"That won't be necessary, I'm not enrolled."

"Oh, good."

"Why are you still here?"

"Forgive me, Nessa, Father insisted -"

"Oh, the Governor has made his concern for your sister quite apparent," the headmistress interrupted. "Please assure him I'm honored to help her."

Hearing that last part, Nessa worriedly looked at her. "Wait, what?"

"Oh, no, she doesn't need your help," Elphabud tried to insist.

"Or yours." She tried to turn and wheel herself away. "I just need to find my room."

"I'll bring you there myself!" Ms. Coddle took hold of the chair and began to push her, even while both siblings protested.

"No, I meant...wait! I can find my own way!"

"Ms. Coddle, no. Stop! She doesn't need you to..."

The more she pushed, the angrier Elphabud felt himself get. He ran back and held out his hand. "STOP!"

The chair stopped and so did Ms. Coddle. The other students looked to see what the commotion was about. But it turned to panic when tables began to move, entrapping Y/n, Pfannee, and ShenShen, who all screamed. Books and binders and chairs began to fly into the air, the water in the fountain bending towards him. "LET HER GO!"

Nessa went flying up out of her reach and moved away from the crowd and towards her brother's reach, so to the chair to place it down.

-

From her room, Madam Morrible observed, then walked away from the window.

-

Once everything came to the ground, Y/n looked on at Elphabud, head cocked curiously.

Nessa, on the other hand, was looking around. She finally spoke, voice on-edge. "This was my chance, my new start..."

"Nessa, I'm so sorry -"

But she pushed herself away, just as Madam Morrible showed herself and addressed the crowd. "Magic is merely the mind's attempt to wrap itself around the impossible: Yes. I did that."

Instead of fear, now, everyone was in awe.

"To prepare you to expect the unexpected here at Shiz."

Now, they were all clapping for the old lady, forgetting completely off the scary green boy.

"And speaking of the unexpected, which one of you will volunteer to share with -"

Y/n immediately raised her hand, ready to bend at any request she asked. "Madam Morrible!"

She regarded her with a small smile. "Oh, thank you, dear. That is very good of you."

"Uh, what is?"

"Mr..." She looked at him for a name.

"Elphabud," he informed.

"Mr. Elphabud. You can room with Miss Y/n."

"What?!" Y/n exclaimed.

"But Madam Morrible -"

"Go now. All of you." She held out her hand. "You. Come with me." Y/n began to step forward, but was stopped by her hand being shoved at her. "Not you." Pointing to Elphabud, "You. I shall teach you privately and take more other students. Come."

Confused, he went with her, Y/n putting her hand on her chest, beginning to hyperventilate. Sensing her distress, Pfannee and ShenShen ran over to her. "What's wrong?" Pfannee asked.

"I...it's horrible, terrible, the most awfullest thing to come! ........I didn't get my way. I...oh!" Her knees buckled and she fell back, being catched by both of them. "I need to lie down!"

They picked her up, carrying her off. "A pastry! We need a pastry!"