I had no idea Jeff Goldblum could sing! 😳

~🫧~

The three walked inside the Wizard's Palace, the doors slamming shut behind them, making them jump.

A uniformed blue monkey guard stood in front of the gate.

The three walked up the stairs and approached him, and the Monkey nodded at them.

He opened the gate and led them inside, where Monkey Guards stood at attention.

"Hello..." Glindo waved to a Monkey nervously as he clutched onto (Name)'s hand.

"This is not what I was expecting." (Name) whispered, feeling a bit uneasy.

The three walked up another set of stairs where a giant brown door was in front of them. Elphaba stared at it nervously.

"Elphaba Thropp, listen to me." Glindo whispered. "You can do this. You can do anything!"

Elphaba smiled at her friend and nodded.

The three faced towards the door again and stepped inside the throne room.

Instead of a throne, there was a massive curtain in the middle.

The three friends approached the curtain nervously as a loud whoosh was heard from behind it and fog emerged out of it.

"What is that sound?" Glindo asked.

"I don't feel safe." (Name) whispered.

Suddenly, a large metal head poked out from behind the curtains. It opened its glowing eyes, looking terrifying

Elphaba attempted to run away, only for Glindo to pull her back. The two argued with each other while (Name) stood there in fright.

Suddenly, the head lighted up, and spoke.

"I...am...Oz."

Glindo gasped and threw (Name) behind him protectively. (Name) made no hesitation to clutch onto her boyfriend in fright.

"Oh, Elphie." Glindo whispered while Elphaba hummed in fright.

The large head sticked its head out more.

"I am Oz. The great and terrible."

Fire blew out of the torches on the walls, making the three even more frightened.

"Who are you and why do you seek me?"

"Elphie, say something!" Glindo encouraged.

"What am I supposed to say?!" Elphaba retorted.

"SAY SOMETHING!"

Fire blew out from the torches again.

"Say something!"

"ELPHABA! Say anything that won't make us die!" (Name) hissed.

Elphaba nodded. "M-my name is Elphaba Thropp, your Ozness."

She gestured to the couple next to her. "And these are—"

"Oh, is that you, Elphaba?" The Wizard asked in a seemingly less terrifying voice.

Suddenly, the Head turned off and from behind the curtains, the friends heard,

"Elphaba Thropp?"

Glindo gasped. "A man!"

Indeed it was, but it wasn't just any man, it was the Wizard.

"Elphaba Thropp, I didn't know it was you! You made it!" The Wizard grinned as he stepped out from the curtains.

"Sorry about all that, I didn't mean to startle you." The Wizard apologized as he gestured to the giant head behind him.

"You knock back there, I cannot make out people's faces. It's just so great to meet you!"

Elphaba stared at him, star struck.

The Wizard smiled. "It's so great to—hang on." He paused.

"What?" Elphaba asked.

"I'm so sorry, may I?" The Wizard reached his hand out to Elphaba.

"Sure, yes."

The Wizard reached behind Elphaba's ear and pulled out a coin, making Glindo and (Name) gasp.

"For you, my special guest." The Wizard placed the coin in Elphaba's hand. "That's a keepsake for you to cherish all of your days.

"That's very kind of you, your Ozness. Thank you." Elphaba smiled.

The Wizard then looked over to Glindo and (Name). "And these are...additional, unexpected guests. Hi, what are your names?"

(Name) gave a curtsey. "(Name), your Ozness."

"Glindo. The 'Ga' is silent." Glindo smiled.

"Hello...Belindo and (Name)." The Wizard smiled awkwardly.

(Name) frowned at the mispronunciation of her boyfriend's name.

The Wizard noticed the three glancing nervously at the intimating Oz Head.

"Oh, yeah. Ah, well, I don't know. I think it's a bit much. But folks expect this sort of thing, and ya gotta give the people..."

The Wizard did a tap dance. "What they want~"

Glindo clapped for him while (Name) smiled.

"And if you think that's something to see, wait till you see this." The Wizard smirked.

~💚~

The Wizard stood in front of a curtain and pulled a lever.

"I give you...the Oz of Tomorrow!"

The curtain pulled back, revealing an incredibly detailed miniature model of the Land of Oz with a white brick road running through it.

The three stared at the model in awe.

"Now, I don't know if your eyes are following this long and winding path—do you see that?" The Wizard pointed to the white road in the model.

"I think people need direction. Once it's built, they'll always know, if they just follow the road, it'll lead 'em right to me!"

He pointed to himself, making the three chuckle.

"Recently, I've gotten a little stuck trying to figure out what color the bricks of that road oughta be. So, I Jerry-rigged this thing up which does..."

The Wizard pressed a button on an odd remote control device with multiple buttons and suddenly the model's white brick road changed to red.

"Elphaba, you give that a whirl."

"Sure, let's try." Elphaba pressed a button, making the bricks turn to blue.

"No, green." Elphaba pressed another button, and the brick's turned green.

Elphaba continued pressing buttons and changing the brick's color. "Um, yellow...maybe purple..."

"Wait, go back one. Please." (Name) requested.

"The yellow, really?" The Wizard raised an eyebrow as Elphaba changed the bricks back to yellow.

"Yes! It just says road to me." (Name) nodded.

"She's right!" Glindo smiled as he looked at the yellow brick road.

"Let me see." The Wizard stepped onto the model and hummed as he observed the small land.

"Follow the yellow brick road...I don't know." The Wizard chuckled. "Oh! Hey, come up here! Come up here with me! In my sandbox!"

Elphaba climbed up onto the platform and Glindo took (Name)'s hand and helped her onto it.

"So, here's where we are, and when we open it up, inside..." The Wizard leaned down to a replica of the palace and opened up one of the towers, revealing a miniature Wizard and the giant head.

"That's you?" Elphaba smiled.

"Well, it is me! It is me!" The Wizard grabbed the figurine of himself. "I find myself alone a lot." He whispered before tossing it back inside the castle.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" The Wizard snapped his fingers and reached into his pocket.

"If my head weren't attached I would probably leave it in Munchkinland. Hey, you know what I had made? Look, it's special." He pulled out a small figurine of Elphaba and handed it towards her.

"Keep that, keep it forever. Because...at some point, who knows? We might be putting your little artifact in there right next to mine!" The Wizard grinned. "And maybe someday, you'll be calling this whole pile of stones...your home."

Elphaba continued staring at her figurine.

"Elphie..." (Name) whispered.

"She's green." Elphaba spoke softly.

"Oh, well, she doesn't have to be." The Wizard assured. "Would that be...your heart's desire?"

Elphaba looked down at the figure and then to the Wizard. "No. My heart's desire is for you to help the Animals. Something bad is happening to them. They need you."

The Wizard smiled. "I had a feeling you were going to say that. And I agree wholeheartedly!"

Elphaba, Glindo, and (Name) grinned.

"It's the darndest thing, it's almost like...I already know you." The Wizard crossed his arms with a smile.

"I knew you'd understand!" Elphaba beamed. "That makes me so happy."

"Well, that's what I love best!" The Wizard shrugged. "Making people happy."

~💚~

Elphaba, Glindo, and (Name) sat down on the model as the Wizard crouched down in front of them with a hand on his cheek.

"I am a sentimental man, who always longed to be a father."

The Wizard pulled out a small house with a miniature family inside of it.

"That's why I do the best I can to treat each citizen of Oz as a son or daughter."

The three smiled at each other.

"So Elphaba, I'd like to raise you high."

The Wizard stood to his feet.

"'Cause I think everyone deserves the chance to fly."

He placed the house on top of one of towers, and the wall began to lift, making the ceiling look like a sunset.

"And helping you with your ascent allows me to feel so..."

The Wizard picked up a part of a tower and flipped it over, revealing it was a hot air balloon. He took Elphaba's figure and placed it inside it.

"Parental."

Elphaba chuckled as the Wizard stood on top of the model.

"For I am a sentimental..."

The Wizard walked behind the curtain and smiled at the three.

"Man..."

From behind the curtain, the three could see The Wizard's shadow as he threw the hot air balloon in the sky.

He began to dance around as the moon moved around with him.

Elphaba, Glindo, and (Name) applauded for him, making the Wizard chuckle.

"Okay, that's enough of that." He came out from the curtains and waved the spotlight away.

Just then, a familiar figure came into the room, her heels clicking as she walked.

"Is that..." Elphaba's eyes lit up when she recognized the woman.

"Madame Morrible! What are you doing here?" Elphaba exclaimed as she rushed over to the woman and gave her a hug.

"Oh, dearie! I couldn't miss your big moment!" Madame Morrible smiled.

She then noticed (Name) and Glindo smiling at her.

"Neither could you two, I see." Madame Morrible said coldly.

(Name) narrowed her eyes while Glindo smiled awkwardly.

Elphaba then saw the Monkey Guard pulling tarp off a pedestal, revealing a book.

"I don't believe it." Glindo gasped. "Is that..."

"The grimmerie." (Name) whispered.

"Yes. That's the ancient book of wisdom, thaumaturgy, and enchantments." Madame Morrible confirmed as she walked towards it with Glindo and (Name).

Elphaba moved towards it, as if magnetized.

"Can I touch it?" Glindo whispered.

"No." Madame Morrible declined.

The Wizard started to lead Elphaba towards the grimmerie, then stopped.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. She may not be ready." He told Madame Morrible. "Casting a spell with the grimmerie? That's a mighty tall order! I should know!"

"You're right. We mustn't rush her." Madame Morrible agreed. "Perhaps today has been too overwhelming..."

"No. Please, let me try. Let me prove myself."
Elphaba insisted.

She turned over to (Name) and Glindo, and the couple nodded at her with a smile.

Madame Morrible and the Wizard glanced at each other, and they shared a nod.

Elphaba moved closer and closer to the book...and then...

It opened itself to her.

Madame Morrible gasped. "Sweet Oz!"

"It opened for her." The Wizard gawked.

Elphaba stared at the grimmerie in shock as it flipped its pages through for her. She looked back to Glindo and (Name), whose eyes were wide.

"So, which spell are you going to start with?" The Wizard questioned.

"We've been working a levitation." Madame Morrible informed.

"Levitation? Oh, that's interesting. Did you know that Chistery, here—" The Wizard gestured to the Monkey Guard. "Have you kids met Chistery? The leader of my Emerald Guards?"

"Pleased to meet you." Elphaba smiled at Chistery.

"He'd never admit it; hates to talk about himself--but he watches the birds so longingly every morning—"

Chistery looked down sadly, making Elphaba frown.

The Grimmerie's pages began to flip, making Glindo and (Name)'s eyes widen.

"But—how could I—ever—" Elphaba asked.

"Elphie, look!" Glindo pointed to the Grimmerie.

Everyone turned to the Grimmerie and watched as it turned to a page with a drawing of wings.

"Are those words?" Elphaba queried.

"A lost language...our lost language of spells." Madame Morrible realized.

Elphaba stared at the words, mesmerized.

"Don't be discouraged if you can't decipher it, Dearie." Madame Morrible assured. "I myself can only read a word or two, and that took years and years of—"

Elphaba, transfixed, began to chant the words, haltingly at first.

"Praise Oz!" Madame Morrible placed her hands on her lips.

"Elphie..." Glindo exclaimed in awe.

As Elphaba continued chanting, Chistery grunted in pain.

The more she chanted, the words on the page began to turn into a drawing of wings and rip off from the book. And the more pain Chistery felt.

"What did I tell you?" Madame Morrible whispered to the Wizard.

When Elphaba finished the spell, Chistery was thrown into the middle of the room.

Elphaba, Glindo, and (Name) gasped and whipped their heads over to the monkey.

"Chistery, are you alright?" Elphaba questioned in concern.

Chistery snarled and teared frantically at his waistcoat. Elphaba started towards him, but Madame Morrible pulled her back.

"It's just the transition, dearie." She assured.

"It's just the transition." Glindo nodded.

"But it looks like it's hurting him!" (Name) exclaimed in fright as she watched the Monkey thrash around more.

Suddenly, a wing ripped out from Chistery's back. He traded at Elphaba in anger, making Elphaba back away.

"Chistery..."

Another wing ripped out of Chistery's back as he whined in pain.

As his new wings flap, Chistery rises off the ground for a moment, before falling back down.

"Glory-osky!" The Wizard muttered.

"You did it! You actually did it!" Glindo exclaimed.

Chistery fell to the floor, whining in pain.

"He's in pain." Elphaba turned to Madame Morrible. "Quick, how do I reverse it?"

Madame Morrible raised an eyebrow. "Reverse it?"

"HOW DO I REVERSE IT?" Elphaba demanded loudly.

"A spell from the Grimmerie can never be reversed." Madame Morrible told her.

Elphaba gasped in horror, she glanced back from Chistery to Madame Morrible. What has she done?

"Elphaba...Elphaba." Madame Morrible tried to calm her down.

The sound of flapping wings drowned her out. Elphaba's eyes widened when she realized what that meant.

"Oh no...no." Elphaba rushed past her and ran towards the sound with Glindo and (Name).

The three gasped in horror when they found the other monkey guards growing wings painfully.

Madame Morrible laughed as she joined them out in the hallway with the Wizard.

"I knew she had the power!" Madame Morrible grinned.

"Elphie,this is astoundifying!" Glindo told Elphaba.

The Wizard took Madame Morrible's hand. "It's just what we hoped for! Eyes in the sky!"

"Yes! They'll make perfect spies!" Madame Morrible beamed.

"Spies?!" Elphaba and (Name) exclaimed in horror.

Elphaba walked back into the throne room as the others rushed after her.

"Elphie? Elphie!" Glindo called after her.

"You're right. That's a harsh word. How about...scouts? They'll fly around Oz and report back any seditious animal activity!" The Wizard stated.

Elphaba stared to put the pieces together.

She turned around to face the Wizard. "Seditious animal activity? What are you..."

"Elphie, I'm sure the Wizard has a good reason." Glindo assured.

"Glindo, are you insane?!" (Name) yelled. "How could there be a good reason for any of this?"

Elphaba stared at the Wizard, realizing...

"It's you. You're behind all this!" Elphaba pointed at him. "You're the reason why people are turning against the Animals! It's all because of you!"

"We're doing this to keep people safe. All of Oz will benefit." Madame Morrible explained.

"And you've known all alone?" Elphaba questioned. "Since the day you've met me!"

"You will benefit too, Dearie! You must trust me." Madame Morrible approached Elphaba, only for her to step back.

"DON'T! Don't!"

"Elphaba...when I first got here, there was discord and discontent. And back where I come from, everyone knows that the best way to bring folks together, is to give them a real good enemy." The Wizard explained calmly.

Elphaba stared at both of them, seeing them with new eyes, and then, almost against her will, she started to understand.

That the two people she most admires...used her.

"But if you wanted spies...why wouldn't you just make them yourself?" Elphaba questioned. She glanced over to the Grimmerie and ran over to it.

"Elphaba! Elphaba! You are talking to the Wizard of Oz!" Madame Morrible chided as she ran after the green woman.

Elphaba grabbed the Grimmerie and shoved it at the Wizard's chest, making Glindo and (Name) gasp.

"Read it." Elphaba demanded. "Cast a spell. READ IT!"

"Elphaba—" Madame Morrible tried to calm her down.

"Don't!" Elphaba silenced her before turning back to the Wizard, who only looked down.

"You can't, can you?" Elphaba challenged. "Can you?"

The Wizard just stared at the ground with a look of shame.

Elphaba snatched the book back and stood in front of the giant head. "That's why you need all of this! And you need spies and animals in cages!" Elphaba concluded.

"You have no real power!" Elphaba pointed at the Wizard with fury.

"Exactly." He nodded. "That's why I need you."

Elphaba gasped and clutched onto the book tighter.

"Think of your future, Dearie." Madame Morrible approached Elphaba.

"Stay back!" Elphaba shouted, her eyes darkened with rage.

The Wizard backed away and looked at Glindo, almost like he was pleading to him for help.

"Elphie, listen to them. Please." The Blond begged.

"What?!" (Name) yelled at him.

"That's good advice, young man." The Wizard agreed. "Listen, Elphaba, if you can pull this off first crack out of the box, oh...my golly...I can't even imagine! And I meant every word about you having a home here."

Elphaba was focused on the Wizard with every fiber of her being. Was he persuading her?

"It's gonna be you, and me, and-hey, if it'll make you happy," The Wizard took Glindo and (Name)'s hands.

"Possibly, your friends."

"Really?" Glindo grinned while (Name) glared at the Wizard in disgust.

"Why not?" The Wizard smiled.

"No." Elphaba yelled.

And she made a run for it.

"Elphaba!" Madame Morrible called after her.

The Wizard looked at Madame Morrible in horror, who then turned to Glindo and (Name), cold as ice.

"You want to do yourselves some good? Then get her back." She commanded.

Glindo and (Name) looked at the woman with fear before they both nodded, then ran out.

"Elphie! Elphie!"

"Elphaba! Wait!"

The Wizard ran behind his curtain to operate the giant head while Madame Morrible entered the hallway full of winged monkeys.

"Listen!" Madame Morrible walked into the corridor and clapped her hands.

"Listen!" She boomed, making all of the Monkeys turn to her in fear.

"If you want to keep your families safe, you stay loyal to our Wizard!" Madame Morrible commanded.

"She did this! The green one! Don't let her get away!"

The Monkeys growled and rose into the air, exploding out of every window, doorway, and skylight.

Madame Morrible smirked wickedly as she exited the corridor, the Monkeys flying behind her.

~🫧~

Next chapter is the final one!

I'm not ready for this to end 😭