A Visit

[Glinda Upland]

She shook her head. "I really don't know. It's part of why I came. I've been out of this so long now, but you keep yourself informed." She took Elphaba's hands and looked in her eyes. "I need you to tell me what steps to take. I need you to tell me what to do."

[Elphaba Thropp]

"Well, I think the first thing you have to do is try to monitor any comings and goings from the Nome City. Try to figure out if anyone's in communication with the Nome King. That might be a great way to get Claire's parents on our... I mean your side. Tell them the emeralds in the Emerald City are in danger of being stripped by the King. Also, maybe Ellie can do some research on Ozma in Dillamond Library. If there are any surviving history books about her, that's where they would be." Elphie hesitated a moment when she said Dillamond's name...

[Glinda Upland]

Glinda saw the flinch and reached out a kind hand, saying nothing audibly but everything with the sympathetic look in her eyes. If only she had known all those years ago then perhaps things would be different now, perhaps better...or perhaps not. But she would spend every moment trying to make up for her past mistakes and hope for a better future.

"I think there may be one or two books surviving there. They did that book burning a few years ago...I know the current students found it cathartic to burn their history books, but I don't think they had any idea at the time it would be the last ones ever published on the subjets. Elsewise, I think they might not have been so eager to burn them all.." she trailed a moment. Books had always been something close to Elphie's heart, and she knew that the thought of them going up in flames might hit a heart string.

[Elphaba Thropp]

"I know about the book burning" Elphie said quick to move on from the subject. "But some of them must have survived. I tried to snatch a few before they were burned, but I wasn't able to. Do you think Ellie would be willing to do some research?"

[Glinda Upland]

"She just eats it up. She actually wants a history minor, much to Mombie's dismay. So i'm sure she'd poke around and find out anything that we needed her to. We do need her..." Glinda shook her head, realizing perhaps for the first time how much Ellie was needed. Of course, Elphaba had always been a driving force to help her do good in the world, but she had always thought of Ellie as a child, not as her alli.

[Elphaba Thropp]

"Tell her she needs to find anything she can on Ozma and Mombie" she said as Chistery approached an handed Elphie a note...

[Glinda Upland]

Glinda looked from Chistery to Elphie, watching her carefully as she read. "What does it say?"

[Elphaba Thropp]

"Did you happen to see a girl named Serafina Proctor when you went to Shiz? Apparently she's a fourth year sorcery major - and she was just found,turned to stone with her head missing...
"

[Glinda Upland]

Glinda gasped. "I've seen the girl before, slightly pretty but nothing too extravagant to look at....she must have done something to anger Mombie..." Glinda thought back to the little she knew about the girl, trying to rack her brain as to why Mombie might have had it out for the poor dear. "I really only met her in passing a time or two at Shiz. I did pop into one of her sorvery lessons once, per request of Mombie, but I don't remember anything extravagant about her powers either..."

[Elphaba Thropp]

"We'd better be careful. I wouldn't be suprised if Mombie was targeting the sorcery students - after all, I'm sure Mombie doesn't want to have a bunch of Witches to deal with, competing with her powers..."

[Glinda Upland]

"If that's true then it's all the more important for her not to find out the importance of Claire...or the identity of Ellie." She swallowed down the lump in her throat that had developed at the very thought of something happening to Ellie. "I suppose it's all for the better that they spend a little while with me in the Emerald City, then. I'm hesitant to even let them go back..."

[Elphaba Thropp]

"No, they have to, or Mombie 'll know something's up." Elphie thought for a moment, remembering the day that Glinda gave her her "makeover."

"Maybe..." Elphie said.. "you could give Ellie a make over. Tell her I want you to. If she can learn to put on a little bit of a front... like I never could, it might help her. She doesn't have to choose you know... she can be loved and do good, and still fight for what's right."

Elphie wondered if it was true. It was what she had always dreamed for herself. Could it be true for her daughter?

[Glinda Upland]

"Done! As soon as they make it to the Emerald City and a makeover is due!" Glinda thought on all the times in the past she'd tried to warm Ellie up to 'makeovers' and 'clothing rejuvination.' All attempts past had failed. She was so much like her mother, but maybe with Claire's influence over the past week or so Ellie would be a little warmer to the thought.
"But if she fights me, as she always has.....maybe it will be better this time. Maybe she's ready." Glinda looked at Elphie with a sad smile. "She is so much like you."

[Elphaba Thropp]

"Just tell her: mother's orders. She wont fight me." Elphie laughed. Her a mother...

[Glinda Upland]

"No. she won't. she barely even knows you and just worships you..." There was a sad glint in her eyes. She hated Ellie didn't REALLY know her mother. Elphie was so amazing. She wished everyone could see her through HER eyes, then everyone would known just how amazing she was and Ellie would have never had to leave her mother and father.