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Chapter Text

The Time Dragon Clock rang out for the fifteenth hour and all of Oz, both the loyal sectors and the seceded Munchkinland was ablaze with rumours of the death of the Witch that had spread like wildfire upon the Wizard's departure via balloon.

The Good Witch went to officially make the announcement, stepping up to the microphone in what was once the Wizard's palace, taking a breath as she looked at the well-loved pointed black hat and broom resting on upturned boxes in the ransacked room. She began to speak into the microphone, announcing to the entirety of Oz that exactly twenty six hours ago, the Wicked Witch of the West had been melted by a bucket of water, and was really most sincerely dead.

The relief and joy spread throughout Oz at that announcement, people emerging from their homes and shelters without fear for the first time in years to celebrate the good news.

Young Munchkins ran throughout their rainbow tulip fields, excitedly cheering as everyone started removing any trace of the Witch from the boarded up windows, gleefully sharing the news.

Signs and posters warning of the Witch's evil magic were unceremoniously torn down and danced across, leaving muddy bootprints off of depictions of the Witch's green face as they sang and cheered, celebrating her death.

The enemy of all Oz was dead and everyone rejoiced!

A bright pink bubble entered the atmosphere above Munchkinland.

The Munchkins all gasped in excitement as it slowly floated downward, glinting with the light of a brand new day.

"Look!" One munchkin cheered, pointing at the bubble. "It's Ahlaam!"

The bubble grew as it descended, getting closer to the raised platform in the centre of the square, becoming large enough to carry a woman.

The bubble burst and in all her pink finery and with wand in hand, stood Ahlaam the Good, who smiled at the crowd gathered to listen to her.

"It's good to see me, isn't it?" Ahlaam the Good giggled to the amusement of the crowd, before pulling a teasingly serious expression. "That's rhetorical, you don't need to answer."

"Miss Ahlaam?!"

"Yes?"

"How dead is she?"

"Fellow Ozians!" Ahlaam the Good declared. "In the absence of our Wizard, I am here to dispel some rumours, innuendo, outuendo… The Wicked Witch of the West is really most sincerely dead, having passed by liquefication via water thrown at her at the thirteenth strike of the Time Dragon Clock yesterday."

The Good Witch's tone was warm and her eyes crinkled with joy at seeing the jubilation. "Now is the time to be glad and grateful— to rejoicify that goodness had subdued the wicked workings of you know who!"

The crowd cheered in response, tearing down the scary poster with the Witch looming over them.

Ahlaam the Good slowly made her way down the stairs, her large gown taking up half of the staircase as she descended.

The younger Munchkins came to her first, excited to see her in person, awestruck by how larger than life she was, with her large, bright gown, sparkling wand and crown, she looked like a princess.

Ahlaam the Good crouched to greet them, ruffling their thick curls and offering them warms smiles and words of comfort, accepting their hugs in return. "Isn't it nice to know that Good will always conquer Evil?" She asked, gently tapping one of them on the nose, earning a small giggle from the child before rising to her feet once more and continuing to greet the Munchkins.

"The truth we all believe outlives lies…" She said, walking through the crowd, stopping to grasp hands, or accept gifts. "For you and—"

"No one mourns the Wicked!" A Munchkin yelled, gesturing to the fallen imagery of the Wicked Witch everywhere, discarded as the Wicked were nothing, unmourned and scorned.

The rest of the gathered Munchkins leapt up, cheering their agreement as Ahlaam froze, her face plastered in the warm smile everyone expected from her.

No one would lay flowers at the Wicked Witch's grave to mourn her, no tears would be shed over her death.

Instead, everyone celebrated, rejoicing that the terror was over.

"Through their lives, the future generations will learn what we lose when we misbehave…"

"Goodness knows that the lives of the wicked are lonely!" Ahlaam the Good declared as flower petals were thrown in the air. "Goodness knows that they die alone!"

The munchkins concurred, grinning as Ahlaam the Good made her way back through the crowd to the platform. "Nothing grows for the wicked! They reap only what they've sown!"

"They're left only on their own…" Ahlaam the Good thought to herself, staring at the poster of the Wicked Witch, reflecting on the history between them.

A young munchkin came up to Ahlaam the Good, tugging on the outer layer of her poofy skirt.

"Miss Ahlaam? Why does Wickedness happen?" The young Munchkin asked, looking up at Ahlaam the Good.

"That is a great and confusifying question, little one." Ahlaam the Good pinched their cheek gently. "Are people born Wicked, or do they have Wickedness thrust upon them by the world? As she had a family. Her mother, Chazira, was the Cavendish Second Descending of Munchkinland, in line to inherit the governorship after the death of her father. And The Witch's father was a beloved missionary, going out to spread the word of the Unnamed God throughout Oz, reluctantly leaving his flighty wife behind for the night…"

Ahlaam the Good felt the small green vial tucked inside the pocket of her gown. "But like every family, they had their secrets… Chazira had taken a mysterious lover, a travelling salesman offering a green elixir for a night of fun.

"Have another drink, my dark eyed beauty…" Chazira's lover said, offering the bottle to her as she teased him, gently removing his tie.

"And, as it so often does, one thing led to another and Chazira Cavendish was soon with child…" Ahlaam the Good continued. "They were ecstatic, preparing for her arrival. But from the moment she was born, she was different…"

Frexspar the Godly shrieked as he saw his newborn daughter for the first time.

"Sweet Oz!" He cried, shocked and appalled as he saw her.

"What's wrong?" Chazira asked, the family's Bear nurse, Dulcibear, semi-intentionally keeping the baby out of her view for the moment.

"How can it be?" Frexspar wondered, a pit in his stomach as he remembered what he had done just earlier that day, publicly disparaging the magic of the Time Dragon Clock… Was this fate punishing him for overreaching?

"It's uncanny…" Dulcibear whispered, carefully wrapping the wailing newborn in a blanket.

"It's obscene!" Frexspar corrected, deciding then and there that this was further punishment from the Gods of Oz.

"She's green …" Chazira gasped, staring at her newborn daughter with skin the colour of emeralds.

"The Witch's life would never be easy, the man she believed to be her father having scorned her, going off and travelling to spread the word of the Unnamed God across Oz and atone for the mistakes that led to Margaret being born green, while her mother did not know how to raise a child, so she was often left with Dulcibear, her beloved Nanny…" Ahlaam the Good continued her story, the Munchkins listening closely. "The world teased young Margaret for her green hue, so she grew defensive very young. Then Chazira fell pregnant again, when Frexspar and a young Quadling glassblower named Turtle Heart came home.

Frexspar did not wish for another green daughter, so Chazira went on the milkflowers— more than necessary and Dakkar was born a perfectly normal and acceptable colour, but at the cost of Chazira, who died giving birth to him. Frexspar returned home to Rush Margins after the loss of both Turtle Heart and Chazira, fawning over Dakkar, while maintaining his distance from Margaret, whom he had grown to love in his own way.

So… her life hadn't been easy."

The Munchkins ignored the sympathetic story and continued to celebrate the deaths of the Wicked siblings that had terrorised them for years, continuing their refrain of no one mourning the Wicked as Ahlaam the Good continued to walk through the crowd, greeting and celebrating with them.

"Now at last she's dead and gone, there's joy throughout the land!" The munchkins cheered, dancing over the discarded propaganda demonising the Wicked Witch and celebrating their freedom. "Goodness knows the Wicked's lives are lonely!"

"Goodness knows she died alone…" Ahlaam the Good muttered, unheard by the crowd celebrating around her as she looked up and saw a large crude wooden effigy of the Wicked Witch being dragged into the centre of the square.

"Woe to those who spurn what Goodness is… they are shown!" The Munchkins chanted as they walked away from the effigy.

A Munchkin attendant offered Ahlaam the Good a torch to burn the effigy, which she accepted with a slightly too tight smile.

The Good Witch looked at the effigy, seeing the crude depiction of Margaret, made from black cloth, straw and wood with a large sign declaring "DEATH TO THE WITCH!" in red paint on its base.

The mask slipped and Ahlaam's smile slipped from her face as she launched the torch at the effigy, setting it ablaze, clogging the clear eye with black smoke.

Ahlaam the Good then blinked the tears that burned the corner of her eyes away, returning her warm smile to her face as she faced the crowd and walked back up to her bubble, listening to the jubilant crowd cheer the death of the Wicked Witch.

Ahlaam the Good echoed the refrain of the good news as the effigy burned in the square and everyone danced around the pyre.

"If there are no further questions…" Ahlaam the Good reactivated her bubble. "I'm going to go."

"IS IT TRUE YOU WERE HER FRIEND?"

Chapter Text

"Excuse me?" Ahlaam the Good said, feigning deafness because of the bubble."Hang on, one second…"

She burst her bubble and smiled.

"Was it true you were her friend?" The munchkin repeated, pushing to the front of the crowd.

Memories of her and Margaret's 'friendship' flooded Ahlaam's mind. Dancing together at the Ozdust, spending time away from everyone else bar their charmed circle in fields of poppies… saying a tearful goodbye not two days ago… Their day out in Oz before everything went horribly wrong. The memories were bittersweet, stained with the grief of Margaret's death.

"Yes." Ahlaam the Good said, sending a ripple of shocked screams through the Munchkins, with a few even fainting. "I would call her an old friend… That is, I did know her… Our paths crossed at school…"

~*~

Shiz University was the most prestigiocious institution of higher learning in all of Oz, people coming from all over to learn at the northernmost part of Gillikin Country.

One such new student was Alamea Arduenna Upland, future good witch, beloved by all. She got off of the bullet train from Frottica that terminated a good ten minutes off of campus.

There were already dozens of students at the Gillikin Express, which ferried people all across the north and to and from the Emerald City.

Some greeted Alamea as she walked past, her parents and housekeeper trailing behind, carrying her numerous pink bags that coordinated with her outfit as they went to the dock nearby, where small gondolas would carry them to campus, as Shiz district was laced with waterways rather than roads.

The water was clear and blue under the bright midday sun as Alamea settled herself down for the ride into her dream school, drifting her hand lazily in the canal as beautiful rainbow fish swam by, their fins tickling their hands.

Shiz University came into view shortly after, a large, old castle with spires that pierced the sky in whorls of gold and white.

Many students had already arrived and were saying farewell to their parents for the year, their trunks cluttering the docks.

"You will write to us, Alamea?" Her father said as they hugged goodbye.

"Of course, popopsicle…" Alamea smiled, rolling her eyes goodnaturedly at how clingy her parents were. "Now it's that time… I will write and see you for Lurlinemas, if not before…"

"Be safe, darling, we are so proud." Alamea's mother kissed the top of her head."

"Momsie, Popopsicle, time to board the boat…" Alamea gently shooed them back on so they could leave.

"WE LOVE YOU Alamea!" The shouted, waving as the boat took them away down the canal, back to the station.

"They're gonna miss me so much." Alamea sighed, turning away from waving back the moment they were out of sight.

"My parents don't even know I left." A short munchkin boy in a brightly coloured sweater vest popped up beside her.

"Oh!" Alamea laughed breathlessly in relief once the fright of someone coming out of nowhere.

"I'm Boq… Woodsman, of Munchkinland… I know we don't know each other, but…" He offered his hand to Alamea.

"Do you want to know what I think, Biq?" Alamea replied, a gentle smile on her face. "Strangers are just people I haven't met."

"Alamea?!" Two people called out from further in the crowd, and Alamea left, leaving Boq smitten.

They were both Gillikinese, tall, and they both had a large overexcited grin on their faces.

"It's Pfannee, and ShenShen, from Miss Cringeable's Twirling Academy!" They chattered excitedly. "Do you remember us?"

"…Of course!" Alamea lied, not having the faintest who they were, but not wanting to be rude.

However, they got to chatting and they were both really nice and loved Alamea. They walked through the hallways to the orientation led by a man named Kalfu, the Dean of the University, listening to the choir in the rafters sing the school anthem.

Oh hallowed halls and vine draped walls

The proudliest sight there is…

Another young woman, dressed in black, walked up, something about her putting everyone else off.

When grey and seer our hair hath turned

We shall still revere the lessons learned …

The woman fixed her loose bun with green hands as she stopped right in front of the crowd, who was parting in fear of her.

In our days at dear old Shiz

Our days at dear old—

Alamea stole a brief moment for a solo before the song finished, not noticing the woman behind her.

The end of the last "Dear old Shiz" was drawn out, sounding like bees in the air as even the choir was taken aback by this woman's green skin.

Alamea turned around and gasped in shock.

"…Is there something in my teeth?" The green woman asked, baring her teeth slightly.

"…No," Alamea began nervously, regaining her footing as she spoke. "It's just… You're green."

"I am?!" The green woman gasped in shock and stared at her hands, acting as if this was the first time she had noticed.

She put her hands down, holding them across her stomach, as she glanced at the floor and groaned slightly.

"Alright, let's get this over with…" She met the crowd's eyes bravely, launching into the prepared spiel to avoid unnecessary bullying for her skin. As she approached the edge of the circle around her, everyone flinched. "No, I'm not seasick, I did not eat grass when I was younger and yes, my skin has always been green."

Ahalamea spoke first, breaking the hushed whispers everywhere. "I, for one, am so sorry that you have to live like that."

"Why thank you for that…" The green woman said sarcastically, feigning gratitude.

"Maybe I could help with your… problem?" Alamea said, offering her winning smile. "As it is my intention to major in Sorcery, I might learn a spell or two to fix that…"

Everyone applauded Alamea's braverism at offering to help such a strange young woman.

"Offering to help someone you do not know with skills you don't have, I'm sure everyone's duly impressed…"

"I could care less about what others think." Alamea replied defensively.

"Couldn't."

"Excuse me?"

"Your grammar was wrong, you couldn't care less about what others think." Margaret explained. "Though I suspect that was more apt than you realise."

"MARGARET CAVENDISH!" A man shouted from across the square, wheeling a tragically beautiful seeming young man in a chair toward them.

Everyone made way for the duo to join the prickly green girl, who smiled at the young man in the chair, with eyes like the sea.

Margaret turned to the crowd once more. "This is Dakkar, my brother, who you can see is a perfectly normal colour…"

Alamea wandered away with Pfannee and ShenShen, dumbfounded, her two new friends reassuring her that she was Good and hadn't done anything wrong.

The older man hissed in his daughter's ear. "Stop making a spectacle of yourself!"

"Won't happen again." Margaret sighed frustratedly.

"Now, take your brother into the welcome address…"

Knowing far better than to help him, as he did not need it, and if he did, he'd ask himself, Margaret refused. "He doesn't need my help, father. He's a grown man."

"She's right…" Dakkar piped up and Frexspar the Godly softened, smiling at his beloved son.

"I know, but allow your old man his worries."

Margaret's heart twisted, silently wishing that she would be looked on that kindly.

Frexspar procured a box from the trolley. "A parting gift for my lovely boy."

Dakkar opened the box and there was a pair of silver and crystal slippers, to his astonishment, and surprise. The shiny metal and crystals glimmered in the midday sun.

"Mother's silver shoes…" Margaret whispered, her heart sinking slightly. Dakkar noticed and squeezed her hand, silently offering his sympathies to his often neglected sister.

She squeezed back, pretending that it was fine.

"I thought you'd like a memento of home…"

"They're wonderful, father, thank you." Dakkar carefully closed up the box, holding it in his lap.

The bell rang, indicating all freshmen must report to the main amphitheatre to hear the welcome address from Dean Kalfu.

Frexspar went to wheel Dakkar into the room, nut both of his children chastised him at the same time. "Don't help him/me!" they shouted and laughed slightly at how in sync they were.

Margaret decided to walk alongside Dakkar, to say her goodbyes properly.

"I am sorry about the shoes, Margaret…" Dakkar began.

"Don't be. It's all fine." Margaret said, not entirely a lie. She expected it but it hurt all the same.

"I will miss you." Dakkar stopped and took his sister's hand again.

"You won't. You'll be having far too much fun." Margaret grinned. "Just write so I can live vicariously through you."

"Will do." Dakkar laughed and disappeared into the amphitheatre. Margaret walked against the throng of students, back to her father.

"Go after him." Frexspar said.

"What? No. He's fine on his own."

"How can you be so certain? Just go."

"Father—"

"Margaret Cavendish, I am telling you to go after your brother!"

Margaret was practically shoved into the back of the amphitheatre, listening to Dean Kalfu discuss what was going on for the year, flanked by the faculty, which boasted a Gryphon named AJ Griffin, amongst other notable scholars in Oz.

"On behalf of my fellow faculty members, I would just like to say we have the highest hopes… for some of you." Dean Kalfu said to the gathered crowd who all got up in a standing ovation.

Dakkar, being in his wheelchair, couldn't see beyond the people standing in front of him, so he ended up scanning the crowd instead, finding Boq on a bench a few miles away, also unable to see because he was short.

Boq felt a pair of eyes on him and locked eyes with Dakkar and they both shared a 'can you even believe all this' look at how they were both drowned in the crowd, laughing with one another.

The younger grandson of the Eminent of Munchkinland felt something stir in his heart at the young munchkin boy from across the room.

"Now, please see your room assignments posted throughout this room."

Long scrolls unfurled from the poles surrounding the room and students crowded around, looking at where they were moving into.

Alamea rushed up to Dean Kalfu, excitedly waving her hand to grab his attention.

"Dean Kalfu? Have you got a minute?" She asked, bubbling with excitement and nervousness at talking to her mentor.

"If this is about room assignments, you can speak to Miss Coddle…" Kalfu replied dismissively, walking away from her, to Alamea's dismay. But she was nothing if not persistent, so she continued to chase after him.

"No, it's about your sorcery seminar that I applied to? My name's Alamea Upland… of the upper Uplands?" Alamea laughed nervously when the Dean didn't have the foggiest who she was. "You might remember my essay… 'Magic Wands: Need They Have a Point?'"

"I do not run the seminar every semester, I'm afraid…" Kalfu turned to Alamea briefly, not hiding his irritation. "Only if someone truly special comes along."

Alamea was dumbstruck once again, stunned by the implication that she was not special in the slightest as Dean Kalfu turned away, fog-like coat flapping behind him.

Miss Coddle walked up to Dakkar, who was going up to the scrolls to find his room.

"Ah! Mr Cavendish!" The stout, exciteable woman beamed at him. "Your father spoke most highly of you."

"Thanks…" Dakkar said awkwardly, grimacing in disgust as Miss Coddle pinched his cheeks like he was a child.

"Oh, how tragically beautiful you are." Miss Coddle cooed, making Dakkar feel even more uncomfortable.

Miss Coddle let out a horrified shriek as she noticed a tall green figure.

"Margaret, his sister." Margaret gestured to herself. "I'm beautifully tragic."

"…S-sister?" Miss Coddle blinked, stunned.

"Yep."

"I'm… I'm sure we'll find somewhere to hide— ahem— house you." Miss Coddle replied, to Margaret's irritation.

"No need, I'm not enrolled." Margaret explained, ignoring the slight against her, used to it by now. "I'm just here to make sure Dakkar gets settled in."

"I can take it from here," Miss Coddle grabbed onto Dakkar's chair, her sweet smile tight and nervous. "We'll get you nice and settled, dear."

"I'm fine," Dakkar protested as he was wheeled away without permission. "I just want to find my room."

Miss Coddle started wheeling Dakkar away hastily.

"Leave him alone." Margaret said, irritated. "He doesn't need your help."

"I'll take you there myself!" Miss Coddle said far too cheerily. "Don't worry!"

"I don't need you to take me anywhere—"

"Listen to him, Miss Coddle! He's more than capable!" Margaret snapped.

"He's fine, I've got him."

"Let go of my chair!" Dakkar tried to wrest away control of his wheelchair, but Miss Coddle was determined and persistent, taking him across the amphitheatre.

"STOP!" Margaret yelled, extending her green hand. Then magic happened.

Benches and chairs went flying into the air alongside Dakkar in his wheelchair, who was freaking out at being suspended in midair, flying backward toward Margaret.

The remaining students gawked at the magic in front of them, Dakkar hysterically gripping onto his chair as he landed next to Margaret.

The magic ceased and everyone dove out of the way from the crashing benches and chairs.

The frieze of the Wizard watching over them all cracked and fell, revealing a delicately painted picture of Animals teaching people.

Dakkar looked at his sister, face flush with embarrassment at the hushed whispers spreading throughout this crowd.

"I'm sorry, Dakkar…" Margaret said. "I was just trying to—"

"This was my one chance to get away from all this for a new start." He said angrily, wheeling away.

Dean Kalfu walked over to Margaret. "What talent you have… Miss?"

"Margaret Cavendish…"

"How would you like to be part of my sorcery seminar?" Kalfu grinned, taking Margaret under his arm.

"I'm… I'm not a student…" Margaret protested.

"You are now. I will tutor you myself." Dean Kalfu turned to the remaining students. "Who here is willing to share their room with Miss Margaret?"

Tripping over her feet, Alamea rushed over, wanting to get in on the sorcery seminar.

"Ah! Thank you for volunteering, Miss Alamea." Kalfu smiled.

"I… I'm not…"

"It's settled!" Dean Kalfu led Margaret away, to further discuss her enrolment, leaving Alamea dumbfounded once again. "I will take no other students."

Alamea had never not gotten her way before in her life, so she was practically faint from shock.

"I need to lie down…" Alamea fanned herself and Pfannee and ShenShen carried her off to her private suite, shouting for someone to get Alamea some pastries to revivify her senses.

"Thank you for your very kind offer, Dean Kalfu, but I honestly can't accept… my father would never allow it—"

"Leave your father to me, Margaret. I'll write to him immediately." Kalfu replied dismissively. "How long have you had that talent?"

"…Talent?"

"Yes. Talent."

Margaret blinked, her heart warming. She had never considered this trick she could do was actually something good, rather than a nuisance and a curse. "I… As long as I can remember. Something bubbles inside of me and I cannot control it and when it does, bad things happen."

Kalfu smiled at her. "With the proper training, you can do some real good with it. I'll write to the Wizard about you, and if you prove yourself, he could probably make you his magic grand vizier."

The Wizard… The one person in all of Oz who could grant Margaret's wish… her dream to work alongside him, becoming beloved through what she can do, not hated and feared because of her green skin and strange magic. Margaret couldn't believe it… This was better than she could've imagined.

"Welcome to Shiz, Margaret." Dean Kalfu squeezed her shoulder. "You will do great things."

Kalfu walked away, leaving Margaret on her own, imagining her future.

Did that really just happen? Was this strange quirk that she hated and had hidden for her entire life for the further chaos and complications in her life her ticket to meeting the Wizard?

If she was Good enough… her life would change for the better once she met the Wizard.

He would look past her green skin and see her bright mind. Of course he would, what was he? Small minded like Munchkins or just stupid? No. He's the Wizard! And he would welcome her with an open heart and take her under his wing, elevating her as an equal in magic and status.

Father wouldn't be dismissive of her, and Dakkar wouldn't be ashamed of what she could do, even though more often than not, the fear and anger that activated it was more often than not on Dakkar's behalf. And all of Oz had to love her, seeing past the green of her skin because the Wizard had seen beyond it and that must mean that she's truly Good.

Margaret wandered the campus half in this dream, half paying attention to her surroundings. Maybe, once she meets the Wizard, she'll understand why she has this strange gift or curse.

She approached a small pavilion on the outer wall of Shiz, where ornately carved and decorated glass shards hung from the rafters and began to imagine the conversation she had waited her whole life for.

"Margaret," The Wizard would say one day. "You are truly a young woman of superior talent and heart."

"Thank you, your Ozness…" Margaret would reply politely.

"Please, call me by my name, you're practically family…" He'd laugh, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. "But my point is that shouldn't a girl who has so much Goodness inside have that reflected on the outside?"

Margaret would begin to smile as the words that had been the (admittedly selfish) object of her dreams her entire life slowly came of the wizard's mouth.

"And since everyone to an absurd degree seem fixated on your verdigris," He would offer his hand. "Would it be alright by you if I de-greenify you?"

Margaret briefly entertained the excitement of this imaginary offer, picturing herself with warm, slightly pale skin like her father's, or something darker like her mother and brother…

But she giggled nervously, remembering that she was not a selfish person and that if anything, she would use it to help Dakkar in any way, like make everyone less inclined to coddle and baby him, even though he was a fully grown man, but such was the nature of Ozians to think he was soft in the mind as well as unable to walk.

She would weigh out her options and eventually agree to have her skin be transformed to a normal shade.

And what a pair they'd be, the Wizard and her.

Margaret spun the glass around and in the rotation of lurid colour, not limited by the normal perceptions of time and reality, she saw a vision. The vision was hazy and unclear, like a mirage, but it looked like a vision of the future.

Posters everywhere, with her face on them, and people throughout the land dancing jubilantly for some unknown reason.

Margaret's smile grew at her vision, realising that, someday, there may well be a fantastic celebration throughout Oz, all to do with her.

Giddy excitement bubbled up inside Margaret as she left campus, out into the cornfields that separated Shiz from the Deadly Desert that surrounded Oz like a moat.

The future she imagined at the Wizard's side made her so extremely happy and excited that she felt like she may just… melt on the spot from the sheer warmth inside her soul.

The giddy bubbling excitement lifted Margaret up as her magic propelled her up ten feet in the air, setting her back down a few feet away, which only made her more excited, finally seeing her magic come out of jubilation rather than fear.

She stood on the cliff's edge and let out an excited shriek, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she finally felt like she was not a total freak for her magic and her skin for a while.

But she had to return to the real world, and her new room with… Alamea.

There was pink absolutely everywhere from all of Alamea's things. Pink boxes piled to the rafters, pink clothes on a pink rack, pink bedding, and of course, the all-pink ensemble Alamea wore.

"Hello! Welcome!" Alamea forced a smile.

"Hi." Margaret replied flatly.

"So, this is our room…" Staring at her new roommate awkwardly, Alamea turned around dramatically.

"Do you really think this is fair?" Margaret asked, staring at how Alamea's things filled the entire space.

"It's not, I was promised a private suite, but we make do." Alamea waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry! I saved you some room!"

Alamea excitedly skipped over to the rail of clothes and parted them with one hand, revealing a tiny bed with sheets folded in one end of the bed, with a little note written in hot pink ink reading "It's great! -Alamea <3".

"It's great!" Alamea whispered encouragingly.

"You shouldn't have…" Margaret deadpanned, disliking this stuck up woman more with each passing clock-tick.

"That's what makes me so nice!" Alamea squeezed Margaret's shoulders in a show of fake niceness.

"Where are you going?" Alamea matched Margaret step for step, as the green woman walked away.

"Closing the door."

"But I so do love air…" Alamea walked toward the balcony doors, leaning her head back and tossing back her dreads and goddess curls in the wind.

"Fine." Margaret stepped away from the door, turning toward the exit.

"…How did you do that, in the courtyard?" Alamea asked, blocking Margaret from leaving.

Margaret tried to push past her new roommate, but Alamea was far too persistent."I don't know…"

"Roommates don't keep secrets." Alamea countered, irritated. "Maybe you could speak with Dean Kalfu about getting me in to the sorcery seminar?"

"Why would I do that?" Margaret said brusquelyz

"Please…" Alamea whined, drawing out the vowels. "It's what roommates do…"

When Margaret just didnt respond, frustrated, Alamea continued her tirade, calling her selfish for not sharing her magical secrets and that it was the least she could do considering the whole drawer she left aside for her.

Margaret closed her eyes and clenched her fists, and magic came from within her, slamming the balcony doors so hard it shattered the glass.

"There. Compromise." Margaret opened her eyes and walked out.

Living together was absolute hell for both Margaret and Alamea, and they expressed as such in their letters home.

"Dearest, darlingest Momsie and Popopsicle," Alamea wrote, sprawled on her bed in a floufy pink robe and matching silk bonnet. "Guess what?—"

"My dear father," Margaret, curled up in the small portion of their room that Alamea gave her, also wrote. "Thank you for agreeing to let me stay.—"

Alamea continued her letter, narrating what she wrote as she put it on the page. "I can't hear your guesses because this is a letter—"

"And about requesting moving in with Dakkar—"

"There's been some confusion over rooming here at Shiz—" They both wrote.

"But of course, I'll care for my brother—"

"Of course, I'll rise above it!"

"Because I know that's how you'd want me to respond," They both wrote. "Yes, there's been some confusion, for you see my roommate is—"

"…Unusually and exceedingly peculiar and altogether quite impossible to describe—" Alamea looked at Margaret.

Margaret peered through the curtain of pink dresses and spoke what she had written down scathingly. "…A princess."

Neither Margaret nor Alamea knew what this feeling was, having not felt it for another person before they laid eyes on one another.

They both felt sick to their stomachs, with pulses rushing faster than ever before, heads reeling, consumed with the thought of the other and faces flushed with a heat they didn't know the origins of.

The feeling consumed them both everywhere they went, into classes, where they'd fight over the last seat in the chemistry lab, the dining halls, where students and faculty whispered snidely about the strange green woman who can do magic, rallying behind Alamea, the princess of the school, all on her side from being forced to reside with Margaret.

Margaret's only friend was Dakkar, and they would sit together on occasion, at his insistence, because she did not want to take away from his ability to make friends even more than being related would because he associated with her.

Throughout all these terse interactions, with every petty rearrangement of the room, every snide comment in class, the feeling only grew, as fervid as a flame.

They'd both lay awake at night, consumed with the thought of one another as they listened to the pair of them just breathing, the sound of their very existence irritating their souls like a bad rash.

Yes, this feeling does have a name…

Loathing. Unadulterated loathing.

Margaret and Alamea absolutely loathed one another, vowing to do so forever, for their whole lives.

Alamea walked back inside her room after her lecture on Pre-Wizard Ozian Law, thinking she was done for the day.

She perched on her bed, kicking off her shoes.

Then she heard a "Boo" from beside her and she practically fell off of her bed in shock, knocking into the stack of shoes.

"We're gonna be late for History." Margaret cackled and Alamea flushed pink angrily.

Alamea stormed ahead past Margaret, not wanting to seem like she had totally forgotten that boring old AJ Griffin's class.

The class all filed into the lecture hall and toom their seats, opening their books and chattering excitedly.

They all were silenced by the beating of a large pair of wings in the air as the only Animal professor at Shiz landed in his lecture.

Professor AJ Griffin, who was, in fact, a Gryphon, was an imposing creature at first glance, a strong and imposing creature, with a stern gaze like cinders for those who dared attack his beloved students.

"Alright, students," Professor Griffin clapped his forepaws. "I have read all your essays. All very good, but some of you still favour style over content… Miss Ahl—AAH—m!" Professor Griffin squawked the second syllable with Alamea's name.

"Excuse me," Alamea raised her perfectly manicured hand in the back of the lecture hall. "It's Ah-la-may-a, with three syllables."

"Of course, of course…" Professor Griffin bowed his head. "Ahl—AAH—m!"

Alamea giggled to hide her irritation. "I fail to see the problem, all the other professors can pronouncify my name right."

"Perhaps the pronouncification of your precious name is not Professor Griffin's sole purpose in life." Margaret shot back from the front row, staring back at Alamea as she leant on the back of her seat. "Perhaps Professor Griffin is different to all the other professors. Perhaps some of us are just different."

"Well, it seems the artichoke is steamed." Alamea pouted sarcastically, batting her perfect eyelashes, pissing Margaret off even more.

Pfannee and ShenShen giggled with Alamea, muttering quietly to one another.

"Settle down, class." Professor Griffin said, his burning gaze silencing the class. "Yes, I sometimes squawk. And yes, I am different to the other professors here. I am the only Animal professor at this university, and perhaps among the last in all of Oz."

Professor Griffin's eagle face turned severe and his feathers and fur stood on end with fear. "It's heavily discouraged to talk about in class, but I feel it's important to do so. There have been some massive changes, in terms of the rejection of Animal culture throughout our land."

Professor Griffin paced around the floor of the lecture hall, folding his forepaws behind his back. "Long before you all were born, it was extremely common to find Animals teaching in the lecture halls, Antelope reciting sonnets and Bears researching Lurlinism… So, can anyone tell me when and why this happened?"

"From what I've researched, the Great Drought." Margaret answered, without raising her hand, to the disgust of Alamea and her cronies.

"Correct," Professor Griffin's beak formed a slight, hesitant smile. "Food and water grew scarce and the people grew afraid, and when people grow afraid—"

"They look for someone to blame." Margaret answered once again, sharing an understanding of otherness with Professor Griffin.

"Correct, once again, Miss Margaret." Professor Griffin nodded warmly.

Alamea raised her hand once more.

"Yes, Miss Ahl—AAH-m?" Professor Griffin squawked, to her annoyance.

"It's Al-a-may-a…" Alamea whined, almost stamping her feet. "And why can't you just teach us history instead of always harping on about the past?"

"Because the past is inescapable, if we do not learn from it, we are doomed to suffer the same way. It explains our current circumstances." Professor Griffin walked over to the blackboard, placing a paw on the lever to turn it around. "For example, if we have a look at this timeline—"

Professor Griffin pulled the lever and the blackboard spun around to reveal, not the lesson, but something truly horrified that startled Professor Griffin and pissed off Margaret more than Alamea ever could, painted in red

Animals should be Seen and Not Heard!

"WHO WROTE THIS?!" Professor Griffin screeched angrily, turning toward his class, who were all silent and shocked, staring at the words on the board. "I SAID WHO WROTE THIS?!"

The class all shared nervous looks and hushed whispers as Professor Griffin dismissed the class.

Everyone filed out, uncomfortable with what happened. Everyone except for Margaret, who got up and grabbed the bucket from the corner and a cloth, preparing to clean those hateful, horrible words off of the blackboard.

"Miss Margaret…" Professor Griffin protested nervously, walking toward her. "You don't have to do that…"

"I want to." Margaret smiled at him.

"… Thank you." Professor Griffin smiled, genuinely warmed by the kindness of the young woman. "You're too kind."

Margaret smiled, wringing out the cloth as the paint smudged and blurred and eventually ran off onto the floor.

Margaret replaced the poppies in Professor Griffin's vase. "Poppies are my favourite too."

"They cheer me up in these uncertain times." Professor Griffin sighed. "Please, Miss Margaret, join your friends…"

"It's more than alright, I don't have any…"

"Maybe you have one." Professor Griffin put his paw over Margaret's hand.

"Thank you, professor." Margaret nodded, knowing there was someone out there that liked her. "…What exactly is going on in Oz? Do we need to tell the Wizard?"

"Not here, not now, we don't know who's listening." Professor Griffin whispered conspiratorially, terrified. "Come with me."

Margaret and Professor Griffin walked off of campus, using the hidden passageways throughout the winding buildings at Shiz to leave campus away from any prying eyes, out into the woods outside of campus as the sun set, turning the sky a burning symphony pink and orange.

Professor Griffin led Margaret down into an abandoned stable deep in the middle of the winding woods. He opened a small trapdoor hidden beneath some hay bales.

"Go inside." Professor Griffin instructed and Margaret listened, shuffling down the ladder as he confirmed that no one had followed them.

Beneatg the stables was a small room lit by a lantern hanging from the ceiling, casting the deepest recesses in shadow.

There were plush cushions spread everywhere and food supplies in piles tucked in the corner and plans to leave.

"Professor Griffin, please, tell me what's going on." Margaret took his paw, looking at him with concern.

"It is far more than just some horrendible words on chalkboards…" The Gryphon began, finally showing his true fear and anger for himself and other Animals. "We Animals are losing everything… we are being forced out of our work, our lives, and Animals who speak out are disappearing."

"Disappearing?" Margaret's stomach churned with worry and indignation.

"I had friends, an Otter who spoke out, she invited me out here a week ago. She didn't show up. Mutual acquaintances confirmed that she was not the only one. Animals are being silenced…" Professor Griffin paced about the room anxiously before freezing, filled with dread. "I have heard stories of something bad happening in Oz."

"What is it?" Margaret asked.

"I've heard of a colleague of mine, an Ox at our sister university in Quadling Country, barred from teaching, forgetting how to speak. And an Owl Unionist vicar, who may have known your father, forbidden to preach… Months later, he can only screech." Professor Griffin said gravely. "Yes, They're just rumours, meant to made us afraid, but still, they make my feathers quake and so many have left Oz because of them."

"Could that really happen?"

"It is…" Professor Griffin lowered his head. "When you make it discouraging enough, anyone can be kept silent."

"But if Animals are losing the ability to speak, we should tell the Wizard… That's why we have a Wizard.." Margaret insisted, trying to comfort her only friend. "So nothing bad…"

"Maybe you're right…" Professor Griffin nodded, relaxing somewhat. "Nothing truly b—AAAH—d!"

Margaret blinked, severely unsettled by her professor's unexpected squawking, like he was already losing his ability to speak.

"Sorry," Professor AJ Griffin cleared his throat awkwardly. "Bad. I must be catching something…"

"May Oz and the Unnamed God watch over you, Professor." Margaret nodded, hoping that all the gods of Oz, no matter their sect, would give this Gryphon a decent ending.

"And may Lurline bless you." Professor Griffin echoed, before shooing Margaret up the ladder. "You must go now and tell no one about what I told you tonight. Head back into campus the way we came."

Margaret nodded and determinedly climbed up the ladder, beginning her journey back to her dormitory, filled with dread.

Animals losing their voices… citizens of Oz disappearing without a trace… When she's at the Wizard's side, she will protect them and bring justice for those who could not have been saved.

But it was so strange to believe, something so dark and twisted happening in Oz…

Margaret pondered all this as she walked home through the moonlit forest, silently asking for her heavenly companion, the moon, for any advice on what to do about what Professor Griffin had told her.

Chapter Text

Margaret wandered back from Professor Griffin's hideout, enjoying the peace and quiet of the moonlit woods surrounding Shiz. She listened to the chirping of the cricket, fireflies illuminating the path ahead like the stars hidden by the leaves high above her head.

No annoying roommates to fight with on a daily basis, pretending that the snide commenting on her green hue and the strange looks didn't cut her deeper than any knife, no need to worry constantly worry about her brother… Her only companion was the moon above, unjudgemental and listening to her thoughts.

But something remained restless inside her, the thought of all the Animals being treated so badly they never speak, forgetting how to…

She has to be good enough for the Wizard, to earn her place as the Great Enchantress so she can help them…

Margaret was so lost in her disquiet mind that she didn't notice the woman galloping toward her on a black Mare until it was practically on top of her.

"I didn't see her!" The Mare said to her rider as they backed away.

"Neither did I!" The rider, dressed in white and gold, dismounted and began speaking to Margaret. "Sorry! I didn't see you there, you must have—"

The rider turned around, blue eyes widening as she saw Margaret, speechless at the emerald hue of her skin. "—Blended in with the foliage…"

Margaret rose to her feet, dusting off her uniform.

"Do you go through life trampling everyone you come across?!" She huffed, face flush with anger.

"Sometimes I'm asleep." The red haired traveler replied, a mirthful smile on her face.

Margaret felt the traveler study her with those piercing blue eyes.

Oh, great…

Margaret exhaled, wiping her hands on her skirt, preparing for the usual spiel to counter the usual taunts and unfunny jokes about her skin.

"Let's get this over with," She bravely met the redheaded traveler's eyes. "No, I am not seasick—"

"Why would you be? We're far from the sea."

"I didn't eat grass when I was younger—"

"Oh? You didn't? I did…" The traveler's laugh was light and melodious and genuine.

"And yes, my skin's always been green."

"And the defensiveness, Is that a new problem or is that chronic, too?" The traveler grinned and Margaret realised how close they both were, almost nose to nose.

By the Unnamed God, this woman was infuriatingly beautiful and blasé. She clearly cared far too little about everything and everyone.

Margaret scoffed in the traveler's face and turned away, starting down the path leading back to campus.

The traveler turned to her Mare and started frantically whispering with her for a moment, as Margaret walked down the path.

"Okay, fine!" The traveler turned back toward Margaret and offered a winning smile. "The night is young and I am off for some more trampling, care to accompany me on your way back to the dormitories?"

Margaret didn't even give her a look back as she told the traveler to "Get stuffed."

Sia Tigelaar, princess of the Vinkus, pretended to stab her heart dramatically as the mysterious green woman walked away, disappearing down the path.

"Ah, spurned by a girl, Pythia…" She swooned playfully. "Never saw that coming."

Sia mounted Pythia, her Mare, and began riding toward her new school. "Guess there's a first time for everything."

Margaret saw a glimpse of fiery red hair ride past her as she walked back to the castle, fortunately not getting trampled a second time.

Alamea was up with the sunrise, sat out on the balcony as the morning paper dropped onto her small table.

The headline read "WINKIE ROYALTY ARRIVING AT SHIZ! Princess Sia makes the trek to her latest school!"

Alamea squealed excitedly, dropping the paper as she began getting herself ready, going through her mountains of clothes to find the right one to meet Princess Sia in.

Her standard issue uniform just wouldn't do, neither would any of the sundresses and day wear that she had. Some were too innocent, others were to scandalocious…

She settled on a sweet bubbly dress with the right amount of pouf and airiness as she fixed her hair just so and applied her makeup.

Margaret ignored Alamea's frenetic preparations like she would ignore an annoying fly or bee, getting on with her own morning, washing herself and getting dressed in her uniform.

They never intended to walk together, but they followed one another down the stairs from their dormitory into the main courtyard, as that was their mutual direction.

Alamea huffed and split off with Pfannee and ShenShen at the first chance she had, while Margaret met with Dakkar to head to the Shiz library.

The trio were subtly trying to find out where Princess Sia was, stealing glances around the architecture and fellow students in the main courtyard.

Then a series of shocked gasps rolled throughout the student body like a wave as they stared at Princess Sia, wearing a terribly scandalocious outfit as she walked by, following her map.

Alamea was on her feet the moment she saw the beautiful woman cross the courtyard. She caught Sia occasionally looking up and around, trying to find something in amongst the crowd.

Then they briefly locked eyes and the Princess winked at Alamea, whose face flushed for a non-Margaret-being-annoying reason, for once.

"Are you looking for something?" Alamea sidled up to Princess Sia, tossing her hair back in the wind, grabbing everyone's attention, even the princess's. "Or perhaps someone?"

Sia studied Alamea for a moment and offered a sly grin back. "Hmm… What was I doing?"

"How should I know?" Alamea leant.

"Awww…" Sia grinned, moving into Alamea's space leaning over her. "Our first fight."

They took a moment to assess one another, sensing a kinship between them.

"That's too bad," Alamea slipped out from beneath Sia, letting the princess give chase. "I promised to give all new students a tour of the campus..."

"No need, I'm probably not going to last as long here as I did at my other schools…" Sia swung herself around a lamp post to put herself in front of Alamea, enjoying this flirtation far too much.

"Your other schools didn't have me." Alamea offered her hand.

"You're quite right." Sia wrapped her arm around Alamea's waist and let her give a tour of Shiz university.

Alamea took the Princess around Shiz, showing her all the fun spots on campus, and where they could get decent lunch. It was moments like these when she truly could appreciate the grandeur and history of this campus, which had existed for centuries before the Wizard arrived.

"This truly is a magical sight." Sia murmured as they went to the large veranda overlooking a lake, her view obstructed slightly by Alamea. "The lake's pretty too."

"Flatterer." Alamea replied, leading Sia toward the library.

Margaret and Dakkar were sat at a table in the corner between two of the rotating bookshelves, studying together and chatting.

Dakkar was distracted by watching Boq, who was searching for a book, only half listening to Margaret complaining about this rude woman she met last night

"Welcome to the library!" Alamea announced. "We have rare books, medium-rare ones, and even some well done ones!"

"Wow! Quite a selection you have there…" Sia laughed, letting her eyes wander slightly around the attractive students of Shiz.

"And she's with Alamea. Figures." Margaret grumbled quietly as Sia's gaze landed on her.

Sia gave her a warm, earnest smile, and a little wave, to which Margaret huffed angrily, deciding to move out of her sight.

Boq had also been watching Sia and Alamea, face aflame with jealousy over Alamea. With a stack of books in hand, he made his way over to them, using the books to match Sia's height.

He puffed up his chest and stood proudly, trying to exude confidence he did not feel.

"Hi there. Sia Tigelaar. Winkie Country." Sia turned to him, offering a genuine smile.

"Hi… Uh… Boq Woodsman, of Munchkinland." Boq faltered, taken aback by her genuine charisma and kindness.

"So… what goes on for fun around here?"

"Not a lot, really." Alamea pretended to swoon, acting credtfallen as she tossed her hair. "It's terribly boring over here."

Acting mildly annoyed, Sia huffed, putting her arms around Alamea and Boq's shoulders. "Well, I see that corrupting my fellow classmates now falls to me, as always."

Alamea and Boq listened intently as the charismatic princess kept talking.

"The trouble with the whole education system is that they try and teach you all the wrong things. They want you to worry about the entire world, to be 'deep' and not callow at all."

Sia's cheerful demeanour carefully concealed the way she tensed slightly and something dark and serious flashed in her eyes. No one noticed that, seeing a charming, dazzling woman as more people got sucked into her conversation.

"We can't change the future, I know that much." She continued breezily, grinning. "So, why worry ourselves with trying to?"

Alamea swooned as Sia gently grabbed her chin with one hand, taking a book from another student with the other.

"So, don't worry your pretty heads by studying strife." Sia walked backward, leading Alamea toward the shelves that spun around. "And learn to live the unexamined life…"

Sia grabbed onto the handle, pulling both her and Alamea onto the shelves. Alamea fell onto her back, resting on the books as Sia yanked the lever to make it spin. The mechanisms clacked as Sia and Alamea spun around, one on top and then the other.

Alamea blushed, smitten as Sia extoled the virtues of her brainless, borderline nihilistic lifestyle and she was completely gone the moment Sia let go and fell onto her easily, straddling her hips.

The princess didn't have a care in the world, treating the books they were laying on as such.

A crowd gathered around them, listening to what Sia had to say. The sentiment slowly began to bubble in the crowd, who danced on their books. The only two people who had no intention of joining in were Boq, out of jealousy, and Margaret, out of spite and irritation.

Dakkar smiled, enjoying the refreshing change of pace, despite his sister stewing next to him.

As the rotation of the shelves led Sia and Alamea back down onto the bottom and the Princess grabbed the lever, stopping the movement with a screech.

"Make sure you exist where troubles aren't." Sia laughed as Alamea rolled them off of the shelves.

Alamea giggled, as bright and clear as a bell as Sia stood up, carrying her over to the desk.

"Everything hurts just a little less —insults, injuries, you name it— When you're just dancing through life." Sia leaned in, her breath ghosting Alamea's lips.

Alamea felt her face flush as she bit her lip, her insides twisting.

Margaret groaned, feeling sick at the blatant flirting in front of her.

"So," Sia pulled away, sitting next to Alamea, who pouted slightly and being teased like that. "What's the most swankified place in town?"

"That'd be the Ozdust Ballroom." Alamea replied, leaning in conspiratiorially. "But it's apparently very scandalocious."

"Even better." Sia stood up on the desk, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright, tonight we're all going to meet at the docks to go to the Ozdust for a night of dancing and fun and merryjoyment! We'll be there til dawn, and beyond for a great time!"

The library erupted in cheers as people tossed books and essays everywhere in their excitement, breaking every rule of the library. But even some staff had joined in, celebrating excitedly, since nothing mattered, except knowing nothing mattered.

Margaret found this whole thing unbearable, her insufferable roommate and one of the rudest, most careless people she had ever met were disrupting everything. She hastily closed her book before someone could snatch it from her grasp and toss it aside, if anyone would be brave enough to touch her.

The crowd scattered, arranging plans and dates and outfits for the Ozdust, a notorious nightclub not far from Shiz.

Boq bounced nervously on his feet, waiting to get Alamea alone for a second. He watched the beautiful Gillikin woman talk with her friends and Sia, who was too charming to truly hate, but jealousy did bubble inside of him nevertheless.

He caught his opportunity, sneaking up and joining the conversation.

"Hey… I… hope you'll save a dance for me?" Boq asked. "I'll be waiting… All night."

Alamea turned to him with a grin, treating him politely. "You're too kind, Biq."

"It's… Boq…" He mumbled, not wanting to contradict the woman he was head over heels in love with.

"You know what'd be even kinder?" Alamea spoke over him.

"No…?"

"You see that tragically beautiful person over there?" Alamea pointed toward Dakkar and Margaret. Noticing how Boq pulled a face at Margaret, she clarified. "The one in the chair."

"Uh huh."

"It's kind of unfair that'd no one would ask him out." Alamea batted her eyelashes, acting the damsel in distress. "I know whoever'd ask him out would be my hero…"

Deciding he would be her hero and eventually win her heart, Boq spoke up. "Maybe… Maybe I could do it?"

"Aw, Biq, really?" Alamea's eyes shone. "For me?"

"Anything for you." He replied earnestly, ignoring the fact that she got his name wrong again.

Margaret left in a huff, and Boq walked over to ask Dakkar out.

Sia emerged from behind the shelves, running her hand through her short red hair, whistling lowly as she was impressed by Alamea's deflection of an unwanted suitor.

"Wow. You're good."

"I don't know what you're on about." Alamea replied innocently, lighting up as she talked to Sia. "I just love love…"

"So… is eight a good time for you?"

"Any time's good for me. After all, now that we've met one another…"

"It's clear to see that we deserve each other." Sia said alongside Alamea, stepping closer excitedly.

"You're perfect."

"You're perfect."

"So we're perfect together…" Sia kissed Alamea excitedly, lifting the other woman up and spinning her around.

Boq looked back, ready to tell her that he had done as she asked and Dakkar was going to the dance with him. His heart broke as he saw Alamea and Sia kissing, but Dakkar didn't notice, far too excited for his date.

Later that evening, Dakkar was in his room, finishing getting ready while Margaret was sprawled out reading on his bed, avoiding Alamea and her friends who had taken over the dorm in preparation.

"Sister, I know you hate her, but Alamea's actually a good person…" Dakkar said, wheeling around to face his sister.

Margaret scoffed, barely looking up from her book on the history of Animals. "Those two words barely belong in the same sentence."

"I won't let you say one more bad word about her! Not when she's given me a massive chance at happiness."

Margaret slammed the book down, staring at him. "Really?"

A flush appeared on Dakkar's face as he got all excited thinking about his date. "You know that sweet Munchkin that's always following her around? He invited me to the dance. He was nervous at first, but Alamea emboldened him."

"Really?" Margaret rolled her eyes, though her heart warmed at the sight of her brother flourishing here, as he deserved.

"Yes." Dakkar nodded. "I just wish there was something I could do for her to show my gratitude…You see, he and I deserve each other and Alamea made it happen, me and Boq."

Margaret pursed her lips together, still not quite believing that her annoying roommate did something kind. But here it was, in front of her.

"Please, sister, can't you try to understand?"

She relented, knowing how much it meant to Dakkar that he was included as just another student, and friend, not some charity case because of his chair.

"I do." She squeezed his hand, thinking about something she could do for Alamea, to show how much what she did meant to her brother.

Alamea had taken over the room for the afternoon, alongside Pfannee and ShenShen, who were helping her tighten the corset of her floaty dress so it fit her perfectly. Everything needed to be simply perfect for tonight, and for Sia… Her other options were all scattered about the room, with various shoes and accessories nearby

"There we go!" Alamea declared, once she felt the corset settle against her nicely. Pfannee and ShenShen murmured their approval. "I'm definitely the most scandalocious little fish in the sea. Robe?"

Her friends handed her a fluffy pink robe to protect the dress from the makeup she was about to put on.

Alamea sat down in front of her vanity to do her makeup, reaching for the mascara as Pfannee and ShenShen started looking for accessories through Alamea's boxes on boxes of items from home.

Pfannee pulled something out of a box, a disgusted expression on his face, and ShenShen also pulled a similar expression when she saw it as well.

"Uh, Alamea? Why do you even have this?" Pfannee held out an old, strange looking pointed black hat by the tip, like he was afraid to catch something from it.

"Have what?" Alamea flicked her gaze upward to see what he was on about. "Oh! That old thing. My granny made it. She's always giving me these hideodeous hats."

Alamea puckered her lips and applied her lipstick.

"I'd give it away," She continued, blotting her lips using a piece of soft cloth. "But I don't hate anyone that much."

Pfannee and ShenShen shared a conspiratorial look, knowing exactly who could have the hat, and who wasn't in the room to protest. Their gaze turned toward the empty bed tucked away in the corner of the room, with the stack of books piled neatly by the pillow.

With her periphery, Alamea followed their gaze and dropped her jaw in a show of dismay as she placed a large flower pin in her hair. "I couldn't…" She perked up slightly. "Could I?"

There was a knock at the door and Margaret opened the door, her green skin standing out against the sea of pinks in the room. Pfannee and ShenShen ducked behind the rail of clothes, sniggering to themselves and leaving the hat with Alamea.

"Alamea…" Margaret began, staring at the floor to say what she had spent the entire walk up to her room practicing. "Listen, we don't usually get on, but Dakkar and I have been talking.

Alamea turned around, her winning smile ever present as she sprung up from her chair excitedly. "We were just talking about you and how you should totally come to the Ozdust tonight."

"Thank you, but I—" Alamea cut Margaret off with a hand on the shoulder. How does one person have that much energy?

"Don't say you have anything to wear. You can wear this!" Alamea produced the strange black hat her grandmother made, faltering slightly as she tried to sell it. "It goes with everything you own."

She indicated her head to the pile of black and grey clothes that belonged to Margaret.

"It's really… well, sharp, wouldn't you say?" Alamea poked Margaret with the point of the hat, as half a joke. "And did you know that black is this year's pink?"

Stunned, possibly flattered and absolutely confused, Margaret just stared at Alamea, who was bouncing around her, trying to convince her about the hat.

"You deserve this hat, so here, out of the goodness of my heart." Alamea gave a kind smile, one that made anyone who saw it feel slightly warm and at ease, even Margaret, as she placed the hat in her green hands.

Pfannee and ShenShen sniggered quietly as Margaret just stared at the hat, pondering this interaction. She didn't know that if she went in that ridiculous hat, she'd be laughed at.

Margaret sat the hat down on her bed and declared."I have to go."

She turned and left without another word, running across to Dean Kalfu's offices. Maybe she was wrong about Alamea, and that she was a decent person.

She knew exactly the gift to get her roommate to say thank you.

Dean Kalfu's door loomed in front of Margaret as she hesitantly knocked.

His robe looke like fog in the dark as he emerged, bleary eyed, grumpy and half asleep.

"Margaret. It's late. What do you want?" Kalfu grumbled.

"You said if there's anything I needed, I could ask you, right?"

"…Yes." Kalfu ushered her inside.

Meanwhile, the rest of the student body were gathering at the boats, preparing to leave for the Ozdust Ballroom.

Everyone hopped in one by one, filling up the boats a few at a time. Boq and Sia helped Dakkar maneuver himself into one of the boats and off they went, sailing through the canals to the Ozdust.

The party quickly got into full swing, everyone looking amazing in their best outfits as they danced about and the alcohol flowed a little bit.

Sia started leading everyone in a fun dance, enjoying the loud music and gregarious atmosphere without a care in the world, twirling Alamea around. Small lights twinkled above, like stars, as everyone danced and had a grand time.

Dakkar and Boq lurked by the refreshments, feeling slightly awkward in here.

Boq bounced on the balls of his feet, staring at Alamea longingly, guilt piling up in his stomach. He felt awful for asking out Dakkar, just to win the affection of someone else. So he had to telll him, right?

"Listen… Dakkar?" Boq began, tripping over his words awkwardly. "Uhhh… Dakkar…"

"Yes?"

"Listen, there's something I probably should confess— the reason I, well, I asked you here tonight…" Boq couldn't face Dakkar in this moment, as he had dressed up especially for this occasion. "I know it's not fair—"

"I've heard this hundreds of times before, Boq." Dakkar sighed, preparing himself for disappointment. "You pitied me because of the chair."

Boq didn't want to answer, the real reason would make him seem even more of an asshole.

"Well, is that wrong?"

"Yes." Boq finally looked back at Dakkar, who looked impatient for the inevitable fallout, so much like his sister. "It's… um… Because I think you're so handsome!"

Well, Dakkar did look nice, in that Munchkinland blue shirt with poppies embroidered on the cuffs. He just wasn't who Boq was hopelessly in love with.

Dakkar beamed, feeling elated that he was not seen as just some charity case to be pitied, but just another person. "Well, you happen to be wonderful and charming, Boq."

"Thanks." Boq replied, watching Alamea lean into Sia, ready for a kiss. Maybe he could actually love Dakkar someday.

Boq turned back, deciding that he wasn't going to waste time pining over someone who didn't want him back, even if he didn't quite believe himself. "You know what? Let's dance."

"What?!" Dakkar laughed as Boq took his hands and pulled him and the chair onto the dancefloor.

"You heard me. Time to dance!" Boq grinned as he let Dakkar take the lead dancing together, grinning and laughing all the while as the music thrummed in their veins and the glass floor lit up in various colours.

Dakkar did tricks in the chair as Boq danced with him and the party was in full swing.

Alamea had pulled Sia off to a slightly more quiet corner of the Ozdust as they continued to make out in a haze. She simply couldn't be happier in this moment. They belonged together, the proverbial queens of Shiz University.

"Excuse me, you two." Dean Kalfu said, from behind them. Alamea pulled her way, her face slightly flushed. Sia giggled from behind her. "Might I have a word, Miss Upland?"

"Oh?! Of course!" Alamea smiled.

"You, go back to… whatever this party is." Dean Kalfu gestured to the dancefloor behind them.

Sia chivalrously kissed Alamea's hand and walked off, but not too far, wanting to be nosy.

"I have something for you." Kalfu reached into the long, flowing sleeve of his robe, and produced a crystalline wand about the length of his forearm.

"A training wand?!" Alamea gasped, ever so excited.

"You start my sorcery seminar at the beginning of next week."

Alamea beamed excitedly, babbling hundreds of "thank yous" as she hugged Dean Kalfu, to his dismay. "Thank you for having faith in me."

"Don't touch me." He grumbled, carefully prizing her away. "I actually, have no faith in you."

"Oh…" Alamea's face fell, the jubilation of finally getting what she wanted tempered by Kalfu's disdain for her.

"It's actually my expert opinion that you do not have what it takes." Kalfu continued. "I hope you prove me wrong."

Alamea went to speak up, but Kalfu silenced her by holding his finger up.

"I doubt you will." Kalfu said, folding his arms. "It was your roommate who insisted I let you join, in fact, she threatened to quit if I didn't admit you and her brother. And I can't lose her, so, here we are."

"…Margaret did this?"

"Yes. And you better thank her." Kalfu turned away and walked back up the stairs. "Goodnight, Miss Alamea."

The moment the Dean had gone, Alamea jumped for joy, humming with excitement, as the rainstorm of Kalfu's disdain went away. She was finally part of the sorcery seminar!

Sia, Pfannee and ShenShen all offered their heartiest congratulotions to her as she showed off her training wand, the rest of the attendees following suit.

Then everyone fell silent as one last latecomer slowly descended the main staircase.

Margaret walked down the stairs, in a dark blue dress that revealed more of her green skin than she was used to, alongside Alamea's hat. She gripped the railing nervously, hoping that she would be welcomed.

Everyone started laughing at her as she went to join the crowd in that ridiculous looking hat, except for Sia, Boq, Dakkar and surprisingly, Alamea.

Disappointment crushed Margaret as she felt totally alone, even among these many people. No one rushed to her defense, not even her brother, who just stared, heartbroken for her. What could she have expected? No one actually wanted her at this party, she was invited with this hate just to be humiliated.

The crowd gasped mockingly as she took off the hat, putting it on the floor.

If they weren't going to welcome her, she could at least have a dance.

Margaret kept her expression neutral, not wanting to show how badly the rejection by everyone stung.

She began dancing, a flowing, odd looking number that she had taught herself as a child, knowing that it was meant to be a duet.

She held her hand to her head and waved her fingers, and kicked, looking rather bizarre.

Dakkar couldn't watch the crowd mocking his sister like that, feeling immensely sorry for her.

The crowd reacted to mock her, but Alamea just stared, realising several truths about her roommate, and herself at once.

Margaret Cavendish hurt more than she let on, and she was kinder than she seemed. And Alamea had been absolutely awful to her.

Guilt twisted her insides as she watched her green roommate hold back the tears and her anguish. Why was she so needlessly cruel to her? Envy? Margaret did have access to the sorcery seminar that Alamea wanted in on, and plus, she was rude first. But still, Alamea humiliated Margaret, and felt terrible. She wanted to apologise, to just talk to her, but everyone was staring and what would they all think of her?

"You have to give her this, she doesn't care what anyone else thinks." Sia whispered, dragging Alamea out of her thoughts.

"…No. She's just good at pretending she doesn't." Alamea replied quietly, still wrestling with herself. "Oz, I feel awful…"

"Why? This isn't all on you…"

"I should do something." Alamea watched as Margaret finished the routine and picked up the hat, hiding the hurt in her eyes with the shadows.

Margaret began to walk away, keeping her chin held high.

Then Alamea stepped out of the crowd, awkwardly trying to copy Margaret's dance. Everyone continued laughing, assuming that Alamea was trying to mock her.

Margaret stopped and watched as Alamea attempted her dance.

Alamea was earnest in her dancing attempt, and swiftly everyone realised that this wasn't a joke.

Pfannee and ShenShen angrily whispered to her as she accidentally spun into them, ordering her to stop.

"No. I have to do something." Alamea replied curtly, turning away from them.

She saw Margaret in the centre, her hands on her stomach, the beginning step of the dance.

Alamea came closer, mirroring her steps.

They extended their arms, the backs of their hands touching.

Margaret led and Alamea mirrored her, lifting her hands up and then crossing them repeatedly in front before placing the left on the forehead, and the right by the hip.

Next came the small finger wave, followed by three small kicks. Alamea kept glancing at Margaret, to make sure she was alright and to ensure she was copying the moves correctly. Margaret smiled shyly, still unsure.

They stretched outwards and threw their arms about, leaving their right arms out as they took steps toward one another.

They dropped their right arms onto one another's shoulders, holding up and looking toward their left hand.

Alamea felt tears drop onto her hand as Margaret looked away, trying to blink them away. She lifted her hand to Margaret's cheek, and gently brushed them away, looking at her all the while.

"Hey… It's okay." Alamea smiled encouragingly.

Sia watched in awe, seeing a side to both Alamea and Margaret that she didn't expect.

Margaret gave a small nod when she was ready to continue, and the pair turned away from one another briefly, tapping their shoulders, knees and stomach in turn, before resting their hands on their shoulders,

The pair rolled their shoulders and began bobbing one shoulder up and down as they circled one another. Plenty of others were starting to join in, starting with Sia and Dakkar.

Margaret gave a genuine smile to Alamea as the pair of them circled one another, and Alamea smiled back nervously.

Then they waved their hands in front of themselves, and by the time they were almost done, the entire gathering of students were dancing the same steps, joining in on all the fun, if some felt like total idiots doing it, namely Pfannee and ShenShen.

Margaret fumbled briefly with her hat so Alamea rushed over and hugged her while her guard was down. Margaret melted into it, overwhelmed by the moment. She hesitantly wrapped her arms around Alamea too.

They broke the hug and looked around, too see everyone copying their dance directly to them. Margaret couldn't help her slight laugh, and neither could Alamea.

Sia gestured for them to go with a smile on her face and Alamea took Margaret's hand and almost ended up dragging her up the stairs and out of the Ozdust, ducking and avoiding people who might inadvertently smack them across the face if they were too focused on the dancing.

It truly was a strange thing, how your life could change forever in just one instant.