"Oh, keep the hat on, please, Elphie?"
"We're indoors. And the dance is over, as evidenced by our favorably quieter room."
"Please." Galinda pouted.
Elphaba sighed, scowling – of course – and pulled on the once-disastrous item of clothing.
"My, but you look positively iniquitous, Miss Elphie!"
"Such an advanced vocabulary," Elphaba drawled. "Where has Galinda Upland disappeared to, and who is this endearing replacement I see before me?"
"Oh, shush, you feline felon."
Elphaba grinned, a foreign expression on normally scowling features. "How alliterative of you. I suppose my scandalous new character requires a stage name of sorts?"
"Brilliant idea!" Galinda bounced excitedly, fluttering about the room. Evidently, the night's punch was getting to her. "I propose 'Hat Girl'! I positively love it, for it will surely stick in people's minds as the most feared criminal in Oz."
"I'm not 'Hat Girl', thankyou," Elphaba said brusquely. "And I'm certainly not in favor of being feared by all Oz – which I may be destined for already, who knows?"
"Oh, Elphie, don't be so negative. Surely people will get used to your... er... pigmentation."
"I don't suppose you would be a willing partner-in-crime, anyway. Though I'm sure you will day be known all over Oz, I doubt it will be for the same reason as my fame. Or rather, infamy."
The blonde abruptly became distressed at her friend's pessimism – Ah, a mood swing, Elphaba mused, definitely the result of an alcoholic mix of lemons and melons and pears. "Such low expectations! Besides, I suppose the attention wouldn't hurt all that much, be it positive or negative-"
Elphaba snorted at this. "You wouldn't hate being hated?"
A (rare) moment of silent contemplation filled the room.
"No, I suppose not."