Chapter 1
There's a large, window-less room with a wooden floor and white walls, with no furniture. The room contains nothing but two men and two women. Both of the men and one of the women have white skin. The other woman has emerald green skin… The four range in various ages. One of the men looks to be about sixty or so, and the other man looks to be in his thirties. The woman with green skin looks to be about nineteen, and the other woman looks to be in her early to mid twenties. Both women have long, dark, curly hair, but the woman with green skin has black hair, and the other woman has brown hair. The older man has short, gray hair, and the beginnings of a gray beard, and the younger man has short, brown hair. The woman with green skin is wearing a long, long-sleeved, black dress, and black boots. A tall, black witch hat is lying on the floor near her, and it looks like it somehow fell off her head. The other woman is wearing an orange and black tank top, long, black skinny jeans with a silver belt, and tall, black boots. The younger man is wearing a long-sleeved, black shirt, long, black slacks, tall, black boots, and a long, black cape. A white mask covers the right side of his face… The older man is wearing a long-sleeved, white, button-up shirt with a collar and cuffs, long, black slacks, and tall, black boots. The four slowly stir and open their eyes… The woman with green skin has emerald green eyes, the other woman has brown eyes, the older man has blue eyes, and the younger man has brown eyes. On seeing each other, they all stand up hurriedly and retreat into separate corners. They stare at each other in frightened silence for several seconds, and then the green-skinned woman breaks the silence…
"W-Who are you guys?" she whispered, her eyes darting from face to face. The others were silent for several seconds, no one wanting to come forward and introduce themselves. Finally, the other woman stepped forward and said quietly, "My name's Maureen Johnson." She looked at the green girl and extended her right hand. The woman met Maureen's gaze, which was curious, but gentle. The woman was trembling as she came forward, and extended her left hand, which was shaking. Maureen smiled warmly, and shook her hand. "What's your name?" she asked. "Elphaba Thropp." "Elphaba." Maureen said softly, trying out the name. It felt strange in her mouth, but it suited this very different, unique woman. "Maureen." Elphaba said quietly. The name felt funny in her mouth too, but it suited Maureen. The two women smiled at each other. Off to the side, and sort of behind them, the older man cleared his throat. Maureen turned around, and Elphaba looked over Maureen's shoulder. The man stood forward and said, "My name is Jean Valjean. But I go by Valjean." Valjean and extended his hand and walked over to Elphaba and Maureen. The two girls shook his hand, smiled at him, and said, "It's nice to meet you Valjean!" He smiled back and said, "It's nice to meet you girls too!" They all turned, and looked at the man in the mask, who was watching the rounds of greetings in silence. "What's your name?" Elphaba asked gently. The man hesitated for a second or two, but then came forward with an out-stretched hand. "I'm Erik Destler." Erik shook hands with Maureen, Elphaba, and Valjean, and they shook hands with him too. The four were silent again, and then Elphaba asked, "So you guys aren't repulsed by my skin?" She sounded shocked. The others shook their heads. "It's not that ugly." Erik said quietly. Elphaba beamed at him, and he smiled back and blushed. "As God's children," Valjean said. "It's not our place to judge each other at all, but especially not by outward appearances." Elphaba nodded and smiled at him, and he smiled back at her, took her hand in his, and squeezed it gently. Then Elphaba turned to Maureen. "What about you Maureen?" Maureen laughed gently, and the sound was like a little bunch of bells ringing. It made Elphaba smile. "Honey," Maureen said, turning and taking a few steps away from them, and then turning back to the other three. "Where I'm from, I've seen more repulsive things than someone with your skin color!" "Where are you from, Maureen?" Valjean asked. "New York City." Erik and Valjean both nodded, but Elphaba looked puzzled. "Where are you from?" she asked. Maureen shot her a puzzled look. "I'm from New York City." "Where is that?" "New York State. In the United States of America." Elphaba looked even more puzzled. "Where are you from?" Maureen asked her. "I'm from Oz." Maureen looked surprised. "You mean that fictitious land from 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'!?" Elphaba looked insulted. "Oz is not a fictional place! But, yes, that's where I live." Turning to Erik and Valjean she asked, "Where do you two live?" "I live in Paris, France." Erik replied. "Really?" Valjean asked, turning to look at him. "Yes. Why?" "I live in France too." "Really?" Valjean nodded. "Ooh!" Maureen said, smirking slightly. "You guys are from the same country, and you didn't know it!" "Apparently." Erik agreed. "Erik," Elphaba said quietly. Erik turned back to her. "Yes?" "Why do you wear that mask?" Erik looked slightly frightened, and he hesitated for several seconds. Then he sighed and said, "Do you all promise not to scream?" They all nodded. Erik closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly pulled his mask off… He heard them all gasp, but no one screamed. "Oh Erik!" Elphaba whispered, her voice full of empathy. The right side of Erik's face was deformed. The skin was pink and raw, like he'd received a third-degree burn… "Holy shit Erik!" Maureen said. "What the hell happened to you?" Erik opened his eyes and looked at Maureen. "I was born like this." he said quietly. "Everyone I've ever known has hated me for it." "What about your family?" Maureen asked. "My father left before I was born. My mother hated me. She bought me my first mask when I was four so she wouldn't have to look at me. And then when I was five she sold me to a band of gypsies, who beat me and tortured me…" "Oh my God…" Elphaba whispered. "I'm so sorry Erik!" Maureen whispered. Erik shrugged. "It's okay. You get used to it." "I know how you feel…" Elphaba said quietly. "You do?" Elphaba nodded. "My mother died when she gave birth to my sister, and my father hated me because of my skin. The only people that have ever been truly kind to me are my best friend, Glinda Upland, my lover, Fiyero Tiggular, and my sister, Nessa… Oh, and my college history professor, Dr. Dillamond, who was a goat… But that's it…" "Your college history professor was a goat?" Maureen asked incredulously. Elphaba nodded. "At least he was until he was stripped of his rights and arrested… That's why everyone in Oz hates me. I rebelled against the government and fought to save the remaining animals in Oz. Everyone thinks I'm a wicked witch now…" "I've fought for justice before too." Maureen said. "You have?" Maureen nodded. "One of my ex-boyfriends, Benjamin Coffin III, tried to evict a whole section of people form their homes in New York City, and I held a protest to try to stop him." "Did it work?" Maureen shook her head, and her eyes flashed angrily. "No. Benjamin called the cops and ruined my show and had lots of people arrested… The little fuck!" "I'm sorry Maureen!" Elphaba said. "It's alright. I got him back when my friends and I and ran into him at dinner that night!" She smirked again. "You said Benjamin was one of your ex-boyfriends?" Valjean asked. Maureen nodded. "I've got two exes back in NYC. There's Benjamin, who we all actually call Benny, and then there's Mark Cohen. And I'm dating a woman named Joanne Jefferson." All three pairs of eyes widened at Maureen's final statement. "What?" Maureen asked. "You're dating a girl?" Elphaba asked, the shock she felt very much evident in her voice. "Yeah. So?" "How is that legal?" Erik asked. "What?" Maureen asked. "Haven't you guys ever heard of homosexuality?" Elphaba, Erik, and Valjean exchanged glances. "What's homosexuality?" Valjean asked. Maureen looked at them like they were completely crazy. "Homosexuality is when two girls are in love, or when two guys are in love. You guys have never really heard of that before?" They all shook their heads, their eyes wide. "Jesus Christ!" Maureen said. "That's new! I have three friends who are gay, and one of them is a drag queen!" "What's a drag queen?" Elphaba asked. "A drag queen is a man who likes to dress like a woman. My friend Angel Dumott Schunard is like that. He wears girly shirts, boots, and jackets, wears a wig to make his hair seem longer, wears short skirts, and wears leggings. He actually makes a pretty hot girl!" Maureen smirked again. "Which of your friends are gay?" Erik asked. "Angel, his lover, Tom Collins, and Joanne." "How many friends do you have back in New York City?" "Six. There's Joanne, Angel, Collins, and Mark. And then there's Mark's roommate, Roger Davis, and his girlfriend, Mimi Márquez." "You're lucky Maureen!" The words came out very quietly, and Erik looked sad. "Do you not have any friends?" Elphaba asked. She was horrified. "I do." Erik said quietly. "But I hardly ever get to see them… And I have more people surrounding me that hate me than love me…" He trailed off bitterly. "Who do you have that loves you?" Maureen asked. "I have Antoinette Giry, the woman who rescued me from the gypsies, her daughter Meg, and a young Opera singer that I'm in love with, named Christine Daae. However, even though Christine cares about me, she chose her childhood sweetheart, Raoul de Chagny, over me… And Raoul hates me… I live at the Paris Opera House, in the cellars, and the two managers of the Opera House, Andre Moncharmin and Firmin Richard hate me… The lead singer, Carlotta Giudicelli, and her lover, Ubaldo Piangi, hate me… And the vile man who works backstage at the Opera House hates me too…" "I'm sorry Erik!" Elphaba said gently. Erik shrugged. "It's alright." "Why do so many people hate us?" Valjean asked. Erik turned to look at him. "So people don't like you either?" Valjean sighed and shook his head. "No. I've been on the run from a police inspector named Javert for several years because I broke my parole after I got out of jail. I was in jail for nineteen years because I stole a loaf of bread for my sister's child, who was starving to death, and then I tried to escape several times. I'm also hated by a man named Thénardier, and his wife, because I rescued my adopted daughter, Cosette, from their cruel treatment of her. There's a actually only four people who really care about me. My daughter, Cosette, her mother, Fantine, Cosette's husband, Marius Pontmercy, and a kindly Bishop I met when I was let out of jail. But almost everyone else hates me…" His tone was bitter, and he sounded sad. "I'm sorry Valjean!" Erik said quietly. "Thank you for your concern." Valjean said softly, managing a weak smile. The other three smiled back at him. Elphaba, Erik, Maureen, and Valjean were now standing close together in a small circle in the center of the room. Elphaba put her left arm around Erik, and her right arm around Maureen. Erik put his right arm around Elphaba, and his left arm around Valjean. Valjean put his right arm around Erik, and his left arm around Maureen. And Maureen put he right arm around Valjean, and her left arm around Elphaba. They stood there like that for several minutes, just hugging each other tightly. But before they could pull away, everything suddenly went black, and they were each whisked away to their own homes and lives…