a/n: Hey guys! I have not died…yet…
So very sorry about all the delays and whatnots such as failing to update my story The Wicked End. I have been exceptionally busy with school and several commitments that I can't seem to keep(all of my clubs interfere with my teacher meetings and I was foolish enough to sign up for design crew for our musical(these all happen at the same time practically) so now I feel like I'm in deep shit…) but anyway, I have a new plot idea…yes I know, you're probably wondering "Why can't this chick keep to a single plot and finish it?"…well I probably can't but I'll try with this one! But alas! Said chick has signed herself onto NaNoWriMo which, oh so conveniently starts next month. Whoop-de-fucking-doo.
Read this fanfiction and I'm sure, if you're well read, then you will know what I based this off of. Wicked AU. R&R.
Disclaimer: Do NOT OWN WICKED!
Chapter one: Elphaba
"You're a smart person Elphaba," Krimm says as he looks at the green skinned girl sitting next to him. "I'm pretty sure that there are places you can escape to. After all, you are the smartest person I've ever met. I'm sure you'll figure something out."
Elphaba isn't so sure. She's never tried to escape her home. Not even after those countless beatings issued by her father. She's lost for words so she simply shrugs.
The rush of traffic beneath them rattles the thick traffic sign that they're perched on. It's slightly unsettling to Elphaba but she knows that it's the only safe place she can hide.
She hates the world and the world knows it.
Elphaba's brown eyes search Krimm's face for any emotion, but his face remains stoic. His eyes are a bright arctic blue, for lack of a better color, and it almost hurts Elphaba's eyes to look at them.
"I'm truly sorry, Elphaba…I didn't think that you're dad would be the kind of man to do that sort of thing. That's low...even for him." Krimm says as he places his hand over Elphaba's own.
Elphaba scowls at the thought of her father and her stony gaze only hardens more.
"What's done is done, Krimm. He signed the order…it's over." Elphaba replies as she stares down into the passing traffic.
Elphaba knows that there isn't any point in fighting. Another moment of silence passes over the two of them, an unsettling wind wisps past them before Elphaba breaks the silence.
"I have to go, Krimm. Nessa will be wondering where I am, not that she cares, but I know that she'll report it to father...sorry, Krimm." Elphaba says with a regretful voice as she stands, collects her bag and slings it onto her bony shoulder, and begins to sidle away.
Before she can get anywhere though, Krimm is gripping Elphaba's hand tightly with his own.
"I'll come with you," Krimm says, his vibrant eyes searching Elphaba's brown ones as he speaks, "we can run away together…tonight. Just you and I, Elphaba…you and I."
Elphaba remains still; her heart is thudding in her chest and reverberating in her ears. Had she heard what Krimm said correctly?
"I'm not putting you in danger Krimm…please, just stay home. It's for the better." Elphaba says as she pries her green hand from Krimm's tan one.
Krimm opens his mouth to protest but Elphaba interrupts him by saying, "It's for the better, Krimm. Trust me."
And with that, Elphaba leaves the solemn Krimm alone on the highway exit sign.
-.-
Elphaba makes her way home as quickly as she can. Her curfew was fifteen minutes ago. Even though she slips inside as quietly as she possibly can, her father's booming voice calls from the den. Elphaba freezes, awaiting the long, drawn out lecture about curfew and how the Unnamed God would frown upon this lack of punctuality, but all her father says is, "You're late, Elphaba."
"Sorry, father. Is dinner still on the table?" Elphaba asks hesitantly as she slinks around her father's couch.
"Nessa saved you some leftovers."
Elphaba doesn't respond but makes her way over to the table anyway. Sitting in her usual spot is a plate of cold lasagna, drenched in some goopy version of tomato sauce. She grimaces at the contents of her dish before dumping it into the trash bin.
"Do you know where Nessa is?" Elphaba asks, looking at her father from the kitchen counter.
Her father grunts in reply as he reads over the religious section in the Ozian Times Newspaper.
Elphaba leaves the room without another word and hurtles up the steps.
As she arrives on the third floor she can see that her door is open. She pads quietly across the carpeted floor and peeks into her own room where she can see her sister on her laptop.
"Hey, what are you doing in my room?" Elphaba asks, her voice is stern as she glares at her sister.
Nessa jumps slightly, causing several things to tip over on Elphaba's desk. Elphaba snarls quietly as she stalks over to her younger sister.
"This is my room, Nessie. Why are you in it?" Elphaba demands, her voice isn't harsh, rather, it was calm and collected.
"Well, daddy said that I could take what I wanted from your room since you're leaving soon." Nessa says, her words are laced with a thick sweetness, like venomous honey.
"Well, you can take those things when I'm fully gone…but not now." Elphaba says bitterly as she reorganizes the spilled contents of her desk.
Nessa shrugs and walks out of the room.
Elphaba collapses on her old bed, the wooden slats holding it up creak in protest but Elphaba isn't that heavy so she doesn't worry about them breaking.
When do things begin to feel familiar in a person's life? Shouldn't this place—it certainly wasn't a home—feel like a safe haven already? She's already spent sixteen years of her life here…so why didn't it feel like home?
Elphaba sighs in frustration and rolls onto her side, her black hair falling into her face. She doesn't bother to move it out of the way.
She should've been doing homework but there's no point in doing so. Her father already pulled her from Shiz University.
Elphaba's eyes glisten with unshed tears…they aren't sad and they aren't happy...they're bitter tears. They are tears of pent up frustration and growing anger towards her family, towards her life, towards everything, towards the world, towards all of Oz. Elphaba just wants to scream. So she does.
It's a heart-wrenching shriek that is released into the small room; one of defeat, of pain, of suffering.
She knows that even if Frex did hear he wouldn't care. Why should he? Her life is at its end anyway, why bother with her anymore?
Elphaba lies still and silent on her bed, tears stream down her cheeks and into the crook of her long neck.
She doesn't know how long she lies there but its well into the night, around two o'clock AM. But Elphaba can't sleep. She's too busy watching the moon, naming constellations, things she'll never see again. Not as herself anyway, not as Elphaba Thropp.
-.-
The rest of the night and the early morning blur together and Elphaba can feel the exhaustion setting in already. Dark purple circles under her eyes are apparent on her green skin and her eyes are glazed over with an aching tiredness. But she feels liberated…freer than ever before. She doesn't know why but perhaps it's because of her past memories. Perhaps it's those memories of happier times…when her mother was around to care for her, which lightens her soul. She makes her way downstairs and sees her sister in the kitchen.
"Hey, Nessa…where's dad?"
"He's gone off to some church to preach again…what do you think, Elphaba?" Nessa replies, snarky as ever.
Elphaba huffs at her sister and walks around the opposite side of the counter that Nessa is on, grabbing an apple along the way.
"Where are you going, Elphaba?" Nessa demands as she watches Elphaba retreat.
Elphaba pauses, shrugs, and continues on her way out.
Even in her jacket Elphaba can still feel the chill of the October wind pressing in against her, seeping into the denim of her jeans and piercing the meager fabric of her jacket. Shivering, Elphaba wraps the thin material around her thin frame as she walks forward.
She has gone no more than four steps when she hears her name being called. She turns and looks and sees that it is Krimm. He's running towards her, wildly waving his left hand while he clutches onto his backpack with the other.
It hurts Elphaba to see Krimm still holding onto the hope that perhaps he too could run away with her. It hurts so badly. So Elphaba runs.
She runs from Krimm. She is running from Krimm, the only person who would care to give her a second glance and not run in disgust because of her green skin; Krimm, the only person who ever cared.
So why was she running?
Elphaba pauses mid stride and finds herself in an unknown part of the neighborhood. Elphaba leans against the brick wall of a building and catches her breath. Her throat is dry from the cold weather and it burns her lungs.
Elphaba stands there for several moments; the only sound is the beating of her heart in her ears. She comes to solution of running away tonight. She'll pack what she needs and escape this hell for good. But not before saying a proper goodbye to Krimm.
-.-
It's three o'clock AM and Elphaba is finishing her packing. She glances at the clock; 3:01.
Perfect timing, Elphaba thinks to herself as she slips the hood of her jacket over her long black hair, zipping it halfway before slipping on her worn Converse shoes.
She slings the backpack over her shoulder and escapes using her window as an exit. She doesn't leave a message or anything for Nessarose. She wouldn't appreciate it anyway.
Now outside, Elphaba thinks twice about her actions, before deciding that it's for the better.
She begins her walk to Krimm's house.
Krimm's parents' don't like Elphaba. They think that she's a bad influence on their son, but Krimm stays with her anyway.
Elphaba chucks a large rock at Krimm's bedroom window and prays that his parent's don't hear. She waits for a few seconds before chucking another, smaller rock at the window and waits. She sees a light go on and her breath hitches in her throat and her heart pounds even more rapidly against her ribcage.
The window opens and Krimm's head pops out. She releases the worried sigh, letting it brush past her lips.
"Krimm, I just wanted to say goodbye and that I'm sorry." Elphaba whispers harshly as she looks up at the Munchkinlander with apologetic brown eyes.
"I understand…I'm sorry too. But I can't kick school now. My brother's about to get married and he chose me for ring bearer and it would be horrible of me to skip out on that…I'm sorry too." Krimm says in a melancholic voice as he looks at Elphaba with his sorrowful blue eyes.
Elphaba tears her gaze from Krimm's eyes, tears well up in her brown ones and the back of her throat stings as she wills herself to not cry.
"Thank you, Krimm…for being my friend." Elphaba says before kissing him lightly on his cheek.
Another light comes on from down the hall and Krimm's mother calls out.
"Krimm? What's going on?"
"I thought I heard a wolf…sorry, I'll get to sleep." Krimm shouts back before turning back to Elphaba.
"I'm sorry…I have to go now or else my mom will get suspicious. Ozspeed Elphaba." Krimm says as he closes the door until only a lone, piercing blue eye is visible.
"Ozspeed to you too, Krimm." Elphaba says with a sad smile as the door closes fully, enclosing her in darkness.
Elphaba stands alone for a moment before turning back to the streets.
-.-
The first glimpse of sunlight barely brushes the tip of the parks' trees. Elphaba sits on a bench mottled with dew, it dampens her jeans slightly but she doesn't care. She's still near her home but she doesn't dare go back. Already five hours away from home and she's never felt happier.
Elphaba stands, her back pops several times as she stretches, and gathers her backpack before trudging down to the highway.
Elphaba is near a service station now and the thick, nauseating odor of gasoline fills her nostrils. It makes her feel lightheaded.
Elphaba takes several deep breaths through her nose a couple of times to settle the pounding headache before striding across the lot towards the store.
Inside she can see at least five truckers loitering about, inspecting tobacco and the like. Her hood is up and nobody suspects her odd coloring.
She maneuvers her way around the truckers, scuffing her way down the snack aisle.
She's inspecting the expiration date on a bag of chips when a heavy hand comes down on her shoulder. She jumps, involuntarily dropping the bag.
"Sorry, miss…I was just wonderin' if you needed some help?" the owner of the hand says in a somewhat deep voice, obviously male.
Elphaba turns and looks at the figure. He has light tan skin with blue diamond tattoos adorning his face, dark brown hair, and a tall build. He's relatively handsome.
"Um…no, thank you. I'm perfectly happy being alone. I don't need your help." Elphaba says as she turns to leave.
"Hey, sorry for my first impression," the tattooed man says with a small grin, "I'm Fiyero Tiggular. And you?" Fiyero says as he extends his hand for Elphaba to shake.
Elphaba stares blankly at Fiyero's outstretched hand, her eyes flickering from the hand to his green eyes.
"Elphaba," Elphaba says as she takes Fiyero's hand cautiously, "Elphaba Thropp."
"Elphaba…" Fiyero says, testing the name on his tongue, "Nice to meet you, Elphaba."
Fiyero offers the green girl a small grin, one of friendliness and openness.
"I'm late for something." Elphaba says before turning to walk out of the store.
Fiyero, however, is unrelenting and follows her.
"Hey, do you want a ride? I'm heading northwest, towards Gillikin. Is that where you were going to?" Fiyero asks, as he holds onto Elphaba's jacket hood.
She pauses, mulling it over, when her cell phone goes off. Pulling it from her pocket she looks at the caller ID, it's Frex. The ringing stops and a small ding sounds. A text.
The text says: Elphaba, where the fuck are you? I'm calling the police if you don't reply within four minutes.
Elphaba scoffs and her decision is final. She's going with Fiyero.
"Yeah, I do need a ride. Thanks, Master Tiggular."
-.-
The ride from the service station to Gillikin is spent in silence. It isn't awkward but it isn't comforting.
Elphaba can feel whenever Fiyero shifts his glance so that he's looking at her.
After four more eye shifts Elphaba snaps.
"What? Do I have something in my teeth?" she says, angrily glaring at him.
"It's nothing…but, if I may, where do you come from?" Fiyero says, his attention focused on the road ahead of them.
"Why do you want to know?" Elphaba retorts, as she glares out the window at the passing scenery.
"Well, just because. I think it's slightly awkward if you don't know a person but you offer them a ride. I'm Fiyero Tiggular, I'm from the Vinkus, and my ancestors were royalty."
"Um…okay…I'm Elphaba Thropp, I'm from Munchkinland, and my family hates me."
Fiyero chuckles before looking at Elphaba.
"I don't see how your family could hate you. You seem like a nice person." Fiyero says, his voice sincere, as he looks at Elphaba.
Fiyero pauses before continuing to say, "Listen Elphaba, you can take your hood off you know."
"I don't think you want me to do that."
"Why not?"
"I'm different."
Fiyero looks solemn for a minute before continuing to drive in silence. About thirty minutes later he brings up the topic again.
"Different? How so, Elphaba?"
Elphaba tenses in her seat, it's the smallest of movements but Fiyero notices and continues to question her.
"I just am…it's complicated so let's leave it at that."
"But I want to know…listen, I'm gonna show you something, okay?" Fiyero says as he pulls to the side of the road.
The car stops and Fiyero puts it in park. Then he shows Elphaba something truly different.
He pulls back the sleeve of his sweatshirt to reveal a hand that doesn't match his other one. This hand is paler and tattoo-less and Elphaba can see the visible line where the limb was grafted.
"What happened?" Elphaba asks, her breath faint, as she tries not to stare.
"'bout two years ago I fell asleep at the wheel…and you know…big bloody mess. Whole left hand was mangled and I had to get a new one. I didn't want to, but the doctors insisted."
Fiyero remains silent for a moment or two before continuing to ask his question.
"So, now that I've told you my difference, what's yours?"
Elphaba ducks her head slightly in contemplation before pulling a gloved hand up to pull back the hood. As she does a single sentence flutters from her lips, "I'm green."
Silence erupts in the car.
Fiyero doesn't do anything.
"Well, aren't you shocked? Are you going to run and scream in terror?" Elphaba says, her voice is bitter and mocking of herself.
"No…I'm not shocked but I am happy because there's someone with a sense of individuality in the world." Fiyero replies, his voice is indifferent but it's a good indifferent.
"I'm glad somebody else understands the meaning of 'open mindedness' too." Elphaba says with a small smirk on her dark lips.
-.-
Halfway to Gillikin Elphaba's phone dings again. Pulling it from her pocket she looks at it and her face pales. It's Frex. He texted: The police are searching for you.
"What's wrong?" Fiyero asks as he looks worriedly at the green girl.
"My father's searching for me…as are the police."
"Why?" Fiyero asks, his voice increasing with tension.
"I don't know," Elphaba lies, her heart pounding against her ribcage, "my father's an insane religious freak who thinks we should abstain from having a social life."
"Just don't reply…or lie to him." Fiyero says nonchalantly as he tries to offer some advice.
"I can't…he'll know I'm tricking him."
"Well, let's just keep driving. I highly doubt they'll be able to find us."
And so they do.
-.-
a/n: so, how'd y'all like this chapter so far? Is it horrendously horrendific or is it okay and readable? This was such a fun thing to do although it's weird to write Oz as such a modified place. It's a place much like Wonderland where you can't really make it modern. But, you know…this'll do. Anywho, readers who give reviews have a special place in my heart and perhaps they get cookies too (or any other pastry/candy/food of various sorts), so, get the hint?
Anyway, this chapter wasn't beta-ed but I hope that this will suffice. Please know that any grammatical errors or tense confusion wasn't intentional and may have been overlooked even after a third read through by me.