Much Ado about Nothing
A One-Shot

"So what do you think it'll be like?" Glinda asked excitedly once the two friends had boarded the train.

Startled out of her distracted reverie, Elphaba replied, "Hmm?"

Glinda sighed in an overly-exaggerated, theatrical way. "The Emerald City, Elphie. You do remember asking me to come with you, no?"

The taller girl merely flushed, a dark purplish colour appearing over her cheekbones. "Of course, I'm just… distracted," she murmured, turning her gaze towards the cracked, foggy window beside them.

Glinda also peered out the window, taking a moment to pull a handkerchief out of her pocketbook and wipe the condensation off of the window. "What is it that's out there that you find so distracting?" Glinda asked, trying to find something other than trees, occasional bodies of water, trees, a few scattered towns, trees, the setting sun, and- surprisingly enough- more trees. She found it odd that her question didn't put her roommate at ease; in fact, it seemed to make her more flustered and uneasy.

"It's not something out there," Elphaba said finally. Wringing her long fingers together- a nervous habit that Glinda had yet to pick up on- she then answered Glinda's previous question. "I don't know what it'll be like, but I hope it's as wonderful as everyone says."

"What will be?" Glinda responded, her mind obviously other places.

Elphaba just snorted. "The Emerald City, Glinda. You do remember me asking you to come, no?" she said, mocking Glinda's previous tone.

Glinda just brushed it off, growing more excited by the prospect of finally going to the Emerald City. "Oh, of course. Oh, it should be marvellous! I heard there's a play going on that we simply must see- and the shopping boutiques!" She had a ridiculous grin on her face at the opening to talk about her favourite subjects- clothes, makeup, and jewellery. Well, her favourite subjects other than boys. She then jumped out of her seat, making Elphaba start in surprise, and whispered, obviously panicked, "Do you think I brought enough money? And suitcase room! How in the world will I be able to fit all my souvenirs in just three bags?!" She started moaning as if afflicted with a terrible pain, only succeeding in making Elphaba laugh outright.

"Glinda, I'm sure it'll be fine," Elphaba replied, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes- or make a smart remark. Well, she at least resisted the instinct to roll her eyes. "Besides, if you end up overflowing your three valises, I could always just give you my one suitcase," she said, putting heavy emphasis on 'one', hoping Glinda would pick up the hint.

She didn't. "Oh, Elphie, you'd do that for me? I mean, I know your dresses are hideodeously unfashionable and it wouldn't be that big a deal to leave your stuff behind-" she started, before Elphaba cut her off vehemently.

"Glinda? I was joking."

"Oh," the blonde merely replied, seeming confused. "You have a strange sense of humour."

Glinda watched in bemusement and confusion as her friend simply burst out laughing. "Oh, my dear Glinda," she said a few moments later, trying to calm herself down.

Glinda was really confused now- and starting to get a bit irritated. "What?" she asked impatiently. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, I just had thought you would have figured out that I have an unorthodox sense of humour by now."

That elicited a weary sigh from Glinda. "Sometimes it's hard to tell when you're kidding and being serious, Elphaba. You can be a very mysterious person if you want to, you know."

Elphaba's amusement had disappeared. "I know," she murmured, turning towards the window once more. "I don't like letting people in."

"Why not?" Glinda inquired. Here was a question that had been bothering her for a while; perhaps now she'd finally get some answers. "I mean, I know you're different, but isn't everyone? That's what makes us human- our differences. You're a fascinating person once you let someone get to know you, even in just the slightest bit."

Elphaba looked up at her in surprise. "I wish it were that simple," she said bitterly, touched by Glinda's heartfelt, if a little naïve, statement. "I just… don't like being hurt. I'm sick of people expecting me to have tough skin just because I'm- well, as you put it, different. As you said, our differences make us human, and humans get hurt by idiotic proclamations people say to get under their skin. I'm no exception to that rule, though I act like I am sometimes, and people are surprised by that. I… I just don't like being hurt," she concluded, embarrassed at revealing so many personal details to Glinda, who was watching her expressionlessly.

Glinda only responded by moving over to Elphaba's bench and wrapping her friend in a tight hug, despite Elphaba's protests. "Really, Glinda, I'm fine," she objected, but Glinda would have none of it.

"I'm sorry," she whispered finally as she pulled away from her friend, roommate, and one-time enemy.

"Why? You've been the most accepting of me. And I appreciate that, I really do."

Glinda just grimaced. "I certainly wasn't accepting at first. I'm actually probably the reason that there was such a prejudice towards you- at least, in most of the female population."

"Ah, yes," Elphaba replied with a slightly feral grin. "If Miss Galinda despises anyone, the rest of the school must despise them as well- Oz help those who betray the Code!" She snorted and then continued, "Seriously, Glinda? I think the reason they were- and still are, really- prejudiced towards me had nothing to do with you. I'm afraid I was born ostracized."

"Isn't that a rather large bird?" Glinda asked, confused, causing Elphaba to burst out laughing again.

"No, Glinda, that's an Ostrich."

"Oh."

With several more laughs and a few minutes later, the conversation once again turned to where it had been initially: the Emerald City.

"How many days do we have before your appointment with the Wizard?" Glinda asked, rummaging through her purse for some much-needed lip-gloss. Finding it with an 'Aha!', she proceeded to apply it daintily.

"I believe we arrive in the morning, we have the rest of that day, the entire next day, - Glinda, get that lip-gloss away from me; I'm not wearing that ridiculous shade - and then we meet him on the afternoon of the third day," Elphaba replied, moving to escape Glinda's determined grasp.

"Oh, come on, just a little dab," Glinda pleaded. "You look so pretty with makeup on."

Elphaba snorted derisively. "And I'm related to the Wizard."

"What do you think he'll be like?" Glinda asked, taking the opportunity to change the subject once more.

Elphaba found she could barely speak out of nervousness and sudden apprehension. "I don't know," she said, her voice barely above that of a whisper. "I just- Glinda, what if he refuses to help us?"

"He won't," she replied confidently. "At least," as she continued, uneasiness began to take a hold and her voice became softer, "I hope he won't."

"I hope you're right," Elphaba murmured, stretching out across the padded bench.

Glinda also stretched out on her bench, using her purse as a pillow. "Of course I'm right," she said, grinning. "I'm always right."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Get some sleep; we'll be in the Emerald City by dawn tomorrow and I'm sure you're going to want to do plenty."

"Yes, Mother," Glinda said mockingly, before collapsing into a heap of giggles.

Elphaba rolled her eyes again, but a small smile had formed against her better judgement. "Goodnight, Glinda."

"'Night, Elphie," came the mumbled response.

A/N: -ducks objects- Neeehhh. I'm sorry for not updating in the past -checks and gasps in horror- few monthsss. I'm a terrible authoress. As you can see from the above, crappy drabble. Merci beaucoup :).
I'll get the chapters of both WMHB and For Good up ASAP.
Happy 4th to us Americans!