A/N: This story is a crossover between two of the most amazing musicals of all time, 'Wicked' and 'RENT.' It's set in a universe that combines elements from the book and musical of 'Wicked', and the stage and film versions of 'RENT.' Basically, the story takes place in a more modern-day Oz (where things like phones, cars, and AIDS exist). Of course, this is still Oz, so there is still a Wizard, and Animals are still persecuted, and Winkie princes still wear diamond tattoos. This story is basically the story of RENT, as lived out by the characters of Wicked. I have taken some artistic liberties (some major and some minor), but I will attempt to stay true to the important messages of both musicals. In some parts of the story, especially during the first nine chapters or so, the action and dialogue will be very close to the actual action and dialogue in RENT. This is on purpose, so please do not get after me for borrowing these lines and songs. I have also tried to incorporate references to Wicked - if you can catch them, kudos to you.
I would like to make a special note about one character who will be introduced in the next chapter. The Shell Thropp that you will meet is NOT the same Shell Thropp that appears in the Wicked trilogy. Basically, I have taken the name Shell and given it to an original character of my own creation. Please be aware of this as you read. I know next to nothing about the Shell that appears in the books. This Shell is NOT that Shell. She is a character of my own creation who happens to bear a few minute similarities to her Wicked counterpart.
1.
We begin on Lurlinemas Eve in the Emerald City with me, Boq, and my roommate, Fiyero. We live in a loft on the top floor of an old building on the corner of Avenue B, which is located in the middle of the lower east side of the city. This part of the Emerald City has absolutely no emeralds at all, except for a few neon lights that come on at night, and those belong mostly to bars and clubs. This is a part of town that tourists avoid, and for good reason. Mostly, this part of town is full or homeless or next-to-homeless people, both human and Animal alike. It's also full of artists – like me.
I didn't grow up in the Emerald City. In fact, neither did Fiyero. One of our ex-roommates, Crope, grew up here, but he's currently teaching philosophy up north at Shiz University. Not that he ever went to Shiz as a student, of course. My parents sent me there once, but I left after the first year. Actually, it was Fiyero who convinced me to drop out with him. He's never liked school, and when he invited me to come with him to the Emerald City to seek our fortunes, I couldn't say no.
Ha. Some fortune. We live in a nearly empty loft and don't have enough money to buy more than the barest essentials. We're practically broke. Still, I don't think I'd go back. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like with money and success. It makes me wonder why I'm still here, frozen and hungry. But then my mother calls to check up on me, and I remember.
This year, I've decided to explore that question about the life that I've chosen for myself. I'm going to do it by doing what I do best: recording and observing through the eyes of my camera. By the end of the year, I hope to have enough footage to make a documentary, though I haven't got a clue what kind of documentary it will turn out to be.
The time right now is sometime in the 12th hour, according to the Time Dragon Clock. From here on in, I shoot without a script. We'll see if anything comes of it this time, instead of my old shit.
Stepping away from the camera, Boq turned it in the direction of the young man sitting on the nearby couch. "First shot: Fiyero," Boq narrated. "Playing his guitar, as usual." He walked toward Fiyero, who didn't bother looking up as Boq approached. "Come on, Yero. Tell the folks at home what you're doing right now."
Fiyero looked up, an annoyed expression on his face. "I'm trying to write a song. What does it look like I'm doing?"
"Playing the same tune you've been playing for a month?" Boq suggested.
Fiyero made a rude gesture to Boq before dropping his gaze to his guitar again and resuming his practicing.
Boq kept the camera on Fiyero for a moment longer, but was suddenly distracted by the sound of the telephone ringing. "The phone rings," he said, turning the camera in the phone's direction. "There's no way to know who might on the other end, so for sanity's sake, Fiyero and I like to screen our calls."
"Do you honestly have to narrate that?" asked Fiyero from behind Boq.
Boq looked over his shoulder. "I'm making a documentary. It's important to make verbal observations as well as visual ones."
Any response Fiyero might have had was cut off by the sound of the answering machine and their recorded message. "SPEEEEAAAK!"
"Boq dear, it's your mother," said a too-sweet voice, and Boq nearly groaned aloud. This, he thought, is why we screen our calls. "Are you there? Are you screening your calls again? Oh, well, I just called to say hello and that we'll miss you tomorrow. We would have loved to have you here for the banquet and ball tomorrow night; I'm sure there are lots of beautiful young Munchkin girls who would have loved to spend the evening with the mayor's son." Boq glanced toward Fiyero, who was now watching the phone too.
"Speaking of which," Boq's mother's voice continued, "we're sorry to hear that Miss Galinda dumped you. So let her be a lesbian – there are plenty of other girls out there. She doesn't know what she's missing!" Boq fought hard to keep himself from groaning, but couldn't help blushing, especially when he heard Fiyero laughing behind him. "Well, I must be off, Boq dearest – we're late for dinner with Morop and his family. I'll call again tomorrow before the banquet. Do try to have a merry Lurlinemas, Boq dear. We love you!"
The message ended with a beep. It was followed by silence, except for the lingering sounds of Fiyero's barely-suppressed laughter. Boq switched off his camera for a moment and turned to glare at Fiyero. "Just wait 'til your mother calls," he said. "Then we'll see who's laughing."
Fiyero continued to chuckle. "My mother doesn't call as often as yours," he pointed out. For a moment, he looked as though he wanted to comment on the Galinda thing – which, of course, was really why he was laughing – but he said nothing. Instead, he went back to his guitar.
Boq waited a moment to see if Fiyero would change his mind about saying something. When Fiyero kept playing, Boq turned his camera on and focused it again on his roommate.
Close on Fiyero: He's actually doing really well this week. If that laughter isn't proof enough, the fact that he hasn't taken his meds in a week certainly is. But he still hasn't left the loft, and he can't even bring himself to joke about my gay ex-girlfriend. I'm not complaining about the lack of jokes at my expense, of course, but it's not like Fiyero to stay silent about something like this – or at least, it's not like the Fiyero I used to know.
It all happened after his girlfriend killed herself almost a year ago. Fiyero had gotten her pregnant – and no, that wasn't why she killed herself. They were actually really excited about it. But then Sarima got sick – really sick. She lost the baby. Then the doctors told her she would never have children. She went crazy and started drinking and using all sorts of drugs. Fiyero tried to help, but he was really upset about the whole mess too. He handled it somehow, but she didn't. One day, he arrived at her place to find a note she wrote before slitting her wrists in the bathroom.
That's when Fiyero snapped. Within a few weeks, his band kicked him out – then proceeded to fall apart without him. It was really rough going for a while. He saw a counselor for a while, and he's been on depression meds for most of this past year. He never answers the phone or leaves the loft, and though he spends all day with his guitar, he hasn't been able to write anything at all.
But he has been getting better. Like I said, he hasn't taken meds this week, and he's been laughing every once in a while for nearly three weeks now. Hopefully I can get him outside for Galinda's protest tonight.
Of course, I'm not sure exactly why I'm going in the first place. Somehow, I doubt seeing my ex-girlfriend is going to make my Lurlinemas merrier. But she asked me to come, and I still can't say no to her. If Crope were here, he'd laugh at me and say that I'm still in love with her. But Crope's not here, and he doesn't even know she dumped me yet.
Maybe once he finds out, he can get Fiyero to laugh about it with him. I'm not sure whether I'm looking forward to that or not.
Boq turned off his camera after he finished. He looked over at Fiyero, but his roommate hadn't moved. If he had heard any of what Boq had said, he apparently wasn't going to respond to it. Boq set his camera carefully on the table. There would be more for him to film later – at the protest, at least, if not anywhere else.
"Hey Fiyero," said Boq, suddenly reminded of something. "Are you planning to come to Galinda's performance tonight? We're all going to the Life Café for dinner afterward."
"I don't know, Boq," said Fiyero, who didn't look up from his guitar. "I think I'd rather just stay here."
Boq sighed. Fiyero used to be the life of every party – the sort of guy who wouldn't pass up a chance to hang out with his friends for anything in the world. It still saddened Boq to see his best friend like this, too caught up in his grief to even go to the Life Café.
"Are you sure, buddy?" Boq asked. "I know Galinda would really appreciate it. She's been working so hard on this."
Fiyero looked up and turned to face Boq. For a moment, Boq was almost sure he had changed his mind. But before Fiyero could say anything, the phone rang. Both men turned to look at the phone, but neither one moved.
"SPEEEEAAAK!"
"Hey boys! Guess who's back in town?"
"Crope!" Boq said excitedly. He hurried over to the phone and picked it up. "Crope! Where are you?"
"Outside," Crope answered. "Throw down the key."
"Sure, right away," said Boq. He moved over to the window and tossed down the key to the waiting figure on the street below.
"Thanks, man," said Crope, still over the phone.
Boq stepped away from the window and after grabbing the phone's base, went to sit by Fiyero. "See you in a minute," he said.
Crope didn't answer right away. When he spoke again, his voice had changed. He sounded rushed, almost frightened. "I may be detained," was all he said, then the line went dead.
"Detained?" Boq asked. Confused, he hung up the phone and looked over at Fiyero. "Crope just said something about being detained."
"What?" asked Fiyero.
The phone rang again, and this time, Boq quickly picked it up. "What do you mean, detained?" he asked, certain it had to be Crope on the other end. He held it up for Fiyero to hear as well.
But it wasn't. "Boq? Is that you?"
"Avaric!" Boq quickly adopted a falsely cheery voice. "Shit," he and Fiyero both whispered, once Boq had moved the phone away from his mouth.
"I've got to talk to you boys about something," said Avaric. "I'm on my way right now – should be there in a little while."
"Great!" Boq and Fiyero said. Boq moved the phone away again in time for them to simultaneously add a resounding, "Fuck."
"What do you need to talk to us about?" Boq asked.
"This past year's rent," said Avaric.
"Rent?"
"Yeah, the rent I let slide."
"Let slide?" Boq repeated, confused. "I thought you said we were golden."
"When you bought the building," said Fiyero.
"When we were roommates," Boq added. "Remember? You lived here?"
Avaric chuckled. "How could I forget?" he said. "You, me, Crope, and Galinda. By the way, how is the drama queen?"
Boq wasn't sure how to answer that. "Well," he said nervously, "she's performing tonight."
"I heard," said Avaric. "So, Boq, are you still her production manager?"
"Three days ago, I was bumped," Boq answered.
"You still dating her?"
Boq froze. He had been expecting this question, but he was not in the mood to tell Avaric the news. But he was still Boq, and Boq did not really know how to lie. "No," he answered. "Last month, I was dumped."
"Oh," said Avaric. "She got a new man?"
Boq wasn't certain whether or not it was a good thing that everyone automatically assumed that Galinda had left because she had found someone else. It fit, of course, Galinda being who she was. But in truth, that really wasn't the embarrassing part of the story.
"No, not exactly," Boq answered truthfully.
But Avaric didn't seem to believe him. "What's his name?" he asked.
Boq looked over at Fiyero, then they both leaned in together and said simply, "Elphaba."
It took Avaric a moment before he understood. Suddenly he was laughing the sort of laugh that Boq would have expected out of Fiyero or Crope. But of course, he wouldn't have been as bothered by their amusement as Avaric's.
"Well, Boq, my boy, you managed to turn a girl gay," Avaric laughed. "Congratulations."
"Gee, thanks," said Boq, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in his voice. He wasn't often sarcastic, but being around Avaric these days had a distinctly bad effect on his disposition.
"Anyway, old chaps, rent is due," Avaric said. The tone of his voice had changed. He was back to business now. "And if you don't pay, I will have to evict you. See you in a few."
The line went dead and both men let out breaths they didn't know they were holding.
"Great," said Boq. "First he ditches us and buys out the building, now he wants us to pay rent?"
"Bastard," Fiyero muttered. He pulled out his guitar again and began to play. After a few chords, however, the guitar stopped working.
In fact, everything electric stopped working that moment. Without warning, the power was off.
"And now he turns off the power," said Boq.
"Bastard," said Fiyero.
"What are we going to do?" asked Boq.
"Light some candles," said Fiyero.
Boq rolled his eyes. "Not about that. How are we gonna pay last year's rent?"
"We can't, so we won't. It's as simple as that." Boq heard Fiyero put down his guitar and stand up. "Now help me start a fire, would you? It's gonna get real cold in here soon."