A/N: Hey! So, after writing a couple of one-shots (which I honestly didn't like that much) I decided to try writing a multi-chapter fic based loosely on my own camp experience, with a few dramatic, romantic, magical twists and an actual plot. It's the classic Fiyeraba, Bessa, and Gelphie friendship all mixed together in one epic tale of friends at camp. Wow, that made my story sound a lot better than I think it actually is. Anyway, if you just hate it, please tell me, and if enough people do, I'll just delete it and forget this whole thing ever happened. But if you love it, tell me that too, because it makes me warm and fluffy inside! Construstive criticism is more than welcome as well. So, after that incredibly long author's note...
Disclaimer: Wicked (which is not mine) is one billion times more creative thn this disclaimer.
"Elphaba, you know why you're here, don't you?" Her father's tone was not gentle or caring and showed no sign of fatherly love. His voice was business-like and the child knew that the answer wouldn't be "to have a good time" or "to make new friends".
"To look after Nessa," replied the ten-year-old. It was a simple, easy phrase that Elphaba had always known, always understood. Her younger, wheelchair-bound sister was the apple of her father's eye, while Elphaba was kept around only to protect her from any kind of danger. Even at age ten, Elphaba was not naïve. She understood that her father simply hated the sight of her and submission was the one thing that kept her from being hurt by him-usually only verbally, but he found that an occasional slap on the face could be quite effective. She disliked him, but if it weren't for her-no, if it weren't for her emerald green skin, Nessa wouldn't be in her wheelchair, mother would be alive. So she tried to be obedient.
Not that she didn't love Nessa. In fact, her sister was the one thing that gave her life purpose, or so it seemed.
"That's right. I'll be back for both of you in precisely two weeks and if anything happens, I'm holding you personally responsible." Elphaba nodded her head as her father turned to her sister. His hard, cold eyes softened at his favorite child.
"Nessarose," he began. His voice was now as full of fatherly love as it had lacked a minute ago. "Be a good girl. Don't get sick or hurt and remember to write to me as much as possible. I'm sure you'll make plenty of new friends and be on your very best behavior." He kissed his daughter lovingly on her forehead. With that, the girls' father left.
"Fabala, I'm so sorry…" said Nessa sympathetically. Although she loved both her father and her sister, she knew how they felt about each other and it often made the youngest Thropp sister uncomfortable.
"It's alright, Nessa. Now let's go and find out which cabin we're in, okay?" said Elphaba kindly, leading her sister to The Lodge.
The Lodge was the only air-conditioned building on campus, and functioned as a dining hall and a multi-purpose room for indoor activities. It was also where the campers and counselors gathered every night before bed. On the first day of camp, it was also where campers got schedules and cabin assignments.
"Nessarose and Elphaba Thropp," Elphaba stated to the smiling red-headed counselor seated at the table.
"Here are your schedules, girls," said the counselor, handing both girls a small sheet of paper with all of the activities that they would be participating in printed on it.
"You'll both be in Milla's cabin. That's cabin 2B," said the perky counselor. "Hope you have fun!" she exclaimed. Elphaba rolled her eyes. Truly though, she was relieved that she would be sharing with Nessa. She was worried about whether or not she would be able to look after her sister at camp. Or worse, what her father would do if something happened to his beloved Nessa.
"Here we are," said Elphaba, as the two girls entered the cabin. It was dusty and the floor was dirty. Nessarose scrunched up her nose in disgust but Elphaba didn't notice much. It wasn't too different from the attic where she slept sometimes when her father threw parties or had guests spend the night.
Nessarose chose a top bunk next to a window and Elphaba spread her bed sheet out over the one below it. Nessa sighed.
"What is it?" asked Elphaba, looking at her sister inquisitively through her wire-rimmed spectacles.
"Elphaba, I'm nine years old now. I'm not a baby. You don't need to be mothering me all of the time."
Elphaba looked a little hurt, but moved to the top bunk farthest away from her sister. Her mind was already overflowing with excitement as she pretended to read a book.
"Elphaba, come on! I still need someone to at least explore the camp with!" At this, Elphaba beamed at her younger sister.
Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands was extremifyingly excitified to be at Camp Shiz. It would be the ten-year-old's second year there and she was more than ready to return. She was nearly jumping out of the backseat of her mother's car.
"Maybe that cute kid from school, Fiyero Tiggular, will be there!" giggled her friend, Pfannee, who currently sat in the middle seat. Her cousin, ShenShen, and Galinda burst into fits of girlish giggles at this.
"I hope Biq isn't there!" exclaimed Galinda, horrified.
"I think his name's Boq," said Pfannee.
"Who's he?" asked ShenShen and they all started laughing again.
"Are you girls being nice?" asked Galinda's mom.
"Yes, Momsie," said Galinda. The car pulled in and the three girls ran out in a hurry, still giggling. Galinda's mother climbed out after them and grabbed her daughter's hand to keep her from running off with her friends.
"I've already talked to the camp director. You girls are all in Milla's cabin-2B," Mrs. Upland shouted so the other girls could hear. She turned to her daughter with tearful eyes. "Goodbye, Galinda," she said, hugging her daughter.
"I love you so, so, so much, Momsie! I'll miss you!" cried her blonde daughter.
"Galinda, come on!" Pfannee and ShenShen called to their friend.
"Don't forget to write!" called Mrs. Upland as the blonde ran off to join her friends.
"I won't, Momsie!" the blonde called back. The girls soon approached 2A and scurried in quickly, hoping to meet their counselor or other girls in the cabin. To their disappointment, no one was presently in nthe cabin, but it appeared that two girls had already settled in, one top bunk had pale blue bedding and a bottom bunk had black and brown sheets and comforter.
The cabin itself was dirty and appeared to be ancient, with faded yellow walls, a dirty floor that vaguely reminded Galinda of a prison cell, and the bathrooms…well, let's not go into too much detail.
"Eww…This place is disgusticified!" cried Galinda as the girls entered their cabin.
"Ooh! Ooh! Top bunk!" called Pfannee, ignoring the dirty floor and scrambling up the ladder to an empty bed.
"Hey!" said Galinda and ShenShen.
"Don't whine about it!" said Pfannee, spreading out her pale pink bedding. "There's and empty one above that boring, black bed." Galinda, who was closer, climbed up to the bed and began spreading out her cotton candy pink bedspread. She shot ShenShen a triumphant, smug look and her friend sulked but they all began laughing after awhile, excitified to be at Camp Shiz.
"Here we are, Avaric. Camp Shiz," declared Fiyero Tiggular, eleven-year-old Crown Prince of the Vinkus. He and his close friend, Avaric, would be spending the next two weeks at camp. It was Fiyero's fourth year and Avaric's third and they were ready to have as much fun as they always did at Shiz.
"Race you to The Lodge!" challenged Avaric, and the two boys laughed all the way to the big wooden building.
"Tiggular and Tenmeadows," said Fiyero, casually swinging his duffel bag over his left shoulder and winking at the cute counselor handing out schedules and cabin assignments. She giggled and handed the two boys their schedules.
"Cabin 4A, Neko's cabin," she told them.
"Thanks," said Fiyero with another wink. The two boys walked outside and began heading toward their cabin. "She was so checking me out," declared Fiyero on the way.
"Are you serious? She was looking at me that whole time, stupid!" Both boys began roaring with laughter as they walked to 4A. It was empty but one bottom bunk was neatly made with a baby blue comforter and a very unmanly, pink, strawberry-scented pillow.
"Hey, look at this! Some momma's boy was already here. His bed's so…ugh, clean," said Avaric with disgust.
"Maybe we could mess with him a little, hmm?" asked Fiyero, a mischievous twinkle in his merry blue eyes.
"I was thinking the same thing…What's the neat freak's name, then?" asked his partner in crime.
"Boq Haley," said Fiyero, reading a small slip of paper with the name printed in neat cursive. The two boys quickly began planning their prank.
Hmm, not thirty minutes have passed since arrival and we're already wreaking havoc. These next two weeks are going to be very…interesting, thought Fiyero with an amused grin.
His assumptions couldn't have been truer.