A/N - I am working on a new multi-chap fic. Unfortunately, real life is making it hard for me to update. As soon as I have a first draft complete, I will let everybody know what it is.
This one-shot came out of a joke between the Ultimate Queen of Cliffies and myself. A long time ago, she wrote two chapters in her "Drabbles" series entitled "Fanfiction" and "Fanfiction 2" where the characters from Wicked were reading fan fiction stories. We were joking about how Elphaba would react to reading "No Day But Today", and she gave me permission to write a one-shot about it. So, this one-shot is entitled "Fanfiction 3".
Thanks for letting me write this Maddy! I hope you enjoy what I came up with. Oh, and sorry about the description below…you'll see what I mean. :)
And I apologize in advance for the shameless self-promotion in this fic.
Oh, and I did have to make a small edit near the end to take away something that sounded harsher than it was meant to be.
Disclaimer: Yeah, it's fan fiction which means I own nothing.
#####
"WHAT? I DIE AGAIN?"
At the sound of Elphaba's rant, both Fiyero and Galinda came bursting into the living room. They saw the green woman sitting on the sofa by the fire staring at the Magic Mirror as if it had betrayed her.
"What is it, Elphie? What's wrong?"
Throwing the Mirror down on the sofa beside her, she threw her hands up in the air exasperated.
"I was on OzTube looking at some videos about sorcery when I came across a 'trailer' for a fan fiction by that murderous witch named 'The Ultimate Queen of Cliffies'."
"You mean the author who's obsessed in killing us all off?" Galinda shrieked.
"Yes," Elphaba replied hotly. "That author. Apparently, her latest demented story is called, 'No Day But Today'. I am supposedly sick and going to die. And some sick, twisted individual who goes by the name 'PocketSevens' made a video about it!"
"What?" Fiyero cried, slightly shocked. "What do you mean?"
Shoving the Magic Mirror in his hands, Elphaba commanded, "Here…watch this."
Galinda watched over his shoulder as the video appeared on the screen. A soft piano started playing in the background…
What if your life wasn't counted in years…but days?
When the video came to an end, Galinda wiped the few tears that formed in her eyes. "That is so...sad," she exclaimed as Elphaba rolled her eyes at the blonde.
However, Fiyero asked his girlfriend, "Fae, did you actually read the story?"
Suddenly, a sheepish look crossed Elphaba's face. "Well…not exactly…"
Rolling his eyes, Fiyero opened the story in question. "Look, let's take a look and see what it's like. Maybe the story is not that bad."
"You do realize you're talking about an author who wrote that you would shoot Elphie in an alleyway, right?" Galinda pointed out.
However, waived his hand dismissively. "Yeah, but she then wrote a second chapter where I didn't shoot her, remember?"
"Still," Elphaba started to say but Fiyero interrupted her.
"Look: let's just go through and read it together, ok? Let's see what's really in the story before we go pulling out the pitchforks and trying to hunt down the author." Sitting down beside his girlfriend, he began. "The first chapter is titled, 'Receive my First Kiss'."
Galinda suddenly perked up at his statement. "Ooh, so we get to hear about your 'first kiss', do we? That is so sweet! Please tell me the chapter has details!"
However, Elphaba sat with her arms crossed, glowering at her blonde friend. "This is why I don't tell Galinda anything - she keeps pestering me for 'details'."
Galinda stuck her tongue out at the green woman.
When Fiyero finished reading, he handed the Mirror over to Galinda to read the second chapter.
"Oh, this sounds like fun," Galinda said, reading the chapter title aloud. "It's called, 'Stargazing with My Best Friend'. Aw, that's so cute!"
"I hate that word 'cute', by the way," Elphaba muttered to her boyfriend and Fiyero chuckled in agreement.
Elphaba started to read the third chapter and only got a few lines in before wincing. "You know, I have to agree with 'story Galinda' here: why, in all of Oz, would I agree to let Galinda give me a complete makeover?"
"Hey!" Galinda protested. "I'm not that bad!"
"No, except for all the times you keep pushing me to wear pink!"
"Pink goes good with green!" Galinda cried.
"Not going to happen, Glin."
Fiyero pinched the bridge of his nose. "Ladies, could we please continue the story?"
They continued in this manner: Fiyero would read first, then Galinda would read the next chapter, and then Elphaba the next. Galinda would constantly comment on how 'cute' both Elphaba and Fiyero were as they 'confessed their love for one another', causing Elphaba to shake her head at her former roommate.
"You know, so far, the story is not as bad as I thought it would be," Fiyero commented after Elphaba finished her turn at reading again - just after reading about the girls playing in the snow. "If anything, it's more of a celebration of life than focusing on your death."
"I have to admit that you're right," Elphaba replied. "I thought it was going to be worse than it is."
Galinda then added, "And let's face it - this author has done a good job capturing some of the moments we've shared. I mean: you never played in the snow until you got to Shiz."
"Yeah," Elphaba replied, smiling as she remembered her first snowball fight. It was the first time she felt like she belonged. "At least I wasn't dying when we did it."
"True," Galinda replied. After Fiyero read about watching the first sunrise - with many happy squeals from Galinda - the blonde took the Mirror from him. However, when she saw she had reached chapter eight, she gasped at the title. "Oh, my Oz! This one is entitled, 'Make Love'! IT'S A PIE CHAPTER!"
"And happy feelings gone," Elphaba complained, hiding her head from embarrassment.
However when they got to the end of the chapter, Galinda pouted. "Well, there's not a lot of details here. That's seriously disappointing."
"Should I be worried about her being so interested in the details of our sex life?" Fiyero asked his girlfriend quietly and she couldn't suppress the giggle that escaped her lips.
Of course, when Elphaba read in the next chapter that 'Galinda' wanted details of said 'pie', she cackled.
"What do you know? The author has Galinda's character down pat."
"Hey!" Galinda protested, hands on her hips. "What's wrong with wanting my best friend to be happy?"
"Nothing, Glin," Elphaba replied with a wink.
They continued on until Galinda reached chapter eleven. "Oh, this one is called, 'Fly'. I bet it's where you learn to fly that horrid broomstick."
However, as Galinda read the chapter, they realized that this chapter would not end well. Sure enough, upon the revelation of the Wizard's treachery and Elphaba's escape, Galinda lamented, "Well, that sucks."
"Well, it's the truth, Glin," Elphaba noted, taking the Mirror from her. "That's what happened - the Wizard lied to everybody and removed the Animals' rights. This is just a different twist to that tale."
"It's still a crappy way to strike 'Fly' off of your list," Fiyero noted and Elphaba nodded in agreement.
However, when Elphaba pulled up the next chapter, she took a double take at the author's notes on the next page:
NOTHING BUT CACKLES FOR THE QUEEN OF CLIFFIES! *cackles*
"Ok, now she's seriously trolling here," Elphaba noted after showing her companions the author's note.
Galinda then huffed with her arms crossed. "This chick is really killing my happy feels."
They continued on in the story; reading about Elphaba's work with the Animals. However, when the reached the part where Elphaba visited her sister and father, and hearing how her father was 'always proud of her', Fiyero noticed a few tears running down Elphaba's face.
"Fae?" he asked, gently taking her hand. "Are you all right?"
"Just wishful thinking," she replied, and both he and Galinda understood.
They continued reading, and it was Elphaba's turn as they came to chapter fifteen: the chapter where her life came to an end. She read it out solemnly and slowly and her companions hung on every word she said. When she finished reading the chapter, silence hung heavy in the air. Fiyero was practically holding her hand like a vice. Galinda, however, was a blubbering mess, completely surrounded by wet tissues as a half-empty box of kleenex sat by her side. Tears were still streaming down her face as Fiyero read the last chapter aloud.
When they had finished the story, Elphaba surprisingly found herself with a mouth full of blonde curls having the life squeezed out of her.
"Please don't die, Elphie!"
"I won't, Glin," she replied, comforting her friend. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Good," the blonde hotly replied. "Because if you die, I'll kill you!"
Fiyero had to suppress a snort at their friend's exclamation. Elphaba, however, rolled her eyes at her overly emotional but caring friend. "It's ok, Glin. It's only a story. I'm still here."
"I know," Galinda replied breaking the embrace. "But the thought of you dying is sad."
Handing her the Magic Mirror, the green woman then gently told her friend, "Here. You need something to cheer you up. How about another 'As Long As You're Mine' story?"
"O…ok," the blonde replied. "Thanks Elphie."
Hugging her friend, she replied, "Love you, Glin."
"You too, Elphie."
After Galinda left, Elphaba turned to her boyfriend. "Well, I will admit the story was really good, but the ending was depressing."
"But completely true to life, if you ask me," he replied, taking her in his arms. "And before you say anything: yes, I would move on if you died, but it wouldn't be the same as when I'm with you. You make me so happy, Fae, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I would be devastated if you died and all other women don't even come close to the amazing woman you are. If anything, this author has captured exactly how I feel about you."
Elphaba shook her head in amazement. "You're amazing, you know that? You always make me feel this flutter in my chest…"
"I guess it means you love me," Fiyero joked, wearing a goofy grin on his face.
"Yes, I do," she replied, leaning in to kiss her boyfriend.
Meanwhile, in her bedroom, Galinda took the Magic Mirror and found the video that brought them to the story. She then noticed another 'trailer' on the account. Clicking on it, the video began…
Two good friends…
Two best friends…
Up on the screen appeared images of her and Elphaba during the time she wanted to make the green woman 'Popular'. "Well, this doesn't look so bad," she commented as her mood perked up.
On one short day…
Suddenly, the music changed, and the blonde's smile faded and her heart leapt into her throat as following words came up on the screen…
Their lives will change…
Forever…
"EEEEEEELLLLLLLLPHIEEEEEEEEE!"