Unexpected Adventure

Voor Xanne-Li
op haar zestiende verjaardag

Oh, no.

She was lost.

Here she was, stuck in a beautiful winter wonderland, with absolutely no idea exactly where she was or which way to turn.

And then she spotted the sign.

Arendelle – This-a-way
Oz – That-a-way

Xanne-Li stepped back in surprise. She was between Oz and Arendelle? How did that happen? The last thing she remembered was travelling to Switzerland. How did she get from Earth to here? And which country should she go to? Where could she get help to return to her home?

Maybe if I can get to Oz, Glinda will be able to help send me home. Afterall, she helped Dorothy get home. Even though I don't have those ruby slippers, she might have an idea, thought Xanne-Li.

So she turned towards Oz.

However, just as she went to take a step, up rode a man on a horse.

"Hello, there. Do you need help at all?"

Xanne-Li gasped, unable to believe her eyes. It was… "FIYERO!" she squealed, before promptly passing out.

It was a good ten hours before Xanne-Li finally awoke. By that time, the sky had darkened considerably, and when she glanced around at her surroundings, she found that she was in what appeared to be a small, deserted bungalow. Xanne-Li stretched slightly but cowered back when a large figure suddenly loomed up in front of her.

"Hey, there's no need to be afraid," the figure told her soothingly, kneeling down beside her. "I'm not going to hurt you. How are you feeling?" He looked at her softly, and Xanne-Li stared straight back into the sapphire blue depths.

"F-fine, thanks," Xanne-Li managed to get out nervously. She swallowed hard and licked her dry lips. "Are you really Fiyero?"

The man paused. "Yes, I am," he admitted after a long moment. "But how do you know who I am? You're not an Ozian, are you? Your accent sounds wrong."

Xanne-Li let out a choked-sounding laugh as she struggled to sit up. Fiyero hastened to help her, and Xanne-Li smiled at him gratefully as she explained, "You're famous. Of course I know who you are. As for me…no, I'm not an Ozian. I'm from Earth."

Fiyero's eyes widened. "Earth? You mean such a place exists?"

Xanne-Li cocked an eyebrow. "It must do. I'm proof, aren't I?"

"Are you an alien?" Fiyero asked her suspiciously.

"…I'm…not quite sure how to respond to that," Xanne-Li admitted after a moment, her face twisted into an expression that really cannot be described.

Fiyero shook his head quickly. "Forget it. Would you like something to eat? You must be starving by now."

As soon as Fiyero mentioned the word 'eat', Xanne-Li became very aware of a hunger-induced tightness in her stomach, and she nodded gratefully. "I am rather hungry, thanks."

"I've got some cake somewhere in here…" Fiyero said, rummaging around in his satchel. He pulled out a small container and offered it to the girl. "It's not very substantial, but it's something."

"Thanks," Xanne-Li said as she accepted and opened the container. Her dark eyes lit up when she saw what was inside. "Chocolate cake and – oooh, chocolate-chip cookies!"

"Really?" Fiyero's ears pricked up at that and he leant over to have a look. "So there are! You can have those, too, if you like."

"Oh, no," Xanne-Li protested, "I couldn't take your cookies from you!"

"It's alright; you need food more than I do."

"But –"

"I insist."

Xanne-Li sighed, before an idea occurred to her. "Why don't we share?"

Fiyero flashed her a heart-meltingly boyish grin. "I'm game if you are."

Xanne-Li felt herself growing faint again and fought desperately against it. That man was just so drop-dead gorgeous! It should be illegal to be that handsome, she thought.

"Would you like a drink?" Fiyero asked, standing up.

"Yes, please," Xanne-Li answered immediately, trying to focus on something other than the way Fiyero's Adam's apple bobbed invitingly up and down in his throat as he spoke.

"Is coffee okay?"

Xanne-Li's eyebrows shot up. "You have coffee?"

Fiyero pulled a packet of instant coffee out of his satchel. "Never go anywhere without it."

Xanne-Li laughed. "I actually would prefer a tea, though," she admitted. "I don't suppose you'd happen to have a few teabags in there, would you?"

"As a matter of fact…" Fiyero reached in and pulled out some teabags, much to Xanne-Li's delight. "Jasmine?"

Xanne-Li shook her head in disbelief. "Perfect."

Fiyero found two mugs in a cupboard and put a teabag in each, before stopping and letting out a quiet, "Oh."

"What is it?"

"No hot water," Fiyero informed her sheepishly. "I'm not quite sure what to do…"

"Have a cookie," Xanne-Li suggested, holding the container out to him.

Fiyero took a cookie and munched on it pensively. As he grabbed another, Xanne-Li attempted to stand, only to be overcome with a wave of dizziness. She lurched forward, toppling into Fiyero's arms as he tried to steady her. The pair ended up on the ground with a crunch.

"Are you okay?" Fiyero asked in concern.

"Yeah, I…I think so. Are you?"

Fiyero nodded, gently rolling her off him and sitting up. "Yeah, I – Oh, no!"

"What is it?"

Fiyero picked something up off the floor and turned to face Xanne-Li with wide, sad eyes, like those of a child. "You crushed my cookie!"

Xanne-Li burst into an uncontrollable fit of giggles.

"What?" Fiyero demanded. "This is serious!"

"Oh, believe me," Xanne-Li said, gasping for air, "I know."

Fiyero crossed his arms petulantly and pouted. "You're not very nice."

This made Xanne-Li laugh even harder. "Oh, Oz, my cookie is dying!" she gasped, clutching her stomach.

Fiyero immediately frowned. "What?"

"Inside joke," Xanne-Li explained, wiping tears from her eyes.

"With whom? Yourself?"

"With – Oh, nevermind." Xanne-Li shook her head. "You don't know them."

Fiyero watched her apprehensively. "I'm not sure I want to," he admitted after a long moment.

After Xanne-Li had managed to calm down somewhat, she suggested to Fiyero, "Why not use the fire to heat up the water?"

Fiyero facepalmed. "Why didn't I think of that before?"

"I guess I'm not as brainless as you," Xanne-Li teased with an innocent shrug.

Fiyero narrowed his eyes at her. "I'm not really stupid, you know."

"No, I know," Xanne-Li replied flippantly, "not really stupid."

Finally, Fiyero laughed. "Is my brainlessness as famous as me, then?" he asked as he stood to find a kettle.

"Natürlich!" Xanne-Li cried laughingly. "You can't know of the famous Fiyero without knowing of his infamous stupidity as well."

"Huh. Figures," Fiyero muttered, pulling a kettle out from a cupboard and looking around in confusion.

"What's the matter?" Xanne-Li asked, noticing this.

"No running water." Fiyero sighed. "I hope there's a pump outside. I really don't feel like trudging down to a well in the middle of the forest. I'll be back."

"No, don't leave me!" Xanne-Li cried out, causing Fiyero to stop and look at her in surprise. Xanne-Li flushed. "I mean…what if something happens to you? What if something happens to me? I really don't want to be on my own right now…"

"Alright, you can come," Fiyero relented after a moment of thought.

Xanne-Li instantly perked up and, with Fiyero's assistance, slowly stood, being careful not to move too quickly this time. Once Fiyero was satisfied that the girl wasn't going to knock him over again, he led away outside.

Fiyero scoured the perimeter of the bungalow before his eyes settled on a water pump a few metres away from the back of building. As he proceeded to fill the kettle, Xanne-Li asked, "So what now?"

Fiyero glanced up from underneath his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Xanne-Li shrugged and shoved her hands in her coat pockets, kicking her foot aimlessly. "You know, with…well, with me. I mean, I have to get home somehow. But how?"

Fiyero screwed up his face. "That…is…a very good question." He was silent as he contemplated the issue.

"You…you don't think Glinda could send me home, do you?" Xanne-Li spoke up after a moment. "I mean, I know I don't have ruby slippers or anything, but I'm sure Glinda would be able to find a way…"

"Who?" Fiyero asked blankly. "You mean Galinda? Send you home? I don't see how. Why her? Elphaba would have more of a chance, and even then… Wait, what's this about ruby slippers?"

Xanne-Li sighed, muttering to herself, "Great, I'm in pre-Dorothy era."

"What?"

Xanne-Li shook her head. "Nevermind. Look, is there any way you can take me to Oz?"

"We are already in Oz."

Xanne-Li blinked. "We are?"

"Yep," Fiyero confirmed as he stood and headed back into the bungalow.

"So what's the plan, then?"

"The plan," Fiyero explained, securing the kettle on the rod running above the fire, "is I don't know. I guess I'll take you back to the Vinkus with me and see if my parents can help somehow."

"I don't see how."

"Honestly? Me, neither. But you never know; my parents are pretty clever people."

Xanne-Li smiled gently. "They sound wonderful. So when do we leave?"

"Let's get a good nights' sleep tonight and see how you feel in the morning, but hopefully, we can leave sometime tomorrow." Once the kettle was heated, Fiyero made two cups of tea and handed one to Xanne-Li.

The two sipped their drinks in silence, and then Fiyero suggested they go to bed.

"Separately, of course," he hastened to add.

"I'm not sure whether to be offended or relieved," Xanne-Li joked.

Fiyero rolled his eyes. "There's a small bedroom through there," he told her, pointing. "The bed is only a single, so you can have that. I'll sleep out here."

"Are you –"

"Yes, I'm quite sure. Goodnight, uh… Oh, Oz, I just realized that I stupidly never asked you your name," Fiyero admitted sheepishly, cringing.

Xanne-Li blinked. "You didn't? Wait… Oh, no, you didn't. My name is Xanne-Li."

"Xanne-Li…" Fiyero repeated softly. "That's a pretty name. Goodnight, Xanne-Li."

Blushing, Xanne-Li ducked her head. "Goodnight, Fiyero. And thanks. For everything." Xanne-Li reached up to lightly kiss Fiyero's cheek, before disappearing into the adjoining bedroom.

The next morning saw Fiyero struggling to make another two cups of tea while Xanne-Li watched as the sun rose above the snow-covered horizon.

"Sleep well?" Fiyero grunted conversationally.

"Better than you're managing with that tea," Xanne-Li teased him.

"It's not my fault the wood won't maintain a fire today!" Fiyero defended himself.

Xanne-Li merely laughed.

Eventually, Fiyero managed to keep a fire going long enough to heat the kettle. They drank their tea and then they were off, with Xanne-Li positioned on Fiyero's horse in front of said prince.

They rode for a few hours, only stopping at about noon to rest the horse for a short while.

Just as they were about to continue their journey, a voice was heard floating towards them. Xanne-Li and Fiyero exchanged a startled glance, and the voice came closer until it sounded like it was right behind them. Turning around, the pair noticed a snowman.

Xanne-Li gasped.

Fiyero frowned.

The snowman beamed and held out his stick arms. "Hi! I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs."

"Are we in Arendelle?" Xanne-Li asked the snowman.

"Yup," Olaf confirmed, nodding.

Xanne-Li shot Fiyero an annoyed glare. "I thought you said we were in Oz."

Fiyero scratched his head, looking confused and suddenly somewhat frazzled. "I…I don't understand. We were in Oz… We must have just backtracked… There must have been snowfall last night, because this sure doesn't look like what I rode through yesterday."

"Well, it looks like we're backtracking the other way," Xanne-Li said firmly.

"Oooh, can I come?" Olaf asked eagerly.

Fiyero looked at Xanne-Li apprehensively, but the girl was already smiling enthusiastically.

"Sure!"

Fiyero sighed. So now he was entertaining talking snowmen? Great. Just great.

"Are we in Oz yet?"

Fiyero groaned. "The next person who asks me that gets dumped on the spot."

"Grumpy guts," mumbled Olaf.

"Hey, is that a village over there?" Xanne-Li asked, pointing to the right.

Fiyero followed her line of vision. "It sure is. Finally, breakfast!" He urged his horse in the direction of the village, and soon they were ambling down the cobbled main street of the tiny place. "Look, there's a bakery. Oooh, pie! I feel like eating pie right now."

Xanne-Li leant away from Fiyero warily. "Not with me, you don't."

"Huh?"

"I mean, I am flattered, and I would love to – I mean, you have got to be the most attractive guy to have ever existed – but, I mean, come on, we've only just met, and…well…no."

"Wha…?" Fiyero frowned. "Sometimes, I really don't understand you. I'm hungry, alright?"

"Oh, that sort of eating pie. Sorry, I think my friend has infected my brain."

Fiyero lifted an eyebrow.

"Nevermind. Well, go and get your pie. While you're there, I'll have one, too."

"And me!" Olaf chimed in. "And make sure it's a hot one!"

Fiyero, who had by now dismounted, paused to shoot Olaf a look. "You don't have much experience with heat, do you?"

Xanne-Li grinned.

Olaf pouted. "Why does everyone keep on saying that?"

"Don't worry about it, Olaf," Xanne-Li said kindly, patting his head. "You'll learn. One day."

"Humph."

"Won't be a tick!" Fiyero called over his shoulder.

True to his word, the prince returned a couple of minutes later with three pies. He gave one to Xanne-Li and one to Olaf, commenting, "I bet I'll have to finish that one off for you."

"No way, dude! I intend to eat this all myself." Olaf took a bite and immediately opened his mouth wide with a whoosh of air. "Ouch! Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot…"

Fiyero smirked. "Now you know what heat is like."

"Stop tormenting the poor guy. He's so cute and innocent." Xanne-Li gave Olaf a big hug, before turning back to Fiyero. "So what happens when we reach your parents' place?"

Fiyero hesitated. "Ah. I've…been thinking about that."

"Uh-oh, here it comes…"

"I was thinking that the Wizard of Oz might be better equipped to help you."

Before he had even finished the sentence, Xanne-Li was already shaking her head. "Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no. Not the so-called Mr. Wonderful Sentimental Father-of-all-Oz Wannabe. Nuh-uh. Take me to Elphaba."

"What?" Fiyero asked, dumbfounded.

"Take me to Elphaba," Xanne-Li repeated firmly.

"…Okay. If you really want."

"I do want."

"Okay. We'll go see Elphaba, then."

"Good."

"Once I finish my pie."

Xanne-Li rolled her eyes.

"Well, here we are."

Xanne-Li sighed wistfully.

"What is it?" Fiyero asked. "I thought you wanted to go home?"

"I do," Xanne-Li replied. "It's just…I don't want to leave you. Can't you come with me?"

Fiyero shook his head with a sad smile. "I'm afraid I can't. I'm sorry, Xanne-Li."

"I understand." She slid down from the horse, Fiyero following suit. "Well, thankyou for everything."

"Why do you have to go?" Olaf asked. "We only just met!"

Xanne-Li knelt down in front of the snowman. "I have to return to where I came from. Everyone will be missing me. But I will always remember you, Olaf." She gave the snowman a huge hug, which Olaf returned wholeheartedly, before straightening and turning back to Fiyero. "Thankyou, Fiyero."

"If you ever accidentally come back, look me up," Fiyero told her with a lopsided smile.

Xanne-Li smiled back. "I will. Well, goodbye." She made to kiss his cheek, but Fiyero leant forward and pressed his lips to hers.

Poof! Xanne-Li turned into Elphaba.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the characters mentioned in this story. Fiyero belongs entirely to L. Frank Baum and Gregory Macguire. Olaf belongs entirely to Disney. Xanne-Li belongs only to herself. And me. Because she's my pet. Aside from Xanne-Li, I only own this story, which is protected in my name under Australian Copyright Law dating back to 2014.