AN:

So, here we go. This is just a little one-shot which has its basis in the 1939 movie. It's the thoughts of Glinda and Dorothy during the whole orange smoke arrival section, when Dorothy first meets the 'Wicked Witch'. I basically steal lines from the movie, but everything has its basis in Wicked, which we have to thank for the creation of Elphaba as a character.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN WICKED. Wicked is the property of Gregory Maguire, and the writers of the musical. I DO NOT OWN WIZARD OF OZ: THE MOVIE which is the property of MGM. And I DO NOT OWN WIZARD OF OZ the book or the initial idea, which was created by L. Frank Baum to whom we owe a real world of gratitude and whose name we should thank for giving us Elphaba.

Celebrations ended with orange smoke. Rising in a thick, gas plume from the colourful floors of Munchkinland, it threw Munchkins everywhere to their backs and stomachs in terror. Hands clapped over their ears and eyes, they whimpered with fright, or else ran screaming in any direction, as there entered a woman, face green, eyes as black as coal. Dorothy clutched Toto tight and leant, subconsciously, into the good witch behind her.

'I thought you said she was dead!' she squeaked in terror. Glinda, who seemed ever calm, replied:

'That was her sister, the Wicked Witch of the East. This is the Wicked Witch of the West. She's worse than the other one was.'

While ever sweet and calm on the outside, Glinda's heart hammered wildly. The arrival of this girl had left her no time to grieve, or even to warn Elphie. Nessa's death, terrible as she had become, had left a mark on Glinda. The mark it would leave on Elphie would be ten times the size. She watched her friend as she approached the house, saw her stiffen as she looked upon the slippers, those damn slippers, all that could be seen of her sister. Glinda was terrified. Elphaba was kind, gentle and understanding. But, when she turned, the flash of grief was outdone by pure fury. Elphaba angry, Elphaba hurt. That Elphaba was an all together different story.

'Who killed my sister?' she snarled. There were no traces of Elphaba, of Elphie, in that voice. For a second, were she not her best friend, Glinda could very well have believed her wickedness. 'Who killed the Witch of the East?' Her eyes scanned back and forth, rapid, maddeningly swirling and Glinda desperately tried to catch her gaze. 'Was it you?' She strode forward, broom in hand, scaring the poor girl half to death. Though Dorothy's house had been the weapon, Glinda knew it wasn't the simple child's fault. In some other time, Elphie would have known that too. Now, she was vicious.

'No – no it was an accident.' Dorothy stammered. If possible, she squeezed Toto even tighter and pressed into Glinda. She was terrified. This woman, this wicked witch, seemed to her evil incarnate. And yet she had killed her sister. She had. But – she hadn't meant to do it. 'I didn't mean to kill anybody.' Yet, Dorothy thought wildly, was that any sort of defence?

Glinda kept on smiling, knowing that Munchkins were watching her from the shadows. She mustn't show sadness, she mustn't show fear. Not even if it cost her her friend.

'Well, my little pretty, I can cause accidents too.' The use of what had once been an endearment started Glinda, but she did not let it show. The tiniest trace of Elphie had been discovered after these seconds of terror, but it was fleeting and false and gone very fast. Desperate, hopeless and all the time smiling, Glinda knew she had to distract Elphaba. But how? A light clicked on in her little blonde head. A second, that was all it took. And before she could think it over, the words were out of her mouth.

'Aren't you forgetting the ruby slippers?' Elphaba froze and a crazed smile spread across her face.

'The slippers? Yes!' she said, darting over to the house. Glinda knew Elphaba had enchanted the things. With their aid, and by their turning ruby red, Nessa had been able to walk. The power in them was something she didn't understand. Could that be what Elphie wanted them for? Power? Was the crazed glint to her eye something more than grief. Was it…hunger? Could she be putting everyone, Dorothy, herself, the Munchkins, Elphie, in harms way by allowing her to get hold of those shoes? Thoughts spun around her blissful blonde brain until her head hurt and all in just a few seconds. She had to make a decision. She'd made it. Summoning one of the only spells she knew, Glinda transported the shoes and Elphie recoiled from her sister's disappearing feet. Bare disappearing feet.

'They're gone! The ruby slippers, what have you done with them? Give them back to me or I'll - '

You can't afford to be indecisive Glinda, she berated herself, as Elphaba's hurt green face came closer, stick to your wand, girl! Stand up to her! She's not a Wicked Witch, she's Elphie! But remember stay positive!

'It's too late,' she sang quickly. 'There they are and there they'll stay.'

She felt the girl's intake of breath as she looked down at her feet, on which were clad Nessa's precious shoes.

Elphaba looked at her and she had to fight to keep smiling. The hurt disappeared quickly, but Glinda had seen it. Something like betrayal had flashed in her eyes. Glinda knew her friend was asking Why but knew she could never answer.

'Give me back my slippers. I'm the only one that knows how to use them. They're of no use to you. Give them back to me. Give them back!'

Glinda could see Elphaba mounting to a crescendo. She felt it in the air. So she was going to use them for something? But what? She had to protect Elphie from herself. She had to make sure the farm girl kept the shoes. The smile dropped from her face for once as she eagerly told the child:

'Keep tight inside of them. Their magic must be very powerful, or she wouldn't want them so badly.'

Dorothy nodded in agreement, but inside a war was raging. Keep them? Why are they on my feet anyway? Can't I just give them back? Oh, God. Oh, God.

'You stay out of this Glinda, or I'll fix you as well.'

Confusion crossed Dorothy. Glinda? A first name basis? Did these two, these opposites, the good, the bad, the dark, the light, the beautiful and – did they know one another? The Good Witch's flippant reply seemed to suggest otherwise.

Glinda laughed. Keep light and airy. That's it. You're not affected. You have to stay with the winning team.

'Oh, rubbish. You have no power here.' As if. She has power everywhere. 'Be gone. Before somebody drops a house on you too.' Leave Elphie. If Morrible finds you…if the Wizard finds you…Elphie!

Elphaba got the message, but wasn't about to leave without a retort. The image she had built had protected her. She had to keep it in place. The poor girl was quivering, but she had to make one last impression. Play along with Glinda. Play along. For now, only for now.

'Very well, I'll bide my time. And as for you my fine lady,' Oh, Nessa… 'it's true I can't attend to you here and now as I'd like,' A nice new myth to add to the water theory, 'but just try to stay out of my way, just try.' One last thing. Leave them shaking. A threat! 'I'll get you my pretty,' Goodbye Glinda, 'And your little dog too.'

A cackle erupted from her throat, louder and colder than ever before and even Glinda jumped at the noise. Swishing her cloak, her hat teetering, she looked back at the friend that had given her these things. Her only friend in the whole world. A friend she might never see again. It was true, now, they were on different sides. But as she saw the sadness in Glinda's eyes, they were once again just two girls at University, friends until the end, through thick and thin, with the occasional disagreement, fight, argument, hiccup….but friends nonetheless.

Smoke once again appeared and Elphaba was shrouded.

Glinda looked on.

Goodbye for now, Elphie. I hope I'll see you soon.

Goodbye for now, Glinda. Goodbye.

AN:

Well? Crap? Absolutely mind-numbingly rubbish? What do you think?