A/N - Thank you! Thank you for your nominations for the Greg Awards! Thank you to those who voted for me! I truly appreciate it. Congratulations on all who won and thank you TrebledWriter for hosting!
I wanted to write this one for a while - only recently have I been able to get it where I want it. (Although, I'll probably post this and then two weeks later say, "Oh man, I could have wrote this better!".) :P
I'm still trying to decide if I'll make this a one-shot or two-shot; though, I do have a second chapter in mind. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked - it is owned by people much more talented than me.
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Elphaba looked out toward the darkening sky, cursing the approaching darkness as she tried to desperately light a fire. Normally, she'd have already found shelter by now, lit a fire to keep warm and had something to eat from her meager possessions. However, that damned Gale Force found her only an hour before and she had to escape. Thankfully, none of their shots found their mark as she soared through the sky, but their interference meant that she needed to find a new hiding place in the light of the dying sunset. Thankfully, she was able to find a small cave to hide in, but the evening dew had already started falling. Now, trying to get the dampened wood to light, Elphaba shivered in the cool damp air of the cave.
Sighing in frustration, she threw the sticks to the ground and sat on the cold floor. It was days like today she really wondered if she was doing any good - wondering if her fight for the Animals was all worth it. Yes, the Animals depended on her. Yes, she had saved as many as she could.
However, her mind flickered to the ones she couldn't save - the ones she watched die at the hands of the Wizard's army.
It was then that, somewhere in the back of her mind, Glinda's words echoed...
Elphie, just say you're sorry before it's too late. You can still be with the Wizard – it's what you've worked and waited for. You can have all you ever wanted...
But, the green woman knew that, once she flew out the window of the Emerald Palace, there was no going back.
Pulling her thread-worn blanket around her, Elphaba tried to fight the cold air that crept in around her. She knew she needed fire to stay warm - it meant staying alive. So, with a resigned sigh, she started to try and light the fire again.
That's when she heard a sound...a snap of a twig.
She quickly stepped back to hide in the darkness of the cave; her hands in front of her in case she needed her magic to defend herself.
In the darkness of the evening, a voice called out: "Miss Elphaba?"
Her heart lept into her throat. Somebody knew she was there?
The voice called out again, much softer this time. "It's alright, Miss Elphaba. I don't mean any harm."
It was then that the cave started to fill with light and Elphaba got a good look at her unexpected visitor:
Crouched down in front of a now lit fire was a man. He was an older man - his short, grey curly hair, grey mustache and goatee was evidence of that. His skin was a dark color - perhaps he was from the Quadlings.
"Who are you?" she demanded hotly, heart pounding in her chest and her hands still at the ready in case she needed to use her magic.
"I am just a friend," he replied as he stood. His face held a soft expression and he wore a warm smile. His voice, while deep, was soft and soothing. He wore a simple black coat with a white shirt and black pants. "I noticed you were having trouble lighting your fire, so I wanted to help."
"Why would you help me?" she asked him, still holding up her guard.
"Because I want to," he simply replied with a smile as he picked up a large log.
This strange man was about to place the log on the fire before Elphaba spoke, "That won't work...the wood's too wet and it's to big a piece for..."
However, as he placed the log on the tiny fire, the flames quickly grew, filling the cave with its warmth.
He smiled at his handiwork. "Alrighty, then. That's more like it."
She looked back at this strange man in shock. "How did you do that?"
The man shrugged. "It's a talent I have," he simply replied, still smiling. He then added, "It's such a strange place to find such a pretty, young lady. Aren't there better places to stay?"
"Maybe I like the open concept and fresh air," Elphaba deadpanned. "Besides, you do know who you're talking to, right?"
"Yes, I do," he answered. "I know who you are, Miss Elphaba. This may come as a surprise, but I remember you as a young baby."
"Funny, I don't remember you," came her cautious retort.
"What can I say...it's been a really long time since we've talked."
Rolling her eyes, Elphaba then said, "You still haven't told me who you are."
"Like I said, I'm just a friend who wants to help," he simply repeated. "Let's just say that I want you to succeed in your mission."
"So, who are you? Resistance?"
"No," he replied as he sat down beside the fire, motioning for her to sit as well. Cautiously, the green woman sat down with the man. "You might find this hard to believe, but not everybody in Oz agrees with the Wizard's or Morrible's plans, or their treatment of the Animals. I've seen many innocent Animals...and people...be hurt by what's been going on."
"Or killed," Elphaba solemnly added, her mind briefly flashing back to those she couldn't save.
The stranger nodded sadly. "Or killed," he repeated. "That hurts the most...to watch the innocent be killed. That truly pains my heart."
"The way you talk, you sound like they're your children," Elphaba noted.
He pursed his lips together in thought. "Perhaps. But don't you feel the same way? Don't you hate seeing the innocent persecuted with no way to defend themselves?"
Sighing, Elphaba sarcastically retorted, "Well, it's not like I chose the title 'Wicked Witch of The West'."
He only stared at her in reply.
Huffing, the green woman continued, "OK, yes. To be completely honest, I felt I couldn't just stand there and do nothing when I discovered the truth about the Wizard."
"The fact he's a not a real Wizard? The fact he's behind the mistreatment of of the Animals?"
"The fact he's dividing the citizens of Oz against each other only for his political gain," she replied. "And the fact he would let anyone suffer just so he and Horrible Morrible could be in power? That..."
She stopped as a lump formed in her throat. There were so many emotions playing in her mind.
"How do you know all of this?" he asked her.
She swallowed hard. "Because I was there." It was then she told him the story about her day in the Emerald City, leaving out the parts with Glinda - no sense in dragging her into this mess.
After she finished her story, he then noted, "You must have felt betrayed."
"You have no idea," she lamented, starting to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall. "I had been waiting my whole life to meet the Wizard and finally do something good. And then..."
Wiping away the tears that were falling from her cheeks, she quietly apologized. "Sorry," she simply whispered but the stranger nodded in understanding.
They sat in silence for a few moments before Elphaba spoke: "Sometimes I wonder why I'm even doing this. I feel so alone."
"Perhaps it is your destiny," the stranger noted.
"Now, just one clock-tick!" Elphaba replied angrily. "What are you saying? That I'm destined to go through this hell?"
Holding up his hands in defense, he answered, "That's not exactly what I meant. What I meant was doing what you've been sent to do - that you've been born to help others. What if 'destiny' was not telling you how to live but fulfilling a purpose?"
"And what would that be? To become the most hated person of Oz? To be looked upon as an aberation? If you haven't noticed, it's not easy being a person with green skin."
"First of all," he calmly started, "If somebody can't see the beautiful woman you are behind your green skin, then they're not worth your time."
In his response, her mind flashed back to Fiyero - the moment back in the forest at Shiz with the Lion Cub - the moment she felt sparks for the first time. She even felt her heart flutter for a moment.
The stranger continued, taking her from her thoughts. "Second, let me ask you this: if you had the chance to go back with no consequence - if you could join the Wizard, knowing what you know now - would you?"
Relaxing her shoulders, she thought about the stranger's question before replying, "No."
"Why not?" he calmly asked, knowing where he was leading her.
Sighing, she tiredly replied, "Because I know what it's like to be seen as 'different' and I couldn't stand the thought of Animals being treated as 'different' and having their lives taken away. I could never live with myself if I went back."
He nodded in understanding. "I know it's hard to think of the ones you couldn't save, but just think of the ones you could. How much better are their lives because of what you did?"
"I guess so," she replied. "It's hard, though. Like I said, I feel so alone."
"You're not alone," he answered taking her hand in his. "There are many in Oz who believe in you: Animal and human alike. You are definitely not alone."
She looked down at her hand in the stranger's hand. Surprisingly, she didn't feel afraid or shocked; she felt a sense of relief wash over her. For the first time in a long time, she felt a sense of purpose - a determination to complete the mission she chose to undertake.
Squeezing his hand, she simply said, "Thank you."
Standing up, the stranger then said, "Anyway, I must be heading back. It was a pleasure to talk to you, Miss Elphaba. Please enjoy your dinner, and don't forget to wrap up warm."
He gestured towards her bag. When she looked down at her satchel, she let out a gasp: her once empty bag was full of fruits, nuts, cheeses and dried meats. In addition, her thread-worn blanket was now a thick fully intact blanket. She also noticed another thicker blanket lying on the ground beside her.
"What in Oz..." she breathed in disbelief.
Chuckling lightly to himself, the Stranger then said, "I'll see you around, Miss Elphaba." And with that, he turned to leave.
"Wait!" she cried out causing him to stop. "Who are you? Please tell me your name! Do you even have a name?"
Smiling again, he simply replied. "Of course I have a name. Ironically, most people think I'm unnamed...at least, that's what they say."
As he turned and walked away, their conversation rattled around in her head.
The way he talked about the "innocent people" of Oz...
The talk about "Destiny"...
Being called "Unnamed"...
There was something special about this man. It was almost as if...
It was then a shocking realization hit her.
"Oh...my...God..." she breathed as she collapsed to her knees on the weight of her realization.
The man simply turned and winked before disappearing from sight.
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A/N - if you need a hint at who the "stranger" is, just think Morgan Freeman.
