Well, here it is! The If/Then story! The split won't happen until the beginning of the third chappie, and the bold headings show which reality we're in.

Clarification: This IS Fiyeraba. Sort of.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

Elphaba

Here's how it starts,

And here's how it ends:

Two different hearts,

Maybe lovers or friends.

No one knows the way the long road bends.

Once every day, your life starts again.

No one can say just how or just when.

Somehow the world turns inside out, and then,

What if?

What if?

What if you wonder?

What if?

It was a typical day in the Emerald City. Locals bustling off to work, tourists in awe over the glitz and glamour of Oz's capital city. Lukas Valentinis sat on a bench, enjoying his day off. He was a garbage man, dealing with the not so pretty aspects of the EC. And actually, he wasn't exactly a man, but a Bear, a proud Black Bear, slowly but surely plotting a riot with his colleagues. The worst that could happen was Southstairs, right?

Suddenly, a perky blonde girl bounced down next to him. "Hello!" she chirped. "I'm Glinda Upland, of the Upper Uplands. The 'Ga' is silent. What's your name? Do you live here in the EC?"

This Glinda was lucky Lukas was in a fairly good mood. "I'm Lukas Valentinis. I do live here in the EC, for all the good it does me, and I am disinclined to talk to strangers." Especially humans, he thought darkly.

"Oh, but we're not strangers anymore! Our fates have brought us together!" Lukas' eyebrows rose as the blond practically danced in her seat.

"No, I think it was more due to you sitting down here," Lukas retorted. "Don't you have anywhere you need to be, Glinda Upland, of the Upper Uplands?"

Glinda bristled. "Well, if you must know, I am going to see the Wizard of Oz himself, with my bestest friend, Elphie. She's using the lavatory facility right now. Wait, there she is! Elphie! Over here!"

Lukas suspected that "Elphie" was short for "Elphaba," and when he saw Glinda's friend walking over towards them, his mouth fell open in shock. This was Elphaba Thropp from Restwater High School! There was no mistaking her dark clothes, not to mention her brilliant verdigris! Words came out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Faba! It's really you!"

Her brown eyes widened. "Lukas? Oh my Oz, Lukas!" Before he knew it, she was hugging him quite tightly.

"Um, Elphie?" Glinda asked once they had separated. "Do you know this guy?"

"Yes! Glinda, this is Lukas Valentinis. We went to high school together. Lukas, this is my friend Glinda, though it seems you two have already met."

"We have," Lukas replied, briefly glaring at Glinda. "And she told me that you're going to see the Wizard! How did that happen?"

Elphaba's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Well, remember that time in tenth grade when those girls were harassing us in the cafeteria?"

"How could I forget? You sent them clear across the room!"

"Exactly! That was magic! I can do magic!"

Lukas chuckled affectionately. "I told you so, Faba, but did you believe me? Noooo!"

"Who's this 'Faba'?" Glinda suddenly cut in. "It seems like you two were pretty close."

"Not in that way, Glin," Elphaba said. "Everyone called me Faba. Well, everyone who didn't use other creative nicknames such as 'vegetable' and 'artichoke.'" She laughed darkly.

"Yeah, but whoever did use those creative nicknames got a punch in the face from yours truly," Lukas added. "Nobody messes with my buddy Faba!"

Elphaba raised her eyebrows. "Yes, and that got you sent to the principal's office on countless occasions, if I recall correctly."

Before the trio could say anything more, a Gale Force soldier appeared in front of them. "Miss Elphaba Thropp?" he asked, slightly bowing to the green girl.

"Yes?" Lukas could tell that Elphaba was slightly taken aback by this display of respectation.

"The Wizard will see you now."

Elphaba struggled to speak. "A-and my friends?"

"Them too, if you want!"

"Well, Glinda, Lukas," Elphaba said, now pale green with nervousness. "Shall we see the Wizard?"

Glinda started squealing. "Yes, yes, yes! C'mon, Elphie!" The blonde started tugging on Elphaba's arm.

"Me too," Lukas said, standing up on his back paws. "You'll be brilliant, Faba. As always. And we get to watch! No pressure, or anything." He felt satisfied as a smile slowly crept across her face.

"I can do this! I just … I need to take care." In her frenzy, she only half believed the things she was saying. What if the Wizard didn't need her after all? What if she completely blew it? As they walked towards the Palace, both Glinda and Lukas sensed Elphaba's fears.

"Alright, Elphie," Glinda started just as they approached the Palace gates. "I know you. I can tell you're imagining that horrendifying things are going to happen, but they're not!"

"But they could," Elphaba countered, now getting even more anxious. "There's always a probability that …"

Glinda huffed. "There you go again with this whole probability stuff! Always trying to imagine EVERY possibility! The fates have this one sealed for you, Elphie!"

"Yeah," Lukas said with a laugh. "No need to draw any obsessive tree diagrams."

"She used to draw tree diagrams?!" Glinda was shocked.

"Yeah! About everything! Where to go out to eat, what classes to take …"

"Alright, enough!" Elphaba finally shouted. "Let's get inside before Lukas decides to reveal all the details of my past."

So they entered the Palace, with Glinda still mumbling in disbelief, "Tree diagrams!"

Even Lukas had to admit that the Throne Room was a bit terrifying. The Wizard of Oz spoke through a gigantic head, with smoke coming out of it from all sides. The jaw moved in a creaking fashion, which seemed to be even louder due to their fear. But of course, nothing compared to the Wizard's ground-shattering voice. "I AM OZ, THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE! WHO ARE YOU, AND WHY DO YOU SEEK ME?" All three of them were stunned into silence.

On a happier note, I saw Wicked on Easter! Emily Koch was Elphaba, and she was FANTASTIC!

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Elle Dottore