Regrettably, I do not own Wicked. I'm merely obsessed. ;)
Elphaba marched in formation with the other Protectors. They were heading out to a platform where they would stand in their tight fitting cat suits and be bid upon by rich people that had children or grandchildren going off to college. She was the only one with a hood and she tugged it lower as they entered out into the bright space of the auction. Now it was well known that this was a special occasion, the Ozma was coming to choose a Protector for her daughter, Princess Galinda Upland, and as such it was understood that she would get first pick. When they emerged from the tunnel and onto the platform, they were somewhat blinded by bright daylight. The platform was in a stone amphitheater with an open roof. Hundreds of people lined the stands and the Ozma was waiting on the stage, a college age girl standing behind her and ogling some of the guys. Elphaba shifted so that she was at the very end of the line, hoping to avoid being seen. The Ozma was fairly young, around forty or so, she was beautifully dressed in a white gown, the girl behind her was dressed in a similar gown, but instead of white it was pink. Bright pink. The Ozma was approximately five people away from Elphaba when she noticed that she was wearing a hood. She walked slowly over to her, placing a gentle hand on her upper arm, surprised to find that her arms were rock hard, and she didn't even have to squeeze!
"Why are you hiding underneath that hood?" Elphaba looked at the older woman before her with a slight sense of awe.
"I'm hiding because people generally don't react very well when they see me." The Ozma stared into her carmel colored eyes, the only part of her face visible beneath the hood.
"Surely it isn't that bad." Elphaba just shook her head. The woman reached up and gently pulled her hood back. The light caught her black hair, causing it to shine multiple colors, predominately a blackish purple, like raven feathers, and her emerald skin glowed in the light. Elphaba immediately cast her eyes to the ground, waiting for a shriek or a gasp, but there was nothing. The Ozma moved her hand to Elphaba's chin, pulling her face up to look at her.
"What is your name?"
"Elphaba Thropp." The older woman nodded.
"So you are the daughter of the Head."
"That is correct."
"Then why are you among the Protectors?"
"Because it's all I've known since I was three." The Ozma glared hard at Frexspar, who was standing in front of the group and he flinched. Satisfied, she turned back to her and continued in a smooth and soothing voice.
"Can you tell me your ranking among your class?" Elphaba nodded.
"I am the top student in my class." The ruler of Oz quirked a brow at this, then nodded and brought the girl in the pink dress out from behind her.
"This is Princess Galinda Upland, your new charge."
The Princess stared between her mother and her newly appointed Protector. Elphaba was shocked as well and the second hazel met cerulean, they knew that something was different. They both attributed it to instant loathing. Elphaba bowed deeply, but with little flourish. On reflex the blonde extended a hand and Elphaba kissed it, her lips creating an electric feeling against the pale skin. This confused both of them, but Elphaba pulled them through again.
"My name is Elphaba Thropp, and I look forward to serving you for as long as I live." This response was the formal response that they were told to give when introduced to their charge for the first time. The blonde nodded superiorly and then turned on her heel, the Ozma and Elphaba following immediately.
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Galinda fumed the whole trip to Shiz. Her new Protector was an anti-social vegetable, everything about Elphaba irritated her. From the way that she simply stared out the window at the scenery as it flashed past to the way she would talk with her almost emotionlessly, to the way she would argue with her when the pink Princess grew irate at her. As things now stood, the two were sitting in a stony silence, waiting for their train to come to a complete stop. When that happened Elphaba was the first to stand, calmly walking over to Galinda and offering her hand to help her up. The blonde gave said hand a disgusted look and batted it away with her carry on. Elphaba said nothing about this, merely turning and taking her small satchel from the overhead, holding the door open for the blonde so that she could exit as a Princess should, and following her though the car and onto the platform. They stepped down off the train and silence immediately fell at the station, everyone was staring at Elphaba. A boy snickered and picked up a stone throwing it at the green girl, hitting her in the jaw, soon other people were pelting Elphaba with stones as they walked through the station. Elphaba was very careful to stay far enough behind the frowning blonde that no stray stones would hit her, but close enough that she could run to her if needed. They stopped by the administrative office to pick up their room keys, then they were off to room 22 on the second floor of Crage Hall. The room was spacious, equipped with two beds and a rather nice bathroom. One bed was covered completely by a fluffy pink comforter and more pillows than Elphaba had ever seen on any one bed in her entire life, and that entire side of the bedroom was covered in pink. There was a large window with a plush pink seat on it on that side as well as the bathroom and kitchen. The other side of the room was completely barren except for a simple cot with rough black sheets and one pillow. On the bed rested a clean and pressed white button down shirt with the royal crest, a golden z inside an O, sewn into the pocket on the left breast pocket, next to it was a black tank top with a large rendition of the Ozian crest embroidered on the side in golden thread, a pair of navy leggings with a black belt, and a rough brown nightgown. Elphaba placed the Princess's bags on the pink bed and started to unpack them.
"Leave them,"
Elphaba nodded and picked up her satchel, jack-knifing herself onto her bed, up at the head, against the wall where she could see whatever was coming next. She watched the blonde Princess struggle to put her shoes on the shoe rack, as she did this, the green girl discerned a sort of categorization, from casual on the bottom shelf to what she assumed would be dressy on the top shelf. The petite girl was struggling to put a pair of expensive looking red heels on the very top shelf and Elphaba smirked to herself.
"Princess, if you need any help over there, all you have to do is ask." Her smirk was gone by the time the frustrated blonde turned around to face her. From the scowl on her face Elphaba got the idea that it would be a wonderful thing if she shut up. The Princess looked at her bed, then looked at her shoe rack, a plan forming in her little mind. Elphaba saw what she was going to do and leapt from her bed and across the blonde's to stop her, but she was too late. The irritating girl had already jumped, using her bed as a spring board, and slammed the heels onto the top shelf, and causing the rest of the shelf to fall forward in the process. Elphaba caught her, pushing her to the ground and hunching over her in a protective manner as the shoes rained down and the heavy rack crashed onto her back, Elphaba shut her eyes tightly, hissing at the pain exploding along her spine. When she opened her eyes, Galinda was still beneath her, staring up at her, they were only inches apart, and one of Elphaba's legs was between Galinda's.
"Are you alright Princess?" Elphaba's breath tickled Galinda's exposed throat and parted lips, causing her to shudder.
"I-I'm fine Miss Elphaba. You?"
"I'll be fine, but would you mind moving so that I can get up?" Elphaba looked a little sheepish at requesting something from someone from her, making Galinda flush slightly from both their position and the fact that she didn't think of it first.
"Right, of course." Elphaba shifted so that her right arm was held tightly to her side and Galinda could slide out. The blonde got up and dusted herself off, sitting down on her fluffy pink bed to watch Elphaba. The green girl rolled onto her back, bracing her feet and hands against the heavy wooden shelf, pushing it up almost effortlessly and leaping to her feet smoothly in one graceful motion. Elphaba noticed Galinda's stare and decided to have a little fun when the blonde didn't look away. She stretched, knowing full well that her tight clothing would display her bones and muscles extremely well. Galinda was startled by how bony Elphaba was and was still a little in awe of the fact that the gangly girl had just pushed an easily hundred pound shoe rack off of herself with no assistance like it was a piece of paper, these combined factors caused her jaw to drop, and Elphaba, seeing an opportunity, walked past her, hips swinging slightly, and closed her mouth with a light caress.
"Careful Princess, if you leave your mouth open like that someone might take advantage." She walked to her own bed, picking up her uniform, and then headed into the bathroom while Galinda sat on her bed, flabbergasted. When Elphaba opened the bathroom door, she was met by an angry blonde.
"Miss Elphaba are you suggesting that I'm easy? You don't even know me!"
"No, I wasn't suggesting that you're easy. In fact I very much doubt that you would be easy. I was merely pointing out the fact that you were putting yourself in an incredibly vulnerable position." She brushed past the blonde, going over to her bed and kneeling beside it.
"And what would you know about vulnerable positions? You're green, who in Oz would want you to be, or even care, if you were in a vulnerable position?" Elphaba had pulled out a hardwood case from beneath her bed and her hands were on the steel clasps. She froze, bangs falling in a tapered streaks of midnight around her face, blocking it from view. After a moment she raised a hand to trace a scar that ran from under her right ear down diagonally to the left, disappearing beneath the collar of her top right in between her breasts. When she spoke next, it was barely above a whisper, and Galinda felt a twinge of regret at the broken and resigned tone.
"No one Princess." She looked up at her charge, pain dancing behind a sad smile and soulful hazel eyes. "No one at all." She turned back to the case, opening the clasps and withdrawing a sword with a red leather scabbard, the sword itself was the same as the swords carried by the guards back at the palace, but it was longer, lighter, and sharper. Elphaba put the gleaming blade on her forearm and before Galinda could stop her she drew it across her skin without the slightest hesitation or emotion. Galinda gasped and she rushed forward, pressing her hands over it. No matter how much she hated someone, she had always been one to help.
"Elphaba! What are you doing?! Why would you do that?!" The blood from the thin cut seeped between her fingers and dripped onto the cobblestone floor, collecting in the cracks and mapping them.
"I was just making sure it was sharp. A dull blade is difficult to fight with and besides, it's really not a big deal." She set the sword down and laid her hand over the distraught princess's. "If it bothers you I won't do it again. I'm sorry to have upset you." Elphaba's demeanor was slightly more detached than before, like she didn't quite know how to deal with this situation. Galinda looked into her eyes and saw confusion as well as a bit of child-like fear in her eyes.
"Please promise me that you won't hurt yourself again."
Elphaba suddenly found the floor fascinating and didn't answer for a few moments. The thin girl got up, gently slipping her arm out of Galinda's grasp as she did so, turning to the door and laying a hand on the knob. "Princess, I can't make that promise and keep it. Many things may require it." She opened the door and turned back to help her charge up from her position on the floor. "But I can make a deal with you. I will try and avoid harming myself as long as you can promise me that you'll do what makes you happy, at least every now and again that is, is that acceptable?" Galinda didn't really know what to think of the girl at this point. They had been together for only a week and she was making it exceedingly hard to hate her. Galinda decided that the best thing for it was to just effect a formal and regal air, and then proceed to bumble through it.
"It's adequate." Elphaba smiled gently and Galinda felt some of the previous tension dissipate, Elphaba had released her the second that Galinda was on her feet and balanced again, moving to the door way.
"Then may I have the honor of escorting you, Princess?" Elphaba had offered her uninjured arm and the blonde returned her smile with a shyer one, looping her arm through Elphaba's.
"Of course." The blonde couldn't help but feel that she had hit a nerve earlier and should apologize, but she wasn't sure of how to do it. She studied Elphaba as they walked, noting the incandescent dark green scars that criss-crossed most of the visible skin, a sadness welling in her at the thought of someone having to suffer like that. She's green Galinda, she's not human. Elphaba noticed Galinda's staring again.
"Princess, I'm pretty sure that my skin will remain green no matter how hard or how much you stare at it. No, I did not eat grass as a child, no it's not paint, no it's not contagious, I was born with it, I know it makes people uncomfortable, but please, try not to let it bother you." Galinda shook herself slightly.
"How did you get all those scars?" Elphaba looked down at herself then back up at Galinda.
"You'll have to be more specific Princess, each scar has an individual story, and anyway, it looks like the vultures are about to descend, and unfortunately I cannot protect you from them unless they intend to or cause you harm, or if you want me to, in which case I will gladly intervene." Elphaba inconspicuously removed her arm from Galinda's, falling behind a step and standing at attention when a couple of girls walked up to Galinda. One was dressed in a long white gown, her brown hair curled perfectly, her face was delicate, but her nose was slightly big and her eyes were a little high on her face, the other girl was obviously a munchkin, she was about three or four feet tall, her nut-brown hair fell in bouncy natural curls, and she wore a uniform just like Elphaba's, minus the crest.
"Hello Princess! My name's Pfannee and this is Milla, my Protector." Milla walked over to stand in front of Elphaba, looking at her closely.
"Milla, what are you- oh." Pfannee walked over to join her protector, staring at Elphaba. Elphaba herself just directed her gaze to her feet, Galinda raised an eyebrow at her, but either she didn't notice or was trying to signal that this would be a conversation for later, because she didn't look up.
"Is this paint or something?" Pfannee reached toward her and Galinda noted that she flinched away from the touch, and she could see a glimmer of fear in her eyes, but it was gone so quickly that she wasn't really sure if it was there to begin with. Pfannee grabbed her arm, bringing it out from behind her back, and rubbed it hard with her thumb. When none of the green came off she looked at Elphaba in disgust. Milla, on the other hand seemed to have finally figured out whatever it was that she was thinking about, she backed away, stammering out an apology and pulling Pfannee with her. Pfannee looked at her curiously.
"Milla? What's wrong? Do you know it?" Milla didn't look away from Elphaba to respond, eyes remaining locked on the girl.
"It's the Wicked Witch of the West! She's the number one Protector from all points west of the Emerald City!" Galinda looked at the girl, confusion written all over her face.
"Wicked Witch of the West? Who, Elphaba?" Milla still had her eyes locked on the green girl.
"All I know is that she faced down an entire Vinkan war tribe when she was only fourteen, her father is the head of the academy located in the Vinkus as well, and that he sent her out into the Great Kells and Kumbricia's Pass for an entire week all on her own when she was nine!" Elphaba's jaw had clenched and her muscles had tensed.
"It was a month, not a week." Pfannee eyed her and made a dismissive sound.
"Well I can't imagine you didn't deserve it." Milla looked horrified and slightly panicked, but Pfannee just plowed on, completely ignoring her Protector's warning looks. "So what did you do? Kill another protector? Steal food to bulk up your scrawny frame? What?" Elphaba finally looked up, standing tall with a fire in her eyes that Galinda didn't think possible.
"I stopped him from punishing a child for breaking a glass while washing dishes, and I yelled back at him. It was the first time that I stood up to him and he was furious." Pfannee glared at her hard, and Elphaba had to hold in a smirk of triumph when she did nothing else.
"If you'll excuse us, the Princess and I need to get to orientation." She reached for Galinda's arm, but was stopped when Pfannee slapped her hard across her face, adding a split lip to the myriad of bruises appearing on her face and the cuts from the stones.
"Just because she got stuck having an ugly monster like you as a Protector, does not mean you have any right to touch her!" Milla looked guiltily at Elphaba, her eyes saying that she apologized for her charge's actions. Elphaba's eyes returned to the floor and she retracted it, placing it behind her back and gripping it tightly, digging her black nails into her skin, and silently berating herself for being so presumptuous.
"I'm sorry that I have offended you, but we do indeed have to get going, otherwise all of us will be late." Pfannee was still glaring daggers at her, but when Galinda started walking toward the main building, she fell in step with her and taking her arm, saying something about how Galinda should ignore the 'horrible green bean'. Elphaba looked at her charge's back for a minute, thinking about how much this would be like the academy, she shook her head and followed, Milla coming to walk with her.
"Elphaba, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything." Elphaba looked down at the girl.
"It's alright Miss Milla." She gave her a heart-stoppingly sad smile. "I'm used to it by now." Milla reached up and wiped away the blood that was starting to trickle down her chin, noticing the flinch just as Galinda had, and noting how soft her skin was. Elphaba gave her a questioning glance, she gave her a hesitant smile, one that Elphaba returned cautiously. She blushed furiously and looked down at her feet. Elphaba smiled at her fully, something that entranced and made Galinda jealous at the same time. She had been keeping tabs on the two the entire time and was silently fuming that this stranger could get her to smile within a few minutes when it took her an entire week of riding with her on the train. They continued down the halls, following the masses of new students to an auditorium. On the main stage there were three people, a large carp-like woman, a rather severe looking older man wearing the dark garb of a pastor and holding a riding crop under one arm, and a tragically beautiful girl in a wheel chair that resembled Elphaba, the biggest difference being that she was a normal color. Galinda noticed Elphaba blanch and disengaged from Pfannee, saying that she needed to talk to someone, but that they should save her and Elphaba some seats, then dropped back to check on the suddenly stiff and formal green girl. She got her attention by looping their arms together, Elphaba looked down at their linked arms, up at Galinda, and then up at the man on the stage, who was scanning the crowd intently, and she pulled her arm away, a worried look on her face. The woman, Madame Morrible, gave a rather long winded and pointless speech that no one would really remember and after an hour or so, turned the stage over to the man.
"Now, I would like to introduce you to the new Head of the Protector's division, Frexspar Thropp." Galinda looked at Elphaba, who seemed agitated. Frexspar walked forward, pushing the girl in the wheel chair forward with him. He stopped the wheel chair and stood next to it as he introduced himself.
"Hello. I am Frexspar Thropp. I will be in charge of training the Protectors and if you call me anything other than Sir, you will be punished." He glared out at them, his eyes sweeping the crowd and landing on Elphaba. He smiled cruelly at her, then indicated the girl next to him. "This is Nessarose, my daughter. She will be treated fairly and with respect while here at Shiz." The man swept the crowd again with a cold gaze, sending icy chills down everyone's backs. "Now that introductions have been made, let me make something abundantly clear. If any Protector breaks a single rule, they will be punished. If their charge breaks a rule, they will be punished for letting them. If I so much as hear a rumor of a Protector acting distastefully, they will be punished." He fixed the entire crowd with another cold glare. "Training starts three hours before dawn and ends at eight in the morning, then starts again at three in the afternoon and goes until nine at night. Each and every one of you will be on time. Is that understood?!" He bellowed the last part and every single Protector shot up from the chair at an incredible speed, standing at attention and saluting him, all bellowing back.
"YES SIR!" He stood at attention too and bellowed out a response.
"YOU ARE DISMISSED!" They saluted him again, clicked their heels together smartly and marched out of the auditorium, charges in tow. When everyone was outside and out of his sight, they all visibly relaxed and Elphaba regained her normal color, relaxing into a normal walk as well. Galinda looked at her curiously.
"Is he always that strict?"
"Unless he's drunk, yes." The blonde's thin eyebrows arched up quizzically.
"And if he's drunk?" Elphaba traced a few scars and stared at the ground as she replied.
"He goes berserk. He only allows himself to get drunk on one night out of the year though, so it's not really a problem. Anyways, we need to get to your first class." Elphaba began to walk toward their life sciences class, Galinda huffed and was about to link their arms together and badger her about it when Pfannee walked over along with a red-headed gillikinese girl that was being trailed by a short girl with spiky black hair. The shorter girl waved at Elphaba in a friendly manner. Elphaba smiled softly and gave a flash of fingers the equivalent of a wave.
"Miss Galinda! I have some people I'd like you to meet! This is Miss Shenshen and her Protector Miss Alice." Alice stepped over to join Elphaba and Milla, going through introductions quietly. Shenshen curtsied to Galinda then looked around, craning her neck as if looking for someone.
"Why, Miss Galinda, where is your Protector, surely you aren't unescorted?" Galinda shook her head and Pfannee pointed to Elphaba, making a noise of disgust. Shenshen's jaw dropped and Elphaba rolled her eyes, making the two next to her chuckle. She put a hand over her eyes, to the greater amusement of everyone present, and then heaved a sigh, not meeting Shenshen's eyes and extending a hand, expecting a swift slap.
"I'm Princess Galinda's Protector, Elphaba Thropp." Alice rolled her eyes and elbowed her in the ribs. Elphaba glared at her. Alice rolled her eyes again and turned to her charge.
"She's the one I told you about." She turned back to Elphaba as she continued. "The one with Guardian-like powers and heroic tendencies." Elphaba glared at her, her hand still extended to Shenshen. At this point she half expected the girl to recoil, but was pleasantly surprised when the girl shook her hand and smiled at her.
"Thank you." Elphaba's jaw dropped and she stared at Shenshen for a second, then she turned to Alice next to her.
"You didn't." Alice grinned evilly.
"Oh but I did." Elphaba glared at her.
"How much did you tell her Ally?" Alice hummed and shuffled her feet, looking up at the sky before giving an answer.
"Enough." Elphaba gave her the 'you bitch' glare and Alice grimaced, moving behind Milla. Shenshen laughed and Pfannee glared at Elphaba's seeming popularity, when an idea popped into her head. She linked her arms with Shenshen and Galinda.
"Girls, I was thinking, since we all seem to be getting along so amiably, how about we have a 'get to know you' sleep over in one of our dorm rooms?" Galinda, seeing a chance to jump into the conversation, clapped her hands enthusiastically and plastered on her best smile.
"Oh what a wonderful idea! We can have it in my room!" Elphaba was irritated by this but wisely decided to remain silent. They walked the rest of the way to Dr. Dillamond's life science class discussing when the sleep over would commence, food, activities, etc. Elphaba stayed behind the main group and said nothing the entire time. When they reached the classroom Galinda, Pfannee and Shenshen sat together tightly, still engaged in their talk of a sleep over, leaving their Protectors to sit on the balcony in front of them, as those were the only seats left. Elphaba was intrigued to find that the Professor was a Goat, and paid considerable attention to the class. The day was rather boring and normal until Galinda's sorcery class with Madame Morrible. The Head assigned the simple task of creating and throwing a fireball and after that you were supposed to read the first chapter in the sorcery textbook and try some of the spells in it. Galinda was still practicing the fireball and had been for most of the period when Elphaba decided to take pity on her. The girl was standing with her feet close together, shoulders at an angle to the target, one arm outstretched the other wrapped around the heavy textbook. Elphaba sighed, putting aside the Life Science book she had been reading and stood up.
"Princess, if you keep doing it like that then you're gonna get burned or you'll catch something on fire or summon a fire demon or all of the above." She walked over to Galinda and set the book aside, much to the blonde's protests.
"How do you know? What do you even know about magic?" Elphaba smirked, she had an opportunity to gain her charge's respect and she intended to make the best of it.
"I'll show you what I know if you can make a fireball and make it hit the target." The blonde pouted, but agreed. Elphaba moved to stand behind her, spreading the girl's feet slightly with her foot and laying her hands over the backs of Galinda's.
"You haven't done this before so it'd be best if you use both hands, when you get better you can use one hand, which will give you greater accuracy. Now, what sets you off?" She raised her charge's hands and held them in front of her.
"Huh?" Elphaba chuckled.
"Sorry, let me rephrase that, what makes you angry?" The blonde turned her head and glared at her.
"Right now? You." Elphaba laughed.
"Well good, that should make this easy on you. Close your eyes and think of what about me angers you." Galinda huffed but did as she was told, thinking of her secretive tendencies, her personality, her inability to get a reading on the green girl, her condescension, and her skin. With her eyes closed she also felt the heat radiating off of Elphaba, it was the kind of heat that comes from a nice warm hearth fire, it was warmer than anybody else, and their bodies were hardly touching! She found her thoughts moving from what it was about the girl that angered her to that delectable heat. She heard Elphaba chuckle softly in her ear, her warm breath tickling her cheek.
"Open your eyes Princess." Galinda opened her eyes and almost lost her focus. Her hands were encased in fire and a large ball of the pink and white flames was nestled in between her palms. Elphaba's hands were covered in green and black flames, and where the two touched gold, pink, and green sparks flew.
"You can control fire? Why isn't it burning me? Why aren't I burning you?" Elphaba chuckled again.
"Rather inquisitive aren't we? Yes I can control fire. Being the best student in the Vinkan Academy also makes me the Fire Witch. As to why we aren't burning each other, I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's like putting sodium and chloride together to make salt, on their own, each is dangerous, but together, they cancel out each other's negative affects. Anyway, focus on the center of the target. Think of the target as the thing you hate most in this world, or think of it as someone or something trying to hurt what you love the most." Galinda glared hard at the target, she didn't really hate anything enough to throw fire at it, not even Elphaba, so she imagined someone trying to hurt her mother. As she released the fireball, she saw a flash of something green shackled to a lab table, lines of red tracing down its sides, a figure in a lab coat holding a curved and glistening white object approximately a foot above the largest line of red while a few other figures stood spread around, taking notes and cleaning tools. Cleaning blood from tools. Galinda felt Elphaba quiver, tensing and stepping back, bringing her back from her contemplation of the strange scene with a compliment on her marksmanship. Galinda turned around to face her, getting the impression that she had been thinking about something similar.
"Well, I made a fireball and I hit the target." Elphaba smirked slightly and looked her in the eyes, raising one hand toward the target. An aura of fire and lightning danced in her eyes around her pupils and immediately the green and black fire gathered around her arm and hand, spiraling into the form of a dragon and shooting toward the target, vaporizing it in a bright burst and shower of white sparks. While the ash from the explosively destroyed target fell around them Elphaba brought her hand over to Galinda's jaw, gently closing it for her and sending sparks of something previously unknown to the blonde through her body before turning around and looking at the other gapers in the class.
"What?" Madame Morrible burst through the door and pointed a fat sausage-like finger at Elphaba.
"YOU!" Elphaba shrank from the sudden boom of her voice, instinctively pushing her charge behind her. Madame Morrible rushed up to her and grabbed both of her hands in hers. "My dear! That was incredible! What's your name?" Elphaba, mildly terrified and confused by the situation could do nothing but answer.
"Elphaba Thropp, Madame." Morrible frowned.
"Are you related to Mr. Thropp?" Elphaba seemed to curl in on herself a little, as if frightened to answer, and gave a curt nod.
"I'm Miss Nessarose's older sister." Morrible's frown deepened.
"Why didn't he say something?" Elphaba chuckled darkly.
"I'm the black-or should I say green?- sheep of the family and he more or less sees me as not his problem." Morrible looked at her suspiciously.
"Well, you still have incredible ability. Are you aware of this?" Elphaba nodded curtly, Morrible looked at her suspiciously, not noticing the creepy tik tok thing that wheeled up behind her until it tapped her leg and pointed to the clock, alerting her to the time. She thanked it and clapped her hands, getting everyone's attention and dismissing them. As they walked out of the classroom Galinda looked at Elphaba quizzically.
"Why didn't you tell me you were a mage?" Elphaba chuckled.
"It didn't exactly come up during any of our multiple arguments, and I doubt that telling you would have been beneficial to either of us." Galinda swatted her on the arm, making her wince as a thin red line appeared on the white cloth. Galinda gasped, lightly laying her hand over it as if to soothe it.
"I-I'm sorry, I forgot." Elphaba regarded her, noting the way her electric eyes seemed to darken in emotion, pulling at her own heart-strings. She laid her hand over her charge's and turned her scrutiny to their hands, noting her pale complexion and the softness of her skin.
"Princess, if you react this way every time I get hurt then it'll be a wonder if you survive college. It's an ordinary occurrence." Galinda's head snapped up.
"What?" Elphaba shook her head and continued walking, slipping her arm out of Galinda's grip as if it were made of smoke. The blonde stared after her for a minute, before huffing and jogging after her.
"Elphaba! We aren't done talking! What do you mean by that?!" Galinda could practically feel her smirking from her position several yards behind.
"Yes we are!" And with that she disappeared into the training building, Galinda following a few seconds after. The Princess smacked into Elphaba, who reacted and caught her before she could fall. Elphaba was standing at the back of a line in a large black marble lobby with blood red standards draping down the walls. On the standards there was a wolf's head howling above the crest of Oz in black. A red strip of carpet ran up the center of the room and joined a square of it in front of two mahogany doors, one with a wolf carved into it, the other bearing the royal emblem in gold. The Protectors were being sent through the wolf door while their charges were being sent through the emblemed one. She looked up at Elphaba, a question in her eyes.
"You will be sent to the observation room and I will be branded and sent into the Yard, don't worry, they'll provide you with dinner. After training we'll meet back down here and head... home." Elphaba paused on the last word, she had known that the Academy was definitely not her home, it was a shelter, like the dorm, and she wondered if she would ever find home, a place where she belonged, where she wasn't just known for her appearance or her acts, but for who she was. She shook her head slightly as they approached the two muscular guards, one holding a clipboard, but both wearing red black and white tuxes. They reached the guards and Elphaba stopped the two of them.
"Princess Galinda Upland and Elphaba Thropp." The two nodded and the girls separated. Galinda walked up a spiral staircase to a room with three out of four walls made of glass. The ceiling was copper and had a gilded chandelier hanging from it. Off to one side, there was a buffet table laid out with multiple forms of refreshment and delectable foods, the floor had a plush red carpet and people were quietly talking all around the room. Ignoring the others, she walked forward and placed her hands on the railing in front of the window facing the Yard. She watched as Elphaba was directed to stand at the end of a line of four students. Next to her there was a Quadling boy who kept looking at her as if he thought he knew her, beyond him there was another boy, a Munchkin, he was stocky, obviously strong, and he was cocky, he kept looking down the line at the Quadling and Elphaba, a cocky smirk in place. Elphaba caught him looking and he blew her a cheeky kiss, to which she just rolled her eyes, spotting Galinda and smirking at her wickedly. Galinda blushed at her, the intensity in her hazel eyes telling her not to worry, they spoke of a loyalty that the Princess had yet to encounter. Galinda turned her eyes away looked at the girl on the other end of the line. She was Gillikinese, a bit taller than Galinda. Her hair was a deep auburn color and was in a low ponytail. She was beautiful. Her eyes were an engaging green, her skin was fair, her body elegant and graceful, she was thin, not as muscular as the others, but not as warrior like as Elphaba. When the blonde compared the two, she found that Elphaba was more attractive to her, even though she was frighteningly thin. The green girl was tall, but not too tall, she was completely in proportion for her runner's build, and the muscles of a warrior wove perfectly beneath her skin, creating a masterpiece, whereas the Gillikinese girl had a subtly sadistic air. Her eyes were sharp and piercing, her body was definitely strong and toned, but it was obvious she had the weight that Elphaba lacked and as she looked down that line at Elphaba, she eyed her predatorily, like a piece of meat that she wanted to devour, Elphaba noticed Galinda's shift in attention and looked down the line casually, quirking a brow at the girl on the end who responded by biting her lip and proceeding to check Elphaba out. Elphaba gave her a quick glance, shrugged, and then stood at attention again and waited for Frexspar to line up the others according to previous district and rank. This appeared to rev the girl even more and Galinda quickly turned her eyes away as her body betrayed her thought category. The group from Elphaba's academy was small and they all stood at silent attention, their tops matching hers except for the crest. The Quadlings stood in a line next to them wearing red tank tops or tunics. Next to them stood the Munchkins, brown jerkins making their agricultural roots painfully obvious. Then, on the end, stood the last line. The Gillikinese. They were sky blue shirts with a silver crest embroidered on each, marking them as being owned by nobility. When Frexspar had finally managed to get each of them in line according to rank he strutted up to the stage where Elphaba and the others stood.
"Good afternoon, and welcome to training. Or as I know some of my old students have come to calling it, Hell. Look around you. Where you are standing now is where you will always stand unless we are engaged in an activity that requires you to move, which will be most of the time, I assure you." He smiled sadistically. "You have been organized by rank, the top student of your previous Academy stands behind me. They will be your team leaders as it were. Every quarter will be split between tournaments and working on basic skills and some of the exercises or challenges you will go through will require you to follow someone, that someone will be the number one ranking Protector from your academy. For example, those from the Gillikin will follow Miss Rosaline." The Gillikinese hooted and cheered while she smiled, winked and waved to her charge. "Those from Munchkinland will follow Master Ross." the cocky Munchkinlander pumped his fist at his charge and his fellows whooped, copying the action as he looked at Rosaline, then Elphaba when she gave him the cold shoulder. Elphaba mimed brushing a speck of dirt off of her shoulder with a very bored look, and mysteriously a pebble flew up from the ground to whack him in the jaw, causing the leer to drop from his face. Galinda hid a smile behind her hand, but couldn't help the chuckle that escaped. "The Quadlings will follow Master Urruk." The Quadlings beat their chests and stomped their feet, howling the names of their charges. "And those from my academy will follow Miss Elphaba." Elphaba quickly drew her sword and knelt on one knee, placing the blade on the ground in front of her and angling her body over it. The others in her line turned around and followed suit, placing their weapons on the ground in front of them. This gained everyone's attention as it was already more formal and meaningful than what they had done, and they all watched them carefully
"Princess Galinda Upland," The others said the names of their charges, each name clear, before Elphaba continued leading them in their oath. "My blood I will spill," She took her sword and gripped the blade tightly with one hand, using the other to pull her blade back and cut deeply into her palm so that blood dripped down the blade, magic engraving the blade as her blood formed symbols, images and details that the Princess could not see clearly enough to make out. "to keep you safe and whole. I pledge my life to you. You have my loyalty, and should I dishonor, betray, or hurt you, I am yours to do with as you please. None will harm you. If I fail in my duties and you fall," She drew an 'x' in her own blood over her heart. "I will take my own life." Galinda gasped and gripped the railing tighter to steady herself, the thought of any one doing that making her slightly ill. "You are my princess," She raised her head, meeting Galinda's eyes. Her words sent a warm shiver through her body and butterflies took off in her stomach. The blonde was simply mesmerized by her. Light swirled in her Protector's eyes while her blood coated the sword, changing its shape and engraving more details into it. "and I always protect and care for you, for as long as I shall live. This is my promise to you." She raised the sword and slammed the tip into the wood of the platform, the blood quickly shining before seeming to melt, revealing a completely different sword, and spreading itself into a maze of lines that formed a rose around her. "This is my oath to you," She bowed her head. "and I swear to uphold it, forever, and always." The Vinkan Protectors waited quietly for a response from their charges, their newly reformed weapons shining in their hands.