Author's Note: Welcome to my Wicked story. This is based heavily on both book and musical, so be warned. If you know one but not the other, this may get confusing. (For example, Nessarose is in a wheelchair like in the musical, but Shell is in the story.)

Oz

The green girl pored over a large tome spread in front of her, chanting softly. A winged monkey sat nearby, and a crow rested on the monkey's head. The girl continued to mutter to herself, but was interrupted by a long knocking on her door. "Elphaba? Elphaba, are you in here?"

Elphaba sighed. Her little brother had such a knack for bad timing. "Yes, Shell, I'm here. Come in."

Shell pushed open the door. At fifteen, he was already causing mischief, and his sisters were forced to clean up his messes. He was grinning. "Elphie, guess what?"

"I despise guessing, as you should know. What is it, Shell?"

"Okay, I'll tell you. You'd never have guessed anyway. There's someone here to see you. It's…"

Elphaba held up her hand. "Wait. Don't tell me. Glinda, right?"

Shell's face fell. "How do you always know?"

Elphaba help up an unfurled scroll bearing the loopy signature of Lady Glinda Chuffrey. She smiled. "Call it intuition. Something about be warned about the visit. Is she here?"

"Yes, in the foyer, with Nessarose. Come on, what are you doing that's so important?"

"Nothing. Get Glinda something to drink. I'll be down in five minutes." She turned back to her book.

Shell sighed. "You're never going to bring Fiyero back, you know. Why do you even bother?" A scathing glance from his sister sent him flying from the room.

Elphaba was given less than a minute of silence before Nessarose wheeled in. "Elphaba, you get down here and visit with Glinda this instant. She came to see you, you know."

"I know, but I'm right in the middle of…"

"Elphaba Thropp, if you do not get down there this instant, then so help me Unnamed God, I swear I will…"

"What? You'll what?"

"Oh! You can be so infuriating sometimes!" Nessa turned to leave, and Elphaba continued her chanting. Shell came running up. "Elphie! She's getting ready to come up here herself!"

Elphaba didn't answer. A thick white fog filled the room. Nessarose screamed "Elphie!" and then the room stopped spinning. Elphaba looked up, smiling, but her smile faded as she took in her surroundings. "Nessie, Shell, I don't think we're in Munchkinland anymore. I don't even think we're in Oz anymore." She stood up, took a few steps, and proceeded to slam into a large, dark man.

New York

Collins barely stumbled when the green girl slammed into him. The girl, however, went flying. Without thinking, Collins thrust his pile of ungraded papers and bags of takeout food into the hands of the young man standing nearby and threw out his arms to catch the green girl. He helped her stand. "I'm very sorry, ma'am. Are you alright?"

The girl nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Collins took his pile back from the man's arms. "Sorry about that." He smiled. "I'm Tom. Collins. And you are…?"

The green girl smiled nervously. "Elphaba Thropp. This is my sister Nessarose, and my brother, Shell. Um, where are we?"

Collins chuckled. "New York City. Do you have a place to stay?"

"No."

"Come on. I share an apartment with my girlfriend, and it's kinda small, but my best friends may have room. If not, Mimi still technically owns her loft. You can probably stay there."

"Thank you, but no." Elphaba smiled.

"Why not?"

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I'm green."

Collins stared in shock. "Holy shit, you are green, aren't you? I didn't notice. Should I care?"

"Most people do."

"I'd be a hypocrite if I judged people on their skin color."

"Your friends might care."

"Then they aren't my friends. Come on."

Shell tugged on Elphaba's sleeve. "Please, Elphie? Think of Nessie. She needs somewhere."

Collins thought a moment. "Can you carry her? We don't live in a wheelchair accessible building, but if one of you can carry her, and one can carry the chair upstairs, then we're in business."

Elphaba nodded. "Yes, we can carry her upstairs."

Collins grinned. "Good. Come on, then. My friends'll love you."