A/N - Wow. I'm exceedingly happy with the feedback you guys decided to give me on the prologue-y. So happy that I've decided to update…Wait. It was published on the 12th. I'm bad. But thanks for the reviews, guys, first chapters always make me…agitated? I don't know.
Danke sehr to Lillian Townsend for saying 'aww' or 'wow' to everything I sent to her. Or, well, basically sending the reassurance vibe lol ;).
Disclaimer - As to not further piss off Nicole. Wicked is not mine; however, in a Twilight Universe it would be. Too bad we're not all Trekkies! Wait, am I getting my Sci-fi mixed up?
It gains the more it gives, and then it rises with the fall. So hand me that remote. Can't you see that all that stuff's a sideshow? Such boundless pleasure. We've no time for later - Now you can't await your own arrival. You've twenty seconds to comply. - Frou Frou "Let Go"
.oOOo.
As the white stars danced overhead, Elphaba hung her head out the window to stare at the clock. The smooth bronze glittered in the moonlight, casting the eerie shadow of the clock across the courtyard. Catching the time of 9.00, Elphaba pulled her head back in, shivering as the cold night breeze cut through her clothes.
Wrapping her arms around herself, Elphaba fell back against her bed and wrapped herself into her stiff sheets. She laid back against the headboard, pen behind one ear, trying to study for her classes, but to no avail. The green girl just couldn't seem to concentrate, and she didn't have the slightest idea why.
When Galinda pranced through the dorm doorway, Elphaba pretended to be absorbed in her book. "You're never going to stop studying, are you, Miss Elphaba," she asked after setting down her pink-covered books. "Shiz has such a pretty campus, and you spend all of your time in here." She looked around the dorm with disgust.
"Oh. I'm sure that the campus is just lush, Miss Galinda, but I, however, prefer to keep to myself," replied Elphaba, still trying to focus on the words she was 'reading'.
Galinda rolled her eyes. "As if we couldn't already tell."
"That's right, Galindy," said Elphaba, "Just keep on being immature. It'll catch up with you someday, you'll see." Sighing, Elphaba gently tossed her book to the foot of her bed. "I can focus!" she cried.
"Oh, don't get yourself so riled up, Elphie," Galinda said in response, grabbing a book off of a chair. She flounced her petite body into a lounge chair and popped it open, with no intention of actually reading, though. "You know that new boy?" she started.
Elphaba's head snapped to attention. The new boy. "Yes," she said slowly. "Why?"
She fiddled with her pencil and stared out the window.
"Oh. I don't know. I was just wondering if you knew anything about him." She shrugged. "Do you?"
The green girl shook her head, her raven hair falling across her shoulders. "Obviously I don't."
"Well, fine. Poo on you." Galinda slouched against the back of her chair for a moment, then stood and pulled a pink nightgown out of her wardrobe. Changing quickly, Galinda threw herself daintly between the sheets. She was asleep within minutes.
Elphaba watched Galinda for a moment. Her round face resting on the pink pillow lightly, the way her golden curls sprawled across her face in perfect little ringlets - Oh. It was times like these when Elphaba couldn't help but be jealous of Galinda.
In sheer frustration at her own ugliness, Elphaba quickly blew out her candle and threw herself down onto her bed. Her attempts at sleep were pathetic ones, though; she wasn't even remotely tired.
She didn't want to fall asleep if she was risking her own sanity with those dreams.
But eventually sleep took her, wrapping its anonymous arms around her and pressing her headfirst into a cool pool of a blissful, dreamless sleep.
.oOOo.
Elphaba woke inexplicably early the next morning. She hoped that her Early Bird 'syndrome' was only a phase she was going through.
Grumpy and crusty-eyed, she rose from her bed and pulled on her boring, everyday attire. Elphaba ran a brush through her silky hair and walked out the door, quietly and without so much as a glance at the mirror. She was in a bad mood as it was.
Figuring that this early in the morning -7.00- was the only time Elphaba would have to herself, she strolled around the grounds of Shiz. Even in her terrible mood, she had to admit that is was a pretty day.
A cool breeze came up, swirling her skirts around her thin legs. Elphaba sat on the edge of the clock that had so stalked her these past hours. She stared up at its own refined beauty. "Oh, stop mocking me, will you?" she asked the clock angrily.
"Mocking? I see no one here mocking you. I don't see anyone at all for that matter."
Elphaba turned, her hair whipping past her shoulders. She tried to keep her face blank when she the Winkie standing before her. She stared up at the clock dumbly, trying to make herself speak. "Well, that depends on what you believe the real inanimateness of objects to be," she replied after a moment.
The new student furrowed his brow, trying to decipher the meaning of Elphaba's words. Then he smiled, having figured it out. "I don't think the clock's alive."
"Wow," she replied dryly. "Someone at Shiz with half a brain." Elphaba gently picked the petals off of an unrecognizable Ozian flower, throwing the velvety hearts to the stone walkway. Throwing the remaining stem along with the last petal, she looked back at the ochre-skinned boy. "What?"
He shrugged. "Nothing. I've just never-"
"Seen someone with such an unusual skin color? Yea, tell me about it." Elphaba rolled her eyes and stood straight.
The boy was slightly taller then Elphaba, who herself was only 5'4", so she estimated him to be about 5'6". Staring straight into his eyes, she saw something distant flicker in his eyes. She was sure she would've missed it if she wasn't looking.
"Well, it is different. But I can't say anything. Just look at me." He gestured at his own skin.
"Yes, but at least yours is remotely attractive," she said, biting her lip.
He smiled and offered her is hand. "I'm Fiyero," he said warmly.
She timidly took his hand. "I'm Elphaba," she replied.
Fiyero's handshake was comforting to her somehow. A contradiction of warmth to the cool day. His hands were soft and smooth, not a callous in sight. "Nice to meet you, Elphaba," he said, his eyes never leaving hers.
"You as well," she said softly, gently pulling her hand away from his. "You seem oddly familiar somehow, though. Have we met before?" Elphaba began to walk, motioning for Fiyero to follow.
Catching up with her, he said, "No. I don't think so. There was yesterday in life sciences, but we didn't meet."
Elphaba nodded, still certain that she'd meet him somewhere before. "You famous in some sort?" she asked, laughing a little.
Fiyero laughed nervously. "Well. I'm not famous or anything, but-"
The green girl turned and gave him a strange look. "Go on."
"I'm a prince," he said quickly and quietly.
Elphaba looked away, rather disappointed by this revelation. "And I had thought there was hope for you, Fiyero. I was getting a nonconformist vibe here."
Fiyero chuckled, more secure this time. "I am a nonconformist. I want to be the opposite of what everyone expects me to me. I don't function well under orders," he replied, keeping his head to the ground.
Like he was ashamed.
"Are you ashamed are something," Elphaba asked softly.
Fiyero raised his head, looking into her eyes intensely. "No. But my parents are ashamed of me."
"Ha. Join the club."
Fiyero smiled wryly. "Where do I sign up? Bad joke, I know. They try to turn me into the perfect son - obey all orders, stay quiet, never speak my mind. I hate it. I know that they love me and all, and that they want the best for me….but. Do you know what I'm talking about, Elphaba?"
"No," she replied solemnly. "I don't. My parents cast me into a corner the moment I was born. So I don't know what it's like to be loved. You can imagine why, can't you?" she asked, looking away, anticipating his answer.
"No."
Elphaba looked at him. His soft smile didn't falter a bit. Searching his deep sea eyes, she found him to be telling the truth.
"It's racism," he added when silence settled in. "For your parents to be like that to you."
"No, it's not. I'm the same race as my parents, so they're hypocrites if it's racism. It's discrimination."
"Did you know what I meant?"
"Yes…"
"Don't you have classes today, Elphaba?" he asked as they neared the lecture hall.
She shook her head. "No. Well, at least not anytime soon. My only class is at 1.00. I have the entire day off." She sighed.
"What? You're not happy about this?"
"No, because the only I'll be able to spend it with is my roomie, Galindy."
"Galindy?"
"Yes. Don't ask. Anyway, she's quite the airhead. Not always fun to be around."
Fiyero nodded, rather thoughtfully. "Well," she said softly, "I was lost when I happened to stumble across your path, Miss Elphaba. So I was wondering-"
"If I'd show you around?" she asked wryly, trying to hold back a smile.
He exhaled sharply. "Exactly."
Laughing happily, she was surprised at the words that came out of her mouth: "I'd love to."
