Chapter 1: Elphie's Arrival
Jeremy woke suddenly in the early hours of the morning to a sudden knock on the door. It was quiet but persistent. Hurrying to get dressed, he heard a voice coming from outside.
"Ow! Shit! This damned rain! Please let me in!" The female voice became almost pleading. Jeremy buttoned up his trousers and unlocked the door.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we're closed right now. We'll be open in a few hours," he said. Or, rather, that's what he wanted to say. He never even got started. The girl bowled him over in her haste to get inside.
"Wow, I'm really sorry about that," she said, helping the boy stand up, "but that rain...it's like acid. You ever been burned by acid?" He shook his head. "Well, lemme tell you, its not pleasant. It hurts. I'm Elphaba, by the way. Elphie." She held out her hand to shake, but the boy gasped. Her arm was a brilliant shade of emerald green. He looked at her face again, and her face was green as well.
Damn, Elphie thought as she pulled her hand back into the folds of her cloak. Did you really think he wasn't going to notice? Did you really think he'd be any different…
Just then the baker came down the stairs in his nightshirt, half asleep. "Jeremy? What are you doing up? And what is that?" He said, looking at the green girl in surprise.
"That," she said contemptuously, "is a girl." She glared at him, her hazel eyes sparkling dangerously.
"She wanted shelter from the rain," Jeremy said quietly, speaking for the first time.
"Oh," the baker said, trying to think through the sleep that was clouding his thoughts. "Uh…I suppose we could give you Robyn's room…she's on her honeymoon anyway, and won't be back until-" He started to open a cabinet.
"I can take care of myself." She said, materializing a cot out of thin air that landed on the floor with a thud.
"Oh, no, not another witch." He said, and walked back up the stairs.
"What did I do?" Elphie said, turning to Jeremy, who was staring at her with wide eyes.
"You…made a bed." How eloquent, Elphie thought, giving a look that told him just that. He looked away, awkwardly scratching his head.
"We open pretty early, so I'll have to wake you up, then, ok?" When Elphie nodded her acceptance, he said good night and quickly left the room. She sighed.
"Fiyero, where are you?" she said softly to the walls before blowing out the lamp.