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Resistance
by Fiyero Oberon
II.
Elphaba sits in her cavern and waits. The carcass of the Cat rests in her lap, ready and waiting for Raven's inspection. Elphaba was so alarmed by the Cat's foresight that she had almost called an emergency meeting, but decided a one-on-one with Raven would be best.
The door swung open and the light from the corridor's lantern flooded into the small room. Elphaba watched as two cloaked figures entered the room and shut the door. "Who is it?" she calls out.
"Heart."
"And Raven. And you?"
"Fae."
The room's center lantern is lit and the two figures step into their compartments. "Why," asks Raven, "have you called me here?" She sounds tired and almost angry, but Elphaba knows she will want to hear the Cat's story before the others are told.
And Elphaba tells her of finding the Cat, and the strange foreseeing, and the symbolism that she feels is hidden within the Cat's free murder. "It is possible," she says in conclusion, "that the Gale Force is preparing for a giant strike – an enormous attack on all Animals and those that support them. I am not sure separating is best at this time. I know you are sending a few of the others to the Quadling swamps for allies and someone is being sent to Lady Glinda of Gillikin, but I just don not –"
"Perhaps it will serve as an excellent reminder that I am the leader of this movement, not you," snaps Raven. "This Cat could mean nothing, Fae. We cannot change the details of our entire plan because of the death of one Cat."
"I thought you cared about –"
"I do, Fae. I do. But what is one Cat in comparison to the thousands of Animals that may be ruined if we change our plan now?"
"But what if our plan is wrong?"
The room is hushed – it is a rare moment when someone challenges Raven's word. Heart is quiet, but Elphaba senses her heavy breathing in the cavern next to her.
The quiet has settled for a long time and Elphaba wonders if Raven and Heart left but she failed to notice. Is Raven contemplating Elphaba's words? Is she judging them, thinking it over and actually considering the possibility of being in the wrong? Or is she biting her tongue, working hard to prevent her tongue from lashing out with angry words that could drive Elphaba away from her task and upset the order of the plan.
"You will leave for the Vinkus tomorrow," Raven says, her tone sharp. "Do not ask further questions. As for your secret identities… well I suppose that deal will end tomorrow, won't it?" Raven strolls over to the lantern, snuffs it out, and leaves.
"Heart?"
"Yes?"
"Oh… just seeing if you were still here."
"I am."
The cave seems to be ringing with silence and Elphaba's ears cannot stand it. Her thin hands stroke over the Cat's damp fur, petting the Animal as though she was still alive.
Elphaba's hands are numb from the harsh bite of the water drops in the Cat's fur. She clears her throat softly and closes her eyes, listening to the sounds of dripping water in the corner of her cavern. "Heart?" she says. Heart makes a guttural noise to inform Elphaba that she is listening. "We will have no privacy."
"Beg pardon?"
Elphaba opens her eyes and sets the Cat's corpse on the rock floor of the cave. "Our identities are going to be revealed tomorrow."
"Yes, I suppose they are."
Elphaba coughs. "My identity is very important to me… My life could be in great danger if you or anyone finds out who I am."
A noise suggests that Heart has stood up. "We are all in that same dilemma, Elphaba."
"You do not understand, Heart. My features are very distinct and –"
"We all have distinct features, Fae. Ruby is a pureblood Quadling! How many full-on Quadlings do you see walking around the City? I heard a rumor that Sky isn't entirely human, either – not part Animal necessarily, just not fully human. We are all in danger just for being here and we all have features that could easily give us away. Our voices could give us away, Fae."
Elphaba considers this. Heart is just one woman, just one member of the Resistance. Revealing her green skin may not be as great a threat as she initially thought. "You'll just have to trust me, Fae," says Heart. "That's all there is to it. Trust."
"Beware those in which you have confidence, for they are not as trustworthy as you may believe." But perhaps the Cat was referring to Elphaba's past on this subject – she had trust in Madame Morrible, in the Wizard, even in her father, and look what they had all done to her.
"Where will we meet?"
"I thought meeting in Lush Greenhouse would be appropriate," says Heart. "Back behind the goldenberry bushes at twelve o'clock."
"I'll be there." Elphaba stands and heads for the door. "Heart?"
"Yes?"
"Where exactly in the Vinkus are we going?"
"Kiamo Ko."
:---:
The glass walls of the gardening home are tinted green as everything else in the Emerald City. Elphaba can't help but notice that several panes have been shattered from things thrown during the Lurlinemas Eve events. The golden hands of the clock on the Emerald Palace designate a time that says eleven fifty-two; Elphaba is early.
She strolls through the aisles of plants, examining the different vegetables and flowers. The goldenberry bushes are in the back of the greenhouse and Elphaba steals a glance in their direction every few minutes. She nervously pushes her hat firmly on her head and clicks her tongue out of habit. "Come on, Heart, where are you," she mutters.
She stops walking to look out the windows at the clock again and is discouraged at the slight movement of the minute hand. Three hours ago, Elphaba would have given anything to avoid the meeting and the looming travels to the Vinkus, but now anxiety grips her stomach in a fist and she awaits Heart's arrival.
"May I help you, miss?"
The old man is the owner of the greenhouse and his white eyebrows are raised in a questioning way. Green spectacles rest on the end of his twisted nose and his skin is leathery. He has a kind, crooked smile and Elphaba feels a pang of guilt that she is using this old man's shop as a meeting place for a meeting of rebellion.
"No, thank you."
"All right." With a nod, the old man walks away.
She strolls through the store, attempting an appearance of browsing the strange and random herbs in front of her, though her emerald eyes are locked on the greenhouse door.
She begins examining the other customers in the shop, searching for someone who may be Heart. There is a tall, thin woman dressed in an aquamarine silk gown with her husband and two little girls. She has long golden curls and a tight mouth. There is a Cheetah in the corner of the store, something that surprises Elphaba – there are hardly any Animals left in the Emerald City and to see one exposed is next to nonexistent. But there are no other people in the greenhouse and Elphaba knows that Heart is not here yet.
The bell above the door jingles as the Palace clock chimes noon. Straightening her hat and adjusting her cloak, Elphaba steps back to the goldenberry bushes and pretends to examine the fat, yellow berries. Through the leaves of the bush, she examines the woman walking toward her – Heart is older than she expected, probably around Elphaba's own age, with hair is pulled back, but many dark curls have escaped from the attempted hairstyle. Her dress is dark brown, unusual in the City of Emeralds, made of a course fabric that suggests a lower class rank. A long, knitted scarf of a deep red color is wrapped around the woman's neck and trails almost to the ground behind her because of its great length. Elphaba feels guilty for laying eyes on Heart, feels as though she has betrayed the Resistance by breaking the code and having an identity revealed. She bites her lower lip nervously and her hands slide along the shelves of plants as she makes her way to the back of the greenhouse.
The girl steps behind the bushes and feigns interest in them as Elphaba does, her eyes never even look over Elphaba. Not even a glance. "Goldenberries are so nice, don't you agree?" says Elphaba.
"Uh, yes." The girl looks dreadfully uncomfortable.
Elphaba turns and faces her. "Pacis ut totus populus quod justicia ut totus Bestia." The slogan of the Resistance.
"Iuguolo Veneficus," says Heart in response. She smiles nervously.
The bell over the door lets out a ring again and a few rosy Quadling men enter the greenhouse. Elphaba thinks instantly of Ruby, but Ruby is female. Elphaba looks at Heart. "How are we traveling to the Vinkus?" Elphaba's mind is racing – why has Heart not asked about her peculiar skin condition?
"We'll travel with the winter caravan," says Heart.
Elphaba nods and turns to go, but Heart's hand clamps on her arm. "You will have to lead me," says Heart.
"What?"
"I'm blind."
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