Rifiuto: Non Miriena
A/N: Time to meet Elphaba...
Thanks to Hedwig466 for reviewing 9.
Fiyero spent the next several days in class, but while his body was in classes, his mind was back in the park. If he went back by himself at night, maybe she'd reveal herself to him. The thought excited him beyond reason.
When Friday rolled around, Fiyero packed up all his equipment and headed back to the park. He talked to Diggs, and when the older man said it was okay, he slipped into the park, allowing Diggs to lock him in. Now, around seven that night, alone in the park, Fiyero stood and waited for his eyes to adjust. Afte several minutes, he moved around, going slowly, so as not to startle anything.
Softly, he whispered, "Hello. Elphaba? El-phaba? Are you here?"
He turned towards the swings, thinking he heard the sound of laughter, and his eyes widened as he saw one of the swings move back and forth slowly. Taking small steps, he made his way towards the swing set, keeping quiet, allowing her to say anything she wanted into the recorder.
"Elphaba? Is that you? Are you the one moving the swing?" He never took his eyes off the swing, and had to control himself from whooping for joy. "Are you swinging?"
Suddenly the swing stopped.
He turned, searching for any sign that the child had left. Seeing nothing, he turned back to the swing set. The swing was still.
"Elphaba? I won't hurt you, I promise. I just want to talk to you."
Silent, he wandered around the park, searching for her. When he stopped for a break near the concessions stand, he lowered the recorder. But his head snapped up when he heard the voice.
"Come play with me."
"Hello?"
"Come play with me."
He glanced around quickly, searching for the owner of the voice. "Elphaba?" Slowly, he moved away from the concessions stand, making his way towards the swings. The sound of creaking caused him to turn, and he saw the same swing swaying back and forth. "Elphaba? Is that you?"
It stopped.
When he stopped several feet from the swing, it started up again.
"Elphaba?" He took another step towards the moving swing, and stopped when it stopped.
Another step, another stop.
Step, stop.
Step. Stop.
Over and over until he was right in front of the swing, watching it move. Now close enough to touch, he held his breath, waiting for it to stop again. But it continued to swing gently back and forth, like there was a child sitting in it.
"E... Elphaba?"
It continued swinging.
"Elphaba, are you swinging?"
A soft giggle reached his ears.
"Elphaba? Is that you?"
Silence.
Suddenly, a soft,
"May-be."
He looked around, before looking down at the recorder in his hand. Then, he held it out.
"You can talk into this if you want to talk to me. I won't hurt you."
The swing stopped, and silence enveloped him.
"Fi-yer-o. Fi-yer-o." A giggle followed his name, and he turned, searching for her. When he turned back around, he felt his eyes widen in shock. Something began to manifest on the swing.
A girl appeared slowly, until she was sitting in front of him, swinging back and forth slowly. She looked about eight-years-old, with long black braids and a pink dress with light green lace. A pair of bobby socks and saddle shoes were on her feet, and she looked up at him with hazel eyes.
Slowly, so as not to startle her, he knelt down so that he was in front of the swing.
"Elphaba?"
She smiled at him innocently.
"Elphaba Thropp?"
A giggle escaped her small lips and she nodded.
"You're the Govenor's daughter." She didn't respond, instead, she returned to swinging, pumping her legs until she was moving back and forth at a steady pace. Idlely, she looked around, looking everywhere but at him. "Elphaba?" She turned her head, looking past him. After several moments, she slipped off the swing before turning and walking away from the swing set. Fiyero watched her, and as he rose, she took off running. "Hey! Hey, wait! Wait!" He followed, picking up his pace to catch up to her, but she'd disappeared. When he stopped to catch his breath, he could hear her giggling and laughing in the distance. A quick scan of the park, brought up nothing.
"Fi-yer-o."
He turned sharply at the sound of his name, and searched for her.
"Fi-yer-o."
When he turned again, he saw something out the corner of his eye, and took off after it. The next thing he came too, was the rusting tractor. The sound of laughter reached his ears, and he looked around quickly before turning back to the tractor.
She was sitting on the fender, smiling at him.
Slowly, he went to the tractor.
"Honey, if you like this tractor, I'll give it to you."
"He gave it to you, didn't he? Mr. Diggs?" She nodded. "Don't you like the swings?" Instead of responding, she disappeared. "Hey!"
Her giggling came from the concessions stands, and he took off after her, searching. Every so often he'd snap photographs, hoping she showed up in them. Eventually, he made it back to the swing set, and collapsed in the grass. He lay staring up at the sky for several minutes, before a face appeared.
It was Elphaba.
She was staring at him.