Here's some virtual smelling salts for woodland59, and some virtual pie for everyone. Happy pi day! :)

And the story continues...


"Don't move!"

Using his instincts honed by both training and experience, Fiyero tried to estimate the size and body count of the pursuers behind him. Guessing that his opponent was shorter and most likely alone, he quickly grabbed the hand that was holding a knife. Skilfully, he pinned his opponent down to the ground, effectively reversing their position. Without any weapon at hand, he pointed his elbow to his opponent's neck.

"Ack! Please don't kill me!"

Fiyero's eyes widened at the familiar face. "Boq!"

"Y- yes, th- that's me. You c- can let go now," the shorter man choked.

"Oh. Right. Sorry." The Vinkun prince loosened his grip and helped Boq stand up. "What brings you here?"

"I came here to look for you."

Fiyero took a step back, slightly adapting a defensive stance. "Yeah, I got that."

"No, no! Wait! I mean no harm!" Realizing that he was still holding a knife, Boq hastily returned the offending item back to his pocket. "Glinda sent me." To prove his point, he showed to Fiyero the necklace Glinda handed to Dorothy.

"Glinda? Oh Oz! How is she?"

"She brought us here using her bubbles but she should be back in the Emerald City now." Boq inspected their surroundings. "Hey," he continued in a hushed voice. "Can we talk somewhere less public? Our trip here isn't exactly legal. It would be best if no one finds us here."

The prince nodded. "Alright. I know a place."

"Wait." The Munchkin looked towards a nearby dark alley. "Dorothy, Brrr, over here!"

A girl, a dog and a familiar Lion emerged from the said alley.

Fiyero frowned as he tried to recall when he came across the particular Lion. "Brrr?" he asked tentatively.

"Oh, it's you, Milord!" The Lion eagerly shook his hand. "Where's Milady?"

"I'm afraid I've lost her tonight. Perhaps she felt ill and went to bed early," Fiyero tentatively answered, silently wishing it were the case. "I intend to go to her now, but let me get you to shelter first."


This wasn't exactly how Fiyero imagined the end of this supposedly special day. He and his newfound company sat on the floor of his little cabin, facing each other.

Boq thought it risky, but he gambled their safety – Fiyero was supposed to be Oz's most wanted fugitive, after all – by telling his former classmate about Dorothy and how the Wizard asked her to find the beryllite and the beryllite thief.

"Didn't the Great Wizard of Oz realize he just sent a child to a potentially ruthless thief?" Fiyero asked incredulously.

"That's what we all think. Glinda, Nessa and I," Boq replied matter-of-factly. "Glinda is so worried about you, you know?"

The prince sighed, remembering that it was already months ago when he sent his last letter to Glinda. "I know. And I miss her, too."

Boq punched the ground, causing everyone else to flinch. "So why did you do it?"

Fiyero wore an expression that feigned innocence. "Do what?"

"Steal the beryllite," Boq answered a little too harshly than intended. "It's all over the news, Fiyero. The Gale Force and the citizens of Oz are searching for you. Glinda didn't want to believe this. She insists that there must be some huge reason behind your actions." Fiyero looked away in shame. "We're here because we wanted to ask you. Before the Wizard's enforcers or anyone else capture you." Boq huffed. "She's deeply troubled by all of this, Fiyero. And don't you see the danger you're putting her into?"

"I'm… sorry" was all Fiyero could say. "Boq, thank you for doing this for Glinda. It means a lot. I'm sorry."

Boq nodded in acceptance. "Best I could do for her..."

Fiyero looked at him slyly. "Heh! I knew it! Ever since Shiz..." He laughed at the heavily flustered Munchkin.

The prince internally debated whether it was a good idea to tell his story to Boq and his companions and how much detail he could entrust to them. Unsure of his decision, he ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "Okay. Boq, what does the beryllite look like?"

Boq shrugged. "I've never seen it. But they say it's a green crystal... Is it?"

Fiyero shook his head. "When I entered the main reactor in the power plant, I never saw a single green crystal there. Just one human enclosed in a huge tank. A human female."

Knowing his former classmate's reputation in college, Boq snorted. "No kidding?"

"I'm serious, Boq!"

Brrr's eyes widened in realization. "W- wait!" Everyone's attention was on the Lion. "Milord, y- you mean… Milady is…"

"Yes, Brrr," Fiyero replied dimly. "I found her in the power plant. She's supposedly the beryllite."

"So you were running and hiding because...?"

"I can't let them take her away again."

Boq and Dorothy cringed at the thought of using a human being as Oz's source of fuel.

"Um," a small voice uttered, causing everyone to look at Dorothy. "The beryllite is a person?" she asked shyly, trying to check if she got the story right.

"Yes, Dorothy," Fiyero answered. "Not many people know this. Tight security was placed around the power plant to make sure she was kept hidden."

"What's her name?"

He smiled, although he wasn't sure why. "Her name is Elphaba."

"Elphaba? I think I've heard that name before." Boq tried to recall.

"A schoolmate of ours in Shiz," Fiyero answered. "You probably don't remember her, I don't know why. Apparently it's just me and Glinda who remember her."

"Ah! Yes, I've heard that name from Glinda before, when we were in school."

"Creepy stalker," Fiyero whispered not so subtly to everyone except Boq.

Boq felt like his face had the color of a ripe tomato. "Bully!"

Laughter filled the little space, making the atmosphere a little lighter and warmer.

It must have been very late in the evening – or very early in the morning. Fiyero found Dorothy lying in an awkward position using a sleeping Lion and dog as pillows, so he gently carried her and laid her onto the couch.

Boq and Fiyero stayed up for a little while. Fiyero mostly enquired about Glinda, Nessa and some people in Emerald City. Inevitably, they also ended up recalling moments in their dear old Shiz.

"You're so heartless, Boq," Fiyero commented in the middle of their conversation.

"Huh?" Boq replied, taken aback by his comment.

"You actually dated Nessa so you could get closer to Glinda," the prince chided his former schoolmate jokingly.

The Munchkin blushed in embarrassment. "Hey, you supported her!" he bit back with what he learned earlier in their conversation. Fiyero feigned innocent.

"But, then again, yeah. It was partly my fault, I guess. And it didn't end well," Boq admitted. "And it ended in a very inconvenient time. I felt so sorry for Nessa."

Fiyero looked at him curiously. "What happened?"

"I left her alone to grieve when her father died," the Munchkin answered sadly.

"That, my friend, is the most heartless thing I've heard about."

"It is, isn't it?" Boq sighed. "I insisted to stay, but she already knew my heart by then. She knew I wanted to spend forever with another person so she let me go. I can only look at her now shamefacedly."

"If such heart exists," Fiyero joked. They laughed.


Later, while his companions slept, Fiyero took the chance to sneak into the castle, hoping to see Elphaba peacefully asleep in her room. It may mean that she refused his affections but it would be his comfort if it would also mean that she was safe.

His hope was shattered upon entering her room. On her bed, he saw some hastily folded clothes – the ones she wore in the opening ceremony of the festival – and a piece of paper with a note, which he had to read several times to take the message in.

Dearest Fiyero,

By the time you are reading this, I must have left Vinkus. I may want to tell you why but I won't, because I don't want to put you in harm's way anymore. You've already saved me, for which I am truly grateful. Please do not attempt to find me.

Extend my thanks to the whole family, which I have been glad to be a part of even for a short time.

Thank you, Fiyero, for saving me, for taking care of me, for everything. I will surely regret not being able to properly say goodbye, but it's all for the best.

Elphaba

With the note crumpled in his hand, Fiyero returned to his cottage with a weary heart. Her message wasn't easy for him to digest.

He stood by the bed of snowflowers, watching the first rays of the morning sun rise above the horizon. It signaled the start of another day, in which, unlike the one that just passed, he did not know what to do.