A Million Dreams

"Exactly how much am I going to regret this?" The green witch couldn't help but smirk as she met with Fiyero the next morning.

"You won't. I promise." Fiyero grinned as they headed for breakfast.

"She won't what?" Glinda bounced towards them, throwing her arms around her best friend's neck.

"He's dragging me to some carnival in the next village after breakfast. But first I need to go to the library." Elphaba rolled her eyes, hugging back.

"No you don't." he nudged her. "And she thinks she's going to regret it," he added, looking at Glinda.

"Oh, Elphie! You'll have the most fabuloucious time! I swear you'll have so much fun!" Glinda told her.

Elphaba mumbled something in response and was ignored.

Fiyero smiled. "You could always come with us?"

"I'm sorry, but I already promised Olie we'd go out on a lunch date."

Elphaba smiled at her friend. "You really like him, don't you?"

"Hey! She didn't like me?" Fiyero pouted.

"She's never looked like that when she was with you," she smirked pointing to her friend's face.

Glinda giggled and shrugged. "I think he could really be the one Elphie. Sorry, Fiyero."

"Apology not accepted." He pouted, though his eyes were shining with amusement.

Elphaba laughed. "Never mind, Fifi. There's always the rest of the school."

He groaned. "Again with that... I hate you both."

"No, you don't. You love us." Glinda grinned linking her arm with Elphaba's. "I suppose if you're still there later then Olie and I could meet you," she suggested.

Fiyero nodded. "Sounds like a good plan."

"Can I get my pancakes now?" Elphaba complained.

Her friends laughed as they entered the canteen.

After breakfast, Glinda said her goodbyes and flounced away to get ready for her date and to find Ollivander.

"I'm sure she only likes him because he barely speaks to us and lets her do what she wants." Fiyero shook his head as they left the building.

"He's only quiet because she doesn't really give him a chance to speak or get to know us. Oh! That's an idea for the future! You can try and get him to string a sentence together and I'll distract her."

He laughed and linked his arm with hers. "And how are you going to do that?"

She shrugged. "I'll figure it out when we come to it."

"Why do I have to do it?"

"Because not many people find it as easy as you to talk to the sarcastic green bean."

"Good point." he grinned, ignoring the self-deprecation. "Shall I get a carriage?"

Elphaba looked up at the sky. "I think I want to walk."

"Alright, Miss Elphaba. Your first carnival awaits."

She rolled her eyes with a smile. "Can't wait," she told him in a sarcastic tone, and a large part of her was excited to see what awaited her. They both left the campus and made their way to the next village.

"So, have you had any more unexplainable dreams about my future?"

He shook his head. "Nope. The craziest thing you've done there is still with the flying monkeys." He looked over at her. Of course, it hadn't been the last time she'd been in his dreams, but it was nothing as outlandish as that, or anything he wanted to repeat to her.

"Oh," she put on a sad tone. "I was hoping I'd done more crazy things. Dream me sounds better than the real me."

"Give yourself time, Miss Commotion. You won't need my imagination for that."

"I don't know if I should be offended or accept the comment."

"Always accept it."

"You're an idiot."

I could be yours if you'd let me. "I know. But you should accept it." he grinned.

She sighed softly and smiled. "So, Glinda's mission is to get me to accept physical contact. Yours is apparently saying nice things and trying to make me accept them?"

"Exactly." he nodded as they walked.

"You realise you'll get bored and give up trying," she told him.

"I'll never get bored, Fae. Not when it comes to you."

"Yeah, we'll see."

He didn't respond to that, knowing she wouldn't believe him if he tried to convince her. He kept hearing Nessa's words in his head, and he cursed the younger Thropp for getting into his head like that.

Half an hour later, they reached the tiny village which was already bustling with life and excitement that the carnival brought. Elphaba stood still, taking it all in, for once her anxieties about crowded places did not rear its ugly head, and she smiled. A genuine smile.

Fiyero stood at her side, grinning and watching her as she visibly relaxed, the distant music having reached their ears. "Come on, let's go." He put his arm around her shoulders and lead her further down the path until they reached the first of the stalls.

Out of habit, Elphaba looked around her to check that her surroundings were safe, though, to her own surprise, she realised she didn't mind as much, she knew that should they come into any trouble, she'd be able to defend them with her magic, and he'd be able to get them both away. She settled against his side as they walked, stopping at every stall they passed, each one with its little trinkets more eye-catching than the last. Her eye caught sight of a delicate looking little gold bracelet but quickly averted her eyes when asked about what she'd seen. "Nothing," she answered.

About four stalls later Fiyero dropped his arm from her. "Just give me a minute." He told her as they reached the first of the food stalls, and he slipped away into the crowd.

"Wait-!" she called after him, but he'd already disappeared from view. She sighed and shook her head, not knowing what to do now she was left to her own devices. She looked around the crowd once more, only to realise one thing; that nobody really paid her any mind. They passed her by as though she were just a normal villager, and not for the first time, she smiled.

Fiyero retraced their steps, it wasn't hard to see why the various trinket stalls had caught Elphaba's eye. They did hold some of the most beautiful pieces of jewellery and ornaments he'd ever seen. Stopping at one, he picked up a silver photo frame that was embossed with an intricate design, a simple wooden jewellery box and the delicate gold bracelet decorated with sky blue and emerald green stones that Elphaba had seen, the stallholder took his money and put the purchases into a bag for him. "For your girl?" he asked with a knowing look.

Fiyero just grinned, not even bothering to correct him. "Something like that." was all he said and headed back in her direction to find her sitting at one of the benches by the food stalls, looking deep in thought. He bent near her ear. "Boo!"

Elphaba started, turning in his direction and she glared at him as he leapt back laughing at her. "Not funny!" she rolled her eyes smiling.

"I thought it was." He sat opposite her still laughing.

"I thought we established that you thinking is a disaster."

"This isn't a disaster is it."

She paused. "Alright, you have your moments."

"I'll take that. So what were you thinking about?"

"Green." she held up a hand to prove a point.

He gave her a mock once-over. "Yes, I can see. What about it."

She'd have laughed at the sarcasm had she noticed it. "Green and nobody is avoiding me like I carry the plague. Nobody has screeched in horror or yelled out some form of an insult."

"Oh." Admittedly, he hadn't noticed.

"Initially I thought it was because of you. But then you disappeared. Where did you get to anyway?"

"That's a surprise." He grinned wickedly at her.

"I don't like that look. It makes me nervous." she teased.

He laughed again. "Well, I'm gonna say it now. Get used to it."

She grinned. She didn't usually like surprises, but whatever he had planned couldn't really be that bad, right?

He stood up and walked back to stand in front of her again. "Come on, it has to be lunchtime now, and I'm hungry." he pulled her up before she could snark and he dragged her with him.

A couple of hours later, the pair were reunited with the rest of their group, Glinda had clearly convinced Nessa and Boq to join her and Ollivander, and now all six of them were wandering around the amusement stalls.

"Ooh! Elphie, look!" The blonde pulled her from Fiyero to a glass box that housed a mechanical fortune teller.

Elphaba scoffed. "Really, Lin? You know that thing is faker than Pfannee's hair, right?" But the blonde wasn't listening, and the boys watched in amusement as the gullible blonde shoved some coins into the machine.

"Glinda, sweetheart, Elphaba s right. The tickets from that thing hold no more truth of the future than a shooting star." Ollivander told her with a grin, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, she told you about that too?" Elphaba smirked.

"It worked! I'm telling you, I wished on that star, I dreamed about it and it came true!" Glinda told them and grabbed her ticket, her wide smile turning into a frown as she read.

"What?" Elphaba asked impatiently.

"It says 'You will suffer a great loss that will change your outlook on life.' Oh! I don't like it!" Glinda huffed, giving the machine her best wounded-puppy look and turned to her friend. "You try it!"

Elphaba shook her head. "No, thank you."

Glinda pouted and stomped her foot like a child, causing the green girl to laugh as Fiyero stepped forward.

"What are you? Five?" She smirked. "And why doesn't it surprise me that you'd give it a go."

"C'mon, Fae. As you said, it's not gonna come true. It's just a bit of fun." He smirked at her, putting a few coins into her palm before putting his own into the machine, taking the ticket a moment later.

Elphaba read it over his shoulder. "Well, they got Mr Dancing Through Life right, I suppose."

" 'The road to the heart isn't as easy as you think. But things are set to change and the light will be clearer.' " He read aloud. "No idea what it means though."

"Ugh! Fine!" She rolled her eyes and shoved her coins impatiently into the machine. "But when I get something stupid, I'm blaming you both." She pointed at the two of them and took her own ticket a moment later quickly reading it. "See? Totally stupid."

Glinda took it from her and read it. " 'Don't be fooled by what seems good. Evil lurks in plain sight, so keep your loved ones close. Don't be afraid to seek help or lean on them.' "

Unseen by everyone, Fiyero tensed a flashback to his nightmares about Elphaba at the forefront of his mind. Had that been an awful foreshadowing just as this seemed to be?

"Well, the only person I get the creepy evil vibes from is Horrible Morrible. But I can't see her risking everything and doing something out of line against a student." Elphaba shrugged. "Let's find something else if no one else wants to indulge my pretty blonde in her foolishness."

The other three shook their heads and the group moved on.

Glinda seemed to perk up after her disappointment. "Oh, I want to remember this day. Do you think there's somewhere we could get a photo taken?"

"No! Not happening." Elphaba shook her head.

"Please?" Glinda pouted, throwing her arms around her neck. "Please, Elphie! Pretty please with a pink frilly cupcake on top!"

"You are the pink frilly cupcake!" she growled.

"Please?"

"Fine! Now can you get off me before you find yourself magically at the top of that Ferris wheel ahead."

Glinda squealed and planted a kiss on her cheek before skipping ahead to their friends, and Elphaba wrinkled her nose at her, grumbling under her breath and followed her.

"Elphie agreed to a photo!"

Ollivander gave Boq a confused look, he didn't quite understand why this was an important notice but judging by the looks from his friends, he guessed the green girl didn't like her photo being taken.

"Any pictures we have as a group or separately, have to be taken before Elphaba can object. We don't have many." Boq confirmed.

"But the ones we do have are really nice. Boq takes such lovely pictures." Nessa smiled, causing the Munchkin pushing her chair to blush.

"I'm only doing it because it will keep her quiet, she'd never let me hear the end of it," Elphaba commented.

Glinda laughed joyfully, going to throw her arms around her again, but soon dropped her arms down at the death glare she received.

"Between you and him," She jabbed a finger in Fiyero's direction. "I've reached my physical contact quota for the day."

Nessa smiled softly. "Can you manage one more for a picture?"

"I think so, but the next person to touch me before or after it gets shocked."

Fiyero just grinned at her and rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't hurt us."

"Try me."

"You have a death wish, Tiggular." Boq laughed.

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing on the various amusement stalls, challenging each other to see who could win, Boq and Nessa opting to watch them instead.

Elphaba, and much to her surprise, Glinda, had both succeeded in winning their first game as they threw a ball to knock over a stack of tin cans, and Elphaba turned to her sister. "Choose whichever you want, Nessa."

Nessa beamed widely. "I'd quite like the miniature tiger please," she answered and was immediately handed the plush toy.

Glinda chose a pink unicorn for herself and wandered off by herself until she reached the Ferris wheel, and found what she was looking for. Quickly she dashed back to the group who were already heading for the next game. "I found where we can get our picture taken!"

"Then we can come back to it. I want to see what else there is to do first." Elphaba told her and walked ahead, turning to a discussion with Ollivander. "So, where was it you grew up?"

Ollivander smiled at the witch. "Uh, in the valleys of Lower Gillikin. I'm the only boy and I have 5 sisters. Two older, three younger." he explained. "My oldest sister is a lot like Glinda, which is why I guess I'm so used to remaining quiet around it all."

"I just thought you were a little overwhelmed by her. She can be much." She smirked.

He laughed. "Yeah, that too. But I like her very much."

Glinda beamed brightly watching her best friend and her new boyfriend talking, she barely noticed Fiyero fall into step beside her until he spoke.

"When we do go for that picture, can you ask the guy for two? I have something for Elphaba for her birthday," he told her in a low voice so nobody else heard.

"What?" Glinda asked, interested to know what he had planned.

He opened the bag to show her the contents, and Glinda gasped softly, a smile playing on her lips. "Oh, I'm sure she'll love them."

"I hope so."

Glinda giggled giddily and dragged him with her until they caught up with the group. She let him go and attached herself at Ollivander's side again, Fiyero stepping beside Elphaba and they kept on until they found another throwing game. The two couples played against one another, trying to throw hoops around certain objects. This time, they came away with nothing.

"That's impossible!" Elphaba had declared, glaring at the game when she'd been unable to hook the hoops she had to throw.

"I'm sure that's how the game is supposed to be. It's fixed so you can't win." Ollivander agreed, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Are you sure you're not just sore losers?" Boq teased.

"You try it, Munchkin!"

He stuck his tongue out at the taller witch in response.

"Oh, Oz. Glinda is about to use her brain. This could be more catastrophic than Fiyero." Elphaba smirked seeing the blonde looking at a jar full of marbles on the next stall.

"Hey!" Fiyero jabbed her side, and she elbowed him back.

"Glinda, you'll never get it!" Boq called over, and Fiyero sauntered over to the blonde.

"Oh, Oz..." Elphaba sighed and followed Ollivander to another stall as he beckoned her over to the game. "So I'm guessing we have to hit these meerkats to win?"

He shrugged. "Guess so," he answered. Five minutes later they had beaten the game, both dissolving into laughter.

"I think I'm gonna get Glinda that clown puppet."

"And you call Morrible creepy. What in Oz is that to you?" Ollivander raised an eyebrow.

Elphaba laughed. "Exactly! Let's just say it's payback for a certain little fashion accessory that I, of course, hold dear to my heart."

He nodded, deciding not to ask, and he chose a ceramic turtle ornament, and they both headed back to find Fiyero celebrating his victory.

"She lost," Elphaba smirked. "And surprisingly, he won."

"Yes, I did!" He grinned at her and shoved a stuffed grey cat into the green witch's hands. "That's for you."

She scoffed and smiled. "Thank you." she turned to Glinda, giving her the clown puppet.

The blonde squealed and dropped it as though it had caught fire. "Elphie! That's hideocious!"

Elphaba cackled loudly at her friend's reaction.

"Elphie!" Glinda hit her arm, causing her to laugh more.

"Oh, Lin. I wish I was sorry!" Elphaba spoke through her laughter.

"No, you don't! You wicked thing!" she pouted.

"You're right. Payback."

"What for?"

"That hat. And the makeovers." Elphaba smirked. "You know you love me."

"Yes, I do. You're still awful." Glinda huffed as Fiyero dragged her away to another game.

"Water shooting?" Elphaba raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why not?"

"Can you do it without cheating?"

"Only one way to find out, ma méchante sorcière." he challenged.

"I'll give you wicked." She smirked. "Prepare to lose, Tiggular."

He laughed and they played, each attempting to shoot the targets in the water, both trying to put the other off. Despite their best efforts, they had won it at a draw, but that didn't stop him from trying one last trick, aiming the water pistol at her and shot at her neck. He laughed and put it back down.

She gasped and glared at him, the smirk back on her face. "Really? You'd resort to a dirty trick like that?" she shot back at him, getting him in the face and she put down her own water pistol, laughing. Collecting their prizes, they continued on their way.

The group continued to play the games until the sunset and the sky started to darken. At that point, Glinda had decided they'd waited long enough into the early evening for their picture. They headed back through the crowds to the Ferris wheel to have their picture taken, and they headed back out of the village, back towards Shiz University.

"Are you glad you came out today?" Fiyero grinned at Elphaba as they walked.

She thought for a moment. "Actually... Yeah. I think I am." she smiled.

"Good. Cause there'll be more time to do that again, I promise." he nodded, hugging her to his side.

She allowed the contact and she nodded. Despite her initial misgivings, she knew she wouldn't mind going to another if he were to suggest it again. Today he allowed her to be free, to have fun, and she loved him more for it. The look on his face whenever he looked at her showed he was genuinely happy to be doing this with her, and she couldn't deny she was happy too.

Nessa watched her sister and Fiyero up ahead with a grin. Her heart was full and happy after the day's events, the fun she'd had with her friends. She only hoped the fun would continue in the summer. She had, as promised, written the letter to her father about the summertime request, and now all they had to do was wait.