As the coach slowed to a halt, Elphaba prepared herself for the escape she had been meticulously planning since the beginning of the ride.
---
She had thoughtlessly followed Glinda into the coach and seated herself next to the door. When Glinda began making a schedule and checklist, Elphaba quickly diverted her mind elsewhere. Finally, realizing her location, her mind set work. Since she was seated next to the door, it made proper sense that she would be the first the exit the carriage. Being the first one out gave her an excellent oppritunity to quickly disappear. Swift escapes and vanishing acts were two skills Elphaba picked up while she'd been in hiding from the Wizard.
---
Once the door opened, Elphaba brusqely pushed past the coachman and dashed down the street, gaining a few odd looks in the process. Glinda, catching on to Elphaba's plan, hurried out of the carriage. She picked up her skirts hoping to follow and catch up to Elphaba. She took a step forward preparing to break into a run. Then she noticed her footwear; on her feet was a pair of satin, blue-green, high-heeled shoes-- hardly the appropriate attire for chasing people through the streets.
Glinda stomped her feet. "Grrrr...you won't get out of this that easily, Elphie!" she yelled after the fleeting, green figure.
---
Elphaba couldn't help but laugh out loud for a moment once she was gone from Glinda's sight. There was no way Glinda could've kept up with her on foot. The idea of Glinda chasing after her in high-heels with one hand holding her hat in place and the other picking up her skirts was rather amusing. After turning one corner, she slipped into the nearest shop.
"I'll stay here awhile and browse. Glinda will probably be in and out of shops trying to find me, but of course she's going to be deterred by people wanting to talk with her. It will take her some time to get here, but I'll leave before she does." thought Elphaba as she formulated the rest of her plan. "She'll likely have told the coachman to stay put, so I'll take a cab back to the house. If it happens that every cabbie I come across refuses me a ride because he thinks I'm still a wicked witch, I guess I can always walk back."
Breaking free from her thoughts, Elphaba took in her surroundings. It was as if she had walked into some sort of hell. She mentally berated herself for not looking to see exactly what kind of store she was entering. Every item in the shop was or at least posessed a fair amount of pink.
"Great. I escape the Prima Madonna of Pink only to find myself in her world," Elphaba muttered to herself.
"Is there something I can help you with?" asked a saleswoman, briefly startling Elphaba.
"No thank you," Elphaba replied, flushing slightly.
Then she heard a little sniff from behind her. She turned around and was unsurprised to see Pfannee trying on a pink, frilly gown.
"Surely, you're not shopping here for yourself," she commented snidely. "Afterall, pink is hardly the color for a witch."
Elphaba tilted her chin up, and stared back haughtily at Pfannee. "Due to my own selflessness-- that means being more concerned with others than myself; I thought I'd tell you that since the term is obviously foreign to you--" Elphaba took pleasure in seeing Pfannee fume at the insult. "I'm actually looking to buy a present for Glinda."
"Now, I actually have to buy something. Be more careful, Elphaba. You'll end up agreeing to go to the Ozma's Coronation Ball next," thought Elphaba.
"How ever will you do so, as you're obviously lacking in taste!" spat back a resentful Pfannee.
"I must bow out to you there," said Elphaba with a mock sigh. "But, although your fashion sense greatly exceeds mine, at least I know the pink is not my color!" she added sneeringly.
"But green certainly is!" Pfannee shot back.
"I'm not the one wearing an unbecoming color though," reminded Elphaba. She could see Pfannee's face start to redden furthur.
Just then, Glinda came into the store. "There you are Elphie! What in Oz are you doing in here?" she laughed. Elphaba continued to glower at Pfannee.
She replied, "Well, I was hoping the buy a gift to surprise you with."
"Oh, how thoughtful of you," said Glinda. "Pfannee, darling, how are you," she added, finally noticing Pfannee.
"Lovely," answered Pfannee with false cheer. "I was just having a nice little chat with our old classmate from Shiz, Miss Elba or Elfba is it?"
"Elphaba," said Elphaba coldly.
"I knew it was something along those lines," said Pfannee fluttering her right hand about. "Anyhow, we were discussing the upcoming coronation ball. Miss Elphaba here, was just telling me she was having the most marvelous dress made for the occasion. She wouldn't describe it to me because she was planning to surprise and thrill us all at the ceremony."
Glinda looked at Elphaba puzzledly. Now, it was Elphaba's turn to flush. Pfannee was challenging her outright; she couldn't back down.
"Yes, that's exactly what we're in town for, aren't we Glinda?" said Elphaba gritting her teeth. "Well, we really must dash," added Elphaba, her voice dripping with false sweetness. She linked arms with the still confused Glinda and half dragged her out of the store.
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AN: Yay! It's done. I finally sat down and did this. The chapter did not go the way as planned and turned out to be much better. I know I said would never have another scene where Pfannee was heavily involved because I hated her so much, but she and Elphaba meeting proved to be such a great conflict and scene. This scene also helped me figure out how to get Elphaba to the ball. This chapter has been one of the most fun to write. Did you like the irony at the beginning of the chapter? Also, Pfannee's mispronunciatons of Elphaba's name are actually what a girl I know, when she was first introduced to "Wicked," used to always call Elphaba, despite my constant corrections. I'm still unsure how long this story is going to extend, but I know where I'm going to take it. Thanks to all those who've read and made comments, especially Yvi-- you rock eight ways from next Tuesday! You should read "Reciprocity" by her if you get the chance. As always, feel free to email or post comments and especially constructive criticism. The disclaimer is displayed in chapter one.
---
She had thoughtlessly followed Glinda into the coach and seated herself next to the door. When Glinda began making a schedule and checklist, Elphaba quickly diverted her mind elsewhere. Finally, realizing her location, her mind set work. Since she was seated next to the door, it made proper sense that she would be the first the exit the carriage. Being the first one out gave her an excellent oppritunity to quickly disappear. Swift escapes and vanishing acts were two skills Elphaba picked up while she'd been in hiding from the Wizard.
---
Once the door opened, Elphaba brusqely pushed past the coachman and dashed down the street, gaining a few odd looks in the process. Glinda, catching on to Elphaba's plan, hurried out of the carriage. She picked up her skirts hoping to follow and catch up to Elphaba. She took a step forward preparing to break into a run. Then she noticed her footwear; on her feet was a pair of satin, blue-green, high-heeled shoes-- hardly the appropriate attire for chasing people through the streets.
Glinda stomped her feet. "Grrrr...you won't get out of this that easily, Elphie!" she yelled after the fleeting, green figure.
---
Elphaba couldn't help but laugh out loud for a moment once she was gone from Glinda's sight. There was no way Glinda could've kept up with her on foot. The idea of Glinda chasing after her in high-heels with one hand holding her hat in place and the other picking up her skirts was rather amusing. After turning one corner, she slipped into the nearest shop.
"I'll stay here awhile and browse. Glinda will probably be in and out of shops trying to find me, but of course she's going to be deterred by people wanting to talk with her. It will take her some time to get here, but I'll leave before she does." thought Elphaba as she formulated the rest of her plan. "She'll likely have told the coachman to stay put, so I'll take a cab back to the house. If it happens that every cabbie I come across refuses me a ride because he thinks I'm still a wicked witch, I guess I can always walk back."
Breaking free from her thoughts, Elphaba took in her surroundings. It was as if she had walked into some sort of hell. She mentally berated herself for not looking to see exactly what kind of store she was entering. Every item in the shop was or at least posessed a fair amount of pink.
"Great. I escape the Prima Madonna of Pink only to find myself in her world," Elphaba muttered to herself.
"Is there something I can help you with?" asked a saleswoman, briefly startling Elphaba.
"No thank you," Elphaba replied, flushing slightly.
Then she heard a little sniff from behind her. She turned around and was unsurprised to see Pfannee trying on a pink, frilly gown.
"Surely, you're not shopping here for yourself," she commented snidely. "Afterall, pink is hardly the color for a witch."
Elphaba tilted her chin up, and stared back haughtily at Pfannee. "Due to my own selflessness-- that means being more concerned with others than myself; I thought I'd tell you that since the term is obviously foreign to you--" Elphaba took pleasure in seeing Pfannee fume at the insult. "I'm actually looking to buy a present for Glinda."
"Now, I actually have to buy something. Be more careful, Elphaba. You'll end up agreeing to go to the Ozma's Coronation Ball next," thought Elphaba.
"How ever will you do so, as you're obviously lacking in taste!" spat back a resentful Pfannee.
"I must bow out to you there," said Elphaba with a mock sigh. "But, although your fashion sense greatly exceeds mine, at least I know the pink is not my color!" she added sneeringly.
"But green certainly is!" Pfannee shot back.
"I'm not the one wearing an unbecoming color though," reminded Elphaba. She could see Pfannee's face start to redden furthur.
Just then, Glinda came into the store. "There you are Elphie! What in Oz are you doing in here?" she laughed. Elphaba continued to glower at Pfannee.
She replied, "Well, I was hoping the buy a gift to surprise you with."
"Oh, how thoughtful of you," said Glinda. "Pfannee, darling, how are you," she added, finally noticing Pfannee.
"Lovely," answered Pfannee with false cheer. "I was just having a nice little chat with our old classmate from Shiz, Miss Elba or Elfba is it?"
"Elphaba," said Elphaba coldly.
"I knew it was something along those lines," said Pfannee fluttering her right hand about. "Anyhow, we were discussing the upcoming coronation ball. Miss Elphaba here, was just telling me she was having the most marvelous dress made for the occasion. She wouldn't describe it to me because she was planning to surprise and thrill us all at the ceremony."
Glinda looked at Elphaba puzzledly. Now, it was Elphaba's turn to flush. Pfannee was challenging her outright; she couldn't back down.
"Yes, that's exactly what we're in town for, aren't we Glinda?" said Elphaba gritting her teeth. "Well, we really must dash," added Elphaba, her voice dripping with false sweetness. She linked arms with the still confused Glinda and half dragged her out of the store.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
AN: Yay! It's done. I finally sat down and did this. The chapter did not go the way as planned and turned out to be much better. I know I said would never have another scene where Pfannee was heavily involved because I hated her so much, but she and Elphaba meeting proved to be such a great conflict and scene. This scene also helped me figure out how to get Elphaba to the ball. This chapter has been one of the most fun to write. Did you like the irony at the beginning of the chapter? Also, Pfannee's mispronunciatons of Elphaba's name are actually what a girl I know, when she was first introduced to "Wicked," used to always call Elphaba, despite my constant corrections. I'm still unsure how long this story is going to extend, but I know where I'm going to take it. Thanks to all those who've read and made comments, especially Yvi-- you rock eight ways from next Tuesday! You should read "Reciprocity" by her if you get the chance. As always, feel free to email or post comments and especially constructive criticism. The disclaimer is displayed in chapter one.