Chapter 8- Unlimited
The sun ascended on the Emerald City. It was very early in the morning. Fiyero woke up with the most horrible back ache. He couldn't remember a thing from the previous night, and now he wondered what he was thinking, falling asleep on the floor. It was amazingly uncomfortable. He pulled his wheat-colored hair out of his face with his left hand… Wait a minute. He managed to fall asleep? His face? His left hand? What in Oz was going on?
Then he noticed a chubby man, sleeping on the floor next to him. This man looked awfully familiar…
And then it dawned on him.
"Boq!" he shouted. "Boq, wake up! It worked! It really worked!" He couldn't believe it.
Boq woke up slowly. He looked as drowsy and as confused as Fiyero. "What hap-" he stopped mid-sentence, suddenly taking notice of Fiyero's appearance. He stared. "You look… like yourself again! Did it-"
"Yes! It worked!"
"Thank goodness! Oh my Oz!" Boq sighed happily. "Well, what time is it? Should we wake the girls up and tell them or-"
"No. It's been a rough night for them. Let them sleep. Oh, I cannot believe this!"
"Neither can I," replied Boq, checking his reflection in the mirror. "I was so afraid I would be something else, or the wrong color…" He realized what he was saying and looked at Fiyero, a little embarrassed. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
"Don't be. I was worried too," said Fiyero, flashing a reassuring smile at Boq.
"Are you really going to marry her?"
Fiyero nodded. "Of course I am," he said. "I loved her forever."
This seemed to surprise Boq. "Really? I always thought that you and Glinda… I mean…" he stammered. Whereas he was never interested in gossip, he was very much interested in Glinda. And he had to know the truth before he'd do anything else.
Fiyero shook his head. "No. Glinda was an illusion. She is sweet, and loyal, and the best friend we can never have, but… she is not the one for me." He stopped for a moment, as if to give his words a suitable emphasis. "Elphaba is. Without a doubt."
"I wish I could marry Glinda," Boq whispered wistfully.
"Well, why wouldn't you? You are cute together," said Fiyero, grinning teasingly.
"Have you misplaced your mind? She will never want someone like me."
"I used to think so too, but she has changed. She's better. And I don't believe she'll reject you if you ask her. After all, she was the one suggesting you'd move here until this potion was finished."
Boq hesitated. Fiyero had a point, he thought. But… could he do it? "Yes, I guess you're right," he said eventually.
Fiyero smiled, satisfied. "Well, it's settled then. Talk to her. You have nothing to lose."
They heard a rustle coming from the secret passage and seconds later the door was opened. The girls giggled about something Glinda had said on the way there. They were nervous. Fiyero was right. It was a rough night, indeed.
Elphaba was the first to step into the room, and she froze on the threshold. She stopped giggling at once. She stared at the two men… men, thank Oz! in front of her. She couldn't believe it. It worked!
"Elphie? Is everything all right?" asked Glinda. She was terrified. What if it didn't work? What if they were transformed again, into something much more horrible?
"Yeah… everything is… just… wonderful…" Elphaba murmured, slowly entering into the room. She stopped in front of Fiyero and gently touched his face. His human face.
"Good morning, beautiful," he whispered, amused by her reaction.
"No…" she whispered back. "You are the one who's beautiful." She fell into his arms without further words. An amazing sense of relief washed over her.
He held her tight for a second and then swept her off her feet and whirled her in the air. "You did it! Fae, you actually did it!"
Glinda looked at Fiyero and Boq in amazement. It did work! Her heart was filled with so many emotions she was afraid it would burst. She felt relief and joy and… love? She looked at Boq. Well, he might not be the handsomest of men, but he was the nicest, and most intelligent. She slowly approached him. "Welcome back," she said softly, looking into his eyes.
"Thank you. Thank you so much," he said. He couldn't stop smiling.
"I'm not the one you should thank to," Glinda said seriously and looked at Elphaba and Fiyero, at the other end of the room. The rest of the world just vanished, as far as they were concerned. They stood there and just held each other, whispering things in one another's ear. She smiled. "Look at them. They are so perfect for each other."
"Yes, yes, they are," agreed Boq. "Look, Miss Glinda, I-"
"Boq… I think that at this point, 'Glinda' would be better, really," she smiled.
He nodded. "All right, Glinda. You know perfectly well how I feel about you, for several years now. For so many years. What I'm trying to say is… well…"
She looked at him, amused. He was so sweet when he was rambling that way, she thought.
"There is one more think that will make me completely happy," he managed to let out finally.
"Oh? And what's that?" asked Glinda, who already guessed what he was trying to say.
"Well… I will be honored if you'll… agree… to marry me," he ended up quietly, looking at her, uncertain.
"Oh, Boq! Of course I'll marry you!" she exclaimed.
He seemed to have misheard her. "If you think we shouldn't do that… I mean, I shouldn't… just tell me, I'll leave and-" he stopped babbling only when she put a finger on his lips. He froze at her touch.
"You are talking too much," she remarked gently, smiling.
He blushed. "Well, it happens to me when I'm nervous," he apologized.
"So you couldn't hear my answer," she said, smiling. "I said I would marry you, Boq."
He looked stunned. "You… you will?" he stammered. She nodded. "Why?" he asked quietly.
"What do you mean?"
"Why do you want to marry me? I'm not handsome, I'm not popular," he started.
"You are smart, and intelligent, and caring, and good-hearted," she cut him off, "and I learned that people are more than just good looks, or popularity. So I will marry you, Biq, whether you like it or not."
He pretended to be frowning, although he felt like dancing. "It's Boq," he said. They both laughed.
"What are you two laughing about?" asked Elphaba as she and Fiyero approached Glinda and Boq..
Glinda's laughter slowly died out as she smiled at her friend's question. "Just old memories," she said.
"So… do you have anything you want to tell us?" asked Fiyero, winking at Boq. Elphaba was too happy and tired to even notice that wink. Boq nodded, but Glinda was the first to speak.
"Actually, we do," she started. "I guess I won't wear pink at your wedding after all, Elphie," she said, pulling off her most sorrowful expression.
Elphaba looked relieved. "Thank Oz! I was afraid you'd-" then she stopped speaking at once when she noticed Boq and Glinda's joined hands. "Wait just a clock tick… What is going on here? Are you-"
"Yes, we are getting married too! Isn't it the best?" Glinda let out a squeal, very much like her old Galinda-like style.
Elphaba hugged her. "Sure. It's wonderful. Congratulations." She wasn't so shocked, she could actually feel it coming, but she was happy for both of them. She was so excited that their spell actually worked. For once, she was able to do something good.
"Elphaba… I don't know how to thank you for-" Boq started.
She smiled. "You can thank me by taking care of my best friend," she said, looking at Glinda.
"Consider it done," he promised. "What are you going to do now?"
"I don't know," said Elphaba, "go back to our castle, I guess. We can't stay here."
"Why not?" asked Glinda.
"Why not?" Elphaba echoed. "Do I need to remind you we are still considered as dead? I can never go back to this city, as much as I want to stay here with you," she added quietly.
"Unless… we'll tell people the truth," suggested Glinda.
Elphaba shot her a skeptical look. "You are crazy," she said. "They'll never hear you."
"They will… if I'll tell them everything, clear your name, and present you as the new Wizard of Oz."
Elphaba stared at her in amazement. The new Wizard of Oz? It sounded too good to be true. "Have you lost your mind, Glinda?" she asked.
Glinda ignored her. She started to like this idea. It could be perfect! "I'll rule the city and you'll be the Wizard. People will come to us for help. Think about it, Elphie! Think of what we can do, together."
Elphaba's own words came back to her in a flash. Together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been… This time, she decided, she wouldn't give up their dream. She smiled.
"Alright, Glinda," she said, "Let's do it."
