Disclaimer: You know the drill people...

"It looks like it's going to rain." I said, pointing up to the darkening sky.

"What? Are you Sky?"

"No, it's just…water and I don't mix well. I'm allergic to it, in a way. It burns me."

"Oh, right. Hydrophobia is understandable."

"It is not hydrophobia! I'm not afraid of it…well, I am, but it's pain; that's only natural."

Frou-Frou snorted. "You humans are so weak. You're all afraid of something."

"Oh, don't you bawl me out. Do you not remember when we passed that farm with all of those ponies? And how you shied? At last I have a reason to be afraid of something. I doubt ponies would hurt you; Ponies, maybe."

"Leave it alone. Ponies are cute, they're humble, they may very well be Ponies in disguise waiting to take over the earth."

"Oh, Sweet Oz, you've been thinking in that stable for way too long."

"Yes, being so…enclosed helps me think quite logically."

I snorted, "Logic? I think not."

She gave an irritated little buck, just high enough to unsettle me. I grabbed at her mane. "You really want this to be ripped out, don't you?" I asked, giving a small tug.

She shook her head. "Leave my mane out of this!"

"Fine, " I said, letting go of her mane, "your precious mane will not be harmed."

"Good. You're going to have to get over your little fear of water, because it's going to start raining very soon."

"How do you know?"

"I'm Horse. We know these things."

"I'm sure. And it's not a fear, it's an allergy."

"Right. Tell me, how many other people are allergic to water?"

"How many other people are green?"

"You have a point there."

"I know. But water seriously does burn me."

"There's not much I can do right now. We can try and take shelter under some trees, though some excess water might drip on you."

I looked around. We were in Munchkinland, I could tell by all of the blue houses (blue was the favorite color in Munchkinland) though I couldn't tell how much farther it would be until I reached my destination of Frex's house. I detested the thought of going to my stepfather's house, but I felt that I had to pay my respects to Nessa, and I didn't know where her grave was. He did.

"Frou-Frou, do you know where we are?"

"Munchkinland? You're supposed to be my navigational system, Elphaba."

"I know. I'm sorry. I know we're in Munchkinland, I just don't know where. I need to find my father's house."

"You don't know where your father lives?"

"Do you?"

"No, but that's different. I never met my father. You did."

"I guess. I just haven't been home...in a while."

I saw her nod slightly, throwing her gait off just slightly. "I'm a curious Animal, Miss Elphaba, it's only in my nature to be so. I, unlike some others, know when curious is crossing the boundary at being rude, but I'd like to know your story, Elphaba, the whole thing. If it is not too much to ask."

"You've taken me very far, Frou-Frou, and I'm positive that Fiyero will grateful to see me come home so soon. You deserve to know, I guess." So I told her. My entire story.

I shuddered when I finished telling her. It was painful to bring back so many memories.

"You're a good person, Elphaba -or Elphie, the way some call you- you've been through so much, but you still try to help others. I admire you. Destiny is deafening, as I've been told by many a wiser horse, but you seem to unafraid to face it impetuously."

"Are all Horses this wise?"

She laughed. "I don't know. Most of the ones kept inside are more keen on kicking their stall doors down. I, however, like to think. And I do quite a lot of it."

"I can tell."

"Do you have any idea where your father lives? At all?"

"Erm, Rush Margins?" (A/N: I have no idea where he lives; my mom has my book and I'm too lazy to go get it from her, so bear with me)

"Alright, as if I know where that is."

"I can't help you in that department."

"I should've asked if you had a map before I offered to go with you."

"Probably."

"Night is falling fast, my friend. You can sleep, if you'd like. I'll try as hard as possible to not dump you on the ground."

"How reassuring."

"When you wake up, I promise you we'll be closer to your 'father'. Even though I know you don't want to see him."

"Thanks, Frou-Frou. You're too good to me."

I quickly fell asleep in a hunched-over position.

When I woke up the next morning, I was on the ground, Frou-Frou was grazing in the grass. "Frou-Frou?" I called.

"We're about a hundred feet away from the home of the one you call Frex."

"Oh joy."

"Yes, I knew you'd feel that way."

I stood up and cracked my neck and back with a smirk. "Ouch. I think I'll walk the rest of the way."

"I thought you would feel that way."

"It never rained, did it?"

"It did. You just never noticed, in your hunched-up position. It's going to rain again today, though, I can tell."

"Thanks for the forecast, Frou-Frou."

"You're welcome, Elphie."

"Since when did you call me Elphie?"

"I don't know, you told me that your friend Glinda calls you that. I kind of like it." She replied, pricking her ears.

"Come on. I'd like to see Brother Frexspar before I die."

She trotted up to me and we walked side by side towards the home of my stepfather. In about a hundred feet -just like Frou-Frou said- I came upon a small cottage. Frex's house. From the moment I laid my eyes on the house, I knew something was wrong; something didn't look -or feel- right. I went to the door and knocked. There was no answer. I tried peering through one of the windows, but was greeted with nothing but blackness. "Hey, Frou-Frou, could you lend me the use of one of your back legs? Something's wrong. The door is locked, and I think you could kick through this window." I said, tapping on the window pane.

She sighed, but backed towards the windows. With one well aimed kick, she shattered the glass and I was able to climb through without lacerating my hands too badly. "Father? Frex?" I called softly.

I squinted my eyes, letting my eyes adjust to the dimness of the room. I gasped when my eyes began to see again.

"Elphaba, everything alright?"

I couldn't answer her. I was hit with a flood of memories.

(blood so much blood everywhere oh sweet oz)

I dropped to my knees, shocked. Who would do such a thing?

(The Wizard Dad that bastard)

Blood splashed the walls, and the one I had known as my father, as much I despised him, laid dead on the floor.

I bit my lip, expecting tears to come. They didn't. I hadn't hated Frex as much I thought. I hadn't loved him, of course, but I hadn't hated him either.

But why would that damn father of mine want to kill Frex? He wasn't exactly 'dear' to me.

I walked towards his body. Frex's eyes were closed, and he looked peaceful. He hadn't been murdered, as I had thought. His wrists had been slit, long cuts going up and down and across his arms. He had killed himself. I sat back on myheels and stared at him for a minute. I felt partially responsible...No! Fiyero wouldn't want me to blame myself, 'It wasn't your fault' he'd tell me..but I couldn't help it...if I hadn't said those things to him...

"Elphaba? Elphie, my friend, are you alright?"

I snapped back to reality. My voice was a bit shaky as I said, "He's dead, Frou-Frou, he killed himself." I climbed out of the window and scratched behind her ears absently.

"I'm sorry. Do you want to look for your sister's grave?"

"Yea," I said quietly, "I do."

She leaned down so that I could get on her back without any trouble and she carried me off into the North.

We came across a cemetary in mid-afternoon. "Do you need any help?"

"I'll be fine alone, Frou-Frou." I was still in shock about Frex. I knew that he had been deeply unhappy after my birth, but did I finally push him far enough over the edge?

I found Nessa's grave suprisingly easyily, seeing as the words 'Wicked Witch of the East' were printed in bold letters across the tombstone.

I knelt down and kissed my fingers, pressing them to the cold stone. "Oh Nessie, I'm sorry about leaving you at Shiz. You didn't understand the things I did, and to be frank, I didn't either and still don't. Oh, Nessarose, please forgive me. Everything happens for a reason, I know that now, we all have our purposes, we just don't all know what they are." I realized then that tears were streaming down my face, and that rain was beginning to fall hard.

I stood and put my face towards the rain, daring it to burn me. I didn't feel anything, and I opened my eyes, to make sure it was actually raining and wasn't just a figment of my very explict imagination. Nope, it was really raining. I felt no pain, no numbness, I could hear my heart beating in my ears, and the water didn't burn. Didn't burn.

Maybe it was just hydrophobia; maybe it was solved.

I walked slowly towards Frou-Frou, my mind feeling very relieved.

"I thought water burned you." She said, confused.

"I thought so too. Maybe you're right, maybe it was just hydrophobia."

"The words of Horses are wise ones." She said, swishing her tail proudly.

"I'm sure."

"You look much better."

"I feel much better. At Kiamo Ko, I tried to be happy; I couldn't ask for anything for more. Fiyero was with me, and after I had almost gotten him killed, and I've got Tale, and Glinda..but now that I know that Nessa knows that I love her, things are looking brighter to me."

"What about the one called Frex? What are you going to do about him?"

"I didn't hate him as I much as I made out, I didn't love him either. He deserves a good burial, something I cannot give him. Someone will find him soon enough."

"You're just going to leave him there? What if no one does find him?"

"Don't worry, Frou-Frou. He'll be put to rest soon enough. Come on, let's go home."

I climbed onto her back, and she took off at a flat-out gallop. I laughed and leaned forward, closing my eyes. The rain stung my face as we sliced through it, but I didn't care. For the first time in a long time, I felt...happy.

"Finally! I thought we'd never get out of that forest!" I cried and flopped to my knees, my face to the sun.

"Yes," said Scarecrow, "and I suppose that my directional skills are quite good, seeing as we're less than a mile outside of Luntook."

"What's that mean?" I asked.

"It means that we're too far away from Kiamo Ko; Luntook is the city right outside of it."

I gulped. We were getting closer to the Witch. Oh dear God, I said in silent prayer, please don't make me kill this woman.

I picked up a very enthusiastic Tale, something had us both feeling very cheerful today.

Well, it wasn't just something. I knew, that that something was Elphaba. I couldn't pinpoint what her exact emotion was, but I think it was happyrather thanher usual blue -or may I say green- funk. I took Tale's little right fingers in my own, and she grabbed at my hair with her other hand. I laughed and kissed her forehead.

I had a feeling that our Elphaba was coming home.

Eh, what do you think? I think it's pretty good, but what do I know, right:) Review please, my luvs..