1Disclaimer: Wow. That last chapter was so much fun! I've always wanted to describe it, and now I finally have! Well, this is from "The Wizard of Oz" like that other chapter that's back there, somewhere. Yup, yup! I hope it has some originality. Elphaba thinks her boyfriend is dead, or worse, and just wants her shoes back at this point. You know, just because your boyfriend is a scarecrow and you don't know it, it's no reason to light him on fire! This should be fun. giggles wickedly

Chapter 15: Shoes? Desire

Elphaba hid on top of a house, watching the little girl and her companion oiling a tinman. She scoffed at them silently. Hmph, stupid Boq. Ran away from her sister and got himself rusted for his trouble. She realized with a jerk of her heart, that was the reason Nessa had been crushed that day. She had been chasing Boq. Stupid munchkin boy! She should turn him into a beehive! She leapt up with a poof of red smoke and laughed like a mad-woman, observing her victims.

After screeching at them with her show voice she used to frighten the Ozians, she drew up a ball of fire with her magic and glared at the scarecrow. Who in all of Oz was he? And why was he after her as well? "Wanna play ball, scarecrow?" She threw it, laughing hysterically as the unfortunate thing leapt up and down, trying to put himself out.

In another dramatic puff of smoke, she vanished into a nearby tree, where she watched them.

"Stuff a mattress with me," she heard the scarecrow mutter resentfully. Her heart leapt. It couldn't be! No, It really couldn't be! She was delusional. Lack of sleep. With a shake of her head she leapt onto her broom and took off, flying back to the castle she had claimed for herself.

She stood in front of her glass ball, observing the travelers as they came upon a lion. She smiled knowingly as he started crying after the girl slapped it's nose. Poor thing was the lion cub she and Fiyero had freed all those years ago. She sat back and watched as they continued to walk, trying to fathom a way to stop them and steal her sister's shoes back. Then they could do whatever they wanted.

Her eyes had drifted shut, but Chistery's shrieking brought her back. Sitting up with a start she saw they were just in front of a huge field that the yellow road cut through to get the to Emerald City. This was her chance! She grabbed a couple of magic items she had enchanted with the Grimmerie and began muttering a poisoned poppy spell, but sort of watered down so it wouldn't kill them. "Poppies will put them to sleep." She stood back and watched as they tramped through the field, slowing, then finally falling down in a deep sleep.

With a shriek of triumph she made to get on her broom, but was stopped by the scarecrow. "Help!" he cried, looking to the western sky. "Help!" The voice made her shiver. What was it about him? Next time she saw him she would finish him off for good! Then something in the ball caught her eye, making her draw closer. Snow? It was snowing? Madam Morrible! It had to be. Weather is my specialty, she had said. No! She threw back her head and screamed with frustration, "blast! Someone keeps helping that girl!" Someone meaning everyone! She leapt onto her broom and shouted to it, "to the Emerald City as quick as lightning!"

It wasn't as quick as lightning really. She got there just as the foursome were going to see the wizard. What could she do to get their attention? Oh, yes, the smoke. With a flick of her hand over the bristles, she made the smoke start, writing "surrender Dorothy" in the sky. With another flick she turned it off and hovered to see the reaction. Everyone began screaming and running to see the wizard, including the four, except the scarecrow! He stayed back and looked at her hovering in the sky. Raising a floppy arm, he waved at her. What on earth?

She turned and sped away, completely unnerved. Who was that blasted bag of straw? She needed to know before she destroyed him. She had no doubts the wizard would send the four of them to try and kill her. She would be ready, capture the little girl and get rid of Boq and the lion, then interrogate the straw man. A little fire, and he would spill his guts for her!

She hunkered down in her castle, waiting and watching her ball intently. She thought furiously about the aggravating scarecrow. He was driving her mad! Every time she reached a dead end with who it could be her mind drifted to Fiyero. No! She would rather him be dead than a scarecrow! Wouldn't she? That's what the wicked Elphaba would think. What about the old Elphaba? Elphie. Elphie would want Fiyero to be alive, no matter what he looked like. He didn't love her for her looks, why should she for his? But still, a scarecrow? No! It wasn't even Fiyero! She was having delusions brought on by lost love!

She looked into the ball after hours of this musing and saw with relief the four were finally heading for her castle. Fiyero's castle that was. She turned to Chistery. "Chistery, take your monkeys out there and bring me the little girl- and the scarecrow. Leave the others."

He bobbed his head with a little chirrup and turned to do so when she grabbed his little red coat. "Chistery, please. Just one word at least. Yes, no, Elphie, Galinda. Anything!"

He watched her blankly as she let him go with a sigh. He flew out the window into the sky, looking at his companions. He squeaked what she wanted to them, but they must have gotten mixed up because they kidnapped the little girl and her dog instead of the girl and the straw man. Chistery howled as they tore him apart and threw him everywhere, but couldn't stop them.

After chasing away the tinman and lion they flew back to the castle. Elphaba was furious. "Where is the scarecrow?" she howled at them. Chistery shook his head and bowed. "No, you didn't!" He nodded. "You killed him?" He shrugged. "Chistery, please say something to me. Do you know who he is?" He nodded, making her stare. "You- you do? Who? Tell me Chistery!"

It just shrugged and backed away, jumping out a window when she tried to grab him. "Chistery! Wait! I'm sorry Chistery! Please-" He was gone. She whirled on the girl.

After screaming at her, and chasing away the stupid dog who couldn't talk, she locked her away and set a timer. It wouldn't really kill her, it was just there to scare her into giving her the shoes. Marching to her ball she glared into it, searching for the scarecrow. She started when she saw him dressed as one of her own men, wandering the halls. This would end now! She pinpointed the location, and where they were going, then stalked away to deal with him.

The scarecrow wandered slightly behind his friends, looking at the castle when a green hand appeared from the shadows and yanked him back. He found himself thrust against a wall, with a ball of fire in his face and Elphaba holding him firmly.

"There's something about you, straw man." She spoke with her show voice, high pitched and screechy- akin to fingernails on a chalkboard, making the scarecrow wince. "Tell me your name!" She held the fire closer.

"Elphaba!" He gasped, flinching away from the fire. "Stoppit! It's me, miss fumbling Fabala!"

Elphaba reeled back in shock, dropping the fire ball and letting it smolder and smoke on the floor. "No, Fiyero. It's you?" Her voice went back to it's low, musical pitch, but filled with shock and disbelief.

He stepped around the fire and hugged her, pulling her close. Mm, it felt good to have her in his arms again. "We have to find a way to save you," he said, drawing back. "We were sent here to destroy you. How can we stop it?"

Elphaba just stared at him. "Fiyero, I thought you were dead. I couldn't-"

"You did." He touched her jaw tenderly, then grimaced when he looked at his glove-like hand. "But really, a scarecrow?"

Elphaba sighed, then burst into tears for the first time in her life, gasping with pain as the tears slid down her cheeks. "Ah-rg! Tears burn! The Ozians are right. Water does hurt."

He quickly helped her scrub the tears away. "Good thing tears aren't pure water."

Elphaba nodded, then tilted her head to the side. She suddenly grinned and began casting about, looking for something. Before Fiyero could ask she came up with a bucket. "Here!" She thrust it at him. "We'll go up onto the ramparts of the castle, pretending for you to save the little girl, I'll light you on fire and then-"

"Then that silly girl will take the water and throw it on me to extinguish me-"

"And I'll stand just behind her so I get splashed! But instead of pure water I'll fill it with dirty or salt water, or maybe oil, so it won't melt me and-"

"Drop into one of the trap-doors up there, leaving your cape and hat behind to make it look like you're melted and to cover your escape!"

"Then you can come back after everything is over and done, and we can escape from this place together! Fiyero!" Elphaba threw herself on him, hugging him so hard she lifted him off the ground and pulled one of his hands off. With a chuckle and a flick of her hand she repaired him. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's just so good to know you're alive. Quickly! The others will rescue the little girl soon! You have to go join them!"

Fiyero kissed her cheek lightly, then hurried away, leaving Elphaba standing alone. She went back to the room where she was holding the little girl beneath a trap door and sat down with a happy sigh. Chistery came in timidly, squeaking with protest as she swept him up and kissed him. "Oh, Chistery! Isn't life just full of wonderful surprises?"

Chistery just shrugged and stood off to the side as his mistress began pacing. A smile stole across his face when he saw only nervous anticipation on hers. There, she was happy again. What an odd woman, acting wicked and depraved one moment and then as if her prince charming had come the next. Very odd indeed.

.-.

Yay! It's drawing to an end! I'm sorry, but this is hard! That was fun though. Plenty of Fiyeraba for you crazy (but right) Fiyeraba phans out there. Her prince charming. Hmmm, I like that.