Thanks for all the reviews (and all the good guesses…)
The train station was an anthill of activity when Galinda arrived to greet Elphaba. It had only been three days, but the blonde's dorm felt empty without a certain green bookworm. Unfortunately Fiyero had procrastinated on a major paper and was therefore trapped in his room finishing it. "Elphie!" Galinda called, foolishly hoping to be heard over the roaring crowd. Her eyes scanned for a tall, angular beacon of black and green. No; just black, the blonde reminded herself.
Eventually, after roaming the masses for a good five minutes, Galinda flopped onto a bench. She'd just have to wait until the platform cleared a bit to continue her search. "Well you look tired," a bright voice commented. Galinda turned and her jaw dropped.
A long legged, ivory skinned beauty stood a few feet away. Her silky, raven hair framed an inviting face and shining brown eyes. She was wearing a short, strapless dress. It was pink. "Elphie?"
"No, the Kumbric Witch," her friend snickered.
"Sweet Oz, Elphie you look so…different." The blonde's head still rocked with surprise.
"Really? They didn't do much apart from my skin." Galinda looked closer and realized that she was right. After the shock of Elphaba's pale skin wore off it was easier to recognize familiar features. Though the sorcerers had softened her angular face ever so slightly and done something to make her eyes really pop she was still identifiable.
"But why are you wearing pink?" the blonde gasped.
"I just wanted to try it out," Elphaba explained, grinning. "Other colors don't clash so much anymore."
"Does that mean you'll let me take you shopping?" Galinda squealed.
"Of course," the formerly green girl replied. "That sounds like fun."
"Fun?" Galinda repeated. "Did you just say shopping would be fun?"
"Well now that I'll look good in the clothes it might actually be enjoyable to try them on." The blonde was too overjoyed to argue. Elphaba was going shopping. Voluntarily.
/
"How's this one look?" A mass of shimmering, cerulean fabric whirled from the dressing room.
"I think blue is definitely your color," Galinda responded.
"You've said that about every color I've tried on," Elphaba pointed out.
"Well you haven't worn any green dresses yet," the blonde reminded.
"I think I've had enough of that particular color to last several lifetimes." The raven haired girl leaned lightly against a nearby wall, careful not to crush her dress. "Why did I hate shopping so much?" she wondered. Galinda shrugged.
"I have no clue," she giggled. "But now that you've come to your senses we can do this all the time."
"Except for the fact that I have no money," Elphaba pouted. "My father sends Nessa heaps of it, but I only get the bare minimum." Suddenly her expression brightened. "Do you think if I showed him that I'm fixed he would change his mind about me?"
"Is he really that superficial?" Galinda wondered.
"Well it was my skin that made me 'a disgrace to this family' and 'devil spawn'."
"But it's been so long," the blonde reminded gently. "Do you really think he could change?"
"Maybe," Elphaba shrugged. "But traveling to Munchkinland this time of year is totally awful, so for now the point is moot."
/
"Why do you think Nessa was so stiff and formal when I spoke to her?" Elphaba wondered as she and Galinda walked towards Fiyero's dorm in Three Queens.
"She was jealous," the blonde explained.
"Jealous?"
"Nessa's always been the more socially acceptable of the Thropp sisters," Galinda continued. She was surprised Elphaba hadn't picked up on this already; usually the green girl read her sister like a book. "Now that you're degreenified she's the odder one."
"Oh." By now the two girls were outside their Winkie friend's door. "Why didn't Fiyero come to meet me at the station?" Elphaba queried belatedly.
"There's a big paper due in Professor Nidik's class tomorrow," Galinda informed her, "and Fiyero knew you'd kick his butt if he didn't finish it."
"No I wouldn't," Elphaba argued. "One silly paper is no reason to put his social life on hold." Just then Fiyero appeared in the doorway looking quite bedraggled.
"I swear if I never hear the word 'Great Drought' again it will be too soon," he growled, blinking blearily at his visitors. "Who's your friend Galinda?"
"Fiyero it's me," Elphaba giggled.
"Huh?" The Winkie glanced upwards and met her eyes. They sparkled as if lit with jewel dust, but Fiyero didn't experience even a glimmer of the feeling Elphaba's eyes usually evoked. These dazzling, hazel saucers staring out at him were much too shallow to drown in.
"What? Did you already forget about me?"
"N..no," he stuttered. "It's just that…um…wow."
"Do you like it?" Elphaba asked, sidling closer and subtly fluttering her eyelashes at the Winkie. Was she flirting with him?
"Uh…sure," Fiyero replied lamely. It was hard to concentrate when his gaze kept migrating to her unusually short dress. Since when did Elphaba wear such tight, colorful clothing?
"That didn't sound very convincing," the thin witch grumbled. She bumped Fiyero playfully with her hip and his eyes grew large. Why hadn't he ever seen this confidently attractive side of Elphaba before?
"Sorry," the Winkie apologized. "I'm just a little brain dead after finishing that essay." Fiyero heaved a deep sigh. "I've still got to revise. Will I see you guys later?"
"Of course," Elphaba replied brightly. One eye flashed closed in a wink.
/
"Where did all that flirting come from?" Galinda demanded once both girls were back in their dorm.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Elphaba evaded coyly.
"Elphie that was amazing," the blonde congratulated. "You should've seen Fiyero's face." She flopped contentedly onto her bed.
"It's remarkable what a little beauty can do," Elphaba commented. "I feel so powerful and confident now." Galinda nodded and eagerly convinced herself that the sudden change in her friend's behavior was nothing more than some well deserved confidence. Not the same confidence that let Elphaba challenge an errant professor or bitterly ignore taunts when she danced alone, but the more conventional girlish type. With all suspicion safely painted over Galinda prepared for bed.
I know this chapter was also slow but I don't want to make the plot too sudden and jerky…just bare with me