Wicked Chapter 2: Good, a teen titans fanfic

Chapter Two: Good

Because I knew you
I have been changed…for good

For Good, Wicked! The Musical

Movie night—the one thing every Titan looked forward to every week (or, at least for Raven, when it wasn't Beast Boy's turn to rent his cartoons and when it wasn't Starfire's turn to rent another…horrifying girly movie).

But it seemed to Robin that every time Starfire wanted Raven's recommendation on her movie of choice, Raven would frown at every single one until she promptly gave up. And whenever the particular movie was on, Raven would fetch her literature of choice and read in the dark.

And today… three, two, one…

"Sure Star, it's fine."

As he watched the two girls head toward the rental line, Star stopped suddenly, picking up another case.

"What is this?"

Raven peered, and Robin noticed a slight shift in her demeanor..

"It's called Wicked!, Star, a musical."

"Is this the type of movie where Earthlings sing and dance?"

"That's right. It's based on a children's book, about a girl who comes to a foreign land and tries to go back home. But throughout the girl's journey, the Wicked Witch tries to stop her."

"Oh, yes. I think I understand."

"But someone else wrote a book, saying that the Wicked Witch wasn't really wicked, the people just thought she was because she was different."

"This movie sounds most interesting, friend Raven, but if you believe it is too scary for you, I do not wish to borrow it."

Raven looked confused, but blushed as she realized her friend's meaning, "It's not the same as Wicked Scary, Star. Go ahead and rent it."

Star smiled cheerfully and gave Raven a hug.

"Thank you, friend, for being such a good friend!"

Starfire must have been too excited to give a longer hug, or perhaps she finally concluded that Raven simply did not do hugs. Whatever the reason, the hug ended quickly, and Raven, no longer preoccupied, turned to see him watching her.

"What?" she asked, embarrassed.

"Nothing," he said, smiling at her, "but you really are a good friend."

He felt her surprise, but she wasn't caught completely off-guard like she had been with Star. She shrugged.

"What makes you think," she asked, walking past him, "that I don't have an ulterior motive?"

He was confused, pondering over her statement. He didn't understand until he got in the T-Car—she never told Star that they already owned a copy.

It was already confusing enough to understand Earth; there was little possibility that the Tamarian princess could understand Oz. Raven must have sensed her confusion; she began to explain to the poor girl, careful not to mislead.

"That's Galinda, very pretty, very popular. Elphaba is the green-skinned girl that nobody likes—she thinks she's not very pretty, but she's very intelligent. She was born green because her mother cheated on her husband and drank green elixir during the affair. She carries around a bottle of green elixir to remind her of her mother. Her father hates her and blames her for her mother's death and her sister's inability to walk."

"But that is so very cruel! I'm sure she is a wonderful person."

"You can't help what people think of you, Star."

"Yes, but…"

"That earthling is very handsome!" Star squealed, giggling slightly.

"His name is Fiyero, Star, Galinda's husband-to-be," Raven replied.

"Oh, what a wonderful engagement, isn't it, friend Raven? They are both so perfect!"

"I suppose", Raven shrugged, "but perfection doesn't mean they are perfect for each other. Love doesn't work that way."

Beastboy smirked, "Speaking from experience, Rae?"

Raven just glared at him. Robin was curious, as well. It wasn't like Raven to say something so…emotional, so powerful. Yet, it was completely Raven for her to reflect great power in such a small way. He put it beside other things he had seen and observed.

"I'm afraid I do not understand. How is love meant to work?"

But Raven, though ever understanding, made no reply.

"See, now Galinda has this ugly hat which she wants to get rid of, and gives it to Elphaba as a cruel joke. Elphaba takes it, thinking it's a gift, and in return persuades Madame Morrible to accept Galinda into the sorcery program at the school, even though was rejected at first. Elphaba wears it to the big party. See how Glinda feels really bad, now?"

"Oh yes, I think I understand…"

"And then they become friends."

Starfire giggled, "She's giving the green girl a makeover."

Raven rolled her eyes, "Yes, she is…"

"That's just like you and me, isn't it, friend Raven?"

"I suppose."

"Oh, the goat man is being arrested!"

"Mmhmm…"

"But we arrest the criminals, do we not? The teacher has done nothing wrong!"

"Since Dr. Dillamond could never pronounce Galinda's name right, she changes it to Glinda in his memory. Oz is full of corruption, Star. Not everything is perfect."

"Yeah," Robin spoke up, "that's why we're here."

"Jump City isn't corrupt, Robin, "Raven replied, looking at him, "just full of crime."

He supposed she was right—she always was. He knew what she was implying—Jump City is far better than Gotham City—and he thought back to those years before he…had left. They had always tried, and he would always support the Dark Knight, even if Robin had always resented his inferior position in the duo. Gotham wasn't doomed yet.

While he was reflecting, the video had already progressed.

"Elphaba meets the Wizard, and to prove that she is powerful enough to become his assistant, she needs to give a monkey named Chistery the power to fly."

"He is growing wings!"

"Keep watching, Star."

"A cage full of flying monkeys!"

"To be used to spy on the citizens of Oz."

"But before, Elphaba did not agree with hurting the animals—that teacher was an animal, too, was he not?"

"Yes, and here, she realizes the Wizard is gathering the animal-citizens of Oz and turning them into a common enemy just so he could remain popular in Oz."

"Go animal rights," Beastboy cheered enthusiastically.

"But this man does not have any powers!"

"And to him, she is just someone to do the dirty-work. She steals the spell book, says goodbye to Glinda, vowing to stop the Wizard."

"Glinda, Fiyero, and Madame Morrible are working for the government now—but Fiyero is angry because he hates what is happening to Elphaba, even though he is head of the hunt to find her. Elphaba's sister, Nessarose is the governor of Munckinland and has become mean and bitter because Elphaba left. Remember the guy she liked at the ball?"

"Yes."

"He merely pitied her because she was crippled, and Nessa demands to know why Elphaba never gave her the power to walk. Elphaba casts a spell, and the slippers Nessa is wearing turn ruby-colored so she can walk. Boq is glad because he thinks he can leave Nessa now. Nessa becomes angry, steals the spell book, and casts a spell that shrinks Boq's heart. Elphaba is desperate to save him, and turns him into a heartless Tin Man."

"Elphaba is, of course, blamed for everything, and goes to the Emerald City to free the flying monkeys."

"The Wizard is still trying to persuade her, then? What a rotten Glorpthurk!"

"Yes, she almost gives in, but notices a shrouded figure, who turns out to be Dr. Dillamond, completely reverted into a dumb animal. He doesn't even know who she is."

"That's just wrong, dude."

Raven glanced at Beastboy wryly, and replied, "Eloquent."

Beastboy said sarcastically, "Thanks, Rae."

She rolled her eyes, turning back to watch, as Starfire said happily, "Oh, that handsome Earthling is rescuing her from that evil Glorpthurk!"

Raven gave another sarcastic remark, "And Glinda becomes jealous. She suggests to Madame Morrible and the Wizard to use Nessa as bait to lure Elphaba out of hiding, but the Wizard and Morrible take it a step further without telling Glinda.

"So they're running away, but before they can, Elphaba sees a vision of a flying house, and she flies to Munchkinland to find a girl named Dorothy has arrived in Oz and to find her sister dead. She and Glinda fight, Fiyero comes and tries to rescue her, but he's arrested and hung on a stick to be executed, unless he tells the guards where Elphaba went.

"Meanwhile, Elphaba is disillusioned because all her attempts to do good make everything worse, and tries to cast a spell to save Fiyero. She thinks she failed, believes she'll never be accepted into the society, and vows to become the Wicked Witch of the West. Glinda starts to understand what is happening, and tries to confront Morrible about Nessa's death."

"And then what?"

Raven shrugged, "Morrible tells her to shut up."

"Elphaba captures Dorothy, and Glinda arrives to persuade her to let Dorothy go. After hearing about Fiyero, she emotionally collapses because even though she has followed her heart and strived to have integrity and character, she could not heal the corrupt world. She begs Glinda to let her die in peace so that Glinda may achieve what Elphaba could never do. She also makes Glinda promise never to reveal the truth, because everyone will turn against Glinda and will continue to revere the Wizard."

"Friend Raven, that can't be! Everything always has a happy ending!"

"She's melting, Star. How happier can you get than that? The people are happy aren't they?"

"They do not know the truth!"

Raven was silent for a long time.

"You're thinking too much, Starfire—it's just a play."

Robin had no doubt Starfire understood that cruel truth. Earth had been her second home, and perhaps she expect a calmer, idealistic, fairytale of a world—certainly they all knew the differences between his planet and that of hers.

What he did doubt, however, was the depth of that understanding. There would always be injustice; he had accepted the fact years before. He had accepted the mask he was to wear even before that, and he tolerated the criticism that came with being the playboy son of another Very Important Playboy.

The eternal sense of heroism? Merely to redeem himself in their unseeing eyes. But—and here he glanced at his friends (Raven had just stolen the last slice of Beastboy's spinach-alfredo pizza)—he took comfort in knowing there were others who understood the sense of that redemption and the weight of that burden.

Robin stared at Raven until she met his gaze head on, and he felt a wicked urge to anger her. He sent her a sudden, dazzling, foolish smile.

Made you look, he mouthed to her.

Her eyebrows narrowed down and she angrily popped her last piece of the pizza crust into her mouth, chewing viciously. He smirked and could almost read her mind, Spreading fear where e'er she goes / Seeking out new victims she can hurt!

Maybe it wasn't a burden after all…

"Oh, friend Raven, you did not tell me the Wizard has a bottle of green elixir as well!"

"Keep watching, Star," it was Cyborg who impatiently commanded her.

"No! He is her father!"

"He and Morrible are sent away, and Glinda takes charge."

The scene suddenly changed to back at Elphaba's castle.

"What is the straw man still doing here?"

"Keep watching, Star!" they all chorused.

They all watched in fascination as the Straw Man kicked away the Witch's hat, and tapped on the floor beneath it. Out from a trap door, sprung the witch. The straw man revealed that he is Fiyero, saved from death, thanks to Elphaba's spell. He makes her swear that Glinda will never know, and together, they prepare to leave Oz forever.

The scene changed quickly again to the scene from the beginning of the movie, as the crowd all cheers at the news of the death of the Wicked Witch of the West. Somewhere in that cheerful song that followed, Raven, Starfire, Robin, Cyborg, and Beastboy could hear the voices of Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West say a bittersweet goodbye…

Immediately after the movie, Starfire fiercely hugged Raven. Robin was sure the empath bore it to the best of her ability, but Star only let go when Robin hinted that continuously hugging the dark-girl was not advantageous to her health. Star instantly relented.

Raven regained her composure with a few steady breaths.

"What was that for?" she asked in her usual monotone voice.

Her alien friend answered earnestly, "Thank you, friend Raven. I am most happy to have a friendship as wonderful as that of Elphaba and Glinda."

Robin could have sworn he saw her smile.

"See, what did I tell you?"

"Huh?"

He held up a folded piece of paper in between his index and middle fingers.

"Parallels," he said.

Raven rolled her eyes, "Whatever."

They sat in comfortable silence for a while.

"She's right, you know?"

Raven looked at him.

"You really are a good friend. To all of us."

"How cliché," she told him dryly. He grinned and stood up suddenly from his chair.

"I'm going to bed," he said, placing the paper beside her bookmark on the table.

"Goodnight, Rae," he said.

"Goodnight, Robin."

He walked up to the kitchen. For a moment he paused. He heard the soft thud of a book closing in the living room, and the crinkle of paper. He smiled again at no one in particular and proceeded to go to bed.

So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you.

Author's Note: Many reviewers mentioned that they did not know what Wicked: the Musical was. Sorry—my fault entirely…

It has been noted that are some readers are being alerted, but have not yet reviewed. And since I do that sometimes, that suggests to me that you love the plot, but you think the writing is average. I apologize if you think this is so, but if you can tell me where to improve, that would be much appreciated.

Much of this story is a summary of the musical—you can find a full summary—yes, with spoilers-- at

(CAN'T POST THE URL, SEE PROFILE)

I received the soundtrack as a Christmas present (imagine, the soundtrack without ever seeing the musical). Another funny story I wish to tell you: a friend of mine called the Kennedy Center to get tickets, but the operator, of course, says "Sold Out!" So she goes absolutely ballistic, and the operator gives her FOUR tickets! "All right, all right, if you shut up, I'll give you four!"

Unfortunately, she's already promised to take someone else with her. Oh well, she gave me a good laugh. Proof that there's a government conspiracy going on.

Author's Note Two: Attack of the plotbunnies that can never resolve into completed stories! Rewatched HMC (illegally downloaded) came up with a very vague plotbunny (needs to be worked out). Have another plotbunny for TT that's been in my head forever. Just came up with another plotbuny as well: a twist on the Swan Princess? What do you think of that? Of course that would mean I would spend less time on other works. I wish I had enough stamina to just write until my fic is finished--and then post. But I can't. I love reviews too much!