reviewers, i'm offended. jk, but not. it's a good thing that i'm not one of those people who will stop a story if they don't get reviews on a chapter... yeah, so because of the turnout last chapter, i get to punish you with a chapter that has no sufficient ending. laughs evilly & chokes coughcough. right then. moving on...
The carriage lurched to a stop, and the cabbie cried, "We've arrived at the Emerald City!"
"We'll talk later," Glinda said. She picked up her obnoxiously bright pink purse and stepped gracefully out of the carriage. Elphaba grabbed her full messenger bag and followed suit. She stared in awe of the magnificent city around her. She must have been standing there for quite a long time, because Glinda grabbed her elbow and began dragging her along.
"Let go!" Elphaba protested. She pulled her arm out of the surprisingly strong hold Glinda had on her. "Okay, now would you stop for just a minute?" The blonde was buzzing about the streets looking at this building and that with an insane amount of energy. "Glinda!"
The Gillikinese finally snapped out of her frenzy to face Elphaba. "What?"
"Don't you remember why we're—well, I'm—here?"
Glinda rolled her eyes. "Well, of course! To see our Glorious Wizard and go on a shopping spree."
"At least you're half right." Elphaba said irritated. "We have to get to the palace first, then you can go shopping."
"Don't you mean we?" Glinda asked with a smile. "I could get you a completely new wardrobe, instead of those plain, drab frocks you wear. You'll be in high fashion and Fiyero will be knocked off his feet. Everyone - "
"First of all, I don't like shopping. Second, I like my clothes the way they are. Pretty is overrated. Third, I don't have money to spend on anything other than food. Fourth, Fiyero has a hard enough time staying on his feet as it is." Elphaba argued deftly. Not to mention I'm not planning on going back…
Glinda frowned. "Fine. Will you at least come with me?"
"Only if you come with me to see the Wizard."
The Emerald City was brilliant and, of course, green in every direction. The buildings towered majestically over the wide streets. Markets dotted the sidewalks, and there were people from everywhere in Oz, maybe even beyond, wandering about. Gillikinese, Munchkinlanders, even a few from the Vinkus and Quadling Country. But not an Animal in sight, observed Elphaba. The pair of students emerged from the crowded street into a large square. A magnificent palace rose opposite them, with flags-green with red crosses- billowing regally from high turrets in the warm breeze.
The girls stopped, gaping at the sight. Butterflies fluttered about Elphaba's stomach. "Maybe we should just go back." She said, having second thoughts.
"No way! We traveled two days while I was hung over and more irritable than ever. We're going." Glinda made her point by dragging Elphaba across the square. Elphaba didn't bother fighting. She was too enraptured by feelings of awe and anticipation to care.
"Excuse me," Glinda said to a palace guard, "We're here to see the Wizard."
"Good luck with that." The guard scoffed. "The Wizard isn't in the best of moods. He made a point to say he wouldn't see anyone unless they were as green as the city itself. So, unless you're - "
Elphaba stepped from behind Glinda. The guard jumped back in surprise. "I believe we have a date with the Wizard, Officer. Wizard's orders." She smiled to herself. For once, a positive side to being green.
Reluctantly, the guard led them inside of the castle. "Tell me that's make-up." He said, meaning for only Glinda to hear.
"Yeah." Elphaba cut in. "I wish"
She saw the guard shudder. So much for blending in at the Emerald City, she thought cynically. The guard stopped before a pair of tall doors, gilded with gold.
"Okay, right through this door. Just keep following the torches and stop when you see the gigantic head." He motioned to two more guards who might have well been statues. They moved stiffly to open the doors wide, revealing a dark passage way. The girls stepped inside and the door closed loudly behind them. Their footsteps echoed on the black marble floor. The only other sound was the occasional pop from the flame of a torch.
Glinda had a desperate hold on Elphaba's right arm. Her nails dug into her elbow. The dark hall finally surrendered itself to a dimly lit dark green room. A monstrous bronze head hung from the wall, illuminated by green flames. Well, now we know what all of Oz's money is disappearing to, Elphaba thought. She glanced, if not nervously then anxiously, around the room.
"Elphie," Glinda whispered to her, "I don't think he's here. We should go back."
Elphaba turned to her to respond, but a deep rumbling throughout the room made her lose her train of thought. Glinda squeaked and tightened her hold on Elphaba.
"I AM OZ, THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE!" The head seemed to say. "WHO GOES THERE?"
Elphaba broke away from Glinda, who was trembling in fear. "Elphaba Thropp." She threw a sidelong glance at Glinda, who was frozen. "And Glinda Arduenna."
The head grunted in… understanding? "ELPHABA THROPP, THE GREEN GIRL OF OZ. YOU'RE HEADMISTRESS HAS WRITTEN TO ME ABOUT YOUR…TALENTS. SHE WRITES OF MISS ARDUENNA AS WELL." The voice of the head seemed to get quieter. A clanking came from the back of the tiktok contraption, and a thin old man stepped out.
All fear seemed to drain out of the girls. The 'Great and Terrible' Wizard had more of a fatherly look than that of someone to be feared.
"You're the Wizard?" Glinda shrieked in surprise.
"Of course! What did you expect? Some sort of Beast?" He chortled. Elphaba stiffened at the pronunciation of 'Beast'.
"Speaking of Beasts…" She began.
"Elphaba, not now!" Glinda hissed at her. The Wizard looked at them oddly.
"Oh, there's no need to worry about those Animals. With the way things are going, in a few years, there will only be animals left." He said professionally.
"What!" Elphaba yelled. "Is that you're 'wonderful' plan? Wipe out an entire race? You're insane."
The Wizard looked unfazed by her outburst. "It's for the well-being of Oz. And we're not killing them."
"Well-being of Oz? I'm sure Animals cause SO much trouble trying to make a living, feed their families, and, as of late, not get killed!" Elphaba retaliated.
"We're not killing them, I told you."
"Then what the hell are you doing to them? Making them slaves? Forcing them into camps?"
"The camps are only temporary. There's a new invention called a cage that we will be using. The Animals will still be alive. They will just regress to animals."
"That's sick!" Elphaba spat. "Do you really think that you can get away with this?"
"It's working isn't it?" He smiled evilly. "Now, I was going to offer you a job as my assistant. A Vice-Wizard, if you will. But seeing as you're unable to see the good in my Glorious plan, I'll have to find someone else." He turned to Glinda, who was watching the argument in shock. "That was easy. Now, Miss Arduenna, I'd like to test you're skills to see if you have what it takes to be Vice-Wizard." He pulled a fairly large book from beneath his green coat and handed it to Glinda. She took it absentmindedly. Elphaba looked over the blonde's shoulder. The Grimmerie, she read, a book of spells.
"Glinda, don't do it." She said seriously. "Whatever he says, don't do it."
"That's enough out of you!" The Wizard snapped. "Say another word and I'll have you arrested." Elphaba seethed with anger. Out of sheer frustration, she grabbed Glinda and the book and ran out of the room. She dragged Glinda out of the palace and into a narrow street.
"Elphaba!" Glinda whined. "I could've been Vice- Wizard. Vice-Wizard!"
"Do you really think that this man is trying to help Oz? You must be insane!" Elphaba said. "Especially after what he said about the Animals!"
"I'm not insane!" Glinda retorted. "How about this: Today, we just go shopping for a little while, I'll write a letter to the Wizard telling him that I'd like to finish school before taking any offers, and we can go back to Shiz"
Elphaba nodded her head slowly. She tucked the Grimmerie into her overflowing bag and followed Glinda into various shops, selling overly frilly dresses, too short skirts, and shoes that were uncomfortable, even when you looked at them. She made sure to keep her face and hands fairly covered by a shawl/scarf, in case the Wizard was looking for her. Elphaba told Glinda to get food and water for the journey back, so they filled two boxes with pastries. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, they were waiting for a carriage to come and Glinda was sending her letter to the Wizard. By the time it arrived, the sky was turning a deep purple. Elphaba helped Glinda pile her many bags of clothing into the carriage. When Glinda was inside, she closed the door.
"Elphaba? What do you think you're doing? Get in here!" She said loudly.
"No, Glinda. I can't go back with you. There's… something that needs to be done. Don't try to find me. I'll have gone underground. I'll miss you dearly. Tell the others that too."
The carriage driver was getting irritated and grunted. Elphaba motioned to him 'just a minute'.
"Elphaba! Don't do this!" Glinda said, tears staring in a steady stream down her face.
"I have to Glinda. And don't cry. It's unbecoming. Tell everyone goodbye for me."
"What about Fiyero? Don't you know what you're leaving behind?" Glinda was screeching. Elphaba looked down for a moment.
"Tell him… tell him that I still love him and always will. Tell him that I'm not leaving because of him." She said, blinking furiously to ward off tears. "I know what I'm leaving behind. And… I hope that someday, we'll meet, look back on this and you'll forgive me. Goodbye, Glinda."
She nodded to the carriage driver, who was delighted that they would finally be leaving. As the carriage rolled away, Elphaba could hear the teary shrieks of Glinda.
"Elphie!"
Elphaba turned her head and walked into the Emerald City's dark alleys. The slums would be her home now. She didn't have enough money for anything better. She let the shawl fall from her face and drape around her shoulders. She looked around the trash-decorated alley, searching for a sign or ad for somewhere to live. She heard a rustling from behind her. She jerked around to see a man, obviously drunk, smiling maliciously at her.
"Hey, bitch," He slurred. "Wanna have the time of you're life?" He growled, moving his hips in a grotesque manner.
Oh, shit, she thought fearfully. She began to run, but he caught her around the wrist.
okay, sothe line that the dude says, uh... i know. terrible. i can't think. review or suffer a beating from... selects random object in front of her... a coffee mug! (there's nothing good here...)
psh... e.r.
(thanks to Annibelle White for looking over this)