Once again I must thank my awesome reviewers for their constructive criticism and support. It makes my day to see my inbox filled with reviews. Anyways, that's basically the reason I'm putting this chapter up early. That and the fact that I had a four day weekend. I'm quite an idiot though. Friday was snow day, but I didn't realize it and was leaving the house in my uniform already when my dad told me school was cancelled. Then yesterday I was off for St. Joseph's day (My school is named for St. Joseph, so we get off) and I totally forgot and was waiting for my ride. They were twenty minutes late when I realized I didn't have school.
But anyway enough of my idiocy. At least the weekend gave me time to write another chapter, and therefore I'm posting this one early. I probably won't have much time this weekend. I have a 13 hour long play practice on Sunday. How fun for me.
Anyways, here's the next chapter:
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There was a moment of silence as Glinda and Dorothy tried to process what had just come out of Elphaba's mouth. Glinda was the first to speak up, "Elphie you can't be serious. You had it with you at the farm house didn't you?"
Elphaba thought for a moment but, to her horror, found that she could not really remember. She'd been so caught up in everything that had been going on with Dorothy that she hadn't even thought about the large book until this moment. She tried as hard as she could to remember what she'd done with it, but it was as if there was a haze hanging over her memory.
"Do you remember the spell at all? Maybe we don't need the Grimmerie to get back," suggested Dorothy.
"No, I didn't memorize it, I didn't think I'd need to," Elphaba shouted, perhaps a bit too harshly. The stress of this situation was getting to her, and the shock from her encounter with the Wizard had not yet worn off, "Besides, if I did leave the Grimmerie at the farm we have to retrieve it. Even if we didn't need it to get back I can't leave it, especially not with that lying bastard showing his face around here."
"So are we going back to the farm then?" asked Dorothy. She was both excited and put off by the idea. She really would miss her friends, but the longer she spent here the harder it was going to be to let go. She wished they could just leave before there was time for any of these feelings to bubble to the surface.
If Dorothy was reluctant, Elphaba was even worse. She wanted nothing more to get the hell out of here. Kansas has not been a particularly good experience in the first place, but she missed Fiyero and her home terribly and wanted to be as far from the Wizard as was humanly possible. She also didn't know what she was going to say when they did return to the farm. 'Oh, sorry to trouble you, did I leave an old leather bound spell book on your couch?' didn't seem very appropriate.
No one moved a muscle for several moments, until Glinda began to shift restlessly. She didn't care what course of action they took as long as they did something. She wanted to get home as badly as Elphaba did. Kansas was strange and, though it had been exciting at first, she was not at all enchanted by the rural life style or the dirt roads. Not to mention the fact that her favorite pair of heels was absolutely ruined.
"Elphie are we going back to the farm or not," Glinda said finally, and her voice seemed to snap Elphaba out of her trance.
"It doesn't seem like we have a choice," Elphaba muttered through clenched teeth. She just hoped they didn't run into the Wizard again, because she didn't know if she'd be able to restrain herself this time. To think that he was her father; that she was the spawn of that scum. Regardless she shoved these thoughts aside and stood up.
"Well come on then, I'd really rather get out of here as soon as possible," she barked, and whipped her cape around behind her as she stalked off down the dirt road in the direction they'd come.
Glinda and Dorothy exchanged a look but said nothing. Elphaba was clearly not in the mood right now, and all traces of her usual persona had vanished. Elphaba was never particularly bubbly like Glinda was, but she was never in this sour of a mood unless she was greatly upset by something. It was best to keep a safe distance and say nothing when she got like this.
They walked down the path once more, this time at a more urgent speed. Elphaba's eyes darted around wildly as they passed through town, but luckily the square was completely empty now, as the sky had darkened to a deep blue and the air had taken on a rather unpleasant chill. Glinda wrapped her arms around herself and Dorothy began to shiver, but Elphaba made no sign of noticing the temperature drop as she continued forward. Glinda and Dorothy were practically jogging to keep up with her at this point.
They reached the farm house more quickly this time, and did not stop as they walked across the fields. Only when she reached the front door did Elphaba finally stop walking and allow Dorothy to pass to the front of the group. Dorothy looked unsure for a moment before she knocked on the door tentatively, wondering if any of the men were still inside.
Hunk answered the door a few moments later and seemed surprised to see them standing there. Dorothy wasted no time whispering a hasty explanation, "We think Elphaba may have left something very important in the living room. We had to come back and find it." She left out everything else that had happened since they'd left the house. It didn't seem important and Hunk wouldn't have understood anyway.
Hunk nodded and let them pass by and enter the house. They passed the kitchen were Hickory and Zeke were still seated at the table. They looked up curiously as they noticed the three women, awaiting an explanation. It was Dorothy who provided one, "Hello, sorry, we think that my friend Glinda here may have left her pocket book in the living room. We were already out of town when we realized it and had to come all the way back."
Zeke and Hickory nodded at the explanation. Dorothy was rather surprised that the three men had not yet gone home, but she supposed they were catching up, as it was probably the first reunion they'd had in a while.
Saying nothing more, the three women proceeded into the living room, where Elphaba began searching the couch. When she did not find the book there she checked underneath and then walked all around the room. She let out a frustrated huff as her efforts produced no results.
"Did you maybe put it down upstairs yesterday?" suggested Glinda, motioning toward the staircase. Elphaba said nothing, but immediately proceeded upstairs. Dorothy and Glinda wondered whether or not to follow, but decided against it, for Elphaba would be done in a few moments. They watched the stairs hopefully, but their faces fell when Elphaba returned empty handed, now looking extremely concerned.
"It's not here," she murmured with wide eyes, voicing the thoughts of everyone in the room.
Fear found its way into Glinda's voice. "Then…how are we supposed to get home." She already knew the answer, but the question hung heavy in the air all the same.
"I don't know," said Elphaba tensely, not meeting her friends eyes.
"M-maybe we should retrace our steps," said Dorothy worriedly, "You had to bring it with you."
"I guess it's the best plan we have right now," Elphaba conceded. She did not respond to the second part of Dorothy's statement. In truth doubt was beginning to creep into her mind. When she'd been chanting she'd held on to Glinda and Dorothy, but she had not been touching the Grimmerie. What if that meant that the spellbook had been left back in Oz this entire time? She pushed the thoughts from her mind, not allowing herself to believe it. That book had to be somewhere in this world. It just had to.
In unison the three of them began to move, and left the room quickly. They passed back into the entrance hall and the men looked up again as they walked by.
"Find what you were looking for?" asked Hickory.
"Um yes, thank you guys. Goodbye again," said Dorothy quickly.
"Bye Dorothy," said Zeke, and they all gave her a wave. Looking up, she realized that Elphaba and Glinda were already out the door, and she gave the men a quick wave before rushing to catch up with them.
They passed back across the fields once more, an act that was getting old by this point. By now the sky was pitch black and millions of stars dotted the night sky. Were their situation less serious Glinda would have stopped to admire them for a moment. You couldn't see the stars like this in the Emerald City.
However Glinda had to keep moving or be left behind, for Elphaba, still running on adrenaline and rage, was not slowing her steps for anything. Within the span of 10 minutes they were once again passing through the square. Elphaba stopped in the middle and turned to her companions.
"Maybe someone found it and brought it into one of these stores. We should check them out," said Elphaba.
"But they're closed by now," Dorothy pointed out, motioning to the red signs posted on all of the doors.
"As if I don't have a spell to get passed a simple padlock," Elphaba retaliated, and Dorothy was silenced by the statement.
However, they had no time to enter a shop, for three figures with flashlights were fast approaching them. The three squinted at the sudden light, wondering what was going on. Their eyes grew wide as each of them was seized by one of the figures, their arms locked firmly behind their backs.
Elphaba just had time to register that she had never pulled her hood back up after it had flown off of her face before the guard holding her spoke, "This one's green," he said, and Elphaba could almost hear the disgust in his voice. For a moment she thought he'd take a step back in his shock, but his hands continued to hold her firmly in place.
"We got a report from an anonymous caller of three strange women who tried to assault him in this square earlier today. You three fit the description perfectly. You're under arrest for charges of assault."
Dorothy's eyes widened as she realized these three were policemen, and even Elphaba and Glinda realized they must be this world's equivalent of the gale force. Elphaba's eyes narrowed as she realized what the cop had said.
Anonymous caller.
The Wizard had given them up.
Yes, I view the Wizard as a manipulative, conniving bastard. My language won't get much worse than it was in this chapter, so I'm not going to change the rating for that. I don't generally swear much, but I need Elphie to be pretty pissed off.
OK, I'll just answer a couple of reviewers:
elphabathedelerious32: Lol, I randomly lapse into Spanish sometimes. On occasion I'll say something in Latin, but I think I forgot most of what I learned of that language over the summer. Can't say I know any German swear words though.
Sigma1: Were you expecting something more along those lines? Or something more like fear, anger or sorrow or something? Anyways, I decided to portray him sort of how he was in Wonderful. Try to sweet talk Elphaba into trusting him, then turning on her when she refuses.
The-Good-Die-Alone: Congratulations. That's a very special day in the life of a Wicked obsessor (that's not a word is it?). It'll be my third year anniversary in August. I think I shall make green frosted cupcakes to celebrate. P
WickedJelly: Nooooo me need tickeeeets. O.O
I generally tend to just use an equal sign for the eyes and then a P for the mouth for the tongue sticky outy one. Or the wide eyes with two O's and a period, or two carets for the happy face.
OMGitsASH: Wow, that's really cool. You seeing it on Broadway too? If you are I'll prolly see you and not know who the heck you are. I'd be the tall blond girl in the Wicked t-shirt and a navy blue swim team jacket. Maybe I should wear my visor with the giant Styrofoam dolphin on the top. That thing tends to stand out in a crowd. :P
Well, that's all for now. Please leave a review if you have the time because I really appreciate them! Well, I'm off to play practice.
Till next time S.P.
