Hi, here's Chapter 7. I'm trying to update as frequently as possible, but I actually have a life now, so yeah.

Elphaba's Girl - Why, thank you!

Enjoy!

Chapter 7

Erik

Finally, my dream was coming true! I helped my companions tie Fiyero Tigulaar to a pole in the middle of a cornfield. Our official purpose was to find out where El was hiding, but I knew she was in that old castle. I just wanted to torture the pretty boy.

It was very entertaining to hear what he had to say. "Fine, torture me, kill me," he said calmly. "It won't do you any good. I will not tell you anything about Fae as long as I draw breath!"

"Works for me, Your Highness," I quipped. "Because I really want to kill you."

"Patience, Master Erik," Crope, our leader, said. "We have to actually get the information out of him first before we kill him. But, when the time comes, would you like to use your Punjab?"

"I would love to use my Punjab, Captain Crope." I grinned at Fiyero. "Someone give me a weapon."

"Here you go, Master Erik." A young soldier of about sixteen handed me a pretty good sized club.

The prince's eyes widened. "Y-you have hungered for this."

"Ever since you took my most prized possession," I sneered. "She doesn't come cheap, Your Highness. Now pay! Where is she?" In a rush of exhilaration, I hit him on the side. Funny how clubs allow not so strong people like me to have a lot of power.

He grimaced. "Nice try, Phantom." Oh, El certainly had a valiant lover!

"My El is misguided because of you," I said. "But once you are dead, she will return to me, where she belongs: in Southstairs!"

"You put her in that awful place and my ghost will haunt you for the rest of your life!"

"Ah, but dear Fiyero, I am the Phantom of the Guard." I grabbed a sword and watched as it slowly dug into skin and muscle, spilling blood everywhere until I finally hit bone. How fun!

"I'm … still … not … saying … anything!"

"Master Erik," Crope suddenly cut in. "Let some of the rest of us have a go. It's only common courtesy. Plus, Lady Glinda is still over there, moaning for you."

"Very well," I said. "Hurt him much for me."

I found Glinda crouching beside Dorothy's wreaked farmhouse. She jumped up upon hearing my footsteps, and asked, "Is he … dead? Oh Erik, did you kill the love of her life?"

"He is not dead yet because he has not said a thing," I replied. "And, killing the love of her life would mean killing myself, which I do not plan to do anytime soon."

"Oh. Of course."

"Glinda? Can I ask a favor?"

"S-sure. What is it?"

"Could you bubble me to that old castle in the Vinkus? I forgot what it's called."

"You mean Kiamo Ko? Sure, I could do that. Why?"

"Tell no one of this, but I believe that's where El is. She is lusting after this prince, and if she believes he is dead, she might do something …"

"Wicked?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'rash,' but you are right as well, dear Glinda."

"Alright. Good luck."

Suddenly, I was enveloped in a cloud of pink, and the fields of Munchkinland looked like a play set miles below my feet. As much as I adored El and all her aspects, I had to admit, Glinda's mode of travel was far more comfortable than El's. Why did all this mess even happen? I missed our days at Shiz, back when everything was so simple. A memory overtook me as I flew.

Fiyero came out of our bathroom. "Hey Erik, stop your banging for a second!" he yelled over my piano. "How do I look?" I stopped playing and took in his yellow button down shirt and (of course!) tight white pants.

"Strapping," I replied. "But what's the occasion?"

"Date with Galinda tonight, remember?"

"Oh right, of course."

"We're going to the Ozma Grille. Hey, if you and Elphaba wanna come along, we can make it a double date!"

"No thanks. El doesn't like restaurants."

As if on cue, El came into our unlocked dorm room looking like she was on a mission. "You there, Tigulaar!" she shouted. "Get your arse over to Crage Hall before Galinda has an aneurism! Hello, Erik."

"Hello, El." We shared a quick smile before she was pestering Fiyero once more.

"Tigulaar! Brainless! Go! Now!"

"For your information, I understand more than one word sentences," Fiyero groaned. "And, of course I'm going! Why would I want to spend even five minutes with the Artichoke?"

"You did NOT just go there! I should … slap you!"

"El, love," I cut in. "If you injure him, he cannot go on his date. And you would be suspended, which means that we cannot spend time together."

"Fine. He's lucky you're my boyfriend and Galinda's my best friend."

"I'm just gonna go," Fiyero declared. "Bye, Erik, Fae!" He could not have left our room faster.

El turned to me with a question on her face. "Fae?"

I shrugged. "With Fiyero, who knows? Hey, would you like to hear my new composition?"

"Of course, Erik," she said with a smile. "Play it for me, then."

"Only if you'll accompany me with your lovely mezzo soprano voice."

"And now you have lied, so you must go to chapel and confess your sins. But never mind. Where are the lyrics?"

"Here." I handed her the sheets of paper I had long labored on. "Sing for me, my emerald angel." I began to play again, and El cast a spell with her singing voice better than she ever could with Morrible's old book of magic.

In sleep he sang to me.

In dreams he came,

That voice which calls to me,

And speaks my name.

And do I dream again?

For now I find

The Phantom of the Opera is there,

Inside my mind.

She held the last note out for quite a while, and then turned to me. "But who is the Phantom of the Opera?"

"Me," I answered. "Or at least who I hope to be."

"So ironic, because the same dumbasses who call me Artichoke call you the Phantom of Shiz. Did you know that?"

"No. How cruel. I should kill them."

El shrugged. "Meh, in a few years, you'll be a famous musician and I'll be a Grand Vizier, and they'll be sorry. Just think of that."

"Kiss me." Her face was now so close to mine that I couldn't resist.

"You didn't need to tell me; I was already thinking of doing it." Then my emerald angel and I experienced our first kiss together.

Kiamo Ko grew closer and closer by the second, until finally Glinda's bubble popped outside the highest window of the tallest tower. I held onto the windowsill for dear life, and climbed into the tower. I was lucky for my agility.

I looked around the room, and found El curled up in the fetal position on a very rickety looking bed in one corner. I walked over to her bed and asked quietly, "El? Are you awake?"

She sat up with a jolt. "Of course I'm awake!" she snapped. "How could I sleep after what's happened? Besides, haven't you heard of the expression, 'no rest for the wicked'?"

"El, love-."

"Don't say that! I'm not your love! You killed Ursa! And you killed the kindest, gentlest man in all of Oz. He brought light into my darkness, made me feel like a girl, like I was the opposite of who they think I am. But that will never happen again, because of you! Now, leave before I ask Chistery to throw you out of the window!"

"Come on, El, you're not really so wicked as to kill me!"

"Don't be so sure, Captain!"

"Captain? I'm not following."

"Aren't you the new Captain of the Guard?"

"Me? No! No, of course not! Crope is. I just have … influence, is all." I put my hand on her back.

She bolted for the other side of the room, cape flying. "Don't touch me! I hate you!"

"Poor El, so lost, so helpless …"

"SHUT UP! I'm not El, or Fae, or Elphie, or Fabala, or even Elphaba! I am the Wicked Witch of the West! And do you know what wicked witches do to annoying men infringing on their privacy? They grind those men's flesh into a stew! Would you like that to happen to you, Erik?"

I was truly terrified. "No, I would not."

"THEN GO AWAY!" El then said something in a very strange language, and suddenly I was lying on the Yellow Brick Road in a forest. I stood up, and to my utter surprise, I saw Dorothy sitting on the side of the road with that infernal dog of hers, and also a living scarecrow and a man of tin. But our country is a strange one. I decided I could tolerate their company for a while, so I approached with what I hoped was a friendly smile. It was time to go witch hunting.

That's that! Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Elle Dottore