Hi, here is the final chapter!

Elphaba's Girl - Here you are then!

Enjoy!

Chapter 11

Erik

I had underestimated two things about El: the force of her resistance and the persistence of her resistance. I caught her almost as soon as she had "melted," so my former companions were still above, celebrating her death. Well, the straw prince wasn't, but I'd deal with him soon enough.

El tore herself out of my grip. "Tired of killing people? Now you just want to kill their pride and their joy? Huh, Erik?"

"You were driven to pursue and terrify a ten year old girl by your lover's death," I argued. "I am driven to this by my past. El, despite your title, you are the most caring and accepting person in all of Oz. You're the only one who could love this face, a face not even my mother could love. If it wasn't for the mask which your filthy monkeys ripped off, I would be just as hated as you!"

"Erik, I don't care about your face. You are actually quite handsome, as I've told you on countless occasions. But your soul is just as distorted as the Wizard's. Now go! I don't think I even want to know how you knew I was alive."

"Ah El, your lover is not the best actor in Oz." At that, she turned pale green with anger.

"Did you hurt him? Oh Erik, I really will kill you if you so much as put a finger on him! I'm serious!"

"I knocked him over. Pretty easy to do, now that he's made of straw and all. It was fun!"

"You monster!"

"Making me relive my childhood, are you? Well, two can play that game! Hello, I'm Frexspar Thropp. I hate you, Elphaba! You're a disgrace to our family because you're green!"

"Shut the fuck up before I bind your lips together!"

"With a kiss, I assume."

"Do you honestly think I want your love in any way, shape, or form after all that you've done? You're a murderer!"

"El, love, I've only killed Animals. And it was only under the Wizard's orders."

"Only killed Animals?! Only killed Animals?! Erik, why do you think I took a stand against the Wizard in the first place? For fun?! Did you even listen to Dr. Dillamond?!"

"Of course I did, but I had to join the Gale Force. Don't you understand? It was the only way I could legally search for you. It wasn't even my idea! It was your precious Fiyero who came up with that!"

"Yes, but 'my precious Fiyero' didn't abuse his position!" Suddenly, El abruptly stopped talking. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what? I don't hear anything except the distant celebration of your death."

"Shh! Listen!"

I listened. Then, above us I could hear what sounded like muffled sobbing. Goodness, who could it be?

"Elphie … Elphie …" Immediately I recognized that pained voice.

El said what I was thinking. "Glinda … oh Oz, Glinda, if only I could tell …"

"Have strength, my El," I said comfortingly. "It's better this way."

"It would be even better if you didn't know either," El snapped. "Now go! Fiyero and I are leaving Oz, whether you like it or not!"

I didn't budge. For two full hours, El sat facing the wall, mediating, and I used a pocketknife to carve two stakes of wood out of the opposite wall and into a cross. I then secured it to the floor with some nails that Boq had given me. I had just finished when we heard an exclamation from above. "It worked!"

I thrust open the trapdoor. "You bet it did, straw man!" I grabbed him and climbed down by way of my new cross. Before he could say any more, I tied him to my creation. "Back where you were when the little farm girl found you!"

Meanwhile, El was sobbing. "Erik, stop! No! Fiyero!"

"It must be done, my emerald angel. You have not wronged me. He has."

Fiyero was fuming. "You are a chauvinist! She has free will, and she chose me! Me! I don't know what I did to deserve it, but she loves ME! And that's never going to change, Erik."

"We'll see about that, Your Royal Straw Highness. Now, El, you have two options. One: you live down here with me for the rest of your life, away from the grasp of the Wizard. Or two: I burn your beloved scarecrow."

"To think I once emphasized with you!" El spat. "To think I once loved you! I did! I loved you! But those days are long past. You are a raving lunatic, and you belong in an asylum! I hate you! Elika …"

"No spells, my witch," I said, running over to her. "I don't want to have to gag you."

"You wouldn't dare!" But then her eyes softened. "Oh Erik, I understand. I've been there! Oh Erik!" I couldn't believe what happened next. She put her flawless emerald hand on the right side of my face, and she kissed me. I was in heaven until I heard some singing from outside the castle.

No one mourns the wicked.

Now at last she's dead and gone.

Now at last there's joy throughout the land.

I pulled away from El against my will. "It's time for this to be over." I lit up a match and walked over to my best friend.

"Yero …" I ignored this. She didn't know what I was planning. Fiyero stared into my face with a blazing fire in his eyes.

"You're my best friend," I said. "And you love her. Well, that's great. Have a good life, Fiyero Tigulaar." With a quick movement, I burned the ropes that bound him and helped him to his feet.

"Erik Flummox," he began. "You're pretty awesome, for all your craziness. I'll kind of miss you." He turned to El. "Well, Fae? Shall we go?"

"Soon," El said quietly. "Yero, you go on ahead. I'll meet you outside the castle."

"Alrighty. Don't be long, my love." He walked almost gracefully outside, understanding our needs, for once.

"Erik, you always called me an angel," El said. "But you're the angelic one."

"No, love, you're wrong there," I argued. "Between my face and my actions, I am a demon of hell. Surely you can testify to that."

"You've done wrong things. But so have I. But you never let that discourage you. And, you know my feelings about that face of yours."

"No El, you don't have to lie to me."

"That's exactly what I told Yero once. And you know what he told me? It's not lying. It's looking at things another way." She kissed the right side of my face. "Au revoir, Erik. A Quati goodbye."

"Elphaba, je t'aime." She nodded and fiercely wiped away tears that were just beginning to fall. "Au revoir." I watched until she exited the corridor, and I saw a cloth arm wrapped around her waist.

I climbed up the cross, and opened the trapdoor. As soon as I was on my feet again, I heard a shriek. "Erik! Oh my Oz!" I looked around and saw Glinda looking shocked.

"What do you think I wore a mask for?" I asked sarcastically. "Fashion? Glinda, have you been here since El …" I didn't want to say it.

"No," she replied. "I went back to the Emerald City and helped Dorothy get home. Nessa's shoes can transport people, apparently."

"'Aparently?' Why didn't you tell her before? Did you know?"

"No, of course not. I was … well, I was going through Elphie's things right after … well, you know … and I sort of … read her diary."

"Glinda!"

"I know, I know! I'm a horrible friend! But … I guess I just wanted her back. Anyways, once Dorothy was back in her beloved Kan-zis, or whatever it's called, I went to see the Wizard. You see, Elphie's most prized possession was this weird green bottle thingie. She told me it was her mother's. Did she ever tell you about this, Erik?"

"No, I can't say she did. Go on."

"Well, as you know, the Wizard offered me a drink from a similar bottle the night Fiyero left."

"He did? I have no recollection of that!"

"You were hyperventilating over Elphie! Anyway, today I confronted him about this, and my suspicions were correct. Erik, the Wizard is Elphaba's father."

"No!"

But Glinda was completely serious. "But it's true. It's why she was so powerful. At any rate, I kicked the Wizard out of Oz, and gave Madame Morrible a life sentence in prison!"

I was shocked. "Wow! Glin, I had no idea you had the guts!"

"People change."

"So, you are now the ruler of Oz?"

"Uh-huh. And by the way, Erik, one of the monkeys gave this to me. I figured it was yours." In her hand she held a mask, covered in dirt.

"Oh, thanks, Glin," I said. "But I don't think I need it."

"I agree," Glinda said with a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Hey Erik, I was wondering. Would you like to get some coffee with me?"

"Why, I'd like that very much." It looked like a good start to a new life.

The end. Hope you liked it.

Cheers,

Elle Dottore