1Chapter Two: A Clash of Character
Disclaimer: There are characters in here from two stories, but it is mostly based around the world of Wicked. The others are from the manga Naruto. None of the characters belong to me, but the way I manipulate them is mostly original.
"Let me go!" The red head finally managed to break free and decided there was no better time for him to bring his sand to life. With a wave of a clawed hand he broke away from the bright girl and leapt onto a disk of sand. "Stay away from me!"
She looked up at him with hurt blue eyes. "But-- I thought we were gonna have fun tonight!"
He knelt and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I can't take this. You're just so-- happy! I'm not used to it, and I'm not about to let myself go with someone like you. Just, please, leave me alone."
Her full lower lip trembled, but her sadness was cut short as a certain dark-haired emerald girl bowled into her and knocked her off her feet.
"Elphie! Owch, again!" She began giggling as she brushed herself off and stood up. "What are you in such a hurry for?"
Naruto and Hinata sudden seemed to appear behind her, both of them laughing a little bit.
Elphaba brushed herself off huffily. "These two have some sort of trick that they do. They can run so fast they just seem to disappear. They've been bugging me with it all the way here. Well," she glared frostily up at the giggling Naruto, "at least one of them has."
Hinata smiled and allowed herself to chuckle a little bit at the indignant look on the emerald girl's face. Then she looked up with her pale eyes and saw Gaara floating just above the lot of them. "Gaara! What are you doing up there?"
He sighed and lowered himself to the ground, hopping off of the plinth of sand with a graceful bound. "Trying to escape this blonde menace. It's like a female version of you, Naruto. Almost worse."
It was Galinda and Naruto's turn to look indignant.
Elphaba allowed herself a dry grin as she surveyed Gaara. She had never seen someone so put together, so solid. It seemed like he had just had enough with the world and nothing would bother him again. A modest curtain of black hair swept over her face as she looked away, wishing silently that she could be as sound as he.
A hand on her shoulder made her flinch, then stand still. Only Galinda ever touched her without invitation, but her hands weren't so big and rough. She turned her liquid night eyes up in a flash of anger to see the red head looking at her in concern, an uneasy hand resting on her shoulder. At the look in her eye he withdrew quickly and let his hands drop to his sides.
"I'm sorry. Are you alright?"
Elphaba pushed her willful black hair behind a slightly pointed green ear, nodding silently. She started when a lithe little hand slipped into her own and began pulling her in an all-too-familiar way toward the dorms. "Galinda! Why?"
The blondie giggled, looking back to make sure their new friends were following. "Because, Elphie! Hinata and I are gonna give each other make-overs! I have some colors that might look good on you too! The whole darker shades of green just aren't working for me anymore. Let's face it Elphie, you weren't made to pull of the natural look."
Elphaba looked back to see Naruto and Hinata running to keep up, but the strange red head walking at his own pace. The look on his face depicted ease and disdain.
The emerald girl burned with resentment. How dare he assert himself onto nature like that! Who did he think he was, going about as if he owned the world and everyone in it? She slipped out of Galinda's grasp, shouting that she would catch up later, then stormed back to confront the insolent boy.
He stopped when he saw her approaching, then moved to meet her halfway.
The steaming artichoke-colored girl stormed up to the red head, stopping right in front of him and glaring at him so hard he should have melted. He just stood and watched her calmly, if not a bit confused.
She sighed exasperatedly. "Who do you think you are?"
"What?" He frowned at her, clenching one of his fists.
"Just strolling around Shiz as if you own the place! Just because you're not a student doesn't mean you can't show some respect!" Elphaba's arms wheeled like a windmill, moving of their own accord as she fought to control her anger.
The red head took a step toward her, closing the scant space between them. "I don't--"
"You're so arrogant!" the emerald girl said hotly, cutting him off. "Your friends are trying to have some real fun with some new people they met, people I might dare to say they like, and you're just lagging behind as if you disapprove! Think of your friends! What do you suppose they think of this, 'I'm better than everyone,' attitude that you have? Huh?!"
He grabbed her thin wrist, noting the surprising amount of power that she had in her arms. For all of that though, he was massively stronger. He yanked her closer to him, scowling into her brilliant face.
"I'm not at the disposal of anyone! Not my so-called friends, not this stupid school, not even you!" He closed his eyes, anger mounting dangerously. "I have been stepped on, spoiled, mistreated and abused since I was tiny! I am not going to take this from someone who doesn't even know me!" He threw her away violently, sending her stumbling back a few steps. He took a moment to admire how strongly built she was.
Just as he expected, the emerald girl retaliated quickly. "So you've been hated and shunned since you were little, big deal! So was I!" She stood up straight, her shoulders perfectly squared and her hair flowing behind her like a flag. "But do I consider my friends with this proud disdain you seem to have for them? No! Do I walk around this hateful place like I'm better than all of it? No!" She stamped her foot, her face almost white with anger. "I've broken my back all of my life to try and be someone exceptional! Some with esteem and the love of all that she meets! I want to be a great figure that people can look up to!" The dark eyes misted as their gaze fell to the ground.
Jade eyes now shimmered with admiration. Having taken a step back to be clear of the strange girls wrath, Gaara now took another step forward to try and comfort her. She looked close to tears.
Elphaba flinched away from the contact, unwilling to share her physical self with anyone else, least of all him. "Maybe if I can meet the wizard and show him how hard I will work for him, he'll make me into something important. Maybe then I can make a difference in this shriveling world, and people will stop judging me on my appearance."
Red hair clashed with green skin when Gaara suddenly hugged Elphaba. She shrieked aloud and he flinched away immediately, the both of them standing aside awkwardly.
He coughed a little bit and muttered, "you looked like you needed to be cheered up."
She kicked at a small rock. "Well, thanks then."
They stood like that for a little longer, Gaara watched the sky and wondered what those strange flying things with tails were. Elphaba just scuffed at the ground with her foot, her flushed white face slowly returning to its regular color. They finally both looked at each other, one looking down and one looking up.
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I guess our-- friends . . ." he grimaced as if the word was unfamiliar to him, "will be wondering where we are. We should go meet them."
Elphaba nodded and started walking toward her dorm again, aware of the powerful presence that was following her.
Never before had two such strong personalities met in such a way. After the fire had burned with all of its intensity, it had gone out to reveal the golden embers that lay beneath. There was a friendship to be made here, a diamond in the lump of charcoal the two had formed under first impressions.
Crimson lips in an emerald face curled into a sarcastic smile. Elphaba decided that she and he were going to be friends.
Black-rimmed jade eyes shone with a strange intensity as he watched the black-cloaked green figure ahead of him. He knew, deep inside of his battered heart, he would make her his.