1Chapter Four: Understanding
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.
The morning was warm and pleasant, a cool breeze dancing over the lightly misted lawn. A girl the same color as the grass stirred from her place on the hard bench, rolling over and wondering why the wood felt so soft. A moment later she felt something slither over her arm.
Two dark eyes in an emerald face sprang open, wondering what had moved to create such a sensation on her arm. She moved slowly, raising herself up and looking down at her arm. There was nothing there but a coil of what looked like sand. An eyebrow twisted up in confusion and she looked at the bench around her, seeing how she had been cradled in sand.
"What in Lurline?" She leapt up, wondering how on earth the sand had gotten there.
A flash of red hair behind the bench caught her attention. She remembered the day before, the strange boy who could manipulate sand. A rare smile crept over her lips when she bent over the back of the bench to see him there in his own nest of dry sand. Not only had he provided a softer place to sleep, Elphaba realized, he had kept her dry too! She smiled softly in appreciation, deciding it was time to wake him.
A thin green hand reached down and grasped his shoulder lightly. The reaction was immediate. He whirled around and seized her wrist, his eyes wide open and completely awake. He narrowed the black-rimmed eyes at her, using her hand to haul himself to his feet.
She watched him as he pulled the sand back into his gourd. He didn't look as though he had slept at all. She tugged at her hand in high bad temper. "Give it back."
He looked at her, jade eyes wandering over emerald skin. "No."
She huffed and turned, not watching him. "Didn't you sleep at all?"
He stepped over the bench lightly, moving lithely like a cat. Her hand was still firmly grasped in his, and now his head was just behind hers. She could feel his breath stir his hair when he answered very simply, "I don't sleep."
She turned, still tugging at her hand. "Why ever not? Everyone has to sleep."
The jade eyes narrowed and he yanked her closer to him, putting his other hand on her waist. "I never sleep, I don't dare. No more questions."
The emerald girl frowned at him momentarily, then struggled against him. He was strong! "Let me go!"
"No."
Her dark liquid eyes looked up to meet with his hard jade ones, questioning him silently. He just looked back at her, his face only inches from hers. He leaned closer, tilting his head gently to one side. His nose brushed her cheek and his tongue darted out to lick at her ear lustfully.
She yelped and tore away, scrubbing at her ear with fury. "What are you doing? Leave me alone!"
He stepped forward and took her arm again, looking at her. "Why?"
"Because you don't know me!" She tore away again and stormed across the field, done with him. The library would be her sanctuary, again.
The smell of old paper and aged leather graced her nose as she burst into the library, burning with anger at the strange boy. Who did he think he was? How on earth did he think she would go along with him? She glanced at herself in a mirror, then flinched and turned away. What in the world did he even see in her?
The door opened and closed again. Elphaba flinched and ducked into a familiar row of books, hiding behind a volume of scientolozy. She ran an affectionate finger over the binding, remembering the good times she had spent reading the many chapters it held.
A flash of red hair and Elphaba ducked lower, cursing her bright color. She knew he would be able to see her as easily as she saw him. She didn't even see the snake of sand that crept out of the darkness and snagged her around the waist.
She didn't scream. A gasp of air was all she took and her dark eyes closed into the green face. Stick-like hands thrashed at the sand, boot-clad feet kicking hard. Then a large, rough hand grabbed her ankle and pulled her down, holding her still.
Two black-rimmed eyes looked down at her, remorseful and angry at the same time. "Are you alright?"
She pulled away from him, brushing at her arms and dress as if there was still sand clinging to it. "I'm fine! What's it to you anyway? What's your problem?"
He shrugged and looked away. "You're a beautiful, fiery and strong woman. You could say I'm attracted to you, if that exists in your narrow mind."
Dark eyes narrowed at him and scrawny hands balled into fists. "Of course it does, you-- no, nevermind. You have priorities that are beyond me." She turned and stalked out of the library, wondering where she could go that the strange boy wouldn't follow. She shouted behind her at the last moment, "and I have a broad mind, thank you!"
She could have sworn she heard a dark chuckle.
"That ignorant fool!" Elphaba yelled to no one when she was outside and away from the library. A reflection in a puddle caught her attention. A green face looked at her for a long time, contemplating what the boy had said, only to scoff out loud. "He must have a terrible idea of what beauty is!" She turned a corner at full stalking speed and ran right into Hinata, who looked frightened.
"Oh, Miss Elphaba! I-- I'm sorry, I was just about to go . . ." She turned and would have walked away, but the green girl seized her arm and held her firm.
"Wait!" She smiled as kindly as she could through her wrath. "Could you tell me everything you know about that Gaara character you brought along with you?"
She gave Elphaba a tiny smile, but looked away. "Well, um, I actually don't know much about him. You should ask Naruto! They've been good friends for a long time. I think Naruto knows a lot about him." She smiled, her pale eyes eager and hopeful. "Was that any help?"
The emerald girl smiled kindly at the meek counterpart. "It was. Thank you Hinata. But one more thing, where is Naruto?"
The smile fell from the pale-eyed girl's face. She looked at the ground, but raised one hand toward the sky. The green girl's dark eyes widened and she followed the pointed finger up just in time to see a flash of orange fly from the top of the boy's dormitories to the library roof.
Her normally green face shone white with amazement and anger. "Naruto?!"
His blonde head peaked over the edge of the roof at her. "Yeah?"
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING UP THERE? GET DOWN HERE NOW!!" Elphaba never knew her voice could be raised to such an octave.
He blinked at her, then grinned, cocking his head to one side and closing his eyes. "Yeah, okay! Give me one second!"
In one second he was by her side, brushing off his jacket. "Something you wanted, incredible green girl?"
She almost went ashen. "What did you call me?"
Her death stare nearly melted him. He wilted and grinned, holding up two disarming fingers in a peace sign. "Haha, I called you Miss Elphaba! That's your name, right?"
She grumbled to herself for a moment, then sighed and turned back to the outrageous blonde. "Can I ask you something?"
His sapphire eyes were wide. "Yeah, anything. Go ahead."
"How long have you known that Gaara fellow?"
"Oh, him." Naruto grinned and looked at the ground, a small smile on his face. "I met him at the Chunin exams a few years ago. One of my friends fought him and I had to step in to keep Gaara from killing him."
Elphaba started. "What? Why are you friends with him, then?"
Naruto shook his head. "No, you don't understand! See, while I fought him, it was like we connected. He's been through the same thing as me. Don't tell it to everyone, but I have a nine-tailed demon sealed inside of me." He looked at the ground and sighed. "Gaara has a one-tail. We both grew up the same, but he never had any real friends like I did. He was always alone."
Elphaba looked away, trying to understand. She could sympathize with them. She might as well have a monster inside of her, for the weird things she could do and the freaky color of her skin. "I see."
Naruto grinned and looked at her again. "We've been friends ever since then! He reformed and became the Kazekage of his village, just like I'm going to become Hokage!"
Elphaba nodded and turned away. These two boys were so much like her. They had been shunned and mistreated since they were little for something they couldn't help, but they both aimed to become something great. The emerald girl smiled and regretted treating the red head so harshly.
"Thanks Naruto."
He laughed, putting an arm around Hinata. "No problem! Hey, could you show us to where that old lady Madame Horrible, or whatever it was, is?"
The green girl turned to him, a dry smile on her lips. "You've almost figured out her nickname! Morrible the Horrible. Remember that, but never call her that to her face. Come with me, I'll show you to her office."