Wow! I didn't even realize how long it's been since I updated. Sorry guys, this story is taking longer to write than I first imagined. Finals are kicking my ass.
Well, as of today, I'm officially on winter break, so I hope to be writing a little more over the next couple weeks. If all goes well, I'll be done before I have to go back to school.
NOTE: I found that there has been some confusion as to my casting earlier. Just to clear it up: Mimi is Glinda and Alexi is a munchkin. Haha, well, I tried. I really saw Alexi in that part, but she appears as a normal-size person in both the movie and the musical, so I just had to make do. I also gave her some of what is normally Glinda's part, just because it played out that way, so that might have contributed. Sorry everyone!
To my reviewers:
CES5410: Thanks! Yeah, how could he not?
Chalcedony Rivers: Sorry about that! I think I patched that all up above. Anyway, the rest of the cast should be clearer.
Oh Shiz: Yeah, well, I had to get him stuck in something somehow. The Alexi thing practically wrote itself. Glad you like the story!
Maureen Elphie Menzel: Well, how perfect! I couldn't see Angel being anyone else, haha. By the way, I've just got to mention, I love your username!
Ohmyrentness: No problemo.
"Mark?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah?" He jumped a little, then turned to meet Angel's curious gaze.
"Everything all right, there? You seem like you're distracted by something." Angel mused.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just…" Mark paused, "yeah, nothing." He shook his head and sighed quietly.
Angel frowned, but Mark chuckled lightly and raised his head and looked at her again. "Sorry, I'm not usually this contemplative." He laughed again.
"It's fine." Angel urged as she tried to piece together what 'contemplative' meant.
Angel turned forward to face the road again. They were still in what was apparently a very large park, and it was growing more unruly with each block. She could barely see the sidewalk under her feet anymore. She hoped Mark knew where he was going. She glanced up at the sky for a moment, but as soon as she did, she felt something thump lightly against her foot. She stopped and looked down to see an apple a few inches from her right toe.
"Ooh, an apple!" She picked it up and began cleaning it on the fabric of her sweater. "Hey Mark, wanna split this?"
Mark looked like he had an answer, but he was cut off by an annoyed voice from off to their left.
"Hey! That's mine!"
The two looked up to see a middle-aged woman in tattered clothing leaning against an abandoned building.
"Oh, I'm sorry ma'am!" Angel promptly apologized, walking over to her with the fruit in hand.
"You're damn right you're sorry, sir!" She snapped, taking the apple back.
Angel looked hurt for a moment, then angry. She reeled back to give the homeless woman a kick in the shins, but Mark caught her.
"C'mon guys, this isn't necessary." He interrupted, stepping between them.
"Nobody asked for your opinion, blondie!" The lady raged. She chucked the apple at Mark's head and hit her target with a hollow thud.
"Oww!" He whined, rubbing his skull.
"Well, it's your own fault for not controlling your thieving little friend!" She crossed her arms, apparently satisfied with her justification.
Angel had had enough. "Oh yeah, well fuck you!" She turned on her heel and grabbed Mark's arm, dragging him away, leaving the woman to stare at them with her mouth agape.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Mark started laughing and clapped Angel on the back. "I wish I'd recorded that! Her face was priceless."
Angel laughed with him. "Not as good as yours when she clonked you with that apple."
Mark sulked slightly. "She throws hard." He mumbled, his voice barely audible.
Angel snorted and tried unsuccessfully to pass it off as a coughing fit, earning a glare from Mark. After she finally calmed down, she decided to discuss the journey ahead.
"So anyway, how much further do we have to go before we get downtown?"
"Well, pretty far, unfortunately. But we're coming into a busier part of town now, so maybe the walk will be more interesting." He answered hopefully.
"Perhaps…" Angel's voice trailed off as she glanced around and realized he was right. The streets were slowly growing less deserted as they exited the strange park and came into what looked like a main road.
"In a minute we'll come to a really busy part of town where the streets are packed. I know a café around there where we can stop and rest, if you want." Mark continued.
"Yeah, that sounds nice."
Sure enough, they soon turned a corner on to what was obviously a very busy street. There were people all over the place, walking quickly with their heads down. Angel sensed something off about the crowd, but she couldn't place it for several long seconds until it finally clicked in her head. Almost nobody was speaking, and if they were, it was only a whisper.
"Hey Mark, why is everyone so quiet?" Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Nobody wants to get in trouble, I guess. Better to say nothing then let the wrong thing slip." He answered, just as quietly.
Angel frowned. She thought of asking Mark for more details, but decided against it. Perhaps there was somewhere safer they could talk about it later.
She was pulled from her wandering thoughts by the sound of a street musician strumming a sad melody on a guitar. It grew louder as they moved forward, and soon enough, Angel caught sight of the guitarist. He was perched against the wall of a restaurant, playing for tips.
Angel was suddenly stricken with the urge to talk to him. She wandered over and Mark followed, unsure of what she was doing.
"Hey there, sugar." She tried.
He looked up at her, running a hand through his light hair. "Hi. Can I help you?" Angel wished she could hear his voice because she got the impression it would be nice to listen to, but of course, they all had to whisper.
"No, no, you just looked like someone who needs a friend." Angel replied cheerily, snapping back to the conversation.
He looked at her strangely. "Uh-huh. Well, are you the kind of friend who buys your friends lunch?"
Angel chuckled brightly. "Well, if you want." She suddenly remembered Mark. "Hey, didn't you say you knew a place to eat around here?"
"Oh, yeah. You're sitting against it." He gestured towards the wall behind the musician.
"Huh, this dump? Y'know, I don't think I've ever been inside there." He mused, standing up and turning around.
As he stood, Angel got a good look at him for the first time. His hair was bleached at the tips and his eyes were heavy with a life of troubles. He wore a black leather jacket with several chains hanging off of it, and Angel saw a tattoo wrapping around his arm from the hole in the sleeve. His hardcore rocker appearance ended at the waist, where he was clad in some very questionable plaid pants. It picked up again at his ankles, where a pair of worn-out black combat boots was visible.
He turned back around and caught Angel giving him the once-over. "What?" he said, annoyed.
"Nice pants."