WickedlyAsh
The dining room had turned into a makeshift nurse's station at Kiamo Ko, with so many people sustaining recent injuries. Nicole, Holli, and Annaleigh were resting in separate areas of the room, with Tiana, Kaylee, and Stephanie looking after each of them respectively. Although the three who has sustained injuries were essentially healed by the Grimmerie, the spell had been rather draining, and they needed to be looked after until they fully recovered.
However, one of the injured parties was missing from the dining room. Fiyero, who had still not been magically healed, had been placed up in the bedroom he shared with Elphaba, resting in the familiar king-sized bed. Elphaba crept into the room quietly, and nearly broke down into tears as she saw Fiyero bandaged and badly bruised. Elphaba moved closer, realizing he must have taken a bullet to the shoulder, for a bloody bandage was wrapped around the spot where his right arm met his body. Elphaba sat down on the edge of the bed, laid the Grimmerie she had been carrying on her lap, and opened to the marked page where the healing spell was located. Quietly, Elphaba began chanting the spell, watching Fiyero begin to stir as she did so. By the time she had finished reading the incantation, Fiyero had opened his eyes and was staring at Elphaba.
"I'm surprised you didn't come sooner," Fiyero said quietly, obviously hurt that Elphaba had not come to his side earlier.
"I would have," Elphaba started quickly, "it's just that they didn't say you were here, then Morrible tried killing Nicole, and then-" she stopped herself, letting the truth finally come out, "I thought you wouldn't want to see me."
"So are you…you and Taye…are you actually…" Fiyero couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.
"No!" Elphaba nearly yelled, wanting to convince Fiyero. "No! I thought you were dead, and I think the spell must have messed with my head, and all the hormones from the baby," she sighed, putting her hand to her stomach.
Fiyero propped himself up onto a shoulder, reaching his left hand out to cover Elphaba's hand, also touching her stomach. "Elphaba, it's okay, I know…I just want to make sure you're here right now because you want to be here, with me."
"More than anything," Elphaba smiled, sighing with relief as she leaned in towards Fiyero.
"And one more thing," Fiyero kept speaking, despite Elphaba trying to lean in for a kiss. After Elphaba paused with a concerned look on her face, Fiyero finally started again, "What you saw, with me and Glinda, I hope you know I didn't want-"
"Shhhh," Elphaba smiled, leaning in again, "I know." Elphaba's and Fiyero's lips met, signifying that all was forgiven.
Finally parting, Elphaba pushed a lock of Fiyero's hair off his forehead, still smiling. "Now that spell must have taken a lot out of you, you need some rest." And with that, Elphaba slowly left the room, leaving Fiyero with happy thoughts and peaceful dreams.
"Hey, how's everyone feeling?" Eden asked as she, Shoshana, Megan, Allen, and Mikayla entered the makeshift injury ward.
"Much better, thanks," Annaleigh smiled from her bed.
"I'm good here!" Nicole smiled, giving a thumbs-up sign to show her repaired arms.
Holli however, did not respond.
"Holli?" Megan walked quietly towards the woman only a few years younger than herself. "Sweetie, are you doing okay?"
"I just, I just feel like I failed everyone. I tried leading and I couldn't do it…" Holli looked as if she were about to burst into tears.
"Awww Holli!" Mikayla ran over and hugged her friend. "That's not true!"
"Holli, you were a great leader!" Kaylee echoed.
"They're right Holli," Allen remarked, smiling at his friend. "You didn't do anything wrong, and I'm really proud how you took a leadership role like that."
"Well…." Shoshana said skeptically, causing everyone to turn and look at her.
"Shoshana!" Megan yelled, walking over to her friend. "Stop it, that's not funny!"
"I'm not making any jokes," Shoshana replied, which caused Eden and Stephanie to also move towards her angrily. However, Shoshana quickly started speaking again when she heard Holli start crying. "No! Holli! I didn't mean it like that! You were amazing!" Shoshana smiled.
"Then maybe you should explain what you meant," Kaylee said a little angrily, ready to defend her friend.
"Well maybe we're going about this thing all wrong," Shoshana offered. "I mean, first only Elphaba is in charge, then that got all messy…then Holli took charge, but it's hard to control such a large group by yourself!"
"So what are you suggesting?" Tiana asked. "Do you think one of the actresses should lead now?"
"Well, yes and no," Shoshana tried to explain. "I think we should have someone representing each group, because there are a lot of us here! And I think we should make decisions as a group, and carry out actions as a group!"
"That's so simple," Annaleigh started skeptically, but then thought about it for a moment before exclaiming, "it's perfect!"
"So should we go with Elphaba, Idina, and Holli?" Eden asked rationally. "They've already stepped up as leaders…"
"Oh no!" Holli shook her head, "I'm not doing that again, it's too tiring! Besides, I think we need some fresh blood!"
"She's got a point," Megan smiled, "I think we need a new set of leaders, get some fresh ideas."
"Well how about Glinda to represent the Oz gang?" Allen offered. "She and Elphaba are close, so they could share ideas. And she's been here since the beginning, I think she's got a good grasp on the situation."
"Agreed," Annaleigh smiled, "and I nominate Stephanie to represent all of us actors!"
"Me?" Stephanie, who had remained quiet throughout this conversation, was suddenly looking around at the group nervously.
"Yes you!" Annaleigh said with a bubbly voice. "You're so level-headed, and everyone here respects you!"
"I agree!" Eden smiled at her good friend. "Steph, you up for it?"
"Umm, I'll try!" Stephanie offered a crooked smile, looking nervous but ready to help.
"And for the WoO kids…Holli, are you sure you don't want to do it?" Shoshana asked, still feeling guilty that she had upset Holli.
"I'm sure!" Holli said hurriedly, "I'm totally sure…but can I make a recommendation?"
"Sure," Megan smiled.
"I think Tiana should do it!" Holli said proudly.
"Wait, what?" Tiana said, looking at Holli. "I mean, I think I just hallucinated…what?"
"I think you should represent our group," Holli repeated.
"Now wait a minute," Tiana said nervously, "I'm only fifteen, I don't think I'm capable of-"
"Yes you are!" Allen said supportively. "You are a really great listener, and you have good connections with all three groups! You should totally represent us."
"I agree," Nicole spoke up. "You think before you speak, which is more than I can say for some of us!" she joked, giving Kaylee a playful glare.
"I don't know guys…" Tiana said nervously.
"Please do it Tiana, please?" Mikayla pleaded quietly.
Tiana looked around the room, seeing a room full of smiling and supportive faces. "Okay," she finally sighed, "I'll do my best."
"Good, it's settled," Allen smiled. "Glinda, Stephanie, and Tiana will make sure all three groups are represented."
"Yes, but the three of us shouldn't make all the decisions!" Stephanie said, still a little nervous.
"No, you're right," Holli agreed, "we should get the group together for a meeting."
"We'll start rounding people up," Eden and Megan offered and quickly left the room. The others in the room started shuffling out of the dining room as well, getting ready for an organized group meeting. Stephanie saw Tiana look like she was about to faint from nerves, so she put a supportive hand on Tiana's shoulder.
"It's okay Tiana, we can do this," Stephanie smiled, squeezing Tiana's shoulder lightly. Tiana smiled back, took a deep breath, and then the two left the room together to go find Glinda.
Nicole
Leaders decided - the actresses got into a huge group and had decided to agree with the decision - the former Pirate Queen was the leader. Place to meet decided - the big hall that had so recently held shootings and injuries and make ups. Plan... undecided.
With the help of Sho and Eden, Annaleigh hobbled into the large meeting room - Glinda's magic was good, but it wasn't perfect. Sometime in the hour or so that had passed, somebody - presumably Jae and Taye with the help of Kaylee's magic, and at the insistence of Idina and Elphaba, who needed places to sit with their pregnancy and all - had managed to find enough chairs for everybody to sit. It was a mishmashed bunch - some people were sitting on stools, others were sitting in king-like thrones. Three chairs had been set up in the front - one, an especially pink queen like throne, had obviously been altered by Glinda for Glinda, even if it was just for the pinkness. A regular dining chair was at one corner - Stephanie was already sitting there - and Tiana was perched upon a rather tall, rickety barstool, clinging it as it wobbled with every breath she took.
As Nicole darted into the room, as if to prove that she still had full use of her legs, Kaylee and Allen supported Holli as they helped her into the room. Healed as she was, her side was still bothering her. Glinda swept down the staircase, and Nicole blinked, skidding to a stop. "Woah."
Glinda was dressed in a rather simple (but pink) frock - obviously something from Elphaba's collection that had been modified - and her normally exquisitely curled hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her heels were gone, replaced by a slightly heeled sandal, something that would cushion her feet and comfort them rather than confine them like the heels did. Taking her seet and fiddling with her glittering wand, she smiled at everybody. "Okay, everybody ready for our plan meeting? Shall we conversify?"
Nicole giggled. "Conversify." Skipping to the front of the room, she sat Indian-style in the front of the room, completely ignoring the few chairs that were available. Holli, Kaylee, Allen, Annaleigh, Sho, and Eden took their chairs as well.
"We're here-wait, who are we missing?" Stephanie looked around the room, trying to figure it out. All of the Witches of Oz kids - and Kerry, who seemed inseparable from Elise nowadays - had congregated in the left hand side of the room (with the exception of Nicole, who was in front of her, staring up expectantly). The actresses were sitting in the center, Idina looking rather comfortable curled up with Taye on a love seat, and where the Ozians should be...
"Us." Elphaba walked calmly into the room, followed by a smiling Fiyero, obviously well healed. "It's hard to miss a green girl and a Winkie Prince, isn't it?"
"Especially one whose reputation is so scandalacious," murmured Holli, earning a smile from Kaylee. Obviously she was feeling better.
"Anyway. We're here to talk about what we plan to do about the Wizard..." Stephanie was interrupted by Tiana clearing her throat.
"While Kaylee, Jae and Taye were setting up the room and you all were meeting and Fiyeraba was doing... whatever it is Fiyeraba does..." Elphaba's cheeks got a little bit greener. "Us Witches-and our one Wizard, haha - were talking, and we were wondering... what happened to Dorothy?"
Glinda opened her mouth - and shut it. "I... I didn't think of that," she whispered softly. "Where is that girl?"
"Last I remember, we tied her up before trying to put on a stage production of Wicked..." Nicole shrugged. "Perhaps she died in there."
"I can get my crystal ball, if you want." The three leaders nodded in agreement, and Elphaba stood, squeezing Fiyero's hand before sweeping up the stairs. She, too, was wearing one of her frocks - black this time instead of blue - and it hugged her stomach, showing off her pregnant figure.
"Okay. While we figure that out... we've been going on the assumption that nobody knows any talents besides acting." Stephanie grinned. "So we've figured, why don't we put our talents to use?"
"Talents to help us meet the Wizard," said Idina with a grin, "To help us make good?"
"Actually, that's not a bad idea. 'cept instead of meeting the Wizard, it'd be helping us find ways to fight the Wizard!" Holli clapped, and Tiana glared at her.
"I'm supposed to be the one representing us!"
"Ish sorry." Holli just grinned at her - it felt good to take a step back and work with everybody else instead of telling them what to do.
"So have you guys learned something weird to do?"
"OHOHOHOHOH!" Nicole squealed, somehow managing to jump up and down in Indian position. "I can ride horses, and last I knew Mikayla knew martial arts, and I can annoy people, and Tiana knows how to row..." Nicole paused in her bouncing. "Although I don't know how that would help. Ooo, and Cheno is short enough - no offense, Kristin! - that she can camouflage with children and Idina knows how to rally up a crowd from when she was in Rent."
"And wasn't Eden on that show with the dogs? Dog Whisperer or something? She's learned how to train dogs if we ever get our hands on Toto again," Allen offered with a weak smile.
"OH! And Megan was on the Suite Life of Zach and Cody, she knows how to look like a nerd. Disguises are good, right?" Carley earned a high five from Mikayla for that one.
"And Ash would kill us if she left out the fact that Steph can sword fight, she had to learn how in The Pirate Queen," threw in Kaylee, with a wink at Nicole, who grinned in encouragement.
Meanwhile, all of the actresses (and Taye) were looking at each other funny. They knew the Witches (and Wizard) were obsessed... they hadn't know just how much.
"Vicotria knows how to make purses and paint. Just throwing that out there," Elise said with a shrug.
"That could be helpful for concealing weapons..."
And as the kids continued the list, Tiana climbed down do join them in talking, and the actresses looked at each other with concern at the height of their obsession before sitting back and waiting.
Elphaba came flying down the staircase a second later, clinging to her book.
Taye sat up worriedly, ignoring the hurt look on Idina's face, and Fiyero stood up. "What's wrong, Fae?"
"It's Dorothy and that wretched dog of hers. They're headed-" Her eyes locked on something in the back of the room and her cheeks reddened angrily.
Slowly, everybody turned their head.
Dorothy stood in the doorway, Toto tucked safely under her arm. Shifting her legs shyly, she waved. "Hi. I think we need to talk...?"
Nicole
Three months. It's been about three months since the group set out to save the Earth had heard or seen from Dorothy at Glinda's wedding...
Or Boq and Nessa...
Nessa sat in the wheelchair, rubbing her feet. The Wizard had taken away her new shoes from her to make her even more confined to the small room she and Boq were forced to share. They were the Wizard's guests, now.
Being in the same room with the man she had once fancied herself in love with, with nobody else to see and nothing else to do, had changed her perspective a bit.
Granted, the whole thing was still Elphaba's fault. If Elphaba could just stop caring so much about everything else and focus on the people that mattered, none of this would ever have happened!
Her perspective on Boq, however, had changed. At first, she had been a bit thrilled to be put in the same room as Boq - maybe now he would fall for her!
But he wouldn't stop complaining. About how he really didn't have a heart after all this time, because it really did belong to Glinda. Glinda who could do no good. Glinda who didn't care a whit about him.
Nessa just wanted to get out of this room and back to her sister.
As much as her sister was wrong, she was so much easier to put up with than a tin man.
From his spot in the chair, Boq closed his silver eyelids, staring at nothing as the clock chimed. He'd been sitting for an hour. Time to get up and move again before his knees rusted in this position.
Standing up, he walked towards the small window, ignoring Nessa's sigh as she rolled her wheelchair out of the way. Glinda would be here soon. She would let them all out and she'd destory the Wizard and his reputation, not Elphaba and her stupid plans and silly spells.
Glinda was good down to her soul, and even if she wasn't coming to save him, she'd come to save Nessa, and all the other innocents in the castle.
And that's why he had no heart, because it belonged to her.
"Hey, Nessa?"
"Yes, Boq?" Her voice was flat, rather like a robot.
Or a tin man.
"Did you ever wonder how Glinda got her tiara to sparkle so much?"
--
"No, not really..."
Nessa sighed as Boq began to launch into his theories. If she didn't get out of here soon, she was going to kill either Boq or herself... and it's hard to kill a tin man...