AN. Wicked is still as glorious and magical as ever. There was a small incident where I cried all through the curtain call of the night show because it only clicked at the end that I wouldn't see the show again for 7 months and it was my last show with the fabulous Suzie Mathers as Glinda.
There will be a blog post, but to sum up in the meantime: New Zealand is lovely, Wicked is the greatest, and Jemma Rix is still the most amazifying, fantabulous Elphaba ever.
Question 4: Where do you see yourself being in 10 years?
By the time Boq was able to successfully move them along to the fourth question, Avaric was more enthusiastic and cooperative- more than likely due to the three beers he had consumed by that point.
"Where do you see yourself being in ten years?"
Avaric grinned happily. "That is an easy question!"
As Boq waited expectantly, and perhaps foolishly optimistically, Avaric began to paint a picture of his future.
"Well, obviously, I'm going to be even more awesome than I already am," he began. "In ten years, I'll be successful... rich... have dozens of beautiful girls swooning at my feet," he grinned.
"I'll be invited to every party, but the best parties will be my own. That's where I am in ten years."
It was in that moment Boq realised why he and Avaric would never- or could ever- become friends. Not because they were from different social classes, or the fact that Avaric was a complete ass; but because to Boq, the picture Avaric painted seemed boring as hell and completely meaningless.
"Oh, right. That sounds..."
Boq trailed off uncertainly, but Avaric wasn't looking for a response.
"I think in ten years' time, I hope I have a family," Boq said, although Avaric hadn't asked for his answer.
"You know, married with a few kids. Maybe with a little farm in Munchkinland... somewhere we can settle down, build a home and raise our family. Grow a few crops-"
"Tobacco?" Avaric asked interestedly. It was probably the most interest he'd ever shown in farming.
Boq blinked. "Uh... I was thinking corn. Potatoes... but you know, I could," he said thoughtfully. "We import our tobacco from the Glikkus... there'd be a local market for it..."
"Well, if you do and need investors, let me know."
Boq was stunned. "You'd invest in a tobacco crop?!" he said in disbelief.
Avaric shrugged. "For a cut of the profits," he replied and Boq rolled his eyes knowingly. That sounded more realistic.
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind," he said dryly.
"So, who's this wife of yours in this future you're planning? Miss Thropp or Miss Upland?" Avaric asked with a waggle of his eyebrows.
Boq reddened. Either way he was doomed. If he said Galinda, he wouldn't put it past Avaric to tell Nessarose and he'd hurt her. If he said Nessa... well, he wouldn't put it past Avaric to tell Nessarose that either. And then she'd think he thought they had a future, and that wasn't fair to her.
"Just anyone, I guess. You never know," he finally replied vaguely. "Ten years is a long time."
Avaric grinned as though he knew the truth.
Fiyero frowned in distaste. "That's such a stupid question. How are we supposed to know where we'll be in ten years? What are we, psychic? They expect us to have visions of our future?"
Elphaba shifted uncomfortably.
"The question is supposed to reveal where we want to be in ten years. The direction we have for our life. Our goals, our dreams."
Fiyero got the impression she doubted he had any of that. And well... she was right, although he was loath to admit it.
Ten years... there was every chance that in ten years time he could be king, although he severely hoped not- and not just because he didn't want anything to happen to his parents.
"Well, I hope in ten years, I'm exactly the way I am now."
Elphaba looked at him sceptically. "You do? Really? You don't want your life to be any different?"
"Nope," he insisted, forcing cheer into his voice. "I plan to continue dancing through life for a very long time yet."
Elphaba let it drop, but she didn't believe him for an instant.
"What about you?" Fiyero asked. "Where do you plan to be in ten years? Lawyer, Sorceress, Grand Vizier to the Wizard of Oz?"
Elphaba didn't smile. "I know exactly where I'll be in ten years. And twenty and thirty."
Fiyero raised an eyebrow. "Wow. You're that organised? Or you are psychic?"
Elphaba ignored him. "I'll be doing the exact same thing I've done my whole life. Care for Nessa. That's my future. It's foolish to hope or dream about anything else."
Fiyero just stared at her.
"You're joking, right?"
The stern look on her face told him she wasn't.
"But... you could do anything. With your grades... you're really going to be happy spending your whole life looking after your sister?"
"My happiness isn't important," Elphaba replied dismissively. "And besides, knowing Nessa is taken care of will make me happy, and I don't trust anyone to do it but me. My father doesn't trust anyone," she admitted.
"But you?" Fiyero finished for her.
Elphaba said nothing. She wasn't even sure about that.
"That's really your future? Caring for Nessa?"
Elphaba gave a small shrug. "Caring for Nessa, running the household. Pretty much."
Fiyero couldn't fathom it. It seemed ridiculous to him that someone like Elphaba, who was admittedly brilliant even if she annoyed the hell out of him; was going to spend her entire life tending to the every need and whim of her father and sister.
And Elphaba said he was wasting his life.
"That... that really sucks," he said honestly.
"Don't feel sorry for me, your pity isn't necessary," she said through narrowed eyes. "I don't mind caring for my sister. She's family. And I practically raised her."
"I just... I sympathise," he said simply. "I know what it's like to have your future decided for you."
Elphaba balked. She had something in common with Fiyero Tiggular. Today was just full of surprises.
Unlike her boyfriend, Galinda quite liked this question. She loved this question. Thinking about her future was one of her favourite hobbies.
"In ten years, life will be perfect. I'll have everything I've ever dreamed of," she said happily.
Nessa laughed lightly. "And what is that exactly?"
"Well, I'll be married of course," the blonde explained happily. "I think by that time we'll have been married for a few years, probably have at least one child, maybe two. And of course, we'll be blissfully happy."
Nessa smiled. "That seems nice," she agreed, somewhat wistfully. "So, you want two children?"
Galinda thought about that carefully. "Well, I'd like at least two. I mean, sometimes I think I'll have a houseful! But then again, I can't imagine what that would do to my body! So maybe just two... or three. I think it would be nice for my children to have a sibling. You enjoy having Elphaba as a sister, don't you?"
"Well, Elphaba practically raised me," Nessa replied. "She's done everything for me, and looked out for me."
Galinda noticed that Nessa never actually answered the question with a yes or no.
"It's just being an only child can be awfully lonely," Galinda explained simply.
Nessa could only imagine. "Would you want a boy and a girl?"
"That sounds perfect," Galinda agreed. "Or two little girls... I just want a girl. My Momsie and I have such a wonderful relationship, I'd love to have that with my own daughter. I mean, if I get blessed with two sons, I'm sure I'd be just as thrillified but I really want a daughter."
"So you can dress her in pink?" Nessa asked knowingly.
"Guilty," Galinda laughed sheepishly. "You just see so much adorable baby things in pink!" she defended herself.
Nessa couldn't argue with that.
"So, what about you Nessa? Where will you be in ten years?"
Nessa was very much like her sister in this aspect. She knew exactly what her future held. The difference was that Nessa was much happier about what awaited her.
"In ten years I'll be working with my father to govern Munchkinland," she answered matter-of-factly. "Hopefully, I won't actually be Governor yet, I hope for my Father's sake that doesn't happen for quite some time. But I'm going to start learning as soon as I graduate and I expect I'll eventually work alongside him before he resigns the position to me."
Galinda cocked her head. "You'll take over from your father? Not Elphie?"
"No, of course not. Elphaba's-" Nessa spoke without thinking and then hastily stopped herself.
"Green?" Galinda guessed softly, and Nessa avoided her gaze, blushing.
"So, I expect that's where I'll be in ten years," Nessa continued as though she'd never said anything. "And I hope I'm with someone who loves me. Maybe married with a family."
Galinda smiled softly. "It sounds like a wonderful life, Nessa. I hope you get that."
Nessa did too.
