Somewhere
I Belong
Chapter 11
Testing the
Limits
Elphaba sits alone upon the crest of a cliff overlooking the City of Emeralds. Her dark eyes gaze longingly towards the shimmering city of hope, of dreams; a hidden longing, glimmered within the darkened pools of chocolate and gold. A hidden longing, rippled across her heart, remembering that glorious day, when the world was simplier, when the horrors she had experienced but a few months prior were but a distant dream.
Weakly, she pulls her legs tight against her chest, and sighing, wraps her arms tight around her knees. Resting her chin a top the edge of her legs, her eyes soften as tears crest within.
A soft breeze swept past her, threading through her long raven hair; a whisper and the ends of each raven strand fly and billow softly in the western winds.
"One short day…in the Emerald City" sang Elphaba softly; a hidden ache rippled in her voice, masked by the whistle of the wind.
"Beautiful isn't it" came a soft voice from behind the green witch.
Stiffening, Elphaba's eyes harden and her body goes rigid.
"How long have you been standing there?" asked Elphaba, her voice hardened, cloaking the pain within her heart.
Slowly, Leilani steps closer to the raven haired witch, and stilled but a foot away. Her dark eyes remained on Elphaba's rigid form. A sigh and she casts her gaze towards the City of Emeralds.
"Your not the only one fooled by the splendor of the City…a city build on the backs of broken dreams and empty promises" she whispers softly.
"If this is your attempt at a pep talk" cackles Elphaba, gracefully she spins around and faces Leilani, "you suck at it"
"Oh forgive me for not being as seasoned as you" teases Leilani
"Seasoned?" questions Elphaba. Frowning, she arches an elegant eyebrow back at the young warrior, "what am I a hot dish now or something?"
"No" laughs Leilani. Stepping closer, she takes a seat beside the raven haired witch, "I just mean you're more experienced in these sorts of matters than I" chuckling, she bumps her shoulder against Elphaba's.
"I know what you meant" laughs Elphaba. Relaxing, she shifts her gaze back to the city, "My dreams were shattered…the minute I found out what a fraud the Wizard was" she finished softly.
"Consider yourself lucky that you had managed to escape…others who had found the Wizard's secret…weren't so lucky" sighs Leilani sadly.
"Your family?" asks Elphaba as she turns to face the young woman.
Unable to speak, Leilani simply nods before bowing her head. Shifting her weight, she spreads her legs and reaching down, plucks a few blades of grass up. Sticking the blade in her mouth, she returns her gaze back to the city, "My mother and father were devoted to the Wizard…they both foolishly believed him to be all powerful and wise…that was…until he betrayed them"
"What happened?" asks Elphaba softly. A soft wind wisped by, threading through Leilani's long hair. A few strands fly and caress her soft cheeks before being swept away by the soft torrents.
"The Wizard had sent them out to an Animal encampment…instructing them to convince the Animals to abandon these their territory and come to the City of Emeralds where the he would reward their devotion…many had believed my parents and were ready to follow them…when a cry rang out. The Animals turned just in time to watch an innocent cub being slaughtered maliciously by one of the guards. The Animals revolted and attacked the guards…my parents tried their best to quiet the rampage…but the Gale Force wouldn't listen"
Absently, Elphaba's hand rises and cups over Leilani's shoulder.
"The guards fled along with my parents…and when they returned" shivered Leilani, "the guards lied and told the Wizard my parents had betrayed them…he had them hung in the center of the City…a warning to those who tried to oppose the Wizard and aid the Animals"
"How old were you…when this happened?" asks Elphaba softly.
"Four…an elderly Goat was watching over me that day…he had me hidden in a cloak and brought me to the square where I could say my last goodbyes before my parents were killed…he turned me away just when the Executioner pulled the lever" closing her eyes, Leilani bites the inside of her cheek in an attempt to keep her tears at bay, "I can still hear my mother's screams…just before the rope snapped her neck"
Gently, Elphaba gathered Leilani in her arms, and held the young child tight against her. Closing her eyes, she let a few tears fall in a silent eulogy to the parents this brave warrior had lost to chaos.
"The Goat safely swept me out of the city…and brought me here to the Underground…it was here where the Animals and the other members of the Resistance watched over me…and later trained me in" whispers Leilani.
"By Atlas?" asks Elphaba gently.
"Yes…he was the big brother I've always wanted" sobs Leilani.
"He's a good man" nods Elphaba
"He took me under his wing…watched over and protected me" whispers Leilani softly.
"I've been such a pain to him" sighed Elphaba. Slowly, she pulls away and bows her head, "I really should start cutting him some slack"
"Hey if it not you then the others would be picking on him" laughs Leilani, despite her tears.
Elphaba couldn't help but smile at the sound of Atlas's name.
"Oh…you like him…don't you" teases Leilani. Instantly, Elphaba straightens and stiffens.
"What…of course not" lifting her head, she turns away, hoping to hide the blush spreading across her cheeks.
"Ah…that blush on your cheeks says something different" teases Leilani.
"Leilani" growls Elphaba in an irritated tone, "Don't make me change your head into a boar or something"
"You wouldn't even know how" laughs Leilani.
"Don't. Tempt. Me" growled Elphaba through clenched teeth.
"Elphaba loves Atlas…Elphaba loves Atlas…Elphaba loves Atlas…Elphaba and Atlas sitting in a tree…K.I.S.S.I.N.G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Atlas with a baby carriage!" sings Leilani loudly.
"Leilani I swear to Oz if you don't stop I'm going to take away your voice and change your head into a boar" snarls Elphaba through gritted teeth.
"But that's not all no that's not all…here comes Atlas…" her teasing is ended abruptly by a simple swish of the green witches wrist; a crackle of emerald lightning and her voice is taken away.
"I warned you" cackles Elphaba at Leilani's icy glare.
Huffing, she fists her hands against her hips, and glares.
"Oh…Leilani looks so cute when she's mad" cooed Elphaba teasingly before pinching the young warrior's cheek.
Growling, Leilani's hand rises and swats Elphaba's hand away from her face.
"Am I interrupting anything important" came a voice.
Startled, Elphaba jumps to her feet, and spinning around, clenches her hand into a tight fist. A flash of light and an ebony dagger appears in her hand.
The blade fisted tight between her fingers gleams in the sunlight. Twirling gracefully on the tips of her toes, she throws the dagger towards the phantom voice.
"Whoa!" Twisting around, the man snatches the dagger and sends it hurtling towards a tree. A twang and the hilt of the dagger vibrate before stilling.
"Atlas!" gasps Elphaba in shock. Neither she nor Leilani had heard Atlas's approach, for his cat-like stealth was still something she had not been able to pick up on, and it infuriated her. "Announce yourself first! Oz man I almost killed you!" snarls Elphaba.
"Almost is the key word" teases Atlas.
"You lucked out" growls Elphaba through gritted teeth.
"Please" smirking, Atlas stepped with an agile grace towards Elphaba, his dark emerald eyes never leaving hers, "You throw like a girl"
"In case you haven't noticed…I am a girl" scoffs Elphaba.
"Really…could have fooled me" smirks Atlas goofily.
Grunting, Leilani stomps her foot on the ground.
"Oh Leilani…I had almost forgotten that you were there" teases Atlas.
Glaring, she stomps her foot again.
"Be a big girl and use your words" cackles Elphaba.
Stomping her foot again, she glares icily back at Elphaba before pointing a finger up at her lips.
"Oh…do you wish to speak again?" asks Elphaba surprised. Narrowing her eyes, Leilani nods curtly back at the raven haired witch. "Are you gonna behave yourself now?" pushes Elphaba.
"Come on Elphaba…be nice and give Leilani a break" sighs Atlas.
"Fine" sighs Elphaba. Turning, she wiggles her fingers, releasing Leilani from the spell.
Gasping, she takes in a few big gulps of air before spinning around and glaring back at Elphaba's retreating form.
"First of all…never use the word 'Cute' when associated with me…and second…don't ever touch my face let alone pinch my cheek again" snarls Leilani
"Oh…is the little baby upset" smiling, Elphaba playfully bats her eyelashes back at Leilani
"Elphaba" growls Leilani through clenched teeth.
"Oh…you look so adorabubble when your angry" cackles Elphaba.
"Elphaba Thropp! I'm so gonna kick your ass!" snarls Leilani
Stopping dead in her tracks, Elphaba turns and smirks back at Leilani "Oh…sounds tempting" winking over her shoulder she turns and follows Atlas back to the Underground, leaving a very fuming Leilani alone.
Screaming, Leilani spins around and snatching a dagger from the hilt of her boot, throws it at a nearby tree. An icy smirk, tugs at the corner of her lips, watching the tree split in half.
"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's not nice to throw things at inanimate objects?" came Elphaba's voice from the entrance.
"How" stiffening, Leilani's eyes widen in shock, "How in Oz does she do that!" she exclaims in frustration.
Gently, Atlas pulls Elphaba through the hidden labyrinth of the Underground. Slight flickers of firelight dart across her face, before fading beneath a veil of shadow and darkness.
"Atlas…where are we going?" frowns Elphaba.
"To see the High Elders" replies Atlas. Swiftly he moved down the corridors, paying no heed to the looks of the other Resistance members staring at him as he steps past him. His hold on Elphaba's hand tightens.
"The Elders…for what!?" gasps Elphaba shocked.
"You've completed your training" grunts Atlas
"And that means what exactly?" frowns Elphaba, confused
"It means your ready"
"Ok hold up" digging her heels into the ground, she pulls Atlas to an abrupt stop and pulling her hand free, takes a couple steps back, "What does the completion of my training have anything to do with seeing the High Elders?" huffing, she fists her hands against her hips.
Sighing, Atlas takes a step back and closing his eyes, runs his fingers through his hair. Blinking his eyes open, he steps back once more and rests against the wall.
"When every new member of the Resistance finishes their training they must meet with the High Elders" explains Atlas slowly
"And?" asks Elphaba. Quirking an eyebrow, she waited. Something inside her told her she wasn't going to like the rest of it.
"Where they will be given their final test" sighs Atlas.
"Test…what test?"
"A test to see if your strong enough to fight in the Resistance" answers Atlas gently.
"What does this test entail?" asks Elphaba softly.
"It depends…it's different for each member" answers Atlas truthfully.
"And If I complete this test?" asks Elphaba softly.
"Then you'll become a full member of the Resistance" answers Atlas.
Stiffening, Elphaba takes a confident step closer to Atlas.
"Then let's go" she says.