H-Hey everyone. Um… remember what I said about something happening? Well… this is that something.
Elphaba'sGirl: An annoying llama? Well… I guess you could put it that way.
Wickedly Hope Pancake: YAY! You're right, Elphaba is most certainly not ugly. *Takes snickers* You can have a Kit Kat instead. *Hands you Kit Kat*
NellytheActress: Here is your special thing. *Hands you Hershey Bar* I'm just glad I FINALLY found something you like!
Bunny (Guest): You're right. At least he's nice to Elphaba… in a weird, annoying, over-protective way.
Elphabalover101: She really isn't.
Doglover645: Merry Lurlinemas to you, too!
ExoticPeachBlossom: Yes, Elphaba LOVES being overprotected by her father.
Elphaba smiled as she packed up her suitcase for her trip back to Shiz. Her fingers slid over the leather top, enjoying its soft feeling against her fingertips.
"Fabala, are you ready to go?" Nessa asked, wheeling into her sister's room.
"I think so," Elphaba said, feeling for the smooth, metal latch to lock her suitcase.
"It snowed last night," Nessa whispered, wheeling towards the window and looking outside.
Elphaba bit her lip, trying her best not to growl. Snow mean ice. Ice meant slippery sidewalks. And slippery sidewalks meant her father would try to overly help her.
"Fabala, he's only trying to protect you," Nessa whispered gently, taking her sister's arm.
Sighing, Elphaba closed her eyes. "Yes, I know, Nessie. I just wish he wouldn't."
"Protect you?"
"No, overprotect me. I'm not an invalid. I know he's trying to protect me, but protect me from what?"
Nessa remained silent, unsure of what to say. "I… don't know."
Elphaba sighed and gently pulled her arm away from her sister. She slowly walked back to her bed and grabbed her suitcase. "I… I'm ready now."
Nodding, Nessa wheeled out of the room, closely followed by her sister. The two sisters were greeted by their father in the front hallway.
"Father!" Nessa smiled, quickly wheeling up to her father.
"Nessa," Frex smiled softly, kneeling down to give his youngest daughter a hug. Slowly releasing her, he looked up at Elphaba. "Fabala, it snowed last night."
"I know. Nessa told me," Elphaba said, searching for her coat in the hallway closet.
"It's really slippery."
"I'll be careful."
"She'll be fine, Father," Nessa whispered gently, trying to help her sister out.
Elphaba smiled at her sister's attempt to help her. She knew it wouldn't do much use with her father, but at least she tried. She found her coat and moved to put it on, but stopped when she felt her father's arms on her shoulder. Grunting, she pulled her arm away from her father. "Father, I don't need any help!"
"Elphaba," Frex said, his voice suddenly taking a serious tone. "You are next in line for the Governorship of Munchkinland. You must stop being so stubborn."
Elphaba froze. "Governor of Munchkinland?" She turned towards her father. "When did this come up?"
"You're the oldest, Fabala. You will be the future Governor of Munchkinland."
"Then why are you treating me like a child?" Elphaba asked. It was hard to tell if she was angry or not. She didn't sound angry, but Nessa and Frex knew better. Elphaba was beyond furious.
"Fabala –"
"If I am to be the future Governor, why are you still coddling me and treating me like a child? I'm sure the people of Munchkinland will really appreciate a Governor who is not only green and blind, but also completely helpless. How do you expect me to lead an entire country if I can't take care of myself? How will the people expect me to take care of them?"
"I care about you, Fabala," Frex whispered gently, gripping Elphaba's hands. "I just want to keep you safe."
"Safe?" Elphaba whispered. "Safe from what?"
"Fabala," Nessa whispered, trying to calm her sister's raging temper.
"No, Nessa," Elphaba said, holding up her hand to silence her sister. She turned back to her father, her eyes narrowing. "Safe from what?"
"Fabala, there are people out there that don't have your best interests at heart."
"And you do?"
"Of course I do!"
"Alright, then. If you did, you would stop coddling me like a small child and give me some space to breathe. You let Nessa have freedom!"
"That's completely irreverent."
"How so? Because Nessa's different? Because she's not green?" A pause and Elphaba continued, her voice sounding softer and more timid. "Because she can see?"
"Fabala, no," Frex said quickly.
Elphaba violently pulled her hands away from her father. "Yes, it is! You know, Nessa knows it, and I know it."
"That's not true, Fabala," Frex insisted, pulling Elphaba in for a hug.
Elphaba tore away from her father. "Don't touch me!"
"Elphaba –" Frex wasn't about to give up so easily. He grabbed Elphaba's hands and tried to pull her into a hug again.
"Get away from me!" Elphaba cried, tears streaming down her cheek.
Frex let go and watched as Elphaba threw on her coat, grabbed her gloves and hat and started for the door.
Nessa stayed behind her father, watching as Elphaba threw open the door and slowly walked outside, following the path to where she knew the carriage was waiting for her and her sister. The path had been shoveled and wasn't as slippery as Frex had originally thought.
"Fabala, must you be so stubborn?" Nessa whispered.
"Have a safe trip, Nessa," Frex whispered, smiling softly as he leant over and kissed her forehead.
"Thank you, Father," Nessa smiled, wheeling outside and following her sister outside.
When she got to the carriage, she saw that Elphaba was already inside. Araku helped the younger Thropp out of her wheelchair and into the carriage. Nessa opened her mouth and was about to chide her sister for her behavior when she noticed the tears streaming down Elphaba's emerald cheek and her sniffled, deep breaths. Sighing, she decided that chiding, or generally talking to her sister was not the best idea at the moment. All she could do was reach over and gently take Elphaba's hands into her own. Elphaba didn't seem to respond to Nessa's sisterly gesture. Nessa wondered if that was a good thing or not. It was going to be a very long carriage ride back to Shiz, and Nessa knew it.
The carriage came to a halt in front of the golden gate of Shiz University. Nessa opened her eyes and smiled softly. "Fabala," she whispered, stroking the back of her sister's hand. "We're here."
Elphaba looked up and nodded. She had stopped crying, but her eyes were still red and watery.
The Thropp sisters were helped out of the carriage. Elphaba took her luggage and grabbed onto the back of Nessa's wheelchair.
"ELPHIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
A split second and Elphaba was attacked in a bear hug, almost knocking her off her feet.
"Glin, be careful," Nessa warned.
"Oh, Elphie! I missed you so much!" Galinda exclaimed, tightening her grip around the green girl.
Elphaba chuckled softly and hugged the blonde back. "I missed you, too, Glin."
"Are you alright?" the blonde questioned, gently pulling away and noticing that Elphaba looked like she had been crying.
"Y-Yeah," Elphaba whispered, wiping her face.
"Elphie, something's bothering you. Please tell me."
"Nothing's bothering me. I'm just tired from the trip. That's all," Elphaba said, offering the blonde and small smile.
"O-Okay," Galinda said, not fully believing her friend, but not wanting to start an argument. She hugged Elphaba again. "I just missed you so much!"
"Glin, give Elphaba some room to breathe," a soft voice said, approaching the girls.
"Wait your turn, Fifi!" Galinda admonished.
Fiyero waited patiently as Galinda finished giving Elphaba her bone-crushing hug.
"Is it my turn?" Fiyero asked.
"Yes," Galinda said, stepping aside.
Fiyero chuckled as he delicately took Elphaba's hand and squeezed it. "Hi, Fae."
Elphaba turned towards him and smiled. "Yero, I missed you."
"I missed you, too," Fiyero smiled, gently pulling Elphaba in for a hug.
Elphaba rested her head against her boyfriend's chest and sighed. How she missed leaning her head against her boyfriend's chest and listening to his strong, steady heartbeat.
"How was your vacation?" Fiyero said, leaning his chin on top of her head.
"It was good," Elphaba half-lied. "How was yours?"
"I enjoyed it." Fiyero gently wrapped his arm around Elphaba's slender waist and guided her towards the dorm rooms.
"It feels so good to be back!" Galinda smiled, flopping down on her bed.
Elphaba gave her a small smile as she felt her way to her bed and set her suitcase down. "It does feel good to be back."
"Surely you must like being home more," Galinda said, turning towards her roommate.
"Well, in terms of me knowing where everything is, yes. I do like being at home. Other than that… n-never mind. It's complicated."
Galinda was about to press the subject more, but decided against it. It was obvious that Elphaba didn't want to talk about it.
"H-How was your break?" Elphaba asked as the girls were unpacking, wanting to start a conversation with the blonde.
"Oh, it was completely Ozmazifying!" Galinda smiled before beginning her long ramble on the parties, the food, the presents, the decorations and the music before catching herself. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm rambling."
"No, it's okay. I'm enjoying your story," Elphaba smiled, sitting on her bed, facing the blonde.
"But I want to hear about your holiday," Galinda smiled, bouncing over to her roommate and sitting down next to her.
"There's nothing to talk about, really," Elphaba said, playing with the hem of her skirt.
"Sure there is. Just tell me what you did."
"I spent most of my time in my room, reading."
"I wouldn't have expected anything else from you," Galinda chuckled, giving Elphaba's arm a gentle squeeze.
"I suppose not," Elphaba smiled.
"What did you father get you?"
"Books. As usual. Not that I mind. I love getting new books. He also bought me a dress."
"That sounds like fun."
"I-It was," Elphaba admitted with a small smile.
The girls were alone in their room, enjoying some time quiet time together. Elphaba sat on Galinda's bed as she allowed the blonde to brush her hair. Galinda hummed a soft tune as she ran the brush through Elphaba's silky hair.
"You have a really pretty voice," Elphaba smiled, her fingers gliding across the braille of her book.
"Thank you, Elphie," the blonde blushed and giggled. "I'm sure you have a pretty voice, too."
Elphaba shrugged shyly. "I…"
"I've never heard you sing before."
"The opportunity never presented itself."
"Will you sing for me?"
"Now?"
"Yes. Now."
Elphaba froze. She wasn't expecting that. Galinda felt her friend stiffen and decided not to press her anymore.
"It's okay. You don't have to do it now if you don't want to," Galinda reassured her, soothingly rubbing her upper arm.
"I… I'm sorry. It's just that… I've never sung in front of anyone before."
"I understand," Galinda smiled, continuing her task. A random question entered her mind and the blonde took a chance in asking it. "Could your mother sing?"
Elphaba stiffened at the question, but slowly forced her body to relax. "Y-Yes. She could. I remember her singing lullabies to me."
"How do you remember her so well? I'm sorry… that's probably a touchy question."
"No, no, it's fine," Elphaba reassured her. "Well… my father used to tell me that I would start crying every time my mother tried to put me down, so she carried me around with her almost everywhere. I guess I remember her so well because I was always with her."
"That makes sense," Galinda smiled, finishing Elphaba's hair. "I'm all done. I have to go to class now, but I'll be back to help you get ready for your date with Fiyero."
"I still can't believe you signed up for 'Fashion Merchandizing'," Elphaba said, standing up.
"You'll thank me later," Galinda smirked, giving her friend a quick hug before bolting out of the room.
"I'm sure I will," Elphaba called after her.
A few hours later, Galinda returned to the dorm room with Fiyero. The prince had talked her into letting him to come with her back to the dorms to be with Elphaba.
"Fifi, it's bad luck for the man to see the woman before the date," Galinda huffed, fishing out her keys from her purse.
"Glin, I think you mean wedding. And no one's getting married," Fiyero sighed.
"Yet."
"Yet?"
Galinda pushed the key into the lock and pushed the door open. "Hi, Elphie!"
"So, nothing interesting was in the newspaper, huh?"
Both the blonde and the prince froze. Elphaba was sitting at her desk, her fingers gliding over a large piece of paper with raised dots.
"What are you talking about?" Galinda asked. She knew what Elphaba was talking about. She just hoped it wasn't true.
"What am I talking about?" Elphaba repeated harshly. "Popular girl Galinda Upland falls in love with the walking green bean of Oz."
Fiyero's eyes widened. It was a braille copy of the newspaper. Since when did they start printing out braille copies?
"F-Fae, where did you get that?" Fiyero asked gently.
"It doesn't matter where I got it. That's not the point. The point is that you lied to me. You lied to me after you promised you wouldn't."
"What's going on in here?" Galinda and Fiyero turned around and saw Nessa in the doorway.
"I suppose you knew about this, too. Didn't you, Nessa?" Elphaba snarled.
"Fabala, what are you talking about?" Nessa asked, wheeling into the room.
"This!" Elphaba scowled, grabbing the newspaper. "You said everyone was laughing at the comics."
There was no point in lying now. Elphaba knew. She knew and they were all going to be dead in a matter of minutes.
"That was a lie, wasn't it? WASN'T IT!?" the green girl continued.
"Fabala, please," Nessa whispered, noticing the books on the desk shaking.
The lights flickered on and off, the window opened and closed and strong winds whipped through the room.
"WASN'T IT?!" Elphaba shouted, the winds making her hair wildly dance around her.
"Lamp!" Galinda shouted.
Fiyero ducked as the lamp that would have made contact with his face crashed into the wall behind him, shattering into millions of little pieces.
"Thanks," Fiyero whispered to the blonde.
"Fabala, calm down," Nessa whispered, wheeling up to her sister.
Elphaba growled and stepped away from her. "Don't you dare tell me to calm down!"
"Elphie, please listen to us," Galinda pleaded.
"You lied to me. I trusted you and you lied to me. I never should have let you into my life in the first place. I hate you! I HATE ALL OF YOU!"
"Fabala," Nessa whispered, near tears.
"Fae, please let us explain," Fiyero said, walking up to Elphaba.
Elphaba sensed his movements and quickly moved away. "Don't call me Fae ever again! I hate you! I'll never forgive you for this!"
A single tear slid down Galinda's cheek. "Elphie, you don't mean that."
"Get out! All of you get out of here, now!"
Nessa slowly backed away, signaling for Fiyero to follow her. The prince slowly left the room, his eyes never leaving Elphaba's shaking form.
Galinda remained in the room. "You can't kick me out. This is my room, too. And at least let Fiyero, Nessa, and I try to explain what happened."
Elphaba turned towards the blonde and growled. "I. Said. Get. Out."
"No. Not until you let me explain. We did this for you. To protect you. We didn't want to see you get hurt."
"Get. Out!" Elphaba shot her hand towards the blonde and an invisible energy wave threw her out of the room, her back colliding with the wall outside the room. The blonde opened her eyes and saw the door slam shut behind her.
"Glin, are you alright?" Fiyero asked, kneeling next to the blonde and helping her to her feet.
"Yes, I'm fine." Galinda said, brushing the dirt from her uniform. "I think… I think I just lost my best friend."
So… favorite lines? Thoughts? Comments?
Oh come on, guys. It was coming for a while. I just decided to make it… now.