Thedoctor24601 (Guest): I can safely say that Morrible is not going to do anything bad. So you can trust her.
SuperboyAndTheInvisibleGirl: Really? I didn't realize that. Thanks for pointing that out. I am the Queen of Referencing, after all.
Galinda squealed as the carriage drove through the Emerald City gates. Giddily, she bounced up and down in her seat, looking out the window at the passing scenery.
"There are buildings tall as Quoxwood trees!" Nessa smiled, looking up at the tall buildings.
"Dress salons!" Galinda smiled.
"Libraries!" Boq smiled.
"Palaces!" Galinda smiled.
"Museums!" Fiyero smiled, hugging Elphaba closer.
"We're finally here!" Nessa smiled as the carriage stopped in front of the Grand Oz Hotel.
Everyone quickly got out of the carriage and grabbed their suitcases. A young man came out of the hotel, dressed in an emerald green uniform. He was wheeling a luggage cart and smiled at the collage students as he took their luggage.
"Here are the room assignments," Morrible called, taking out her reading glasses. "Miss Pfannee and Miss ShenShen in room 710, Miss Nessarose and Miss Nelliee in room 712, Miss Elphaba and Miss Galinda in room 713, Master Boq and Master Tigulaar in room 816…"
Once Morrible finished calling out names and room numbers, she handed out the room keys and everyone went to their respective room.
"Do you want to meet up later for dinner?" Fiyero asked before they parted ways.
"We would love to," Galinda smiled.
Elphaba nodded and gave her boyfriend a goodbye hug. "Try not to miss us too much," Fiyero smiled.
Elphaba rolled her eyes. "We won't."
Giving the girls a quick wave, Fiyero and Boq left the girls to grab a quick snack at the café.
"W-What is this thing?" Galinda asked, looking at two doors with buttons of the side.
"It's called an lift," the bellboy said, pressing on of the buttons and waiting for the door to open. "It's a new invention created by his Ozness for tall buildings."
"Is it magical?" the blonde questioned.
The bell boy shook his head. "It works with wires and gears."
"Sounds fascinating," Elphaba smiled as the door opened and Galinda led her inside.
The blonde clutched the green woman's arm the entire way up. "E-Elphie…"
"It's okay, Glin," Elphaba smiled, patting Galinda's arm.
A ding and the door opened on the seventh floor. "This way, ladies," the bellboy said, leading them to their room.
"Oh my Oz!" Galinda exclaimed as the door opened, revealing their room.
"I take it you like our room?" Elphaba smiled.
"It's so… huge!" Galinda whispered in awe, leading Elphaba into the room. Two queen-sized bed were placed next to each other, with a nightstand in the middle and dressers on either side of the beds. There were two large closets, a kitchen area and one bathroom.
"It's like a one room palace," Galinda sighed, describing the room to her friend. She turned back to the bellboy and smiled. "Thank you," she said, giving him a generous tip.
"Enjoy your stay, ladies," the bellboy bowed before leaving.
Elphaba smiled as she unpacked her suitcases. Based on Galinda's description, the room did sound like a palace. She ran her hand over the soft quilt, enjoying the feeling of the quality stitches beneath her fingertips.
Galinda bounced over to the window and rested in the window seat. Their room had a beautiful view. Galinda felt as though she could see the entire city beneath her. In the distance, the Emerald City palace was glistening in the sunlight. She opened her mouth to say something about the beautiful view, but immediately closed her mouth, not wanting to be insensitive.
"What is it, Glin?" Elphaba asked, turning to face the blonde.
"What?"
"You were about to say something."
"How did you-"
"I can sense it. What were you going to say?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all."
Elphaba stretched out her arm and slowly walked towards Galinda. Her fingers grazed the blonde's arm and she stopped. Her other hand rose and lightly touch the cold glass window.
"The view is beautiful, isn't it?" Elphaba said, a peaceful sigh escaping her lips.
"… Y-Yes. It is," Galinda whispered, slowly turning her head to look at her roommate.
"We're on the seventh floor. I'd expect we'd have a nice view," Elphaba smiled softly.
I wish you could see it, Elphie, Galinda thought sadly. I know you must wish that, too.
"Glin?"
"Yes, Elphie?"
Elphaba slowly turned towards her roommate and gripped her hands. "I don't… I don't want you to feel sorry for me on this trip."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want you to feel bad for me because I can't see."
"Elphie –"
"Let me finish… please. I get enough of that from Nessa. There have been so many times where I've missed out on the opportunity to be a big sister to her because she thinks that what she says might offend me. I don't want that with you. I don't want my problems to burden you."
"You could never be a burden to me, Elphie," Galinda said, squeezing Elphaba's hands.
Elphaba didn't look convinced. "Still, I don't my lack of sight to ruin this trip for you."
"Elphie, stop. You could never ruin this trip. The only thing that would ruin this trip would be if you weren't here with me. And since you're here, nothing can ruin this for me."
Elphaba's lips curled into a soft smile. "You… you mean that?"
"Of course."
A single tear slid down Elphaba's cheek and she quickly wiped it away.
"I'll tell you what. It's around two thirty right now. We'll take a nap and then meet the boys for dinner. How does that sound?" Galinda suggested.
"That sounds wonderful," Elphaba smiled as Galinda led her back to her bed. The green girl sat down and listened as Galinda bounced over to her bed and, with a dramatic flop, nuzzled her cheek against the pillows with a muffled, "These beds are so comfy!", a snore and she was asleep.
Elphaba chuckled softly as she slipped under the covers. She felt her eyelids growing heavy and pretty soon, sleep covered her.
"Elphie? Elphie, wake up! We have to get ready now! Elphie!"
"Glin, don't shout," Elphaba mumbled, turning over.
"Elphie, come on! Wake up! We're meeting Nessa and the boys for dinner. Elphie. Get. Up. Out. Of. This. Bed. Right. Now!"
Elphaba sleepily opened her eyes and yawned. "Happy?"
"I will be once you're up and ready for dinner."
Elphaba slowly pushed herself up and stretched. "I'm ready."
"No, you're not. I'm going into the bathroom to freshen up. When I come out, I expect to see you ready for dinner, or else…"
Too tired to argue, Elphaba simply nodded and got out of bed. Galinda hurried into the bathroom, giving her roommate one final look before closing the door behind her.
Galinda came out a few minutes later and opened her mouth to chide Elphaba on not being ready, but stopped when she saw the green girl in a simple, dark blue dress and her hair braided down her back.
"I'm ready," Elphaba smirked, knowing the blonde had planned on yelling at her.
"Good. Thank you, Elphie. Let's go!" Galinda said, taking Elphaba's arm and leading her out of the room.
"You girls are surprisingly on time," Fiyero smiled when the girls stepped out of the lift. "I would have through Galinda would have been 'fashionably late'."
"That's a thing, you know," Galinda pointed out in her defense.
"Of course it is," Fiyero smiled, pulling Elphaba closer to him. "Are we all ready to go?"
"Yes, please. I'm hungry," Boq said, stepping behind Nessa's wheelchair.
"I was thinking we could go to Riviera's," Fiyero said as they walked down the emerald streets.
"That's one of the most expensive restaurants in the Emerald City," Nessa gasped.
"Not when you're a prince," Fiyero smirked, earning him a jab in the ribs from his girlfriend. "Ow! Oz, Fae! You've gotta stop doing that!"
"You can't play the prince card for everything," Elphaba said simply.
"You can if you're a –"
"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you," Elphaba advised, narrowing her eyes at the prince.
"Fine," Fiyero pouted, holding the door open for everyone. They all went in and were seated immediately, thanks to Fiyero's status as a prince.
"Should we start with appetizers?" Nessa asked, scanning over the menu.
"That's sounds good," Fiyero smiled.
"Have you decided on anything, Elphie?" Galinda asked, looking up from her menu.
"Not yet. I can't decide. Everything sounds delicious… and expensive," Elphaba said, her fingers gliding over the braille bumps.
"Hello. My name is Tatira and I will be your server this evening," a young waitress smiled, appearing next to the table with glasses of water for everyone. "Would you like to start off with a drink?"
"A glass of Roseian Bloom for me, please," Fiyero smiled.
"Wine, Fifi? Really?" Galinda sighed.
"What? We're celebrating. And you're not my mom."
"I don't want to have to drag your half-drunken self back to the hotel," the blonde frowned.
Fiyero glared at the blonde and, smiling, turned back at the waitress. "And a rotisserie steak with mashed potatoes, please."
After taking everyone's orders, the waitress disappeared and returned with their food shortly after.
"This is delicious," Nessa smiled, placing a forkful of rice in her mouth.
"Now I know why this is one of the best restaurants in the city," Boq smiled.
After dinner, the group slowly made their way back to the hotel, admiring the city.
"That was fun," Galinda smiled, opening the door to their hotel room and leading Elphaba inside.
"It was very enjoyable," Elphaba smiled, feeling her way to her bed.
Galinda collapsed in the bed and pretended to make snow angels. "We should get lots of rest tonight. We're seeing the city tomorrow."
"No arguments there," Elphaba said as she grabbed her pajamas. "Where's the bathroom?"
Galinda jumped up and, gently taking her friend's arm, guided her over to the bathroom. Elphaba came out in a dark purple pajama top and long, matching pants. Galinda quickly jumped in and prepared for bed. When she came out, she found Elphaba sitting in the window seat, her eyes staring listlessly out the window.
"Elphie?"
Elphaba didn't respond.
"Elphie?" Galinda tried again.
"I heard that the city is lit up at night, making it stand out more from a distance," Elphaba whispered, sounding as though she was talking to herself.
Galinda quickly hurried over to her roommate and tightly wrapped her arms around her.
"I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that. I'm just… it's late. We should get to bed."
"It's okay, Elphie," the blonde said soothingly, helping the green girl to her feet and leading her back to the bed.
"I'm fine, Glin. Really. I don't know what I was thinking or why I said that."
"Elphie…"
"I promise you. I'm fine. I can't wait to tour the city tomorrow," the green girl said, giving Galinda a small smile.
"Okay, Elphie. Goodnight," the blonde said, giving Elphaba a quick hug before climbing under the covers.
"Goodnight, Glin."
Galinda wasn't sure, but she could have sworn she heard a soft sniffle coming from Elphaba's bed.
Favorite lines?