Disclaimer, you know. And a fair word of warning, this is a long one, and this is a songfic chapter.
As the autumn days drew to a close, and winter came upon them, Dorothy was quite a bit steadier on her feet now. it was getting close to dismissal for the holiday season, December into January and the announcement of the holiday dance had everyone buzzing.
Alex looked at the outfit he was planning on wearing, the purple velvet coat with pants to match this time. and black boots to go with it. Dorothy herself was going to go in a maroon dress and the slippers.
"So, the Ozdust ballroom." Alex said looking at her, then at his watch, "in about…12 hours, give or take?" he said smiling and kissing her.
"and I do have a plan for my cousin and elena, provided no one springs it on me and you first." She said giggling.
"well only one way to find out." He said chuckling as they walked out of their room and to the lounge area. "A day to relax, let loose, be free and have fun." He said giving dorothy a twirl.
She squealed at this, having not expected it this time. she smiled and kissed his cheek.
Alex
Dancing through life
Swaying and sweeping
and always keeping coo—ool
Life if fraughtless
when you're thoughtless
Dorothy
Though we all try
We cant look foolish
Dancing through life
Jude
Mindless and careless
Make sure you wear less troubles in life
Woes are fleeting blows are glancing
When you're dancing
Through life
"so you and ellie ready for the big dance tonight?" Dorothy asked excitedly, just glad to not have to worry about Cassandra asking them for more practical demonstrations.
"Oh yes, she's actually returned to the palace to get herself something that isn't here." He said with a chuckle, "meanwhile Glinda is already here at Elphaba's office, and Alex I do believe rose was looking for you, said she had what you requested."
Dorothy gave alex a strange look at this point. he smiled and kissed her softly before running off, before dorothy could even stop him. she made to follow only run smack into her cousin zeb.
"O-oh dorothy, I'm sorry." He said helping her off the floor "you haven't seen Elena, have you?" he asked blushing a bit.
"not this morning, no." she said giggling "gonna finally ask her to the dance?"
"everyone's taking bets on it, so I may as well." He said nervously, "any chance you could help me out here?" he asked curiously, "there's not exactly a guidebook on how to be brave with this sort situation."
"well, I suppose I should help my family, you know Elena's just as nervous about this as you are." She said taking his hand and smiling warmly.
"She is?" He asked blushing a bit deeper at this.
"oh yea, we've all noticed that you two have a spark between you, you're both just too afraid to take that leap." Jude said with a chuckle.
Now Zeb was cherry red and looking very faint. On the gale however Elena was pacing back and forth. Her sister watching her with a giggle.
"just do it sis, worst he could say is no." Alyssa said giggling "come on."
"but what if he isn't the one?" she asked nervously,
"well, you both have been going back and forth, he's unconsciously made a cute nickname for you, you both stay close but give your feelings a wide berth." Alyssa said firmly, "just asked him to the dance tonight, it might be your only chance, don't pass it up, don't throw it away." She said
Elena stood there, she took a deep breath in. she twisted her bracelet and in a woosh found herself looking at the dorm. She walked in nervous, shaking like a leaf.
"Hey, elena!?" Came Ellie's voice sounding really perky behind her, causing her to jump.
"Sweet Oz! Ellie, DON'T DO THAT TO ME!" she said catching her breath.
"sorry, just excited, first proper dance between me and Jude." Ellie said giggling "got some of these from my closet at the city." She added.
"T-that great Ellie, listen, you haven't seen Zeb this morning have you?" Elena asked nervously.
"Uh, no I've been back at the palace, Glinda and Ozma will be around later as well, Ozma is so excited, Glinda looks nervous to no end and honestly its kinda funny." Ellie said giggling.
"of course you do." Elena said holding the door open for her.
As they two walked in, they immediately walked into dorothy and Zeb. Both blanched, then blushed. Ellie and dorothy looked between them and giggled. Both taking a step aside. Dorothy nudged her cousin forward a little. Ellie did the same for Elena, the two sharing a glance that said this couldn't go better if we had actually planned it
"s-so- so Lena…" Zeb started, getting flustered
"Zeb…" Elena said trying to find the words.
There was a tense silence.
"would you be my date to the dance tonight." They both asked rapidly in unison.
Both of them blushed, going over to each other.
Zeb
Lets go down to the OzDust Ballroom
Elena
We'll meet there later tonight
Zeb
we can dance til its lights
Find the prettiest girl
Give her a whirl
Both
Right on down to the OzDust ballroom
C'mon follow me
Dorothy
You'll be happy to be there!
All
Dancing through Life
Down at the OzDust
Alex
If only because dust
is what we come too
Nothing matters
And knowing nothing matters
its just, Liiife
So keep dancing throough
Dorothy giggled as alex returned with a cube shaped box. He handed it to dorothy, who opened it.
Inside was a carnation corsage, a deep pink carnation for her.
"I know its usually proms, and I know its out of season, that's why I had to go to rose, I have one for Ozma as well." He said holding up another box.
Dorothy smiled and kissed him, giggling.
"Its beautiful, Alex." She said smiling, "I'm more surprised that you managed to keep this a secret from me."
Alex chuckled and grinned, tapping the side of his nose. He looked at Zeb and Elena.
"so…they finally break and ask each other?" he asked observing their deep blushes.
"Oh yes, just before you came back." Dorothy said with a giggle.
Alex chuckled and pat zeb on the shoulder. Smiling, he walked into the lounge area. He sat on the sofa and dorothy walked over to join him. Ozma Appeared behind the two, a large grin on her face but not saying a word. She motioned for everyone else to keep quiet as she watched the two.
Zeb and Elena still stood there, looking at each other in something of embarrassment. They embraced as the others went to the lounge area.
"that's a yes?" they both asked in unison.
They shared a chuckle as they broke from the embrace. Zeb smiled at her and she smiled back.
"I've wondered what your feelings were for a while now." Zeb said scratching the back of his neck.
"Well, I let you call me Lena, don't i?" she teased, going pink in the face again.
"C'mon you two, we've all seen it for a while." Madeline said walking past them with a dress under her arm, a midnight blue dress.
"thanks hatter." They both said sighing.
"And honestly, it was nice to finally get some words out to express it better." Zeb said sighing
Elena nodded
Zeb
since we met one another
Both
its been Clear
we deserved each other
Zeb
You're perfect
Elena
you're perfect
Both
so we're perfect together
Born to be forever
Dancing through life
The day seemed to be incredibly energized on its own. The holiday spirit in the air, though there was a nip in the air that didn't freeze anyone's spirits. Dorothy sat on the bed in her bedroom, bouncing up and down a bit on her behind. It had been a while since they had been to a school dance function. And it occurred to her now that this would be the first time they would be dancing, not just in front of the class or in front of friends and family, but the entire school was poised to be at the OzDust.
"been a while since we've been poised to have such a large audience" Dorothy said giggling "bit bigger than our school function or Ace's party."
Alex and Ozma nodded in agreement at this sentiment
"and all eyes will be on you two once you start." Ozma said with a giggle, "it will be captivating to watch"
"yea but that's not by choice, honestly I almost feel bad about it." Dorothy said bouncing up and down again gently.
"I don't think anyone is going to mind, everyone has heard about our dancing since cassandra's lecture on intent. it would be pretty foolish to come to a dance we're going to and not realize that we're going to actually dance." Alex said chuckling.
This wraparound statement made both dorothy and ozma blink a headache away from their mind. They both giggled as Ozma joined Dorothy on the bed. Bouncing up and down on her behind a little just as dorothy had been doing. She rested her head on Dorothy's shoulder and smiled.
"and I think this is my first big function since the wedding." Ozma said with a giggle, "and the first one that wasn't at the palace."
"I think that makes up for me having to miss the coronation." Dorothy added with a giggle.
"And in your defense you were also basically comatose." Windy said transforming again and giggling, "honestly if it weren't for the amount of magic you take in on a regular basis that would honestly be a much bigger problem."
"Well, thanks for that bit of new anxiety." Dorothy said with a giggle.
Windy nodded and shifted back to the form of the scepter. The three of them shared a chuckle at this. Dorothy took a deep breath, closing her eyes, something played across her vision. Something far off, but she could still see. Something was coming, her mind was stuck on that. and it would come for her, for the Grimmerie as well. she looked over to her satchel and was immediately glad that the book was still locked up tight by the spell it had made her cast. Unopenable, sealed to everyone but her presently. She sighed and got to her feet stretching. She looked around for a moment before finding the slippers under the bed, she smiled and slipped them on.
However, elsewhere, Elena was now nervous as she assembled her outfit. Admitting her feelings for Zeb was one of the hardest things she had ever done. She was glad her friends and her sister had pushed them into it. there was something in her mind that told her Zeb was definitely the one, her soulmate like Dorothy and Alex were to each other, or Ellie and Jude. She assumed Glinda and Elphaba as well, but that was something she'd never say out loud to her leader.
She sat at her desk and looked at the mirror on it. staring at her blushing face. taking her glasses off and taking several deep breaths. She went into it, pulling out some makeup and staring at it. she had never worn any of it, not even to the wedding. Like dorothy she preferred to be more simplistic. She had it because her mother had sent some before they left for the university. She shook her head and put it back where it had been. she took a bottle of calming tonic out and took a small sip from the bottle.
"you'll be fine Elena" she said to herself, "he's handsome, he's dashing, he's sensitive, he's perfect." She continued.
Zeb however was pacing around his room, nervous as he looked at the suit he was going to wear that evening to the dance. he was now glad he had asked Dorothy for help, that little shove he needed to take the leap. Nothing in life was ever easy and that by far was the hardest thing he had ever done. Elena had left him with a potion bottle in case he wanted to contact someone like Melinda or Emily. He picked it up and unstopped it, splashing it onto the mirror. It immediately rippled, and in a moment Em's face was reflected back at him.
"I was wondering which of you would contact first, you look flushed Zebediah…did you two finally ask each other out?" Emily asked with a giggle.
"Oh great you guys too?" Zeb asked blushing embarrassedly.
"I'll take that as yes, I'll bill, ned and Melinda know." Em said with a giggle, "how does it feel to finally have the feelings out though?"
Zeb thought about this for a moment.
"honestly, like a great weight has been lifted off me, honestly I think they're right when they all say that we've both just been too afraid to take that leap. Theres just something there, like what dorothy and alex seem to have and to a similar extent Ellie and Jude." He said not making eye contact with Em, "Soul mates I think they refer to each other as."
"that's the one." Em said smiling warmly, "Honestly, its not easy taking that leap, and you both should know that we are proud of you for finally taking that chance." She said as the mirror began to ripple again.
"Thanks, honestly, I just really needed someone else in the family to talk to, I'm glad you guys have also been rooting for us." He said smiling as the mirror faded.
Time passed by quickly as anticipation buzzed. Darkness falling over the university and the moon now high in a clear sky. It was a crisp winter night. Dorothy and Ozma both wore the flowers from Alex around their wrists. They ran along to the OzDust where they found Elphaba and Glinda already awaiting them. Glinda wasn't in anything particularly flashy or gaudy. It was a rather simple pink gown, suitable for dancing in should the need arise. Elphaba was as well, in her black on black, a simple dress.
They all walked into the OzDust and it was huge. As big if not slightly bigger than the banquet hall of the palace. they found a table that had been reserved for them. this had been the most preferential treatment they had seen since arriving at the school. Brianna, they saw over by a table, seemingly helping with the set up for refreshments. She was stirring what appeared to be a large bowl of punch. Alex, Dorothy and Ozma walked over to her. she saw them and smiled.
"So, whats in the punch?" Alex asked curiously.
"Lemons and melons and pears." Brianna said not looking up from the bowl.
"Oh my." Dorothy said with a giggle.
"so Zeb and Elena, took us long enough to get them to it." Brianna said pouring a glass and handing it to Ozma.
"they really needed that shove it seemed, he actually went directly too me about it." Dorothy said as she was handed a glass next, which she passed off to Alex.
"While I was off getting the corsages I had Rose prepare for tonight." Alex added with a chuckle
"Honestly I'm surprised he didn't ask you or Jude for advice." Ozma said sipping her drink.
"I mean, if he was going to ask, I think odds were always good he was going ask dorothy, not just because she's family but because everyone talks about how one way or another she manages to bring people together." Alex said downing the glass in one gulp.
"I mean that would be a bet everyone would take, hands down." Maddie said as she appeared, causing them to jump.
"nice to see you here too Mads." Alex said panting
Dorothy and Madeline both giggled and they returned to the tables as everyone filed in. it seemed largely the entire school was in fact there. the band began to play, Elphaba and Glinda soon joined them at the tables rather than wander.
They saw Alyssa and Terrance go to the dance floor and dance with each other. The first one they had shared since their own wedding, at least as far as anyone was concerned. They weren't the steadiest still, but they were pretty good. At least that was alex's opinion as he watched them.
They watched as the two of them danced for a few minutes, then Zeb and Elena joined them. they heard Glinda giggle as she watched. Ozma tapped dorothy on the shoulder, dorothy looked at her and saw her pointing to a corner. She looked and saw Ellie and Jude standing there watching. Ellie had a dress similar to her sister's on right now. she was watching the dancing.
Dorothy got to her feet and walked over to her, Ellie smiled as she watched her approach.
"aren't you two going to dance?" Dorothy asked curiously
"aren't you?" Ellie asked teasingly.
"eventually." Dorothy said sticking her tongue out at her friend.
The two shared a giggle, dorothy found herself in Ellie's crushing embrace again. dorothy smiled and hugged back, the hug felt rather cold. Dorothy felt Ellie was slipping, she didn't know why she felt this, but she did. she broke from the hug and caught her breath. She turned and watched as Alex and Ozma went over to the dance floor. Alex doing his best to teach Ozma more about dancing. Unlike swimming she seemed to be much better at dancing from the get-go.
Eventually some more people filed in, Tora and Oscar, as well as the china princess and marshall mallow. followed immediately by Scarecrow, Tin man and Lion. She giggled as she watched Ace run over to them and hug her grandfather then scarecrow. Dragging him to the dance floor. She hadn't even noticed Ellie and Jude leaving her to watch.
Soon Rose and the jester were on the dance floor, slow dancing with each other. Ozma and alex were improving in their movements. She did find herself joined by Tora.
"shouldn't you be dancing with the queen?" Tora asked her, looking over at his daughter.
"ooooh, probably." She said with a giggle, "nice to see you again Tora." She added
"Letting them have their fun?" he asked curiously.
"Ozma has definitely earned it." Dorothy said smiling, "I said this on our birthday, but I feel like something is coming, that this might be the last chance we have to properly relax."
"Oz has been peaceful with ease for quite a while, its an understandable anxiety for you from what I've heard." Tora said as a waiter came by with a tray of drinks
Dorothy took one and handed it to Tora then took one for herself. sipping it slowly, she held her other hand out for windy. The scepter flew to her, getting the attention of Elphaba and Glinda who finally noticed her and Tora. They both got up and walked over to them.
"surprised you haven't stood by on the dance floor with them." Elphaba said directed at dorothy.
"oh…ill cut in eventually." Dorothy said with another giggle, "just letting Ozma have some fun dancing." She said
"before you and alex get into it and no one can look away, or at least not that easily." Glinda said with a giggle "its fair enough."
"what about you two?" Dorothy asked look between them "you said you would on our birthday, and I think I'm going to hold you two to that" she said giggling
Glinda blushed a bright pink, Elphaba a darker shade of green. Dorothy giggled a little harder as she continued to sip her drink. Watching all of them. eventually the songs switched tempo to a faster beat. Alex did his best to help Ozma adapt to that. they were taking it slow, she seemed to learn that pretty quickly as well. she finished her drink, and got to her feet. Leaving them all be for the moment being.
Finally making her way to the dance floor. She heard Windy giggle in her mind, then heard madeline giggle as she appeared next to her. alex saw her and grinned. She nodded and let the scepter float by the edge of the floor, walking over to them, she grinned. Alex gave Ozma twirl and passed her along to dorothy. Immediately the two found themselves in sync. Dancing with each other. Ozma blushed and giggled.
"did you two coordinate this yourselves?" She asked moving with Dorothy to the rhythm.
"Oh, just a little, Alex and I made multiple plans for this dance, all of you factored into them. though I do have to wonder what Elphaba and Glinda are going to do." She said looking over to them.
Ozma spun out of Dorothy's arms and stopped, looking over at them as did Alex. Tora raised a glass to them and grinned. Ozma waved to them, they waved back. it was hard to tell in the lighting but all three of them could swear they saw Glinda and Elphaba both blush yet again.
Suddenly things went silent, the three of them looked around and noticed everyone was clearing the dance floor. Dorothy blushed as she realized what was going on. Looking over at the band she saw Rose over there, with Cassandra and Angela, the two raised a glass to them.
"looks like its our turn now" Alex said offering dorothy a hand.
Dorothy smiled and took, Ozma stepped back and stood with the scepter. The two of them walked to the center of the dance floor. A slow dance started playing and the two of them moved. They continued on, dancing, feeling the magic forming between the two of them, the feeling that all eyes were on them as well as they danced. Glancing around now, the only people who seemed to be immune from the enrapturing dance were Tora, Ozma, Cassandra, Glinda and Elphaba. They watched them move smoothly and swiftly.
Tora smiled, it was still a secret he was forced to keep, who he was. But he was still going to give his daughter a night to remember. He got up and walked over to her as the two were dancing. Tapping Ozma on the shoulder.
"would it be too much for a humble tailor, to ask the queen to share a dance?" He asked with a chuckle, "seeing as both your partners are a little preoccupied?"
Ozma smiled and got to her feet. She didn't know why, but something about Tora felt different, it felt strange. like an odd attraction, not the love she felt for Dorothy and Alex. This was something she didn't understand, something she felt she should know but didn't, couldn't. Tora reminded her of something, someone. As though a memory far buried was stuck somewhere trying to wrench free. She thought of Tora as something of a guardian, which recently had been true. He had always been at her side for most of her flights from the palace to see them, or to just get away. This made sense from a planning perspective, he was the only one not particularly bound to any leadership role besides Finley and Wiser.
And as the two of them danced, Ozma found herself feeling those feelings again, some tears tracking down her face as she felt a familiarity she never truly knew. She couldn't understand why, and it felt like something in her mind was stopping her, not letting her understand.
Father and Daughter danced, for the first time ever. Oscar looked over at them, managing to break from the charm of the royal couple dancing, and smiled, raising a glass to his companion. He knew the secret, he knew it couldn't be told. He pitied them both, having managed to get his daughter back, only for it to be permanently a secret. He himself was bound to the same secret, to the words of the fae. He couldn't resist it, he couldn't fight it. Lurline's influence was strong, and it shift something in him. the fellow belief that something was in fact coming.
Dorothy and Alex continued to dance. their eyes eventually falling onto Tora and Ozma. They chuckled and watched, turning their heads to keep a view on them. they looked natural together, to them in a way that father and daughter might at a party. They didn't know the truth, but if they had they'd know the explanation. Eventually the song came to a stop as did they. They bowed as applause roared out. They walked over to the refreshment table. Got themselves some food as well as something that wasn't the punch. Lacasa had been put out now and they both poured themselves a glass. Returning to the table.
Ozma now had some pastries that she herself was tucking into. She smiled at them.
"dancing through life, that's how you two put it right?" she asked as she took a bite of a cream puff.
"how all of us have been today, and honestly how Glinda and Elphaba described it on our birthday." Dorothy said giggling
"and it's a strange thing, that life can end up changing while you're dancing through." Alex said leaning back in his chair as he drank from his glass.
The three of them nodded in agreement as Tora rejoined them with a glass of punch.
"honestly you two are quite the dancers." Tora said with a chuckle
"so were you two." Dorothy and Alex said in unison.
They all shared a glance and burst into a fit of chuckles. It took a minute to recover themselves as they ate and drank.
Elphaba and Glinda had stayed in their own spot however. They had been watching, thinking. Glinda took Elphaba's hand and squeezed it, their fingers locking together as they did so. they looked each other in the eyes and smiled warmly to one another. They looked out at everything. this had been their first time here since their own days in school. Glinda's eyes eventually found Locasta, who was now in conversation with Cassandra and Angela. She sighed and took a deep breath in. getting to her feet she pulled Elphaba up. She smiled looked over to the royal table as they had mentally dubbed it.
Windy was glowing bright now, bright enough that it became a little distracting. Dorothy and Alex both looked at the scepter as it floated between them. they watched as well as Glinda and Elphaba walked to the dance floor together. The two of them on instinct grabbed the scepter in unison and a small spell shot out of it, over to the band playing. There was a loud sound of papers rustling, as though thing were rearranging. Dorothy and Alex both became aware that they had just given Windy consent to do something by humoring her and grabbing her. it didn't seem malevolent or mean, just something that needed to be done.
Suddenly the band started up again, this time something quite a bit slow in tempo, but also rather basic. Immediately Glinda and Elphaba started something. They weren't doing a waltz or anything. But they stood facing each other, their arms moving now, keeping eye contact with each other. Their movements were graceful, sweeping, fluid. It was clear that this was muscle memory. As they moved around each other now, they kept their eyes met.
"that actually looks pretty interesting." Dorothy said looking over as she noticed Ellie and Jude were joining them on the dance floor.
They had begun to match their movements. Glancing over to make sure that they kept in rhythm and didn't mess it up. They soon were following suit, they too were then joined by Zeb and Elena. They were definitely nervous. But they seemed to catch on to the moves quickly now.
"c'mon, lets join them, add a little variety, Ozma you too." Alex said with a big dumb grin on his face.
The three of them smiled and got up, the music suddenly started picking up the tempo a little. They watched for a moment, dorothy doing her best to copy the motions. Then she and alex helped ozma do the same. As they properly joined it felt like they all linked together in that one moment. All of them perfectly in sync. Tora came over to make it proper, Joining Ozma in the motions again. then more people joined in, matching the motions, moving around each other in a perfect song and dance. the tempo started to pick up yet again. this time faster as they continued their movements. It all just came out as song now.
All
Dancing through life
Down at the OzDust
If only because dust
is what we come too
Dorothy and Alex
Here's the strange thing!
your life will end up changing!
All
While you're dancing
THROOOUUGH
And the party continued, late into the night. outside, from a distance, watching the lights of the party. A girl stood there. a sad smile on her face and heavy feelings in her heart. She scratched something out of her diary as she watched from a distance.
"let them be happy now, because you know they'll be in for a rough time later." The girl said, though there was no one around to hear.
She walked along the empty roads of the campus as she listened to the loud noises of the holiday party. She smiled and wished she could participate but knew this couldn't be. She would return to her own time soon, but for now it was keep things from going in a very wrong direction. She wouldn't tell them this yet, but with time in flux, there was always the chance. It would never go away. Like Ellie, her memories were mixed and jumbled like a bag of sweets that one filled in a candy store. Someone had gone in dumped everything in one bag and shook it up. She hadn't faded so as far as she was concerned the anomaly allowing her to keep on this time track was still in place. She would work to get the happy ending again, she knew she had to.
She stared at the building again, and took a deep breath, her own words coming out as a song.
"Then for ten years, they'll be on their own, and moss grows fat on a rolling stone…I know how things used to me." She said as the wind suddenly picked up left the college campus with no one there. the girl had vanished.
Songs, Dancing through Life, Wicked, changes by me.
And American Pie, Don Mclaine, once more changes by me.