The Truth Is Right Here (Fanfic)
“Ow! Glinda, I told you this wouldn’t work!” Elphaba cried as she fell to the ground. Dust flew up around her and she coughed violently.
Glinda knelt down and wrapped Elphie’s arm around her shoulder. She helped Elphaba back into her chair. “Sorry . . . I really thought that it would work.”
“Glinda, I can’t walk. I’m in the same boat as Nessa was and that’s not about to change.”
“But . . .”
“No. There’s no changing this.” She looked out the window. “They’ll be here soon. And we can’t use the mirror again. Not if we’ll be seen and heard as well.”
“I know . . .”
“Glinda, it’s starting to affect me. It’s only been a few hours, but I can feel my legs twisting. I’m– I’m afraid. Even if these slippers are taken off . . .”
“Elphie, don’t. You’ll walk again! I promise. I don’t know how, but you will. Come on. Maybe you should just try again.”
“Glinda, no . . .”
“Please?” Glinda pleaded, putting her hands together under her chin. “Pretty please with a Munchkin on top?”
Elphaba closed her eyes, but a smile came to her face anyway. “There’s no point,” she said, even as she could feel her resolve weakening.
“Pretty, pretty please with a cherry-hatted Munchkin on top?” The witch of the North got down on her knees in fron of Elphaba.
Elphaba broke out with a laugh. “All right, all right. But what are you planning? I’m not too fond of bruising myself on this floor. Just because this was my castle doesn’t mean the stones are soft for me.”
“We’ll simply . . . have to . . . enchant something.” Glinda flounced over to the door, despite Elphaba’s calls.
“Glinda? Glinda! What are you doing?” Elphaba wheeled herself to the doorway, but knew she couldn’t make it any further. There were winding stairs all over the castle, and she was in one of the tallest towers. She was trapped. “Curses!”
*~*~*~*~*~*
“We’ll need rope, food, water, torches–“
“Ahem,” Fiyero cleared his throat loudly. He gestured at his body. “What were you saying about torches?”
“Sorry, Scarecrow. I wasn’t thinking. Of course you wouldn;t have a torch,” Boq said.
“None of us are getting torches,” Dorothy pronounced. “None of us need them. She’s suseptible to water, correct? Not fire.”
“Who knows? Obviously she fooled us last time with her sorcery and witchcraft,” Boq said.
The lion nodded in fearful agreement. “W-what if she’s g-gotten even–even stronger?”
“We’ll see when we’re in front of her,” Fiyero muttered. He grabbed a coil of rope, slung it over his shoulder, and said, “Come on! Let’s move out. We can get there by tomorrow night, because I for one, want something to eat.”
Dorothy’s stomach growled and she put her hand over it, turning red. “Oh, yes… I should probably eat something, too. You both should come, as well. We’ll need all our strenth for battling the witch.”
Boq grumbled, but he and the lion agreed.
They found shelter at an Inn in the Emerald City and enjoyed a good meal there, too. People asked why Dorothy was back but the four of them brushed away the questions. For once, Boq was completely cool headed. He said later that he didn’t want the citizens of Oz to panic about the witch being back.
Late that night, when everyone else was asleep, Dorothy and Fiyero met up outside the stables where the horses of different colors were held.
“Dorothy, what were you thinking?” Fiyero whsipered. “Now Boq’s gonna get even more bloodthirsty!”
“No, he won’t. Not when he sees the wit– sees Elphaba as she is now. She’s helpless, Fiyero. And once Boq sees that, he’ll have to calm down and listen to what she has to say.”
“You’re taking one huge gamble, there. I don’t think Boq’s about to calm down any time soon.”
“I can hope.”
Fiyero sighed. “That’s all any of us can do right now. But I’m afraid it won’t be enough.”
“Why? They were all just misunderstandings. And Glinda’s there, too. She’ll help us sort all of this out. Things’ll be fine. You’ll see, Fiyero.”
“Fiyero?!” a voice behind them cried. “Fiyero?? You’re supposed to be dead!”
Both Dorothy and the scarecrow went on alert, looking for the owner of the voice.
“Oh, don’t look far,” someone said, stepping out of the shadows. “I’m right here.”
“Boq. I might have known,” Fiyero said.
“So. You do recognize me. I must admit, my appearance has rather altered, thanks to your slut,” he spit the words out like fire and Fiyero actually took a step back, though anger flashed through his eyes.
“All that time the four of us traveled down the yellow brick road, I never would have imagined that you were on her side. I suppose appearances can be deceiving. At least now it makes sense why you would ask our Wizard for a brain. Obviously the witch took yours!”
“Shut up, Boq!” Fiyero shouted. “You know nothing of what she’s been through, and nothing of what I’ve been through! You’re so caught up in revenge, you don’t see that other people suffered because of the Wizard, not Elphaba!” Boq flinched. Fiyero noticed and ran with it. “You refuse to even use her name! You’re so ‘high and mighty,’ you don’t even know what was done to her. All you care about is making sure she suffers when she’s already suffered more than enough. And certainly more than you ever will.”
“Than I ever will? Have you forgotten it’s due to her I’m made
of tin? Her spell made this occur!”
“Her spell,” Fiyero said, his voice oozing with hatred, “was what saved your life.”
Boq sneered. “Please. Nessa told me the truth–“
“Nessa was selfishly keeping you prisoner because she had fooled herself into thinking she could make you love her! Do you honestly think she would tell you the truth?” Fiyero stepped closer to Boq. “Or were you just looking for a reason to be against Elphaba?”
Dorothy could see the maddened expression in Boq’s eyes slowly ebb away until absolute horror and realization of truth took it’s place.