A Visit

[Claire Heart]

"I keep most of my opinions to myself. There's only one person who knows I think you're not wicked, and that's my roommate, Ellie. I trust her with my life, and I think she trusts me with hers. If you are real...and you may well not be, but I beleive you are...then I consider myself lucky to have met you, even if I am still a little in fear for my life." She swallowed down another lump in her throat. "I would never tell a soul I'd seen you, just like, until Ellie, I had never told anyone I believed in you...that you were real, alive, and deep down somewhere inside....good..."

[Glinda Upland]

Elphie had handled it well, as always. You know, she really should have been the one to go into politics. She was much quicker on her feet (and cut throat for that matter) than Glinda was. If only she hadn't been born green...

Glinda bet she would actually be very pretty, a normal color. Because in Glinda's eyes, Elphie always was beautiful. No granted, she didn't do much with herself, but why should she? She lived in an abandoned castle...with her husband of many years...who was no longer the handsome thing he used to be but instead a scarecrow. She also wondered what the handsome fiyero would look like at this age, were he still what he used to be.

All this pondering had her almost forget where she was or what she was doing until Claire very cautiously but deliberately answered. This girl was impressive. Glinda would have never had the guts to do such a thing at that age. Or maybe she would have. Only Oz knows...

[Elphaba Thropp]

"So then, real or not. Good or not. What do you think I should do with you? Said Elphaba. "Maybe I should throw you, and this Ellie girl into my dungeon." She was testing Claire.

[Claire Heart]

"No please! I am well known and my friends and family will come looking. If you throw me in your dungeon people will eventually find me and therefore find you. It is in both of our best interests in you do not." Claire tried to think of some good alternative. "Perhaps...there is something you want, need. I could complete any task you needed. I am very resourceful and well liked. I could get almost anything you ever needed or wanted be it monetary, a thing, a person..."

[Elphaba Thropp]

Elphaba laughed. She wasn't trying to cackle, but a little bit of it slipped in.

"You help me? I'm the greatest sorceress in all of Oz! What could a silly little socialite possibly do for me?" She said.

"Maybe I should just capture your friend then. Hold her hostage just to make sure you stay in line. And know the full power of the Wicked Witch of the West!"

[Claire Heart]

"Ok, fine. Do whatever you want! I don't think Ellie would be afraid of you one bit. She's quite powerful herself. You know, she's been compared to you back at Shiz, her natural abilities. You're a legend for the strength of your powers....even if you do come with a label. Yet still, you were an amazing....are an amazing...witch." She actually hoped she would bring Ellie. The two of them together, she thought, could be the greatest team there's ever been. They could figure all this out.

[Elphaba Thropp]

Elphie suddenly got quiet. "You think Ellie is stronger than me, don't you?" She said. "No, I take that back. You think the two of you together are stronger." Well this was getting interesting.

[Claire Heart]

"I didn't say that!" is she reading my mind? "I know you are, must be, very powerful. You are of course the 'wicked witch of the west' and I don't think someone gets that title from being a wimp..." She smiled nervously. Sweet Oz! what have i gotten myself into?

[Glinda Upland]

She wanted to just pop out and say 'Elphie this girl isn't going to do any harm!' but she figured she'd probably be a tiny bit angry. So, she stayed put and prayed that maybe she would bring Ellie. Maybe they could finally get all of this straightened out...and end it...peacefully, perhaps?

[Elphaba Thropp]

Elphie softened a little, but she still kept her edge. When push came to shove she really COULDN'T be wicked, no matter how hard she tried. Besides, she and Fiyero had a plan. They had always agreed that they could never come back to Oz if they wanted to be safe. But now... well... safety didn't matter so much anymore. Doing what was right did. After all, she did succeed saving Fiyero - so her creed "No good deed goes unpunished" didn't really stand up. She had learned that. If one silly girl found out about her existence, well, it might not be a bad thing. Plenty of other Ozians already believed she was back.

"Oh, relax girl." She said. "I'm not like the Wizard - I won't make you do something dire for me just to get you what you want." Elphaba paced around for a minute. She really wasn't quite sure what to do.

"What are you doing here anyway?" She said.

[Claire Heart]

"I really don't know. See, I was studying in my room and all of a sudden, I fell here. It certainly wasn't my plan. Then, I was back in my room then fell back here. And so i'm not really sure what happened. Maybe some crossed magic...or fate...?"

[Elphaba Thropp]

"Fate" Elphie laughed. "There's no such thing." She had certainly convinced herself of that.

She suddenly got very close to the girl. "If you breathe a word of this to anyone" she said, "you'll know the true meaning of Wicked". She turned around, then slowly turned back. "Except to miss Ellie" she added. "Tell her the Witch of the West has her eye on her." Elphie thought for a moment. She wanted to say something that might help Ellie... anything. Maybe "that girl is much to good for me" or something like that. But she couldn't. "Take care of the girl" was all she said.

[Claire Heart]

"Umm....are you just going to leave me here...?" She watched her begin to walk away, puzzled by the events which had just transpired. "I promise I won't tell anyone but Ellie...and we take care of each other. She's my best friend." The was a genuine quality to her voie that was rarely heard. She loved Ellie, really loved her.

[Elphaba Thropp]

"Maybe I should just let you try and find your own way back. Teach you a lesson" she said, keeping her back to her. She waived her hand, and Chistery let Claire go. Ellie turned around. "But perhaps..." she said rather sinisterly, and then in a gentler tone finished "it would be best for you to learn that not all that is said to be evil, is." Elphie got in close again. This time she was almost...motherly. "I once knew someone much like you" she said. "And there is something you should know, that I wish she had when she was your age."

Ellie saw the terrified look on Claire's face. It had not totally faded.

"Not all that glitters is gold" she said. and then with a waive of her hand, Claire was... floating in the air! Flying! But gently - every child's dream. And she began floating on the wind back towards Shiz. Elphie knew that in reality, Claire was instantly transported back to Shiz, and would wake up when she got there as if it were a dream. But that was not reason not to be.. kind to the girl. And give her a little thrill.

[Claire Heart]

She felt herself float up, a calming feeling, and her eyes began to get heavy. "Thank you," she mouthed and drifted to sleep in her own bed.