[Thread] I'm Not in Oz Anymore

[nowimwicked]

Characters: Elphaba (OU), OPEN
Where: Plaza
When: After this journal entry.
Summary: The old meet and greet. New thread for new chars, or ninja in on her meeting someone else (with permission, please).
Warnings: Wicked Witchy-ness.

Comments

[viera_lead]

Baltha had felt the rush of magic as she walked into the plaza - not as strongly as she would have had it been her world's magick, but noticeable nonetheless. She strode over to the green-skinned woman who seemed to be the source of the energy. "Quite a spell."

[nowimwicked]

The dark brown eyes tilted towards Baltha, green tinted expression hinting a bit towards the spectrum of surprise. An Animal or animal? A mixture of both? Wondered Elphaba with slight confusion. The Viera was not a race she knew, nor were there any humanoid animal-like creatures from the world she came from. Except for herself, she knew of no one with distinct physical differences that wouldn't be considered a deformity. Then again, there are those who consider the color of my skin a birth defect. The witch thought wryly

[viera_lead]

It was a good thing Elphaba sounded so respectful; Baltha didn't take kindly to rabbit jokes. She raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid not. I'm a viera."

[nowimwicked]

The witch said nothing in response, her eyes giving the impression of someone writing a mental note on the information she had just been given. Then there followed an awkward silence, in which Elphaba watched the long-eared woman with a veiled discomfort. Her body stood all at odd angles, a physical representation of her inner distress at being in the company of another being. Slowly she bent down to pick up the heavy book, joints still moving as if she were an older woman than the age in her face showed. As she stood, Elphaba snugged the tome tightly into the crook of her arm as if it were a child to protect from the dangers of the world.

[viera_lead]

After a moment, the viera (who, ever since she'd been exiled, hadn't liked silence much) said, "I take it you've just arrived?"

[nowimwicked]

Elphaba nearly said something rude. Then she nearly said it again until she physically bit her lip. Of course I've just arrived. Why else do you not recognize me? The witch wanted to bite the words out, lash out at someone for this indignity of being plucked from her world by a stormy wind. But even though she wanted to, some part of her less prickly self knew that the Viera wasn't to blame - she shouldn't respond callously even though she felt a need to.

"Yes. I am." The black-clad woman managed to say, the stiffness in her voice making her disapproval of the question clear even if she didn't say it outright. Her gleaming eyes also might as well have said 'What a stupid question'. They so easily showed her feelings on the matter.

[viera_lead]

Baltha was rather less worried about being rude. In fact, she was generally much less reserved than most viera. "Well pardon me if I don't like awkward silences," she muttered.

[nowimwicked]

"There's not much about me that isn't awkward." The green-skinned one snapped back, tired of this rabbit-human and her eagerness to make friends. Why was everyone always trying to be friendly with her? Couldn't they tell she just wanted to be left alone. Elphaba's fingers tightened on the leather binding of the Grimmerie. Her features twitched, her physical aspects struggling as much as her inner thoughts.

"Sorry." The word was as much vomited as spoken. She felt sick to say the apology, and yet purged at the same time. "I'm not used to being friendly." The witch added, as if it were necessary to say such a thing. The brown gaze focused on a place slightly below the Viera's eyes.

[viera_lead]

"I can see that." Baltha shrugged. "I doubt you'll find much about this place that isn't awkward, either. People from so many worlds, gathered together... and those." She nodded at one of the Keepers that had floated into view above the wall.

[nowimwicked]

They hung like bright pulsing fruit in the sky, the Keepers that spun and whirled large and glowing. Elphaba looked up to the heavens as the Viera mentioned their captors. Her dark eyes narrowed at the lights in the sky, a loathing and hatred clear in her gaze.

"They aren't awkward. They are detestful." It was clear by the tone of her voice that she meant much more than what she said. "I've never appreciated a cage." There was a growl to her voice which had lowered considerably.

[viera_lead]

"Nor have I." Baltha sighed. "But there's not much we can do. We're left to the tender mercy of our captors, and if anyone tries to escape..." She made a gesture that made it very clear what the result would be. "Exit, stage left."

[nowimwicked]

"There are things we could do." The witch said lowly, but her eyes were distant with thought, her focus was not on what she was saying. Suddenly she was looking away, blinking past tears that never left their ducts. Elphaba never cried if she could help it. The water hurt as much as the weakness.

Her voice was thick when she spoke again, but surprisingly controlled. But she didn't really seem to be speaking to Baltha. The green-skinned woman seemed to be talking to herself, or some memory. "The same stakes, the same pressure. But not again - there's nothing to fight for here, no reason...nothing."

[viera_lead]

"They absorb any sort of energy - including every form of magick anyone in this compound uses except that which produces a barrier. And physical attack pass through them."

She glared at the witch. "And if you think you're the only one who's familiar with losing battles, you're in for a rude awakening. The past is generally singularly unwilling to be left behind."

[nowimwicked]

Elphaba's fingers tightened on the twisting shaft of her broom, nails trembling on the grain-lines of the wood. The witch struggled with herself, brown eyes flaring. She had already heard and tucked away the knowledge about the Keepers' weakness, it was the declaration, the criticism that made the verdant shaded woman nearly twitch with annoyance.

"I don't think a lot about others." The witch bit out, words lashing like a whip. "Believe me, I tried it once - it didn't go so well." She threw down the broom beside the ancient tome, almost as a child might discard a favorite toy in anger. Elphaba stared at it almost regretfully, apology towards the wooden construct in her earthy gaze.

She lifted her fingers from her side, eyes lingering on the broom as a dog-trainer might look at his prized pet. The straws twitched, the long branch shifted, and suddenly it sprung back into the witch's hand. Elphaba rubbed the familiar wood silently, as if it brought her comfort.

[viera_lead]

"There's no call to act as if you've had the worst life from here to bloody Landis!" Baltha snarled. And it was a snarl - viera were very close to nature, and not just the cute and cuddly bits. "Do you have any idea what being an outcast viera is like?"

[nowimwicked]

The green-skinned woman shook her head, grinding teeth with intense dislike of where this conversation was leading. "Apparently I'm about to find out." She said dryly, brown eyes drifting. "Whether I want to or not."