And not far behind her, Jonothon was returning to the island from New Gotham, having visited yesterday for her graduation party. The trip across the Causeway was always a little jarring, walking away from one city to Fandom, only to look behind to see Baltimore in its place.
He'd never get used to that, no.
But today, he wasn't looking back. Today he was looking forward, blinking at the familiar face, laughing with a familiar voice.
And so help him, he was cracking a bit of a smile around the corners of his eyes, himself.
//You know, most people wouldn't find the Causeway so amusing, luv.//
Now there was another feeling she'd almost forgotten, being talked to right in her head.
She looked over, a bit startled not only for the familiar face, but that it was also almost unfamiliar. She remembered him having a mouth, last she knew.
"I'm not most people," she said, trying to just casually shrug. Her grin betrayed her of being able to give any impression except that she was exceptionally pleased to see Jono. "In fact, I'm a dead woman." She winced, and shook her head. "Let's not get into that yet."
"I could be convinced to stay," she said, tugging a but at the strap that secured her sack of belongings over her shoulder. She didn't want to seem eager, but it would be a relief to stick around. "I hadn't quite expected to end up here, or I would have attempted to call ahead. Not that I've been able to do that for years, I should say. So my apologies for missing any possible weddings or birthdays you undoubtedly tried to invite me to."
//No weddings,// Jono offered, because that was important. //And hell, I've missed half of my own birthdays since I last saw you, so you really didn't miss anything too important.//
Well. That was probably debatable to anybody who was looking at him, granted.
"Among other things," Elphaba admitted. "I stopped trying in the past few years, if I'm honest. Life has a way of keeping you busy. But explaining all that will require sitting down, and probably not carrying all I own on my back at the time."
Her grin softened a little, but the warmth remained in her expression. "It's good to see you," she said.
"Deal," Elphaba said, after just a moment of consideration. "If you were hoping I'd try to nobly say that oh no, I'll take the sofa instead, your generosity has entirely backfired."
//Not even remotely,// Jono replied, clearly amused. //I wouldn't wish that sofa on anybody. You might have to contend with the cat, but Joni's small, so it shouldn't be so bad. Squall and Rinoa are living there as well, but they've got their own room, so they shouldn't bother you.//
Because, sure, that's what they'd do. Be a bother, somehow.
//I'm over at the Groovy Tunes now, by the way. Backed away slowly from the Boards back in the spring.//
"Is she a black cat?" she said, her mind click-clacking an idea around that black cats had something to do with witches, but it was only the faintest remembrance.
"But if anything, I suppose I'm the one who should be worried about being a bother. I'm the unexpected guest, after all."
She only paused for a moment, then continued. "How long has it been since... since I was last here?"
This was one of those 'time was flowing differently' things, she remembered those.
//Black with white socks,// Jono confirmed. //I've had her since high school, and all.//
There was a pause, and then he furrowed his brow, trying to recall. He'd been fairly time-tossed himself, between time spent in Glacia and a few incidents in his own world. How was he supposed to keep track of anything, these days?
//And it's been... Christ, two years here, at least,// he added. //Difficult to say, given the island's fondness for muddling with time and space and all. Why? How long has it been for you?//
"Something more like six," Elphaba said, shaking her head. "And I can't believe I forgot about your cat. Or, well, I can very much believe it, but I feel like I should apologize. Perhaps to her, more than you." She looked over at Jono and shrugged. "I feel like I'm dancing around a dozen elephants in the room with this conversation."
//Between where you've been and what you've been up to, and where I have?//
Some of these elephants could tap-dance rather well.
//If you have any questions, luv, ask them. Six is a long enough time to forget about a cat, and I'm certain Joni won't be upset, but there has to be something on your mind, if you're dancing that way.//
"To be fair, I'll let you ask anything, as well," Elphaba said. She gestured a hand around her mouth, trying to look sympathetic. "It looks like you're back to the way you were before." It wasn't exactly asking a question, admittedly.
//Mmm, I am,// Jono agreed. //I want to say it's a long story, but it's actually fairly short. A mutant with the ability to warp reality created a pocket universe and dragged a handful of other mutants into it, myself included. When that reality was destroyed, everybody returned to normal except for me.//
He rolled his eyes.
//Figures. And how about you, Elphaba? What brings you back to the island?//
"Faked my death after failing to overthrow a despotic ruler who sought to enslave and ruin Animalkind in Oz?" Elphaba said, trying to sound nonchalant, but it was all still very, very recent for her to be casual about it. She shook her head, regaining her composure. "You know, more of the same."
He'd never get used to that, no.
But today, he wasn't looking back. Today he was looking forward, blinking at the familiar face, laughing with a familiar voice.
And so help him, he was cracking a bit of a smile around the corners of his eyes, himself.
//You know, most people wouldn't find the Causeway so amusing, luv.//
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She looked over, a bit startled not only for the familiar face, but that it was also almost unfamiliar. She remembered him having a mouth, last she knew.
"I'm not most people," she said, trying to just casually shrug. Her grin betrayed her of being able to give any impression except that she was exceptionally pleased to see Jono. "In fact, I'm a dead woman." She winced, and shook her head. "Let's not get into that yet."
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//Fair enough,// he replied, blinking, but not prying. //Here for a while, at least?//
Talking to her about that seemed safer, less like prying, really.
//It's been a while. Wouldn't mind having a chance to catch up, if you're not just passing through, I mean.//
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Well. That was probably debatable to anybody who was looking at him, granted.
//Island cut you off, luv? I'd been wondering.//
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Her grin softened a little, but the warmth remained in her expression. "It's good to see you," she said.
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Most people didn't tend to plan on ending up here, after all.
//I could take that, you could take the bed...//
His sofa was a death-trap made of hatred and pain. And Jono found it perfectly comfortable.
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Because, sure, that's what they'd do. Be a bother, somehow.
//I'm over at the Groovy Tunes now, by the way. Backed away slowly from the Boards back in the spring.//
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"But if anything, I suppose I'm the one who should be worried about being a bother. I'm the unexpected guest, after all."
She only paused for a moment, then continued. "How long has it been since... since I was last here?"
This was one of those 'time was flowing differently' things, she remembered those.
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There was a pause, and then he furrowed his brow, trying to recall. He'd been fairly time-tossed himself, between time spent in Glacia and a few incidents in his own world. How was he supposed to keep track of anything, these days?
//And it's been... Christ, two years here, at least,// he added. //Difficult to say, given the island's fondness for muddling with time and space and all. Why? How long has it been for you?//
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Some of these elephants could tap-dance rather well.
//If you have any questions, luv, ask them. Six is a long enough time to forget about a cat, and I'm certain Joni won't be upset, but there has to be something on your mind, if you're dancing that way.//
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He rolled his eyes.
//Figures. And how about you, Elphaba? What brings you back to the island?//
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