That's not fair! That's such a great story and you never uploaded the very LAST chapter? PLEASE! How could you leave it behind like this? I want to read the rest of it! Pleasepleaseplease Even if the last update is from 2005, can't you just give me the last chapter to read it?

:-/

PLEASE!

Niki

Oh, poor Elphie! She is very right about that in-love-with-your-best-friend bit, really. Don't I know it. Adowable exposition - I found it very interesting that the only thing Glinda remembered about their trip to Emerald City was that she shared a bed with Elphie, didn't you? And that was in the actual book!

How do you know a story is THAT good?

When the reviews to it are THIS *points down to the other reviews* long :)) it's late so I don't have the power to start babbling on about how and why I love this fic, but know that I do.

I'm guessing u won't be finishing it, and really, what more need be said - like a fellow fan has written here - if I print this out I could just stick the pages in the appropriate places in the book, and walla, we have our ending :')

So thank you, and instead of urging u to finish this specific story, I shall simply beg of u to continue writing about our favorite witches in whatever manner u find fit, and never stop ;) I will keep on reading.

Quite sad to see a good story abandoned.

Wow. I'm not quite sure what to say. This story was incredibly well-written, you really captured the essence of the characters. I only wish that this story (and your other ones) ended more happily, but I loved it anyway. Great job!

I really hope you post chapter 7, I'd love to see this story finished. It is really excellently written. The best bookverse fic I've ever read and the best 'road to the Emerald City' fic. I love Glinda's and Elphaba's characters in this. I love their little moments together and how Elphaba sees Glinda. My favourite line is "She was someone to be in love with". I thought the Halivan substory was good too, it seemed like something Elphaba couldn't stand by and let happen. It also fits in with the book how she has good intentions that always seem to fail. I actually felt their horror when they found out what happened to him :(. Anyway, I think this story is so well done it could fit right in the gaps in the book.

This is an excellent story, perhaps one day you will post the last chapter.

And so where is the promised 7th and last chapter to this wonderful story?

Great story! But... you stopped updating right before the LAST CHAPTER? That's... frustrating. Put it up sometime!

A friend recommended this to me just recently and I want you to know that it is absolutely beautiful. You are a wonderful writer, and I hope you choose to finish this one day.

How unfortunate for me that this all has to end so soon. Just after clicking this, I found myself depressed again.

Don't get me wrong, of course. Much as I enjoy reading about a neked Glinda coaxing Elphaba back to bed, ‘tis a bittersweet feeling knowing that this is the last chapter to be had from you. Oh woe is me.

I loved it, of course. No need to question the intensity of my affections just because I’m lamenting the end of this. The beginning of this chapter was ALL charm (obviously) and the ending was all heartbreak. I was especially disturbed reading the scene with Elphaba and the Pig assassin. It’s the perfect picture of moral ambiguity- the very thing that plagued Elphaba her entire life. Was it evil? Was she just as guilty of Drauc’s murder? It was probably the most horrific consequence of Halivan’s death (besides the death itself) as it really becomes the moment in Elphaba’s life where she simply cannot turn back. Her cutting and cruel remarks towards Glinda (fueled by her own guilt, of course) were merely the nail in the coffin. It hurts deeply to think about, even if there’s been a logical progression towards its coming. We know that Elphaba is going to leave Glinda, and here, we have all of the reasons why. Glinda is a risk, a liability- one that Elphaba can’t afford to keep if she means to go through with whatever decisions she’s making. More than that, she *loves* Glinda, and she knows that if given the chance, Glinda would follow her to her into oblivion.

And Elphie simply cannot have that.

They’ve proven it all before. Glinda insisted on staying with Elphaba when the carriage meant to leave her in the middle of nowhere- something that upset Elphaba quite a bit. “Why must you insist on sharing my misfortunes,” she’d asked, when she new perfectly well what the answer was. Her reluctance to have Glinda near, to have her share said misfortunes with her, has much less to do with her annoyance at having to fuss over Glinda’s comfort and more to do with her hesitance to drag Glinda somewhere she was never meant to go. She SEES this girl, she LOVES this girl, and she knows she deserves more than Elphaba has to offer. It’s why I loved Elphaba’s line a few chapters back about Glinda being a first class person with first class ideals. It shows how much she truly cares about her, and reminds us why their romance was doomed from the start. Glinda was prepared to follow Elphaba anywhere, heedless of what she was giving up, and Elphaba wasn’t prepared to let her.

In other words, all there was left to do was leave her there at the carriage. And damn, does that break my heart.

What I loved most (that hasn’t already been mentioned):

- “…But honestly, Elphie. Honestly.” She laid her cheek against Elphaba’s bony shoulder and closed her eyes. “How offensive,” she mumbled, “to go flitting off to the Palace when there’s a girl in your bed who hasn’t any clothes on.” ((Ain’t no way in hell ANYONE, least of all Elphaba, is going to argue with that.))

- That, of course, is the story of how Glinda first manipulated Elphaba into a blatant shirking of responsibilities on the very morning that they were set to meet with the social secretary. ((You are vicious tease, because that statement suggests that it was by no means the last time Glinda manipulated Miss Elphaba.))

- “You’re baiting me, it isn’t funny.”

Glinda frowned in thought. “No, it’s sort of funny.” ((I beg to differ. It really, REALLY was.))

- “What do they mean undergarments of lime? How should they know what my undergarments look like?” She snorted distastefully. “And why lime?” ((I LOLed. And then I pictured Glinda in lime undergarments. It made me happy.))

- “Glinda.”

“As difficult as it is to believe, I do say some things that are correct—”

“Glinda, sh...”

“—sometimes. Don’t sh me, this is important to me—” ((Whole friggin’ exchange was full of win. It’s a good thing Elphaba’s learned the most effective way to shut Glinda up. ))

-It didn’t matter if she closed her eyes or not; it was too dark to make a difference.

“Fae,” she said. “That’s my name.” ((*gut-wrenches in a deliciously awful way*))

- Perhaps simple, disobedient pleasure won out; perhaps aesthetic emotion was the clear victor in this case—so Glinda did just what she wanted, she moved closer and melted herself into Elphaba’s embrace and drew her arms around Elphaba’s waist and felt better for all of five seconds. ((Sweet mother of sandwiches, I love these two. Practically to the point of pain.))

I don’t anticipate you ever finishing this, so it’s probably good that this could arguably be considered an ending in of itself when placed within the context of the story. I mean, we all know what comes next- they meet the Wizard, the results are unsatisfactory, and Elphaba abandons Glinda at the coach station with two parting kisses. So I guess I am consoled, if not completely satisfied. I would love to have read your final thoughts on this whole week of ill-repute, if for nothing else than solidifying how much (or how little) their love meant in the end. It feels like there was something left unsaid, even though that might have been precisely the way you *wanted* to end it. I dunno. Maybe I’m just distraught because I feel like I could keep on reading about these two forever. (

Nevertheless, the fun we encounter on the journey is what counts, and E-YIKES I have had SO. MUCH. FUN reading this. It’s writers like you that make this place great, and provoke me to go down defending the merits of fan-fiction with my last dying breath.

So, my dearest Chudley Cannon, while you’re sitting there at your computer, drinking some sort of beverage and reading all of this fangirly drivel, mayhaps I’ll have pricked your creative conscience into picking up the old metaphorical pen again. I doubt the likelihood of that ever happening, but nevertheless, it’s still something to hope for.

It’s also crossed my mind that you might be DEAD by now, of course... Attacked by giant walruses in the Antarctic or something- in which case I’ll be more or less leaving these reviews for posterity.

*polishes this fic until it shines*

You are ridiculously talented. I can't praise this enough. Thank you VERY muchly for sharing thy talents with the rest of us, and I hope this finds you in better spirits than when you started. D

x’s and o’s,

phantomy-cookies

Was this my favorite chapter? I can’t remember, as I seem to want to glomp them all. I may as well just label it my favorite, given all of the general cracktasticness to be had while reading it. It sure as heque had some of the funniest dialogue I remember reading. This exchange:

-“Oh, yes, I remember,” said Glinda. “Stop gawping at me, you lecher.” She had one eye open. Elphaba scowled. “You never said just from whom you received this lucky tip,” Glinda went on.

“No, I did not, and I wasn’t gawping.” She gawped some more, purely on principle of contrariness.

Wins. I don’t know if anything else in this story made me laugh harder than that did. (And that is saying an awful lot.) Like everything else, it had me feeling a wide variety of different emotions, and the foreshadowing we’ve been given small doses of in previous chapters really fixes itself to almost every event that happens in this one. Elphaba and Glinda’s brief discussion about terrorism is a nice example of that.

I’m not sure what I was expecting when the gals met Halivan’s wife, but the meeting definitely exceeded every expectation that I’d had. To find Elphaba nervous and hesitant after leading them that far was all too perfect, and Mrs. Halivan’s scathing replies to the both of them was *just* enough of the wrong reaction to make things delightfully interesting. I was sad for the Horse, in any case, because it’s easy to understand how living in fear and poverty can turn a person cynical and suspicious of the world around them. Elphaba understands this, however offended she was, and that just strengthens all of her convictions even further. Good for the Animals, bad for Glinda.

More moments of awesomeness (though I am sorely tempted to just quote the whole damn chapter):

- It was probably, she was suddenly realizing, never a good idea to underestimate Glinda. ((Amen, amen, amen.))

- She, Elphaba, was many things – logical to a fault, analytical, exceedingly erudite, and yes, even brave in a number of situations – but she did not like how she had been saddled with the job of taking care of Glinda. She certainly loved Glinda, and that was an issue too, but she could not see why her life had suddenly turned into an affair of ‘How’s Glinda doing?’ and ‘Let’s make sure Glinda is okay,’ and ‘What can I do to make Glinda feel safer?’

She also did not know how to stop the fanatical fixation with Glinda, either. ((Neither do I, Miss Elphaba. Neither do I.))

- The Horse that answered the door was very obviously female, although Glinda had assumed that you wouldn’t be able to tell (...) she had unquestionably feminine features, a gentler and milder slope of the muzzle, a leaner neck and abdomen with pronounced croups and hindquarters, long eyelashes, a softer, longer, more elegant mane. Embarrassed, Glinda decided that she wouldn’t call her pretty or anything, but you could tell she was a woman.

The dress she was wearing helped, too. ((I love that of all of the things that might have suggested the Horse’s sex, Glinda’s last thought was the dress. LOL.))

-“Oh! Then, you know?” asked Elphaba stupidly, the first thing she’d said to the widowed Horse, unfortunate a comment as it was.

“Do I look as though I haven’t a brain, girl?” said the Horse sharply and Elphaba looked somewhat cowed. ((Elphie gets pwned. It’s a very rare moment, so we should certainly make note and celebrate it.))

-Elphaba’s deed was certainly a good one, but you’d think she’d saved all of Oz from uncertain tragedy with the way I’m carrying on and swooning, she thought disdainfully.

For she was carrying on and swooning and it was humiliating and she sincerely hoped that Elphaba didn’t notice. ((Honestly, I don’t think Glinda could be more adorably in love if she tried.))

- “Well, we’ve no money for shopping and it’s too early for dinner, so… what are we doing?”

“I hadn’t realized activities were so nicely broken up into shopping and eating. ((They are, actually.))

-“I am purposely missing the point so as to force you to say what you’re thinking; I should think you would recognize this tactic, as I use it all the time.”

Glinda thought for a moment. It was that sheet of black hair, it was distracting. “Oh, I see.” ((Horny!Glinda is marvelous.))

- And some of it, most of it, was quite beautiful. ((Beautiful is an understatement.))

I should probably stop, but there’s just too much to love!

So, as I sat rereading the deliciously hot little snippet of a love scene (and finding myself not just a little bit aroused), I started thinking about WHY the romance between Elphaba and Glinda works so well in this story. Or, more importantly, why it seems to be the most faithful interpretation anyone could paint of two such complex characters.

At first I thought that it was because there’s a sort of self-deprecating kind of fondness they share that has them describing every feeling as “wonderful and trite” all at the same time. It keeps the characters grounded, and it prevents the story from veering off into Fluffville USA. Then I thought, “Well no, there’s also that stupidly sexy element that is so very, VERY understated.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read a story where the author seems to think that writing a torrid 15 page sex scene is necessary to titillate your audience. Not so. Oftentimes it is something MUCH less obvious and nowhere near as graphic. For example…

"…her lips coming closer, the book falling off the bed, the cold fingers becoming scorching as they trailed over shoulders, collar bones, poked under straps and pulled down...”

That there is pretty arousing good fun. It is all things passionate and delightful without a lot of useless (and extensive) blathering on about either woman’s lady bidness. 15 page smut scenes have their place, I grant you, but they aren’t wholly necessary to get the point across.

I think a great deal of my adoration, however, ultimately comes down to how naturally the romantic chemistry between the characters is explored without the tiresome inclusion of our own modern-day hellfrost of social issues. Few things irritate me more than stumbling across some Gelphie fic where “Glinda didn’t know if it was okay to have such wicked feelings for another girl OMG.” BLARG, sez I. It rings totally false to the backdrop of Maguire’s writing- his version of Oz paints the sexuality of his characters as purposefully vague and barely an issue. It’s why I have such a hard time understanding people who take offense to Glinda/Elphaba slash, though I hesitate to even call it slash in the first place. Slash would imply the *creation* of a same-sex pairing, where I think the romance between Glinda and Elphaba is unequivocally subtextual, if not overtly canonical. It makes little or no sense to place such frigid restraints on characters that were written specifically to blur the lines of our own social preconceptions. I appreciate the fact that Elphaba and Glinda are allowed to realize their obvious attraction for each other without all of the idiotic angst associated with the “scandal” of two women falling in love with each other. Rather, the hesitations and difficulties they face are much more real and significant.

So yay.

And oh, their conversation by moonlight… what a way to break my heart. Very clever of you to use the moment to explain away one of those curiously random statements Maguire made in his book during the Emerald City chapters. Glinda and Elphaba will always be a tragedy in the end, but oh, what a beautiful tragedy they make.

*sigh*

If you were to ask me what one of favorite scenes was in Maguire’s book, I’d tell you straight up that it was Glinda and Elphaba’s first impression of the Emerald City, and how horribly it failed to captivate either of the party. I wanted to eat the novel when Glinda started pontificating on how ugly and outrageous it all was. Her obsession with architecture is so fetching at times, and I always enjoyed the idea that the grandest city in Oz would be thought to be hideous by its worthiest (and severest) critic. Every sentiment you’ve added was a welcome addition. Again, I can’t help but think that Maguire would really get a kick out of it.

Oh, and kudos to ME for correctly guessing on my first read-through that Elphaba would probably be distancing herself as much as possible from the “Incident of Terrible Proportions.” You just *know* that if she shuts that brain off for a while, it’s going to come back at her full force and give her holy hell for engaging in certain activities without permitted consent. It’s lovely how thrilled (if not cautiously hopeful) Glinda is about the whole affair as well.

Also, what a delicious taste of irony to have Elphaba tossing around assertions regarding married men when, in five years time, she’ll be shtouping the dickens out of Fiyero, though he’s got his own sack of a family back home. Makes for a rather interesting moral dilemma to consider. After all, Elphaba obviously felt guilt and sought penitence for the affair, and yet the love story between her and Fiyero is revered in both the book and the musical. I, myself, could never entirely justify my feelings about it, and I’m not sure that Maguire totally wanted us to either. Just my opinion.

I think I must have sat here grinning like a drooling moron during the gals’ exhange in their hotel room. Elphaba’s exasperation and uneasiness combined with all of Glinda’s neked, bathing tension was far too delicious for words. It’s so hilarious and awkward and lovely all at the same time. I thought it remarkably poignant to have Elphaba waffling on about existentialism when trying to illustrate her feelings to Glinda, and Glinda's response is perfect. All that needed to be said.

“But Elphaba, I love you.”

Perfect.

Elphaba’s response? Even better.

Words of love:

- ‘Oh, Glinda, it’s just all green, you see?’ Crope would say, and Tibbett might add, ‘Hence the name. A city of emeralds, if you like.’ ((Love those boys liek whoa.))

- Oh, sure, it was all-over green. To herself, Glinda admitted with a blush that she rather liked green in extraordinary amounts. ((Naughty Glinda is adorable and naughty.))

- For now, it was all right to just hold Elphie’s hand and lean on her shoulder as they rode through the ugliest city in all of Oz. ((I wish, *WISH* this line was in the book.))

- “Sir: I’ve found your wallet. You will most likely find it missing the bulk of its money, as I have taken it. If your wife wonders upon the whereabouts of your money, I do hope you tell her that you lost it during a rendezvous at the Palace Hotel. Terribly sorry about all this. Signed, a Munchkinlander by birth and a Quadling by upbringing.” ((Elphaba pwns.))

- “Well, if you must,” she said quietly. “Although, I don’t like it, but praise the person whoever manages to change your mind on anything.” ((Don’t give up so easily, Glinda. After all, you still have your clothes on.))

- She really sincerely hoped that Elphie did make it back alive and with all her limbs intact because, honestly, she hated to think of only getting to kiss the girl that one night and, worse, having to wonder about the whys and wherefores of said kissing for the rest of her days. ((*sigh*))

- . “Yes,” she murmured quietly, studying her features. “Love. I suppose that’s what this is.” ((Chudney!Glinda, methinks I am determined to marry you.))

- “Elphie, honestly,” said Glinda forthrightly. “Are you frightened of me or something?”

“No, you fool. It’s the water.” This was really not a lie. ((HEE. Elphaba’s constant insults she throws at Glinda never cease to amuse me.))

-“Have you forgotten that you did kiss me, then?”

Oh, well there it was, not even out of the lips of someone a little more subtle. ((It might have been nice for one of them to just tackle the other, but alas that pesky bath-water.)) P

- Being in love with Elphaba was strange, like looking at the world with your head down, like staring at a large painting up close and not being able to step back and look at the whole thing. It was comforting. And scary as hell. ((I don’t think anyone could have described Glinda’s love for Elphaba better, or more succinctly, if they tried.))

- Had she been asked beforehand where the finest place to fall in love and enjoy a vacation was, Glinda could not see herself having said, “The Emerald City, of course,” but, nonetheless, it is what happened. It was silly and a bit embarrassing, she realized, how trite it all was, but she could hardly bring herself to care. ((Honestly, at this point, I just want to quote the whole damn story.))

The Week of Ill Repute Love.

Sorry. Just went and grabbed a little pile of M&Ms to tide me over as I’m writing. (The plain kind, to be exact.)

Master Drauc must have been a very fun bastard to write. Smug and charming and all over Glinda, which just makes Elphaba that much more cranky and vexed. LOL. I also loved the idea of Glinda working her mojo on the passengers at the carriage stop to score them different seats. Elphie would have to be pleased that she’d managed to put all of that charm and beauty to good use, I’m sure.

The scene with the Varakoffs had an amusing little dynamic of husbands and wives going on, what with Elphaba talking shop with Varakoff while the “wives” are either bored or uncomfortable. It made me chuckle. Again, you really do a great job with your secondary characters. No matter how limited the time we have to spend with them, you really make it count.

Poor Glinda. You knew the dear thing had to reach her limit sooner or later. If it wasn’t the smell of urine wafting through their very drab looking room, it was going to be something else. It was cute though, the way Elphaba went out of her way to try and cheer her up. You can get away with little moments like that because, like Glinda, we know it is virtually impossible to have Elphie so warm and caring all of the time. The sarcasm will always and inevitably surface. (Which I adore as muchly, of course.) I’ll take this opportunity to remind you again how heartily I love your Elphaba. She’s never too much of anything… she’s always the right combination of adoring, agitated, sardonic, and wonderful. *moosh*

I think it interesting to point out how Glinda’s inner-monologue regarding Elphaba contrasts so perfectly with Elphaba’s own inner musings about Glinda. I mean, Elphie is highly aware of how she feels about Glinda (as inconvenient as these feelings may be), yet Glinda seems the more anxious to find a resolution to her feelings, even if she isn’t entirely cognizant of what they are. I guess it all falls back on how true to character it is for the both of them. Elphaba, ever the pessimist (or realist, if you were to ask her), sees only the futility of their romance, where Glinda, the eternal optimist, gleefully accepts every feeling as quickly as it comes. She doesn’t have to understand why, she just accepts it. And hot-dang, but it makes me love them both so deliriously for it.

You really broke my heart this chapter with Halivan’s untimely demise, you know. (Quite the compliment to you that I’d be so bothered over a character I JUST met.) The response from both ladies is exactly what you’d expect. Tears from Glinda, and quiet indignation from Elphaba. But there’s also vulnerability there, which Glinda sees right through, of course, and hoo boy, does that lead to one heque of a sensual love scene. (Yow.) Kudos to you- that whole thing hit me from right out of the blue. One minute Elphaba was waxing philosophical about emotions and the next she’s pinning Glinda to the mattress, leveling kisses up her neck. It was a “WTF FTW!” moment for me. So thank you.

More of my faves:

- “Oh, good,” said Elphaba, who was more sarcastic when she was upset. “I had suddenly felt as though I had wandered out into the middle of nowhere unchaperoned – lucky enough, though, you are here to be a nuisance. Please, do, spoon-feed me this porridge.” ((I would have liked to see Glinda try.))

- Glinda, who did not understand the game, was simply coming up with names she liked, such as The Dazzling Boutique of Food and Sleeping or Glinda’s Nest. Elphaba pointed out that she would be severely distressed if the latter occurred and they did happen upon an inn called Glinda’s Nest. “There aren’t many Glindas in all of Oz,” she said, saying many things all at once and liking it that way. ((I can’t tell you how heavily the whole “Glinda’s Nest” thing made me roll about on the floor. Particularly Elphaba’s distress over it. Utter genius.))

- “Oh, fine. Pleasant talking to you,” said Elphaba to the couple, who expressed similar sentiments. Although Glinda felt if Elphaba had said, ‘Pleasant talking at you,’ it may have been a more accurate statement, but she kept quiet. ((Tickled me))

-“Perhaps the power lies in your lap,” mused Glinda idly… ((*nods in cheeky approval*))

- Glinda’s mind was not used to deep, introspective thinking and so when she tried to dwell on any flitting thoughts further, her mind seemed to protest, as if it to say, ‘No, sorry, not built for that sort of thinking; would you like to think about jewelry instead?’ ((If I hadn’t thought it was possible to adore you more, I managed it right after I’d read that.))

- How dare Glinda go and be so unselfish? Just when you thought you knew a person, she went and did something like offering to sell one of her nightgowns just so you could have a cloak. It wasn’t fair. It seemed only right that while Elphaba was idly admiring Glinda’s perfect face, the curve of her flawless figure, that irony should set in and the blonde girl should demonstrate a few of her worst traits so that perhaps Elphaba could step back and say to herself, ‘Well, what were you thinking, being in love with that one?’ But no, Glinda was ever the contrarian and chose this exact moment to be perhaps the loveliest specimen of human goodness. Elphie scowled. ((Quite possibly my favorite paragraph in the whole damn story.))

- All that could not be said, it seemed, was rather easy suddenly; smart-stubborn-sarcastic-annoying-green had a translation, apparently. ((Wow, look at me. I’m adoring you even more!))

- And she, who considered herself a terrific thinking individual, was not thinking and that was best. ((Proving once again that logical reasoning is no match for a hot Gillikin sharing the sheets with you.))

*wants desperately to marry this story*

So… specifics. Details. What do I love most about your first two chapters?

Well, seeing as I’m an incorrigible s1ut for all things Glinda, I believe it’s safe to say that I was in love with your characterization of her straight from the start. Methinks it’s that unfailing optimism she tries to maintain in spite of her obvious discomfort and/or displeasure over the present situation. You get all of that self-important charm right along with her obvious fondness for Elphaba and it makes you want to gather her in your arms and molest her to death.

And OH, do I love Elphie’s reluctant and “ridiculous” attraction to her. Mee hee hee. Nothing is more perfectly “Elphaba” than watching her try to rationalize her obvious affection for the girl while falling helplessly prey to her charms. The scene at the Rain Cloud had me rolling from start to stop. (When it wasn’t trying to kill me with all of the hot schmexual tension, of course.) A few little gems that I particularly loved:

-“There are less Animals at every stop, do you notice?”

Glinda, who had not noticed, nodded and tsked that it was a shame. ((Sorry. That was too perfect for words.))

- Singularly strange, even, to want to protect and comfort someone who was so invariably frustrating. There were times, though, when Elphaba seemed vulnerable and weak and she was beautiful. ((Eloquently, beautifully expressed.))

-“You can watch me comb my hair, I suppose, or – in fact, we can share secrets.”

“We could,” she replied, “but wouldn’t it be just as easy not to?” ((LuLZ.))

-Oh, sure, she adored Glinda. She loved her, in fact, and had told this to Boq, and there was a part of her that wanted nothing but to protect Glinda and care for Glinda and watch Glinda grow and change and think. She was not, though, in love with Glinda and she knew this for certain. So, if her mind could kindly stop talking all over itself on the subject, it would be nice. ((I love you, Chudney!Elphaba.))

It’s difficult for me not to just quote the entire thing, but I felt like the above was a fairly adequate reflection of why I love your characters so frickin’ much. The confession about Glinda’s infatuation with Tibbett had me snickering every bit as much as Elphaba’s jealousy over Boq and Glinda’s smooching. And the whole sex discussion while the sounds of frisky Ozians filter through the walls? Brilliance. Elphie’s final line about it being “no good to be in love with one’s best friend” PERFECTLY capped off every sentiment she had expressed throughout. Were I in her shoes (or Glinda’s bed, to be more specific) I doubt I’d be able to sleep either. Her inner monologue with herself over the whole subject was priceless.

The incorporation of Halivan was, I thought, an ingenious little plot device to knit into the storyline. It acts as the perfect catalyst for everything to come together (and essentially fall apart) for Glinda and Elphaba. It foreshadows what we know is to come (namely Elphie’s departure) while providing a concrete reason for it to happen. There’s an unforeseeable ripple effect, and the consequences of their meeting will be felt more distinctly every chapter following.

Oh, but I’m getting ahead of myself! The Horse was too charming for words, and I can’t think of the last time anyone wrote an original character that I found so endearing. More moments of love:

- They worried perhaps that the only sign of life for miles was the inn that they were ordained to stop at that night. That, coupled with Glinda’s damned habit of grabbing her hand, was making it a long, arduous day indeed. ((Frustrated Elphaba is hilarious and frustrated.))

-“I am Elphaba.” She gestured to Glinda, who was worrying her lip in concern. “This is my traveling companion, Glinda.”

“Of the Arduenna Clan,” supplied Glinda half-heartedly. ((No real reason to add this other than it never fails to make me smile.))

-“You are a stupid thing,” she said finally. “Noble and stupid.”

“Oh, Elphie!” Glinda unceremoniously threw her arms around Elphaba’s neck, hugging her tightly. ((*grins*))

- Elphaba (...) snaked an arm around her waist in a bustle of skirts. She looked down at the beautiful Gillikin girl, close enough to be kissed, lips perfect enough for it as well. Her eyes were wide and innocent, looking up into Elphaba’s face and the green girl wondered briefly what she looked like to her friend, whether she was frightening, whether the extent of her feelings were written in stark white letters against her green skin. ((Deliciously, unforgivably hot.))

-“What an interesting story!” cried Glinda, who had not cared a bit. ((Seriously, I want to eat Miss Glinda.))

-“He’s taking us to the carriage stop and letting us stay. I fear he may molest one or both of us.” ((I think I literally LOLed the first time I read that, and it was at the office, which was doubly humiliating.))

-Is this what had made him so ridiculous in manner? No, it was different, for Boq had been in love with the image, the Gillikinese Galinda who cared only for herself. While Elphaba agreed to it being a lovely image, it did not match the beauty that a thinking Glinda who thought of others presented. She was someone to be in love with. ((*squish*))

Yikes. My chapter two review is threatening to eat the entire page as well. Best be moving forward!