Beautifully tragic

                     “ You could help me by not helping me. “

Elphaba shrugged, trying to ignore the nagging feeling that told her the girl did, indeed, need help. Getting involved in other people’s problems had never done her much good. “Alright then. I’m not sure that’s the best decisoin, but if you’re sure...”

Richard tilted his head to one side, about to ask her what sort of thoughts brought her to the shoreline to wander, but then she spoke before he could, and he paused. 

Elphaba couldn’t help but chuckle at that statement a little. After all, troubles affecting royalty could range from ‘my servants are too lazy’ to actual, legitimate problems. But if the stranger had come here to clear his head, rather than simply went and sulked in his castle, she thought it was fair to assume his troubles were legitimate. 

♛ ( LATE THINGS / / beyond my wildest dreams, the little mermaid ) | | @faesthropp​

“That’s one way to put it....” The green girl said, looking quite baffled.

Faye’s voice was heard, and Belle started rushing down from the back of the library. This was her favorite day of the month. It was always fun to see what books could be added to her collection. Of course, Belle made sure to read all of them before she placed them on the shelves, which was probably the best part of her job.

“Great, thank you.” She smiled at the brunette, as the box in her arms considerably lightened thanks to Belle taking out a stack of books. Despite the box never being unbearably heavy, it was always a bitch to carry all the way across town. The only time this had been a serious problem was a year or so ago, when some curse-related disaster had ended in a few destroyed bookcases. She was unclear on the specifics - it seemed like Storybrooke was going to hell in a handbasket at least once a month, and she had given up on keeping track after the Wraith. 

Alina looked at the woman curiously. That’s what she was upset about in this land? Here she was: hungry, freezing, homeless, and this woman was complaining about the politics of this world. “It is very complicated, but at least we have some modern conveniences like electricity.” She shrugged and forced a smile.

Elphaba nodded thoughtfully. “And yet they seem to be moving heaven and earth to get everyone back to the Dark Ages in the Enchanted Forest. Because beheadings and diseases and growing your own food are so much better than electricity and indoor plumbing.” She scoffed. She could understand why the royals would want to go back ‘home’. A 2 bedroom apartment in a small village was hardly the castle with silk sheets and marble staircases they were used to. 

“They... I don’t know. I’m certain it’s miscommunication, but I’m not sure.” Elphaba sighed, slumping down against a nearby tree. She wasn’t even sure how to put her problem into words. For one, she had never been one to talk about her emotional issues, making talking about anything relating to ‘feelings’ hard enough as it is. And then telling some stranger that maybe two people are interested in her? Her? The resident campus cabbage??

Elphaba laughed. “What I’m trying to say is: I’m surprised you find any time to yourself at all in this town. With a town full of so-called ‘heroes’, they seem to put a lot on your plate.” She said, taking a few books from the shelves. “One would assume they could handle certain problems on their own.”

Well, she was finally free…and homeless. She was hiding in the woods. Of course she would be poor here. All she knew was selling matches, and in a land with electricity, there was no way she could sell those here.

“Isn’t it just...” Elphaba grimaced. “Why would we need infrastructure, tax policies, or general laws, when we can just focus on punishing people for 25-year-old grievances?” She said, turning to face the girl. She appeared to be no more than a teenager, but despite the blonde hair she looked all too familiar. Too thin, trembling just a little, eyes hollow yet burning with hatred and a fighting spirit. The few times she had managed to find a mirror when she was on the run in the Emerald City, she had looked much the same.

Aside from a jump-scare - because who wouldn’t be at least a little startled by someone placing their hands around your throat - Elphaba seemed less than impressed. Her life was a mundane one at best, her past plagued her beyond belief, and it wouldn’t be the first time she had considered death as a viable alternative. 

Rolling her eyes at the boy - for he was no more than a boy, a child playing at games for his own entertainment - she focused her attention on the phonecall. “Yes, hello, I’d like to report a case of breaking and entering. There is a man in my house cutting up a pile of corpses- Yes, he’s still there, but he made an obvious threat that should any law enforcement arrive while he is still present he would kill them. No, I don’t think he’s going to hurt me. Why? No idea, but I figure if he’s letting me call 911 without having me killed I’m in the clear. Uh-huh... Yes. .... Yes. Look, I don’t particularly care how you do it, I’ve had a long day and this is the last thing I’d want to be dealing with. Alright. Well, good luck then, according to this psycho you’ll need it.” Disconnecting the call, she sighed loudly. “I really don’t have the energy to deal with your bullshit. Police is on their way, I’m going the fuck to sleep.”