You've Got Mail

By Vinkunwildflowerqueen

DISCLAIMER: Wicked was not my idea. Like I could create anything that amazing!

AN. Greetings from Singapore!

Yes, I am in Singapore at the moment for my Wicked trip. I won't go on about it, only to say that I am thoroughly enjoying myself. I've seen the show once so far, only two more shows to go! :(

This fic was inspired by the movie You've Got Mail, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

One

When Madame Morrible called a meeting for all the students at Shiz about a month into the first semester, everyone was curious as to why.

"Maybe they've introduced a new 'no freaks' policy?" suggested Galinda when she and her friends were discussing it during History.

Although she didn't list names specifically of who would have influenced this apparent new policy, it was clear to everyone she was talking about her reluctant roommate, and Shiz's resident green girl.

"Or maybe they've introduced a 'no sex in bathrooms or closets' policy," Elphaba said aloud to no one in particular, but so everyone could hear. "It's desperately needed."

Galinda's pretty face flushed, and she fell silent. It had been a hot topic of news that Galinda Upland had been caught with a boy in a compromising position the week before in a janitor's closet in the Arts building.

"Elphaba, you shouldn't say things like that," scolded Nessa, looking ashamed at her older sister's actions, as she often did.

Elphaba sighed, but didn't say anything as Dr Dillamond entered to begin the class.

When everyone gathered in the auditorium at the appointed time, Elphaba suspected it was mostly out of curiosity, and she had to give the HeadShiztress credit. By specifically not mentioning for what purpose she wanted to address them on, she was ensuring that everyone would actually turn up.

Elphaba went, but only because Nessa had wanted to go. Elphaba, who had no desire to find out what was so important, had protested initially.

"You'll find out tomorrow anyway when everyone is talking about whatever it is," she pointed out reasonably.

"Are you worried about not being counted in the peer group unless you hear it directly?"

Nessarose frowned. "Elphaba, please. I can't go alone, you know I can't. Father would never approve."

Elphaba sighed. They both knew perfectly well their father had only agreed to send Elphaba to Shiz as well as Nessa under the condition that she look after her sister's every need as she had her entire life. Elphaba had already failed in this duty once by not being able to room with her sister, and she was loath to fail again, partly fearing if Nessa was unhappy, her father would pull her out of Shiz and take her back to Munchkinland.

"Ok, ok," she agreed.

So here they were. Elphaba hung to the back, away from everyone else.

Madame Morrible took centre stage and cleared her throat, and the hushed voices in the room fell expectantly.

"Thank you students for coming," she began. "I have a very thrillifying announcement to make! As you may or may not be aware, for the past few years, Shiz University has been building a relationship with a fellow University in the Emerald City, Central Emerald College. Sort of a sister school partnership, if you will.

This means not just building a relationship of friendship between the schools themselves, but between the students of each school. So, to this end, I would like to announce the foundation of a pen pal system!"

A wave of noise broke out, and Madame Morrible waved them all quiet.

"How this will work," she explained. "The headmaster of the CEC and I have established that it will be up to Shiz students to make the first contact. If you choose to be a part of the program, you will write a general introductory letter and deliver it to the administration office within the next three weeks. Then you will be randomly paired with a student who has likewise registered at Central Emerald College. After that you and your pen pal must arrange to receive your letters however suits you each individually. Pairings are completely random, but how open you choose to be with your pen pal is up to you. Are there any questions?"

Galinda raised her hand immediately. "So, we don't even get to pick if we want to talk to a boy or a girl?" she asked.

Madame Morrible shook her head. "No, Miss Upland."

Galinda looked unsure how she felt about that, and Madame Morrible turned to take another question.

Nessa however, looked excited. "That sounds like so much fun!" she gushed to Elphaba as they were leaving the auditorium.

"I think I'm going to sign up. What about you, Elphaba?"

Elphaba snorted. "I highly doubt it, Nessa."

Nessa frowned. "Why not? It's a wonderful way to make a new friend."

The green girl raised an eyebrow at her younger sister. "Are you saying I need more friends?"

"I'm saying you need a friend," Nessa replied bluntly. "You've never had any. And a pen pal wouldn't know that you're green."

Elphaba was completely stunned. It was so unlike her sister to be so blunt, and frankly, uncaring.

"I'm not desperate for friendship, Nessarose," she said, her tone uncharacteristically sharp with her sister.

Nessa winced, sensing she had offended her sister. "I'm not saying you are. I just thought… it might be nice for you to have someone to talk to."

Elphaba softened, and she gave a faint smile. "I have you for that."

Nessa smiled back. "True. And I suppose there's always Galinda."

Elphaba rolled her brown eyes at the mention of her roommate. "Sure, if I'm desperate."

"Well, I'm going to sign up," Nessa said decisively.

"Good idea," Elphaba agreed vaguely.

And she was being sincere. She had no interest in signing up, but she thought the basic premise of the idea was a good one. Building relationships with other universities would in turn strengthen the relationship between the two towns. A pen pal program might eventually lead to trips to the Emerald City, which Elphaba would love to be able to take part in.

But Elphaba still didn't feel the need to sign up herself. As she'd said to Nessa, she didn't feel at a disadvantage because she was mostly alienated from the rest of society because they were prejudiced against her skin colour- abnormal as it admittedly was.

Plus, she had quite enough to focus on with her studies and caring for Nessa. She didn't need to add keeping up with correspondence with a stranger on top of that.

The pen pal program was all anyone else could talk about for the rest of the week. People's opinions seemed to be mixed, from what Elphaba could gather; but pretty much everyone completely missed what Elphaba was sure was the motivation behind the scheme (and Dr Dillamond had privately confirmed her suspicions to her), which was all about building relations between the two schools and their respective cities.

"I can't believe we don't get to pick who our pen pal is!" Galinda complained to her friends two days after the announcement. "I mean, what if we get paired with someone who is totally below our social standing? I have a reputation to uphold, you know. Momsie and Popsicle would be horrified if I was corresponding with anyone unsuitable."

Milla nodded in agreement. "And we can't even pick if it's a boy or a girl?"

"Would you want to write to a boy though?" Shen-Shen pointed out.

Pfannee giggled. "A cute boy I would."

The others all giggled and agreed, and Elphaba rolled her eyes.

The girls were all camped out in Elphaba and Galinda's shared room. Galinda pointedly invited her friends over constantly, feeling that as the room had been intended to be her own private suite, she had every right to do as she wished without consulting Elphaba or having any regard to her green roommate.

Elphaba, for her part, retaliated by refusing to be pushed out of her room, as much as she loathed Galinda and her friends. It was her room too, she had just as much right to be in it as Galinda; and if her presence happened to irritate the blonde… well, that was just a bonus.

Elphaba was lying on her bed reading, and trying to ignore the conversation on the other side of the room. But she couldn't help but reflect that the conversation just proved how little they knew. The Central Emerald College, whilst not as a prestigious university as Shiz, was incredibly exclusive. Elphaba doubted there would be any student attending who would be deemed "unsuitable" to correspond with Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands.

If anything, she might be deemed too low-class for them.

"Are you going to sign up, Galinda?" Shen-Shen asked, and Galinda paused thoughtfully.

She was painting her nails (pink of course) and held her hand out to admire the affect as she kept the girls waiting. She knew that whatever her answer was would decide if Milla, Shen-Shen and Pfannee, and indeed many of the Shiz student population would enrol in the program.

"I think it would be a goodly thing to do," she finally replied slowly. "I mean, I'm so busy with my studies and all, but I think being able to do our part and build friendships between Shiz and the CEC is the right thing to do."

"Oh, you're so good, Galinda!" exclaimed Pfannee and Galinda waved a hand modestly.

"Oh, stop," she laughed lightly. "And besides, we may get lucky and meet a handsome, single man!"

"Doesn't Fiyero Tiggular go to the CEC?" Milla asked, and Pfannee and Galinda nodded in confirmation.

"Who?" Shen-Shen frowned in confusion.

Milla, Pfannee and Galinda looked at her like she was stupid.

"Fiyero Tiggular!" Pfannee stressed.

"The Vinkus prince with the utterly scandalacious reputation?" Galinda added a faint dreamy look in her eyes.

Shen-Shen's eyes gleamed with recognition. "Oh! He's so handsome! But he'd never do something like this would he?"

"No," Galinda admitted with a heavy sigh. "Something like this would be far too common for Fiyero. But a girl can dream, can't she?"

They erupted into giggles again, and the conversation turned to Fiyero Tiggular and the many stories about him.

Elphaba continued to read her book and ignore them. Nessa had already written her letter and submitted it, and her only worry was what would happen if her pen pal was someone she had nothing in common with.

"Then you stop writing, it's as simple as that," Elphaba had shrugged when Nessa brought it up.

Nessa looked horrified. "That would be rude, Elphaba!"

Elphaba rolled her eyes and sighed. "Then write simple, vague, polite notes once a month and say you're too busy with your studies to write more regularly."

Nessarose had found that suggestion more acceptable.

Elphaba didn't think too many people had signed up yet, but once word got out that Galinda Upland had signed up, there was a mad rush to follow suit.

Elphaba remained firm in her decision not to do the program. She wasn't good at interacting with other people, and it could only end one way. Eventually, whoever she was writing to would learn about her skin colour and all correspondence would cease. So it was just easier not to begin in the first place.

And like she had told Nessa, she didn't need friendship. She was perfectly happy on her own as she always had been.

Right?