Watch Out For Your Sister

[Nessarose]

(September 1st, open to Elphaba. May open later depending on what Elphie wants ^^)

"No, no, NO! Elphaba this is all wrong!"

Nessa rolled her wheels over the concrete next to the quad. The female was frantic. She'd be separated from Elphaba at night, all day and she would possibly have to fight her sister at some point. This wasn't fair. This wasn't right?

"Don't they know who we are?" She whined, "Didn't they get father's letter? About how we have to be together? About how I need you with me?" Nessa looked terrible as she stopped wheeling her chair as if she was pacing. She pushed back her hair and tangled it in her dainty pale fingers. She turned pathetic large watery eyes at her sister. 

"What're we gonna do, Elphaba?" Elphaba was smart. She would know what to do.

[Elphaba]

Well. This was absolutely wonderful. How the girls had been separated just wasn't going to fly. Elphaba knew far better than anyone else what their father would say if he ever found out that the two of them weren't together. She was supposed to be looking after Nessarose, and yet there the two of them were donning different uniforms and colors that were altogether opposite. Her sister was wearing red, and she herself was wearing white. Elphaba thought, almost dryly, that it would have been far more fitting if she'd been placed with those others who were green. At least then she'd fit in.

Nessa's 'pacing' wasn't making matters any better. The panic was well within reason, but there wasn't a lot that Elphaba could think to do in this particular situation. She didn't have a clue about who the headmaster was, so she couldn't ask herself. Soon enough, panic gripped the elder of the two sisters and she put her head in her hands for a moment.

"I don't know, I don't know, Nessa," Elphaba confessed. She was doing everything within her power to keep herself from freaking out too much. If she lost control of herself somehow, her 'curse' would come to light and Nessa would freak out even more. Things had to be different here. They just had to! If Elphaba let her strange power come to light, everything would be lost. That wasn't her main concern for the moment, though. She was supposed to be looking after her sister, not be on the opposing side of whatever cruel fate lay in wait for them.

"Father is going to kill me if he finds out about this," she fretted. Precious Nessa wouldn't be blamed, oh no. Nothing was ever her fault. It was always Elphaba's fault. Never mind that the letter he'd sent might have gotten lost or disregarded. If he could find some way to blame her, he would. That was how things always worked out.

"...Maybe they won't make you fight," Elphaba said, hoping beyond hope she was right. Nessarose was confined to a wheelchair, after all. Surely the one in charge wouldn't be cruel enough to make her fight when she was chair bound. ...Right?

[Nessarose]

"You don't know?"

Nessarose dipped her head slightly, biting her lip as her head scoured the concrete of the sidewalk. Didn't Elphaba always know what to do? She stuck her index finger in between her teeth, chewing it nervously as she looked from side to side. Elphaba didn't know. She DIDN'T KNOW. She tilted her head to the side as Elphaba spoke next. Father was going to have her head. Even if it wasn't her fault. Spoiled as she was, Nessarose didn't want her sister to be in trouble for something that was beyond her control. It wasn't Elphaba's fault. It was the schools' fault. She removed her finger from her teeth and turned her head up at her green skinned sister.

"It's not your fault," she mumbled, "Father's letter must just not have arrived. It's not your fault."

She raised her eyebrows. Yes, maybe they wouldn't let her fight. "Maybe you're right," she said, "But what about you? I mean, you can't use your powers can you? Or should you? I mean you can't control them. And things were supposed to be different here."

She rubbed her arms as if she was cold. "Things were supposed to be really different. There were supposed to be friends, boys, fun." She pouted.

[Elphaba]

"No, I really don't know. It's not as if I can storm into the headmaster's office and demand we be put together," Elphaba answered. The bespectacled girl could just imagine how well that would go over; they'd probably tell her there was nothing they could do and shoo her away. That wouldn't do at all. Still... Elphaba almost wanted to do it. Not that it would do any good for her attempts at making sure things were different, but it would be kind of... Fun, sort of. Finally, she did relax a bit when Nessa confirmed that it wasn't her fault. At the very least, she had her little sister's reassurance of that much. Still, Elphaba couldn't deny that their father wouldn't be at all pleased with the knowledge that they had been separated.

"Well, at least we both know the truth behind that," she said. "We just... Can't let father find out. We'll just have to tell him in our letters that things are going fine, and..."

There, she had to pause. Nessa had agreed that it was possible that they wouldn't make her fight, but what about Elphaba? She had those powers of hers, but no control. It was lucky that she'd managed not to lose the control she seemed to have for the moment. If it got unleashed during a battle, all hell would break loose and she'd be just as reviled as she was in Oz. That was the last thing she wanted.

"Things will be different, Nessa. I promise," Elphaba said. She went to Nessa's side and gently touched her hand against her sister's. Green met the paler skin of her sister, and as genuine a look as Elphaba could manage formed on her face. Avoiding using her magic was going to be a must. It was just a matter of keeping her emotions in check somehow. They seemed to be the root of her problems... Whenever she lost control of her emotions, the magic was sure to follow. Elphaba would just have to try and manage as best she could.

"I'll just have to find some other way to defend myself if it comes to me fighting. I mean, my skin is probably the best defense I have. Any opponent I get will take one look at me and run off screaming anyway, right?"

[Nessarose]

"We don't even know who the headmaster is, do we?"

Childish as it may have seemed to some, Nessarose was looking to Elphaba for guidance with a sort of innocence in her eyes only a sheltered child could understand. She raised her eyebrows and looked around. Daddy would absolutely throw her to the lions for saying what she was about to say out loud. But Nessa wanted to reassure her sister that thing were going to be okay. "Y'know..." she whispered up into Elphaba's green ear, "I'm sure it'd be okay if you used them just in the battlefield. You know, to protect yourself." Her voice was hushed as she searched around as if her father was going to jump from the shadows again.

She frowned at her sister's next statement. "That's not funny," she pouted, "I'm sure there will be...um...plenty of people here who wanna be friends with you." She was lying a tad. Most of the munchkin children pointed or gawked or threw rocks at her. But a place like this maybe had some friends who would see past Elphaba's skin and see into her soul. Whatever was in there. Nessa wasn't so sure it wasn't just as green as she was. Whatever that meant.

She tilted her head forward. "I'm scared," she said. She raised an eyebrow. "Wait, why exactly can't we tell father about this? It's not like he'll invade. Maybe he'll just send us to another school?"

[Elphaba]

"Nessa, please, we both know how most people are going to react when they see me," Elphaba said. She knew well enough what the children they'd grown up with had done when they saw her. Why would people here be any different? ...Wait, what was she saying? Elphaba had come with the hope that people would be different here. Whether or not that hope actually came through was another matter entirely, granted, but still... It was worth hoping. As for why they couldn't tell their father that they'd been separated...

"I don't want him to know because... You know how he is, Nessa. If he finds out, he'd probably try to take us out of here and then it's right back home for the both of us. That's great for getting out of these fights, but then what? Back to father always watching us and blaming me for everything until he finds some new school to send the both of us to. I can't go back to that."

Maybe it was selfish. Elphaba realized that as soon as she'd finished speaking, but it was true. Surely Nessa knew that much. Besides... Elphaba kind of liked the school they were at. In spite of the fact that they might have to fight one another at some point, it seemed like it was as good as it was going to get in terms of classes. That much was a good enough reason to stay, wasn't it? It had to be worth it.

"Besides... It's kind of nice here, isn't it? I mean, apart from the obvious," she said.

[Nessarose]

Nessa returned the knuckle of her index finger to her mouth and nibbled on it softly. Okay so Elphaba was right about her skin. But Nessa was not going to let that get in the way of either of them having a good time. Even if she was being a bit more concerned with herself. Perhaps the teenagers here would look past her chair. Maybe she'd not be seen as tragically beautiful anymore, but be seen as Nessarose, the girl who could do anything. She wheeled her chair back slightly and gave Elphaba a dainty smile. But as she continued, the female dipped her head down and nodded. Father would blame Elphaba for everything. Father would lock her inside and everything else. It wouldn't be fair. She smiled up at her big sister.

"I don't wanna go back to that either, Elphaba," she admitted, "I don't want to go back to sitting inside being father's little flower. You know, the one he doesn't let outside to see the sunlight." Selfish as she was, Nessa inside knew that her sister was suffering more than she was.

"It's pretty I guess," she said, looking about, "Nothing like anything I've ever seen."

[Elphaba]

Elphaba stood up straighter as Nessa wheeled herself back a bit. That dainty smile of hers... Well, it was no wonder their father thought she was perfect. Dainty smile, perfect hair, perfect skin... It all was so much better than Elphaba's own features. Not to mention perfect eyes on top of that. It figured that Elphaba would have all the problems. But, fortunately for all involved at present, Nessa agreed that she didn't want to go back to the life under the rule of their father. No more blame games, no more little sisters being locked away like a precious rose... They were free. They had to keep their freedom as long as they could.

"That's why we have to keep him as out of the dark about this as we can. Even if we have been separated," Elphaba said. She'd just have to help Nessa whenever she had the opportunity... If Nessa needed the help at all. Elphaba knew better than to coddle her little sister and cater to every single little thing, but she had to admit that there were just some things that Nessa would need help with no matter what. But that was for them to worry about later. Her attention returned to the campus around them and she nodded, for once allowing a smile to betray itself on her face.

"It's much better than it is back home. I don't expect everyone to welcome me with open arms, but at least no one knows me here. It's a fresh start... For the both of us," she said. She would make sure that the two of them had as much fun as they could. Granted, Elphaba wasn't all that used to having fun beyond reading books. The closest thing to a party she'd been to had been a funeral, and that had been her mother's. Clearly, the green-skined teen needed to learn how to have a good time at some point.

[Nessarose]

"Okay."

Nessarose sighed, smiling brightly as she looked up at the sky and wheeled her chair back slightly. Her head nodded down, tilting towards Elphaba. "You're right. It is. And you'll be able to fit in here. So long as you keep your little gift to a minimum, right?" She patted Elphaba's arm before sighing. "I hope that we're at least going to have a fun time. Between fights of course." She grumbled, brow furrowing as she thought of the battles again. She brought her knuckle back to her teeth. She nervously looked around.

"Look at everyone. Do you think they're as venerable as me?" She sighed. "I don't want to be useless. I don't want to be alone. Do you think we'll make friends? Do you think boys will like us?"

[Elphaba]

"I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends, Nessa," Elphaba answered. She hoped beyond hope that she, too, would make friends, but who was she kidding? Even if they did have a fresh start, there was no way people would instantly flock to her. They'd more than likely want to avoid her rather than wanting to make friends with her. Still, Elphaba could dream. That was as good as she was going to get in that regard. As for whether or not they'd meet boys, it was hard to say. Elphaba didn't want to actually say it out loud, but there was a possibility of people just... Taking an interest in Nessa out of pity. She hoped that wouldn't be the case here. Her sister, in spite of being spoiled by their father, was as sweet as they came. What boy wouldn't want to have anything to do with her?

"The trouble with boys is that they're hard to read," she finally said, "so I can't say how many we'll meet or if they'll even be interested."

That was about all Elphaba could really say on the matter of boys. Beyond the obvious 'maybe someone out there can see past the chair and the green', that is. Elphaba wasn't going to assume Nessa stupid in that regard, though. They both knew better than anyone what it was like for people to judge based on outward appearances. That would be a topic for another time, she decided. Nessa and she didn't need to go back and forth about that much, and so she would try to direct the topic elsewhere.

"I don't really see what the point in splitting us into four groups is, anyway. I get the concept of the names being elements, but what does it accomplish to split everyone up like they have?"

[Nessarose]

"You think?" She seemed to brighten up, head lifting up as she grinned. Friends. Real friends. Not ones who just wanted to just get to know her just because of her father. Or because they wanted to know what the heck was up with her sister. As if a second thought, however, Nessa stopped being clouded with her own thoughts and took Elphaba's hand in hers. "I'm sure you'll make friends too."

Whether that would happen would remain to be seen. Elphaba wasn't exactly the most appealing to look at girl according to everyone. But there had to be some boy there who would like her. Maybe more than one, though she hoped that part for herself. The 16 year old almost blushed at the thought. She tilted her head towards her sister as she spoke, pondering the groups. Yes, that was right. Besides being split up, Nessarose was curious to know why they'd been split up into those particular groups.

"Why fire?" She wondered out loud, "I mean, I'm not hotheaded. Right? And you got Air. Or wind. What in Oz's name does that mean?" She paused, a playful grin on her face. "Well at least the ties aren't green huh, Elphaba?"

[Elphaba]

"Fire's not necessarily always bad, Nessa," Elphaba pointed out after deciding to not go back in circles about whether or not she'd make friends. "It's warm... Comforting. That could be why you were put in that circle. As for me..."

Wind. It was turbulent, unpredictable, and had the power to wreck things if it really wanted to. It could also be calm and gentle, though. Elphaba was more inclined to believe she was placed in the air circle because of the former rather than the latter. She could be gentle with her sister, but that was about it. More often than not, the green-skinned girl was turbulent and violent like a tempest. She tried not to be, but certain aspects of her life made that much difficult. There was no denying that much.

"Well, they were right on about where to put me. I can't think of a better fit. ...But you're right; at least it's not green," Elphaba said. She had seen some students wearing green, but at least she wasn't among them. It would have been all too easy for her to blend in amongst them, but Elphaba couldn't really argue with her placement.

[Nessarose]

"Am I warm and comforting Elphaba?"

It was a genuine question from the female. She had never had any friends besides her sister so she wasn't sure what Elsa was saying was true. Was it because she had a temper? She didn't think she had one all that much. But Nessarose's insight ended with her chair. Well her chair and pretty new shoes her father gave her which were hidden away in her luggage.

Nessa was hoping that her sister would smile or laugh at her joke but she didn't. She turned sympathetic eyes on her sister. "Maybe it's because wind is...useful? Like...I don't know...it helps blow away sail boats?" She was genuinely trying to help.

[Elphaba]

(ooc: Pfff... You said Elsa instead of Elphaba. xD)

"Trust me, Nessa. You're much warmer than I could ever hope to be," Elphaba answered. The green-skinned sister was as cold and unapproachable as they came. Her sister, on the other hand, was warm... Pleasant. Much more appealing to anyone who would ever meet her, even with that chair she was bound to. It just wasn't fair that Nessa had to be bound there. If only she had some means of helping her... But that was impossible. Elphaba's magic wasn't refined enough for her to do good for anyone. Especially not her sister. Elphaba wished she could do good... She just couldn't.

Well, at least Nessa was trying to make her feel better. That much earned an appreciative smile from Elphaba. It wasn't as if she could have expected anyone else to do it. Wind just wasn't... Well, it did do some good. It carried seeds and such from certain plants, didn't it? That was something.

"You do have a point. Wind can be useful... This wind just has yet to find hers, I guess," she said. That didn't mean she was going to give up, though. She'd find a way to make good, right? That had to happen. It just had to one way or another. Elphaba would figure out how she could do it someday. It was only the first day of school, after all. She'd figure out what she was meant to do with time.

"Maybe, for once, this wind won't make so much of a commotion. ...Oh, who am I kidding? I am one. But that doesn't mean I can't try to do good here. Right?"