Soulmates

Time Was Ticking

Elphaba stared down at the little piece of plastic embedded in her arm. Time was ticking. And it had been ever since the very first second the spark of life had entered her tiny little body. This little timer was something that every Ozian had, and like Elphaba, they were born with it. It was a device that counted down the time, to the very second, until they met their Soulmate. The green girl rubbed that lump of plastic in her arm with a nervous smile. That tiny square, its glowing red numbers peeking through her emerald flesh, gave her hope. It gave her hope that, someday, she would indeed find love. Despite the fact that, right now, she was pretty much despised by everyone for her skin color, the fact that time was ticking on her little Soulmate watch meant that she wouldn't stay this was forever. Time was ticking.

The thought excited her, but it also kind of scared her. Who in Oz could possibly be her Soulmate if everyone she ever met ran away in horror because of her green skin? And she had heard horror stories of people's timers running out, only for them to be standing alone. Often, this signaled that their Soulmate was already dead, and this had been the last place they ever stood before expiring. It was Elphaba's fear that when her timer went off, she would find herself staring at a grave. But time was ticking so clearly that Elphaba couldn't help but feel optimistic. There had to be someone out there meant for her! She just needed to wait. 3 years, 1 month, 17 days, 6 hours, 38 minutes and 26 seconds. Time was ticking.

Miles across Oz, another young woman stared down at her own Soulmate timer with the same about of awe and excitement that Elphaba had. This girl was the aristocratic Galinda Arduenna-Upland (of the Upper Uplands), and she was just as keen about meeting her Soulmate as everyone else she knew. It was always such a thrill for her, imagining what handsome prince life would bestow upon her. She never ceased to dream about a beautiful strange, long, tan and handsome hero, coming to sweep her off her feet and take her to his castle to make her his queen. She already liked to joke to her fellow schoolgirl friends about what her Soulmate might look like and be like, and they would respond with fantasies equally as wild. Perhaps he would be a king. Or a wizard. Or a nobleman. Or a businessman. Or some variation of all of those! The thought made Galinda and all of her friends melt with excitement. Galinda could only sigh dreamily, now, as she stared at her little Soulmate timer. Time was ticking. 3 years, 1 month, 17 days, 6 hours, 38 minutes and 26 seconds. Time was ticking.

Then, 10 years, 1 month, 17 days, 6 hours, 35 minutes and 0 seconds later, Elphaba found herself standing at the iron gates of Shiz University. She was far too excited at the prospect of just being here, with people who were supposedly far more open-minded than the bullies she was leaving at her small town back home, to realize that her Soulmate timer was telling her that she only had 3 minutes and 26 seconds left until she would see her Soulmate for the very first time. Instead, all she could focus on was the sprawling school in front of her. But even though her timer was being ignored by her, time was ticking.

At the same time, another girl had made her arrival to Shiz as well. It was Galinda. She was rolled in on her luggage, a band of busboys obediently pushing her and all of her shiny trinkets along the path. Perched daintily atop those many boxes and bags, Galinda was smiling and waving like a queen. Her golden curls were pressed just so, her face was flawless and smooth, her white uniform was crisp and clean. Every little trait, however small, was completely perfect! She looked like an angel. A goddess! And she greeted all of her astounded onlookers with a regal, benevolent wave of her dainty, gloved hand. She flashed them a dazzling smile of pearly teeth and pink lips, and sometimes, she'd even give a toss-toss of her golden curls. At one point, someone blew her an eager kiss, which she pretended to catch. She looked down demurely. In doing so, she caught a glimpse of her timer. Oooh, 1 minute and 47 seconds left! Eager, Galinda inhaled sharply before looking hopefully to some of the prettier boys in the area as she mentally counted down. Time was ticking!

At the same time, Elphaba moved deeper and deeper into Shiz, still awed by all the majesty of the school's buildings. She was hardly aware of how disgusted students made way for the ugly, poverty-stricken, green freak that passed them by. Instead, she was far too glad to be here to care what anybody else thought right now. Elphaba was also still ignorant to her timer and how it said she had 57 seconds left.

Galinda kept counting, blue eyes glued to one handsome young lad in particular. She dared to glance down at her timer. She was right on the beat. 8 seconds, 7 seconds, 6 seconds, 5 seconds... Time was ticking!

"Oh my Oz! What the heck is that?!" a shrill voice screamed. Galinda, in surprise, whipped her head around, away from the handsome boy, and to the one that had caused such a stir in the distance. It was... a girl with... green skin?! She did not seem to hear the other student's cry of horror, eyes wide with amazement as she kept moving right along. Then she caught sight of Galinda, perched to gracefully upon her suitcases. She gave the blond an amazed and interested look. Suddenly, Galinda felt her arm vibrate. She turned away from the strange green girl to check her Soulmate timer. 00:00:00. Galinda looked back to the green girl after that, eye twitching. And now disbelief was written upon the green girl's face as well as she looked down at her timer only to look back up at Galinda a second later with a stunned expression.

Time was not ticking.

AN: Now we've got the Timer AU.