After The Rain Goes, There Are Rainbows... (*Will WE*) Find (*Our*) Rainbow Soon??? (Or, The Adventures of Pinocchio and Thumbelina and Dorothy [-And Snow White])

The world was at Dorothy's literally 'petite' jeweled-and-silvered feet- and not just in her imagination. Not just in her dreams. *No longer*- NOT ANYMORE... Instead, she was *flying out and about in it*!!! ON A MAGIC BROOMSTICK!! With the greenest and darkest and *MOST BEAUTIFUL* lady she had ever met...!!

Dorothy had been quite surprised and startled at first when Miss Elphaba's -Elphaba*Elphaba*ELPHABA; what a *WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL* name!!!- broom like a mute horse had shot straight out the window after slowly carefully steadily rising up into the air, but afterwards, she'd found that she LOVED the feeling of the wind whipping into her face and blowing through her hair. *LOVED* the feeling of *flying PERIOD*- whether fast, slow, or medium!

And it was plain as day and crystal-clear that Miss Elphaba Diggs loved it, too- though MAYBE *THIS time*, the flush in her smooth flawless freckled emerald cheeks and sparkle in her green-diamond eyes and racing of her heart that Dorothy could *JUST hear* had more to do with the 'pretty' little girl still clinging to her waist and pressed against her strong lean dark-clad back than the thrill and rush and joy of Flying...

No- no 'maybe' about it, even for a little hunchback like the middle Gale sibling. *It did*.

Happily yet discreetly and innocently as possibly, Dorothy breathed in the scent of Elphaba's awful long awful curly strange-feeling yet still pleasingly wonderfully soft black hair also pressed against/blowing into her face- of her ferny cabbagey Granny Smith skin. She smelled- well, GREEN. Like fresh growing things in spring and summer- and of musty dusty well-loved *books*. *STORIES*... (Meaning to say she smelled *WONDERFUL*.)

Elphaba meanwhile felt and heard the sensation of someone taking in her scent and BLUSHED at that as much as the light sweet feeling of Dorothy's actually good-sized farmgirl arms wrapped tight yet gentle around her waist and hips and *her BREAST* being pressed into her back the same way, but *she SMILED* too. She *DIDN'T mind*. Because it was *Dorothy*- her MATE- her *TRUE LOVE*- her sweet sweet little pretty doing so, and not just a random creepy stranger or someone playing a cruel joke on her...

In fact, at this moment Elphaba was *SO happy* that she began to SING her feelings herself rather than simply explain them as she and Miss Dorothy Frances Danielle Gale explored both the latter's home village and the world beyond.

~"I can *show you the world*-
SHINING, *shimmering*, *SPLENDID*...!
Tell me, princess-
Now when did you last
*Let YOUR HEART* decide??

*I can OPEN YOUR EYES*-
Take you *wonder by wonder*:
Over, sideways, and under
On A MAGIC RIDE...!

*A whole new world*-
A NEW *FANTASTIC* point of view...!
No one to tell us '*NO*', or WHERE TO GO,
Or say *we're ONLY DREAMING*..."~

Stars twinkled and glowed in both the velvety deep blue sky and Dorothy's eyes as she and Elphaba now soared upupUP through the clouds. She gasped and laughed when the 'Wicked Witch' showed off a little or went a tad too fast, but never once thought to react *in FEAR* even if her heart raced or thudded in response. And when a flock of birds flying South for the winter chirruped or squawked in surprise and shock to see THEM flying, Dorothy giggled and Elphaba *cackled* before they sped on to wherever.
*HER mouth* opened to sing rather than speak as her SOUL soared above the clouds, behind the moon, beyond the rain, and over the rainbow.

~"*A whole new world*-
A DAZZLIN' place I *NEVER knew*...!
But when I'm *WAY UP HERE*,
*It's CRYSTAL-CLEAR*
That now I'm in *a WHOLE NEW WORLD* with you..."~

~"Now I'm in *a WHOLE NEW WORLD* with you...!"~ Elphaba crooned in joyful loving reply while they now flew over the pyramids and river(s) and oasises and mysterious magical land of Egypt and Arabia thanks to a bit of Magic. (Dorothy wasn't scared- not the least little bit. She'd always wanted to travel and see the world, but of course wasn't able to due to being so small...!)

DOROTHY: ~"*Unb'lievable sights*-
INDESCRIBABLE FEELING...!
*SOARIN', TUMBLIN', FREEWHEELIN'
Through an endless diamond sky*...!

*A WHOLE NEW WORLD*...!"~

ELPHABA: ~"*Don't you dare
CLOSE YOUR EYES*..."~

DOROTHY: "A HUNDRED THOUSAND things t' see...!"~

ELPHABA: ~"*Hold your breath*,
'Cause it gets *BETTER*...!"~

DOROTHY: ~"I'm like *a SHOOTING STAR*-
I've COME SO FAR;
*I can't go back to where I used to be*...!"~

Now they were soaring over the temples, fields, forests, and villages of ancient and modern Greece- Elphaba at one point zipping past an apple tree, picking two, and giving one to Dorothy by way of rolling and flipping it off of her shoulder, and Dorothy plucking a lavender-blue rose from a nearby rosebush more Rare than Usual and placing it in Elphaba's hair.

ELPHABA: ~"*A whole new world*-
*With NEW HORIZONS* to pursue...!"~

DOROTHY: ~"Ev'ry turn *a S'RPISE*;
Ev'ry moment RED-LETTER...!"~

DOROTHY AND ELPHABA: %~"I'll chase them *anywhere*-
There's time to spare!
*Let me share this Whole New World with you*...!"~%

Another shimmerflashpulse of Magic, and they were flying over small lovely foreign towns and rivers that before Dorothy had only ever seen on Mother's blue-and-white china... (Not her *BEST china*, though. That had delicately prettily-painted flowers and birds and gold rimming around the edges.)

ELPHABA: ~"A whole new world..."~

DOROTHY: ~"A whole new world...!"~

ELPHABA: ~"That's where we'll be..."~

DOROTHY: ~"That's *where we'll be*...!"~

ELPHABA: ~"A *thrilling chase*-"~

DOROTHY: ~"A WONDROUS PLACE..."~

DOROTHY AND ELPHABA: %~"*A WHOLE NEW WORLD*-
*A whole new LIFE*
For *you and me*..."~%

At one point, as they soared among/through the *NIGHT rainbow* AKA Northern Lights and flew over the villages and forests and *even CASTLES* of Norway, Dorothy's little auburn-plaited head dreamily contently laid on Elphaba's shoulder, and she and the green-skinned faerie-witch shyly sweetly held one another's hand (the other of course still clinching either one's waist or a broomstick so as not to fall off)- both things still happening when they stopped to sit and star-gaze and give good ol' Broom a rest on a mossy cliff. And Dorothy KNEW that she was *IN LOVE*- that she hadn't just made a new friend or even a *BEST friend*... (Well, a Best Friend whom you could *kiss again and again*, she then amended.)

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Witch and farmgirl 'princess' were then silent for at least half an hour. No- quiet. A nice warm calm sort of Quiet, like the turning of a page in a favorite book or a walk in the woods...

Soon enough, however, one broke through the silence- though not at all loudly.

"It's all *so MAGICAL*..." Dorothy sighed happily, still comfortably snuggled into Elphaba's side (and now warmly wrapped as well, since the Witch had kindly thoughtfully offered to share her cloak so that Dorothy wouldn't be cold).

"Hmm... yes. It REALLY IS, Dorothy my pretty," Elphaba murmured with *HER arm* now wrapped around *Dorothy's* waist. "Even for either a faerie, a witch, or both... I *NEVER* thought I could be *THIS happy*- did you?"

"No; NEVER," Dorothy mumbled in both disbelief and contentment. "*Never, never*- 'cept in my dreams 'r daydreams..."

This moved Elphaba so much that she pressed a kiss of assurance and comfort and love into Dorothy's thick soft dark sweet-smelling hair, which made the younger girl gasp softly and blush. "Well, NO MORE- *NO LONGER*, my sweet," she said both firmly and tenderly as she looked right into Dorothy's big bright blue eyes. "*It's REALITY*, but not a sad or painful kind."

Dorothy blinked back tears of *happiness and love* as she raised the green green long/sharp-nailed hand she was still holding to her lips and softly gently sweetly kissed it as well- causing it's owner to gasp *and TREMBLE*. She didn't know what to say other than, "You're- *You're SO DOG-GONE RIGHT* 'bout THAT, Miss Elphaba..."

Elphaba was MELTING- *MELTING*!! In a *GOOD way*- *the best way*...!!! Shecouldn'thelpit- she KISSED DOROTHY FOR REAL after near-sobbing in joylovedisbeliefwonder, "*Oh, Dorothy*...!"

And Dorothy- Didn't pull or jerk away. *Kissed Elphaba back*- like she was Juliet and 'the Wicked Witch of the West'/Faerie Princes' bodyguard was Romeo. Either at The Ball or On The Balcony. Cradling/Cupping her beautiful emerald-hued face as she did so like Elphaba was doing to her...

Slow- soft- sweet- tender- gentle. *LOVING*, not Playful or Lustful or Experimental. A kiss about apple pie a la mode with the sweet vanilla creaminess melting in the lightly-spiced heat- a kiss about chocolate when you haven't so much as nibbled it for *a YEAR*; a kiss like a pink-violet-orange-golden sunset. Like a sparkling shimmering rainbow. Like diamond stars glowing and twinkling in the sky- like the swollen sea spilling like tears all over your legs rather than cheeks...
A kiss that lasted for a full minute and a half before shamrock and rose lips finally parted and eyes fluttered open.

Elphaba flinched and bit her lower lip. Rubbed her thumb over Dorothy's soft further-flushed cheek at the same time. "Is- Is this-?? Was that okay? For- For me to do, I mean?"

In response, Dorothy smiled- soft and sweet and warm. Nodded assuringly, "Mm-hm-! *Yes*- that- That was perfectly FINE AN' DANDY for you t' do, darlin'. I- I *WANTED YOU t' do it*- *wanted you t' kiss me*...!"

Elphaba breathed a tiny yet deep sigh of relief. Then she inquired bashfully, "Would YOU... *kiss ME*, then?"

Dorothy couldn't reply this time, since her mouth was rather full- but that was okay. Elphaba's was, too.

This kiss... was as soft and sweet and tender as before, but *just a little* DEEPER. Just a little harder. Not ROUGH or *FIERCE* or *wet*, though- *not YET*, thankyouverymuch! To Dorothy's and Elphaba's minds, *kiss GENTLY AND LIGHTLY* at least three times on three dates before going any further...! (Surely, Mama would quite agree; and so would Elphaba's daddy-or-papa-!)

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

They kissed and 'cooed' and cuddled under the light of the moon and stars and *NIGHT rainbow* for a long while- but eventually, of course, they had to head back. *Head HOME*.

Somehow knowing what to do, Dorothy tapped the heels of her ruby-and-silver slippers together one-two-three times, thought to herself, '*There's no place like home*'- and before either of them knew it, she and Elphaba plus Elphaba's broom were whisked away to the windowsill of Mama's house where 'LINA AND PRINCE CORNELIUS and *'Nocchi and Prince Peter* were saying 'goodbye (for now)' and 'goodnight' to each other- 'Lina's eyes sparkling as sweetly and brightly as Dorothy's and 'Nocchi's face beaming like the sun. -Though 'Dory' | 'Dottie' could sense that 'Little Woodenhead' *WASN'T In Love* with the other awful nice comely faerie prince; they were just Good Friends and ONLY THAT. (That was okay, though, if a little sad- hers' and Lina's sweet little brother *NEEDED* more friends!)

Elphaba's warm intelligent dark emerald eyes were full of QUESTIONS, but she voiced not a one of them, not wanting to- well, break the spell. Dorothy didn't think much on it, either (though she hardly would have minded a ride home).

Finally, Dorothy leaned up on tip-toe and tenderly kissed Elphaba on the cheek and Elphaba raised *DOROTHY'S hand* to her lips before reverently lovingly kissing it as well.

"G'night, Elphaba- my beautiful Good-yet-Wicked Witch..."

"Sleep well, sweet princess- my little pretty Dorothy..."

'My pretty'- 'my little pretty'... Dorothy really really liked bein' called that. (*ONLY by Elphaba*, of course!)

"Can- Will- 'Shall we ever meet again'??"

"'*I doubt it not*...' Tomorrow night? I'm FREE, then."

"*Oh, YES*...! *Yesplease*! Oh, dear- that's *TOO WONDERFUL* to be true...!"

One last kiss on the lips- one more embrace- one more caress (Elphaba brushing a few stray strands of Dorothy's hair off of her sweet face while Dorothy swept her small creamy thumb over the skin of Elphaba's smooth warm vibrantly-verdant cheek)... and then Witch-Faerie Bodyguard and Faerie Princes plus bumblebee saddled like a horse and magical broom flew away, leaving three teeny-tiny 'humans' waving and calling %"Goodbye! Goodnight!"% after them.

Once Elphaba, Cornelius, and Peter were gone, Thumbelina whirled around on her heel, gave Dorothy a Look- and then didn't just smile but GRINNED in tandem with her merrily-twinkling eyes. "*Oooohh*- I KNOW *THAT face*, now!" she giggled almost impishly. "Good date, Dottie??"

Dorothy pressed her hands over her heart still singing Elphaba's name and twirled around on her heels as she dreamily looked up at the sky. "*The best*...!" she sighed happily. "Don't ask me about the details t'night, though- I wouldn't be able t' tell you. Ask me t'morrow..."

"Ohhh... Okay," 'Lina relented with a not-so-slight pout. "But *you BETTER* give us The Details in the morning, Dorothy Gale...!" she then adfixed with another Look and a wag of her finger.

"*I promise*, 'Lina!" Dorothy laughed, giving her 'big sis' a hug.

Pinocchio then bounded forth with his own hug, still feeling *a little* empty inside but mostly feeling warm and good because at least HE had *made a friend* if not found *HIS true love* yet. Not that he said this aloud, of course- he didn't want to rudely inconsiderately burst Dorothy's and Thumbelina's happy light rosy-and-violet-tinged shimmering bubbles.

What *he DID* say, however, was this- "*I'm SO HAPPY* for you, Dory! Happy for you 'n Lina both...!"

Dorothy, of course, was as smart and observant as she was kind- but wanting to spare *PINOCCHIO'S feelings*, she said nothing about his still-empty heart until they had floated/danced back to bed and 'Lina had fallen asleep. Then and only then did she reach out to gently lovingly squeeze 'Nocchi's own small hand and whisper, "Dontcha worry, 'Nocchi- don't be *TOO sad*, poppet. One day- one night, it'll be YOU who d'scovers a whole new world an' whole new life. *One day*, *you WILL* find th' one you love! *I promise that, too*..."

Pinocchio weakly sweetly smiled and pressed Dorothy's hand back at that... though that didn't erase the longing there still in his own big beautiful blue eyes or dry the tears shimmering in them. (*Poor 'Nocchi*...!)

"Th- Thanks. G'night, Dory- love you. Sw- Sweet dreams..."

"'Buono notte', 'Nocchi honey. I love you too- hope you have at least *ONE sweet dream* y'rself..."

(He did- but they were *BITTER-sweet*, because they were still taking place in the land of What-Might-Have-Been; which of course doesn't at all soften the *ACHE* we feel when Reality sets back in and we wake up... ['It's *the THOUGHT* that counts', though.])