"Do you want build a snowman?"
There was a long silence. Elsa finally answered.
"We live in Hawaii."
Anna sighed as she leaned back against Elsa's door. "I know that. It's just … it was our thing, yeah? What we did. But I'd be willing to do anything, just as long as we do something."
"Like what? You know I hate the beach. I hate the tropics, I hate the heat, I hate Hawaii." Elsa glared at the closed door from her perch on her bed.
"I don't know, something. Like, I dunno, da kine."
"What?"
"Jeez, you gotta get out more sis. I know you dislike it here, but you could at least give it a try. I mean, how many ice princesses get to live in Kauai?"
"What did you call me?"
"You know, an ice princess. Because we're from the north and all?"
"Oh." There was a silence, both girls contemplating the other.
"Anna, didn't you have to be somewhere? Hula class or something?"
"Crap! Yeah, I gotta go, see you later sis." Anna jumped up from her usual spot in front of Elsa's door and raced out of their shared house, grabbing her bag on the way. She sprinted down the driveway, running towards and not away from something for once.
When her parents hadn't returned from their trip, the royal advisors had decreed that the princesses have a change of scenery, and sent the two of them off to this backwater island. The change had been welcome for Anna, but Elsa had been more removed than ever.
It had hurt Anna, but at least she was allowed out, to do things, like hula. For the first time in forever, she had friends. Places to go, people to see, things to do. Well, maybe friends was an overstatement, there was only one girl who accepted the outgoing and strange princess from the north.
"Hey, Anna!"
Anna raced to catch up with her friend. As usual, both were running late.
"Lilo! How was school?"
Lilo grimaced and stuck out her tongue. "Blech. Being a freshman sucks. It's worse now with Stitch gone, too."
"Oh yeah, that reminds me, how's his alien internship going?"
Lilo grinned. "Its great! He sent me a letter the other day, Jumba's teaching him how to bribe alien officials while Pleakley is hounding him on alien rights. I miss him, but I think its a great idea that he's training to be Earth representative on the Galactic Council."
Anna smiled, panting, as they raced the last stretch to hula class. "How does that work, anyway? He's not from Earth."
"Yeah, but he's -"
"Late again girls?" Moses Puloki sighed, his hand rubbing tiredly against his face.
"Sorry, Kumu," both girls intoned, their heads dropping. Though it was hardly their first time being late, they were both shamefaced. Lilo may not care about much else, but hula was her life and soul. Anna wasn't that dedicated, but she loved it as well.
"Try not to do it again, okay? Now hurry up and change."
"Yes Kumu."
The girls ran to the changing rooms and began to don their costumes hurriedly.
As she pulled on her kupe'e, or wrist leis, Anna looked over at Lilo. "You were saying earlier?"
"Oh, yeah. Well, Stitch is allowed to represent Earth on the Council because he's a resident of our planet. Plus, it's more better if Stitch goes than any human, because his enhanced intelligence makes the intergalactic politicking easier."
"That's cool. Ready?"
"For hula? Always."
After hula class, the girls, sweating but happy, collected their things.
"Can I come over to your house?" Lilo asked. "Its so much larger and nicer than mine."
"Umm, yeah. Well, you know my parents were rich." Anna shifted uncomfortably. While she and Elsa were in Hawaii, they were under strict instructions not to reveal they were royalty. It wasn't that Anna didn't understand why, it was just … she hated keeping secrets from her only friend. "You can come over, but I warn you, you're not going to be able to get Elsa to come out."
"I can try." Lilo grinned. Ever since finding out about Anna's hermit sister, she had made it her personal pastime to try and coax Elsa out.
Anna shrugged. "Race you home!"
Ten minutes later, the girls tumbled noisily into the house, laughing and panting. Immediately, they headed for the fridge, only to stop short.
"Elsa?!"
The girl in question froze. Literally. Ice seeped from the blonde's pores, encasing her in a layer of frost. Every part of Elsa stilled, except for her eyes, which darted between Anna, Lilo, and the door.
"Elsa what's going on? Why are you covered in ice? Elsa? Elsa?" Anna's voice rose dramatically, but her sister didn't move.
"Woah, calm down." Lilo stepped in between the two sisters. "I may not know what is going on here, but …" Lilo turned to Elsa and inspected her closely. " ... I think your sister's having a panic attack."
Shocked, Anna moved forward, placing a hand on Elsa's icy cheek. "Elsa? Are you okay?"
Anna's touch seemed to shock Elsa into action. Desperately, she pushed past her sister and ran from the room.
"Elsa, wait!" Anna sprinted after her, almost catching up, only to have her sister's door slammed in her face. "Elsa!" Anna pounded on the door, roughly twisting the doorknob, but to no avail. To her shock, ice began creeping out from the crack under the door, spreading outward. "Elsa?"
"Um, maybe you should give her a bit?" Anna turned to see Lilo hovering awkwardly in the hallway. "I mean, when my sister and I fought, we'd just run to our rooms and scream into our pillows."
"I guess you're right. I don't know what to think. What was that?"
Lilo shrugged, gently steering Anna back towards the kitchen. "Dunno." There was a short awkward pause, then Lilo grinned. "Perhaps your sister is Poli'ahu in disguise. Maybe," Lilo continued, her smile getting bigger, "the great snow goddess has come to walk among the mortals, driven out of her home on Mauna Kea by her jealous sister, Pele."
Anna smiled and cut in. "Yeah, Pele was angry with her sister, and cause the mountains to explode with fire, forcing her icy sister off the Big Island. From there, Poli'ahu fled to Kauai, hoping to build a new home here."
With a frown, Anna paused. "But if Elsa is Poli'ahu, wouldn't I be Pele?"
"Eh. You could be. Or, you could be Hi'iaka, patron goddess of hula and dancers. That would be pretty sweet. O great goddess," Lilo intoned, dropping off her chair and lying prostrate on the floor, "forgive me my manners. Please bless me and my dance."
Anna giggled. "Of course, loyal subject. May you always move gracefully, and spread my art among the mortals."
Lilo jumped up. "But seriously, what is up with your sister?"
Anna's smile fell. "I don't know … I remember we use to play in the snow together all the time, but one day she just stopped. I think...I know there must be a connection between her powers and the reason she's shutting me out, but I can't figure it out."
"Well, she could be scared. I mean, she might feel she's different because she has powers, that she's a monster or something. I know that's how Stitch felt a lot."
"You could be right, but I'm her sister...why wouldn't she tell me? Is she scared I'll judge her or something? Because that's ridiculous. I love her."
"I get what you're saying. Stitch pretended to be a dog at first, probably because he was scared I wouldn't accept him otherwise. I think you need to show her that you don't care about her powers."
"But how? She's never come out of that room, and now she probably never will." Anna's faced scrunched up, tears threatening to spill out.
Lilo looked down at her hands, thinking. "After I fought with Nani, and we'd both calmed down, Nani would come up to my room and give me pizza. She'd hold me, and talk about how she still loved me, and how she knew how hard it was with Mom and Dad gone."
"Elsa likes chocolate. And marshmallows. But I can't give them to her if she won't even let me in."
"I can help you with that." Something in Lilo's tone made Anna stare suspiciously at the girl. Lilo just grinned. "Come on, we have to go to my place to get it." With that, she all but dragged Anna after her.
A while later, both girls stood outside Elsa's door, Anna holding a cup of hot chocolate, and Lilo holding a gun. Not just any gun, but a modified heat blaster Jumba had whipped up for her several years ago.
One press of the trigger was all it took to melt down the icy wall Elsa had constructed outside her room. The two friends looked at each other, before Lilo grasped the handle and pushed the door open.
A shocked cry came from Elsa, who sat on her bed amidst an icy wonderland. "What are you doing? Get out! Can't you see I'm dangerous!"
Lilo snorted. "Try hanging out with aliens sometime. You're not dangerous, just gifted."
Anna, who had previously just stood there, looking, now stepped forward. "Lilo's right Elsa. You're my sister. You can trust me, and I trust you."
"You don't understand," Elsa spat bitterly. "I'm cursed."
"No you're not!" Anna rushed forward, throwing her arms around her sister. The mug of hot chocolate she'd been holding splashed everywhere. "Oops, sorry." Embarrassed, Anna let go and tried to wipe the worst of it off her sister.
Elsa grabbed her hands. "Its fine," she assured. "I remember you were always such a clutz."
"No kidding," Lilo snorted. "Anyway- about you being cursed, well, thats silly. What I would do for ice powers. Why, I could make a killing in the shave ice business, or cool myself off on a humid day, or make an ice skating rink!"
Anna chimed in, "Yeah, especially here. You'd be so popular! I can't tell you how many times a day I wish for a cold drink at school."
Elsa hesitated. "But my powers are dangerous. What if I can't control them?"
"Well, I'm no expert," Lilo said, "but I could probably hook you up with someone who is. My friend Stitch is training to be a representative on the Intergalactic Council, so he knows tons of aliens. One of them's got to know something about ice powers."
Elsa stared at Lilo. Seconds passed, then, "Aliens?!"
The End