Disclaimer: Don't. Own. Shit.
Returning to the waking world after nearly freezing to death was, admittedly, a strange experience. Realizing she was warm perhaps took the cake for being the strangest sense of surprise she'd ever felt.
Then, it fell second to the realization that she was alive enough to be aware of all this.
Forcing her eyes open, Anna took in her surroundings with growing alarm. She could barely remember anything beyond the bitter cold from before she blacked out but there was one really important thing missing: Olaf. Where was he? What happened? What about her other Pokémon?
She struggled to sit up, barely registering the bed she was on and focused only on finding Olaf. Every breath hurt to take, her mouth was dry, her head pounded, but that could all wait. And what about the others? Her friends, her companions- she had to find-
"Whoa, hey, slow down there, Feisty Pants! You're in no condition to be moving around just yet." A strong baritone cut through the myriad of thoughts assaulting her mind. Anna swung her gaze around and nearly tipped over the side of the bed, stopped from an abrupt collision with the floor by two strong hands on her shoulders. "You need to rest."
"But- My Pokémon-"
"Miss Andersen, please listen to me."
She blinked blearily at the man next to her, trying to focus on his features. Everything about her felt so sluggish. "How do you... know my name?"
"Good, you recognize your name." She could practically feel his relief, even though his features were still a bit fuzzy. Her vision was sharpening though, slowly bringing everything into focus. "We were worried you'd hit your head at some point and some people are pretty sluggish mentally in recovering from hypothermia anyway, so... yeah. Your coordination's going to be off for a day or two but, if you feel up to eating something, you should be at least about to move around a bit by tomorrow morning. By some miracle, you aren't suffering any permanent damages from frostbite, so you should be fine in a few days." The man smiled, large brown eyes steadily holding her gaze. He seemed nice enough, at least, with his broad features and shaggy blond hair. "My name's Kristoff Bjorgman and you're in Arendelle City. Do you remember much about how you got here?"
"Not really. I got caught in a blizzard, I know that much, but the rest..." She shook her head and shivered involuntarily, wincing as her stiff neck protested both movements. "I remember the cold the most."
"Yeah, it was our worst one so far this year. You're lucky Elsa found you so quickly; by the time she got you back here, we thought you might not make it through. You've been asleep for two days." He sighed, patting her shoulder gently. Kristoff was wearing relatively light clothing- simple pants, a shirt, and a vest, all of which looked too thin to provide much warmth- and had his sleeves rolled up, exposing well muscled forearms. At her questioning frown, he explained continued. "Elsa's the Gym Leader here. She usually takes her team out during especially bad storms to scout the route for wayward trainers, in case they got caught in a storm."
"I don't remember a trainer... just..." Anna squinted, her memory coming back in bits and pieces. "A Glaceon."
"Yep, that's one of them. Elsa's trained them for things like this, which is pretty cool." He winced, laughing awkwardly before clearing his throat. "Okay, that was a bad and unintentional pun, I promise. Anyway, I'll go grab you some food real quick, then I'll go down to the Pokémon Center and pick up your team, okay?"
"No need, Kris." Anna turned her head at the new voice, much softer and more feminine than Kristoff's. A blonde entered her field of vision, holding the redhead's pack, dressed head to toe in light blue cold weather gear, including a scarf and beanie that obscured all but the braid over one shoulder and eyes that were an even brighter blue than her garb. The outfit itself was the same color as the Blizzard Badge and Anna would've found that utterly ridiculous if she hadn't been so relieved at seeing her pack held out to her. "I believe this is yours."
Anna reached for the bag and rooted through it, releasing Olaf from his pokéball the moment she found it wiggling at the bottom of the pack. The Delibird seemed confused at his surroundings for only a moment before catching sight of her and launching himself onto the bed, hugging Anna with his wings. She wrapped her arms around Olaf and started apologizing instantly, stroking his feathers to soothe him while he squawked and chirped up a storm.
"I'm so sorry, buddy, I swear I was just trying to protect you." She muttered, earning a glare that quite clearly told her what he thought about that plan. "I know, I know, I wasn't thinking clearly, I said I'm sorry!"
Olaf huffed, turning his attention to the strangers, who both seemed surprised at the display.
"I've never seen a Delibird quite like that before." Kristoff mumbled, caught between reaching forward to pet him and leaving the room to get Anna her promised food. The blonde just stood there.
Anna was watching Olaf's reaction carefully. After a few tense moments, Olaf turned his attention back to Anna, continuing to complain about her behavior; to the redhead, that was as good as character appraisals ever got, usually. Still, it wasn't very polite.
"Olaf, be nice to these people. They saved our lives." Anna chided gently, nudging the Delibird to be more social.
Almost immediately, Olaf detached himself from Anna to throw himself at the woman still standing by the bed, who caught the bird with only a little difficulty. She ended up falling hard into a seat by the desk in the room- wait, she was in an actual bedroom? Not a hospital?- with a small groan after losing the battle to keep her balance.
"Good reflexes, Elsa." Kristoff laughed, taking his leave before Olaf could target him. "He can attack me when I get back. I just hope he doesn't make me spill your food!"
Anna giggled, trying to stay awake as her panic died away completely. Without the adrenaline coursing through her system and her companions back in her possession, the redhead felt entirely content to just go back to bed. However, food was probably a very good idea, even if she didn't have much in the way of energy to eat it, so Anna settled for watching as Olaf hugged the blonde, who was returning the gesture with a quirked brow while removing her beanie and scarf.
"He's very... friendly." Elsa tilted her head slightly as the Delibird suddenly disengaged and ran back to Anna, this time climbing onto the bed gingerly and sitting down close to Anna's head, apparently done fussing at her for the time being.
The redhead reached a hand up, stroking through his feathers. "Actually, Olaf is usually really adverse to people. He was abandoned by his last trainer so he tends to react negatively to people he feels might threaten me. I guess it works the other way, too. Most of the time, it's a good sign if he doesn't completely ignore your existence or try to peck you." She turned her gaze to Elsa. Without the beanie and scarf, Arendelle City's Gym Leader was strikingly beautiful, pale skin a perfect backdrop for piercing blue eyes. Anna was a little intimidated, barely finding her voice in time to continue. "I am deeply grateful for you help, Miss Elsa. I don't know what I can do to repay you."
"I consider it part of the Gym Leader's responsibilities, Miss Andersen," Elsa replied, somewhat stiff and formally, crossing her legs and leaning back in the chair, arms over her chest. "But... would you mind answering some questions? It's not often we get a visitor."
"Really?" The redhead's brows knit together. "There were whole groups planning to make the journey in a couple weeks."
The other woman tilted her head. "I suppose I misspoke; we don't often get just one unconscious visitor in the middle of the night." Anna's gaze instantly reverted to the ceiling at the blunt reminder of her rather poor decision making. "I must admit to being curious as to what would prompt someone to make the dangerous trek alone."
Anna nodded, waiting until Olaf rearranged himself to wrap an arm around him. He nuzzled into her side, bringing a soft smile to her lips; she swore he sometimes acted more like a human child than a Pokémon. "I suppose that makes sense. You probably think I'm crazy, huh?"
"That, or you posses a genuine death wish." Elsa narrowed her eyes, her demeanor shifting almost too suddenly for Anna to accurately recognize. It was like she was facing the fury of the blizzard all over again, in human form. "If the latter, I refuse to apologize for thwarting you."
The redhead held up one hand in surrender. "I promise I didn't-"
"Then why do something so incredibly stupid?"
Anna blinked in surprise at the sudden harshness in Elsa's tone and the thinly veiled anger burning in her eyes. Her immediate reaction was to snap back a reply- because, really, Gym Leader or not, who the hell did this woman think she was?- but Olaf dug his beak into her side, as if reminding her to be nice.
She sighed, grumbling back at the blonde while focusing on the window. "Glowerhaven is obviously profiting from the nearly legendary, dangerous route to Arendelle City. I didn't take their warnings as anything other than tactics to keep trainers spending money there. So sue me."
Both were silent a few moments before Elsa spoke, an edge to her voice despite its softer volume. "Was a badge really worth the risk of being wrong?"
"I didn't come for the Blizzard Badge." She winced. "Well, okay, I kinda did, but not really. See, I was going to get it and head down to the League, but that's only if things work out here for Olaf." At the prolonged silence, the redhead sighed. She didn't have the guts to see if the Gym Leader was still angry with her but figured explaining the whole story couldn't hurt. The woman apparently already believed her to be an idiot; how much worse could her opinion get? "I'm from Kanto, originally. Someone dumped Olaf in the forest outside my home when I was a kid and I made it my mission to find him a nice, icy mountain to call home." She shrugged as best she could. "The only reason I came to this region was for the mountain range and Arendelle City was my best bet, given how Olaf has reacted to the places we've been to already."
"But you still came for the badge." Elsa sat forward slightly, her voice strained. To Anna, it sounded as though the blonde was barely keeping her anger or frustration in check though it did little to blunt the accusatory tone.
"Yes, but only because the prize money from beating the Elite Four would give me a nice cushion to start up here." Anna chuckled, shaking her head, recalling her parents' surprise when she'd explained her plan to them. "As much as I miss home, I can't imagine leaving Olaf behind now. He's just... he's family now, so I can't just dump him somewhere, leave, and never come back. That's why Arendelle City's the best bet: it's small enough so he won't be stressed and cold enough so he's comfortable. The whole Blizzard Badge legend was just a bonus, an easy way to make enough money, but that was never my concern. This was my last stop in Yensid before moving on to the next region." She ran her hand through Olaf's feathers again. "I can work out the details for my future later, though. My primary focus is finding a place for Olaf to be comfortable and happy."
"He seems perfectly content with you as his trainer." Elsa noted as she stood, striding to the window and opening it up. Anna was about to protest the chilly wind flooding the room when she heard the deep, rumbling growl of an Abomasnow. A moment later, the Pokémon's head appeared, eyes scanning the room before settling on Anna and Olaf. Instinctively, the redhead tried to get up and push her Delibird behind her, shielding him from the larger Pokémon. When Elsa turned back, the anger had settled slightly. "I apologize for the cold but this won't take long; Marshmallow just likes to check up on the people we bring to town from the route to make sure they're okay."
Olaf perked up as Marshmallow grumbled some more, hopping down form the bed to waddle over to the window, chirping and squawking in response to the other Pokémon's growls. After a few moments of chatter between the two, Anna relaxed back into the bed, convinced neither Pokémon was preparing to attack the other.
"You've never seen him in warmer climates." Anna smiled at the confused look on Elsa's face. "Maybe Olaf is happy with me as his trainer, and he really does enjoy warmer climates a bit too much for an ice type, but he's physically miserable anywhere that doesn't have snow on the ground. I'm not sure if you've picked up on how excitable he can be but, trust me, when all that energy is directed at you because he's not feeling well, you'd be eager to find him a nice place to settle down, too."
Olaf, as if to prove her point, began hopping around, squawking even louder as he relayed something to Marshmallow that was beyond either woman's comprehension.
"I'll take your word for it," Elsa replied after a moment, cracking a small smile as she observed the two. "So, if I understand you correctly: you risked your life in a blizzard trying to reach a new city you're entirely willing to settle down in, all for the sake of your Delibird?"
"Yep." Anna smiled. For her, it really was that simple.
What Elsa thought of that response was impossible for the redhead to guess. Rather than saying anything at all, she merely walked over and grabbed another blanket from a pile in the corner, throwing it over Anna as the room cooled. Though Anna was grateful for the extra layer, she found it odd that the cold wasn't affecting her as bad as she thought it should, given her recent bout of hypothermia. Or maybe she just didn't feel it as strongly because her body temperature wasn't back to normal quite yet.
"So, who's hungry?" Kristoff's voice startled Anna as he re-entered the room, carrying a tray laden with food. At that moment, the redhead's stomach growled loudly, a sharp pang of hunger reminding her just how precarious a situation she'd survived. "Well, that's one way to answer." Anna rolled her eyes but accepted the tray eagerly. Kristoff grabbed two bowls from the tray and passed one to Elsa, handing her a cup of something warm from the tray as well before settling into a seat with his own meal and drink. "Glaceon is at the bottom of the stairs, by the way; nearly tripped on him when I came up."
"I'm not surprised." The blonde gave him a slightly wider smile than the ones she'd given Anna. Probably out of familiarity, the redhead assumed- plus, she wasn't irrationally angry with him for going out in a blizzard. "He seems to prefer your home most days."
"Ever since I was a kid; even Lucius noticed," Kristoff replied, smiling slightly as he started shoveling whatever was in the bowl into his mouth. The same sort of soup that was on her tray, from what the redhead could tell, though she was more interested in the meatier portion of her meal.
Anna had already started devouring what was put in front of her- a mix of relatively standard fare and some local delicacies from what she could tell- though she was brought to an abrupt halt by the blonde's warning.
"Don't eat too fast." Elsa put her own bowl in her lap. "Despite your hunger, you will not be able to accept food as quickly as your body wants it. You need to eat slowly or you're likely to lose your meal before you can start digesting it."
"Yeah, your stomach hasn't had anything solid for over two days," Kristoff said around a mouthful of noodles and soup. "Give it time to adjust before overeating."
Anna nodded mutely, not trusting her voice. There were at least a million questions each begging to be asked but she refrained as best she could. But, self-restraint was never one of Anna's strong points. After taking a generous gulp of water, she prepared to ask a relatively safe question. Unfortunately, the sounds of a slight commotion echoed through the door from somewhere a bit further away and brought the attention of everyone in the room to the entryway.
Kristoff grimaced. "Well, Sven's home."
"Sven?" Anna raised a brow as the man wiped his mouth with the back of his hand while setting his bowl on the desk.
"El- my Sawsbuck. When he's not helping Elsa's Pokémon look for trainers, he visits a community of Geodude and other rock types that live by a natural hot springs and geyser field. Given how bad the blizzard was, he went to check on them yesterday." The blond sighed heavily as more crashing could be heard. "Every time he comes home after visiting them, he picks a fight with Glaceon for some reason."
"It's not 'some reason', Kristoff." Elsa defended. "Glaceon doesn't like smelling the sulfur from the dormant volcano on Sven's coat."
"Okay, but this is still my house, so it's Sven's house by extension."
"Glaceon was here first."
He opened his mouth to say something but groaned instead as Glaceon raced into the room and over to the window sill, glaring at the doorway. A moment later, a Sawsbuck's head poked through the entrance- decorated in white fluff around his antlers and neck given the time of year- and the Pokémon snorted loudly in aggravation as it tried to muscle its way into the room. Olaf immediately waddled over, squawking loudly and indicating the bed, drawing Sven's attention to Anna.
"Uh, hello." The redhead offered him a tentative wave, slightly surprised when he leaned in and started sniffing at her. With a small laugh, she put a hand on his snout. "I'm okay, really. Just tired." She nodded towards Glaceon. "Think you two can get along for a little while? I promise I'll leave as soon as I'm better."
Glaceon's ears twitched before he jumped down from the sill, padding over to the bed and hopping up onto it. Though he exchanged a slight glare and growl with Sven, the two behaved as the Sawsbuck finished entering the room, following Olaf over toward the window where Marshmallow waited. Anna smiled, gently rubbing along Glaceon's spine as he settled down to soak up the attention. He felt much colder than anything she'd ever touched before but, Anna reasoned, she was probably still shaking the effects of her brush with a frozen death.
Kristoff's jaw was hanging open while Elsa merely raised her brow.
"I'll impressed," Elsa finally said, blinking as she shook her head. "From the moment they met, those two haven't been fond of each other."
"If you have that kind of power over Pokémon, you can stay as long as you like!" Kristoff smiled, reclaiming his seat. "I can barely get any rest with those two always at each other's throat! It's ridiculous!"
"If it's that big a problem-" Elsa started but put her hands up in surrender quickly as Kristoff rounded on her.
"For the hundredth time: no." The blond crossed his arms over his chest and glared. "I appreciate your generosity but I'm not giving him back."
"Give him back?" Anna furrowed her brows.
"I originally caught Sven as a Deerling during my brief stop in Unova," she replied, settling back in her seat. "Here in Arendelle City, we don't have a resident Professor or other Pokémon authority to help trainers begin their journey, so the Gym Leader takes on that responsibility."
"That must be difficult." Anna frowned, looking over to her Delibird. Olaf was happily chatting away with Marshmallow and Sven, significantly more at ease with the two than she'd ever seen him before. Originally, the plan was to release Olaf back into the wild, allow him to live freely. She'd amended that plan, allowing her to stay in the area, but... would she really be able to let him go when the time came? After all these years, could she release him? "But it's worth it... right? Letting them go?"
"It is." Elsa stood, walking over and running a hand along Glaceon's back. "Come on. We should let our friend rest." Glaceon hopped down from the bed and left the room while Elsa went over to the window, moving to close it. "We'll be out shortly, Marshmallow."
The Abomasnow gave a deep grumble in reply before stepping away; now that Anna was more aware of her surroundings, she could feel each tromping step through the bed's frame.
"I'll keep an eye on Miss Andersen." Kristoff grinned. "And be careful out there tonight."
Just before Elsa left, she paused at the doorway and gave Anna a soft smile, the kindest expression she'd received so far. "Don't try to push yourself too hard. Recovering from hypothermia is serious work for your body."
Anna nodded dumbly, trying to reconcile the genuine, friendly advice with the quiet anger from before. As her footsteps faded, Anna turned her attention to Kristoff. "Uh, Mister Bjorgman? I can't tell if she hates me or not. Is that normal?"
Kristoff barked a laugh. "First, it's Kristoff or Kris; that 'Mr. B' stuff is for my dad. As for Elsa... she can be a little hard to read, I guess. When she first became the Gym Leader, I was one of the first people in town to really befriend her, so I guess I'm just so used to her that I don't notice anymore. Come to think of it, I'm really the only one in town who can call her a friend. She's always been a bit... closed off but don't let it fool you. She cares a lot more than she lets on because she's not very good at expressing her concern, as you saw, I'm sure." His expression softened slightly. "Please don't hold it against her; she really doesn't like how trainers throw themselves into danger for the sake of the Blizzard Badge. If it didn't mean an end to our city's way of life, I think she would've shut the Gym down the day she beat Lucius. I honestly don't think it's anything personal."
"I guess I can understand that." Anna sighed, finishing off the water and grimacing. She'd probably overeaten, given the discomfort she felt in her stomach, but it was much better than freezing to death. Overall, not a bad sort of discomfort, honestly. "So, you grew up here?"
"Born and raised."
"Is Arendelle City in need of anything? Like, work-wise: a carpenter, an electrician, handyman... juggler." The redhead shrugged. "Seriously, I'm open to anything."
"Well, we could always use help patching up after a harsh blizzard," Kristoff replied, running a hand along Sven's muzzle as the Sawsbuck wandered over to its trainer. With Marshmallow gone and the window closed, he and Olaf had returned to their respective trainers, the Delibird snuggling up to Anna's side after climbing onto the bed once more. "But we're really in need of someone to help new trainers start their journey. I mean, sure, a lot of people who leave here end up coming back at some point, but there's not a whole lot of, ya know, advice to spread around. Don't get me wrong- Elsa's definitely been places, and our other trainers too- but she doesn't remember them too well and the others rarely left the Yensid region. Plus, no one really goes on a catching spree prior to coming back; Elsa won't say how many Pokémon she has left to give to new trainers, but I don't think it's very many." The blond sighed. "We've been breeding the ice types common to the mountains here but... I dunno, I just get the feeling like a little more variety wouldn't hurt, ya know? I mean, Deerling and Sawsbuck aren't common to this range and I can't imagine life without Sven! I wish everyone could find that sort of bond with their starter."
"I definitely know what you mean. Maybe I can help?" The redhead smiled. "I've spent the past ten years traveling the world, so I've picked up a lot of handy skills. Like, how to build an insulated greenhouse that's perfect for grass types from warmer climates and how to regulate an indoor lake for cohabiting water types. I've caught plenty of Pokémon that I haven't really been able to spend much time with lately." She frowned briefly. "Come to think of it, I don't even know how many I have. It'll be hard letting them go, but if they can find trainers who will spend more time with them, I can accept that. I think I'd prefer it, honestly."
Kristoff's eyes widened as he sat forward in his seat. "You'd do that? For Arendelle City?"
"It's really the least I could do, after all you and Miss Elsa have done for me." Anna ran a hand through Olaf's feathers. "There's really nothing I can do to really repay either of you."
"It's not necessary." He waved off her comment with a chuckle. "We're happy to help, really! You don't need to feel like you owe us."
"Good luck convincing me of that." The redhead smirked. "Besides, I think we might come back if everything goes well. Right, Olaf?" The Delibird looked up at her, blinking in curiosity. "Does this place seem like it could be home for us?"
Olaf pecked her side and she laughed, suddenly feeling the fatigue seeping into her body.
"Right, not the time, I get it." She mumbled, settling back into the bed and blinking slowly.
Kristoff smiled. "Get some sleep, Miss Andersen."
"Anna." She yawned. "Just Anna."
"If you say so." He stood to leave but was knocked back into his chair; somehow, Olaf managed to practically teleport from the bed to his gut, wrapping his wings around the man's frame as best he could. "Right. Guess you have a pretty good memory, huh, little guy?"
Kristoff looked up to notice his trainer already fast asleep. As soon as Olaf was finished thanking him, the Delibird scrambled back onto the bed, Kristoff and Sven leaving as quietly as possible to give their guests privacy.
Plus, there was still the mess downstairs to clean up.
Night had fallen on Arendelle City, a fierce wind rattling the window as another blizzard raged outside. Olaf was curled up beside her, sleeping peacefully, so she remained as still as she could and stared at the ceiling. She was still very tired but her mind was buzzing with random thoughts, taking in recent events and assessing the situation.
Anna wasn't kidding when she told Kristoff she'd find a way to repay them; she'd made her fair share of poor and rash decisions over the years, but nothing on this scale. She'd almost died, put her own Pokémon in danger, all because she thought she knew better. There was no way she could be an expert in anything... but she could help other trainers make their starts, give them a Pokémon who will protect them from the dangers of the world beyond.
She was busy sorting through her memory, weighing which of her companions currently residing at Professor Thatch's would make good starters for a new trainer, when she heard a door open and close downstairs. For a moment, she considered maybe Kristoff had gone out for something, until she caught sight of a massive silhouette appearing in the window. She tensed momentarily before recognizing Marshmallow as he peered into the room. At about the same time, the door quietly opened and a slim figure absolutely coated in slowly melting ice and snow stepped into the room, heaving a heavy sigh.
"This is creepy," Elsa said, so quietly the words were obviously meant for herself. She seemed torn between leaving the room entirely and checking the bed, her gaze boring a hole in the carpet between the two points.
Anna grinned, unable to let the opportunity pass. After the cold anger from before, she felt entitled to giving the Gym Leader at least a bit of a hard time. "Very."
She almost laughed out loud at Elsa's startled reaction, the blonde nearly tripping over her own feet and putting her hands up in surrender. Before she could even attempt to stammer out an apology, Anna waved her off, biting her lip to keep from laughing.
"I've been up for a while, don't worry." She finally managed, taking deep breaths to steady herself and checking to ensure Olaf hadn't woken up. Anna turned her attention back to Elsa as the other woman pulled down the scarf obscuring her face and took off her beanie, shaking off the snow and ice still clinging to it. "What time is it?"
"Around four in the morning," Elsa replied, taking the same seat she'd occupied earlier in the day. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired and restless." Anna rolled her eyes, though the gesture was probably lost in the darkness. "It's my own fault though, so I can't really complain. Did you just get back from the route?"
"Yes."
Silence reigned for a few minutes. She'd expected the Gym Leader to elaborate but figured maybe she would need to prompt the other woman further.
"Any other wayward souls lost in the snow?"
"No."
Okay. That didn't work.
"Do you live here, too?"
"No."
The redhead was unsure if she should try to keep the conversation going at this point. Something about the Gym Leader gave Anna the idea that she had something to say but was finding it difficult to voice, her head turned away to examine everything in the room except the bed's occupant.
"I'm glad you made it back okay."
"What?" The blonde snapped her gaze to Anna, surprise clear in her voice though her face was shadowed.
"I said I'm glad you made it back okay." The redhead repeated patiently, smiling.
Elsa seemed at a loss for a moment before shaking her head. "It's not as bad outside as it sounds and definitely not as bad as the night I found you."
"Thanks for that, again." Anna frowned, shifting her eyes to the ceiling and sighing. "And I'm sorry-"
"Stop. Please." The Gym Leader turned and walked towards the window, tension evident in the way her shoulders were hunched up by her ears. "Stop apologizing."
The wind howling filled the silence as Anna struggled to sit up, leaning back against the bed's headboard. Luckily, her movements didn't wake Olaf as he snuggled closer to her once she finished moving.
Finally, she had to ask. "Why?"
The two were silent a minute more.
Just as Anna was set to apologize again, Elsa spoke.
"Because you're not the one who should be."
Anna blinked in surprise, clearly confused by the words. She waited for the blonde to continue, listening intently and hoping to understand.
"I've been unfair to you. I snapped at your earlier today- er, yesterday, I suppose, whatever- and I shouldn't have done that." She sighed, shoulders dropping slightly though there was no hint at her nervousness abating. "My parents were trainers who specialized in double battles." Elsa turned back towards Anna, leaning back against the window, her body half in shadow and half in flickering moonlight filtering in from outside. While it did nothing to diminish the blonde's beauty, it added a shade of solemnity to her words, highlighting her sadness to an almost heartbreaking degree. "They worked well off each other, covered each other's weaknesses, and they were excellent trainers in their own right, too. When I was old enough to walk, the three of us began traveling to every region so they could take on the Gyms and the Elite Fours of the world. They wanted to be the best and they had the skills to do it. They trounced the Gym Leaders individually and collected all the available badges, defeated the Elite Fours, became Champions and then moved on, never allowing themselves to be challenged by the next trainer in the line. The same was true for Yensid; they collected every badge except one. They could've gone on and challenged the Elite Four."
Elsa paused and opened her jacket, pulling out something and staring at it in the palm of her hand.
"But they wanted the Blizzard Badge." She closed her hand, presumably around the bit of metal in question. "There are other Gym Leaders who use double battles to gauge the worthiness of their challengers, all of whom they'd already defeated. The legendary elusiveness of this Badge brought us to Arendelle. The chance to take over the Gym and become masters of double battles was just icing on the cake for them. It was too tempting to resist."
Elsa sighed, putting whatever it was away and crossing her arms over her stomach, closing her eyes.
"We were here almost two years but my parents couldn't defeat the Gym Leader, Lucius Best. He lived up to his name and trounced them time after time." Elsa shifted her stance, as if trying to warm herself up. "It was incredibly taxing for my parents to continuously fail in a battle style they absolutely loved, so they decided to spend some time back home in Hoenn to really bond with their Pokémon and refine their tactics. My father swore we would come back. I was twelve."
Anna wanted to stop her but felt the words lodge in her throat. The blonde was obviously in pain recalling the events. She had to do something.
Slowly, Anna began to ease her way out of the bed as Elsa continued.
"On the trip back to Glowerhaven, we were caught in a sudden, severe blizzard. My parents... didn't survive." Elsa dipped her head, pinning her chin against the thick material of her outer jacket, as if she was trying to curl in on herself. "I would've died as well if it wasn't for Marshmallow. He protected me from the storm and took me to the rescue team and they arranged for me to go back to Hoenn once I recovered, to live with my Uncle and Aunt."
"I'm sorry for your loss." The redhead blurted and bit her lip. She hadn't meant to bring up such a painful subject. She mumbled barely loud enough for the blonde to hear. "Now I understand why you were so angry with me, walking into that blizzard."
"My anger was misplaced." Anna could see the tension in the blonde's stance, hear the strain in her words.
"It's fine, really; you were totally justified." Anna tried to think of something to change the subject or distract her from the question that sat at the tip of her tongue, seeing as her attempts to soothe the blonde weren't working. "I made a stupid mistake, I-"
"Stop." Elsa cleared her throat and took a deep breath. In the dim light, Anna could barely make out a tear escaping and running down the blonde's cheek which was quickly wiped away.
It was only then that Anna realized the other woman wasn't done with her story but was trying to muster the strength to finish it. The redhead slowly approached Elsa as she spoke, a frown tugging at her lips.
"I came back to Arendelle a few years later. To finish what they started," Elsa replied, taking shuddering breathes separated by sniffles. "It was their lifelong dream. I couldn't keep going through my life leaving their journey unfinished. When I made the trip from Glowerhaven to Arendelle, I was foolish and reckless. So caught up in my own fear of the mountain itself, and so determined to overcome it and honor my parents' memories, I set out without paying heed to the weather. I made the same mistake my parents did, that you did, but I knew better." She paused, hugging herself tighter. "That's what I mean when I say my anger was misplaced. It's not you I'm angry at, you didn't know... but I did. And I almost... if it wasn't for Marshmallow... again... I-"
Anna had heard enough. She couldn't watch the blonde suffer alone a moment longer and did the only thing she could think of that would be remotely comforting given the circumstances. Closing the remaining distance, she pulled Elsa into a tight hug. It took a few moments before she felt Elsa return the gesture, almost clinging to the redhead for support as several tears fell onto Anna's skin. A chill was setting in that caused her to break out in goosebumps but Anna held tight, hoping she help ease the blonde's pain.
"People... they were starting to give up," Elsa eventually said, sounding much more composed than before. "After twenty years without losing, trainers were giving up on the Blizzard Badge. When I got here, they told me I was the first challenger in months and I came before the winter started. But the moment I won and became the new Gym Leader, news spread like wild fire through Yensid. They said we got more visitors in my first month as Gym Leader than they'd had the whole year prior." The blonde drew back, looking Anna in the eyes. She could still see the anger and pain swirling in those blue orbs. "I'm the one who should be apologizing to you and every trainer who comes to Arendelle City. I never wanted any of this. I never wanted to start the cycle over again, for people to risk their lives because of me-"
"Wait, what?" Anna blinked rapidly, taking a moment to let everything fall into place before shaking her head. "Miss Elsa, you can't take responsibility for the things other people do! Especially not things like this!"
"You weren't here to watch how Glowerhaven changed, how they celebrated there being a new Gym Leader in Arendelle City. How they packaged it and sold it- but you saw what Glowerhaven's become and that's why you walked into a blizzard, you said so yourself!" Elsa bit back. "If I hadn't won-"
"Okay, fine, if you hadn't won, maybe there wouldn't be as much hype around the badge as there currently is. Maybe there wouldn't be entire inns full of hopeful trainers itching to try their luck, I'll give you that." Anna fixed the blonde with her best glare. "But you will not try to take responsibility for my mistake. I already told you that me coming here had very little to do with the Blizzard Badge. I would've been in that blizzard no matter what..." her face softened "... but would you have been there to save me if you weren't the Gym Leader? If you never came back to Arendelle City and made that mistake, would anyone have found me in time? Would anyone even know to look?"
Elsa remained silent. Anna expected for the blonde to argue back until she felt the tension in her rigid stance slowly loosen up, as if the weight of the guilt she'd heaped onto herself was sliding away ounce by ounce. She wasn't sure if it would ever be gone, not completely, but she could make things better, and that was always worth it to the redhead.
"Sometimes, we make bad decisions. That's part of life, but you go out every night ready to rescue trainers caught in those blizzards! I think that speaks louder than a few mistakes here and there," Anna said, chuckling softly. "With the way Kristoff talks, you're the best thing to happen to Arendelle City! So stop beating yourself up about what could have happened. It won't do anything except make you miserable."
"The past is in the past," she said, almost as if reciting a mantra and sighing gently. "I suppose I should let it go but... it's not that easy. I've tried." Elsa lowered her gaze, as if in shame. However, the moment she did so, her eyes went wide. "Oh wow." The next moment, her hands flew to her face to cover them.
Confused, Anna glanced down to see what the problem was and quickly remembered a conversation she'd had with Kristoff earlier, during one of her bouts of consciousness. After being buried in the snow, her clothing was soaked all the way through and would hinder raising her body temperature, so they had to strip her. He made a point that neither of them looked or anything, nearly incomprehensible through his apologies. Seeing as she'd tossed out all her other clothes before giving her pack to Glaceon, she'd been dressed in a robe to wear for the time being. However, being a woman who traveled often and very far, often with few amenities between stops, she hadn't the foresight to continue wearing it once she was warm and coordinated enough to take it off.
Again, she wasn't a fan of psychic types.
With few other options, Anna resorted to laughing as she released the Gym Leader- who was blushing and trying to stammer out more apologies, it seemed, but the syllables were too broken to be sure- and retrieved the robe, slipping it on and tying the belt around her waist.
"There, all decent. Sorry about that." The redhead sat on the edge of the bed, giving Elsa space to recover while continuing to play off the situation. "Given how many times I've been caught skinny dipping in rivers by the Officers Jenny crew, I guess I shouldn't be surprised I would completely forget how civilized people act."
"No, it was my fault, I really shouldn't have disturbed you." The Gym Leader coughed into her hand as she regained her composure, Anna could've sworn she was stealing furtive glances the redhead's way and fighting to stop, which was incredibly flattering. But that was probably the exhaustion talking. "You need your rest."
She thought about arguing but decided against it, her body clearly not as ready to resume activity as her mind. Slipping back under the covers, Anna resolved to try going back to sleep as Elsa jammed on her beanie and pulled up her scarf, fumbling with the fabric slightly.
"Miss Elsa." Anna called just as the blonde was set to walk out of the room. "For what it's worth, I'm sure your parents would be very proud of you."
Elsa stopped and turned briefly, looking at her with those icy eyes, something unreadable flashing in them. Anna almost missed her soft reply. "I like to think so."
The wind continued howling long after Anna heard the dull closing of the front door, waving to Marshmallow as the Abomasnow lumbered away. The redhead laid there and stared at the ceiling for who knows how long, trying to reconcile her two encounters with Arendelle City's Gym Leader. While she had met plenty of interesting people during her travels, she hadn't really kept in touch with most of them. She called her family regularly enough but she'd never traveled with another human, allowing her beloved Pokémon to be her only companions. Maybe she missed out on something all those years. She wanted to know more about the blonde, to be able to decipher the look in her eyes, to better comfort her. With all the added responsibility the Blizzard Badge apparently implied, it was a wonder Elsa had borne it so well. She couldn't have been much older than Anna.
Anna blinked when she felt Olaf stir, the Delibird looking at her quizzically. Something about the way he glanced at the window told her that she hadn't been as stealthy as she thought when exiting the bed originally. At least he hadn't made a fuss; that might've made the whole situation even more awkward.
"Hey, buddy." The redhead pulled him closer, jerking her chin in the direction of the window. "What do you think? Is it okay with you if I make Elsa my friend? Does she get the Olaf seal of approval?"
Olaf blinked at her a moment before curling up beside her, chirping quietly.
Anna snorted and shook her head, closing her eyes and settling back to try sleeping again. He was being a pain because he could, and probably as payback for the whole blizzard thing, too. Ah, well; he'd let her know at some point.
Author's Note: And thus it begins. Shenanigans. Also, Lucius Best is Frozone from The Incredibles.
