Chapter VII;
It started snowing mid October. Every animal was in hibernation or was going to- but with Flesh Eaters around, their schedule seemed to change a lot.
Elsa stood with Axel and his friends for a while.
It was January the last time Elsa counted the days. She left in September... How time went by..
The one time Elsa went to go check and see if her sister was actually still there was a couple weeks after Axel found her. The only remaining thing was a doll that had features of herself- platinum hair, blue eyes, blue dress, and there was a gold crown. When Elsa found it, her hands caressed the material before she held onto it and returned back.
It was Anna's dolls. And Anna left.
"If you want.. We can travel after her.." Axel said after finding Elsa just staring mindlessly in the tent. The doll was grasped tight into her hands and this is how she was every morning until she came to her senses, showing none of this to the others as she woke up earlier but this day failed. Elsa turned her head to look at Axel after realizing he was there, she cleared her throat.
"What?" She asked.
"Nothing." Axel walked into the tent and sat down on the nearby chair.
Elsa sniffled lightly, only to place the doll back on the bed, standing up and sliding her arms through her blue jacket's material.
"Where are you going?" Axel asked, rather protective- in a way, it reminded Elsa of herself to Anna.
"Just right outside. I wont run off- I don't want to injure myself anymore. Seems the woods hate me for an odd reason." Elsa replied, wrapping a blue scarf around her neck and pulled it up to cover her lower half of her face, breathing out and sending warm puffs to her already cold cheeks the moment she stepped out into the couple feet of snow. There came a thumping feeling on her head, she looked up to find Axel putting his black colored hat on her head.
"Axel-" She tried to protest.
"Eh, I'm fine without it." Axel stopped her. Elsa laughed behind her scarf before taking the hat off and placing it in Axel's hands.
"The cold doesn't bother me, Axel. I'm fine."
"Is that why you have your scarf that way?" Axel questioned, pulling the scarf down only to notice her giving him a glare kind of look.
"I don't want to catch a cold!" Elsa merely said, pulling the scarf up only for the male to tug it back down. The back of the blonde's throat sent a growling sound of sort.
"Axel!" She shouted, pulling the scarf back up only for the male to grab the end, twirling her around and completely taking it off of her body before laughing.
"Hey!" Elsa tried reaching for the blue material, but he held it into the air.
There came a rush of something cold hitting and running down Elsa's back, she shivered before looking behind herself to find Edward just innocently whistling.
"Edward!" Elsa shouted
"Bunny!" Axel said at the same moment. Elsa looked at the red head in curiosity
"Bunny?" She asked, Axel just sheepishly smiled.
"Hey! I said no nicknames, mate." Edward looked pissed- at least he did to Elsa. But that was about it before he just walked off. Eventually North was awake, sending kind of booms from the way he walks.
As usual- North checked and made sure Elsa wasn't having any problems on her wound, even though it had been four to five months since it had happened. Elsa healed naturally but in a fast manner- normally North would've made her rest for a couple more months to prevent any stitches opening up. But she was completely healing fast.
"Today, we go North." North stated.
"Why?" Elsa asked.
"Because you said you were heading North with your sister." He smiled warmly. There was a pause. "So we want to reunite you two." He finished.
"But-"
"Ah, ah, ah- No buts, missy." Edward said, his arms crossing.
"Yeah, we want to help the best we can. Besides, she has to know you're alive- or vice versa." Axel joined in on trying to convince Elsa that she can't protest.
"That's what I'm afraid of.." Elsa managed out through a lump resting inside her throat. She paused only to continue a few seconds later; "I'm scared that I'll find her as those things- That she got bit- That no one in that group could've protected her like I did!" Elsa nearly shouted but held it back.
"I'm sure they did." Axel and Edward spoke at the same time. Elsa nodded a little.
"North it is."
An arrow came shooting through the forest, it was aimed and hit at a small animal just mindlessly walking about. The owner shouted happily- as it was none other than Merida.
Merida ran, her feet slipped on a slight patch of ice that was there unnoticed and hit her butt on the ground. Groaning to the pain that was sent through her body.
"Merida!" Hiccup yelled, running to her side.
"I'm.. Fine. Just.. Cold but fine." Merida's teeth chattered, she stood up and grabbed the animal from the end of her arrow, sliding it through before wiping it on her pant leg- the usual manner.
"We have nine animals all ready- but they're supposed to be hibernating.." Hiccup sounded really confused- or concerned.
Merida shrugged before trotting off happily to the others.
"Merida, why hunt small animals?" Rapunzel managed,warming and running her mittens up and down the base of her biceps to warm them up through her already warm jacket. Her boots- yes, Jack made her wear shoes finally and she gave in, considering she needed them and he made extra sure they were hella clean- dragged through the snow to reach Merida halfway.
"That's all ah could finnd." Merida struggled through the snow. "It's like thay know til eat animals also insteid o us humans." She continued after giving up halfway.
"Weird. Not even in the dens?"
"Nope."
"Okay well, food is.. Food." Rapunzel cleared her throat with her fingers lightly touching the front part of her neck in doing so. Pascal squeaked and then came another reply of squeaking from Toothless within Hiccup's jacket pocket.
Anna hopped from the roof of the car into a pile of snow that Kristoff had gathered around, sliding herself down into it before screaming in excitement.
"Wow! Snow went down everywhere." Anna laughed, standing up and wiping any of the snow off before her teeth chattered while the snow slowly moved and melted down her shirt, pants and boots.
"You guys!" Jack scolded. "No yelling."
"Well, you're yelling." Anna commented, her arms crossed.
"Because you yelled!" Jack countered.
"Come on, a day in the snow will be fine." Rapunzel giggled innocently, before whispering to Jack without making it seem suspicious. "Especially after she's still getting over loss of Elsa."
Jack rolled his blue eyes before going back to what he was doing before.
The group eventually ran off after the excitement of everything brought on flesh eaters. It was hard for Merida to run in deep snow, so Hiccup offered to carry her- although Merida isn't one for doing that, because it seems like she's a damsel, she agreed and he carried her on his back.
They made it to the house they stood in for some time now because of the winter just in time before they could be followed.
Hiccup set Merida down and Tooth began working on the fire while Hans put everyones coat away (he did ask).
Rapunzel grinned in happiness when her feet regained color and feeling after letting them roast near the fire that crackled and showed bright colors.
"Ohh! Rapunzel! Make us Hot chocolate like the other day!" Anna requested rather demanding but Rapunzel was all for it- getting up, skipping off to kitchen and grabbing the eight glasses that had corresponding favorite colors for them.
Rapunzel had a light lavender color, Jack had bright light blue, with Merida having an emerald green color, Hiccup had forest green, Anna had a slight magenta color but less red, Tooth had a light baby pink, Kristoff had black and Hans had a plain white mug.
Much like before- Rapunzel made a fire carefully with little parts of wood from the living room, held a certain amount of water over the fire until it was deemed hot for the beverage.
Pouring the right amount, stirring and added in tiny little marshmallows they previously got for this occasion.
One by one, she took the cups out to everyone until it was left with just her cup.
"You still manage to surprise me." Jack laughed, sitting on the arm of the sofa.
"Well I'm glad I could while I lose fingerprints. Slightly- well a little bit." Rapunzel noted, her hands warmly securing her cup while they warmed the palm up.
Anna smiled while she set her cup on the carpeted floor. She looked back at everyone.
"Let's play a game." Her eyes narrowed while she smirked.
"What game?"
"Hide and seek."
"No." Merida and Jack both said at the same time.
"Cone on! When have we been kids?" Anna asked.
"Well, somewhere between ten and fifteen years ago for me." Rapunzel answered, Merida snorted.
"It's a sarcastic question." Merida told her, Rapunzel replied with a quiet oh.
"Come on, whoever is the oldest has to count- we hide either inside or outside, and the loser... The Loser has to answer a truth or do a dare by the counter. Or we could just play truth and dare." Anna sipped her beverage.
"I like truth and dare better." Hiccup nodded with Merida after Jack commented on his opinion.
"But hide and seek sounds fun also." Hiccup gulped while speaking.
"Okay fine." Anna cleared her throat. "Truth and dare wins."
Rapunzel found a clear bottle in the back of one cupboard, and they all sat in a circle. Anna declared it to be very dare-y- meaning that if anyone has the guts to ask personal questions, then do it to make this game more interesting.
Anna spun the bottle first to see who would go.
It landed on Jack. He gave it a spin. It landed on Merida.
"Truth or dare?"
"Truth." Jack coughed a wuss between two coughs.
There was a long moment. "Are you a virgin?"
Merida jolted back at the question. But replied. "Yes."
"Wait how old are you?" Jack questioned, Merida spun the bottle and replied very innocently.
"Sorry, not your turn." With a grin. Jack rolled his eyes.
The bottle landed on Hiccup, and he gulped silently.
"Truth or Dare."
"... T- No.. D- ... Truth." He stuttered and fidgeted with his thumbs.
"If there was no apocalypse- do you think you could've met us anyway- If no, why?" Merida asked.
"No." Hiccup replied truthfully. He paused. Continuing. "Because we're all adults here except Anna. Anna would be in high school, three to five towns from where I was originally born, you'd be five to seven away- same with Rapunzel, and then Jack is five to six away depending on how many towns you and Punz are. Kristoff said once he was never born in this state so he probably passed by Anna and Elsa going across country and states to survive- Tooth is a doctor- Basically.. Our places we lived, our jobs- would have never intertwined. Unless we randomly decided on a road trip. But even then, we wouldn't be in trouble; why randomly stop and talk to us?" He coughed into his arm a little.
"Aw Hiccup's so smart! I love it!" Anna commented with a giggle. Hiccup smiled a little nervously before spinning the bottle. It landed on Rapunzel while she played with a couple strands of her long hair.
"Truth or Dare?"
"Truth.." Rapunzel said slowly. Jack protested; "Why is everyone choosing truth?!" But he was ignored.
"Is long hair a thing in your family?" Hiccup asked.
Rapunzel laughed a little to herself. "Funny you would ask. It doesn't though." She confessed.
"Blonde hair doesn't either. I was born blonde, my parents are brunette and the only other with hair not matching the family is my aunt's husband- he's a ginger- Oh and well.. Sophie.. But blonde hair doesn't run in the family, I just grew it out long." She told the truth that ended off with a smile.
Spinning the bottle, it landed on Anna.
"I choose Dare!"
"Uhm.. Try to lick your elbow." Anna looked shocked, and rather horrified as if it could never be done but then her expression went determined and she rolled her t-shirt sleeve up to her bicep.
Anna leaned her elbow back and leaned her torso and up forward to attempt to lick it- giving no success at all, she tried to force it with her other hand and still no success. Anna grumbled before putting her arm around as if she would cough into it to try and lick it. After a few more attempts, Anna eventually fell backwards, throwing her hand up into the air to declare herself defeated.
Spun the bottle- it landed on Jack. He immediately shouted dare and climbed off the couch.
"I dare you to kiss the woman you see the beautiful in your eyes."
"Okay well. Don't get butthurt if I kiss someone other than you." He stood up.
"I'll be happy if you don't kiss me." Anna and Merida quietly said at the same time.
Rapunzel played with a strand of her hair, still aware of the game but not quite focus to movements around. She felt hands on her head from behind, moving it so that she looked up at the ceiling and in a quick motion she felt Jack's lips against hers.
The kiss didn't last as long through mostly because Rapunzel was surprised - even though she did return the kiss of his- He looked at her, winked and grinned while he watched the golden blonde's face lit up redder than a tomato.
"Jack!" Rapunzel managed out after he sat down with a laugh escaping his lips while he spun the bottle.
It landed on Kristoff. Before he answered, Anna had left to go to the bathroom and Merida realized she had forgotten something- so she left to the upstairs bedrooms.
"Dare." Kristoff felt brave.
"Well with Merida and Anna gone- I dare you to kiss who comes back first." Jack stretched out his back while he spoke.
"Dang, wish I hadn't chose dare." He muttered- although it was secretly noted he didn't mind in the back of his head.
There was a moment of silence, well only a couple seconds to two minutes of tick tock sounds of a clock, until one of the two women returned before the other; which was Anna. Kristoff stood up quickly and while Anna was about to speak, he cupped her face with her two hands and kissed her, muffling her out.
Anna's hands were rather placed awkwardly at where she should put them, so they kinda just hanged about to her sides outward. The kiss was over after what felt like an eternity, according to Jack, and Kristoff noticed that his cheeks were hinting off a sort of heat manner so he was probably lightly blushing like Anna was.
"That was.. That was.. Oh that was something.." Anna commented. There was a moment before Anna kissed Kristoff in a light peck before trotting off to her seat.
"I'm going to say there was more kissing." Merida asked at the bottom of the stairs.
"Yep."
Elsa followed everyone else to North- and since they didn't have a car at the exact moment, they normally had to run into a house to warm up and journey on afterwords.
"Ugh! Why can't we get a car?!' Edward's grumbled, shaking off snow on his pant legs.
"Because for one, a car wont work when snow and ice are piling the streets like no tomorrow." Elsa explained.
North wrapped a blanket over Edward with a smile on his face.
"Thanks mate." Edward replied, huddling it closer to himself while North gave Elsa and Axel a blanket also- although Elsa declined because she really was used to the cold in the negatives. North wrapped a long blanket over himself, tying it around to secure it and then after Edward and Axel did the same- they left.
They made it to the town over with just idle chatting or occasional running from the Flesh Eaters. But once they made it a little more into the town, they had to quickly retreat because of a blizzard slowly setting itself in.
Edward eventually gave up, falling to the ground and hugging the warm carpet. Elsa laughed lightly to his action while Axel shook his head. They double checked the house they ran in, and while searching- Axel had found candles in some of the rooms.
It was getting darker at night so candles, chimney, or even a lantern would help them on getting light even though it's a probably bad idea to actually put light in. But they're smart, so they close the curtains and board it up or put more blankets and nail them there.
They did find a working chimney so they got that working, along with other candles in the other rooms.
"W-Why w-wont this winter ... Go down?" Bunny shivered with his hands rubbing at his biceps.
"It's winter, that's why. We're getting close to the states that normally have this type of winter. Not only that but I'm also a hundred percent sure that we're close to Canada." Elsa slipped her jacket off, kneeling down in front of the fire place to warm her hands up.
"Well lets go South, to Florida! I've got a place back there." Bunny almost darted for the door to run that way but North caught his hood on his jacket, choking him lightly only for North to let go and have Edward stumble and almost faceplant the door.
"Hey, mate! That's not nice." Edward scolded but North produced a jolly laugh.
"Of course it's not! Do you think I meant to be nice?"
"Cruel, mate."
"Ah! I'm just kidding, Ed!" Another hearty jolly laugh.
After warmth had set the room, everyone got relaxed and comfortable. Elsa closed her eyes for a moment, only to reopen them and have a small smile tug at her lips.
"North, did you train to be a doctor before this?" Elsa asked, looking up at the white haired man.
"Ahh, well. I was originally working to be a doctor, yes. I had just became a doctor when all this went downhill." North explained, Edward interrupted.
"Axel and I were close to North, that's why we know each other here. Both our parents ended up dying when we were lil-"
"Are you two related?"
Axel laughed while trying to manage a "No!".
"Our parents were close friends-" Edward laughed, before he tried to recontinue with a laugh tremble in his voice. "So we knew each other since we were in the womb. And North was godparent to us both, and.. Well my mom died because someone killed her in mid sleep, and my mate of a dad just left."
"However, my parents just died in a car accident. I was only 7 at the time, older than him by 3 years, but his parents died later on in his lifetime." Axel pulled a water bottle from his backpack, taking a sip before handing one to everyone else.
"Wow.." Elsa paused. "Well, I suppose I'm luckier. My parents died when I was mature enough and had gotten to know them, but Anna didn't understand it."
"Let's stop telling sad stories." North chuckled rather sadly. "Don't want us to sleep and get teary eyed."
Axel laughed in reply, nodding a simple yes.
They eventually told stories about each others lives before, minus all the sadness. Edward wanted to work on cars or anything like that, but he always ended up just playing video games around the house. He eventually grew a taste to growing gardens and planting flowers. Axel let his life rocket wherever- he often just helped North around like an assistant or occasionally learned to play Guitar or made crazy kinds of weapons to sell or fun. It was a hobby.
"So you liked to play guitar?" Elsa asked. "How much did you learn?"
"Well basically all of it." Axel replied.
"So if we had a guitar-" Elsa began
"I'd be able to play you a song." Axel joked, Elsa smiled.
"Well, I was never one for serenading boyfriends."
"But we're not dating." Axel pointed out.
"No, I'm just saying."
"Yet you two mates seem to always gaze or just plainly.. Stare at each other." Edward made it out as if they could never keep hands off, it made Elsa's eyes widen before she looked down and fidgeted with her thumbs. Making Edward flash a little smirk of his.
The group spent a couple more hours before realizing that night had fallen rather quickly, before they all fell asleep- which was a relief because with the snow everywhere, the flesh eaters didn't make it out as much but they were still technically alive minus the cold because well.. They're dead.
When they woke up, they left quickly upon checking and seeing the snow finally stopped falling. The sun was high and slightly clouded up but it didn't stop them, nor did the snow- but they hoped it would start to melt soon.
They came across a path way- well more like a place that had a bolted down door that led underground judging by the steep of a hill. But they ignored it for a long period of time as it was more of a danger zone if there were hordes awaiting behind the door. Although, Elsa and Axel thought to live a little and they made everyone else go in.
The place was surprisingly clear and as a bunker of sorts- it had a camp layout of people that probably did used to live there, on far ends of the place- as it was a tunnel but hundreds of feet in height, miles in length, and hundreds of feet in sides. On certain areas there would be gates that could be opened or tied with chains nearby to close, the gates also sent to other parts of the world. Running into people sounded like a possibility.
They locked the gates, started a fire and founded an ice cooler- so they stored any bottles of water there.
"This place isn't like regular houses or anything but it's roomy and perfect." Edward commented, his Australian accent almost bounced off every single wall. The place was filled head to toe in a type of cement that blocked off every access to dirt in case of a cave in. There was lanterns, torches that had a holder for them. It lit up nicely, closed up perfectly fine- it was like a heaven. Whoever thought of it was apocalypse paranoid.
Similar to a bunker, but was a tunnel.
After the night and game of Truth and Dare- where there was a load of personal questions to just simple questions- mostly personal was between Jack and Merida or occasionally Hans and Kristoff.
They all got up, ventured off out of the house after all deciding on it and they walked for a long time- as walking was only what they could. Well besides playing I spy or some other kid like games Anna had came up with. Maybe living in an apocalypse wasn't bad when it snowed.
"Okay so.. I spy... Something green!" Anna pipped up, Kristoff looked around.
"That roof?"
"Nope!'
"That car?"
"Nooooppe!" Anna sang in a way.
"Hmm.. - Hiccups shirt?" He asked.
"Nope!" Kristoff pulled a confused face.
"Meridas backpack.."
"Noo. Wow Kristoff, you suck." Anna commented casually.
"I give up."
"The leaf on Rapunzel's hair." Rapunzel squeaked before her fingers immediately poked, prodded and toyed with her hair until she found it. Earning a chuckle from Jack and a snort from Merida on her action.
The game ended rather quickly after Kristoff continuously seemed to fail at it, so Anna gave up trying to lighten to mood of everyone. However there was times of the day where they retorted to hiding or running just shortly after the game died down, but the flesh eating chase eventually died down itself.
Everyone passed by something that peaked Rapunzel's interest, causing herself to stop and have everyone pass her- thinking she was one with her thoughts or just randomly spotted something and wanted to clarify it.
The door was metal, bolted down unless one strong enough could open it. It had a certain crest looking design of a dragon on top of it- wonder why. But nonetheless, it continued to make Rapunzel stay there and look at it.
After finding out about Rapunzel's disappearance from his side, Jack immediately almost freaked out or just told everyone to turn around until Tooth casually pointed the way to Rapunzel.
"Punz!" Jack yelled. No reply.
"Rapunzel, hey wh-" Jack asked, looking at the door after making it closer to her.
"Think it's a bunker?" Rapunzel asked finally.
"Probably, filled with those."
"Can we check it out?"
"Punzel, I-I dont.. I don't think so." Jack stuttered.
"Please?" Rapunzel looked at him. Both eyes met- green to blue. Jack couldn't say no after seeing her wide curious eyes.
One click of a door after Jack pulled his weight and turned it with the help of Kristoff, the door opened up and they got a good look of a tunnel that was sealed with cement all around- floor, walls, ceiling.
"Run away, children. Run away." Jack stated in a sarcastic manner with a wave of his hand.
Anna and Merida were the first two to run in before Kristoff followed, Tooth and Hiccup eventually gave in to follow them after looking at each other and laughing. Hans voted to stay back but he remembered how dangerous it could be and walked in- maybe for the rush of excitement got to him.
Leaving Jack and Rapunzel.
"Jack, what if there are.." Her sentence failed to finish.
"I'll protect you.'' His hand wrapped and held onto her small hand, giving it a squeeze of assurance. The golden blonde smiled, looking up at the taller male.
"Thanks." Her quiet voice left her mouth before they both walked in on their own will, before Jack closed the door behind them- then continued to hold onto Rapunzel's hand.
Whatever lied beyond. Be it death or other people or a place to finally feel safe, they went on anyway.
Tooth stood behind everyone after hearing her headpiece click on.
"Good girl. You finally took them into the right place. Turn your head- ah, good. There should be a panel two feet away near a door. Push it up, and it releases the traps." His voice chuckled while Tooth hesitantly pulled the lever up as he said once gotten there.
No effect happened to the place, but the traps were activated. Tooth turned on her heal before running after the others as if nothing had happened.
What traps?
