Disclaimer: All characters are from their respective works. Don't bother suing me; I ain't got the money, honey. Oh, and, vocab lesson. Time now: a phrase (associated with the American Military) that's usually used in frustration or irritation because things are moving too slowly or someone is in trouble. It basically is like saying "I need to know this/you need to be here/this needs to be done and you're already late, so get moving before I put a boot in your ass" in two words. It's handy.
Anna rolled her eyes playfully as she stepped through the door, Kristoff not far behind. "It's silly."
"It's perfect!" The blond defended, gently nudging his friend as they started towards their favorite table. "Do I need to get multiple second opinions on this? There's always tomorrow-"
"No, you most certainly do not, Kris, I swear, I'll disown you." Anna threatened, feeling a blush rise in her cheeks at Kristoff's smug smirk.
"For one, not how that works, and for another, you wouldn't even if you wanted to because you know I'm right."
"You are not right and I'm so done with this conversation!"
Mentally, Anna was cursing her willingness to go along with her friends' spur-of-the-moment suggestions. True, it was a welcome relief given how hectic her schedule was to have something completely inconsequential pop up out of the blue, but perhaps she shouldn't have been quite so eager to meet with the group given their current fixation on 'helping' her.
Otherwise, she'd be at home, enjoying her quiet Tuesday evening rather than trudging through Mr. Oaken's lobby with a blush rising in her cheeks.
On the outside, Wandering Oaken's Trading Post looked like a traditional, if rather large, log cabin. Inside was a quaint, almost picturesque and spacious sitting room, complete with a fireplace set against the far wall. Tables and seats were arranged tastefully to foster conversation that was at least somewhat private, spread throughout the room, one section occupied by three of their friends. In the very center was a large, wooden desk where Mr. Oaken sat when he wasn't tending to... whatever he actually did here. The place was large enough to be a restaurant, had extra rooms enough to be a small lodge, and even boasted a strange assortment of knick-knacks and equipment- some touristy and some not- but... she wasn't sure what Mr. Oaken did for a living.
Then again, she wasn't entirely sure what her own parents did for a living, so that shouldn't be too surprising. Anna was a big picture person; details were sometimes lost in translation.
The man himself wasn't present, so Anna and Kristoff went to join their friends, two cups of hot chocolate already waiting for them.
"Been givin' tha lass a hard time tha whole walk over, haven't ye?" Merida chuckled, hiding her mirth behind her own mug as Anna plopped into one of the cushioned chairs.
"Best friend duties can't be neglected, Merida," Kristoff replied while adjusting an imaginary tie. "One must be proper about these sorts of things."
"Proper? You?" Mulan raised a brow as Merida and Rapunzel laughed, the boy matching her look of skepticism with one of feigned indignity.
Anna cracked a smile, listening to her friends tease each other. It was a nice reprieve before the inevitable-
"Alright, settle down everyone, we've got really important matters to discuss!" Rapunzel beamed, sitting on the edge of her chair and setting her empty mug aside. Once the air was cleared between them, the bubbly blonde had no troubles whatsoever fitting herself back into the group, as if she'd never spent any time away from them. It brought a smile to Anna's lips that she hadn't lost such a good friend and served as yet another reminder to pay more attention to these things. Being busy was no excuse to let really close friends drift away. "Anna wants to get the girl and she needs our help!"
"I'll say." Merida added, raising a brow at Anna's glare. "What? It's tha truth."
"My loving and supportive friends, ladies and gentlemen." Anna grumbled to herself halfheartedly, hiding a grin as the others busted out laughing.
"Well, did everyone come up with their plans?" Mulan looked at the other three, leaving Anna to drink her hot chocolate in momentary peace.
Earlier in the day, the four of them decided to come up with their own strategies to help the redhead flirt with her crush and present them to Anna at Mr. Oaken's. Personally, she wasn't sure if she should be touched by their desire to help or insulted that they didn't believe she could do this alone, though she tried to focus on the former. Maybe something good would come out of it, despite the fact that only Rapunzel had maintained any sort of long term relationship, and a long distance one at that. Lack of practical experience didn't mean any advice they would possibly give was patently bad, right?
And, though Kristoff had already offered, she refused to ask Bulda; while she thought of the woman as a second mother, she wasn't about to go to her own mother for advice, let alone Kristoff's, even if she was a love expert.
Kristoff thumped his chest proudly, bringing Anna's attention back to the conversation at hand. "I've been working with her on some amazing lines."
"As in pick-up lines?" Rapunzel's face screwed up as she shook her head. "Doesn't that seem a little... crass?"
"I agree," Mulan said, tapping her chin in thought. "Just the title 'Ice Queen' evokes something more... genteel and refined than pick-up lines."
"You haven't even heard them yet!" Kristoff smirked, leaning forward. "Here, I'll give you girls a sample. Just try to tell me these aren't swoon worthy."
"Some kind soul, please take pity on me." Anna begged under her breath, her eyes gazing skywards as Kristoff readied himself to astound their friends. She'd spent the night before and part of the school day listening to her best friend's attempts at being suave and wasn't looking forward to a repeat performance.
For better or worse, her prayers were answered.
"Hey Andersen!" The assembled friends turned to see Aurora striding towards them, three of her fellow cheerleaders following close behind. After a brief moment of confusion, Anna stood, arms crossed over her chest, and allowed her best approximation of smug curiosity to settle over her.
She also hoped that she didn't look too relieved. "Briar. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
The cheerleaders stopped a respectable distance away, staying tucked in together with Snow at one of Aurora's shoulders and Cinderella at the other. Esmeralda hung back a few steps, inspecting her nails. The softballers were outnumbered but that didn't alarm Anna in the slightest; if anything, it just made her very curious. What was so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow morning?
"Andersen." Aurora narrowed her eyes at Anna, who was tempted to raise a brow at the strange anxiety she could see just behind the other girl's eyes. "Much as I hate to acknowledge the event, you are aware of the competition next week, right?"
"Oh, no, I had no idea there was a qualifying competition next week for the cheer squad," Anna replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes. She was the master of time management; of course she kept a tight mental inventory of all her commitments! "Come on, Briar-."
"Save it for some other time, Andersen." Aurora nodded to Snow and Cinderella who followed her as she strode away, leaving Esmeralda behind. She called over her shoulder: "And try not to flake on us."
They made to sit at one of the tables on the far end of the room but Anna was a little too shocked to process that information, running her fingers over a braid as she bit her lip.
Mulan pursed her lips, shifting forward in her seat. "That was a bit of a low blow."
"In her defense, this is sort of a unique situation." Esmeralda offered with a shrug, putting a hand on Anna's shoulder to gently turn the redhead back towards her friends. "I mean, yeah, the whole rivalry tradition has never included actively sabotaging the other-"
"She thinks I would do that?" Anna frowned, hurt shining in her eyes so brightly that Esmeralda drew away slightly.
"No! No, of course not, Anna, but... well, she's worried." The other girl shrugs, clearly uncomfortable. "She's the captain and it's her job to worry about how the team will perform."
"Right." Anna nodded absently, rubbing at her cheek to coax the melancholy from her voice. It was always there, in the back of her mind, that running off to various parts of the planet would come back to bite her one day. Well, she wouldn't let it affect the cheer competition, if that was what truly had Aurora worried. "That makes sense."
"I think she's just nervous about the competition; she really didn't mean anything by it." Esmeralda was searching for a way to make it up to the redhead but Anna was already grinning at her.
"Yeah, you're right. Competitions can put anyone on edge."
"Can't believe ye came all the way up here just ta say that," Merida said with a bit of a growl, eyes glinting with irritation. "Long way ta go jest ta make sure Anna'll do exactly what she says she's gonna."
"Guys, it's alright," Anna said, flashing them a smile. "It's one comment; no need to start a war."
Esmeralda let out a sigh of relief as Anna's teammates relaxed into their seats. Rapunzel and Kristoff- though obviously as upset by the comment as Mulan and Merida- consciously refrained from adding to the conversation. Whatever was going on, it was clearly between the softballers and the cheerleaders and neither could really do much one way or another.
"Anyway... Aurora made me co-captain today," Esmeralda said, offering a tentative smile. "I think it'll be easier for communication if you go through me for things related to the squad, at least until the competition season's over."
The softballers blinked in surprise before Anna broke out into a smile and lightly punched the other girl's shoulder. "Congrats, Es! I didn't know the cheer team had a co-captain."
Esmeralda shrugged, accepting the congratulations of the others. "Thanks, guys. It's not really a thing but, seeing as I'm helping Aurora design our routines this year, she figured creating the position was only right. Plus, I can keep you in the loop without upsetting the delicate high school hierarchy."
The group laughed at the girl's exasperated expression, except for Merida, who furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Oye, ye ain't thinkin' o' hoppin' the fence on us, are ye?" Merida turned a worried look on Anna but Mulan beat her to the explanation.
"She's the mascot too, remember? For some of the competitions, the mascots are part of the routine."
"I didn't know that." Merida frowned and shook her head. "I never paid attention to the cheer team chatter here. Or back in Scotland, fer that matter. Pom pom wavin' banshees." At Esmeralda's surprised laugh, the Scot shrugged. "Ah, no offense."
Anna rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Esmeralda, who waved off Merida's comments with a smile and proceeded to outline the team practices. In her head, Anna was already rearranging her schedule to accommodate them. Another busy week for the redhead but that was okay. She could totally handle it.
"Sorry to drop that on you and leave, Anna, but we were gonna grab something to sip on and help Snow study for her anatomy test tomorrow." Esmeralda smiled, waving goodbye to the others. "Just go through me if you have any updates for the cheer team, okay?"
"Okay, later!" Anna turned to reclaim her seat, a little sad that her hot chocolate had cooled during the conversation.
"Tha nerve o' that one." Merida grumbled quietly, throwing a heated glare towards the other side of the room. "Who da she think she is, eh? Spoiled brat, that's what."
"Enough, Merida." Mulan put a hand on the Scot's shoulder. "It was just a thoughtless comment. I'm sure Esmeralda will say something to her but an apology isn't likely." She went to sip her drink but stopped, raising a warning finger as Merida opened her mouth. "And no, you cannot beat one out of her."
"That's one way to stoke a rivalry." Rapunzel muttered, patting the tops of her thighs before her face lit up. "Hi Mr. Oaken!"
"Yoo hoo!" All five teens turned, wide smiles on their faces as the burly man strode over towards them, carrying a platter practically overflowing with treats. If there was one way to turn any bad day around, it was the man's home cooking! "I bring goodies, ya?"
"Sweet!" Kristoff leaned forward, accepting the tray and setting it on the table while the girls took their cups off it. There was a wide assortment of pastries, desserts, and even some finger sandwiches- everyone's favorite treats were packed onto the tray. "You're the best, Mr. Oaken!"
"Is no trouble," the burly man replied, offering a fond smile to the five as they tore into the platter. "I bring more hot chocolate, ya?" When he received no answer, he shrugged and started walking away. "Okay, I bring lutefisk."
"WAIT!" All five called out as various bits of food flew from their mouths. Well, except Mulan; she managed to swallow at an opportune moment.
Mr. Oaken laughed heartily, the sound deep as his belly shook. "I kid, ya? I bring hot chocolate!"
Everyone let out a sigh of relief as he started away again. They vividly remembered the last time Mr. Oaken managed to slip them lutefisk; surprisingly, Kristoff was the only one who didn't spend the rest of the night alternating between stomach sickness and intense sweating.
As they enjoyed the food- Anna had a finger sandwich in one hand and a chocolate covered strawberry in the other, alternating between the two and ignoring the looks she received for doing so- the five were quiet, to the point that it gave the redhead a glimmer of hope the topic they all agreed to talk about might've been forgotten completely. She was totally okay with that, really.
"Someone thinks she's getting away with something," Rapunzel said in a singsong tone, giggling the moment Anna's eyes locked onto her.
She already had magic hair; what, could she read minds now too?
"Aye, she thought we'd all forgotten!" Merida smirked and Anna was already regretting whatever the Scot was about to say. "I think we should start now, aye? We've only an hour or so before our mums start a callin' us home."
"That would be wise." Mulan cut in before Anna could object. "We wouldn't want this conversation to end before we've each had our say."
"Don't I get a say in this?"
"Yeah!" Rapunzel clapped her hands in front of her as a wide smile erupted on her face. "I have the best idea, I swear! Can I go first? I've seriously been thinking about this all day."
"Not talking to myself over here."
"I still don't get why you all came up with your own strategies. I'm the only one who's actually met her!" Kristoff crossed his arms over his chest. "Doesn't that make me the expert by default?"
"Seriously, guys."
"Ah but yer a boy, Kristoff," Merida said, wagging a finger at him. "We've got a bit more experience when it comes ta dealin' with girls."
"Okay, well, I'm just gonna... go..."
"Not romantically!" He quickly retorted before school his expression into one of mock surprise, raising a brow at Merida. "Unless there's a recent development you've yet to mention?"
The blond instantly put his arms up to fend off the flurry of jabs Merida sent his way as a blush worked its way to her cheeks. Anna used the distraction to silently slip from her seat, intent on heading towards the door, but- because the universe decided that her good luck streak had to end some time- found her path blocked by a fuzzy wall.
"Yoo hoo, Anna! Vhere ever could you be going?"
"Aw no, ye ain't gettin' away that easy!"
"Dang it!" Anna groused, accepting the mug of hot chocolate from Mr. Oaken before settling into her seat again. "Fine. Rapunzel, you go first."
"Yay!" The blonde sat forward, glee evident on her face as she launched into her supposedly fool-proof strategy.
Anna listened patiently, keeping any comments to herself. If nothing else, it was an... interesting experience. Her friends came up with some creative ideas, even if they all weren't exactly practical- "How are we supposed to air drop into a jungle with a pie, Rapunzel? Should I have Sven hold it in his antlers?"- and it was more than a little entertaining to listen to Merida and Kristoff bicker about whether or not trying to kiss a girl in order to ask her out was a viable tactic.
Anna was so absorbed in listening to Mulan's tips on being 'coy' that she missed Esmeralda's approach, the girl tapping the redhead's shoulder to get her attention. "Hey, Es, what's up?"
The other girl sighed, brows furrowed and mouth twisted as though she wasn't entirely sure what she was going to say which... was honestly a first, as far as Anna was concerned. Few had a sharper tongue than Esmeralda, especially when it came to getting something off their chest.
"Okay, this is going to sound weird, but I'm being serious." Esmeralda raised her hands, probably wary of the group's earlier irritation. "Just... be careful tomorrow, okay?"
"Well... mission accomplished." Rapunzel offered slowly. "That definitely comes across as weird."
"It's just something Aurora said and I'm being paranoid-"
"Slow down, Es." Anna smiled. "I'll be careful, I promise, but is there something I should be watching for, specifically?"
Esmeralda shrugged. "Aurora said something about it was going to be a hard day for you tomorrow. She gets these feelings sometimes and she's usually right, according to Snow." She sighed, shrugging helplessly. "Better safe than sorry, right?"
Anna reached over and patted Esmeralda's arm reassuringly. "Alright, I'll keep the warning in mind. See you at practice tomorrow?"
Esmeralda nodded and bid the five of them goodnight. Anna noticed that they were the last ones in the room, aside from Mr. Oaken at his desk, and checked her watch. "Whoa, it got late."
"Surprised me mum hasn't called yet," Merida said, pulling her phone from her pocket and grimacing. "Ah, hells. I left tha thing on silent again!"
Panic spread through the teens as they checked their respective phones, though only Merida had missed calls. Deciding they'd best hurry to their respective homes, the group started tidying up their mess before being waved off by Mr. Oaken. With their farewells said- and several promises that the conversation wasn't over- Anna started for home, a slight smile on her lips
Okay, that could've gone much worse. She didn't exactly think anything would really help her out but it did get her thinking about the, well, possibilities. It gave her a new burst of excitement for the next time she faced off against Ice Queen, excitement that nestled quite comfortably next to the nearly unbearable nervousness teeming just beneath her skin. But, she could totally do this. Just like with anything else. Make a plan, execute the plan, and pick herself up if she failed.
Because that was totally a possibility, that she'd read the whole situation wrong or she somehow completely screwed up when she tried flirting with the blonde beauty. And if that happened, then she would have to just... move on. It wouldn't be the end of the world or anything. If anything, it would be way easier than any of her previous relationships; there was always that awkward tension after the break-up where the whole school was on edge, seeing if either party would snap and wondering which side they'd pick. Ice Queen didn't attend her high school, probably didn't live anywhere close to Colorado, so she was totally in the clear.
It wasn't like the whole school was aware of her crush and she'd be receiving advice or being asked for an update every day or anything, right?
Anna settled into her seat, sliding her notebook onto her desk as Kristoff took the one beside her. Students entered the classroom in twos and threes, filling the last few minutes before school began with idle chatter and quiet laughter.
Anna, on the other hand, was reviewing her mental itinerary. She needed to run through the cheer routine today after her last period and then book it over to softball practice, which shouldn't be too much of a time crunch. The first twenty minutes was dedicated to stretches and cardio anyway, and she'd get that in while working on the routine.
Sometime during the school day, she needed to find Belle and Phillip. The student council needed to review preparations and theme for the homecoming game and dance next month and they needed to find a reasonable workaround, seeing as Aurora was part of the council as well. Maybe Phillip could negotiate some sort of... truce? Was that applicable in this situation? Whatever; the terminology didn't matter. She could probably fit in another student council meeting next week, after the cheer competition.
Anna bit her lip as she thought. Okay, so was that everything? Cheer practice, check, softball practice, check, student council, working on that... oh! She needed to bring the pep squad together for the skit! Who were they playing again? Had to be-
The bell cut off her train of thought, prompting Mr. P- who was previously sitting at his desk in the corner and reading the morning newspaper- to stand and take his spot at the front of the class. Chatter quieted down as he smiled, drawing a preparatory breath to begin the lesson.
"Good morning! Today, we're going to-" Mr. P cut off suddenly as Principal Mode strode into the room, her brows furrowed and mouth pulled into a frown.
Everyone in the room tensed; if the Principal was upset this early in the morning, someone was in big trouble.
"Andersen and Bjorgman." Principal Mode's eyes swept the room to discourage any surprised mutterings before landing on the duo. "Come with me dahlings, there's... someone here who wishes to speak with you two."
Anna and Kristoff exchanged confused looks before standing up and following the woman. While it wasn't exactly odd for them to leave class or lunch in a hurry, it rarely involved a member of the faculty retrieving them. Anna checked her communication device just in case but it didn't appear like she'd missed Mr. Oaken's call or anything.
"Is there something wrong, Principal Mode?" Anna frowned at the obvious agitation shining in the woman's eyes as she turned on her heel and escorted them from the classroom briskly. Were her parents okay? Kristoff's?
"Yeah, are we in trouble or something?" Kristoff looked around, half expecting Sven to have snuck on campus again. It wouldn't be the first time but it was usually Officer Brooks who came and got him in that case, precisely so he wouldn't have to face Principal Mode.
"Calm down, dahlings," Principal Mode said, waving a hand towards the entrance of the school. "I daresay you won't have many questions directed at you, given how the conversation is currently going."
At the entrance were six people, four of whom were openly armed and all of whom were wearing tense expressions. Closest to the doors of the school were three soldiers, two wearing the standard duty uniform Anna commonly saw whenever she worked with the Army while the third was wearing the formal dress uniform.
Anna frowned, recognizing the patches worn by the two soldiers in the regular uniforms. She'd seen similar- if not identical- patches on the soldiers in Cheyenne Mountain. One of the soldiers standing the hallway might've actually been there; she looked vaguely familiar, though Anna and Kristoff often hopped rides on military transports so it could've easily been that. Either way, the two in the duty uniforms wore pistols on their hips and a grey patch with 'MP' emblazoned on their left shoulders. The one in the middle, in the dress uniform, was much older in comparison, his hairline receding to leave a bald spot that caught the light almost as effectively as his silver hair.
Across from them, with their backs to the approaching teens and principal, were Sheriff Smollet, Deputy Arrow, and Officer Brooks, the former wearing their own duty uniforms while the latter wore her typical black suit and shades. Like the MP soldiers, the Sheriff and Deputy were wearing their own sidearms, though all four were careful to keep their arms crossed, away from their weapons.
Sheriff Smollet was tall and thin, exuding grace and deadly precision like a prowling tiger, short auburn hair curling around her jawline and piercing blue eyes, while Deputy Arrow was built like he was cut from stone, rigid angles and a square jaw that could cut glass, eyes and hair the color of slate.
"For the last time, that's not how this works," Officer Brooks said, her patience apparently wearing thin as she addressed the man in the dress uniform, paying no mind to the rank on his shoulder boards or the medals glittering on his chest. Much like Couch Calhoun, Officer Brooks could boast some sort of military career, but she never spoke of it in front of the students. "Since you're apparently having an issue with understanding that, we'll go over it again."
"You may have jurisdiction on your installation but this is our county." Sheriff Smollet continued, glaring at the soldier across from her.
"And our city." Deputy Arrow growled, glaring at the soldier across from him.
"And the kids here are my responsibility." Officer Brooks finished. "Which means we will be present for any and all questioning of the students here, to ensure their safety. Otherwise, you leave the grounds."
"I hardly think I pose them any danger." The man said, his mustache quivering with each word as he tried peering down his nose at Officer Brooks, the attempt severely diminished by the fact she was at least a foot taller than him. "This is a military matter-"
"Sir, be that as it may," one of the soldiers said, speaking softly and choosing her words carefully. "They are completely justified in their concern. We may be here in an official capacity but we are outside of our jurisdiction and we must adhere to their conditions."
Her counterpart sighed. "Sir, Hughes is right. Unless we get a warrant from a judge, we don't have a leg to stand on out here."
"I brought you two along to support me, not cower to a bunch of civilians." The man turned beady eyes on the two soldiers beside him, obvious cross with their lack of concern for his irritation.
"Sir, you brought us along because we're Military Police and we actually know what we're doing," the second soldier said, reaching up to adjust her hat. "If you'd listen to us, this entire process will go much smoother and might actually yield something aside from a headache."
"Specialist Bartlett, need I remind you who outranks who at the moment?"
As Specialist Bartlett opened her mouth to reply, Hughes- also a Specialist, given the ranks on their chests and hats were identical- shook her head over the man's shoulder, prompting Specialist Bartlett to bite her tongue and turn her attention to Anna, Kristoff, and Principal Mode. The man- obviously an officer- turned to follow her gaze and looked both teens up and down before sniffing.
"These are them?" He turned to Specialist Bartlett, who nodded.
"They had a reindeer with them, but these are the kids who came to Cheyenne Mountain the night of the security breach."
"Good. Now, let's get this started." The man turned his attention to Officer Brooks next. "Escort us to a room where we can talk. Privately."
"The Principal's office is as private as you'll get," Officer Brooks replied, sweeping her arm towards the thick double doors beside the school's entrance. "And we will be present for your little chat. End of argument."
The man bristled at the emphasis on 'little' but nodded his head all the same, glaring openly at Officer Brooks before following Principal Mode into her office. Anna, Kristoff, and Officer Brooks brought up the rear, the teens exchanging worried looks before entering the office and being directed to sit in front of Principal Mode's desk. The two MPs stood off to the side, mirrored on the other side of the room by the Sheriff and Deputy while Principal Mode took her seat behind the desk. The man stood before Anna and Kristoff while Officer Brooks stood half a step behind their chairs, as if daring the man to try threatening either teen.
"My name is Colonel Duke Weselton of the United States Army, currently assigned to Fort Carson here in Colorado." He began, looking down his nose at Anna and Kristoff in turn. Seated as they were, the Colonel was taller than them, though not by much. "I have been appointed to investigate the security breach at the Cheyenne Mountain research facility last week. Seeing as the surveillance equipment at the installation was heavily damaged during the attack, I must rely on first hand accounts." He drew himself to his full height, clasping his hands behind his back. "Seeing as you two were the ones who ultimately prevented any research from being stolen that night, I have come to interrogate-"
"Watch your word choice." Deputy Arrow growled as he made to take a step forward, stopping his advance at the Sheriff's hand on his arm.
"You are addressing two teenagers who have done nothing but assist people all over the world, Colonel," Sheriff Smollet said, her eyes glinting dangerously. "Please refrain from using such... incriminating language in their presence. We, as a community, are very proud of their efforts and selfless actions."
"Very well." The Colonel conceded, returning his attention to Anna and Kristoff. "I wish to learn more about the individuals who entered the facility that night. A man and a woman, yes?"
"Yeah, The Prince and Ice Queen," Kristoff said, his shoulders relaxing slightly as he spoke. The aggression rolling off everyone in the room was a little distressing but, given at least half of that aggression was in their favor, he felt at ease with the man's attention on him. "They're two of our most frequent adversaries when it comes to, uh, these kinds of situations."
"What kind of situations would that be?" Colonel Weselton scowled. "Situations that compromise the security of this nation?"
"What? No, are you kidding?" Kristoff actually had the temerity to laugh. "I mean, don't get me wrong, The Prince wants to take over the world, or so he says, but he never comes close! We always stop him."
"'We' is it?" He turned his attention to Anna. "You expect me to believe two kids thwart world domination on a regular basis?"
"We do," Anna replied with a weak smile and a shrug. "But, Kristoff's right. It's not really a big deal; they try all the time and we stop them. Nothing to worry about."
"I disagree." The Colonel sneered. "I find this something I should very much worry about because, somehow, you two were aware that an attempt to breach security would be made on a military installation before anyone else... almost as if you were part of the planning process."
"That's quite an accusation to casually lay about," Officer Brooks said, her tone equal parts threatening and condescending.
"And not one we are making at this time." Specialist Hughes offered, ignoring the Colonel's glare. "The Colonel is simply inquiring as to how such information came into their possession."
"We don't get the information, any of it, actually," Kristoff said, spreading his hands in front of him. "Anna and I don't deal with the requests ourselves. Mr. Oaken- he owns a shop on the other side of town- runs our website and arranges our missions for us, based on anonymous tips supplied through the website or through official channels. I mean, we were in Germany over the weekend because the Bundeswehr requested our assistance-"
"The German Armed Forces requested the assistance of two American teenagers?" The Colonel narrowed his eyes in suspicion at Kristoff, though the blond didn't dare to blink as he met the man's gaze. "You expect me to believe this?"
"I would, seeing as its true." Bartlett waved her phone at the Colonel's incredulous glare as he whipped his head in her direction. "I can find three separate news organizations reporting on it, including Stars and Stripes, and this isn't the first time they've assisted in Germany. Their story checks out."
Colonel Weselton grumbled something to himself before turning his attention to Anna and Kristoff once more. "So you received this so-called anonymous tip... then what?"
Kristoff searched for something to say but came up empty- he really didn't pay attention to the mechanics of how they got from point A to point B. Once Anna got the call, he was dragging himself onto some vehicle of death and bound for some new place he'd barely have time to look at before something started breaking or exploding or imploding or whatever. Was there another step he missed because he was too busy complaining about it?
Noticing his inability to answer, Anna picked up the conversation.
"Mr. Oaken relayed the information to th-the Army and the Air Force, who requested our assistance." Anna could feel sweat forming on her palms as the man's gaze landed on her. Well that was disconcerting. How the heck was she supposed to flirt with Ice Queen when she couldn't get through this conversation without stuttering? She felt like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "That's the only reason we went."
"Yes, that was mentioned, us... requesting your assistance." Colonel Weselton looked distinctly displeased with this fact. "You admitted many of your... missions involve those two. What can you tell me about the woman?"
"Excuse you." Anna narrowed her eyes at the Colonel. She didn't like where his questions were headed and she didn't like his tone one bit. Her former anxiety was quickly melting into the anger she felt when defending her friends. "What makes you think we'll-"
"We have anything else to tell you?" Kristoff talked over the redhead, setting a hand on her shoulder. She hadn't noticed she was leaning forward in her seat and mentally kicked herself; now the Colonel was very suspicious. "The Prince wants to rule the world, Ice Queen helps him, we foil them, and then leave. What more is there to say?"
"This woman-"
"Ice Queen," Anna said through gritted teeth. "Her name is Ice Queen."
"This... Ice Queen," the Colonel continued, his tone dripping with venom. "Froze over two dozen soldiers and airmen in their places. Any idea on how she managed that?"
Anna crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the Colonel. "She has ice powers. That's literally part of her name. How is this a hard concept to understand?"
"That woman is a monster."
"No she's not." Anna answered the veiled disgust in the man's words with obvious fury in her own, making to stand up. The only thing keeping her in place was Officer Brooks' hand on her shoulder; as angry as she was, the redhead wasn't about to fight the security officer over it.
Unless the Colonel kept talking like that; then, all bets were off.
The Colonel looked as though he was about to sneer a reply when the MPs spoke up.
"Girl's got a point." Specialist Bartlett scratched her chin. "It does seem like she's pretty much owning up to the whole 'ice powers' thing."
"Did you see her actually use this power?" Specialist Hughes raised a brow, ignoring Colonel Weselton's incredulous squawk.
Her counterpart nodded. "Not the first time, mind; she caught us all by surprise. But when they made their escape, I had a clear view. She just... flicked her wrist. If it wasn't abjectly horrifying to be on the receiving end of a miniature snow storm, it would've been pretty neat, honestly."
"Do you two mind?" Colonel Weselton snapped and was thoroughly surprised when neither woman reacted. He narrowed his eyes at Specialist Bartlett. "I can't believe you're defending a woman who tried to kill you!"
"She wasn't trying to kill any of us," the woman replied, her fingers subconsciously tracing the edge of the patch on her right shoulder, eyes becoming unfocused. "I've seen that, when someone's trying to kill you, the look in their eyes." She shook her head. "I didn't get that from either of them."
Her counterpart stepped forward, lips drawn into a tight line. "Sir, with all due respect, we're not accomplishing anything here."
"Except for this," Specialist Bartlett turned her attention to the teens, forcing a small smile. "From all of us who were there that night, thanks for your help. I've never been so cold in my life."
Specialist Hughes suppressed a chuckle at her counterpart's animated shiver. "Anyway, Sir, I believe it's time to leave."
"You two seem to forget who is in charge." Colonel Weselton rounded on the enlisted soldiers. "I am a commissioned officer-"
"And we are MPs in the execution of our law enforcement and peace keeping duties," Specialist Hughes cut in, gesturing to the grey MP patch on her shoulder and pistol belt. "Right now, we are acting in a manner as to assist you in your investigation but we cannot condone questioning minors in this manner. Partly because it's immoral but mainly because it's also illegal."
"If you're going to continue in this vein, Sir, we must notify their parents and come back with a warrant." Specialist Bartlett added.
"What they're trying to say, albeit very politely, Colonel Weselton," Sheriff Smollet said, effectively earning everyone's attention as the dangerous edge to her voice sliced through the air. "Is that, while we are willing to extend professional courtesy to our fellow Law Enforcement Officers, not a damned one of you has any legal power here whatsoever. If we chose to arrest you for trespassing, all we would need is Principal Mode's and Officer Brooks' say in the matter and we would be completely justified."
Colonel Weselton visibly jolted at those words, turning to the soldiers only for their steady gazes to confirm the Sheriff's threat.
"Well, I am quite finished listening to this ridiculous line of jibber-jabber," Principal Mode said, jumping onto her desk so she could easily look down on the Colonel. "Do you have anything of actual use to ask my students?" A tense silence hung in the air before the Principal scoffed. "I thought not. Now, Officer Brooks, Sheriff Smollet, and Deputy Arrow will escort you from the premises. You will not come back here for this purpose ever again."
The Colonel looked as though he was about to argue when Officer Brooks stepped up in front of him, her shades sliding forward enough for her to peer at him with her chocolate brown eyes.
"Follow me." Officer Brooks' tone brooked no argument and the MPs were quick to step towards the door, with the Sheriff and Deputy a step behind the Colonel to ensure his cooperation. Once it was just the teens and the Principal left in the office, Kristoff and Anna released a sigh of relief.
"What the heck was that guy's problem?" Kristoff ran a hand through his hair. "Like, seriously, what was he expecting us to say?"
"Try not to trouble yourselves with it, dahlings." The Principal hopped off her desk and strode towards them, a smile on her lips. "Everyone here knows better than to listen to or entertain that man's drivel." The door opened and Sheriff Smollet entered, a smirk on her lips. "As much as I wouldn't mind it, you are certain leaving those three with Terry and Sam won't lead to fractured skulls?"
"I have the utmost faith in both of them, Edna." Sheriff Smollet's serious expression fell into one of mild amusement. "More to the point, I believe I have a clearer picture of what transpired today." She turned cat-like eyes on the teens who watched her in barefaced curiosity. "It appears Colonel Weselton was the one in charge of organizing the Cheyenne Mountain defenses the night in question and the events seemed to have put a... damper on his reputation, as well as his official evaluation."
"So he thinks he can come here and find someone else to blame?" Anna stood up, glaring at the spot the Colonel had previously occupied.
She was angry, furious- how dare that man come here accusing The Prince and Ice Queen- well, okay, they probably were criminals in some sense, but they weren't dangerous! Kristoff said it best; if Ice Queen wanted to hurt people, she could, but she never did. Anna completely trusted that Ice Queen was nothing near the... monster the Colonel made her out to be.
He'd never even met them! Never seen them, he knew nothing about Ice Queen! But that's who he was focused on, not because she was dangerous- because she wasn't, Anna believed that entirely- but because she was different.
Her conversation with Rapunzel rang through her mind. She'd understood then the fears Rapunzel's parents felt but she never imagined she'd feel it. Just because Ice Queen commanded the powers of ice and snow, she was automatically a monster?
Well, Anna had no powers or magic but she had one heck of a right hook. She'd show him what 'dangerous' looked like.
"Whoa, easy there, Feisty Pants," Kristoff said, grabbing hold of her belt before she could go outside. "Let Deputy Arrow and Officer Brooks handle it. They apparently can do a lot worse than us, and legally too. Right, Sheriff?"
Sheriff Smollet cleared her throat, glancing at Principal Mode briefly. "That's... about right, Mr. Bjorgman. You and Ms. Andersen shouldn't worry about that Colonel, though I would advise Oaken to carefully screen any requests from the military for a while."
"Mr. Oaken!" Anna reached out and grabbed Kristoff's arm. "You don't think they'll try bullying him into saying something, do you?"
Despite Anna's concern, everyone else in the room laughed. "Anna, I don't think we need to worry about Mr. Oaken."
"Yes, Bjorgman's correct." Principal Mode smiled wickedly. "Though I hope they do try stopping by his shop. It might be a very... educational experience for them."
"I'll have Deputy Arrow hang around the trading post, just in case." Sheriff Smollet nodded to Anna and Kristoff. "I do apologize about the interruption and I hope the rest of your day goes better." She turned to leave but looked over her shoulder. "Oh, and Mr. Bjorgman, Delbert mentioned something about a prescription...?"
"Oh, right, Grandpabbie's medicine." The blond smiled. "Thanks, Sheriff, I'll pick it up after school."
"Yes, you two may return to your class-" Principal Mode cringed at the sound of the bell as it echoed through the room, grabbing a notepad from her desk. "That infernal bell, I swear. I will change that tone to something more appealing one day." She scribbled out quick notes while muttering to herself. "If I had the gift with sound I do with cloth, it would be a melody all its own!"
Accepting the tardy passes, Anna and Kristoff left the Principal's office with small smiles to mask their concern.
"I can't believe that guy!" Kristoff grumbled, frowning as they made their way through the hallway. "Accusing us of having something to do with The Prince's plans? Unbelievable!"
"Kris, I think that's the least of our worries," Anna mumbled, biting her lip in thought. "It's like the Sheriff said- no one in town would just let them come after us."
"Deputy Arrow might; I swear he still doesn't like me." The blond raised a brow before catching on to his friend's meaning, placing a hand on her shoulder. They stepped aside, allowing their fellow students to pass them as the hallway filled with students. "Hey, come on, The Prince might be a little... silly... with his plans and stuff, yeah, but he's pretty smart. He never gets caught and he manages to elude the regular authorities, too. And Ice Queen was able to freeze all those people- really heavily armed people- and they made it out of there without a scratch, right?"
"We think, Kristoff; we haven't seen them since! What if..."
"No, no, not what if; he wouldn't have come here looking for more information if they'd managed to lay so much as a finger on those two. I promise, Anna, they're fine." Kristoff smiled, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly. "In two weeks, they'll pop up again in some random country with some crazy scheme and it'll end with an explosion like always. Seriously, don't worry about it."
"Thanks, Kris, but..." Anna sighed, reaching up to toy with one of her braids. "I'm still going to worry. They're not looking for The Prince... they're looking for Ice Queen." She shook her head, offering him a weak smile. "We'll talk about it later."
Elsa sneezed suddenly, furrowing her brow as she scrubbed at her face. "That was odd."
"Maybe you're cold?" Hans offered from his spot beside Olaf at the computer. The two were working together to track down information on... she wasn't paying attention. She tuned him out three sentences into his opening spiel. "You know, some people believe that sneezing is a sign someone is thinking or speaking of you."
"Where did you hear that?" Elsa turned away from her book, meeting their gazes as the man and snowman turned to her.
Hans beamed in excitement. "I read it on the computer, on this amazing online collaboration of information-"
She raised a brow. "Wikipedia?"
His face fell a little while Olaf laughed. "See! I told you Elsa's really smart!"
The blonde gave a long suffering sigh and returned to her book, trying her hardest to ignore the notion. The idea was patently preposterous; who would be thinking or speaking about her? No one, that's who. Believing otherwise would put her in the same category of hopeless optimism as Hans and she wasn't quite that crazy... yet.
Elsa gave a silent laugh, shook her head, and continued reading her book.
"You're moping," Kristoff said, sliding further down the line while Anna glowered at the protective glass. They were moving through the lunch line in the cafeteria and it was the first time in a very long time the blond had seen his friend trudge out of something other than sleep deprivation.
"I mention having a crush to my friends and now the whole school knows," Anna replied with a sigh. "I am not moping; I am cursing the effectiveness with which our classmates share information."
"It's like a real life representation of the internet. Instantaneous upload and download and transfer and-" Kristoff noticed Anna's slightly heated glare. "Not helping?"
"Not helping."
Kristoff laughed, handing over his money and waiting for Anna to pay before grabbing a seat. "It's not like anyone's teasing you about it. Except me, but I have best friend privileges, so that doesn't count."
Anna hated to admit how very right he was; no one was trying to upset her with the information or anything but... she never realized prior to today how exceedingly infuriating constant support could be. Mainly because there was nothing she could do at this point! Her run-ins with The Prince and Ice Queen were always done on their terms, whenever they struck. So, while she'd received a veritable truck load of tips and advice and well wishes... literally none of it was applicable to her situation. She couldn't initiate anything and it was really, really frustrating for the girl who was always on the move and making things happen.
In hindsight, this was a pretty obvious complication. How she'd ignored it until now was a testament to how very silly she could be when properly motivated.
Add to that the run-in with the Colonel... Anna felt more like a wibbly, wobbly, unstable mish-mash of emotions than a teenager. She pointedly ignored how those two things were basically the same in some instances; she considered herself a good deal more level headed than some of her peers.
"They don't even know the full story!" The redhead mumbled, skirting around the issue while striding with Kristoff towards the table where Merida, Mulan, and Rapunzel were already seated. "They just keep saying-"
"Hey, Anna!" Eric called as he headed for the end of the lunch line, a few of the other footballers with him. "Good luck gettin' the girl!"
"Yeah, you got this, Supergirl!"
"Thanks guys!" Anna replied with a smile, glaring at Kristoff the first moment she could. "Do you see what I mean?"
"Ah, the price of being so well liked, you get automatic approval. Truly, you are a cursed soul." Kristoff pulled an insincere look of pity before laughing and nudging his friend. "Well, brace yourself, 'cause it's about to get worse."
"What was that then durin' first period?" Merida's brows furrowed as soon as the two sat down. Everyone wanted to ask about the scene by the Principal's office but most were willing to wait until the rumor mill started churning out likely excuses; only her friends would dare broach the topic. "What'd you two get yerselves into now?"
"Just some Army dude with a bone to pick." Kristoff offered nonchalantly, glancing at Anna to gauge her reaction.
In the time between the confrontation and lunch, Anna had had a bit too much time to think. Now was as good a time as any to get the thoughts out of her head and onto the table, so to speak.
"Guys..." Anna sighed as her gaze swept across everyone at the table. "I don't want them to hurt the girl I'm crushing on, even if she's helping some guy take over the world. Does that make me a bad person?"
Kristoff blinked in surprise. "No."
Merida punched in him the shoulder. "Ya hesitated, ya numbskull!"
"N-no, I didn't- I mean, I did, but not because I had to think about it! She caught me off guard!" Kristoff passed a hand over his face. "And at least I said something!"
Rapunzel shook off her shock and smiled. "Come on, Anna. Don't let some jerk get under your skin."
Anna leaned back in her chair and stared at her food, her brows still furrowing in thought.
Sure, sometimes her exploits drew some less than desired attention, but usually in the form of admirers or the occasional copy-cat, maybe the local authorities depending on the location, but very, very rarely anything so... hostile. She couldn't even remember if anyone had shown such obvious disdain towards The Prince or Ice Queen; usually their schemes were pretty self contained, rarely affecting anything aside from the immediate area when the facility, inevitably, blew up.
The Colonel appeared bent on making it personal though, as if the failed scheme was an attack on him rather than one of many misguided attempts.
It worried her.
"Anna," Mulan said, reaching out to touch her arm. "There's nothing you can do right now. Maybe the next time you're called out to stop them, you can give them a warning. It might discourage them from their current path and that can only be a good thing, right?"
The redhead groaned. "So, on this theoretical mission that may or may not occur some time in the future, I need to find out Ice Queen's name, flirt with her, and warn her that there's a nutcase Army officer who thinks she's a monster." She raised a brow at her friends. "Did I miss anything?"
The table was quiet before Rapunzel leaned forward. "You should try to get her number while you're at it."
A beat of silence was followed by raucous laughter from everyone, Anna included.
"Right, that should be easy enough." She giggled, digging into her food as the conversation turned to other topics.
In the back of her mind, she was coming to terms with her friends' support. Just like her unwavering belief that Ice Queen wasn't dangerous, her friends were absolutely confident in Anna's ability to make that sort of decision for herself.
It felt amazing and she needed to appreciate it. She had some seriously awesome friends.
The Colonel glared at the entrance to Wandering Oaken's Trading Post and Lodge. "Well? What are you two waiting for?"
"Sir, we really don't think this is a good idea," Hughes said, staring at the doors in trepidation.
Bartlett rolled her eyes and grumbled. "It's essentially the opposite of a good idea."
"Would you two shut up?" Weselton glared at the two women accompanying him. He remembered a time when subordinates knew their place. The state of the Army was exceedingly disappointing; next time he decided to track down leads for his investigation, he was going to bring those two tall fellows. They looked like the quiet and obedient type. "Or is this too difficult a task for MPs to handle?"
Neither woman responded to the insult, following dutifully in the Colonel's wake as he strode to the doors and pulled one open. Meanwhile, at a very large desk in the very center of the room, sat a squat little man with broad shoulders and a friendly grin.
"Yoo hoo! Velcome to Vandering Oaken's. I can help you, ya?"
Weselton squared his shoulders and marched to the desk, meeting the man's wide, friendly eyes with his fierce gaze.
"Are you Mister Oaken, the point of contact for one Miss Anna Andersen and one Mister Kristoff Bjorgman?" Weselton peered down his nose at the man, whose eyes sparkled at the names of the teens.
"Oh, ya, you vould like make request?"
"Yes," Weselton said, paying little mind to the soldiers behind him as they retreated a step. "I want you to give me access to all your archived information regarding the requests you receive as well as any and all information regarding requests from hence forth."
"Vhat?" Oaken blinked rapidly, completely confused by the words that fell from Weselton's mouth. "Vhere is this coming from? Vhy do you ask such things?"
"I am not asking." Colonel Weselton glowered at the man behind the desk. "As a Colonel in the United States Army, I am hereby ordering you to do as I say! I have been charged with bringing to justice the individuals responsible for the security breach at Cheyenne Mountain and I will do so, even if it means bringing in those kids and you!"
Oaken drew back in surprise before his face morphed into one of barely restrained fury. He stood up, causing all three of his visitors to step back in shock as he towered over all of them. "You threaten me? You threaten Anna and Kristoff?"
Hughes leaned towards her counterpart. "All aboard the Nope Train?"
"Choo choo, motherfucker," Bartlett replied before they both turned and strode towards the exit purposefully.
"Where are you two going?" Weselton cried, cowering as he craned his neck to look Oaken in the eye. Then the mountain of a man began walking around the desk. "WAIT FOR ME!"
Both women held the doors open as Weselton raced to the government vehicle sitting in the parking lot, one pulling the key fob out to ensure it was unlocked.
"I think we succeeded in getting pulled from this detail," Bartlett said with a chuckle, raising a brow as the two started toward the vehicle Weselton was already cowering within.
Hughes sighed. "If either of us gets through today without losing rank, I'll be surprised."
Bartlett stopped and slowly turned to regard her companion.
"Last week, I was frozen in place by a blonde chick in a halter top." She reached for her chest, pulling at the velcro until her rank detached and waving the fabric at Hughes. "I don't think anyone on this planet can motivate me to care about this right now." She waved her arms around them. "Seriously, look at all the shits I give. Look at them, Hughes! Can you see all the shits I have to give right now? That's right; not a damn one!"
Hughes laughed, heading towards the car again. "Calm down, I get it. Let's get the hell out of this county and find some food."
Anna maneuvered her way through the hall, smiling and waving to anyone who called out to her. After chatting with her friends a bit more, the redhead managed to find Belle and Phillip before lunch was over, the football captain promising to relay the information to Aurora later.
Before stepping into her last class of the day, she pulled out her communication device and bit her lip. Surely it wouldn't hurt to check, right? That wouldn't be weird or anything. As long as she played it cool; she checked in with Mr. Oaken often enough.
A few seconds after activating the device, Mr. Oaken's face filled the screen and her brows instantly furrowed in concern. "Mr. Oaken? Are you alright?"
"Very angry, Anna," Mr. Oaken replied with a dangerous intonation. "A little man came here-"
One hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, I'm so sorry he bothered you, Mr. Oaken!"
"You know this man?" His bushy eyebrows raised in curiosity, his anger tempered momentarily.
"He came by school and talked to us this morning," Anna said and immediately regretted it as Mr. Oaken's anger came back full force. "I'm so sorry! Sheriff Smollet said-"
"Sheriff? Miss Brooks knows as vell, ya?"
"Of course. Sheriff Smollet, Deputy Arrow, and Officer Brooks were all there." Anna raised a brow. That was a bit of an odd question.
Mr. Oaken paid her curiosity no mind, frowning. "I vill talk to them later. Now." He took a deep breath, his face smoothing out slightly as he reined in his temper. "Vhat can I help you vith, Anna?"
Anna blinked in surprise, a giggle escaping; she'd almost forgotten what she was calling about! It wasn't often she witnessed the gentle man's anger. "Oh, I was just calling to see if we had any missions."
The burly man shrugged with a soft smile. "Nothing, Anna. I call if something come up, ya?"
"Thanks, Mr. Oaken." Anna smiled until the man's face disappeared, then sighed to herself. She shouldn't be surprised or disappointed, but there it was, weighing on her mind just a little before she shook it off. She still had a busy afternoon ahead of her.
Anna quickly entered her last class, coming to a halt the moment a familiar voice rose above all other noise.
"Andersen, outside, double time!" The woman rose from behind her desk, standing much taller than any student and most of the faculty, even in flats.
Every teacher had their quirk: Ms. Incirrina was the weirdly passionate teacher, Mr. Papikrankenitz was the outdoors lover, Ms. Ficent was a stickler for deadlines, and Coach Calhoun was intimidation incarnate for most of the student body.
Truth be told, she wasn't afraid of Coach Calhoun like most students anymore, but part of that was due to exposure. After last year's softball season, Anna was entirely at ease with her Coach's brash attitude and severe gaze. Not to say the woman was any less intimidating- far from it- but the redhead had something of a buffer built up by this point.
The redhead stepped back out into the hallway just in time to catch Kristoff jogging down the hall. His lips curled into a smile, ready to say something but instantly swallowed the words as Coach Calhoun stepped out behind the redhead. He took a much wider path than necessary in order to enter the classroom and Anna would've laughed if her Coach's intense gaze wasn't trained on her. "Yes, Coach?"
"Cut the bull roar, Andersen." Coach Calhoun set her hands on her hips and peered down at Anna through dirty blonde bangs. "Whole school is buzzin' with rumors and I need facts, time now. What's going on with you?"
"N-nothing, Coach, just, uh, regular teen stuff?" Anna shrugged. At the woman's intense scowl, she quickly spoke up. "I'm crushing on a gorgeous girl with ice powers who doesn't go here and I have no clue what to do. Oh, and some Army Colonel was being a jerk this morning."
"Do you know a girl with ice powers who does attend this school?" Coach Calhoun raised a brow, nodding as Anna shook her head fiercely. "Thought so." She sent a pointed look at a few students who were slowly walking past that instantly increased their walking speed. "I already talked with Brooks and you should let her worry about the Colonel; she's more than capable of keeping him off school grounds now that she knows about him."
"See, that's the thing, I'm not worried for my sake, Coach, it's-" Anna cringed, cutting off abruptly to prevent from revealing too much.
Coach looked completely unsurprised, though. "Wasn't born yesterday, Andersen. Females with ice powers are in short supply in the world and I hardly believe you happen to know two of them."
"Look, Andersen, I'm not about to get up in your knickers about some crush," Coach said, wagging a finger at her,"but if this is going to distract you from the field or the classroom-"
"It won't, Coach, I promise," Anna said a little too quickly, scratching at the back of her neck absently. "Well, not any more than my missions usually do."
Coach Calhoun regarded her a moment before cracking a smirk. "It's been a rough day, huh?"
Anna sighed, ending with a chuckle. "You have no idea, Coach, and that's saying something. Natural disasters, megalomaniacs, explosions, all those are walks in the park- teen drama, now that's what trips me up."
"Thank God I was never a teenager," Coach Calhoun said, her face and voice completely serious. "But I wouldn't call it 'teen drama' exactly. Have you seen the faculty?" Coach Calhoun nodded down the hall. "We're the biggest collection of hopeless nutcases in the county. At least you have the excuse of being young."
Anna giggled.
Coach Calhoun's gaze flicked over Anna's shoulder before she motioned towards the classroom. "Get back to class and worrying over your crush, Andersen. We'll handle the rest, okay?"
The redhead nodded and went to her seat beside Kristoff in the back of the class as the bell rang out.
Coach Calhoun waited out in the hall a few moments as Officer Brooks walked up. "Well?"
"I put in a few calls." Officer Brooks pushed her shades up the bridge of her nose. "I'll know more in a few days."
"I'm serious, Chief. We have a real shot at taking State this year." The blonde ran a hand through her hair, allowing her frustration to shine through just a bit. "Do I need to make some calls too?"
The brunette regarded her friend a moment, then shrugged. "It couldn't hurt but I doubt it'll do much, Gunny. Not your people."
Coach Calhoun sighed, turning to go into her classroom. "I know you don't need the reminder but..." She stopped at the door's threshold and looked over her shoulder at her friend. "Do what you do best, Chief."
"That is what they pay me for, right?" Officer Brooks flashed a grin before walking away, continuing her patrol of the school as the blonde started barking at her class.
Author's Note: Thank you, everyone, for sticking with me this far because the Elsanna feels start a bit next chapter then pretty heavy thereafter. Yeah, we're finally (almost) done with the world building and set-up, so now we can have a bit of fun with these characters in this world. Again, I appreciate all the reviews, faves, and follows, and I am sorry I haven't been able to reply to all of your wonderful reviews yet but I'm honestly swamped. Shout out to lauraknatt for the inspiration and only-looking for being the Grammar Nazi I need. You're all awesome.
Oh, and to clarify for anyone confused, the legal power struggle depicted between the military and civilians in this chapter is totally a legit thing, as supported by the Posse Comitatus Act. If you're not one for reading legal jargon, the basic summary is this: military personnel cannot be used in the execution of law enforcement outside of their stated jurisdiction (federal buildings, federal land, airports, etc.) unless certain conditions are met (Presidential order, invitation by civilian authorities, etc.) and the Act does not apply to the National Guard (who are under the direction of their respective State governments). One could argue that this is a special case due to the supposed threat to a federal asset- which is what Weselton was banking on- but, without a warrant and since this is happening in Colorado, the civilian authorities wouldn't let that fly, especially given the extenuating circumstances (Anna and Kristoff being, ya know, bloody heroes and all).