A/N: Here's chapter number 14, ladies and gents. Anna and Kristoff finally reach the trolls, and Grand Pabbie reveals a surprise. To anyone who follows Gathering Darkness, I'l probably delay it just a bit longer as I got so many ideas, I'm running the risk of everything beaming one big jumbled mess and I want to organize things a bit first. I'm well into chapter 15 of this story and it may come out first (or I may decide to go ahead and update Gathering Darkness first). On a final note, this week will be our fellow reader/writer BEASBeth's birthday, so to her, here's a special shout-out: HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEK! I hope you have loads of fun and eat tons of cake!
Now on with the story; enjoy everyone!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters. They are owned by Disney and DreamWorks. I'm writing this purely for entertainment purposes.
Through The Storm
Chapter 14: In the Valley of the Living Rock
Jack opened his eyes to see that he was back in his room in Elsa's ice palace. Getting up, he walked out of his room to see if Elsa was already up as well. He was halfway down the hall when the door to the Queen's room opened and she stepped out. Their eyes met and Jack offered her a comforting smile.
"I'm so glad you were able to join us." Jack said as Elsa walked over to him. "You saw how happy Anna was to see you again."
"Yes, she was really surprised." Elsa bit her lower lip and glanced down and Jack could sense something was bothering her.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm just really worried." Elsa admitted. "What if they don't reach help in time? I may have killed my sister, Jack! How can I live with myself if she dies? Because of me!"
"Hey, it's okay." Jack said soothingly. "Don't worry, I know she will be all right. They'll get there in time and Anna will be safe." He sounded so certain. Elsa wished she could believe it too. She wished she had his confidence that everything would turn out fine.
"How do you know?" Jack placed his hands on Elsa's shoulders and looked straight into her eyes.
"Because this is Anna. She's strong. She can take it." He grinned. "Besides, Anna is your sister. I know how strong you are and she is a lot like her big sister." Elsa laughed, alleviating her tension a bit.
"Thanks, Jack." The Guardian nodded.
"It's late." He said. "We should turn in for the day."
"Okay. Goodnight Jack." And then Elsa did something she'd never one before; something she'd probably never be able to explain. She leaned in and gave Jack a quick peck on the cheek before quickly turning and scurrying embarrassedly to her room; leaving Jack in stunned silence.
Elsa slammed the door of her room and leaned against it. Her heart was hammering at a million miles an hour. She didn't know what came over her or why she did what she did, but it was exhilarating. And she enjoyed. Smiling slightly, Elsa changed into her nightgown and slipped into bed.
Jack stood frozen to his spot staring at the empty space where Elsa had stood only moments earlier, his mind struggling to process what had happened. Slowly, Jack reached up a hand and placed it on his cheek where Elsa had kissed it. A goofy grin spread its way across his features.
Finally coming to his senses, Jack made his way back to his room. If his calculations were correct, Anna and Kristoff would be arriving at their destination at any minute and he wanted to make sure everything went smoothly. Jack pulled out his snowflake and tossed it into the air, where it hung in the center of the room, high above the floor. Jack began to concentrate on what he wanted to see. The snowflake trick was very new and he hoped the theory behind it held up. If it worked, it would go a long way to solving many problems he often faced in his duties. Of course there was one teensy little problem. Jack had never used a 'viewing snowflake' as he had dubbed. He didn't even know if it would work properly. The theory he had used to create the special snowflakes was that the 'transmitting' snowflake, using Jack's snow magic, would reflect all the images around it, bouncing it from reflection to reflection, using water, ice, other snowflakes, anything at all that could reflect, to send the image back to the 'receiving' snowflake. In theory, sound waves would also be transmitted via the snowflake's 'webbing' designs. Of course it was all farfetched, but he was the winter spirit, and he was running out of ideas. Since he wouldn't be really be present on location, they wouldn't be able to see him like he could see them.
Hopefully Anna had gotten her snowflake. That was another thing that had greatly concerned Jack; as he'd given Anna the snowflake in the dream world, he had no way of knowing if it would materialize for her outside in the real world.
To his relief, the whole room seemed to flicker as an image consumed the entire room, replacing everything he saw.
"It works!" Jack said in shock. "Er, I mean, of course it works! I am Jack Frost, the Spirit of Winter, after all!" And right in front of him were Anna and Kristoff with Olaf on Sven's back just ahead of them. Jack looked around. It was a clear 360-degree view of Anna and Kristoff's location all round; it was almost like he was right there with them.
Anna's group had finally reached a small valley devoid of snow; the sky above them was alive with colors of the aurora borealis. The group had been quiet ever since they had awakened from their nap/dream chat with Jack and Elsa. Anna and Kristoff were walking side-by-side; ahead of them was Sven, with Olaf lying on his back, looking up at the night sky.
"Look, Sven. The sky's awake." Said Olaf watching the aurora borealis as it played across the sky. Anna shivered.
"Are you cold?" Asked Kristoff.
"A little." For a moment, Kristoff moves as if he was going to put an arm around her, but he hesitates, eventually deciding against it. He thought for a moment, then got an idea.
"Ah, uh, wait; come here." He grabbed her and pulled her toward a hole in the ground. A warm blast of air hissed up from the hole; a steam vent.
"Oooh… ah." Anna said in relief. They continue on the path, walking from vent to vent.
They continue on the path, walking from vent to vent. After a moment, Kristoff took a deep breath.
"So, uh, about my friends... well, I say friends, they're more like family... Anyway, when I was a kid, it was just me and Sven... until, you know, they kinda took us in." Had he already told her this? He thought he did, but now wasn't sure. Did they have this conversation? Or did he dream it up? Was it part of that dream world? If he were being repetitive, it'd make him look bad and clueless. Then again what did it matter? Well, it'd make look bad in Anna's eyes. But why did that mater? Wait, hold up; stop. Now he was just babbling like Anna.
"They did?" Anna asked. Kristoff didn't know if that meant he hadn't mentioned it or if Anna was just humoring him.
"Yeah. I don't want to scare you, they can be a little bit inappropriate..." Kristoff was starting to get nervous. He still hadn't told her just what his family was and he was beginning to ramble on. "And loud... heh, very loud... they're also stubborn at times, and a little overbearing. And heavy. Really, really heavy. Which you'll..., but you know, you, you'll get it, they're fine. Y-, they mean well-" He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. Anna gives his arm a reassuring touch.
"Kristoff, they sound wonderful."
"Okay then. Meet my family." With that Kristoff stepped forward and with a sweep of his arms, gestured broadly at the clearing that was empty except for them and a few moss covered boulders. "Hey, guys!"
"… They're rocks." Anna said in disbelief. Invisible to everyone, Jack halted beside Anna and stared in surprise as well. This is who he'd entrusted Anna with?
"You are a sight for sore eyes." Said Kristoff.
"He's crazy!" Olaf whispered aside to Anna.
"You're looking as sharp as usual." Kristoff continued, walking amongst the boulders. "Hey! Whoa! I didn't even recognize you, you lost so much weight." Anna, Jack and Olaf continued to stare in slack jawed incredulity.
"I'll distract them while you run." Olaf whispered to Anna. He went up to a boulder and began patting it. In a slow, loud voice he announced, "Hi, Sven's family! It's nice to meet you!" Whispering aside to Anna again, he added, "Anna, because I love you, I insist you run." Then it was back to the boulders again. "I understand you're love experts! Ooh!" Before once more addressing Anna, "Why aren't you running?" This seemed to snap Anna out of her reverie.
"Uh... okay. Well, I'm gonna go-"
"No, no, no, Anna, wait!" Said Kristoff. As Anna began to back away, the boulders suddenly started to roll, some moving right past her, all gathering at the center of the clearing.
"Kristoff!" She gasped in shock. Olaf smiles and chases the boulders, which surround Kristoff and unfold to reveal…. trolls.
"Kristoff's home!" Came a female voice, that of Kristoff's adoptive mother, Bulda.
"Kristoff!" Said another voice.
"Kristoff's home!" Said a third troll.
"It's been too long!" And yet another.
"Kristoff's home!" Several were cheering at the same time.
"We missed you!"
"Kristoff's home!" Cheered Olaf, before stopping and glancing at a nearby Troll. "Wait, Kristoff?"
"Oh, lemme look at you!" Said one of the troll's yanking him down close.
"Take off your clothes, Kristoff; I wash them." Said another pulling at his clothes.
"Ah! No! No. I'm gonna keep my clothes on." Said Kristoff, holding his clothes as he straightened up. "Look, it's great to see you all, but where's Grand Pabbie?"
"He's napping. But look, I grew a mushroom!" Said a little kid-troll, turning around to show a mushroom on his back.
"And I earned my fire crystal!" Said another kid-troll holding up a beautiful red crystal.
"I passed a kidney stone." Said an adult troll holding up said stone.
"Kristoff, pick me up!" Said a third kid-troll, hopping into Kristoff's arms. He might be small, be he weighed like a sack-full of rocks and Kristoff sank under the weight, nearly falling.
"Ooh! You're getting big! Good for you!" Kristoff groaned under the weight as another kid-troll jumped ump on his shoulders.
"Trolls? They're trolls!" Anna said in recognition.
"Of course!" Jack said to himself. "Now it all makes sense!" At Anna's words, everything went silent, as one, all the trolls turned their eyes to Anna. They blinked twice.
"He's brought a girl!" Bulda suddenly cried.
"A girl!" All the other trolls yell together.
"Whoa!" Cried Anna as the trolls quickly surrounded her and rolled her over to Kristoff who caught her as they practically deposited her in his arms.
"Is that a real girl?"
"She's like a little cupcake."
"What's going on?" Anna asked.
"I've learned to just roll with it." Kristoff replied goofily, setting her down, not recognizing his inadvertent pun. Bulda climbed atop the shoulders of another troll, her husband Cliff, and studied Anna closely, in a way that reminded Jack a lot Tooth; in that, ignoring personal space way.
"Let me see. Bright eyes. Working nose. Strong teeth. Yes, yes. She'll do nicely for our Kristoff."
"Wait, wait, wait. Oh, um, no. No."
"You've got the wrong idea." Said Kristoff. "No. That's not why I brought her here."
"Right. We're not... I'm not-" Anna laughs, uncomfortable, not knowing what to say.
"What's the issue, dear?" Asked Bulda. "Why are you holding back from such a man?" Jack snorted in laughter. "Is it the clumpy way he walks?"
"What?"
"Or the grumpy way he talks?"
"Oh, no-" Anna began, but was cutoff.
"Or the pear-shaped, square-shaped weirdness of his feet?"
"Hey!" Cried Kristoff.
"Ha! They got you there!" Jack laughed.
"And though we know he washes well - he always ends up sort of smelly."
"Burn dude, burn." Said Jack.
"But you'll never meet a fellow who's as sensitive and sweet!"
"That's nice, but-" Once more Anna was interrupted before she could finish.
"So he's a bit of a fixer-upper, so he's got a few flaws. Like his peculiar brain, dear. His thing with the reindeer. That's a little outside of nature's laws!"
"Whoa…!" Said Jack. Bulda rolled Kristoff around then tossed him. Two kid-trolls swung from Sven's antlers while two others danced with a very happy Olaf.
"This is not about me!" Kristoff all but yelled.
"So he's a bit of a fixer-upper, but this we're certain of— You can fix this fixer-upper up with a little bit of love!
"Umm…" Anna tried again.
"Can we please just stop talking about this?" Asked Kristoff. "We've got a real, actual problem here."
"Got that right." Jack muttered.
"I'll say!" Said Bulda before turning to Anna, "So tell me, dear: Is it the way that he runs scared?"
"Or that he's socially impaired?" Sang another troll causing Jack to laugh.
"Or that he only likes to tinkle in the woods?" Sang a small troll-kid.
"I did not need to know that." Said Anna.
"Neither did I." Muttered Jack.
"Are you holding back your fondness due to his unmanly blondness? Or the way he covers up that he's the honest goods? He's just a bit of a fixer-upper, he's got a couple of bugs." Kristoff started scratching an itch on his ear and Sven began to do the same on his ear with his hind leg much like a dog.
"No I don't!" Kristoff exclaimed as he stopped scratching.
"His isolation is confirmation of his desperation for healing hugs."
"Oh." Said Anna.
"Olaf can help you there." Jack smirked.
"So he's a bit of a fixer-upper, but we know what to do: The way to fix up this fixer-upper is to fix him up with you!" The trolls lassoed Anna and Kristoff with vines, then pulled unraveling the vines and sending them spinning opposite directions.
"Whoa!" They cried, Anna in fun and Kristoff in annoyance.
"Stop it, stop it, stop it! Enough! She is engaged to someone else, okay?!" Cried Kristoff in exasperation. The tolls paused and blinked twice again before several of them huddled together, to Kristoff's chagrin.
"So she's a bit of a fixer-upper, that's a minor thing. Her quote 'engagement' is a flex arrangement." A kid-troll, hopping onto its elders' back to be at the center and waggled a finger.
"And by the way I don't see no ring!" He said.
"So she's a bit of a fixer-upper; her brain's a bit betwixt. Get the fiancé out of the way and the whole thing will be fixed." The male trolls practically dog piled on Kristoff, carrying a large moss cloak.
"Urh!" Groaned Kristoff, covering his face with both hands.
"We're not sayin' you can change him, 'cause people don't really change." Said Bulda, while the other female trolls harmonized. "We're only saying that love's a force that's powerful and strange." She grabbed Anna's hands and gently pulled her to eye level. "People make bad choices if they're mad, or scared, or stressed." Jack blinked in surprise. For such a, goofy, song, those lines were surprisingly deep. Judging by the look on Anna's face, it had a deep impact on her too. "But throw a little love their way."
"Throw a little love their way."
"And you'll bring out their best! True love brings out the best!" The trolls covered up Anna and when they stepped away, Anna was wearing a moss cloak, lit by shining crystals, and a grass crown. Jack blinked, his mouth parted slightly in awe.
"Whoa." Said Kristoff as he caught sight of Anna. He himself was wearing the cloak's the male trolls had brought and now they stuck a stick crown on his head. Anna giggled as she saw Kristoff's get up.
"Everyone's a bit of a fixer-upper, that's what it's all about!"
"Father!"
"Sister!"
"Brother!"
"We need each other to raise us up and round us out."
"Everyone's a bit of a fixer-upper, but when push comes to shove." The trolls pushed Anna and Kristoff closer together.
"The only fixer-upper fixer that can fix up a fixer-upper is-" Sang Olaf, popping up between them. A couple of trolls dug a pit while others placed a root arch over it. The rest of the trolls grabbed Anna and Kristoff and tossed them in; then danced around them
"True! True! True, true, true! Love! (True love) Love, love, love, love, love! Love! (True love!) True..."
"Do you, Anna, take Kristoff to be your troll-fully wedded-" Said a troll priest.
"Wait, what?!"
"You're getting married."
"Love!" Anna gasped, collapsing.
"Anna?!" Said Kristoff, taking off his cloak and crown. He caught Anna who began hyperventilating in his arms.
"She's as cold as ice." The trolls began muttering worriedly, then cleared a path as a new troll rolled up to the pit.
"There's strange magic here." Said the new troll as he unfurled on his feet. He looked much older than the other trolls and the moss covering him was arranged in a much more ceremonial looking appearance than that of the other trolls.
"Grand Pabbie!"
"Come, come! Bring her to me." Said Grand Pabbie as Kristoff helped her over. The elder troll took her hands and looked her seriously in the eyse.
"Anna, your life is in danger." Jack swallowed hard at what he heard. No… "There is ice in your heart, put there by your sister. If not removed, to solid ice will you freeze, forever."
"No…" Said Jack.
"What…? No." Said Anna in disbelief.
"But, you can remove it, right?" Asked Kristoff.
"I cannot. I'm sorry, Kristoff. If it was her head, that would be easy. But only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart."
"An act of true love?" Asked Anna.
"A true love's kiss, perhaps?" Said Bulda. A bunch of trolls give each other kisses. Anna shivers again, collapsing into Kristoff's arms once more. More of her hair turns white.
"Anna, we've got to get you back to Hans."
"Hans…"
"Pull us out, Sven." Kristoff took Sven's antlers and the reindeer pulled them out of the pit. As they stood, Kristoff decided to ask about the Guardians
"Before we left, Anna met this spirit guy called Jack Frost who also has control over the cold." Kristoff explained, lifting Anna onto Sven's back. "He stayed behind to try and help Elsa. Anna told me he's a Child Guardian or something."
"Ah yes, the Guardians of Childhood. Chosen by Manny to be protectors of the dreams of children."
"You know them?" Asked Kristoff.
"Indeed I do." Said Grand Pabbie.
"How come they didn't ask you to become a Guardian?"
"Ah, but they did, Kristoff." Jack gasped. What?! He'd never been told that before. This was all news to him.
"So what happened?"
"I decided to respectfully decline as I wanted to take care of this lot."
"So Jack can help Elsa thaw this winter. But what can I do?"
"The best way you can help is by keeping Anna alive." Kristoff nodded. At least now he knew beyond a doubt that Jack could be trusted. Not that Anna's word wasn't good enough, it was; but she had been wrong about her sister not hurting her, even if it was an accident.
"Come on, Olaf!" Called Kristoff as he hopped onto Sven's back, pulling Anna close to him.
"I'm coming!" Olaf cried, running after them. He hopped up, landing on Sven's rump. "Let's go kiss Hans! Who is this Hans?!"
As Sven raced out of the valley, the images around Jack flickered and vanished. He set his teeth. That could only possibly mean very few things. The snowflake was attuned to Anna and it would stop functioning if she was a sleep or fell unconscious or- Jack brought his thoughts to a screeching halt and shook his head of the unwelcome thought. No! Anna would be fine. She was strong. It'd take much more than a little cold to put her down. Anna had probably just passed out; but she would be fine. He had to believe she'd be fine. Jack sighed heavily. There was nothing more he could do now. He'd just have to put his trust in Anna's strength and Kristoff's determination. Still, he couldn't keep this bit of information from Elsa. He'd have to find a way to tell her. Somehow.
Jack sat on his hammock and pulled out his journal. It was time to finish up Day 6 and he'd now had more time to think about some of the things that had troubled him in Day 5's entry. He was still troubled and confused, but at least now he'd had a chance to sort things out a bit and get his thoughts and feelings together and organized. Of course that still left his ever-growing feelings for Queen Elsa and his near overwhelming urge to act on those feelings. But, just what were those feelings? He'd never had them before for anyone; neither in his human life, nor in his spirit life. But when Elsa came along everything changed and he did not want it to change back. Ever.
Jack opened the journal and began to write.
"Journal Entry Day 6. Earlier today Baby Tooth arrived bearing the teeth memory canisters for both Elsa and Anna. I guess this means that Tooth thought it was important that I find out about their past, or North thought of it and ordered Tooth. I have yet to see either memory however, as I feel now is not the correct time just yet. Following Baby Tooth's departure, I decided to try a dream chat with Anna and Kristoff via Sandy's dream world To my and Anna's immense joy, Elsa decided to join us. It was really nice to see the two sisters reunited on better terms, and I noticed that it brought them tremendous happiness to be together without worry of Elsa accidentally harming anyone. Although I do not yet know of their past, I do know that poor Anna and Elsa gave been through a lot and it pains me greatly to see how they've suffered. But I know we'll get through this. I know we'll make it better. Together." Jack sighed, knowing what he had to write next. "Continuing from Day 5's entry, which I did earlier today; I still don't know what my feelings are regarding Queen Elsa. They're… different, unknown. I can't explain it and it's so confusing! I do know however, that I've never felt like this towards anybody, like I feel towards Elsa. What if Kristoff was right? Was this feeling… is this… love? Am I in love with Elsa?" Once more Jack sighed, closing the journal. He put his head in his hands. It was all too much for him to process at the moment. He needed to sleep on it and see if anything came out of this realization.
A/N2: So now 14 is out of the way and done. Sadly, that's all we'll have of Anna and Kristoff for a while, HOWEVER, I'm planning on adding a few scenes that weren't in the movie of their journey back to Arendelle, just so we can have an excuse to go back to them. Plus, Jack himself is now starting to finally recognize his own feelings for Elsa.
I'm glad so many of you got the Mulan reference last chapter, but it wasn't the only one. Who got the earlier movie reference to the first Rocky movie? It's the part where Jack refers to himself as the Pennsylvania Mania (to Rocky's Italian Stallion) and then proceeds to quote Rocky word for word (except exchanging Adrian for Elsa).
Awesomo3000: Thank you. Normally I don't mind too much, but when everything goes wrong simultaneously, it gets very annoying.
markwyldespinebuster: Yeah, that's Jack for ya, lol! ElsaTheSnowQueen2
9foxgrl: Lol! Glad you liked it. Jack loves teasing Sven.
animefan: Yeah, I figured it'd be something Jack would do. He'd probably think they'd need a bit of fun and excitement in their lives to maybe 'inspire' them with new compositions.
JaliceJelsa4eva: Yep you got it! It just seemed to perfect of an opportunity to pass up.
trunksfan001: Thank you! Yes, that's actually one of the most difficult parts; to get everything to fit and flow together nicely and believably.
BEASBeth: Heh, thanks! And once more, Happy Birthday Week! Or, Happy Birthweek!
TATTOO ARTIST: Yes they are. I love to reference other works in my stories, and I'm glad a lot of people got this one.