A/N: Thanks to everyone who's followed/favorited and/or is reading but not reviewing:)
No reviews to reply to this time...:( Oh, well.:) *not-so-subtle hint to please leave a review;)XD* I love reading comments, lol:)
On to the story!:)
Chapter 34-Day Sixteen, Part 1
Although Anna was usually a late riser, the next morning she purposely woke up very early. She tiptoed into Elsa's room, carrying the bucket with the little bit of water she didn't drink the night before. "SURPRISE!" Anna shouted, and dumped the water on her sleeping sister.
Elsa sneezed because water had gone up her nose and then grumpily turned over, carefully laying her injured arm on a pillow next to her. "Anna…just so y'know…that water was not freezing cold…to me. Go back to sleep. Still early…"
Anna was disappointed at Elsa's reaction. She didn't even wake up all the way! Another idea struck her. If ice-cold water didn't wake Elsa up, maybe hot-but-not-really-hot water would do the trick. Anna quietly went in Elsa's bathroom and filled the bucket with warm-almost-hot water. She tested the water herself to make sure it wasn't too hot. It wasn't. Anna tiptoed back over to Elsa and yelled, "SURPRISE!" again.
This time Elsa woke up.
And she screamed.
And bolted straight up in bed.
Anna giggled nervously. "Hi, so um, nice morning, isn't it?"
"That. Was. A. Rotten. Surprise." Elsa hated the stinging feel of that hot water all over her. She froze it all and melted it back into much cooler water with a flick of her wrist. Since it was natural water, Elsa couldn't get rid of it entirely, just alter its physical state and temperature. Well, I'm still all wet, but at least it's not scalding hot anymore. "Anna, do NOT do that again. Why did you dump burning hot water all over me?"
Anna was puzzled but worried. She had just wanted to play a joke on Elsa, not burn her. "I specifically checked to make sure it wasn't too hot. It felt warm-not-quite-hot to me…I didn't burn you, did I?"
"No, but that water was too hot for me. It actually stung. And besides, now the whole bed and me too are both soaking wet!" Elsa brushed her dripping wet bangs back over the top of her head since they were falling in her face.
"I figured you'd just dissolve it into nothing."
Elsa sighed and said, "That was natural water, so I can't get rid of it like that. I can only alter its physical state and temperature."
"Oops," Anna said sheepishly.
"Oops is right." Elsa was still annoyed. "Wait, I do have one thing I think I can do…" All the water droplets swirled through the air and formed a large snowflake that hovered over Elsa's palm. She noticed Anna still holding the bucket and tossed the snowflake towards the bucket. The snowflake landed neatly inside and immediately turned back into water. "Well, now that you've woken me up, Anna, I think I'll go ahead and start getting ready to leave. You go get dressed yourself. Wear something nice, but not over the top fancy."
"Ok. I'll come right back and braid your hair for you." Anna was eager to do something to make up for dumping too-hot water all over Elsa, even if it was something she'd been doing for her the last few days anyway. Anna took off, the bucket of water swinging, water splashing out leaving puddles behind her.
Elsa privately did a facepalm. Anna is silly and messy, but I love her anyway.
When Anna came back, Elsa was wearing her original ice dress, her hair loose, and she was making her bed. "Oh, hi again, Anna. Just let me finish what I'm doing," Elsa said, awkwardly smoothing down the comforter with her left hand.
"Good grief, Elsa, why don't you just ask Gerda or somebody to do it for you? I never make my bed anyway-it either stays unmade or Gerda does it."
"Because I always do it myself. Anna, don't make Gerda make your bed anymore. Do it yourself. It takes me about two minutes…well, it usually takes me about two minutes…" Elsa gave up smoothing out the last wrinkle in the comforter and put the pillows back on the bed. "I just remembered something. What did you do with the rest of the water I made yesterday?"
"I dumped it on you, remember? You said something about the water not being freezing cold to you and then you sneezed and turned over."
"Anna, don't play dumb. That was not all of the water I made. What did you do with the rest of it?" Elsa had visions of Anna dumping it on Gerda or Kristoff or something…or drinking it.
"Come here, Elsa, and I'll do your hair for you," Anna said, trying to change the subject.
Elsa obliged but said, "Anna. Tell me what you did with it!"
"Um…" Anna started braiding Elsa's hair. "Uh…I refuse to answer on the grounds it might incriminate me. Yeah, that's it!"
"Nice try, Anna. I repeat, what did you do with the water?!"
"You really wanna know?"
"Yes, I really want to know!"
"Ok, I kinda may have drank the rest of it…" Anna admitted.
"You did what?!" Elsa was horrified. "Anna, WHY DID YOU DO THAT?! I have no idea what was in that water! It could have been poison to you or something!"
"Uh…you're making frost on the floor," Anna said. "And your braid is finished."
Elsa glanced down at the frosty floor. "Sorry…thank you for fixing my braid." She dissolved the frost on the floor and added as something struck her, "Anna, when exactly did you drink that water?"
"Late last night."
Well, that was several hours ago…Anna is probably fine then. "I think you'll be fine then. Come on; let's head down to the fjord. Our two little passengers and four guards and our breakfast are probably already down there."
"Of course I'll be fine. It was just water," Anna said, linking elbows with Elsa as the two headed down the hall.
"It was 'just water' that your sister with ice powers made. It would be one thing if I'd been the one who drank it, but it could have had some weird effect on you or something," Elsa replied.
"But if that was going to happen, don't you think it would have happened by now?"
"Point taken."
AN HOUR LATER IN THE SKY SOMEWHERE OVER LAKE ERIE…
Elsa and Anna were flying the NL-1-C without any issues over Lake Erie. The four guards, Luthor, and Otis sat in the passenger area.
"Veer slightly left," Elsa said when she saw land. "Washington, D.C. is going to be…southeast of here."
"Yeah, but WHERE southeast?" Anna asked. "Hey, why are my hands all sweaty-feeling?"
"Are you hot? I can cool it off a little if you like."
"I didn't THINK I was hot…But yeah, maybe cool it off a little."
"You got it." Elsa cooled the inside of the ice-copter. "Is that better?"
Anna shivered. "Not that much! What is it, like 40 degrees in here now?"
"50 degrees. Shall I revert it back to its original state?" Elsa asked.
"Yeah. How come you can alter warmer temperatures but it's so hard for you to make water?"
"I don't know. It's probably because I'm thinking 'cool the natural temperature', which is easy for me. When I revert it back to its original state, I cannot make it warmer than it was originally or is naturally at that moment, though. When I made the water, I was 'producing' the temperature, not altering it, so I guess that might have something to do with it? I honestly don't know for sure," Elsa said as she returned the temperature to its original state.
"That sounds logical."
THIRTY MINUTES LATER IN THE ICE-COPTER SOMEWHERE OVER THE EASTERN UNITED STATES…
Elsa stared in surprise out the front 'window' of the ice-copter. A large something was hurtling toward them at high speed. It's another flying machine of some kind, but…it's moving so fast! "Anna, lower altitude! Quick!"
"I am, I am!"
The NL-1-C dropped out of the way just in time. The large commercial jet zoomed by right overhead.
Both Elsa and Anna gave simultaneous sighs of relief.
"Wow, I guess I got so startled my hands got all wet!" Anna said.
Elsa frowned. Wet? That's odd…Anna wouldn't have become that disturbed she got sweaty from 'just' that…
The pilot of the commercial jet sent out a radio announcement. "Unauthorized flying vehicle of some type on the loose. Does not reply to radio contact. Looked to be a helicopter, but it was…ice? Over and out."
An hour and a half later, the NL-1-C was over the Atlantic Ocean. "Anna, we've gone too far. This is the ocean off the east coast of the United States! I know it is!" Elsa exclaimed.
Anna turned the ice-copter back in the direction they had come from, while Elsa made sure that they didn't tip out of control.
"We need to land and get directions," Elsa decided. She noticed Anna's hand slipping off the controls and asked, "Anna, what is going on?"
"I don't know. My hand's all slippery for some reason…"
Five minutes later, they landed on a large area of green grass amidst concrete and long buildings on either side. Elsa and Anna looked at each other, wondering what to do now. "Well, let's go ask someone for directions," Elsa said.
Anna tossed both hands in the air, saying, "We can't just waltz up to a stranger and ask where Washington, D.C. is!" Water sprayed all over the cockpit of the ice-copter.
Elsa's eyes grew wide. Did Anna just do that?! Trying to maintain a calm demeanor, she asked, "Anna, where did that water come from?"
"Um…I thought you did it…"
"Well, I didn't…" Oh my goodness Anna did do it! That water she drank… "Anna, wave your hand like I usually do when I'm making ice or snow," Elsa said. Her suspicions were confirmed when Anna obliged and sent a stream of water flying. "Not on me!" Elsa was able to freeze the water and dissolve it, since it wasn't natural water. She pushed Anna's hand and directed the water at the floor of the ice-copter instead.
Anna started laughing. "Oh boy, this is awesome! Now I've got powers too!" She stopped laughing when she realized she had no idea how to stop making the stream of water. "Elsa, help! How do you make it stop?!"
"I would assume you just have to use your mind and thoughts to make it stop…I don't really know!"
Anna managed to stop the stream of water but knew it wasn't entirely under her control. "Thanks, Elsa." She gave Elsa a hug, spraying water around again in the process.
Elsa jerked away in horror. I've…practically poisoned Anna! What have I done?! "Anna, I've contaminated you! This is happening 'cause you drank that water I made!" Another thought popped into her head. "Don't let Luthor or Otis find out. They know I have powers, but they think you don't. We won't be able to explain this logically…"
"Elsa, you did not 'contaminate' me. It's pretty fun actually!" Anna said. "Just, um…I have no idea how to control the water. It keeps popping out accidentally," Anna said as another sprinkle of water went everywhere.
Oh no, oh no, oh no…Not this again. I have enough trouble controlling my own. How am I supposed to help Anna?! "Well, we know 'conceal don't feel' doesn't work at all, so don't even try that," Elsa said. That was pretty much the only thing she was certain of.
Someone knocked on the door on the pilot side.
"Well, for now just try your best not to splash water on anyone. If you make a mistake, I'll try to freeze and get rid of it before anyone notices. Deal?" Elsa whispered.
"Deal."
Elsa opened the door to the passenger area and announced that she and Anna were going to get directions and come right back. "Please wait here for us." She and Anna climbed out of the ice-copter into a crowd of people. Elsa pressed herself flat against the side of the ice-copter. Too many people…too close. She just wanted all those people to leave her and Anna and the rest of their entourage alone. Wait, I don't think these people even know who we are! she realized when a chorus of 'what IS that thing?!' and 'where did you come from?' type questions came at her and Anna from all directions. Elsa stole a quick glance at Anna. Anna was bouncing on her toes with her hands clasped behind her back, a big smile on her face. Well, at least Anna's not worried anyways…But she's acting overly hyper. Water began sprinkling wildly in a twirling pattern around Anna. Elsa edged closer to Anna and nudged her, whispering, "You have to get un-hyper. That's why the water is going crazy like that." At least I'm pretty sure that's why.
Anna immediately realized what Elsa meant. "Um, I'll just hop back in the ice-copter," she whispered back.
"No, don't leave!" Elsa said, not wanting to deal with the crowd alone. Too late. Anna climbed back inside the ice-copter and Elsa froze and dissolved the water in an instant. Elsa turned back to the crowd.
"Who are you?" "She's the one that helped Superman get rid of those criminals!" "Uh-uh! She can't be!" "What's that thing behind you?" "Where'd you come from?"
The barrage of questions was starting to set Elsa on edge. Finally, she just shouted, "QUIET EVERYONE!" I wonder if I should have done that…this isn't my country…I'm not in charge here…
Most of the noise died down. One person spoke up, "Are you the one that helped Superman get rid of those criminals?"
"Yes. Now if you please, where is-"
Elsa's question was interrupted when someone else said, "You can't be."
"I can't be, hmm?" Elsa made a large snowflake that hovered over the crowd and the ice-copter, then dissolved it. "Now what was that you said again?" She paused and then added, "I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle. Arendelle is located on the other side of Lake Erie. All I want is directions to Washington, D.C., please."
"You're IN Washington, D.C.," the someone who had said 'you can't be' told her.
Elsa's face turned red. Okay, that was STUPIDLY embarrassing… "Thank you. Could you also give directions to U.S. police headquarters?" she asked politely.
A policeman walked up asking what all the commotion was about. When he noticed Elsa's ice-copter, he immediately ordered the crowd to disperse and then turned to Elsa. "We have received several alerts that said there was an unauthorized flying vehicle on the loose that appeared to be made of ice. I believe that vehicle has been identified, wouldn't you say?"
Elsa was confused. "Unauthorized? I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle…I made that, so it is personally authorized by me."
"Right, and I'm the president. Surely you can't expect me to believe that."
President? "I believe the president is the person I need to see," Elsa said.
"Miss, you can't just land a mysterious vehicle in the middle of D.C. and say you need to see the president. What is that thing really made of anyway? It can't be ice."
Elsa frowned. "Well, it is. I made it. Would you like to see how it works?"
The policeman sighed and agreed, thinking it wouldn't do any harm to humor her.
Elsa opened the door to the ice-copter and climbed in. "See, it runs on water," she said, starting the engine by unfreezing the water-fuel. "It's non-polluting."
"And my sister always tells the truth," Anna jumped in, glaring at the policeman. "Lucky thing for you she's nice or she would've turned you into a popsicle for calling her a liar."
"Anna! That was rude! Apologize…now." Elsa thought this whole thing couldn't possibly be going any worse. What a horrible first impression I've made. I hope I haven't ruined Arendelle's reputation here… "You'll have to excuse my sister…no worries, I will not do anything of the sort," she said to the policeman.
"Well, I am not sorry," Anna said. "He thinks you're fibbing when it should be obvious to anyone with eyes that you're telling the truth!" Anna clapped her hands behind her back when she realized she was starting to accidentally make water again. "Oh yeah, and if you don't believe that Elsa's the one who helped Superman get rid of the Kryptonian criminals, you ought to ask her how she broke her arm." Anna had the sudden urge to send water flying all over that policeman.
Elsa turned to Anna, knowing what she was thinking, and pointedly said, "Don't you dare." Then she turned back to the policeman and said, "If you would like tangible proof that I am who I say I am, there's this" she made a snowflake that hovered over her palm "and I also have Lex Luthor and one of his cohorts. That is why I've come, to turn them in to the United States police."
"I apologize, Queen Elsa." The policeman recognized that name, and he couldn't deny the sight of Elsa using her powers right in front of him. "Where is Luthor?"
"In the passenger area." Elsa climbed out of the ice-copter, walked around to the side, and opened the door. The four guards escorted Luthor and Otis out; and Anna climbed out of the ice-copter as well when she caught Elsa's 'Please come out' look in her direction.
The policeman called the police station, then told Elsa he would drive the two criminals to the police station. "We have attempted to bring justice to these two before, but they are very elusive. How did you happen to capture them?"
"They took my sister hostage and tried to get me to join with them to kill Superman," Elsa explained. "You two have twisted brains." Elsa directed that comment at Luthor and Otis.
"Thank you for the compliment," Luthor smirked.
Realizing Luthor was mimicking what she had responded to him once before, Elsa immediately shot back, "You are quite welcome." Two can play that game. He wants deadpan sarcasm; that's what he'll get.
"Thank you for the welcome."
"Thank you for saying thank you," Elsa responded, her blue eyes flashing.
Anna realized her sister was starting to get mad, so she jumped in, "Hey, Mr. Policeman, can't you get this idiot out of here? He's beginning to become offensive and a large irritant."
To Elsa's chagrin, she accidentally burst out laughing. Boy, Anna is so right! But…I need to shut up. Queens should not crack up laughing over a situation like this. It's immature. Then Elsa realized the policeman was laughing as well.
"Well, Princess…Anna-is that correct?" (Anna nodded.) "-I shall take the offensive and irritating criminals out of your presence now," the policeman said, still chuckling. Another policeman came up and escorted Luthor and Otis to a squad car.
"Good riddance," Anna said, sounding pleased.
"Thank you, sir," Elsa said.
"No, the U.S. thanks you for capturing an arch criminal and his accomplice," the policeman told her. "Queen Elsa, you do, however, need to register your flying machine, and if at all possible have it equipped for radio contact."
Elsa bit her lip, wondering how to ask what 'radio contact' was without sounding like a complete idiot. "How do I get my ice-copter registered, and why exactly do I have to?" she asked to stall for time.
"For air traffic control purposes, that's all. Also, are you and your sister authorized aircraft pilots?"
"I made my…aircraft, so I suppose I am authorized to pilot my ice-copter?" Elsa said hesitantly. I have a feeling that's not what he means…
"She's actually made two ice-copters," Anna said, trying to help. "This one and a smaller one that only holds two people comfortably."
The policeman frowned. "Making an 'ice-copter' does not make you an authorized aircraft pilot…"
"Okay…then I have authorized myself as an aircraft pilot since I am the queen of Arendelle," Elsa offered.
"Does Arendelle even have any other aircraft aside from the two 'ice-copters' you've made?"
"No. When Princess Anna and I were interviewed for an article in the Metropolis Daily Planet newspaper, the reporters came in a helicopter. I based my aircraft designs off of that helicopter," Elsa explained. Ugh, I am so clueless about modern technology.
"You built two entire flying machines out of ice from simply seeing a normal helicopter once?!" the policeman asked in surprise.
"Well, I did get a close look at the engine before they left. I drew up blueprints before I actually built it. It's not like I didn't even draw it first." Elsa tried to downplay the whole thing. Although I probably could have just made it without doing that. It would have been risky, though.
"You made an entire engine just like that by simply looking at it? And you know how to draw blueprints?"
"Elsa's got this fantastic, almost photographic memory," Anna jumped in. "And she loves drawing blueprints."
"How did you make an entire working engine out of ice?" the policeman asked.
"Would you…would you like me to demonstrate?" Elsa asked hesitantly. I don't know how making a whole engine out of ice works. It just…does.
"No offense, but don't you need both hands to do it? You don't have to put yourself out."
Now Elsa smiled. "No. I made this ice-copter yesterday." Elsa closed her eyes, held out her left hand, and concentrated hard. A few seconds later, an engine, albeit smaller than the one in the NL-1-C, sat on the ground in front of her. "There. All finished."
The policeman's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "You just…that's a whole…you made that intricate, complicated thing in less than five seconds! I believe we'll make an exception for you. You do not have to register your ice-copter or worry about being authorized pilots."
Elsa stepped backwards a few steps until she was almost behind Anna. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to freak you out, sir." I think I scared him. What else is new? I didn't lose control…
"Elsa, he's just surprised," Anna whispered in her ear, realizing that Elsa thought the man was scared of her.
Elsa felt Anna pulling her out from behind her. I hope Anna's right. "Sir, could you tell my sister and I where to get the music for a certain song? Sing the part you know," Elsa told Anna.
Anna cleared her throat to get the policeman's attention. He was still staring at Elsa's ice engine. "Ahem. It goes like this…" Anna proceeded to sing the lines from 'Ready to Go' that she knew.
The policeman chuckled. "That's 'Ready to Go' by Republica. You can buy a CD of it at Barnes & Noble or Best Buy."
Elsa's jaw dropped. What is a CD?! And what's Barnes & Noble or Best Buy?! "I don't believe we have CD's, Barnes & Nobles, or Best Buys in Arendelle…"
"Uh…you could catch a taxi to Tysons Corner Mall. There's a Barnes & Noble and a Best Buy there."
"What's a taxi?" Anna blurted.
"You pay money for a taxi driver to drive to wherever you want to go…"
Remembering the issue with the gold bars at Cedar Point, Elsa asked, "I don't suppose you can pay for the taxi with gold bars, can you?"
"You'll have to redeem your gold bars at a bank."
"Is a bank here like a…public treasury?" Elsa asked. I feel so STUPID. I don't know how anything works here!
"You and your sister don't know anything about general life here, do you?" the policeman asked.
Elsa decided it was best to just be honest. "No, sir, we do not. I believe Arendelle is a little behind the times when it comes to technology. Would you be willing to escort us to a bank? It sounds like we cannot accomplish anything without U.S. currency."
"Certainly."
A/N: Elsa and Anna are more than a little muddled about modern United States stuff, aren't they...:P
To make things clear, Anna's water powers that she ended up with from drinking Elsa's water are NOT permanent. It's temporary...I thought giving Anna powers was a cool (pun not intendedXD) idea, but I didn't want it to be permanent. Hence she gets temporary water powers from Elsa.:P
Next chapter coming soon!:)
P.S. I'm still editing the next chapter of 'Secret Passages'...I'm having a little trouble with making it come out like I want it to. I feel like it's turning out completely overboard angst and depressing, and yet I think it's the way it should be.:/ So...I'll try to get it posted tomorrow. MAYBE later today, but probably not.:P