Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen nor its characters, nor do I own any characters from other Disney works. Disney owns everything - including my heart, soul, and wallet.

Disclaimer 2: This is Elsanna. They are not sisters. If it's not your thing, I won't be offended if you don't want to read it.

Chapter 1 - The New Girl

06 October 2019

The heat never really bothered her. She relished in it really; preferring tropical climates and lands covered in white sand and warm sun. Yet here she was, shivering outside of some tiny airport, in a tiny town called Dutch Harbor somewhere along the Aleutian Islands, waiting with her mother for the taxi to arrive and take them to the docks where they'll board a ferry that will take them to their new home - Arendelle.

"Where the hell is Arendelle?"

"Language," her mother said. "It's in Alaska."

"ALASKA!"

"That's what I said. A small island town off the coast of Hooper Bay."

"What am I supposed to do in ALASKA! Fish the Bering Sea?" she had shouted back, voice becoming rather shrill, but her mother remained calm.

"If you want," Iduna said.

"MOM!"

To call Anna disappointed with her new living situation would be an understatement, a complete disservice to her emotional state. They'd lived in Monterey for almost three years now, and Anna had put down roots. She'd made friends and joined clubs. All her favorite restaurants and hang-outs were in Monterey, and now she suddenly had to start all over… again. IN ALASKA. She sulked about it for a while, but there wasn't much she could do. Her mother was excited for this new opportunity in her career. Iduna had been chosen to head a new research facility that the Marine Life Institute was establishing to study, rehabilitate, and release arctic sea creatures. It was a good thing for her mom, and so Anna swallowed her teenage angst and put on a smile.

However, right now, she'd wished she fought this move harder. She could hardly feel her fingers and toes, and the cold air was making her nose sting. She looked over at her mother, standing regally on the curb, as if the cold were nothing more than a mere inconvenience. Which, for her, it might just be. Her mother had grown up in Alaska and knew what to expect. The coldest place Anna had ever lived was San Francisco.

"How are you, little duck?"

"Cold."

"You'll get used to it," her mother said.

Anna doubted that very much.

The taxi finally arrived, but Anna's relief from the cold was short lived. The ride to the ferry dock was barely ten minutes. Her fingers and toes had only just begun to feel sensation again when she was forced back out into the cold. The cabin on the ferry did little to protect her from the frigid weather either. The windows were single paned and didn't fully shut so, periodically, wind would blow through the small openings and send a fresh wave of chills over her.

After what felt like days, though her mother insisted it was only a two hour voyage, and one final taxi ride from Arendelle harbor, they finally arrived at their new home. It was a quaint little, one story home, painted a pale yellow color with white trim and a bright red door. A sensible, black Subaru Impreza supplied to her mother by her work was sitting in the driveway. When her mother unlocked the door, Anna saw that all their belongings, aside from the carry-on luggage they were dragging in behind them, had arrived before them.

Anna took in the home while her mother made her way over to the thermostat and turned the heater on. They were standing in the entryway that was continuous with the living room area to her left. On her right, she could see a room that already had boxes labeled 'office' stacked within. Through the open frame doorway directly in front of her, Anna could see the kitchen that was alongside the small dining area.

"I know it's smaller than what we've gotten used to these last few years," Iduna said as she approached her daughter. "But we don't need much space, just the two of us."

"That's true," Anna nodded, relief flooding through her as she felt the heater ignite and blast her face with warm air from the vent she didn't realize she was under. "It's a cute house. I like the front door."

"Come on. Let's go check out the bedrooms."

They walked down the only hallway just passed Iduna's home office. There were three doors along the hallway. The first door on the left revealed the small bathroom that (Thank goodness, Anna thought) had a double sink and full size tub. Across the hall from that was her mother's room, and the last door on the left passed the bathroom was Anna's. It was a little smaller than her room in Monterey, but not by much. Her bed had been placed in the corner with the nightstand next to it and her small desk was against the wall on the other side of that. To her surprise, there was a small alcove next to the closet where a window looking out over the wooded area behind the house was nestled, a small built in bench sitting underneath.

"What do you think, sweetie?"

"It'll do," Anna said with a curt nod. She didn't want to admit it aloud just yet (after all, she did want to make her mother suffer just a little for moving her all the way out here), but she was in love with her room. Specifically, she was in love with that window seat.

After several hours of unpacking and organizing, they sat at their small dining table with the take out her mother had picked up from some local diner called Wandering Oaken's. Anna had to admit it was delicious. Her mother had let her order chocolate chip pancakes slathered in peanut butter for dinner (she was definitely trying to placate her today), and they were totally hitting the comfort spot. Then again, chocolate always made anything better in Anna's opinion.

"Did all of your boxes arrive just fine?" Iduna asked, trying to make conversation after eating half of their meals in silence.

"Mmhm," Anna answered through a mouthful of gooey deliciousness.

"What do you think of Arendelle so far?" Iduna tried again. Anna answered with a half shrug. Her mother sighed and set her fork down. "I know this is a lot, little duck, but please try to make the best of this. At least for me? I think if you give it a chance, you'll really like it here. Alaska is a beautiful place."

Anna looked at her mother and the sincere, pleading look in her eyes made the teen's stomach churn with guilt. Not a great thing when it was stuffed full of sugary, heavy breakfast goods. She knew she was being purposefully moody and insolent. She had to remember that her mother didn't move her here as punishment, but for a well deserved career opportunity.

"Is this a lot like where you grew up?" Anna tried. She wouldn't pretend she was happy to be here, but she'd at least give the place a shot. She knew her mother appreciated it when a smile graced her face.

"There's some similarities, yes. It brings back memories I thought I'd long since forgotten," Iduna answered and a distant, almost sad, look filled her topaz eyes. "But I grew up on the mainland so there are a lot of differences as well. Though, I grew up hearing a lot about Arendelle and some of the other islands around here."

"Have you been here before?"

"No, but your grandmother had," Iduna said. Anna didn't know how to respond. Her mother didn't talk about her parents often, and when she did she almost assuredly got upset somehow, be it mad or sad. "She used to tell me stories that had been passed down through the generations. Stories of magic and fantasy, all tied back to the islands here."

"Magic?" Anna asked. "Like Harry Potter? Witches and wizards and all that?"

"No, not Harry Potter," her mother answered with a laugh. "The legends told of a people that once lived in harmony with nature. Nature loved these people so much, she gifted them with the magic of her sacred river. Many of the people where I grew up believed that the remaining descendants of those people live here in Arendelle and in a chain of islands across the Southern Sea."

"Your mother believed there was magic here? Do you too?"

"Mother believed it more than I ever did," Iduna answered with a smile. "I loved the stories when I was a child, but you know I'm far too pragmatic to have believed them for long."

Anna nodded. She could imagine her mother as a teenager scoffing at stories about magic and fantasy. Her mother hardly approved of Anna's choice in recreational reading material. Most of the time, Anna got the feeling her mother disliked even the idea of magic.

"Can I ask you one more question, Mama?" Anna asked tentatively. Her mother raised an eyebrow at the use of 'mama' instead of her usual 'mom' (when did I start calling her 'Mom' anyway?), but nodded her approval. "What was she like? Grandmother, I mean."

For all her life, at least all that she can remember, it had always been just her mother and her. It didn't bother her much growing up, it was just their normal after all. While the other children often had two parents and some extended family, Anna was used to and happy with the fact that it was just the two North women. Being here though, so close to where her mother grew up (and subsequently where her father grew up), she couldn't help but wonder if she had more family nearby that she didn't know about.

"She was… a conservative woman," Iduna said, frowning slightly. This wasn't the first time that Anna had been curious about their family outside of the two of them. It happened a lot when she was younger; though, it had been years since she last asked. This was the first time she'd asked about someone specific, however. It wasn't the type of question Iduna could sweep away with a simple 'that's all in the past' and an offer of ice cream. "Steeped in tradition, everything she did and wanted done was in service to our heritage. She didn't approve of my choices, and so your father and I left."

"You haven't spoken to or seen her since then? When you left at eighteen?"

"My mother and I didn't have the best relationship," Iduna said honestly. Then the frown between her brows smoothed out and a soft smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. "Not like you and me, little duck."

Anna couldn't help the smile that came. Her relationship with her mother was nearly picture perfect, the 'Gilmore Girls' really had nothing on them. Sure, sometimes she wished her mother wasn't so over protective, but she loved how open they were with each other. She couldn't imagine not having this relationship, and it made her sad that her mother and grandmother didn't seem to share the same one.

"I love you, Mama."

"I love you too, my darling," Iduna said. "Now, I'll clean up here. You should get ready for bed. You don't want to be late for your first day at your new school."

"Anna, let's go," her mother called from the living room. "You're going to make us late for your first day of school."

"I know! I just can't find my pen!"

"You have many pens, Anna. Why are you desperate for this specific one?"

"Because it's my favorite pen. My lucky pen. You know it - the fountain one with the extra fine, rose gold nib," Anna shouted through her open bedroom door.

"Have you checked your pencil case?"

"It has its own special case. Why would I…"

Anna suddenly stopped talking and her mother could hear more shuffling coming from down the hallway. Iduna rolled her eyes as she finished tying her scarf around her neck. Her daughter came around the corner as she slung her backpack onto one shoulder.

"Did you find it in your pencil case?"

"Maybe," Anna mumbled, pulling a light teal beanie with an oversized furry poof onto her head. She did everything she could to avoid her mother's eyes. She had a way of looking smug but humble that Anna knew to silently mean 'I told you so.' Anna braced herself for the bitter cold, the last two days proved that autumn in Alaska was undoubtedly cold. She tripped slightly on the last step, but caught herself in time to casually walk to the car.

The school was only about a mile and half from the house and, on most days, Anna would be walking (though she already planned on begging her mother for a ride when the weather was terrible). Today, however, Iduna had to finish up enrolling Anna in Arendelle High, so the two walked together through the front doors with most of the eyes of the student body trained on them. Anna tried not to feel self conscious.

They probably never get new kids here. They are gaping at the novelty, not at you, she tried telling herself. It was still doing very little to quell the anxiety that was mounting from all the stares.

"Ah! You must be the Norths," a kind, elderly woman (Ethel, if the nameplate belonged to her) behind the counter greeted them when they entered the front office. "We've been expecting you. The school is simply abuzz with your arrival."

"We noticed," Iduna said, sending Anna a reassuring smile. "I take it that you don't get very many new students."

"Oh deary, no," the secretary said with a smile. "Nearly all the children here have been in Arendelle all their lives. Though I suspect that we might get a few more new students once that new facility of yours brings in a few more families."

"For now, most of the other researchers and employees accepting the offers are young singles. Not many are willing to uproot their families to move to a small Alaskan town for work."

"Well, it's nice to have some new blood regardless! Now, I still have a few papers for you to sign Dr. North. I need to grab them, but here you go, Anna dear," Ethel said. She handed Anna her class schedule before heading through a door behind the counter.

Anna looked down at her schedule and scrunched her face. This can't be right, she thought. She glanced at her mother who was checking something on her phone and gave a light tug on her coat sleeve to get her attention. Anna handed the schedule to her mother whose face adopted a similar expression.

"Here we go!" Ethel exclaimed as she approached the counter again and laid a small stack of forms in front of Iduna. She caught the expression of the two newcomers and grew concerned. "Is something wrong with the course load? We do a typical block schedule, with fifth period homeroom being everyday after lunch."

"Oh, that part we understood. It just appears that Anna's been placed in many classes she's already taken," Iduna said. "I think there must be a mistake."

"Her birthday indicated that she would be a Sophomore," Ethel said in confusion. She opened up a manila folder and glanced at a paper inside quickly. "You turned fifteen this summer correct, dear?"

"She did, but Anna skipped a grade early on," Iduna answered instead, pulling an envelope from her shoulder bag. "I had a feeling her transcripts might not have arrived before us. I've also included a copy of her class schedule from her last school."

Anna was used to her mother taking charge in these situations. She appreciated it really. Most of the time, her mother's 'helicopter' tendencies drove her crazy, but in situations like this, she was glad that her mom knew how to be the right amount of pushy. Not to say that Anna was a pushover, far from it actually. She was just much better at being assertive with her peers, not with adults.

"Oh, I see! Quite the smart cookie," Ethel said, glancing from the transcript to Anna and giving her a wink. "Not a problem! I'll create a new schedule while you finish up here. Oh, and I should call the Junior Class welcome buddy instead."

Why do they have welcome buddies if they never get new students? Anna thought.

"Rapunzel Corona, please report to the main office," Ethel said into the PA system before heading to her computer.

A few minutes later, a slender girl about a head taller than Anna literally bounded into the room. Her long, yellow-blonde hair was intricately braided and held together with a flower clip. Anna couldn't help but wonder exactly how long that hair was when it was released from its woven prison. The girl gave Anna a wide smile before she skipped up to the counter.

"You called for me, Ethel?"

"Oh, Rapunzel! Yes, I've got a new student for you to show around," Ethel said. She grabbed a couple pieces of paper from the printer behind her. Ethel handed one each to Anna and Rapunzel. Anna glanced over it, much more satisfied with the course assignments, and handed it to her mother. Iduna nodded her approval and looked back up at Ethel.

"Thank you, Ethel. You have been very helpful."

"My pleasure, Dr. North. Please feel free to contact us here if you have any concerns."

Iduna turned to Anna and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Have a good first day, little duck."

"Thanks, Mom," Anna mumbled. Her face instantly colored. She didn't mind the pet name her mom had for her, usually it made Anna feel comforted and loved. Right now, however, she was mortified that her mother used it in front of another student at her new school.

"So you must be Anna," the girl said, reading the name on the schedule Ethel had handed her. Anna actively worked not to flinch at the mispronunciation of her name. The blonde extended a hand to her. "The name's Rapunzel, but most people call me Raps."

"Actually, I go by Anna," she said, rounding out the first 'a' in her name and shaking Rapunzel's offered hand. "But I get that a lot, so no worries."

"Anna it is! Come on - I've got a lot to show you before the warning bell rings. Looks like we've got first period together, so that simplifies things."

She followed Rapunzel through the halls and tried to ignore the continued stares from the other students. Rapunzel was thorough. By the time they arrived at their English classroom, Anna was pretty sure she could navigate the halls and spout random facts about the history of the school and town. At the end of first period, Rapunzel walked her to her next class. Anna tried to tell her she was pretty sure she could find her way around, but Rapunzel refused.

"No can do, sweetie. It's in our hospitality policy that all new students get escorted around the school on their first day."

"When was the last time there was a new student?" Anna asked. She couldn't imagine it was any time recently and Ethel had implied such this morning.

"That would be when Eugene's family moved here when he was in the first grade. He's a senior now," Rapunzel answered lightly.

Anna froze in place, eyes growing wide. "I'm the first new student in over a decade?"

"Don't worry, Anna. You'll be old news soon enough," Rapunzel said as a group of students walked passed whispering and gawking. "Okay, maybe not so soon, but eventually. Anyway, here we are! Let's find someone to be your next escort."

Rapunzel took a quick glance around the room and her eyes settled on a broad-shouldered blonde boy sitting in the front row. Glancing back down at Anna's schedule, she nodded and beckoned her to follow.

"Hey, Kristoff," Rapunzel said as they approached the boy. "This is Anna. Do you think you can show her around until fifth period? She's got homeroom with us."

"Sure thing, Raps," Kristoff said as he eyed Anna.

"See you later, Anna," the blonde exclaimed as she headed out.

"Aren't you kind of small for a junior?" Kristoff said to her as they walked to the cafeteria after third period Spanish class.

Anna was instantly incensed. She'd been teased about her size her whole life. Anna had heard it all - shorty, pipsqueak, runt… the list goes on. Admittedly, she was very petite - just barely five foot two inches when she stood as tall as possible. It also didn't help that she was a year younger than everyone in her grade. Her mother assured her that she'd eventually catch up, she'd been waiting years to finally hit a growth spurt, but she had a feeling it would never come. Suffice it to say, it was a sore spot for Anna.

"Aren't you kind of old to be in high school?" She shot back at him. He was extremely burly and had a faint shadow of stubble across his chin, making him appear older than the typical high school senior. They stared at each other for a moment before the blonde boy burst into laughter.

"I like you, feisty pants," Kristoff said.

Anna paused upon entering the cafeteria and scanned the room. It appeared that the entire school was having lunch, which didn't really surprise her. A town as small as this, the student body had to be small and, therefore, there was no need for multiple lunch periods. There was a strange feeling in her chest suddenly, accompanied by a ringing in her ear. She pulled her gaze toward a figure, as if guided by some unknown force. She caught a glimpse of a platinum blonde braid before Kristoff's voice broke her out of the moment.

"Come on, you can sit with us."

Shaking off the feeling, Anna followed Kristoff across the cafeteria, once again doing her best to ignore the eyes that tracked her as she went. They finally approached a table near a window where two other kids were seated. She guessed they were siblings based on the similarities in their features, potentially fraternal twins.

"Hey, guys. This is Anna. Anna, this is Ryder and Honeymaren," Kristoff introduced.

"Welcome to Arendelle," the two said at the same time.

"Don't mind their twin telepathy," Kristoff whispered and they both sat down.

Anna pulled out her lunch and chanced a look around. She was glad to see that people had stopped staring at her. Rapunzel waved to her from a few tables away and she waved back. The bubbly girl was sitting between a very handsome boy and the platinum blonde braid she saw upon entering the room. Something about the girl was alluring even though Anna couldn't see her face. She found herself staring at the girl's back waiting for her to turn around. Just as the girl moved to look at Rapunzel, Kristoff spoke to her.

"So, Anna. What's California like?"

She turned her attention back to Kristoff and considered his question. "Warm."

He laughed heartily again. "You're a riot, feisty pants."

"How's your day going so far?" Rapunzel asked her as they left their AP Biology class. It turned out that she and Rapunzel actually shared three classes, including fifth period home room. It was nice to know that she'd have two periods every day with the friendly girl who was currently walking Anna to her last class on her way to the art room.

"Oh, you know. Just getting the hang of things, but people have been nice," Anna answered honestly.

"I'm glad! I hope you'll like it here," Rapunzel said as she led Anna into the Chemistry lab. She led Anna a few benches down, stopping at the one where the platinum blonde braid from the cafeteria was sitting. "Hey, Elsa!"

The girl turned and Anna's breath caught in her throat as she laid eyes on the most beautiful girl she'd ever seen. This is a face to launch a thousand ships. Aphrodite herself would be jealous of her beauty, she thought. The girl's flawless skin was extremely pale, but Anna guessed that the Alaskan weather didn't lend much to tanning. She had a delicate nose, almost graceful in the swoop from its bridge to its point, and high cheekbones nestled under large, round eyes. But it was those eyes bright, ocean blue eyes that held Anna's attention. She was instantly captivated. Anna could swim in those eyes.

"Anna, this is Elsa. Elsa, meet Anna. She's going to be your partner," Rapunzel's voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"How do you know she'll be paired with me?"

Even her speaking voice is beautiful, Anna thought. Sultry; probably a mezzo. She realized in that moment that her mouth was slightly agape and shut it quickly with an audible click. Luckily, the two blondes were occupied with their conversation and didn't notice Anna's leering.

"Are you saying you have a partner?" Rapunzel challenged. The girl, Elsa apparently, only stared at her in response and Rapunzel smiled brightly. "That's what I thought. Well, you're in luck! From what I hear, Anna may be smarter than even you."

Elsa seemed to stiffen at the comment. Anna noticed that Elsa's eyes flickered to her, but she didn't let them linger. The blonde said nothing, and the silence was deafening.

"Well, this is awkward," Anna muttered. She realized when both blondes turned to look at her that she'd pulled a classic Anna and said what she'd intended to be an internal thought out loud. She could smack herself in the face right now. "Not that you're awkward, but because this… It's that me we… I be… I'm awkward. You're gorgeous. Wait. What?"

Anna clamped her mouth shut so tightly she was sure she'd crack a tooth. She trained her eyes on the ceiling and shook her head slowly. Anna could feel the blush burn even hotter as she tried her best not to look at the two older girls.

"You're adorable," Rapunzel said eventually, causing Anna to, somehow, blush even more. Anna looked at the welcome buddy and found she had a very wide, knowing smile plastered on her face. "I kind of want to put you in my pocket and keep you for myself. I have a feeling we're going to be very good friends. Don't you think, dear cousin?"

Cousin? Anna thought. She took another look at the faces of the two girls. Well, Elsa's profile as the platinum blonde had turned back to face the front of the room. She could pick out the similarities. They were subtle, but they were there in the shape of the eyes, the turn of the nose, the point of the chin. She saw Elsa offer Rapunzel only a shrug in response and Anna fought a sigh. Way to go, Anna. You should write a book on making first impressions. You've just made your new lab partner uncomfortable with your word vomit.

And uncomfortable was what the rest of the day ended up being. After their teacher had Anna introduce herself (for the fourth time today), he did indeed assign her to partner with Elsa. The stoic girl spent the entire period trying to avoid looking at Anna. During the lecture portion, they kept bumping elbows as they wrote since their respective dominant hands were between them. The first time it happened had felt almost like an electric shock, and Anna jumped so much she dropped her favorite pen. Elsa had picked it up for her, eyeing it briefly before setting it down on the bench between them. When it came time to do a quick experiment, they kept fumbling over each other. It was obvious to Anna that Elsa preferred to work on her own and was having a hard time adjusting.

Mercifully, the end of the class finally rolled around and Elsa had disappeared so fast that Anna missed her leave. She felt her stomach roll in disappointment; a disappointment she had a feeling stemmed from a sudden infatuation that could one day get her into trouble.

Great. Just great. Not even a whole day and you've developed a crush. Get a grip, Anna. You always fall too fast, Anna thought to herself as she started her trek home through the cold Alaskan afternoon. This is going to be a long year.

A/N: Welcome to my new story! Set up chapters are always difficult, but I hope it's intriguing and well written enough for you to stick around. I plan on updating this as often as my first story - so about every other Sunday. As it's still quarantine here, I've gotten quite a way ahead (I've already written nearly ten chapters and have laid out rough plans for a full trilogy), so I think I can keep up with that schedule just fine.

Thanks to my BETA - my sister who can't remember her FFN handle/password :P

As always - thank you for reading! Hope you enjoy!