A layer of solid acid coats everything. People huddle around weak shade. Anxiety runs high amongst the villagers and guests. We pass two CITIZENS fighting over a tree branch.
"No. No. You've got the branch to yourself. The branch should be with me to." someone said.
"Branch down is drier." someone else said.
"Branch up." the other person said.
"Branch down." the second person said.
"Branch up." the first person said.
Like a light in the dark, Hans moves through the crowd.
"Arendelle is indebted to you, Your Highness." Gerda said.
"The castle is open. There's salad and ice water in the Great Hall." Hans said.
Just then the Duke approaches Hans.
"Prince Hans, are we just expected to sit here and freeze while you give away all of Arendelle's tradable goods?" Duke said.
"Queen Elsa has given her orders and-" Hans said tall and confident.
"And that's another thing; has it dawned on you that the Queen may be conspiring with another wicked sorceress to destroy us all?" Duke said.
Hans's nice eyes turn to threatening slits.
"Do not question the Queen. She left me in charge, and I will not hesitate to protect Arendelle from treason." Hans said.
"Treason?!" Duke said a fended.
Suddenly they hear the alarmed whinny of Anna's horse. It returns alone, bucking and kicking. Hans grabs its reins.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa, boy. Easy. Easy." Hans said.
"Queen Elsa's horse. What happened to her? Where is she?" the crowd said.
Hans steadied the horse, looked up at the mountain then saw all the panicked faces of the kingdom looking to him.
"Queen Elsa is in trouble." he called out. "I need volunteers to go with me to find her!"
Volunteers, some from Arendelle, some from other lands, rush up to offer their services.
"I volunteer two men, my Lord!" Duke said. "Be prepared for anything, and should you encounter the Princess, you are to put an end to this summer. Do you understand?" he said quietly to his thugs
His two thugs sneer.
Back in the North Mountain Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf moved through hostile terrain. Wind-swept icicles face horizontal.
"So how exactly are you planning to stop this weather?" Kristoff asked.
"Oh, I am gonna talk to my sister." Elsa said confident.
"That's your plan? My ice business is riding on you talking to your sister." Kristoff said.
"Yes." she said.
Kristoff was so stunned by her casual plan, didn't look where he was going and ended up with an ice-spike to the nose. He stopped short, gulped, moved carefully around the spike.
"So you're not at all afraid of her?" Kristoff said.
"Why would I be? I have ice powers so I should be able to defend myself." she said.
"Yeah. I bet Anna the nicest, gentlest, warmest person ever." Olaf said and backe right into an icicle. It ran through his torso.
"Oh, look at that. I've been impaled." he said and laughs it off.
Elsa and Kristoff hit what looks like a dead end. The face of the mountain goes straight up.
"What now?" Elsa said knowing it was to steep for her to make stairs with her powers.
Kristoff looked around then sighed and dug in his rucksack.
"It's too steep. I've only got one rope, and you don't know how to climb mountains." he said.
"Says who?"
Sven nudged Kristoff, who looked up to see Elsa trying to climb the cliff's flat face.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm going to see my sister." she said.
"You're going to kill yourself." he said watching her searching for footholds and hand-holds.
"I wouldn't put my foot there." he continued.
"You're distracting me." she said.
"Or there. How do you know Anna even wants to see you?" he said.
"I'm just blocking you out cause I gotta concentrate here." she said.
"You know, most people who disappear into the mountains want to be alone." he said.
"Nobody wants to be alone. Except maybe you-" she said.
"I'm not alone... I have friends, remember?" he said.
Elsa kicked a foot above her head to catch a foot hold. Then she realized she's stuck.
"Please tell me I'm almost there." she said when she saw she's only about six feet up. Her muscles started to shake.
"Does the air seem a bit thin to you up here?" she continued.
Kristoff smiled, getting a kick out of her.
"Hang on." he said and pulled the rope from his bag.
Just then Olaf stepped out from behind a rock and waves to Kristoff.
"Hey, Sven? Not sure if this is going to solve the problem, but I found a staircase that leads exactly where you want it to go." Olaf said.
"Ha ha. Thank goodness. Catch!" she said.
Then she dropped off the cliff and Kristoff caught her.
"Thanks! That was like a crazy trust exercise." she continued.
Then she hopped down, brushes off her dress, and bounds off. Kristoff watched after her, digging her fearless pluck.
Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf approach Anna's elegant mettle palace.
"Whoa." Elsa said.
"Wow." Kristoff said.
"Go ahead. I won't judge." she said and climbed the steps with Olaf.
Sven tried to follow but his hooves slipped out. He started scramble but can't get traction. Kristoff ran to his aide.
"All right, take it easy. I gotcha." he said and settled Sven back down the stairs and pats him.
"You stay right here, buddy." he continued.
Sven obediently plops his reindeer butt down and wags his tail. Kristoff climbs the stairs, admiring the ice details.
Elsa arrived at the door and hesitated.
"Knock." Olaf said. She didn't. "Just knock." But she still didn't so he looked at Kristoff. "Why isn't she knocking...? Do you think she knows how to knock?"
Finally she knocked then the sound echoes inside and the metal doors slide open.
"Ha. It opened. That's a first." she said and went to step in.
Kristoff followed her and she got a thought and stopped him.
"You should probably wait out here." she continued.
He nodded understanding.
"Bye, Sven." Olaf said starting to head inside.
Elsa stopped him.
"You too, Olaf." she said.
"Me?" he said.
"Just give us a minute. And I may be able to fix you up but I still don't want you to start melting." she said.
"Okay." he said as Elsa walked inside.
So he started counting.
"One...two..." he continued.
Kristoff joined in.
"Three...four..." they said together.
Elsa walked into a great foyer. The place is beautiful, but also eerie.
"Anna? It's me...Elsa?!" she said.
"Elsa." she said and stepped out of the shadows onto a balcony.
She saw Elsa and looked to her longingly. Elsa couldn't help but be struck by her beauty.
"Anna you look different... It's a good different... And this place is amazing."
"Thank you, I never knew what I was capable of." Anna said while Elsa started to climb the stairs.
"I'm so sorry about what happened. If I'd known-" Elsa said.
Anna backed up, away from Elsa.
"No, it's okay. You don't have to apologize... But you should probably go, please." Anna said.
"But I just got here." Elsa said.
"You belong in Arendelle. Besides, you're the Queen not me." Anna said.
"So do you." Elsa took another step up.
She backed up more.
"No, I belong here. Alone. Where I can be who I am without hurting anybody."
"Actually, about that-" Elsa started but was interrupted.
"58...59...60." Olaf said continuing to count.
"Wait. What is that?" Anna said confused.
Olaf came running in the front door and waved.
"Hi, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs." he said smiling.
"Olaf?" Anna said shocked.
Olaf stopped beside Elsa, looks up at Anna, intimidated.
"Elsa built me. You remember that?" he said.
"And you're alive?" Anna said astonished.
"Um...I think so?"
Elsa knelt down beside Olaf.
"He's just like the one we built as kids... I made him again on Halloween a few years later. We were so close. We can be like that again." she said.
Anna smiled, but then a memory returns to her.
Young Elsa is struck by Anna's powers.
"Elsa!" young Anna said. Young Elsa falls unconscious. Young Anna races to her.
Anna's face sunk in pain.
"No, we can't."
She turned and heads up the second story steps.
"Goodbye, Elsa."
"Anna, wait-"
"I'm just trying to protect you. Tell Hans I'm sorry." Anna continued to flee.
Elsa pursued.
"You don't have to protect me. I'm not afraid. Please don't shut me out again.
"PLEASE DON'T SLAM THE DOOR. YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP YOUR DISTANCE ANYMORE.
"CAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER, I FINALLY UNDERSTAND.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER, WE CAN FIX THIS HAND IN HAND. WE CAN HEAD DOWN THIS MOUNTAIN
TOGETHER. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN FEAR. `CAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN
FOREVER, I WILL BE RIGHT HERE." Elsa said starting to sing.
They arrive on the top floor, Elsa's main living space. Elsa turns back to Anna, grateful, but determined.
"Elsa, PLEASE GO BACK HOME. YOUR LIFE AWAITS. GO ENJOY THE SUN
AND OPEN UP THE GATES.
"Yeah, but-" Elsa started but was cut off.
"I know!
YOU MEAN WELL, BUT LEAVE ME BE. YES, I'M ALONE BUT I'M ALONE AND
FREE." Anna said and opened up the balcony doors.
"JUST STAY AWAY AND YOU'LL BE SAFE
FROM ME." she continued.
"ACTUALLY, WE'RE NOT." Elsa sang.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE NOT?" Anna sang back.
"I GET THE FEELING YOU DON'T KNOW?" Elsa continued.
"WHAT DO I NOT KNOW?" Anna asked.
"ARENDELLE'S IN HIGH HIGH HIGH HEAT."
"What?" Anna asked.
She looks past Elsa's shoulder out white-peaked mountains.
"You kind of set off an eternal summer...everywhere." Elsa said.
"Everywhere?" Anna said.
"It's okay, you can just cool it down." Elsa said.
"No, I can't. I don't know how." Anna said.
"Sure you can. I know you can." Elsa said.
Fire starts to swirl around the room.
"CUZ FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOREVER," Elsa continued.
"I'M SUCH A FOOL! I CAN'T BE FREE!" Anna sang panicking.
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID." Elsa sang.
"NO ESCAPE FROM THE HEAT INSIDE OF ME!" Anna sang while the fire picks up.
Elsa tried to fight through it.
"WE CAN WORK THIS OUT TOGETHER." Elsa sang.
"I CAN'T CONTROL THE CURSE!" Anna sang.
"WE'LL REVERSE THE HEAT YOU'VE MADE." Elsa sang.
"ELSA, PLEASE, YOU'LL ONLY MAKE IT WORSE!"
"DON'T PANIC." Elsa sang.
"THERE'S SO MUCH FEAR!" Anna sang.
"WE'LL MAKE THE SUN SHINE BRIGHT." Elsa sang.
"YOU'RE NOT SAFE HERE!" Anna sang.
"WE CAN FACE THIS THING TOGETHER..." Elsa sang but as she sang, we lose sight of her in the raising heat taking over the room.
"NO!" Anna sang.
"WE CAN CHANGE THIS SUMMER WEATHER, AND EVERYTHING WILL BE..." Elsa's voice disappears in the storm as Anna cries out.
"I CAN'T!" Anna sang her fear, so strong, sucks the fire back into her and then it bursts out, unwittingly, like a sharp snowflake.
Elsa was struck right in the heart. She grasped her chest in pain and stumbled back and fell to her knees. Anna gasped when she sees Anna. Just then, Olaf and Kristoff rush into the room to Anna's side.
"Elsa. Are you okay?" Kristoff said.
"I'm okay... I'm fine." she said and got to her feet, determined to hide the pain.
"Who's this? Wait, it doesn't matter. You have to go." Anna said scared.
"No, I know we can figure this out together-"
"How? What power do you have to stop this fall? To stop me?" Anna said desperate.
Elsa didn't have the answer. Kristoff saw spiky ice shadows creeping down the walls and put a protective arm around Elsa.
"Elsa, I think we should go." Kristoff said.
"No. I'm not leaving without you, Anna." Elsa said close to tears.
"Yes, you are." Anna said heartbroken but decisive.
She waved her arms and builds a giant, menacing mettle man. His name is Marshmallow.
Marshmallow held Elsa and Kristoff by the scruff of their necks in one hand and Olaf in the other.
"Stop. Put us down!" Elsa said.
"You are a lot stronger than I think you realize." Olaf said to Marshmallow while he tosses Kristoff and Elsa down the steps.
"Go away!" Marshmallow said.
Elsa and Kristoff slid past Sven, who's got his tongue stuck to the ice.
"Heads up!" Olaf said while his head smashed into a snow bank nearby.
"Olaf!" Elsa said.
"Watch out for my butt!" he said.
Elsa and Kristoff duck as the rest of Olaf slammed into the snow bank.
Marshmallow turned to go back into the castle. Incensed, Elsa tried to march back up the stairs.
"It is not nice to throw people!" Elsa said.
Kristoff grabbed her, pulled her back.
"All right feisty pants. Calm" Kristoff started.
"Let me at him. I want to get down." Elsa said.
"Woaw. Just let the mettle him." he said.
"I... Okay. I'm Calm. man be." she said.
Elsa backed down...for a moment. Then she made a snowball with her powers and threw it at Marshmallow. The tiny little ball hit Marshmallow's back, not making even the slightest dent. But it's enough to infuriate him. He roared. Spikes shoot out of his joints.
"Uh-oh. Now you made him mad!" Kristoff said.
"I'll distract him. You guys go." Olaf said.
Kristoff pushed Elsa along while Sven ran off in the opposite direction. Olaf's belly and butt fall and follow Sven.
"No, no, not you guys" Marshmallow said and went charging after Elsa and Kristoff as Olaf's head fell and landed face down in the snow.
"This just got a whole lot harder." Olaf said.
Elsa and Kristoff leapt and slid down a steep slope. They tumble to a stop at the bottom just as Marshmallow landed hard right behind them. They were off again...through a maze of conifers that sag under the weight of the snow, Marshmallow hot on their trail.
"This way!" Kristoff said.
Elsa grabbed a branch of a sagging trees and releases all of the snow. The tree snapped upright, knocking Marshmallow back.
"Ho-ho-ho!" Kristoff continued impressed.
"I got him!"
Then they started to run.