AN: This is an MLP and Frozen crossover, but I think you can read it even if you have little idea what MLP is. The most I'm using from it is some lore/magic systems/creatures and all the humans are ponies. Of course, I'll be willing to answer any questions! There's another AN at the end.

Prologue: Memories

Elsa sat on her bed and watched her bedroom door close. Her father had just told her a sorceress was going to study her powers. This wasn't new to Elsa. The sixteen year old princess has many unicorn wizards to come and get to help her with her powers. Non of them had been able to help, but Agnarr had insisted this one would. Elsa wondered what made this mare different form the others. A moment later the door opened, and Elsa got her answer.

The sorceress made Elsa feel a flash of surprise. She wore a black hood over her face which was dimly illuminated by her glowing, oddly-shaped, horn she was using to open the door. She stepped into the room, her cloven hooves clacked on the floor. Elsa's curiosity increased. She was not pony, or at least, not fully, and that intrigued and surprised her. Marendelle didn't have any relations with non-pony kingdoms, so the fact that her parents had, most likely, asked this creature here, was surprising and even a little scary. The door suddenly shut, making Elsa startle and the temperature in the room drop a bit.

The sorceress noticed and chuckled soflty. "I see I have my work cut out for me." Her voice was light and flowing, like running water.

"You just startle me," Elsa told her and the temperature went back to normal.

The sorceress remained where she stood and lifted up a hoof to pull her hood back. Elsa was awestruck by her appearance: she was pony-shaped, about the size of a grown mare. She had a light brown coat and yellow scales going from the large red horn on her forehead to the tip of her muzzle; the same scales covered the tips of her hooves. Her muzzle was shaped like a lion's, save for the nose, and her eyes were diamond shaped, not unlike Elsa's mother but had large eye lashes. Her ears were large and curved, ending in darker colored tips. Her two-toned dark turquoise mane flowed from her head and covered her neck and the lower part of her chest. A long, thin, light brown tail, with a tuft of fur the same color as her mane, snaked from under the cloak she wore over her body. She looked up at Elsa with friendly pink eyes.

"Hello, Princess," she said, giving a small bow. "My name is River Gleam."

The name made Elsa's ears perk. Nature-based names weren't very common, but perhaps they were to this creature.

River Gleam continued. "I am a member of the kirin tribe Forest Grove. I would state why I'm here, but I assume you already know."

Elsa nodded and stepped down from her bed. River Gleam was a kirin. Elsa remembered reading about them; creatures that were part unicorn, lion, and dragon. They were known to study nature magic, which gave a little explanation as to why her parents had sought her out. Legend said that when angered kirin turned into a creature of fire, called a nirik. Elsa wasn't sure if she believed in the legend, but considering her ice magic would freeze anything when she felt strong emotion and the fact that magic was often tied to emotion in general, it didn't seem too unlikely. River Gleam walked over to meet her. Elsa took a step back instinctively, not liking strangers - or anypony, - to get too close to her. Despite her action, River Gleam moved closer. The temperature in the room dropped again. A little frost crackled on the window panes.

River Gleam looked around the room in concern. She took a step back and spoke sofly and kindly, "Don't worry, you won't hurt me. I know you're scared you might, but you have to learn to trust that you won't."

Elsa looked at the ground uncertainly. Could she ever be that confident? Conceal, don't feel. She took a breath to calm herself and the room became warm again and the frost melted on the window.

Elsa smiled at River Gleam.

River Gleam smiled back. "Your welcome. Now, we should begin."

The smile disappeared from Elsa's face and she sighed. When she'd been studied in the past, it always led no where and sometimes it made her feel no more than a magical plant being studied in a jar on a wizard 's desk. But then again, this time it wasn't a unicorn wizard. It was kirin sorceress.

Elsa nodded again and awaited instructions.

River Gleam looked down. "First, take your gloves off."

Elsa looked at her hooves. It hadn't surprised her that was the first thing she'd asked. She'd always have to take her gloves off in the past. That didn't exactly make it any easier. She shakily raise a hoof and used her horn to take the glove off. She did the same with the other hoof and laid both gloves on the bed. Cool tile met her hooves on the floor. Elsa could feel the tips humming with magic.

"Good," River Gleam said. "Now show me some magic."

Elsa concentrated and lifted a hoof face up. She let her power free, blue light shooting to the ceiling and exploding in a contained burst of snowflakes. River Gleam watched with curiosity and picked her hoof up the let a snowflake fall on it. Then she took a snowflake in her magic twirled it in the air for a second. The snowflake glowed and disappeared.

Elsa's eyes widened. "What did you do with it?"

River Gleam inhaled. "I absorbed it into my magic. It lets me read it."

"What did it tell you?" Elsa asked hesitantly.

River Gleam turned her sharp pink eyes on Elsa, studying her. "It's stressed... Scared. But most of all... It wants to be set free."

Elsa looked away. She knew her magic was connected to her emotions, but for it to know her deepest desire... That was a different level entirely. This wasn't lost on River Gleam either. The kirin continued to study her, growing a concerned look. Just as Elsa thought she was going to say something, she blinked, snapping herself out of her thoughts. The concern on her face was gone, replaced with curiosity.

"What does it feel like when you release it?" River Geam asked.

Elsa glanced at her hooves, thinking. "It's like... There's an energy in my hooves. It feels alive, almost like it's a whole other being. I just... Let it go and it makes ice and snow."

River Gleam looked at her in surprise. "That doesn't sound like horn magic at all."

Elsa nodded. "I know."

River Gleam motioned for her to do more. Elsa took a deep breathe and waved her hoof. A thin trail of glowing blue magic flowed out and onto the floor, solidifying into a perfect block of ice. River Gleam inspected it, running her hoof a long the impossibly smooth surface.

"Fascinating," River Gleam murmured, tapping the block and letting her hoof rest on it. "It's just normal ice." She took her hoof off the block, wiping the water from the ice on her cloak. "What else can you do?"

Elsa made a small display of the extent of her powers. Conjuring winds, snow mounds, ice walls, and even a few figurines. She couldn't do much with her odd magic, other than make the conditions of a small winter storm, but her parents had let her practice with it on occasion when she was in a good mood. One of her favorite thing to make was a mini ice palace. She secretly wondered what the extent of her magic was; it always felt so powerful when she used it, and could feel it coursing through her. She imagined she could build the ice palace to the size of a real caslte, if given the chance.

Finally, Elsa didn't have any more tricks to show River Gleam and the kirin couldn't think of anything else she wanted to see. River Gleam stood in front of the door facing Elsa to say her farewell.

"Good bye, Princess Elsa," she said and bowed again. "I hope my research will help you in some way. If so, we may see each other soon."

"Thank you, River Gleam, I hope so too," Elsa said.

River Gleam opened the door with her horn. "Until we meet again." The kirin walked into the hallway and shut the door behind her.

000

Elsa followed her parents and River Gleam, who had her hood back on and carried saddlebags, through the hallways of the caslte. The royal palace was quiet at the moment. The little staff that it had had been given tasks away from the east wing of the castle. Their hoofsteps echoed off the walls and Elsa could hear the swish of her dress, as well as her mother's, and River Gleam's cloak. Lanterns hung from the walls, casting shadows in all directions.

Elsa glanced down a hallway to her left that was filled with paintings. Her heart leaped when she saw her sister sitting in front of a painting that portrayed a mare and stallion looking lovingly at each other. It had actually been some time since Elsa had seen Anna. The yellow earth pony had gotten bigger, though was still significantly smaller than Elsa. Her fiery copper mane and tail had become a bit neater and her braids were a little longer. But what made Elsa feel a twinge of envy was the cutie mark printed on her flank. Elsa knew Anna had her cutie mark already. For Celestia's sake, it has been the only thing Anna would talk about outside her door for three months after she got it! Not that Elsa had minded; she was greatly happy for her sister. At the same time, though, it only served as a reminder that Elsa was still a blank flank.

Anna looked at the group and waved. Agnarr and Iduna waved back; River Gleam didn't acknowledge Anna was even there. She had been told no to, if they came across the younger princess. Anna's gaze locked on Elsa's and her brow furrowed nervously. Anna gave her a toothy smile and waved again. Elsa gave her a small wave back, before she disappeared around the corner. She would have liked to give her sister a smile, but seeing Anna had given her some mixed emotions - not that it never did - but now she was unsure of what they were about to do.

It has been a few days since River Gleam had tested her magic. Earlier that day, her parents had told Elsa River Gleam may have found a way to help her. There was an ancient source of magic capable of separating emotion from magic and keeping said magic from getting too powerful. It was exactly what she needed. She had been excited about it at first, but seeing Anna had given her a bad feeling. Spells could be dangerous. She hadn't just learned that from reading either, having practiced some herself. This could end up being a huge mistake. At the same time, it could not, and she trusted her parents. Besides, she couldn't - wouldn't - give up hope that she might be free today.

Finally, they made it to their destination - the library. Agnarr opened the door with his magic, letting everyone inside, then locking it behind him. He placed the key on the mantle of the burning fire place.

"Is there anything we need to do to prepare for the spell?" He asked.

River Gleam looked around the room. "No," she said, levitating a desk from the wall to the center of the library. "Elsa just needs to sit in front of this."

Elsa did just that, with her back to the fireplace. She watched River Gleam levitate two things out of her saddlebags and place them on the table. One was an ornate spell book with a black leather cover. There were words printed on it, but they were in a language Elsa didn't understand. The second item was a flower. The sight of it made a shiver run along Elsa's spine. She'd only read about them, but they had such distinct coloring, they were unmistakable. It was called a shadow rose. It had the general shape of a rose, but more thorns and it's stem was a charred black. The most unsettling thing about it was it's bright, neon green petals. They had magical properties, but we're hardly used or studied since it's magic was quite potent, and most Marendellian wizards didn't want to bother with them. Not to mention they were hard to find. They only grew at the base of the Black Mountains in the darkest corners, and the Black Mountains weren't close to Marendelle.

Elsa looked at her parents standing in front of the door, keeping their distance from River Gleam's work. Both of them smiled encouragingly at her causing her to feel uncertain again.

Elsa looked back at River Gleam who had the book opened in front of her. The kirin levitated the shadow rose in front of Elsa. "Take your gloves off, and hold the rose in your hooves," she instructed.

Elsa put her hooves on the desk and let River Gleam float the shadow rose between them. A little frost spread on the rose and Elsa gave River Gleam an apologetic look. The kirin smiled kindly.

"It's okay as long as it's still alive. This may be hard, but could you release a little magic without freezing it? Just enough to make a light glow."

Elsa's eyes widened fearfully at the request. Release magic without freezing it? How was she supposed to do that? She could hardly avoid freezing things when she wasn't intentionally releasing her powers! Speaking of, more frost has spread across the rose. She heard hoofsteps behind her, guessing her father was going to try and help her. He was stopped, though, when River Gleam put her hoof up. She looked Elsa in the eye.

"Elsa, listen. This is your power. The power does not own you, you own it. Try to focus on just making the glow."

The fire in River Gleam's eyes was enough to make Elsa try and calm herself. She looked at her hooves and concentrated on making only a light glow and no ice. She could feel the energy in her hooves wanting to let out more, but she told it no. The magic still resisted demanding to be let out. She fought it for few moments more, thinking about River Gleam's words. Finally, her hooves glowed with the ethereal blue light of her magic and no more frost covered the rose.

Elsa looked at her hooves in wonder. Was she really doing this? Was she really controling her powers without gloves? She smiled, feeling excitement rise up in her.

"There you go!" Agnarr said enthusiastically.

River Gleam nodded in satisfaction. "Good job, Elsa. Now, I must read the spell."

River Gleam recited the spell in, presumably, the same language in the cover of the book. Her eyes half-closed in concentration, her voice quiet, as if in reverence. Elsa could feel the magic in her veins pulsing in time with the rhymes of the spell. Something was changing and she felt her dread increase. Suddenly, an odd burning sensation started in her hooves and her head felt like it was full of clouds. She began panicing. Was this supposed to happen? River Gleam hadn't mentioned anything like this. She grew more lightheaded and her vision swam. She was vaguely aware of wind and snow whipping around the room and her mother shouting at her to stop and asking what was wrong. Her father was telling at River Gleam to stop reading, but was having no luck getting her attention. She was completely unfazed. Elsa's hooves still glowed and the shadow rose wasn't covered in ice.

Now her hooves felt like fire and they glowed brighter. A bright flash filled the library just as River Gleam ended the spell. Elsa couldn't take any more and she collapsed to the floor before everything went black.

000

Elsa gasped as her eyes shot open. She sat up in her bed, wiping the sweat from her forehead. The dream she just had... Well, it was less of a dream and more of a memory. That had happened six years ago. After she blacked out, she had woken up in her bed with a splitting headache. She hadn't remembered River Gleam, the spell, the rose... none of it. Her parents hadn't told her about it, and she wondered if they had forgotten it too. But now that she thought about it, they had been uneasy for a few days after. Why didn't they tell her? It didn't seem like something they'd keep from her. What reason did they have for the secrecy? Elsa knew she'd probably never get an answer, unless... Maybe the kirin knew something? And what happened to her? Supposedly, she would've gone home, where ever that was... Could Elsa find a way to contact her? She sighed. Questions that would have to be answered in the moring. The dream had taken a toll on her, so she needed to sleep now. Her mind still reeling, she laid back down, pulling her wings and her blanket close to her body. Sleep didn't come for a while, and as she waited that feeling of dread returned. The dream meant something and whatever it was, it wasn't going to be good.

000

AN: Hello! Welcome to my first posted fanfic! Hope you enjoyed that. If you leave a review, here are somethings you can think about: how's my writing? While this is the first thing I've posted, it isn't the first thing I've written, so I haven't gotten a lot of criticism. Please tell me what you thought! What do you think of River Gleam? And Elsa? Of course, tell me about anything else that stood out to you!

My kindle can be weird when it comes to auto correct or spacing and I think I caught everything, but somethings can slip through, so sorry about that. Also, this story is set in a MLP-Frozen universe that I have named the Riververse (after River Gleam, since she was created for this story). I plan to start a one-shot series taking place in this universe, so look out for that, though I probably won't post it for a while, since I haven't written anything for it... Anyways, I just wanted to say, in this universe most royals become alicorns when they turn 18 or when they marry. Hope to update soon!