A/N: Well, here it is again. Thanks once again for waiting. Remember, the more love I get, the less distracted I'll get writing more of this.

Also, check out the Elsanna subreddit in about 4 weeks, where this fic will be up for discussion. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have. If I'm up to it, I might even get another chapter out before then. We'll see.

Chapter 13: Methods of Madness

New year, new me.

To Elsa's surprise, that was as much true for herself as it was for Anna. While her efforts to find more information that could help her continued to wind around in circles, she at least had a newfound personal life to take the edge off. Strangely, that was in spite of the fact that most of her time with Anna currently consisted of even more work.

The effort to assist Anna in getting educated had begun in earnest, at least to a standard school level. So far, Anna had been putting her best foot forward and taking the given assignments seriously as well. Mostly, in any case. She had been making an admirable enough effort with the work, but apparently she had also decided that most of the work sheets were too plain for her tastes. Another talking point for later.

As she returned Anna's writing assignment over the dinner table, Anna's expression soured. Clearly she had noticed the original work was nearly unrecognisable from all the corrections Elsa had done. "Awww, what? I thought that was pretty good. How could I have made this many mistakes?"

Elsa looked down at the paper again. There was a lot of work to be done. It went without saying that is was still worth doing. "Don't worry about it too much, this was your first try. I can't imagine you've had much practice since you ran away. I'm not entirely sure what these smiling faces and stick figures of what looks like the two of us standing next to each other is supposed to add, though."

Anna rolled her eyes. "I got bored, okay? You said it yourself, I haven't really written anything for a very long time, and it's hard to stay focused on this stuff. Sorry."

Elsa laughed a little. "I suppose this is better than just abandoning the work half-way through. We still have a long way to go, though. If you can, make a point not to do this whenever any actual tests come up."

"Do I have to do this?" Anna asked, groaning. "Don't we have computers for all this stuff, anyway?"

"You need these skills, Anna. For one thing, you'll be filling out application forms, yes? You can't expect a computer to catch all your mistakes. Believe me, things can become a lot more difficult for you if they find even the slightest error. I know it doesn't seem important, but trust me on this." Elsa closed her eyes. This was slightly more parental that she might have liked, but Anna did have some catching up to do. Hopefully, one day she could truly call Anna her equal. One day. "Why don't we call this a day. Tomorrow, I'll try and help you untangle all of this. It won't be so bad, I promise."

"Really?" Anna tepidly asked. "Well, okay I guess. I just- I just don't feel like I'll ever be any good at this."

Elsa quietly sighed. She understood how that felt.

Much to Anna's dismay, it turned out that the hard work that Elsa had mentioned was even worse than it sounded. She looked down at the work in front of her that she had just gotten back.. It all seemed fine when she had written it. Did people really care that much about whether the grammar was perfect or not? It didn't make sense to her. She had never needed it before. Perhaps that was part of a clean, honest living. Being a petty thief, or even a supposed professional thief doesn't give you a huge amount of transferable skills.

At least she could put it out of her mind for now. Or try to, in any case. Even with Elsa helping, she couldn't escape the feeling that what she did would never be good enough. She was just too far behind. Even if she could overcome that, how was she supposed to account for all those years she had spent stealing just to avoid starving? There was only so much her new identity could help her with, and she couldn't expect Elsa to hold her hand forever, either.

Anna knocked on Elsa's door. She still needed permission to enter, but that was a clear step up from an outright ban. She hoped that they could avoid any misunderstandings in the future. Elsa could tell her a thousand times that what ultimately happened that day wasn't Anna's fault, but it would never fully sink in.

"Come in," Elsa's voice called out. With but a second of hesitation, Anna pulled the handle and proceeded through. It was every bit as prim and proper as Elsa's last room, though with a bit more money to it as well. Instead of a bland blue carpet, there was sleek hardwood flooring with a vibrant icy blue rug taking up the centre, complete with floral patterns. There was a double bed and a desk like before, only with more room between them, and they were newer and fancier looking. The less reminders Anna had though, the better.

Anna managed a smile. "Everything alright, Elsa?"

Elsa was at her desk, clicking something away. "Same as ever. I'm just trying to dig up any loose pieces of information on the treasures of Albernon. To be honest, I'm mostly going around in circles at this point. At least their original owners are still grateful to have them back, it seems."

Anna blinked. "Wait, they were returned? When did that happen?"

"Oh, right. I never told you." Elsa sighed. Anna really hoped that this forgotten bit of information was just an accident. Though that wasn't common with her. "After I barely escaped the ritual, I returned the treasures they used. Perhaps not the best decision in hindsight, as I could have used them to help the investigation now. I just wanted to help the police force save face after the successful thefts. All I got in the end was a lump sum of money to stay quiet about the whole thing."

"Wait, so all that money you got to get me a new name, and to move us here was from this deal?," Anna mused. Maybe a bit of Elsa really was starting to rub off on her.

Elsa nodded solemnly. She couldn't seem to face Anna. "Yes, that's right. Believe me, I didn't do it because I thought I would be paid. I was hoping that I could continue to participate in the ongoing investigation. Only the people in charge decided they wanted to close the book on the whole thing. So here I am." Elsa gave an exasperated sigh. "Fumbling about in the dark, hoping some lead will magic itself out of nowhere and help me figure this bloody case out."

Anna leaned over and gave her a small hug. "Hey, it's okay. I know you'll figure it out eventually. Remember when you managed to track me down in a day, right before I could leave the city?"

"Even though you shot me with a rather painful dart that erased my memories, yes, I do," Elsa noted.

"I know, I know." Anna tried to think of something else to talk about. "Is there anything I can do to help you? Anything at all."

"Anna," Elsa started, finally spinning the chair around to properly face her. "You did the laundry, picked up some more drinks, and you still completed that work assignment for me. You're already doing enough."

Anna huffed. "Come on. Anyone could do that. I want to help with the investigation. I know what you're going to say. And I know that I've only gotten in the way before. And, well- no. Never mind. There's probably nothing you haven't thought of already."

"Why even ask, if you're just going to talk yourself out of it a moment later?" Elsa asked, rather nonplussed.

"I- I don't know," Anna finally said, gasping a little. "I- I just thought I could maybe help you, but- that never ends well, does it?"

"Oh, Anna." Elsa lifted herself out of the chair, and wrapped her arms around Anna. "You need to stop doing this to yourself, Anna. If you go through your life thinking you're sure to fail, that's all you'll ever do. You're not a lost cause, Anna. Not as long I still believe in you."

Anna wasn't sure whether to smile or cry. She looked up to face Elsa. "Well, really? I did so much wrong in that homework. That was just the last thing I did wrong."

"You can't give up just because everything didn't go exactly right the first time," Elsa gave a smile that Anna was sure would melt all the snow in the city. "Look how far you've come since the day we met. I know you want to be a better person now, even if it hurts you. A lot. I've seen it myself. You writing isn't as bad as you think. Doodles aside, I'm very impressed you managed to get the whole thing done in one sitting."

"Thanks, Elsa. I just- all of this only happened because of everything you did for me. If you hadn't come along." Anna looked away, giving a rather distant expression.

Elsa laughed gently. "Don't think like that. Sometimes, people get lost, and they need someone to believe in them. See them for what they could be, not what they are." She looked out the window, where there was a gentle snowfall. "You used to have to live out there, Anna. In the freezing cold. It's hard to think about right or wrong, or improving yourself when you aren't even sure if you're going to eat any time soon. Don't worry about all the years you were going nowhere. Don't worry about all the times you failed, either. I won't hold that against you, I promise. Just be a better person than you were the day before, that's all I can ask."

"And- and you'll still let me stay here, even if it's not working for me?" Anna stammered.

Elsa gently wiped the tear away from Anna's cheek. "Do you even have to ask that? We're in this together now. Speaking of which." Elsa turned around and pulled out a laptop from her desk. "Here, I don't need this any more. You can use this now, once I've reset it."

"Oh, wow. Thanks." Anna glanced at it. There were a couple of scratches, but the top looked spotless otherwise. Of course it did, it was Elsa's. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Why don't you try and see if you can find any information on the Treasures of Albernon? I've searched a dozen times already, but there's a chance I missed something."

Anna nodded. "I'll do my best, I promise. I will find something for you, okay? No matter how long it takes."

"Try not to stay up too late, Anna." Elsa sighed. "We still have your work to fix tomorrow, don't forget."

"I won't, I won't," Anna said, nodding. "I'll do my best, don't worry."

"That's all I'll ever ask for."

With that, Anna gave Elsa one last soft smile, and walked out of the room. She wanted to feel over the moon about this recent turn of events. Elsa had apparently decided they were on contact terms now, something that would have never happened otherwise. She felt as though Elsa would always be there if Anna started to lose her way. Yet somehow, it still felt wrong. Once again, perhaps Elsa's instincts were starting to rub off.

After they had reconnected after the incident, Elsa had changed. Anna would never say this, but before all of that, there was always a certain coldness to Elsa's actions. She had been downright generous at times, but deep down, even Anna knew it was a means to an end, so to speak. That being the case Elsa had worked on so long. The moment Anna tried to become more seriously involved, that became clear. Then-

Everything changed. When the dust had finally settled, Elsa had practically begged her to stay. Then, there was the likely insane amount of money Elsa had spent helping Anna erase her old name. Her old life. She hadn't actually considered that to be so strange. Elsa struck her as a woman who would stand on principle. Not leaving any debt unsettled for any longer than she had to. Regardless of Anna's own opinion, Elsa clearly believed she had owed her greatly. Perhaps what she did was for herself as well, but there was no denying she had done more than enough.

Then, there was that Christmas morning. Despite only being about half-awake, Anna remembered it very vividly. Elsa really had surprised her with that gift. She would treasure that scarf. The strangest part had to be when Elsa sidled up to her and they slept togeth- well, next to each other. On its face, it was a sweet moment. On reflection however, Anna could not remember a time before that when Elsa had made physical contact. Definitely not in such a significant way. Now, Elsa was allowing her to get involved in her investigation without any objection. Even if it wasn't anything major. Even if neither of them expected anything to come of it. Something had to be up.

To search any further for the truth, though. That scared Anna. No, it terrified her. It was weird. When she was Phantom Red, her whole life came down to sticking her nose where it didn't belong. Of course, she had a whole heap of assistance at the time, but that wasn't the entire reason this was so different.

Anna cared about Elsa. Though she still couldn't quite risk saying to herself, she seemed certain Elsa felt the same about her. To trample all over her privacy again would not just break the trust that they had finally started to build together, but it would hurt Elsa. Regardless of the circumstance, It was ultimately Anna's decision to go where she wasn't allowed. There was no going down that road again, no matter how much Anna longed to know more.

She would have to wait, for now. Elsa was softening up, Anna knew it. It would only be a matter of time before she could learn more. Now, she just had to prove to Elsa that there was more she could do.

There had to be something that Elsa missed. Right?

There it was. Through a careful thought process, Elsa finally made the decision to allow Anna into the investigation in earnest.

At least, she was sure there was a careful thought process. That was how she had come to all the main decisions in her life. Once Anna had entered the fray, that all seemed to evaporate. This wasn't a conclusion that she had come to willingly. It was far easier at first to simply find a deflection. Maybe Anna would start to mentally chafe from not being kept out of the investigation for too long. Or maybe there really was some way that Anna could help. Nothing she could come up with seemed likely, given what she knew. Anna knew she just wasn't cut out for the detective thing, and was probably too afraid to risk another infiltration.

The only real reason she honestly couldn't debunk was that she didn't want Anna to feel left out, or to feel she was somehow talking down to her. There was a remote chance that Anna would somehow set her back from her years of hard work, or reveal something she shouldn't, even though she clearly had the best of intentions. Most likely, she would find nothing like Elsa had, get bored of it and finally admit she'd failed. Elsa would give some heart-felt appreciation for her efforts and perhaps offer to look over anything Anna had found, and maybe they'd bond a little over the investigation.

Wait, what?

With that one little hypothetical, it all became painfully obvious. Elsa cared more deeply about what Anna thought and how she felt than she ever wanted to admit to herself. That thought haunted her for multiple reasons. Could she ever tell Anna about how she felt, given how difficult it already was to come to terms with herself? That wasn't even getting into how Anna would even respond to such a thing. She would never do anything mean-spirited, but would she accept out of politeness, or some sense of obligation or perceived debt? Where could they draw the line between who they were and what they had done?

Elsa clutched her forehead, sighing. She was over-thinking this, for sure. Her over-thinking had gotten out of a few binds in the past, but those situations were almost always logical and objective in nature. Her forté. By far. Even if she did take the wrong track, she could simply backtrack and try a different approach. If she said or tried the wrong thing with Anna, she could never truly take it back.

No point dwelling on it too much now. With just a little more luck than usual, it would pass with time. She had been dwelling on the issue in her room long enough. She was surprised to be greeted by her roommate as she opened the door to the main hall. Anna didn't seem to be the least bit groggy. That was just how it was. Anna was either fast asleep or wide awake. There was no in between to speak of.

"Morning!" Anna managed between bites of toast.

"Good morning." Things seemed normal. Good. Elsa knew how to deal with normal. "I trust you slept well?"

"Fine, fine," Anna said off the side. "I got to bed on time, don't worry."

Elsa nodded. "Good, good. It's important that you develop a strong routine. It's better for your health in the long-term."

"Yes, mum," Anna said,shaking her head and laughing gently. Maybe Elsa really had been exaggerating the extent of their relationship after all. "Well? Don't you want to know how my search went?"

"Oh?" How proactive. Elsa hadn't even gotten a chance to sit down yet. Something she took the time to correct now. "So, what did you find?" Elsa still didn't honestly expect anything substantive. Perhaps, if nothing else, Anna would at least gain an appreciation for the long and often unrewarding process of detective work.

"Well, okay. Maybe I didn't find any real breakthroughs. I just thought I'd see if I could find anything that talks about the powers you mentioned- well, have." Anna shook her head. It seemed she was already second-guessing her own work. By the sounds of this, she had probably simply run into the work of some conspiracy theorists.

"Well, why don't you show me what you found? I'll review them when I find the time." Did that sound non-committal enough? If she sounded in any sort of hurry to read what Anna had found, it might appear suspicious. If she didn't even bother to look at it, Anna would probably fall back into her shell of self-deprecation. Best to just find out what Anna thought might have been interesting, and try to debunk it as thoroughly as possible.

Anna finished her last bite. "Yeah, thanks, Elsa." She turned her head around. "We are gonna fix that mess of my work, right? There were a looot of problems." She gave a rather terse laugh.

Elsa finally pulled up a chair. "It's not as bad as you might think. If we take it one at a time, you should be able to understand what needs to be done. Once you remember everything you need to do, it's a lot simpler. I can explain it all, don't worry."

The next hour went by quicker than either of them expected. It really was as straightforward as Anna was led to believe, and dismantling the work error by error was a rather simple matter. Anna wasn't exactly wrong, though. There was a fair amount to get through. So much so, that all the comments were rather difficult to fit on the paper and the time they had spent hadn't nearly been enough to correct everything. If they didn't do it correctly the first time though, there was little point.

"That's it, we're done?" Anna asked as Elsa stretched out.

"For now, yes." Elsa wound her way into the kitchen. Even she could only ignore the pang in her stomach for so long. "Why not take a break. We'll spend another hour or so on the rest, then later we can go over what you've learned."

"What, we're stopping already? I thought that was going well," Anna complained.

"I need to eat too, Anna. I still have some other leads to see to as well. Don't tell me you don't want a long break." Elsa shuffled through the fridge and the cupboard. It was somewhat harder to keep track of supplies with another person around. Just something else to get used to. "You're welcome to go over what we've done so far. Try to avoid any doodles if you can."

"Alright, alright. I guess I'll see if I can't find anything fun online. I'll send you the links I found, alright?" Anna slid her plate into the washer. "Elsa?"

"What? Oh, right. Thank you." Anna had just moved into Elsa's personal space. That didn't really bother Elsa, though. Which did bother her. "I'll-just- I'll be sure to-" Suddenly, Elsa was heading back to her room. Or perhaps retreating was a better word. "You know what, I'll eat later. Wouldn't want to ruin my figure."

"But you never-" was all Elsa managed to hear before she closed the door behind her. Presumably, Anna had given up trying to speak.

What the hell am I doing? That was the one thought that plagued Elsa's mind. Her precise, piercing mind seemed to lose its focus around Anna. Not all the time, or the previous hour would have been impossible to sit through. It was when Anna started to act in a certain way. Ways she certainly wouldn't have when they first met not so long ago. Could she really have grown so much, so quickly? Or was Elsa only starting to notice it now?

Right, the links. Elsa could spool through those at her leisure. Once she had gone through and failed to find anything, she could gain some much needed perspective on her would-be partner. For all Anna's merits, she could never hold a candle to Elsa in detective work. That was what mattered right now.

It was only two minutes later that Elsa got the message from Anna. Five links. None of the domains were familiar. Didn't look like any of them would have any kind of accreditation. Was that a good thing or not? The real question was did she want to be stuck chasing through the fog forever, or being upstaged by Anna in her own prized investigation? Elsa didn't understand. Perhaps that was why this felt so bad.

Nothing else to do, save check out each of these websites herself. Click. First one seemed more like a fan site for the Albernon expositions than any kind of study. Mostly speculation, including about the jewels "disappearing" over the last few years. There was one or two lines about the treasures possibly coming from some other world (probably what caught Anna's eye), but it was mainly conjecture.

Second one seemed slightly more promising at first. The formatting showed some more academic credibility than the site before. Once she read a couple of lines in though, Elsa realised she had read this one already. All the possible leads had gone into dead ends. So much for that.

The next one- what was this? This really did seem like a joke. The formatting alone looked over fifteen years out of date. The colour of the text almost seemed to blend in completely to the background (thank goodness for text highlighting). The font itself was a bizarre attempt at looking fancy that just made the whole thing even more difficult to read than it already was. Did Anna really make it all the way through this? Nothing much else for it but to attempt the same. She did however decide to copy the text elsewhere, lest it strain her eyes to read.

It was bizarre. The style of the writing was incredibly flowery, almost like a romance novel. However, the substance of the text was just about enough to keep Elsa interested. Something about it stood out. It talked about magic and gods like some others, but instead of another world, it rather cryptically alluded to another dimension entirely. Unlike everything else that went little beyond speculation, this asserted these claims with such certainty.

Almost anyone would laugh this off. Myself included. Does the writer of this really know anything?

Once she got to some actual details about the supposed deities, any last doubt was dispelled.

Glaca. There it was in the text, clear as day. Goddess of ice and the Northern Winds. There was no way that could possibly be a coincidence. Elsa could barely feel the rest of her body, save her pounding heart. Was there really someone else out there who could possibly know about this and be willing to help her- them?

At the very bottom of the page, there was a phone number. Landline only. Seemed this person was more old-fashioned than they first appeared. Would it even work? There was always a chance they changed their number, or the person in question wasn't around any more. Looked like an international number as well. No sense in waiting. Finally able to steady her fingers, Elsa started to dial.

The ringing tone was a mere backdrop to the race of thoughts going through Elsa's head. This really could be it. Someone- someone else who knew. Knew the actual truth. There was a lot that could still go wrong, though. Elsa still couldn't figure out whether she wanted it to or not. There were many uncomfortable truths she was not yet ready to face. Not all of them were about this case. Finally, an answer came.

"Mister Ambrosius, speaking."

Twenty-four hours had passed since Elsa had rather suddenly returned to her room. So much had happened since then, it had felt more like three days at the very least. Hardly enough to run Anna ragged, considering the trials she had been through not so long ago, but more than enough to seriously concern her. Once more, it was obvious that something major had happened. Yet, Elsa refused to explain exactly what.

The only thing clear right now was that whatever they were looking for, they needed to go a long way to find it. Fast. Well, that would be the most obvious reason as to why they were now aboard a aeroplane. That, or there was something that they needed to get away from just as badly.

Why Anna was here at all still left some doubt in her mind, though that may simply have been for her safety. There was no way of knowing for sure, though. Elsa had avoided saying anything that wasn't essential to her. Anna was basically in the dark, save for the fact that there was some kind of lead that they needed to follow. Had Elsa found something in the pages that Anna showed her? There was no way she could be sure. Elsa was holding her cards close to her chest. She probably just needed quiet, time to focus on her thoughts. That had to be it. Even if it didn't appear that way. Elsa seemed to spend an awful lot of time staring into the seat in front of her, but Anna didn't feel like pointing that little detail out. She certainly wasn't about to let Elsa catch her watching. Remaining inconspicuous was one of the few things she had picked up on the streets.

Elsa's blank expression seemed to continue even as the plane touched down and the found its way in front of the terminal. At first, Anna assumed Elsa was simply waiting for the other passengers, but it seemed that even after that wasn't an issue, she just- sat there?

Anna finally risked a glance in Elsa's direction. "Uh, Elsa? We can get off now."

"Oh, right. Let's go." They slowly got up and headed out. Once again, they returned to their rather uncomfortable silence, all the way to the hotel. To her credit, Elsa had managed to find a rather upper class place for them to stay. Not exactly gold-plated fancy, but far better than anything Anna had expected. Which was basically nothing. What Anna got was a fresh smell, two new looking beds with fancy looking covers. The bathroom didn't exactly have golden taps, but it looked expensive nonetheless, and was polished to perfection.

Anna sat on the bed, quietly watching. That was, until she could no longer remain silent. "So, uh, Elsa?

She needed a few seconds, but Elsa finally turned. "Yes, what do you want?"

It sounded as neutral as Elsa usually did, but it was clear something was bothering her. Anna hoped she wasn't the problem. "Well, I- you know, we haven't really eaten since before we got to the airport, so, uh- maybe we could go out, find somewhere nice to have dinner together?"

Anna flinched as Elsa suddenly turned away. Was it something Anna said? She never did get that. Was her request really so unreasonable? Or had she just picked a bad time? Elsa had never specifically asked for Anna not to interrupt her, but-

"There was a place in the hotel, correct?" Elsa finally answered. "I'm certain you'll find something you'll like there."

"I- well, alright then." Seemed as though Elsa didn't wish to waste any time looking around. Fair enough. They had a big enough day ahead of them. If the cost didn't bother Elsa, then it wouldn't bother Anna, either. "Whenever you're ready."

The rest of the evening continued in the same, rather uncomfortable silence. On reflection, this wasn't the first time Elsa had done this. While Anna still trusted her completely, she truthfully had no idea why. Much as she didn't want to force the issue, it wouldn't do to just let this go on forever.

When they returned home. That would be when Anna would force the issue, if the need arose.

What the hell is Anna doing?

That was the question that highlighted the schism occurring within Elsa's mind. Her logical mind, usually the one in control, scoffed at how ridiculous such a question was. The emotional side of her on the other hand, seemed to be throwing what could only be described as some kind of tantrum. Perhaps ignoring, or at the very least forcing it away for so long had certainly not helped.

Since the seminal event in the White Hand facility- no, even before that, Elsa had cared for Anna, or Red as she was known not so long ago. Despite their differences, there had always been a certain kinship within their situation, both burned by the same shadowy organisation. It had been somewhat different then, though. Elsa had considered Anna her ward, someone she would protect, and perhaps help transition into normal society. Had she been mistaken? Or was she simply hiding behind a perception she wanted as opposed to reality…

"Ready?" Elsa asked. They were all dressed to head out, not to mention they didn't have too long to wait around. No sense in holding radio silence all day.

"Ready. Let's go." Anna had just about finished tying her hair. She now seemed to be trying a single plait, hanging off to the left. Without any further delay, they set off, towards the train station.

They probably didn't need an hour to reach the rendezvous point, but Elsa decided not to take any chances. Sitting around any longer than they had to would leave Elsa alone with her thoughts, which was the last thing she wanted, save perhaps talking to Anna again. She didn't feel she could do that without losing control of the swirling storm of emotions inside her. How long could she keep up the minimum contact, though?

As they embarked on the underground train, Elsa decided to focus her thoughts on what might lie ahead. This man knew something, there was no doubt about that. Was he onto the truth, or was it mere coincidence? There was still the possibility he had simply found the name Glaca by chance, and there was nothing else he knew. That was the only thing that gave this lead any real credence so far, even if it alone was enough to warrant this spur of the moment meeting.

"Elsa." It was obvious enough as to why she had never the website before then. She had focused exclusively on only the most credible sources. Obviously, what this man had written never would have made it into peer review, much less past it. Hidden in plain sight. It was only because Anna had shown it that she had even bothered to read it.

"Elsa." Therein lay the source of her inner turmoil. Could she truly consider Anna a dependent? Anna had shown there were now things that she could accomplish that Elsa could have never done. Anna might still have a long way to go, but there was little chance her dependency would last forever. Elsa fretted over how she would think of Anna, if not her ward. Hence, the silence. The night before certainly didn't help matters.

It might have been a coincidence, but when Anna finally spoke to Elsa after they'd arrived, it sounded- it sounded like Anna was propositioning her. It couldn't be, though. Could it? No. Statistics alone made it highly doubtful. There was only about a three to five percent chance Anna had any interest in women, much less her. Besides, after the way Elsa had acted-

"Elsa!" Anna finally gave Elsa a firm nudge. They had arrived at their stop.

"Right. Excuse me." Without any further interaction, they disembarked and left the station. With a quick check of Elsa's phone, the two were off. They were in a suburban area, with avenue after avenue of terraced houses along with the occasional bare tree lining the pavement. By the look of things, they were heading straight to the man's home. Probably not the kind of person who left his home much by choice in general. Understandable. It was just a matter of having a conversation when her mind wasn't exactly in the best place. Easier said than done.

"Here, number thirty-six." Elsa pointed out the house. The front looked very unkempt, to the point of appearing abandoned. There were a pair of shrubs in the front that looked in dire need of trimming, along with a number of plants that were cropping up through any cracks they could find in the stone paving. Was he even around?

Elsa pressed the doorbell, and a loud ringing erupted. Old doorbell as well, it seemed. At least she didn't have to bang a knocker. Silence hung through the air for about a minute afterwards. Time that Elsa should have been using to prepare herself. Except she just couldn't. Anna being there wasn't helping her mental state in the slightest. There was no way she could risk leaving her behind, though. The sooner the danger had passed, the better. Absurd as it was, Elsa couldn't handle having Anna at arm's length like this for too much longer. A click came, and the door swung open dramatically.

"Yes," a rather wizened voice came through the doorway, accompanied by a man clearly getting on in years. His posture seemed ever so slightly frail, he had long, stormy grey hair, and a long beard to match that was almost as ungroomed as the front garden. He seemed almost annoyed, as if they were interrupting something important.

"I believe I spoke to you on the phone. Ms. Fresia, remember?" Elsa introduced herself. "We were supposed to meet today." They were a few minutes early, but no sense in waiting around.

The elderly man seemed even more annoyed at first, then a little lost. "Oh, of course I did. Well, let's talk, shall we? Come on in." The man retreated, leaving the two ladies to follow once he was clear. The moment they entered, it felt as though they had jumped back hundreds of years. The smell of dust and aged books hung heavy in the air, and the main hall had strong wooden hues of yellow and brown. The walls were lined with shelves and cases displaying hundreds of books, papers and various paintings that Elsa didn't recognise, looking almost religious in nature. Were they somehow linked to the information she sought? What they had travelled all this way for?

They proceeded after the aged man, into a study that, to the untrained observer, would probably look like it belonged to a history professor. There were even more books and sheets of paper here, only instead of being meticulously stored in shelves, many of them were open to pages, and strewn out across the polished wooden desk, or the floor.

The man stood in the middle, clearing his throat. "Now, you called me wishing to discuss my findings, my encyclopedia, so to speak. Tell me, by what means did you discover the truth of the resonance between the Veil of forces between the dimensions?"

Elsa furrow her brow. "I'm sorry?"

"Aha! I knew it!" The man suddenly exclaimed. "I've dealt with your ilk before. People who come to my door claiming to be interested in the truth of Albernon. Then they spit in my face, they laugh and mock me! I'll not suffer the ridicule any longer! Anyone with real interest in my work would surely have read my work on The Veil at the very least."

"Sir, I could not find any such work," Elsa quickly rebutted. "Several of the pages I found on your website were dead. I don't think you've checked or updated-"

"Excuses! No true academic would ever stop at such meager hurdles." He had lifted his hands in the air, as if posing in some grand performance. "Begone, the both of you. Now!"

"Sir, please, we-" Anna started.

Elsa extended her hand in front of Anna. "I'll handle this. Sir, I understand that you might be skeptical. However, there is something I would like you to see before we leave."

The old man grumbled. "Make it quick. Before I change my mind."

This was an almost desperate gamble. Anywhere besides a old, discredited recluse's home, this would be absolutely out of the brief exchange had already appeared to make up the man's mind, though. But there was another reason why she was extremely reluctant. She would have to find a very dark place in her already troubled mind. What was a few moments of discomfort against a lifetime of searching fruitlessly? Time to do this.

There Elsa was. All over again. The blood of others filling her view. Her body not her own. Burning and crackling still fresh on her skin. Pain all around her. Most importantly, ice all over her body. With her intense focus, she projected it onto her present self. The ice coalesced over her. The plates over her arms and legs. The shining mesh covering her torso. Finally, a series of grand looking icicles forming a circle on her head, creating a makeshift crown.

"No," the elderly man gasped. He had a shocking burst of energy, scrambling through his collection of ancient books and papers. After a few more seconds, he managed to come across what he was looking for. A semi faded picture, one depicting a featureless person, adorned the same way Elsa was now. " So it's true. It's all true."

Elsa was still dispelling the last of the dark memories still plaguing her. "So now do you-"

"Haha!" The man laughed triumphantly. "I knew it. I KNEW IT!" Elsa was hoping this would have an impact, but it seemed to make him at least twenty years younger.

"Careful, sir. You'll tear that," Elsa warned.

"Pfft! What do I need this for? I've seen the real thing!" He tossed the paper rather callously onto the floor. "Please, let me make tea. I feel we have much to discuss."

"Of course." With another thought, Elsa willed away her icy garments. Best not to damage everything she was already wearing. The old man had already left the room, however. Elsa turned to Anna. "Well, we might as well get comfortable."

Anna nodded, and they shared a small sofa which was against a wall lined with even more obscure looking artwork. Elsa was intensely on edge now. There was the feeling of anticipation, but also a sting of unease. It was an incredible risk to just display her powers like that, regardless of the company. If there was anyone watching or recording- well, best not to ponder it. This man could be a goldmine of much needed information.

With each passing moment, Anna felt more and more like a spectator. That became increasingly evident when the man didn't bother to make her any tea. Not that she wanted any, but wasn't it the thought that counted? No point in complaining, though. Elsa had enough on her plate. Clearly.

"So, Mr. Ambrosius, was it?" Elsa started.

"Meredith, please," he corrected. "I'm quite certain you have many questions. But I must ask you indulge an old fool's curiosity." He picked up the paper he had tossed aside mere minutes ago. "On reflection, I'm not entirely convinced by your display just now."

What? He was over the moon just a minute ago. What was this old fart's deal, anyway? How many other sources of genuine ice magic could there be? Let alone the way Elsa performed it.

"Very well," Elsa said. "I assume you want an account of the events that lead me- here. There is still much I do not understand, I'm afraid."

"My, my. It seems there is more beneath the surface than snow and ice. Very well, young lady. Tell me everything you can, from the beginning." Meredith stated before taking a sip of his tea.

"It's Elsa, please." Elsa cleared her throat. Here it came. Anna couldn't help but wonder if there would be anything said that even she didn't know. "As you may have suspected, I did not come to this subject entirely by choice. It started when I was on the tail of a criminal organisation. It seems they were after the Treasures of Albernon, close to completing their collection by the time I was involved."

"Pfft!" Ambrosius spat. "Ah, yes. Read about that. Where I could, of course. Not everyone wants to admit they lose something so precious. 'Course, most those two-penny thieves just looking to turn a quick profit and all that."

Anna held her tongue. So close had she just come to admitting her involvement in the latest series of thefts. At the time, they were to be her proudest achievement, even if no one could ever know of it. How long ago had that been? She probably wouldn't even be able to reflect on such things if Elsa wasn't there. They'd come a long way, and now it seems Anna had somehow ruined things. Again. That's it. After the trip. They'd talk about it after the trip.

"These were no common thieves I was dealing with, that was for sure." Elsa shook her head. "I won't bore you with the details, but they had at least some idea of the true nature of the jewels. They had a lot of tricks up their sleeves as well. When I tried to apprehend them, they managed to outmaneuver me. They had me hauled off to some altar up in the mountains, where they attempted a ritual with five of the treasures they had taken."

"Five?" Ambrosius cut in. He closed his eyes briefly. "I'll explain later. Please, continue."

Elsa couldn't help but ponder on his words, though. More and more things seem to contradict his understanding of things. Someone had to be wrong. "Well, they chained me to these stone pillars, and began to chant around the jewels. I didn't recognise the language they spoke, though. The gemstones began to float and illuminate, and a light appeared. Some kind of being. It spoke directly to the men gathered there. Such that even I could understand it, no less. They spoke of some kind of bargain, I think they intended to use me a sacrifice. In the end, something strange happened, and the all the people there were consumed by the light. All except me. Then, the chains shattered, and I was able to escape. Some time later, I discovered I had been given the powers you just witnessed."

Meredith paused for a moment, then set his cup down. "Yes, yes, I see. Well, to be perfectly honest, Ms. Fresia, I'm unsure about how your story works out. You see, there are parts that just don't add up with how I understand this matter. That isn't to say I understand it perfectly, mind you, but I have been researching this topic longer than you have likely been alive. If what I know is correct, you shouldn't even be alive, talking to me here with your- friend."

"Don't worry about me," Anna cut in. "I'm just- a friend. Who happens to know enough about all of this. That's all." Her remark seemed to earn her a slight glare from Elsa. Had she done it again? Or was she not allowed to speak at all now?

"Nothing I said was untrue," Elsa finally said, even though there was a fair amount she had left out. "I know I cannot force you to trust me, but know I've put a lot of trust in you, with what you've seen and heard."

"You misapprehend me, my dear." Meredith starting looking through his collection of dusty old books. "I dare say I might be the world's only true expert on what I've come to know as the World beyond the Veil. Yet even I know that after generations of research, we've only managed to scratch the surface. Only those with direct contact ever have a chance of knowing the truth. You have shown me the truth- the real truth for my own eyes. That is more than enough."

"So will you help me? Tell me what you know?" Elsa stood up. "I've searched for anything I could find a long time. It was only through luck I was able to find you at all."

Anna rolled her eyes. Luck.

"But of course. Allow me to summarise what I've learned as succinctly as possible." He opened one of the books to a page, showing the altar Elsa remembered. "Many, many years ago, humans communicated with the beings from this other world. There were shrines located around the world, where humans would use power of the Treasures of Albernon to create a bridge between the worlds, allowing them to communicate with each other."

"So anyone in possession of the right stone could just contact these beings?" Even to Anna, it didn't sound that simple. Elsa was probably just moving the conversation along the right path.

Meredith nodded. "I assume you're humouring me. For you of all people should know what happens should you incur the wrath of these other beings. Though, not precisely. You claim the ones who abducted you were pulled into the other world. What awaits them there- who knows? Who wants to know?" He flipped to a another page, one depicting people sprawled about amidst a white light. "I suppose it does make sense, in a way. You see, these otherworldly beings could choose humans to receive their blessings to use in this world. Powers to die for. In some cases, literally. It seems that the beings would only bestow these gifts upon those they deemed worthy. Each being had a specific ritual, yet the same mantra."

Elsa rested her chin on her hand. "Yes, there was a mantra like I said. They spoke it in some ancient language, which I can only assume was the one that last civilisation that performed the ritual used. It seemed it wasn't necessary in the end, as the being spoke in a way we could all understand."

The man nodded. "From what you said, it's likely that these beings do not communicate the same way we do. Or perhaps they transcend our simple languages. In any case, I managed to get a rough translation of the mantra based on what I could find."

Elsa just stood there. "You managed all that? How?"

"Now, now, my dear. Every language is about communicating the things we need to. The world around us, what's in it? What's it like? What will we do with it? Once you understand that, it's only a matter of time before you can crack parts of it. Based on all that I and those before me could gather, not to mention countless nights of toil, I've figured out the mantra goes roughly as follows." He straightened up, clearing his throat. "God of beyond, pierce the veil so you may hear me, and I you."

Elsa nodded. "Rather simple, though I imagine parts were lost in translation. Like you suggested, it's probably the intent that mattered." She looked aside, thinking this all through. "So these gods as you say. What kind of powers could they bestow?"

"Ah, that's yet another mystery, I'm afraid." Meredith sighed. "Based on what you've shown me, it's probable that control of other primordial elements are possible gifts, but that still can't possibly account for all ten of the Treasures. I believe each one is tied to one of the beings. That is only a hypothesis, of course. I fear there are many questions you still have that I cannot hope to answer."

"Not at all." Elsa shook her head. "Anything you know, or have even theorised, could be of great use."

The two continued to go back and forth, talking about what they knew and what could speculated based on what was being shared. From one glance, Anna could tell that this was what the old man was probably waiting his entire life for. In fact, it was probably something he knew would probably never happen. Despite everything else, Anna couldn't help but be happy for this aging man. Dedicating all his life was not for nothing. This moment alone was well worth the innumerable years spent waiting for a single breakthrough.

There was one point in particular that the two kept returning to: why did the people of this world stop reaching out to these 'gods'? Was it something the people had decided, or the other beings? There was an idea pushed back and forth that whatever happened probably had something to do with how the knowledge became so obscure to begin with. Eventually, they realised they could only go round in circles about this issue, not being able to find a concrete answer.

"I suppose we should leave now." Elsa lifted herself out of her seat, after seeing the sky beginning to turn into a beautiful shade of orange. Not totally unlike Anna's hair. Ugh. "I hope we can keep in contact if either of us stumbles across anything else. Thank you for your time."

"No, thank you. You've given this old man another chance." He was starting to tear up. "Well, you'd best hurry before I make a fool of myself."

"Of course." With that, the two of them were off again, back on the same line they took to reach the house. They were back in the vicinity of the hotel, but they still had the rest of however long Elsa had this trip planned to be. Joy. Worse still, it was like someone had flipped a switch on Elsa. She could have talked to the man for days, but stringing together a whole sentence was too much to ask when it came to Anna. Then there was the way she spoke earlier. Like them even getting here had nothing to do with her.

Anna had read the articles she had sent to Elsa thoroughly enough. She might not have understood it nearly as well as Elsa, but she knew which one gave them this lead. After all that, Elsa wouldn't even give her credit. What was all that about?

"What's wrong?" Anna almost jumped. Seemed Elsa had caught Anna with the rather sour expression she was sporting.

"It's nothing." Elsa wanted to give the cold shoulder? Maybe she needed to understand how that felt.

Elsa put a hand on Anna's shoulder. "I-"

Anna jerked away. "I said it's nothing, okay?" This certainly wasn't how Anna had planned it. She just couldn't put it out of her head. What had she done to deserve this? Elsa had-

There. A woman. She had only noticed because she was looking away from Elsa. She was wearing a black suit, complete with black sunglasses. In the evening, no less. It was as though she had taken a class in looking as conspicuous as possible. In case that wasn't enough, the woman also produced a pistol, pointing it straight at Anna.

"Gun!" Anna shouted. Her mouth could move, but the rest of her body refused. She was frozen. Apparently, Elsa had no such problems. The next thing Anna knew, Elsa had thrusted herself between Anna and their mystery assailant.

The sound of the gun firing echoed through the air, and Anna's very soul.