While they were gone, North had been busy creating a special airplane that allowed them to safely use their powers within. Elsa was still hesitant, but Frozone insisted that it would be the fastest and most accurate way to the island. Jack found the whole thing fascinating, and flew through the interior examining everything multiple times. The main cabin was a spacious oval, mostly empty except for seats around the edge. To make up for the plain, curving grey walls, North had placed a luxurious red carpet on the floor. A sliding door separated them from the cockpit.

"What do all the buttons do?" he asked the yeti pilot.

The yeti grumbled and pushed Jack out of the cockpit, closing the door behind him. Jack sat crosslegged on the floor and crossed his arms.

"He said 'go away,'" he informed the other passengers.

No one has asked; Elsa was too nervous, and Frozone was trying to come up with a plan to rescue Peri. Both of them were tense, which provided Jack with a perfect excuse for testing the plane. He flew around the cabin (again) dragging his staff behind him and coating the whole thing in ice, nearly flying into Frozone but turned at the last second. By the time he had completed the circuit, the whole thing had melted.

"Cool," he said with a grin. "Or, should I say, hot?"

Elsa attempted a weak smile, but just then the plane lurched suddenly and she gripped the handles of her seat tightly. If it hadn't been so warm, ice would have covered the plane already. Jack turned back to the wall and held his hand in front of it experimentally. It didn't feel hot until he was only an inch away, but outside that area it felt only slightly warm, even chilly in places.

"Frozone, look at this!"

He ran over to Frozone and grabbed his hand, pushing it through the same motions.

"That's nice, Jack," he said dryly.

Despite her fear, Elsa let go of the chair and did the same thing.

"How does it do that?" she asked curiously.

"Some sort of force field," Frozone said. "Modern science stuff you wouldn't understand."

"Magic," Jack countered. "And she could understand science, it would just take longer and would be a little harder because she didn't grow up hearing about it like you did."

When Frozone didn't answer, Jack moved on to testing the new heat system against snowballs. Elsa watched his proceedings with interest; if anything, it at least took her mind off the fact that they were flying trapped in a machine thousands of feet in the air, on a rescue mission that could involve contact. First, he formed one in his hand and slowly moved it forward. The entire thing melted the second that part of it entered the heat barrier. The same thing happened when he created a snow mound at his feet and made it connect.

"What if it happens suddenly?" Elsa asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, right now you're making the snow and then touching it purposefully. But what if something happens accidentally? How fast would it melt?"

"Basically you're asking if there are sensors," Jack summed up. "Good question."

In an instant, he had spun around and thrown a snowball at the opposite wall. It would have worked had not Frozone's head been in the way.

"Oops."

"Cut it out, will you?" Frozone snapped, brushing the snow out of his eyes. His visor had not been down. "This is serious!"

"That was serious," Jack pointed out. "And we seriously didn't know you were sitting there."

Frozone scowled at him. "Sure you didn't."

"Besides, you need to lighten up a bit."

"Now you listen young man..."

Jack scoffed. "I'm 300."

This did not seem to throw Frozone off guard. In fact, it only made him angrier.

"I don't care if you're 17, 300, or 2,000! You're acting immaturely! While you've been goofing off, I've been trying to think of a plan so that we all live to see tomorrow."

"Yeah, well..."

"Guys," Elsa interrupted.

She had risen from the chair and jumped between them with her hands outstretched. Both men went from angry to wary, which really wasn't that surprising considering they each had a bright blue glowing hand inches from their face.

"Let me handle this," Frozone tried to say normally.

She might not have picked up on their nervousness, but Jack decided to say something as well.

"Yeah, maybe you should just sit out on this one."

Elsa could see the fear in his eyes and unease in his voice. Hurt, she turned and ran back to her seat, curling up in a ball with her back to the boys and her hands right up against the heat shell. She tried to tune out the sound of their intensifying argument. Her peace offering had somehow made it worse and accomplished the opposite of her goals. How she wished Peri was there!

'This never happened when Peri was...that's it!'

Elsa sat up suddenly.

"Guys, stop!" she pleaded. "This is what Pitch wants! He's trying to turn us against each other!"

Jack, who was in the middle of a stinging retort, stopped cold and closed his mouth.

"The first time I battled him," he continued after a moment, "he was able to use me to start an argument that turned everyone against me. I think you're right. I'm sorry."

There was a moment of tense silence.

"Wait," Elsa said abruptly. "You told me you were ice-proof...is that true or did you lie to me?"

Jack shot more ice at Frozone. It passed harmlessly through his legs. "There. We weren't lying. That was Pitch manipulating our fears and blurring the facts. He does that."

"Oh."

"I should have seen it coming," Frozone said out of nowhere. "I mean, Pitch taking Peri."

"You weren't the only one to blame," Jack said. "I know how he works. I should have done something, or dodged the ray, or something!"

"Look at us," Elsa said despairingly. "We're a mess. How did we ever think we could work together? Do we have anything in common besides our powers?"

"Yeah," Jack said after a moment. "And that's why we thought we could work together. Almost all of us have younger sisters. Or had, in my case."

"What?!"

"I died saving her life," he explained. "That why the Moon made me a Guardian. I lost my memory when I died, so I only recently remembered her. I guess...well, never mind."

"What?" Elsa prompted gently.

"It sounds stupid."

"You started to think of Peri as your little sister, didn't you?"

Jack looked up in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Because I've done the same thing."

There was a moment of silence, though this time it wasn't as tense. Elsa looked over at Frozone.

"What about you? Do you have a sister, or kids?"

Frozone sighed. "Honey and I can't have children," he confessed. "So I tend to get attached to pretty much every kid that crosses my path. I guess that makes me feel responsible for them too."

"I don't think anyone but Jack was really ready for him," Elsa said softly. "But now that we know what we're up against, maybe we'll be better prepared."

"But we don't have the whole team," Jack said.

"Well," Elsa said firmly, with as much queenly grace as she could muster. "We'll have to do the best we can."

There was a buzzing overhead and the yeti's voice came over the intercom. The others looked at Jack for a translation.

"He said we're nearing the island." Cautiously, he slid open the door and poked his head inside. "How much longer, Dan?"

Before Dan could reply, another voice came over the radio.

"This is island tower," a woman said politely. "We can not accept planes to this station now, please turn around."

"Uh...don't answer," Jack said quickly.

"What's going on?" Frozone asked.

"They've picked up on us," Jack said. "What should we do?"

"Prepare to jump down into the water. Syndrome's got weapons, we don't stand a chance in the air."

As if to confirm this, Syndrome's voice yelled into the radio.

"Missiles are now heading your way, enjoy your ride!"

"Incoming!" Frozone yelled, opening a hatch at the back of the plane. He and Elsa jumped.

"Dan, get out of here!" Jack yelled as he flew out after them.

Elsa closed her eyes as they plunged deep into the warm waters. There was an explosion a moment later above the surface.

"There goes the plane," Frozone said with a sigh. "North isn't going to be too happy about that."

"I just hope Dan made it through the portal in time," Jack said worriedly. "Elsa, you can look now. How'd you do this?"

Elsa opened her eyes and saw that she had created an ice slide going down, ending in the little air bubble they were safely sitting in now.

"Um...I honestly don't know."

"It doesn't matter," Frozone said. "Now we have to focus on getting to shore without being detected."

Jack pushed down on the floor of their bubble, expanding it until they slid to the ocean floor.

"We'll walk underwater," he said, grinning.

"Will the air hold up?" Frozone asked.

"We're not that far. If you're worried about it, stop talking and help me."

Instead, Elsa walked over and flicked her hand out. The long tunnel appeared almost instantly, and she began running down it.

"What are you waiting for?" she called back innocently.

Frozone laughed and joined her. "Watch out, I think she's growing more confident."