Chapter 4
"How did they manage to do this? How is it even possible to do this?!" Tooth asked franticaly.
"She's right, they shouldn't be able to have that much power," Bonnie agreed with her.
'They must have found a very powerful source of fear,' Sandy wrote down.
"We know, but where could they hav-," Elsa started but then almost collapsed along with Jack. Their friends caught them before they hit the floor, but were still very concerned.
"You allright mates?" Bunny asked while helping Jack up.
"I don't know, I just started feeling weak," Jack answered.
"Um, what's happening to your hair?" Theo asked, and everyone saw as a strand of Jack and Elsa's hair started turning brown.
"Sostakovish!" Nora exclaimed.
"What does that mean?" Tooth asked.
"I think I know," Elsa said, "But there's only one way to be sure. Come on, I think it's time I introduce you to some friends," she started climbing out the window but Sandra stopped her and was shaking her head, "Oh, right, can't fly, let's take the stairs."
They walked out of the house and Elsa leaded them towards the forest, though her friends could see that she was unusually tired and so was Jack, it was probably because of whatever it is that was happening to them, but they knew better, they knew this was because of her worry for Jane. They were aproaching some sort of clearing and were walking through some geizers when Jack decided to break the silence.
"So, who are these friends of yours?"
"They are some friends that have helped me through a lot," she responded while smiling, she then chuckled, "They are actually, sort of, my family-in-law."
Jack stopped dead on his track when he heard that, "Oh, really?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
"Yeah, it's kind of complicated."
Just when he was about to reply he held his head and Elsa dis the same, as another strand of their hair turned brown.
"We better hurry," Elsa said.
They arrived to a valley filled with rocks, and were shocked when they saw Elsa run excitedly towards them and talk to them. They were confused, to say the least.
"Do you have any idea why she is doing this?" Nora asked Jack, hoping at least he could make sense of this, as they watched Elsa hug one of the smallest rocks.
"You aren't like that, right mate?" Bunny asked with a raised eyebrow.
Just when they were about to leave the rocks started moving and rolling towards Elsa, so they had to jump to avoid being hit by them. They looked back to Elsa just in time to see her kneel down in front of one of the rocks and a second later the rocks became some sort of creatures.
"Rimski Korsakof! They aren't rocks, they're rocks!" North exclaimed in realization.
"Oh my Goodness! They are trolls!" Tooth was so loud that all the trolls turned to look at them. They blinked twice.
"We have visitors!" a female troll shouted and the others repeated it, they then carried them to the center of the valley to stand next to Elsa.
"What's going on?" Theo asked.
"You have to learn to roll with it," Elsa answered, she then went back to talking with the female troll, "Bulda, it's great to see all of you guys, but it's kind of an-"
"Elsa carry me!" she was interrupted by a little troll and then he jumped into her arms, but he was so heavy Elsa was struggling to hold him and started to loose her balance, but Jack caught her. When the trolls saw this they looked back and forth berween Jack and Elsa and then blinked in surprise.
"Oh, Elsa dear, I didn't know you finally found 'the one', is that what you came to tell us?" Bulda said in a slightly teasing tone.
Jack and Elsa both blushed when they heard that; Jack was so surprised he actually dropped Elsa, when he realized it he helped her up but quickly let go of her and they both looked away still blushing. She could hear the others snickering and the trolls saying how cute and adorable they were together.
"What? No no no, that's not what I came for, I need to see Grandpabbie."
"He is taking a nap, but that can wait, you know Anna would have said the same, so tell me everything."
"You're right, that sounds like Anna," she said and Jack could see a faint smile forming on her lips.
"But that's not the point, something terrible has happened and if wee don't speak to Grandpabbie-" once again she felt weak and so did Jack, as another strand of their hair turned brown.
"Oh dear, how could I not see it," Bulda said worriedly and the other trolls exchanged concerned looks, "Cliff quick! Bring him! We can't waste a moment," she turned back to Elsa, "Elsa what happened? Who did this to you?"
Just then another boulder went rolling towards them and then became another troll, one that looked much older and wiser than the others, "I can feel a dark magic in the air."
"Grandpabbie, I'm sorry we met under this circumstances, but we need your help," Elsa said.
"Of course, you two come closer," he said to Elsa and Jack, he examined them, and then a shocked look appeared on his face, "Your powers have been taken from you, and sinceyour hair was like this because of them now that they are gone it's turning back to it's original color."
Elsa nodded understandingly, "Like how it happened to Anna, that's what I though," she bowed her head sadly and received curious looks from the rest.
"Yes, but that's not what worries me," he continued sadly, " It is what will happen when the last trace of your magic is gone."
"What do you mean?" Nora asked.
"Elsa, this is something I should have told you a long time ago, the reason behind you being born with your powers."
She could feel her friend's stare at that revelation, but ignored it. "What is it?"
"Before you were born your mother fell sick and your father came to us for help, but there was nothing I could do," he paused, "However, the moon could and she saaved you and your mother, but in order to do so you were given your powers."
"Elsa stayed quiet, too shoked to say anything.
"But then the tragedy happened," Grandpabbie continued, " The day you died and were brought back as Elsa Winters and again, the reason you are alive were your powers," he finished.
"So what you are telling us is that, if we don't get our powers back," Jack started.
"We'll die," Elsa finished.
"I'm sorry," Grandpabbie said.
"But you can help them, right?" Theo asked.
"I'm afraid not, but I once told you something Elsa, and it can also save you now."
"An act of true love will thaw a frozen heart," she said in realization.
"That's right, I'm just sorry I couldn't do more."
"It's allright, you've already helped me a lot, thank you. Goodbye guys," she said before she and the others started to leave.
...
Since without their powers they couldn't go back to the workshop, they went for the sleigh and made their way towards Elsa's palace, partly because it was the only place nearby they had and partly because the cold might help slow down what was happening to Jack and Elsa. They were just sitting silently on the sleigh while they made their way up the mountain, that is until Theo decided to break the silence.
"Okay I have to admit, that for a moment I though you had gone crazy," he said to Elsa and she laughed.
"Yeah I know, it took me a while to believe it too the first time."
"So, what did he mean when he said you were born with powers?" Bunny asked and the guardians from that world glared at him.
"Don't worry guys, it's allright," she said to her friends, "I think I should have told you this when I regained my memories, but even when I was human," she ignored the shoked stares and continued, "But back then I didn't know how to control them, and I hurt the people I cared about, so I hid them and when people found out I ran away, that was when I built this palace, but it was wrong of me to run so I went back and fixed the damage I caused."
"There's something I don't understand," Jack said, "You had your powers even when you were human, but I didn't have any powers before being Jack Frost and I didn't even know trolls were real."
"I guess," Tooth started, "That maybe we are not necesarily the same, maybe some things are just different."
"If you don't mind me asking, who is Anna?" North asked.
Jack saw Elsa hesitation when they asked her that and the way she tensed up.
"Hey look! We're here," he said while pointing to the castle.
Everyone started to get out of the sleigh, with Elsa and Jack being the last ones. Just before she got down Jack winked at her and she sent him a grateful smile, and he though he saw a faint blush on her cheeks.
"This place is beautiful," North said.
"Thank you."
North and Nora were nearing the staircase when suddenly a mount of snow moved and became a giant and fierce looking snowman. The other guardians were surprised: Tooth hid behing Theo, Bunny and North took their weapons, Sandy looked like he was about to faint and Jack just stood there shocked. When Elsa saw this she ran to stand between them extending both arms to both sides to stop them.
"Stop!" she yelled.
"Just when I though this couldn't get any wierder," Bunny said right before Sandy fainted.
She turned to face the giant snowman, "Hey, calm down, it's okay, they're my friends, they're not here to hurt me," she turned back towards her friends. "I'm sorry about Marshmallow, it's just that he's not used to having visitors."
While most of the group was shocked speechless or didn't know what to say Jack looked amused and started chuckling, "That's Marshmallow?"
"Yeah, I know, but Olaf was the one who named him."
"Elsa's back!" they heard a voice coming from inside the castle followed by the sound of several footsteps aproaching the door.
"Oh no," Elsa said.
"What do you mean 'oh no'?" Jack asked.
As soon as that question left his mouth Olaf came out of the palace with something, that at first glance just looked like a bunch of snow. It all came down the stairs until it reached Elsa and started lifting her up and the other realized that it wasn't just a bunch of snow, there were hundreds of tiny little snowmen.
"Aw! They're so cute!" Tooth exclaimed.
"Yeah they are, but as mischievous as a snowball," Elsa said while gently trying to get them off, "Everyone, meet the Snowgies."
"Those are the Snowgies?" Bunny asked.
"Yes, meet William, Blizzard, Frederick, Elizabeth, S-" Olaf started, only to be interrupted be Elsa.
"They get it Olaf, now why don't you take them to play? But stay on the cold."
"Allright, let's go!"
"That should keep them busy for a while, come on guys, let's go inside," she turned to Marshmallow, "We'll be inside, you can go back to sleep."
With that, he lied down again and everyone started climbing up the stairs; halfway up Bonnie slipped but Bunny caught her and helped her up, but as soon as she was back on her feet she pushed him off. They reached the top and went into the palace.
"I must say, you are really talented," North said.
"Thank you," Elsa answered.
"You know," Theo started, "There's something I haven't been able to get out of my mind since we talked to the trolls."
"What is it Theo?" Bonnie asked.
"Is it the fact that she said thay are her family-in-law? Jack said while pointing at Elsa, "Because I've been thinking of that too?"
Everyone just stared at him, "No, not really," Theo answered, "It's just that they took everyone's power, not only theirs," everyone nodded, "so then, why are only them being affected?"
They heard a tapping again and saw Sandy holding another piece of paper up 'I think it's because, unlike the rest of us, they died before they were chosen.'
"We shouldn't dwell on that any further, we should think on how to stop it," Nora said.
"Elsa what was that the troll said could save you?" Bonnie asked.
"An act of true love can thaw a frozen heart," she answered.
"Wouldn't it be the other way around for you?" Bunny asked.
"Yes, look I know that it sounds silly, but I've seen something like this before and that is the only way."
"Maybe for now we should try and get some of our strength back, get some rest," North said, "We can continue tomorrow after we have calmed down."
"North's right, you can take any room you want."
With that said she lead them to the top of the staircase and then went towards her room, the others did the same and tried to find a room Jack saw a door and aproached it, he then opened it and went inside there he saw many ice statues, two were of a man and a woman and the woman looked almost exactly like Elsa; one of a man with a reindeer, but one caught his attention the most: it was of two girls, one of which he recognized as Elsa but wearing a dress instead of her hoodie, but the other girl looked a little similar to Elsa but with her hair in two braids instead of one and looked younger, and the both seemed to be skating. He started getting closer to the statue.
"What are you doing here?!"