Bargaining
Elsa still stands in front of Anna’s grave. She gets out a cell phone and calls the one number on it.
ELSA
Come on, come on, answer me…
The voice on the other end picks up. It’s Thor!!
THOR
Elsa? Is everything okay? The funeral was only yesterday. Do you need me back there?
ELSA
You said this thing you called a “phone” would come in handy. Now is the time.
THOR
What are you getting at?
ELSA
Some ghost who said his name was “Obi-Wan Kenobi” said that someone might try to bring Anna back. I want to know how. Do you know anything about it?
THOR
I-- I’m sorry, I don’t.
ELSA
Don’t lie. Please.
THOR
You cannot timetravel. It’s just not possible.
Elsa throws the phone at the ground, shattering it. The loud shattering sound draws a yell from behind a tree.
QUILL
Really, Drax?
DRAX
It was a loud sound.
ROCKET
So much for a surprise attack!
GROOT
I am Groot.
ROCKET
Thank you!
MANTIS
We’re being too loud right now.
GAMORA
Guys, she might not have heard Drax scream.
NEBULA
Yes, but she definitely heard you all arguing.
ELSA
Yes, she DEFINITELY heard you all arguing! Show yourselves!
(Reference! yay)
Quill fires a blaster bullet at Elsa, but Elsa puts her hand out, absorbing the bullet with her translucent blue hand.
QUILL
Heavier fire, maybe?
ELSA
What are you here for? Anna?
DRAX
No. We are definitely not here for Anna. If we were, we would be trying to kill you.
GAMORA
Nice, Drax. That doesn’t sound like a lie at all.
DRAX
Thank you. I am a master of deception.
ELSA
So you ARE here for her. What do you want to do with her?
The Guardians come out from behind the trees they were hiding behind, all pointing guns at Elsa (except Groot, obvs)
QUILL
There’s a big bounty on her in a dozen Kree provinces. Seven mil.
ELSA
Well, what do THEY want with her?
GAMORA
That’s none of our business. Our business is getting paid.
ELSA
Are they going to bring her back?
ROCKET
Nobody cares. We’re just in it for the dough.
QUILL
Hang on, hang on. Snow Queen, are you trying to negotiate?
ELSA
How do you know who I am?
DRAX
Are you kidding? You’re famous. Word travels fast. You did absolutely nothing to stop Gothel, but you were present.
QUILL
That’s beside the point. The point is, Snow Queen, are you going to hand over the Crystal Princess if we come to an agreement?
ELSA
If the Kree or whatever want to bring her back, you can take her, but I have to come with you.
QUILL
The Kree can do what they want. We don’t care. We’ve said that like a hundred times.
ELSA
Then I’m going to have to ask you to leave.
Suddenly, a lightning bolt strikes between Elsa and the Guardians. Thor has arrived.
THOR
Morons! Great to see you again!
QUILL
(Not happy)
Yeah, Thor, good to see you, too.
THOR
(To Elsa)
I came as quickly as I could. I surmised the phone broke, given the abruptness and sounds I heard for a split-second on this end. I thought you might be in trouble. I’m rambling on, aren’t I?
ELSA
A little.
THOR
I’m sorry, but there’s no way to bring your sister back. I’m not lying.
QUILL
Are too!
ELSA
Wait, what? Thor’s lying?
THOR
Elsa, I… I only wanted to preserve your feelings. I’m sorry, I really am.
QUILL
Guardians, take note. Thor is a liar.
ELSA
So we can bring her back?!?
THOR
We can’t. Won’t. The only way is to enter a microscopic realm called the Quantum Realm, find another Anna from another point in time, and bring her back.
ELSA
I don’t see anything wrong with that.
THOR
But if we bring an alternate-timeline Anna to our own timeline, we remove her from the other one, creating infinite branch realities, each one a different result of Anna not being there. I didn’t want to lie to you and it really hurt me to. But I did it so you wouldn’t live knowing that there was a way to do it.
QUILL
When did YOU become an expert in quantum physics?
THOR
I was there. Where were you, Quill?
DRAX
Ha! He was dust on Titan!
QUILL
We were ALL dust on Titan.
GAMORA
Not me.
NEBULA
Not me.
GROOT
I am Groot.
ROCKET
Yeah, Groot was dust on EARTH. I survived.
ELSA
I’m going to the quantum realm and bringing back Anna.
THOR
Elsa, there are thousands of other things wrong with that.
ELSA
Oh yeah? Name just ONE.
THOR
You won’t be here to protect Anna.
ELSA
You’ll do that.
THOR
And if I’m protecting Anna, I’m not protecting Arendelle.
ELSA
Yeah, but you’re protecting the universe.
THOR
Elsa, I don’t want to see you this way. Accept what happened. Mourn, but accept it.
ELSA
I’m never gonna accept a world without Anna.
THOR
Fine, then. I will stay here and outlive you and make sure that doesn’t happen.
QUILL
Hey, Snow Queen, we’ll take you to Earth in exchange for the body.
ELSA
(All too eager)
Deal!
THOR
No one’s taking anyone’s body. It stays where it is. Have some respect for the dead.
ELSA
But she’s not really dead if she can be brought back, is she?
THOR
I… I guess so. The rules of what’s life and what’s death can be complicated in this multiverse.
QUILL
If you’re not gonna hand over the body, we’re gonna have to steal it.
THOR
(Readying Stormbreaker)
No you’re not.
Elsa turns to Thor, her eyes filling with tears and snow swirling around her hands. She sets her feet and squares her shoulders.
ELSA
I don’t want to fight you, Thor, but I DO wanna see Anna again.
THOR
Elsa, have you heard a word of what I just said?
Mantis reaches for Elsa, touching her arm. Elsa draws back quickly, but Mantis’s grip is firm.
MANTIS
It’s okay. I am an empath. I feel feelings.
ELSA
Wait, what?
MANTIS
You feel… angry. Angry at Thor, for hiding the truth and stopping you. You’re angry that Anna is gone. You know where she is, but you can’t help it.
ELSA
(Tears falling down her cheeks as she blinks, but she’s not crying)
I know. Thor, I know you were just trying to protect me.
THOR
(Putting his hands on Elsa’s cheeks, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears)
That’s all. I’m sorry I lied.
Unexpectedly and suddenly, Elsa makes a move and freezes Thor inside an ice block, stopping him but not killing him.
QUILL
Whoa.
DRAX
That was awesome!
ELSA
(To the frozen Thor)
I forgive you. But I want Anna back.
QUILL
Now if you’ll just excuse us, Groot’ll get to digging up the coffin.
Okay, a thought I just had while working on another fic-- the mist in Frozen II is very similar to the forcefield around Westview in Wandavision. Back to the story, now.
Groot puts his rooty arms in the ground, which slowly spread through the dirt to the coffin, breaking the ground above it and pulling it out.
ELSA
Whoa.
QUILL
Alright, we’ll get this thing loaded, then we’ll take you to Earth. A deal’s a deal.
GAMORA
What are we gonna do about Thor?
ELSA
We’ll bring him aboard. Keep an eye on him.