Isolation at the Mystery House (Story about ghosts)

So I caved. I’m testing the waters of the AU Frozen fandom because, while I’m between chapters of my canonical Frozen fic (Mending An Icy Break on FF), I might as well dabble with something else.

I’ll try posting a bunch of different scenarios to make up the first chapter, and base whether or not I continue on how well they’re received. 

So, without giving too much away, this one’s a mystery/paranormal sort of fic that revolves around Elsa and Anna moving to a mid-18th century mansion. Anna’s a dork into dorky things, and Elsa’s super into the whole paranormal scene — especially ghosts. This is post-established Elsanna, and incestuous. Elsa does still have her powers because, at this point, they’re too much a part of her for me to ignore them. Yep.

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The car ride was eerily silent, Elsa mused, with her head resting against the window. She stared out at the passing greenery and housing developments, blue eyes rapidly trying to trace the landscape as it flew by. She breathed softly, a thin layer of verglas appearing, to which she raised her hand and drew absently over.

“Girls, you’re both so quiet,” Gerda turned to look back at the sisters in the backseat, riding upfront and beside her husband. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Elsa shook her head slightly, “I’m just a little tired.” The blonde lifted herself off the car door and turned to look at Anna, who was engrossed in her game, mashing the A button on her 3DS while her eyes remained glued to the screen. “And Anna’s a little busy.”

“Well we’ll not be in the car much longer,” Kai smiled at the girls through the review mirror, “and you two will have the whole of the estate to yourselves, at least until your parents arrive next week.”

“Until then it’ll be our pleasure to look after you girls.” Gerda added cheerily, “As it always has been.” Elsa smiled a bit and turned to face forwards, curling her knees up and pressing them gently into the back of the seat in front of her, while she fiddled with her fingers.

“You’re doing it again,” Anna said, her eyes not moving off the screen, “remember, you’re supposed to stay calm. Those nervous ticks are a dead giveaway that you’re not.” The subtle fiddling of fingers dove right into wringing, with her hands flexing and shifting anxiously.

“Well excuse me for being a bit nervous about the move,” She murmured under her breath, “it’s not every day you move to a new country to some hundred and fifty year old house.”

“Which is probably haunted,” Anna added quickly.

“Probably haunted.” Elsa agreed. Gerda rolled her eyes.

“Come now girls, none of this talk, I’m sure you’ll love the new house and–”

“Oh come on!” Anna hissed, her brow knitting together as she glared at the screen, “Stupid Confusion, Olaf get it together.” The redhead watched in horror as her–usually–trusty Snover hurt itself in confusion and promptly fainted. The battle was over, and a pout formed on the younger girl’s lips. With a defeated sigh, Anna lowered her 3DS, sad eyes falling on Gerda. The pudgy woman gave the redhead a look.

“Don’t look so deflated, it’s just a game.” Anna immediately feigned shock.

“Just a game? Gerda! I’ll have you know this is a way of life.” Elsa laughed, raising one of her hands to cover her mouth, hiding the smile that tugged the corner of her lips.

“Let her have it Gerda,” The blonde waved a hand dismissively, “she’s a bit obsessive.”

“It’s a healthier obsession than yours,” Anna retorted, sending a very unconvincing glare her sister’s way. “At least my obsession doesn’t cost me thousands of dollars in equipment.” Elsa shook her head and smiled.

“It would if your obsession was real.” She teased playfully. Anna puffed her cheeks.

“No need to constantly remind me that my precious world of Pokémon isn’t real.” She hissed. Elsa laughed again and then shifted back against her seat, Anna suddenly leaning across her to stare out the window. “Oh, look!” She smiled widely. Elsa turned her head and sighed.

“Ah, yes, that’ll be the school you girls are both attending in a few weeks, hm?” Kai asked softly, his eyes on the road.

“Mhmm!” Anna practically bounced. “I can’t wait.” Her wide teal eyes flicked to Elsa and a broad grin spread across her face. “It’s really great, right sis? University, I mean; I really can’t wait to start.” The blonde shrugged her shoulders.

“It’s alright; been three years more of school, so nothing particularly new and exciting.” Anna scoffed.

“That’s because you spend all your time studying or lazing around with me.” Elsa gave a crooked smirk.

“Sounds like time well spent to me.” Anna’s cheeks grew hot instantly and she quickly scrambled back, returning to her seat and dropping her hands to her lap. The blonde laughed again and reached over, taking hold of one of Anna’s hands, giving it a gentle squeeze. A small smile tugged at Anna’s lips, but she kept her head down to avoid Elsa’s eyes. Those piercing, stunningly blue eyes.

“Anna?” Gerda called back over her seat. “Are you alright, you look a bit flushed.” Elsa laughed again and Anna’s blush crept its way to her ears.

“I-I’m fine, thank you Gerda.” She insisted softly, eyes still downcast.

“Well, alright,” The pudgy woman shrugged her shoulders. Elsa sighed and turned her head, looking back out the window as they passed the cityscape slowly dissolved into more rural housing and eventually into nothing but dense woods.

“This place is really out there,” Elsa commented, seeing how the road was now singular and there were no houses, gas stations or any kind of outpost within sight. Just tree after tree after tree. Kai hummed agreeingly.

“It’s a large property, about three hectares of land, and the original owner who commissioned the house was a bit eccentric. He just kept building on extensions, adding to the house. Your father told me all about it, just so we wouldn’t all be overwhelmed by how massive it is.” Elsa’s eyebrow shot up.

“Kept building on it, why?” Kai shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m not sure. Like I said, he was considered eccentric.”

“It’s like the Winchester Mystery House then,” Elsa grinned widely, the all too familiar tightness in her gut returning to her as her eyes caught sight of something contrastingly white sitting above the ever expansive green treetops. Her blue gaze immediately trained on the spot, watching as more and more of the massive house came into view. The car made a sharp left turn onto an old driveway, riding up to a massive set of rustic looking gates.

“Wow,” Elsa heard her sister breathe next to her as they admired the intricate and decorative look of the old bronze gates. They were tall, well over twelve feet Elsa guessed, and arched inwards creating an ovaline shape near the top.

“Hmm, seems as though I might need to get out and open the gates for us,” Kai commented, setting the car in park and undoing his seatbelt.

“No way, Kai,” Anna turned her head towards the portly man, “I’ve watched enough movies from Elsa’s collection to know what happens next – there’s no way you’ll make it to the gate before some hockey mask wearing pyscho pops out.”

“This isn’t Crystal Lake, Anna, and it’s neither Friday nor the thirteenth.” Elsa quickly corrected.

“I’ll be find Miss Anna, don’t worry yourself,” Kai laughed, opening the door and walking towards the gate. Anna’s hands grasped the back of Gerda’s headrest and her nails dug into the leathery material. She watched in uneasy silence as the portly man unlatched the gate and pushed it open, wincing slightly at the awful sickly creaking sound of hinges desperately needing to be oiled.

“See, nothing to worry about.” Gerda smiled, watching her husband walk back to the car, and slide into his seat.

“There we are,” Kai chuckled, buckling up and returning the car to drive, moving forward up the remainder of the long gravel driveway. As they neared the massive white house, both girls stared in awe; it was clearly quite old, needing a fresh coat of paint in a number of areas, and more than a few shingles on the roof were loose. Otherwise it looked quite pristine, considering its age. The car rolled to a stop and the engine went silent.

Cautiously, Anna opened her door and stepped out, crunching the loose pebbles of the gravely driveway under her sneakers. She turned her head up, staring at the immense number of windows, all with their curtains drawn shut, revealing nothing of the interior.

“Lovely, isn’t it?” Gerda smiled, stepping up beside Anna. “It’s three stories too, not including the attic and basement. Quite impressive.”

“Attic and basement?” Anna and Elsa parroted in unison–Anna’s tone sounding uneasy and Elsa’s excited at the prospect.

“Mhmm,” Gerda smiled, clasping her hands together as she walked up the several steps leading to the front doors, “well then, shall we go inside?” Anna paled a bit and shied back, Elsa, sensing her sister’s uneasiness, reached out and took her hand.

“It’ll be alright,” She reassured softly, “what’s the worst thing that could possibly happen?” Anna breathed softly, absorbing the confidence boost, and nodded.

“I supposed you’re right.”

Even if those are famous last words.

“I’m always right,” Elsa laughed, tugging gently on Anna’s hand, guiding her up the steps as Gerda unlocked and threw open the doors. Elsa felt Anna tense beside her and couldn’t help the smile that found her lips. “And look at that, no ominous music, or menacing gusts of wind. C’mon, let’s go inside.”

“Alright…” Anna squeezed her grip on Elsa’s hand and allowed her older sister to lead her in. The building was dreadfully silent, with only the sound of Elsa’s heels clacking against the tile floor echoing through the halls. Aquamarine eyes flicked around, falling on the two arched entryways into offset rooms before finding the massive staircase dead center before them.

“How about we go upstairs and pick out our bedrooms?” Elsa turned her head, looking down at the slightly shorter girl.

“Okay,” Anna turned slightly, looking back over her shoulder as Kai walked in, setting down two duffle bags. “Let me just grab some of my stuff before we go up. It’ll make things more homely if I start putting things out right away.”

“Sure,” Elsa shrugged, reluctantly letting go of her sister’s hand; “can you grab my bag for me? I guess I’ll start setting things up too.”

“’Kay,” Anna replied, grabbing her vibrant orange duffle bag, and Elsa’s dark navy blue one, slinging the strap of each over one of her shoulders.

“C’mon then,” Elsa smiled, turning around and heading for the stairs. Anna’s eyes followed her sister to the stairs, but when the blonde began ascending them, the redhead’s teal gaze fell on swaying hips. Feeling herself blush, she cast her eyes down, not wanting to get caught staring. She scaled the steps behind her sister, only raising her head when she heard Elsa gasp.  “Ooh, look at this!” Elsa clasped her hands together and smiled a wide toothy grin. “A lot of the paintings are still intact, and up on the walls,” The blonde walked forward towards a particularly old looking painting, weathered from long exposure to light and air, framed in a dulling gold mount. The image was almost too faded to make out, but if you squinted and turned your head just right, you could see the image of an old tyrant looking woman seated, with her hands crossed on her lap and her stoic face staring into the distance.

“Creepy,” Anna breathed softly, hurriedly scurrying up to Elsa, who seemed transfixed. “Elsa, remember what we were doing?” The redhead bumped her sister slightly, making the elder sibling jump.

“Hm? Oh yes, sorry,” She smiled and looked around, spotting two doors, one directly beside the other. “Why don’t we go see if those are bedrooms?”

“Sure, why not,” Anna drawled, sounding very unenthused. Elsa walked over to the doors and Anna turned back to the painting–immediately regretting it. At that moment she paled, having sworn she saw those dull eyes move. “Elsaaa, wait for me!” She called out, rushing to her sister’s side, practically plowing her over in the process.

“Jeez, Anna, calm down.” Elsa muttered, having stumbled a bit when her sister collided with her. “What’s gotten into you? You’re never this skittish, that’d be me.” She teased playfully, steadying her quivering younger sibling.

“I guess it’s just this place, it’s creepy.” Elsa leaned over and kissed Anna’s temple.

“Take it easy, it’s just new, and it doesn’t help that all these windows and doors are closed.” The blonde reached for the knob of one door and opened it, looking inside. The room was large, with two massive windows and a fireplace. There was a wardrobe on the far right, which was the only piece of furniture in the room. Stepping in, Elsa walked casually, admiring the ornate floral wallpapering and the high ceilings. “I guess I’ll take this room,” She said suddenly, turning and grabbing her bag from Anna, and setting it down on the ground.

“So I’ll take the one beside you?” Anna asked tentatively.

“Sure,” Elsa replied, opening her bag and beginning to pull out a number of electronic devices. The first was her trusty P-3B7 Spirit Box, which she walked over and set on the mantle above the fireplace. Next came the Ovilus III, then the REM POD EMT and finally came the FLIR E4 Compact Thermal Imaging InfraRed Camera. None of the equipment was on, which Anna was thankful for, because she absolutely detested when the damn things went off.

“You really brought all that? We don’t even have our internet hooked up yet,” Anna murmured, clutching the strap of her bag tightly. “Are you even sure this house has working electricity?” She blinked. “Oh man, does it even have running water? What century was this thing built again!?” Elsa turned and smiled, shaking her head.

“Breathe, Anna, breathe,” She walked over, raising her hands to cup Anna’s cheeks, “yes, there’s running water, and yes the electricity works. This house is old, but it was renovated in the seventies, so it has most of the modern amenities.”

“How do you know that?” Anna asked, half glaring, half pouting. Elsa grinned and pressed her palms more firmly to Anna’s cheeks, pushing them together and giggling a bit to herself.

“Because I, unlike you dear sister, listen when Papa tells us things.” The blonde teased, leaning down to steal a kiss from those pursed lips. Anna blushed deeply and mewled.

“Elsa…” She breathed, causing the blonde to snicker.

“You’re too adorable Anna,” She slid her hands down to Anna’s shoulders, tracing the column of her sister’s neck all the while, before leaning in for another more searing kiss. “C’mon, you need to get unpacked too.” The redhead blinked a bit, coming out of a daze.

“Another kiss first,” The redhead demanded, “I carried your heavy bag full of heavy equipment all the way up those stairs.” Elsa rolled her blue eyes.

“My hero.” She leaned down, pressing another kiss to Anna’s lips. “You’d think you’d demand something a little more intimate for a reward, but if you’re only after kisses…” The younger’s eyes blinked rapidly.

“W-Wait! I want something more, I mean, more from you. Something else, other than just kisses–not to say your kisses aren’t great!” Elsa silenced her sister with another kiss and smiled.

“Your rambling is always so adorable.” Elsa’s hand slipped into Anna’s and their fingers entwined. “Now come on, we should get your stuff unpacked and then explore some more.