Who: Elsa and Weiss Where: The gelato shop When: Wednesday into Thursday What: Getting snowed-in at work. Status: Closed; Completed G-doc. Warnings: None.
At first, Elsa wasn’t worried about the snow. There had been snow falls in Madison Valley before and nothing strange had happened. The snow fell and melted. However, as the day wore on, Elsa became increasingly uneasy, especially when it wasn’t stopping. Had she inadvertently caused this? But, how? She hadn’t been upset at all during the day; her emotions were settled until this point where she believed she’d caused this colossus snowstorm.
By the middle of the day, Elsa was starting to panic. There were fewer and fewer customers coming in because of the increasingly bad weather. Elsa was grateful as she’d already caused a few snowflakes to fall and the temperature to plummet. She could barely concentrate on controlling her abilities, let alone serving people gelato.
Weiss loved the winter, sure. She liked the cold and the snow, but right now, it was simply too much for her. She hoped the snowfall would stop for just a bit so they could go home, but it just kept coming down and piling up. So much that she wouldn't be surprised if she and Elsa ended up trapped here for the night.
She'd been in her office doing some paperwork when she came out after a couple hours. She wasn't surprised when she didn't see many customers and despite it meaning not many business today, she was glad as it meant people were staying inside where it was safe and warm.
"It's really coming down hard, huh?" she spoke as she glanced out the window. "I wonder when it's going to stop." She turned to Elsa, expecting the other woman to answer. Instead, Elsa seemed quiet and as Weiss got closer to her, she noticed the drop in temperature. She also noticed the tiny snowflakes falling above her.
"Hey, you okay?" she asked.
Elsa was definitely not okay. She was scared, frightened that she had caused this blizzard to fall upon Madison Valley. Of course, she didn’t know how she had caused it, but did it matter? It was happening right now and Elsa couldn’t stop it. She consciously tried several times, but to no avail. The snow kept falling steadily outside and piling up in drifts outside the shop door. Why wouldn’t it stop? She swore she hadn’t been scared before it started? But what if she had? What if she just didn’t realize it?
Weiss’s voice so close to her caused Elsa to jump and she turned to her friend, trying to conceal her fear.
“I’m fine. I’m just-” Elsa broke off, turning to look out the window at the snow coming down outside.
“Has this ever happened before? Before I was in town I mean?”
Weiss had gotten closer, but she stopped once Elsa had jumped. "Hey, it's just me," she told the other woman gently. Or was gently as she could. Weiss was still learning how to be more caring and affectionate. Being with Fred and friends with Ruby helped a little, but it'll take more than a few years to erase a childhood full of cold indifference from her own family. At least she was trying.
At the question, she paused a moment. "Hmm... we had something similar. But it wasn't just a snowstorm. There was also a sandstorm and it rained meatballs," she replied. That was one of the weirder events in Madison Valley.
She glanced over at Elsa, studying her for a moment as realization dawned on her. "Do you think you caused this?"
Elsa took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down despite how panicked she was actually feeling. She knew Weiss was trying to be kind and she appreciated it, but it was difficult. Knowing she could cause a storm like the one outside made it impossible for Elsa to think she hadn’t actually caused it despite not feeling nervous or upset until now.
Elsa wished it was something with meatballs; at least then she would know she didn’t cause it. Even if it would be disturbing till to see food falling from the sky.
The blond tried to focus on Weiss’s question and not the increasing amount of fear she was feeling. The last thing they needed was for her to cause a storm inside the store. Elsa managed a nod.
The questioning look Weiss wore on her face faded as he features softened. Of course. She should've known Elsa thought this storm might be her fault. How couldn't she? A snowstorm would be exactly something she could've conjured up accidentally. But Weiss hadn't really considered that until now, being too preoccupied with business. She kind of regretted not paying attention to what her friend was going through.
"Elsa," she began gently. Or as gently as a Schnee could get, at least. "This isn't your fault. I don't think it is, anyway. I've been with you here since before the storm hit and you weren't stressed out or anything else that would've caused this." Weiss knew Elsa's powers depended on her emotional state, but Elsa had been calm and happy before then. Only now did Weiss see her stress out, but this was now, after the storm hit.
Of course Weiss was right and Elsa appreciated the gentleness in which she was regarding her now. She’d been happy, calm, and content for most of the day. It was until after the snow started falling so heavily that her mood had shifted. It wasn’t her fault; it couldn’t have been. Still, she had to try and keep calm. If she let her fears take over, they would have a foot of snow in the store too.
“You’re probably right. I mean I didn’t start becoming upset till after it started to snow so heavily,” Elsa replied. “It probably is the town.”
Which, on the flipside, meant Elsa couldn’t stop the storm either. Her magic was powerful, but it wasn’t strong enough to fight whatever power this place possessed.
“But that means I probably can’t stop it either.”
Weiss was positive that Elsa had nothing to do with the storm. But that still didn't mean she should worry or lose control of her emotions. She might not be the cause, but Elsa could easily add more to it if she wasn't careful. It was best for Weiss to keep her as calm as possible. And if she couldn't, maybe she'd call Qrow over.
"Exactly. You were fine during the days before. Quite the opposite, really. You seemed pretty happy." She wondered if a certain friend's uncle had anything to do with it. She wouldn't be surprised.
"But no, you probably can't. I don't think anyone can do anything, except just let it run it's course." Just as she said that, all the lights went off as the power shut down.
She was happy; Qrow had asked her to be his girlfriend again. It had put her on a high for quite a few days. No, she hadn’t caused the storm, but unfortunately, Elsa couldn’t stop it either. They would have to do just what Weiss said; they would have to let it run its course and that was all.
“You’re right-”
And the power shut down, which meant there was no heat in the store anymore. Elsa frowned. Things just got worse.
“I guess we are closing down early then.” Elsa made herself move from behind the counter to the door to flip the sign to “Closed.”