The Secret of the Ocean? (Moana) (minor f2 spoilers)

[Elsa]

Elsa knew Moana spent a lot of time around the ocean. It was no secret that the islander loved the water. She and Lilo made trips every week, and Elsa knew that Moana spent more time with the water without Lilo. She also knew Moana didn’t spend every waking moment at the water’s edge, but that was where Elsa hoped to find her today.

They still lived together, but duties had kept Elsa from seeking Moana immediately after waking up. Unfortunately, Elsa wasn’t sure where to look besides “the ocean”. Not exactly helpful.

Asking the tourists wasn’t much better. Four times, she was directed to the Moana meet-and-greet character. Four different ones, in fact. When she passed through Disney Paris, she stumbled through a fifth conversation with “Moana? Ooh ey Moana?” Her question got her funny looks, and made her feel like her French needed some work. It probably did. She was directed to yet another meet-and-greet character.

Running her left hand through her loose hair, Elsa decided to try a different park. Disney Paris had been a stretch, she knew, but there was water there, after all. On to the next park, Elsa squared her shoulders and found herself in Tokyo Disney. She had no grasp of the language but still tried. “Moana? Water?”

Finally, a pair of British tourists helped her. They were able to directly ask other tourists where she could find Moana (if Moana was indeed in this park). She could’ve tried information booths, but the lines were long, and since her query wasn’t related to the park itself, she didn’t want to bother them.

There was some confusion with the tourists regarding the meet-and-greet character, but Elsa explained she was looking for a different Moana, not a cast member, but someone who had uncanny resemblance to the character regardless. “I thought I might find her by the water?”

Dubiously, the tourists pointed her in one direction, and Elsa set off again after thanking them.

Not long after leaving the Brits, Elsa spotted Moana’s pig, Pua. She mentally groaned about not having thought to ask the tourists about Pua and Heihei being with the islander. Greeting Pua loudly, she said, “Is Moana near?” She wasn’t sure how much Pua could understand, but hopefully the name would be enough of a clue.

[Moana]

It wasn't that Pua didn't care about what Moana was doing, but he'd watched long enough and was taking a small break to sniff about and see what he could find.

He'd let himself get a bit far from the shoreline where she was, though. That nice queen Moana knew, who worked with water too, greeted him.

“Is Moana near?”

The little pig tilted his head, taking in the question, before giving a dubious sort of snort that was meant to say he knew what she'd asked and could lead her. Standing he started to lead the way off, pausing to glance back at Elsa and make sure she was following.

***

"Ok...once more if we could", as she had told those like Mateo, Elsa, and Violet (before she left and lost her memories), Moana's relationship with the water was different than their all out control and magic. She...held a power over it, sure, but it was more that of persuasion. One she was glad she still held here, sure.

The idea had been sparked by a group of girls chattering as they passed her about Elsa Walking on Ice. Walking? On the water? It had carried her before, over to Maui's boat...

Now that she had thought it, she had to try it! Or ask if the ocean would oblige.

She picked a time when she was not with Lilo, not to insult the little girl, but she would be all supportive and all for Moana accomplishing it (not to mention wanting to try it herself!) and the Chief's Daughter wanted to see what she could do first. Wanted a full mastery or such that would allow her to accompany Lilo and keep her safe (though she trusted the ocean) before she let the girl know of it.

Moana stuck her foot out, and the water rose up to accommodate and let her tentatively step on it. Ok... She brought her other foot over to the one pillar as it were. So far so good. Next up and higher...

She wobbled and the ocean forwent the pillars to catch her in a pillow of water that then set her gently enough in the shallows she'd been working in. She sighed. "I know I'm going to over work your patience...does water have patience? Once more?", she asked before she heard Pua's snort.

"Oh, hey Pua, sorry am I taking too long?", she asked as she stood, not spotting Elsa at first and since the pig had rushed the last few steps a bit ahead.

[Elsa]

Pua snorted in response. Was... was that a yes? Or a "go away" snort? Moana would've known. Then again, if Moana had been there, Elsa wouldn't have asked the question that got a snort in response. Elsa wondered if maybe she should spend more time with animals, and if that would help her understand the ones she came across. Maybe she was hopeless at understanding them.

As Elsa pondered this train of thought, Pua started walking away. Surely that meant he was uninterested in Elsa, and hadn't understood her at all. But then, he stopped to look back at her. Elsa stared at Pua for a moment, before rushing to follow him. Maybe he'd understood after all.

It didn't take long before Elsa heard Moana's voice over gentle waves. She considered the question Moana had asked, regarding patience and water. She certainly didn't think water had patience. But that wasn't why she had sought Moana out.

Her pace had slowed, in addition to Pua stepping quicker, and it took Moana's question directly to her pig for Elsa to step up again. "Actually, he was leading me here," she said to Moana. "I wanted to talk to you about something. First, though, were you talking to the water?" While Elsa knew of Moana's love for the ocean, she hadn't actually spent time with Moana at the water's edge. "What were you trying to do?"

[Moana]

Pua wasn't the one to answer her question, Though if he had been, Moana would have had a lot more questions! But no, Elsa had asked Pua's help in finding her.

"I wanted to talk to you about something. First, though, were you talking to the water?"

Moana smiled, a bit sheepishly, but not too embarrassed. After living with Elsa (and Anna) and them both looking out for Lilo she felt comfortable enough around the queen to admit to her habit of talking to the ocean. She'd just been sort of lucky for it to not come up before, but then Elsa didn't spend as much time as Lilo around the ocean.

"Uh, yeah, it...well, as I explained, I don't control the ocean so much as...it does favors so...", as she tried to find a further way of explaining, it actually flowed into Elsa's next question anyway.

"What were you trying to do?"

Another small smile. "Walk. On the waves. Some little girls were talking about how you had done it and I...well it sounded fun, but I'm sure you would need more your control to do it, and not just a cooperating ocean". Said ocean lapped about her feet in one wave as if to promise to behave.

[Elsa]

The idea of the ocean doing favors for Moana seemed a bit strange to Elsa, but she had seen it happen a time or two.

Elsa couldn't hide a smile at Moana's mention of where she'd gotten the idea. Children could certainly provide some interesting ideas. "I hope you're sticking to the shallows?" she asked gently. "And is the ocean cooperating?" she added, a gentle teasing in her voice. She could easily see Moana as a younger sibling to herself and Anna, especially given how long they'd been living together. A few years could bring anyone together.

"The ocean has never cooperated with me," she said, taking a small step towards the water. "It's almost like I force it to obey. But I don't like to think of it like that." She thought back to a moment in her past, standing on a shore, facing an angry ocean... "I think it's more my ice magic that allows me to walk on water." She stepped closer to the water, and a snowflake shaped piece of ice formed immediately. "It was like this when I fled Arendelle, as well. I had no real control over the water. I just wanted to get as far away as I could."

Glancing back to Moana, she said, "I wonder, though, if you can follow my path. Maybe you can walk on water this way."

[Moana]

"I hope you're sticking to the shallows? And is the ocean cooperating?"

Moana smiled, not bothered by even the slight teasing in Elsa's voice. The queen meant it well, and after all if she could survive Maui, Elsa's teasing was nothing. It...was a trend though, and those she could perhaps think of as almost older siblings for their friendship, teased her back due to it, in their own ways.

Yes, Maui was also Demigod of the Wind and Sea, but she'd seen him at his embarrassing moments too, and when first learning to reuse his hook and powers.

"Oh yes, and, again...yes, for the most part", she answered.

"The ocean has never cooperated with me,"

Elsa mused, as she stepped closer. Moana thought about commenting that it didn't cooperate for Maui either, but...that was different.

"I think it's more my ice magic that allows me to walk on water."

Moana nodded, just that she understood what Elsa meant, and she was probably right, from what Moana knew of her magic. A layer of ice that, if the ocean didn't break worked. Moana was halfway to a thought that it seemed Elsa reached first, after musing back over what Moana had heard her reference before, and that time she fled her kingdom in fear of her powers.

"I wonder, though, if you can follow my path. Maybe you can walk on water this way."

It was worth a shot, and...with her there maybe the ocean would cooperate for both of them. Not that she thought it wouldn't cooperate for Elsa. "Sure!", she nodded, "It's worth a try".

[Elsa]

When she'd fled from Arendelle, the fjord had frozen over. Elsa figured it was partly due to her fear and a general lack of control. Her experience at the ocean had been different--perhaps it was her determination for a specific goal. The water at the ocean had broken her ice repeatedly. This time was more like the fjord.

The ice spread far enough for someone to stand with both feet on it keeping a snowflake shape. Elsa took two more steps, forming two more snowflakes, and turned to hold a hand out to Moana. "Have you ever been ice skating before?" she asked, glancing to Moana's feet.

It was then she remembered Moana's preference for bare feet. "Wait!" she cried, stepping back towards the younger girl. "I'm sure you know ice is cold, and I don't want you stepping on it without something covering your feet." Waving a hand, Elsa directed her magic to form shoes on Moana's feet. With nothing to alter or add to, Elsa's creation was very basic: a cloth top with a solid ice bottom, and a layer of cloth between the ice sole and Moana's foot. But the shoes would serve their purpose.

"There, now try," she said, stepping back again. Her hand was still out for Moana to hold if she wanted.

[Moana]

Moana watched as Elsa made a layer of ice over the ocean. She'd seen her work her magic before, and knew that ice was frozen water, but...watching Elsa prepare, she couldn't help wondering how the ocean itself would take to it. Would it mind? Being trapped thus? An odd thought if she were to say it out-loud, no doubt, and Moana quickly put the thought behind her as she saw that Elsa's sheet of ice didn't even really extend that far. Just so far as was needed.

The chief's daughter went to follow, listening as Elsa asked if she had ever ice-skated before, and before she stopped her.

"I'm sure you know ice is cold, and I don't want you stepping on it without something covering your feet."

Moana glanced to her own feet as well. She had known that, she just...hadn't thought. The concrete around the parks could be hot too, and she at times forgot, but had a pair of sandals she tried to carry with her for just such situations. Unfortunately she'd left them behind this day. Elsa accommodated and made her some, though, part cloth and so they wouldn't be cold on her feet also if they were all ice.

"There, now try,"

"Thanks", Moana smiled, and then did, stepping lightly after Elsa. "Steady...ok...ok", she sounded like she was pep-talking herself, but she was more asking the ocean to keep cooperating. It seemed to work, or she was standing upright still. The ocean leveled out further, seeming to give the two a level walking plane. Maybe she just hadn't been doing it right before. Elsa's way did seem to be working.

[Elsa]

Moana seemed uncertain, regardless of Elsa's presence. Then again, depending on how long Moana had been trying (and apparently failing) to walk on the water, her hesitation was understandable. Still, Elsa's hand was out should Moana wish to grab it. Elsa was used to holding hands on the ice--Anna's clumsiness had made the practice necessary. She grinned at the thought, deciding she should take Anna ice skating soon. And perhaps Moana as well.

Moana was doing well enough for her first time, and the ocean was unusually still--was that because of Moana? Elsa wasn't sure, and it was a question for later. "My first time doing this, I was running," she told Moana with a giggle, remembering her headlong flight into the night. "We won't try that, though. I'm more worried about you slipping on the ice, in general." Elsa had a very firm step on the ice, and was completely unworried about slipping herself.

[Moana]

While Moana saw Elsa hold her hand out to help her, if she wished, and appreciated it, she was so focused on keeping her balance, that at first she paid more attention to her feet and placing them just right. It was like she was the boat, keeping herself steady, she reminded herself as to the particulars of how this ice-skating worked. Then she glanced up to her friend, and the woman who was more than her room-mate and all but an older sister to her same as she was for Anna.

"My first time doing this, I was running,"

Elsa confided. Moana's eyes widened, even as Elsa said they wouldn't try that one just yet. "Woah, I can't imagine...woah!", the latter exclamation was because she had stood a bit too straight and almost slipped over backwards. Righting herself, Moana now gripped Elsa's hand, lightly, and to steady herself. "Like that I suppose" she laughed, and still trusted the ocean, though...water was so different in this state.

Slowly, Moana moved one foot, and when that worked, let go of Elsa's hand but kept her own hovering there as she took another step, "How'd it go? The running?" she asked and as she continued her own progress across the ice, sort of.

[Elsa]

Every backward step Elsa took summoned another snowflake of ice. The first one summoned, closest to shore, disappeared when Moana was two away from it. She wanted Moana to be comfortable walking before she turned around again. Perhaps at that point she could extend the snowflakes so they could walk together, side-by-side.

It took a near-slip for Moana to take Elsa's hand. She gave the younger girl a squeeze of reassurance. I'm here to help, and I won't let go, was the message Elsa hoped was conveyed. Sometimes presence was more important, and better heard, than words. "You're doing fine," she said, smiling.

Moana released Elsa's hand, and Elsa let her. She kept her hand there though. The islander seemed to be gaining confidence with every step. "Well, I didn't fall. Then again, I've actually never slipped on ice. Unfortunately, my running froze over the fjord, and Arendelle." While the subject was one Elsa didn't generally care to speak of, she knew she could with Moana. After almost three years of living together, Elsa was overall comfortable with the Chief-in-training.

[Moana]

Step by step they moved. Moana glanced down, partly to watch her feet, and also just intrigued as the snowflakes followed, from Elsa's magic she knew. Actually, with Elsa's control of ice, Moana wouldn't be surprised if the Ocean itself had to have some sort of...'okay-ness' and acceptance with her as well.

Perhaps not, given her words on the trouble it had caused, but then it had given Moana trouble as well, all for a goal though.

It didn't here, and even rose up a snowflake or two to aid Moana's step. As she became familiar with how the ice and water underneath it worked she felt her step was steadier, but still took to Elsa's aid and kept her hand nearby.

"You're doing fine,"

Moana smiled to the encouragement.

"Well, I didn't fall. Then again, I've actually never slipped on ice. Unfortunately, my running froze over the fjord, and Arendelle."

Moana had heard hints of this story before but still. "Woah...that's like...almost what happened with Te Fiti...", she just pondered. And not in criticizing Elsa, more surprised at the level of power she probably held; more controlled now, Moana knew. She smiled to show she wasn't judging, then watched her feet again.

Taking another step, she brought her other foot over a bit quicker than she had before, her confidence growing. "We never had ice near Motunui, too hot", she explained. "It's...fascinating".

[Elsa]

Elsa had heard Moana speak of Te Fiti in the past. The name still meant nothing to her, but the thought of her ice spreading farther than Arendelle terrified her. It had been bad enough that she had frozen her kingdom. Had she frozen the world? It wasn't impossible that the trading partners had neglected to mention it, because of her ability to freeze them a second time--not that she would've done that. But perhaps they were afraid she would, and so hadn't told her they'd been affected. "I really hope not," she muttered, more to herself than Moana.

Considering Moana's words, Elsa decided she didn't like the idea of never seeing ice. "Did you not have tall mountains?" she asked. After all, the North Mountain kept its snow and ice even in the middle of their hottest summers.

Slowing to a stop, Elsa gently took her hand back from Moana. She faced the younger girl, cupping her hands together. A small swirl of snow formed within, each snowflake a different shape. "I've always seen the beauty in it, but I have also found beauty outside it. But I can't say I find it fascinating. Maybe I did when I was little. I know Anna did. But I think that as easy as it is for me to form ice, it's lost its glamour." She kept the snow swirling, letting Moana take in as much as she wanted.

[Moana]

Elsa muttered something to herself, and Moana caught that it was probably connected to her mention of Te Fiti, so might have to do with her pondering her own spreading of her powers. Even for guessing that much on point, she didn't get all of it, or comment upon it either-way.

"Did you not have tall mountains?"

"Oh sure, but I only saw my own island for the most part, and...snow wasn't common there. Not sailing beyond the Reef for so long. Before coming here, we were! Leaving the Reef and Exploring", she'd mentioned it before, but mentioned it again and as to the point of snow and such, "And so I'm sure we would have reached places with snow!". Part of Moana was sad she hadn't gotten to see that, though getting to see Elsa's ice powers, she sort of still had.

"I've always seen the beauty in it, but I have also found beauty outside it. But I can't say I find it fascinating. Maybe I did when I was little. I know Anna did. But I think that as easy as it is for me to form ice, it's lost its glamour."

Moana could understand that, even with not using it as long as it sounded like Elsa had her powers, the way the ocean helped her was a bit...mundane as well, and she only recalled how odd and special it was when others commented on it, or visiting kids asked for another "trick". They'd both had to keep their "special connection" hidden for most of their lives as well, Moana coming to believe that time by the shore as a toddler had been a dream, but for her grandmother reminding her.

"It's still just so different, all the things water can do...".

The islander now watched the swirl coming from Elsa's hand with almost the same level of wonder Anna had as a child no doubt, and for the understanding her own connection gave her. Tentatively, curiously, she reached over to try to "take" and transfer a snowflake, but her hands had too much heat, and while it sort of worked, by the time she had brought her hand back, the snowflake had melted.

[Elsa]

Norway was technically an island, but it was far north enough that snow was a yearly occurrence. There were also mountains everywhere, with year-round snowy peaks. Elsa had to remind herself that Moana's island had been smaller, and further south. Elsa smiled at Moana's certainty. "I'm sure you would have, some day," she agreed.

Elsa watched as Moana tried to take a snowflake. It melted in her warm hand, but Elsa had an idea. She lifted the swirling snow from her own hands, and changed it into a flurry, which she then moved to sit over Moana's hands. It wasn't really like Elsa summoning her power, but it would drop snowflakes in that spot for an hour or so. When Moana moved away from it, there would be a snow cloud left behind (unless Elsa moved it again) and she was certain the water below would melt the snow quickly, after they left.

With Moana mentioning what water could do, Elsa felt it lead directly to the question she'd initially come to ask. "Have you ever seen water form a horse?" she asked. Consciously extending her powers through her feet, she made a patch of ice that was wide enough for her to kneel down, but kept herself close to the edge. She dipped her fingers in the water, holding back her power.

The water tremored briefly, causing the patch of ice to shudder beneath their feet. Elsa stood immediately, ready to support Moana if she needed it. What did it mean? But nothing happened.

[Moana]

"I'm sure you would have, some day,"

Elsa agreed, and Moana smiled, buoyed by the other's faith that she would have seen all the places she'd planned to before coming here had interrupted. And she was still seeing plenty here as well. Elsa added a cloud to another of the snowflakes, not enough to give Moana the feeling of having the same sort of powers herself, but a small taste of what it was like for the frozen water to keep it's shape and not be melted by her hand.

She watched the flurries, and felt she could watch them for a long time yet, yet glanced up at Elsa's question.

"Have you ever seen water form a horse?"

Moana looked puzzled and intrigued by the question. "No...I...I've seen it move aside to reveal shells, play about me, move me even, but...an actual horse, or just the shape?". Perhaps the tremor was her answer, Moana steadied herself, even with water in such an unusual shape, trusting to her own connection with it and that nothing too bad would happen. She managed to regain her balance after only almost slipping.

[Elsa]

A smile crossed Elsa's face at Moana's reaction to the small flurry.

Elsa thought back to her experience on the North Sea with the Nokk. The North Sea definitely hadn't been playing. Toying with her, perhaps, but not playing.

Moana kept her footing, so Elsa knelt at the water again, but she didn't touch. She wasn't sure what had happened with the tremor, but she didn't want to put Moana off-balance again.

"Where I'm from, there's a creature called the Nokk. It's a water-spirit, and it takes the shape of a horse."

At her words, a blue horse walked on the surface towards them, his hooves not fully separate from the water he walked on. His mane hung down to his belly, looking like a waterfall with the constant motion. His tail looked the same, and was long enough that it flowed into the water seamlessly.

Elsa didn't notice the horse's presence; she was still peering into the water.

[Moana]

Elsa explained that her question wasn’t random, not that Moana had felt it was; she actually knew of a creature like the one she described.

The Nokk. A water-spirit that could shape shift like Maui! Moana looked impressed by the concept. ”That sounds amazing!”.

She was on the point of asking if Elsa had met one, or just knew of it, when, as if conjured by this discussion a creature that looked just like this Nokk approached.

Moana’s eyes widened ”Like that?”, she asked, both rhetorically and not. She then slowly moved over closer to the Nokk, letting the flurry disappear, curious about...well a lot. Her progress was both just caution and still treading carefully (but getting it) over the ice.

Would it run?
Could she pet it?
Would her hand just go through?

She began her exploration by just holding out her hand and awaiting the Nokk’s reaction. It nudged it with its nose. Giving a small laugh, like a child meeting a horse for the first time (and not far off) Moana gave a further pat, then inspected her hand. It was a little wet.

[Elsa]

Elsa hadn't considered that Moana might not know what a horse was. But still, Moana was impressed by the idea, at the very least. It hadn't seemed too far-fetched, considering Moana's friendship with the ocean.

Her face jerked up at Moana's next words, then Elsa spun on her heels, putting a hand down for balance. "Exactly like that," she murmured. Moana got closer, and Elsa wasn't sure how the Nokk would respond. Would it bolt? Rear? Or would it let Moana get close enough to touch?

Elsa smiled with relief as the third option presented as the truth. While Elsa didn't doubt that she could re-tame the creature, she had been worried about doing so with Moana near, and possibly injured, if the Nokk hadn't been so calm.

In fact, the Nokk nudged Moana's hand. Elsa wondered if it was Moana's connection with the ocean that made the Nokk so calm, or if it was her own presence. Whatever it was, she was grateful for it.

Elsa moved to stand beside Moana, but she didn't touch the Nokk herself. She felt like this was a moment between Moana and the Nokk, and she didn't want to interrupt.

"He's become a good friend," Elsa said quietly. "He was much more wild when we met. But we get along now, and he carried me across Norway a few times."

[Moana]

For her own part, Moana didn't know that there was anything unusual in the Nokk's behavior and mannerisms. She was just so used to a sense of cooperation from the ocean that, while she told herself she didn't boldly expect such to continue, she also wasn't surprised when it did.

She giggled as the Nokk nudged her hand encouragingly, petting up to the mane and still reveling in that sense of how she could tell it was water, and her hand did retain the moisture of such, but in much the same way the waves worked and not dousing it.

"He's become a good friend, He was much more wild when we met. But we get along now, and he carried me across Norway a few times."

Norway...that was Elsa and Anna's island, Moana reminded herself, or the surrounding areas. Much like how Lilo had told her their islands had turned into Hawaii...sort of. "You've ridden him?", Moana asked, astonished, and glanced back to the Nokk, debating if she wanted to try that herself. If he'd let her, she decided, but wasn't sure if it was rude to ask. "Do you think...?", Moana started to ask, then broke off unsure.

[Elsa]

Elsa recognized that the moment between Moana and the Nokk had ended, and she stepped forward. She lightly stroked the Nokk's neck. "It took a cold and wet struggle for him to allow it, but he eventually let me." In some sense, she had tamed him, but she also knew he had a mind of his own. Each of the spirits did.

He certainly seemed solid enough, and definitely calm enough. "I don't see why not," she said. "Since you've never ridden a horse before, would you like me to ride with you?" She knew the Nokk would easily be able to handle their combined weights. "And then, if you're comfortable trying alone, you can."

The Nokk leaned into the hands patting him. He exuded peace, the water of his body moving slowly. Their hands left gentle ripples which faded quickly. He whickered, though no air came from his nostrils.

[Moana]

"It took a cold and wet struggle for him to allow it, but he eventually let me."

As she continued to stroke the Nokk, and even as Elsa approached, Moana smiled, thinking over her own experiences even. "I've often found water still has a mind of its own...or the ocean still seems to at least", and much as it helped her both on her quest before and even here. Moana glanced down to the ice beneath their feet, knowing the ocean she was familiar with was still there, underneath, as well.

Elsa thought it possible she could ride the Nokk, offering to come with Moana, since she hadn’t ridden before.

"And then, if you're comfortable trying alone, you can."

Moana nodded, ”Sure”. She turned back to the water horse, calm even with all this talk she was sure he understood. She glanced him over.

Moana knew how she would get over a log, but this was a living animal, in enough ways, and she didn’t want to just go blindly climbing over him, possibly annoying him.

”Um...so, I guess getting up is the first thing”, she said,

[Elsa]

With a smile, Elsa said, "I can certainly agree with you there," regarding the ocean having a mind of its own. "Though, the Nokk may have something to do with it. I wonder why he never showed himself to you." Moana clearly had a connection with the ocean. Was it a preference on the Nokk's part for horse-shape, and he recognized Moana wouldn't know what a horse was? Was a horse the only shape the Nokk could take after all? Or was it something else?

"I think maybe..." she started, before lightly pulling the Nokk's nose towards her. She put her forehead to his nose, holding her hands close. Frost leapt forth, racing through the Nokk to fill him completely. It was something she usually only did when they would be riding across land. While Elsa intended for Moana to stay over the water--just in case she fell, water would be a softer landing than the ground--she thought Moana might be more comfortable with a more solid creature.

"As for getting up..." Elsa picked up one foot and put it back to the ice beneath her, spreading the ice to extend under the Nokk's feet, and Moana's. Next she made a small block of ice, shaped in two stairs, and reaching high enough to allow them to climb on the Nokk's back from the top step. She stepped up first, swinging one leg over the Nokk's back. She extended her left hand to Moana, to provide some extra help for her to get up.

[Moana]

"Though, the Nokk may have something to do with it. I wonder why he never showed himself to you."

Moana considered as she glanced over the Nokk once more. Yes not knowing what a horse was would have been one hindrance, but...

"I guess...if he was still able to back home...", It could just be that their two worlds acted different just in general, "It would have just been one more thing to try to understand while...trying to save my island and find Maui". Moana quirked a smile, "Or he was avoiding Maui".

In the end it didn't really matter, and maybe that was the point, it hadn't been needed, so he hadn't.

"I'm glad he did now though", she gave the nose one final pat before stepping back, allowing for the moment between Elsa and the Nokk. It was still odd to think of her friend and mentor (and big sister if she listened and took to how Lilo titled them all) as another spirit herself, Moana still equated it to being similar to herself and Elsa just being gifted or having a connection with water.

The Nokk took a more permanent shape, conducive to their riding him.

Moana had been preparing to make some jump up onto the Nokk (and hoped it wouldn't be disrespectful) but Elsa had a better, and assured respectful, way about it, making steps up essentially. Smiling, Moana took Elsa's offered hand up onto the Nokk.

[Elsa]

Elsa considered Moana’s words. ”Either is possible,” she admitted. Something told her the Nokk and Maui wouldn’t have gotten along very well. They were both stubborn, after all. With the Nokk not being mortal, Elsa wondered if Maui would've cared about the water spirit's existence at all.

Moana expressed joy that the Nokk had shown himself. Elsa wondered if it was just because of her presence. Elsa smiled as well, glad to see him. She thought it was curious that only the Nokk had shown himself. Was the Nokk the only one of the spirits to follow her to the parks?


Moana took Elsa's hand, sliding easily behind the older woman. Elsa put a hand on the Nokk's neck, sending a stream of frost into his body. She knew the Nokk could handle their combined weight, but the reinforcement assuaged her worries. The Nokk turned his neck to look at the girls, and Elsa waved a hand at his face. A thin stream of ice formed a bridle that fit perfectly on the Nokk's face, with reins materializing in Elsa's hands.

"You'll use your legs to guide him forward, and the reins to steer him. Honestly, once he's walking, you probably won't need to use your legs any more. He's somewhat sensitive to touch. If you put too much pressure on him with your legs, he'll bolt." It wasn't experience that told Elsa this. It was her connection with the Nokk.