It was a common misconception that "Cooking" Island only served hot foods, and the weather itself attributed to this. However, Cooking Fest welcomed all meals, including those frosty cold. There were special elevators that led under the sea, into the frosty Freezing Island. There was a device that could produce snow and create a more authentic environment. This island was also designed to accommodate races that thrived better in cold environments, though if the other guests didn't bring coats, they wouldn't be venturing here for very long.
"Ohhhh!" Konayuki viewed around the island with a wondrous gaze. "So, other worlds have snow, too?"
"Of course, Kona." Hina replied, standing with his sister, Pipirika. "Other worlds are rich with many environments. Like ingredients in a dish, a diverse world is a tastier world! Or something."
Pipirika giggled. "That was lame, Bro! But yeah, Kona, why don't we check out the upper island? We're too used to snow."
"I'm worried that the air will be too hot for her fur to handle."
"Hahaha! It's okay! Konayuki can…?" The yeti hybrid stopped herself and frowned, hearing a pleasant tune that gently swept across the island. Snow-colored music notes flowed from where the music originated.
The gentle music was being performed on a guitar-like instrument with a horn pipe. The performer was a young girl, sitting against the belly of a polar bear. Ursula had shoulder length pastel-blue hair, pale skin and large blue eyes. She had two large sprigs of lily of the valley in her hair and wore a woolen poncho. Her bare feet were faded, but rested against the snow as though physical.
A group of miniature snow kids were engaged in a slow dance in the snow. Ursula's peaceful notes guided them blissfully. Other festival goers stopped to look at the fun, but simple performance, while others carried about their business and just enjoyed the tune.
Konayuki crossed the island, but stopped at seeing the music's source. Hina and Pipirika could plainly see the resemblance between the musician and Kona, and could determine what was on the child's mind. "You should go say 'hi,' Konayuki!" Pipirika encouraged.
"Okay!" The child happily dashed up.
"But, be careful not to-!" Hina tried to caution.
"Hiiiiii!"
Ursula heard the call, then flinched as the giant girl came barreling toward her. Several snow-people were squished beneath her yeti foot. "Hi there! My name's Konayuki!"
She reached to hold Ursula, but the musician quickly hid behind her polar bear. Beary stood and bared its claws at the child who matched him in size.
"Hahaha! What a cute bear!" Konayuki patted the animal happily. Her pats were somewhat forceful, so Beary instinctively swiped claws at the hybrid. "AH!"
"Kona!" Pipirika and Hina ran up, making Beary step back. "Phew, you're not bleeding. Kona, you should be more careful when approaching strangers."
"We're sorry if we scared you, Miss." Hina said to Ursula, peeking out from behind her bear. "Kona didn't mean any harm."
"Um…it's alright…um…" Ursula tried to compose herself in the presence of these sudden, towering strangers.
"Do you want to say something?" Pipirika asked.
"Y-Yes…um…you're… standing on my friend." She pointed down.
It seemed that the snow-people were poking at Kona's foot. The three stepped back as other snow-kids reformed in her footprint. All the children molded together and grew to become a human girl that matched Ursula's size. She had light-orange hair, frosty with snow, an ice-blue shirt with a white bow, and a light-yellow skirt. Her wide, vibrant eyes were the colors of sunrise, with no pupils.
"Ha ha ha! Hi, Konayuki-chan!" Suki waved at the larger girl. "My name is Suki-chan! Suki rhymes with Yuki~"
"Hi, Suki-chan! How did the snow turn into you?"
"I'm a Logia icebender!" Suki twirled, scattering herself in snow. "I can become any snowy thing I want!" She drew in the snow around her and morphed in the shape and size of Kona.
"Wooooooow!"
"Tehe!" Pipirika giggled, the two beginning to mimic each other. "I think she's finally found a good match!"
"Kona, we have to go help the others prepare." Hina said. "You can stay and play with them if you like, but don't get in any trouble."
"Konayuki promises!" Both girls chorused. The older Imuchakk chuckled and let the children be.
"Oh!" Kona turned back to Ursula. "What's your name?"
"Um…I'm Ursula…" she said shyly. "This is Beary."
"Don't be shy, Ursula! Konayuki's a friend!" Suki cheered.
"A friend? Do you already know her?"
"NOPE!" Suki's snow body popped and reverted to her normal self. "But I already know she's a friend! Just like you!"
"Oh…" In truth, Ursula had only met Suki just the other day, here at the festival. With a bright and cheery aura, Suki approached Ursula and spoke the simple words:
"Hi there! My name is Suki! You wanna be friends?"
"Um…friends? With me? But we just met…"
"So? You look pretty! I wanna be friends!"
"Well… okay."
Since then, Ursula had warmed up to the fun-loving icebender. They ran around the island, tried lots of cold food, and danced to music. She seemed like the kind of girl that was easy to be friends with, and she was quick to be friends with anybody. Konayuki behaved the very same… it's just her large size put Ursula off at first.
"Hahaha!" Konayuki lifted Suki in her right hand. "Hi, Ursula! Do you wanna be my friend?" She reached her left hand down.
"…Okay." With caution, Ursula stepped out of Beary's shadow and approached Kona. She allowed the hand to grip her waist as both were raised to Kona's head.
"Hahaha! I love making new friends!" Ursula held them close as the shorter girls hugged her head.
"Me, too! Heeheehee!" Suki giggled. "You're big, Kona-chan!"
"Imuchakk are big, silly! Kona is also part-yeti!"
"That's fascinating…" Ursula felt Kona's arm fur. "As for me, I'm a Xenoblade."
"A Xeno-what?"
"Um…well, it means I was awakened from a Core Crystal… I was made with musicbending, so I have a talent for music… well, I had to practice a bit, but…"
"Kona heard your music! It was so pretty."
"Well…thank you."
"Can you play us some more, Ursula-chan?" Suki asked.
"S-Sure!"
Ursula was set down as she picked up her Torigonda. Konayuki sat down with legs spread as Suki and Ursula sat on either leg like logs. The Blade resumed her peaceful song from before, snowy notes dancing over Kona's head. Her pink and cyan, bubbly eyes swirled with the reflection of the notes whirling in the sky.
"Konayuki-chan, are you a icebender, too?"
"No, Suki. Konayuki can't bend elements. But Konayuki is a junior warrior!"
"You are?"
"Kona was born as just Kona. But then she defeated scary monster and became Konayuki! It was a giant snow monster with lots of horns and scary eyes!"
"Oh, dear. Were you scared, Kona?" Ursula asked.
"Hahaha! It wasn't really a monster. I wanted a warrior name for my birthday, so the children made a giant snowman for me to fight. Kona fought bravely and crushed it to pieces! The children and grown-ups said Kona was a warrior now, but she knows they were being nice. When I grow up, I'll become a real warrior!"
"I'll be rooting for you, Kona!"
"Me, too!" Suki sang with a sway of her feet. "Hey, wanna hear Ursula sing a song?"
"Yeah!"
"Okay…" Ursula was caught off guard by the sudden request. "Well… I wrote this song when I visited Tantal. It goes like…" (Play "Tantal Night" from Xenoblade 2.)
The notes that were previously released faded in the darkness. Now, more somber notes flowed in the air. Even amongst the crowds of the festival, they felt a sense of loneliness.
This is our home…
This is our world…
This is all that's left of our dream…
The island around them seemed to fade into darkness. Suki and Konayuki stood alone in a field of snow, looking sorrowfully into the nothing.
What do we do…
Where do we go…
This is where we lost everything
Kona held Suki's little hand as they trudged through the snow. Hopelessness loomed in their eyes.
Where…
Searching around until we all fall down
Suki faltered on her legs and couldn't go on. Konayuki lifted and hugged her warmly.
Trying to find a way
But… there's… no…thing…
The blizzards grew heavier as the two quivered in the cold. Ursula's vocals echoed with sadness in the wasteland.
There's no one coming back for me
I'm just another loss in the world
Konayuki rested on the ground with Suki tucked in her arms. With no food to nourish them, they were left to freeze and starve. Ursula looked upon them from the heavens with pity.
There's nothing left out here to see…
Why can't we disappear from the world?
The snow continued to pile on the lost girls. Their conscience faded into nothing.
Gone and fade away
We have, no more need to stay
And yet we, still keep hanging on
Because we, still have not yet gone
Konayuki and Suki stretched out of the snow. With determined gazes, they continued to trudge forward.
We'll keep living on
Hanging on to our will to live
Until we find a way
They picked up their pace as a snowy deer begun to prance alongside them.
Holding out without a doubt
Until we found the way about
A couple of little rabbits hopped beside the girls.
Moving on, going on, not withdrawn
Until we see the day
A collection of little lights took shape in the darkness.
Going 'round, moving up, moving down
Until we get there… Until we find our
Place… to… call… home…
The little lights grew closer to become a small and decrepit town. There were snow-people about the town, glum and lonely. Suki and Konayuki exchanged neutral expressions. It wasn't a beautiful place to be, but it was a home. The girls stepped into the decrepit town, their footprints soon to be swept away by the wind.
Ursula strummed the last notes of the song with a somber expression. Suki's eyes leaked frozen tears, and Konayuki was brought into a frown as well. Slowly, the song came to an end. "That one was sad…" Suki said.
"Oh…sorry." Ursula looked away in shame.
"But it got nice at the end." Kona smiled. "Konayuki liked it! Did you come up with it yourself?"
"Well, yes. I based it off a story about some of my friends. It's fun to play on a cold winter's night."
"It reminds Konayuki of a dream she once had." The hybrid reminisced. "I woke up in bed… it was nighttime… but Mom and Dad were dead. I went outside, and there was blood everywhere. Everyone was dead. And when I looked over, I saw someone standing at the edge of the village. They turned to look at me… I didn't recognize them, so I walked closer."
"No, don't walk closer!" Ursula yelled. "They're gonna kill you!"
"I looked away for a second, but when I turned back, they were right in front of me. And then… I woke up! And everyone was alive again!"
"Haha!" Suki laughed. "See, Ursula, it was all a dream!"
"That was a terrifying dream. Perhaps I should sing another song to lighten up the mood."
"I wanna play a game!"
"Oh, I guess that would be nice…" Ursula frowned in slight disappointment. "What kind of game?"
"Can we play my favorite game?" Konayuki asked.
"What game is that?"
"TAG!" The hybrid suddenly shoved Ursula off her leg, grabbed Suki, and ran. "You're it, hahahahaha!"
"Ow…" Ursula pushed herself up, feeling shamed from the sudden action. She mustered a Song Road to help herself ski along the snow. Konayuki was fast for her weight, and she dropped Suki for her to ski away on her own. Given her shyness, Ursula didn't enjoy being "it" for this sort of game, her friends giggling at her inability to catch them. This only made her more determined to catch them and stop their taunting. Since Konayuki was a bigger and slower target, Ursula decided to target her. Kona stumbled in trying to pick a direction once she knew Ursula was catching up, and the Blade was able to slap her bulky leg.
"Sorry, but you're it." Ursula quickly turned and skied the other way.
"Haha!" Suki surfed out of the snow like a dolphin. "Catch me, Kona-chan!" Kona beamed and chased the icebender. Suki appeared to be "swimming" in the snow—in actuality molding her arms and legs with the fluff as they went under, thus creating the illusion of swimming. Konayuki caught up and dove at Suki, but she vanished under the snow. "Still it!" Suki surfed up as a Snow Squid, so Kona chased once more. Up and down the squid surfed, but right before Kona could grab her, Suki morphed into a Snow Bunny and pranced away.
Kona dashed after the tiny bunny, having to keep her eyes down. As Suki ran, her little eyes spotted a familiar brown-haired boy in a blue coat. "Hahaha! Hi, Terry!" The bunny bounced around Terry's shoes, the boy stopping in confusion.
"AAAH!" Terry was kicked away by Konayuki.
"Oops." Kona stopped and approached the boy face-down in the snow. "Hahaha! I'm sorry." She picked Terry up by the coat.
"Ow, my back! Put me down!" Terry demanded. Kona frowned and did as he asked. "Ow…" Terry slumped on his legs. "My legs are cut, too… Are those claws?! What the hell are you?!"
"Um, I'm Konayuki." she replied, flexing her toes awkwardly when she noticed the rip in his pants. "I'm half-Imuchakk, half-yeti."
"I dunno what Imuchakk is, but yeti is accurate."
"Terry!" The boy jumped when Suki sprouted behind her. "These are my new friends, Konayuki and Ursula!"
"I hope you weren't hurt." Ursula skied over. "I know someone who can-"
"Yeah yeah, I'm fine." Terry huffed, growing slightly aggravated from all their comments. "Just watch where you're going." With that, he marched away.
The girls shared guilty expressions. Suki hurried after Terry and beamed, "Here, Terry! I'll make you a snow bed!" With a whirl of her bending, a fluffy white bed appeared.
"Sigh…sure, why not?" Terry climbed to rest his back against the bed. Suki also froze a little snow band-aid in his cut leg.
"Is something the matter, Mr. Terry?" Ursula asked.
"Nothing particular. Recent events just bum me out is all. It's like, no matter how many dangerous villains we stop, there's always another one waiting to attack when we least expect. Heck, a villain just attacked the festival the other night. And GKND called us about these Gourmet Corp. guys, so we gotta be on the lookout for them… I just can't enjoy myself."
"Gourmet Corp.? Oh…" Konayuki remembered. "I hope Tama is okay…"
"Huh?"
"Tama is another new friend, but she was taken to a 'Wonderbeast' place. But it might not be wonderful… Konayuki hopes Tama's friends can save her."
"Why didn't you go to save her?"
"I don't know. Hina wanted to go, but Augustus told him not to. So, he and Kona stayed to help the villagers."
"Hm…" Terry didn't quite know the context, but he drew a conclusion. "I guess helping family is more important than helping strangers. Even if they're a 'new friend,' you wouldn't risk your life for them unless you were a trained operative. And that's only because it's your job. I know Suki isn't, but are you two operatives?"
"Uh-uh." Kona shook 'no.'
"I sort of am." Ursula said. "But mostly because my Driver is."
"Well, as operatives, we get our handful of rescue missions." Terry explained. "Some kid or some parent gets kidnapped by a villain and their friends and relatives ask us to save them. My team gets a few of those missions sometimes, but some of the people involved are benders. Problem is, they're not trained, so they're afraid to do it their selves. They think only the KND can be the heroes and they would do a better job. Heck, even Suki acted like a crybaby when we tried to explain the Apocalypse situation to her, and even now, she never signed up for CND training."
"But I AM trained!" Suki argued, jumping onto the bed and standing over Terry's head. "I help Sister-chan whenever she needs me! And I help strangers, too! Sister-chan and Jack Frost said I'm the best icebender ever! I don't gotta be an operative 'cause I'm a hero!"
"I…I'm also a hero!" Ursula balled her fists as her eyes slightly curved passionately. "Even if I get shy around strangers, I do my best to help people! And if we met earlier, I might've helped you with your problems, Terry."
"Well… thanks." Terry sighed. Though he couldn't express it, he felt that Ursula's input was genuine, and he appreciated it. Even Suki had managed to accomplish a lot, despite not being an operative. Their missions may have been far more difficult without her skill.
"…" Konayuki was pondering. Suki and Ursula sounded very proud… and very heroic. She didn't understand how Terry felt at all. She didn't understand the feeling or burden of saving people. "Should Kona be a hero, too?"
"Huh?" Ursula looked to her.
"When Tama was kidnapped, should I have tried to save her? Should I be a hero?"
"I dunno… can you fight?" Terry asked.
"She was telling us about how she defeated a scary snowman and earned her warrior name." Ursula replied.
"Mmm…" Kona turned and paced away in thought. "I remembered that dream again. I was the only one left in my village… but I think that strange person was coming to kill me. If someone tried to kill me, I don't know if I could protect myself."
"Um…" Terry wasn't sure how to respond to that.
"I know I didn't earn my warrior name the right way. They were just being nice. But now I don't think I should be called 'Konayuki' at all. Just… Kona."
Terry sat up, he and the girls sharing a frown. They had made her feel bad about herself, so they had to reassure her.
BOOM!
So, it was quite awful timing for a huge mass of ice cream to come blasting through the island, tearing down several buildings. "I'm bringing this frozen festival to an end!" declared Mr. Glace, a man in a large, green, mechanical suit, equipped with giant cannons. "Not all of us get to eat amazing recipes like the rest of the universe! So, why should I let anyone else have a bite?! I'll bury everyone alive with my Super Sour Ice Cream!"
"BLUCK!" cried Ruby, having been buried under some of the cream. "It's so sour! I'm going to hurl!"
"I'm sorry, Ruby!" Sapphire said. "I didn't see him coming thanks to that brain freeze! These chefs really know how to make a Glacian chilly."
"Darn it!" Terry cursed, hopping out of bed. "I gotta call the others—Kona?!" The hybrid was running toward the villain.
"Kona!" Ursula and Suki chased after her.
"Where are you, Kids Next Door?!" Mr. Glace shouted bravely. "Are your bellies too stuffed to fight me?! You always liked stealing my ice cream, why don't ya come and get some?!"
"Hiiiiii!" Hearing a spirited call, the villain saw Kona approaching. "Mister, are you a bad guy?"
"No, I'm destroying this island in the name of Polaris. YES, I'm a bad guy!"
"Okay!" So with that, Konayuki ran up and pushed against Glace's mechanical legs, the villain stumbling backward.
"Some kind of monster girl? The KND sure is full of 'em!" Arthur blasted small chunks of sour cream, Kona enduring the shots. She ran to push him again, but Glace jumped to kick the child away.
"Hina, look! Kona's in danger!" Pipirika shouted in panic.
"Darn it!" Hina trudged in the battle's direction, but faltered due to his cramped stomach. "That ice cream is extremely sour… but I…"
Glace leapt to smash Kona with his fist, but an ice barrier appeared to save her. Glace thrusted more punches until the ice shattered, but Suki shoved him away with an icicle. "Kona, please!" Ursula yelled, skating to the fallen hybrid's side. "Leave him to us. You'll get hurt!"
"But Kona wants to be a warrior, too. You and Suki are heroes, but Kona is not."
"You don't have to be a hero. We're sorry if we made you feel bad, but you shouldn't—AAH!" She was blasted by Arthur's ice cream.
"You think I'm gonna let you have your conversation and ignore me?!" Glace shouted, dodging Suki's large ice sickle. He managed to snap the weapon away and jump to crush the icebender.
"Don't hurt Suki!" Kona got up and charged to grab the villain's leg. She hauled to slam him on the ground, but Glace propped his hand against the ground and shot cream at her face. Kona grew repulsed by the sour taste, but Suki reformed and shoved Glace away.
Suki skied up to bend the sour cream out of Kona's mouth. "Let's be heroes together, Kona-chan!" Suki mustered her icebending to create a large, blunt sword with wavy edges and an hourglass-like handle with three juts.
Konayuki took the sword and raised it above her. "Thank you, Suki!" She ran up to Mr. Glace and swung the sword to impact his fist. Both forces were locked in place as the mechanical fist dented.
"What kind of ice is that?!" Glace slammed his other fist down, but Kona dodged. He tried shooting the hybrid, but Kona seemed to move fluently on her hefty legs and dodged up to swing a blow at Glace's left knee. The villain kicked up and away on the other leg, beginning to charge a huge mass of ice cream. He noticed that Ursula was playing her Torigonda and improving Konayuki's movement with musicbending, while Suki's strong icebending helped to maintain the sword. Glace ran around Kona and aimed to crush Ursula, but Kona was quick to change course and intercept him, dealing a spin attack to his right knee. Glace fell, but used a hand to haul himself up and kick Kona away.
"Terry!" The boy looked to see his teammates arriving. "Don't worry, we'll take care of this-" MaKayla tried to say.
"That's okay." Terry gestured them to stop. "I think these girls got this."
"Huh?"
Glace finished charging his ice cream and fired the giant mass at Kona just as she got up. She kept her mouth closed and used her hands to restrain it, being pushed on her feet until she finally fell backward. However, the cream slowed to a stop and crushed her. Still keeping her mouth closed to the sour taste, the hybrid mustered the strength to push herself up. She hauled her body up and, like a giant snowball, rolled the giant cream straight back into Glace. Her front was drenched in the substance, but she returned on her feet and ran with the sword raised.
"HYAH!" Glace suddenly tore through the mass and tried to smash Kona beneath his weight. However, the child was further back than he anticipated, having run in a zigzaggy fashion because of the cream covering her. But this allowed her to make it up to Glace's glass-covered head, slam her sword down, and shatter the glass. The sword of ice shattered against Glace's head as well, KOing the villain.
"Urf…" Hina was still gagging as he arrived at the battle site. "Urf, UECK!" Then he threw up.
"We need to… lay off ice cream…" Pipirika panted. "K…Kona?"
The child seemed to be standing victoriously over the villain, wiping the cream off her face. "Oh…it even smells awful."
"Kona… did you defeat this criminal all by yourself?" Hina asked in awe.
"Big Bro Hina? Big Sis? I…" Kona looked over at Suki and Ursula. "No… I had help from my friends."
"We're sorry." Ursula bowed. "Konayuki was hurt… We couldn't catch up to her in time. We made her feel bad, so she was determined to be a hero."
"But Kona-chan was very brave!" Suki cheered. "She didn't even cry, even when she was hurt!"
"Her parents are going to kill us…" Hina sighed. "You really shouldn't have been so foolhardy, Kona. And yet… I have no right to scold you. You're a much braver warrior than I."
"Yeah, even you used to be shy around strangers." Pipirika giggled. "Kona, it's true that you'll have to learn to fight at some point, but you have to be careful. You're lucky these girls were here to help you. I hope you won't be so reckless next time."
"But I just wanted to be a hero. If I were stronger… I could've helped save Tama, too."
The siblings frowned at this, Hina especially. He, too, wanted to aid Augustus by saving his friend… but he smiled assuringly and said, "Well, when Augustus returns with Tama, she will be happy to hear what a brave warrior you've become. But brave as you are, make sure you have people to help you before rushing into a battle like that, just as you have now. Do you promise… Konayuki?"
The child's bubbly eyes lit up, followed by a smile. "Konayuki promises!"
Sector IC chuckled. "Dude, what did we just miss?" Lola asked.
"Eh, Suki was playing with these snow girls, and then this happened." Terry sighed with a light smile. "Suki has a penchant for getting people in trouble and somehow saving the day."
"Terry-chan!" Suki skied up to him. Her bright smile turned into a frown. "I'm sorry for making Kona kick you…"
"Kona is sorry, too, Terry." The hybrid approached them next. "If you can forgive me… I would like to be your friend, too."
Terry looked up at the monster girl's innocent face, her arms spread open for him. He looked down at Suki's sweet smile, then over at Ursula, smiling shyly with her feet curved in the snow. "…Sigh, why is it so hard for me to be happy? You guys make it look so easy. Oh well…" Terry approached and allowed Konayuki to squeeze him in a warm hug. "It's better than having no happiness at all."
"Awwwww, Terry-chan!" Suki turned as large as Kona and hugged him from the opposite side. Ursula and Beary hugged them from the other sides.
"Ouch! Okay, my back's breaking again! Seriously! Ow!"
"Since when did you become a ladies' man, Terry?" George chuckled.
"I dunno, he has a certain 'taste' to him…" MaKayla said with a cringe.
"Hehe…" Miyuki chuckled at the cute moment.
For the rest of that night, Terry lay in the snow, being cuddled with Kona and Suki. They listened to Ursula's next pleasant performance. The notes danced in the sky and drew the friends into slumber.