Chapter 102: Heart of the Bear Part 2: As the Spirits Will
During the night, Maleficent was waiting near Nita's village for her heartless to return with the amulet in hand, growing impatient as she waited for them to return when a Rapid Thrust appeared before her, the witch seeing it didn't have the amulet, listening to the Heartless's thoughts before destroying it in anger, seething in anger.
"The prince's lackeys are here!?" She asked herself. "And they already have the Heart Piece! What I need to do is get that Heart Piece away from them before..." That was when another Rapid Thrust appeared next to her, reading its thoughts before smiling. "So they lost the amulet and it's been taken by a Raccoon? Well, this is an interesting turn of events. Find that raccoon and bring me the amulet."
The Rapid Thrust then disappeared into the void to carry out the witches order while she remained on the cliffside over looking the village as if waiting for whoever has the amulet to return with it. At the campsite, everyone was lying around the fire to keep warm, Shining Armor sleeping next to his fiancé to keep her warm while the fillies slept next to their siblings, but Scootaloo, who was resting next to Rainbow Dash as she looked up to her, which Rainbow Dash didn't mind letting Scootaloo sleep next to her. However, Kenai was having trouble sleeping as he remembered how unhappy Nita was, looking over to his childhood friend and seeing her sleep, feeling awful for what he said, so he got up and looked to her and to all his friends, walking away and towards the forest to try and find the amulet for her.
"Seems your heart has strong feelings for the girl." A voice said, Kenai looking up to see the man in a black coat leaning on a tree. "Even though you know she is to marry another, you're willing to help her get the amulet back."
"She's my friend, I want to help her." Kenai replied, walking into the forest.
"You may deny your feelings Kenai, but the heart is not something for you to ignore." The man said. "You may try to fool yourself, but you cannot fool how your heart feels."
"Like I need to listen to some stranger." Kenai said, walking further into the forest.
The stranger watched Kenai walk into the forest, chuckling a bit as he already knew that his heart belonged to Nita, but the bear was just lying to himself that he doesn't love her, looking over to the group of sleeping group right as a Dusk appeared next to him, a silent conversation going on between them as he starred at the group before his eyes wondered to Scootaloo, seeing her sleep next to Rainbow Dash as he felt something.
"I know." He replied, talking to the Dusk. "Heh, it amazes me how his friends are willing to break the World Order to find his heart. That is true dedication." The Dusk walked up next to him as if saying something. "Maybe, but I think we might let them continue uninterrupted. I'll make my decision in the future, but for now... we watch. Find the amulet and bring it to me."
Without waiting to be told a second time, the Dusk slithered in the air to locate the amulet upon the commanders orders while he just kept watching the group sleep, making sure they weren't disturbed as they slept throughout the night. the next morning, everyone was waking up from their restful sleep, but when they all got up, they saw that Kenai and odd weren't at the campsite, everyone worried for their friends.
"Hey, where's Kenai?" Applejack asked. "Wasn't he here last night?"
"I believe he may have left in the middle of the night, leaving us before first light." Zecora said.
"But... what would he leave us?" Nita asked. "Why leave in the first place?"
"Nita, everyone, come quick!" Koda said, running out of the forest. "Kenai was up all night untangling the traps in the forest, which I didn't think anyone could as they were all forwards, backwards, crisscross-"
"Koda, slow down." Nita said. "Where's Kenai?"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you. Koda said. "He found the river bandits hideout!"
"He did!?" Nita asked. "Where? Show us!"
Everyone got up from where they were laying at and ran into the forest, following the bear cub through the forest and past some of the traps that had been taken down by Kenai until they saw him near a big tree, which he heard them coming up and looked back at them.
"Nita, over here!" Kenai said.
"Did you find it!?" Nita asked. "Where is it!?"
"Shh, I don't have it yet." Kenai said. "It's up there!"
"Well why didn't you get it!?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Because I'm waiting for them to... fall asleep!" Kenai replied, watching Nita run to the tree and start climbing it, which Kenai rushed over and pressed his back against the tree. "Nita, what are you doing!?"
"I'm getting my amulet back." Nita replied.
"Nite, let me handle it." Kenai said. "Besides, you can fall."
"I'm fine." Nita said. "I got this."
Nita then started to climb up the tree while everyone else watched, but a moment later, Nita then fell down and got caught in a couple of branches, making noise that the whole forest could hear.
"Hey, hey, hey, what's with all the racket!?" The raccoon asked, popping its head out of the tree. "Does no one understand the term nocturnal!?"
"Oh, I'm so sorry Mr. Raccoon." Fluttershy said, flying up to him. "We didn't mean to wake you up, but you sort of, maybe took something that belongs to us, so we were just wondering if we could have it back."
"Oh yeah?" The raccoon asked. "What does it look like?"
"Round, about this big around." Kenai replied, making a circle with his paws.
"Hm, maybe I got it, maybe I don't!" The Raccoon replied. "Either way, finders keepers, loosers weepers! It's the way of the woods."
"Hey, you didn't find it, you stole it!" Koda shouted.
"Yeah, you took what didn't belong to you big meanie mean theify thief!" Pinkie shouted.
"Alright, you got me!" The Raccoon said, many more of them running from the tree and populating the branches of the tree they were on. "It's what we do. We take from the others and give to the less fortunate. You know like... us!"
Everyone was looking at all the raccoons that were on branches of many trees, surrounding them as and laughing while Nita was climbing up behind them.
"That's... a lot of raccoons." Scootaloo said.
"Yeah, a whole colony of them." Twilight said.
"Yeah well, you can handle them." Koda said. "Kenai and his friends here are lean, mean, raccoon fighting machines! Especially the ponies with their Keyblades!"
"Keyblades?" The Raccoon asked. "Hah, that old myth! Keyblades don't exist kid. Alright lads, let them have it!"
The raccoons then pulled out pines cones and started pelting them with them, Kenai covering himself with them as everyone ran for cover, but Twilight just used her magic to create a protective barrier around them, the pine cones bouncing off the shield.
"What the hay were you thinking Koda!?" Rainbow Dash shouted. "What's the point of doing that!?"
"I was trying to provoke them to attack us to give Nita a chance to get the amulet." Koda replied. "Plus, they can't have that many pine cones, so all we gotta do is wait for them to run out."
"Koda, we're in a pine forest!" Kenai shouted. "They have an unlimited number of pine cones!"
"Oh yeah, this could take a while." Koda said.
"YOU THINK!?" Everyone shouted at him.
While the raccoons were busy with pelting the shield with pine cones, Nita had just gotten to a hole in the tree where she saw the amulet.
"Bingo." Nita said, reaching in and pulling the amulet out, but when she did, there was a baby raccoon on it, surprising her, bouncing and spinning the amulet around. "Shoo, shoo, go away."
"Be gentle with him." Fluttershy said, flying up next to her. "Baby raccoons are very delicate and if harmed, the parents and possibly the whole colony will become aggressive."
"Well we need the amulet!" Nita whispered, finally bouncing the raccoon off the amulet, putting it on. However, when they looked back, they saw how upset the baby raccoon was, finding him to be cute after starring at him for a bit. "Oh, I'm sorry. But-"
"MA-MA!" The baby shouted.
As he did, the whole colony turned to look at the two foot hem, glaring at the pair as they saw the amulet, immediately becoming aggressive.
"Nita, I think it's time to go!" Kenai shouted.
"Fluttershy, run!" Twilight shouted.
Not waiting, Nita let go of the branch and tried to grab another, snapping it off before landing on the same two branches that caught her, followed by the raccoons as she jumped from tree to tree rot get away from them, Fluttershy flying over them, but the raccoons were more interested in Nita as they chased her around, running along the trees and sliding down some of the fallen trees until she was cornered, trapped by raccoons as she started to swing the branch she had, knocking raccoons off the tree as more approached from behind.
"Nita, behind you!" Kenai shouted.
She turned around, but was too late to do anything as they pounced on her, causing her to fall and scream, but Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew over and took each side of the stick in their muzzles, hoping to get her high enough for the raccoons not to get her, but the branch started to bend and launched her away and into a tree.
"Seriously!?" Rainbow Dash said, spitting the stick out. A moment later, they saw the raccoons running up the tree, trapping her. "Now what!?"
"Nita, go to the top of the tree!" Kenai shouted.
"What!?" She shouted. "I'm trying to get down!"
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing!" Kenai shouted.
"Do you know what you're doing?" Shining Armor asked.
"I do." Kenai replied.
"Hello!" The Raccoon said. "I want what you took from me!" Nita didn't respond as she then climbed up the tree as Kenai climbed up the one near her's, but as she climbed up, the raccoons followed her trying to reclaim the amulet, the tree bending as it bent to the point where it would snap, causing Nita to dangle over the ground as the raccoons reached her. "Well looking here boys! She has no where to go or to hide!"
"Nita, quick, jump down to me!" Kenai said.
"Are you crazy!?" Nita shouted.
"Nita, trust me." Kenai replied.
Nita looked at Kenai, fearing for her life if she jumped, but then looked to the raccoon, which some of his brethren were holding onto him as he dangled down and reached for the amulet.
"That's it." The Raccoon said. "Be a nice little hunter girl and give me the trinket!"
"Leave her alone you big meanie!" Fluttershy shouted, flying up and making eye contact with the raccoons, which she then used the Stare, her eyes widening and her pupils shrunk, starring at the raccoons, which they froze and shook, backing away from Nita as Fluttershy hovered in the air. "Nita, jump!"
Nita looked down at Kenai again and took in a deep breath and let go, flinging the raccoons everywhere as Kenai grabbed Nita, which caused him to fall as well, Kenai hitting the ground and sliding down while Nita was holding onto him, riding him like a sled as they rushed down the slope. After they made a jump, they landed in a soft patch of snow, leaving behind an imprint of Kenai in the snow as they got out, both of them unharmed as they looked at the slope, finding the slope they slid down on before they started to laugh, having had fun when doing that. Everyone else caught up to the two fo them and saw they were laughing, relieved that they weren't seriously hurt.
"That was way too close." May said. "That could have been-"
"Totally wicked!" Rainbow Dash shouted, flying down.
"What!? No!" May exclaimed. "That was very dangerous. Plus we could have lost... the..."
She never finished as everyone else walked past her and went to Kenai and Nita to see if they were ok, leaving May with Shining Armor, Cadence, and Zecora, who just smiled at the group.
"It is good they are letting loose, try to be serious with it is no use." Zecora said. "Having fun and forgetting the bad is a must, or else the mission will be a bust."
"What does that mean?" Shining Armor asked.
"I think she means it's alright to let loose and allow yourself to have some fun from time to time." Cadence said, wrapping her hoof around her husband to be's hoof. "You shouldn't focus on the bad things that happened to you all the time, but instead look to the good. Let loose and allow yourself to have some fun and to be with your friends."
She then walked over to the group, followed by Shining Armor and Zecora, leaving may alone bar the forest to ponder what she just said before walking down the slope to join them as they marched on from there. In the forest, the man in the black coat was watching the group from the trees, though it couldn't be seen, he was smiling at them, clearly happy to see they were ok, but then spotted something in the distance and within the trees. Sliding down the trunks of some of the pine trees, some Power Wilds were getting into a position where they could ambush the group, catching them by surprise before they had a chance to do anything to stop them. However, when one of them was getting ready to leap onto them, a shadow cut across the sky, kicking it and skidding on the ground, the figure in the coat with his foot on the Power Wild as the others turned to face him, thinking he was an easy mark, but he just twisted his foot, a cracking sound going across the air as the Powerwild released a heart, disappearing in a cloud of dark energy.
"Never imagined Heartless were this pathetic." The man said as Powerwilds and Rapid thrusts appeared around him. "I won't even break a sweat destroying you."
More and more Heartless appeared around him, thinking he would be easy enough to handle, but he just cracked his knuckles, loud enough for the cracking to echo around in the trees before rushing towards the group to get the fight started. With the group, they spent most of the day walking and occasionally stopping to get some rest, and even help Tuk and Rugg impress the moose's they had their eyes on, asking for their help again, but this time Nita was the one suggesting the plan as she suggested Koda help them make a good impression on the moosesettes, which worked perfectly as they got the girls attention and managed to fully impress them, but when Koda looked back, Kenia and Nita were talking as they went, feeling jealous as his brother having eyes for Nita as he walked right behind them. As they got closer to their destination, Koda decided to hop along the rocks, jumping around to see what he could find to eat while Pinkie joined him, bouncing around as she thought it was fun.
"Oh, be careful you two." Nita said.
"Relax, Koda's just looking for lunch." Kenai said. "And Pinkie... well... she's just being Pinkie."
"What does that mean?" Nita asked.
"Best not to ask." Twilight replied. "Trust me, trying to understand her is a bigger headache and can be more physically painful than you think."
"Yeah, besides, you gotta have some fun!" Pinkie said, bouncing onto another rock right as her tail twitched. "Uh oh, twitchy twitch!"
Without waiting for a repeat, everyone who knew about Pinkie's Pinkie sense immediately ran for the trees, under a cliff, even hiding under Kenai as they waited for something to fall.
"Um... ok?" Nita asked. "What's got you all freaked out?"
"If Pinkie's tail is twitchin', it means somethin's gonna fall." Applejack replied.
"Oh relax you guys." Koda said. "Nothing going to-"
He then slipped on a rock and fell into the stream, everyone laughing at the cub as he was trying to show off.
"Hey look." Kenai said, pointing at the route they were on. "We're making great time. If we follow this trail all the way down the river, we'll make it Hokani Falls by tomorrow."
"River?" Nita asked.
"Yeah, then we swim across." Kenai said.
"Swim!?" Nita asked, suddenly stopping.
"Yeah, then after that, we walk the rest of the way and we'll be at Hokani Falls by lunch time tomorrow." Kenai said.
"And we'll get the Heart Piece from the amulet." Twilight said.
"I have to say, the travel has been murder on my coat and hooves." Rarity said. "But..." She then looked back to address the others, but noticed how scared Nita was, stopping and getting everyone to stop. "Nita dear, what's the matter? You look dreadful."
"Oh, nothing." Nita replied. "Nothing at all. I was thinking that we could climb up that ridge, then up those cliffs, to that mountain and walk across that snow ridge and avoid the river all together?"
Everyone looked at each other, thinking the plan itself was the worst plan they've ever heard before looking back at Nita.
"Nita, is somethin' botherin' ya sugarcube?" Applejack asked.
"Yeah, you seem... nervous." Fluttershy said.
"Nervous, no." Nita replied. "I just think my path is better, and safer."
"But... that's going the opposite direction we need to go." Pinkie pointed out.
"Well, I'm with Nita on this." Shining Armor said. "The river is possibly filled with those... things."
"The Heartless?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Dude, six of us have Keyblades, we can handle them."
"Yeah, barely." Shining Armor said. "Those Heartless used the river to heal themselves."
"Hey, at least we haven't ran into any Powerwilds." Twilight said. "They like forests, so if we go back that way, we're sure to run into them."
"Well, it's my amulet and I say we go the other way." Nita said.
"No, we're going towards the river, it's faster!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Why are you so adamant about avoiding the river?"
"Trust me, my way will get us there before..." Nita tried to say before a fish landed n her head, freaking her out.
She screamed as she fumbled with the fish, staggering backwards until she fell into the water, Rainbow Dash laughing as usual, but Nita then shot out of the water, moving as fast as she could to the shore before pulling herself up, heavily breathing out of panic, which everyone now knew she was afraid of the water.
"What's the matter with you?" Koda asked. "You act like you're afraid of fish." He then started laughing as did Kenai, Koda taking the fish and bringing it to Nita. "Hey Kenai, watch this! Where's the girl afraid of fish? Where's the girl named Nita?"
Kenai and Koda started to laugh at the joke, which Nita didn't look very comfortable, Kenai finally seeing how hurt his friend was, getting in between him and her, which Koda kept on playing witht he fish and playing with Nita before Kenai snapped.
"Koda, stop!" Kenai shouted, making Koda drop the fish. Kenai looked disappointed in Koda before he walked over and sat next to Nita. "Hey, we were just kidding about the fish."
"It's not the fish." Nita replied, taking a deep breath. "It's... the water."
"The water?" Scootaloo asked.
"Why ya scared of water?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Back when Kenai and I were kids, we were playing near Hokani falls and... I fell into the water." Nita said. Since then, I'm afraid to go near the water."
"Nita... I didn't know." Kenai said.
"Wow... I... I'm sorry." Rainbow Dash said.
"It's not your fault." Nita said, wiping away a tear. "And that's why I didn't get the amulet out of the river. It wasn't your fault Kenai... it was mine."
"Hey, we got it back together." Kenai said. "We all got it back together."
"Yeah, don't sweat it." Rainbow Dash said. "We all get scared sometimes, well not me personally, but we all have something we're afraid of."
"You mean like that time ya'll we afraid of makin' a fool of yerself in Cloudsdale when you performed your Sonic Rainboom?" Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I wasn't scared!" Rainbow Dash retorted, making everyone laugh.
As everyone was laughing, it seemed to cheer Nita up, brushing her hair back as she felt something in her heart, looking up to Kenai as she smiled at him, everyone failing to notice the amulet starting to glow. While they laughed, Koda was watching Kenai and Nita looking at each other, growing jealous of the two of them as he smacked the fish back into the water.
"Well, we better get going." Kenai said, getting up.
"But, how can we cross the river if I'm afraid to even go near water?" Nita asked.
"We'll do it together." Kenai said, walking with Nita.
Behind them, Koda was glaring at Nita, obviously jealous and Scootaloo could sense his jealousy for the bond his brother and Nita have, worrying for the cub as they walked with their friends. In the trees, Maleficent was watching them, her eyes landing on Koda as she scratched her chin.
"Hm, interesting." Maleficent said to herself. "The cub seems to be jealous of his brother's kindling love for the girl. Perhaps... I could use that to my advantage."
She then raised her arms as green flames surrounded her, disappearing right as music started to play in the background as a song started.
[Kenai]
Funny how it turns out,
That everything can change.
What I feel right now,
Is not the same as yesterday.
Theres more than I imagined,
Deep inside my heart!
Emotions that I never knew,
And this is just the start.
[Kenai and Nita]
So many things I've been missing,
Not watching but, that was all in the past!
Now I realize there's so much more to learn,
I'm ready for the world!
Not scared of letting go!
Now I realize there's so much more to feel,
And my heart knows it's real!
The part of me, so long forgotten,
Is calling, and this feels like home.
[Choir]
Home, homе, feels just like home. ([Pinkie pie] Feels just like homе)
[Kenai]
Right from the start, been friends forever,
Somehow we're meant to be together! ([Cadence and Shining Armor] I'm certain you're meant to be together!)
[Nita and Kenai]
I feel like you've shown me how to find my way home!
[Shining Armor]
Find my way home!
[Choir]
Now I realize,
(Feels just like home) Feels just like home!
(It feels just like home) Feels just like home.
Feels like home.
[Nita and Kenai]
Now I realize,
There's so much more to learn!
I'm ready for the world,
Not scared of letting go!
[Choir]
Now I realize,
There's so much more to feel!
And my heart knows it's real,
The part of me so long forgotten is calling!
And this feels like home,
This feels like home.
Home, home, feels just like home.
Feels just like home.
Throughout the whole song, Kenai and Nita were running and having fun, bumping into trees to knock some snow on top of one another, occasionally getting some of the ponies and Rainbow Dash getting a cloud from the sky and shake snow on top of them, making them laugh. Nita also started to pole vault in the middle of the song right as they came to a cliff, Nita pushing Kenai down the slope as she slide down with him, everyone else doing the same as they slide all the way down to the bottom, everyone landing in a pile of snow and laughing, having a great time and letting all the anxiety, the fear, and allowing themselves the moment of being kids again, making and throwing snowballs at one another as they chased each other around. Princess Cadence and Shining armor also got into it, the captain letting his silly side come out as he pelted his sister and his fiancé with snowballs, followed by May as she decided to take their advice and follow their example, having fun and stop being serious all the time, which to her felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulder as she had fun for once after such a long time.
They then came across the river, which Nita froze as the music kept playing, everyone gathering at the shore of the river, smiling at Nita as Twilight put her hoof on her shoulder to comfort her.
"It's the only way." Kenai said, smiling. "Let me help you."
Nita smiled at her friend, happy to accept his help as she climbed onto his back, but then regretted it as she tried t back out.
"I changed my mind!" She said.
"Nope, too late now." Kenai said, walking into the water. "Whatever happens, don't let go."
"O-ok." Nita said as email started to swim across the river.
[Kenai and Nita]
Now I realize, there's so much more to learn!
I'm ready for the world!
Not scared of letting go!
Now I realize, there's so much more to feel!
And my heart knows it's real,
The part of me, so long forgotten!
Is calling, and this feels like home!
[Kenai]
This feels like home, home, home.
Feels just like home feels just like home.
After they successfully crossed the river, May used her power over water to create a bridge for them all to cross, the water being solid enough for them to walk across the water, but Fluttershy looked back to Koda, seeing how unhappy he was, so she turned around and walked over to Koda, sitting down next to him.
"Hey Koda." Fluttershy said. "What's wrong?"
"Kenai doesn't have time for me anymore." Koda replied, wiping his nose. "He spends it all with Nita."
"Well, they're old friends." Fluttershy said. "And they have a stronger connection than they thought they did. But you're still his brother and he loves you as well. Spyro adopted Scootaloo when her family abandoned her and he loves her just like a brother should."
"You mean loved." Koda replied. "He loved her before he died."
"He's not dead Koda." Fluttershy said. "His heart is just scattered, that's all." She then held up her ring, smiling as she looked down at it. "And I know we'll find him. We'll get him back. Now, let's get you across the river."
Fluttershy lowered her body on the ground to allow Koda to get on her back, getting up and extending her wings, flying over with the cub on her back to the other side of the river, letting the bear cub hop off her back when they heard laughter from around the corner, finding Kenai and Nita were talking about how much fun they were having while everyone else was sitting around or near a fire, talking about how Kenai and Nita crossed the river and how he was missing two handfuls of fur, which Nita playfully messed with him saying he could be going bald, which they laughed.
"Guess... we'll make it to Hokani falls in time." Nita said, looking upset.
"Yeah, guess we will." Kenai said.
"Why the long face?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Isn't that a good thing?"
"Yeah, like we will be able to make it in time for you to burn the amulet, they you can get married, Kenai can remain a bear and stay with Koda, and we can through a big celebratory party!" Pinkie said excitedly, blowing confetti out of her nose.
"Yeah... married." Nita said, rubbing her hands. "Kenai, can I ask you something?"
"What is it?" Kenai replied.
"Do you... miss being human?" Nita asked, surprising everyone and shocking Koda. "I mean, have you ever thought about... changing back?"
Kenai thought about it for a little bit, Koda hoping Kenai wouldn't say yes, but saw the smile on his face and already knew the answer.
"Yeah." Kenai replied, horrifying Koda. "I thought about it."
"I knew it." Koda said, walking out from around the corner as Fluttershy walked behind him, looking worried for the cub. "Y-you're going back with her!"
Before anyone could say a thing, Koda ran off, tears rolling down his face as he ran for the mountains.
"Koda wait!" Kenai shouted, getting up and going after him.
"Quick, we need to go after him!" Twilight said.
Without being told twice, everyone got up and ran after Kenai and Koda, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flying above to keep an eye on Kenai and their friends while everyone else ran after them.
"What's wrong with Koda?" Sweetie Belle asked."
"He believe Kenai will abandon him in the end and return as human to be with his friend." Zecora replied. "His heart is filled sadness and fear, but the full conversation he did not hear!"
"I agree with Zecora." Rarity said. "Koda only heard part of the conversation, not the whole thing."
"We need to find him and talk to him!" Applejack said.
They followed Koda's tracks through the mountain foothills until they came across an icy wall, reaching high into the sky as a blizzard was coming in. The wind proving to be too strong for the Pegasi, they set down on the ground and walked with the group to the mountain, Kenai calling out for Koda as they walked to the edge of a cliff, following the path they think Koda took to see if they could catch up. However, when they reached half way up, Scootaloo stopped where she was, sensing something through the Force as she looked to her right, finding tracks in the snow going into the wall, Nita stopping when she saw Scootaloo looking to her right and looked as well, finding tracks going in. They both then went into the icy wall to see if they could find the bear cub, Scootaloo following the Force as she felt Koda's sadness.
"Koda!?" Nita said, causing an echo that made some ice fall. "Scootaloo, go get the others, I'll look for Koda."
"No, I'm going with you." Scootaloo said, whispering. "I can find him faster through the Force."
Without waiting, they walked into the icy hallway, whispering for Koda until they reached a room in the wall of ice, walking a little ways into the room until they heard someone sniffling, Nita looking into a hole in the wall to see Koda.
"Koda, there you are." Nita said.
"Go away." Koda said, on the verge of tears.
"Koda, Kenai is worried sick about you." Nita said, reaching in to pick him up. "Come on, I'll take you to him."
"No!" Koda shouted, causing some ice to fall. "I said go away!"
"Koda, please keep your voice down." Scootaloo said. "It's not safe."
"I don't care!" Koda replied. "I said leave me alone!" That single sentence was enough to cause the whole room to shake, the roof cracking as ice fell around them, the trio fearful as the ice was starting to collapse around them. "Oh no, Nita, Scootaloo!"
Koda jumped out and tackled Nita, Scootaloo jumping back as the Force warned her of the falling debris as it hit where they were standing, nearly crushing them.
"We're going to be alright!" Nita exclaimed. "But we need to run, now!"
The three of them started running through the icy passage they came in, the ice falling down behind them as an avalanche was going on, the passage way collapsing and as they were getting out, Scootaloo and Nita managed to get out no problem, but the passage way collapsed and trapped Koda, pinning him to the ground.
"Nita!" Koda shouted, the human turning to see he was trapped.
"Oh no!" Scootaloo said.
"Quick, take my hand!" Nita said.
Koda reached out and managed to take Nita's hand, pulling as hard as she could, but the ice was holding the bear cub firmly in place, unable to free the bear cub. Seeing how trapped Koda was, Scootaloo closed her eyes and raised her foreleg, reaching out with the Force and tried lifting the ice chunk, physically feeling the stress of trying to lift the massive chunk of ice was hitting her, but she pushed through and managed to lift the chunk of ice enough to allow Nita to pull Koda out, but in the process tumbled down the slope and took Scootaloo with them, tumbling down the slope until they stopped on the edge of the cliff, Nita holding onto Koda while Scootaloo was holding onto Nita's leg, holding on for dear life, but was slipping.
"Don't move." Nita said, swinging Koda up.
"I'm slipping!" Scootaloo shouted.
A second later, she lost her grip and slipped off of Nita's leg, screaming as she fell as Nita tried reaching for her, but before she could fall further, a dark figure flew across the sky and grabbed Scootaloo, slamming into the wall of ice as he held onto the filly, using his free hand to hold onto the ice.
"You ok?" The man asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Scootaloo replied, looking up to him. "Thank you-"
When she saw him, she lost her voice as he was wearing the organization jacket, looking down at her, but the hood was up, covering his face and making it difficult to see who he was. They then looked up and saw an avalanche, a massive wave of snow and ice going down the slope and slamming into the ridge that Nita and Koda were on, causing the two for them to go for a ride, which the man let go of the edge and slammed into a piece of ice, hitting the ground and turning it into a surf board, riding the wave of snow as he went after the two of them, riding the wave until the woman and the cub hit another ridge, this time being thrown off as they got buried in snow.
"Koda, Nita!" Scootaloo shouted.
The man stopped the surfing and let the filly go, allowing the little Pegasus to run t the spot where they were buried right as everyone else arrived, having saw what had happened from a neighboring cliff as they started to dig, but Shining Armor and Rainbow Dash were looking at the mystery man and were immediately on guard.
"Who are you?" Shining Armor asked.
"A friend." The man replied.
"Dude, we need your name, not that you're a friend!" Rainbow Dash said. "And... why are you wearing an organization jacket?"
"All you need to know is that I'm a friend." The man replied, turning away from them. "In time, if I deem it, you will know."
A corridor opened up behind him and he walked through it, leaving the group behind as the corridor closed behind him, Rainbow Dash and Shining Armor not trusting their 'new friend,' but decided to focus on digging Nita and Koda out, rushing over to see if they could help, but Kenai had already gotten Koda out and had just pulled Nita out from the snow.
"Koda..." Kenai said, taking a deep breath. "What would I have done if something happened to you?"
"I-I'm sorry Kenai." Koda said, wiping his nose as he was crying. "But... you're going to leave me. You said you missed being one of them." Kenai looked shocked, looking to Nita, who seemed to look just as upset, getting up and walking away as she got up, feeling guilty about causing this. "You're going back with her, aren't you?"
"Koda, I do miss something's about being human." Kenai said, walking up and hugging Koda. "But you're my brother and I wouldn't trade you for anything in the world. I'd never leave you."
Koda smiled, hugging Kenai, happy to hear that he wasn't going to abandon him while Nita walked away, sitting down a distance from them as she took out the amulet, looking at it before seeing the symbol on it, looking back to see Koda and Kenai hugging and the bond they had, not wanting to get in the way of them.
"Love is a strange thing, isn't it?" A man asked. Nita looked to her left to see a purple haired person wearing a purple jacket with black and white gems in the back of the coat, black pants and shoes, and a yellow shirt leaning back and looking to the sky. "It comes in many shapes and forms. We all have love in our hearts, we just need to see it to understand it."
"You're... Spyro." Nita said, making him smile. "But... how? Your heart..."
"Is scattered." Spyro replied, sitting up. "I know, I was there."
"But, if your heart's scattered, how are you here?" Nita asked.
"Because you have a piece of it." Spyro replied, looking down at the amulet. "Know why I chose this world Nita? Why I chose to hide in this amulet when I could have hidden in something else?"
"No, I don't know." Nita responded.
"Because of the bond." Spyro replied, confusing her. "Love is something that comes with time, or it comes when you first meet someone, it's a mysterious thing really. We try to find love, only to fail, and when we aren't looking, it finds us instead." He looked down at the amulet, smiling as he saw it glow. "When Kenai gave you that amulet, it not only symbolized your friendship, but it was a token of how he felt for you. His feelings for you are strong, very strong.'
"But... he loves his brother more than anything else." Nita said, holding her knees against her chest. "And when I asked if he missed being human, it hurt Koda's feelings. He felt like he was loosing a brother and was going to be abandoned."
"I know." Spyro said, looking back and seeing Scootaloo. "When I first adopted Scootaloo, I wanted to give her all the love she deserved, she needed after her parents abandoned her. Kenai isn't going to abandon Koda as he needs him."
"Then, what do I do?" Nita asked.
"That's for you to decide." Spyro said. "You can burn the amulet and you can marry Atka if your heart desires. Or you could not burn it, but there is a chance Kenai and Koda will be ripped away from one another. Either way, what you decide will determine fate for the both of you. Will you follow your heart or will you ignore it."
Nita looked down at the amulet, thinking about what he said before she looked back to him, only to find he wasn't there again, looking around to see where he went, finding he wasn't anywhere to be found, looking back to Kenai as she thought about what Spyro said, getting up and walking towards the group as they decided to walk the rest of the way to Hokani falls as their search for Koda put them closer to the falls. On the ridge, Maleficent was watching everyone and watched them move on towards Hokani Falls, a Winterhorns approaching her as if to say something to her.
"I know the avalanche failed imbecile!" Maleficent said. "The princes friends are well trained despite only getting their Keyblades months ago. This heart piece is lost, but they won't be as fortunate when acquiring the next one."
A corridor opened behind her and she walked through it, leaving the world while also being watched by the cloaked figure, a Dusk next to him as he watched her.
"Seems she's giving up on the Heart Piece here in this world." He said. "She's moving onto another world." The Dusk walked forward and around him as it talked, the cloaked figure listening to it. "I know. The Heart Pieces are very powerful, despite them being dormant. Trace the energy from the pieces and locate the rest. Keep them safe. If anyone tries to get them before the ponies do, protect them."
Nodding it's head, the Dusk leapt into the air and spun around, disappearing into the void to carry out the orders while the cloaked figure remained in the North American Ice Age, watching the group continue their journey to see how it will play out.