Harmony smirked as she heard Love Heart running to catch up with her and swayed her hips as he caught up, “I was wondering if you’d follow me.”
Love Heart slowed to match her pace, “Well I wanted to talk, and get to know some more people here.”
Harmony gave Love Heart a hip check, “I’d love to get to know you too.”
Love Heart tensed for a moment then relaxed, “I’m not sure I’m ready to just start sleeping around, Harmony. I’m not saying no forever just…I…”
“Need time to adjust?” Harmony asked. “It’s fine, Love Heart, we’re not all about sex up here we’ve just been kinda stuck for things to do lately. With caring missions being reduced and no real taboos imposed by our leaders or society we had few inhibitions beyond our own personal preferences.” They had arrived at Harmony’s house by this point, which had what looked like a large garage with double doors attached to the main house.
“So what are your personal preferences?” Love Heart asked as Harmony unlocked her front door.
Harmony smirked and turned around, drawing a finger down Love Heart’s chest, “I like strong men,” She stepped back as she saw Love Heart tense up again, “I would like to try and make beautiful music with you.”
“Umm…” Love Heart felt his nerve failing him.
Harmony laughed and pushed open the doors to her ‘garage’, “I meant literally.” Her garage turned out to be a huge music studio, a full orchestra of instruments (woodwind brass and strings) on the floor, several guitars hung up on hooks, a large drum kit in the corner, a grand piano in the opposite corner, bookshelves full of music, a large stereo and mixing board, and a soundproof booth for audio mixing.
Harmony folded her arms as Love Heart walked past her, “What do you think? Impressed?”
“Wow, I mean, wow…” Love Heart stared around the studio then turned back to Harmony, “Are all of these yours?”
“Yep,” Harmony stepped past Love Heart and picked an acoustic guitar off the wall which she proceeded to tune, “Want to learn something?”
“Well maybe…” Love Heart walked over to the piano, “I can try. No promises though.”
“All that matters is that you try. Here,” Harmony set her guitar on a stand and walked over to the piano, “I’ll give you some basic piano lessons. Let’s start with the C scale.”
OoOoO
Confidence Heart made her way to the gym and smirked when she saw that Cheer was there, running on a treadmill.
“Looking for Champ?” Cheer asked as she slowed the machine to a stop and wiped the sweat from her brow, which matted the fur on her forehead down.
“Yeah, figured this was the best place to start.” Confidence hopped up on an elliptical machine.
Cheer smirked and headed for a rowing machine, “Disappointed?”
“Maybe not,” Confidence started running on the machine.
“I’m happy to hear that,” Cheer started rowing, “When we’re done we could head to his house if you want.”
Confidence Heart slowed to a stop on the elliptical, “You’re always forwards.”
“No reason not to be,” Cheer stood up, “I admit I was a bit jealous to see the way Champ was looking at you, but I saw why in the showers.” She walked over to Confidence as she stepped off her machine, “We don’t have to go so fast, for instance I would love to swap hair care tips with you.”
Confidence regarded the pink bear with curiosity for a moment, then laughed, “Sure why not? I still want to see Champ today.”
“I’ll show you to his house, once we get cleaned up.” Cheer s aid.
“Alright, but keep it clean this time.” Confidence and Cheer headed for the showers.
OoOoO
Love Heart clumsily played the C scale up and down as Harmony instructed him. “Still rough. Watch the way your thumb shifts under your middle finger.”
“OK,” Love Heart continued to practice the scale as Harmony watched and listened.
Harmony eventually called for Love Heart to stop when he played the scale perfectly five times. As Love Heart was about to leave Harmony spoke up.
“Do you think Life Heart is going to remove the curse from us?”
Love Heart turned back to Harmony and saw a look of concern on her face. “I don’t know. I don’t think she’ll do it without permission but would that really be so bad? There are pills and other contraceptives aren’t there?”
“Maybe, but we don’t have access to a lot of that stuff up here and it does mean a huge change in how we think about things or have relationships, and if that changes it might upset everything we have in our lives. And then there’s the whole aspect of having children,” Harmony sighed, “I don’t know if I’m ready for that, or all that comes with it.”
Love Heart sighed and turned back to the open door, “I don’t know, Harmony, I just don’t know. I’ll see you later.” He shut the door, leaving Harmony alone with her thoughts.
OoOoO
Life Heart heard someone nervously clear their throat and looked up from her supper to see Funshine Bear standing next to her. Funshine was a male Care Bear with yellow fur, an athletic build and a smiling sun wearing sunglasses for a chest symbol.
“Hello, Funshine Bear?” Life Heart asked. Funshine nodded.
“Is something wrong?”
“Can I touch your belly,” Funshine reached out nervously.
“Of course,” Life Heart turned to give Funshine a better angle.
Funshine carefully placed a hand on Life Heart’s taught tummy, “Wow,” he gasped then smiled, “What’s it like, being pregnant?”
Life Heart stared at him for a moment before she answered, “It’s a complex feeling. I can feel the life inside of me growing and it feels wonderful, but at the same time I’m heavy, I’m off balance, I’m always hungry for the strangest foods,” she looked down at her plate which had a salad that used ketchup as the dressing, “and my hooves and legs ache all the time. It’s really hard to describe without having gone through it yourself.”
“I see.” Funshine stared down at her belly for a further moment before he looked up into Life Heart’s face, “Can your magic do anything?”
“Anything?” Life Heart repeated, “Well…I do have limits, but that depends. What do you want me to do?”
“Can you change…someone?” Funshine asked.
Life Heart was about to respond when they both heart Crafty Heart’s voice. “Hey, Funshine! How’s it going.”
Funshine Bear’s demeanour changed in an instant, he smiled brightly and turned to Crafty, “Hey, Crafty, how’s it hanging?”
“Pretty good. Just getting supper, you?” Crafty threw an arm around Funshine.
“Just finished, but I could go for seconds,” Funshine said.
“Nah, you don’t want to get too chunky do you?” Crafty prodded him gently.
“No probs, I’m gonna head home and get some practise on my board. Join me later for a workout?” he asked.
“In the yard or in the bed?” Crafty winked at him.
“Depends if you’ve got the energy after my session on the board,” Funshine winked back, “Catch you later, Crafty.”
Life Heart just stared at the departing yellow bear as he cast a glance back at her, his expression almost mournful for a moment. Life Heart couldn’t get it out of her mind.
OoOoO
Soul Heart emerged from her home the following day, her exterior once again calm and in control. Flash Heart was the first to notice as he stood outside his house and he approached her, keeping a wary eye on Shatter Heart and Blade Star as they followed after her acting as an honour guard.
Soul Heart stopped and smiled winningly at Flash Heart, “I’m sorry I worried you, things have just been rough lately.”
“I understand,” Flash Heart’s tone was hard and flat, “Is there anything we should do?”
“Prepare yourself for the inevitable conflict we will have to endure,” Soul Heart said, “I may have to leave soon for a time but don’t worry.”
“I won’t.” Flash Heart turned and headed back into his house, leaving the door ajar.
Blade Star Bear waited until they were some distance from Flash Heart’s house before she spoke, “My lady, why do you insist on keeping them around, surely you are strong enough without them.”
“I once thought that,” Soul Heart said, “But I’ve learned that you need whatever help you can get. I won’t discard useful tools until I am certain they have outlived their usefulness.”
None of them noticed the extra steps following behind them. Flash Heart had to suppress as growl as he stopped in his invisible tracks then waited for them to get some distance before he retreated back to his house.
“That’s not her, what the hell happened!” He pounded the door with a fist as he reappeared and leaned up against the door. He noticed too late that Tarot Heart was there on the couch, having just woken up.
“Flash, what’s wrong with mom?” he asked.
Flash Heart tried to put on a calming face, but failed and sighed, “I don’t know, but soon I’m going to find out, once she doesn’t know what I’m up to.”
“What are you up to?” Tarot Heart asked.
Flash Heart sat down beside the young bear and patted his head, “Just going to try and find out some things in a few months. Just trust me until then.
Tarot Heart nodded, though he sounded unconvinced, “OK…”
OoOoO
Love Heart sat down across from his parents and next to Sweet Heart at breakfast before he’d even gone for food. “Mom, I think you should wait to undo the curse until we’ve dealt with the Shadow Magi.”
Life Heart swallowed her mouth full of egg and toast, “Why?”
“Because we don’t want everyone’s attention divided while there’s a very real danger out there, that and a baby boom that might cause will split our attention and create vulnerable targets for the Shadow Magi.” Love Heart said.
“He was up late last night talking about it, once we both got back to the hall,” Confidence Heart sat next to Love Heart carrying two trays of breakfast, one of which she pushed in front of Love Heart. “And I agree. It doesn’t affect me but it would be unfair, besides everyone up here seems to like it.”
“Have you two taken to ‘free love’ as well?” Sage Heart asked.
Love Heart cleared his throat, “We’re working on it, sort of.”
“Hard to push all the way,” Confidence Heart admitted, “But it’s nice to be able to go off and just have fun with someone without feeling jealous, cause everyone does it.”
“I see…” Life Heart seemed nervous, but swallowed, “Alright, Love Heart, if you think that’s best I’ll hold off on it.”
“Thanks mom.” Love Heart tore into his breakfast and was gone from the table in five minutes, as was Confidence.
Sweet Heart Pegasus finished her food a moment later, “I’m gonna go with them. Gotta keep up with their training. Bye!” She jumped up and literally flew after her brother and Confidence Heart.
Sage Heart rolled his eyes and gathered the three extra abandoned trays to take to the dishwashers. “I think they’ll be alright.”
“I don’t know if there’s going to be a crisis, True Heart said no one can find the Kingdom of Caring unless they know the way,” Life Heart placed a hand on her tummy, feeling a kick from within. She sighed and went back for seconds.
A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short, I had a hard time figuring out what I should write for this chapter. Also I might be putting this chapter on hiatus until I finish Book 3 of Care Bears Family Adventures, but we’ll see if I think up anything by the time I finish the next chapter.
