The Jump sat on the windowsill and stared out at the night sky. Kero landed next to it to join in.
“You feel it?” Kero asked.
The Jump nodded, “Yes, it’s nearby.” It turned to look at the sleeping Love Heart, “Why can’t he feel it?”
Kero briefly turned to watch the sleeping Care Bear, “They need real sleep, not just rest like we do. If he’s in danger we’ll wake him up.” He turned back to The Jump, “Worried?”
“Yes.”
“Then stay with him just in case,” Kero yawned then flew over to curl up on Love Heart’s free pillow. The Jump didn’t say anything but hopped onto the bed and slept at the foot on top of the blankets.
OoOoO
Sweet Heart was up earlier than normal today and literally glided down the stairs for breakfast. Love Heart was eating toast as he watched his sister literally flying up to grab a box of cereal and pour a bowl, drinking it down without a spoon.
“In a rush, sis?” Love Heart watched her all but slam the bowl into the sink.
“Day camp at the Y,” Sweet Heart poured a glass of water and chugged it down, “Gotta go!” She galloped out the front door and took off, flying towards the portal.
“Don’t you need a ride!?” Love Heart shouted after her then shook his head.
It was a while before their mother came downstairs in her pink bathrobe. She yawned and went for the coffeemaker, downing half a cup before she spoke to Love Heart. “Good morning.”
“Morning, mom, you’re up early,” Love Heart finished off his breakfast and went to clean the plate.
“Sweet Heart woke me up, she’s so excited for Day Camp this year,” Life Heart smiled, “And it’s going to give us a chance to do something you’ve been neglecting.”
Love Heart froze as he was heading towards the stairs, no one liked to hear one of their parents say they had to take care of something long neglected, “What?”
“You need to get your driver’s license.” Life Heart set down the now empty coffee mug.
“Really? I mean what about the Clow Cards?” Love Heart tried to hide how nervous he sounded.
“Now Love Heart,” his mother’s tone became stern, a rarity for her, “You’ve been avoiding this since you failed the test the first time, you need to spend more time practising so you can summon a cloud car on your own.”
“But I have The Fly Card now,” Love Heart protested.
Life Heart shook her head, “The Fly Card doesn’t have trunk or passenger seats. Unless a Clow Card shows up in the next few minutes we’re getting back to driver training today.”
A minute in silence passed as if Life Heart’s ultimatum might summon a card right then and there. When nothing happened Love Heart sighed, defeated.
“OK, just let me talk to Kero,” Love Heart slunk back upstairs.
“Ten minutes!” Life Heart called as she poured cereal for herself.
Love Heart heard his father still snoring as he re-entered his bedroom, finding Kero and The Jump still asleep on his bed. He stroked one of The Jump’s ears, running over the ribbons still tied there, “Good morning.”
“Morning,” The Jump looked up at Love Heart.
“Good morning too,” Kero yawned then sat up and stretched, “So what’s going on?”
“I have driving lessons, unless there’s a Clow Card nearby,” Love Heart looked at Kero with a hopeful expression.
“Actually there’s one nearby,” Kero said, “But it doesn’t seem to be doing anything and I can’t pinpoint it.” He continued not seeing Love Heart’s expression change to excitement, “Keep on your guard but we can’t hunt it down so just go on with your driving lessons, but take the Key and Book with you.”
Love Heart’s face fell and he sighed, “Alright... Hey Jump, gonna have to ask you to come back.”
“OK,” The Jump didn’t sound perturbed and allowed itself to be re-sealed into its card. Love Heart took a moment to look at the picture and saw the same ribbons tied on the picture’s ears, the green standing out in contrast to the monochrome artwork. He put the card back into the book with The Sword and The Fly. He pulled on his cargo vest, hung the Clow Key around his neck and attached the book to a strap on his vest so it hung at his side.
“Let’s get this over with...”
OoOoO
Sweet Heart landed right in front the YMCA and stood on her tip-hooves to spin around for a moment.
“Excited, Sweet?” Pretty Heart Skunk was already there waiting for her, smirking at her friend’s enthusiasm.
“Yup!” Sweet Heart had to force herself to fold her wings, “I was so worried I’d have to skip it this year.”
“Why?” Pretty Heart’s question made Sweet Heart freeze.
“Oh just...” Sweet Heart was interrupted by the front doors opening and the sounds of approaching children, human and Care Bear. “It’s open!” She darted inside, almost crashing into the man opening the door so they could start the day camp. Pretty Heart watched Sweet Heart momentarily then followed her inside. She’d ask later if she could remember.
OoOoO
“Alright shoulder check and turn right,” Life Heart Unicorn directed Love Heart around the streets of Readington as he carefully turned the corner in the cloud car, what looked like a literal car made of clouds about 2/3rds the size of a sedan without a roof and decorated in heart and rainbow motifs like most things the Care Bears used.
Love Heart grumbled, “Why do I have to drive on the streets? This car can fly.”
“Because you may need to drive on roads someday and it’s better to lean in harsher conditions just in case. There,” she pointed to two cars parked very close to each other on the side of the road, “parallel park between them.”
Love Heart gulped as he pulled up alongside the front car then pulled back with some hesitation. No matter how many times he tried this or how good he got, parallel parking made Love Heart nervous. He sighed in relief as he parked and his mother patted him on the shoulder.
“Well done.”
Love Heart shut the car off and sat back, eyes closed. Life Heart watched him for a moment until he sat up and forwards, “Nowhere nearby, at least I can’t sense it anywhere.”
“The Clow Card?” Life Heart looked concerned.
Love Heart nodded then started the engine again, “Alright, now what?”
“Let’s see how you can fly now.”
“Alright,” Love Heart took a deep breath, shoulder checked then pulled out into the sparse traffic before he pulled back on the steering wheel as if it were the control wheel on an airplane which made the cloud car pitch back and start flying. A few people, likely tourists, stopped to marvel but the locals paid it no mind as they had gotten over the flying cloud cars the Care Bear Family used ages ago.
Compared to using The Fly Card flying the cloud car was a harrowing experience. With The Fly Love Heart could practically feel every motion and turn with incredible precision but the car seemed either too weak or too sensitive to his turns no matter how much he tried. Nevertheless he pressed onwards if only to get this over with.
It was after an hour in the air that the wind picked up. Love Heart was on edge as he looked around.
“Oh my, maybe we should call it a day,” Life Heart was holding on to the door and her seat as the wind began to push destabilize the cloud car.
“Wait, mom,” Love Heart scanned the sky surrounding them until he spotted a slowly forming funnel cloud not too far away. “It’s a Clow Card!” He grabbed the key pendant around his neck.
“Key of Clow Power of Magic Power of Light Surrender the Wand The Force Ignite Release!”
Staff in hand, Love Heart all but yanked his seatbelt off and pulled a card out of the Clow Book and struck it with the staff.
“Fly!”
“Love Heart!” Life Heart tried to grab him to pull him back as Love Heart rode the now winged staff over the cloud car as the wind speed nearly tore him away.
“Mom! Get out of here! I’ll handle this!” Love Heart turned and rode the staff towards a tornado hovering in mid air.
“No!” Life Heart wanted to reach out and stop him, what mother wouldn’t, but she was afraid she might knock him off his staff and he was right about it being too dangerous to try flying the cloud car. She shifted over to the driver’s side with difficulty before flying in reverse as far as she could tolerate, not wanting to lose sight of her son.
Love Heart had a death grip on the staff as he flew towards the tornado, barely hanging on the whole way as he stared it down, wishing he had some other way to fight it other than The Sword Card, which needed the staff to be free.
“CLOW CARD!” Love Heart shouted over the howling of the wind as the tornado, “STOP THIS NOW! I WON’T LET YOU GET NEAR MY MOM OR THE GROUND!” He was already feeling the strain of needing to shout so loud.
To his surprise, his shout was answered.
“And how will you stop me?” the voice was feminine and sounded like a cool breeze despite the raging wind that was encroaching on him.
“ANYWAY I CAN, CLOW CARDS OR NOT!” Love Heart closed his eyes against the wind as they started to water and focused on his tummy symbol. Whether or not this would work he had to try. “It’s just like No-Heart when I was a kid,” he muttered to himself as his tummy symbol started to glow.
“What are you doing?” the voice from the tornado asked.
Love Heart opened his eyes and bared his teeth before he shouted, “CARE BEARS COUNTDOWN! 4! 3! 2! 1! CARE BEAR STARE!” Love Heart fired off a bright green beam of light from his tummy symbol right at the tornado.
Love Heart strained to keep his stare going for a full minute before he had to stop or he would risk falling off.
“What was that? It felt strange.” The wind was slowing down as the voice spoke.
“And there’s more if I need to use it!” Love Heart managed to get his symbol glowing again, though he was freaking out internally as it didn’t seem to be doing anything. “I won’t let you hurt anyone down there or in Care-a-Lot!”
“I can feel. That beam made me feel how much you care about them, how much you’re willing to sacrifice to save them.” The voice spoke again, “Will you really put it all on the line?”
“Yes!” Love Heart answered immediately.
“I’m surprised, I didn’t expect you to stand your ground or show me this.” The hovering tornado shrunk down and compressed into a humanoid female figure the height of a grown woman with long hair tresses and wings that enfolded a body that seemed to be made of compressed air. “My name is The Windy, one of the four elemental Clow Cards.” It hovered up to Love Heart so it could look him in the eye, “Are you going to try and seal me?”
“Yes. I can’t have you flying around trying to hurt anyone.” Love Heart was preparing to swing the staff out from under him and try to seal The Windy in mid air when it held up a hand.
“There’s no need to be reckless. I accept.”
“Really?” Love Heart was stunned.
“Yes, I can go down to the ground if you wish.” It pointed down towards the city.
“No, I can call some help,” Love Heart pulled his heartphone out of his tummy symbol and dialed, “Mom, you can come pick me up now.”
Life Heart kept the cloud car steady as Love Heart stood on the passenger’s seat, staff in hand.
The Windy smiled at him and nodded as Love Heart raised the staff.
“Windy Card! I Command you to return to your power confined! Windy!” Love Heart struck forwards and a moment later, with a rush of wind, The Windy was sealed and the care with her image on it flew in to his hand. “One of the four elements,” Love Heart smiled and dropped into his seat so he could sign his name to it, “I can’t wait to tell Kero.”
“Then tell him when we get home,” Life Heart let out a sigh of relief, “You really scared me, Love Heart.” She pulled her son into a hug and patted his back which was made slightly uncomfortable by them being seated in the car.
“I’m sorry, but I had to stop The Windy,” Love Heart hugged her back.
“I know,” Life Heart released him, “Now let’s get back to practise, we still have a couple hours before I have to pick up Mira.”
Love Heart groaned as Life Heart flew down to find a safe place for them to trade seats.
OoOoO
Pretty Heart Skunk was sitting on the front steps of the YMCA when Life Heart landed the cloud car out front.
“I thought you were in Sweet Heart’s day camp,” Love Heart got up out of the car.
“Nope, I come to the Y for boxing lessons,” Sweet Heart looked up from her heartphone, “I’m just waiting for her. Are you here to pick her up?”
“If she needs it,” Life Heart was still in the driver’s seat.
As if summoned by their presence children began streaming out of the front doors, Sweet Heart near the front.
“Hi, Sweet,” Pretty Heart waved to her friend and Sweet Heart all but swooped over to her, or would have if her wings wouldn’t have knocked the other kids over.
Love Heart waved to his sister and the other kids took notice.
“Hey, is that your brother?” one boy asked Sweet Heart Pegasus.
Sweet Heart nodded, “Yup, that’s Love Heart.”
“You’re that card capturing guy!” Another kid shouted and soon Love Heart found himself surrounded by kids asking him a hundred questions and requests.
“Do you have the cards?”
“What can they do?”
“Can you show me magic?”
“Yes, do magic!”
“Magic!”
“Magic!”
“Show us that bunny plush that jumps!”
‘Think I’ll leave Jump inside its card’ Love Heart thought to himself as he tried to answer or placate the kids surrounding him, not willing to risk them by showing off a Clow Card in front of them and partly wishing he was able to keep his mission a secret.
Life Heart smiled at her son, remembering how many kids had asked if she was a real unicorn when they first linked the Kingdom of Caring to Readington or even Sweet Heart being a real Pegasus, or winged horse but why split hairs. She looked around and noticed that Sweet Heart and Pretty Heart had left already and sighed but waited for other parents to pull their children away from her son.
None of them noticed that everyone’s shadows had gone missing and were creeping back into the YMCA building.
Sweet Heart and Pretty Heart were already around a corner three blocks away with Pretty Heart having jogged to keep up with the low-flying pink Pegasus.
“What’s the rush, Sweet Heart?” Pretty Heart slowed down once her friend landed on the sidewalk.
Sweet Heart sighed, “I just wanted to get away from that.”
“Everyone asking about Clow Card stuff or talking to your brother?” Pretty Heart stepped back to look around the corner.
“Both, I just don’t want to think about the Clow Cards or see my big brother being swarmed like that,” she turned to Pretty Heart, “I love him but... well everyone in day camp was asking about him and I just got tired of it.”
“Going to drop out of day camp?” Pretty asked.
Sweet Heart shook her head, “No, I’ll just tell them to stop asking me.” She tried to smile, “Want to go get ice cream or do you need to get home?”
“I can take a detour,” Pretty Heart smiled, “What’s it like living with an older brother?”
“What’s it like living with a bunch of siblings the same age as you?” Sweet Heart asked back which made the two of them burst out giggling as they started down the street.
OoOoO
It wasn’t until after supper that Love Heart showed off the sealed Windy Card to Kero in his bedroom. “So whaddya think?”
“Wow, I’m impressed,” Kero picked up the card, “so what did you do?”
“I used my Care Bear Stare. It’s basically a beam of good feelings we can shoot from our tummy symbols,” Love Heart pointed to his symbol, “it expels evil spirits, hurts things that don’t have a heart and can send our emotions to others. I think I showed The Windy how much I was willing to sacrifice to protect everyone.”
“I’m not surprised it worked, The Windy is a gentle spirit and doesn’t like to hurt people,” Kero tucked the card under his arm and floated up to Love Heart’s eye level, “But be careful, the other three elemental cards won’t give in that easily. You will have to fight them.”
“Right,” Love Heart nodded.
“Also I need to come with you tomorrow,” Kero handed The Windy back to Love Heart, “I sensed another Clow Card earlier today but I couldn’t pinpoint it.”
“Why didn’t you come find me then?” Love Heart stowed The Windy inside the Clow Book.
“Well... I was busy,” Kero chuckled nervously.
“Busy with what?”
“Video games.”
Love Heart just sighed and rolled his eyes.
OoOoO
Sweet Heart slept in the next day and had to accept a ride from her mom and Love Heart to get to the day camp on time. When they arrived they found all the kids and councillors gathered outside the front door, shouting and arguing mostly about trying to be let in.
Sweet Heart literally jumped out of her seat and landed on the sidewalk next to Pretty Heart Skunk.
“What’s going on?” Sweet Heart tried to shout over the crowd.
“Someone broke in last night,” Pretty Heart shouted back, “I don’t think they stole anything but sounds like a bunch of chairs and stuff were piled up in every room, right to the ceiling!” She raised a hand over her head and stood on her tip-toes for emphasis
Love Heart was leaning over the side of the cloud car so he could listen to his sister when Kero poked out of one of his vest pockets.
“Can you sense it?” Kero stared intensely at the building.
Love Heart nodded, “Yeah, it’s a Clow Card.” He unbuckled himself, “Sorry, mom, gotta delay driver training today.”
“EVERYONE LISTEN UP!” Love Heart’s shout managed to silence the crowd and then turned to where he stood on the sidewalk with Kero now floating beside his head.
Love Heart took a breath before he continued, “I have reason to believe a Clow Card is responsible for what happened here.”
“Can you get it out of here?” One of the councillors asked.
Kero shook his head, “Not right now. If it did this overnight then it’s probably a card that only comes out at night.”
“Like a bat?” one of the kids asked.
“Exactly,” Love Heart nodded, “I’ll have to come back and take care of it tonight, until then it might be safest to stay out, just in case.”
“We’ll find something special to do today,” another councillor said, “whatever it was it dumped all the toys and life preservers in the pool too,” he muttered.
Love Heart sighed in relief as Life Heart spoke from the driver’s seat of the car, “Looks like we can head home, Sweet Heart.”
“Actually can I hang out with Pretty Heart instead?” Sweet Heart asked, “She can’t go for her lessons today either.”
Life Heart looked to Pretty Heart Skunk who nodded back. “Alright, but text me to let me know where you are.” She got out of the car and walked around to the passenger’s side, “Now we have time for more driver training, son.”
Love Heart groaned and trudged around to the driver’s seat.
OoOoO
After sundown Love Heart, Confidence Heart and Kero arrived at the now closed YMCA all in their battle costumes with Confidence just wearing her white karate gi pants a white t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off and her black belt. Love Heart already had the sealing staff released and in hand.
“So how do we get in?” Confidence tapped her foot and stared at the closed door.
“Leave that to me.” Confidence turned to see Loyal Heart step into the moonlight with a key ring in his hand. “I heard what happened so I asked them to let me borrow the keys.”
“Thanks, Mom had me driver training all day,” Love Heart smiled as Loyal Heart unlocked the doors for them.
“So Kero, any idea what card it is?” Love Heart asked as the five of them stepped inside.
Kero shook his head, “Can’t say but we’ll find out soon.”
“Then let’s check the day camp rooms, com’on,” Love Heart motioned for everyone to follow him.
Love Heart peered into a one of the empty rooms, all the furniture was put away safely and the moonlight streaming in made the whole place feel eerie.
“I can feel it. It’s here somewhere,” Love Heart gripped the staff tightly as he entered with the others right behind him.
As if in response, the large tables folded against the wall started shaking. Confidence Heart heard and shouted just in time, “LOOK OUT!” Love Heart just barely saw the table flying at him in the moonlight and dove sideways which let the table crash into the opposite wall.
Kero spotted a black tendril retreating into a shadow on the wall that fled and he pointed, “There! It’s The Shadow Card!”
“The Shadow?” Loyal Heart had dropped to the floor as the table was flung past.
“I turns shadows into solid objects!”
“Got it!” Love Heart pulled out a card and struck it with his staff, “Sword!” a whoosh of flames and The Sword was in his hand. Another tendril emerged from the wall to grab a table and Love Heart charged, slicing it off which made the shadow piece dissolve as the rest of the tendril yanked back.
“You have to find its true form to seal it!” Kero shouted as a chair was hurled at him, which he dodged under as Confidence managed to catch out of the air.
“Right but how?” Love Heart sliced another tendril off.
“Shine a light on it!” Loyal Heart pulled out his heartphone and shone the light at the next tendril that popped up. Then tendril faded then split as the two halves flew right at him. Loyal yelped and jumped back as Confidence punched them away then pulled back as they tried to entangle her.
“There’s not enough light here!” Confidence pulled Loyal Heart back, “And they’re not solid enough.”
Loyal Heart nodded, “Any ideas, Confidence?”
“I think so, you have your license?” Confidence kept her eyes on Love Heart as he continued to fend off the shadows that seemed to be ignoring the two of them now that they weren’t trying to help.
“Yeah, why?” Loyal Heart suddenly found himself yanked away by Confidence Heart.
“Drive me to the baseball stadium, I’ll explain on the way!” She shouted.
Love Heart noticed them leave but didn’t have time to say anything as the shadows began to congeal into a larger amalgam. “Shit!” Love Heart swore for the first time that he could remember and turned to bolt from the room now pursued by the mass of black with Kero clinging to his shoulder.
“Where are we going?” Kero hung on for dear life.
“The roof!” Love Heart panted as he ran up the nearest flight of stairs still just barely keeping ahead of The Shadow.
Thankfully the door wasn’t locked on the inside and Love Heart burst into the cool night air, sweating as he resealed The Sword and pulled out another, “Jump!” Love Heart shouted and leapt over the edge of the roof as the wings appeared on his feet and the shadows burst out of the rooftop door.
Independent Bear stood outside the entrance to the Y, still a bit bewildered from Loyal Heart having tossed him the keys before he and Confidence took off in a cloud car. He jumped when Love Heart slammed down in front of him.
“SorryGottaGoBeingChased! BigMessInside!” Love Heart rattled off before jumping away as a large mass of shadows slid down the side of the building to chase after him like a black tidal wave.
Indy stood stunned for a moment then darted up to the YMCA’s door and locked it before he took off after Love Heart.
Love Heart felt his heartphone vibrate and pulled it out, seeing a text from Confidence.
“What are you doing?” Kero still clung to Love Heart’s shoulder as Love Heart hit the ground then jumped away from the approaching tide of shadows again.
“Confidence, she says ‘come to the baseball field’.” Love Heart landed and resealed the Jump Card, “Sorry, Jump, need more speed.” He pulled out another Clow Card. “Fly!” and a moment later he was flying on the winged staff with The Shadow still chasing him.
The baseball field was near Readington’s old High School and Love Heart flew right to the center of the largest field. The Shadow sensed its prey stopping and flowed along the ground to surround Love Heart in a ring of shadows that sprung up in a converging tidal wave.
“Kero, get going!” Love Heart shouted as he re-sealed The Fly, “Jump!” the wings appeared on his feet again.
“Be careful!” Kero didn’t need to be told twice and took off straight up as Love Heart pulled out his newest Clow Card.
“Alright, Windy, let’s do this,” Love Heart whirled the staff around, “Windy Card! Break apart all of the shadows!” Love Heart raised the staff high and struck the card. A whirlwind sprung up around the card as The Windy spirit emerged. It smiled then spread its arms as the shadow waves converged on them and fired a tendril of wind at each wave crest, shattering them in mid air.
One tendril snaked under The Windy’s attacks and launched at Love Heart who jumped away, but only a couple meters off the ground he felt his leg grabbed as he was violently slammed into the pitcher’s mound.
Right as Love Heart was about to be dragged away there was a bright flash as all of the baseball field’s floodlights lit up at once and the shadow tendril around Love Heart’s leg just vanished.
Love Heart stood up and dusted himself off only to hear Confidence Heart shouting.
“Love Heart! Up here!” She and Loyal Heart were in the announcer’s booth where the light’s controls were.
Love Heart smiled and gave them a thumb’s up, “Thank you, great job!” He didn’t shout nearly as loud as Confidence, knowing her and Loyal’s huge ears would hear him easily.
“There!” Kero’s shout snapped Love Heart back to his task as the guardian beast floated back down and pointed across the field to where the lights didn’t reach where what looked like a person wearing a heavy black cloak over its whole body was gliding away. “It’s The Shadow Spirit!”
“Right, Windy!” Love Heart turned to the still summoned spirit, “Tie up The Shadow with a chain of wind!” He pointed at the retreating spirit.
The Windy nodded and smiled then flew right at The Shadow. It turned just in time for The Windy to reach it and wrap all around The Shadow, binding it in place.
Love Heart ran up to the now bound Shadow and raised the staff over his head. “Shadow Card! I command you to return to your power confined! Shadow!” The Shadow spirit split apart, its body changing into flashes of light as it was pulled into the card form in front of the staff. A moment later the card floated into his hand which depicted The Shadow Spirit.
By the time Confidence and Loyal Heart reached Love Heart he had already signed his name to the Shadow Card.
“That was great!” Confidence launched herself at Love Heart to hug him.
Love Heart chuckled and hugged her back, “Thanks, Confidence, but I couldn’t have done it without you.”
They both blushed but any further conversation was stopped when they heard Independent Bear speak up.
“While that was spectacular it’s almost midnight and I need you to help clean things up at the Y.”
“Clean up, clean up what?” Loyal Heart asked as Love Heart and Confidence Heart let go of each other.
“Any mess you made inside so the day camp can start tomorrow,” he pointed at the announcer booth, psionically turning off the lights which cloaked the field in darkness. “Now let’s go. The sooner we do this the sooner we can all get some sleep.”
“Yes, Indy,” the three teen Care Bears spoke together then trudged after him back towards the YMCA. Kero decided to bail and just flew back home.
