Sweet Heart wasn’t sleeping well. She tossed and turned before finally waking up in the middle of the night opening the window, hoping the cool night air would help her nerves. Sweet Heart clutched a card to her chest and started to cry as she looked up at the stars.
“Great Wishing Star, I know I don’t deserve your help but please,” she gripped the card tighter as tears streamed from her eyes, “Please keep everyone safe.”
OoOoO
“I’m heading out,” Love Heart announced as he was going out the front door.
“Got another date?” Life Heart smiled from where she sat at the table.
“Meeting Confidence for her lunch break, bye!” Love Heart grinned as he conjured a cloud car and took off.
“Hey wait!” The Jump came bounding down the stairs with Kero right on his tail, “You forgot me!”
“He has the rest of the Clow Cards,” Kero floated over to the fridge, “Just relax.” He opened the door and grinned at the small bowl full of chocolate right in front of him. “Alright pudding!”
“I saved it for you go ahead,” Life Heart nodded then turned to The Jump, “Would you like something, Jump?”
“Nah, I don’t like eating but I would like to try one of those video games before Keroberos takes over again,” it shot a glare ate Kero who just mumbled something through a mouthful of pudding.
“Alright, let’s see what there is,” Life Heart walked over to the living room TV and turned on the console for The Jump to try.
Kero swallowed his mouthful and shouted, “I got dibs on next turn!”
“Now now, Kero, let The Jump have its fun and finish your food,” Life Heart turned on the console and sat on the couch to watch The Jump play.
OoOoO
In Readington, Hugs Bear, Noble and True Heart’s pink daughter with a star coming out of a heart for a tummy symbol, and Get Well Bear, a blue Care Bear with an open greeting card with a heart on the insider for a tummy symbol, were hanging out. They were mostly window shopping at Hugs’ insistence for little trinkets at Twin Bells.
Loyal Heart came over to greet them, “Hello, girls. Find anything you’re looking for?”
“Yeah, how much is this?” Hugs held up a costume jewelry necklace.
“Not yet... hmm?” Get Well looked out the front window, “Is that Sweet Heart?” The pink Pegasus was standing in front of the store, only wearing her skirt. Hugs and Loyal Heart glanced out the window just in time to see Sweet Heart grin at them then jump up and grab a banner that was hanging from the front of the store and tear it in half as she came back to earth.
“Hey! Sweet Heart!” Loyal Heart darted towards the door as Sweet Heart took off and deliberately knocked over a sunglasses display from a neighbouring store.
Get Well and Hugs ran outside too, stunned at the pegasus’ behaviour while Loyal Heart stared at the ripped banner that was announcing new products now lying in two pieces on the ground.
“What’s gotten into her?” Hugs asked to no one in particular.
OoOoO
Love Heart and Confidence were eating take out lunch near the grocery store where Confider worked, her apron on the free chair between them and her hair tied up in a braided bun.
“So what’s it like being a cashier?” Love Heart asked between mouthfuls.
“Sometimes boring, mostly hectic and always brain numbing,” Confidence stirred her drink with a straw before she took a long sip, “Still no Clow Card sightings?”
Love Heart shook his head, “Nope, Indy’s getting kinda anxious about it.”
“Nothing for three weeks now,” Confidence sighed, “So what’s it like being Indy’s deputy.”
“I pray the day is boring, but at least dad isn’t asking me to train at home as much anymore now that Indy’s making me do sword practise almost every day.” Love Heart sighed too. “Between this, Clow Cards and caring missions it’s been a busy summer.”
“Don’t remind me. My boss isn’t happy that I have to run off on caring missions every other day. So being police not all it’s cracked up to be?” Confidence still sounded tired and bored.
“Not ‘police’ so much, Indy says we’re a ‘supernatural first response team’ or something like that since so little happens on our side of the portal. At least we’re getting paid right?” Love Heart gave a weak chuckle.
“Yeah,” Confidence nodded. “So wanna go out this weekend?”
Love Heart smiled, “Sure. What did you have in mind?”
“Ask me again after my brain reforms,” Confidence lay her head flat on the table with a *thud*.
Love Heart laughed for real then looked around, “Huh? Sweet Heart?” he saw his sister standing at one of the outdoor fruit stands the grocery store has set up in summer. She turned to Love Heart, grinned then grabbed an apple from the stand and took off munching.
“Hey!” The clerk shouted.
“Sweet Heart!” Love Heart ran over to the stall.
“You know that twerp?!” the angry clerk turned on Love Heart.
“Yeah, how much for that?” Love Heart pulled out his wallet.
“Two dollars, but-” he was cut off when Love Heart tossed the money to him.
“Right! Sweet Heart, get back here!” Love Heart took off after her.
Confidence was mystified but too tired to really be invested as she tied her apron back on and headed back inside.
“Did your boyfriend just call that girl sweetheart?” the outdoor produce clerk turned to Confidence as she passed. “Aren’t you mad about that?”
Confidence sighed, “That’s his little sister.”
“That’s disgusting!”
“It’s her name!” Confidence rounded on him, “Sweet. Heart. Pegasus! You live in the Care Bear joined city, how do you not know how our names work?!” She threw up her arms in exasperation.
He recoiled, “Yeesh, sorry...” he watched head back into the store to resume her shift.
Love Heart chased Sweet Heart all over town, occasionally losing sight of her until he spotted her doing something wrong again: kicking over a kid’s sand castle in the playground, jumping in the way of someone’s photograph, knocking over parked bikes. It was all so petty but Love Heart had to run after her still shouting for her to stop.
Finally, after chasing her for hours, Love Heart caught up to her at the edge of a forested park near the edge of the city, panting. “Alright, Sweet Heart, what the hell are you doing?”
“What do you mean, big brother?” Sweet Heart grinned innocently.
Love Heart glared at her, “Don’t play dumb, I’m calling dad about this.” Love Heart dug out his Heartphone. Before he could even open the lock screen, Sweet Heart darted forwards and snatched it from his hand.
“Hey!” Love Heart tried to snatch it back but Sweet Heart dodged back and stuck her tongue out at him.
“Catch me if you can!” She teased then tore off through the trees.
“This isn’t funny!” Love Heart shouted as he took off after her.
OoOoO
Sweet Heart gulped when she returned home only to find both her parents, Independent Bear and even Loyal Heart Dog waiting for her. Kero and The Jump were playing a game in the living room but stopped when they heard Sage Heart speak up.
“Young lady, you have a lot of explaining to do.”
Sweet Heart gulped, “What do you mean dad?” she sounded like she had been caught in the act of something.
“I’ve had at least a dozen calls today about you,” Indy folded his arms and gave her a stern glare, “Minor theft, disruption, damaging sales goods. What have you been doing all day?”
“Nothing!” Sweet Heart blurted out, “I’ve been hanging out with Pretty Heart all day I swear!”
“I saw you in front of Twin Bells,” Loyal Heart said, “I even got off early so I could talk about this. You destroyed the banner I spent all morning setting up and knocked over a sunglasses display.”
“Call Pretty Heart, I promise I’m not lying!” Sweet Heart was sweating and looking around the room desperately even as her mother called the skunk in question.
“Hello?” Pretty Heart answered.
“Pretty Heart, it’s Life Heart, Sweet Heart’s mother. Was Sweet Heart with you all day today?”
“Yes. She watched my boxing class then we hung out, we got ice cream.” Pretty Heart sounded unconcerned, “Is something wrong?”
“Don’t worry, we’ll handle it,” Life Heart hung up and turned to Sweet Heart, who was now looking around the room.
“Where’s Love Heart?” she asked.
Sage Heart pulled out his Heartphone to check the time, “He went to meet Confidence for lunch a couple hours ago. Why?”
“We need to find him! Right now!” Sweet Heart’s sudden explosive shout took everyone by surprise. Sage Heart stared at her for a moment but dialed Love Heart’s number. Sweet Heart was dancing on her hooves as she waited.
“He’s not answering,” Sage Heart was about to text him.
“Love Heart’s in danger!” Sweet Heart pulled out her Heartphone and called Confidence Heart.
Confidence felt her Heartphone vibrating right as she finished bagging one customer’s groceries. Relieved that there was no one else in line she shut off her aisle light and answered, “Hel-”
“Confidence! Where’s my brother?!”
“OW!” Confidence pulled the phone away from her ear, the shouting not made any better by her exceptional hearing, “What the hell, Sweet Heart?! He took off after you when you stole that apple at lunch!” She noticed she had drawn attention and lowered her voice, “What’s going on?”
“Love Heart’s in danger! We need to find him now!”
Confidence wanted to protest but something about the tone of Sweet Heart’s voice made her reconsider, “Alright I’m off in ten minutes, meet me here and we’ll try to find him.” She hung up and checked her aisle. Even though it was empty she called for her backup just in case.
By now everyone was paying attention to Sweet Heart, especially Kero and The Jump who had abandoned their game.
“How is Love Heart in danger?” Kero floated up to Sweet Heart’s face.
“He’s being chased by... something I just know it!” She saw the questioning faces all stare back at her and the tension made her flare her wings out, “Please, we need to find him right now!”
“Alright, I believe you. Let’s go,” Loyal Heart spoke up. His voice made up everyone’s minds and a moment later they were in a cloud car flying to meet Confidence Heart.
Confidence was still in her work clothes, minus her apron, when everyone arrived.
“OK, this is where we know he was last,” Indy closed his eyes, “Just give me a moment...”
“Got his scent!” Loyal Heart was down on all fours sniffing, “This way!” he took off.
“Hey wait!” Confidence Heart the first to run after him with The Jump, Sage Heart, Indy and Life Heart all running behind her while Kero and Sweet Heart flew right on Loyal’s heels.
OoOoO
Love Heart trudged through the park’s woods with his eyes fixed in a glare, “Sweet Heart!” He shouted after his sister, “What’s going on?”
“Over here!” her voice made Love Heart turn to see her a short distance away, his Heartphone still in her hands.
Love Heart slowed his pace, stepping closer to her, “What’s going on?” he repeated, “you’ve been acting weird all summer and now this? Just talk to me.” Love Heart’s hand strayed to the key pendant around his neck then withdrew it. He thought it might be a Clow Card but if he couldn’t sense what it was then scaring it off and trying to track it down again might be impossible.
“Come here and I’ll tell you,” the voice was coy as Sweet Heart stepped backwards.
OoOoO
Thankfully the winding route that had taken Love Heart a couple hours to travel only took Loyal Heart a few minutes to follow at full speed. They came to the edge of the park and Loyal was back up on his hind legs.
“Too much nature here, wish I was a bloodhound some days.”
Confidence took the lead, “I can hear him... this way!” She was in the lead, vaulting over and around every tree with The Jump, Loyal and Indy right behind her, Sage Heart and Life Heart stopping to catch their breath.
Sweet Heart flew up above the trees, “Please please please please please,” she whipped her head around trying to catch sight of Love Heart.
“How do you know he’s in danger?” Kero had flown up beside Sweet Heart.
“I just...” Sweet Heart felt her voice catch in her throat as she flew further over the trees.
Love Heart approached the image of his sister even as he heard the trees rustling behind him. He noticed a moment too late that it was hovering over empty air with folded wings and stepped off the edge of a cliff.
Confidence, Sweet Heart, Kero, The Jump, Loyal Heart and Independent Bear all spotted Love Heart fall from the cliff at the same time.
“LOVE HEART!”
“LOVE HEART!”
“LOVE HEART!”
“LOVE HEART!”
“LOVE HEART!”
“LOVE HEART!”
Each of them shouted his name as he vanished over the edge and ran or flew at him. Of the six, The Jump was the fastest and bounded over the edge when Love Heart was almost halfway down the four meter fall. The Jump plowed into Love Heart’s back, vanishing in a flash of light as the small wings appeared on Love Heart’s feet. He plunged and landed hard, but unharmed, at the base of the cliff.
Love Heart panted but grabbed the key from around his neck and shouted:
“Key of Clow Power of Magic Power of Light Surrender the Wand The Force Ignite Release!”
The imposter stared down in shock at Love Heart, its wings still folded, as he spun the staff around then shouted up at her.
“Who are you!?”
Before it could reply the real Sweet Heart cannoned into her doppelganger and plowed her into the ground before jumping up and back away from her with her brother’s Heartphone in hand.
“It’s a Clow Card!” Kero shouted as he dove down to hover by Love Heart’s head.
“Yeah, should have figured that out by now!” Love Heart grit his teeth as he pulled a card out of the book. “Watery Card! Envelope and restrain that imposter! Release!” he struck The Watery with his staff and summoned the spirit, which hissed at the imposter then dove right at it, but passed around and through it with no effect.
“What the?! Why didn’t it work?” Love Heart looked up at Kero.
“You have to identify it or your magic can’t affect it,” Kero said.
“How am I supposed to do that?!” Love Heart looked to his real sister at his side then back to the imposter who had a look of profound sadness on its face. “Doppleganger? Copy? Clone? Twin?” Love Heart shouted out his best guesses.
Sweet Heart stood by with hands clutched to her chest as she faced down the imposter. She bit her lip, unsure of what to say until she saw her doppelganger do the same, clutch its arms to its chest and bite its lip.
“Love Heart look, she’s copying me,” She pointed with her right hand, and her double pointed back with its left hand.
“Huh?” Love Heart watched as his sister waved her left arm over her head as the double waved its right. Then he looked past it to see The Watery spirit still floating there, annoyed, and saw himself reflected in the spirit’s body.
“It’s a reflection,” the name hit him like a ton of bricks, “Card, your name is Mirror!”
The utterance of the name made the imposter’s form shimmer and shift, changing into the image of a young woman in a Japanese dress holding a large round mirror in its arms. The Watery took that moment to pounce on it and wrap around from behind.
“NOW!” The Watery shrieked as Love Heart raised the staff above his head.
“Mirror Card! I command you to return to your power confined! Mirror!” Strands of dirt and earth were pulled from The Mirror, which had a look of profound sadness on its face, until it was sealed inside its card.
Love Heart barely had time to write his name on The Mirror Card before Sweet Heart tackled him into a sitting position, “Love Heart! I was so scared! I thought you were going to... WAAAAAAAH!” Sweet Heart let out a cry and buried her face in her brother’s chest, bawling her eyes out. Love Heart sat stunned for a moment before he hugged her one handed, taking his Heartphone back from her.
“Love Heart!” Confidence came running around, having taken the safe path down to the base, “Oh thank god you’re alright!” she all but threw herself on Love Heart, hugging time him as tightly as his sister did.
“Oof! Not if you squeeze the life out of me,” Love Heart looked up at Kero who was floating just overhead, “Want to get in on this?”
Kero shook his head, “Nah I’m good.”
By the time Indy reached the group, Love Heart had disentangled himself from his sister and girlfriend.
“Good, you’re alright. Thanks to Sweet Heart,” Indy nodded to the Pegasus who had gone suddenly quiet now that she was drying the tears from her eyes.
“What?” Love Heart looked at his little sister who was averting her gaze from him in shame.
“She knew you were in trouble and she’s the one who got us all out here to find you, Loyal Heart went back to tell your parents,” Indy’s tone was severe but he didn’t raise his voice. “How did you know he was in trouble?”
“I just...” Sweet Heart stumbled over a response.
Love Heart folded his arms and stared his sister down. “Sweet Heart, look at me.” Sweet Heart did and winced, she’d never seen her brother with such a look of suspicion and mistrust on his face. “I’ve been worried about you all summer. Please tell me what’s going on.”
“I... I...” Sweet Heart stepped back, wiped her eyes, “I’m sorry, Love Heart...” she was crying.
Love Heart’s gaze softened, “Sorry for what? What happened?” He took a step forwards.
Sweet Heart suddenly spread her wings and spun around taking flight before anyone could stop her. “I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY! I’M SORRY!” She was crying all the way as she flew off.
“Wait!” Kero took off after her.
“Kero stop!” Love Heart shouted then turned to Indy, “Let her go.”
Kero flew down in front of Love Heart with his hands clenched in front of him, “She knew what was going on here, we need to find out if she knows something about the Clow Cards!”
“If your sister knows something,” Indy started but Love Heart held up a hand.
“I know,” Love Heart sighed, “I know something’s been going on with my sister all summer but I didn’t say anything because between the Clow Cards, Harmony, you,” he smiled at Confidence Heart, “And my new job I just didn’t think much about it. And it’s not just how’s she’s been acting, it’s the Clow Cards too.” Love Heart reached into the book.
“What about The Clow Cards exactly?” Indy folded his arms.
“Most the cards I’ve captured have gone after her, first The Jump caused problems at Twin Bells when she was shopping there,” he held up the four other cards in question, “The Fly attacked her before I chased after it, The Shadow attacked her day camp, The Watery first showed up at the aquarium where she was watching a show and now The Mirror impersonated her.”
“But The Mirror tried to kill you!” Confidence couldn’t help but shudder, “And maybe the others are going after her to get to you.”
Love Heart shook his head as he put the cards away, “I don’t think so. Call it a hunch but I think they’re all going after her on purpose.”
“Then ask them,” Indy pointed to the wings still on Love Heart’s feet.
Love Heart looked down, “Right. Jump return,” the wings dissolved into wisps of wind and back into its card form in his hand. “Now come out and talk to us. Relea-” Love Heart was about to strike the card with his staff only for The Jump spirit to materialize as soon as he called for it.
The Jump looked up at the three as Love Heart stared down at it, the staff still halfway to where the card had been. “Are you alright?” it asked.
Love Heart lowered his arm, “I am thank you. But how did you come out without the staff?”
“You called me and I just did,” The Jump rubbed its front feet together nervously, “Same way I gave you my power without you using the staff.”
“Maybe your bond with The Jump is growing,” Kero floated down next to The Jump.
“Figure it out later,” Love Heart waved it off, “Jump, why did you go after my sister when you were released from the book.”
“Well...” The Jump had to think for a moment, “I wanted to get away from the book as fast as I could and then I just ran to the closest source of magic.”
“And your sister would have similar magic to yours. Jump’s always been impatient,” Kero nodded.
“Hey!” The Jump glared at the guardian beast.
“Settle it in games, for now let’s head home.” Love Heart motioned for The Jump to hop up on his shoulder, which it did.
“What about Sweet Heart?” Indy asked as they all turned to head for the safer way up.
“Even if I knew where she ran off to I don’t think I could get her to talk right now.” Love Heart sighed sadly, “We’ll just have to talk to her later.”
OoOoO
Sweet Heart had landed near a pond’s edge in the park, still sobbing as she stared at her own reflection. She clutched the card to her chest mumbling to herself through her tears.
“I’m sorry, everyone, I’m so so sorry...”
Then she broke down completely and began crying her eyes out.
Oh! Another fantastic chapter! I always love a good doppelganger story. And it is very curious how sweetheart will play A part in this. Wondering how much of a connection she has. I like the little touches too like confidence being a cashier and her experience with it it kind of reminds me of mine lol. Loyalty heart literally being a dog and sniffing love heart out is funny to me. And the one person not getting the Care Bear naming system down. Each chapter is getting more and more interesting and I'm all for it another great job buddy looking forward to the next one.
Oh! Another fantastic chapter! I always love a good doppelganger story. And it is very curious how
