Love Heart, Confidence Heart and Kero were left speechless as Sweet Heart finished her recollection. The pink Pegasus had sunk to her knees, Wish’s card still clutched in her hands and unresponsive to the world.
Syaoran broke the silence, “So you couldn’t handle being the Cardcaptor. Then just give me the cards and I’ll take over.”
Love Heart whirled on Syaoran so fast that it kicked up a small wind, “Shut the fuck up you annoying brat!” the venom in his voice made everyone wince, “My little sister is traumatised and she needs my love and support not your criticism so shut your mouth unless you have something relevant to say!”
Syaoran recovered but said nothing as Love Heart turned back to Sweet Heart and crouched in front of her. “Sweet Heart?” Sweet Heart?” he carefully touched her shoulder, “It’s alright, I’m here for you little sis,” he smiled reassuringly, “Everything’s going to be alright, I promise.”
Sweet Heart looked up at her brother, feeling relief at seeing him alive in front of her and let him help her to stand. She carefully pulled her wings up from their drooping position and shook her head, “No, it’s not.”
“Sweet Heart-”
She held out her hands, “Please, give me the key and the book. I can’t keep running from this or pretending it’s going to be alright if you do my job. I was supposed to do this and I failed. I’ve been trying to free Wish Bear from the prison I locked her in but I’m not strong enough!” she had started to cry again, “I need to be responsible, I need to capture the Clow Cards right this time so I can set her free!”
Love Heart stared at her for a moment then reached down and unfastened the Clow Book from his vest. “If you really want this,” Love Heart lifted the Clow Key Amulet from his neck, “Jump, return,” the wings vanished from his feet and The Jump reformed into its card, which he put inside the book, “Then here, take them.” He placed the book and key in Sweet Heart’s hand.
“What?!” Kero blurted out.
“Love Heart?” Confidence was stunned.
“You’re going to give it to her when she just admitted she failed?” Syaoran stared at Love Heart.
“Listen, Syaoran,” Love Heart glared at him, “Sweet Heart’s been through enough without your judgement so leave her alone.”
“Don’t be so familiar,” Syaoran glared back, “Only my friends and family call me by my given name.”
“Fine, Li,” Love Heart turned back to Sweet Heart, “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I need to do this. I shouldn’t have let you take on my burden. I’m sorry, Love Heart,” Sweet Heart took a deep breath. “I’ll make this right.”
A sudden shock shot through their minds and they turned towards the portal. “It’s a Clow Card,” Kero’s eyes narrowed.
“Then I have to capture it,” Sweet Heart took a deep breath and started towards the portal.
Kero hesitated until Love Heart spoke, “Go with her, Kero, she’ll need your help.”
Kero looked at Love Heart briefly then flew off after her while Syaoran turned and left without prompting.
Love Heart watched them go for a time, until Confidence smacked him on the back of the head, “What are you thinking? Just sending her off to fight after she told you all of that!”
Love Heart rubbed the back of his head and turned to Confidence, letting her see his downcast expression, “She asked me and... what was I supposed to tell her? That she’s not good enough for this? Tell her she did fail and I’m taking responsibility away from her? Besides, I shouldn’t have done this...”
“Done what?” Confidence sounded confused.
“Opened the Clow Book,” Love Heart sighed and began walking home with Confidence alongside him, “It was an accident but it was supposed to be her job and I took it from her. I remember how the kids at the YMCA all wanted to know about ‘Sweet Heart’s cool magical older brother’ or whatever they said. I feel like she’s been in my shadow all her life and even if she decided to wait she did want this, and I stole it from her.”
“Oh...” Confidence Heart’s ears drooped.
“And even if she’s been hurt from before I have to let her try if she wants to. If I just take it away from her because I think I know better than her it’s just going to hurt her more.” Love Heart sighed, “We’ll tell mom and dad about this when she comes home, get her some help.”
“What kind of help?”
“I don’t know, whatever she needs,” Love Heart stopped in front of his house.
Confidence put a hand on his shoulder, “You’re a good brother. Sorry I smacked you.”
“It’s fine,” Love Heart stepped back and lightly punched Confidence on the shoulder, “There, we’re even. Want to come in for a bit?”
Confidence smiled, “I’d love to.”
OoOoO
Sweet Heart looked up at the dark cloudy skies, “Alright, I can do this.”
“You sure about this,” Kero had floated up alongside her.
“I have to do this!” Sweet Heart flapped her wings and held out the Clow Key, “Please work.”
“Key of Clow Power of Magic Power of Light Surrender the Wand The Force Ignite Release!”
The key transformed and Sweet Heart grabbed the staff with a sigh of relief. “Good, it still reacts to me. Now which Clow Card is it?” A sudden crash of thunder made Sweet Heart cry out in fear.
“The Thunder Card!” Sweet Heart and Kero looked up to see Syaoran standing on a nearby building. He was wearing an elaborate green robe with thick yellow trim, long sleeves that hung down, a family crest on the front, a yin-yang symbol below the crest and a green hat with two large black stones on the sides. Syaoran jumped down and drew a sword he had sheathed on his back, a Chinese Jian with a flower shaped hilt and two long red tassels that extended from a medallion hanging from the pommel.
“Back off kid, Sweet Heart can handle it!” Kero flew up in the boy’s face.
“No, she can’t,” Syaoran’s voice wasn’t condescending like earlier as he looked at Sweet Heart as she stood up.
“Yes, I can!” Sweet Heart faced him, “Where’s the card?”
Syaoran pulled out his compass in his left hand and held it up, reciting a shorter version of his earlier spell.
“King of gods gods command god, Appear from all directions, Soft Thunder Spinning Thunder."
The light from the compass shot sideways towards where more lightning flashes were seen in the middle of town. Another boom of thunder made Sweet Heart wince but she held her ground and gripped the staff so hard it was shaking.
“I won’t let it destroy my home, not again,” she spread her wings and flapped off towards the lightning.
“Wait up!” Kero took off after Sweet Heart with Syaoran right on his tail.
“She can’t handle this! Stop her you stuffed animal!” Syaoran shouted, still managing to keep pace with Kero on foot.
“Yes she can, kid!” Kero shot back without turning to look at him.
“No, she can’t,” Syaoran kept his voice level, “She’s forcing herself to stay here and she shouldn’t.”
“She wants to and that’s all that matters,” Kero didn’t sound convinced.
Sweet Heart landed on a roof near where the lightning was arcing between the clouds. She still gripped the staff close to her chest so hard it was shaking. “I can do this, I can do this,” she repeated to herself.
“There you are!” Kero flew up beside her as Syaoran landed next to her, displaying incredible acrobatics for a ten-year-old.
“There it is,” Syaoran looked at the thunderhead nearby.
Lightning flashed then a blue bolt struck the ground and arced straight towards the three on the rooftop. Sweet Heart stepped back barely holding it together as Syaoran held up his sword, index and middle finger pressed to the flat of the blade.
"Obey the command! Thunder Emperor, Come Forth!" Syaoran swung at the approaching lightning and fired a yellow bolt of lightning. The two bolts struck and the blue lightning let out a roar that sounded like cracking lightning before being driven into a nearby building roof. Sweet Heart was rooted to the spot as she watched the blue lightning take the shape of a mix between a lion and a wolf made entirely of blue lightning.
“W-what?” Sweet Heart managed to gasp out.
“The Thunder Spirit takes the form of a Raiju,” Syaoran pulled out a yellow paper talisman with Chinese writing on it. The Thunder turned and jumped right at them. Sweet Heart screamed but Syaoran threw up his talisman and struck it with the flat of his sword.
"Obey the command! Water Dragon, Come Forth!" A stream of water blasted out of the talisman and plowed into The Thunder, which cried out in pain as the water shorted out its body in mid air and it fell to the ground. “Hurry, now!” Syaoran turned only to find that Sweet Heart had taken off, flying away from The Thunder Card.
“Sweet Heart!” Kero called after her, “Keep The Thunder busy, I’ll go get her!” the guardian beast took off after her.
“Just hurry!” Syaoran turned back as The Thunder recovered and pulled out another talisman. "Obey the command! Water Dragon, Come Forth!"
OoOoO
Kero found Sweet Heart crouched inside a tractor tire in a nearby playground, hands over her ears and whispering to herself, “I can’t do this, I can’t face it again,” she shook her head and kept her eyes screwed shut.
“Sweet Heart,” Kero floated up to her and touched her arm which made her flinch away.
“I can’t! I can’t face The Thunder again!” She cried out the screamed as she heard another clap of thunder from where Syaoran was still fighting the Clow Card.
Kero could see how scared she was, “Can I help.”
“Get my brother, please get Love Heart!” Sweet Heart was shaking.
“OK, just stay here.”
“No, I’ll go!” The Jump emerged from the Clow Book in spirit form, “Stay here, Keroberos, and I’ll bring Love Heart!” Before Kero could object The Jump took off towards the portal.
OoOoO
Love Heart had changed into his battle costume and was sparring in the backyard with Confidence using a training sword when he paused. “What’s that?” he turned just in time to see The Jump bounding towards them.
“Love Heart!” it shrieked as it took one last jump towards him, “Sweet Heart needs your help!”
Love Heart dropped the training sword and caught The Jump in his arms, “I was afraid of this, can you lead us to her?”
“Keroberos is there, here!” The Jump dove into Love Heart’s chest, which made the wings appear on his feet.
“Right,” Love Heart reached out to Confidence, who took his hand and let him pull her in close, “Hang on!” He jumped towards the portal with Confidence Heart held close.
“You knew she’d need you,” Confidence had to shout over the wind.
“I hoped she could handle this but just in case I decided to change into my battle costume,” Love Heart said as they landed by the portal then jumped right through it.
Kero had left Sweet Heart’s side and flew up, spotting the bounding figure he waved and called out, “OVER HERE!”
It didn’t take long for Love Heart to land next to the giant tire where Sweet Heart was still curled up in fear.
Love Heart let go of Confidence and knelt next to his sister, “Sweet Heart?” he reached out and touched her shoulder.
Sweet Heart jerked away then looked, “Love Heart!” She flung herself on her brother and hugged him tight, crying out again when another thunderclap shook the city.
“It’s alright, I’m here,” Love Heart rubbed one of her folded up wings.
Sweet Heart was crying, “I can’t do this,” she sobbed, “I can’t be the Cardcaptor!” she buried her face in her brother’s chest, “I’m sorry! I failed!” she pulled back and stared up at Love Heart, her eyes filled with tears.
Love Heart wiped some tears from Sweet Heart’s eyes, finding himself tearing up as well. “What do you want to do?”
Sweet Heart leaned back and picked up the sealing staff, “Please, I want you to be the Cardcaptor,” she held the staff up to Love Heart only for another thunderclap to make her curl up again, shaking for a minute before she was able to look her brother in the eye again, “I can’t do this, I just can’t... I’m sorry,” she carefully held the staff towards Love Heart.
Love Heart took the staff then hugged her, “It’s alright. I’ll take care of this.” He carefully took the Clow Book that Sweet Heart had left on the ground then stood up and turned to Confidence, who had stood by to watch the whole scene unfold. “Confidence, please look after my sister.”
“OK,” Confidence wanted to help capture The Thunder and her disappointment showed in her voice but she got down and crawled next to Sweet Heart, “don’t worry, Sweet Heart, I’ll stay with you,” she hugged the pink Pegasus who clung to her like a security blanket.
Love Heart attached the Clow Book to his waist then turned to Kero as another thunderclap reached them, “Let’s go!”
“Alright!” Kero grabbed on to Love Heart’s shoulder before he took off, using the still active Jump Card to launch himself towards the still ongoing battle.
“Thank you,” Sweet Heart whispered, peeking out at her brother before he was lost in the darkness.
OoOoO
"Obey the command! Water Dragon, Come Forth!" another blast of water knocked The Thunder down as Love Heart landed next to Syaoran.
“Li, is that The Thunder Card?” Love Heart held his staff ready.
Syaoran was panting, “Yeah, what took you so long?”
Love Heart glared at Syaoran, “Nevermind, how do I restrain it?”
“You’re asking me?” Syaoran turned to Love Heart.
“Yes! Now tell me!” Love Heart shouted a bit too loud, but Syaoran didn’t flinch.
“Do you have The Shadow Card?”
“Yeah,” Love Heart pulled The Shadow out of the book, “This should work then.” He tossed the card forwards and spun the staff around, “Shadow Card! Wrap around and contain The Thunder! Release!” he struck the card and The Shadow spirit emerged. Even as The Thunder recovered from the latest dousing in water The Shadow flowed under it and burst up and around it and contained it in a sphere.
Love Heart jumped down and swung the staff at the sphere, “Thunder Card! I command you to return to your power confined! Thunder!” The card formed and The Thunder was pulled out into streams of fire and into its card, which Love Heart caught as it flew up.
“Whew, glad that’s over,” Love Heart wiped his forehead.
“Alright!” Kero pumped a fist, “Great job.”
Syaoran landed next to Love Heart, “Big deal, you needed my help to capture it.”
Kero bristled, “Watch it, brat!”
“Don’t call me brat you stupid stuffed animal!” Syaoran shot back, “How can a little thing like you be Keroberos?”
“That’s enough!” Love Heart’s shout made both Kero and Syaoran stop as he finished signing his name to The Thunder Card, “There’s been enough pain today.” He wiped some tears from his eyes and sighed, “Li, I need to look after my sister right now but we need to talk about the Clow Cards later.”
“OK, when and where?” Syaoran asked.
“Saturday at your house, I don’t want any of this near Sweet Heart for a while.” Love Heart pulled out his Heartphone and handed it to Syaoran with a notepad open, “Please give me your address.”
“Alright,” Syaoran typed the address in and handed the Heartphone back to Love Heart.
“Thank you. See you Saturday,” Love Heart motioned for Kero to grab his shoulder then jumped back towards the playground.
Once the lightning storm had cleared up Sweet Heart had calmed down considerably, still shaking slightly when Love Heart landed nearby and re-sealed The Jump.
Confidence was still sitting with Sweet Heart and looked up when Love Heart approached, “Did you capture it?”
“Yep,” Love Heart patted the Clow Book at his side, not wanting to bring it out to show Sweet Heart. He crouched down, “Sweet Heart, how are you?”
“Better, I think,” Sweet Heart sniffed but didn’t get up, “Thank you, Love Heart.”
“Want me to drive you home?”
Sweet Heart just nodded. Confidence Heart helped her to stand on shaky hooves as Love Heart created a cloud car from his tummy symbol. Once Sweet Heart was buckled into the passenger’s seat, Love Heart and Confidence kissed goodbye before Love Heart drove his sister home.
Life Heart and Sage Heart were sitting in the living room when their children came home.
Sweet Heart was the first to speak, “Mom... Dad... I need to tell you something...”
OoOoO
Come Saturday their entire family sat in an office in Readington in front of a woman, on her desk was the name “Doctor Emily Parker”. She looked over the four of them before settling on Sweet Heart Pegasus, who was just staring at her hooves.
“Thank you for seeing us,” Sage Heart said, “I know this is short notice but Sweet Heart needs to see a therapist.” He put his hand on Sweet Heart’s shoulder, and she barely reacted.
“I see, it’s a bit unusual for someone so young to see a psychiatrist instead of a child psychologist but from what you’ve told me this is the right call,” Dr. Parker opened a file on the computer that described everything Sweet Heart had told her parents and brother about her experiences the first time around.
“She needs help and I mean real help,” Love Heart spoke up and before anyone could stop him he continued, “And don’t just ship her off to a loony bin or say ‘she has a fully formed delusion’ because that’s not what happened! She really went through this and needs help instead of being someone’s study!”
“Love Heart!” Life Heart’s severe voice made him wince and sit back down, not realizing he’d stood up while he had been ranting.
Dr. Parker sighed, “I understand what you’re saying, Love Heart, and trust me that’s not going to happen. Psychiatric medicine isn’t like what you see in movies and... have you seen The Terminator or its sequel?”
“Yes,” Love Heart sounded a bit ashamed.
“Well I’m not like that doctor, even if it sounds far-fetched I will take what you’ve told me and what Sweet Heart says seriously,” that seemed to calm Love Heart down, “And from that I can say that Sweet Heart is suffering most of the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, often what happens when someone suffers extreme emotional or physical trauma and can’t process it.”
“You mean like that shell-shock thing war veterans deal with?” Love Heart remembered the lessons he’d learned about World War I last year in history class.
“Exactly,” Dr. Parker nodded, “Surviving any situation like that often leaves the mind unable to process things and she can still vividly remember what happened and may suffer breakdowns when something reminds her of those events, these are called triggers, and not the fake stuff people love to call ‘trigger warnings’ online,” she made quotes with her hands, “a trigger is somethiong that reminds a PTSD victim of the events that caused her distress.”
“Like seeing me fall off a cliff, or lightning and thunder now I guess,” Love Heart looked sideways at his sister.
“Yes, and those triggers will likely be with her the rest of her life but we can work to help her through this. It could take months or years but I will do everything I can to help her as long as she can see me on a regular basis.”
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Sage Heart asked.
“Be there for her, if she wants to talk then listen and remind her that’s she’s loved. Encourage her to see her friends and do things to relax. The love of friends and family isn’t a cure-all but it is important especially if her trauma was caused by seeing someone she loved die.”
“Can you make me better?” Sweet Heart finally spoke for the first time in the office.
“I can’t promise you anything but I will help.” Dr. Parker stood up, “Now, Sweet Heart, would you like to come with me so we can talk about this?”
Sweet Heart looked to both her parents then her brother, who all nodded at her, then turned back to Dr. Parker, “Yes.”
Dr. Parker took Sweet Heart’s hand and led her to a therapy room while Life Heart, Sage Heart and Love Heart retreated to the waiting room.
Love Heart didn’t sit down and instead headed for the door. “Sorry, I need to go meet that new kid, Li Syaoran.”
“The descendent of Clow Reed,” Sage Heart nodded. “Good luck.”
“Thanks, tell Sweet Heart I’ll be home later.”
Love Heart met Confidence Heart and Kero outside the building and immediately let The Jump out of its card to ride on his shoulder. “Alright, let’s go.”
“Will Sweet Heart be alright?” Confidence asked.
“I think so,” Love Heart gave a soft smile. “She just needs time and our support.”
“She will be,” The Jump assured Love Heart, “She wants to get better, I could tell even in the short time we spent together.”
“Thanks, Jump,” Love Heart scratched the spirit under its chin.
Syaoran lived in a two story white house with a grey shingled roof. An older man with grey hair and mustache wearing round glasses answered the door.
“Ahh, you must be Love Heart Bear and Keroberos, I am Wei Wang, cousin to Master Syaoran’s mother and his guardian while he is staying here.” He stepped aside to invite them in, pausing with Confidence Heart, “And I don’t believe I got your name.”
“Confidence Heart Fennec, Love Heart’s girlfriend and I’m in on this Clow Card stuff too,” she didn’t slow down as she walked past Wei who just pointed them to the living room.
Syaoran was sitting on a couch wearing a t-shirt and shorts when the three of them entered. Wei nodded to them then left.
Syaoran was the first to speak, “What did you want to talk about, Love Heart?”
“I need your help with the Clow Cards, Li,” Love Heart didn’t mince words.
“What?” Kero was startled.
“Seriously?” Syaoran sounded unconvinced.
“Yes ‘seriously’, I need help with the Clow Cards, to fight and capture them so something like what happened to Sweet Heart doesn’t happen again,” he turned to Confidence and took her hand, “And I’ve needed help from day one.”
“You helped him capture the Clow Cards?” Syaoran sounded both skeptical and somewhat annoyed.
“Yep!” Confidence smirked, “Helped him catch The Jump, The Sword and The Shadow.”
“She pretty much caught The Sword herself, well her and Indy,” Love Heart smiled.
“Who’s Indy?” Syaoran asked.
“Guardian of the Kingdom of Caring, strong psionic and helped dad train me, I’ll introduce you later,” Love Heart said.
“Have you captured any Clow Cards without help?” Syaoran asked.
Love Heart nodded but was starting to get annoyed, “The Windy, Watery, Wood and Shield Cards.”
“So at least you can do some of this, and why are you letting that card just hang out on your shoulder?” He pointed to The Jump.
“Because we’re friends!” The Jump shot back, visibly bristling at Syaoran’s words.
“Enough with the questions, brat!” Kero flew right up in Syaoran’s face, “Love Heart talked down the Watery Card, he convinced it to surrender and be captured just with his words.”
“No way! There’s no way he could talk down one of the four elements!” Syaoran stood up, his face right in front of Kero, “And how can you be the guardian beast Keroberos?”
“ENOUGH!” Love Heart’s shout almost made the room shake. “Yes I did talk it down, I’m a Care Bear and talking things out is what I do. But I’m not here to start an argument, Li, I’m here to ask you to help me. Train me with magic, teach me the kind of magic you do that lets you shoot water and magic out of your sword and those little paper things you have, tell me what you know about the Clow Cards since you know more about them than anyone other than Keroberos and practise swordsmanship and martial arts with me. Help me be ready for all of them, Li, please. And at the end of this if you still think I’m not worthy of the Clow Cards then I’ll return them to your family.”
Syaoran was silent for a moment then sighed and nodded, “OK, I’ll help you.”
Love Heart sighed in relief, “Alright, so first can you show me that sword of yours please?”
“OK,” Syaoran gently pushed Kero aside and pulled out what looked like the medallion with long tassels that had been attached to the hilt of his sword. He held it up loosely in front of his face and closed his eyes, a moment later a bright glow in the shape of the sword appeared in his hand then faded to reveal the sword in his hand. “I’ll teach you what I can but I can’t promise it’ll work as well for you.”
“We’re both ready to learn,” Confidence stood up, arms pumping.
“You?” Syaoran stared at the fennec.
“Yeah! Even if I can’t learn magic I’m gonna be there every step of the way!”
Another great chapter! Sweetheart had a very good conclusion and I'm glad she is getting the help she needs no one especially a kid should have to go through all that responsibility and trauma. Luckily she has her brother to protect her and have her back. I don't want to say too much here in case of spoilers but I'll let you know more of my thoughts on discord. Again a really nice chapter!
Another great chapter! Sweetheart had a very good conclusion and I'm glad she is getting the help sh
