Taking sorrow and sadness away from your soul And turn it into kindness as your goal The strength deep inside shall help you on your own So just keep moving on! Keep it up!
Cardcaptor Love Heart
Always being praised by everyone that you know, By giving up your freedom to each and every person Your beautiful, never ending smile that you show, Will always hide the truth and continue to worsen
My dreams are getting far away, before I even reach them… But I’ll keep it up! I won’t stop! I’ll make it there myself!
Hold on tight to what you truly value the most Whatever form it take, try your utmost! You won’t truly know, but it’s always real close, You’ll figure it out someday!
Taking sorrow and sadness away from your soul And turn it into kindness as your goal The strength deep inside shall help you on your own So just keep moving on!
Keep it up!
Chapter 18: Cold Hearts, Warm Hearts
Love Heart stirred in the middle of the night, then took a deep breath and snuggled closer to Confidence Heart. It was the night after boxing day, both having spent their Christmas days with their families and now both sharing Love Heart’s bed again.
Confidence smiled as she felt Love Heart pull closer, “Can’t sleep?” she whispered.
“No, but I don’t want to leave either.” Love Heart closed his eyes even as a nagging sensation kept pulling at his mind.
Confidence giggled, “Thank you,” she gave him a kiss, “Anything you want to share?”
“Just this,” Love Heart kissed her back.
A glow from Love Heart’s dresser made them break their kiss and Love Heart rolled over to find the source, the Book of Clow. Love Heart reluctantly pulled away from Confidence and got up to look at the book.
Confidence propped herself up on an arm as Love Heart stood in front of the book, “What’s happening?”
“I don’t know,” Love Heart picked up the book as the glow faded. Love Heart conjured a glowing star from his tummy symbol so he could see the book. The book was now the same green color as his fur and the gold ribbon across the top that had read THE CLOW now read LOVE HEART, however the golden sun emblem across the bottom hadn’t changed while the symbol on the back had the sun and star parts of the emblem replaced with solid gold colored valentine hearts.
“Look, it changed,” Love Heart showed off the new book to Confidence.
“Your name?” Confidence squinted through her exhaustion then yawned.
Love Heart set the book down then dissipated the star and climbed back into bed, “Deal with it in the morning,” he kissed her, “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Confidence kissed back and fell back asleep. Love Heart was still awake as she started softly snoring, a chill unrelated to the weather shot up his spine and he looked up at the covered window.
Outside a short man, tall humanoid and cat-like thing with butterfly wings stood on the Hall of Hearts before vanishing.
The chill passed and Love Heart fell asleep.
OoOoO
After a shower, Love Heart stopped back at his room to check the new green LOVE HEART book. He stared at it then grabbed the book and the heart key and took them with him downstairs.
After breakfast, Love Heart put the new book on the table, “The Clow Book changed last night. It has my name on it now.”
“That’s unexpected,” Sage Heart looked at Kero who had flown over to the book.
“Looks like it’s reacting to your magic, it’s your book now,” Kero touched the name ribbon on the book.
“But what does it mean?” Love Heart picked up the heart key from around his neck. Like the staff the key was now green and had a small heart inside a ring with tiny wings now. “I wonder…” he held the key up and recited the old chant.
“Key of clow. Power of Magic. Power of Light.” There was no reaction even as he spoke, “Surrender the wand. The force ignite. Release!” despite the command, nothing happened.
“What’s wrong, why didn’t it work?” Confidence Heart looked at the still inert key as Love Heart held it up by its string.
“I don’t know, I didn’t even feel any magic flowing when I tried that,” Love Heart let the key fall back to his chest.
“Is your magic broken?” Sweet Heart stood up on her chair to get a better look.
“Maybe you need to find new words, or a spell that’s yours instead of using Clow Reed’s magic,” Life Heart started gathering the breakfast dishes.
“Maybe.” Love Heart sighed, “I was hoping things would go back to normal now that I captured all of the cards, and passed the test.”
Confidence’s ears drooped, “Normal? What do you mean, normal?”
Love Heart picked up the book, not noticing his girlfriend’s sudden mood drop, “No more danger, no more lives at risk, no more being on edge about the next attack, and maybe Wish and Loyal Heart could get better but I don’t know how they’re even dealing with what’s happened to them.” Before Love Heart could go on he felt his heartphone ring and pulled it out to check the text.
Confidence Heart stared at Love Heart for a moment. Back to normal? Before everything that happened since summer? Were their adventures over? Would they just drift apart now? Her worries were interrupted when Love Heart spoke.
“It’s Brave Heart, he wants me to come over for a board games day,” he smiled, “haven’t had time for that lately.”
“Can I come! Who’s going to be there?” Sweet Heart jumped up, her wings flapping slightly in excitement.
“Him, Harmony Bear, Playful Heart, Wish Bear, Loyal Heart, so with us that would be seven,” he turned to Confidence Heart, “Want to join us?”
Confidence put on a smile and had pulled out her own heartphone, “Nah, think I’ll see if Bright Heart and Gentle want to watch some anime. I could use a day of just lounging.”
“OK, then we can play Seven Wonders,” Love Heart got up but couldn’t beat Confidence to the door. She was wrapping herself in more layers than Love Heart or Sweet Heart deemed necessary but she still snuck in a kiss with Love Heart before she wrapped her face in a scarf.
“See ya later, I love you,” Confidence was halfway out the door so Love Heart had to shout.
“I love you too!”
Confidence Heart trudged through the snow that was still falling as she headed for Bright Heart’s house in the Forest of Feelings. She didn’t like being alone with her thoughts right now as she as still thinking about what Love Heart said, that he wanted things to go back to normal. Was she reading too much into it, did he want things to just stop? She tried to force the thoughts from her mind as she knocked on Bright Heart’s door and was greeted by Grumpy Bear.
The dark blue bear rolled his eyes, “About time you got here,” he stepped back to let her in then shut the door, “We’re ready anytime.”
“Uh-huh,” Confidence grunted as she peeled off the layers of her winter clothing, finally shaking her head free and smoothing out her hair before she headed for Bright Heart’s living room.
Bright and Gentle were already cuddled up on the loveseat while Grumpy and Confidence plopped down on opposite ends of the couch, Confidence pulling out her heartphone as she took a seat.
“So what should we start with?” Bright Heart turned to Confidence, waiting for her to pay attention.
“Just a sec, telling my dad and brother where I’ll be all day,” she closed the heartphone, “How about Utena.”
“Sounds good,” Gentle Heart took the remote and started up the show.
Though it was one of her favorites, Confidence was only half paying attention for the first three episodes. Grumpy was the first to notice and signaled Bright Heart to pause partway into episode four.
“Hey! I was watching that,” Confidence suddenly came back to attention.
“Not really,” Grumpy said, “What’s on your mind, Confidence?”
“Well…” Confidence chewed her lower lip for a second then sighed, “I’m just worried about Love Heart.”
“Why, what happened?” Gentle Heart was suddenly tense.
“Nothing like that,” Confidence waved a hand to assure her, “just… well…” she sighed, “It’s stupid.”
“Tell us, please,” Grumpy scooted closer and put a hand on her shoulder.
“We can watch anime anytime, go on,” Bright Heart encouraged.
Confidence smiled, “Thanks. You see the Clow Book changed last night and Love Heart can’t use his key and… well he said he wanted things to go back to normal, like before he released the Clow Cards.”
“What’s wrong about that?” Gentle Heart asked.
“That’s also before they started dating,” Grumpy turned to Gentle with a slight scowl, “and they only really started getting together after they worked together to capture the Clow Cards.”
“And Love Heart isn’t exactly the most… expedient person,” Bright Heart shook his head, “He had a crush on Harmony for years before he said anything.”
“Oh yeah,” Gentle Heart nodded, “and he didn’t even get his cloud car license until this year.”
“I don’t have mine yet either,” Confidence interjected.
Grumpy rolled his eyes, “Yeah, but you only just started practicing and haven’t had the time we did, we’ve all been practicing since we were kids and most of us got our licenses years ago. I think the last one before Love Heart was Lotsa Heart Elephant and even that was 3 years ago.”
“Oh…” Confidence’s ears drooped. “Sorry to bring down the mood…”
“Yeah, that’s my job,” Grumpy’s joke made them all burst out laughing for a moment.
“Haha! Thanks, Grumpy, but should I be worried about this or am I thinking about it too hard?” Confidence looked to her friends for advice.
“You’re definitely thinking too hard,” Grumpy pulled back and scooted back to his end of the couch so he could lean on the armrest, “Just relax for today and hang out a bit. You’ve been so busy with the Clow Card stuff we haven’t had a chance to just hang out in months.”
Confidence smiled, “You’re right, thanks you guys. OK start the show up again.” Confidence relaxed and was paying more attention to the show now, but the thought still nagged at the back of her mind.
OoOoO
Game’s day at Brave Heart’s started all right, Seven Wonders being the first game they played; it was rare that they were able to play a full game with all seven players. Wish Bear was overly chatty sometimes bouncing in her seat as much as Sweet Heart did; she’d been like that Christmas Day too when they all gathered in the Hall of Hearts, happy to receive the few presents everyone had managed to scrape together at the last minute due to their memories being suppressed.
Loyal Heart, by contrast, barely spoke and even then it was just to inform them of his moves in the game. When they took a break for lunch, Love Heart sat next to Loyal Heart at the table as they ate.
“Loyal Heart, hello Forest of Feelings to Loyal Heart,” Love Heart waved a hand in front of the dog as he just stared at his soup.
“Huh?” Loyal Heart looked up, “Something wrong, Love Heart?”
“I should be asking that, what’s bothering you, Loyal?” Love Heart’s words caused everyone to turn and wait for Loyal Heart’s answer.
Loyal Heart took a spoonful of soup then sighed, “I don’t know who I am anymore, or if I ever knew who I was or even if I ever existed.”
The silence hung over the group for a moment before Brave Heart spoke up, “You’re Loyal Heart Dog, truest and most loyal of the Care Bear Cousins”
“Am I?” Loyal Heart cut him off, “I can barely remember anything I’ve done that’s not just part of a group. I mean I help kids but how much of that ever really happened?” Loyal Heart grabbed the sides of his head, “And now I find out it’s all been a lie! I’m not a Care Bear Cousin, I don’t even know if I was a cub, I’m just a vessel for one of Love Heart’s Clow Guardians!”
Love Heart touched Loyal Heart’s shoulder but the dog flinched away, “Loyal Heart you’re not just a vessel, you’re my friend and-”
“And what?” Loyal Heart turned away, “Wasn’t that just a ploy to get Yue closer to you? Is my crush on you just his feelings? Is that why I’m gay or am I just fixated on you? Was I always here or did I just appear one day and everyone ‘remembered’ me being here?!”
They were all taken aback by Loyal Heart’s rant and Wish was the first to try and speak, “Loyal, I don’t know the answers but I’m sure you’ve always been around us.”
“And what about when we all forgot you existed while you were trapped as a Clow Card?” Loyal Heart’s question stunned Wish and she started fidgeting, but didn’t reply.
Loyal Heart drank his soup down straight from the bowl then got up, “I need to go. Thanks for lunch and the games stuff. I need to be alone.”
“Wait, Loyal Heart!” Playful Heart, a yellow monkey with a tummy symbol of a heart with party hat and party popper, jumped up only to have Brave Heart grab his tail to hold him back.
“Let him go,” Brave Heart shook his head.
“But he needs us right now!” Playful tried to pull his tail free but Brave Heart just tugged enough to pull him back into his chair.
“And if we run after him now we’ll just push him away.” Brave Heart folded his arms, “Let him cool off and we’ll talk to him tomorrow.”
“Guess that puts a damper on things…” Wish mumbled while fiddling with her soup spoon before eating again.
Love Heart finished his serving, “As long as we’re being serious, I need some help,” he pulled the key off his neck and held it up, “I can’t use the Clow Key anymore. I tried the old spell but nothing happened.”
“You can’t use magic anymore?” Wish’s focus turned instantly to the key.
“Not exactly,” Love Heart stared at the dangling Heart Key, “I can still feel the magic I just don’t know how to bring it out anymore, or maybe the words aren’t right anymore. Kero didn’t have any suggestions.”
“Maybe you need new words,” Harmony leaned closer, “Like with that spell you used to free Wish Bear or the words you made up years ago.”
“Hmm,” Love Heart stared at the key for a moment longer, “Mom said the same thing… it’s a heart now so the power of my heart maybe?”
“I know you’ll think of something,” Sweet Heart smiled, “but let’s just have fun while we can, ok? I mean no telling when something else might happen.”
Love Heart gave a concerned look to his sister then to Wish. He hoped something else wouldn’t happen given what had happened to them and what Loyal Heart was going through. He hung the key back around his neck and tried to smile, “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll figure it out eventually.”
OoOoO
Loyal Heart trudged home through the snow, now wishing he hadn’t left so he wouldn’t be alone with his thoughts. Who was he? He’d been asking that question ever since Love Heart told him he was Yue, or rather Yue’s vessel. Had he even been around as long as he remembered or did he even have memories? It tormented him every night especially since he could barely remember anything from his life, or was that normal? He hugged himself and kept walking as the snowstorm began to escalate to a blizzard.
OoOoO
Love Heart was distracted for the rest of the day, thinking about the key and what incantation he could use to activate it, he even thought about this in silence the entire walk home with his sister.
Confidence had gone home so Love Heart just went straight to his room to think. He stared at the new book in his hands, which felt hollow.
“Hello, Jump? Windy? Anyone?” a chill unrelated to the weather traveled up his spine.
“What’s wrong?” Kero floated through the open crack in Love Heart’s bedroom door.
“I can’t feel the Clow Cars anymore, they feel… cold…” Love Heart opened the book and picked up the top card, which happened to be The Jump.
Kero floated over to the card and touched it, “I can still feel magic here, but its different from yours now.”
“New book, new staff, new magic… what does this all mean?” Love Heart shuddered then turned to the window. The weather was getting worse, too worse in fact.
Love Heart and Kero both jumped, they could suddenly feel a magical aura outside in the midst of the storm. Love Heart stood at the window when he heard his heartphone start ringing.
He answered without checking the caller and heard Confidence’s voice on the other end. “Love Heart! Love Heart are you alright?”
“I am. What’s wrong, Confidence,” Love Heart’s breath caught in his throat.
“The blizzard’s gotten worse, I’m hiding in a bus shelter near my house but it’s getting up to my waist and I can’t get my front door open!” Confidence was shouting over the howling wind. “This can’t be natural!”
“It’s not,” Love Heart was already heading for the front door, “There’s magic behind this. I’m on my way!” he hung up.
Confidence shivered as she did up her coat after putting her phone away. She smiled despite the cold because it meant their magical adventures weren’t over. If only this was something she could help with.
Love Heart pulled on his coat and turned to Kero, “Can you help us get to Confidence’s house?”
Kero nodded, “I can, just get me outside.”
Life Heart watched them, “Son, please be careful.”
Love Heart smiled, “I will mom,” they hugged for a moment before Love Heart and Kero plowed outside.
Kero’s wings grew huge and enveloped his body as he changed into his true form. He immediately fired a blast of heat from his mouth, creating a path through the snow. “Let’s go!” Keroberos shouted as Love Heart charged ahead with the guardian beast right behind him.
OoOoO
Loyal Heart was trying to read when he felt a sudden pulse in the ack of his head. He had no time to react as the wings sprouted from his back and enveloped him and Yue stood in his place.
“Love Heart needs my help.” Yue stepped outside, unaffected by the cold, and flew off. He easily spotted the blasts of heat Keroberos was using to carve the way to the portal and landed next to Love Heart.
“Yue?” Love Heart blinked as he felt another blast of heat from Keroberos carved most of the way to.
“Yes, I sensed there was magic behind this storm. I had to take my host’s body to come to your aid.” Yue’s response was without any inflection.
Love Heart sighed, he’d have to talk to Yue about this later, “We need to get to Confidence Heart,” Love Heart had to shout over the wind which was starting to howl, “Once there I need to figure out how to use my staff again!”
“We’re here!” Kero had just finished blowing a trench through the portal.
Love Heart forced his way through the portal; it seemed the storm was stronger on the Readington side. “I need a lift, Keroberos can you fly me to Confidence Heart’s house please!?”
“Climb on!”
Love Heart barely managed to hang on as Keroberos flew off. A sudden blast of wind nearly threw them off until Yue flew over and created a magical barrier to deflect the wind so Keroberos could keep flying.
It didn’t take long for them to find the bus shelter Confidence was holed up in and Love Heart jumped off a meter from the ground and forced himself into the shelter to grab her in a hug.
“I was worried,” Love Heart said.
“Thanks. So now what?” Confidence looked out into the snowstorm.
“I need to figure out how to bring the staff out,” Love Heart held up the key that was hanging around his neck outside is coat, “I just need to figure out the words.”
“It’s a heart now, so maybe something with key of the heart?” Confidence stared at the key, then shivered as she swore the wind was picking up.
“The storm is getting worse!” Yue called from outside the shelter.
“If you don’t stop it soon the power lines could freeze!” Keroberos had to shout.
“Right, key of the heart,” Love Heart felt a spark go off within him, “Then I just have to call from the heart and hope this works.” He closed his eyes and the words came to him:
"Key of the Heart With Powers Burning Bright
A glowing golden magic circle appeared under his feet, with the sun and moon motifs replaced with valentine hearts.
Reveal the Staff And Shine! Your! Light! Release!"
The key spun around and grew into a staff vertically in mid-air: a green staff with a ring at the top with wings at the side that contained a golden valentine heart.
“It worked!” Confidence would have jumped for joy were she not still freezing.
“Let’s make sure it works,” Love Heart faced the bus shelter door and swung the staff towards the built-up snow.
"Summer, heed my call! Fire Burst!" a stream of fire shot from the staff’s top and carved a trench through the snow. Love Heart grinned, “Alright! But I’ll need more fire.” Love Heart stepped outside, nearly being bowled over by the wind as he retrieved the Fiery Card.
Love Heart looked up at Keroberos and Yue, whose magic was shielding them from the worst of the storm. If the old words didn’t work to summon the staff then he couldn’t just call on the card the way he used to. But what if he used the same words he used to free Wish Bear.
“That’s it!” Love Heart threw The Fiery Card up where it floated and spun in place undisturbed by the wind as Love Heart spun the staff and whirled it around him.
"Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall Ancient forces heed my call! Fiery Card, discard your former might And draw new power from my light Heart Card!"
Love Heart threw the staff up with the ring right under the Fiery Card. The staff’s wings spread and the heart spun inside the ring. The Fiery Card stopped spinning and in a flash its colors changed from red and gold to green and gold as The Fiery Spirit emerged.
It stretched, “AHH Finally! Yeesh it’s cold,” it looked around.
“It worked!” Confidence Heart grinned.
“Hurry!” Keroberos called.
“Right, Fiery Card melt all of the snow! Hurry!” Love Heart shouted up at The Fiery Spirit.
“Got it!” The Fiery gave a two fingered salute then flew up into the sky on a trail of fire, then spread its wings and flew across the city.
Were one to view the city from above it would have looked like someone erasing one layer of white from an art program as The Fiery flew across the city then through the portal and across the Kingdom of Caring before, vaporizing all the snow into nothing before returning to Love Heart.
“All done!” it grinned.
“Good, thank you,” Love Heart let out a long breath, suddenly feeling very tired as he recalled The Fiery.
Confidence Heart still shivered then stepped out of the shelter. The wave of heat that had accompanied The Fiery’s flight already giving way to the natural cold of winter. Then she saw it falling again, “Snow? I thought you got rid of it.”
“Just the magical snow and the excess under it,” Yue landed with Keroberos next to the two, “With that gone regular weather should resume.”
“Good, last thing I want is an ecological disaster on my conscience,” Love Heart suddenly yawed, feeling weak in the knees.
Confidence had to catch him as he almost fell backwards. “You alright?”
“Just tired,” Love Heart managed to get back om his feet.
“It seems my role is done here. I will see you in the future.” Yue enfolded himself in his wings.
“Wait! Not here!” Love Heart’s shout came too late as the wings pulled back and retracted into Loyal Heart’s back.
Loyal Heart stood there somewhat out of it until the cold suddenly hit him. “Fucking hell!” Loyal Heart held himself and shivered, his actual swear catching everyone off guard. “Did Yue just drag me off to help you?” he glared at Keroberos then looked at Love Heart.
“Yes,” Love Heart saw no point in lying.
“Is this my life now… is it even a life?” Loyal Heart turned and began to walk back towards the portal.
“Loyal Heart wait!” Love Heart tried to follow him but stumbled. Loyal Heart didn’t even pause or look back.
“You need rest, Love Heart,” Keroberos stepped next to Love Heart.
“You can spend the night with me,” Confidence Heart couldn’t help but smile as she supported Love Heart so they could walk towards her house.
Keroberos changed back to his smaller form and followed them, “We need to talk to everyone about the Clow Cards tomorrow.”
“Yeah, but for now… sleep…” Love Heart yawned again then glanced back at where he had seen Loyal Heart walking away. Was this only going to hurt people more now? He’d have to sleep on it.
Confidence Heart couldn’t stop her smile, hidden by her scarf. Their adventures weren’t over, at least not yet. Maybe next time she would be able to actually help.
OoOoO
In a formerly unoccupied house in Readington, a large black panther with huge butterfly wing had watched out the window as the storm stopped and the regular snow resumed.
“Master, it seems the master of the Clow Card passed your first test,” the deep voiced panther turned its head to face a young boy who held a staff taller than he was with a giant lopsided sun on the top.
“Yes she did,” the boy spoke in a deep voice much more suited to an adult man, “But there will be many more to come.”
“I hope her brother is ready too,” an adult sized apparent woman also with giant butterfly wings stood nearby with a smirk on her face, “I can’t wait to see what he thinks of me.”
“In due time,” the boy magically shrunk his staff down to a small golden key, “but for now we wait until school resumes.”
In the midst of winter a new threat emerges and Love Heart needs to use the Clow Cards to combat it, and deal with all the repercussions of the Clow Cards' effects before he caught them...
This was a really good chapter and a really nice way to change the dynamic of where the story might head. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next!
This was a really good chapter and a really nice way to change the dynamic of where the story might
