Loyal Heart Dog stood just inside the entrance to the Hall of Hearts, occasionally checking his Heartphone until Love Heart arrived.
“You wanted to show me something?” Loyal Heart closed his phone as Love Heart pulled off his winter clothing.
“Yeah, follow me.”
Love Heart coughed at the dust as he led the way into the attic, “Tenderheart told me about this, where is it?” Love Heart started digging through some of the boxes then both he and Loyal Heart started coughing as the dust kicked up.
“Achoo!” Loyal Heart stumbled to the nearby window and pushed it open, the chill shocking him as his eyes cleared from the dust.
"Key of the Heart With Powers Burning Bright Reveal the Staff And Shine Your Light Release!"
Loyal Heart turned around in time to see Love Heart grab the Heart Staff and began to whirl it around him.
"Autumn, heed my call! Wind Squall!"
A small whirlwind kicked up around Love Heart and Loyal Heart was forced to shield his eyes and nose as he stepped aside as all the dust was picked up and blown out the now open window.
Love Heart swiped his forehead then walked to the open window, “Much better.”
“Why didn’t you transform The Windy Card?” Loyal Heart uncovered his eyes.
Love Heart shut the window, “Too risky, I need a big crisis for the elements to make sure it burns off its energy not just dust cleaning. Now where was I?” Love Heart returned to the boxes he had been searching earlier.
Loyal Heart patted some dust out of his fur and walked over to see what Love Heart was pulling out of a box, “Photo albums?”
“Baby photo albums,” Love Heart had a contented smile on his face as he pulled out a book, its blue cover dulled with age, and opened the cover to a page with Love-a-Lot Bear, Swift Heart Rabbit, Playful Heart Monkey and himself all in diapers and baby clothes.
Loyal Heart smiled, “Aww, you were so cute, Love Heart.”
Love Heart blushed and turned the page until he found what he was looking for, “Here, take a look at yourself, Loyal Heart Puppy.” Love Heart held up the book and showed Loyal Heart a picture that clearly showed himself as a puppy wearing a baby shirt, diaper and with a pacifier in his mouth.
“That’s me?” Loyal Heart took the book from Love Heart’s hands as the bear went back to searching through the books, flipping through the pages to find more pictures.
“But if these pictures are real then… I was here back when you were cubs?” Loyal Heart shook his head, trying to dispel the clouds from his mind.
“When we were cubs,” Love Heart flipped to another page, “Aha! Take a look at this!”
Loyal Heart set the first book down and took the second, then gawked at what he saw: a picture of himself as a puppy handing a flower to baby Proud Heart Cat, one that looked a lot like her tummy symbol.”
“I remember that, somehow, and if I did that… Hold on I need to make a phone call.” He dropped the book with a *thud* and hastily called Proud Heart on his heartphone.
“Hello?”
“Proud Heart! It’s Loyal Heart, I need to ask you something really important.”
Proud Heart was a bit startled by Loyal Heart’s urgency, “What do you need?”
“Do you remember that flower I gave you when we were cubs?”
Proud Heart smiled, “I do. I still have it actually, Grams showed me how to press it. Just a moment, I’ll get it.”
Loyal Heart waited a moment until Proud Heart started a video call and the screen turned on to show the flower, pressed inside a plastic case.
“It’s real, it was real, I was really there!” Loyal Heart wasn’t sure he could believe it.
Proud Heart turned her phone around so Loyal Heart could see her face, “Loyal Heart, are you alright?”
“No…”
Proud Heart gave him a worried look, “Loyal, if you need to talk I’m here, I’m still your friend.”
“I know, Love Heart’s helping me, I just… I have a lot to think about but seeing that did help a lot. Gotta go, Proud Heart. See you later,” Loyal Heart hung up before she could answer.
“Did that help?” Love Heart asked.
“A little, but I still want to know how I became Yue’s vessel,” Loyal Heart put his phone away.
“I could ask Yue if you let him out.”
“No!” Loyal Heart’s sudden shout made Love Heart jump, “I want to trust you but… I need to ask him myself so I know what he says, somehow…”
“Sorry…” Love Heart looked away from Loyal Heart and his gaze came to rest on a gold-trimmed mirror leaning up against a wall. “Wait, I think I have an idea,” Love Heart reached into the Heart Book and pulled out a Clow Card.
“Huh?” Loyal Heart turned to Love Heart, right as he threw the card up and began to spin his staff around.
"Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall Ancient forces heed my call! Mirror Card, discard your former might And draw new power from my light Heart Card!"
The mirror card changed as Love Heart gave his new command, “Mirror Card! Create a mirror that will allow Loyal Heart to peer into his own soul and speak to Yue!” There was a burst of energy and the transformed Mirror Card flickered for a minute as it struggled then formed into a large silver-rimmed hand mirror in Love Heart’s hand.
Love Heart panted for a moment then handed the mirror to Loyal Heart, “Here, this should work.” He wiped his forehead after Loyal accepted the mirror.
Loyal Heart took a deep breath, trying to nerve himself for what he would see. “I can do this,” he lifted up the mirror then almost dropped it when he saw the face framed by the long silver hair that looked back at him. “Are you Yue?”
The reflection of Yue moved of its own accord and looked back impassively at Loyal Heart, “I am. I never expected to be able to speak to you directly.” He looked over Loyal Heart’s shoulder to where Love Heart had moved behind him, “Love Heart, I am impressed with your creativity with the new Heart Cards.”
“Thanks,” Love Heart smiled.
“Yue,” Loyal Heart drew the reflection’s attention back to him, “I need to know, where did I come from? Did you just create me out of nothing or was I ever real?”
“I did not create you,” Loyal Heart perked up as Yue continued, “When I sensed where the Clow Book was going to be moved to I left it as Koran was changed into what he is now. I witnessed several of you creatures being created and knew I’d have to find a form that could blend in. Near to where they were being created I found a pregnant female dog on her last legs and was able to possess the nearly born child; had I not it’s likely you would not have survived the birth. Sadly, your mother died in the process but you were born as you are now, bolstered by my magic enough to ensure your survival and that the unicorn was able to find you before any predators did. The energy I expended to do so left me dormant until I sensed the last card was sealed.”
Loyal Heart started to wag his tail, “So I wasn’t just created to be your vessel.”
Yue shook his head, “No, your form was already as is it now, just about to be born and needing energy to survive.”
“Yes, you are,” even though he couldn’t feel Loyal Heart’s embrace he still felt awkward, “Now that your question has been answered I believe I need to return The Mirror to Love Heart.”
“Right,” Love Heart held out his hand, “Mirror, return.” The mirror in Loyal Heart’s arms dissolved and flowed back into its card form.
Loyal Heart almost pounced on Love Heart, his tail wagging as he hugged him, “Thank you, Love Heart! Thank you!” He gave Love Heart a big lick across his face, then blushed and released him, “Sorry, I’m just so relieved.”
“It’s fine,” Love Heart wiped some of the dampness off his face, “I’m just happy you’re OK.” He sighed as he sealed the staff and put The Mirror away, “If only I could fix my own problems with magic.”
“You mean what happened with Confidence?” Loyal Heart was already heading for the attic stairs.
“Yeah, so what do you think about that?” Love Heart followed Loyal Heart down and closed the ladder behind them.
“Not sure, I haven’t been paying attention to a lot of stuff lately, because… well you know…” Loyal Heart stared at the floor.
“I get it, which reminds me I need to check up on Wish Bear. It’s been a couple days since I erased part of her memory and I promised myself I’d make sure she doesn’t relapse.”
“You’re a good friend,” Loyal Heart was already getting dressed, “I think I should talk to Proud Heart and Gentle Heart too.” He stopped with only his boots and coat on but not zipped and pulled out his heartphone to text them while Love Heart dressed and left.
Loyal Heart was mid-text when two other Care Bears entered the Hall of Hearts, one saying hello, then headed for the kitchen. Loyal Heart waved then checked the time and hastily changed his text to “Meet you both for lunch, Proud, Gentle” then waited for their reply.
While he waited a thought occurred to Loyal Heart and he spoke aloud, “Yue, I don’t know if you can hear me right now but please… don’t force yourself out without my permission. I don’t know if I can feel when you do but… just let me choose when you come out, please. I don’t want to black out for no reason anymore.”
He stood in silence for a few minutes before his heartphone went off, twice, making him jump. He checked and saw both Gentle Heart and Proud Heart had agreed to meet him for lunch. Loyal Heart sighed in relief then headed for the kitchen, “Friend Bear! Secret Bear! Let me help with lunch today!”
OoOoO
Love Heart was relieved when Wish Bear answered her door right away with a smile on her face, “Love Heart! Come in,” she stepped back to let him in.
Love Heart didn’t undress even as he shut the door behind him, “Feeling better?”
“A lot, still seeing Dr. Parker,” Wish took a couple steps away from him, “and thank you for the magical aid.”
Love Heart jumped, “You know? I mean… you remember but.”
“Dr. Parker told me during our last session, said you erased part of my memory from when I was trapped as The Wish Card. I know I was trapped there but I still just feel like I went to sleep and woke up so I feel much better,” Wish sighed, “I still remember everything that happened but it’s getting easier to deal with.”
Love Heart averted his gaze, “Sorry, I was worried you’d remember the parts that were making you suicidal.”
“Don’t apologize, you’ve helped a lot.” Wish turned back to him, “I wish there was something I could do to help you.”
Love Heart chuckled, “Well as long as you don’t try to flirt with me or lick my cheek like Loyal Heart. Want to come for lunch?”
“Sure, just let me get dressed.”
Love Heart stepped aside so Wish could get dressed, “So Loyal Heart licked your cheek?”
“While he was hugging me, after I helped him with his own existential crisis.” Love Heart opened the door for Wish and they stepped outside, “I think he wanted to kiss me but settled for a ‘doggy kiss’.” Love Heart chuckled a bit forcefully.
Wish paused halfway through turning the key in her lock, “Loyal Heart’s gay?”
“Yeah, he told me during the play… right you missed a lot sorry…” Love Heart averted his eyes again.
Wish finished locking her door and they headed for the Hall of Hearts, “I’ve been filled in bit by bit, I just hope I don’t miss anything else this year.”
“You won’t. I guess I should tell you Confidence and I are dating, sort of… we’re kind of not speaking right now… It’s a bit of a story…”
“Tell me and we can talk about more stuff over lunch,” Wish put her hands I her coat pockets as they walked and Love Heart explained what happened after the giant teddy bear attack.
OoOoO
Macaroni and cheese was the lunch of the day and Loyal Heart stood serving everyone until Proud Heart and Gentle Heart both approached.
He smiled as he served them then turned to Secret Bear, “I’m having lunch with them, will you be alright here?”
Secret, who almost never spoke, just smiled and nodded, making a motion for Loyal Heart to go ahead.
“Thank you.” Loyal Heart served himself then discarded his apron and hair net to join Proud Heart and Gentle Heart at their table.
Gentle Heart idly stirred her mac and cheese, “So, Loyal Heart, what did you want to talk about?”
Loyal Heart chewed and swallowed then took a deep breath, “I want to know why our relationships didn’t work, I mean aside from me realizing I was gay recently. Did I do something wrong? Did either of you ‘sense’ something was wrong with me or that I wasn’t right for you? Did I not try hard enough? Did-”
“Hold on a moment!” Proud Heart’s raised voice drew a couple stares but she ignored them and wiped her mouth with a napkin before continuing. “Loyal Heart I didn’t ‘sense’ anything about you, magical or homosexual, but I think you were trying too hard to please me,” she held up a hand to forestall his questions then continued, “I admit I’m high maintenance, even before we started dating. I always strive to be purrrfect in everything, especially gardening and my appearance, and I have rather high expectations for everything. You worked hard to keep up with me and I admit I dialed things back because I saw you were running yourself to exhaustion trying to keep up, but honestly you didn’t need to. I still liked you but it felt more like a friendship than any kind of romance, that’s why I carefully pushed you to dance with Gentle Heart the same night I ended up hooking up with Swifty.” She sighed as her mind and eyes wandered to the blue rabbit boy at another table, “We might not look up but we both have similar interests and he keeps up with me.”
“With your needs?” Gentle Heart asked.
Proud Heart blushed, “And then some, also his hot body doesn’t hurt,” she purred which made Gentle blush and Loyal Heart cough slightly. “But we get on the same wavelength so easily while you and I struggled, Loyal. I still care about you but… it just wasn’t working out and I knew Gentle Heart had a crush on you for a while. It seemed to work out but you being gay does explain a lot.”
“Right, but I just figured that out this year, among other things about me…” Loyal Heart looked down at himself. He shook his head to dispel the thoughts and turned to Gentle Heart, “So why didn’t we work out, Gentle?”
“Well…” Gentle Heart had to think for a moment before she answered, “you were kind, sweet and attentive with me but you were always distant, you didn’t want to rush things but you kind of kept me at emotional arm’s length like you were afraid you’d hurt me if we got intimate… *emotionally* intimate!” she shouted the last two words which made everyone nearby jump, “I mean yeah… you talked to me but you weren’t ready for something I wanted so I let you down as softly as I could. Bright Heart was willing to engage with me even when we weren’t a couple and I didn’t want to go behind your back so I broke up with you before I did anything wrong. I felt like I bonded with Bright Heart so much faster and he showed me stuff I didn’t realize I was into and we would spend nights together just snuggled up watching anime or Star Trek.” Gentle Heart blushed slightly.
“Ooooh?” Proud Heart leaned over and gave the lamb a catty smile, “How far have you two gone?”
Gentle Heart’s whole face turned red in response and Proud Heart snickered, “That’s all I needed to see. Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”
“I guess I just wanted to be in a relationship so badly I tried to be someone for you I wasn’t and then I was afraid I pushed too hard with Proud Heart so I didn’t want to mess up again. I still kind of want to be with someone now…” Loyal Heart sighed and started eating his rapidly cooling mac and cheese.
“You could ask Grumpy,” Proud Hear said with a spoon halfway to her mouth, “He had a crush on Swifty before but never said anything until last year.”
Loyal Heart hastily covered his mouth to stop a shout then finally asked, “Grumpy’s gay?”
“I think he might be pansexual, he had a crush on Cheer too when we were younger but that was before puberty and hormones so who knows,” Proud Heart shrugged then went to finish eating.
Loyal Heart nodded then wolfed down the rest of his lunch to the girls’ amusement, “Thanks, that did help. I gotta go!” He hastily dropped his bowl off at the dishes bin and almost ran over to where Grumpy was sitting.
Proud Heart sighed, “I shouldn’t have told him that.”
“I hope he doesn’t try to rush things,” Gentle Heart returned to her lunch.
“Hi Grumpy, can I join you?”
Grumpy Bear looked up from a textbook he was reading, “Sure, Loyal, go ahead.”
Loyal sat down, fidgeted nervously for a moment then asked, “So, what are you reading?”
“Studying,” Grumpy looked up from his book again and sighed, “Let me guess, Proud Heart told you I used to have a thing for Swift Heart and you wanted to see if I wanted to try dating. Sorry to burst your bubble but you’re not my type. We barely have anything in common and even if we did I’m not interested right now. I just want to focus on finishing high school this year so I never have to go back again. So sick of homework,” Grumpy muttered a few more words under his breath.
“Oh… sorry,” Loyal Heart’s ears drooped.
Grumpy sighed and tried to smile, “Sorry to be so blunt but I just want to cut through the BS. You’re fine, Loyal Heart, and I’m sure you’ll find someone if you really want to but it’s not me and not now.” Grumpy shrugged, “Might not even be a Care Bear or Cousin.”
“Huh… Maybe,” Loyal Heart touched his chest, “Don’t think it’ll be with myself though.”
“Oh yeah, that thing,” Grumpy shuddered slightly, “Honestly Yue creeps me out and you being possessed by him is disturbing.”
Loyal Heart groaned, “Imagine how it feels for me. But at least I found out he didn’t just make me out of nothing. He saved my life by making sure I’d survive being born before my mother died so I do owe him.”
“Not enough to let him just take over whenever.”
“I’m trying to work out something with him. I think I should go, see ya later,” Loyal Heart got up and departed the Hall of Hearts.
Love Heart and Confidence Heart were too wrapped up in their own relationship drama to notice Loyal Heart’s, each sitting apart from each other with their own group of friends: Love Heart with Brave Heart, Harmony, Playful Heart and Wish Bear while Confidence sat with Bright Heart and Swift Heart and was shortly joined by Proud Heart and Gentle Heart after they finished their lunch with Loyal Heart.
Love Heart glanced over at Confidence Heart’s table then back to his own friends, “I still don’t know what to do. I know we didn’t break up but still…”
“Still nothing, just talk to her,” Brave Heart leaned forwards, “You’ve both had time to cool off so just talk.”
“Not right now,” Playful Heart grabbed Love Heart’s arm as he stood up, “Think about what you want to say and why and then talk to her.”
“What would you know about relationships?” Harmony scrutinized Playful.
Playful let go of Love Heart’s arm and grinned, “More than you realize, but I also know that when you plan a good prank you can’t just do it, you need to plan to make sure it works and at least choose the right approach for your target. Also Funshine and I have been going out for a while now.”
Wish coughed, “What, for how long?”
Playful scratched his chin, “Well… if we count all the time we hung out as kids then like ten years, but if you want to go by ‘high school rules’ then only like two.”
“How did we never noticed this?” Harmony stared back at Playful.
“Because Sunshine and I don’t do PDAs and get plenty of private time,” Playful folded his arms.
“Sunshine eh?” Love Heart chuckled.
Playful blushed, “Yeah, she’s a ray of sunshine in my life and…” Playful shook his head, “That’s our private time, don’t pry!”
“Sorry, sorry,” Love Heart would have scooted away if Wish wasn’t right next to him, “but what should I do?”
“That’s something you’ll have to figure out yourself.” Brave Heart turned to look around the room, “where’s Gift Bear? I thought she was hounding you after your fight.”
“I told her to fuck off after she tried to come on to me after the teddy bear thing,” Love Heart sighed, “Besides she almost never eats with us, I don’t even know if she eats at all.”
“She’s that new red bear right?” Wish Bear asked, “What’s wrong with her?”
“Yeah,” Love Heart nodded, “She’s been flirting with me, aggressively, and creeping out Loyal Heart. I just don’t want to deal with her today.”
“Let’s go back to the relationship drama please,” Harmony interrupted, “You and Confidence both messed up but I can tell you make each other happy.”
“Yeah,” Brave Heart put an arm around Harmony, “We argue sometimes but it cools down after a while. What was the last thing we had fight about.”
“When you butchered my favorite song,” Harmony sounded a little contemptuous.
Brave Heart rolled his eyes, “I wasn’t that bad.”
“You sounded like a cat being strangled.”
“I am a cat, and you did try to strangle me!”
“Because I couldn’t get you to stop any other way!”
The two sat in silence for a moment before breaking out into laughter.
Harmony wiped her eyes, “Sorry, it is funny when I remember it. But Brave Heart can’t sing to save his life.”
“Yeah, but I can play the guitar pretty well when I’m not being forced to sing a recipe,” Brave Heart sighed which made everyone else at the table burst out laughing.
Confidence Heart heard the laughter and sighed as she slowly finished off the last of her lunch.
“Took you long enough,” Swift Heart grabbed her empty bowl and dashed everyone’s dishes over to the empty tray at the end of the buffet table, returning an instant later, “So are you gonna talk about this or do we have to pry it out of you?”
Confidence looked up at her friends, “I just don’t know how to fix this. I feel bad about the fight but I wasn’t wrong about his procrastination and he wasn’t wrong that I get a thrill out of something that’s hurt him so much. Maybe I should just stay out of this magic stuff…”
“First, don’t talk crazy,” Proud Heart interjected, “you’ve helped Love Heart enough times that I know he won’t want that. Second you just need to stop moping and get on with it?”
“But what do I do?” Confidence spread her arms, “Just walk over there and say ‘sorry we fought, can we start kissing again?’”
That made Swift Heart burst out laughing and Proud Heart to smack herself in the face while Bright Heart sighed.
Gentle Heart giggled but was the first to answer, “Not so bluntly but something like that, or wait and see if he does something before you do.”
“How long should I wait? Shut up, Swift Heart!” She snapped to the rabbit who forcefully go this mirth under control.
“Well, if he doesn’t come to visit or call you by the weekend then go visit him on Saturday,” Bright Heart said, “Now that you’ve both calmed down that should be enough time for one of you to figure out what to say.”
“Yeah, now if only I could figure out what that is, should I get him a present?” Confidence turned to Proud Heart.
Surprisingly it was Swift Heart who answered, “Only if you visit him and don’t go nuts, like maybe flowers or chocolates, or catnip.”
