Confidence Heart had been looking forwards to her 18th birthday for ages, especially having it in the Hall of Hearts with dad and brother there too. Once Confidence Heart blew out the candles on her cake, Love Heart handed her a small present wrapped in yellow paper.
“Happy birthday, Confidence.”
Confidence was smiling as she took it, “Thanks, Love Heart,” she gave him a kiss on the cheek before she unwrapped her gift. It was a small black hinged box that contained a pair of earrings. Each was a small jeweled recreation of both their tummy symbols side-by-side, just like the new emblem on Love Heart’s battle costume hat, in a small gold setting.
“They’re beautiful, thank you. But,” Confidence looked up and gave Love Heart a worried look, “How much did these cost?”
Love Heart took her hand in his and closed it over his gift, “That’s not important. I got these a while ago, before we planned to go on vacation.”
Confidence threw her arms around Love Heart in a hug, “thank you.” She whispered into his ear.
Gift Bear leaned up against a wall nearby and watched the couple. Much as she hated to admit it she couldn’t bring herself to interfere anymore. Now that they knew he was master of the Clow Cards her trying to tempt him away from his girlfriend and steal his magic and try to remove a source of power for Yue so Sweet Heart would have to stand on her no longer held any meaning; even if she had been ordered to she doubted she could have tried to do the same to Sweet Heart, the Pegasus cousin had been through enough hardship and it was looking like Loyal Heart had things under control. Understandably the three of them were avoiding her so she left her present to Confidence on the small pile, just a gift card to a local store she learned that Confidence shopped at.
It was the bear who joined her a moment later that had supplied that information. “You doing alright, Gift?” Birthday Bear asked, a yellow bear with a cupcake with a lit candle for a tummy symbol.
Gift put on her best smile, “Yeah, just trying not to do something crazy today.” She looked to where Confidence was trying on the earrings Love Heart had just given her, even borrowing a mirror to get a better look once they were in.
“Do you like birthday parties?” Birthday asked.
“This is only the second one I’ve been to, ever, but yeah it sounds fun and I liked giving a gift. Not sure they’ll like it being from me…” for once in her life Gift Bear looked uncertain, far from the bubbly personality she put on here or the seriousness she first showed to Loyal Heart or as Ruby Moon.
“You’ve never had one for yourself?” Birthday was shocked.
“I don’t know when I was born and I was never given one.” Truthfully she remembered when she had been created but didn’t know the date as Eriol and Spinel didn’t consider it important to note it on any calendar. She shook her head to dispel the thought then turned to Birthday and looked the bear up and down as another thought intruded on her mind. “Are you a boy or a girl?”
Birthday smirked at the question, with a relatively high voice some people couldn’t quite tell so the only answer that could be given was an honest one, “I won’t tell you what I was born as, but I’m NB.”
“Enby?” Gift Bear sounded out the unfamiliar initialism.
Birthday nodded, having heard this reply before, “Non-Binary, it’s means that despite what I was born as, or assigned, that I don’t think of myself as a boy or a girl. I’m just me.”
“People can do that?” Gift’s eyes went wide, “Just choose to be what they want?”
“I think they should be able to,” Birthday folded their arms, “some people have an issue with it but I don’t listen to them. My family accepts me for who and what I am, after I explained what it meant. Did you choose to be a girl.”
“Yes, I mean I was never told what I was but I just decided to be a girl because girls get to wear cuter clothing,” Gift Bear blushed suddenly, feeling a little flustered after Birthday’s question but also worried she had given away too much about herself and Eriol. She absentmindedly looked down at the black t-shirt skirt she was wearing.
Birthday hadn’t paid much attention to the magical mishaps around town save for helping free Wish Bear right before Christmas and trying to avoid any danger as it came up so they didn’t catch on, “It’s up to you, but guys can wear cute clothes too, even if some people take issue with it,” they rolled their eyes.
“Yeah, I mean…” Gift gulped, “Sorry I’m just not used to thinking about this kind of thing.”
“Want to talk about it more, somewhere less public?” Birthday motioned towards the Hall of Hearts’ door.
“Maybe, I could use some air.” Gift’s mind was going a mile a minute as she tried to process her thoughts and headed for the door alongside Birthday Bear. Once outside she tugged at the collar of her shirt to let off imaginary steam.
“Feel better?” Birthday put a hand on her shoulder.
To both their surprises, Gift flinched away. “Sorry!” she almost shouted, “I mean I wasn’t expecting… with the way I was to Love Heart I shouldn’t be like that…”
“It’s fine, but why were you trying to get to Love Heart?” Birthday hadn’t witnessed any of the incidents but they had heard about them.
“It’s hard to explain, I guess I was just drawn to him and back home I’ve seen people be rather… aggressive in how they pursue the object of their affections.” Gift leaned back against the wall of the hall with her hands behind her head.
“That’s not too smart,” Birthday turned back towards the door, “Cake’s about to be served, want a piece?”
“Cake?” Gift stood up from the wall.
Birthday smiled and offered her a hand, “I don’t think they’ll mind if you join in.”
Confidence, Love Heart and Loyal Heart just ignored Gift Bear as she was served a slice of the chocolate cake with white icing. She eyed the confectionary for a moment then turned to see Birthday digging in to their slice. She picked up her fork and carefully cut a bit off the tip, eyed it for a moment, then ate it.
The sensation of taste flooded over her senses as she let it linger on her tongue for almost a minute before swallowing. “That was, incredible!” She hastily took another bite, shuddering as she chewed and swallowed again.
Birthday looked at Gift with amusement, “Yeah, it’s pretty good. Have you ever had anything like this before?”
Gift shook her head, “Never, this is just. I didn’t know what this tasted like,” she finished her slice and shuddered again, unused to the sweetness.”
Birthday smiled and set their empty plate aside, “Want to try something else? There’s probably going to be some games.” Birthday carefully took her now free hand.
“Yes I…” Gift froze as she looked at her red hand in Birthday’s yellow hand and thoughts ran through her head unbidden. They felt strange, wonderful and confusing, but even more so they were frightening. She was starting to shake as she pulled away, “I have to go!” it was all she could do to avoid shouting as she hastily exited the Hall of Hearts again then took off at a run all the way back to Eriol’s house, leaving a very confused and concerned Birthday Bear behind.
She all but slammed Eriol’s door behind her, panting and holding her chest. It felt like her heart was racing which should have been impossible for her. She stood forwards and shook her head, then her black butterfly wings sprouted from her back and enfolded her as she changed into Ruby.
In an instant the feelings evaporated and she calmed down.
“That was odd,” she stared at her now very stable hand, “What made all that happen?”
“Trouble at the party?” Spinel lay on the couch, an open book in front of him.
“Nothing serious, just keeping an eye on Love Heart even though I don’t need to anymore, Spinny,” She smirked as she strode past him.
Spinel twitched slightly at the nickname he hated, “Are you sure that’s the only reason, you looked very overwhelmed when you came in.”
“Nothing I couldn’t handle, you might enjoy it if you showed up,” Ruby said.
Spinel rolled his eyes and turned back to his book, “Even if I wasn’t supposed to keep myself hidden from them, I wouldn’t come within 100 meters of that sweet filled rainbow explosion.”
Ruby didn’t respond but nodded to Eriol who sat there working on some homework from school. No challenge for him but it was time consuming and he wanted it to be perfect.
Why did she feel like that? Did she want to feel like that again? Birthday Bear had been friendly enough but now it just bemused her slightly looking back on things. Maybe she’d try it again, she did still have to attend school.
“That was unusual,” Eriol didn’t look up from his homework. “Once I’m done with this I’ll look into her reaction.”
“Worried she might stop doing her job?” Spinel also didn’t look up from his book.
Eriol shook his head, “No, but perhaps her disguise is having an unexpected effect on her. I should make sure it isn’t serious.”
OoOoO
The party eventually dispersed and Love Heart went home with Confidence which ended up with them snuggling on the couch.
“Ready for our vacation?” Confidence asked as she lay back, head on Love Heart’s chest.
Love Heart smiled as he stroked Confidence’s long ears, “Got the hotel room booked, small cabin stuff right on the beach.”
Confidence giggled at his touch, “No better place. Any other plans?”
“Some surfing lessons, visiting the Bob Marley Museum, and time to wander around and just take in the sights.”
“Sounds great,” Confidence rolled onto her tummy so they were face to face, “I can’t wait,” she ran her hands down his sides.
“Me either,” Love Heart kissed her.
“At least save it till you’re on the beach,” Tori’s comment from the dining table made both turn to glare at him.
“Way to ruin the mood, Tori!” Confidence all but snapped.
“Then mission accomplished, squirt.”
“Don’t call me- ugg!” Confidence pushed herself upright, “Sorry my brother ruined the moment, Love, but I have something I need to do anyway.” She leaned down and gave Love Heart a quick kiss.
“Good luck, Cassy,” Love Heart said as she headed for the sewing room, swishing her tail behind her to tease him.
“Cassy?” Tori gave a skeptical look to Love Heart.
“She calls me Love, I call her Cassy, she seems to like it.” Love Heart sat up then looked out the window, “Yeesh it’s dark. How late is it?”
“Only 3,” Tori looked out the window.
A sudden flash of lightning and boom of thunder made them both jump, Love Heart right to his feet as he felt a familiar sense in his head.
“A Clow Card?!” Love Heart checked for the Heart Book he always kept at his side and opened it, pulling out all the Clow and Heart Cards. “I still have them all, why do I sense another one?” He stuffed the cards back in the book and headed for the door, “Gotta go, tell Confidence something with the Clow Cards came up.”
“If she comes out to check,” Tori didn’t raise his voice.
Love Heart ran all the way home as rain started to fall, the first rain of the year melting what snow was left all around Readington and even extending through the portal into the Kingdom of Caring. Lightning flashed as Love Heart reached his house and all but burst through the door, unsurprised to find Keroberos waiting there.
“You feel it too?” Love Heart panted slightly, “It feels like a Clow Card.”
“Yes, it does,” Keroberos nodded.
“But I still have them all,” Love Heart pulled out the Clow and Heart Cards, fanning them out for Keroberos to see, “How can there be another one?”
Keroberos shook his head, “I don’t know, but we have to seal it.”
As the guardian best headed for the door there was a sudden flash and crack of lightning and thunder, followed by a scream.
“Sweet Heart!” Love Heart bolted towards his sister’s bedroom only to find it empty, “Sweet Heart?”
“Under here…” a tiny voice drew Love Heart’s gaze towards some pink feathers barely visible from under the bed. He got down to his hands and knees to see Sweet Heart curled up underneath, her right wing almost covering her body like a security blanket and her left underneath her slightly sticking out.
“Is it the lightning?” Love Heart stuck his head under.
Sweet Heart pulled her wing back just enough so Love Heart could that she was crying and covering her ears. “I can still remember, The Thunder Card, how it… it…” She choked up for a moment, “I can-can feel it! Did it follow m-me?”
“No,” Love Heart tried to put on a brave face, “I’ll stop it.”
Another flash and crack made Sweet Heart curl up tighter for a moment, “Promise?” she whispered.
Love Heart touched the wing that was extended out under her, she didn’t flinch, “I promise. Just stay there till the storm ends.” He saw Sweet Heart nod slightly before he left.
It only took a minute for Love Heart to pull on his repaired battle costume and send a text to Confidence and Loyal Heart, “New Clow Card? Sweet Heart’s scared, meet at the portal if you can help.” Love Heart didn’t wait for a reply as he plopped the new hat on his head and headed for the door. “Let’s do this, Keroberos.” He held up the heart key.
"Key of the Heart With Powers Burning Bright Reveal the Staff And Shine Your Light Release!"
He grabbed the staff and headed outside as the rain had increased to a downpour, “No time to run! Jump!” the strong bond meant he didn’t even need to pull out its card anymore as the spirit leapt out of the book and attached to Love Heart’s feet and he took off with a horizontal jump towards the portal, each step propelling him forwards with Keroberos flying right on his tail.
A sudden shock in the back of Love Heart’s mind made him kick off the air, just in time as a lightning bolt struck where he had been less than half a second ago.
“That was too close!” Love Heart saw Loyal Heart running to reach the portal, not even panting despite the distance.
“I’m here, gonna stink later,” Loyal Heart turned to run alongside Love Heart as he and Keroberos bolted through the portal, falling behind Love Heart’s next jump and Keroberos’s flight. Confidence joined up with them on the other side and Loyal Heart saw her easily jump onto Keroberos’ back without needing Keroberos to break his flight.
Love Heart came to a halt as he saw people fleeing in the streets as a funnel cloud formed overhead. Confidence had to shout as the wind howled around them.
“A TORNADO!? NOW!?”
“CRAP!” Love Heart had to shout too just to make sure he was heard, “GET EVERYONE OUT OF HERE! I NEED TO-YOW!” Love Heart jumped away at the same time Keroberos leapt aside barely managing to dodge a lightning bolt. All of their ears rang as they split up, Confidence and Keroberos splitting up to grab anyone and pull them away from the twister that formed and stared to chase Love Heart.
Loyal Heart grabbed a lamppost and watched helplessly as Love Heart led the tornado away from everyone else, crying in vain as he couldn’t do anything else. He felt the pendant thump against his chest and grabbed it with his free hand, wishing he had another way.
“Yue! Please use my body to help Love Heart!” He needn’t have shouted, Yue heard him.
White wings sprouted from Loyal Heart’s back and enfolded him, then a moment later Yue stood in his place and released the lamppost, the winds not even affecting him.
“I shall, and I will return your body when the danger has passed,” Yue spoke softly despite the wind then spread his wings and took off after Love Heart.
Love Heart wasn’t sure if he was sweating or not, soaked with rain and forced to jump off thin air constantly just barely keeping ahead of the tornado and dodging lightning bolts; he could swear he had been singed even if his battle costume was still intact. One jump forced Love Heart to dive and he crashed into the ground, unharmed thanks to The Jump’s magic but disoriented for just a moment too long as the tornado approached.
Yue dove between Love Heart and the tornado, deflecting the tornado around him, “Are you unharmed, Love Heart?”
“YES! THANK YOU!” Love Heart jumped to his feet, “JUST HOLD IT A MINUTE LONGER!” Love Heart pulled out a Clow Card and held it up, not wanting to risk it blowing away as there was another flash form overhead.
"Obey the command! Thunder Emperor, Come Forth!" a yellow bolt of lightning intercepted the bolt from the sky, the two cancelling each other out.
“SYAORAN!” Love Heart saw the young magician standing nearby, sword in hand.
“HURRY! STOP IT!” Syaoran shouted his next spell, "Obey the command! Wind Flower, Come Forth!" A dome of wind formed around Love Heart, deflecting enough for Love Heart to get his bearings and toss the card up and recite his spell.
"Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall Ancient forces heed my call! Windy Card, discard your former might And draw new power from my light Heart Card!"
The Windy spirit emerged, “I feel your power, Love Heart! Command me!”
Love Heart pointed the staff at the tornado still trying to plow through Yue, “Windy! Disperse the entire storm!”
The Windy nodded then flew right past Yue and into the twister, easily countering the wind and pushing it back up into the sky. The storm began to die down as The Windy flew higher, first the wind stopping then the rain slowing to a calmer downpour and trickling away by the second.
“LOVE HEART!” Keroberos flew over, looking up as The Windy literally fought the storm
“LOVE HEART!” Confidence came running then caught Love Heart in a tight hug, “You’re safe!”
Love Heart hugged her back, “Yeah, thanks to Syaoran and Yue.” They let each other go then watched as The Windy cleared the last of the storm but something else was up there with it.
Love Heart narrowed his eyes then thrust the staff upwards and recited an old spell, “Clow Card! I command you to return to your power confined! Clow Card!”
Everyone, Love Heart included, was surprised when a card formed at the tip of his staff and the spirit up in the sky was sucked down into it, with The Windy chasing down to float alongside Love Heart as whatever it was finished sealing.
The Jump sensed what was happening and pulled itself free of Love Heart’s feet into its spirit form on Love Heart’s shoulder, “What is that?”
“Another Clow Card?” the Windy asked.
“Impossible, Love Heart captured all of them,” Keroberos shook his head as the glow on the new card faded.
“If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here.” Yue glared at the new card.
Confidence caught a glimpse of a figure on the card, “The Storm? WHOA!” she jumped back as The Storm Card disintegrated in Love Heart’s hand, leaving nothing behind.
“It’s gone?” Love Heart stared at his empty hand, “Not just in form, the spirit’s… dead. That doesn’t make any sense.”
“That might be what happens if a Clow Spirit starves to death,” Syaoran looked down at The Heart book.
Love Heart had a similar thought as he touched the book, “They’re not in danger, not yet, the new book seems to be sustaining them off my energy.”
“If no one minds, I promised not to take too much time off Loyal Heart,” Yue didn’t wait for a reply as his wings enfolded him and returned Loyal Heart to the group.
Loyal Heart looked around, “I guess you won then. What was it?”
Love Heart noticed his friend looked a little down but decided not to pry, “Best guess is a fake Clow Card, it just disintegrated. No real harm done I hope.”
“Thankfully no,” Confidence swiped her forehead, “But I need some serious rest. See you at school Monday,” she gave Love Heart a kiss on the cheek then turned to head home before anyone could stop her. Syaoran just nodded and headed home without a word
“I should go too,” Loyal Heart turned to leave until he felt Love Heart’s hand on his shoulder.
“You alright?”
“No… I had to let Yue take over again. I just…” he sighed, “want to help without letting him take over.”
“You will, someday I know you will,” Love Heart said.
Loyal Heart shrugged his shoulder to signal for Love Heart to let go then smiled weakly back at him, “Thanks.” They turned and headed for home, The Jump and The Windy returning to their card forms inside the book and Keroberos shifting down to his small form to ride on Love Heart’s shoulder.
Love Heart found Sweet Heart still under her bed when he got home, “Sweet Heart, you ok?”
“Better,” Sweet Heart mumbled. She let Love Heart pull her out, “Thank you.” She hugged him.
“Want to sleep with me tonight?” Love Heart asked.
Sweet Heart just nodded and Love Heart led her to his bedroom.
Sweet Heart fell asleep surprisingly fast and Love Heart left her there as he turned to look out his window, opening it to let the cool night air clear his thoughts. Was what happened to that The Storm Card a warning about what was going to happen? Did he need to find more tasks for the Clow Cards before it was too late.
“Don’t even think about cancelling your vacation.” The somewhat deep voice caught Love Heart off guard.
“Who’s there!?”
“Don’t worry,” the voice ignored the question, “The Clow Cards aren’t in any immediate danger, if anything you’re ahead of schedule. I promise nothing bad will happen while you’re gone. Now get some sleep.” There was a whoosh of wings as something took off from the roof overhead but Love Heart wasn’t able to catch any sight of the source of the voice before it was gone. If nothing else it had a good point and Love Heart got back into bed. Sweet Heart’s trouble dreams calmed down as she felt her brother lie down next to her and she clung to him for comfort. Love Heart stroked her head then fell asleep.
Spinel Sun, in his true form, landed next to Eriol, who was wearing his ceremonial robes and oversized hat with the huge sun staff and standing at the portal entrance with Ruby Moon. “It is done, Master. Was that really necessary?”
Eriol nodded speaking in his deeper voice, “Yes. Love Heart needs to know he’s doing well and while he’s away I need to investigate today’s incident. That felt like a Clow Card but not one of the originals.”
“A new Clow Card?” Ruby looked amused, “So did someone else make it? Who could do that?”
For the first time since their creation, Ruby and Spinel saw a look of concern on Eriol’s face, “I have an idea, but for once I hope I’m wrong.”
