Disclaimer: I do not own Loveheart, kero, or any carebears except for Shimmeringstar and any other character not claimed in this story(With the exceptions of Wilson's customs.)
Chapter 1 A new beginning.
"Hey kid where's my money?" saids a random bully.
"I don't have it." The small kid said in fear.
"Guys" He said as he whistles a bunch of teenagers against the 9 year old kid.
"Fine, then you'll get your daily beating!" Proclaimed the red hair bully in the leather jacket. The leader was the first to grab him, throw him to the ground, then everyone came in close and began kicking him.
"Ow, somebody help me" Joaquin cried out in terror and tears balling up from his relentless attackers
Love Heart Bear was passing by when he saw the commotion and he shouted. "Hey, what are you kids doing over there!"
"Ow! Stop Pleaase!" Joaquin said crying ouot from the pain.
"Mind your own business!" Shouts one of the teenagers with blond hair who stood at 5'7". As he returns to beating up on the kid.
Love Heart approached them his body ready for combat, "Are you hurting someone, if so I suggest you stop," he said.
"H-E-L!" !" The kid cried out again as the painful kicks now remained as the only noise.
"I told you to mind your own business!" He saids as the same bully had warned him before to mind his own business. lunging at the bear with a punch.
Love Heart ducked his punch and uppercutted him in the stomach, hard making him fall to the ground while coffing in pain. However, some of the other kids took note, "Hey, who said you could join the party?" saids three other kids now turning over to Love Heart bear cracking there knuckles.
"I did, now I suggest you leave unless you want to get hurt," He said taking up a fighting stance. Only a few of them turned there attention to Love Heart bear while the other kids paid no attention to his warning while the ones who did lunged after Love Heart bear. Love Heart dodged their attacks and quickly brought them down with blows to vital points with little effort while Joaquin was still getting the tar kicked out of him.
The other kids were still unaware that Love Heart bear was even there as they continued to beat up on the kid. One of the teenaged bullies slammed his foot hard against Joaquin's ribs causing him to shreek with pain.
"Unless you want to get the same, I suggest you all leave now!" Love Heart shouted trying to get their attention. They turn and after seeing what happened to there friends., "Hey, why are you helping this kid? Nobody likes him anyways! Here, you can beat up on him if you want to," suggested the bully hoping he would go for it. "Besides, we do this to him all the time."
"And why would I want to do that? Now I repeat, leave him alone or I'll leave you in bruises," he threatened, not liking it but knowing they would hopefully understand what he meant. The bully's seeing no response from the bear as they turned and walked away. Love Heart watched them leave before going to check on the victim,
"Are you ok kid?" Love Heart inquired. The kid shook in fear and covered his head in fear that Love Heart bear might beat him like the bully had suggested. "I'm not gonna hurt you, are you ok?" he asked again.
The young lad looked up and finally noticed a green bear. "Promise?" He said uncertain if he could trust the light green bear sobbing tears.
"I promise," He said, offering his hand to the kid still shaking from his attack slowly reached over and grabbed his paw. Love Heart helped him up, "those morons won't be back for a while." he said.
"Yeah, but what about the next time? They always do this to me!" he saids sobbing uncontrollably right in from of Love Heart bear as his tears hit the ground.
"Always? I take it you're not the most popular person around here, if you want, I'll walk you home and keep you safe
"Really?" Said the kid having for the first time in his life meeting somebody that genuinely cared about him
"Really, now stick close and show me where your home is," he said
"Oh thank you" He said as he latched onto Love Heart bear unexpectedly hugging the bear tightly as if he was going to leave him at an moment.
"Ugg, can't breathe, please let go." He strained out
The kid slowly lets go. "My name is Joaquin. what's yours?" the kid said in awe as he talked to someone that realy cared for him
"My name is Lloyd, but you can call me Love Heart Bear if you want" He said bowing himself in introduction. "A friend of mine gave me that last name."
"Thanks for helping me. No one has ever done that for me before" He said as the kid began tearing up again from all of the years of pain from having no real friends at all.
"Well I'm glad I can help, now let's get moving before anyone comes to see what's going on." Love Heart bear suggested. The kid nods as he walks up with a clear limp, but discovers he can only lean on one foot fully and only slightly on the other.
"OW!" Joaquin said as he limped down'
"Here, I can support you, Just lean on me a bit." Love Heart instructed offering his support. Now the kid only stood at 2'9" while Love Heart bear stood at 3'2". The kid gladly takes hold of Love Heart bear as they walk together to his home. Love Heart supported Joaquin as they walked and the boy showed him the way. When they got to his house it was the same typical thing at his house. His dad drank, his mom put up with the abuse, while she cleaned up after him. Love Heart stood to the side, watching with a grim look as he observed. When the mom saw him, with a green bear, she ran towards him and asked,
"WWhat happened to my son!?"
"Some jerks were beating on him so I chased them off and helped him home," Love Heart said
"This happens to him everyday and the teachers won't do anyting about it." She nodded taking her son from Love Heart and into the house. "Oh, come on in um?"
"It's Lloyd, or Love Heart if you prefer." The bear said pointing to himself.
"Thanks for rescuing my son," She said with a smile. Then after they entered, his dad came in drunk and teased.
"So you got beat up again," He said mockingly. "When are you going to learn boy! fight back! Or I'll beat on you next time!' He said as he walked over and smacked the boy over the head.
Love Heart tensed, "I don't think you should be hitting your son," he said, gritting his teeth.
"Hey, stop that!" Yelled the mom as she pushed her estranged husband away only to be punched in the stomach later,.
"And who is this comical monkey?" Said Joaquin's dad drunk to the green bear.
"My name is Lloyd and don't try to hit anyone here again," Love Heart warned.
"And you don't tell me what to do!" He said as he lunged after the bear throwing a beer bottle at him. Lloyd sidestepped the charge and the beer bottle, causing him to stumble past drunkenly. Then the man got back up revealing a gun and ready to fire. "Die green alien!!" He said as he took it out of safety shakily aiming at the bear. Love Heart didn't want to, but he had no choice, quickly drawing a small yellow scroll and throwing it at the gun so it wrapped around the barrel while the man cocked the gun.
Element, Lightning!" he shouted, sending a jolt through him, enough to knock him unconscious but not to seriously hurt him.
"Thank you whoever you are." Replied his mom as she now tended her sons wounds.
"He's not seriously hurt, and my name is lloyd," he said, "he'll be awake in a few hours, hopefully a little wiser."
"So will Joaquin be alright," Love Heart asked
"Oh, don't worry about it. its like that around here all the time." She explained to Love Heart calmly.
"That's not a good thing," Love Heart said, "I wish I could stay here but I have to keep moving."
"Don't worry about it," The mom said calmly. "Its not your problem." She said as she applied medicine to Joaquin's leg. "Also if those bullies would leave him alone, we wouldn't have to deal with this problem." She said as she finished wrapping up white linen cloth around his ankle and knee. "And the next time they meet, they might do this to his other leg."
Lloyd sighed, "I wish I could help with that," he said as her son cringed in fear already in pain.
"Its not your problem," She said. "But thanks for helping."
"You're welcome," he said, turning to leave. The kid cries and begs, "Don't leave me Love Heart! Your my only friend that I have! What will I do if those bullies get me again?
"I'm sorry," he said, "but I can't stay in one place for too long, I need to keep moving, I'm searching for something, something important."
"I'll be left for death just like everybody else in this town leaves me"
"Well what can I do, I can't stop here, for too long."
"Please stay with us! At least for today, please!" Begged the kid as his mom applied ointment to his bruises and advil for the pain.
"Well, alright, I guess I need a place to spend the night," he said.
"Thank you!" Said the kid with the smile. 'You can stay in the back second room further back in the trailer." Mom said pointing to the room so that Love Heart would know where to go.
"But you must go to bed now" His mom said sternly.
"Aw, do I have to! I want to play with my new friend!" He protested. "Sorry, not today you won't be." His mom said as she carried him over to the room next to the guest room where Love Heart would be staying.
Love Heart walked to the back where the room was and closed the door behind him, taking off his backpack and setting it on the bed. He opened it and a small yellow creature poked his head out, breathing heavily.
"That was stuffy in there," Said a curious looking creature.
"Sorry, Kero but I had to keep you in there longer than normal"
"So where are we today?" Kero asked
"In the trailer house of a kid named Joaquin, I'm going to stay here for a couple days because he has problems here and at school"
"Lloyd, we can't stay here forever, we need to look for the Clow Cards before they cause any real damage"
"I know, but I just can't leave a kid like this, remember, Madison helped me despite the fact that she didn't know me so I can't leave him right away. That kid doesn't have a friend in the world."
"Alright then, but we can't stay for more than a week."
Kero said.
"Then good night, Kero, we need to get some sleep." the bear said, "and keep hiding for now."
Joaquin got up and saw that his leg was much better as he moved to the bathroom. Though he heard Lloyd, he jumped into the shower and got ready. Joaquin had forgotten about the bear and thought it was all just a dream as he got ready for school.
Lloyd pulled himself out of bed, he was feeling better but still wary. He didn't need to shower today, maybe after school he would. He pulled his backpack on and stepped out of the guest room.
After he was done with his shower and got dressed in black pants and a plain white t-shirt, he went to the living room and almost freaked when he saw Love Heart. "I thou, I thought you were a dream! You can't be real!" The boy said in awe.
"I'm as real as you are" he said. The kid smiled as he happily poured his cereal and offered some to Lloyd.
"Thanks," he said.
"So where are you from?" Inquired the kid as he ate his cereal.
"Canada, Saskatchewan to be specific," he said, eating as well
"Whoa, you got here by train or by airplane?"
"I walked." The bear said pointedly.
The kid was very gullible, so he would believe anything that this bear said. "Whoa, that's amazing!" He said as his dad walked into the room.
"Well, I've had a lot of time, I left Saskatchewan about half a year ago."
"So you are real!" The dad said in awe of the bear as he was now all sobered up.
"Yes I am," Lloyd instantly tensed up, ready to move, but his face hardened up as he remembered what he did to him.
"Don't you ever zap me with that stuff last night again!" He said infuriated, but kept his distance.
"As long as you don't try to hurt anyone, I won't," the bear replied.
"What! You trying to tell me what to do green bear!" He said as he was getting ready to put Lloyd down, but was stopped when the mom came into the room with a shot gun. "Henry, don't you do that bear any harm." She warned pointing the gun at him."
"Or what are you going to do about it?" He said challenging his wife. She calked the gun to make her point causing him to stop.
"This bear just saved your son and this how you treat him!" She said angrily.
"He ain't my son! He' s yours remember? I told you I wanted him aborted when you were pregnant with him." The dad yelled to her. This caused her to cry a bit but held her position nonetheless.
"Your son is an accident! He'll never amount to anything! Why do you think everyone pics on him! Its because he's a freak!" Joaquin had had enough as he got up crying, grabbed his back pack and headed out the front door forgetting about his friend.
"Now see what you've done!" The mom said angrily as she left back to her room now crying with the man mocking her the whole time. Love Heart moved back from the table and dashed out the door. Joaquin ran and ran as tears welled up on his face dwelling on the hurtful thoughts that his step dad just said to him not realizing that Love heart was on his heels.
He wanted to run away and he planned in his mind to miss school that day.
Love Heart shouted after him. "Joaquin, wait up!" Joaquin didn't hear him though for he was dwelling too much on his own problems and became self absorbed in his prison inside his mind of misery. He ran and ran trying to get lost in the woods away from everyone along the cedar trees and pines. Love Heart followed him into the woods, reaching into his backpack and pulling out a card. He held it up and focused, "Jump!" he shouted, growing small wings on his feet and jumped ahead of Joaquin, landing a few meters in front of him and turning around. "Please stop," he said.
"Leave me alone!" He said as he side stepped Lloyd and ran past him regrettably. He knew the bear cared, but he wasn't never good at relationships and he didn't want to drag Lloyd into this. Love Heart was a strong runner and chased after him, managing to catch a hold of him.
"Please just stop and listen." Love Heart said calmly but still kept a firm grip on the boy.
The boy panted for breath, but didn't want to talk as he tried to break free of Lloyd's grip. "I don't want to talk. Please just leave me alone!" He said struggling but couldn't brake the bears grip till he finally gave up and listened to what the bear had to say...
"I've only known you for a short time but I can see that you're not happy with your life, just talk to me please," Lloyd said. After the boy sat down on a rock near Lloyd,
"This always happens to me. My dad hates me, I get picked on all the time by bullies at school, and I'm teased by all of the girls. I'm a nobody Love Heart. Why would you even want to associate yourself with some one like me?"
"Well, cause you're a lot like me," Lloyd said, "I was alone except for my adopted father, who died 8 months ago. So I can understand where you're coming from."
"Yeah, but I bet you he doesn't say bad stuff like my dad does." He said looking down to the ground
"No, he didn't, and I really miss him,"
"He sounds like he was a good dad to you." Joaquin said as he now sat on a nearby stump with Love Heart joining him.
"He was, he taught me almost everything I know, including the moves I used to save you yesterday."
"And for that I am thankful. I just wish.." He said as he began to sob again. "I could do something in return for you. I don't think I'll make a good friend for you. I'm overly sensitive and overly emotional." He said feeling sorry for himself again placing his head on his legs.
"I admit you have a point there," he said, "but I don't expect you to do a favor for me just cause I saved you, that's not what being a friend is about"
"It isn't?" The boy looked up with curiosity.
"No, of course not," Love Heart was surprised, "being a friend is about being there for one another, regardless of the situation"
"Just like you are with me?" He said looking at the bear directly in his eyes. "So that makes you my friend right?" He said now with a shimmer of hope in his eye
"Yes, it does, and you're my friend," Lloyd said. The kid didn't what else to do as he took hold of Love Heart and hugged him hoping that he would do the same. "Then if you are, besides my mom your my only friend!" He said now sobbing softly in the bears fur. Love Heart hugged him back, unsure of what to say. After they hugged briefly, "Thank you Love Heart." He said staring at the bears hazel eyes closely
"Your Welcome, now maybe you should go to school or your mom will be worried,"
"I'm not going back there," He said tensing up. "I don't want to deal with the bullies, and all of the teasing today." He said as he was clearly stressed out from dealing with this day after day.
"Well then what are you going to do, Joaquin?".
"Stay here and miss school" He said bluntly.
"You know you can't just stay here for ever," Love Heart pointed out.
"Watch me!" He said as he got up and walked away from Love Heart but then stopped and had second thoughts
"You can't just leave on your own, the world is dangerous," Love Heart said
I know that. Especially when you don't have friends and don't know how to stand up for yourself." He said turning looking at Love Heart. "Will you come with me?" He inquired hoping he would.
"Well," Love Heart looked back over his shoulder, "technically you'd be coming with me, since I have a route planned myself, and what about your mother?"
"She's at home and can manage for herself. But I have to catch the bus now." He said. "Are you coming?"
"The bus?" he asked, "I thought you weren't going to school."
"I have to. My mom made me promise to stay in and never give up." He said.
"So are you gonna leave with me from there, or just stay there for now?" he asked as they walked, "please tell me what you're planning."
"Well, I'm going to school and I would like you to come along." He said smiling at the bear as they walked together.
"OK I'll come with you, but I can't stay here forever you know," he pointed out
"I understand and I wish I could come with you." He said regretfully. "If my mom gave me the word that I could go with you, I'd be gone!" He said looking at the bear. "Hey, maybe I should I ask her. What do you think?"
"I see, well talk to her and ask, but I'm not gonna try to change her mind, I'm sorry but my journey is dangerous so you'll have to convince her on your own." He said not wanting any part of of his concocted plan.
"If she said yes would you let me come with you?" Joaquin said with pleading brown eyes.
"Well, I guess I'd have to," Love Heart said with a smile.
"Oh thank you! You won't regret it!" He said as he hugged the bear briefly before letting him go.
"Alright, now let's get back to the bus stop before it leaves without you," the bear said, hurrying him along.
As the two came up to the bus stop on the dirt road, they saw other students there but no bus as of yet. As they approached, the same bullies came up in a attempt to try to distract Lloyd to lure the kid away from him. Lloyd didn't move, he stayed next to Joaquin, ready to react if someone tried something
"Hey bear, why don't you walk up and away from that kid and go home or something. Will take care of him for you." He said trying to manipulate the bear.
"I've seen how you take care of him before, I'm not letting you get near him," Love Heart said, harshly.
"Okay fine. But you can't protect him forever. and when we get a hold of him, he can thank you for his broken bones!" He said rashly cracking his knuckles to prove his point with Joaquin shuttering in fear hiding behind Lloyd like a coward.
Lloyd was not one to make threats very often, but he felt this was a good a time as any,
"If you injure any part of him, I'll repay the favor to you ten fold," he said.
"You! Pah! Just you wait till he gets on the bus. You can't protect him there!" The bully mocked along with the rest of his goons.
"Your not allowed in there because your not a student!" Said the red haired bully.
Love Heart winced, he hadn't thought of that, but he stood his ground, "if you hurt him on the bus, I'll be waiting for you when you get off," he threatened again.
"Oh don't worry, will do more to him than you think." He then turned around and waited for the bus.
"Oh Love Heart, he will do what he says." Joaquin said shuttering. "Maybe I should just go home." He said cringing in fear.
"Great," Lloyd said, "I can follow the bus but what do you normally do while on the bus Joaquin?"
"We just ride till we get to school." He responded
"Can you just sit near the front of the bus when you get on, near the driver?" Love Heart suggested
"I think I could ask him." He said as he walked past the bully sitting near a tree.
"OK, I promise I'll be there when the bus gets to school." Love Heart proclaimed.
"How?" He said confused. "Its 20 miles away."
"I caught you back there, and trust me, I have my methods," Lloyd said. Joaquin nodded as the bus pulled up with the bullies and some girls going in first.
Joaquin walked in dead last as he waved goodbye to Lloyd.
"Get on and try to stay at the front," Love Heart said as the doors closed and luckily, the front seat was empty so he sat there as the bus pulled out.
Love Heart pulled out the Jump Card and charged it with his energy, "Jump" he said, sprouting wings on his feet again and jumping onto the busss roof. The bus driver heard a noise but wrote it off as nothing. The rest of the way there was uneventful except for constant noise and threats from the bullies about how they were going to have Joaquin pay for Love Heart helping him. After the bus pulled up to the school, Joaquin was the first one off in a hurry for he cared not to have a confrontation with the bullies till he reached the front doors. After he walked in, he went to the restroom but little did he know that he was being followed. Love Heart saw this and jumped, the wings still on his feet. Joaquin nervously looked his shoulder and saw the bullies but went in the bath room nonetheless with bullies going in there after. Love Heart saw this and followed them, knowing something bad was going to happen.
"Now we got you!" Said one of the bullies as he pushed Joaquin into a wall near the sink.
Love Heart entered the bathroom in time to see the bully shove Joaquin against the wall. He moved quickly up to them and tapped the bully on the shoulder,
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Another bully grabbed Love Heart by the shoulder, intent on doing him harm. Love Heart narrowed his eyes and rounded on the bully, wrenching from his grasp and punching him in his gut. "Looks like you forgot about yesterday." The other bully saw what Love Heart did, and moved in quickly to do his damage that he intended to do to Joaquin.
Love Heart saw what he was doing and ran up to him, touching his back and saying "lightning" softly, sending a light electrical current through the bully, enough to cause him to go rigid so he couldn't punch Joaquin
"Love Heart! you do keep your promises!' He said as he ran up the bear and thanked him. "But I think we better leave from here quickly. He said grabbing Love Hearts paw leading him out.
"Yeah, that was close," he said, "but I told you I keep my promises."
After they walked down the hall, a teacher saw that Joaquin was holding Love Heart's paw and saw that he made a new friend and went up and greeted Joaquin.
'Hey Joaquin! Who's your friend there?" Replied the man.
"My name is Lloyd Terada, or Love Heart Bear if you prefer." the bear spoke up.
"Um, this is my friend. He saved me from some bullies the other day." He said. "The old teacher looked over to Love Heart.
"Any friend of Joaquin's is a friend of mine. But you'll need a pass if your going to stay here in school with him. Come with me." He led them to the office Love Heart went along with this, hoping this would end well. After they entered the office, he gave Love Heart his pass which was pink and small. "If anyone asks you, just show them that slip and that'll take care of it." He said handing the pass to Lloyd.
"Thanks," the bear said taking the pass.
"Now go to class before the bell rings." He said as he dismissed them. "And Love Heart stay close to him, Bruno and many of his followers want to hurt him."
"I will," Love Heart said
They left the office and went to his first class. History. Joaquin sat down and there was another empty chair next to his own.. But before Love Heart could sit, the teacher came up and asked who the bear was.
"Oh, this is my friend." He said introducing his friend pointing to Lloyd.
"My name is Love Heart," he showed her the pass he'd been given.
"Oh, I see." She said in understanding. "Well, why don't you sit right here next to him." She said offering the seat to Love Heart next to Joaquin's desk.
"I will, thank you," Lloyd said as he took his seat looking around for any suspicious activity.
Class went smoothly with no signs of the bullies all that morning albeit the bathroom incident and it was now lunch period as Joaquin now sat with Love Heart and for once relaxed not looking over his shoulder constantly as he ate his lunch.
Love Heat had brought his own lunch, making a sandwich out of his own supplies.
"Thanks for being here with me. I feel much safer with you around." He said with appreciation looking at Love Heart.
"No problem," Love Heart said, as he took a bite from his sandwich
But unaware to them, a unseen bully from far off threw a spit watt hard at the back of Love heart's head.
Love Heart grabbed the chuck of paper off the back of his head and tossed it down, he was ticked but didn't retaliate. Joaquin shot up as he recognized the bully.
"Leave my friend alone!" He shouted as he got up wanting to beat them up for that cheap shot.
"Make me!" Said the bully who was no bigger than Joaquin. Joaquin shot up not knowing he was walking into a trap intended for Love heart bear. Lloyd however noticed this and quickly devoured his sandwich, getting up to follow Joaquin, stopping him from moving
"Don't let them irritate you, if you just ignore them until they try to attack things will go better." Proclaimed Love Heart.
"But that wasn't right what he did to you!" He said angrily, but new better than to try to go through Love Heart to get to the bully.
"I know, but my father taught me not to try and attack everyone who annoys you, that just leads to trouble, trust me."
"Yeah come on! Teach us a lesson!" Mocked the bully. But Joaquin decided to take Love Heart's advise and sat back down to finish his pb sandwich. Love Heart ignored them as they taunted, not letting them get to him. After they were done eating, they still had thirty minutes left and Joaquin said, "Want to play some basket ball with me?"
"Umm, sure, what's basketball?" he asked
"Come, I'll show you." He said grabbing Love Heart's paw leading him to the gym. Love Heart followed interested in what this was as they got to the gym; Joaquin grabbed a rubber basket ball and taught Love Heart the basics of the rules about dribbling and so on.
"Want to play 21?" Joaquin said dribbling the ball.
"What's that exactly?" Love Heart inquired.
"Scratch that, let's just play some horse." Joaquin said not wanting to take the time to explain.
"OK, you go first," Lloyd said.
He took his first shot from the free throw line, but missed, and then offered the ball to Lloyd. "Your turn."
"OK," he said, he did what he was told and while he was in good shape, his shot missed, he wasn't used to the game yet.
Joaquin took the ball and shot from the side making a three pointer from behind the arcing line. "Now you have to make that, or you get an h."
"Nice shot, Joaquin," he said. He took the ball and tried again, but missed again, but this time he was closer. Joaquin took the ball and tried from behind the three point line from straight out making it with Love Heart retrieving the ball.
"You know what to do." Joaquin said Winking at Lloyd.
"OK, this time I'll make it," he said, taking a shot, this time it went in, barely.
"Whoa, nice shot buddy!" Joaquin said, noticing that Love Heart had potential. "My turn." He took the ball and tried a diagonal three pointer this time but missed banking its way into the bleachers.
"Oops." Love Heart said, "I'll get it,"
"Your shot buddy!" He said as he came back from retrieving the ball.
"Ok," Love Heart said, taking his shot and getting it in this time, he learned quickly. Joaquin took the ball and shot it and made it giving the ball back to Love Heart. Love Heart took a shot, but missed this time. Joaquin went and retrieved it and shot from half court this time and made it! "Your turn!"
"What's the score," Love Heart asked.
"Hmm, you have a Ho while I have a H." He said.
"OK," he said, taking a shot, getting it in this time. Joaquin took another shot and missed. The game went on until eventually Love Heart actually won.
"Whew, that was exciting," Love Heart said
"Yeah that was." He agreed, they then left the gym together headed to Joaquin's locker.
Love Heart watched as Joaquin opened his locker, essentially keeping watch for trouble. Joaquin grabbed his book that he needed and headed out for his final class. Math. As they entered the class together, Joaquin happened to just sit by three of the bullies from corresponding angles while Love Heart had to sit at a few desks away since they weren't willing to move. The bell rang and the teacher came up and confronted Lloyd. "Hey! Who are you?"
"A Friend of Joaquin's," the bear said, showing his pass to the teacher while keeping an eye on Joaquin
"He's finally made a friend huh?" He said scratching his chin. "Well, would you like to sit with him? I could have the other students move if you'd like?
"I'd like that, those three next to him unnerve me," Lloyd replied
"Yeah, those three are always getting into trouble" Said the teacher looking at all three of the boys surrounding Joaquin. "Okay, you three, you move to the other side of the class room please." They grumbled but complied as they walked by Lloyd giving him dirty looks. Love Heart just smirked at them as he went to sit next to Joaquin,
"That was close," he commented.
"I feel safe so long your by me." Said Joaquin smiling at the bear. "And thanks for doing that. Although you might have to watch your back now, those three are the most dangerous in this entire school." Joaquin said a little worried that Love Heart might get hurt.
"Trust me, I've dealt with things much worse than them, and if things get really bad, I have a trump card or two up my sleeve," Love Heart assured him. The class went smoothly as Joaquin concentrated on the teachers lecture. When the bell rang, everyone got up to leave. But the teacher stopped the three bullies because he knew what those three would do if they got a hold of the bear or Joaquin and he held them after class as he let Lloyd and Joaquin go first out of the class room.
"Have a nice day you two." The teacher said to Lloyd and Joaquin.
"You as well!" Said Joaquin as he saw what the teacher did for them.
"Thanks," the bear called over his shoulder. "Let's get moving, don't want to get caught in the rush," he added. They headed out to the bus and were the first ones there but later faced the red haired bully that morning right after wards as he walked up to them.
"Still with him huh?" The bully mocked. "But you can't ride on the bus, and there is where we will get him and do our damage!" Said the bully to Love Heart striking fear in Joaquin's heart again.
Love Heart smirked, "Don't count on it," he said, "I can get on the bus just fine."
"Yeah right! Your not even a student!" Bruno pointed out.
"Just wait and see," he said, as the bus pulled up.
All of the students gathered around the bus with Lloyd behind Joaquin. "Where should we sit Love Heart? The bullies usually sit in the back!" He said as he boarded.
"Then the closer to the front we can get, the better," the bear replied, showing his pass to the driver as he boarded.
The bus driver saw his pass and let him board as Joaquin sat in the front with Love Heart. The bullies grumbled as they walked passed them with Love Heart smiling at them satisfactorily. After they got to there stop, Love Heart and Joaquin got off first. Joaquin took off at a fast running pace because he didn't want to deal with the bullies again, even with Love Heart with him. Love Heart was able to keep up with him, not speaking of anything as he ran to keep up with him.
"Will get you next time Joaquin!" Yelled the bully.
"Yeah but not this time!" Joaquin yelled back running with Lloyd till they were well out of sight. They slowed to a walk after a while, once they were out of earshot, "that was an interesting day," the bear commented.
"Yeah, for once I didn't have to deal with getting beat up!" Joaquin said walking. "And thanks for looking out for me today." He said thanking his friend.
"No problem, now what are you going to tell your mother when we get home?" Love Heart asked.
"That the day went smoothly and see if she won't allow you to stay another night with us" Joaquin said hoping the bear would stay at least one more night. After they walked to the house and entered it, the dad was the first to greet them as they walked. "So you didn't get beat up today huh?"
"No thanks to you." Joaquin said sassily as he walked by his dad. Love Heart followed, giving the father as wide a berth as he could. That angered him and he grabbed Joaquin's arm,
"Don't you ever talk to me like that ever again!" He said as he back handed him on the cheek.
Love Heart moved in, ready to strike the father, "Take you're hands off him!" Love Heart demanded
"You get! You've been here long enough." He said returning to the business of disciplining his son. Not wanting to resort to magic again, he grabbed Joaquin, muttered a quick apology, and wrenched him away as carefully as he could. Joaquin made sure he got behind Love Heart as his dad was now livid. "You just wait till you come out here." He threatened as he went back to the living room drinking his beer.
"Nasty man, why did your mother marry that jerk?" he asked.
"He wasn't always like this. It was that crazy Asian war among other things of him losing three daughters of his own to cancer." He said actually feeling sorry for his dad as he took his back pack off
"I guess, but he's not your actual father from what I heard last night," Love Heart commented
"No he isn't. But my mom stays with him because he pays all the bills with his social security check that he gets each month.
"I see," he said, "I have money I have to use carefully but I'm not too familiar with economics and the like."
"I understand." He said as he nodded taking off his shirt. "You can go to your room for a bit if you'd like. I need to change." He said to Love Heart. Revealing several bruises over the years around his body as he took his shirt. Love Heart saw the bruises but decided to ask about them later
"Ok, I need to unload myself," he added, darting to his room and closing the door
Once he was inside his room, he opened his backpack and let Kero popped out, "Must you keep me in there all day!" Kero asked.
"Sorry, but you told me we have to keep our business a secret," Love Heart said
"Does that include the magic you used earlier?" Kero asked.
"I had to do something, to help Joaquin earlier, that kid doesn't have any friends other than his mother," he said.
"Fine, but we still have to move on eventually," Kero said, "the Clow Cards won't wait for you, you know that." The guardian best folded his arms as he looked at Love Heart.
Love Heart sighed, "I know, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do."
Meanwhile back in the living room of the trailer...
"So how was your day at school?" Inquired mom.
"Not bad thanks to Love Heart bear." He said happily. His mom has not scene him this happy in a long time. But she new that this happiness was only temporary, because as Love Heart said, he couldn't stay here forever.
"Um, mom, there is something I wanted to ask you?" He said looking around and saw that his dad was outside chopping wood.
"What is it Joaquin?" She inquired.
"I talked this over with Love Heart and I was wondering if I could go with him?" He asked.
"WHAT!" She said a bit surprised caught off guard by the question.
"Come on mom! He's my only friend! And I don't get along with anybody at school anyways; and for the first time in my life now that I have a true friend I don't want to lose him! I know he'll take good care of me!" He said with pleading eyes of conviction. After she thought of it more calmly she saw the logic in it.
"Well, if that's what you want to do, then I'm not going to stop you. But please remember, you'll always be welcomed back here if you ever change your mind." She said.
"Thank mom!" He said as he leaned over her and hugged her.
"But make sure its okay with Love Heart first and you two can go today okay?" She said sighing hiding her sadness well. "I'll miss you."
"Today! Thanks mom!" He said as he ran over to Love Heart's room to tell him the good news.
He unexpectedly walked in and saw a strange looking creature standing beside Love Heart. "Who are you?" He said looking at Kero. Love Heart was shocked to see Joaquin so soon and Kero dove into the bear's backpack. Love Heart slapped his forehead,
"A bit too late Kero," he said, "You might as well come out." Kero poked back out of the backpack as Love Heart introduced him, "This is Keroberos, or just Kero, he's sort of a friend of mine," Love Heart said.
"Well, he's tiny. But any friend of Love Heart's is a friend of mine. No matter how big or small they are so long as there not spiders." He said with a slight shiver butit quickly went away as he remembered the good news he wanted to share. "Hey Love Heart, I have some great news! I just asked my mom if I could come with you and she said yes! She just said to make sure that its alright with you first." He said with a smile. "So is it still okay if I go with you. My mom said we can leave first thing today?" He said hoping his friend hadn't changed his mind. Love Heart was relieved that Kero hadn't caused a stir and he sighed from relief.
"Well that's good, and if you want to leave with me today then you'll need to get packed ASAP."
Oh thank you Love Heart!" He said as he hugged him. "You won't regret this I promise!"
"Yeah," he said, hugging back, "but you'll need to get packed soon so we can get moving."
Joaquin took off to his other room and stored the necessary clothes and other needed supplies. After he was done packing his orange back pack, he went to the living room in high spirits till his dad walked in bringing the mood to a very low one.
"So what're you packed up for?" He said looking at him with a evil eye.
"I'm leaving with Love Heart!: He said defiantly.
"Oh no you don't!" He said grabbing Joaquin by his arm picking him up from the ground. Love Heart had his full backpack, Kero now hiding inside it, on his back as he entered the living room to the scene. "You ain't going anywhere! There are chores to be done around here!" He said as he paused and noticed the green bear. "and you better get going before I mount you up on my wall as one of my prized hunting trophies!" He said as he dragged Joaquin outside by his arm and threw him down three stairs. "Now go chop that wood!" He demanded with Joaquin now crying and hurting landing on his hip after taking a tumble down the stairs.
Love Heart snapped, he was through with the way the father was treating Joaquin, he ran past him and to Joaquin's side, "Are you alright?" He asked, concerned
"Lets go Love Heart. I'm not wanted here anymore." He said as he slowly got up.
"What! OH NO YOU DON'T!" he said going down the stairs towards them.
"Love Heart run!" He told his friend pushing him gently away from him. "Save yourself!"
"I'm not leaving you," he said, charging small ball of electricity in his hand, "Lightning!" he shouted, once again shooting the electricity at the man, temporarily paralyzing him."
"Hold on, we need a faster way out of here," Love Heart reached down the front of his shirt, pulling out a small key with a bird's head and said, "I hope you don't mind flying."
"I have a fear of heights." Joaquin admitted shamefully.
"Then I apologize in advance," Love Heart said as he held the key out and spoke in what sounded like a mystical voice.
"Oh key of Clow,
Power of Magic,
Power of Light,
Surrender the Wand,
The force ignite,
Release!"
"But I'll try and hanging on to you!" He said as he grabbed Love Heart around his waists. The key extended into a roughly meter long staff topped with a bird's head and Love Heart pulled a large card with a picture of a large bird on it out of his backpack and threw it forwards, "FLY!" he shouted and the staff grew large wings. He climbed onto it and motioned for Joaquin to get on. Joaquin followed his lead an hopped on,
"Now hang on," he said, pushing off the ground as the wings flapped, pushing them into the air, after a few flaps they were soaring above the ground and flying away, away from Joaquin's previous life and into the unknown.