"Star light, star bright, have this wish I wish tonight." Sophie said, looking up at the stars beyond Wish Bear's star-shaped window.
Sophie was sleeping over on the weekend and it was the first Friday night in December.
Wish Bear giggled. She loved it when Sophie made wishes.
"Hmm, what should I wish for?" Sophie said with laughter in her voice, looking at Wish Bear.
"You can wish for anything, that's the best part about wishing."
Sophie and Wish giggled. Sophie looked back at the window.
"Then… I wish that Wish Bear and I will have the best sleepover ever!" she said.
Wish jumped up and down on the bed, "You don't need a wishing star to know that your wish will come true!"
Sophie laughed and came over and joined Wish Bear in jumping on the bed. The aqua bear usually had a bunk bed for when she had guests, but for right now she wished the top bunk to be higher up so they had plenty of room to jump without hitting their heads on the top bunk.
"Well it can't be called a sleepover unless we actually do some sleeping." Wish giggled.
"But I'm not tired! Wish Bear, you're my best friend ever. I can't imagine not knowing you."
Wish gave Sophie a big Care Bear hug. Sophie returned the hug and Sophie's caring necklace began glowing brighter than a shooting star.
"And I can't imagine not being your best friend either!" Wish said.
Wish Bear wished for the bunk bed to be returned to normal. Sophie climbed up on her top bunk and snuggled under the covers. Sophie stared up at the ceiling that was sprinkled with glowing stars and comets with painted trails. Wish's ceiling looked like the universe.
"Hey Wish Bear?"
"Yeah Sophie?"
"Tell me a story."
"Okay. Let me think of one. You already know about how I met my wishing star Twinkers… hmm… oh, here's one you'll like. It's the story of the Care Bear Cubs before we met True Heart and Noble Heart…" she said, and told Sophie the story.
Sophie eventually drifted off to sleep. Before Wish went to sleep, she made a wish.
"I wish that Sophie knows just how much I care about her." Wish Bear whispered. She looked back at Sophie sleeping on her top bunk, and her necklace was glowing brightly. She had her star shaped necklace on a star-shaped shelf on the wall.
I already know that wish came true, she thought.
After breakfast on Saturday, Sophie and Wish Bear were getting ready for a day of fun. They were planning to do some arts and crafts, play some games, and bake some sweet treats for everyone.
The Hall of Hearts was already hustling and bustling with activity, and preparing for the holidays. Cheer headed out the door to go roller-skating. Funshine and the Cubs were watching cartoons on the TV in the living room. Grumpy was helping Grams Bear clean up, and wasn't happy about it. Friend Bear and Good Luck Bear were designing a new garden and picking out types of flowers to put in it. Tenderheart was drinking coffee and reading the paper in his office. Bedtime Bear was up drinking orange juice and asking how everyone slept last night. Love-a-lot and Share were getting ready to go on a picnic.
Cheer Bear rushed back inside.
"Oh no! The caring meter went down three points!"
Then Tenderheart came up to them.
"I have a mission for you girls." he said.
"Us?" Sophie asked and pouted, "But we're having a sleep over…"
"Don't worry." Wish said, patting Sophie's arm.
They followed Tenderheart to the Rainbow Rescue Beam.
"A boy named Nathan needs your help. He needs help with learning how good wishing is, and I have a feeling that you Wish Bear, will be able to help him understand the power of a wish come true." Tenderheart said.
"Sounds like my kind of job. What do you say, Sophie?"
"Well... okay. There's still plenty of day left for our sleepover."
They hopped on the Rainbow Rescue Beam and landed in a town in Arizona. Sophie was surprised to find Arizona feeling nice and warm. She loved the sunshine and heat.
"First we have to find Nathan." Wish said.
"Right."
They were outside in a jammed-packed parking lot at a big mall. There were a lot of people going inside. Holiday music was playing from the speakers outside. It felt odd to Sophie that it was nice and warm here in Arizona, and they were already playing holiday music in stores. How were they going to find the boy who needed help?
"That's going to be a lot harder than I thought…" Sophie said, "Wait, before we go in, let me hold you and pretend that you're a stuffed animal."
"Is that really necessary?" Wish asked, crossing her arms.
Sophie rolled her eyes.
"Yes, because you might get lost." Sophie said.
"I'm okay with the holding part but not acting like a toy." Wish said, shaking her head.
"What if there's a Build-a-Bear? Then it shouldn't be a problem."
"Still no." Wish said.
"Okay fine. I'll just hold you." Sophie decided.
Wish let Sophie hold her. They passed the security guards and went into the mall. It was crowded and already stores were getting ready for the holidays. There was already holiday music playing in the speakers. Sophie wanted to get out of here as quick as possible.
They wandered about the first floor, but didn't find any signs of the boy who needed help. Sophie and Wish Bear sat down on a bench to rest their feet for a moment.
Sophie was about to give up when her necklace lit up and sparkled.
"Huh?" she looked down at her necklace and then at the nearby fountain. Movement caught her attention.
There was a mom, dad, boy, and his sister at the fountain. The family looked like they were out holiday shopping already. Sophie didn't even know what she wanted for Christmas. The girl was begging for a coin to throw in the fountain.
"I want to make a wish!" the girl said, jumping up and down.
"Okay, Chloe, here you go." her mom said, "Nathan, do you want to make a wish too?"
His mom was holding out another coin for him.
"No! Wishing is stupid! Wishes never come true!" Nathan crossed his arms and sat down at the edge of the fountain.
His sister threw the coin in the fountain and beamed happily.
"I made a wish!" she giggled.
"Alright. Why don't you two stay here and mom and dad will go and look at this store right over here. We'll be back in a few minutes."
Sophie and Wish Bear looked at each other. Wish nodded.
"Let's go." Wish said, "We don't have much time."
"Hey, do you have a coin?" Sophie asked, "I have a plan."
"Okay. And no I don't, but I can wish one up for you." Wish said.
They both giggled. Wish Bear wished for a coin, and gave it to Sophie. Then Sophie picked up Wish Bear and they went over to the fountain, next to Nathan and his sister.
"I wonder what I should wish for." Sophie said, looking up at the ceiling and pretending to think.
Really, she would wish that hers and Wish Bear's mission went well.
"Don't bother wishing. You're wasting your time and your money." Nathan grumbled to her, "Wishes never come true."
Sophie looked at him and then at his little sister who was horrified. His sister Chloe began to cry.
"Stop that, Nathan! I made a wish, and I made it for you!"
"Well you can forget it because it's not going to come true no matter if who you wish it for. What is everyone's big deal about making wishes?"
Sophie and Wish Bear were surprised.
"That's not true. Wishes come true all the time. Even ones you don't even make." Sophie laughed, and then told Nathan's sister, "And that was very nice of you to make a wish for your brother."
"I knew it!" she was happy again, "Oh, is that a Care Bear?"
Nathan looked too.
"Yep, this is Wish Bear."
Sophie then had a brilliant idea.
"Wait! I'm going to make a wish… I wish that this Care Bear was real!" Sophie said.
Within an instant, Wish Bear was waving at them.
"Hi! I'm Wish Bear. I can help you make your wishes come true." she said.
"No. Way!" Nathan's sister squealed, petting her fur, "She's really real?! And your wish came true just like that!"
Sophie and Wish Bear laughed.
"See Nathan, wishes come true!" his sister said.
"Stop it, Chloe. It's all make believe. Last year I wished for a Care Bear plush and didn't get it! Chloe got a bunch of LEGO stuff. Instead I got a lame baseball bat and ball I didn't even ask for."
Sophie was surprised in a mixed way. Nathan seemed selfish to her.
"I gave Chloe the baseball bat."
"Wow. You like the Care Bears too?" Sophie gasped.
Now he didn't seem so selfish after all.
"Of course I do! What kind of question is that? Though Wish Bear is my least favorite. She never makes my wishes come true."
"Hey, I'm right here, you know." Wish said, offended, looking away.
"Oh, sorry I hurt your feelings. But…" he put his head in his hands, "I hate wishing! There's no way any wish can ever come true."
Wish said, "Sure it can. You just have to believe in yourself, that you can make your wish come true. Stars don't do the wishing for you. That part is all up to you."
Nathan was shocked.
"Really?"
"Yep. But having a star listen to your wish will make things a lot more fun. And when your wish does come true, the stars will cheer for you."
"That sounds stupid." Nathan said, but he was kind of interested.
Sophie quickly changed the subject, "Ok. So you like Care Bears. Who is your favorite?"
"My favorite is Share Bear." he said, "My favorite color is purple. And I love sharing things. I just wish I could get what I really wanted for Christmas this year."
"That's cool!" Sophie said, "Do you like Care Bears, Chloe?"
"I like the Cousins more. My favorite is Bright Heart." she said.
Sophie's necklace flickered with light.
"What's that?" asked Chloe.
"Oh… nothing. It's just a really cool necklace that I got last year for Christmas. It can light up!"
"I want one!" Chloe begged.
Sophie laughed.
"Hey. Why don't we go to Build-a-Bear?" Sophie asked.
Nathan said sharply, "No. My parents said to stay here."
"Well okay. Wish Bear and I will go and see if they have a Share Bear." Sophie said.
"You don't have to…" Nathan shook his head.
Then Nathan and Chloe's parents came out of the store. The called Nathan and Chloe over.
"Nathan, look what we got you!" his dad said, "We know you really wanted this last year for your present, but we couldn't find any."
Nathan's eyes widened.
"You mean I can open it now?"
"Of course." his mom said.
"It's not even Christmas yet."
"Early present. Don't worry, we got you a present for Christmas too." his dad said.
"Wow… I can't believe this…"
Nathan took the present and opened it. To his surprise, it was a Share Bear plush. Nathan burst out in happy tears.
"Oh thank you! How did you know I wanted her?"
"We heard you wishing every night in your room. Looks like wishes do come true, don't they?" his dad said.
"Yeah, I guess they do."
Nathan hugged his parents and thanked them even more. Sophie was actually crying too.
"Hold on. I have to tell my friends something." Nathan said, pointing to Sophie and Wish Bear.
Nathan came over to them with the plush Share Bear.
"Thank you for helping me. I believe in wishing now. What you said Wish Bear it really spoke to me. I'll work hard for my wishes, but sometimes other people can make wishes come true for you."
Wish smiled and hugged Nathan. "Not always, but it's still fun to make wishes."
"Yeah." he said, "By the way, what is your name?"
"I'm Sophie Summers."
"I'm Nathan." he said, "Well thanks so much for helping me. I have to go!"
"No problem. Bye Nathan!"
"Keep wishing and sharing!" Wish Bear called.
Nathan ran back to his parents. Before they headed out the door, Nathan waved to them.
Sophie's necklace was glowing.
Wish said proudly, "Well, I'd say that was a success."
"Me too!"
"Let's get back home." Wish smiled.
Sophie and Wish Bear gave each other a high five.
"Wait. I have an idea. I want another coin."
"Okay." Wish said, not knowing what Sophie was thinking, and gave Sophie a coin.
"I wish that everyone's wish in this fountain will come true!" she said and tossed the coin in.
Her necklace lit up so bright she had to close her eyes for a moment.
"Wow! That's a lot of caring." Wish said, giggling.
"Yeah! Let's go back to Care-a-lot."
Sophie and Wish Bear returned to Care-a-lot and reported to Tenderheart. It was now early in the afternoon. Sophie's necklace was still glowing, and it flickered like a heartbeat.
"Congrats on your mission. I had a feeling you could do it!" Tenderheart gave both of them a hug and a high-five, "And just look at your necklace!"
"Your feelings are usually good ones, Tenderheart." Wish said.
Sophie said, "I wanted everyone's wishes in the fountain to come true. There must've been a lot of coins in there."
Tenderheart nodded. "Now you two can enjoy the rest of your sleepover together."
"Yay!" They hugged each other.
It was certainly one of the best sleepovers that Sophie ever had.
— THE END —