Madame Dorcha cackled as she covered her Crystal Ball for the night. It had been another Day another bunch of tokens. As soon as she turned them in she would have a decent Day's Pay. As Marvin the Magician was about to pass by she stopped him. "So, how are you enjoying this Dimension?" "Hush Woman" said the Magician, "someone might hear you." "No one would believe it" she said. "It is hard to believe how so many Mortal Humans are unaware of the many Dimensions there are in The Universe."
"Some are aware but not believed" said Marvin The Magician. "Also I saw on that thing called Television a Scientist hypothesizing of a `Multiverse' instead of a Universe. Imagine if he knew the truth. All those Dimensions that even True Magic cannot always pierce." He smiled ruefully. "Our Magic cannot pierce those Dimensions, yet some furry Bear like creatures can." "They and those conniving Care Cousins" said Madame Dorcha. "I heard a few of them can also jump Dimensions. Supposedly one of those fat Care Cousin Piggies can move through Six Dimensions with ease. Yet we can only go between The Fourth and The Fifth with difficulty." Marvin had a small Booklet tucked into his Pocket. Madame Dorcha noticed it but said nothing. They stopped in front of a small Camper Trailer. "Won't you come in for Tea" she asked. "Why not" he said.
In the Trailer a Black Cat arched its back upon seeing the Man. Then its eyes glowed orange as it sensed Magic about him. "It's too bad my Niece doesn't have a Cat like that" said Marvin. "However she has returned to The Fifth Dimension where Felines are much larger and intelligent." "Yes I know" said the Woman. "The last time I visited my old home in the former Land Without Feelings I talked to my former Cat. He had his Eyes set on a Care Cousin Cat. I think her name is Proud Heart."
"Sounds familiar" said Marvin. "It is hard to believe how much The Land Without Feelings changed after The Care Bears defeated Professor Cold Heart. His Freeze Machine was almost as powerful as Magic." "Magic" said the Woman ruefully. "For all it's strength even it could not stop the rise of The Care Bears. I decided it was not worth my time or effort to try to conquer them. They could have The Land Without Feelings. They could turn it into The Forest of Feelings. I found a comfortable niche hiding out here in The Fourth Dimension. My Magic is not as powerful in this Dimension, but it is powerful enough to make me a Crystal Ball and Tarot Card reader who commands respect."
"So what compelled you to leave the Fifth Dimension" she asked. The Magician tapped his pocket with the book sticking out. "If you could read this you would know" he said. "It is my Journal, I suppose you could call it No Heart's Lament." "Oh, you evoked your former name" she said. "I never speak my former name. My Heart is no longer black. So why not tell me of your down fall. After all, I am a fallen Black Magician too." The Man once known as No Heart in The Fifth dimension sighed. "It may do me some good to get tell someone" he said. He sipped some Black Tea. "I know you chose to use the name Dorcha as it means dark in Gaelic. That oh so ancient Tongue of which too few use today."
"It seemed like madainn dorcha, a Dark Day, when I left Care a Lot. In retrospect that day was the start of a new Life for me and my former Apprentice, Beastly. One of the worst Days of our Lives lead to several more horrible ones. Yet he, my Niece Shreeky and myself have all found peace and harmony in our new Lives." Madame Dorcha sipped her Tea as she listened to the story of the downfall of No Heart.
No Heart's secret life in another Dimension was known to only a select few in The Fourth Dimension. One was his Sister. Like many Humans she had trouble fathoming the idea of other Dimensions. However she and her Daughter enjoyed some of the things her oddball Brother gave as gifts. Maybe they were from another Dimension, maybe not. One was a large Crystal. Her Brother said to rub it vigorously but only in an emergency. One night her Daughter Sharika had done just that after her Baby Sitter answered a loud knock at the door.
It was the Police. There had been a tragic traffic accident. Sharika would never see her Parents alive again. Through tear streaked eyes she ran and found the Crystal. She rubbed it furiously. It grew warm and glowed. Suddenly the Police were surprised as a tall dark grey bearded man appeared as if out of nowhere in the doorway. "What is going on here" he demanded of the Police. "Is there something wrong with my Sister and Brother in Law?" The Police gave him the tragic News. The man accepted the News without showing emotion. Sharika clung to his legs as she trembled. The Child with red hair and freckles looked up at her Uncle's face. His hypnotic eyes seemed to calm her.
It took some time before the Child Protection Services and the Courts accepted the inevitable. Sharika's Parents had left a Will. The Man many found strange had been named in that Will as sole Inheritor of their estate. He was designated as the one to get Custody of Sharika in case of her Parent's death. Shortly after she and he left the Court Room they seemed to vanish from the face of The Earth.
Marvin's secret Life had not been so secret to his Niece. He had told and shown some marvelous things to his Niece. Children and their imaginations. It gave them the ability to accept that things are not always what you are taught. Sharika had willingly and gladly let her Uncle use The Tome of Magic to send them to another Land. Another time and place, another Dimension. A whole new way of Life.
When Sharika took her first steps in that Dimension she was awed. It took a while for her Eyes and Brain to get used to seeing in five dimensions. Even colors looked different. Her Uncle's Hair and Beard looked bluish white. Her Hair color looked to be Teal. She was anxious to see the strange Beasts who lived in this strange Land.
Her Uncle had told her of a Beast he had raised called Beastly. He had told Beastly about Sharika. As she and Beastly first laid eyes on each other Sharika had let out an ear piercing scream. Beastly was so stunned he tried to gasp out her name. "So Boss, is this Shr...eeky?" To Sharika's chagrin the name would stick as her Nickname. Over time most would forget Shreeky's real name.
She and Beastly would soon learn to get along. There were few Humanoid Creatures in this land. Shreeky did not seem to mind that at all. The mischievous Girl quickly learned how to use the Art of Black Magic. Just as her Uncle had when he had first stumbled upon The Tome of Magic in an old abandoned house. Encased in the Book was a brilliant red Amulet. Through the Book and Amulet's powers the Man had become a Wizard. A Wizard who would earn the name No Heart. He had used the Tome and Amulet to Magically Charge a mirror for his Niece to use. Though her Powers of Magic were not as strong she still learned some Magic Tricks.
Beastly had quickly learned of Shreeky's new skills. At first she had just playfully zapped him on the Butt for fun. Soon she would do it to punish Beastly if he did not let her get her way. Others in the Land of Care a Lot and The Forest of Feelings would soon find out about the Girl who shrieked and zapped to get her way. Including The Care Bears and Care Cousins. They tried to avoid Shreeky's ire. When she pointed her mirror bad things happened. Especially when she chanted "Mirror mirror make them mad, change whatever's good to bad". She was a Girl to be avoided.
That Girl would age slowly in The Fifth Dimension. After thirty years there she looked to be only eighteen. But she had paid a price for being one of the few Humanoids in Care a Lot. On visits to The Fourth Dimension to see ageing Relatives she saw Rock Concerts, Multiple Television Channels and other wonders she could not experience in The Fifth Dimension. There came the Day she informed her Uncle she wanted to return to The Fourth Dimension. No Heart had simply said "goodbye and have a nice life". Beastly had cried. No Heart looked irritated with him but said nothing.
Several Weeks later No Heart had tried to cast a Spell. It did not go as planned. As he went to look into The Tome of Magic he noticed his Amulet was no longer a brilliant Red. Was the Amulet losing it s Powers? The implications were horrifying. No Heart could possibly lose many of his most potent Powers. Instead of a Great and Powerful Wizard he may become a simple Magician with limited Power. According to The Tome certain Herbs and Spells could sometimes rejuvenate a Magic Amulet. He summoned Beastly and commanded him to go and gather the needed Herbs. Beastly was even slower and more hesitant than usual that Day. It further infuriated the impatient Wizard. Beastly's boss would only learn later that Beastly felt sick. Beastly was sick and dared not let No Heart know. When Beastly did return with a basket of Herbs No Heart made a Potion and cast the Spell to rejuvenate the Amulet. Nothing happened. No Heart turned to Beastly and screamed. "You must have brought the wrong Herbs. You always mess up. Get out of here and don't look back!"
Only after Beastly had gathered up a few possessions and fled did No Heart realize the mistake he had made. Beastly may be a bumbler, but he was handy to have around. Now No Heart had no one to help in a desperate bid to find something to save his Powers. His World was crumbling around him. Crumbling like the ancient mortar holding his Castle together. If the Care Bears were to sense his loss of Power they may attack. Just as Beastly had, he too packed some things into two sacks. "This waterproof sleeping bag may come in handy" he said to himself. It was now dark outside and raining. "Good-bye Care a Lot" he muttered. Then with the last of his waning Power he had grabbed The Book of Tomes. Then with a Spell and a flash he was gone. Only his fading Amulet stayed behind.
Beastly had been stunned by his forced Exile. Beastly felt sicker and weaker as he wandered homeless. He passed out near the humble home of Messy Bear and Treat Heart Pig. When they found Beastly lying unconscious Messy Bear wanted to leave him there. However Beastly was part Pig. Treat Heart felt compelled to help him. She convinced Messy Bear that it was their Caring Duty to do so.
As Beastly came to he told them of what had happened to No Heart and himself. They half dragged the stumbling Beastly into their home. There Treat Heart's Sister would help nurse Beastly back to near health. Sweet Treat Pig's care would turn to love. When Take Care Bear diagnosed Beastly as having Weak Bear Disease he thought his Fate was sealed. Weak Bear Disease was similar to what Humans call Polio. It was just as bad for Care Cousins as Bears. Beastly had been born a Care Cousin before being captured and led astray. The disease made no preference between infecting Care Cousins or former Care Cousins. Any who was not immunized could get it. Sweet Treat Pig had taken pity of the sick beast. She became his caretaker and later his Lover and Mate. It would be many Months before No Heart would learn of what happened to his former Apprentice. Beastly's days of horror would eventually lead to days of great joy. Strange how his exile from his former Life could lead to the birth of three little Piggies. It was if No Heart had done Beastly a favor the night he cast his apprentice aside.
After casting the Spell for inter dimensional travel No Heart found himself in a Rainstorm. It took a moment for him to get his bearings. There it was, the property he had inherited from his Late Sister and Brother in Law. The homing crystal he had hidden long ago near a Well had worked. The abandoned brick Home was still standing. Most of the windows were still intact. The old padlock on the front door was quickly broken by No Heart. He went inside to spend a restless night. At least he was in a dry place out of the storm.
He found an old candle. He had also packed a small oil lantern into one of his sacks. He had soon lain in his sleeping bag and drifted off to sleep. In the morning he did some quick repairs to the Home. It was probably not worth much. However the Lot it sat on did have some value. So did the Gold Coins No Heart had brought with him. On his rare visits to Earth of the Fourth Dimension he had bought Gold Coins as an investment should he ever be forced to return for good. He cleaned himself and trimmed his Beard as best he could before setting out for the nearby Town.
As he stared into the dusty mirror he laughed. "Well" he said to himself, "I guess I am no longer No Heart. I am back to being Marvin." His walk into Town was enlightening. He felt emotions he had suppressed as a great fearsome Wizard. In Town he found a Broker who dealt in Gold and other Commodities. Marvin sold him the Gold Coins. Then he found a Real Estate Broker. Marvin produced the Deed to the Property he had inherited. The Broker tried to hide his enthusiasm. The Lot had been asked about by a Retail Chain who wanted to build a Gas Station just out of town. In just a short time the Property had been legally transferred to the Retailers. Soon a Wrecking Ball would obliterate the old house.
Marvin was soon in a small Motel. He had opened a Bank Account with the Money he had received. A few days later he purchased a modest RV to travel and live in. He set out to see if he could find his wayward Niece. He got a clue from a newspaper. A Music Group called The Zapping Mirrors would be playing in a venue in a nearby Town. It was the Band Shreeky had joined after returning to this Dimension. It just so happened the Gig was near a Circus.
Marvin had parked his RV and was walking when he saw a Balloon Float by. He heard someone crying. He heard a Man say "sorry Natasha, but your Balloon is long gone." Marvin stared. The Man known as No Heart to many in a nearby Dimension felt something where he was said to be Heartless. The freckled red haired Girl's tears reminded him of the horrible Night Shreeky had clung to her Uncle's legs. Marvin cocked his head and thought "is it possible for me to still do simple Magic in this Dimension?"
He approached the Man and the Child. "Don't cry. I am a former Magician." He cupped his Hands together and then produced a Balloon. He blew into it. Soon a Dog shaped Balloon was in his grasp. He tied the stem shut and handed it to the Child's Father. "Hold it tight until you get into your Vehicle. Then find a string for it." "Oh Daddy, it's a Doggy" said the Girl. "Hurry and find a string so I can hold it!" She then turned to her benefactor. "Thank you Mister, you really are a Magician! Are you from the Circus?" Marvin looked at her beaming face.
He had always been against doing good Deeds. Something inside of him changed at that moment. "I am unemployed at the moment" he replied. "Perhaps I will inquire if they need a Magician." After the Man and Child drove off Marvin had walked to the Circus Gate. He paid to get inside. Within the hour they would be offering to pay him after he demonstrated some Magic Tricks. Care a Lot's latest outcast had found a new Life. The Care Bears would hardly recognize their old Foe as he blended into The Circus Family. As fascinated Children praised his Tricks he began to smile more. He felt at peace with this World. He actually made some new friends. One night he even found himself thanking God. Marvin had found true Redemption.
Even Sharika had failed to recognize her Uncle as he was barred from the backstage of a Concert Hall. He finally convinced the Security Guard to let him talk to the Lead Singer of the Band. "Oh my God, is that really you Uncle No Heart? I mean Uncle Marvin" she gasped. "It is I in the flesh" he said. "It is so good to see you found a nice Life here in this World, Shreeky." He grinned. "I mean Sharika!" "Oh Uncle" said Sharika as she gave her Uncle a rare Hug. That night as she sang he was in a front row seat.
Behind the stage a furry Creature quietly snuck into position to spy on what was going on. In this Dimension her fur was a strange shade of Brown with Purple Highlights. She had hidden in the Circus earlier to spy. Then she had followed Marvin to the Concert Hall. Being capable of Inter Dimensional movement was an advantage when spying. The small Bear like Creature smiled. "They will never believe this back on Care a Lot" she thought. "Even I am surprised." Later that night the Starlight over the Circus Tent shimmered as Surprise Bear's and Cheer's Cloud Car jumped into the next Dimension. The news they took back home caused disbelief and relief. No Heart was no longer a threat to their World or their Dimension.
For several years No Heart's Castle would be rarely visited by it's former occupants. Even with the help of The Tome of Magic jumping Dimensions was difficult and potentially dangerous for Marvin and Sharika. Eventually they had cleared out any possessions they wanted. Care Bears and Care Cousins generally avoided the Castle. There were whispered rumors of Magical Traps within it's grounds. Even Beastly and Sweet Treat avoided it, even though they lived close by. However one misfit of a Care Bear did visit the grounds as a way of getting away from it all. For Too Loud Bear those visits would lead to a life altering event.
Sharika had grown weary of Life on the Road as a Singer in a Band. Eventually she tried alcohol and drugs. One fateful Day she had found the Tome of Magic she thought her Uncle had disposed of. She used it to jump back into the Fifth Dimension. Back to the abandoned Castle. Back so she could commit suicide. It just so happened the forlorn Too Loud Bear had the same idea. After stumbling upon each other The Girl and the Bear found what they both had longed for, a Soul Mate.
They would become an Unconventional Couple. Care Bears and Care Cousins could scare believe it. However it violated none of Care a Lot's Laws or Codes of Conduct. The old Castle would eventually be renovated by the Odd Couple. On a trip to The Fourth Dimension they would visit Care a Lot's former foe. By now the bearded Magician with fire in his eyes was an established Circus Magician. One who was feared by his competition and venerated by audiences. Sharika and the red furred Care Bear she shared a home with would give surprising news to Marvin The Magician. He had some surprising and troubling News of his own.
Marvin sipped the last of his Tea. "That is most of what is in my Journal" he said as he set down the Tea Cup. "That is quite a Tale" said Madame Dorcha. "I can see why you wrote it all down. What was the troubling News?" Marvin grinned. "Make me another Cup of Tea some day and I may tell you. For that is a different Story!"
Epilogue: I wrote this Story after some Reviews of "War of The Wizards", "A Beastly Change of Fate", and "Torn Between Two Worlds". Requests were made to better show the progression of an evil No Heart to someone who could do good deeds. They also wished to know what had happened to him after fleeing his Castle. So those comprise the 'different' story Marvin refers to with Madame Dorcha.
Beware if you decide to read "Torn Between Two Worlds", it is rated M. However as up to the day I wrote this not one Person anywhere in The World had yet complained of the Love Scene between a Care Bear and a Near Human. Too Loud Bear was a Character in the Make a Wish Movie. Sweet Treat Pig is one of my Custom Characters. Thank you for reading this.