~AUTHOR'S NOTE~ Sorry it's taken me so long to update things. It's been hectic what with moving into my dorm and first week of classes and all. But I'm here now and actively updating ALL my stories! Enjoy!
~DISCLAIMER~ Nope…still don't own any of these characters. But if that ever changes, I'll let you know!
Wish Bear could not calm her nerves. True, she had volunteered to be the one to test Luke, but she hadn't expected it to be such an event. She was accompanied by True Heart and Noble Heart, along with Brave Heart Lion. Tenderheart was supposed to be bringing Luke with him to Earth. He was also to be Wish Bear's anchor.
"True Heart," Brave Heart said, "Do you believe this will really work?"
"I don't know." True Heart looked at Wish Bear, wondering if the younger bear believed it either. "I just don't know."
"There they are!" Noble Heart pointed at the descending cloud car.
Wish Bear's stomach knotted in fear, as she had no idea what to expect from the experiment. True Heart came up behind her. "Do not worry. The test can't hurt you." Wish Bear only nodded absently.
Tenderheart set the cloud car down and he and Luke climbed out to meet the others. Luke looked at the three Care Bears and two Care Bear Cousins. "Why are all of you here?"
"Noble Heart and I feel we should be here, as we are the founders of the Care Bear family." True Heart replied. "Brave Heart and Tenderheart are the heads of each family. And Wish Bear is the one to test you."
"Oh. Ok."
Tenderheart walked over to where Wish Bear was standing and took his place next to her. "How will we know if the test works?" he asked.
"Um," Luke did a quick search of the surroundings. "Watch that log," he said, pointing.
"Ok." Tenderheart took Wish Bear's hand. "Just tell me when you're ready. Let me start the stare and then take hold of Wish Bear's other paw. My power will combine with hers and be transferred to you. In theory."
Luke closed his eyes for a minute, preparing himself for what might happen. "Ok," he said. "I'm ready."
Tenderheart closed his eyes and cared, sending a heart-shaped beam of light from the symbol on his stomach. Wish Bear took a deep breath as Luke closed his eyes and reached for her free paw.
The instant Luke touched the furry paw, he felt the world open up to him in an explosion of feelings and images. It took him a moment to find himself on this strange planet and to readjust his senses to the Force. He could sense the backwater boredom on Tatooine. He could feel another Ewok celebration on Endor. As he stretched further, he felt the presence of Han Solo, Chewbacca, and his sister Leia on Wayland, the planet he had left. Everything he was familiar with was there.
And yet, it felt very removed. Luke realized that the Force broke whatever wall separated his universe from this strange one, but that it would take a lot more to physically return. Luke pulled his senses back to his current location. His mind's eye saw the log he had designated for the test and he reached out to lift it from the forest floor. The shock that the Care Bears felt radiated from them as Luke lifted the log high into the air and gently set it down about five feet from where it originally lay.
With a regretful sigh, Luke dropped Wish Bear's paw and was once again blind as his connection to the Force was broken. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the Care Bears and Cousins staring at him in awe.
"You…you moved that log?" Wish Bear asked. Luke nodded. "But…how?"
"Through you," Luke replied. "The test was successful. You truly do use the Force."
"Wish Bear, did you feel anything?" asked True Heart.
The green bear was quiet for a moment. "I…I don't know. I guess so. I mean, I did feel something, but I don't know what."
"Can you describe it?" Noble Heart asked.
"Well," Wish Bear started, "I could feel the energy going through me. And when the log started floating, I could feel that too. And…" Her voice trailed off.
"And what?" Brave Heart asked.
Wish Bear glanced sidelong at Luke. "Nothing."
She couldn't tell them everything she felt. She couldn't say that she had felt everything Luke had felt. Seen everything he'd seen.
Including the worlds he was from.
True Heart and Noble Heart had deemed the test successful and were preparing to return to Care-a-Lot. Wish Bear followed quietly, waiting for her chance to talk to Luke alone.
The six passengers of the cloud cars rose through the clouds above and started towards home.
