CHAPTER TWO
Gentle Heart and Bright Heart rubbed their eyes to make sure they were seeing properly. Beneath the light was a red fox, but not the kind they were used to seeing. This one was, well, like them: bipedal, about the same height, a small red heart on his hip, heart-shaped nose, white belly fur, but no tummy symbol, opposable digits, and a face capable of conveying thoughts and emotions. What stood out the most though were his eyes: deep and powerful. Bright Heart thought immediately of the old saying that the eyes are the windows of the soul. It must have had this fox in mind. They were extremely expressive, but also probing. He was scrutinizing the two of them, trying to figure out who they were.
"Um, hello!" Bright Heart said, shaking himself out of his shock. "I'm Bright Heart Raccoon and this is Gentle Heart Lamb. We're Care Bear Cousins. What's your name?"
No answer. The fox cocked his head and continued to regard them with something less than a warm smile.
"Are you a Care Bear Cousin too?" Bright Heart asked. The same stony silence continued. "Erm, do you understand us? Can you speak?"
"Maybe he's just shy." Gentle Heart suggested to Bright Heart. He nodded.
"You may be right. Still I just wish there was some way of getting through to him that we're friends."
"Friends?" The fox asked, surprising them, both by speaking at all and by his voice. It was a sort of screeching rasp that was unmelodious, to say the least.
"Well, yes. We're friends." Bright Heart said, recovering swiftly. "Everyone has friends."
"I don't." The fox said tersely, biting off each word as if he was no more fond of his voice than they were. "These," he gestured with his paw to encompass the books scattered all about the attic, "are the only friends I've ever known."
"Well, we're here to change that then!" Bright Heart said, determined. "What's your name?" He asked again. The fox shrugged.
"I don't have one of those either."
"Why didn't you introduce yourself to the family that just moved in?" Gentle Heart asked.
"Why would I want to do that?" He asked in confusion.
"Well it must be lonely for you here." Gentle Heart said. "Up here all by yourself…"
"I'm used to it. When I found this house it was abandoned. That's why I choose it. Would have preferred that it stayed that way." He added pointedly.
"Where did you get all these books?" Bright Heart asked, trying to draw him out.
"Old libraries, book sales, stores, schools, street corners, the garbage, any where and everywhere you could imagine. I rescued them from being destroyed and they give me a way to pass the time." Looking at the mountains of books in the attic, the fox chuckled to himself. "A lot of time, at that."
"How long have you been here?" Gentle Heart asked. The fox flicked his tail in what
looked like a shrug.
"Years certainly, perhaps decades. I'm not sure."
Bright Heart blinked at the sheer length of time. Gentle Heart just looked unhappily at their company.
"All that time alone…" She murmured sadly. If only they had been able to find him sooner…who knows how much time he had spent alone could have instead been spent as part of the Care Bear Family.
Perhaps we could fix that, she thought with a glimmer of hope. "Maybe, since there's a family moving in now, you might like to come live with us." The fox looked distinctly uncomfortable at the prospect and Gentle Heart was afraid she might have pushed too hard. "Of course you may want to stay here. This was you're home and all-"
"Home." The fox repeated mildly. "Home is where the heart is, is it not?"
"That's right." Bright Heart nodded.
"Then I've never had a home either. This was…a refuge. A sanctuary. Nothing more." There was hardly a note of sorrow in his raspy voice. He said it matter of factly, as if commenting on the weather.
"Then maybe Care-a-Lot or the Forest of Feelings could be you're home." Gentle Heart offered.
"I doubt that would be a good idea." The fox said hesitantly.
"Well I know one way to find out, if you're willing." Bright Heart offered. "We can always bring you back here if that's what you want."
"But you've been alone for so long, won't you give us a chance?" Gentle Heart pleaded. The fox looked at the earnest expressions on their faces. He blinked his eyes and sighed in resignation. He nodded.
"Great! Come with us, we'll head downstairs and then we can get going. But first I just have to clear up something with two little boys downstairs. I'll be right back." As Bright Heart headed downstairs, Gentle Heart lapsed into silence, unsure of what to say.
"…Nice dream catcher." She said at last. The fox inclined his head as if accepting praise. "Why do you have it though? Do you have nightmares?"
The fox didn't say a word. He let his eyes do the talking for him. They seemed to say with remarkable clarity: Of the kind that could chill your soul.
Gentle Heart lapsed back into silence at that. "I'm sure you'll like Care-a-Lot." She said encouragingly.
"Hmm." He replied neutrally. "If you say so."
Gentle Heart didn't get a chance to respond, for Bright Heart chose that moment to reappear. "Let's go. I tried convincing Jeffrey and Mathew, the two boys who live here," he explained to the fox, "to meet you but they're too scared. Sorry."
Again the fox let his eyes convey his thoughts. He was quite unconcerned that two little boys did not care to make his acquaintance. Clearly, the feeling was mutual. The three of them headed down the stairs and out the front door.
The fox stopped in front of, what was to him an impossible sight, a car made out of clouds? His confusion showed, for Bright Heart assured him that all was fine as he sat at the wheel.
"Don't worry, the cloud mobile won't disappear as your sitting in it."
"I think I'd rather walk." He said uncomfortably as he got in the car and fastened himself in the backseat.
"You can't walk to Care-a-Lot," Bright Heart said as he started the engine. The fox looked confused.
"What do you mean you can't—" His face paled as the cloud mobile took off. He grabbed the seat and hung on for fear of falling out.
"It's all right." Gentle Heart said. "It's perfectly safe."
"No such thing." The fox insisted, looking not at all well. "Flying is a province fit for madmen, nothing else but."
"You'll get used to it," Bright Heart promised him, missing the fox's frown at the implication that he might be staying. "Everyone else in our family loves it up here."
"What sort of family do you have?" The fox asked, trying to distract himself from the shrinking landscape below them. "More lambs and raccoons?"
"Oh, no we have all types in the Care Bear Family. Monkeys and penguins and rabbits…" Bright Heart began and Gentle Heart picked up where he stopped.
"Lions and tigers and bears…"
"Oh brother." The fox muttered as he rested his head in both paws. Gentle Heart giggled.
Bright Heart and Gentle Heart spent the rest of the trip up explaining just what the Care Bear Family did; helping people share their feelings and care about each other (much to the fox's incomprehension).
As the cloud mobile set down, the three occupants climbed out. The fox whirred in surprise to see the car dissipate behind him. At his aghast expression, Bright Heart told him that it was perfectly normal and never happened while they were in use.
"Bright Heart! Gentle Heart!" They looked up to see Tenderheart and Brave Heart walking up to them. "You're back and—you have a friend with you." Tenderheart said in surprise. "When I sent you out today I didn't expect you to be coming back with a new Care Bear in tow."
"Well he's—" Bright Heart started.
"Hiya! My name's Brave Heart Lion. Pleased to meet you!" He said, smiling widely and pumping the fox's paw.
"…Hmmm." The fox said uneasily, his lack of enthusiasm was completely lost on Brave Heart though.
"What's your name?" Tenderheart asked as the fox quickly disengaged his paw from Brave Heart's. Not answering Tenderheart directly, the fox turned to Bright Heart and Gentle Heart.
"Why is everyone I meet so obsessed with giving a bundle of vague sensory perceptions a name?" Not giving them a chance to answer he turned back to Tenderheart. "I have no name. If you have to call me something, you might as well call me Noname."
"Oh…well, I'm sure we can take care of that when you get your tummy symbol."
"I've gotta tell the others!" Brave Heart exclaimed. "See you later Tenderheart!" He said as he dashed off.
"Later, Brave Heart!" Tenderheart called back. "Where was I, oh right! After you get your tummy symbol I'm sure we can help you with your name problem and—"
"That won't be necessary," The newly designated Noname interrupted a tad coldly. "As I'm not sure that I'm staying and that would make getting a 'tummy symbol' and a name unnecessary." Tenderheart looked completely floored.
"But, I thought—" He started weakly, turning to Bright Heart and Gentle Heart.
"We found him living in the attic of the home those little boys just moved into. He was the, ahem, 'monster in the attic' that they spoke of." Bright Heart explained.
"We thought that if we showed him around Care-a-Lot then maybe he would think about staying here. He's lived by himself all his life." Gentle Heart added.
"That's terrible!" Tenderheart exclaimed.
Why does everyone keep thinking that? The fox wondered in silent exasperation.
"I think the best thing to do would be not to pressure him." Bright Heart went on. "We should let him make up his own mind." Tenderheart nodded.
"You're right. I'm sorry." He said to Noname, who just shrugged uncomfortably.
Tenderheart rubbed the back of his neck in chagrin. "Well, I hope you like it here. If there's anything you do need, feel free to ask." Noname nodded again.
"Come on, we'll show you around." Bright Heart said as he and Gentle Heart led Noname away. As soon as they were out of Tenderheart's hearing Bright Heart added. "Tenderheart was only trying to help. I'm sure he didn't mean to press you—"
"No need. It's my fault anyway. I'm not used to being the center of such attention. I simply didn't care for it and overreacted."
"I can see why." Bright Heart agreed as they walked on. "But most of us here will understand and respect that." They continued on in silence for a while after that.
"Why do you bother?" Noname said at last, breaking the silence.
"What do you mean?" Gentle Heart asked.
"It's impossible to help everyone care. Attempting to have everyone share their feelings and get along…I think Sisyphus had an easier task."
"Sisyphus?"
"He's a character in Greek mythology." Bright Heart explained. "He had to push a boulder up a hill only to have it roll back to the bottom for all eternity. What he means is that he thinks our task is an endless, impossible one." Noname nodded at Bright Heart's understanding and explanation.
"But that's not true!" Gentle Heart protested. "We help a lot of people and they help other people and they go on to help others."
"People have emotions for a reason. Being sad, lonely, angry, morose, bitter, and so on is perfectly natural. Why interfere?"
"Because what's natural isn't necessarily the same as what's healthy." Noble Heart Horse broke in as he and True Heart approached them. As the fox turned to regard them, Noble Heart found himself surprised by the intensity of his eyes, as Bright Heart and Gentle Heart had been.
So intense and soulful. He thought with amazement. Looking into them said more about the fox's life than an hour of normal conversation. Suspicion warred with hope. Is he actually afraid of us? Noble Heart wondered with disbelief.
True Heart was taken aback too, but recovered more quickly. "Hello there, Tenderheart told us we'd have a guest with us." True Heart said warmly as she smiled at the suddenly withdrawn fox. Not put off in the least, she continued. "I'm True Heart Bear and this is Noble Heart Horse."
Noname nodded. "Bright Heart and Gentle Heart told me about you. You are the…founders? Of the Care Bear Family?"
"I suppose we are at that." Noble Heart chuckled. "Tell me, do you happen to know when, and how, you came to be…like us?"
Noname's face froze and the atmosphere suddenly turned tense. "I've been this way all my life." He said tightly, turning his head away. "As for the how, I don't know." Gentle Heart caught his gaze for what could only have been a second. But somehow, she knew that he was lying.
"…I see. Well," True Heart said, trying to put the awkward moment behind them. "Have you given any thought about where you'll spend the night?" He shook his head.
"He could stay with me." Bright Heart offered. "If you want." He added to Noname.
"I think…I think I'd like that." He said at last with a weak smile on his face. Gentle Heart suspected that he didn't have much experience with smiling. Something she promised to help fix.
"Why don't we all go to the Hall of Hearts and have lunch? Get to know each other over a good meal?" Bright Heart suggested sensibly.
"That sounds like a great idea!" True Heart agreed. "If you'll follow us…" The fox did just that, falling into step behind his newfound entourage.
"Is there anything in particular you'd like?" Gentle Heart asked. It was kind of hard to miss the fact that the fox looked somewhat emaciated. How long has it been since he had a good meal? She wondered silently as they approached the doors to the Hall of Hearts.
But he just shook his head as he pushed the doors open. "Not really. I just want a nice, quiet—"
"SURPRISE!" Came a massive shout from within. Bright Heart winced as he saw that virtually the entire Care Bear Family had turned out and decorated the Hall of Hearts. A large hanging banner proclaimed: WELCOME TO THE CARE BEAR FAMILY!
Noname went rigid with what Bright Heart guessed was barely repressed anger. This isn't going to be pretty. He thought apprehensively.
Brave Heart chose that minute to walk up to Noname and clap him solidly on the shoulder. He staggered slightly and glowered balefully at Brave Heart, who again failed to notice the fox's mood.
"Welcome to the Family…uh, well we'll think of a name." Brave Heart said a smile still plastered on his face. Before anyone could get a word out, the fox found himself beset by over half a dozen Care Bears and Cousins all welcoming him to the family and congratulating him as others continued to crowd around and wish him well.
"I'm sure you'll make a great Care Bear—" Brave Heart was continuing.
"I am NOT a Care Bear and don't want to be!" Noname finally exploded, bringing the activity in the Hall of Hearts to a complete halt. He spun on his heel and stormed out, not giving anyone so much as a glance. All the same, Bright Heart caught his eye for a split second and didn't care for what he saw. Anger, betrayal, fear, and shame all entwined in the deep pools of his eyes.
Before he or anyone else could say a word, the fox had darted outside and away from the assembled Care Bears. Bright Heart rounded on Brave Heart who blinked and asked haplessly "Was it something I said?"
CHAPTER THREE
Meanwhile, Noname had finally stopped running and stopped to regain his bearings. Smooth, he thought sullenly. Real smooth. Honestly, can't you control yourself better than that by now?
But all that brightness, the smiles…those oh so smug smiles as if they knew what was best for me! The sheer arrogance, the cheek, the…the chutzpah! He exhaled. Staying was not an option. Not even before that disgraceful scene. This place wasn't for me. I have no business being here. And if they ever found out…
So lost in his own thoughts, Noname didn't hear himself being followed.
"Oh boy! A Care Bear Cousin!" Beastly cackled, running his grubby hands together. "No Heart will be so proud!" Leaping out of the bushes, he grabbed the fox by the arm and attempted to drag him over to his craft, the bizarre offspring of a helicopter that was unfaithful with a bicycle. Noname, understandably, dug his heels in and refused to be moved.
Beastly grunted and pulled with all his might. "You're coming with me Care Bear! And since you don't have a tummy symbol you can't Stare me neither, so there!" He stuck out his tongue imperiously and blew a raspberry. Noname, irritated at once again being labeled a Care Bear without his say-so and again at this clumsy excuse of an abduction, did the first thing that popped into his head: he drew back his foot and kicked the miserable little creature in the shin. Hard.
"YEEOOOWWWCCHH!" Beastly yelped as he let go of the fox in order to grasp his injured shin, hopping on one foot as he did so. "You're a Care Bear! You're not supposed to hurt me! You're supposed to, I dunno, be full of love and caring or whatever!"
"I'm from the school of tough love." Noname said with an edge in his voice as he planted his paw down on Beastly's other foot, earning another yelp of pain. The moronic creature alternated between hopping on one foot and the other in a vain attempt to sooth both injuries. It wasn't long before he tried to grab both feet at once and ended up on his back.
Idiot. Was Noname's swift—if accurate—assessment. He turned around and resolved to apply this new method to anyone else who thought to call him something he wasn't. Beastly meanwhile eventually stopped rubbing his bruised legs and set off for his ship.
"Ooh just wait till I tell No Heart!"
To Be Concluded