At this point, Chloe began to start crying, not holding herself back this time. She raised her hands up to her eyes to mask herself, and all the bears did was stay silent, but this could not go on. Eventually, Panda asked Chloe "What do you mean by 'thinking college just was not best for you?'"
She put her hands down to try and explain it to the Bears. "It's just that… I started college at the age of 11 and everyone around me is so much older that it makes me feel like I am not meant to be there. I mean, people there are nicer and I don't get bullied on anymore, but sometimes I feel like I just… don't belong, and my past is just so upsetting that it sometimes makes me cry."
The Bears realized that Chloe was finished and Grizz, who put his destroyed pile of food on the ground, having almost forgotten about it, stood up and walked over to Chloe. He sat down with her on the table, his body twisted to face the couch, but his legs facing diagonally off the table, knees bent and away from Chloe. He put his right paw on her back to try and comfort her and began.
"Chloe, the others and I are terribly sorry for ever making you have to bring this up and bumming you out, but you know what? It doesn't matter what happened all that time ago. It might not have been great back then, but everyone has rough times when they were young. I mean, look at us?"
Panda instantly jumped in, realizing where Grizz was going with this. He stood up and walked to her as he spoke. "Yeah. I mean, when we were young, we never even had a permanent home. We always lived in boxes and had to beg just to get by."
Ice quickly explained after Panda was finished "Bears also never went to school."
Grizz decided to pile on to what Ice had said. "Yeah, we also never even had the opportunity to go to kindergarten or any of those other grades you told us. We had to live on the streets, never knowing what it was like to get to learn and have an education. That's one of the reasons why we don't have jobs."
Chloe looked up to Grizz and the others, still upset, but no longer tearful or crying. "How did you guys *sniffle* get over it though?" The bears all looked at each other, knowing it was a little difficult of an answer, but, to everyone's surprise, Ice Bear stepped in and gave his answer, now placing one of his paws on Chloe's back as Grizz was.
"Chloe. Ice Bear understands growing up is hard. There will always be people who will try to put one down; make one feel unloved. Ice Bear felt this way for very long time. It was not until Ice Bear understood importance of family that Ice Bear had moved on. Beings can never forget the past, but they can enjoy what is now, what is here, in the now. Make it better."
Ice Bear had broken one of his personal rules: speaking more than he has ever done before, but he knew he would checkmate everyone in the room by doing this. Grizz and Panda were left in so much shock by how much he spoke that they had to agree with him and follow what he said, and Chloe could see just how much Ice Bear truly cared for her then and there.
"He's right." was Panda's response. "Growing up was difficult and hard to move past, but we had each other at the time and, as long as we were together, nothing else mattered. Not shelter, not food, and not even people."
Grizz intervened into the conversation, not wanting to feel left out. "Exactly, but Chloe." He said facing her. "You have so much more to happy about. You have a home, a great personality, tons of people who not only like, but love you, and…" Grizz stopped to hold back his choking in his voice. "caring parents. So what if there were some bad times in the past? It's over with now, and you? You have the rest of your childhood to be happy about that."
Chloe had suddenly felt lifted by all their encouraging words. She slowly turned her frown into a little smile. Her eyes started tearing, but not because she was sad anymore, but rather happy. She knew they were right. She had so much to be happy about now that nothing from the past mattered what-so-ever. She stood up on the table and stretched her arms out around the Bears.
"You're right. I do have so much to look forward to, both now and later. Those jerks can cram it for all I care. This is what really matters." She said as she hugged all the bears around her. Her tears were quiet and dismal, feeling happy once more, not just for what was around her, but for knowing now just now much the bears really cared about her. They listen, they help, and they love. If only others could know just how great they truly were.
"I love you guys so much." She said as they continued to hug, sniffling just a little afterwards.
"We love you too, Chloe." said Grizz
"and we always will. We promise." came Panda next.
Ice Bear finished with his solution towards Chloe. "Ice Bear will still hunt down bullies, if necessary".
Chloe laughed some. "Ha ha. No, no. It's ok. You know what enemies need defeating though?" she inquired.
"What?" said Panda.
"Some Dungeon Keepers!" she cried. "We need to kill the gate keepers to save the prisoners from certain doom."
"Oh-hoo yeah!" shouted Grizz, happy to see Chloe, not only happy again, but also looking forward to beating the game again. "Let's do it!"
"I'm gamed." said Panda.
"Ice Bear will conquer all foes." he stated. Grizz turns the T.V. on, the main menu of the game still on as the screen lit up. some sounds are made and the bears sit on the couch as Chloe resumes her spot on the table.
[The camera cuts away to the outside of the cave after the characters are all moving their controllers and pressing their buttons. The sun was going down from the side as the golden, rich yellow light rested onto the cave from the outside, illuminating it with it's glow.]