Turn About
Passing through the portal and back to the Falls, Blue nodded to the guards on the other side who immediately bowed in respect. He waited momentarily for Valiant to regain his sight and hearing before he took them to the scrying mirrors.
Valiant shook his head as his sight and hearing returned, "Ugg that was unpleasant. All right let's get this over with before the others need our help," he said.
"No arguments there. We have to run to get there though so you'd better hold on tight." Feeling Valiant grip his mane Blue took off for the Scrying Caves as fast as his legs would carry him. After about 10 minutes they arrived at an opening in the base of a lone mountain guarded by 2 young Pegasis.
Blue loosed a loud whinny of greeting when he recognized one of them as Frosty, "I didn't know you were assigned this detail."
The albino colt smiled at him as he bowed, "Believe me it was not my first choice. Who's the hitchhiker?"
"Valiant Heart Wolverine, a friend of Faunas. We need to use the mirrors." Frosty nodded to the green and purple colt next to him who moved aside to admit them. Trotting past them Blue moved through a short stone tunnel before emerging in a large cavern.
The walls boasted large mirrors gilded in silver and purple frames. Blue stopped by one of the ones on the back wall, "All you have to do is say the name of the person you wish to talk to and the mirror will show them."
Valiant Heart slid off Blue's back, "Thanks, this won't take long," Valiant Heart took out Delay Heart's crystal and spoke to the mirror, "I want to speak to Mirana, the White Queen of Wonderland."
The remaining opposites who hadn't been crystallized or snatched away by Shatter and Blade filed quietly into No Hearts throne room. No Heart had summoned them for some reason unbeknownst to them. Currently he sat on his throne, drumming his fingers on the stone arm. Spirit waited next to him, tense in anticipation of what was to come. As the last opposite entered the room and Beastly shut the door with a cackle No Heart leapt to his feet.
"You incompetent useless creations are the biggest waste of magic I have ever committed!"
The Opposites cringed under the verbal onslaught and were too scared to reply as No-Heart continued.
"It was a simple task! Find the one I created you from and crystallize them! When you proved incapable of that, I gave you another chance to round up those who escaped. That was strike two. Now all of them are free once more and probably planning to come here!" He stood, eyes glowing a horrible red, right in front of Careless Bear, "CAN YOU GUESS WHAT STRIKE THREE IS?"
"Not st-stopping them," Careless replied.
He back handed her, "Yes! And..." He stopped for a moment in his tirade, noticing for the first time that some of his "special" Opposites were missing, along with the two from Wonderland. "Those double crossing good for nothing back stabbing furry menaces!" Clenching his hands into fists he yelled his fury.
The Opposites exchanged looks, they too had noticed the missing opposites as well as Shatter Heart and Blade Star being absent. They did not want to provoke No-Heart when he was this mad.
Beastly however was a different matter, he came tottering over to No Heart cackling, "Boss, you're gonna loose it. The shadows just told me they saw Hunter leave a few days ago and he was looking to join Fauna." He didn't notice the lightning gathering around No Hearts hands and continued, "And I haven't seen those new ones since they went to go 'take care' of the Care Bears. Looks like you're not having such good luck huh Lord No Heart..."
His eyes widened as he realized what he was saying, turning slowly he saw No Heart crackling with electricity, "Nnnnnnow boss, ddddooooonnn'tt do anything rash." He was backing away from him quickly. Lightning raced from his green finger tips heading for Beastly, the opposites, and Spirit. Beastly made it out the door and pulled it shut behind him. The opposites, however, were all hit hard by the lightning and in an instant were writhing on the floor in serious pain.
The Spirit merely deflected the lightning as the opposites all began to get up, "Maybe if you weren't so focused on their failures you'd note that the Care Bears are all heading here and that they had split into groups. If they get here we'll have the advantage and we can eliminate them before they do anything else too serious."
He turned back to the opposites who were slowly getting up from the floor, "This is your final chance to prove you are of use to me. Destroy those Care Bears, or I will destroy you!"
"Yes Lord No-Heart!" the opposites all said as they took off to take up positions to prepare for the arrival of the Care Bears.
"Shadows go with them! And tell Beastly to come here, I need his aid." They floated away to do his bidding. No Heart rounded on the Spirit, "You and I are going to come up with some way to aid the Opposites in defeating those cursed guardians of caring."
"All right, what did you have in mind?" Spirit asked.
His eyes flared, "I am asking you! You were imprisoned for the last hundred years in a SPELL book, you must know something!"
"I know plenty," Spirit said, staring him down, "give me time and I'll do something but if you have a certain type of 'something' you'd like me to do, just say so."
"Make it so the Opposites will not be defeated again. Or else this day to will be your last." He stood in front of her, his voice a dangerous hiss.
"There, now give me a moment, when I cast this spell the opposites will each gain some random ability, increased strength, speed, the ability to create weapons, but it will only last a short time then they won't have their special abilities anymore. It will be ready by the time our guests arrive."
Meanwhile, the four groups of Care Bears had split up en route to No-Heart's castle and each of them was at a different entrance. Defiant Heart's group was the first to land and he drew and extended his spear.
"All right, everyone ok?" he asked.
"A bit disoriented," Terra Heart said, "but I'm better now that I'm on solid ground again."
Swift Heart was stretching one of her legs up behind her back, wanting to be as limber as possible, "Doing super." Jolly gave a thumbs up to Defiant Heart as he watched Lotsa Heart jogging in place.
Defiant Heart looked back at True Heart and said, "All right, let's get moving, keep an eye out for the opposites and keep True Heart safe from harm," before entering No-Heart's Castle. Noble Heart stayed with True Heart, keeping at the rear of the group. Terra Heart was up near the front, following close to Defiant Heart using her nose's electroreceptors to keep track of where he was. She wasn't used to sensing tremors on paved ground, and couldn't on the parts of the castle made of cloud, so she was relying on him to guide her through the castle.
Swift Heart kept her ears twitching, listening for the littlest noise that would indicate they weren't alone. Lotsa Heart was doing much the same on the other side of the group. Jolly let out a small chuckle before whispering to Defiant Heart, "They're loike our own personal radar system."
At another entrance, Loyal Heart's group was also advancing. Loyal had one of his swords in his right hand and a chain with a heavy weight on it in his left hand, he kept his ears pricked up listening for anything. Proud Heart made sure that baby Trust Heart stayed silent, doing her best to keep him asleep. Anger Heart was in the rear with Guidance Heart, listening and watching for anything that might come at them from behind.
"Proud Heart was it really the best idea to bring the baby here? I mean this isn't like one of the family picnics." Cheer voiced as they walked the hall they entered in.
"Where was I supposed to leave him, back in the woods?" Proud Heart asked, "And I couldn't miss this not now."
"I won't stop you, but you could have stayed behind," Guidance Heart said, speaking up to be heard, "Your opposite is dead so you don't need to be around to use your stare on him."
"It's not to late dear, I could take him and watch him while you all are here," Grams smiled, "I am an excellent sitter after all."
Proud Heart stopped and the rest of the group stopped with her, "Thank you for your offer Grams, but you'll be needed here, and I don't want to leave him."
Loyal Heart dissipated his chain and turned to his wife, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, "My lady, I would prefer if you were safe from harm. You've already done more than enough to help us and if you could find some place that was safe, we are not too far from the entrance to the castle, we could retreat for the moment so you would be able to find a safe route away from here."
Secret whispered quickly into Friend Bears ear. "Good idea Secret." She conjured a baby carrier decorated in yellow flowers that Proud Heart could slip on her back to carry Trust Heart. "This way you can keep him with you and Grams can have your back to make sure nothing happens to him."
Proud Heart nodded and carefully slipped her sleeping son into the baby carrier, zipping him in tightly before placing it on her back, "Thank you, everyone."
"Let's get going then," Anger Heart said, irritably, receiving some glares which he returned.
"Then we should proceed," Loyal Heart said. "There is something off here though we should have run into a shadow by now at least. I do not like this."
"Your right sports fan." Champs eyes darted around, "Those creepy shadows are usually all over these hallways."
So what does No-Heart have planned?" Guidance Heart said, shaking a bit from fear.
"Maybe to bore us to death," Anger Heart suggested sarcastically, "But whatever the reason we'll let him and his opposites have it when we find them."
Brave Hearts group was also discovering the lack of enemies and was becoming nervous. "We really should have run into something by now. I've never seen this castle so deserted." Brave Heart had his trusty flashlight in his hand, shaking slightly at the darkness around him.
"Your right for once, Brave Heart," Playful Heart said, "I mean it's not like No-Face to keep us waiting so long."
"He'll have something planned, believe me," Hunter said, in his human form for the moment.
Fauna suppressed the urge to question his comment. She did however move closer to Grumpy. "This doesn't make any sense. He can't resist flaunting his power. Why is it so dead?"
"Maybe he's finally wizened up and is trying something new."
The group remained silent for a little while as they moved on, not sure what to expect. "Pardon de pun bu' I thought dat would be obvious." Illusion Hearts opposite Obvious Heart Alligator became illuminated by Brave Hearts flash light. With her was Bleak Bear, Careless Bear, Jynx Bear, Discord Bear, Coward Heart Lion, and Serious Heart Monkey.
"Opposites!" Harmony said, "Quick stare them!" she said, getting her tummy symbol glowing. Hunter, having no opposite stood back for a moment waiting to shift if the need came.
Fauna was suddenly in her wolf form hackles raised and teeth bared. Obvious Heart just yawned, unfazed at all. "Why I never. You invade our home an dis how you greet us? Mon dieu no manners." She stared at them and her eyes began to swirl with red and yellow lights. "I tink I bettah educate you in de proper way to behave when a guest in someone's home."
Hunter watched, not sure what to think of the swirling eyes which didn't seem to be doing anything, "What's with the rolling eye effect?" he asked, looking to Fauna and the Care Bears he noticed that their symbols had stopped glowing and they and stopped still, "What the, what's going on here?"
Careless smirked nastily at him. "Well if you had bothered to stick around on our side, maybe you would have known that some of us got new gifts." She pointed to the ruby red gator opposite, "She is hypnotizing them to bring out their true animal nature. It will be most helpful in capturing the others. Shame it doesn't work on you."
"What?" Hunter noticed that Fauna was snarling viciously, the others were slowly starting to behave like animals, going so far as dropping to walk on their hands and feet, with the exception of Playful Heart who just started behaving like a real monkey. Brave Heart turned on Hunter and let loose a loud roar, sounding just like a real lion when he did so.
"They're acting just like animals," Hunter said, stepping back a couple paces.
"Well that is the general idea," the voice came from the spirit who had just arrived behind the opposites, "Though as I expected it doesn't affect you since you are an opposite yourself. I'm sure No-Heart will be pleased to hear that you led the Care Bears and Fauna into a trap. That is why you are here isn't it?" she asked.
Hunter looked down at the Care Bears and Fauna, now reduced to animalistic nature, their appearance all that remained of their care bear nature, Fauna looking and behaving just like a grey wolf, albeit a much larger than normal wolf. Hunter suddenly got a sinister grin on his face and bowed to the Spirit, "Of course, Spirit, and now we can use them against the others. The Care Bears care too much to hurt their own, even if their lives depended on it."
Brave Heart had gotten a little too close to Fauna for her liking and she lunged at him, snarling and snapping. He swiped a paw at her. "Easy now. You well get to let your anger out on the Care Bears soon enough." Spirit cackled as the opposites dispersed to keep their animalistic originals from killing each other.
"Well, I suppose we should take the new pets for a test then," Hunter said, "I know where one group of the Care Bears invading is, they landed near us led by Snowy Heart Fox. I remember the layout of the castle well enough, they're this way," he motioned in the direction the group would be coming from.
"Snowy do you have any idea where you are going? I think we are lost." Treat Heart could have sworn they'd past that gargoyle statue at least three times.
Snowy sighed and stopped, "I'm honestly not sure, this place is so… corrupt that I can't sense my way around here. It might be better if someone else led us."
"I could do that," Bright Heart said, "Just stick close and I'll figure our way through here."
"Don't have to worry about that Bright Heart. Thisssss place givessss me the creepssss." Cozy Heart moved closer to her fellow purple cousin.
Tender Heart sighed, "I knew we should have drawn a map of this place a long time ago."
Share Bear glanced around, "Well if what No-Heart's done before tells us anything, we know he's up to something."
"Yeah, and I feel helpless not being able to figure out what it is," Snowy Heart sighed, summoning his bow just in case.
What they didn't know was that a group of opposites was creeping behind them to cut off their escape when they tried to retreat from the group waiting for them up ahead. Gentle Heart was having a hard time staying calm, she kept doing deep breathing in order to keep her cool but she was genuinely terrified of what might be happening.
Love-a-Lot had a tight grip on Cozy Heart and Treat Heart and the three were staying very close to Snowy. The group stopped as a soft growl issued from the hallway ahead.
"W-what was that?" Gentle Heart asked.
"I don't know, but I know it's not good for us," Snowy Heart raised his bow and drew it back ready to shoot.
"Be careful now, wouldn't want to hurt one of your family would you?" Hunter emerged, a sinister grin on his face flanked by the feral wolf Fauna and feral Brave Heart.
Snowy gasped and his bow dissipated, "Hunter, what's going on, what's wrong with them?"
Illusion joined them, on all fours with his jaws wide open and hissing. "Etienne?" Love-A-Lot choked out.
"Sorry, they've left the building. Can we take a message?" Careless too emerged from the shadows in the hall in front of them.
As the rest of the feral cousins emerged into the light the others backed off slightly. "What did you do to them?" Share asked, scared and confused.
"Jus brought out dere true natures chere. Dis how dey supposed to act." Obvious Heart looked very pleased with herself.
Jynx snickered, "And you thought you'd succeed. Pathetic, Time for you to come with us." Cozy heart was backing away from them, eyes on Brave Hearts teeth.
"Don't bother trying to run," Hunter said, "You're boxed in, you'll just run into more opposites on your way out. And I know you, you won't harm your own family member," he raised one hand and spun it slightly, "Way I see it, you have four choices, fight and hurt your family members, be frozen in crystals again, become feral like them," he motioned to the feral cousins surrounding him, "or be our prisoners. I'm certain that No-Heart will have some ideas what to do with you. So what will it be?"
Tenderheart looked around, there wasn't much he could do so he sighed, "I don't see what else we can do, I say we go as prisoners. The other options are unthinkable."
Cozy yelped as Frigid Heart grabbed her from behind. "Very good thinking." Playful Heart hooted from over head where he was hanging form a wrought iron chandelier. Slowly those in Snowy Hearts group raised their arms in surrender.
Hunter smirked, "I wonder what No-Heart will say to this little prize here," he said as he led them away to No-Heart's chamber. Unknown to them, Swift Heart and Lotsa Heart's ears had picked up the sounds of the feral cousins, especially Brave Heart's roar and the two cousins had been listening in, aided by Swift Heart speed to get close without being seen.
"This is bad, and that's the truth," Lotsa Heart said.
"You said it, we have to warn the others," Swift Heart grabbed Lotsa's hand and they took off to do just that.
No Heart looked on in disbelief as the two groups of opposites and feral care bears and cousins escorted their prisoners into his throne room. "How did you manage this?" He looked to the unbound Hunter, "Ah so you have returned?"
"Yes, the prodigal son, as it were," Hunter said, forming his Pegasus wings out of his shoulders and dropping to one knee in a bow to No-Heart.
"As to how, seems that my little power boost gave Obvious Heart Alligator the ability to hypnotize the Care Bears and force their minds into a pure animalistic form. Apparently it works on Fauna too when she's in animal form, but not on Hunter or other opposites."
"So," Hunter continued, looking up but remaining crouched, "once we had some feral Care Bears, we simply put them on the forefront and when the Care Bears were faced with the prospect of hurting their family, they came without a fuss."
No Heart stood from his throne and stopped in front of Fauna, who was next to Hunter. His eyes flashed in triumph as he looked over his conquests. "Finally! I shall get what I want! A world without caring, and some new pets to amuse me!" Grumpy, Wish, and Funshine roared, but were quickly quieted by their handlers. No Heart gazed once more at Hunter, "You had us all fooled. Even her." Fauna growled at his extended finger. "I knew you could never be a good guy."
"It's too bad she can't tell us where Pegasus Falls is," Hunter said, "but Blue will arrive soon, and he'll no doubt be able to tell us, especially if his beloved's life is on the line. But for now I think a more pressing concern is the other Care Bears running around in here, we need to take care of them."
"Agreed." Conjuring a cage with his magic he directed the opposites to put their captives inside. "I will keep an eye on these ones while the rest of you sweep the castle and capture the rest!" His fists curled in his excitement, he had never come this close to succeeding before.