Over the Line
Outside, Swift Heart had managed to gather the rest of the family, deciding it was best for them to get out of the castle until they could figure out what to do.
True Heart was beset with worry, sitting down and hugging her pregnant belly to herself, "I can't believe it, they shattered the minds of our family." Was all she managed to say before breaking down in tears. Trust Heart had started crying, seeming to know what was going on and Proud Heart did her best to calm him down.
"Hey guys come on we have to keep it together! If we get all hysterical it's not going to help anyone." Swift Heart voiced, hoping to keep things calm.
Loyal Heart sighed, "You are right, of course, Swift Heart, but the fact remains there isn't much we can do. We can't hurt our family members but they will no doubt be able to hurt us. How are we supposed to be able to face them and eventually free them of hypnotism?"
"Hypnotism?" the voice came from above as Blue landed with Valiant Heart on his back, who quickly slid off, "What's going on here?" he asked as the blindness and deafness spells had subsided once they were in sight of No-Heart's castle.
"Dude some of the Opposites got some power upgrades or whatever and they hypnotized some of the others and made them go all feral and then used them to capture Snowy's group!" Champ explained in a rush.
"Which others? Who was turned feral?" Blue asked, noticing that Fauna was absent.
Noble Heart sighed sadly, hating to be the bearer of bad news, "Funshine, Grumpy, Wish Bear, Harmony Bear, Brave Heart, Playful Heart, Illusion Heart, and… Fauna…"
"I knew something like this would happen!" He bucked in frustration, almost hitting Lotsa Heart and Secret Bear with his hooves.
Swift Heart placed a hand on his leg, "Well lemme tell you the next bit so you can get all your freaking out over with at once." He snorted forcibly but settled down, "Hunter went back over to No Hearts side."
Blue whinnied in his anger, "That slimy ba-"
"Okay, over there till you've calmed down." Swift Heart pointed a few feet away. As he moved off she addressed the group, "So who has any bright ideas?"
"Well I would be immune," Terra Heart said, "I'm blind enough that she couldn't hypnotize me if she needs eye contact."
"I could tear her eyes out of her head!" Blue yelled from his spot. "Not calm enough yet, keep trying." Swift Heart called back, "I think Terra's right, but how do you expect to take on all the others by yourself? No offense, but it won't be much of a challenge for them."
"I'll do it, I'll subdue them," Valiant Heart said, "I can use my kido to incapacitate them without hurting them."
"And what if Obvious Heart gets to you too, even without your powers if you regress to a feral state you will be vicious just like a real wolverine," Loyal Heart pointed out.
"Then I can take him." Blue was slightly calmer and beginning to listen to the plan.
"Or better yet, you can make me blind again, maybe deaf too just in case her voice has something to do with it," Valiant Heart suggested. Everyone stared at him as if he'd gone crazy.
Proud Heart had managed to calm Trust Heart down by nursing him and spoke up, "All things considered I'd rather sit out here," she said.
"Well maybe we should try and find the spirit and No-Heart, and hope they aren't guarded," Defiant Heart said.
"All right, then maybe you can explain how you're supposed to be any use if blind and deaf, Valiant Heart," Take Care Bear said.
Swift Heart raised her hand, "I agree with Take Care and also, I'm going with the frontal assault team because, even feral, no one in that castle can catch me."
Valiant Heart sighed and turned to Blue, "Forgive me for this Blue, but, I know the way to Pegasus Falls." Before Blue could reply Valiant Heart continued, "While sight and sound are important to me, I've developed my spiritual powers to the point that I can sense things around me very clearly when needed just by sensing the spirit particles and their dispersion in the air; I didn't notice until my sight and hearing were taken from me on these trips and as of yet I can't use my senses all that well unless I am forced too, that's how I can operate if blind and deaf."
Instead of responding, Blue drew himself up to his full height and extended his wings, ears lying flat against his skull, "If you reveal the location to anyone ever, it is well with in my right to kill you
Instead of showing fear or backing down, Valiant placed his hand on his sword hilt, "I won't ruin our friendship with posturing, even though a fight between us might not go how you plan, but you have my word of honor as a Care Bear Cousin and a Soul Reaper that I will never reveal the location to anyone, even if it costs me my life."
Swift Heart moved over to them, "As touching as this is, can we please get a move on to save Grumpy...I mean the others?"
"Yes, we can," Valiant Heart said, "So far the only part of the plan is for me and Blue to get rid of Obvious Heart, one way or the other, and then what, wait for them to find us once we're in there, cause you have to know they're not going to come for us."
"True, inside they have the element of surprise on their side, something they will not relinquish voluntarily," Loyal Heart said.
"Maybe that's where I can come in. I can lure them out of hiding and we could take them out one by one." Swift Heart offered.
"I say we just wing it." Defiant Heart said, "There's no reason to plan out things like we did before, that didn't help at all." The others nodded in agreement.
"Right then," Valiant Heart said, "Guess Blue and I will go in first, but go in faster," he grabbed Blue's leg and they vanished from Valiant Heart's flash step.
Defiant Heart extended his spear again, "Guess we should get going then, or should we wait a minute just in case?"
Swift Heart thought it over, "Let's give them a minute." She anxiously watched the castle and thought about what was going on.
Defiant Heart waited for a moment then said, "You know I've been thinking, if the opposites are stronger now I don't think it's worth it to try and capture them anymore. Sure Delay Heart is probably well on his way to being a new white rabbit, and will probably be stuck like that with no one to snap him out of it, and we plan to give Glum Heart to Jolly's mother to try and reform her, but with the power boosts they have they're probably too dangerous to try and reform anymore."
Swift Heart nodded, "I agree. And I'm sure a couple of the others will too. If we can get the hypnotized ones back, then we can..." she drew her finger across her throat.
"That would seem best, and whether through trap or by powers we need to destroy the opposites for good this time," Loyal Heart said.
Elsewhere, Blue and Valiant Heart reappeared at another entrance to the castle.
"Blue, I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, but I didn't really know until we got to Pegasus Falls and I'm sure the others would have disemboweled me if they knew."
He shook his head. "We could have wiped your memory so you wouldn't remember the way." He paused briefly, "And I may have over reacted...I've just been under a lot of stress lately and this whole Fauna gone feral thing isn't helping."
"I can understand that, Love-a-Lot being No-Heart's captive is worrying me a lot as well, but I promise I won't tell anyone where the falls are, besides if you erased my memory then I might not remember about my spiritual sensor ability, which reminds me you should probably blind and deafen me now. I'll be able to sense your larger movements so use body signals to communicate as I won't be able to hear," Valiant Heart said as he drew his Zanpakuto.
Shifting into his human form, Blue called up his navy colored magic and chanted the spell to make Valiant Heart blind and deaf once more. "Hope you know what you're doing."
Valiant Heart turned his now blind eyes to face Blue, "Remember, I can't hear you, but you might want to avoid animals forms so you won't be affected either. Now let's go and find Illusion's opposite before she does anymore harm," Valiant said, turning to enter the castle, going slowly as he adjusted to his senses. In his mind everything was different shades of blue that blurred together if he moved too fast. He'd have to adjust fast so he wouldn't be overwhelmed.
As they walked Blue tried to figure out what he was going to do if he couldn't use his animal forms. Reaching a fork in the road Blue looked from one way to another. "Crap" Waving his arms emphatically he then pointed with just as much gusto, trying to get Valiant to help him decide which way to go.
Valiant turned and looked at Blue, looking around at the two ways, trying to sense where someone might be. Eventually he pointed down the corridor where he felt the largest concentration of energy. Before going on he spoke up.
"Once I find and kill Obvious Heart Alligator, I need you to relieve these conditions, I can fight like this but I can't release my Zanpakuto because that would blind my senses." He then moved slowly down the corridor his sword at the ready.
Blue rolled his eyes, "He sure is bossy for a walking stuffed animal." His thoughts quickly changed to what he was going to do to Hunter when he got his hands on him.
Meanwhile outside Defiant Heart stood up from where he had sat down, "All right that's long enough, let's get going!" he said, marching towards the entrance. Loyal Heart nodded and followed suit, shortly followed by most of the others. Grams, True Heart, and Proud Heart with her son stayed behind. Now that they weren't trying to capture their opposites they didn't want to get caught in the crossfire, that and Grams wanted to try to spend time with True Heart and Proud Heart and Trust Heart while they had a moment.
Grams readjusted her shawl, "My, this has been an eventful day. I do hope none of the others get hurt while they try to fix things."
Proud Heart nodded as she nursed her son, "Me too, I couldn't bear it if Loyal Heart turned feral," she said, shuddering at the thought.
True Heart suddenly began shaking as she hugged her pregnant tummy protectively, speaking to Grams, "Mom, I'm scared."
Smiling she placed a paw on her daughters shoulder. "Don't worry. You've raised them all well, they can handle this. We just need to believe in them."
"I know mom, for us, and for our children," she smiled up at Grams, "And grandchildren, oof!" True Heart smiled, "They're kicking, want to feel, mom?"
Laughing she placed her paw on her daughters belly, "It's certainly been a long time since I've felt that. You're going to have quite the active pair of cubs on your hands."
True Heart smiled, "I'm sure we'll be able to handle it, though I hope you're available to baby-sit when Noble Heart and I need a rest."
"Of course! I would love to look after the little darlings. What kind of Grandmother would I be if I didn't?" True Heart smiled and hugged Grams
Inside the Castle Defiant Heart was in the lead, moving his spear point left and right, looking for any enemies he might encounter, "Gotta remember to shut my eyes if I see an alligator anywhere," the badger muttered to himself.
"If I see an alligator I'm going to kick her in the head so hard all she'll be seeing is stars." Swift Heart told him cockily.
"If anyone is fast enough to take her down before their hypnotized, it's you Swift Heart," Loyal Heart said, "but if you get to her make sure you finish her off, as much as I hate the idea of taking a life we can't let someone that powerful run amok."
Swift Heart cracked her knuckles, "I plan on doing it quick like a band aid and without giving it to much thought." Although she was cocky and tough on the outside, she was having serious doubts that she would be able to do the deed. Her plan was to remember the feeling of being drowned and use that emotion to fuel her.
"Whatever we do, we need to figure out how to reverse the whole feral thing, if it doesn't just get snapped out of when Obvious Heart Alligator is dead," Anger Heart spoke up.
"Well we can always try the Care Bear Stare," Friend Bear suggested.
"OI reckon that may work, 's long as it breaks tha hypnotism. Roit? If we can snap 'em outta the trance, they should be ace." Jolly agreed with Friend.
"What's a Care Bear Stare?" Terra Heart asked, a bit confused.
"It's a power we all have," Noble Heart explained, "we can channel our good feelings into our tummy symbols and let loose a beam that can help cure or heal those who have been affected in a way that makes them behave worse then they normally do; it's also a weapon that can hurt people like No-Heart."
"All you do is focus on a good emotion, which gets your tummy symbol glowing. Then you release the emotion and-" Lotsa Heart had gotten so into the description that he didn't realize he had gotten his own symbol glowing and released a stare. It flew a short distance away and hit Swift Heart in the back of the head. "Ow!" Turning she glared at Lotsa Heart. "Careful Lotsa, you don't want to give us away."
"Just keep your ears open, we never know when these guys will show up!" Anger Heart hissed, trying to keep his voice down.
"You know Anger Heart, when we get home I think you should talk to Take Care about being prescribed some uppers." Swift Heart retorted, just as quietly.
"Uppers!" Anger Heart fumed, but Guidance Heart put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Calm down, Anger Heart, I don't condone drugs either but just try to stay calm until we're done," the blue raccoon said. Anger Heart sighed but agreed as they continued onwards.
Swift Heart stopped, ears twitching, "Do you guys hear that?" Before anyone could answer Playful Heart came running into the hall hooting happily. Jumping onto Anger Hearts head he attached himself to a statue and continued to chatter at them.
"Great, and I thought that monkey couldn't get any crazier," Anger Heart said, getting his symbol glowing he fired a call at Playful Heart, who dodged on reflex. Guidance Heart joined Anger Heart using her call to try and hit the feral Playful Heart. As they were distracted by Playful Heart, Illusion Heart slunk slowly towards the group on his belly, his jaws were open and he was going to latch onto the first person he found. So far that target appeared to be Noble Heart.
Terra Heart, however, felt the vibrations from the feral Illusion Heart and shouted, "Noble Heart, look out!" She turned and with a speed that belied both her blindness and shorter stature, she was able to move in and shove Illusion Heart back with her powerful digging claws.
"Playful is a distraction!" Champ called before jumping on Illusions back and wrapping his arms around his head. He knew he wouldn't be able to open his jaws now. Staying on however as the gator thrashed was going to be a different matter.
"Everyone quick!" Noble Heart shouted, "Care Bear Stare!" he launched his call, joined by most of the others, hitting Illusion Heart while Champ kept him busy.
As the lights cleared, Illusion groaned, "Homme, you tink dat you could lemme go?" He mumbled out of the side of his mouth.
Champ got off him, "Nice to have you back buddy."
Getting to his hind feet he seemed to remember something, "We need to go, de others gonna be here soon."
"Yeah, but what about him!" Anger Heart said, as he hadn't let up his attempts to stare down Playful Heart who was jumping form statue to statue avoiding the beam.
"Anybody have a banana? Swift Heart asked, ducking as Playful Heart leapt over her head.
"I didn't think we needed to bring food," Anger Heart said.
Guidance Heart had a sudden thought and conjured a plastic banana from her symbol holding it up, "But I'm guessing he's too excited to know the difference," she said, hoping to catch the monkey's attention.
As soon as Playful Heart saw the yellow fruit he climbed down form his statue. "Now!" At Noble Hearts signal they all stared Playful Heart.
"Okay, okay! I'm fine, you can stop now!" As the stares receded he snatched the banana from Guidance and bit into it. Realizing it was plastic he slapped his head and laughed, "Good one Guidance Heart."
"Thanks, I try," Guidance Heart said.
"Well that's two down, Swift Heart do you hear anyone else coming?" Loyal Heart asked.
"Not at the moment, I think we are safe to move on."
She turned to Playful Heart, "You don't know where the others are do you?"
He laughed nervously, "Sorry Swifty. Short attention span, he he."
Elsewhere, Valiant Heart had sensed the small bursts of energy that had accompanied the freeing of the two feral family members from their feral state. He spoke aloud to Blue, "It seems like the others found a way to help the ones Obvious Heart hypnotized. Hopefully we'll run into her first though."
"And not the other feral ones."
The hallway opened up into a larger space and standing in the middle of the room was Bad Luck Bear, Jynx Bear, Insomnia Bear, and Obvious Heart Alligator. "Surprise boys. Look like you got you' wish."
Valiant Heart didn't hear the taunts, not having his sense of hearing back, but he sensed their arrival. He turned his blind eyes to Obvious Heart and raised his sword, speaking one word through gritted teeth, "Die!" he charged, unable to use flash steps without temporarily blinding himself.
She stepped to the side and watched as he continued past her. "So I see you foun' a way to avoid my new talent." Blue braced himself fists raised as Jynx and Bad Luck approached him. Valiant Heart turned around; it was hard to see Obvious Heart's movements through his spirit sense so he slowed his pace, focusing his senses on her and advancing slowly on the opposite alligator, waiting for just the right moment.
Insomnia waited behind Valiant Heart, sandwiching him between himself and Obvious. "Ooo a sword, I didn't think you bears believed in killing." Valiant Heart took a deep breath, even if he could sense everything around him, his senses were still crude, he had to be careful and wait. He lowered his sword as if he was no longer ready to attack.
Blue looked at Valiant confused. Forgetting the wolverine was deaf he yelled, "Do something!"
Bad Luck and Jynx exchanged a look, "You heard him Jynx?"
"Loud and clear Bad Luck." The copper colored bear took a length of rope from behind his back and lassoed Blue, pulling it tight. All the energy left his body and he fell to his knees. "Looks like Hunter's advice about putting gold in the rope was right.
Jynx nodded, "He's useless now."
Obvious Heart smirked, "Dat jus leaves dis pain in de butt. Get him Insomnia." Together the two opposites charged Valiant Heart.
Valiant Heart suddenly turned around and whipped his sword up, Obvious Heart Alligator died with a look of shock on her face when she literally ran into the upraised blade of Valiant Heart's Zanpakuto. Valiant pushed the opposite's body off and turned to dash to where Blue was, now that the hypnotism problem was over being blind and deaf was a hindrance because of how unrefined his spiritual sense was.
Jynx and Bad Luck were badly shaken by seeing Obvious Heart killed. Insomnia too had halted in her assault. "Maybe if we hold still and keep quiet, he wont' find us." Bad Luck whispered to Jynx. Valiant Heart ignored them, instead opting to move to Blue and use his sword to saw through the gold infused rope binding Blue, and tossing it away from him.
"Please show me you can get rid of this spell, it's too hard to fight while relying on this crude sense of mine," he said, hoping Blue was strong enough to get up and help him.
As the gold rope fell away he slowly felt his energy returning. All he did was mutter "reversum" and the spell was lifted off Valiant. He however couldn't move just yet.
Valiant Heart blinked as his vision and hearing returned then looked at the frightened opposites, holding his sword up much more confidently than he had before, "Guess I should warn you, we've decided that you're not worth trying to save anyone, not after what the gator did to our friends." He held up his sword and shouted, "Electrify, Alastor!" releasing the blade into its electrified broadsword released form," he lowered the blade, "you have ten seconds," he threatened, glaring at them menacingly.
Bad Luck covered his head with his arms, "Don't! Please, we were under orders." Jynx hurriedly added, "We'll tell you whatever you want."
Valiant Heart looked at them, it was sad and even with his threat he wasn't a cold blooded killer. "Where are the captives being held?" he asked.
"In No Hearts throne room." Jynx hurriedly told him, hoping to keep him busy while Insomnia snuck up behind him, ready to club him with a fallen piece of stone. As she raised the stone to whack Valiant, Blue jumped on her with a roar as a velociraptor and bit her throat, cutting off her screams.
Valiant heard the attack behind him, and growled, raising his sword as the energy built up, "Give me one good reason not to fry you right here and now!" he shouted, his face twisted into an angry visage.
"Because we can tell you where to find the others! And what No Heart has planned!" Jynx told him frantically.
"Then start talking, before I change my mind!" Valiant Heart added.
"He has Funshine and Grumpy along with a few of the other opposites on the second floor and Harmony and Wish with their own set on the 4th floor. Hunter, Fauna, and Brave Heart he left outside the throne room as a last line of defense. He and Spirit are inside with the ones we captured."
"Good, thank you," Valiant lowered his sword and stopped putting energy into it, "Blue, what should we do with these two?" he said, motioning to Jynx and Bad Luck.
"Take them with us and use them as a shield, just like they are using the feral ones against us." Turning human he used the back of his arm to wipe the blood off his mouth.
"Good idea," Valiant Heart said, "and to make sure they don't try anything, Bakudo number 1, Sai!" Valiant's kido locked the two opposite's hands behind their backs, he grabbed Bad Luck's hands and hefted her up to be a living shield, "now let's go, and don't try anything."
Blue followed suite, picking up Jynx. Hesitating he called to Valiant, "I think you should grab the rope they used to bind me Valiant. It may come in handy."
"Good idea," he said, grabbing the rope, "for either Hunter, or Fauna so we don't have to fight her." He turned and began to march towards the rooms the opposites had directed them to. "Maybe we should try to meet up with the others on the way, now that the biggest threat is dead," the wolverine suggested.
"I don't think that'll be hard." Pointing ahead he showed Valiant Heart who had just entered their hall from the other direction.
Defiant Heart nodded, "Looks like your ears were right, Swift Heart and Lotsa Heart," he said, he noted the two bodies, "well the good news is the hypnotist is gone and we know how to save the others, a Care Bear Stare does the trick."
Swift Heart smiled shrugging, "You'd think you'd be used to that by now. Me being right all the time I mean." Cheer pointed at the two opposites all tied up, "What happened with these two?"
"We couldn't just murder them when they were scared and helpless, so we're using them as living shields, the same way their using our feral family members to keep us from fighting back," Valiant explained, hefting Bad Luck up in front of him, "Plus they told us where they others would be."
Noble Heart grinned, "Perfect! Let's go get them then."