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Cardcaptor Love Heart
Mamorubeki mono nante
Nayamu made mo naku hitotsu shika nakatta
Sakebi koe no kodama
Munashiku hibiita fukai mori no oku ni
Namida wo koraerareta riyuu wa
Kasaneta yubi no nukumori no sei
Kimi ga inai mirai
Imi nado nai mirai
Nido to hanashitari wa shinai kara
Kimi to nozomu sekai
Mita koto nai sekai
Jikuu wo koete haruka tabisuru bokura
Chapter 35: The Final Test
Love Heart made sure Confidence was alright on the ground before he stood up and faced Su Yung. "Wake them up now!" he shouted with his staff pointed at the ghost. At his sides, Keroberos and Loyal Heart readied themselves for a fight.
Su Yung just glared down at them contemptuously, "No. I will have my revenge on Clow Reed by making the world sleep forever."
"WAKE THEM UP!" the shout was followed by a magical arrow which forced Su Yung to dodge aside. Loyal Heart's body seemed to be ablaze with what could only be describe as 'silver moonfire' as he spread his wings and notched another arrow.
Keroberos spread his wings and took off, breathing fire at the ghostly sorceress who only retreated away as both winged guardians took off after her.
"Summer, heed my call! Lightning Bolt!" A blue bolt lanced up at Su Yung, catching her through the middle. It hurt but as a ghost the damage wasn't permanent.
"You can't harm me and you can't stop my spell!" She taunted as she flew higher, "The world sleeps now as it will forever under my spell of darkness!"
"Not the world, just this place." The voice was calm but loud enough to catch everyone's attention. Eriol stood on a nearby building with Spinel in his true form: a black panther with large butterfly wings and a moment later Ruby landed on Eriol's other side.
The battle temporarily forgotten, Su Yung turned to point at the trio, "You! Who are you?! You have Clow Reed's magic but you aren't him? Just like that bear!" She jabbed a finger down at Love Heart.
"Do not speak to master Eriol like that!" Spinel's voice had an edge to it as his tail bristled.
"If you do then you'll have to deal with us," Ruby conjured a small red crystal in her hand.
"Eriol!" Love Heart shouted up, "What are you talking about?"
"I've used my magic to limit the range of Su Yung's spell," Eriol raised his staff overhead which glowed with a golden light, "As long as I do, her spell will only affect Meridiana and the surrounding area. This is your final test to stop her."
Love Heart wanted to say something about Eriol not putting a stop to this as he looked to where Confidence lay on the ground, but then he looked back up at Eriol with his eyes aflame. "Right, I'll do this." Love Heart pulled out the last two untransformed Clow Cards, "Light and Dark. Either one of you could fix this," he closed his eyes and felt their failing power then inhaled. "I sealed you together so I have to transform you together, right?" he felt a twinge of their remaining magic, as if to say 'yes'.
"Love Heart!" the shout drew everyone's attention as Sweet Heart Pegasus landed next to her big brother, "Everyone fell asleep when it went dark! Did she do that?" she pointed up at Su Yung.
Love Heart nodded, "Yes. But I'm going to fix it," he looked up as Loyal Heart and Keroberos pulled back from their attacks.
Su Yung's ghostly body had several holes from fire and arrows in it but she still gave them an evil grin, "You can't harm what is already dead!" as she spoke the holed sealed up and closed.
"I feel she's weakening but too slow from the power we have," Keroberos state calmly, he saw that Loyal Heart was still fuming and panting from the effort he had poured into the attack.
"Yeah, I know but I can't just give up," Loyal Heart took a deep breath to calm down.
"Then come down and help," Sweet Heart had flown up between them. "Love Heart's going to fix this."
Loyal Heart smiled, "Alright, let's do this." The three of them landed but kept their eyes on Su Yung.
Love Heart was twirling his staff as he held The Light and Dark up, "Not sure I have the energy for this after the fight but I'm going to try." Love Heart took a deep breath then threw both cards up and recited his spell one last time.
"Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall
Ancient forces heed my call!
Light Card, Dark Card, discard your former might
And draw new power from my light
Heart Cards!"
Love Heart immediately felt the strain of trying to transform both cards at once. The Light and The Dark were each as powerful as each of the four elements and Love Heart was still drained from the battle with Frostbite. He could see a visible aura of light pulsing and trying to move up the cards as he poured his energy into his staff, which pushed back just as hard. Love Heart felt his push slipping and the aura slipped farther down.
Love Heart felt a second set of hands on the bottom of the staff, "Let me help!" Sweet Heart called as she stood on tip-hooves and added her magic to Love Heart's and the magic began to push up the cards again, slowly.
"Me too!" Loyal Heart grasped the staff with a hand, his wings spread.
"I as well!" Keroberos stretched a wing out to touch the staff.
A final set of hands grasped the staff as Tarot Heart stood on his toes to grab the staff just below Sweet Heart, "I'll help!"
Love Heart felt tears of happiness well in his eyes but blinked them away as he watched the aura freeze about halfway up both cards. "All together now, give it everything!" Love Heart and Sweet Heart's forehead unicorn stars lit up as did theirs and Loyal Heart's tummy symbols, even Tarot Heart forced his mind to add to the power as his belly fur glowed and the aura moved slowly up the two cards.
"What?! Stop that!" Su Yung tried to send a wave of water down at the group, but it was deflected away from them as the magical energy surged.
Eriol gave a satisfied smiled, "There's nothing you can do now, just watch."
Su Yung turned to glare at Eriol and then rounded on the assembly below.
Love Heart let out a loud cry as he forced all his energy into the cards and the aura burst up over them, completing the transformation!
"NO!" Su Yung was forced to cover her eyes.
"It's time!" Love Heart felt the others step back as he roared his command, "LIGHT CARD! USE YOUR POWER TO DISPEL THE DARKNESS!" The Light spirit emerged and flew up towards the sky where it pierced the darkness and a wave of light spread across the sky, dissolving the darkness as it went.
"DARK CARD! ENSNARE SU YUNG IN YOUR DARKNESS!" Love Heart pointed the staff at Su Yung and The Dark Spirit emerged, flying over and entwining the ghost in its dark mass.
"NO! This can't be! I can't lose here after waiting so long!" Su Yung struggled against the confines of the Dark Card.
While his had been going on, Love Heart knelt down at Confidence's side and gently shook her, "Confidence, wake up please."
Thankfully she woke up almost immediately, "Love Heart? Did you win?"
Love Heart helped her to her feet, "Almost. I broke her spell but Su Yung's still there." They all stared up at the ghost as she continued to try and free herself.
"Love Heart, what's this thing?" Tarot Heart tugged on Love Heart's cloak and drew his attention to the emblem of a hand of four tarot cards now on his tummy.
Love Heart smiled, "That's your tummy symbol, something all Care Bears have. I'll explain more later."
Their attention was drawn to Su Yung as she shouted. "Clow Reed! Show yourself instead of using these pawns!"
Confidence was ticked and felt the need to shout up at her, "Clow Reed's dead!"
Su Yung paused then stared down at Confidence, "Wh-what?"
"He died after your battle. You're seeking revenge on someone you already killed!" Confidence glared at the Sorceress.
"No… NO NO NO! THIS CAN'T BE ALL FOR NOTHING!" Su Yung resumed her struggled.
"She's not getting it, let's try to show her," Love Heart linked arms with Sweet Heart and Confidence Heart, who also did so with Loyal Heart.
"What's going on?" Tarot Heart asked Sweet Heart.
Sweet Heart took his arm, "We're going to give her the Care Bear Stare. Just repeat what we say and then force every good feeling and memory you have into your gut, trust me."
Tarot gripped her hand and gulped, "OK."
"CARE BEARS COUNTDOWN!" Love Heart Bear, Confidence Heart Fennec, Loyal Heart Dog and Sweet Heart shouted, with Tarot nervously repeating the words.
"C-care Bears countd-down."
"4!"
"3!"
"2!"
"1!"
"CARE BEAR STARE!" Four beams of light: green, sandy brown, blue and pink streamed upwards accompanied by a small black beam from Tarot Heart. Su Yung cried out as they struck her and The Dark released its grip so as not to be caught up in the blast.
The beam lasted less than a minute before they all felt Su Yung relax and they stopped. Su Yung floated there, looking at peace.
"It was… all for nothing… wasn't it?" she smiled and started to fade away from the bottom up, "He loved me… despite my… envy… if only… I realized…" and with that, she was gone.
Love Heart slumped slightly as he recalled The Light and The Dark, drained from everything he'd had to do that day.
"Well done, Love Heart," Eriol floated down with his two guardians to meet them, "I never expected you to banish in her such a way. The 'care bear stare' was it? I'm sure you have a lot of questions."
Love Heart nodded, "I do, but I have a lot to clean up right now. I'll meet you back in the Kingdom of Caring in a few days."
"That seems fair," Spinel said, "We will see you after you settle things."
"Excuse me, I need to get back to Birthday," Ruby flew off back towards the forest.
"MOM!" With the threat over, Tarot Heart ran over to where Soul Heart still lay, his shout awakening Flash Heart and Lucas as well. "Mom?"
Soul Heart lay there, looking as if she were sleeping but Tarot could feel her mind fading. He embraced her one last time as she peacefully slipped away, her body turning to dust as the last of the sustenance expired. Tarot Heart started bawling, unable to hold back anymore as Lucas and Flash Heart carefully folded the trench coat over her remains so they wouldn't blow away.
"OOF!" Confidence let out a surprised yelp.
"Confidence, what's wrong?!" Love Heart grabbed her shoulders as she winced.
"It's AAH! It's the OOH! The babies EEP! They're kicking OOF!" She held her belly which was suddenly squirming as she felt kicks and movement from within for the first time.
Love Heart smiled and put his hands on Confidence's swollen belly, "See, I knew everything was alright. I guess they were just waiting for this to be over."
"AH! Maybe but it's OOF! A bit much all at once EEP!" Confidence patted her belly to try and calm down their unborn children.
"I'm gonna go make sure everyone else woke up alright," Loyal Heart spread his wings and took off back to the forest.
Keroberoes shifted down to his smaller form and floated away from the two groups to give them their privacy but caught one last thing from Lucas.
"We'll bury her at The Panda's place, I think she'd like that."
OoOoO
With the threat gone and Love Heart's quest complete, he returned to the Kingdom of Caring with Confidence to find a house having been set up for them while they were gone, which gave them the space and privacy they needed. Loyal Heart also immediately invited Defiant to live with him. Bright Heart would need time to work on the gate that would eventually join the Kingdom of Caring to Meridiana and Take Care found she'd likely have more maternity work in her future than she expected and so was forced to add a full maternity wing to her hospital, especially after she heard about how poor the hospital in Merdiana was.
A week later, Love Heart, Confidence, Kero, Loyal Heart and Sweet Heart found time to visit Eriol's house. They were impressed by how opulently it was furnished and were led to a living room where they met not just Eriol but Spinel (in a small form like Kero), Gift Bear and Ms. Layla Mackenzie as well. The four of them sat on a couch with Kero perched on the backrest between Love Heart and Confidence
Eriol sat in a chair far too large for him with the same serene smile on his face and he spoke in the voice far too old for his size, "Welcome to my home. I know you have a lot of questions so just ask away."
Love Heart got straight to the point, "Are you Clow Reed?"
Eriol shook his head, "No, at least not exactly." He touched a hand to his chest, "I am Clow Reed's reincarnation and I possess all his magic and memories, but they feel as a distant past like a dream I can't forget. No, I am my own person with my own interests."
"Did you know Su Yung was going to attack us?" Confidence gripped Love Heart's hand and placed her other hand protectively on her swollen tummy.
Eriol sighed sadly, "No. I don't remember all the details but I've learned that the Clow Cards maintaining Clow Reed's magic is what kept her seal still locked, as I said it's like a remembered dream so some details slipped past me. Had I remembered I would have taken steps to keep her sealed so the tests wouldn't be so deadly."
"So, you were just testing Love Heart?" Loyal Heart felt he had to ask.
"Yes," Eriol nodded, "You've figured it out, I'm sure, but I knew the Clow Cards would have an excess of energy to burn off once released so you'd need to give them purpose. Thus, I created crises that needed resolving but weren't life threatening."
Sweet Heart raised a hand, "I was supposed to be the cardcaptor right? So… what do I do now?"
Spinel actually smiled, "Whatever you want, it may have been the path Master Eriol believed you were on but now you can choose any path you desired."
Sweet Heart let out a sigh of relief as Gift spoke, "Like I've decided to stay here wit Birthday Bear. I can't wait to see what kind of wedding they throw!" She beamed.
Love Heart laughed and put an arm around Confidence, "Not sure which of ours is going to be bigger."
"Oh let them have their spotlight," Confidence kissed Love Heart.
"Alright," Love Heart kissed back. Once that was done he turned back and looked up at Ms. Mackenzie, "So you knew Eriol was doing this too?"
"I did, we're old friends," Ms. Mackenzie said.
"So now what are you going to do?" Love Heart asked.
"I'm going to stay at least for this next school year, especially since there might be a lot more students arriving soon, and then I'll go back home." She nodded down to Eriol.
"Our task here is done," Eriol said, "So there's no reason for us not to resume our old lives."
"My adventure is over then," Love Heart touched The Heart Book still at his side.
"No, because you still have the cards and they are still tied to you," Eriol nodded, "Your adventure with the Heart Cards will only end when you pass them on to someone else."
Confidence stroked her belly and smiled, "I think we know who they'll be," She gave Love Heart a kiss.
"Yeah," Love Heart gave her a kiss back, "I think we're done here. We want to get home and just relax."
"Same," Loyal Heart was the first to stand up, "Defiant probably need some foot rubs, gotta go," he blushed as he tore out the door. The rest bid farewell and went on their separate ways.
"Gotta go too, bye!" Gift skipped out the door and headed for Birthday's house.
"It's going to be peaceful and quiet without Ruby around, but maybe I can catch up on my reading now," Spinel sighed and went to pick a book out from a nearby book case.
"Yes, but life goes on," Eriol stood up, "I wish you luck, Layla, and I'll see you next year."
"Yes, you will," Layle Mackenzie headed for the door and left the two to their books.
OoOoO
Love Heart and Confidence slumped down on the couch after a huge lunch. Confidence, of course, eating three times what Love Heart did as she was eating for three now. They snuggled up together as they put on an episode of one of Confidence's favorite anime.
"So, it's done now," Confidence whispered.
"The Clow and Heart Cards anyway," Love Heart looked over at the book he'd set on the coffee table, "We've got more complicated adventures ahead."
"Marriage, kids and caring missions," Confidence kissed Love Heart, "Gonna suck being benched for a while but I could use the break."
"How'd your dad react to being told he's going to be a grandpa?" Love Heart chuckled. He'd been called away on a caring mission the same day she'd gone to tell them.
Confidence laughed, "He was just kinda stunned and Tori gave me an earful. But I told them this is what I wanted and I'd have you and everyone else to support me. Dad eventually said he was worried but that he wants to meet his grandkids. I left out the part about the lab embryo you stuck inside me thought."
Love Heart kissed her again, "Probably for the best. Still making your wedding dress maternity style."
"You bet," Confidence giggled, "Not gonna have any free time for a wedding after the babies are born. Gotta strike while the iron's hot and all that." She kissed Love Heary, "you're so sweet to worry."
"And you're so strong to keep going," they kissed and turned to face each other, before a kick interrupted them.
"Hey, calm down and let us enjoy our last few months of alone time," Confidence spoke semi-harshly to her belly.
"Well let's not get too strict this fast," Love Heart rubbed Confidence's belly, which sent shivers up her spine.
"Ooooh, do that again," she murmured.
"Of course," Love Heart rubbed her belly then kissed her again.
Soon more responsibilities would take up their time but for now, Love Heart Bear and Confidence Heart Fennec wanted to enjoy their time together.