FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 19: Love Heart Vs Dusk Heart

The shadow spear pulled out of Sage Heart's back as Dusk Heart strode into the clearing, his black fog seeping out of the trees around him. Love Heart reacted immediately and jumped out of the cloud car as he shouted over his shoulder, "Get back to Care-a-Lot!"

"No way, I'm staying to fight!" Confidence Heart was about to jump out to help when Love Heart turned to face her.

"No! Him I'm not letting him hurt you." He carefully put his hands on Confidence's shoulders, "I know you can fight, but against him... please just go back to Care-a-Lot."

Confidence Heart opened her mouth to argue when she felt a hand on each shoulder holding her back.

"Please, Confidence. I want to stay too but..." True Heart trailed off.

"Here, I'll drive." Noble Heart vaulted over the seat as Love Heart whispered something to Confidence so quiet only she could hear. Confidence sighed and nodded then re-buckled her seatbelt as Noble Heart took off back to the Kingdom of Caring.

Love Heart turned to face Dusk Heart, right as Sweet Heart got over her shock. "YOU HURT MY DAD!" Sweet Heart suddenly charged at Dusk Heart, flying low to the ground. Love Heart swore under his breath and took off after her.

Dusk Heart heard Sweet Heart's shout and turned towards her, but with his sight still gone he was taken completely by surprise when a fist made of rock slammed into his face followed up by a kick to his chin from one of her hooves. "Enough, die!" Dusk Heart swung his sword up at Sweet Heart only for it to clang on Love Heart's swords.

"You're not taking away my family!" Love Heart had drawn his swords and literally flew in between Sweet Heart and Dusk Heart to block his attack with crossed swords.

Sweet Heart flew above them and held up both her hands, conjuring a ball of water and lightning that fused together into an electrified water ball that she hurled down at Dusk Heart, Love Heart barely managed to dodge aside before Dusk Heart was hit.

"You can use Kinetics?" Love Heart turned his head to his sister as she hovered down beside him.

Sweet Heart's face was grim as she nodded, "Mom and dad taught me since I was six." Her right hand ignited into flames and her left hand conjured up an array of stones.

Love Heart nodded and floated up off the ground, "He's blind but his shadows can sense you through the ground. Stay in the air and he has a hard time seeing you."

"I can still hear you!" Dusk Heart fired off several spears into the air at the siblings.

"Then hear this!" Sweet Heart brought the fire and earth together into a sphere of lava that she launched at Dusk Heart. This time Dusk Heart managed to dodge aside and charge in the direction the heat had come from, slicing at the air. Sweet Heart flew up and over his head and Love Heart floated around to his left side and struck out with his sword, dodging back to avoid the backswing from Dusk Heart.

Life Heart wasn't even paying attention to her children as they fought, her gaze was fixed on her mate as he lay in a slowly growing pool of blood only a few steps from the edge of the barrier. She inched her hand forwards and grazed the edge of the barrier then froze. This was the only place she was safe from that monster! She pulled her hand back, no she couldn't! It was too much it...

She felt a kick from inside her tummy and looked down. Their children...

No! She wouldn't let them grow up without a father!

Life Heart summoned up all her courage and burst through the barrier. It was only a few steps but each felt like agony until she was at Sage Heart side. She knelt down despite her massive belly and lowered her hands to the hole in her husband's chest as her horn then hands began to glow. "Please, Sage Heart, don't die!" She begged.

Dusk Heart stopped his assault on the two flying siblings then turned his head halfway towards Life Heart. "It seems there's a new victim in the game." He held out his left hand and fired off a cluster of black tendrils towards the couple.

"NO!" Sweet Heart took off towards her parents. She swung her arm upwards and a wall of earth shot up to block the tendrils from reaching them. "Leave my parents alone!"

"Why? You care about them so that's all the more reason to kill them." Dusk Heart was about to launch another assault when he felt Love Heart's swords slice into his armor, leaving trails of sparks in their wake.

"No way in hell! I just got them back!" Love Heart dodged back to avoid another swing of the serrated red blades that extended from Dusk Heart's forearms. "Sweet Heart! Protect them, I'll handle him!"

"But!" Sweet Heart was torn between running back to help her big brother and going to protect her parents.

"Trust me! I can handle this!" Love Heart dodged a second too late as Dusk Heart's sword made a shallow cut across his chest.

Sweet Heart grit her teeth then nodded, "OK!" She flew over to her parents and, as more tendrils sought them out. Created a dome of ice around them and then a dome of earth inside that, including a floor beneath their feet.

Sweet Heart stomped her hooves and poured her mana into strengthening the barrier as she felt Dusk Heart's tendril continue their assault. The only light in the room being that given off by Life Heart's healing magic.

"Mom, is dad going to be alright?" Sweet Heart looked back over her shoulder.

Life Heart didn't look up as she continued to pour healing magic into Sage Heart's wound, a black goo that clung to the inside of the injury slowly evaporating under Life Heart's assault of healing magic. "I hope so, that monster's essence is blocking my magic." She looked up to see a worried look on her daughter's face. Life Heart forced a smile, "I'm wearing it away though, if I keep this up then I'll get rid of it." Their dome shaped shield shuddered as more attacks hit it.

Sweet Heart smiled, "Don't worry. My big brother can handle this." A crack appeared in their dome and Sweet Heart channeled more mana into the spot to repair and reinforce it.

OoOoO

Love Heart dodged another slice from Dusk Heart's left blade and sliced out with his right sword which was blocked by Dusk Heart's other sword. Love Heart leapt back as Dusk Heart countered with his right sword again. Love Heart hovered off the ground and flew around to Dusk Heart's back, then touched down for a moment and took off back to his front. Dusk Heart had turned around when he felt Love Heart touch down which gave Love Heart and opening to slash at Dusk Heart with his swords wreathed in lightning.

Dusk Heart growled and recalled his shadow from attacking the dome of ice and earth to attack Love Heart. Love Heart dodged the spears of shadow by taking long hops through the air to throw off Dusk Heart's senses, periodically blasting him with bolts of blue lightning.

"Stop playing around!" Dusk Heart shouted as he charged towards Love Heart. Love Heart jumped over Dusk Heart and slashed down at his back, making two long scratches in his armor.

"I'm not playing!" Love Heart jumped back as Dusk Heart struck out.

"Your blows are weaker than before. Last time I actually felt your hits, now they are little more than irritations." Dusk Heart sent out a circular tidal wave of darkness that threatened to consumed Love Heart from all sides. Love Heart sheathed his swords on his back and charged up a small ball of plasma. As the wave was right on top of him, Love Heart fired the bolt upwards which exploded and blew the shadows apart. Love Heart flew straight up as the rest of the shadows reformed to try and smother him again. Dusk Heart's voice grumbled, "I had thought you would become stronger as I have. Though knowing I will crush you with ease once I can pin you down is of great comfort."

Love Heart glared down at Dusk Heart from where he hovered overhead, "Trust me, this will be nothing like last time." Love Heart flew sideways to dodge a massive spike of darkness that pierced the air where he had been a moment ago. "And I am stronger!"

"Yes, you are. Your ability to fly is infuriating!" Dusk Heart sudden sent out a blast of black spikes in every direction, looking for a moment like a giant sea urchin, which pierced several tree nearby.

Love Heart sent out a bolt of lightning to break up the spikes heading right for him, then recoiled, "Shit!" he realised a moment later that he had given away his position as every other spike converged on him. Taking a risk, Love Heart flew right at Dusk Heart and drew his swords as he did. The shattered spikes in front of him still scratched him as he reached Dusk Heart's body, only to nearly be shredded as Dusk Heart swung both of his serrated arm bladed upwards. Love Heart barely managed to block the blows and used the force of Dusk Heart's strike to propel him back upwards and over Dusk Heart as his dark spears struck him and we absorbed back into his being. Love Heart landed behind Dusk Heart and spun around while swinging his left sword at him and sending a crescent of blue electricity which struck Dusk Heart in the chest, knocking him off balance which gave Love Heart enough time to fly up and out of his detection range again

Dusk Heart regained his stance and growled, "Are you going to just keep stalling me? Are you trying to protect those three? I can assure you that this is pointless because when I finish with you I'm going to kill all of them!"

Love Heart bared his teeth as lightning crackled across his body. The he stopped and took a deep breath which caused the lightning to evaporate. "You'll never hurt anyone else again," Love Heart whispered. Then he shouted, "Care Bear Stare!" A green beam of light fired off at Dusk Heart which staggered him for a moment then he retaliated with another spear of darkness.

Love Heart dropped to the ground and began dodging around, jumping into the air on occasion as Dusk Heart's attack drew too close, occasionally striking out at him with lightning bolts or stares. He kept his swords sheathed on his back.

"You are weak!" Dusk Heart charged and struck out at Love Heart with both serrated blades. Love Heart just barely dodged back and up into the air as he lost a few hairs from his side. He panted as he hovered overheard. Dusk Heart turned his sightless eyes skywards and pointed, too far to the left of where Love Heart actually was. "This grows tiresome. Come down here and die! Wait, what?" Dusk Heart turned towards where he heard the faint sound of a siren in the distance.

Love Heart took his chance. He raised his right hand, fingers to the sky, and formed a clear blue orb of lightning orbited by a single rotating lightning bolt ring that gave off a high-pitched buzzing in midair. "YAH!" Love Heart hurled the orb at Dusk Heart, who turned just in time for it to strike him. The high-pitched buzzing grew almost deafening as the orb grew and engulfed Dusk Heart as lightning bolts leapt from the sphere to strike him, holding him in place as the sound deafened him.

Love Heart panted and looked up to see what he had been expecting: Take Care's ambulance with Defender Bear and Truth Bear flying alongside as escorts and Anger Heart and Independent Bear in a cloud car next to them. Love Heart pointed towards the icy earth dome and shouted, "Down there! Hurry!" He dove towards the dome and pounded on the sides, "Sweet Heart! Mom! Take Care Bear is here! Please open up!"

Love Heart held his breath as the ambulance landed until the earth and ice dome dissolved and melted to reveal Sweet Heart and Life Heart, with Sage Heart still lying motionless on the ground. Life Heart was visibly sweaty and tired but continued to apply her healing to the hole in Sage Heart's chest, that was thankfully smaller, barely the size of a pencil lead.

Take Care and Get Well jumped out of the ambulance's back, pulling a stretcher out with them that they dropped next to Sage Heart. "We need to get him out of here," Take Care said, "What are you doing?"

"Magical wound, I need to close it before he bleeds out." Life Heart gave one last grunt and with a sudden burst of magic the black energy that had been clinging to the wound evaporated and the wound closed.

Life Heart almost collapsed backwards but Sweet Heart caught her, visibly grunting as she helped her to stand. "Alright mom, I think that's enough."

"Yes, you need to go now!" Love Heart had turned his attention back to Dusk Heart, who was now moving inside the electric dome and attempting to shatter his temporary prison. The dome heaved and shuddered as he lashed out with waves of darkness and struggled to reach the edge of his prison.

"Right." Take Care and Get Well transferred Sage Heart to the stretcher and lifted him into the ambulance. Sweet Heart and Life Heart were right behind them and once Sage Heart was secured, Get Well helped pull Life Heart into the ambulance.

"Are you alright? Umm..." Get Well asked as she helped buckle Life Heart to the seat in the back for extra passengers.

"Life Heart and I'm pregnant." Life Heart Unicorn smiled at Get Well, "Thank you miss, what was your name?"

"Get Well Bear. Hold on this is going to be a rough ride." She turned to the front of the ambulance, "All ready, mom, let's go!"

Outside, the six magi watched as Take Care's ambulance took off back into the sky. Defender Bear turned to Sweet Heart, "You should go with your parents, Sweet Heart."

Sweet Heart shook her head and held up her fists as her wings spread, "No way! I'm not letting that monster get away with hurting my dad or anyone else!"

"This is serious," Indy drew his katana and turned to face Dusk Heart, "You could get hurt."

"Don't worry about her," Love Heart smiled then turned to watch as Dusk Heart finally reached the edge of his prison. "I've seen her fight. She's a Care Bear Magi too and she can hold her own."

Sweet Heart grinned, "Thanks, Love Heart."

"Thank me later, look out!" Love Heart shout came at just the right time as Dusk Heart swung one of his blades at the sphere-edge surrounding him and shattered his prison.

Black mist began to ripple out from Dusk Heart like dancing flames as he turned towards the magi. His voice began to echo as he spoke, "You may have saved my victims, but you will all die here!" He swung his blades down and unleashed a torrent of black tendrils towards the Magi.

Love Heart glared into the torrent and bared his teeth as blue electricity danced across his body. "You're the only one dying today!" Love Heart charged, creating a whoosh of air as he dove into the mass of spikes. Love Heart drew his swords which conducted the lightning as he sliced them apart. Dusk Heart was taken aback as he felt Love Heart tearing through his attack until the bear was in front of him. Love Heart gave a shout and slashed at Dusk Heart, leaving two long scratches on his armor and knocking him back a full meter. Love Heart dropped his swords and held his hands together as purple strings of plasma gathered in between his hands into an orb the size of a softball. With a cry, Love Heart fired the plasma ball at Dusk Heart which gave off a violent explosion that send Dusk Heart flying.

The electricity still danced across Love Heart as he bent down and retrieved his swords. "I was holding back before. I had to protect my family and I knew I couldn't take you alone. But now all the innocent victims have escaped and only trusted friends and skilled warriors stand at my side. Dusk Heart, as punishment for every life you've taken, every moment of torment you've inflicted and for everything you've done to my families we will end you!"

Dusk Heart stood up, his armor dented and cracked where the plasma ball had struck him. His voice became deeper and more akin the guttural roaring as he spoke. "No! I shall not be the one who diES HERE! THIS WILL BE YOUR GRAVES!"

---

His tirade was silenced by a blast of steam from Sweet Heart and Indy charging forwards and struck out at Dusk Heart with his katana. Taking this cue, Truth shot off a massive fireball at Dusk Heart followed up by a peppering of smaller fire bolts from Anger Heart. Defender Bear took a deep breath and charged up his light beam in both hands then fired it off at Dusk Heart, enveloping him.

For an instant it seemed to be over, then a dark pulse of energy appeared it the middle of the beam, fracturing it into a six-way scattering as Dusk Heart plowed forwards, pieces of his armor flaking off as he pushed forwards behind his dark shield. "I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOU! YOU WHO DESTROYED MY POWER!"

Defender was forced to abandon his attack as Dusk Heart reached him and slashed upwards at an angle. Defender took a shallow cut before he drew his sword and blocked the attack. Then Indy charged and slashed deep into Dusk Heart's back and he shot a spike of darkness at him, only to be blocked by a magical barrier from Truth Bear. Love Heart unleashed a barrage of lightning as he closed in on Dusk Heart's left side then drew his swords and slashed down at Dusk Heart in one motion, shearing off the plate on his side. Before Love Heart could get a look, Dusk Heart slashed him with his left sword which caught him on the side before he jumped back. Sweet Heart let out a cry from where she hovered overhead and hurled a huge ball of mud down on Dusk Heart's head then Anger Heart charged in and shoved a massive fireball onto Dusk Heart, which burned the mud into a solidified mass.

Everything stood still for a moment. Then darkness erupted from the shell and an explosion of darkness erupted outwards. "NooOOoo I ccCCc AAa noTTTA DiEEE h eeEE RREE. DIeDdidedidi eAE ARAAAGg EGEe eeEEGGgggG!" Dusk Heart's armor was barely still attached as his voice became chaotic and his attacks became wild.

Love Heart was hurled a fair distance into the treeline and smacked into a tree. Anger Heart took a spike through his leg and he was forced to back off but Defender got the worst of the impact that throttled him in the stomach, thankfully not getting through a barrier he'd thrown up at the last moment. Truth was grabbed around the neck by a tendril, "GiV E M e bAK Bod dY YYY!" He was about to stab one of his serrated blades into Truth before Indy chopped through the tendril with his katana, tummy symbol and sword both glowing silver with channeled caring energy. Dusk Heart turned and stabbed his left blade through Indy's side. Truth swung his guandao sideways and shattered the blade, which left the broken off weapon stuck in Indy's side. Sweet Heart charged in from above and shoved a spike of ice into his right shoulder armor which tore it off.

Love Heart shook his head to clear the lights from his vision then stood up and conjured his swords again. Love Heart electrified his body and charged in again, just in time to see Indy and Truth hurled backwards, Dusk Heart's blade's having broken off in Indy's side. Dusk Heart grabbed Sweet Heart by the leg and threw her away just in time to see Love Heart charge in. Love Heart's sword clashed against Dusk Heart's serrated blades. Love Heart dodged sideways, dropped his left sword and focused all the lightning around his body into his left hand which formed a small ball of plasma that he fired at point blank range, shattering part of Dusk Heart's body armor. Truth Bear charged in, guandao in hand and slashed at Dusk Heart's back, then jumped away as Dusk Heart swung backwards and chased after him with a lance of darkness, that stopped short after only a meter.

Then Love Heart saw it: what looked like a black scab on the left side of Dusk Heart's torso, half covered by what was left of his armor. Where Flash Heart had stabbed him right before he was killed. Love Heart conjured a sword into his left hand again then charged in, slicing off the last part of armor covering the stab wound. Dusk Heart turned his sword forwards and stabbed into Love Heart, hitting him in the side but only being partly lodged into him. "n OW ww, YOU dI I ee eEe EEEe!"

---

"Not a chance!" Love Heart's tummy symbol glowed green as he channeled his caring energy into the blade and stabbed it into the wound. The glowing energy melted the scab away and Love Heart shoved his sword into Dusk Heart's body.

Everyone stared, Indy vividly remembering when Flash Heart died in front of them. Dusk Heart laughed, a deep crackly roaring laugh as he tried to drive the sword into Love Heart, only to find Love Heart's left sword stuck in the ground and holding him at bay.

Love Heart grit his teeth against the pain as he channeled all of his remaining energy into his sword. Plasma strings flashed on his body once, twice, three times then solidified.

"RAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!" Love Heart screamed as he forced all the plasma into his sword, and inside of Dusk Heart's body.

Dusk Heart screamed and writhed in pain, crying out as the plasma coursed through his body. His blade pulled out of Love Heart's side as his body seized up. Love Heart continued to pour all of his power into the plasma as it coursed through him. Everyone else stared, riveted to the spot as the blackness emerged from Dusk Heart one last time and formed spears to stab Love Heart only to evaporate and dissolve.

Finally, Love Heart stopped. He was panting as Dusk Heart slumped forwards and Love Heart lifted his right leg and shoved Dusk Heart back and off his sword then Dusk Heart fell back to the ground, spread-eagled and all of his armor gone save for his boots, left shoulder pad, part of his lower torso armor and the right forearm with the blade still extended.

Love Heart used his right sword to support himself as the star on his forehead glowed and he held his left hand to the gash on his side, using his unicorn magic to seal the wound.

"hEHehEHe! You've won."

Love Heart glared at his fallen foe, "Shut up!"

"After all of this I am dying, the body of your ol d friend dies too. I hope this is your last." Dusk Heart's body began to dissolve. Love Heart turned and walked away, allowing his sword to dissolve in his hands.

"Love Heart!" Sweet Heart was the first one to run up to Love Heart and caught him in a hug, "Are you OK, big brother?"

Love Heart winced at his still sore side, the wound opening slightly. "I hurt all over, and I'm almost out of magic. But I'll live."

"OK. Just a sec," Sweet Heart stepped back as the star on her forehead glowed and she held her hands to his wound. Her healing magic coursed into his injury and sealed it properly. The pain was still there but at least the blood stain on his side had stopped growing. "There, much better."

Love Heart smirked and ruffled the short hair on Sweet Heart's head, "I can already tell you're going to be a great sister. Let's go home."

"Sounds good to me," Anger Heart was about to conjure a cloud car, when the wind picked up.

Defender Bear was the first to look up, and he gaped, "I think we have a bigger problem to deal with!"

"Ah hell." Indy swore as they all turned to look up at the sky, and the purple tornado descending towards them.

"Is that No-Heart?" Sweet Heart was visibly shaking and actually clung to her brother's arm.

Love Heart nodded, "Yes." He turned to look as his sister, surprised to see her looking so small and scared.

"Mom told me about him, how he turned her into a magic stone and kept her locked away for years until dad saved her. He's the reason she never left this place to find all of you." Sweet Heart gulped and tried to hide behind Love Heart.

Love Heart Bear, Defender Bear, Truth Bear, Independent Bear and Anger Heart fox all faced No-Heart as his tornado form landed next to Dusk Heart's dissolving body and reformed into the purple-robed wizard they all knew and despised.

No-Heart glanced down at the still dissolving body of Dusk Heart then up to the Care Bears with venom in his eyes. "If I were inclined to do so I would be grateful for this and," he spotted Sweet Heart poking her head out from behind Love Heart and his keen eyes spied the eight-pointed star on her forehead. "Another unicorn spawn? She's alive? Perfect. When I'm done here I will take her again and-"

"LEAVE MY MOM ALONE!" galvanized into action, Sweet Heart jumped out from behind Love Heart and charged balls of wind and fire that she brought together to unleash a stream of iridescent purple flames at the wizard.

No-Heart raised his hands to block the flames but was forced back a step when the flames impacted him. "I'm impressed that you still have this much power, but it will be all for nought. I watched your battle and you have nothing left to fight me, especially not after I do this." No-Heart reached down into Dusk Heart's dissolving body and grabbed hold of the thick shadows that leaked for his body. With little effort he tore the darkness from Dusk Heart's corpse which dissolved as the darkness was pulled free. The darkness writhed like a captured snake in his hands, "And now the roles are reversed, with I the master and you the tool!" He pulled the darkness towards his chest where it was absorbed.

The Care Bear Magi watched in stunned silence as a dark aura appeared around No-Heart, and then the shadows extended out and formed into the head of a dragon that gave a silent roar and dove at No-Heart's head with intent to bite.

"NO! You are mine now! You will be my power!" No-Heart used his magic to wrestle with the essence of the shadow dragon, fighting back and forth for control. Indy winced and his hand clapped over the wound he had taken from Dusk Heart as the blade evaporated in response to the body's destruction.

Love Heart jumped into action, "This is our only chance! Prepare for countdown!" Love Heart turned to Sweet Heart, who stared at the struggling No-Heart with stunned fear. "Sweet Heart, can you do a Care Bear Stare?"

Sweet Heart snapped out of it and looked up at her brother, "Yes, dad showed me how."

Love Heart smiled and gave a nod, "Good. Follow our lead and aim at No-Heart!" The rest of that magi's symbols had started to glow as Love Heart called out. "Care Bear Magi Countdown!"

Defender, "Four!"

Truth, "Three!"

Anger Heart, "Two!"

Indy, "One!"

Sweet Heart took a deep breath as the sky darkened and all their symbols lit up a pure white, "CARE BEAR STARE!"

Too distracted by trying to wrestle control of the shadow dragon's essence, No-Heart had no time to raise a defense as all six white stare beams struck him dead on. No-Heart howled in agony and he and the shadow dragon's essence writhed in pain as the beams kept up. Love Heart's knees shook as he poured every last ounce of his remaining energy into the attack as No-Heart's cries of pain became louder, then finally started to wane. No-Heart's voice grew weaker and weaker and finally petered out to a finale whine and the dark wizard collapsed to the ground, completely silent.

The Magi finally let off their stares and Love Heart almost collapsed until Sweet Heart caught him. She smiled up at her brother then turned to where No-Heart lay. "Is he...dead?"

Defender and Truth Bear walked over to where he lay, drawing their weapons from under their cloaks. Defender poked No-Heart with his sword, then Truth used the butt of his guandao to push harder. There was no response.

"I think that did it," Defender put his sword away, "That or he's unconscious."

Indy walked over to No-Heart and jabbed him wit the tip of his katana, trying to provoke a response one last time. "He played with forces beyond his power and it destroyed him." He nodded grimly and sheathed his katana at his right side.

Truth nodded, "Not the first time, but it looks like it finally did him in."

Anger Heart gave a sigh of relief, his five tails swishing behind him, "Good. Let's go home."

"OK," Love Heart gave a weak smile and tried to stand up away from Sweet Heart, only to almost collapse before his sister caught him again. Love Heart chuckled, "Can someone else drive, I can't seem to support my own weight."

Two cloud cars were conjured amid the chuckles, one drive by Indy and the other by Defender, and the Magi headed for home

OoOoO

Take Care Bear had been expecting the Magi and told Get Well to prepare up to six more injury reports and exam rooms just in case. Expanding her house/clinic into a full hospital was one of the smartest ideas anyone had ever had in the Kingdom of Caring and it was rapidly proving to be a necessity these days.

As she predicted, Love Heart Bear, Anger Heart Fox, Independent Bear, Defender Bear, Truth Bear and Sweet Heart Pegasus arrived in her waiting room shortly thereafter, with Sweet Heart still helping keep Love Heart upright. Take Care took one look at the six then pointed over her shoulder to the door behind her reception desk, "Alright, everyone into the exam rooms and let's get you patched up."

"AH!" Indy's shout was followed by a sucking in of air through his teeth. Everyone turned to him and finally noticed the spreading blood stain on his side where Dusk Heart's blade had broken off. He hadn't said anything but the blade had vanished when No-Heart wrested the shadow dragon's essence from Dusk Heart's body which was the only thing that had been stopping the blood from flowing. Indy had been trying to hold the blood flow in but he was only half-conscious now and needing to support himself on the wall.

"Indy, why didn't you say something?" Love Heart asked.

"I thought I could handle it." Indy stood upright.

Take Care marched over to check Indy. She pulled his hands away and made her diagnosis in an instant, "You need stitches, now! Let's go." She carefully guided Indy towards the exam rooms.

Get Well emerged from the rooms a moment later and ushered the rest of the magi into the back. Love Heart was especially grateful when he got to lie down on the exam bed. As Get Well started her exam, Love Heart had to ask, "How are Life Heart and Sage Heart?"

"Life Heart's due any day now and Sage Heart's fine, though he is asleep. Worry about them after I finish with you." She looked up at the other, less injured Magi, "What happened after we left?"

Defender elected to speak, "Once you left, Love Heart cut loose and we more or less unleashed everything we had on Dusk Heart. It was tough and we didn't get out unscathed."

"But we beat him!" Sweet Heart's high pitched shout made everyone wince slightly. She blushed and calmed down.

Defender continued, "Love Heart stabbed Dusk Heart through the injury Flash Heart inflicted on him five years ago then pumped all of his plasma lightning into Dusk Heart's body until he collapsed. And then No-Heart showed up."

Love Heart forestalled any other conversation with his last words, "I have one hell of a report to write up later, you can ask once I'm all fixed up."

"Fortunately you're not going to try and outdo Defender for how many times you wake up from a coma in here," Get Well smirked, "You should just need some bandages and anti-biotics. And rest, lost of rest. Going to have to check all of you for exotic diseases from the jungle though, and probably give you some shots just in case."

There was an audible groan from all of the Magi.

OoOoO

Take Care carefully snipped the tip off the second set of stitching and checked Indy's injury, "Alright that's good. I just need to bandage it. How do you feel?"

Indy smiled, "Much better, just tired."

"I'm not surprised. I just need to check you for diseases and maybe give you a shot or two and you'll be free to go home." Take Care grabbed a blood testing kit from her supplies.

"Thanks, I'll get out of your hair once you're done." Indy lay back on the exam bed.

"You can rest here till you're ready to go home." Take Care tested the syringe and prepared to draw out some of Indy's blood.

"OK. Shouldn't be too long then. Thanks for stitching me up, Doc."

Take Care smiled and rolled her eyes, then tied a tight elastic around his arm and carefully drew some of his blood.

OoOoO

Sweet Heart was the first to be allowed to go. Once she was sure her parents were alright she decided to explore the Kingdom of Caring to get familiar with her new home.

Partway into the Forest of Feelings she almost bumped right into someone. "Sorry!" she apologized and hopped back from the red fox, "Wasn't looking where I was going."

Soulful Heart blinked at the pink horse in front of him, she looked about the age of a teenager and...were those wings on her back? He shook off the speculations and replied. "It's fine. Who are you?"

"Oh right. I'm Sweet Heart Pegasus, I just got here last night." She extended a hand towards Soulful.

Soulful looked at her for a moment then shook her hand, "Soulful Heart Fox. I was busy last night and this morning."

"Nice to meet you. I'm gonna explore my new home, bye!" She trotted off into the forest.

Soulful watched her go for a moment then shrugged and continued on the way to his destination.

OoOoO

Love Heart was asked to stay for a while after being patched up. Several bandages adorned his body including stitches where Dusk Heart had tried to slice through him and he was sore all over, but he was happy. After all the pain and trials, he was grateful to be home and with his family safe and sound.

His family...

Love Heart got up from the exam table, feeling rested enough to walk, albeit on shaky legs, he made his way out of the exam room and checked the nearby ones until he found what he was searching for.

Sage Heart lay asleep in bed. He was rather quiet for a moment then let out a loud snore, which made Life Heart giggle. Life Heart was sitting back in a chair next to Sage Heart's bed with her hands resting on her pregnant belly when Love Heart walked in.

"Hi mom," Love Heart gave a weak smile.

"Love Heart? Oh my!" She pulled herself out of the chair and waddled over to him. She took his face in her hands, feeling it to make sure it was real. "It is you, oh my baby boy!" She pulled Love Heart into a tight hug, or as tight as she could around her belly.

Love Heart winced but returned the hug, "I'm real. Ouch! Careful I'm still sore."

"Sorry!" Life Heart let go, "I'm just...everything feels like a dream now, I mean I'm home, really home with my entire family again. I haven't seen you since you were a baby and..." She raised her hands up to wipe the tears that streamed from her eyes, "I'm sorry I just... I can barely handle it."

"It's alright. How's dad?" Love Heart turned to look at Sage Heart.

"Take Care said he'll be fine. He just needs to sleep and he'll be back on his feet tomorrow." Life Heart turned and smiled at her sleeping husband.

"That's good." Love Heart turned, "Sorry but I need to go. Confidence Heart is probably worried sick about me."

"OK. Who's Confidence Heart?" Life Heart asked.

"My fiancée, you can meet her tomorrow. Bye mom," Love Heart left before she could get another word in.

Love Heart didn't relish the long walk home but he was too tired to fly or even to conjure a cloud car to drive home. He waved to several Care Bears as he stumbled by, grabbing each street lamp or other structure as he did to help him stay on his feet.

Eventually, Love Heart opened the front door to his house and stumbled in. He found Confidence Heart sitting at the kitchen table finishing off the last slice of a frozen pizza she had cooked. She turned to Love Heart with her mouth full and grinned before she swallowed. "Welcome home."

"Couldn't you save any for me?" Love Heart smirked as he limped towards her.

Confidence Heart grinned and patter her tummy, "No way, I'm eating for two now."

Love Heart rolled his eyes and stood behind a chair that he used to support himself, "Thanks for staying behind."

Confidence's expression turned serious as she looked him up and down, "Now I'm happy I did, if I had taken any hits like that..." She shuddered and hands moved to cover her tummy protectively.

Love Heart carefully reached out to lay his hand on her shoulder, "It's fine. We took care of everything."

"Everything? Is Dusk Heart dead?" Confidence's voice was half-afraid and half-hopeful.

Love Heart nodded, "Thanks to Flash Heart. Then No-Heart showed up."

"What?!" Confidence Heart was on her feet in a second.

Love Heart did his best to smile, "I'll tell you tomorrow. I really need some sleep."

Confidence Heart saw that Love Heart was about to collapse and moved to help him stand, "Alright, but you have to tell me everything."

OoOoO

A figure approached No-Heart where he lay and stood over him. "Lord No-Heart, are you alive?"

No-Heart stirred and forced his head up to look at the new arrival. "I still live," his voice was hoarse and his eyes were dim. The stranger in front of him was a human dressed in all black: pants, shoes, socks, shirt and open high-collared trench coat; even the irises of his eyes were dark-grey, almost black.

"I apologize. I sensed the battle between the Magi and Dusk Heart and I tried to arrive in time. But I fear I was too late to aid you. I sense that you're in serious pain."

No-Heart tried to stand, only for a black aura to surround him and he collapsed again. "The shadow dragon's essence is proving too hard for me to control, I need time to adjust and contain it within myself."

"Then I shall aid you." The man raised a hand and No-Heart felt himself levitate off the ground. Then, to his astonishment, the man dropped to one knee, his left hand formed a clenched fist over his chest, and he bowed towards No-Heart. "From this day forwards, I am at your service, Lord No-Heart."

No-Heart narrowed his eyes, trying to search for the deception or trick in the man's voice but found none. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because you have the power and motivation to do what I cannot and I intend to make sure that you can."

No-Heart only had one more question, "What is your name?"

The man looked up his expression neutral, his eyes betraying not a hint of emotion, "You may call me, Mental Heart."