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Chapter 46: Brilliant Heart

No-Heart levitated up over the edge of the clouds, his amulet glowing like a blood-red moon, his body wreathed in darkness and lightning as he towered over his previous height. His voice boomed out across the Kingdom of Caring, "CARE BEARS! YOUR TIME IS AT AN END!"

Love Heart was at the head of the Magi, facing down No-Heart as he loomed over them, the purple Mental Heart Bear in his vanguard. Love Heart touched his blank white tummy, then held his hand out to the side. Lightning gathered in his palm and he seized it, forming the electricity into the shape of a sword.

"You may have taken the Great Wishing Star from us and the power of our tummy symbols and robbed the world of its feelings," Love Heart held out his other hand and formed another sword made of lightning, "But you haven't made us weaker! We will stand against you with our hearts together and our wills strong!" He held one of his lightning swords up in front of him, "You're wrong! Today is the day you end, No-Heart!"

Love Heart's speech emboldened the rest of the Magi: Confidence raised her fists and wreathed them in wind, Sage Heart conjured a length of iron and formed it into a sword, Guidance Heart created a ball of light in her hand, Meek Heart and Wild Heart raised their hands to prepare to cast as did Life Heart with all of their horns glowing, Miracle Heart's tails began flailing as lightning flashed up around her hands, Flair Heart gulped but conjured a ball of darkness in his hands, Aqua created a broadsword made of ice and a long thin sword made of fire and Shimmeringstar created what looked like a long staff made of sonic energy not refined enough to make it look like a two-bladed sword.

Melancholy Bear looked back at the hall where Redemptionheart was holding the still pregnant Lonesomeheart back but still watching the battle, then created transparent balls of darkness on her hands and feet.

No-Heart stared at the force arrayed before him, " YOU'RE RESISTANCE IS FUTILE! DEATH COMES TO YOU ALL!" He raised his hand as his amulet flashed red and unleashed a torrent of purple lightning at the Magi, who all scattered to avoid the blasts. Love Heart charged right at No-Heart only to be forced to dodge aside as Mental Heart hurled a psionic blast at him that exploded on the clouds where he had been a second ago.

Indy jumped up in front of Love Heart and swung his sword, which was bleeding off blue energy, right at Mental Heart. The purple bear deflected his blow with a sword made of orange psionic energy. Indy bared his teeth as their swords locked and pushed back and forth against one-another.

"I wish I had been able to kill you when we first met!" Mental Heart Bear snarled.

"You won't kill anyone today, you or your master!" Indy swung his sword up, deflecting the psionic sword then slashing down at Mental Heart, striking a barrier that he had around his body. A moment later a bolt of sonic energy struck him in the chest and sent him flying as Shimmeringstar charged at him, swinging his sonic staff at the purple bear.

"Leave my family alone!" Shimmers shouted, only to be pulled back by his mother before a purple lightning bolt from No-Heart could strike him.

"Don't forget about the big guy," she cautioned as she flew up and landed a spinning kick on Mental Heart's head then dodging back to avoid his psionic sword.

Love Heart blocked No-Heart's purple lightning with his electrical swords then slashed into his side, leaving a visible burn on his robes. No-Heart turned and began to speak a curse only to be sliced through the side by Aqua's ice and fire swords.

" RAAAGH!" No-Heart turned and tried to smash Aqua Bear, but missed as he dodged aside. " ENOUGH OF THIS!" He sprayed lightning everywhere, trying to hit someone.

OoOoO

Another nova bomb exploded, shattering dozens of fighters so the Arwings and flying Magi could power through.

"Are you sure we should still be doing this?" Truth Bear asked as he sliced another fighter in half with his polearm.

"Yes, Major," Defender shot a bolt of lightning through another formation, "Even if they're in trouble, General Love Heart expects us to finish our mission and to trust him to do his! Keep advancing."

"Enemy batteries opening fire!" Slippy's panicked shout came not a moment too soon as several yellow lasers flashed towards them.

Peppy was hit, his shield shattering as he pulled back. "Sorry guys I gotta sit this one out!" He turned away from the battle, his ship trailing smoke and pursued by a several fighters trying to finish him off. A blast of ghost fire from Anger Heart vaporized the ships, giving Peppy the chance he needed to slip away.

"Don't stop, keep pushing!" Fox ordered as he blasted his way through several missiles, just being grazed by the explosions.

"We're close enough now, start attacking Andross' ship!" Fara began firing her lasers right at the large ship, the attacks striking the ship's shields.

OoOoO

Cold Heart stumbled as the ship's shields were hit and he made it to the escape pods. "Now we just need to wait for the shields to go down." He looked back at Illyana with disdain then back to the pod and climbed in. She'd have to find her own ride down, he wouldn't let that woman ride with him.

OoOoO

Sweet Heart fired a fused blast of fire, cold, lightning and earth towards Andross' ship which exploded on its shields. "Getting closer!" She shot out a blast of air and ignited it into a beam of brilliant violet fire that she swung to destroy several fighters that tried to surround her.

"Time to see how strong this is," Fox flipped up the top of his control stick and took aim at the ship then fired! A bright blue beam lanced out from the Mk V's nose striking the ship causing it's shield to visibly buckle.

"Don't let up! Lieutenant Anger Heart give that ship everything!" Defender Bear slashed a fighter out of the way and reached into his cloak. He swore he'd never use this again but desperate times... he pulled out the magically conjured and enhanced gun and aimed it at Andross' ship.

Anger Heart vaporised a fighter then turned towards Andross' flag ship and held his arms forwards to form a massive ball of white fire. He compressed the ball as Defender fired, the magically enhanced ammunition visibly weakening Andross' shield. "Ghostfire Meteor!" Anger Heart launched the now beach ball sized ball of compressed fire at Andross' ship.

Andross felt his ship lurch as the shield shook then visible shattered as the ball slammed into it. Exerting his psionic powers he wrenched the ship sideways barely in time as Anger Heart's fireball melted a long section of the ship where the bridge had been moments ago before it exploded at the rear, melting several back sections of them ship.

"Engines down! We're losing altitude!" One of the monkey operators shouted.

"Manufacturing center offline! No more fighters are launching!" A lizard shouted.

"Then it comes to this." Andross pressed a button and his command chair dropped into the bowels of the ship with him on it.

"Admiral Andross!" his subordinates shouted before shots from the attackers tore through the ship.

Cold Heart felt the ship lurch and closed the escape hatch, right as Illyana tried to get in. She pounded on the frame shouting things he could not hear and just retorted, "Find your own ride!" Pointing to the side before he hit the eject switch and was launched out and away from the battlefield, watching Illyana dart to the side to try and find her own escape ship.

"Pour it on! Don't let up!" Fox was firing beam after beam into Andross' flagship as lasers, nova bombs and magic bolts impacted it all over. He cast a brief glance downwards to where the shattered remains of the Great Fox still lay from earlier that day.

Something detached from Andross' flagship as explosions carved their way through the hull, the ship plunging downwards as more and more fire rained on it. An explosion rent the ship in two as theobject shot upwards before more explosions reduced the ship to scrap.

Andross' voice echoed in their heads, 'I can always build another ship to take us off this world! But you will not live to see it!' The blocky ship began to glow and the large polygonal head of a monkey formed, laughing at them.

" HA HA HA HA! REMEMBER THIS STAR FOX?" Large disembodied polygonal hands formed floating to the sides of Andross' head, " NOW YOU WILL ALL DIE!" Andross swung his hand at the Arwings, forcing them to dodge out of the way.

"It's a psionic amplifier! That construct is real!" Fara rolled to the side to avoid being swatted by one of Andross' giant hands. A moment later an electric blast of purple energy shot out of one of Andross' fingers, scattering the attackers.

OoOoO

Mental Heart sent Indy flying with a blast of psionic energy but before he could turn to help No-Heart, two attacks struck him like a thunderbolt, Miracle Heart Kitsune striking him with a punch of lightning while Shimmeringstar Bear struck him with a thunderous clap from his sonic staff.

Mental Heart reeled but pushed them off despite the burns and ringing in his ears. "You cubs should just stay put and wait until we kill you!"

"We don't deserve to die! Why are you trying to kill us?!" Shimmers shouted.

"Because you help humans! You help the creatures that made my life a living nightmare for years!" Mental Heart tried to push the siblings away. "You can't possibly know the torment I've suffered!"

"So some humans mistreated you, that doesn't mean all of them deserve to die!" Mira spun around and delivered an electrified roundhouse kick to Mental Heart's face, which knocked him away.

Mental Heart felt his vision blur as he saw what appeared to be large outlines of older bears around Shimmers and Mira then snarled, "DIE!"

Confidence Heart seemed to come out of nowhere as she smashed a flying kick to Mental Heart's side. "Don't hurt my kids!" she shouted as Mental Heart was sent flying, losing his levitation for a moment as he crashed into the ground and Confidence landed in front of Mira and Shimmers.

Mental Heart had no time to regain his balance when a bolt of lightning from Love Heart struck him in the side as the green bear charged in. "Stay away from them!" he tried to slice through Mental Heart's side but was blocked by a psionic sword. An instant later, Indy swung down at Mental Heart which forced him back.

"I'm just their uncle but I'll defend them like I would my own children," Indy added. He was about to charge when black fire shot out and forced him back.

" I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DESTROY MY SERVANT!" No-Heart bellowed, giving Mental Heart enough time to get his bearing again.

OoOoO

Defender Bear sliced at Andross' hand as it tried to grab him, forcing it back as lasers rained down on it. Andross' face only to be blocked by his other giant hand.

"Stop covering your face!" Anger Heart began pelting fireballs at Andross that just left scorch marks on the psionic construct.

"Destroy the hands!" Fara called out. Lasers began to perforate the hands, only for them to regenerate the instant the barrage stopped.

" THAT WON'T WORK THIS TIME, STAR FOX!" Andross laughed as he fired off another electric beam at the group.

A purple stream of fire from Sweet Heart struck the hand that fired the beam, which made Andross pull it back as though he had actually been burned. He roared and tried to snatch Sweet Heart out of the sky but she dodged back at the last second, a small number of feathers being tugged out of her wing.

"Burn!" Anger Heart hurled a white fireball at Andross' face, which he deflected with his hand.

A Nova Bomb exploded in front of Andross which forced him to shield his eyes. "That's for James!" Peppy's voice sounded over the comm.

"Peppy?!" Fox was startled, "Why are you here?!"

Peppy kept his distance from the giant Andross head. "Things are crazy in Care-a-Lot. Some big man in a purple robe is throwing lightning and fire everywhere, I couldn't set down!"

"No-Heart!" All four Magi shouted at once, instinctually turning towards their home.

Andross tried to grab Anger Heart only for his hand to be pierced by a shot from Fox's beam gun, leaving a hole in the palm. "Don't forget about us, Andross!" He fired a Nova Bomb that exploded inside the hand, shattering it.

" GRAAAHHHH!" Andros shook his remaining hand before it was perforated by dozens of lasers and shattered by five more Nova Bombs. Andross turned to them and began to inhale, the winds sucking everyone towards his mouth along with chunks of the terrain beneath them.

"Don't get sucked in!" Falco shouted. Most of them managed to stay back but Anger Heart was smacked by a rock to his head which stunned him and caused him to be pulled in.

"Anger Heart!" Sweet Heart still pulled herself away despite reaching towards him. Andross snapped down on Anger Heart once he was in his mouth and started chewing.

A moment later, smoke started billowing from Andross' mouth and he started coughing before a huge explosion of white fire blew the construct's mouth off.

"I'm. Not. Your. Food!" Anger Heart's tails were splayed out behind him as he whirled around. White flames appeared on his tail tips as line of white connected them then filled up the empty space between them to form a massive disc of fire behind him as he pointed his open palmed hand at Andross.

"Kyuubi Ghost Incinerator!" the disc erupted into a huge cylindrical blast of fire that completely enveloped Andross' construct, blowing off the top of the construct's head and seeming to melt wait remained. Lasers poured in to shatter the rest of the construct and expose the small ship that had been generating the construct.

Inside the ship, Andross was focusing on trying to recreate his battle construct when he heard the sound of shearing metal and a sword sliced through the front of the ship. Defender Bear sliced a large hole into the front of the ship and let the circle of metal fall away.

"It's over, Andross. Surrender," Defender levelled his sword at the monkey.

"I will never surrender!" a blast of psionic energy slammed into Defender Bear, sending him out of the ship as Andross forced a new hand form that he used to swat at Defender.

A bright blue beam pierced the hand, shattering it and a chunk of the ship. "Not this time Andross!" Fox took aim at the monkey, "You're coming back to Lylat with us dead or alive!"

"I will not be taken by you, Fox!" Andross threw up a shield as he prepared another attack. Fox didn't give him a chance.

Fox took aim as he closed in on the ship and fired the beam gun again. Andross' shield wasn't ready for the sudden impact and shattered, Andross had no time to deflect or dodge the beam and felt the energy sear him before everything went black.

Defender Bear was horrified at the charred state Andross' body was reduced too. He could still see his body and that made it all the more horrifying as it and the ship fell away and crashed to the ground.

"We'll retrieve the body, you get back and help your family." Fara said as she dove towards the tree line.

"Right. Magi back to Care-a-Lot!" Defender shouted before he took off, Truth, Anger and Sweet Heart hot on his tail.

Cold Heart had survived the landing and stepped out of his pod, hand over his chest then looked up at the retreating Magi and the Arwing landing nearby. "Good," he pulled out a small computer with a video feed on it, "now to see if No-Heart can handle things."

OoOoO

The whole Hall of Hearts shook from the battle outside. Marina Bear ducked down, her hands over her head. Contrary Heart stroked her daughter's head, "Don't worry, everything's going to be alright." Most knew she was just saying that but it was an instinctual piece of motherly advice.

"I'm scared Flair and Mira will die," Marina whispered, "I wish I could do something..."

"Me too, Marina," Tugs said, touching where his tummy symbol used to be.

True Heart was staring at the Radiant Heart Crystal in her hands as it seemed to fluctuate in time with the tension in the room, then looked up at Noble Heart as he looked after Valiant Heart and Kind Heart. Something clicked inside her.

"We can."

True Heart stood up, catching everyone's attention.

"True Heart?" Noble Heart looked up at her as she gripped the heart crystal.

"We're still Care Bears and No-Heart is out there. We have to help stop him!" she held up the crystal in both hands, which began to glow brighter as she spoke, "this was his heart and we can use it to stop him! I know we can, if only we show we care! I don't blame you if you want to hide in here away from the danger but I'm going out there to help save the world!" True Heart turned and marched out of the Hall of Hearts, no one able to speak at first.

It was a while before anyone spoke, until Noble Heart kissed Kind Heart and Valiant Heart on their foreheads, "Stay safe, kids, I'm going to help mom save the world."

"Wait!" Valiant Heart tried to grab his dad's hand.

"Dad!" Kind Heart jumped up.

The sentiment spread like a wave through the family as almost all of them got up to follow the founders outside.

OoOoO

Defender Bear saw No-Heart standing tall as magic exploded all around them, the other Care Bears bare visible specks as they darted around to avoid No-Heart's magic and curses. "I'll make sure to end you this time, No-Heart." Defender brought his hands forward as he began his spell, white spheres of light forming on his hands growing larger and larger even as Anger Heart caught up to him as his body was engulfed by ghost fire.

No-Heart saw the glow from the corner of his eye and turned to see a massive white fireball forming over Anger Heart. Defender Bear brought the spheres together and fired a massive white beam of light at No-Heart right as Anger Heart shouted and hurled the white fireball at him. The light and fire struck No-Heart at the same time, engulfing him in extreme light and heat.

"Now! Finish him off!" Love Heart charged up a bolt of plasma in his hands.

"Why you!" Mental Heart tried to charge at Love Heart, only for Indy to jump in front of him and shove his hand at the purple bear, a burst of psionic energy sending him flying into a nearby cloud bank.

"Stay there." Indy watched as Mental Heart stumbled and tried to climb out of the clouds, slipping on the surfaces as though he were trying to climb out of a half-inflated bouncy castle, even psionic levitation getting his caught on parts of the cloud and forcing him to climb our physically.

Love Heart fired off a plasma ball at No-Heart accompanied by elemental blasts from all the other magi: light beams, conjured boulders, orbs of darkness, fire, sound, water, ice, all converging on No-Heart.

No-Heart's roar of rage drowned out al other noise as the attacks were poured on, until a dark fire appeared from inside the pile of elemental energy. With one last cry of rage, dark fire exploded out from the pile of energy, scattering it with the shockwave knocking everyone down and out of the sky, even Mental Heart was pushed back into the cloud bank right as he was about to pull himself free.

No-Heart stood there, his body wreathed in black fire and purple lightning as he glared out at the Magi all slowly getting back to their feet as wind began to blow outward from his body. " AFTER ALL THIS TIME, THIS IS ALL THE RESISTANCE YOU CAN MUSTER? I AM INVINCIBLE! NOTHING CAN STOP ME!"

"Yes we can!" The shout came from True Heart Bear as she stood a short distance from the entrance to the Hall of Heart, her long wavy hair blowing in the wind as the Radiant Heart Crystal shone bright from where it hung around her neck.

No-Heart narrowed his red eyes at her, " THAT CRYSTAL... YOU!" he pointed a green finger at her, " TRUE HEART BEAR!"

True Heart blinked then returned to her position of resolve, "So you know my name."

" I KNOW YOU. YOU WERE ONE OF THE FOUNDERS WHO CREATED THE MASSIVE THORN IN MY SIDE THAT IS THIS FAMILY OF YOURS! AND WITH THAT CRYSTAL. I WILL START BY CUTTING OFF THE ROOT OF THIS FAMILY!" A bolt of lightning shot out from his hand, right at True Heart. She was too startled to move and the Magi were still getting up and had no time to react.

A purple blur jumped in front True Heart, taking the blast dead on. True Heart's eye went wide as he cried out in pain, the form in front of her all too familiar as the lightning stopped.

"Noble Heart!"

He looked back over his shoulder, his face full of pain and concern. "Are you... OK?" then he toppled over.

True Heart caught him as she fell to her knees, the horrific wound on his front not even registering as she looked into his eyes. "Noble Heart! Talk to me! Please be alright..." She begged.

Noble Heart stared up at her through his darkening vision, "As long as you're safe, I'm alright." He groaned from the pain, "I had to... make sure... our children... had their mother..."

"I can't do this without you!" She clasped his hands, "Noble Heart, please don't leave me!" she started to cry. Behind her, most of the Care Bear Family had emerged in time to see Noble Heart's sacrifice and the Magi scattered about the battlefield saw too.

"Daddy!" Kind Heart and Valiant screamed as soon as they saw what had happened.

For the first time he could remember, something akin to dark joy flickered alive inside No-Heart. " YES! HOLD YOUR DEAR ONE WHILE HE DIES AND YOU CAN DO NOTHING TO SAVE HIM! I SHALL SAVOR THIS KNOWING YOU WILL NOT BE LONG FOR THIS WORLD!"

True Heart didn't even try to reply. She sobbed brokenly as she felt Noble Heart slip away from her. Every Care Bear, Cousin and Magi watching were crying as well, crying for the horse that had raised most of them and been the one they often looked up to.

Then their tummies started to glow.

They didn't notice as the warmth spread through them and, one-by-one, their tummy symbols started to reappear in softs glows of light. True Heart blinked through her tears then rubbed her eyes when she saw Noble Heart's symbol reappear, and then then the Radiant Heart Crystal began to glow, brighter and brighter though the light didn't blind them.

" WHAT IS THAT LIGHT!?" No-Heart held up his arms as the light pierced through him, " WHAT IS IT!? WHY DOES IT HURT?!"

True Heart rubbed her eyes, the tears still flowing as she set Noble Heart down and stood up. She took the Radiant Heart Crystal in both her hands and held it up. "It is your heart and this is the light of our love and caring! The light that can only shine from those who truly love and care each other!" The light from the crystal enveloped True Heart as her tummy symbols shone bright and white light seemed to pour from every Care Bear present, flowing into the crystal and True Heart.

" NO! STOP IT! STOP IT!" No-Heart shot a bolt of lightning wreathed in black flames right at True Heart. It struck the crystal, shattering it!

But the light didn't fade. True Heart stood with her arms still outstretched, a determined look on her face even as the tears flowed. "We are the heart you abandoned millennia ago! We are what has arisen from what you so foolishly abandoned in your quest for power and immortality!" The light continued to grow around True Heart, "And now the very heart you cast aside will be your undoing!" True Heart spread her arms as the light around her exploded outwards, growing to encompass the entire Kingdom of Caring.

No-Heart held up his arms and tried to create a barrier to stop the light, but it flooded through it. He let out an incoherent scream as the light plowed through him, dissolving his body until nothing remained but a black mass of pure darkness. The darkness tried to flee, but there was nowhere to run as it darted around inside the light, leaking off and dissolving until the last wisps of the darkness finally faded to nothing and No-Heart was completely gone.

The light still clung to True Heart's body as she knelt down and picked up Noble Heart's head, "My love, please..." She leaned down and kissed Noble Heart. The light flowing away from her to surround his body and the horrific injury he had taken almost instantly mended itself as the light faded.

Noble Heart's eye's fluttered open as True Heart pulled back and he looked up at her tearful, smiling face. "True Heart? Am I alive?"

She helped him to his feet. "Yes, you are." Then threw her arms around him and broke down crying, "I thought I'd lost you..." they both fell to their knees on the clouds.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Valiant Heart and Kind Heart ran across the field and threw themselves at their parents, hugging them as everyone let their emotions go, some crying tears oh joy along with them.

"Lord No-Heart!" Mental Heart Bear's shout broke some of them out of their sorrow for a moment as the purple bear finally pulled himself free of the cloud bank. "He's... no he can't be..." he fell to his knees, staring at where No-Heart had stood mere moments ago.

"He's gone, Mental Heart." Indy wiped his tears away and held back any more as he walked over to the bear. "You don't have to serve him anymore." He held a hand out to him, "I know this is hard to accept, but even with all you've done there's still a chance for you. Make this a new start."

Mental Heart looked up at Independent Bear, the silver bear's face still wet but smiling despite what had just happened. Even with all Mental Heart had done, Indy was offering friendship? Or even just a chance?

Mental Heart reached out to Indy for a moment, then his face hardened and he slapped the silver bear's hand away. "No!" Mental Heart forced himself to stand, "No-Heart may be gone but I won't leave him with no legacy!" Orange psionic energy began to emanate from his body, "I may not be able to destroy or rule this world! But I'll wipe you and your entire family out of existence right here and now!" He raised a hand towards Noble Heart, Kind Heart and Valiant Heart, only for Indy to appear in front of him and fire a blue blast of energy at him, sending him flying.

Mental Heart froze in mid air, hovering as he glared down at Indy. "So you want to be the first to die!"

"I'm ending this right now!" Independent Bear drew his sword and pointed it at Mental Heart, "Just you and me, Mental Heart! No one else will die today!"