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Chapter 18: I Wanna be a Care Bear

Samantha was wearing jeans and a t-shirt as she sat alone in the mall's food court idly sipping from a paper soda cup. She glanced around then set the cup down on her empty food tray. Brandon had invited Caleb to spend time with his cousins, who were visiting for the weekend, and Samantha didn't want to be anywhere near her house while her parents were ready to welcome her sister home. Why did university have to let out before school was finished? She sighed and tossed the now empty drink cup into an open trash can nearby. Bullseye.

"We can't practise every day. Exams are coming up."

Samantha looked up to the familiar voice and saw Germaine sitting with Alex and...was that Daniel? And who was the green bear? Samantha grabbed her tray and dropped it on top of the nearby garbage can before she headed over to the animals.

"Then I'll train you on weekends," Love Heart looked over at Defiant Heart and down to his pudgy stomach, "And you need to get in shape."

"What? I'm in good shape," Defiant Heart shoved a handful of fries into his mouth and took a long drink from his large cup of pop.

Anger Heart glowered at the badger, "The fat on your gut and in your hand says otherwise. Seriously when was the last time you ate something other than fast food?"

Defiant Heart swallowed and glared back at Anger Heart, "It was...I eat frozen pizza too."

Anger Heart rolled his eyes, "That's hardly an improvement."

"The bear has a point, you are getting pudgy," Samantha prodded Defiant Heart in the gut as she reached their table. "So who's your new friend?"

Defiant Heart shrunk back and growled, "Fuck off, Samantha!"

Guidance Heart swallowed part of her sub sandwich, "He's Love Heart Bear, he's a Care Bear and apparently so are we. Even though we aren't bears..."

"Care Bears?" Samantha surveyed the four sitting at the table, then grabbed a nearby chair and slid it over to their table. She grinned as she faced over the back of the chair a the four, "So Love Heart Bear? Who gave you that name?"

Love Heart blinked, "My parents. Who else would name me?" He tilted his head sideways at the newcomer.

Anger Heart pushed his half eaten fast food away in disgust, "He gave us all Care Bear names like that. I'm Anger Heart Fox, he's Defiant Heart Badger and Germaine," Anger Heart smiled and put his left arm around Guidance Heart.

"I'm Guidance Heart Raccoon," Guidance Heart smiled and turned to give Anger Heart a kiss.

"Aww!" Samantha cooed, "That's so cute." She turned to Love Heart, "Can you turn me into a Care Bear like Daniel."

Love Heart blinked, "What?"

"Can you turn me into a Care Bear," Samantha pointed at Defiant Heart, "He used to be human so can you do it to me?"

"Uhh, no. You'd have to ask him," Love Heart turned to Defiant Heart, "Refresh my memory, how did you transform."

Defiant Heart groaned then stood up, "Come with me!" He grabbed Samantha's arm in a surprisingly tight grip."

"Hey! Let go!" Samantha wrenched her arm away from Defiant Heart. "I just want to kno-"

"Why the hell do you want this!?" Defiant Heart's shout caused everyone in the food court to turn to face him. "I was forced into this and you want to give up what you have? What I want?!"

Samantha glared back, "Bite me! Just because you didn't want it doesn't mean I can't! Not everyone wants the same thing but I guess you can't understand that!" she turned and stormed away.

"What the hell, Daniel!" Anger Heart slammed his hands down on the table which nearly tipped it over.

"Blow it out your ass, Alex!" Defiant Heart stormed away.

Love Heart stood up and ran after Defiant Heart, "Wait! What's going on?" He grabbed Defiant Heart's shoulder. Defiant Heart wrenched out of his grip and continued to storm off. Love Heart looked back at Anger Heart and Guidance Heart, "Gotta go, see you later." Love Heart followed Defiant Heart out of the mall. Guidance Heart caught sight of Samantha and took off after her, which left Anger Heart to clean up the table.

Samantha had retreated into the entrance of the women's washroom. She pressed the heel of her right palm into her eyes to try and stop the tears the flowed out but it didn't stop and she softly sobbed to herself.

"Samantha, what's wrong?"

Samantha felt a furry hand touch her arm and she looked up to see Guidance Heart next to her, her eyes full of worry.

Samantha dried her eyes with the back of her arm and took a deep breath to steady her voice, "It's just, what Daniel said got me thinking, about why I asked that and what he asked me."

"You mean, why you want to be like us?" Guidance Heart asked and Samantha nodded, "Well why do you?"

"Because...because I want to be like an animal like you. I've been a fan of furries since I was a kid and I always wondered what it would be like to be like you." Samantha took Guidance Heart's hand and lifted it up to rub against her cheek, "What's it like to have fur? What it like to have a tail or a strong sense of smell? I want to know."

Guidance Heart carefully extracted her hand from her friend's grip, "I can't really say, I mean I've had fur and a tail all my life so I barely notice, except when I need to dry off. I guess the tail is just an extra limb I can feel and use every now and then. I guess Defiant Heart would have a better idea..." Guidance Heart averted her gaze from Samantha for a moment then looked back up at her. "There's more isn't there."

Samantha blinked then stared back at the blue raccoon, "How did you know?"

"I can see it in your eyes, you have something else you want to say about your reasons, don't you?" Guidance Heart smiled, "You can tell me."

Samantha sighed and slumped against the wall, only the thought of what might be on the floor stopped her from sliding down to the ground. "It's my family, they hate you guys."

Guidance Heart was taken aback, "Hate us? Wait all of us?"

Samantha shook her head, "Just you and Alex, they refer to you as 'things that never should have existed'. Then there's everything they put me through until high school, I was in private school for eight years before I threatened them to let me go to public high school by telling them I'd report their 'disciplinary actions' to social services. Now every day they ask 'where did we go wrong' or say 'why can't you be more like your elder sister' as if I want to be an empty husk like her." Samantha sighed again, "I guess...I think that if I could become like you, if I could become a Care Bear, then I could escape my crappy life and be something better."

Guidance Heart turned to leaned up against the wall next to Samantha, "Becoming a Care Bear won't solve all your problems, in fact it might create more, like with Daniel."

"I know, but I still feel the same way, I want to be a Care Bear." Samantha finally stood up and away from the wall.

Guidance Heart went with her, "I won't stop you, but I don't know how you can do that, sorry."

Samantha put a hand on Guidance's shoulder, "That's alright, thanks for listening, Guidance Heart."

Guidance Heart shuddered, "It sounds weird when you use my Care Bear name."

"Want me to stop?" Samantha removed her hand from the raccoon's shoulder.

Guidance Heart shook her head as they exited the washroom, "No, it's fine. I just have to get used to it."

Anger Heart was taking a drink from the water fountain when Samantha and Guidance Heart exited. "Feel better?" Anger Heart stood up.

"A bit. Were you listening, Anger Heart?" Samantha shot him a coy expression.

Anger Heart looked away his face turning redder either from embarrassment, anger or both, "No! I wasn't trying to at least, I just overheard a bit."

Guidance Heart took his arm, "It's fine, Anger Heart."

Samantha put her arms behind her head as they headed for the exit, "So what do you think about this?"

Anger Heart gave her a quizzical look, "Think about what?"

"Me wanting to be a Care Bear?" Samantha got ahead of them and turned, walking backwards but keeping pace with them.

Anger Heart had to think for a moment as they walked through the automatic doors to exit the mall, "I honestly don't know, but I'm not gonna stop you if find some way to do it."

Samantha grinned, "Thanks, maybe some day soon you'll see me wearing fur too." She turned forwards when they got to the bus stop, "See you later."

OoOoO

"Hey!" Love Heart shouted as he caught up to Defiant Heart at the other bus stop, "What the hell was that about?"

Defiant Heart glared sideways at Love Heart, "Just...ugg...I couldn't handle the way that girl was talking about wanting to be like this." Defiant Heart held his hands up in front of his face then clenched them into fists.

Love Heart stared at Defiant Heart in disbelief, "Do you hate being a Care Bear that much?"

Defiant Heart groaned and dropped his face into his hands, "I don't know! I mean nothing's really changed for me: I still have no friends, my parents still have no time for me and I'm gaining weight," he sighed and prodded his pudgy stomach. "I'm wasting my second lease on life..."

"I'm sorry, what?" Love Heart walk around to Defiant Heart's front.

Defiant Heart averted his gaze but kept talking, "Before I transformed my doctor said I was about to get diabetes but after I became this all my symptoms vanished and I lost a lot of weight that I'd put on. So much for second chances..."

Love Heart carefully turned Defiant's head to face him, "It's not too late, you can still fix this."

Defiant Heart pushed Love Heart's hand away, "How?"

"Get in shape. I saw a gym back in the mall, want to go?" Love Heart pointed back to the mall right as the bus pulled up.

Defiant Heart turned to the bus for a moment, then looked back at the mall, then sighed, "Alright, might as well try. Let's go." He and Love Heart headed back to the gym.

OoOoO

Samantha sighed in relief as she unlocked the front door of her house, at least she was alone here. The good feelings didn't last long as by the time she had her shoes off she heard a car pull up and she groaned. She was halfway to the stairs up when she heard the front door open. She swore she could feel the rush of wind as her sister crossed the floor in an instant in a crushing hug from behind.

"Baby sister, it's so good to see you again!"

"Yeah, real nice, Emily," Samantha grunted uncomfortably at the young woman's large chest that was pressed into her back. Samantha resisted the urge to force her off.

"I can't wait to tell you everything I leaned at University, oh and help you study for your exams. Mom and dad told me your grades are slipping," Emily turned her younger sister around and gave her a beautiful sparkling smile.

It was enough to make Samantha want to hurl. Her hands clenched into fists at her side as she spoke through gritted teeth, "I'm only down to Bs and one C+."

"But that's not enough if you want the right career, baby sister, come now I have to show you the clothes I made for you last week," Emily managed to guide Samantha towards the entrance and the younger girl blanched when she saw a frilly pink and white dress that her mother was holding.

The woman gave her daughter a slightly disapproving look, "I think this would be lovely for you to wear to church tomorrow, then you can wear it for a dare we set you up with for the son of a lovely African American couple we met last week. You need to stop hanging out with those things that shouldn't exist."

Samantha could feel the steam coming out of her ears as she bared her teeth, "I'm not going on a blind date you set up for me. And they are my friends!"

"Now baby sister, mom and dad did a lot of work to find someone who would go out with you, the least you can do is try for them." Emily put her hands on her little sister's shoulders.

Samantha couldn't help but growl, "It's none of their business!"

"Watch your tone, young lady," her father glared at his youngest daughter, "This is the best way we can help you get back on the right path."

"That's my choice not yours!" Samantha stomped her foot on the ground, which made some of the furniture shake.

The girls' mother had to raise her voice, "That's enough, why can't you be more like your sister? She's dating a nice church boy from University, he's coming over tomorrow night to meet us."

"Can't you she's dead inside!" Samantha stepped forwards and pointed back at Emily.

"I'm not dead, I'm just fine, baby sister," Emily still had her sparkling smile on her face.

"One more word and you're grounded, Samantha," Her father's voice became harsher, "I don't understand where we went wrong with you."

"Trying to control my life!" Samantha tore away from Emily and out the front door, "Her boyfriend can have my room!" she shouted as she tore down the street, hot tears streaming down her face.

OoOoO

Guidance Heart pulled at the cups of her new bra and felt its snugness against her chest, "Feels good. How does it look?"

Anger Heart couldn't help but smile, "Looks as good as it feels. Is that all your going to wear for the rest of the night?"

Guidance Heart giggled and dropped down on the couch next to Anger Heart, "Maybe, it let's me see my new chest symbol," she prodded her exposed cleavage where the heart shaped compass symbol was, "It's part of the fur too, weird..."

Anger Heart leaned forwards so he could pull off his shirt. He poked at the heart with a fire inside of it, "So what can we do with these things?"

Guidance Heart shrugged, "I suppose Love Heart will tell us...eventually."

Anger Heart looked up at Guidance Heart, "Having doubts?"

Germaine shuffled in place, "A bit...mostly just nervous. You?"

Anger Heart was about to reply when a knock at the front door startled both of them and Guidance Heart ran to pull her shirt back on while Anger Heart answered. He was surprised to see Samantha on the front step in the fading light. "Samantha...are you crying?"

Samantha rubbed her eyes, "Can I spend the night, please?"

Anger Heart sighed, "Alright." He turned and walked back into the house, followed by Samantha after she shut the front door. Guidance Heart had just pulled her shirt back on when Samantha sat down on the couch.

"Samantha? What brings you here?" Guidance Heart sat down on the opposite side of Samantha.

"Family trouble, my sister came home today..." Samantha leaned back on the couch.

Anger Heart and Guidance Heart exchanged a look. The previous summer, Samantha had spent a lot of her time complaining about her elder sister so they were very familiar with her grievances towards her older sibling.

Guidance Heart put a hand on Samantha's shoulder, "But what made you run all the way here?"

Samantha sighed, "Mom and dad tried to set me up on a date with someone from their church, and they pulled out their usual lines."

Guidance Heart winced, "That sounds pretty bad."

"It was, but I just couldn't put up with it anymore, constant comparisons and judging and just...I'm sick of it all..." Samantha leaned forwards and brought her knees up to her chest.

"I already said you could spend the night," Anger Heart stood up, "I'm gonna heat up some leftovers. Homemade pizza sound alright?"

Samantha managed a smile, "Sounds good." She craned her head forwards to spot the symbol on Anger Heart's chest before he disappeared behind the fridge door, "Alex, when did you get a tattoo?"

"It's my chest symbol, it's a Care Bear thing," Anger Heart brought out the plate of cold pizza from the fridge.

"So do you have one too?" Samantha turned to Guidance Heart.

Guidance Heart blushed slightly, "Yes but it's... well I need to take off my shirt to show you."

"May I see it?" Samantha smirked.

"Don't push her, she had to strip in front of Defiant Heart and Love Heart to get it today." Anger Heart set the plate down on the coffee table and grabbed a slice.

"Anger Heart..." Guidance blushed harder.

Anger Heart coughed, "Sorry..."

"It's fine...I just...I'm hungry," Guidance Heart changed the subject.

"So how does it show through the fur?" Samantha peered closer to Anger Heart's chest symbol.

Anger Heart swallowed his mouth full pizza, "It's a fur pattern too, it can do stuff but we just don't know how yet."

Samantha lowered her legs and took a square of pizza, her interest was piqued, "What kind of stuff."

Germaine chewed as she thought for a moment then swallowed, "We don't know what our symbols can do yet, but Love Heart is teaching us magic."

"Really?!" Samantha almost shoved her face into Guidance Heart's, "What did out learn? Can you teach me?"

"Whoa, settle down!" Anger Heart pulled her back, "We just started learning today and I barely have the first lesson down." Once Samantha had calmed down, Anger Heart sat back against the couch again, "If you want to learn, then you should ask him."

Samantha sighed and chewed slowly on her pizza, "I can't. If mom and dad found out, I'd be out of the house... I wanna be a Care Bear."

"What? Didn't you say that back at the mall?" Guidance Heart asked.

Samantha nodded, "And I mean it, I want to be a Care Bear like you, maybe not the same animal but I definitely want to be like you, and I'm going to find a way!" Samantha pumped one of her fists then devoured her slice of pizza.

Guidance Heart just stared at her, "That's quite the tenacity you have, Samantha."

OoOoO

Defiant Heart hadn't been sure just how much he could sweat in his new form, and now he knew and it was definitely worse with fur. He stepped off the elliptical machine after spending 20 minutes going non-stop and fell forwards, hands on his knees. He looked up and saw that Love Heart was still going on the treadmill. The green bear was sweating as well but he didn't seem anywhere as tired as he felt.

"Just a three-day trial," he muttered to himself, "Then it should get easier." He grabbed some paper powers from a dispenser and mopped the sweat from his face which only matted his fur down a bit but at least helped clear away some of the moisture.

Love Heart finally dismounted the treadmill five minutes later. He panted slightly but wasn't nearly out of breath. "That was invigorating, ready to try a weight machine?"

Defiant Heart had just returned from getting a drink from a water fountain, "Alright, the sooner we get this over with the better."

Love Heart found a bench press, "You need to get in shape so I expect you to come here whenever you get a chance. You can't be a good fighter if you're out of shape."

Defiant Heart sighed and lay down on the bench press as Love Heart set the weight, "Alright. I still don't have to like this."

OoOoO

Samantha lay on the hide-a-bed in Anger Heart's living room and stared up at the ceiling. She was only wearing her undergarments and lying under a thin sheet in the early summer heat. The window behind her was uncovered and that let her lean her head back to look out up at the stars. She focused on a twinkling star in the sky then closed her eyes.

"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight.

Wish I may, wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight."

Samantha took a deep breath as she spoke her wish, "I wish I was a Care Bear."

"Do you truly?"

Samantha sat bolt upright, "What?"

"If that is your wish then I can grant it but you must be sure and I do not wish it to be a big a shock to you as it was to Defiant Heart Badger."

The voice seemed to be inside Samantha's head but her gaze was drawn to a beam of light that streamed in through the window. "What do you mean?"

"Take this," the light formed into a pale blue heart-shaped crystal the size of her fist and Samantha reached out to catch it in both her hands. "This heart crystal can allow you to take the form of a Care Bear when you will it, but be warned: the process is irreversible and if you have any doubt in your mind then you should smash the crystal on the ground. This is the only time I can offer this to you so be sure before you decide."

"Only one chance," Samantha held up the crystal only for it to slip from her hands and fall to the floor. She gasped and tried to grab it only to miss as it hit the floor and bounced a couple times.

The voice spoke again, "It can only be broken by choice and only by you. If it drops by accident or someone else tries to break it then it will survive and if you lose it then it will find its way back to you. Keep it with you and think about what makes you who you are and keep it close and it will absorb how you feel and shape who you will become. Again, this is irreversible and your only chance so think carefully before you decide."

The voice faded and Samantha was left holding the pale blue crystal. She set it on the side table then lay back. Trying to sleep almost felt futile but eventually sleep claimed her.