FSE

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A/N: I should note that a lot of the premise for this book came from an author called https://www.fanfiction.net/u/360932/Silver-Wolf16and one of his stories can be considered canon to this book. Specifically, "The Bird and the Cat" but borrowing story elements from "The Chosen Path" as well but the main premise comes from an old story he took down ages ago. For fans familiar with Star Fox, I'm drawing more from the comics and Star Fox 64 than from recent games. I had intended this chapter to be longer, but I decided not to drag it out and split it up with the next chapter. Also this chapter is going to be dark, I mean very dark, the mature rating isn't to be taken lightly here. So... Here goes.

OoOoO

My name is Tenderheart Bear, leader of the Care Bears and this is how we lost everything.

_ _

It started when we made first contact. They were anthropomorphic animals like us and called themselves the Star Fox Team. It was a monumental day for us as the U.N. asked us to contact them due to our ability to understand any language, even extraterrestrial. Turns out they were here to track a criminal named Andross from their home, the Lylat System, and that they had tracked him to Earth before they lost his trail. Love Heart, Brave Heart and I offered our help in tracking him down. Personally I had hoped that this would make a good impression on them and allow us to reach the stars someday soon.

_ _

Things didn't go as planned.

_ _

If I had to choose when things started to go wrong, it would be that day in Paradise Valley. I went to visit on the insistence of my wife, Love-a-Lot, who said I needed a vacation. Anger Heart and Guidance Heart came with me and brought their son Flair along too, a promise for his 11th birthday.

_ _

Then horror fell from the sky.

_ _

Everyone turned to look upwards as a whistling noise cut through the air. Members of the tribe scattered as a large metal sphere fell from the sky and smashed the largest hut in the village of Paradise Valley. People fled in every direction except for Anger Heart, Guidance Heart and their son, Flair Heart.

"What the hell is that thing?" Anger Heart placed himself protectively in front of his wife and son.

"Stay back, you don't know what it will try." Perfect Panda, a panda Care Bear with a star shaped ribbon for a tummy symbol, called from where he stood with his twin sister, Polite Panda whose symbol was a rose, and her husband Good Luck Bear, a green Care Bear with a four-leafed clover for a tummy symbol. Behind them they sheltered two panda small cubs, Good Luck and Polite's twin children.

Tenderheart Bear approached the sphere for a moment, then a sudden feeling of unease gripped him and he turned and ran, "GET AWAY!" His shout came too late as a metal plate shot off the pod and an eerie laughter spread out from the pod, laughter that sent shivers down everyone's spines.

A moment later a figure jumped out of the orb and landed on the ground between the Care Bears and the pod. It looked like a birthday clown with a sinister grin plastered on its face as it stared down the family members present. "Welcome, Care Bears. I was hoping for a bigger audience for my debut, but I suppose a small venue will have to do."

"Who are you?!" Anger Heart demanded, he was breathing hard as he felt his temper rising.

"What, you didn't see the posters? Well then I suppose you can call me Bozo, or by my real name the PRANK! Curtesy of Quentin Industries and Dr. Fright." The Prank made and elaborate bow.

On hearing the doctor's name, Guidance Heart panicked and jumped out from behind her husband. She threw up a wall of water then fired a beam of light through it, creating a bright beam of rainbow colored energy that struck The Prank dead on. The Prank recoiled slightly then grinned, "Looks like we have our first volunteer!" The clown jumped up and over to the side of the three and whipped out its arm, which changed into a long tendril that wrapped around Guidance Heart and pulled her next to it, "Any words from the audience?"

"Let her go!" Anger Heart's body erupted into flames then settled down as he heard his son shriek in fear behind him.

"MOM!" Flair Heart was about to run forwards, but Anger Heart caught him and held him back.

"Sorry, that's not on the program tonight," The Prank tightened its grip around Guidance Heart's neck, "But I do have something that will do, this momma has a baby and her head pops!"

*SNAP*

Guidance Heart's face remained frozen in a mask of pain and horror as her body fell to the ground, followed by her head. Anger Heart felt a rage well up inside him that died a moment later as the prank changed into the form of a large cat with a clown's head and pounced, extending his claws and pierced through the fox's neck.

Flair Heart had gone into shock as The Prank changed back to its clown form and picked him up. "I just adore kids. Let's see if I can eat a whole one!" it opened it's mouth wide until it was a massive maw of teeth, then dropped the pink raccoon in and chomped down.

I don't remember what happened after that, and I don't want to. All I know is that I called for an emergency escape from the Rainbow Rescue Beam after Perfect hit his head when he tripped on something and that only he and I managed to escape.

_ _

Things only got worse after that. The Prank attacked on the next caring mission, and it murdered Champ and...Love-a-Lot. I should have stopped the caring missions right after we got back from the valley but I hesitated and...oh no...it was my fault! I...I got them killed why didn't I... No, blaming myself won't fix anything.

_ _

I had to get it together so despite my grief I kept the Care Bear Family together as we tried to find a way to stop The Prank, to stop the murder of our family and find Quenos, the one responsible for these tragedies. We should have guessed that someone was wrong when The Prank didn't try to invade the Kingdom of Caring.

_ _

Then the day came that we lost everything.

_ _

"Care Bears. The day it all ends has come." Mental Heart floated up over the side of the clouds, his voice amplified by his psionic powers.

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!"

Fox Phoenix-McCloud, an anthropomorphic fox who wore a white flight jacket, green flight suit and white boots of the Star Fox Team, ran down the ramp of the Great Fox, which was parked in the expanse between Care-a-Lot and the old Caring Castle, to see the wizard rising up over the city, "Who the heck is that?"

Tenderheart gulped, "No-Heart!" He pulled out his phone and called the Hall of Hearts. "Brave Heart, order an evacuation! Get everyone to the Great Fox!"

Brave Heart's voice boomed out on the PA system set up around the entire Kingdom of Caring. "All Care Bear Family members, get to the Great Fox immediately. This is not a drill! All Care Bear Family members, get to the Great Fox immediately. This is not-" A bright purple lightning bolt shot from No-Heart's hand and shattered the Hall of Hearts, cutting off the message.

Defender Bear pulled out his sword and charged towards No-Heart and Mental Heart, but Mental Heart stepped aside which left the way towards No-Heart unblocked. Defender's sword erupted into flames and bright white caring energy as he struck down at No-Heart. No-Heart caught the sword and held it in place, while Defender Bear was held in mid air. "YOU! THE PHOENIX! YOU WHO HANDED ME MY GREATEST DEFEAT! I SHALL RELISH THIS REVENGE!" Defender didn't have a chance to speak as No-Heart's hand became transparent and he plunged it into the white bear's chest.

Defender Bear screamed in pain and he dropped his sword. Love Heart Bear arrived and drew his swords. With a cry he charged in, only to be intercepted by Mental Heart, who created a blade of pure psionic energy to block his blows. "Out of my way!" Love Heart shouted.

Mental Heart's expression didn't change, "No. You will not interrupt my lord's work."

"Leave my dad alone!" The voice came from Miracle Heart, who ran forwards shooting bolts of fire and lightning from each of her hands, with her mother Confidence Heart right on her tail.

Mental Heart's eyes flashed and a large blue bolt fired off right at Miracle Heart. Confidence Heart jumped ahead to intercept and took the blast right in the face. "MOM!" Miracle Heart stopped dead to see where her mom fell. There was blood on the clouds and the upper third of her left ear had been blasted right off.

"Get mom to the Great Fox!" Love Heart shouted, "Take Care's on board!"

"But!" Miracle Heart was frozen in place.

Love Heart dealt several blows to Mental Heart then kicked him away. He turned to face his daughter, "MIRA! GO NOW!" He shouted and then froze, a pale blue blade of psionic energy protruding from his chest.

Miracle Heart screamed as Mental Heart swung the sword up, bisecting Love Heart's upper half. She didn't have any time to contemplate as a blue blur snatched her up and ran for the Great Fox as its engines glowed on start-up. Swift Heart ran faster than she ever had before, Confidence in her left arm and Miracle in her right.

No-Heart finally pulled his hand from Defender's chest and with it came the unmistakable form of a phoenix made entirely of flames. Defender went limp as No-Heart held the struggling firebird spirit aloft. "TOO LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A PLAGUE ON MY LIFE! I WILL NOT BE DELAYED!" No-Heart's hand surged with lightning and darkness as he crushed the phoenix spirit, and it shattered into dust. "AND NOW I SHALL EXACT MY VEGEANCE ON YOU!" No-Heart turned to Defender, only to feel something heavy strike his hand and he dropped Defender out of shock.

Truth Bear landed with Defender in one arm and his guandao in the other. Without missing a beat he poured his magic into a field surrounding Defender and hurled him towards where Wish Bear and Hope Bear were standing. "RUN!" Wish and hope managed to catch the unconscious Defender and hurried to the ship, supporting him between them.

Truth turned to face No-Heart, only to suddenly gasp for aid as a tornado formed around his head . "MY FAILED CREATION. I WILL NOT RELCAIM WHAT I GAVE YOU BECAUSE IT IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE!" Truth grabbed at his throat as the air was forced from his lungs and tried to conjured a spell to retaliate, "I RELISH THIS VICTORY OVER YOU MOST OF ALL!" Truth's vision blacked out as the last of the air left his body, then he went limp and lifeless to the ground.

Miracle Heart picked a bad time to recover from her shock and she struggled to get free, "Let me go! I have to save dad!" she accidentally kicked Swift Heart's leg and she stumbled then tripped less than two meters from the boarding ramp. Miracle was pinned under Swift Heart as she looked up to see Get Well divert her run from the ship to get to them.

"Take Confidence! She's hurt!" Swift Heart shouted, "We'll be fine!"

Get well nodded and dragged Confidence Heart up the ramp, aided when Hugs ran up and picked up the fennec's legs. No time to make a stretcher.

The roar of extra engines overhead was followed by a curse from Fox, who still stood on the boarding ramp. "Shit! Andross' Fighters!"

The first laser blast sounded out and struck where Miracle Heart and Swift Heart had just stood up, vaporizing them as a red wedge-shaped fighter pulled up from its dive. Fox whirled around and tapped his head mounted communicator and shouted, "Peppy, get the Great Fox in the air now! I'm going to the fighter bay to hold them off!"

Independent Bear had arrived on the scene too late to save his friends, instead he charged towards Mental Heart, his sword drawn and screamed, "DIE MONSTER!" he was three steps from Mental Heart when a red mist enveloped his body and he stumbled to his knees as pain overwhelmed him.

"YOUR RAGE TURNED AGAINST YOU, AND NOTHING YOU CAN DO." No-Heart had his left hand held towards Indy and he shot his right hand forwards, a serrated whip of purple and red lightning lashing out and taking off Indy's head.

Mental Heart turned to No-Heart, "Thank you, my lord."

"I WILL NOT LOSE MY DRAGON THIS CLOSE TO MY VICTORY, AND NOW TO END THIS ACCURSED REALM FROM WHICH MY TORMENT GROWS!" No-Heart raised his hands as a massive whirlwind formed around him.

The Great Fox finally lifted off the ground. Tenderheart stood on the still lowered ramp as he saw Cheer Bear running to catch up. "Wait! Don't go!" She cried.

Tenderheart grabbed the safety bar on the inside of the boarding ramp and held out his left hand. "Cheer! Grab my hand!" He stretched out.

Knowing that her life depended on it, Cheer put on a burst of speed and finally grabbed his hand with her left hand as the ship's bottom left the clouds. Tenderheart strained to hold on, feeling as though he were about to be torn in two. Then one of Andross' fighters dove and fired at the open ramp. It missed the interior of the ship but the red bolt of light struck Cheer in the side.

Tenderheart exerted the last of his strength to yank Cheer inside then collapsed as the boarding ramp finally closed. Patient Heart Liger was in the bay and he saw the state Cheer was in. Tenderheart could only gasp, "Get her to sick bay!"

Outside, No-Heart's storm had grown into a massive tornado that spread throughout the Kingdom of Caring. Mental Heart levitated overhead and watched as the winds spread outwards, tearing up trees, demolishing homes, and turning the clouds into a swiss cheese of holes and pockets. The Kingdom of Caring broke apart under No-Heart's assault, shattered until there was nothing left of the home of the Care Bears Family.

Mental Heart floated down to where No-Heart hovered. "What now, my lord?"

"NOW WE SHALL LEAVE. JOIN ANDROSS AND WATCH AS I FINALISE MY VICTORY HERE, FOREVER."

OoOoO

As the Great Fox cleared the atmosphere, the ship shuddered as several fighters approached from behind. Fox had jumped into his Arwing, a Starfighter with thin white wings, a conical nose and two blue nacells called G-Diffusers next to the cockpit. "Alright, I'm ready to launch. Tell me as soon as we'r-" A rumble shook the ship as something struck it. A mechanical voice came over the Arwing's radio, ROB the Great Fox's robotic OS terminal.

"ALERT! PRIMARY SHIELD GENERATORS HIT! DAMAGE ESTIMATED 84%. DRYDOCK MAINTENANCE REQUIRED!"

"Just great. "The cockpit snapped shut as the Arwing's engine fired up, "This is Fox Pheonix-McCloud, launching in the Arwing Mk IV!" He felt the g-forces knock him back as the launch catapult fired Fox off into space.

OoOoO

Tenderheart had dragged himself to the observation deck where he found Soulful Heart Fox and Bright Heart Raccoon. The fox's normal airsickness had somehow deserted him as both he and the raccoon stared out at the Earth as it shrunk behind them. Tenderheart leaned on the bar in front of the window, then stared in horror at the sight. A bright purple field of energy was gathering right next to the planet. It could only be No-Heart.

"What's he doing?" Bright Heart was hoping there wouldn't be an answer. Not getting one didn't help.

The energy coalesced together into a massive purple sphere. No-Heart hovered in the atmosphere, no need for him to breathe as the energy grew larger, and larger, and larger until it was half the size of Earth's moon. "THIS WORLD WILL CAUSE ME NO MORE SETBACKS!" and he hurled the ball at earth.

Tenderheart, Bright Heart and Soulful Heart watched in horror as the purple ball of energy touched down on earth, then pushed into it. The crush cracked, oceans boiled and finally, as it retreated into the distance, the earth cracked, and began to break apart. Bright Heart felt his knees give out as he collapsed to the floor. Soulful Heart suddenly felt a headache but he heard Tenderheart cry out in pain. Tenderheart was holding his head a what sounded like screams of terror and fear filled his head and he leaned up against the window, as if trying to grind the sounds for his head.

OoOoO

Normally, a dogfight like this would be child's play for Fox but fighting alone and trying to protect the Great Fox made things far more difficult. His twin hyper plasma lasers lanced into a fighter that was getting too close to the Great Fox's engines then pulled a summersault to shake off a pursuer. "Fara! What's the status on the hyperdrive!?" Fox shouted into his communicator.

The image of a young adult female fennec fox appeared on his comm screen, "74% charged. Get back to the ship Fox!"

Fox turned his ship around to see a dozen fighters closing in, with a large ship behind them, "Shit! Andross' ship is here." Fox locked on to the lead ship and fired off a nova bomb, vaporising the approaching squadron, "Sorry, Fara, if his ship gets into close range he'll destroy the engines and we'll be dead in the water. Make the jump now!"

"Fox! No please don't!" Fara pleaded over the comm.

"I have to and you have to warn General Pepper about this." Fox took a deep breath as he faced his maker, and watched as the ship began to disgorge more small fighters, "I love you Fara."

"I love you Fox." Fara shut off the comm as Fox accelerated into battle.

The first wave of laser blasts flew past Fox's cockpit as he unleashed his laser. Six were downed as he pulled up and back, only to feel his ship shake as two shot hit him from behind. He sent his ship into a spiral as he dive-bombed the flagship. One of the ship's main guns was charging up to fire at the Great Fox and Fox fired off a nova bomb down the gun's barrel, shattering the gun. "Three more to go." Fox checked his nova bomb supply, just three left.

Fox's ship shuddered in the impact of a dozen more lasers, struck his ship, dropping his shields to half. He ignored the damage and sent two more nova bombs down the barrels of the ship's guns. Warning sirens blared in his cockpit as laser blast sheared off his right wing. "Gah! Lock on, com'on!" He grit his teeth as the targeting system finally locked on to the last barrel, and fired his last bomb, shattering the last main gun. The wave of relief that washed over him was shaken away as his other wing was blasted off. Fox turned his ship around just enough to see the Great Fox's engine's charge up, a dozen more fighters that had gotten past him swarming over it. Then one shot took out his last engine.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Fox's last scream rang out as his Arwing spun out and exploded.

Moments later, the Great Fox shot forwards and vanished into hyperspace.

And that was the day we lost everything.

Care Bears Family Adventures, Book 3: Space

Chapter 1: Into the Sky

While the lurch into hyperspace usually caught people off guard, especially on their first time, the actual journey was smooth. This proved fortunate in the sick bay as Take Care Bear and Get Well Bear were hunched over an operating table where Cheer lay, her right side severely burned, arm and leg both charred to unrecognizable husks. Nearby, Confidence Heart Fennec lay sedated with bandaged wrapped cross-wise on the left side of her face the and another on the top of her left ear.

"I can't do this, I'm not ready for this," Get Well muttered under her breath.

"Get Well, focus. We can still save her," Take Care's voice was firm, but Get Well knew her mother was just trying to convince herself of what she said.

"OK, I just, why did this have to happen now," Get Well took a deep breath to calm herself, "We'll have to amputate her arm and leg." She briefly glanced up to where Defender Bear lay as Wish and Hope Bear stood over him. At least Cheer still had a chance to be saved.

Wish's face was stained with tears as she tried to listen to her mate's heartbeat, right next to the black burn scar on his chest where No-Heart had torn the phoenix spirit from his body. It was gone. "Oh Phoenix," Wish wept softly into Defender's body. Her hand strayed down to her tummy symbol.

Hope was doing her best to stay calm, but seeing her father's body on the table was tearing at her. "Mom...I..." She swallowed hard., unable to hold back the tears.

Wish looked at Hope, then down at her symbol and finally to Defender Bear. "I didn't save you last time but I will save you this time, no matter what."

Hope saw her mother's tummy symbol light up bright white as Wish placed both her hands over the burn scar on Defender's chest. "Mom, what are you doing?"

Wish closed her eyes as she focused all her heart into her words, "Great Wishing Star. I Wish for Defender Bear to come back to life!" The glow from Wish's tummy symbol lit up their corner of the sick bay as the light flowed through her hands and into Defender's body. At first nothing happened, then Wish felt Defender's pulse start again.

Defender Bear opened his eyes and stared up into the faces of his mate and daughter. "Hope? Wish? Where am I?"

Wish smiled, "In the Great Fox's sick bay..." Wish suddenly stumbled them collapsed the to the floor.

"Mom!"

"Wish!" Defender found he had all his energy back as he jumped off the bed and knelt at her side.

Wish's eyes were closing but she smiled up at Defender, "At least...this time...I saved...you," she reached up weakly towards Defender's face.

Defender and Hope grabbed her hand and Defender tried to conjure up his healing magic, only to find there was nothing there. Then it came back to him, No-Heart had torn his phoenix spirit from him, for the first time since he joined the Care Bear Family he was without magic.

Wish slumped limply against Defender and he checked her pulse as it beat slower, and slower, then finally stopped. Defender Bear and Hope Bear held Wish's body between them as they wept.

OoOoO

With only the bright technicolor of warp space visible out the windows, Tenderheart Bear, Soulful Heart Fox and Bright Heart Raccoon sat at a table in the observation deck, each nursing a cup of hot chocolate from the food dispensers to try and calm their nerves.

Tenderheart stared at the dark brown liquid in his mug for a full minute before he spoke, "How many got on board?"

Soulful Heart looked up, "Other than us: Confidence Heart, Wish Bear, Defender Bear, Hope Bear, Take Care, Get Well, Pace, Hugs, Perfect Panda and Connie."

"Assuming Confidence and Defender survive, and Cheer too." Tenderheart gulped, "She took a laser cannon blast before I pulled her in she looked." Tenderheart drew in a shuddering breath then exhaled, "I don't know..."

"This is all my fault."

Tenderheart and Soulful Heart turned to face Bright Heart. The raccoon's hands were shaking as he tried and failed to take a drink from his mug instead spilling it on the table. Soulful Heart leaned over, "What?"

"This is all my fault!" Bright Heart's shout took them both aback but he continued, "My friend from space I kept communicating with was Andross! If it wasn't for me he never would have found Earth and none of this would have happened!" He buried his face in his hands and began to sob. "Ge-Gentle Heart's d-dead bec-c-cause of me, they're all dead because of me!" he shook with grief as he let all his emotions out.

Soulful Heart and Tenderheart just stared at the sobbing raccoon for a minute, then Tenderheart reached over and took Bright Heart's shoulder. "Bright Heart? Bright Heart!" his raised voice caused Bright Heart to look up into Tenderheart's stern face. "This isn't your fault, none of this is your fault. You didn't know who Andross was, you never met him in person and you didn't help him or drive him into an alliance with No-Heart." Tenderheart stood up and his expression softened, "but if you need to let it out don't let me stop you, just remember: you didn't cause this."

As Tenderheart left the observation deck, Soulful Heart scooted his chair next to Bright Heart and gave the raccoon a hug. This stunned Bright Heart as Soulful usually recoiled at such advances and Soulful spoke, "He's right, don't blame yourself for this. I miss her too and everyone else, even the ones I couldn't stand."

Bright Heart said nothing else but sobbed and buried his face in Soulful's shoulder.

OoOoO

Unsurprised to see sick bay closed for surgery, Tenderheart instead took himself to the bridge. He passed by the passenger quarters where Contrary Heart Liger (or Connie as she preferred), her younger brother Patient Heart Liger (or Pace as most called him), Hugs Bear and Perfect Panda had passed out, the events of the day having completely drained them. Thoughts entered Tenderheart's mind as he passed by them, worry, fear, anguish, ones that could easily have been his own but he knew weren't. The brown bear slumped against the wall and hugged himself as tears began to flow from his eyes, "What's happening to me?"

"Need some help?"

Tenderheart looked up to see a pink cat in a pink Star Fox Team uniform without the flight jacket standing next to him. Katt Lombardi nee Monroe, Falco's wife and currently benched member of the team.

She repeated her question, "Do you need some help? I just got Kalico to sleep so I have some time."

"Your daughter, right." Tenderheart stood up as best he could against the wall, "I need help no one can give me. My home's gone, almost everyone I care about is dead and I can't get these voices out of my head," he ground the base of his palm against his forehead. "This is...this is more than I ever was prepared for: war, death, destruction. I thought all of that was for Love Heart and the Magi to deal with and I could just keep up my job of leading them and helping people care, now that's all gone...we lost." Tenderheart started to drop.

Katt hauled him to his feet, "First off if you're their leader then don't let them see you like that. You're still alive, we're still alive and we can make a difference." She sighed, "Just don't let it overwhelm you OK?"

Tenderheart nodded and wiped some tears from his eyes, "OK. I need to go see Fara. Excuse me." He turned and resumed his walk towards the bridge.

OoOoO

Tenderheart stepped onto the bridge to once again be greeted with the technicolor starburst of warp space on the view screen. He stepped down, next to the commander's chair where Fara Phoenix-McCloud sat. Fara was a fennec fox and Fox's wife; like the rest of the team she wore the Star Fox Uniform: a white flight jacket and boots with a uniquely colored flight jumpsuit underneath, in Fara's case violet.

Fara turned her head to face Tenderheart. "How's everyone holding up?"

Tenderheart continued to face out the view screen as he replied, "Bright Heart's having a breakdown; Soulful's doing his best to hold it together; Connie, Pace, Hugs and Perfect are all passed out in the crew quarters, I haven't seen Take Care, Get Well, Confidence, Wish, Cheer, Defender or Hope since they went to sick bay," Tenderheart put a hand on his forehead, "and I've had a headache since I saw the Earth break apart." Tenderheart gulped hard as he felt tears leak from his eyes, "I'm trying to hold it together for their sake."

"You're doing very well, all things considered." The voice came from Peppy Hare, a middle-aged grey hare whose jacket was longer and flight suit was red. "As for your headache, can you describe how it felt when it started?"

Tenderheart blinked and turned to Peppy, who was approaching him. "It felt like screaming inside of my head, millions of voices crying out in fear and pain and then stopping as we hit hyperspace."

Peppy nodded, "Hold still." He touched his hand to Tenderheart's forehead. Tenderheart felt a tingle go through his head as Peppy closed his eyes for a moment then stepped back. "I see. You're psionic."

"What?" Tenderheart was taken aback but Peppy kept explaining.

"You have psionic potential, likely always did but you never knew because psionic powers aren't well known on Earth compared to the Lylat system so no one would have tested you for it. When Earth was destroyed you heard the minds of all the people who died, crying out too loud for you to ignore." He patted Tenderheart on the shoulder, "We can talk more about that when we get back to the Lylat system. Falco, where are you going?" Peppy turned to watch the blue falcon with red eye-markings in the dark red flight suit leaving the bridge.

"I'm gonna check on Kat and Kalico. I just need to remind myself they're still here." Falco Lombardi exited the bridge.

At that moment Take Care's voice came over the intercom, "Tenderheart, please come to sick bay immediately."

"I have to go," Tenderheart turned and left.

"I'm going to check on Slippy, will you be alright Fara?" Peppy asked.

"I need some time alone." Fara turned to face the technicolorscape ahead of her as Peppy left, "ROB, ETA for the Lylat system."

"ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: SEVEN CORNERIAN DAYS."

Fara nodded to the humanoid robot keeping the ship on course, then she dropped her head into her hand and cried.

OoOoO

Tenderheart was horrified when he entered the sick bay, seeing Confidence and Cheer lying on operating tables and Defender Bear and his daughter Hope Bear still crying over Wish Bear. Tenderheart swallowed hard and turned to Take Care, "You needed to see me?"

Take Care nodded, "I did. I thought I should give you an update on my patients." She led him to where Confidence Heart lay, the left half of her face and the now shorter top of her left ear wrapped in bandages. Take Care double checked her notes, "The upper third of her left ear is gone, it will slightly impair her hearing out of that ear but she'll still hear better than any of us. As for her left eye, at minimum her left eyelid and tear duct have been destroyed and more of her eyeball is exposed. Unless they have working prosthetic eyes in the Lylat system I'm going to have to create my own medical prosthetic so she can close her eye and keep it from drying out. Otherwise she'll live."

Confidence's right eye opened halfway, "ugg, phone..." she groped around for her tummy symbol and pulled out her cell phone and headphones. She tried to grab the headphones but Tenderheart grabbed her hand.

"Here, let me." He took the headphones, custom made to fit in her ears, and set them in her ears, "Should I just start with the last song on the list."

Confidence Heart closed her eye, "Uh-huh." Tenderheart pressed play and set the phone in her hand, making sure she wouldn't drop it before he moved on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fq4cZ1nYaw

(Into the Sky by SawanoHiroyuki[nZk])

Do you feel alone?

Can you hear me now?

Your mind is so far away still on earth

Many times you are hurting yourself

You can't be just a life on the shelf

It's only you that can fly this new unicorn

Into the sky

_ _

And it's every time, you hurt yourself with knives

And I'm calling, calling out your name again

If you're holding, holding onto fear I knew

The blind can open, let light shine through

_ _

And I say

Why we can't stop all this sacrifice?

I know that all the lies became the stone in your heart

I wonder how long you gonna survive

We didn't see all it's meaning

_ _

You are the one for me

Finally I can see

Can you promise me

You'll come back safe and help me?

I'm counting on you to bring the peace we all deserve

And maybe we'll be able to continue

_ _

And it's every time, you hurt yourself with knives

And I'm calling, calling out your name again

If you're holding, holding onto fear I knew

The blind can open, let light shine through

_ _

And I say

Why we can't stop all this sacrifice?

I know that all the lies became the stone in your heart

I wonder how long you gonna survive

We didn't see all it's meaning

_ _

And it's every time, you hurt yourself with knives

And I'm calling, calling out your name again

If you're holding, holding onto fear I knew

The blind can open, let light shine through

_ _

And I say

Why we can't stop all this sacrifice?

I know that all the lies became the stone in your heart

I wonder how long you gonna survive

We didn't see all it's meaning

Tenderheart's eyes went wide and he had to suppress his gag reflex when they got to Cheer's bed. The entire right side of her body was covered in bandages, and her right arm and leg were completely gone.

Even Take Care couldn't suppress a shudder as the sight, "She was almost dead and we had to amputate her right arm and leg, they were already dead. Other than her head the right side of her body sustained severe second and some third degree burns, we're using some gel they use to treat burns but even with that her chance of survival is only 3%." She took a deep breath, "Please, we need to see Defender and Wish now."

Wish lay still on her bed, eyes closed and unmoving. Defender and Hope stepped aside as Take Care delivered her report, "Wish was fine when she came in, it was Defender Bear who was fatally injured. I couldn't do anything for him but..." Take Care took another deep breath and held it for a moment before she continued, "She used a Wish to save Defender's life and the energy she expended cost her her life. There was nothing I could do. Excuse me, I need to see Get Well." Take Care turned and hurried away.

"She saved my life." Defender Bear stood next to Tenderheart and stared at Wish's body and took her limp hand in his own. "She actually saved me this time and I couldn't save her." Defender raised his left arm to wipe his tears away.

Tenderheart turned to Defender, "Pheonix, I-"

"Please don't call me Phoenix anymore," Defender touched the burn scar on his chest fur, "No-Heart took the phoenix spirit from me, I can't use magic anymore." He looked up, "I...feel empty inside."

"You still have Hope," Tenderheart touched Defender's shoulder and they both turned to where Hope Bear had sat against the wall, sobbing quietly.

Defender's face hardened, "I do, and I promise I won't let anything happen to her."

"We'll have to put Wish on ice soon, we can give her a proper funeral when we get to Lylat. One for her and everyone else," Tenderheart looked away, "Excuse me, I need to go."

Tenderheart only stopped a few meters from sick bay before he broke down and started to cry, slumping against the bulkhead and sliding down to the ground.

OoOoO

Get Well was shaking in the surgical prep room. She had removed her bloody garments and tossed them into the clothing disintegrator (for maximum sterility clothing was recycled and then freshly replicated for each surgery) and was now staring at her shaking hands as she sat on a chair against the wall. She looked up when Take Care entered and sat next to her. "How are you holding up?"

"Terribly," Get Well leaned up against her mother, "I can't stop shaking and thinking about...everything."

"That's normal. First real time something serious happens you feel this way afterwards." Take Care sighed sadly and stroked her daughter's head.

"How do you deal with this, mom?" she looked up into Take Care's face, "the fact that someone might die if you mess up, how can you be so calm?"

Take Care looked down at her, so small and helpless, the same little cub she'd found abandoned in the Forest of Feelings. "Don't tell anyone, but I can barely handle this myself. I get scared every time I have to do something serious and I wonder 'will my skills not be enough this time?' but I have to bury those doubts and do my job. It's not wrong to be worried and you're not weak for this. No one is ever prepared for life-and-death operations, even if they tell themselves they are. We should put Wish's body on ice so we can have a proper funeral later," Take Care whispered.

Get Well said nothing, just hugged Take Care and shook as she started to cry. Take Care finally let the tears slip as she leaned back in the chair.

OoOoO

As soon as Peppy entered the hangar he heard Slippy crying. He found the young green-skinned frog wearing his blue flight suit crouched behind one of his work benches. He looked up when he heard Peppy approach. "Peppy," he hurried to dry his eyes, "I just..."

"It's alright." Peppy sat down next to Slippy, "I'm having a hard time accepting that he's gone too, just like James..." Peppy looked up to the ceiling, his eyes damp with tears, "Never thought I'd outlive both of them."

"What do we do now? I mean are we still Star Fox without Fox?" Slippy turned to Peppy.

Peppy sighed and lowered his gaze, "We'll be Star Fox as long as we can be. Fara will carry on for Fox and so should we."

OoOoO

Falco knocked on the bulkhead next to his and Katt's private room then stepped in, he found Katt seated on their bed watching the crib where their barely 1-year old child rested, a blue female kitten named Kalico. Katt stood up when Falco entered the room. "Falco I-" She didn't get another word out as Falco embraced her, finally letting his façade of indifference fall away.

"I just needed to remind myself that you're still here," Falco whispered.

Katt hugged back, "Me too. I was afraid you'd go out there too when Fox launched."

"I wanted to, just to make sure you got away, but I had to be here for you, and Kalico." Falco sighed as they dropped onto their bed. Falco finally let the tears flow as he kissed her. Katt kissed back, then lay her head on his shoulders. Both worn out, they fell asleep.

OoOoO

Pain was the first thing Cheer felt when she finally woke up two days later, followed by an absence of something on her right.

"You're finally awake, now please stay calm." Get Well was at her side in a moment.

"Calm? What happened? Why can't I feel my arm, or my leg?" Cheer turned her head right and her eyes went wide in shock as she saw the bandaged over spots where her right arm and leg used to be attached. She opened her mouth and was about to scream when she felt something squeeze her left hand. She turned to look into Tenderheart's sympathetic eyes.

"I'm sorry Cheer," Get Well spoke again, "we had to amputate them to save your life. We didn't think you'd wake up again or this soon. I have to go check on Confidence."

Tears had welled up in Cheer's eyes, "What am I going to do, Tenderheart?"

Tenderheart squeezed her hand, "Just hang in there, Cheer, We'll get you help when we get where we're going."

"How!?" Cheer's voice became shrill, "How can this be helped? I can't walk or write or do anything. I'm right-handed Tenderheart, I can't re-learn everything again, I can't even push myself around in a wheel chair or walk with crutches like this!" Cheer tore her hand away from Tenderheart and she clapped it over her eyes, trying to stop the tears. "I would have been better off dead!"

Tenderheart gave her a severe expression and pulled her hand away from her face, "Don't say that Cheer! Life is worth living no matter what happens and you have to keep going." His expression softened as she watched her choking back tears. "Now listen. While you were unconscious I spoke to Slippy and he told me that his wife, Amanda, is a cybernetics doctor. He sent a message ahead, and your medical information, and she says she can make you a replacement arm and leg once we get to the Lylat system."

Cheer sniffed, "R-really?"

Tenderheart nodded. "Really." He smiled, "This is the first good news we've had. Take Care said you have a 3% chance of surviving the operation but you beat the odds and came out of it." He squeezed her hand in both of his, "Just promise me you won't give up, OK, none of us have and we'll pull through this together, like we always do."

Cheer nodded, "OK. Thank you, Tenderheart."

"You're welcome. Be good for Take Care and Get Well, I have to see how everyone else is doing." He let got of her hand, but Cheer grabbed it and tried to pull him back, Tenderheart didn't resist.

"Here, for you," she pulled his face down to his and gave him a brief kiss, "For keeping me going now, and after Champ died."

Tenderheart blushed, "Thanks. Just get some rest, Get Well will be back once she's done with Confidence."

OoOoO

Pace, Hugs and Perfect sat together at a table on the observation deck, all watching Connie who was standing at the window and staring at the technicolor warp space behind them. All three were thinking the same thing but Hugs was the first to talk. "Is she ever going to talk to us?"

"I don't know, she's lost most than most of us," Pace said, "Not just the rest of our family but Tugs...and Marina..."

Hugs' head drooped. Marina Bear, Connie and Tugs' daughter and her niece had been among those not on the Great Fox when they took off. "Yeah. I guess even if I lost Tugs and Grams I still have you and Get Well here, Pace."

"Tenderheart says that Confidence has it just as bad, if not worse with her injuries." Perfect Panda turned to Hugs and Pace, who were staring at him, "What?"

"Sorry," Pace averted his gaze.

"It's just weird hearing you talk like that," Hugs said.

"Without the rhyming?" Perfect rubbed his head where he could feel a small dent in his skull, "Ever since we lost the valley I just haven't felt it. Maybe it's because I lost Polite or the head injury I took, though Take Care says I didn't take any brain damage. Either way I just can't do it anymore." He sighed and stood up, "I'm going to talk to her."

Contrary Heart liger didn't even register when Perfect walked up next to her. She was leaning forwards with her head rested on her folded arms on the railing in front of the window.

Perfect cleared his throat, but Connie didn't respond. "Hey. Are you gonna stand there for the whole ride to Corneria?"

Connie grunted.

"Connie, please talk to me."

Connie growled.

"You can't just ignore us forever."

"Go away." Connie's eyes narrowed.

"Why, so you can stand here and sulk?" Perfect glared at her.

"Shut up!" Connie snapped as she stood up, "I'm not allowed to be sad when I lost my family?! My husband!...my daughter..."

"You're not the only one who's lost those and lived! At least you got out intact, some of us weren't so lucky!" Perfect shot back.

Connie was about to shoot back when a voice from the entrance silenced them, "Enough! Stop fighting!" All four of them turned to see Tenderheart enter the room. He glared at the assembly then sighed. "We've all lost people who are dear to us and some of us have lost limbs too." He put a hand on Hugs and Pace's shoulders as he passed them, "But we can't let that tear us apart here. Connie, I know it hurts, we all know it hurts, but please don't take it out on Perfect." He put his hands on both of their shoulders then looked from Connie and then to Perfect and then turned around to the group, "This is war, and death and things none of use were prepared for. We're going to have a lot of tough lessons ahead but we can't take it out on each other. Even if we're the only ones left we can still help people, even if that means we have to fight too."

The silence hung in the air for a moment before Connie spoke, "you're right. Sorry Perfect I... I need some time to process everything." She had started to tear up and rubbed her left eye with her left hand.

"We have about five days before we get to the Lylat system and all the time to talk about it." Tenderheart did his best to smile, "I'll be here to listen if any of you need to talk."

"A true Care Bear to the end." Perfect clapped Tenderheart on the back.