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Chapter 44: Field of Steam, Marine Vs Anger

Marine Heart didn't waste any time and charged at Anger Heart as soon as he was on his feet. He struck forwards, his claws extended forwards towards the fox's face. Anger Heart dodged aside and conjured a sai into his hand that he swung at Marine's head, which only hit the tip of his ear but still made him wince.

Hidden Heart crawled away from the fighting and behind a doorframe as they began brawling. Her heart was pounding in her throat and her breath was short. She took a chance and peeked out at the fight again and winced as Marine Heart landed a blow to Anger Heart's stomach.

Anger Heart reeled from the blow and tried to retaliate when Marine Heart's tail slammed into his side. The fox almost fell to the ground but shot a blast of fire from his hand which launched him back to his feet.

"Stay down!" Marine Heart charged at him.

"Fuck that!" Anger Heart side stepped his charge and struck down with his sai, piercing through the Otter's back, but Marine's tail lashed out again and knocked him away.

The sai dissolved as Anger Heart jumped back up and fire appeared on his hands. "No water around for you."

"I make my own!" Water appeared around Marine's hands and he unleashed a torrent at Anger Heart. On reflex, Anger Heart shot off twin streaks of fire which collided with the water. A massive hiss rang out as the streams collided and steam exploded over the entire area.

Anger Heart shielded his vision as the steam washed over him. It clung to his fur and seeped into his skin as he did his best to stay upright.

"RRRGGGG!" Marine Heart suddenly charged out of the mist and slashed Anger Heart across the face with his claws. Anger Heart shot a blast of fire right into Marine's face and he screamed in pain before he managed to douse himself in water. Anger Heart took his chance and punched him across the nose. Marine Heart growled and pounced on him, knocking him to the ground. Anger Heart's feet shot out and he kicked Marine Heart into the mist. Anger Heart jumped to his feet and fired off a blast of fire where Marine Heart had disappeared.

Anger Heart's six tails drooped, heavy from the mist that clung to his fur. "OK, just have to find him and use the stare," he spoke to himself.

"Stare at this!" The mist surrounding him suddenly condensed into a dozen spears of water and Anger Heart caught a glimpse of Marine Heart, the otter's arms outstretched as the green orbs attached to his body lit up with sickly light.

Anger Heart barely had time to react as the spears all launched straight at him, but three struck him, one through his right arm, one through his left foot and one his chest though that one didn't pierce through.

Anger Heart grit his teeth against the pain as the water spears fell apart and he glared at Marine Heart. "I'm not done yet!" He shouted and his whole body burst into red flames.

"Just die!" Marine put his hands together and held them up as water gathered into a massive sphere over his head.

Anger Heart crossed his arms in front of his chest as Marine Heart hurled the orb down on him. The orb of water crashed through the floor, shattering the stones and blasting down right into the basement where it settled. Marine Heart walked to the edge of the pit and gave an evil grin down at the giant sphere of water. "Stay there and drown!" He turned to the wall where Hidden Heart was hiding, "As for you." He raised his hands and tensed, water gathering into another giant sphere.

A hissing noise caused Marine Heart to turn around and stare as massive amounts of steam were rising out of the hole. Then the sphere of water began to rise up and into midair, shrinking as it rose. The sphere rumbled for a moment the exploded into a massive rush of steam. Surrounded by blue fire and with his tails flaring outwards, Anger Heart floated in mid air where the sphere of water had just been. He glared at Marine Heart and bared his teeth, "I'm not done yet!"

"You can fly?!" Marine Heart was stunned as Anger Heart spread his hands out sideways.

"I'm not the weakling I was the last time you attacked us!" Anger Heart swung his hands forwards, keeping his fingers extended towards Marine Heart, "Blue Flame Buster!" the fire surrounding him suddenly shot forwards in a brilliant blue stream. Marine Heart dodged at the last second but his left arm was hit directly, severely burning it and making Marine Heart shout in pain.

Marine fired off a torrent of water right at Anger Heart, striking him dead on and nearly knocking him out of the sky. Anger Heart recovered and shot out a basketball sized ball of blue flames. Marine tried to dodge only for the fireball to explode, sending gouts of blue flame everywhere surrounding him. Marine barely had time to recover as Anger Heart plowed into him, striking at his head with the pommel of a freshly conjured sai. Stars burst in Marine's vision but he lashed out with his good arm, grabbing one of Anger Heart's tails.

Marine Heart cried out in pain as the tails were all wreathed in blue flames but he held on and swung as hard as he could, catching Anger Heart off guard and pulling him out of his flight. Marine whirled him around and around until releasing him which sent the fox crashing through one of the castle's still standing stone walls.

Marine Heart coated his still burned hand in water, quenching the burning; his left arm hurt too much to even try to move. "Stay down!" He shouted into the hole Anger Heart had made. There was no response.

Not taking any chances this time, Marine Heart created a sphere of water in his right hand and edged closer to the opening. His ears pricked up as he heard mumbling amidst the rubble and he readied himself. "You're not getting away this time."

"...2...1..."

Marine Heart heard it clearly this time as he stepped through the gap, and a bright light made him spin to the side.

Anger Heart stood there, battered and bruised but his chest symbol was glowing bright white. He gave a confident grin as he had finished the countdown under his breath then shouted, "CARE BEAR STARE!" Marine Heart was caught completely off-guard as the beam of white energy struck him dead on. He shot off his ball of water, striking Anger Heart right in the face but even if it had hurt him the fox didn't let up.

The green orbs on the otter's body began to evaporate as he staggered back under the onslaught until he hit the wall behind him. He collapsed to the floor as the pathways between the orbs vanished into green smoke as the orbs shrank more and more until finally they were gone.

Anger Heart panted and stood over his defeated enemy, just waiting to see if he would get back up. When he was satisfied he called out, "Hidden Heart! I need some help over here!"

"Hold your horses," the voice came from Take Care, "She's looking after Indy. Oh my goodness!" She stared at the downed Marine Heart, "What happened?"

"I burned him before I could use my stare on him." Anger Heart leaned up against the wall, "It's not too bad is it?"

"Not as bad as what you did to Blade Star, I'll have to get him back to the hospital before I can properly treat him." She conjured a stretcher from her chest symbol, "Help me move him out of here." Anger Heart obeyed and helped transfer him onto the stretcher, Together, he and Take Care lifted the stretcher up and Take Care led them to the entrance of the castle.

Once they were outside, Take Care used her chest symbol to conjure a cloud ambulance. It took visible effort and Take Care was sweating as she and Anger Heart loaded Marine Heart into the back.

Take Care swiped her forehead as she stepped out the back of the ambulance, "Anger Heart, stay here and keep an eye on Marine until I get back with Indy and Hidden Heart."

"Fine," Anger Heart crossed his arms and leaned up against the interior wall of the ambulance, his eyes on the unconscious blue otter.

About ten minutes later, Indy stumbled into view and hauled himself into the back of the ambulance. Shortly thereafter, Hidden Heart and Take Care arrived bearing a stretcher with a cover draped over the body.

"What the hell is that?" Anger Heart stood up and away from the wall.

"No-Heart's body. I need to use the equipment back home to finish the autopsy." Take Care all but collapsed against the floor once the body was loaded in.

Hidden Heart walked past her and into the driver's seat, "I'll get us home," she said.

"And don't come back!" The shouting came from Beastly, who had only just now emerged from hiding, shaking his fist at the ambulance. "You're wrecking my castle!"

Anger Heart ignored him as he shut the ambulance door. He had to brace himself as it took off and headed to the Kingdom of Caring, all the while keeping his eyes on Marine Heart for the entire ride.

OoOoO

Confidence Heart was still standing guard over Sweet Heart and Passion Heart when she heard the ambulance flying in for a landing. She gave a sigh of relief and shouted to them as she saw them exit the vehicle. "HEY! CAN YOU GIVE ME A HAND OVER HERE!?"

Anger Heart heard the shout as he helped pull Marine Heart out of the ambulance. He gave a grunt of exasperation, "I'll go see what she wants."

"Just hurry back," Take Care said as she wheeled Marine into the hospital, "I don't want to be alone if he wakes up."

Anger Heart just glared out across the clouds then jogged towards Confidence Heart.

Confidence Heart whistled as soon as she saw Anger Heart up close, "You look like hell, Anger Heart."

"You should see Marine Heart." He looked down at Sweet Heart, "She doesn't look too bad."

"Just tired," Confidence turned to look at Passion Heart still sealed in the pink sphere, "but she took him down and stuck him in that bubble."

"Have you tried to move it?" Anger Heart asked.

Confidence Heart coughed then moved to tried and push the bubble surrounding Passion Heart. It didn't budge.

"Yes," she walked over to Sweet Heart and crouched down. She shook her none to gently, "Sweet Heart, wake up."

"Huh?" Sweet Heart's eyes opened and she blinked up at Confidence, "What?"

Confidence pointed over her shoulder with her thumb at Passion Heart, "Can you let him out, please? We need to move him."

"Oh...OK." Sweet Heart sat up, propping herself up on her arms, then screwed up her face. Her unicorn star glowed and the sphere around Passion Heart popped.

"Com'on, get up," Anger Heart pulled Sweet Heart to her feet by her wing, "Take Care's back and you need to see her."

"Yowch!" Sweet Heart pulled her wing out of Anger's grip, "OK I'm going." She kicked Anger Heart in the shin before she stormed off, awake enough to be indignant.

Anger Heart danced on his good foot as he grit his teeth against the impact of Sweet Heart's hoof. "Damnit!" He hissed.

Confidence Heart sighed and created a stretcher with her chest symbol, "You'll be fine, help me move him."

"Fine!" Anger Heart tested his foot on the clouds, winced slightly, then helped Confidence to carry Passion Heart back to the Hospital.

At the hospital, with the adrenaline finally having worn off, Anger Heart felt pain lance through his arm and foot, the holes that Marine Heart had put there now searing with previously ignored pain.

Take Care sprung into action and had him up on a table. "Just hold still, I need to stitch those up. It's a wonder you didn't collapse before."

"It's hurts like hell," Anger Heart groaned but let Take Care do her job despite the pain.

"I bet, oh and thank you for dealing with Blade Star," Take Care huffed slightly as she pulled out her tools, "I can't believe she thought I was pink."

A few minutes later, Take Care had stitched up Anger Heart's arm and foot and given him a dose of painkillers then let him rest in one of the private rooms she had set aside for long term patients. With Anger Heart patched up, Take Care gave everyone else a thorough check-up, leaving Marine Heart and Passion Heart for the end.

"Alright," Take Care stood back, her diagnoses complete, "Sweet Heart, your wing has healed enough that it's out of danger but don't fly for a few days until I examine you again and get some sleep. Independent Bear, you're not badly injured you just need some rest too." She nodded to the two Magi as they took their leave before she turned to the still unconscious Marine Heart Otter and Passion Heart Wolverine. "Passion Heart isn't badly injured, I've managed to clean his injuries and we just need to wait until he wakes up. Marine Heart is easily the worst, his arm is badly burned so I'll have to dress it and see if it recovers." She sighed, "I hate to ask Life Heart but I may need her help to heal his arm at all." She went to a nearby supply cabinet, "Confidence, can you keep an eye on them at least until someone else gets back."

Confidence Heart punched her open hand, "No problem. I live here too, remember?"

Take Care smiled, "I know. Maybe we could take things a bit farther in future."

Confidence smirked and gave Take Care a peck on the cheek, "Maybe, once this is over. I kinda hope they wake up, I'm itching to take a swing at them if they try anything."

Take Care had blushed slightly at the peck but became serious again when Confidence finished speaking. "Please don't. I know I'm going to have more patients later today, I don't want you to be one too." She began cleaning and dressing Marine Heart's arm.