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Chapter 40: The Soul Without

Soulful Heart Fox landed at the front of No-Heart's castle and left his cloud car at the entrance. The front doors hung open, inviting him to enter. Soulful shuddered and almost turned back but something was drawing him in. As soon as he stepped past the front doors they shut behind him with a sudden slam. Soulful jumped forwards, looking back to make sure his tail... neither of his tails were stuck. It was still odd just seeing the second tail twitching next to the first, not to mention the feel of a second limb. Soulful shook his head then stared forwards at the long hall ahead. It seemed to beckon him forwards, and he followed.

Why was he doing this? Soulful Heart hated being here more than anything in the world. The bad memories from No-Heart's cruelty assaulted his mind: falling forever, the spider bites and the endless nightmares only the most prominent among them. He could just turn around and leave, go get help and come back to rescue Bright Heart. Being alone here was even more unnerving, at least with the shadows patrolling the corridors he could have seen the danger and known when to avoid it, but the silence seemed to engulf him as he walked towards the throne room.

_'Soooooulfuuuuul!'_the newly ascended Kitsune jumped when he heard the voice in his head and grabbed both his ears as if to shut it out. Was this what being a psion meant? The voice wasn't Bright Heart's, it actually sounded like...his own? That settled it in Soulful's mind, he had to know what was going on! He picked up his pace, marching deliberately towards the throne room door.

Soulful was too driven to even slow down as he shoved the doors open to the throne room. As if on cue a massive bolt of lightning shot up from the Thunder Pit accompanied by a deafening bang of thunder, which forced Soulful to cover his ears again, wincing backwards and shutting his eyes from the pain in his head. As soon as he uncovered them her heard Bright Heart's voice.

"Welcome, vessel, to my laboratory!"

Soulful Heart straightened up and opened his eyes to see Bright Heart approaching the opposite side of the thunder pit but he looked so... wrong. His headfur stuck out at crazy angles and there was a maniacal look in both his eyes and the too-wide grin on his face and the whites of his eyes were now blood red; he was wearing what looked like a laboratory coat except with traces of purple, rough stitched edges and frayed but not hemmed bottom, wrists and collar. It had been crudely cut down and bleached from one of No-Heart's robes.

"Bright Heart? What the fuck is going on?!" Soulful demanded.

"Bright Heart?" the raccoon scratched his chin then grinned, "Oh you mean the owner body I'm controlling!" The voice was unmistakably Bright Heart's but whatever was controlling him was deliberately pitching the voice lower and letting out a growl with each word, it would have been stupidly comedic were the situation not so serious.

Soulful Heart felt his hackles raise as he stared into the eyes, "Who are you!? Where's Bright Heart?!"

"He's in here, watching and screaming to be let go," The entity tapped the side of Bright Heart's head. "As for me, I'm you." As it spoke a black fire began to show around Bright Heart until it looked like his whole body was on fire.

OoOoO

The rescue team materialized right outside the front doors of No-Heart's old castle. Regal Heart was the first to spot Soulful Heart's cloud car and darted over, "Soulful?" She vainly hoped her friend was still sitting in the car, but no such luck.

Stellar walked over to his wife and put a reassuring arm around her, though he was just as worried, "He's probably inside, let's go."

"Yeah, once we get this door open!" Connie was in the middle of trying to pull the front door open with little success.

Chance jumped in and pulled on the other door, joined shortly by Hugs and the rest of their family, even Pace joined in. But the door refused to budge.

"Stop. That's not going to work." Guidance Heart's voice made Pace turn to look at the blue raccoon, who had her arm extended with what looked like vapor rising off it.

Pace left his family, still trying to pull the door open, to look at Guidance's arm, "You're sensing mana?"

"Yes. The door is sealed by magic. It won't open unless whoever put that spell there wants you to come in." Guidance lowered her arm, "Or without powerful magic of your own." By now everyone else had stopped trying to pull the door open.

"Guess we should step aside then," Hope said, pushing Chance and her parents back while Connie, Hope and Hugs pulled back from the opposite side.

"Thank you," Guidance Heart held up her left arm, which was now covered in water, and swung upwards to create a field of mist in front of her. A ball of white light formed in her right which she shot forwards in a bright beam of light that struck the mist and diffused into a bright beam of rainbow energy that blasted the doors inwards and off their hinges! They hit the ground with a loud thud, and a chunk blown out at the center where her blast had struck it.

Stellar's tail was frizzed out and he had to physically smooth it down to calm his nerves. "Whoa! I forget how strong you Magi are sometimes."

Guidance Heart couldn't help but smile, "That's why I'm here."

"Less talking, we need to save Stellar and Bright Heart!" Contrary Heart charged into the castle.

"Connie, wait!" Hope shouted as they all took off after her twin sister.

Connie didn't stop running until she came to the throne room door, where she slowed to a stop. Her ears perked up as she heard voices on the other side and she edged up to the door to listen in.

Chance was the first to reach her, "Connie, what-"

"Shhh!"

Connie hushed him then held up a hand and beckoned to the others to listen to what was on the other side, just in time to hear Bright Heart's gravelly voice say:

"As for me, I'm you."

Soulful Heart just stared at the black fire around Bright Heart for a moment. "What the hell you do you mean, 'I'm you'!?"

The thing laughed, "Did you think that No-Heart was going to just trust some random creation to infiltrate and destroy the Care Bear Family from within?" It shook Bright Heart's head and began to walk around the thunder pit, "No-Heart was no fool, he needed a loyal servant, one who he would be certain wouldn't develop a conscience from spending time with the Care Bears. He created your body and he was going to implant a piece of his soul within it to animate it and give it a will tied to his own." By now Bright Heart's body was right in front of Soulful. It spread Bright Heart's arms, "And that piece of his soul, is me."

Soulful Heart's expression changed to one of complete shock, "What?"

"Yes!" The black flames surrounding Bright Heart roared up into a large spirit that loomed over the purple raccoon's body and two glowing red eyes appeared in the mass. "I was to be you, but then you gained a soul and I was discarded. I languished for years, trapped in the tome that was used to chronicle your creation, until you set me free."

"The book I burned," Soulful stared at his enemy, "But why Bright Heart, why didn't you take me instead!"

"I tried!" Bright Heart's throat issued out a low growl, "But I wasn't strong enough so I rode in your shadow for years, feeding off what negativity had not been burned out of your being by the light of caring that surrounded you. Then your mind started growing too strong and I knew you would find me and expel me so I started fighting back until I had no choice but to escape." It gestured to the body it was inhabiting, "Your personality was forged from an inverse of this one you call Bright Heart so it was easy to take hold of his body, once I had contact. He doesn't yet have the power you have so overriding his will didn't take much time."

"Let him go!" temper rose in Soulful's voice as he stepped towards Bright Heart and the thing that was controlling him.

It backed off, "Or you'll do what? Destroy this body, kill your closest friend?" Soulful Heart stopped and the thing contorted Bright Heart's face into a wild grin, "Perhaps you should play with my newest creations!" It swung Bright Heart's arms wide and sent two motes of black fire out to illuminate the darker corners of the room as it retreated towards No-Heart's throne, "They don't have souls, but that made creating them so much easier!" Soulful Heart stepped back as the creatures were illuminated. There were six of them and they looked like Care Bears and Cousins envisioned by Doctor Frankenstein: arms, legs, head and torsos all from different animals stitched together haphazardly and with cold, dead eyes that stared right through Soulful.

"What? Where did you get those... parts?!" Soulful took a step back.

The thing gave out a maniacal laugh, "HAHAHAHAHA! His failed experiments! You and Shade were not his only creations! After you two rebelled he took no chances and destroyed those who weren't absolutely obedient!" It pointed at Soulful, "Hold him down!"

"That's enough!" Contrary Heart burst through the door, catching everyone off guard.

"Connie!?" Soulful shot a look over his shoulder to see the rescue team running up to surround him.

Regal and Stellar were at Soulful's side in an instant, "We're here to save you," Stellar said.

"Let Bright Heart go now!" Regal Heart's hackles were raised, her ears laid flat against her skull.

Bright Heart's face contorted into a mask of rage, "Get them! Kill them!" The Black Flame's order spurred its creations onwards as they marched towards the group. One got ahead and reached forwards with claw and talons to grab for Stellar Heart.

"No way!" Connie jumped forwards, her tummy symbol glowing, "Freeze Frame!" a bright flash from her tummy symbol caused the monstrosity to freeze in place.

Stellar turned away from the monsters for a moment and gaped at his daughter, "Contrary Heart, what was that?!"

"Explain later! Fight now!" Chance didn't need to try and summon up the anger as he charged towards the next monster, that came into range, "Let Bright Heart go!" on the final word a gout of magma shot forwards, melting through the monster's body as it collapsed to the ground, motionless.

Pace was keeping back out of the fight, trying to keep himself together, "They're just soulless shells, focus on the real enemy." He took a deep breath as even Faith ran forwards to help Hope as a third came into range. "Care Bears countdown. Four. Three. Two. One. Care Bear Cousin call!" Pace's voice contained a tranquil fury as he spoke and his call shot off towards Bright Heart. The Black Flame saw the beam coming and threw up a wall of black fire which wilted slightly as the call struck it but didn't disperse.

Pace stopped his call, "Now what?"

A powerful blast of rainbow energy flew from behind him and struck the monster that Hope and Faith were trying to deal with and blew its head off. "We deal with these perversions of Care Bears and save Bright Heart together." Guidance Heart stepped forwards, water flowing off her left hand and light glowing from her right. "If you don't want to fight then keep yourself in reserve until we can save him."

Pace nodded, "Right." He looked around, "Where's Hugs?" his voice suddenly became panic stricken.

Hope and Faith had managed to shove the headless monster down, "Now your chance Chance!" Hope jumped back, pulling her younger sister back as Chance dove on the creature, his teeth bared in rage as he summoned up a ball of magma that melted the creature's body. The sphere cooled quickly but still melted halfway through the floor. Chance looked up to see another ready to bring its hands down on Hopeful's head. "Look out!"

His shout came almost too late and Hope's symbol lit up, a bubbled forming around her right as the fists struck it. The bubble shook as the monster pummeled the shield but it didn't break.

Stellar could only watch in amazement before blasts of light and water from Guidance tore the attacking creature apart, leaving its body to lie in inert pieces on the ground. "What have our children been doing, Regs?"

"Ask later, save friend now!" Regal Heart let go of Soulful's arm and turned on one that was getting too close, "Care Cousin Call!" Her shout brought with it a musical blast of energy from her tummy symbol, which struck the creature but did nothing to hold it back.

Soulful pulled Regal out of harms ways, "It has no soul." He said as they retreated from it, "It's not evil, just an automaton. The stare can't stop it."

"Freeze Frame!" Contrary froze the monster in place, "That's why we're here, mom." She gave a slight grin. Regal wanted to lecture her, but there was a time and place for that.

Chance had just finished off the first one Connie had frozen with another gout of magma and turned to the one near his mother. He was clearly winded but was about to step forwards when a rainbow blast from Guidance Heart blew through the creature's torso, which caused it to collapse.

"Thanks," Chance panted.

Guidance smiled then turned to the last monster and began bombarding it with blasts of light. The creature stumbled forwards even as its arms were blasted off, followed by its legs until she finished it off with a heavy sphere of water.

Upon seeing the last one fall, Soulful turned to The Black Flame, which was grabbing Bright Heart's headfur in frustration. "You're perversions are dead! Now let our friend go!"

"NO! NO!" the black fire erupted from Bright Heart's body then trailed down to the floor as lines of fire shot out towards the assemble Care Bears.

Hope barely managed to act in time, jumping amidst all of them and creating a bubble large enough to shield them all. They stood together as the flames danced and coursed over their shield but it held fast, Hope's tummy symbol glowing.

"You can't stay in there forever!" The Black Flame raged, "You'll die either way!"

Regal took the moment to catch her breath, "What is all of this, Connie?"

Connie decided to hurry and explanation, "We have special tummy symbol powers, always have. Me, Hope, Chance, Hugs, Tugs and Love Heart. We don't know why we just do."

"We were scared to tell you mom," Chance was panting, "That's why I told you I was playing with matches that one time."

"Instead of telling them you had a flamethrower in your symbol," Guidance looked around, "Where's Hugs?"

Pace looked around frantically, then spotted her standing up behind Bright Heart and The Black Flame.

As soon as she had burst into the throne room, Hugs had darted aside and dove to the floor. Thankfully The Black Flame and its creations hadn't noticed her and she had crawled all the way around the edge of the room before she stood up behind Bright Heart's body. She steeled herself as the flames assaulted the bubble that protected her friends. She briefly locked eyes with Pace then lunged forwards and grabbed Bright Heart's body in a tight hug.

"What is this! Let go before I burn you to ashes!" The Black Flame began to pull its fire back like tendrils as Hugs' tummy symbol started to glow.

"You need to cool down!" Hugs shouted as a white aura covered Bright Heart's body. She felt the flames start to singe her fur but before it could envelope her, Bright Heart went limp in her arms.

Everything was still for a moment, then Bright Heart whispered.

"What?" Hugs asked.

"It's still here. Get it out, AAAAAAAAA!" Bright Heart suddenly cried out in pain as The Black Flame erupted upwards, forming a mass over his head with red glowing eyes.

"NOW!" Soulful Heart shouted. "Care Bear Cousins Countdown!" Hope's bubble popped as they all turned to face Bright Heart, Hugs and The Black Flame, all wrestling for control.

"Four! Three! Two! One! Care Bear Cousin Call!"

Bright, wavy beams of musical light shot from the tummy symbols of the Lion, Tiger, Fox and Ligers, all aimed at Bright Heart, which spiraled around his body like a twister then rose upwards, pushing the black fire off him and Hugs with it. The Black Flame growled and thrashed, trying to push itself back down over it's host, but eventually the Calls won out and forced the Black Flame away from Bright Heart. It howled in incomprehensible language as it was carried up towards the ceiling and away from the Care Bears.

Everyone ran over to Bright Heart, Soulful reaching him first as Hugs helped the raccoon to stand. He grabbed Bright Heart by the shoulders, "Bright Heart, are you there?"

Bright Heart looked up at Soulful, "I am. Soulful, I remember everything." Bright Heart started to cry as Hugs pulled the now burned and fragmenting mad scientist coat off him,

Soulful suddenly grabbed Bright Heart in a tight hug and began to cry. "I'm sorry, Bright Heart. This is all my fault..."

"It's not, I don't blame you," Bright Heart managed to hug him back.

Further moments were forestalled as they heard The Black Flame roar over head, the whirlwind of calls finally fading out. Everyone grew tense as it readied itself to dive back down at the group, until something flew through one of the upper gallery windows and grabbed it out of thin air.

"Enough. You're coming with me."

"Mental Heart!" Contrary Heart's shout caused everyone to look up at the man with purple hair in the black coat, holding The Black Flame by what could be considered its "neck" as it squirmed to try and get free.

Mental Heart looked down from where he hovered in mid air at the group of Care Bears and Cousins. "I don't have time for you, I must return this to Lord No-Heart." He looked over at The Black Flame with his ever contemptable eyes then back down. "The day it all ends will be here soon. I suggest you spend your time wisely." Before anyone could reply, Mental Heart encased himself and his captive in a psionic bubble then flew away.

Everyone stood still, as if expecting Mental Heart to return any moment. Finally, the tension deflated and they began to make their way out of the castle, Hugs and Soulful supporting Bright Heart between them.

"We shouldn't leave this place like this," Soulful Heart said, "There's too much here No-Heart can still use."

"The Magi will deal with it once this crisis is over," Guidance Heart said as she walked past Soulful, "For now, we need to get Bright Heart home."

"While we're getting home, Contrary Heart, Hopeful Heart, Chance Heart, you're going to tell us everything about these tummy symbol powers of yours." Now that the danger had passed, the stern part of Regal Heart's motherly side was coming out. Her three eldest children couldn't help but gulp from nerves. It was going to be a long cloud car ride home.

OoOoO

Mental Heart landed in No-Heart's base, The Black Flame still squirming in his grasp, his hand protected by his power. "I have returned with your prize, Lord No-Heart."

No-Heart watched him levitate up to his ever shrinking throne, "Well done, Mental Heart." The Black Flame seemed to shriek in fear as No-Heart reached for it. It tried to squirm away but Mental Heart held it fast until No-Heart took hold of it. The Black Flame still looked like it was pulling itself away even as it absorbed into No-Heart.

"The piece of my soul untouched by the shadow dragon," No-Heart said as The Black Flame vanished fully into himself. Suddenly he roared out as the silhouette of a dragon emerged from him and gave a silent roar, only to wilt and be re-absorbed into No-Heart.

"YES!" No-Heart's body coursed with energy and he sat down hard. "I am in control at last! Now it is only a matter of time before I can carry out my plan."

"And what of the Spirit Book, Lord No-Heart?" Mental Heart asked.

"There will be another opportunity to take it. For now, we wait for the mercenaries," he turned to Andross' still parked flagship, "And our allies' preparations to be finished."