Care Bears Family Adventures, Book 4: Chapter 15 by Wilson Kitsune

Care Bears Family Adventures, Book 4: Chapter 15

#15 of Care Bears Family Adventures Book 4

It's finally time for everyone to welcome their new family members properly

Chapter 15: Welcome Home New Family

Take Care was shocked when the Magi brought their patients to her, especially when she saw the emaciated body of the young red bear. She just asked them to put Lily in the storage freezer until she and Get Well had finished with Anger Heart and Redemption.

"Two cracked ribs, severe throat damage from dryness and malnourishment," Take Care looked down at the fox's feet. "And your paw pads have had the calluses removed. Walking and talking are going to be painful for a few days, so take it easy. Honestly, I'm surprised you're holding up so well, at least mentally."

Anger Heart glared at her for a moment then turned to Guidance Heart and Flair Heart, who insisted on staying for Anger's exam. Guidance Heart took Anger's hand, "Are you alright?"

"I'll...be...fine..." Anger rasped out.

"You need to give your voice a rest," Take Care said.

Anger Heart ignored her, "As...long...as...I...was...be...ing...tor...tured...I...knew...you...would...be...safe..." Anger Heart started coughing.

"Enough!" Take Care's tension was showing, "Anger Heart, no more talking until your throat heals or you could end up permanently mute!"

Anger Heart still held a hand over his mouth to stifle his coughing and held up another to show he understood.

"Thank you, Anger Heart," Guidance touched his cheek then gave him a kiss. Take Care went over to a wheelchair and was about to push it over to Anger Heart, when the fox slid off the exam table.

As soon as his now much more sensitive feet touched the floor he sucked in air through his teeth and giggled slightly, "heehee *coughcough*" He struggled with each step he took.

"Anger Heart!" Take Care was becoming livid, "You need to take it easy."

"NO!" Anger Heart shouted and held up a hand to her, "I...won't...be...a...cripple!" he rasped out as he walked forwards, wincing with each step. He paused for a moment, gritting his teeth against the pain as his eight tails slowly merged back into one.

Anger Heart wobbled and Guidance immediately moved to support him, "I'll look after him, Take Care, don't worry."

Take Care sighed, "Alright, just be careful."

Outside, Guidance sighed, "I guess we're going to have to delay everyone's welcome party, or just not play."

Anger Heart shook his head, then made a motion as if drumming with drumsticks.

"Are you sure you can still drum?" Guidance asked. Anger Heart nodded. "Alright, but we need someone else to sing the male vocals, we've all heard Brave Heart's attempts," Guidance shuddered.

"I can sing."

Anger Heart and Guidance turned to face Flair Heart, who was staring up at them. Once he saw their attention he pumped his arms up, "I can sing for you dad!"

"Are you sure?" Guidance said, "You said you didn't want to sing for the Mulcaheys."

"I can do it for dad, I know I can!" Flair was bouncing on his feet as he looked up at them. Anger Heart smiled then reached out to tousle the pink raccoon's hair and nodded.

"Alright, but we're going to have to rehearse a lot for the next couple days," Guidance said.

"I'll do it, I promise!" Flair said as they headed for home.

OoOoO

Back in the clinic Take Care was comparing the analysis from Anger Heart with Get Well's notes for Redemption. Like with Anger Heart, Aqua and Lonesome had refused to leave Redemption while she was being treated.

"Same effects, but she doesn't seem to be holding up as well," Get Well said.

Redemption just sat up on the table, refusing to lie down as Lonesome and Aqua did their best to comfort her.

Take Care nodded to Get Well, who took the initiative and brought a wheelchair over for Redemption. "Can you two take her home and look after her for a couple days."

"We can," Aqua said, "What about Lily..."

Take Care felt sorry for the three, "I'm sorry, but she's dead."

Redemption nodded to confirm which caused Aqua and Lonesome to start crying. Take Care looked to Get Well who took over in ushering the three out and helping them get Redemption into the chair.

Take Care waited for them to leave then sighed. She would do the autopsy tomorrow, she needed sleep now.

OoOoO

As soon as the mission was over, Love Heart and Confidence Heart took their children and headed for home. Everyone needed a good night's sleep after those events.

The next morning, Love Heart was staring into his cereal bowl as he ate, slowly stirring the contents of the bowl between each mouthful.

"Mama, why's daddy staring at his food?" Shimmers asked.

"That's a good question, Love Heart?" Confidence nudged the green bear which jerked him out of his stupor.

"Huh? Oh just thinking about stuff, like all these new Care Bears that joined the family..." Love Heart looked up at his family.

"Yeah, I made a new friend with Pretty Heart," Mira smirked as she turned to her brother, "Maybe you should meet them more, Shimmers."

"Not a bad idea," Love Heart smiled and continued to eat. He kept his thoughts to himself until he was gathering up the breakfast dishes, "Miracle Heart, can you watch Shimmering Star for a couple hours. Mom and I need to go out for a while."

"I thought you were staying home now, daddy," Shimmering Star tugged at his father's leg fur as he set about washing the dishes.

"I'm not going on missions, and this is something that just came up I need to take care off," he handed the last bowl to Confidence to dry then crouched down in front of him, "I've been home all week other than yesterday getting you toilet trained."

Shimmers looked down at the diaper he still wore, "I'm getting better."

"Yes, you are. Just be a good boy now while we go out to run an errand or two, ok?" Love Heart waited until Shimmers looked him in the eye.

"Ok, daddy." Shimmers nodded.

"Don't worry, I'll look after him," Mira promised.

"Good. Let's go then, Love Heart," Confidence grabbed Love Heart's arm and pulled him out and out the door.

"So where are we going all of a sudden?" Confidence did some stretches as they stood outside their house.

"To Big Star Point. I have some questions for the Star." Love Heart's face had hardened now that they were outside. He didn't waste any time and flew off into the sky and towards Big Star Point, Confidence Heart hurrying to catch up as he did so.

Love Heart and Confidence landed at the bottom of Big Star Point. They didn't even need to call out before the Star appeared before them.

"Expecting us?" Love Heart asked.

"I have been for some time, ever since you found these last few family members." The Star said.

"More than that." Love Heart looked up at the Great Wishing Star with serious intent. "About these new arrivals from the Lylat system, why do they look like us? How can they be the same kind of animals found on Earth?"

The Star looked contemplative for a moment before it answered, "Lylat. I haven't thought about that system for a long time." Before they could say anything else, the Star continued, "The catalyst has existed for over 5,000 years, and I have existed for almost 4,000, created by the wishes and good feelings the catalyst absorbed as it flew through space. I knew I had to create guardians of caring for Earth but it would be millennia before I could do so properly. So I decided to test my powers 3,000 years ago when I found a viable system to support sentient life. I took animals from earth, many animals but not so much to endanger them on Earth, (before such things were a major concern to animal life on this planet) and I placed them on the inhabitable planets of the system and began to experiment with them. I didn't want to kill any of them so I left them to breed for two centuries before I began my experiments. It took 300 years but I was able to elevate them to bipedal sentience on every world and infuse them with the knowledge of language and technology I could see humans developing. I haven't given them any thought since I left them to their own devices and I never expected their technological development to outpace that of humanity."

Confidence Heart smirked and folded her arms, "Maybe Care Bears and Lylatians are just smarter than humans."

Love Heart smirked and rolled his eyes, "Right. Thank you, that does answer a lot. But why is the Care Bear Family mostly bears, heck mostly mammals I think there's just Cozy Heart Penguin, Soaring Heart Eagle and Justin Case Spider that are some other kind of animal."

The star sighed sadly. "There originally was a much more balanced assortment of animals among your kind, but when No-Heart and Dark Heart found you I had to pull the founders and the few cubs they had found up to the Kingdom of Caring before their ship sank and everything was lost. The rest of them: reptiles, amphibians, birds, even sea creatures that could live in the lake and rivers hid on earth but... for the last year their lights have been disappearing."

"Mental Heart!" Confidence growled.

"That one is an immense force of hatred, one that equals No-Heart's own hatred of the Care Bear Family.I commend you for finding the lost Care Bears before they could be slaughtered."

Love Heart folded his arms in an attempt to stop shaking with rage. "About that, why are Teacher Bear, Soaring Heart and Mounty Heart older than the rest of the family?"

The star seemed to nod, "They were my first experiments. Teacher Bear was the very first attempt to create a true Care Bear, and a near success but she was flawed, at least on a biological level. Her Symbol, while functional, lacks some of the abilities of your own, or at least it did, but her body constantly affects the life around her, which is why her dog mother became nearly human-like and how spending one night with baby animals accidentally created an entire family of Care Bear Cousins I never anticipated. Soaring Heart and Mounty Heart were my second attempts, and first try at animals that weren't bears. They were successful but I needed time to make sure my process would work without failure, they were only two of ten who accepted the process, others I tried to create exhibited no changes at all."

"So she's a flawed prototype huh?" Confidence said.

"That's all, thank you." Love Heart turned away, "Let's go home, don't want to keep the kids waiting."

The star watched them go, unsure of what to say.

Love Heart felt his heartphone ringing as he flew out of the desert leading to Big Star Point and slowed to a stop in mid-air to answer. "Hello?"

"Love Heart, it's Take Care Bear. I need you to stop by the hospital. There's something I need to show you."

"Alright, I'm on my way." Love Heart hung up then turned to Confidence, who had doubled back when she saw him stop. "Take Care needs to see me, can you head home and start spreading the word?"

Confidence grinned, "No problem! Can't wait to see everyone faces when they find out their true origins." Confidence rocketed off as Love Heart changed direction to fly towards the hospital.

OoOoO

Even in med school, Take Care hated doing autopsies. They were considered a right of passage for med students, seeing and touching a dead body (with the right sterile protection of course). Other students and even her professors had tried to break her by making her do more than she was required to do, but she had soldiered on through just to show them how determined she was and that she wouldn't be scared off by their cruel tactics. She had far more experience than she wanted.

Part of what had helped Take Care through their torment was the naïve thought that Care Bears were immortal and this was something she would never have to deal with in real life. That belief was shaken when Brave Heart almost drowned, and she barely managed to resuscitate him before he received any brain damage, not to mention Cautious Heart being on death's door when she first adopted her. Though she liked to think of herself as sensible, some part Take Care still felt a bit too secure in the idea that the Care Bears couldn't die. Until Flash Heart was killed.

Though she didn't see the body this had shaken her, as it had everyone in the Care Bear Family, and the funeral was a wake up call. Another tragic incident a few years ago had shown them the same fear realized, though they didn't talk about that due to the pain it had caused...

But now, she stared at the emaciated body of the red bear Lily. She would have to do this. It was her duty to determine how she had died. She was grateful that no one was around to witness this. Even if she wasn't someone Take Care had known, seeing her body was a bitter pill to swallow.

Take Care took a deep breath behind her surgical mask and steeled herself, picking up her surgery tools and began to cut.

It was over an hour later when Take Care finished her autopsy, taking the notes she needed to tell everyone else what was going on. The one thing she didn't initially think she would do was take a DNA sample, but upon seeing the eight-pointed star birthmark on the bear's forehead she felt compelled to do so. She had been told that only those with unicorn ancestry could have this mark. After she got the test results she decided to do a few more tests, just to be certain.

Once she finished the report and got the test results she called Love Heart on her office phone.

The phone ran three times before Love Heart answered, "Hello?"

Take Care sat back in her office chair, "Love Heart, it's Take Care Bear. I need you to stop by the hospital. There's something I need to show you."

"Alright, I'm on my way." Love Heart hung up.

Take Care set the report down and looked at Teacher Bear's file. In the week between her arrival and the rescue Take Care had done some tests on Teacher Bear with the blood sample she had hesitantly provided for her. Might as well get another revelation out of the way while she was doing this. She dialed Teacher Bear's number.

It took considerably longer for the elderly bear to answer. "Hello? Did I pick this up right?"

"Yes, you did, Teacher Bear." Take Care said, "Can you come down to the hospital, I have something I need to talk to you about. Relax your life isn't in danger but I think you should know this too. But please come alone."

"Alright. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Teacher Bear didn't hang up for a moment so Take Care spoke again, "The red button with the phone symbol."

"Thank you, Take-" Teacher Bear pushed the end call button before she finished. At least she was adapting faster than everyone had anticipated.

Love Heart entered the clinic a moment later. "I was on my way home when you called. What's going on, Take Care?"

Take Care picked up Lily's autopsy report, "I thought you should know about Lily. The dead bear they brought back yesterday." She saw Love Heart tense slightly but continued, "Before she died she was suffering from the same damage as Anger Heart and Redemption Heart: severe sore through, broken ribs and soft tissue damage, but far more severe. From what Defender Bear told me, the cause of death was fatal hilarity. She literally laughed to death, though the more direct cause was a punctured lung. One of her ribs broke off and pierced it and if she was laughing at the time she would have had no time to stop exhaling before she suffocated."

Love Heart shuddered, "A horrible way to die. How close were Anger Heart and Redemption?"

"Not that close, but they would have suffered the same fate eventually. Anger Heart's holding up better at least, he's more physically resilient than Redemption." Take Care turned to the last page of the report, the DNA tests, "But that's not the only reason I wanted to tell you this. According to these, she was your sister."

"What?!" Love Heart leaned over, bug-eyed, to stare at the results.

"At least that's what the tests said. I ran a few more and found something else," Take Care pointed to one section, "I've only seen this pattern pop up once before, with Truth Bear. It's the same variation in DNA that marks him as a clone of Defender Bear, created with the same magical process."

Love Heart's face hardened as he stepped back, "No-Heart created her." He stated flatly.

"That's the only conclusion I can draw as well." Take Care sighed, "Her three friends might know more, but aside from the gender change and younger age she's a near exact clone of you."

"May I see her?" Love Heart kept this tone level but it was obvious he was seething internally by the way he clenched his fists.

Take Care nodded and shut the file. "Yes, but not for too long. Put on surgical gear first."

Clad in a surgical smock, mask, gloves and hairnet, Love Heart stood over Lily's body which had thankfully been sewn back up and cleaned up by Take Care. Love Heart touched the star birthmark on her forehead. "Lily, who were you? What did you like? What did you want to be? I'm sorry I never got to meet you, for your sake and your friends. I wish... I wish I could have saved you too." Love Heart turned away and wiped some tears from his eyes.

He looked Take Care in the eyes, "We should have a funeral for her."

Take Care nodded, "That's why I cleaned her up. Now let's go, there's one more thing we need to discuss."

As if on cue, as soon as they had disposed of the surgical gear, Teacher Bear came walking through the front door. She no longer carried her cane everywhere, though sometimes she fell back on using it, and she wore a small metal button of her tummy symbol safety-pinned to her school-marm dress, of which she apparently owned several full sets.

"Oh my, I didn't think I could make it this far." She smiled, "But being up here makes me feel so much more alive, almost ten years younger too."

Love Heart smiled, "Keep thinking like that and you might just get there."

Teacher Bear chuckled, "I don't know about that, but at least I'm never wanting for help up here. Now what did you need to talk about, Take Care?"

"First, I need to ask if you're alright with Love Heart hearing this as well. It's not serious but I must respect doctor-patient confidentiality." Take Care looked from Love Heart to Teacher Bear.

Teacher Bear looked at the green bear, then nodded, "I'm alright with him knowing, but I would like to sit down."

"Go right ahead, we don't need an exam room for this," Take Care picked up Teacher Bear's file as she walked closer to Teacher Bear. "I've gone over your tests a few times and I've found something interesting." She pulled out a picture taken from one of Teacher Bear's tests and pointed to an odd heart shape on the picture, "See this?" she looked to both Teacher and Love Heart, "This is the agape, or what could be best described as the 'caring gland', all Care Bears have one and it is what fuels all of our 'caring abilities' like the stare, item creation and storage. The best way to put this, Teacher Bear, is that your agape is unstable."

"Unstable?" Teacher Bear felt her heart jump into her chest.

"Yes, it's unfocused compared to all of ours which is why it can't appear on your clothing. You can still use the Care Bear Stare but only if your symbol is exposed."

"I don't know about that," Teacher Bear fiddled with the button on her dress, "I've worn clothes for over 80 years around people where I was expected to, even though I can tell it doesn't really affect us I mean," She looked at Love Heart and Take Care, neither of whom were wearing anything other than their fur, "No one up here looks 'naked' and even some of my children are embracing it. I just can't really change that about myself, at least I'll need time to adjust."

"We can probably get Bright Heart to rig up some caring crystals to your button so you can focus your stare through it," Love Heart suggested.

"Hold that thought, Love Heart, there's another side-effect," Take Care changed to another page, "Your agape is leaking."

"Leaking?" Love Heart and Teacher Bear asked at the same time.

"Yes. The caring energy you have stored inside of you is constantly leaking out. The best way to describe it is that you're constantly emitting 'caring radiation'." Take Care walked over to her desk and pulled out a small clear plastic box with a glowing chunk of white and blue crystal inside of it, "This is a caring crystal, basically caring energy condensed into a solid form. These crystals are also radioactive but over a very short distance and they don't affect Care Bears at all since our bodies are naturally suffused with that same energy. I did some tests and found out that you emit the same kind of radiation constantly."

"Should I be worried?" Teacher Bear was shaking.

"No," Take Care smiled and shook her head, "The rate of radiation is very slow and localized around you, and in this environment it just blends into the same 'background radiation' that exists everywhere up here. This does explain some things about the story you told me. You remember when all your children transformed."

Teacher Bear stared down at her hands which were in her lap, "I'll never forget that day."

"Well this is why that happened. The radiation you emitted is what caused them to transform." Take Care said.

"So I was right not to take them to the petting zoo," Teacher Bear sighed in relief.

"That might have caused an explosion of Care Animal population, but none of your children have the same effect. Their agapes all function like the rest of ours. As for your radiation," Take Care checked her notes for a moment, "It looks like it only severely affects infant animals, whose bodies are more receptive to this, except the animals up here. Have you been to the Forest of Feelings?"

Teacher Bear shook her head, "Not yet."

"Well we have a bunch of normal animals that live up here, mostly small birds, except they're more colorful than ones you find on earth. I've seen a few pink robins before but they mostly say out of sight." Take Care said. "As far as I Can tell, the 'background radiation' of the Kingdom of Caring inoculates them to this so they just look like more colorful versions of animals found on earth instead of full Care Bear Cousins. Animals on earth would be affected, though adults would only experience minor changes compared to infants."

"Now that I think about it, Freckles changed quite a bit after she found me," Teacher Bear looked up.

"Freckles?" Love Heart sounded confused. He'd been wrapped up with the rescue operations and his children for the last week.

"The Dalmatian who adopted me as a child, my mother..." Take Care shook her head to disperse the sadness, "Mrs. Mulcahey said that after Freckles found me she started acting more intelligent, listening to commands and following directions without extra training or persuasion. Actually," Teacher Bear pulled out her wallet and showed them an old sepia tone picture of a female Dalmatian dog smiling with what was evidently a toddler aged Teacher Bear riding on her back and pointed a heart shaped spot on the dog's chest. "I always thought it was odd that one of mom's spots looked so much like a heart."

"Her face looks almost human," Love Heart commented.

"She's actually smiling at the camera," Take Care noted.

"Actually, there's something I learned today too," Love Heart said as Teacher Bear put the photo away, "I went to see the Great Wishing Star today to get some answers. Teacher Bear, you're 84, that makes you older than anyone else in the Care Bear Family."

Teacher Bear nodded, "Grams told me that too."

Love Heart folded his arms, "Right, so I asked him why and he told me the whole story. Teacher Bear, you were the first Care Bear he ever created, the best way to think of it is that you are a flawed prototype for the rest of us, hence the unstable caring gland. He took his time to refine the process before he created Mounty Heart and Soaring Heart, then all of us."

"That does makes sense," Teacher Bear touched the front of her dress right over where her tummy symbol was underneath. "Is that everything?"

Take Care nodded, "Yes."

"Good, excuse me." Teacher Bear got up and headed out the door.

"Crap," Love Heart muttered, "I need to talk to her." He bolted after her a moment later."

Love Heart caught up to Teacher Bear a moment later outside. "Teacher Bear, Bluebelle wait!" She hadn't gone more than a few meters and didn't even have to slow down for Love Heart to catch her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that, I was just..."

"It's alright, I'm not offended," Teacher Bear put a hand on the green bear's shoulder, "I'm just dealing with a lot lately, revelations about what I am and why I was created. It's not everyone who gets to hear about why their god created them."

"I don't think the Great Wishing Star is a god," Love Heart chuckled nervously.

"Well it seems to me that's the best description that fits him. Charity Heart is having a hard time dealing with that revelation." Teacher Bear sighed, "Most of them are having a hard time adjusting to the new environment, except Curious Heart and Pretty Heart. I don't mind being the first, even if part of me doesn't work properly." She touched the front of her dress then her button again.

"I wouldn't say that," Love Heart patted her on the back, "I mean that 'radiation' is what gave you all your kids right? You saved them and brought them here." Love Heart chuckled, "Maybe we should go around to animal shelters and pick up a bunch of unwanted baby animals to bring here so you can transform them."

Take Care gave Love Heart a bewildered look, "I can't tell if you're serious, but since Care Bears can have cubs of their own that sounds like an unnecessarily huge responsibility to dump on everyone."

Love Heart shrugged, "Maybe, then again maybe that's the kind of fresh blood the Care Bear Family needs, and when your kids decide to grow up maybe you'll get some empty nest syndrome and want to do that."

"Let's start with saving the world before we plan that far ahead. Actually could you tell me what's all going on here and with that giant spaceship sitting over there," Take Care pointed to where the Great Fox still sat on the wide open cloud banks that led to the old caring castle.

"Right, guess we haven't filled you in. Want to come over while I explain, I promised my kids I'd be back in a couple hours," Love Heart pointed towards his house.

"I don't see the harm. But after this I need to go see Bright Heart about what Take Care said about putting crystals in this button," she touched it again, "something about using it to stare."

"OK. I'll take you to him, after lunch." Love Heart led Teacher Bear towards his house.

OoOoO

"Goodbye, Lily. I wish you could have met our kid," Lonesomeheart set a bouquet of red Lily's on her friend's grave. Aqua Bear couldn't stop crying and Redemption didn't even try to talk, her throat was still too sore.

Most of the Care Bear family had showed up but didn't say much. Even though they were saddened by the loss of life, none of them knew Lily at all so they let her three friends share their sorrow with them as support.

As everyone dispersed, Indy headed for Take Care's office, wearing the longcoat he usually wore into battle but without any of the other clothing he usually wore underneath. He approached the house door and, feeling awkward, knocked instead of just going inside.

"Indy?" Take Care was surprised to see him there.

"Hi, Take Care. I didn't want to talk in front of everyone at the funeral." Indy took a deep breath, "You know the welcome party is in three days right?"

Take Care nodded, "Yes."

"I'm on my way to help set up. They want me to help because I can put things up high without climbing," Indy cleared his throat, "I'm not going to the party so I wanted to ask, would you like to come to my house for supper that night?"

Take Care started, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Indy blushed but didn't back down, "Yes, I am."

Take Care just stood there in awkward silence for a minute. Indy wanted to run away but forced himself to wait there for Take Care's answer.

Finally, Take Care smiled, "Sure, I'll be there."

Indy felt his nerves finally relax, "Thank you. Excuse me, I have to go help them set up." He turned and walked away. Take Care shut the door and went to sit down on her couch with a smile on her face. Whether this would go good or bad she would be relieved to finally figure out how she felt. She paused when she went to grab a book, how did she feel? She shook her head, she'd let that stew for a while, she just had to wait three days to find out the answer.

OoOoO

The welcome party started three days later in the late afternoon. Anger Heart was still too sore to speak and still had trouble walking on his sensitive feet, but with Guidance's help he was set up behind his drum set, with a small table for food nearby so he wouldn't have to get up to eat.

Everyone gathered in the Hall of Hearts as the band "Magic Harmony" set up on the stage. Anger Heart was at his drum set, a visibly pregnant Harmony Bear behind her synthesizer, Guidance Heart and Brave Heart going over the guitars they would need and Flair Heart pacing nervously on stage.

The new arrivals all sat close to the stage. Soaring Heart Eagle and Mounty Heart Moose sat next to Teacher Bear, swapping stories, while her cubs were talking with Aqua, Lonesome and Redemption, though Redemption was mostly just listening. Melancholy sat among them as well, mostly talking to Pretty Heart, Curious Heart and Grateful Heart as they waited for their food and the show to start.

Once they were all ready, Brave Heart took the center stage at the microphone stand. "Alright everyone. I know this had taken a while but I wanted to welcome all our new family members," he pointed to the closest table to the stage, "I'd introduce them but I know you've all had a good chance to meet them and I'm sure you don't want me to spend all that time on that."

"Alright dad, woo!" The shout came from his daughter, Joyful Heart Liger, who sat with his wife Feral Heart Tigress and their son Royal Heart Liger, both of whom had to quiet her down.

Brave Heart smiled and waved to his family, "But first I do have a new member of our band to introduce. Anger Heart's voice is out of commission so his son, Flair Heart Raccoon, has offered to take his place with us." Brave Heart turned to the side to beckon the pink raccoon forwards. Flair Heart was nervous as he stepped up, but some cheers from his friends Miracle Heart and Marina Bear gave him enough confidence to wave to the crowd.

"Alright then, let's start the show," Brave Heart went to grab an acoustic guitar while Guidance was tuning a bass guitar. Guidance moved close to Flair Heart to reassure him that she was there.

Flair Heart took a deep breath and carefully lowered the microphone stand in front of him, or at least tried to as it crashed down, sending an audible shock through the audience. Flair blushed in embarrassment but set the microphone stand to the right height. He took a deep breath then began to sing as the rest of the band followed his voice.

(Faith of the Heart by Rod Stewart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLs4MGTTXRU)

"It's been a long road, To get from there to here. It's been a long time, But my time is finally here.

_ _

And I can feel a change in the wind right now. Nothing's in my way. And they're not gonna hold me down no more. No they're not gonna hold me down.

_ _

Cause I've got faith of the heart. I'm going where my heart will take me. I've got faith to believe. I can do anything. I've got strength of the soul. And no one's going to bend or break me. I can reach any star. I've got faith, I've got faith, Faith of the heart.

_ _

It's been a long night, Trying to find my way. Been through the darkness, Now I finally have my day.

_ _

And I will see my dream come alive at last. I will touch the sky. And they're not gonna hold me down no more. No they're not gonna change my mind.

_ _

I know the wind's so cold, I've seen the darkest days. But now the winds I feel, Are only winds of change. I've been through the fire, And I've been through the rain, But I'll be fine.

_ _

Cause I've got faith of the heart. I'm going where my heart will take me. I've got faith to believe. I can do anything. I've got strength of the soul. And no one's going to bend or break me. I can reach any star. Cause I've got faith, Cause I've got faith, Faith of the heart

_ _

Faith of the heart. I'm going where my heart will take me. I've got faith to believe. And no one's going to bend or break me. I can reach any star. 'Cause I've got faith, 'Cause I've got faith, Faith of the heart...

_ _

It's been a Long Road..."

Flair Heart was breathing heavily but nevertheless signaled to the rest of the band that he was ready to continue. Harmony grinned and started up the music on her synthesizer as she spoke, "Now for the listening fun of our new oldest family members, something that might bring up some old memories." As the music started the video screen behind them began playing images, which Flair sang along to, Guidance and Harmony accompanying him on the chorus.

("We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjeC_RdWDH4)

_"Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio

Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe

Rosenbergs, H-bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom Brando, "The King and I" and "The Catcher in the Rye"

Eisenhower, vaccine, England's got a new queen Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye