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Chapter 36: Looking to the Stars

Sweet Heart Pegasus stepped through the portal to Pegasus Falls and smiled at the two guards who were posted there. "Hello."

"Greetings, sister Sweet Heart." They both dipped their head respectfully. Sweet Heart couldn't help but giggle. Most of the Pegasus had accepted the Care Bear Family as friends but there were always a few outliers who didn't trust them, yet they always treated her well because of her unique status as a Care Bear Cousin (technically Magi), a Pegasus and the daughter of a unicorn. If anyone objected to her coming and going they never said so out loud.

"What bring you here," the second guard asked.

"Going to see Renegade and Nova," Sweet Heart spread her wings, "Something I need to talk to them about." She launched off into the sky.

Pegasus Falls was always beautiful from above, maybe Sweet Heart only thought of it that way because she was a pegasus too? Maybe that was why the air here always felt so much more energizing than anywhere on Earth or the Kingdom of Caring. No one else ever talked about it like this so maybe it was just her. Sweet Heart grinned and did a spin roll in mid air followed by three summersaults before she dove down towards the border of the arctic region.

Renegade had found he didn't like to sleep in the pure cold of the arctic region, and while he still trained under White Fang, he and his mate Nova decided to sleep in the forest adjacent to the arctic region. It was late afternoon but the two were curled up in their nest, something the two of them had gotten used to because their magic training started early in the morning and often left them exhausted. Even though they didn't have as many lessons these days it had become a ritual for them and they enjoyed the quiet chance to rest.

Sweet Heart's landing nearby caused them to raise their heads. Nova was the first to spot her, "Sweet Heart!" She jumped up, knocking Renegade out of their nest as he tried to stand up, and going to nuzzle Sweet Heart.

Sweet Heart nuzzled back and giggled, "Thanks, Nova." She gave the muscular unicorn the once over, "Getting stronger?"

"Every day," Nova stepped back and turned to see Renegade getting to his feet, "Sorry, Ren."

Renegade chuckled as he got to his feet, "I'm fine. So what brings you here, Sweet Heart?"

"I just wanted to talk, about space." Sweet Heart looked up at the sky. None of them were sure if there was a 'ceiling' to the falls, it didn't really matter if there was and few were curious enough to try and find out.

"Ahh," Renegade nodded, "You've heard about our plans?"

"Briefly, I wanted to talk to Soulful Heart about it but he's been kinda reclusive lately, even for him." Sweet Heart scuffed the ground with a hoof, "I tried to talk to him when I returned a library book the other day and he just ignored me. I don't know if it's something I did or if he's just shutting people out."

"Don't worry about it," Nova rolled her eyes, "If he doesn't want to talk to you without telling you, it's his problem and his loss. So you're thinking about travelling to space?" Nova segued into the new topic in hopes of getting Sweet Heart's spirits up.

Sweet Heart smiled, "I am. I want to see what's out there and..." Sweet Heart took a deep breath, "I want to go somewhere where I'm not under my brother's shadow."

"Are you having some problem with Love Heart?" Renegade asked.

"Not a problem, sort of, I mean," Sweet Heart sighed, "No one compares me to him but I still feel like I have to live up to his example." She held up her hands, conjuring small balls of earth, wind, water and fire then quickly dissipated them, "I can fight, I'm going to fight to save the world but I want to make my own way somewhere no one knows me." She gave a contented smile.

Renegade nodded, "I sort of know what that's like, my sister is the Queendame and I'm White Fang's top apprentice."

"The only one he considers worth anything," Nova rolled her eyes.

Renegade smiled and nuzzled his mate, "True, but I still feel like I'm in their shadows some time, and I want to try something with the portals."

"What kind of thing?" Sweet Heart turned to Renegade.

"Well I noticed that the distance between the portals in the falls doesn't correlate to the distance between them on earth, at all. I thought they might be but they can be any distance apart on either realm." Renegade spread his wings and create the image of a circular portal, "I'm going to talk to White Fang and try to open a portal between the fall and somewhere in the Lylat system. If we can create a portal that goes that far it could change so much about how travel works."

"You're awfully optimistic about anyone allowing that," Nova said, then smiled, "But hey, no one thought could be stronger than a pegasus."

"Why don't we ask Fauna?" Sweet Heart had already spread her wings, "If she and Blue approve then we could take this to White Fang and work with him on this."

"Not a bad idea," Renegade waves his wings to dispel the image he had created, "But first we need to make sure Star Fox can take us with them."

Sweet Heart save a brief two-fingered forehead salute, "Leave that to me." Without another word she took off and back towards the portal.

"Well as long as she's ready to go, let's to see Fauna now," Nova cast a spell to turn herself into an eagle. Renegade laughed then took off into the sky with Nova alongside him.

As Renegade and Nova walked through the entrance to the royal caves, a red blur charged towards them. Renegade tried to dodge aside but was knocked down and pinned by Ruby in her tiger form.

"Ha! Gotcha uncle Ren!" the red tiger gave a wide grin.

"Yes, ow, you did," Renegade tried to smile, difficult with Ruby's paw on his chest.

Nova rolled her eyes and carefully pushed Ruby off Renegade with a hoof, "You're getting better. Maybe try me next time if you're up for it."

"I like to think she's smarter than that," Blue came trotting towards the entrance, "Renegade, Nova, what brings you here?"

Renegade got to his hooves, "We need to talk to you about something. Is Fauna home?"

"I'm here!" Fauna called from the living area.

Arrow was seated with his mother on the rug, both in their true forms, when the other four equines entered the room.

"So, little brother, what do you need to talk about?" Fauna stood up to face him as they trotted in.

"As soon as the world is saved, we're going to ask to leave with the Star Fox Team to the Lylat system." Renegade stood firm.

Fauna and Blue just stared at Renegade for a moment, then spoke simultaneously, "WHAT?!"

Nova stepped forwards, "We've been thinking about it for ages, and we want to see what space is like, and other planets. We won't get another chance like this so once this all blows over we're going with them!"

"And if things work out I want to try and open a portal to the falls from somewhere in Lylat," Renegade added, "I need to talk to White Fang but if it works we could have a direct link across the galaxy."

Blue was the first to regain his composure, "You've given this a lot of thought."

"We have, and who knows what this will lead to," Nova grinned.

"Fauna, are you alright?" Renegade turned to his sister.

"Yeah, just still processing. I mean my little brother going across the galaxy, it's just," she shook her head, "I want to forbid you from doing this."

"If you don't want me to go..." Renegade was cut off by Fauna.

"Yeah, like that would work. Look this sounds scary because I might never see you again but I can't just keep you locked up in the Falls," Fauna sighed.

"Is Uncle Renegade going away?" Arrow's voice reminded them that the two foals were still in the room.

"I might be," Renegade said, "It's an adventure for me and Aunt Nova."

"The adventure of a lifetime, which is a big deal for immortals." Nova turned to look at Ruby and Arrow.

"The bigger challenge is going to be convincing White Fang to open a portal like that. How will you even communicate across planets?" Blue asked. None of them had tried to communicate over a distance like that.

"Aurora and I can cook something up," Nova tossed her mane, "I think Life Heart can help too. Once we convince White Fang the rest will be easy."

"Maybe not that easy, but the forces of magic are definitely more flexible," Renegade's remark got a chuckle out of everyone present.

OoOoO

"You want to go into space?" Brave Heart was the only leader on duty at the Hall of Hearts. Tenderheart too busy with fatherhood stuff and Love Heart was leading another Magi training session.

Sweet Heart stood with her arms behind her back and wings folded, "I do. I want to go with Star Fox when they return to Lylat."

Brave Heart just stared at Sweet Heart for a moment, "I can give you permission but don't you have to talk to Star Fox about that?"

"I will. I just needed to talk to you first," Sweet Heart said.

"Have you told tour brother, or anyone else?"

"Not yet, but I will. Thanks Brave Heart," Sweet Heart gave a small salute then turned and left.

Sweet Heart marched deliberately towards the Great Fox where it sat. It didn't take much time to get in to see Fox, he was all too willing to see most members of the Care Bear Family, just in case they had information about Andross.

Fox was on the bridge when Sweet Heart found him and he listened to her request to join them.

"...I know I'm not a diplomat but I want to do this." Sweet Heart stood firm in the 'at ease' position.

"I see. I mean," Fox took a deep breath, "I won't say no just yet but we don't know what's going to happen. When the fighting is over I'll see about finding a place for you on the ship."

Sweet Heart grinned, "Thanks Fox. Gotta go, there might be a couple more passengers joining you!" she turned and left with Fox a bit surprised.

Sweet Heart was heading back to the portal to Pegasus Falls when she ran into Renegade and Nova going the other way. "Hey, how did your talk with Fauna go? What about White Fang?"

Nova sighed, "Fauna and Blue were understanding and gave us permission."

Renegade nodded, "White Fang was another story, I did get him to agree but it took a lot of convincing to let me try to make a portal once we get there. I just wanted to tell you because I have a lot of preparations to make before we leave. It could take weeks to figure out how to get the portal to work."

"And I need to talk to Life Heart so we can create a communication spell that reaches that far away," Nova added.

Sweet Heart just grinned, "Don't worry, we'll figure this out, I promise."