Starcross

Part 9

Hey, long time no see! Sorry for such a long wait, a lot of odd circumstances (from writer's block to computer malfunctions) have stopped me from finishing this chapter before today. But here it is! I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up though, so please take and enjoy this one in the mean time!

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Wonderheart gleefully made her way to the place her uncle had indicated. Humming a pleasant little tune about being a Care Bear, she only stopped short in surprise when she did indeed see a purple Care Bear Cousin horse. Despite being very good friends with the Care Cloud crew, the mere variety of the Care Bear Cousins was still very much a shock for the cub.

In fact, she had been so mystified by the Cousin that she wasn't paying much attention to the calamity of some green Care Bear harassing Grumpy with another Care Bear watching. The Cousin seemed to recognize that Wonderheart had been staring and looked over in her direction. When he saw her, he smiled. Knowing that she had been seen, Wonderheart shied her way a bit closer to him.

"Well hello there little cub," he greeted with a voice as bright as his smile. "I assume you're Wonderheart?"

Wonderheart broke out of her shyness to gave him a wide smile and a nod. "Yep!" she affirmed just as brightly. "Are you Noble Heart?"

"Indeed I am." came the agreement. "And to what do I honor of meeting you, Miss Wonderheart?"

Giving a small giggle at Noble Heart's formality, the cub said, "Uncle Tenderheart gave me a message to tell you."

"Oh?" mused the Cousin. "And what would that be?"

"It was such a silly phrase," Wonderheart rambled for a moment, "He said that the sunflower has bloomed, or something. Isn't that just the silliest phrase you've ever heard?"

Despite Wonderheart's apparent amusement with the phrase, Noble Heart's blood turned to ice. The Cousin unconsciously turned to look at Oopsy (who was being berated by Grumpy, and as a result having them both chastised by True Heart) before looking back at Wonderheart, giving a faint smile.

"Wonderheart, would you like to tell Uncle Tenderheart another message?"

"I guess I could." the young Care Bear agreed with a grin. This allowed Noble Heart to give a near genuine one in return.

"I want you to tell Tenderheart that the shadows remain dark."

"That's even funnier than what Uncle Tenderheart said! Of course shadows are dark, goodness." Wonderheart giggled. But then she had an idea. "Oh! Do you two have a secret code? Is that why you want me to say silly phrases to you?"

"Something like that." Noble Heart agreed. "But Tenderheart has to know right away, do you understand Wonderheart?"

"Of course!" the cub agreed before turning on her heel and heading back in the direction she came from. Watching her leave, Noble Heart gave a fond smile before turning back to the situation at hand.

"I can't keep doing this True!" Grumpy demanded, throwing his hammer to the ground. "This bear is absolutely hopeless!"

"Please Grumpy," True Heart tried to plead.

"No!" Grumpy insisted. "I! Am! Done!"

"Hey everyone!" a voice from near them greeted. "What's got Grumpster so bent out of shape?"

The three Care Bears and Cousin turned to the source of the voice and found Funshine.

"Funshine!" Grumpy exclaimed, sounding rather angry but actually very, very relieved. "Tell me that there's something I need to do right now!"