Chapter 8 A musical celebration

Everyone was headed over to the hall of hearts while Shimmers held Wish bear's hand. After all the of the carebears entered and took their seats while Trueheart talked briefly with some of the carebear cousins and they went away and set up a stage with a few mic's, a drum set, a key board, two b.c. rich red guitars, and a base. Trueheart appraoched Joaquin and his friends and asked them if they would like to play for the whole family. Joaquin could play a little guitar and sing so he accepted. Aqua bear played guitar, while Lonesomeheart took the key board, now they just needed someone to take the drums.

"Now who can play drums around here?" Trueheart inquired.

"Don't look at me." Replied Sky-Heart for he hadn't the faintist idea of the instruments of this world, let alone how to play them. That's when Shimmers, Aqua, and Losomeheart all turned to Jake.

"Jake!" They all said in unison as they all approached him.

Jake was standing over in the corner of the room, not really used to large crowds. Hearing his name called, he looked over as his two friends and the only other human approached him. "Yes." He replied.

"Do you think you can play the drums for us?" Aqua bear asked with a smile.

Jake stared, as he said "What makes you think that I even know how to play drums?"

"Because your so big and strong." Lonesomeheart said as she squeezed his arm. "And because we know you want to help us celebrate. It wouldn't be the same if without you." Lonesomeheart replied with a smile.

Jake raised an eyebrow, as he said "I'm abit shocked that'd you'd still want to hang with me. I mean, you guys really like hanging with Shimmeringstar here so...I figured you'd want to hang with him more". There friend had been gone for who knows how long, yet they acted like it wasn't a big deal?

"We did miss him," Aqua bear acknowledged. "But we also like you and we want you to help us celebrate. So c'mon, what do you say Jaky?" Aqua bear inquired with a smile. "Please?" He said begging him while placing his hands together.

Jake sighed as he said "Okay then fine....just please stop staring at me like that".

"Oh thank you!" Aqua bear said as he ran up to Jake and hugged him.

"I see you two are good friends." Shimmeringstar said looking at Jake with a smile.

Jake blushed abit, as he said "Yeah...kinda i guess".

"Well, let's go guys," Lonesomeheart replied as she walked up to the stage where all the carebears and cousins awaited patiently for the music to begin. Aqua took Jake by the hand and led him to the stage while Shimmeringstar kissed WIsh bear briefly on her muzzle before he headed up and picked up his guitar and stood in front of his mic. Lonesomeheart took the keyboard, and Jake took the drums.

"For our first song, were going to play "Hungry for Heaven" by Dio." With that, Shimmers led the group by playing on his guitar first, while Lonesomeheart and Aqua bear joined in with their instruments.

Jake did his best to keep up with the beat, as it had been sometime since he had not done this in awhile though was managing to keep up. As he played, he noticed that Noble was glaring at Shimmeringstar. "What's with him" Jake thought abit confused, not aware of the events that transpired whilst he was out.

"Your a dancer, but your dancing on air, jsut a matter of time till you fall!" Sang Shimmeringstar. The carebears cheered them on and were all having a wonderful time as some of the bears were dancing on the tables and in front of the band. "Your a dreamer, one night at the fair, but still you want it a-----------------ll yeah." Then Shimmeringstar began the incredible fast guitar solo while Aqua bear played the rythm guitar. He looked up at Wish bear who smiled at him proudly approvingly.

"I'm so proud of you!" She shouted as she waved at him which caused Shimmers to smile back at her. Then the guitar solo finally ended and he returned to his singing.

"Your hungry for heaven! O---h So Hungry for Heaven!" He sang as Redemptionheart bear was having the time of her life dancing around in circles, and even grabbed Grumpy bear around the arm and caused him to dance as well..

"Hey!" Grumpy shouted with a surprised disgruntled on his face which indicated he was not having fun. Lonesomeheart along with Trueheart saw this and were now chuckling.

"YWAH! Your a dancer!" Shouted Redemptionheart bear trying to sing along with the song.

Jake remained quiet, as he played softly. As he kept up, his thoughts wondered more about Shimmering Star. Was that his real name? Was he adopted by this family from birth? Where were his real parents? These question plagued his mind as he felt that he should ask him these things, but thought "No, it wouldn't be smart...". Glancing over at Noble again, he said "I dont have to know what happened to sense their seems to be some strong hostility coming from one of the elders...elder...oh damn". He suddenly stopped playing mid focus, as he remembered!! His parents remarriage!! That was in five days!!

The song just finished up. Everyone applauded the band at the end of the song.

"Are we having fun tonight!" Shouted Shimmeringstar. The crowd replied with clapping, and whistles. Joaquin smiled at this, and was having too much of a good time to even notice that Nobleheart was there. "This next song is a message for us all. Especially for all man kind." The crowd cheered him on as he began playing "Under the Same Sun" by the scorpions. "I saw the morning, it was shattered by a gun, heard a scream. saw him fall, no one cried. I saw a mother she was praying for her son, brig him back, let him live, don't let him die. Do you ever ask yourself, is there a heaven in the sky, why can't we get it right? Cause we all live under the same sun, we all walk under the same moon yeah. then wh----y? why------? Can't we live as one." The crowd now became silent as they listened in to the message. of the song Redemptionheart bear already was tearing up at the part of the kid who died in the song.

Jake had continued playing again, hoping to talk to Aqua and Lonesome and tell them about the remarrige thing, but during the part when Shimmers said the words, gun, scream and fall...it brought back a horrible memory from his childhood. Becoming silent, he didnt say a word as he silently placed the drum sticks back on the drums and stepping away.

"C'mon Jake, please keep playing. We can talk after wards." Aqua bear said to Jake telepathically.

Jake silently continued to play abit, as he couldnt get the horrid memory out of his mind. "" he thought angirly, trying to shake it.

"Thanks Jake." Aqua bear replied in his mind as they continued to play. Many of the carebears now were sad. Although it was just a song, they all felt the emotion as Shimmeringstar sang it with such passion. Then Shimmers especially lit up as he began to walk around the stage as he began strumming along with Aqua bear and walked in front of Wish bear and Redemtionheart bear with his guitar and singing at the same time.

"Then why, can't we live as ONE------------E!" He sang. "Sometimes, I think I'm going mad, were losing all we had, and no one seems to care! Yeah!" Joaquin sang as Redemptionheart bear had a tear run down her cheek as if all hope was gone. Then Wish bear replied.

"I care!" She responded. But Shimmers had no time to react, as he continued to sing.

"But in, my heart it doesn't change, we've got to rearrange and bring our world some love! Yeah, yeah!" Then Shimmers began the emotional guitar soloing. Joaquin looked around the room while he played the solo walking around, and saw several bears tearing up as he passed them by. But Shimmeringstar smiled at them, as if to say, not all is lost. He then returned to Wish bear.. "And does ot really matter, if there's a heaven up above, we should could use some love!" Wish bear although she was tearing up, got up and hugged Shimmeringstar while he sang. "Careful there." He said as he picked her up and hugged her back with one arm and sat down in a chair that Wish bear was sitting in and finished off the song there with Wish bear now sitting in his lap. Everyone was now tearing up. Even Nobleheart was tearing up at this song. Trueheart saw her mate crying, but didn't say a word as all eyes were now focused on Joaquin. Lonesomeheart and Aqua bear looked at each other, then looked back at Wish bear and Aqua bear with admiration smiling at what was transpiring.

Jake watched what was happening between Shimmeringstar and Wish. As he watched the two, a slew of emotions entred him. Happy for the two since they seemed to really care for one another. Relief, since even though he didnt know him that long, he figured SS would be nice to her. But most of all that he felt, was sorrow. Sorrow because it reminded him of the love he had shared with Samantha, and how much it tore him in two when he had to leave her back on the island!! How he wanted her to come with him so!! But...that would arouse to much suspiscion...still....

Joaquin now saw his opportunity and although he was nervous, he still built up the courage to do it anyways. "Wish bear, ever since you told me how you felt about me, I never told you how I felt about you. Ever sinced I joined the carebear family, I had feelings for you but I was afraid for several reasons. But not anymore." He said to her as he looked at her seriously as she looked at him smiling. "I love you and I hope to spend the rest of my life with you." Wish bear kissed him.

"As I do with you." She said as she blushed a deep red on her cheeks.

"So, this next song, I dedicate to you. No one like you!" Shimmeringstar then began to play as Lonesomeheart, and Aqua bear all joined in and played in perfect harmony for the beginning did it. Without a word, he stopped playing, as he made his way off stage and past the crowd; his mind now completely missing Samantha. He didnt want to ruin Shimmeringstar's night, so he hoped that they'd just not really notice his absences or do anything about it, but he just couldnt play to that song...not when he was seperated from the one he loved.

Aqua bear sensed Jake's sadness for Samantha, but didn't bother him as he let Jake leave. He along with Lonesome and Aqua bear used the heart and tapped the drums with the two sticks while managing at the same time to play there instruments.

"There's no one like you! I can't wait for the nights with you. I imagine the things we do! I only want to be loved by yo-------u!" Wish bear blushed even deeper, but remained as she admired Shimmeringstar, and was now truly happy to have him as her's forever. Trueheart smiled, as she was glad that they were finally together. Nobleheart looked on with hostility as the one he cared for and raised Wish bear chose him over her own adopted father! How could she do that! How DARE HER!" He said as he could no longer bear the embarrasment and stormed out of the room. Braveheart went after him concerned while everyone else said stuff like, "Aww!" "They'll make such a cute couple!". After the song finished.

"Wish bear, I love you!" Shimmers confessed as he was the one now blushing. "Please, let us be be together forever." He said almost in a begging tone.

"I love you too!" She said as she kissed him on his cheeks causing him to blush. "And I don't want to be with no other but you!" She said as she kissed him deeply, unexpectedly. Joaquin hugged her back and they shared a compassionate kiss till they separated. Everyone began shuffling out of the hall of hearts as they saw these two needed some alone time with one another till Trueheart stepped up to the podium at center stage grabbed the mic and...

"Everyone, there is one last thing before you go. Please be seated." Trueheart announced as everyone turned back around and sat back down where they could while some remaining standing. "We have one new member left to introduce. Shimmeringstar would you like to introduce him please? We know you already did before, but we want everyone to give your friend a proper introduction."

"Sure thing Trueheart," He replied as he gently placed WIsh bear down and quickly located where Sky-Heart bear was. "Come up with me Sky-Heart bear." The bear nodded as he stepped up with his friend till they took the stage with Shimmers taking the mic.

"As some of you already know, this is my friend from the other world of Edron, Sky-Heart bear. He's an ancient caring guardian that was frozen in time till he awoke and came back with me to earth. But since of most of you already know him, I'll open the floor to any of you who may have questions." There was one hand raised. "Tenderheart?"

"Yes," The brown ursine replied. "Sky-Heart bear, how and where did you get that tummy symbol? None of us were born with ours, they were given to us by the breat wishing star."

"In our world, we were just born with them. We didn't get them from any other source." He replied as his voice echoed throughout the room with the mic.

"Okay," Replied Tenderheart bear. "So your our ancestor in essence right?" Tenderheart bear said scratching his head.

"So it seems, although I'm much older than any of you." The sky-blue bear replied as this caused laughter throughout the room.

"So, is there any other questions?" Inquired Shimmeringstar. "Yes Aqua bear?" He said as he saw his hand raised.

"Sky-Heart, can you use your tummy symbol to stare?" Inquired Aqua.

"What's that?" Sky-Heart bear replied inquisitively.

"This!" He then got up and stared but didn't focus where he was aiming. "Stare!" Replied the blue bear as his dolphin symbol lit up and was now headed towards Sky-Heart bear and Shimmers.

"Aqua? What did you do?" Lonesomeheart bear said standing up.

"It was an accident, I forgot too." Aqua stammered but was cut off by the action. Shy-Heart bear got in a fighting stance while Shimmeringstar quickly stepped in front of the two and deflected it away with the back of his hand as it harmlessly hit a wall inside the conference room. "Watch where I was aiming." Several of the bears and cousins looked at Aqua bear annoyed. "Sorry."

'Its okay Aqua bear, no harm done." Shimmers replied. "Right Sky-Heart bear?"

"Right," Sky-Heart bear replied. "Although I don't know how to project like that, do you think you can show me how to do that?" Asked Sky-Heart bear curiously.

"That could be easily arranged once we set you up with your new home." Trueheart replied. "But in the meantime, are there any other questions?" No one raised there hands. "Okay then," Trueheart as she now turned her head towards the new comer. "Welcome to the carebear family Sky-Heart bear." Everyone cheered while Sky-Heart smiled bashfully. After the applause was done, everyone went out of the hall of hearts. Sky-Heart bear with Aqua, and Lonesomeheart as they helped him in with his new home, while Redemptionheart sought after Jake and found him doing some training late in the night.

"Ready to go back down to earth?" Redemptionheart bear inquired.

"Already huh?" Jake said unimpressed. "Now that you all have Shimmeringstar back you want to get rid of me now huh?" He mused.

"No Jake, its just that you've been up here now for several days and I think it might be best if we got you back down to earth so you can see your family again." She replied.

"Just drop me off where you last found me in the mountains. I still have some days left that I can do some training." He said as he walked into the cloud car angrily. Redemptionheart wanted to ask what was wrong but didn't as she figured he was too angry to wonna talk. So, she dropped him off where Lonesomeheart and Aqua bear had picked him up and Jake spent the night there in his tent in the mountains.

Joaquin went home with Wish bear as the two shared some private time together before they broke off company waving goodbye to one another. Joaquin went back inside his home and layed on his bed just happy that everything had been resolved. Or has it?

Back at Nobleheart's house, Braveheart and Nobleheart talked and mused about how they might get rid of Shimmeringstar since he seemed to be the problem here.

"What would you propose we do?" Braveheart asked Nobleheart as he sipped on some green tea.

"Just wait till he makes a another mistake," Replied Nobleheart. "Then will get rid of him forever." Nobleheart said determined to do just that.