Author's Note

This is a fan made retelling of "The Care Bears in the Land Without Feelings," requested by Retro Mania, who owns the characters, Evan and Tracy. Retro Mania helped a lot with character descriptions. We worked together on the plot and both contributed ideas. I wrote the story and own the dog character, Oreo. We hope you enjoy it.

Hello. You can call me the Cloud Keeper. I watch over earth from Care-a-Lot and occasionally assist the Care Bear Family on missions. This story is about one of their more dangerous missions. I saw how it all happened and that's what you're going to hear about now. So settle in and get ready for an adventure.

Our story starts with two ordinary kids named Evan and Tracy. They lived next door to each other and had been best friends as long as they could remember. Evan had red curls, freckles and blue eyes. he wore a red and black short-sleeved shirt, gray shorts, red and white socks and black shoes. While both kids did well in school, he was better at math. Tracy had, long, straight brown hair and blue eyes. She wore a pink blouse with a matching skirt, white socks and purple shoes. She also wore glasses, which caused issues with the school bully. Of the two, Tracy was more skilled at spelling. Their different skill sets allowed the girl and boy to help each other if one was struggling. However, some problems need extra help to solve. Evan and Tracy would soon learn that the hard way.

The end of June usually brings happiness to children. This should have been true for Tracy and Evan. It was the last day of school, promising fun activities and bringing summer to the forefront of all the kids' minds. The weather was perfect, just warm enough, with no threatening clouds in the sky. Tracy and Evan's teacher had brought ice cream for the class as a special treat and the afternoon was spent outside. All these things should have meant a wonderful start to the summer holidays. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case for our two friends.

"Hey four eyes!" shouted, Garry, the school bully. He had walked up behind Tracy just as she and Evan were about to head home after school.

"Knock it off, Garry," Tracy said. She knew that he was trying to get a rise out of her like always. It was best to avoid unnecessary conflict.

"Oh yeah? What if I don't?"

Well, so much for avoiding conflict. Tracy prepared to defend herself in case things got ugly. She may have looked cute but could really pack a punch when provoked. It didn't have to come to that this time, though.

"Didn't you hear? She told you to knock it off," Evan said with a dangerous note in his voice.

"Oh yeah? You gonna make me?"

"You'll have to catch us first. Come on Tracy. Let's get out of here!"

The friends ran towards home as fast as they could. Their backpacks bumped against their backs and Tracy's hair flew in all directions. Fortunately, Evan and Tracy were fast runners. Garry tired of the chase quickly and was soon left far behind.

"I think we lost him," Tracy panted as they approached her house. "Garry was never very good at speed sports."

"Yeah," Evan said, trying to catch his breath.

The two took a minute to reorder themselves before Tracy invited Evan in. They often spent time at each other's houses after school.

Evan gladly accepted the invitation. "Actually, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"What! You're moving?" Tracy had not expected to hear that.

They were sitting at Tracy's kitchen table. Tracy's mom had set out a plate of freshly baked cookies and given them each a glass of milk to go with them. Chocolate chip cookies were a favourite of both children but they suddenly seemed to have lost their taste. Tracy's dog, Oreo, looked up from her position beside her human's chair at the outburst. She could always tell when something was wrong and this was one of those times.

"Well, nothing's certain yet," Evan explained. "My dad got a promotion and we're not sure where he'll be working. It might be that his company will need him right here or we could move to another city. I really don't know but my mom and dad say to be prepared for anything."

"But that could mean we won't be in school together anymore. I don't know how I'll get along without you."

"I feel the same way. I really don't want to leave you and all our other friends behind."

"And you won't be here to help me deal with Garry when I need it."

Tracy's mom came into the room at the sound of Garry's name. "Has he been bothering you about your glasses again?"

Tracy nodded. "Yeah, it happened again on the way home today."

"Honestly, it seems like the message never sinks in with that boy." Her mom sighed. "His parents and the teachers have tried to stop it but he never pays attention for long. I'm so sorry honey. Your dad and I will see what we can do."

"Thanks Mom," Tracy said, giving her a hug.

"How about you kids go outside when you're done with your snack? It's a beautiful day and it would be a shame to waste it. Besides, some fresh air might help you feel better."

"Okay."

Evan and Tracy finished their cookies and milk and took Oreo out to play fetch. The small black and white dog loved the game and barked excitedly as she waited for somebody to throw the ball. The friends laughed. Pets always seemed to make everything better.

We'll leave those two to themselves for a while. It's time to meet the other important characters in our story. For those of you who don't know, the Care Bears and Care Bear Cousins live in the cloudy land of Care-a-Lot and the Forest of Feelings, high above earth. They have the important calling of helping people share their feelings. For example, Love-a-Lot Bear helps people to find true love and Brave Heart Lion helps people tap into their inner courage. Each Bear or Cousin possesses a unique Tummy Symbol that pictures a prominent quality of that individual. They use their Tummy Symbols to perform the Care Bear Stare or Cousin Call, their primary weapon against evil. They didn't know just how powerful of an evil they would have to overcome to help Evan and Tracy.

This is where I come into the story. I had been keeping watch over Tracy and Evan and knew they needed help from the Care Bears. I sent out a distress call to anyone who was available. It was a slow day for caring missions, which meant that almost all of the Family members arrived outside the Hall of Hearts quickly. The only exceptions were True Heart Bear and Noble Heart Horse, who were still busy with a mission. Grams Bear was also absent because she was busy taking care of Hugs and Tugs, the cubs.

"What's the matter, Cloud Keeper?" asked Brave Heart Lion as he exited his cloud car.

"Let's get everybody assembled inside and I'll explain," I said.

Once everybody was gathered around the meeting table, I gave them a summary of the situation.

"That's got to be hard for both of them," Friend Bear said.

Secret Bear whispered something to her.

"You're right, Secret. We have to deal with this carefully. The question is, how?"

"I think," Tenderheart started, "that the first order of business is deciding who should go and talk with them."

A chorus of "I'll go," and "I can do it," broke out around the meeting table.

"They need a friend to listen to their troubles," said Friend.

"No, they need somebody to grump with," suggested Grumpy Bear.

"How about some courage?" asked Brave Heart.

"You guys. Hold it. Hold it!" yelled Tenderheart, in an unsuccessful attempt to calm the chaos.

"Would everybody be quiet!" Brave Heart emphasized the last word with a roar. This effectively brought the conversation, if you could call it that, to a sudden stop.

"Thank you," Tenderheart said when the babble finally ceased." "The only way we're going to solve anything is by listening to each other. If we all give each other headaches, we won't be good for anything. Now, let's seriously consider who would be the best choices to help these kids."

"I'll go," Birthday Bear offered.

"Going to give them a party, Birthday?" Playful Heart Monkey teased.

"That's not very funny Playful Heart," Birthday said a little grumpily. "I know how that little girl feels. It's hard not to be taken seriously, especially for something you can't control..

"And that's the truth," said Lotsa Heart Elephant," "I'll go with you."

"Sorry Birthday. We know there's a lot more to you than just a love of parties." Playful Heart felt a little sheepish about the terrible backfire of his joke.

"Okay, that's fine. Does anyone else want to join them?" asked Tenderheart.

Cheer Bear and Gentle Heart Lamb raised their hands.

"I think some cheering up might be good for both of them," Cheer said.

"I know I'm not the biggest or strongest," Gentle Heart started, "but I know how the boy feels. Maybe I can do something."

"It looks like we have a good team picked out," Tenderheart observed. "Good luck to all of you."

"Hey, that's my job," said Good Luck Bear.

Everybody laughed.

Birthday, Cheer, Lotsa Heart and Gentle Heart left the hall and hopped into a cloud car. They flew down and landed in Tracy's yard. Oreo started barking at the strange creatures that emerged from the vehicle. She would protect her human if she had to.

"Easy girl. We're friends," Gentle Heart soothed, putting out a wooly hand for the dog to snif. The others did the same. Oreo recognized that the creatures meant no harm and rolled over for a belly rub.

Tracy and Evan reacted a little differently.

"Huh?" Evan said.

"Who or what are you?" Tracy asked.

Cheer spoke up. "We're some of the Care Bears and Care Bear Cousins. I'm Cheer Bear. This is Birthday Bear, Lotsa Heart Elephant and Gentle Heart Lamb." She gestured to each in turn and handshakes were exchanged. "We heard that you've been having some problems and want to do what we can to help."

"Do you think we can trust them?" Evan asked Tracy.

"Well, Oreo likes them and she's good with that sort of thing. I say we should give them a chance."

"Okay, we'll hear you out," said Evan. "What do you have in mind?"

The group of Care Bears and Cousins split up to talk with the kids. Birthday and Lotsa Heart went with Tracy, while Gentle Heart and Cheer went with Evan.

Birthday started things off. "Tracy, do you want to tell us what's been going on?"

The girl took a breath. "There's this boy at school who keeps making fun of my glasses. The teachers and his parents have tried to do something about it but he always slips back into his old ways before long. My mom said that she and my dad would help me figure this out but I don't know what to do."

"Oh boy, this is a problem," Lotsa Heart sighed. "You know, it shouldn't be a problem that you're a little different. Some people just don't see it that way. Birthday and I know from personal experience what that's like. I'm something of a klutz and forget things easily. Uh what was I saying?"

Tracy stared at the elephant blankly.

"Just kidding. I wanted to make you laugh. I guess jokes are more Funshine's department. Anyway, people don't always see me for who I am, which means they don't take me seriously."

"I have a similar problem," explained Birthday. "I love to have a good time and am called to help make people's birthdays happy. People see my cupcake Tummy Symbol and instantly understand that. What they don't see is what's underneath. You know, I love art, especially painting. I even write some stories and poetry, even if I'm not as good at that. I'm also quite a good cook, not just party food either. A silly exterior often hides deep emotions and that's what people need to learn about me."

Tracy thought for a moment. "Okay, so what do you do to get people to see past your differences?"

"Talking to them often helps," said Birthday. "Showing people what you can do with your differences is also a good option. You can probably see a lot better with your glasses, right? So that lets you do well with things like playing and reading and keeps you from getting hurt. If people take the time to understand that, they'll also know that differences are actually a good thing. If they can't appreciate you for yourself, then you probably aren't meant to be friends."

"But Garry never seems to listen when I tell him to stop bothering me. Usually, I try to avoid him but he keeps it up anyway."

"Well," Lotsa Heart said, "he does sound like a bully. Maybe showing a bit more confidence and standing up to him in a firmer way would show him that he can't mess with you."

"Maybe, I don't know."

"Listen Tracy. Think about what we said," said Birthday. "You might be surprised at how far it gets you."

"Okay," Tracy said, not quite convinced.

Meanwhile, Evan, Gentle Heart and Cheer were having their own discussion.

"I really don't want to move away," Evan finished.

"I know," Gentle Heart was empathetic. "When all of us Care Bears and Cousins were little, we had to move to escape an evil force that was chasing us. Our guardians, True Heart Bear and Noble Heart Horse, decided that we should live separately. In case one group was caught, the other would still be safe. The Care Bears stayed in Care-a-Lot, while we Cousins moved to the Forest of Feelings. It was hard for all of us but we were still able to see each other all the time."

"That's what will probably happen if you move," Cheer pointed out. "You and Tracy will be able to visit each other. You can also talk on the phone and write letters. Moving doesn't mean giving up everything and everybody you know and love. You'll actually gain new friends and places to visit and you can tell Tracy and your other friends all about them. I know it won't be the same and will hurt at first, but change can create new good. Maybe things will be better than you could have imagined. Besides, you said the move isn't certain, right? You may not have to worry about anything. Does that help?"

"I don't know," Evan admitted. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything."

"That's all right," said Gentle Heart. "Take whatever time you need."

After both groups were finished talking, the Care Bears and Cousins left.

"I'm worried about them and that's the truth," Lotsa Heart told the others in the cloud car as they went back to Care-a-Lot.

"Me too," said Cheer. "We'd better keep an eye on those two. I have a bad feeling that something's going to happen and we need to get ready."

The others nodded in agreement.

"How did it go?" Tenderheart asked once the small group returned.

"Not very well," said Birthday. "I don't think either of them got the message."

"I have a strange feeling that something is going to go horribly wrong if we're not careful," Cheer explained. "I propose we send a scout to keep an eye on them, just in case."

"Good idea Cheer. Who would make a good scout?"

"I'll do it." The words were quiet and very carefully chosen. Secret didn't often speak aloud, usually either signing or whispering in Friend's ear so that she could translate for him. It was a testament to the serious situation that he chose to speak at all.

"Are you sure, Secret? You don't have to do this alone if you don't want to." Friend was understandably a little concerned. They usually performed as a team, even as cubs. What Secret was offering could put him in very real danger, especially alone.

Secret gave Friend a reassuring smile. "It's okay. I know the risks. Even though it's hard, I need to do my part and you need to do yours here. I'll signal when I need back-up." He gave her a hug before quietly departing for earth.

"You heard him, we'd better be ready to move at a moment's notice," said Brave Heart.

Meanwhile, Evan and Tracy were discussing their meeting with the Care Bear Family.

"Did talking to them help you?"

"I'm not sure," Tracy admitted. "I have a lot to think about."

"I know, me too. Let's take a walk. Maybe that will let us sort things out."

"Good idea."

The two friends went their separate ways to tell their parents they would be back in time for supper. Then, they met again to continue their talk. Secret followed behind, careful to stay close enough to help if the children ran into trouble but far enough away that he wouldn't disturb them.

Tracy and Evan were so wrapped up in talking that they didn't pay attention to where they were going. They looked up in time to notice that they had reached the gate to a park that they had never seen before.

"Where do you think we are, Evan?"

"I don't know. Let's investigate. It'll be an adventure like in the movies."

"Well, I guess it's fine as long as we don't stay too long."

The gate opened easily and the children walked into the bleakest landscape they could remember. The land was overgrown with weeds in some places, while being rocky and barren in others. The few trees they saw looked stunted and sickly.

"This place is pretty creepy. Maybe we should go back," said Tracy.

"Oh, but you just got here," came a rough voice.

"Who are you?" Evan asked.

"My name is Professor Coldheart."

Professor Coldheart was a fitting name for this man. He looked like a man who had been frozen and still somehow survived. His hands were cold as ice when the children shook them. His face looked like one that never smiled, except cruelly. The professor was clearly not someone to cross. Yes, Professor Coldheart was an apt name.

Evan was uneasy. "We really should be going. Our parents will be worried."

"I only want to talk for a minute. Is that so wrong?" Coldheart simpered.

"We're not supposed to talk to strangers," Tracy said. She didn't like this man very much.

"Ah, smart girl. Hear me out, though. You two have the look of people dealing with some very difficult issues."

"So what?" asked Evan.

"I think I might be able to help you. Come to my castle. We can have a cool drink and you can tell me all about it."

"Well, something to drink would be nice," Evan said.

Tracy agreed and they followed Coldheart to his icy castle.

Secret followed close behind the children. He needed to know where they were going in order to signal the others. He wanted so badly to stop them but knew he had to wait for just the right moment. Tracy and Evan had already fallen for the professor's manipulation. Secret knew that interfering now would only make them more eager to do what the evil man said. As much as it pained the Care Bear, all he could do was watch and wait for now.

Inside Cold Heart Castle, Evan and Tracy noticed some odd, green creatures, just wandering aimlessly. They had peanut shaped bodies, pointy noses and large yellow eyes that seemed blank. Their arms and legs were long, with four digits on each.

"What are those things?" Tracy asked.

"Oh never mind them. Sit down at this table and I'll get you your drinks."

Though they were still uneasy, Evan and Tracy obeyed.

The professor left and came back with a bottle and two glasses. He filled each with some sort of fizzy liquid and handed them to the children.

"Aren't you going to have anything?" Evan asked.

"Oh no. I'm not thirsty. Now, go ahead and drink up."

Tracy and Evan both took a cautious sip of the mixture. Whatever it was tasted like fizzy lemonade. They quickly drained their glasses. But something was wrong. Coldness formed in their stomachs and spread throughout their bodies. It was a such deep coldness, greater than the feeling of any winter day they had ever experienced. The children's bodies began to shift, becoming like those poor creatures they saw earlier. The cold wasn't just changing their bodies but actually felt like it was freezing their very souls.

Panic set in and solidified into one thought: "We're going to die!"

"Goodbye Evan."

"Goodbye Tracy."

They squeezed each other's hands one last time before the cold overtook them and everything went blank.

Coldheart let out an awful, chilling laugh. "Poor little kiddies. Now I have two more slaves in my possession."

"I waited too long. Evan, Tracy, I'm sorry," Secret said quietly from his hiding place near a wall. He had seen everything but was paralyzed with fear and unable to act. "Well, it's time. I promise we'll do everything we can to bring you back.."

The little bear rushed outside, still remaining very quiet. He sent a Care Bear Stare into the sky, letting his family know where he, Evan and Tracy were.

"That's the signal. Everybody move!" Brave Heart ordered the assembled Care Bears and Cousins.

They all jumped into cloud cars and hurried to the scene. The cavalry made a spectacular landing right in front of Cold Heart Castle.

Friend jumped from her car and ran to Secret as soon as she saw him. They just held each other tightly for a moment, glad to be reunited. "Are you all right?" she asked.

He nodded, then started gesturing wildly.

"Well, well, little fuzzy wuzzies knocking at my door." Friend turned in time to see the professor, a mocking smile plastered on his face. He was carrying some kind of box-like gadget under his arm. "Welcome to Cold Heart Castle. Oh, but I am an ungracious host. I forgot a welcome present. Here!"

Coldheart pushed a button on the device, which sent out ropes that bound Friend and Secret too tightly to move.

Coldheart smiled. Beating these disgusting furry creatures was going to be easy. "And as for the rest of you, I have other surprises. Slaves, get them!"

The professor snapped his fingers. A group of nine green creatures shuffled towards the rest of the Care Bear family. They moved sluggishly, as if they didn't know or care what they were doing.

"Look, that one's wearing Tracy's glasses," Lotsa Heart observed.

"And that one closest to her must be Evan," said Gentle Heart."

"Quick, while they're all in one place," said Tenderheart. "Care Bear Stare!"

"Cousin Call!" shouted Brave Hart.

Multi-coloured beams of light shot from the animals' Tummy Symbols, touching each of the creatures. Warmth flooded their bodies, along with memories of who they were and what had happened.

"Tracy?"

"Evan! We're alive!" The two ran to each other, embracing without a second thought.

"Yeah, I thought we were done for. If I ever try to do something stupid like that again, stop me."

"That's a promise. And you do the same for me too, okay?"

"Deal."

The others were checking themselves over, remembering the feel of their human bodies. They had all been slaves a lot longer than Tracy and Evan. Their old selves just didn't feel quite right. While they were reorganizing themselves, they might as well watch this battle unfold. It was better than those action shows on TV.

"No! My experiments!" Coldheart screamed. "You fuzzy wuzzies will pay for wrecking all my hard work."

The professor pressed another button on his machine and what looked like a big laser pointer popped out of the side. He aimed and fired it at the nearest Care Bear, Grumpy. A blast of ice shot from the laser, which the Care Bear barely dodged. Before Coldheart could fire again, a hand snatched the freeze ray away.

"Bet you can't get it!" Playful Heart giggled as he ran away from the castle.

As the monkey had hoped, Coldheart gave chase.

"Nice going Playful Heart," said Brave Heart. "Keep him distracted. Cousin Call!"

"Care Bear Stare!.

Another barrage of colourful lights struck the professor just as he made a grab for the monkey. The attempt failed as unbelievable pain shot through Coldheart's body. He screamed and bolted, running into every possible obstacle in the process. It would be a while before he bothered anybody again.

"That's gonna leave a mark," Brave Heart quipped.

Without Coldheart's influence, the entire land began to glow. Weeds disappeared and trees and flowers popped up everywhere. Even Cold Heart Castle disappeared, likely to follow its owner wherever he went. This place would be much brighter without that man's icy taint.

"That was so cool!" said one of the freed boys. "It was like being in an action movie."

All the others agreed, talking excitedly about what happened for the next few minutes. The Care Bears and Cousins were now their biggest heroes.

"Uh, guys, a little help here." Friend and Secret were still tied up.

"Oh, sorry," Evan said. "I'll have you out soon. Just let me untie you."

"Thanks," said Friend, rubbing her arms. "That was really uncomfortable."

"Hey Brave Heart?" Playful Heart asked.

"Yeah?"

"Can I keep the freeze ray?"

"No!" Honestly Playful Heart could be like a little kid sometimes.

"Excuse me," said one little girl, "but how are we going to get home? I miss my family."

"Yeah," all the others agreed.

"Don't worry. We'll drive you home," said Wish Bear. "Our cloud cars can fly you anywhere within minutes. How do you feel about flying?"

Flying was a wonderful experience. Tracy and Evan wound up riding home with Cheer and Birthday. Birthday drove slowly to make the flight last. On the way, the Care Bears told stories about Care-a-Lot and the kids told about their lives. This would be one of those times that Evan and Tracy would look back on fondly for the rest of their lives.

"Okay Evan, you're home," Cheer told him. "I think it's about time for a talk with your parents. We'll go to support you if you want."

"Thanks, I'd appreciate it."

When the group entered Evan's house, his parents were waiting at the kitchen table.

Evan's dad greeted them. "Hi Evan, Tracy and, wait, why are there colourful bears with you?"

The group explained the day's events. The story definitely surprised the grownups but since the Care Bears were right there, they had no choice but to believe it.

Evan's mom let them finish before speaking. "All this because we were talking about moving. We need to have a little talk about that now. You guys can stay. Tracy's like one of the family and you Care Bears feel like old friends already."

"Yeah, we get that a lot," Cheer smiled.

Evan gulped. Like it or not, this would decide his fate.

His mom continued speaking. "We just got the news today. Dad's new position opened up right here in town. The building where he works will change but we'll be able to live here."

Yay!" Tracy cheered, hugging her friend so tight it hurt.

Evan hugged her back, then both of his parents. He was so happy that he couldn't think what to say. They were content to stay together like that for a while, enjoying the feeling of a weight being lifted off their shoulders.

"Sorry to break this up," Cheer said eventually, "but we still need to help Tracy. Do you want to come, Evan?"

"Is that okay?" Evan asked his parents and Tracy.

"Sure," said his Dad. "Go do what you need to do."

"Yes please," said Tracy. "I need all the support I can get."

The kids and Care Bears walked the short distance to Tracy's house. Her parents were both home. Of course, the whole story needed to be told again but that was okay.

"I need to face Garry now," Tracy finished. "Will you help me, please?"

"Of course we will," said her dad as the group left for Garry's house.

When they got there, Garry was idly bouncing a ball in his yard.

"Well if it isn't four eyes," he said when he saw Tracy.

"I won't have you talking to my daughter like that," said Tracy's dad.

"It's okay Dad, I have to do this. Look Garry, I really don't appreciate you calling me names like that. I need my glasses to see. Otherwise, I'm just like everybody else. How would you feel if I teased you for not being a great runner?"

Garry only laughed. "Well I'm not the one wearing those stupid glasses."

"You were right, he doesn't learn his lessons well," said Birthday. "We'll have to use stronger measures."

"But will the Care Bear Stare hurt him?" asked Tracy. She didn't want anybody getting hurt because of her.

"No, that's not how it works," Cheer said, patting the girl's shoulder. "It's not brainwashing either. What the Stare does is open people's hearts to the kindness inside them. Professor Coldheart apparently gave up that kindness so it hurt him."

"In that case, go for it."

Cheer and Birthday hit Garry with a blast of the Care Bear Stare before he could fully process what they were talking about. He blinked, confused about the whole thing.

"Wow, I was being a real jerk. I'm sorry, Tracy. If you can forgive me, can we start over?"

"I guess," said Tracy, "as long as you don't bully anybody again."

"I won't and I'll work to fix my mistakes, too. I feel so much better after that light hit me. It would be great to keep these good feelings going."

Now that Evan's and Tracy's problems had been successfully solved, it was time for everyone to go home. Cheer and Birthday promised that the kids could call whenever they needed help again. They knew that Tracy and Evan's lives would be much better after facing the day's ordeal. Of course, problems would still occur but that's the case with all lives. They'd always be there to work any future struggles out together.