Trouble

[Layla]

Layla shook head emphatically as she drew closer to Demeter, "He's lying. He's lying and he's using you. You mean nothing to him; you're just his pawn. Can't you see that? You're not stronger with him as your ally - you're weaker. You're under his control - what kind of power is that?"

[Demeter]

Demeter felt torn. The master was right but Layla... Layla was right. Her golden eyes started to return to their normal green color the more she thought about what Layla said.

[darker]

'How do I control you? I show you your power, let you practice it all that you want. Yes I have set limits but that was only so that you could learn to use all of your powers, properly.'

[Layla]

Seeing the shift in Demeter's eyes, Layla smiled as she continued softly, "We need Flora. She's not our weakest link. She never was. You see, power isn't measured by physical strength alone; power is something much more than that. Power is being able to fight for your friends. Power is love and determination and optimism. Flora has all of that and more. Don't you see? She doesn't need Darkar's magic to attain more power; she has all she could ever need."

[Demeter]

Demeter's eyes returned to their normal green color and her outfit slowly changed from the witch like version to what she used to wear. Layla was right.

[darker]

Darkar was not pleased. The only consolation was that he could still read Flora's thoughts so any planning that she knew about he would as well. That and Bloom was still a mermaid.

[Demeter]

Flora held her head, a dull ache forming. "Can someone tell me what the hell just happened? I have no idea what's going on." She blinked her green eyes and stared at Bloom. "What on Marigold...?"

[Layla]

Seeing her friend return to what looked like her normal self, Layla didn't hesitate a moment more to throw her arms around Flora, embracing her in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're back," she whispered, tears forming behind her eyes. "We were so afraid of losing you to that . . . that thing."

Sheepishly pulling herself together, Layla tilted her head as she asked hesitatingly upon seeing the confusion in her friend's eyes, "But do you even remember anything that happened, Flora?"

[Bloom]

The water that Layla had sent to her was helping slightly but the heat spell around her was causing most of it to evaporate before it even touched her skin. Having given up her power for the spell and the heat spell were finally taking their toll on Bloom, Bloom transformed back. Loosing all couscous thought, Bloom fell the last few feet to the ground and landed with a bone jarring thump.

[Demeter]

"Not really," Flora said, sounding unsure of herself. "I remember being locked away in a corner of my mind but nothing else really. He was so strong, Layla. He knew everything I was thinking of..."

The sound of the thump drew her attention back to Bloom. "Sweet Goddess, what is that?"

[Layla]

Worriedly, Layla replied, "That would be Bloom . . . that is, Bloom the mermaid." Kneeling down by Bloom's body, Layla shook her head as she murmured, "There's got to be some way to keep the water from evaporating."

An idea coming to her, Layla stood up as she continued, biting her lip,"Maybe this will work for the time being . . ." Closing her eyes, Layla's hands trembled as she began to mold her Morfix into the shape of a large bathtub. Sinking to her knees, her chest heaving from intense exertion, Layla wiped the sweat from her forehead before she pushed herself back up. Whispering a small chant, Layla watched as the rain above them drew in and became one stream of water that poured into the tub she had created, filling it to the brim.

Turning to Flora, Layla gestured for her to help submerge Bloom in the water.

[Demeter]

Flora nodded. Silently, she willed several vines into existence and had them lift up the mermaid. Then, gently, she guided the vines into dropping Bloom into the water. A small splash indicated that Bloom was safely in the water.

[Bloom]

Since the heat spell broke when Bloom lost consciousness, when they lowered her into the water. Her body quickly absorbed much of the lost water. Bloom's labored breathing soon leveled back out.

[Demeter]

"Okay, how did Bloom decide she was going to be a mermaid?" Flora asked, quite confused. Why did she suddenly have a desire for fish and.. tartar sauce?

[Layla]

Relieved that Bloom seemed to be doing better, Layla turned to Flora as she asked, "You probably want some answers, don't you? I'm not sure what you do know and what you don't so, let's start with the basics before we get to the whole Bloom being a mermaid thing. First, you somehow joined Darkar's forces. And you changed your name - to Demeter." Faltering slightly, Layla pressed on, "Umm . . . you kidnapped a seer and Darkar used her to discover the locations of the four pieces of the Codex. Somewhere along the way Sky also joined Darkar - and as far as we know, he's still . . . dark. You're here because Demeter was on a mission to get Alfea's part of the Codex - and in the process of trying to get it, she turned Bloom into a mermaid."