In Search of a Cure

[Demeter]

: Wysteria knew exactly how Flora was going to take that. She sent a worried look to the professor.

"I'd like to go home now, if it's okay with you, Professor," Flora said, her voice oddly flat and emotionless.

[Palladium]

Palladium sighed, feeling himself grow slightly exasperated with Flora's attitude. Closing his eyes for a moment, he internally reminded himself that Flora's condition was not fair and that she was bound to have such feelings as the ones she was quite blatantly expressing. Still, Palladium admitted, he had always thought that Flora had been different from others; in a situation such as the one she was in, Palladium had expected her to feel more frustrated than depressed . . . but that was not the case, or so it seemed. Instead of a girl who was willing to fight to the bitter end, Palladium saw a girl who was already defeated. Quietly, he wondered why Flora was so willing to do whatever she could for him, but when it came to herself, she gave up so readily.

He couldn't force her to stay, however. That had to be her choice; he refused to baby her. Looking at Flora, Palladium replied noncommittally, "If you desire to go home, I will not stand in your way; it is not my place to do so."

[Demeter]

"Thank you," she said quietly. She was just so tired and she had gotten her hopes up so high that it hurt when they got shattered on the tile floor.

: Wysteria could see a tantrum brewing - and one that would explode when Flora got home. "Professor," she said quietly. "I would advise you to avoid the area near Flora's room if you return to Linphea... It's not going to be pretty." She only hoped that Flora's control over her nature based Winx wouldn't run amuck here - especially since her daughter was in the midst of a tantrum that was just starting to erupt.

[Palladium]

Palladium shook his head as he couldn't keep his irritation at bay any longer. Not wanting to upset Flora's mother however, he replied without a trace of exasperation in his voice, "I am afraid, that I probably won't return to Linphea until I have found a way to restore Flora's vision . . . I think perhaps Flora needs some . . . distance from me and everything that reminds her of why she lost her sight."

[Demeter]

: "Uh... Professor..." Wysteria started before her voice trailed off. She shuddered. "Something's wrong... Something is very wrong." She could feel the Voice of Nature screaming. Her eyes darted about, trying to find out why the Voice of Nature was screaming.

Flora's sightless eyes were closed tightly, tears streaking down her tanned features. Her control over her Winx was gone and for a split second, Wysteria mistook her daughter for the goddess Demeter - in the midst of raging over the kidnapping of her daughter.

: "Professor, Cora... Run!"

[Palladium]

Moments before Wysteria's warning, Cora felt her elven senses stir to life and she knew immediately that danger was on the way. Before she had a chance to locate the source of the soon to be disturbance, Cora heard Wysteria's call to run. Knowing not to take such a thing as this lightly, Cora grabbed at the hem of her long dress, and sprinted toward what she hoped was safety.


Palladium looked at Flora, his eyes widening. Taking a few dancing steps backward, Palladium finally managed to tear his eyes from the sight before him. Turning his back to Flora, Palladium took off running after Cora, easily overtaking her within a few moments. Knowing that she wasn't the fastest runner, Palladium reached back and grabbed her arm - a mistake.

Surprised by the pressure on her arm, Cora stumbled over her dress, her body hitting the ground painfully. Seeing Palladium turn back to her, Cora quickly glanced over her shoulder, noticing at once that Flora was rapidly getting out of control. Waving him on, she called out, "Go on; I'm fine, I'll catch up in a second - help Wysteria, instead!"


Palladium nodded and then ran toward Wysteria to make sure that she would not be in Flora's path.

[Demeter]

: Wysteria stood stock still, not daring to move as her daughter raged out of control. It was very rare to her daughter lose her fabled calm and this was no small tantrum. Her eyes widened as several flowers ripped themselves free of the ground and started to move about. "Sweet Demeter..."

Flora's tears slowly gave way to laughter, the kind you hear when someone realizes that their world just shattered into thousands of little pieces.

[Palladium]

Palladium gripped Wysteria's arm firmly, and stated in a tone that clearly said that he meant business, "You can't help her now; if you stay, you'll only get hurt." His eyes quickly assessing what was going on, Palladium knew at once - Flora had lost control of her Winx and now and this field was going to be one dangerous place. Returning his gaze to Wysteria he added, "Let's go."

Cora stared at Flora, horrified at what she was seeing. All around her, flowers were raising themselves out of the ground and moving - but she also knew at that moment that she herself better get moving. Getting to her feet, Cora gasped out in pain at the sharp sensation that shot up her leg. Cursing her heavy skirt for causing her fall, Cora limped forward, hoping that she would be fast enough to escape from what she knew was going to be one hell of a blowout.

[Demeter]

: Wysteria followed, or was rather dragged by, Palladium out of danger's way. "I've never seen Flora lose control like this," she breathed. "Never... Flora's always so even tempered. Her cousins place bets every year to see if she'll ever have a tantrum that causes at least some form of damage - breaking a vase doesn't count."

Flora continued to laugh as now several trees started to follow the flowers example.

One tree sent a branch swinging in the direction of the good professor...

[Palladium]

Palladium ducked just in time to avoid being knocked to the ground by the large branch. Casting a backward glance at Flora, he shook his head, clearly baffled and disturbed by her strange, borderline terrifying, behavior. Trying to catch his breath, he managed to do enough to ask Wysteria one question, "Do . . . you know why she is . . . acting like this?"

[Demeter]

: "I'm afraid her hopes had gotten too high... She was hoping Cora could heal her and when Cora revealed she couldn't yet, well...." Wysteria said, gesturing at the scene behind them. Wysteria barely managed to duck in time as another tree branch went swinging. "I just hope we can find a way to get her to stop this before she tears this field apart."

[Palladium]

Palladium's eyes narrowed in concern, "Speaking of Cora . . . did you see where she went - I know she tripped a minute ago, but I was sure that she would have gotten up by now . . ." Palladium quickly ran his gaze over the field, feeling a fear for his friend well up in his chest as he saw Flora lose more and more control. "Damn it, Cora, where are you," Palladium whispered to himself.

[Demeter]

: Wysteria's eyes widened and she stared down in horror at the scene in front of her. "Professor... I think we have other things to worry about then where Cora could be." She directed his gaze downward to his legs. "I think Flora's lack of control is opening up whole new spells..."

[Palladium]

His mouth falling open in stunned surprise at the fact that his legs were slowly transforming into the trunk of a tree, Palladium no longer felt guilty for feeling irritated with Flora. In fact, every single one of his thoughts were being justified the longer he watched Flora spin out of control This simply crossed the line - he was not going to escape from his mirror prison only to be made into a bloody tree. Turning his gaze to Flora, Palladium roared in a voice that somehow rose over the deafening sounds of a whipping wind, "FLORA - ENOUGH!!!"

[Demeter]

Flora barely heard him as she tried desperately to get herself back under control. But it was so hard and her magic was pulling in so many different directions. Tears streaked down her face as she struggled. "I'm trying, I'm trying," she whimpered.

: "Professor, what will happen if she doesn't regain control of her Winx?" Wysteria asked, looking horrorfied.