It was nearing dark, and the sunset was magnificent. All of the plants were either socializing with each other or admiring the sunset. April and Iona, don't ask me how, were on the roof waiting for the constellations to appear.
"Do you really know that much about constellations, and in English, Iona?" April inquired to her friend. "Da, April. I study books in mother's library. Many, many books of space and stars." Iona replied. "Whoa…how rich are your parents, Iona?" Iona just smiled cheekily in response to April's amazement. Then, something caught Iona's eye.
"April, where is Alice going to now? With such pretty sunset, too…" Iona said, still not have fully mastered fluent English. "I don't know." April said. "She's been going away at around this time for a few days now, and always returning late at night. Somehow she doesn't seem tired during the day, though. " Iona's curiosity was piqued as April continued. "She goes three houses down, and you can hear weird music playing and flickering multicolored lights can be seen shining through the windows." April paused. "And when she gets back, she's carrying a small, pot-like object covered in cloth inside."
Iona no longer looked curious. In fact, she now looked somewhat alarmed. "What else happen lately, April?" Iona asked quickly. "Not much, except that the Magnet-shrooms haven't been feeling too well lately. They look kind of flustered, and aren't magnetizing stuff as well as they should be. Also, the sun's been much more intense lately." April said.
"April! This is very not good! Iona knows these signs. These events are no coincidence, friend. There is a witch!" Iona said with a combination of horror and seriousness. April looked weirded-out. "Witches? Like those green-skinned women with broomsticks and pointy hats in cheesy Halloween movies?" "This is no time for cheesy movie jokes, April! Witches are real, and do very bad things!" Iona retorted. "Iona…I know you're from rural Romania and all, but you're in America now. People will think you're nuts if you-" April cut off her statement as Iona rushed off to find the witch. "So much for stargazing…" April muttered.
Iona quickly made her way to the patio from the rooftop. She made her way across the lawn to the small group of Magnet-shrooms being treated by some Sunflowers. Sunflowers were basically the doctors and nurses of the lawn when they weren't producing sun. They were moving here and there, tending to the less-than-healthy Magnet-shrooms.
"Alo! Why do the Magnet-shrooms ail?" Iona asked one of the Sunflowers. "These Magnet-shrooms are all suffering from a large deficiency in ions, which is like a vitamin deficiency in any other plant, weakening them." The Sunflower said flatly. "What are ions?" Iona asked. "Ions are negatively charged atoms, which provide energy and the electricity needed for magnetism to a Magnet-shroom." The Sunflower explained to Iona.
Iona was at a loss for words. It all made sense now! The witch took control of Alice and used her to extract ions from the Magnet-shrooms, weakening them. Alice would then take the ions back in the pot-like object to the witch, who would conduct evil spells, hence the lights and eerie music.
"I must stop the witch!" Iona said. She took a small flask of water-for water was a witch's only weakness- and headed off towards the house where the events took place. She entered through the cat-flap door and cautiously made her way up the stairs, to where the music played loudest, behind a door that was open just a crack. Iona peered through the crack, and silently gasped in horror at what she saw. Alice was dancing to the eerie music, slowly and ominously, her slim figure illuminated by the lights while being observed intently by a guy her age.
"BEGONE WITCH!" Iona called as she burst through the door and splashed the water from the flask at him. But the guy was ok! Both Alice and the guy stared at Iona with looks of shock and confusion.
"Iona?! What the heck? Why did you dump water on Mitch, and on that note, why are you even here?" Alice asked, startled. Iona then explained how Mitch was a witch, and was using her for power.
"Are you serious?" Mitch asked, surprised. "Let me explain all those strange happenings. Alice and I are planning to enter the 5th Annual Talent Show at the Recreation Center. I made a device which creates isotopes, which is the pot-thing Alice takes back and forth so Crazy Dave can help make modifications to it. Isotopes are positively charged atoms. Since ions are negatively charged, the device attracts them in large numbers, like the poles of a magnet, which is why the Magnet-shrooms are deficient in ions. After Alice takes the device back to me, I help her train for her slow-dance routine at the Talent Show. My dad is a dance instructor, you know." Mitch explained politely.
"Ah, Iona understands. But why is Alice not tired during the day if she stays up so long?" Iona asked. "You know, Iona, that's the one thing I haven't been able to figure out." Mitch noted. Alice just smiled.
"Sugar. Lots and lots of sugar." Alice explained.
END OF EPISODE