Chapter 16: Flower Child
7901 BC - New Land of Magic
Two young women are walking in the forest
"It will be dark soon, perhaps we should turn around" one woman said to the other
"Yarrow, please" the other woman said "trust me, I want to show you something beautiful" and they come upon a house and look through its windows from behind the trees. They see other young women in the house
"What if they see us?" Yarrow asked "We should go. Gothel, we don't belong"
"Look at them" Gothel said "have you ever seen anything like it?" Indicating their dresses "I want to touch the fabric, I want to know what it feels like"
"To what end?" Yarrow asked "it'll never be ours, that's their world"
"You sound just like Mother" Gothel said as the women go to a different part of the house "if you don't want to be here, you can go home without me" and she makes her way towards the house
"You'll be in so much trouble" Yarrow said
"I don't care" Gothel said and she enters the house. Yarrow debates what to do for a moment and decides to return home. Gothel examines the dresses. She notices a dying rose on one and she waves her hands over it, restoring it to full bloom
"Hello?" A voice said and Gothel turns around to see the women have returned
"I'm so sorry" Gothel said "I shouldn't be here"
"Wait!" One of the women said "what was that? It was magic, wasn't it?"
"It was harmless, I swear" Gothel said "please don't be angry. Please don't tell anybody"
"Why would be angry?" One of the woman asked
"We haven't met anyone with magic before" another woman said "it's incredible"
"Most people are frightened" Gothel said
"Well, we're not most people" the first woman said
"We think it's wonderful" the other woman said "maybe, someday, you can teach us"
"Yes" Gothel said "Yes! I'd be delighted to teach you magic"
"It seems we found a new sister today" the first woman said
"Me?" Gothel asked
"Oh, yes" the first woman said "but we should find you something decent to wear. Tomorrow, Lord Adriel is hosting a party, he throws the most elegant affairs, you must come. I'm Isla"
"I'm Gothel" Gothel said
Later, Gothel returns to a secret garden and lowers the protection spell on it with a key kept on her necklace
"That is enough masquerading for one day, daughter" Mother Flora said as she steps into the main garden "darling, you can yearn to be something else, but you can't deny what you truly are, a tree nymph like all of us. Be proud"
"Yes, Mother" Gothel said and she drops the glamour spell and returns to her tree nymph form
"I hear you've been with the humans"
"Yarrow!" Gothel said
"Humans are mercurial creatures, conflicted and irrational" Flora said
"The ones I met today are different" Gothel said "they're not afraid of magic"
"You are not human" Flora said "no matter how drawn you are to them. Darling you are of eternal nature, like all of our kind, raised in the…"
"Steadiness of seasons" Gothel finished "I know it all Mother, I've heard it all"
"What is before you is a great honor" Flora said "if anything should happen to me, the mantel of Mother will be yours"
"What if I want freedom?" Gothel asked
"Well, when I pass the mantel onto you" Flora said "you will be goddess of all of nature in all of the realms. That is freedom"
"Then why does it feel like a prison?" Gothel asked
"Because you cannot exist with both your family and with the humans" Flora said
"So I do have a choice?" Gothel asked
"Of course" Flora said "but you are my daughter, and I know you'll be wise. You will realize the only choice is to follow your duties, to follow nature… and to realize that if you neglect your duties, this realm will suffer, all the realms will"
"What do you mean, Mother?" Gothel asked
"There was once a man named Zordon" Flora said "he was not exactly human, but close enough. He also had a power similar to mine, not over nature, but incredibly powerful. He misused his power and destroyed a land very similar to ours"
"I would never do something like that" Gothel said
"I know" Flora said "but I've lived a long time and I've seen many, many people do things they would have never done"
Hall of Legends
"You really think passing your role in the Original Powers onto Gothel is a good idea?" Simultaneous asked
"Yes" Flora said "I've done it long enough. Tree nymphs are long lived creatures, so once I transfer my powers to her, there should be plenty of time to train her before I pass on"
"How do you plan on severing your powers?" Zeus asked
"Nyx" Flora said "may I borrow your Shears of Destiny?"
"You want your desires to overrides the Fates?" Nyx asked
"I cannot do this forever" Flora said
"You're immortal, like the rest of us" Ninjor said "so I'm pretty sure you can"
"You know what I mean, I don't want to do this forever" Flora said
"Normally when people try to override the Fates" Nyx said "they do so in an attempt to extend their own life. What you want to do is shorten your life and transfer your immortality to another individual… this is acceptable" and the Shears appear in Flora's hands "do not lose those"
"And for heaven's sake" Ursula said "do not tell another person about what Zordon did. We do not need it being made public knowledge that a spell exists that could destroy a realm"
"Gothel knows how to keep a secret" Flora said
"Like her existence from the humans…" Ninjor said "how reassuring"
"I will make sure she never tells another soul about it" Flora said
New Land of Magic
Gothel is taking in everything going on at the party
"Enjoying yourself?" Isla asked
"More than I ever dreamed" Gothel said
"Good" Isla said "and it's about to get better. I've been telling my friends all about you. You said you'd teach us magic" and Gothel nods
"Oh come on, Isla" another woman said "she can't do magic in front of everyone"
"Of course not, silly" Isla said "but I have the perfect place. Oh please say you will, can't you show us, just a little?"
"Why not?" Gothel asked and they go to an empty house with several other women
"Magic is not is mysterious as people think" Gothel said "it's all around us if you know where to look"
"Even in a place like this?" Isla asked
"Especially in a place like this" Gothel said "I'll show you"
"You don't have to do this, Gothel" one of the women said
"It's fine" Gothel said "these plants could use a little magic. People forget they are alive, just like they are. You see, nothing from the earth ever truly dies. The roots are right there, waiting to be reborn" and she waves her hand over a pot and a flower grows out of it. "Beautiful isn't it?"
"It is" Isla said "such a pity" and she crushes it
"What are you doing?" Gothel asked
"Did you really think putting on a ball gown made you one of us?" Isla asked "what's under that dress, scales?" And the women begin ripping apart her dress
"Stop it, you lied!" Gothel said
"You are an abomination" Isla said "maybe you just need a bath" and she pours mud all over Gothel "now that is a much better look on you, Gothel. Now you can grow your roots in some other land, far away from us, because whatever thing you are, you don't belong in our world" and the women leave, except for one who hesitates
"Seraphina" Isla said "let's go" and she leaves as well
Gothel returns to the secret garden, but when she reaches for her key, she realizes the women must have pulled it off of her in the struggle. Then she notices the protection spell isn't up… and she enters to see the garden has been destroyed and the trees cut down
"Yarrow!" Gothel cries out "Yarrow! Mother! Yarrow! Where are you?" And she notices Flora on the ground, most of the color drained out of her
"It's too late" Flora said "the humans came and destroyed the garden. Each swing of their ax, each burn of their torch, took the spirits of your sisters one by one"
"Everything you said about the humans was right" Gothel said "wait… if all the trees are gone, how am I still alive?"
"Before they cut down your tree, I transferred my powers to you" Flora said "even without your tree, you will be immortal as long as you have magic"
"You… you sacrificed yourself for me" Gothel said "even after I failed you?"
"No, no" Flora said "you haven't failed me, nature has taken it's course. And now you will, of a Mother"
"They will pay" Gothel said "everyone will pay"
"No, no" Flora said "instead you will find a place to grow anew. That is your responsibility now. Remember what you were destined to blossom into. My daughter, all mothers know that only goodness can bear sweet fruit" and she dies
"Mother?" Gothel asked "Mother? Mother?"
Later, at Lord Adriel's party, Gothel walks in and goes straight for Isla.
"Oh, you're back?" Isla asked "I think you've gotten some mud on your dress" and everyone laughs at her.
"Why did you do it?" Gothel asked
"Because they were an abomination, like you" Isla said and she signals the guards to go after Gothel. Gothel summons vines to kill the guards. People try to run out in panic and the vines barricade the doors. A root surrounds Isla and begins squeezing her
"My mother told me to never forget my roots" Gothel said "thanks to you, I never will. Nor will I forget the humans that murdered them. You killed my family" and the root begins to make its way around Isla's neck and snaps it. Seraphina goes to check on her "you…" and she sends a root toward Seraphina, but she stops it with magic.
"I'm like you" Seraphina said "but you are braver than I could ever be. I hid who I was because I was afraid they would come for me" and Gothel makes the root retreat
"You don't have to be scared anymore" Gothel said and offers Seraphina her hand "join me" and Seraphina hesitates "Join me!" and Seraphina takes her hand "you'll never be afraid again"
"The guards are coming" Seraphina said "we should go"
"No" Gothel said "I will not run or hide or entertain this human stain again" and she summons flowers that expound poisonous gas, killing everyone in the room, except for Seraphina and Gothel herself "they must all be made to pay"
Later, Gothel and Seraphina are standing in the remains of the secret garden
"I'm so sorry" Seraphina said "I didn't know"
"Everyone I loved is here" Gothel said "but I paid back the wound the humans left here tonight"
"That you did" Seraphina "how many are dead?"
"All of them" Gothel said "at least all of them in this realm" and she pulls out a magic bean "this will take us to another realm. At the same time I killed the humans, I cast another spell. One very similar to a spell cast in another realm, cast by a wizard known as Zordon. His spell destroyed a realm similar to ours, but mine will simply drain it of it's magic. This is now a land without magic. We need to leave before the spell is complete and takes your magic. We will then repeat what we did here, destroy the humans and drain the magic in every realm of the Omniverse until only we are left" and she shouts to stumps of her family's trees "I'm sorry Mother, I didn't understand what there was to lose, and I won't forget my roots" and she throws down the bean and opens a portal, which she goes through with Seraphina
Nearby, a pair of Gummi Bears watch
"It's time to leave this world before it's too late" one Gummi said to the other "we were spared because we're not human, but we can't remain in a world without magic. The great Gummi wizard Zummi found this magic bean years ago. We'll go to a world where we blend in, a land without humans" and he tosses down the bean and a portal opens and they walk through. Before the portal closes, some Ogres notice it and decide to head through. While the Ogres walk through, they think of how things used to be, stories of the great Ogres who served under the mighty Duke Igthorn.
They find themselves in a new land… the Enchanted Forest
The Underworld
"Brother, the Original Powers request permission to meet with Flora" Zeus said to Hades
"So you want permission to come to the place you banished me?" Hades said "normally, I'd say no, but you guys have had a bad day to say the least, so just this once, for old times sake. But to be clear, you are only to talk to Flora, trying to talk to any other members of my realm, or messing with the lost souls in the River of Souls, or trying to take my fire will be considered an act of war. Oh, and try to keep Zordon out in the future"
"Zordon does not answer to us" Zeus said "we cannot control him or even locate him. Believe me, if we could, we'd toss him in a time warp. But we promise to abide by the rest of your conditions"
"Very well" Hades said "then welcome to the Underworld"
Later, the Original Powers met with Flora
"Did you really think it was a good idea to transfer your Powers to a confused young tree nymph that had every reason to take revenge was a good idea?" Simultaneous said
"It was the only way to save my daughter" Flora said "I couldn't save all of them, but if I could save even one, it would be worth it to lose my life in return"
"You couldn't have transferred it to Yarrow or any of your other daughters?" Ursula asked
"Yarrow's tree had already been cut down by the time I realized what was happening" Flora said "most of my daughters trees had been, it all happened so fast. And Gothel was the only daughter that had had any preparation for taking it"
"And it just so happened her tree was one of the later ones cut?" Poseidon asked "that's awful convenient"
"Her tree was planted furtherest from the gate, so it makes sense it would have been one of the last" Flora said
"But still" Ninjor said "it's an awful big coincidence that the daughter you trained to succeed you just so happened to have her tree planted the furthest away from the gate"
"It wasn't a coincidence" Nyx said "it was Fate. I had my misgivings about loaning you the Shears of Destiny, but it was clearly the correct thing to do"
"Correct thing to do?" Zeus asked "we now have rogue Original Power who's taken out yet another world"
"Enough" Merlin said "What's done is done. While Flora's path was not the most logical one, we're not perfect, I know better than anyone what can happen if you let your feelings get in the way. There are other matters that must be discussed"
"Like my Shears" Nyx said
"My fairies managed to retrieve them" Reul said "I will return you to them later"
"I think a better question is how did she know how to cast Zordon's spell?" Merlin asked and they all look at Flora
"About that…" Flora said "I was trying to figure out Zordon's spell to see if there was any way to reverse it or at minimum prevent it from being cast again… and that led me to finding the main ingredient was in the New Land of Magic and tracking it down… Gothel must have found my notes and figured out how to cast it"
"Then we have a major problem" Daimyo said "we have someone who want to go around destroying realms and she has the spell and the magic to do so"
"She did have the magic to do so" Merlin said "but she no longer does. When she massacred the humans on Earth, that turned her magic dark, her powers will be crippled, like the Dark One. If she had just waited to cast her spell until after she had killed someone she wouldn't have been able to cast it."
"I would not want to be around when she figures that out" Simultaneous said
"Okay, so now that we know that Gothel can't destroy the Omniverse" Merlin said "what is the spell that Zordon cast, Flora?"
"You really want me to tell you?" Flora asked "in the Underworld? Hades is clearly listening in on this conversation, hoping to glean some sort of useful information. And even if he wasn't, do we really want more people than necessary to know that spell?"
"While it would be nice to see if we could undo or prevent the spell" Merlin said "you trying to do that is what lead to another world falling… so I see your point"
"Gothel seems to have made a mistake" Zeus said "she tried to kill all the humans in the New Land of Magic, but only killed the ones on Earth"
"Tree nymphs are not technological creatures" Flora said "they understand the idea of other realms, but the idea of interstellar travel and planets are foreign to them. I hadn't gotten around to teaching Gothel that yet"
"So humans from other planets will help repopulate the Earth in that realm" Zeus said "the last thing we need to talk about is your replacement. We need someone to fulfill your role in the Original Powers. Gothel clearly isn't qualified. Should we just take the Shears and tie it to someone new? We shouldn't have the problem we have with Nimue, Grail magic can be permanently stained by the user's soul, nature magic should be relatively easy to purify"
"No" Nyx said "Gothel's Fate was to become the goddess of nature, I see that now. When a mortal interferes with their Fate bad things happen. When an immortal interfere with their fate worse things still happen. When an Original Power interferes with their fate… the results could destroys the Omniverse"
"There is one" Flora said "one person that could take her spot. Sora, the goddess of the kitsunes"
"Kitsunes?" Merlin asked "aren't they tricksters?"
"Yes, they are" Flora said "but she is powerful, has a good control over her nature magic, and knows the importance of avoiding in interfering with the mortals. She can't be the goddess of nature, not well Gothel lives, but she could be the next best thing"
"We will need to review her ourselves" Zeus said "but she sounds like the perfect fit"
New Enchanted Forest - New Fairy Tale Realm
"Why won't the spell work?" Gothel asked
"Maybe you're not casting it right?" Seraphim asked
"No, no it's right" Gothel said "I'm doing the exact same things I did before. But… I seem to have less magic than I did before"
"How is that possible?" Seraphim asked
"I do not know" Gothel said
"Maybe our magic together would work?" Seraphim asked
"Your magic would help, but it wouldn't be enough" Gothel said "we need to find other powerful magic users. When we have enough magic, we should be able to cast the spell as many times as we need to. But we're going to have to find perfect matches for our magic, not just anyone will do. I should be able to extend your life until we're ready"