Chapter 1814 The Monster and the Willow
I don't own Bleach or any of the powers and gear used in this story.
The team was guarding the entire area for anything that might be trouble.
Hank was at the entrance and sees Flora with a few bags and a big one with a tent.
"Flora why are you carrying all that stuff, are you going camping or something?" Hank asked.
"I'm taking my stuff to black mud swamp." Flora said surprising him.
"Wait, why?" Hank asked.
"My plants have been causing too much trouble for my friends, so it's best I did my research there." Flora said.
"I can't let you go on your own, so how about I go with you." Hank said.
"Really?" Flora asked surprised.
"Yeah, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't go." Hank said.
"Thanks Hank." Flora smiled.
He smiled and help her take her stuff too, they arrived at the swamp and set up camp near a river, Flora has her note book out and Hank was sitting next to her by the tent.
"Well I'm glad you could come with me Hank." Flora said.
"Hey were friends, I don't mind going with you so you don't feel lonely." Hank said.
Flora smiled but she dropped her book by accident, she then goes to pick it up but Hank's hand touches hers making them look at each other, they were staring at each others eyes and they blushed, Hank then gets the book and gives it to her.
"Oh, thanks." Flora said.
"Your welcomed." Hank said.
She stares at him with a smile and she gets closer to him but then they heard a voice snapping her out of her thoughts. "Hey guys."
They then saw the girls go towards them and Flora steps back with a blush since she tried to kiss him.
"Oh hey." Hank waves." "What brings you all here?"
"We came here to help Flora." Bloom said.
"I can't believe you followed me here." Flora said.
"Yeah neither." Stella said bring a foot up and it reveal her shoe covered in slime.
"It is a swamp, so you had to expect that." Hank said. "Surprised the others didn't come."
"Farangonda asked them to do something." Musa said.
"They may be a bit grumpy but they care about you Flora." Bloom said.
"Anyway, I hope this camping trip doesn't last long." Stella said.
"If you all help me find this magic flower, it won't last long at all." Flora takes out a book from her backpack with a flower on the cover, she opens to show a flower. "See this is the cheerful gladiolus."
"That's a pretty flower but are you sure it can be found around here?" Stella said.
"Absolutely the ecosystem of this swamp is quite diversified." Flora said.
"And what do you need it for exactly?" Musa asked.
"The essence of the cheerful gladiolus is antidote for the witches sadness spell." Flora then laughs.
"Very well then what are waiting for let's go and get the flowers so we cna get back." Stella said.
"It's not as easy as that, it's very skittish flower, it doesn't let it be picked." Flora said.
"Don't tell me we have to coax into following us of it's own free will, I had it with walking plants." Stella said.
"Actually we just have to ask the flower to extend one of it's petals." Flora takes out a bottle and takes out the dropper. "And then I'll use a drop of this mixture, one of my inventions and check this out." She then goes towards a grass leaf where Kiko was close by, Flora puts a drop on it and it falls to the ground, then it grew more making Kiko scared.
"Hey that was fast." Hank said.
"I can create an infinite of artifical petals." Flora said putting it back on the bag.
"This is great, let's get to work right away." Bloom said she then looks at Kiko who was eating a plant. "Kiko you stay right here okay, the swamp is not a good place for you to walk about."
"Can I stay too, I won't wander off, I promisse cross my heart." Stella said.
"Stella please don't start complaining already." Musa said.
They were walking around the swamp and Stella was on top of a hill and the others were bellow at the grass.
She steps on puddle and said: "Oh no, why oh why the swamp so." she then wipes her show with a cloth.
"Swampy." Musa said.
"Your coments are uncalled for Musa." Stella said.
"So is your outfit for goodness sake this is a muddy swamp not a fashin show." Musa said.
"What does that have to do anything, a Winx is always a winx." Stella then goes in front and falls down but Aka came and catches her.
"Oh Aka." She smiles.
"I could never leave you alone." He smiles.
"Oh come on Stella."Tecna said.
"When will we find those stupid flowers." Stella said.
Flora then said: "Hush quiet."
"What is it Flora?" Hank asked and they looked at where she's looking.
"Look." Flora point at the river and sees tiny creatures there playing around.
"Wow they're so beautiful." Bloom said.
"Yes and they're tiny." Musa said.
Stella tries to see only to scream since she was about to fall getting they're attention.
"Ground walkers let's go quick." They start to leave.
"No no no, wait wait, please we don't want to hurt you were your friends." Flora said calming them down. "We need your help."
Then the little ones showed them to another place walking through the water, Stella was this time down after she scared them, they were seeing many types of plants there.
"What an amazing place and look at all the flowers, the lilies and gladioli, the water nymphs were right to bring us here." Flora then smells some of the flowers. "I'm sure we'll be able to find what were looking for."
"Uh Flora." Hank said.
"What is it Hank?" Flora then looks and then sees the bubbles inside the water that had little houses.
"It's a miniature city." Bloom said.
"Fascinating the water nymphs live in air bubbles under the leaf of a water lily." Flora said.
A Nymphs comes up and said: "We don't want to be rude or anything but we have a bit of a problem, see we can't really invite into our house, your kind of big we have no room."
Draco then appeared surprising them.
"Where did you come from?" Aka said.
"I came here sometime with Tinkerbell." He said as Tinker came.
"Oh she's cute." Stella said.
Tinkerbelle crosses her arms.
"She's been a friend of ours." A nymph said.
"Our Queen expressed the wish to meet you follow us." A nymph said and they followed her.
They arrived to see the queen sitting on her throne with two other nymphs at her side.
"We are very happy to have you here, you see we don't often see visitors." Queen said.
"Yes, thank your majesty." Hank said.
"You must have had a long journey you look a bit tired, may I offer you some refreshments." Queen offered.
"Actually all we really want is to touch the petal of a cheerful gladiolus, may we?" Flora said.
"Of course you may, I can tell you have a lot of respect for nature." Queen said.
"But it seems almost incredible that nobody's has met you before outside of Draco and his friend." Flora said.
"Yes, he's a nice fellow with Tinkerbell being a good friend, and we keep a low profile, we know where to hide when we and then if so few creatures ever come around here there must be a reason." Queen said.
"Perharps you heard of something called the great monster of black island." Nymph said.
"A monster?" Hank said.
"Yes, if you look after that way rigth behind the fog bank you'll see an island right in the middle of the swamp." Queen points at it and they saw it. "It's a gigantic evil monster which threatens my people daily."
"Wht don't you move somewhere else?" Bloom asked.
"Because our survival depends on plant called Xilith that can only be found on that island, with great patience we are able to make a stong and transparent material." Queen said.
"The Water bubbles." Hank said.
"That's right without them we would have to be in the surface where predators may get us, but the black monsters makes it hard for us to gather the leaves." Nymph said.
"Once in a while one of us volunteer to go to the island and pick at least one leaf and it was Lusiz turn." Queen said and one of the nymphs cried.
"Why what's wrong what happened to Lusiz?" Bloom asked.
"She never came back." Queen said making her gasp. "It's our destiny we have been living like this for quite some time."
"Well I think it's time for us to help out." Bloom said and the girls transformed into they're fairy forms.
They fly towards the island and Draco looks around.
"Watch out." Then a monsters head to get Musa but Victor came and grabs her before it goes back down.
"You should be careful." he smiles.
"Thanks Victor." Musa said.
"Now let's go find the it before the monster comes back." Draco said and he then notices a pink mist around them.
Stella yawns and said: "Why he's gone."
"No it means he can come back." Tecna said.
Hank looks around. "Wait this mist..."
Tecna then did a test on the plants and get shocked: "Guys this has a sleep powder."
The guys managed to overpower and cover they're noses with Tecna putting a helmet on but the others fell asleep.
"Look." Aka said and they saw a tree with a small nymph next to it who must be Lusiz.
"I have a plan." Tecna then made a air bubble to let them breath and then made it bigger.
The girls woke up and got up.
"Where am I what happened?" Musa said.
"Turn off the light." Stella said waking up.
"Girls were in trouble if you don't wake up." Hank said.
Lusiz woke up and Victor goes up to her. "Hey you must be Lusiz rigth?"
"Yes and I know who you are, I could never thank you enough." Lusiz said.
"She has the ability to know what's happening even while sleeping?" Hank said.
"Amazing, well need to go before the monster comes after us." Aka said.
"Oh no we are on top of the monster you see this isnland is actually the monster that is sleeping walking because of the red tree." Lusiz said.
"So the monster is turtles head getting in and out of it's shell." Bloom said.
"Well we need to go." Aka said as the tree started to come to life.
It attacks them but Hank raises his hand at the tree making it stop as he used the force.
"How did he do that?" Stella said.
"That's one of his powers." Aka said.
He frowns before he saw a Chikorita came down shooting leaf like blades cutting down at them.
"Chikorita?" He got surprised.
"I never seen a creature like that." Flora was amazed.
"Chiko." She jumps to Hank's arms.
"Well thanks." He smiles.
He saw the tree move again.
"Use cut." He told her.
"Chiko!" Chikorita charges at the tree slashing it in half.
Aka then shoots fire burning the tree.
Lusiz then sees the mist clearing and said: "Now with the tree gone the creature will be able to live in peace."
"Now let that leaf." Bloom said and they nodded.
They arrived back to the queen who thanked them even if with one leaf she feared that would be gone but Flora used her potion to make more and that made her happy, the queen then gave her a flower that she needed.
Queen then looks at Hank and said: "Hank I thank you for saving my people along with your friends."
"It's nothing your majesty." Hank said.
"I hope you all come and visit." She said.
They all left with Tinkerbell flying by before waving goodbye.
Note: Heres the Monster and the Willow ep with a Chikorita appearing with it more about Hank and Flora's relationship here.