A Land of Flowers and Fae

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Elina gasped and jumped awake. She had nightmare this time. Most of her dreams lately had been reliving the events of the summer moon festival. Sweet dreams in the moment. But they left her feeling empty when they ended and she woke up alone.

This time she'd had a dark dream, filled with green mist and whispering voices.

She sat up, the morning light making her blink.

"That's strange" She muttered to Bibble, who was stirring awake "Normally Peony would have woken us by now"

She looked around, her horror mounting. The soft pink petals that made up Peony's sides looked brown and slightly shriveled, going a sickly green closer to the roots.

"Peony!" She gasped, hopping out of bed and running to the door. She had to push the main petal open, Peony was completely unresponsive.

Elina circled around the roots, tears welling in her eyes as she saw the sickly green hue went all the way around. She knelt and pressed her forehead against the flower's side. For a moment, dread freezing her insides when she didn't hear the flower's familiar song. Then, relief as she felt a faint thrumming. Peony's magic was there. But it was buried, like she was in deep hibernation. Similar to what some flowers did in the regions with cold winters.

Elina patted the flower "Its going to be ok. We're going to find a way to help you"

Bibble hovered at her shoulder, his big eyes even wider than usual with his dismay.

"This is horrible!" Elina lamented "What could have done this?"

"Its everywhere!" Dandelion's voice came from above. She zoomed downward, stopping in the air between the adjoining peony flowers in the patch. "The whole Magic Meadow's been hit with this, whatever it is! And even worse, some fairies are getting sick and having trouble flying"

"Has anyone told Topaz?"

"Topaz is gone! Azura is the closest Guardian with ours missing"

"Is anyone doing anything? What will happen to everyone? What will happen to Peony?"

"I dont think anyone knows what to do. Also, at this point I don't think most fairies could even make it to Fairytown with this sickness going around. They can hardly get out of their homes, let alone fly for half a day"

Elina straightened her shoulders "Then Im going" she turned and started walking.

"What? Are you crazy?"

"We've made the trip before. Its not that bad" Elina called over her shoulder

"Yeah, and my mom barely lets me leave the house now. Im still in trouble from our last trip!" Dandelion lamented. Bibble trilled his agreement.

"You dont have to come. I can make the trip on my own" Elina said evenly.

Dandelion groaned "Fine! We're all going! Come on Bibble!"

Elina smiled at her friends and they set off, weaving between flower beds.

They made good time until they got to the Chrysanthemum stalk forest, and stopped dead.

The forest, that was usually bright and lovely with the sun filtering through the petals, was dim and dreary. A green misty haze clung to the stalks, the flowers themselves already brown and dying.

Dandelion audibly gulped. "Piece of cake. Lets go" She floated forward, her unease just as deep as Elina's.

They moved much more slowly through the forest than they had mere days prior. The stalks unfamiliar and visibility nearly as bad as it would be at nighttime.

They walked for a good hour before Elina stopped. Brow drawn down in worry "We should have reached the bluebells by now"

"I know" Dandelion whispered, hovering close to Elina's shoulder.

"Maybe, you could fly up a bit higher and see which way we need to go?"

"Yeah, good idea" the orange haired fairy drifted upward slowly, her wingflaps stirring the green mist.

She was up there for several long moments. she looked down, a radiant smile on her face. She pointed "Elina! I see the way! Its..." Then she dropped like a stone, like her wings had given out entirely. She caught herself once, flapping hard before she collapsed in a heap.

"Dandelion!" Elina yelped, rushing to her friend.

The grounded fairy pointed "Its that way" her voice husky and wings wilting.

"What happened, are you ok?" Elina patted her friend down, trying to find what had done this to her.

"I guess...the sickness...got to me" She panted.

"We have to get you home" Elina fretted.

"No! Someone has to get to Azura!" Dandelion demanded.

"You'll never make it in this state"

Dandelion wobbled to standing "That's fine, Ill walk like you" She took another wobbling step. Trying to play off how much the sickness must have drained her

Elina jumped up, stopping her friend with a hand.

"No! That's silly. Im used to walking. Youre not. Besides you can hardly walk straight as it is. What if we go further and you're too sick to make it home?"

Dandelion stopped cold. Conflict evident on her face "But what about you? I cant let you go alone!"

"Ill be fine. The sickness doesn't seem to be affecting me. Besides, I have Bibble with me" She gestured to the puffball. Who trilled uneasily.

"I told you I'd come with you though! What if there's trouble?"

Elina knew that dandelion wouldn't make it past the bluebells in this state. Even if she struggled to make it back to her house, they were still close enough to the meadow that there were enough fairies around that knew Dandelion and would help her. The further they went, the fewer fairies they'd run into and the more danger she'd be in.

"Look Dandelion, even if you walked, at the pace you'd be able to go is there any way we'd make it back before your mom missed you?"

Dandelion wilted "No, She'd go crazy if I went missing another night"

Elina gripped her friend by the shoulders "It'll be ok. Ill pop over to fairytown. Give Azura the message and be back before you know it!"

Dandelion sighed, then pulled Elina into a hug "Stay safe ok"

Elina hugged her friend in return, and gave her a smile when they parted.

"Head home. Bibble and I have it from here"

Dandelion nodded, then turned back towards the sunshine just visible through the stalks.

"Take care!" She called. Then she was gone. Elina sighed.

"Lets hurry Bibble. We've got a job to do" She turned resolutely towards the direction Dandelion had pointed. After a few minutes of walking she saw the bluish light of the bluebell fields.

They were nearly there.