Hey Guys! So my apology was the recent chapter and I'm sorry that wasn't a real chapter and also for not updating in like... a year? I know many of you got the idea I had quit writing fanfic, and that was kind of what I did in December/January, and I'm sorry for it! But now I've started writing ff again and I hope you enjoy! :)

Another note is that my writing style has completely changed from back then or at least I think it has. I hope it isn't too noticeable, but I also forgot some of the things going on in my story so if I miss some things, SORRY! And also please PM/Review me any ideas or suggestions you have for the story and also your honest opinions! (I'm still asking for those :)

Enjoy! :D

~Elysa~


Chapter 3: Where are the Guys?

With Bella and Lewis (Moonpool)

"Nope. That is it, I can't swim. I just can't," Lewis quickly climbed out of the moonpool. Bella chuckled as he slipped a few times getting out. "What? I'm not a mermaid expert! What if I drown?" Lewis stammered.

"Trust me, Lewis. You could swim. It's a natural feeling for a mermaid, like I said before. Uh.. hmm... try it again. Flip your fin naturally, flow with the water. Try not to think too much. I bet your mind wasn't on that, and don't lie to me, Lewis!" Bella teased. "I need my alone time, Lewis. But to hurry things up.. dive in the water with me." Bella dived in to the water, but Lewis hadn't followed. "Come on, Lewis! Don't be scared, there's no shark!" Bella continued to tease.

Lewis rolled his eyes but smiled and slid in the water, a scaly blue tail appearing before him. "The water is not my natural habitat, Belle. It may be yours but..." Lewis scrunched up his nose as if the smell of seawater and salt disgusted him, as well as his tail. "Okay. Let's stick with the boat Belle? Yeah, let's go!" Lewis tried to scrambled out of the pool but Bella froze the edge of the pool, Lewis flinched back. "Rude!"

Bella laughed, "Come on Lewis please? Please please!" Lewis glanced at Bella as if he was yelling "No way! Nuh uh," Bella frowned, then continued, "Please please," Bella gave him her large blue puppy eyes. "For... Cleo, at least?" She smiled, knowing it would work.

"Fine!" Lewis exclaimed.

"Great dive in, Lewis!" Bella dove into the water, smiling as she knew she would win. Lewis followed quickly, but had a disgusted face. Bella flipped her tail a few times, propelling through the water, gesturing with her hand for Lewis to follow. Lewis looked hesitant but followed her. After around 2 minutes of swimming around in a small area of the ocean, they popped their heads back to the surface. "See, Lewis? Isn't it like home! The tail isn't going to sink you down, it will help you!" Lewis half glared at Bella, but inside he was grateful, he choked out some water.

"Yeah thanks for the lesson, Belle." He said sarcastically.

Bella smiled smugly, "You know you appreciated it! And anyway the rest will be waiting for us, eh... I'll go with you, I guess."

Lewis and Bella speedily propelled back to the beach shore, where the gang would await with rocks in flame.


At the Beach

"Put it out, put it out, Rikki!" Cleo screamed, terrified if anyone else on the beach would find them.

"Uhm?! I'm trying Cleo! I don't have the powers of ice like... like Bella or Will or even Emma?!" Rikki yelled, waving her hand around randomly, helplessly trying to fix the problem.

Cleo tried to bring some water, and by accident a whole, but mini, waterfall started to pour from the rocks. "What. Did. I. Just. Do." Cleo said with the widest eyes ever.

By the shore, two heads popped up from the water, and eventually two people. Bella and Lewis. "What happened guys? Why is Rikki standing next to a... burned rock and Cleo next to a waterfall... that shouldn't even exist." Bella said cluelessly.

"Oh, well uhm..." Rikki looked to Cleo to explain, the "responsible" one.

Cleo rolled her eyes and started to explain what happened, "So basically, Rikki, here," she said nudging her friend, "accidentally set that rock on fire. We tried to set it off and Rikki couldn't so I tried to burn it out with some water. But I accidentally made a waterfall..? It's so confusing. I never had the power to create water, only to manipulate it. And Rikki only had the power to heat water or evaporate it... Wait! Bella, try to.. uhm... create ice?"

Bella immediately nodded and made the similar "stop" gesture with her hands. Immediately, a cold icy block formed, causing the six of them to scoot back quickly. "Well... it looks like we've had yet again enhanced powers then...?" Bella suggested.

"Yeah.." Will agreed. "And Rikki..? You mentioned someone called Emma," Will asked her. "Who is Emma? Do we know her?" Will asked curiously. Cleo, Rikki, and Lewis exchanged glances, then looked at Bella, and back.

Cleo's POV

"Well, it's a really long story..." I started. I can't let Bella know about Emma! She'd think that she was just a replacement... but it's not true... I could explain to her, can't I? And Rikki would help... UGH!

"We've got time, Cleo," Bella pushed.

I exchanged another glance with Rikki, and we were both worried that Bella wouldn't take the news in the correct way. "Well, I suppose... Emma was an old friend of mine, Rikki's, and Lewis'.. I guess Zane's as well. We were the three original mermaids and the three best friends. We got our mermaid tail together..." Cleo looked up to see Bella's expression. It seemed calm but in reality, Cleo could see a little hurt in her eyes. "But weeks before you came along, her parents took her away to travel the world. Her name was Emma Gilbert and she had the ice powers, too.." I said, unsure of Bella's reaction

Please please please let her take the news well... I hoped.

"Wait... are you..." Bella started. She didn't look calm at all, and I couldn't blame her. "Are you saying that all along.. I was just a replacement fo. Emma? That I was just here to replace a girl,..?" I could see tears in her eyes she held back.

"No.. it wasn't replacing you I promise I promise!" I begged her to understand.

"I'm sorry.. but you're not just a replacement!" Rikki added on.

Lewis, Zane, and Will looked unsure of what to say or do, but Will stepped up half-hugging Bella. "Belle, I'm sure they didn't mean it... they wouldn't ever use you as a replacement, Cleo and Rikki love you!"

"You weren't,.. you weren't even planning on telling me I could tell... you were just hesitant to tell me even when I found out half of it already." Bella exclaimed ignoring Will's attempt in comforting her and raced out the beach, tears spilling across her face.

End of Cleo's POV


With Cleo and Rikki at Cleo's House

"Okay, I am sorry for what I'm about to say, but I just think that Bella sort of kind of sorta... kinda... you know, overreacted on the, uhm, Emma thing you know? I just thought maybe a little more understanding. It's not like it would've been any better if we told her in the beginning, 'hey Bella if you're gonna be our best friend just a notice that there was a girl that had an identical role in our lives so like, yeah, you know it's not like you're a replacement or anything'."

"Rikki!" Cleo gently slapped Rikki's arm. "It's a lot to take in. Not just about the Emma thing, you know? She was acting really weird and strange when her old powers were taken away... I just think we should give her some sympathy, yeah? Maybe there's something going on in her personal life... we don't know. We should apologize or at least comfort her." Cleo decides. "Come on let's go, Rikki."

Rikki groaned but followed. "Cleo let's just leave it for the night. We could text her?" Rikki suggested.

"Why are you so against apologizing, Rikki? Come on let's go!" Cleo dragged Rikki by the arm all the way to Bella's house. "Now. Let's both apologize. Alright?" Rikki nodded and sighed, knocking on the door. Bella opened it after around 5 seconds. "Bella, we're really sorry about not telling you about Emma... we definitely should've told you earlier." Cleo nudged Rikki.

"Oh uhm yeah! Really sorry about .. that. And really, you're not just a replacement. You're our best friend, okay?" Rikki offered, doing her best to apologize. She was never really the one to apologize.

Bella nodded and started to speak for the first time since they got to her house. "Yeah, it's alright. Sorry I kind of overreacted, too. It was just... well, it was also I lost my powers. My powers. The ice power isn't mine. It's Emma's. Or Will's."

"Hey, it's okay. Come on let's go to Cleo's house to spend for the night, okay?" Rikki smiled. Bella nodded eagerly, while motioning she had to change.

Few minutes later, Bella popped down to the front door again in a white and yellow tank top and jean shorts. "Okay, let's go," Bella smiled.

The night passed by quickly, and none of them had any trouble with the full moon.


The Next Morning With Cleo, Bella, and Rikki

"Uhm, guys... I just realized something," Bella started slowly... Cleo and Rikki both looked at her curiously, as if saying, "What is it?" Bella looked at them again, and then continued, "Why didn't we invite the guys to sleep over with us, too..?"

"Uhm. Maybe because this is a full moon," Rikki rolled her eyes, laughed, and ruffled Bella's hair.

"No, Rikki!" Cleo said in realization. Rikki seemed annoyed by now, not knowing what she had to "realize". "The guys have tails now too! They might not of been prepared and gotten moonstruck! C'mon we have to go look for them. Right now. They could be in big trouble."

"Oh my god. yeah!" Rikki's eyes widened, and Bella nodded in encouragement to go find the boys. "Let's search Mako first. If they're not there... they might be safe. Will's boat shed? The café?" Rikki suggested.

"Yeah come on."

The girls raced to the shore, not hesitating diving in. Their golden orange scaly tail immediately popped out, and they propelled to Mako Island quickly, each of them desperate to find the boys, but most importantly, their boyfriends.

Cleo's POV

Oh god, where could they be?! I thought, clearly in frustration. I looked to Bella and Rikki. Rikki was swimming slightly ahead of us, worried for Zane, probably, just as I was worried for Lewis. Bella was searching more carefully, through every place, probably knowing Will would explore anywhere and was clearly more adventurous than Zane and Lewis. To be completely honest. I quickly motioned for Bella and Rikki to go up to the surface, so we could talk. They both swam up, followed by me.

"This is going to be harder than I thought. Let's check in the moonpool first," Bella stated. Me and Rikki followed her quickly with absolutely no hesitation. As we reached the moon pool, sure enough, a tail was below. I hope it's Lewis... or at least one of the guys! Cleo thought, then mentally face palmed. Of course it's one of the guys it's a blue tail and they're the only 3 mermen!

My head popped up to the surface, to reveal Lewis. "Lewis!" I squealed, happy to seem him.

"Oh, hey Cleo!" Lewis said, putting one arm across to reach my shoulder. "Don't worry guys. I didn't get moonstruck yesterday. Will and I stayed at his boat shed the night, the windows were covered and everything. Will's at his boatshed right now. And I decided to come to the moonpool in the morning, to check if you guys were here."

"Wait wait wait... hold on... you said 'Will and I'... well? What about Zane? You know, a merman?" Rikki spoke, annoyed that they forgot about Zane.

"Oh. Right. Zane. Well yesterday when me and Will were setting up his place to sleep for the night, Zane started saying that it wouldn't be safe here and that we should go to his place instead. You know. The mansion. But both me and Will thought that the boat shed place would be more successful, since it was smaller... and less windows to cover, you know. That stuff. So he went to his mansion to stay the night instead. We couldn't stop him, he's real stubborn, admit it, Rikki," Lewis ranted.

Typical Zane... I thought to myself. He was really too stubborn sometimes. "Hm... fine. I'll go look for him, guys. You guys can look for Will." With that, Rikki's head popped below the surface and sped away.

"Well, I'm going to go find Will, but I do have to be at the café for a sound check in around 30 minutes. So come on let's hurry," Bella sped under the water to Will's boatshed, and finally got up to the dock to dry her tail, about to use her jelly power to brush off the water on her tail, but realizing that she had the power of ice.

Poor Bella... It'd be horrible if my new power was suddenly the power of ice... It's just not her. I thought to myself. I wonder what it would be like for me if I suddenly had a big change in powers. I quickly controlled all the water on her tail and threw it to the ocean. Her fin immediately disappeared and she smiled at me.

Suddenly, I heard Bella's familiar ringtone go off. She picked up her phone, and answered it.

End of Cleo's POV

Bella's POV

"Hello?" I answered. I immediately recognized Rikki's voice across the line.

"Guys have you seen Zane? I've went to his house and searched it. He's not there. And then I searched the juice bar... he's not there either. And we already searched the entire sea practically!" Rikki's worried, yet annoyed voice rang through.

"Uhm, no... he might be in the boat shed hold on I'll check okay?" I replied. I could hear Rikki agree through the phone. I knocked on the door and heard Will's welcome in, so I stepped in. Zane wasn't there. "Rikki, he's not there either..."

"Oh god," Rikki said, worried. "He was moonstruck then."

So... What happened to Zane...? :D To be honest, I'm the type of writer who doesn't really think ahead. I don't even know what happens to Zane for sure but I have an idea...! Next chapter, I might do a little Zikki. Again, I'm not really a Zikki fan (HEEE i'm kinda strange like that! :), but I know a lot of you guys love Zikki, so next chapter, expect a little Zikki! And possibly a little Wella and Clewis, of course :D

And I'm sorry that this story might be a little short :/ I'm still rushing a little to put on new chapters for my stories after my long long break. Please review or PM me your honest opinion! I like making new friends :) If you have any suggestions for me, they're always welcome. And if you don't know, I am looking for OCs on my other story so if you want to submit your OC, don't rush but do it before August!

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! (Expect me to update Back to Ireland next)

~Elysa~