Chapter 11

July 26, 4:23 pm

Earlier that Day

After Natalie woke up around noon, Rikki and Cleo explained to her what had happened. "I went to the moonpool planning to become a mermaid, but then I realized the responsibility I would have to have. I tried to climb out, but it was too late. A sharp pain made me black out. That's all I remember." Natalie told them.

"We forgive you." Cleo said.

"In a way, you were chosen to become a mermaid here." Rikki put in. They all hugged.

End of flashback

Now, all three girls were standing on the beach, trying to figure out Natalie's powers. So far, freezing, controlling, and boiling water had been ruled out. Natalie put out her hand again, this time using Bella's hand motion. A little bit of water successfully turned into jelly. "Yes! I found my power!" Natalie did a little happy dance.

"You might have more powers that show up in time, too." Cleo said. The new mermaid laughed and fell into the water, turning into her other form. Rikki and Cleo joined her.

Cleo had taken off her locket before she got in the water and was now turning it over and over in her hands. Natalie looked at it. "Do you mind if I see it?" she asked.

"Sure," Cleo said as she handed the other girl the locket.

Natalie gently opened up the necklace and peered at the three mermaids. "And who are these girls again?"

Rikki leaned over. "The left one is Louise Chatham, the middle one is Julia Dove, and the right one is Gracie Watsford. That locket is Gracie's and I have Julia's. Our friend Emma has Miss Chatham's."

"Wait, so Emma is a mermaid, too? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"We weren't sure if we could trust you." Cleo replied. "We had to protect our friend. Bella is one, too. She became one in Ireland when she was nine. Emma transformed with me and Rikki."

Natalie nodded and traced her finger along Gracie's face. All of a sudden, images flooded through her head.

Gracie receiving the locket from a teenage guy…swimming in the sea with her friends…arguing with the same guy and tossing the locket into what looked like a moonpool…a full moon going over the cone of a volcano while Gracie is alone by the moonpool…

The images stopped then, leaving Natalie feeling lightheaded. "Natalie? What happened?" Cleo said, looking concerned.

"Umm…I don't really know. As soon as I touched the picture of Gracie, a whole bunch of pictures about her came through my head."

"Like what?" Rikki asked while seeming confused.

"Like her receiving this locket from a guy, then her swimming with her friends, then she argued with the same guy and ended up throwing the locket into a moonpool. The last image was her sitting by the same moonpool while a full moon was going over the cone of a volcano."

Cleo looked shocked. "It sounds like when you touched Gracie's picture, you found out about part of her life. But, Bella doesn't have that power. None of us do."

"Maybe it's a special power from this island." Rikki suggested.

"Maybe." Cleo trailed off. "Natalie, put your hand on Rikki's shoulder."

"What? Why?" Natalie looked a little scared.

"Just do it." Cleo said, gently picking up Natalie's hand. "I have faith in you."

Natalie placed her hand on Rikki's shoulder. The images started up again.

Rikki hijacking a Zodiac with Cleo and another girl…getting in a moonpool with the girls while a full moon was over the hole…using her power to dry off Cleo, then dry up a swimming pool…getting a kiss from a guy at the same moonpool…using her lightning power to defeat a red haired girl…Charlotte?...then Rikki screaming as Natalie shot a lightning bolt at her!

Natalie gasped as the images stopped. Did I actually do that to Rikki? But I can't create lightning! I can't do anything with weather!

Cleo and Rikki were staring at her. "Everything okay, Natalie? Or was my past too scary for you?" Rikki teased.

"Umm…no. I saw how you stole a Zodiac and became a mermaid, how you used your powers, getting a kiss from a guy at a moonpool..."

"Oh, Zane! I don't date him anymore. He's a jerk. What else did you see?"

"You were defeating a red haired girl…"

"That was Charlotte." Cleo put in.

"And then I shot a lightning bolt at you?"

Rikki's face went beet red. "You saw that?"

"Yeah," Natalie said shyly. "Did I do that to you?"

"No, it was just a dream I had this morning. It really shook me up."

"I bet. You know I would never do that to you, Rikki."

"I know that now." Now that I know what your powers are. Now that I know that you can't possibly be like Charlotte.

Natalie smiled and gazed at the horizon. "I wonder what happened to your friends."

"I've always hoped that they landed on another island, hopefully one with people." Cleo said dreamily.

"Cleo, it's been more than a month. There's no way that Emma and Bella are alive." Rikki said gently.

The brunette turned around, tears streaming down her face. "I know, Rikki. It's just hard to think of them at the bottom of the ocean somewhere!" With that, Cleo dove under, heading for the moonpool. Natalie went to go after her, but Rikki stopped her.

"Don't," she said. "Let her be alone for a while."

Yay! End of Chapter 11! So what do you think about Natalie's powers? I know I've gotten a lot of questions about them! So, Natalie's powers have finally been revealed and Cleo has gone crying to the moonpool. Also, what do you think of me tricking you about thinking that Natalie was evil like Charlotte? Awesome, right? But, anyhoo, keep reading and reviewing! :)