Fear for the demon
It's nearly midnight. In the middle of her living room, Eleanor is kneeling, surrounded by candles. She takes a piece of paper and lets it burn in one of the candles while chanting. "Bring back the man I hated, the man that feeds of fear. From negative energies he is created, let before me the demon of fear appear." The paper turns to smoke and she has to shield her face when a whirlwind comes trough the room. After a few seconds the whirlwind disappears, leaving a man behind. Eleanor stands up and cracks a smile. "Hello Barbas, long time no see."
While before he was looking around, his eyes now settle on Eleanor. "Eleanor, I'm surprised. You're the last person on earth I thought would call me. If I remember correctly, you and your sister were the ones that sent me to oblivion. Why do you think I shouldn't just do the same to you." He moves his hand in front of his face and now he is the one to crack a smile. "It looks like your fears haven't changed a slight bit."
Eleanor's smile disappears.
"You really don't want to kill me Barbas."
"And why would that be? Personally I think it would be quite satisfying."
"I'm no mermaid anymore, meaning you wouldn't really gain much by it. Besides I'm going to do you an offer you can't resist."
-h2o-
The next morning, Emma is already working hard in the Juice Net Café, when Rikki enters. She takes a seat at the bar. "Good morning." Emma sets down a juice in front of Rikki, who rewards Emma with a smile before taking a sip. "One of the advantages that you work here. I don't have to order anything because you already know what I want."
"So heard anything from your mother this last few days?"
Rikki leans back in her seat.
"When you mean with hearing anything, sending another demon after me, than nope. And I prefer to keep it this way."
From the look in Rikki's eyes, Emma gets the hint that she doesn't want to talk about her mother and changes the subject.
"So what did you actually tell Zane about you're mermaid hood?"
"Almost everything essential."
Emma had started working again, but stops immediately.
"What?"
"Don't worry, only about me, not about you, Cleo or the demons. Besides he thinks he is the only one that knows about me so if you, Cleo and Lewis don't say anything and I can keep him away from the demons, he will be fine."
"That sound like a lot of work."
"Yeah I know, but don't worry, I can handle it."
"Hm…"
When somebody enters, Emma starts staring absently over Rikki's shoulder. With a quick glance around Rikki notices Byron taking a seat at the most distant table. Rikki snaps her fingers to get Emma's attention again. "Okay, what's that all about?" She gives a nod towards Byron. Emma starts cleaning the glasses again.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I mean the googly eyes, the dreamy expression on your face and the fact that you're already cleaned that glass twice."
She motions to the glass in Emma's hand that Emma now abruptly sets down. "Okay, maybe you can help me." She leans forwards on the bar and motions Rikki to do the same. "Byron and I had a date a couple of days ago and we kissed. But now he seems to be avoiding me. And yesterday, I swear I saw him flirting with Tiffany."
"Wow, you must be a really bad kisser." Emma throws her towel against Rikki's head and they both start laughing. "Alright, alright, no need to get physical. He was probably trying to make you feel jealous. You should probably just try to talk to him."
"You think?" Rikki nods. "When do you think is the best time for that?"
"Well there is no better time than the present."
"Now? I don't think he wants to talk to me right now."
"Yeah right, that's why he came all alone, to this café, on a Saturday morning, during your shift. Really Emma, guys aren't that hard to figure out."
"Okay, how do I look?"
"Sparkling. Now go!"
-h2o-
Emma walks hesitatingly towards Byron's table.
"Can I get you anything?"
Byron looks up from the card.
"Yeah, a strawberry shake please."
"You got it." She smiles forcefully and turns around. Rikki, who is still sitting at the bar, is making signs that Emma should turn back around and talk to him while Rikki leaves to give them some privacy. Emma takes a big breath and turns around. "Byron I think we should talk." She sits down in front of him. He looks at her expectantly.
"I'm all ears."
"I want to know what's going on between us. We're do we stand?"
"We're not standing, we're sitting down."
"Haha, really funny." She smacks him into the shoulder. "I mean it, we kissed last week remember."
"Yeah I do, I was there. I don't just go around kissing girls, you know?"
"So?"
"I don't know Emma, I really don't. I mean I really like you, so it's not that. But every time I get to close to you, it's like you're pushing me away. I have the feeling that you have this big secret and you don't trust me enough to tell me what it is." Emma looks down at her hands, knowing exactly what he is talking about. "And it's so frustrating because I want to be with you, but you don't seem to want to be with me. And then there is also the fact that almost every time we do go out, you have to run or we have to reschedule. And it's always the same reason: an emergency. Seriously Emma, do you really want me to believe that you have so many emergencies? So unless you can fully trust me Emma, I don't see how this can work."
Once again he looks hopefully towards Emma. Emma tries to explain, but can't find the words. Byron stands up. "Just as I thought, no trust. I'm hoping you will trust me enough one day to tell me. But don't expect me to sit around and wait until you are convinced that you need to let somebody in." He walks away. Emma stays in her seat, a single tear rolling down her cheek. She quickly dries her eyes and stands back up, turning towards Rikki.
She takes a step, but suddenly a gray-haired man flames in in front of her. She takes a step back while he waves his hand in front of her. "Your biggest fear is facing a demon you can't defeat. Your wish is my command." Behind Emma a demon appears, she turns around and tries to freeze him, but it doesn't work. "He can't be defeated by your powers Emma, he is too strong for you."
The demon grabs Emma by the neck and pulls her of the floor. Right then Rikki re-enters. "Emma!" She gives the demon a shove in his back, letting him release Emma, who drops to the floor, and turning his attention towards Rikki.
Rikki backs off, while Emma regains her breath. "Be careful… He is immune to our powers." Rikki takes one of the trays in her hand and starts hitting the demon with it.
"I could use some help Emma." Emma picks up one the knives from behind the counter and stabs it in the demon's back. He screams wildly before vanishing. The girls look at each other, both breathing heavily. Suddenly Emma remembers the other demon an looks back around. "What are you looking at?" The demon has disappeared.
"There was another demon here. The one that created the one that attacked me."
"Wait, he created another demon. That's a new one."
"Yeah, he was talking about my biggest fear being a demon I can't defeat. And then he created that one."
"Well let's call Cleo and Lewis so we can discuss things."
-h2o-
At the beach, Cleo and Lewis are sitting next to each other in the sand. Cleo's head is lying on his shoulder. "I love this." Lewis looks down at Cleo. "I love being here with you without anyone interfering."
Lewis gives a little chuckle. "Especially no demons right?" Cleo grins too.
"Especially no demons." She looks up at him. "Why can't live be more like this?" And as in answer her phone rings. She gets it out. "Oh no, it's Emma. This usually means demonproblems. Can't I ignore it?" Lewis looks at her. "You're right, I can't, can I?"
She flips her phone open. "Hello, with Cleo… Yeah… No!... Okay, I'll meet you there." She puts the phone back in her pocket.
"So is it another demon?"
Cleo tries to ignore Lewis' glare while getting up.
"No, just you know girl stuff."
"Yeah right." He also gets up. "Cleo, has anyone ever told you that you're a terrible liar?"
"I just don't want you to get hurt, okay?" She finally has enough courage to look up into his eyes. "Could you, just, please, keep out this one?"
"Cleo, I know what it is that I'm getting into. And I already tried to keep the sidelines, but I always get sucked in anyway." Lewis takes her hands in his. "And don't you think am I equally worried about you getting hurt than you are about me?" Cleo tries to interfere, but Lewis won't let her. "And just because you have powers, doesn't mean you have a better chance off not getting hurt. On the contrary, it makes you a bigger target than me." A grin comes across his face. "Besides, you need my intelligence to figure this stuff out, remember?"
Cleo can't help but smile. "Why do you have to be such a smartass?" He leans forward and gives her a kiss on the forehead.
"Because otherwise you wouldn't love me as much."
-h2o-
Lewis is sitting with his laptop at Cleo's desk and Cleo and Rikki lie on the bed, while Emma is pacing trough the room. Emma comes to a sudden stop and looks at Lewis.
"Have you already found anything?"
Lewis doesn't even turn around.
"Not much more since you asked me the last time, Emma, half a minute ago."
"Sorry, I'm just a little…"
And she gives a shudder as to express her feelings. Cleo sits up and takes Emma's hand to force her to sit down too. In the next instance, Emma finds herself surrounded by Cleo's arms in a tight hug.
"Don't worry, everything is going to be okay. We've already defeated every demon that came across our path."
Emma struggles free from Cleo's arms and stands back up again, making her look down on Cleo and Rikki.
"No you don't understand, this one is different. He could see my greatest fear and could make it real. Imagine if he does that to you." Both Cleo and Rikki give a shudder. "We can't defeat our own fears. If Rikki hadn't come in, then I wouldn't be here anymore. My fear had consumed me."
"It think it is already doing that to you now." Emma looks strangely towards Rikki. "Just look at you. You're just trembling in your shoes. This demon doesn't have to make your fears come trough, they already are."
"What do you mean Rikki?"
"What are you right now? Scared." Rikki also stands up so she comes eye-to-eye level with Emma. "But also convinced we can't face this demon, that we will lose. And isn't that your biggest fear: a demon you can't defeat?" Emma looks down. "I didn't mean to accuse you Emma, but it's ridiculous to be afraid of fear itself."
"Damn it. Barbas is the closest thing I can find, but it just doesn't fit." The girls look at Lewis who turns towards them with his laptop on his lap. He starts reading aloud. "The demon of fear, also known as Barbas, appears on earth once every 1300 years on a Friday the 13th for twenty four hours. His appearance is attributed to the universal convergence of negative energies as derived from astrological charts. He derives his life force by feeding off the fears of magical being. If he can kill 13 unmarried female magical being before the stroke of midnight on the 13th, he will be able to break free from his eternal bonds and walk the earth for eternity. Your only defence is to identify and then release your greatest fears. Do not rely on your magical powers for defence, for in the face of your greatest fear, those powers are paralyzed." He looks back at the girls. "He fits the criteria perfectly except…"
Cleo continues Lewis sentence.
"That it isn't Friday the 13th."
Rikki folds her arms. "So basically, he kills by making your worst fears real and literally scaring you to death." Lewis nods. "Alright, that's just cruel. What happened to the old taking our powers away or trying to kill us by force?"
"Rikki, this isn't something to laugh about." Rikki looks at Emma. "Alright, so unless Lewis can come up with another demon, Barbas is the one we're going to have to vanquish."
"But how are we going to do that?"
Emma sits back down next to Cleo.
"That's something I'm still working on."
"Isn't it obvious. We have to overcome our biggest fears. Alright, so we already know that Emma's biggest fear is a demon she can't defeat, I'm claustrophobic, so we…"
"Wait I didn't know you're claustrophobic."
"Doesn't matter right now. Cleo, what is your biggest fear?" Cleo looks down at her hands. "Cleo?"
"I don't know. Actually I think I know. It's just so embarrassing…" Cleo looks up and notices everyone looking sympathetically towards her. She takes a big breath. "I'm afraid of drowning. I know it's ridiculous, being a mermaid and all but…"
"Really Cleo, we're not going to judge you. People don't choose their fears. Now c'mon, we have a demon to vanquish."
"I think we should capture him first. Before he harms other innocents. Afterwards we can still find out how to vanquish him."
Rikki turns critically towards Emma.
"And how do you suppose we should do that?"
"We could lure him. I mean you could." Rikki looks at Emma with a confused stare. "You're afraid of small places, so you can't be harmed when you're walking alone in a big space, like the beach."
"And how should I capture him?"
"Wait, I think I know how." Cleo sits up and goes to a closet. She gets out some white stones. "These are crystals. I found them on the bottom of the moon pool. I looked them up and apparently, they can trap someone in a cage. So we lie three down in the sand and when he flames in, Rikki puts down the fourth one and he is trapped."
"Cleo, you're a genius."
-h2o-
And so as the plan requires Rikki is sitting alone on the beach, holding one of the crystals firmly in her hand. She is not disappointed as Barbas flames in.
"Why do you guys always make things so easy for me? Not that I'm complaining." He waves his hand in front of his face. "Interesting."
"You can't scare me Barbas, we're in an open space."
"Little spaces? That's what you think your greatest fear is? You mortals need to look deeper. Down where the real truth lies. Your greatest fear is losing someone you trust deeply, like one of your friends and I get two for one."
-h2p-
Emma's phone rings. She picks it up.
"Hello?"
"Emma, it's Rikki. I have captured him. Can you come and help me?"
"All right, we're on my way."
-h2o-
Barbas puts down the phone and turns towards Rikki who is tied up, with tape over her mouth. He starts speaking, but in Rikki's voice.
"Don't worry, you don't have to wait too long."
-h2o-
Cleo and Emma walk towards the beach where they were supposed to meet Rikki.
"Rikki?"
"I'm over here. You won't believe the view from here."
They walk a little further behind another dune.
"Rikki, where are you?"
Cleo turns around and sees Rikki tied up and Barbas standing there.
Barbas is still imitating Rikki's voice. "Isn't that a great view?" While Barbas waves his hand before his face Cleo turns back around.
"Emma?"
But she soon sees Emma is attacked by a demon. Probably a demon that she can't defeat. "How convenient." Barbas pushes Cleo so hard, that she is throws in the sea. "That's right." Cleo sinks to the bottom. She tries to swim back up to the top but can't. "Feed me your fear."
Cleo starts thinking and remembers Lewis' words. I must face my fears. I'm not afraid, I can't be. I'm a mermaid, water is my habitat. I'm not afraid, damn'it, I'm not afraid. Suddenly she feels a weight has been lifted from her and she can easily swim towards the surface. She comes closer towards Barbas.
"It's over."
She uses her power and a huge waterbal makes Barbas fly across the beach. He gets back up fairly quickly.
"Your fear."
"I'm not afraid anymore."
"Nooo!"
Barbas burns and explodes. The rope disappears off Rikki and the demon holding Emma too. Cleo uses her powers to get dry and runs over to hug Rikki and is soon joined by Emma.
-h2o-
Eleanor throws the glass she was holding to the ground and screams in frustration.
-h2o-
Cleo and Rikki are sitting at a table in the Juice Net Café. Emma comes over to them carrying a plate with three drinks on.
"Drinks on me."
"To Cleo!"
Emma sits down and joins the toasting.
"To Cleo! We own you our lives now."
"Yeah, yeah, it really was nothing."
"You overcame your fear, that IS something." While saying it Emma laughs until she sees Byron entering. "That is at least something I can't."
Cleo and Rikki notice Byron.
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to be honest to him."
Both Cleo and Rikki look at her with open mouths as Emma stands up and goes towards him.
"Is she serious?"
"I think so."
-h2o-
Emma takes Byron's hand and leads him outside.
"I need to talk to you, in private."
"Okay."
When they are far enough away from everyone else, Emma starts talking.
"Something big happened to me a couple of months ago. Something that I can't just share with anyone. I haven't even told my parents about this. It doesn't have anything to do with trusting you, it's just really hard to explain and I don't know if you will still look at me the same way if I told you. I understand if you don't want to go further with me anymore, but you have to understand that I can't tell you something just because you want to know it. Everyone is entitled to their secrets, right?"
Byron nods in comprehension.
"I have to think about things. I do understand that you don't want to tell me what your secret is. But it's also really hard to have a relationship with you if that secret stands in the way of it. Can I think about this?"
Emma gives him a little smile. "I'm already glad that you want to think about it." He smiles back at her, which gives her the chance to step closer and give him a little kiss on the lips. When he gives into the kiss, Emma shortens the distance between them completely and their kiss becomes more passionate. But when she tries to put her arms behind his neck, Byron takes her hands in his and pulls her arms back down, while pulling back from the kiss.
"I do mean it that I need some time to think about this Emma. I like you, you know that, but sometimes that isn't enough. And with that look upon your face, you're making it even harder to walk away."
"What do you mean by that?"
She looks at him innocently.
"You know with your hair a little messy, and your lips a bit swollen by kissing and a little glittering in your eyes that you always get when we just kissed." He takes a breath while staring at her. "I really need to go now." And without looking back, he leaves.
-h2o-
Rikki walks up to Zane's zodiac. He is so busy working on it that he doesn't notice Rikki coming closer. So he also startles when she calls out his name. He looks up and sees her holding out her hand. He takes it and gets on the docks with her. Rikki immediately puts her arms around him and lays her head on his chest. Zane pulls her a little away from, not completely pulling away from the embrace, but making it so that he can look Rikki in the face.
"There is something about this mermaid thing that you aren't telling me, right?" She tries to look down, but Zane puts his hand under her chin to make her look back up to her. "I have the right to know, first you lose your mind and then that old lady throwing me across the room. And if I think back over the last few months there are things I can't explain, but somehow you were always involved. What is going on?"
Before answering Rikki sighs. "Those things that happened were demonic." Zane pulls an unbelieving face. I know it's hard to believe, but that woman was possessed by one and losing my mind was the result of a spell. One of the tasks as a mermaid is fighting the demons and protecting the innocent."
"And you had do to this all by yourself."
"I am the only mermaid you know right?"
"Well not anymore. I'm going to help you get trough this."
Rikki looks scared up to him.
"But you could get hurt."
"So could you."
"But you are not magical."
"I'll deal."
"But you are an innocent. It's my job to protect you."
Zane grins at her.
"You know that I'm not really that innocent right?"
He pulls her a little bit closer to him in the embrace while letting his hands slip a little bit lower down her back. She smiles up at him.
"You know how cute you are when you say stuff like that." He starts kissing the side of her neck. "And do stuff like this." A little gasp escapes her lips and she pulls back his head and kisses him passionately.
After a moment, Zane pulls back and motions to his zodiac. "Wanna go for a ride?" Her smile is all the answer he needs.