First of all, I like to say thank you to all the reviewers. you guys really want to make me keep on publishing this story. But I do have to disappoint you guys, there is not going to be any Zikki in this chapter, but I hope you'll still like this chapter. and there's going to be definetly Zikki further in the story. Now all is said, on to the story.
EVerything belongs to the rightfull owners, made for fun not profit.
**
Lewis and Emma are investigating Mako Island.
"So, this is the place that turned you into a fish."
"A mermaid, Lewis."
"Yeah, that's what I meant. I don't know, I expected something a little more Club Med."
"See that volcano, the caves are up there."
"Way up there?"
"I want to found out what has happened. That takes hard work, Lewis. Come on."
**
"I found another entrance when I was in the moon pool recently. It is over there by the waterfall. I can't get any closer or, I will …"
"Yeah I know, the whole beached whale thing."
"Mermaid, Lewis."
"Yes, that's exactly what I meant."
"So how do you get in?"
"Swim. There is an underwater entrance."
"Swim, so the hike was optional. I've could have swum?"
"Fifty metres, without coming up for air?"
"Right point taken, air is good."
"Just be careful you don't …"
"Emma, please. I'm a scientist and I know exactly what I'm doing. Whoa." Right when he finishes his sentence, he falls down the hole.
"I'll meet you down there."
**
Rikki and Cleo are in the café. Rikki finds a folder about the miss sea pageant.
"The miss sea pageant, how sick is that? Who would enter something like this?"
Miriam snatches the paper out of Rikki's hand.
"You're not thinking about entering the sea pageant?"
"I rather drop death."
"It's just because I'm entering. Oh and if you think of entering Cleo, a word of advice: don't bother."
"That's two. Cleo wouldn't be interested in parading on stage in a clean dress."
"It's a costume, actually."
"With sea motive."
"I've always felt infinity with the sea."
"You, that's a joke. I'm the one with the infinity, I'm the one who is a m… ouch."
Cleo looks angrily at Rikki, who just gave her a kick. She realizes she almost blabbed their secret.
**
In the Marine Park, a girl just entered the pageant. A good looking guy comes up to her.
"So you've entered the pageant?"
"Yes, I did."
"I think you have a good chance at winning, a fine looking girl like you."
The girl laughs, she doesn't get a lot of compliments from handsome guys.
"Oh, I forgot my manners, my name is Finn."
"I'm Eliza, nice to meet you."
"Say, I'm new around here, could you maybe show me around?"
"Yeah sure."
**
Cleo had to work again, this time she has to sell ice creams. Miriam and Tiffany come up to her.
"Give me your least expensive low fat ice cream. Oh it's you."
"Flavours?"
"Oh, you choose, I'm feeling spontaneous and very confident. I finished my preparations for the contest. My costume is to die for."
"To die for." Tiffany repeats.
"And I've seen the contestants, not a chance."
"What about Tiffany?"
"Oh yeah, you'll be the winner up. But the rest wallflowers, kind of like you."
Cleo really had it with Miriam. Her boss comes over.
"Hay Cleo, we're short staff for the Miss Queen pageant. Can you work from 9 to 4?"
"Actually, I can't work that day. I like to help but I've decided to enter the pageant."
"Oh lovely and it comes in handy."
"Why?"
"Two of the girls who entered, didn't show up for the information day. It looks like they disappeared. Oh well, they'll show up eventually."
But Cleo didn't hear it anymore. All she heard was missing girls.
**
"Hey guys, glad you could come. I've heard from my boss that two girls who entered the pageant, disappeared. What do you think?"
"I think they've got some common sense and decided to withdraw."
"Rikki, this isn't the time for jokes. Do you know anything else, Cleo?"
"No. I think my boss wouldn't like me to disturb the customers so maybe you guys can ask around."
"Alright, see you later."
**
Cleo decided to clean her fish tank, otherwise she would feel too worried and their tank really need a clean up. But her annoying sister had to bug her again.
"Why are you always shutting you door?"
"To keep you out. Did I say come in?"
"Well, why do you need to keep me out?"
"Because you're annoying, goodbye."
"What did you do with your fish?"
"They're in the bath."
Kim went over to check the bath, but she founds nothing in it. When she enters Cleo's room again, the fish are back in the tank.
"How did you do that? There is nothing in the bath."
"Did I say bath, I meant bucket."
**
Later on something strange happened to Elliot. The water in the shower turned to ice and Emma stood there looking innocent. Kim was right about the mermaid thing. He quickly phoned her to meet.
**
"One minute, I'm having a normal shower, the next thing it's haggling."
"Okay calm down, we have to find out how to handle this probably."
"Maybe we should talk to them?"
"What for, are you insane?"
"Well, I was taught to solve conflict with communication."
"Communication is for humans. They're not humans, they're like witches, vampires, they can't be reasoned. They have to be stopped."
"How?"
"They take their true form when they're wet. I say, we expose them."
**
So as Kim tells, so does Elliot. He goes over to Emma with a glass of water, but she turns around.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing, what are you doing?"
"Reading."
"Thirsty?"
"No thanks."
"I'm happy to share. Because you're my sister and I share everything with you. And what do I get in return? Secret and lies."
"What are you talking about?"
"Why didn't you tell me I you were a mermaid."
"Why do you think I was a mermaid?"
**
At the Sertori's.
"Are you crazy, you kept a diary."
"Just a little one."
"With every little detail about our mermaidness."
"I'd never let anyone see it."
She goes over to her closet to get the diary, but she doesn't find it.
"It's gone."
**
The girls think it's time to meet Rikki.
"I found the diary, it was on Kim's pillow."
"Look who's here."
Kim and Elliot walk in.
"I'm gonna mame her."
"Just ignore them."
Miriam comes over to them.
"Have you guys seen Tiffany, she is no where to be found and she needs to help me rehearsing my winning speech."
"No sorry."
"You guys are no help."
She walks off.
"That is already three girls missing..."
"While you two were busy with the family, I've been searching for the missing girls. The first two were both seen last in the Marine Park right after they entered the pageant. One of them, Eliza, went away with a guy. His name is Finn. I've been looking for addresses and I found out there are about nine Finn's in this area."
"Good work Rikki."
"Yeah well done, I'd say we do each three houses and call each other when we found the right house. Do not go in alone." Emma says looking strictly at Rikki.
"What me, I wouldn't dare."
"Guys before we go, we should get rid of them." Pointing at Elliot and Kim.
"They are not going to let things go."
"Then we should do something about it."
"Lewis."
**
"How much do they know?"
"About everything."
"We've got to get them thinking the diary is about someone else, to put them on the wrong track."
"Like who?"
They see Miriam sitting. They go over.
"Hey Miriam."
"Why are you talking to me? You never talk to me."
"That's silly Miriam, we like you."
"Don't think I don't know you've entered the contest, Cleo. I know everything."
"You do?"
And they leave.
**
The girls start investigating. Cleo and Emma don't have much luck. Rikki on the other hand, is already lucky at her first house. Right when she wants to phone the others, a cute looking guy comes around the corner. He introduces himself and asks Rikki in. She decides to go in. Taking a look can't hurt, can it? As she walks in to the living room, the door closes behind her and before her stands an old man. Before she can react, he points a wand at her and she starts to shrink until she is no longer than a finger.
**
"What's taking Rikki so long?"
"I don't know, you don't think she would go in without us, do you?"
"Let's go."
**
When Emma and Cleo arrive at the house, they want to go in but Finn stops them.
"Don't go in there, it's not safe for you."
"Oh why's that? What did you do with the girls?"
"Me, I don't do anything with them. I have to bring them here, so my maker can collect them."
"What do you mean by collecting?"
"And what do you mean by maker?"
"Gamill has a collection of clay figurines. Only they weren't always figurines. He shrinks girls with his wand, to put them in clay, and then he puts them into an oven to harden and kill them. Thirty years ago, a witch cursed him so that he was as ugly on the outside as on the inside. That's when he made me so I could get girls to the house."
"What do you mean by "made you'?"
"He made me out of clay. Look." He showed his belly where a belly button is missing. "I'm starting to feel guilty, so I'm done with it, I don't want to be part of it anymore, and that's why you have to go. Now."
"Alright, we'll go."
"Emma, we can't leave."
"No, Finn asked us to leave, so…"
She turns around and walks away, followed by an unbelieving Cleo.
**
"Emma, what were you thinking, we shouldn't leave Rikki?"
"We aren't, but we can't go through the front door, Finn will make sure of that."
"Oohh."
Emma finds a little window, leading to the basement. The girls entry and quickly find the living room. They see two clay figures standing on the table. One looks like Tiffany and the other looks exactly like Rikki. They run over to the table but they both suddenly start shrinking.
**
In the meanwhile, Kim and Elliot are back at the café, wondering were the girls went. They stopped following Miriam, because she scared them off.
"We're never going to find them again now."
"Wait, I've seen Rikki searching for something on the computer."
"Found it. She searched for a Finn."
"They probably want another merman. We'll have to protect him Elliot. Let's go, we have a huge list."
**
The three girls are standing in clay on the table, the clay hasn't completely dried yet, so they can still talk.
"Alright, great idea, guys."
"We, you were the one who entered first."
"Emma, Rikki, stop fighting. How is Tiffany doing?"
"Stiff, she can't talk anymore, nor can she hear us. But she is not the girl we have to worry about. A half-hour ago, Eliza and another girl also stood here, but Gamill took them away. I don't know where they are."
"We do, Finn told us, Gamill heats you up once you're clay is dry to make it stick."
"We have to get out here, we can't just watch them die and do nothing."
"Alright, who haves an idea?"
"I have one, Cleo do you see that little wet spot next to you?"
"Yes."
"Make yourself wet, so you'll turn into a mermaid, that will make your clay burst, because our tails are too big for this clay."
Gamill entered again, holding two clay figures. He started the fire of the oven.
"C'mon Cleo, you can do it."
"I'm trying."
**
Finn came in to stop Gamill from hurting another girl.
"You foolish boy, I guess I don't need you anymore then." With that he points his wand at Finn and a beam comes out, burning Finn up. He lays his wand on the table.
**
The water becomes bigger and bigger, making Cleo all wet. Ten seconds later, she turns and the clay cracks, like Rikki said.
"Great."
"Ceo." Rikki barely could get out.
"Oh yeah."
She kicks against their clay and they burst open too. Tiffany is unconscious.
"Alright Cleo, move that water over there to oven, to make it go out."
"I can't. My tiny magic is not strong enough to move that far."
"We'll have to get his wand."
**
They move to the other side of the table to get the wand. They hold the wand together and point it at Gamill. He starts to shrink and lets the girls fall, making their clay burst. Once he is little, the girls point the other side of the wand at themselves and they turn big again.
"What shall we do with him?"
"Throw him in the oven."
"Great, I can still get to the pageant in time."
**
Right after they got Tiffany, Eliza and Rose, the other girl, back to their normal size, Elliot and Kim knock on the door.
"What shall we do, they can't find us here."
"Let's go trough the back, help the others."
**
"Elliot, this isn't the place. We checked all the places on the list and they were never there. But there is still the pageant, we'll expose them there."
**
In the afternoon the girls go to the pageant. Cleo to enter and Rikki and Emma for support.
"Who are this people?"
"Rikki, at least pretend you're having fun."
"But I'm not."
**
"Our next jewel of the sea, is Cleo Sertori. And Cleo has come dressed as a … Give us a hint."
"I'm a Portuguese meme of war. It's a jellyfish."
"Last but by no means least. Please give a very warm welcome to Miriam Kent. Ooh Miriam is a mermaid."
Suddenly water begins to fall upon the stage. Cleo uses her power to make sure she doesn't get wet. When the water stops, Kim comes on stage.
"I knew it. There are mermaids on the Gold Coast. And Miriam is their evil leader. My sister is one of them to."
A security guard brings Elliot on stage.
"She made me do it."
"They're evil and dangerous. Look."
Kim starts pulling on Miriam's tail.
"Get away from me."
"It's real… Why is your tail tearing?"
"Because it's a custom you moron. I'm gonna get you. Come here."
Miriam starts chasing Kim, but falls of the stage. Everyone laughs at her.
After the contest, Tiffany is the one getting the prize.
**
Later at Mako, the girls are telling Lewis about their latest adventure.
"Luckily, Tiffany, Rose and Eliza don't remember anything of it due to dehydration."
"So Lewis, did you find anything out of the ordinary in here?"
"The story is, I've tested everything: the water, the rocks, the sand even the dust."
"And what did you find?"
"Everything is normal."
"So that's it, you're done?"
"Hey, I've been putting myself in 100%."
"So Cleo, what did you do with your diary?"
"Don't worry, I took care of it. No one is ever going to find it again."