so here is the chapter everyone is waiting for. And because it was so long ago, I've made it extra long.
I've also got a question for you guys. I would like to make a crossover with my slaymaids, between season 1 and 2, so I'm open for any suggestions.
I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as you enjoyed my previous ones.
-h2o-
It was again time for the annual school's swimming sports. The swimming coach comes up to his boys, who are training in the water.
"Alright, that's enough for now. You can go change, but don't forget to take a break in the sauna. The steam is good for your body's."
Zane and Byron head up to the changing room.
"Hey, Byron, ready to be beaten again."
"Yeah right, if you haven't noticed, you're no longer the best yourself. Jeremy, Shane and Danny have all crushed you today."
Zane looks angered.
"Well, I'm only saving my best for the competition, you wait and we'll see who'll win."
The coach comes up to them.
"Hey guys, didn't you hear me, it's sauna-time. Danny, Jeremy and Shane are already in there."
Zane heads to the sauna, but Byron walks over to changing room.
"Sorry coach, but I'm not into a sauna right now. I don't like the heat, I prefer the cold."
"You'll never become a true champion with an attitude like that."
The coach turns his attention back on the pool, not noticing a slimy beast getting in the sewers.
-h2o-
Emma is sitting in the juice net café, when Byron walks over and sits himself down next to Emma.
"Hey Emma." They kiss each other on the cheek. "I got a question. Next week is the school's swimming sports and I really want to beat Zane on the hundred metres, but he always beats me."
"It's okay to come second."
"Third or fourth, yeah but I can't explain it. I developed this need to win."
"I know the feeling or at least I used to."
"You were the swimming star until you quit, which, by the way, is quiet the mystery for me. You're like this quality skateboard that is just sitting in a cupboard."
"I've changed."
"Why?"
"I don't want to talk about that Byron. So if you don't have anything else to say than…"
"No, that wasn't all. I need you to teach me how to beat Zane. Give me that killer instinct, but temporarily. I don't want to be hooked on winning on a permanent basis. So will you help me?"
"Sorry Byron, I'm not in all that competitive thing anymore. It was a former life. I can't."
"It's cool, I understand."
Byron leaves her sitting by herself, looking disappointed. Rikki and Cleo come in and sit down next to Emma.
"Didn't you had a date with Byron."
"Yeah."
"Than where is he?"
"Never mind."
She gets up and leaves the café.
-h2o-
Emma is walking around and without knowing why she ends up at the pool. "Great. Just great." She wanted to change her route, but then sees something moving in the pool. "Hello, is someone there?" She approaches the pool, only to be startled when this big green monster jumps out. Scared to death, she tries to freeze it, but is doesn't has any effect on it. Afraid of the animal she starts running.
-h2o-
Rikki and Cleo are walking down the beach. "Wait, wait up." They turn around and see Emma running up to them.
"Cool down, what happened?"
"I was at the pool and I…"
"You were at the pool?"
"What were you doing there?"
"That doesn't matter. So I was there and I saw this enormous slimy green monster. And the worst part is, that my powers didn't even affect him."
"So what was it doing there?"
"Swimming, why would it been swimming there?"
"I don't know."
-h2o-
That afternoon Emma is at home looking at some old pictures of her swimming career when the doorbell rang. She opens the door to find Bryon there with flowers.
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to apologize for leaving you alone at the café when we were supposed to have a fun date." He gives her the flowers. "Apology accepted?"
"Sure, come in."
"I've also been thinking. Maybe I shouldn't have you compared with a skateboard. I didn't mean anything…"
"You weren't that wrong. I feel like I'm sitting in a cupboard."
"It's been spinning me up." The sit down on the coach. "Wondering why you can't swim anymore and why you can't help me. And it came to me, you can't get wet."
"How told you…"
"You have a swimmer's ear. Ear infection. Either that or you don't like me very much. But if that was the case, I would be kinda sad."
"Well it's not that, I can assure you."
She moves herself to his lap and starts kissing him softly. Unfortunately they are interrupted by a knock on the door. Emma quickly jumps off Byron's lap back to the other couch. Zane comes in, carrying a blender.
"Hoping I'm not interrupting anything?"
"What's up?"
"A gift for Mss. Gilbert from my dad. He bought it for his new girlfriend Mandy, but anything more complicated than picking up a phone and ordering a pizza is beyond to her skills. For your mum."
"She'll love it."
"What's going on here?"
"Nothing."
Zane sees the photo book lying open on a page of Emma holding a cup.
"Right. The race. You're not getting tipped from the old swim champ, are you? You are. Wasted time Byron. She can't help you. You'll never win. Not while I'm around."
"Don't worry, Danny, Jeremy or Shane will do that for me."
"Oh no, that's where you are wrong. Like I've already said, I can do better than what I showed today. And for your information, Danny is dead.
"Wait a minute, when did Danny die?"
"This morning, after training. They only found his skin and his clothes."
"Eww, who would do that?"
"Don't know, got to run."
Zane was leaving them, while Emma thought back to that beast she saw this morning in the pool. She needed to find out more about all this, so she had to get back to the swimming pool. And there was only one way to do that.
"You know what, I've changed my mind. I will be your coach. I will turn you into a swimming machine."
"Cool."
"One condition: this has to be our secret. No one can know, especially not Cleo or Rikki."
-h2o-
Zane is making his way back to his house, when he sees Rikki walking on the other side of the street. He runs over to her and takes her in his arms, ready to kiss her. But she pushes him away and continues walking. He catches up and walks next to her.
"C'mon Rikki, I know you like me or did that kiss mean nothing to you."
"It was a mistake alright, I went with the moment."
"Oh, so you do like me."
"You can be such an idiot sometimes."
"At least an idiot you enjoy kissing. Alright, I'll make you a deal."
"I'm not listening."
"If I win this competition, you will go on a date with me."
"And if you don't?"
"I won't try to convince you any more about me being the one for you, unless you come to me."
"Like that would ever happen."
"Do we have a deal?"
"You are so full of yourself."
"I know, but do we have a deal?"
"Sure, why not."
"Great."
He takes her head between his hands and gives her a kiss on the lips. Then turns away.
"That was not part off the deal."
"That was a good luck kiss. So may the best win."
"So not you."
Zane gives her one last smile and turns around the corner. Rikki has to admit to herself that it wouldn't be that hard to accept Zane winning the swimming competition.
-h2o-
The next morning, Emma is waiting for Byron at the pool. He finally arrives fifteen minutes late.
"You're late."
"I am?"
"Fifteen minutes."
"You would never believe what happened to me."
"Tomorrow, I expect you to be on time."
"Sure thing coach."
Right in front of Emma, he undoes his trousers and jacket. Emma looks away, embarrassed.
"Okay, let's start with twenty laps."
"Right now? Usually I like to have a little stretch first and then bit of a float and then seven or eight laps, top."
"Those days are over."
She gives him his goggles and he makes himself ready to jump in the water. "Your time starts… now."
After a couple of laps, Byron hits the wall.
"I was flying."
"You hesitate when you hit the wall. You got to forget it's there. Keep swimming and try to hit it hard. I need to know about your diet. What do you eat?"
"Potato chips and stuff, packed food."
"That needs to change. Just do twenty more laps for the end."
"Alright than."
Right as Byron begins to swim again, Emma hears a scream from the locker room. After checking that Byron is still busy, she runs over.
-h2o-
Once in the locker room, she sees Jeremy screaming. When she turns around, she notices why. The big green monster is there again.
"Jeremy get back."
"My arm."
Emma turns around again and sees his skin ripping open to reveal a green slimy limp.
"What is happening?"
She takes a few steps back, while Jeremy lets all of his skin drop to the floor and becomes a green monster. But unfortunately she takes a step to many, because she bumps into the other creature. She tries to use her a powers, but they don't work on it. Not knowing what to do, she starts screaming. "Emma, over her." The coach appears next to her. The slimy creatures see him and turn away to drop themselves in one of the vents on the floor.
"Thanks coach."
-h2o-
Back at Emma's, Rikki and Cleo come in while Emma is making a smoothie.
"What are you two doing here?"
"We rang and you didn't answer."
"You seem kind of tense."
"Me? No."
"Alright, so I wanted to talk to you again about that monster…"
"Awesome shower." Byron walks in to the kitchen and picks up the smoothie Emma made. "This must be mine. See you at the pool."
"There is an explanation. Well, I told you guys about this monster a saw at the pool, right? Well yesterday Danny disappeared after training, the only thing they found back off him were his clothes and skin."
"Eww, who would do that?"
"Apparently no one."
"Alright, now I'm confused."
"Well, I started training Byron so I could get around the swimming pool without any suspicion about why I would be there. This morning, I was there again to train him when suddenly I heard a scream from the changing room. I went over and found Jeremy alone with the monster."
"So it is the monster who did this?"
"No, you didn't let me finish. I was trying to get him out of there, when suddenly his skin ripped open and he also became a green, fishy monster."
"How did you get away from two off them? I mean your powers don't work on them right?"
"The coach saved me. He came out of nowhere and it was like the monsters were scarred of him."
"The question is now, why are those boys changing into monsters."
"Well, I heard that Danny was the best swimmer this season and that Jeremy was runner up. The strange thing is that previous year's they always ended up after Zane and Byron."
"So your thinking that…"
"That they are using something that changes them and that the coach is on it."
"Why would you think that?"
"He didn't ask me anything about those monster, like he already knew what was happening to them."
"So let's investigate."
"I'm on it. I'm keeping an eye on Byron."
With that Emma disappears.
"I think she is forgetting something."
"What?"
"That it's more likable that Shane or Zane turn into fish monster than Byron, I mean they score better in the pool."
"So we'll split up, watch each an other boy. Let's see, you'll take…"
"I'll take Zane."
"Why?"
"Well it's more likely that Shane turns into one, because he performs better. And as Emma's powers are useless against it, my powers are probably too. At least you can make water bubbles to attack the creatures."
"Alright, fine by me."
-h2o-
Byron is back in the pool.
"We have been training for ages and you haven't approved one bit."
"All I can do is my best, there is no need to stress about it."
"That's the point. You have to stress about it if you're going to be a winner. If you wanna be a loser all your life, than I'm not interested in helping you."
"Maybe we should get a break and get an ice-cream."
Byron gets out of the pool.
"Typical. Every time that it gets hard, you wanna have a drink or a rest or an ice-cream, not this time, back in the pool, twenty laps."
"I'm finished for the day."
"You can't be finished until I say so."
"I thought this was going to be fun us working together. I thought you were going to inspire me, but you let me down, man. I never thought you were going to turn into some heavy training dragon."
-h2o-
Later in the morning, Emma is talking to Rikki and Cleo in school.
"Am I too tough or too demanding? Am I an heavy training dragon?"
"No way."
"Not possible."
"Although at times you can be a little bossy."
"And sometimes you don't really listen to people."
After the comments Emma turns away from them, hurt.
"Wow, she takes criticism well."
Lewis comes up to them.
-h2o-
After he leaves, Emma walks back to them.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
"I may look tough, but I'm easily hurt. I'm going to make sure I'm nice from now on. How do I do that?"
"You are asking the wrong person, here."
-h2o-
That afternoon, Rikki is early at the pool to meet Zane, when she sees Byron waiting.
"Hey Rikki, where is Emma?"
"I don't appreciate you calling my friends names. Emma may seem tough, but she is easily hurt."
"I was just telling her…"
"Don't you realize she cares about you?"
"Really, she does? How much?"
"Well Emma isn't the type of girl that fools around with boys, so if she goes on multiple dates with a boy, she cares."
"I care about Emma too, I really do and I would never do anything to hurt her on purpose."
"Ow, just don't do it again."
-h2o-
"You wanted to see me?"
Rikki turns around and sees Zane walking towards her.
"Yeah, there is this thing I like to talk to you about."
"What is it? Not backing out of our deal, are you?"
"No it's not that. Does the coach do anything to make a couple of boys swim better."
"What? The coach would never do that."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah, off course I'm sure."
-h2o-
Emma is walking along with Byron who is swimming.
"A lot slower than yesterday, but you're kicking much better."
"Silver lining in every wave."
"So I've been thinking, rather than just obsessing on winning, maybe you should concentrate on whatever feels right."
"I like it, the Zen approach. Getting on the same level now."
"Great, so how about a few more laps?"
"I think I need a rest, I'm seriously pooped."
"Okay, that's good too."
-h2o-
After training, Zane gets into the sauna, something he doesn't do very often. Shane is already in there.
"Hey mate, how are you doing?"
"Never been better."
"I was wondering about something. Did the coach give you anything to perform better, because you are getting better by the minute." Shane laughs at him. "Seriously. So what is it? Pills, shots, …"
"Man, you are sitting in it?"
"What?"
"Don't you feel the power running trough you, while sitting here."
-h2o-
Emma and Byron are walking towards the exit.
"I really need to apologize for saying what I did."
"This is already the fifth time you said sorry. I forgave you the first time."
"I know you seem tough, but you're easily hurt."
"How do you know that?"
"I really enjoyed training today."
"So did I. look Byron, I'm not an ordinary girl."
"I know that."
He moves forward and kisses her straight on the lips. And he doesn't have to wait long for an answer.
-h2o-
Emma sits down next to Cleo, in front of Rikki.
"It's no good. I try to be nice but he only swims worse. What's the point of being all soft and supportive, if it doesn't make him swim better?"
"At least everything is back to normal between you guys."
"Wow, she is getting back along with Byron, big surprise."
"You're just jealous, because you don't have a boyfriend. I mean I got Byron, Cleo got Lewis and you are alone. I even think you've never even kissed a boy."
"What happened to being nice all the time and for your information I already kissed a boy and I must say that he is probably a better kisser than Lewis and Byron combined."
"Can I have a word, Rikki."
Rikki looks up and sees Zane standing next to her.
"Sure."
She gets up, hoping he didn't hear that last part.
"What's up between them. You don't think he is the boy she kissed?"
"Oh no, she is just keeping an eye on him, as he is the second best swimmer of the team."
-h2o-
Rikki and Zane get out of the café.
"Look what you just heard in the café, that was just us girls talking, it didn't mean anything."
"That doesn't matter, I found out that coach does give the boys something. Apparently the sauna is the place to be if you want to be a champ."
"You didn't get to much sauna, did you?"
"No, why?"
"Well it could be dangerous and…"
"What Rikki?"
"I can't tell you."
"Rikki, if you don't tell me why, I'm going back in there to find out for myself."
"No Zane stop. You just have to trust me on this one, can you do that?"
"Alright. So about my kisses, are they really that fabulous?"
"Oh, leave me alone."
"So see me after training tomorrow."
"Yeah right."
"Meet you at the pool at ten."
"Not listening."
-h2o-
The next morning Emma is waiting for Byron at the pool. He sits himself down next to her.
"I'm late again, aren't I? You wouldn't believe what happened…"
"We need to talk. This nice policy isn't working."
"I thought we're cooking."
"The funny thing is I like how you lay down and chill back. But it isn't going to win you races. If you want me to be your coach, I'm going to have to turn tough again."
"I want you to be my coach."
"I believe you can win if you push yourself."
The move closer to kiss but are interrupted by Zane.
"Working on your breathing technique?"
"We were just talking."
"Yeah right. Up for a race Byron?"
"He isn't interested."
"Yes I am."
"Byron, don't do this. You're not ready."
"I'm always ready. When you are feeling cool and relaxed, it's cool, you can win. That's my motto. Ready when you are."
-h2o-
Off course, Emma was right and Zane wins the race.
"You're dead meat, Byron."
Zane gets out of the pool, on the changing room. Byron looks around and finds Emma missing.
-h2o-
At ten Rikki is waiting by the pool. Behind her a creature comes in and jumps into the pool. She looks into the pool, but at first can't make out the monster because of the splash on the surface.
"Zane, what are you doing? Zane?"
The creature swims beyond the splash, and Rikki can see it clearly now.
"Oh, my God! Zane!"
She walks along the edge of the pool, following the monster as it swims under water.
"It's me, Rikki? I know you can't answer me, but... God, this is all my fault. You wanted to win this thing to impress me. You were so courageous. And you looked really hot in those Speedo's. And... and we can still date. Or, or not. I mean... I understand if you wanna see other fish. But we can arrange that."
Zane walks up behind her. "Uh, Rikki?" Rikki spins around quickly, startled, and draws a frightened breath. Zane points into the pool. "That's not me."
Rikki sees Cleo running into the pool, who was supposedly watching Shane, she shakes her head and leaves the pool. Rikki understands that they lost Shane too. She and Zane both look at the creature. It suddenly makes a lunge for them from the water and Rikki screams. Zane pulls her away and falls. Rikki ends up on top of Zane.
"Sorry."
"Don't be, I'm lying quite comfortable."
She hits him playfully and he attempts to kiss her, but backs away.
"Sorry, made a bet with a certain girl that I wouldn't kiss you unless I win the game."
She gets up and pulls him up too. They turn around and see that the monster is gone.
"Must have fled to the ocean."
"Alright, what was that thing? And why did you think it was me?"
"I got to go."
"No, not this time." He stands before Rikki and stops her. "What are you not telling me?"
"Well, I've heard a rumour about that the stuff the coach gives his swimmers makes them turn into fish, so I thought that thing was you."
"Why would you believe such rumours?"
"Because my source saw Jeremy turning into one."
"Why don't you go the police with this stuff?"
"Like they would believe me. 'Yeah hello, I just saw a swimmer turning into a giant monster after he took a sauna.' Would you believe me, if you hadn't just seen that thing?"
"Alright, good point. So what do we do now?"
"We do nothing. My friend can take care it. I'll go and inform her, we have a third beast."
She turns around to leave, but Zane takes her wrist.
"If there is anything I can help you guys with."
"Well actually there is, don't turn into a fish."
He laughs.
"Alright, I'll try to do my best."
-h2o-
Emma is lying on the couch when someone knocks on the door. Her mom lets Byron in.
"Yell at me if you want to, give me laps until my skin wrinkles up, I'll do whatever it takes."
"I told you not to race. You should have listen to me, you've given Zane a huge psychological advantage."
"Okay, I'll listen from now on."
"I'm finished with it. it's not gonna work. Too many conflicts at interest."
"What conflicts?"
"Girlfriends shouldn't turn into coaches if you are a serious swimmer."
"It worked for a while."
Cleo and Rikki enter, but Byron and Emma are to busy fighting that they don't notice.
"Maybe I was feeling sorry for you."
"And maybe I was just feeling sorry for you."
"It's times like this, when you see what people are really made of."
"You sure do. I don't want you to be my coach anymore, you're fired."
"Good."
And with that Byron leaves her behind, crossing paths with Rikki and Cleo as he leaves. They approach Emma.
"That was extreme."
"Are you okay?"
Emma looks at them and leaves. She goes to her room and lies down on the bed, crying.
-h2o-
The next morning, Rikki and Cleo are on their way to the pool. The want to confront the coach before the race starts. The find him in his cabinet.
"So, how are things going?"
"Girls, you are not suppose to be, the race is about to start."
"We know, pity that your three best swimmers can't compete."
"Yeah, how did they become so good in so little time anyway?"
"You didn't give them anything, did you?"
"You got some imagination, missies."
"Oh, well right now, I'm imagining you in jail. You're wearing a big, orange suit, and, oh, look, the guards are beating you up."
"You don't have any proof."
"Tell us what's in the steam."
"After the fall of the Soviet Union, documents came into light detailing experiments with fish DNA on their Olympic swimmers. Tarpon, mako, shark... But they couldn't crack it."
"And you did... sort of. Why?"
"What kind of question is that? For the win! To make my team the best they could be! Do you understand we have a shot at the state championship?"
"Do you understand that we don't care? It's over. There's not gonna be any swim team."
"Boy, when they were handin' out school spirit, you didn't even stand in line, did you?"
"No. I was in the line for shred of sanity." The coach reaches into the desk behind him and pulls out a pistol. He pulls back the hammer and points the gun at the girls. "Which you obviously skipped. We're not the girls you want to mess with, Cleo."
Cleo uses her powers to make the drops that are hanging on the swimming equipment, larger and make the pistol wet. "What the hell?" The coach looks at the pistol, that's now completely wet. Now it's time for Rikki to use her powers. She lets the water of the pistol boil, so that it's to hot to hold on to. The coach lets the weapon fall and steps back to the door. "What are you?"
"Your biggest nightmare."
The coach runs out of the cabinet, right into the arms of the police.
"Martin Lawrence, we were looking for you, quite a while now."
-h2o-
Rikki and Cleo see the arrest trough the window.
"Let's get out of here, before he starts talking."
-h2o-
They sit themselves on the bench, ready for the race. They see Byron walking by.
"Hey Byron, have you seen Emma?"
"She is not coming." He turns around. "Hey man, do you need glasses, that's my towel."
-h2o-
Emma is home, cleaning her shoes when Cleo calls.
"Why aren't you at the pool, supporting for Byron?"
"I wish I could come, but I have to clean my shoes."
"You hate cleaning your shoes."
"I shouldn't have turned into his coach. Now I ruined my relationship and I didn't even teach him how to swim better."
"You are just worrying about what kind of girlfriend you can be as a mermaid."
"Maybe I should just accept that I'm more mermaid than human."
"You're just making up excuses. This is how we are now and we have to try to live as normally as we can. He is still your boyfriend and besides there is still a chance that he might beat Zane. Do you wanna miss that?"
-h2o-
The guys are making themselves ready to take off. Zane is standing next to Byron.
"Looks like your coach isn't coming. Cheer up, some people are just borne to come second."
"Set."
The boys are off. Emma comes to sit next to Cleo. After a close match between Zane and Byron, Byron is the one to win. He gets over to Emma.
"I did what you told me about hitting the wall as hard as I could…" Emma notices that he is totally wet. "I imagined it was a door that I was going trough and I just ran trough and it really worked."
"Byron, stay back, you're all wet and this outfit isn't waterproof."
"Oh sorry."
"I knew you could win. You just needed to be fired up."
"I was. Is that what you did, plan the fight so I get angry enough to win?"
"Off course not."
"So I guess we are just like colleagues than, whatever that means."
"And we're dating, at least, if you still want to?"
"Off course."
He steps forward to kiss her.
"My outfit."
"Oh right. So, see you after I dried off."
"Sure."
Rikki and Cleo walk over to her.
"We took care of the coach."
"And what happened to the creatures."
"We took care of them too."
"They are finally free from any competition."
"We've let them free in the sea."