I hope you can follow this chapter, if you have any questions you can ask me. The going to the future part was lalarono221's idea. Enjoy.
A future that brings no good
Cleo, Lewis and Emma are sitting at their usual bench in school. It looks like they are waiting for someone.
"I don't think she is going to come, Cleo."
"She has to, we always meet here before school."
"I don't think she wants to hang with us at the moment."
"I guess you're right."
"C'mon, classes are about to start."
Lewis and Emma stand up, but notice Cleo still sitting down.
"C'mon Cleo."
"One more minute please."
Lewis gives Emma a meaningful look and she leaves, while Lewis sits back down. He notices Cleo getting her sad look. He pulls her closer to him and she lays her head on his shoulder, while he rests his head on hers.
"Cleo, are you alright?"
"No, how can I be alright? We lost Rikki."
"We didn't lose anyone, there is just a minor misunderstanding, it will be alright. Do you trust me?"
"Off course I do."
"Then believe me."
She looks up into his eyes and they kiss softly before being interrupted by Emma.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I think you should see this."
They stand up and follow Emma.
"What did you… Wow."
"What the hell."
They stand open-mouthed, looking at Zane kissing with a certain very familiar blonde girl and it doesn't look like they are going to stop soon.
-h2o-
Rikki is walking towards school when a hand skips into hers.
"I was wondering what was keeping you."
"I just wanted to look good for my milady."
"Oh please, you can't be serious about calling me a lady, I'm anything but."
"As for now I can call you anything I want wherever I want."
He kisses her playfully on the cheek.
"I've got to say, you're not the only one enjoying our public relationship. Like now I can do this."
"What can…"
But the end of his sentence never made it as Rikki starts kissing him on the lips. After a second she pulls away and looks into his eyes.
"Catch me if you can."
"What?"
But Rikki is already gone. It didn't last long before Zane caught up with her again. He stops her against the wall and puts his arms on either side of her head.
"So I caught you, what is my reward?"
"Like you can't think of anything."
She starts kissing him again while she lays her arms around his neck. Zane removes his arms from the wall and put one on the back of her head and the other around her waist. Rikki smiles when the bell rings and they finally have to stop.
"C'mon, I don't want to be late for class."
"Why? I want everyone to be there so they can see what a beautiful fish I caught."
"I is that all I am to you, now. Something to show off with."
"Oh wait, didn't you know that? Damn, I really thought I had informed you."
They laugh aloud and he takes her hand to lead her into the classroom. Her smile disappeares when she sees her three best friends. Or should she say ex-best friends. She puts her face down and follows Zane inside.
-h2o-
Emma and Cleo sit down next to each other. Emma looks around and sees Zane whispering something into Rikki's ears, that she finds extremely funny. Cleo sees Emma's face when she turns back to the front.
"Is it that bad?"
"There one inch away of giving another kissing demonstration that's only appropriate in private."
"I don't get what she sees in him?"
"She probably just wants to piss us off, and what better way to do that then making out with Zane. The only thing more worse then Zane would have been if she had chosen Lewis or Byron to make out with."
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot, how did things went with Byron?"
"Great, he asked me out again."
"Look at you, you blossom when I just mention his name. Girl, you've got it bad."
"Cleo, I don't know but I never felt anything like this before for anyone. He is the one, I can just tell."
"Like me and Lewis."
"Exactly, but certainly not like Zane and Rikki."
Emma and Cleo look around again, seeing Zane's and Rikki's hands intertwine. They shudder as they turn their attention back to lesson.
-h2o-
Eleanor is sitting alone in her room. While looking at a book, she puts different stuffy into a pot. The cloaked-figure fires in.
"You called."
"Yes."
She puts some frog-legs in the pot and it explodes. She takes a bottle and pours the potion into it.
"What's that?"
"Something to get those two goodie good mermaids out of my way for good."
"Wait, how?"
"This right here…" She holds up the vial, which has a violet colour. "is a potion that's going to send those two to a place where they no longer can do me harm."
"But…"
"Just make sure, they drink it."
-h2o-
Emma and Cleo are walking to Cleo's house.
"I miss Rikki."
"Me too, Cleo. But we can't just sit around and do nothing until she decides we're worthy again to be her friends."
"I guess you're right."
A man stumbles before them, it looks like he doesn't have a lot of money.
"I'm sorry, but can I tempt your lady's with a bottle of grape juice."
"No, we're not…"
"Cleo, this man needs all the help he can get. We'll take one bottle."
She gives him some money and he gives them a bottle.
"You should drink it as soon as possible, the fresher, the better."
"Okay, thank you."
"Have a nice day."
"You too."
Emma and Cleo pass the man to walk further towards Cleo's house. The man smiles evilly before firing out.
-h2o-
Emma walks into Cleo's kitchen. She takes out two glasses.
"What are you doing?"
"Drinking the grape juice, what does it like look I'm doing?"
"Emma, we don't know for sure what's in that bottle."
"Cleo, you need to learn to trust people a little bit more. Alright, let's just take a sip and if we don't like it, we pour it away." She gives Cleo a glass. "Enjoy."
They both take a sip and immediately fall down.
-h2o-
Cleo wakes up, lying on a couch. She looks around, but she doesn't recognise the place.
"Alright, this is weird. Emma! Are you here."
"I'm coming mommy." Mommy, what the hell! A five-year old brown-haired girl runs down the stairs and hugs her tightly. "I've been really good, mommy, I've already brushed my teeth. But Donny doesn't want to and lewis is still lying in his bed."
"Lewis? Why don't you get him for me, okay?"
"Okay."
She runs back to the bottom of the stairs. The bell rings and Cleo goes to open the door. A blond woman stands in the door opening.
"Hey, can I help you?"
"Cleo, don't you remember, I'm taking your kids the marine park. You practically begged me."
"I did?"
Cleo looks around, not knowing what to think, when she finds herself standing next to a mirror. Only she doesn't sees herself but a very attractive woman. Her dark brown curly hair, is only down to her neck and she is had a beautiful figure, one of a model. The dress she is wearing, looks like it belongs into a magazine, it's a tight purple dress with a black belt under her bosom. She has earrings in that look like they are made of real diamonds. Her face is perfectly made up, really bringing out her eyes. Wait those eyes, this woman looks a lot like… her, only twenty years in the future. Oh my god, if she didn't know any better, she would think she was in the future. Wait, if you add things up… she is in the future. Cleo gasps loudly.
"Cleo, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"So do you still want me to take your kids?"
"If that's what I told you, then that is what you should do."
"Okay, then. Lewis! Donny! Emma! We're leaving" The woman looks strangely towards Cleo. "Are you sure you okay? You look a little overwhelmed."
"Tell me about it. I mean, I'll be alright."
They soon hear the footsteps of three people coming down the stairs. Little Emma is the first to come into the foyer, already ready. She sees the woman in the door opening.
"Aunt Kimmie."
She rushes over and is taken into a big hug by… Kim?
"Hello Emma, we're going to have one hell of a day. Are your brothers ready?"
"Almost."
"Okay, why don't you already go to the car? Ellie and Christy are waiting for you."
She turns around and gives Cleo one last hug before leaving. Two other children walk into the foyer. The oldest was blond and looked very much like Lewis, he must be about fifteen years old. The other boy, brown-haired, only looked eight. The oldest quickly gave Cleo a pack on the cheek while the youngest gave a hug.
"Alright Donny, you'll have to let go eventually. The car isn't waiting forever."
The boy looked up to Cleo and then left. With the house empty now, Cleo had the chance to look around. She hadn't recognised it at first because all of the new stuff and because it was made bigger, but this was her house. She walked over to a closet, that is packed with pictures. Almost at the back of the pictures, she saw one she recognised. It was off her, Rikki and Emma. That one stood also next to her bed. Another picture was of only Lewis in a costume, two candles stood next to the picture. The picture on the front must be a family picture, because she recognised the three children. After a closer look, she recognised the husband.
"Nate?"
"Yes dear." A man walks into the room, clearly Nate. "God, you look good today. I really have chosen my wife good." He takes her into his arms and kisses her fully on the lips. He puts his hands on her back and moves down. But before they have reached their destination, Cleo breaks lose.
"Wait wife?"
"Cleo, why are you acting this strange?"
The bell rings again.
"Hold that thought." Cleo makes her way to the door and opens it to reveal another attractive woman. This woman is wearing a suit, which accents her figure just right and has a pearl necklace on. She has long blonde straight hair which is worn in a tail that hangs over her right shoulder. "Emma?"
"Cleo?"
They look strangely at each other before taking each other into a tight hug. They start talking at the same time.
"What has happened?" "Why are we in the future?"
They laugh at each other and Cleo lets Emma into her living room where Nate still is.
"Oh the beautiful Emma, always a pleasure to have you around."
"Nate? What is he doing here?"
"Apparently, he is my husband."
"And don't forget the father of your two youngest children."
He goes up to Cleo's back and puts his arms around her waist.
"Wait you have children?"
"Wait, what do you mean, my two youngest."
Nate lets go off Cleo and looks strangely at the two of them.
"What is going on with you two. Wait did Lewis put you up to this? Cleo, you know I love all your kids, but your oldest drives me mad sometimes."
"Sorry, I guess."
"It's alright, well I'm off. Somebody got to pay for my wife's expensive taste. You don't have to count on me for dinner, I might be late." He kisses Cleo on the cheek and whispers in her ear. "But you can wait up for me, cause I'm going to spoil you tonight." He walks towards the door. "Good seeing you Em."
As soon as they are alone, they go up to Cleo's room.
"Alright, we need to find out what happened. How much in the future do you think we are?"
"I have absolutely no idea, if I had to guess, I would say twenty years, as I apparently already got a teenager."
"How strange is that? You already have children."
"Even more strange, two of them are from Nate. So what about you?"
"I don't know, I woke up in this huge office, where everyone called me boss. So I don't know if a have a family. There were was only one picture on my desk and it was off me, you and Rikki."
Because Cleo is looking at Emma and hasn't been in this house for twenty years, she bumps into a vase. As in a reflection Emma puts out her hand to freeze it. Only this time she doesn't freeze just the water but also the entire wall.
"Wow, how did you that?"
"I guess our powers have grown. Sorry about your wall."
"Yeah, yeah."
They enter Cleo's room, at least what used to be Cleo's room. It's now full of pink and in princess style.
"I think this isn't your room anymore."
"Wait here." Cleo walks into the room and pushes a rug to the side. She easily lifts a part of the floor and takes out a dusty book. "Some things never change." She notices Emma's look. "After Kim had stolen my diary, I decided to keep our book of watershadows somewhere safe. When I discovered I could remove a part of my floor, the decision was easy made."
"Alright, let's have a look at it. Maybe we can get something out of it."
They open it and find the pages all filled up.
"It's got so big. I guess we have been really busy."
"Yeah but nothing about time travelling."
"Wait, I found something." Cleo points to a little text. "Time travelling is extremely hard as you have to break trough the portal of times. Only a mermaid who has the mermaid gene has enough power to send things, maybe even people trough time. Why would Rikki send us trough time?"
"Well maybe Rikki didn't send us to the future, but did another Rikki got us from the past."
"Why…"
"Would she do that? How should we know what the Rikki in this reality thinks, I mean, why did you marry Nate?" Cleo thinks about it. "But I don't think our Rikki send us here. So let's try to find her."
-h2o-
Back in the past, Lewis enters Cleo's home. "Cleo? Are you home?" He walks into the kitchen and finds Emma and Cleo on the floor. He checks their pulse and is relieved when he notices they are just sleeping. He looks at the glasses that stand on the counter. "What happened here?"
-h2o-
Emma and Cleo are heading across town.
"Were do you suggest we start looking for her?"
"The juice net. We almost met up there."
"Good idea."
But when they arrive there, there is no juice net to be find. Only a pile of dirt and bricks that used to be a building.
"What has happened here?"
"I have no idea."
"Let's try Mako then."
They walk towards the docks but are stopped by a voice.
"Stop! What are you doing, do you want to die?"
A dark brown-haired man comes up to them. A large scare covers his face.
"Idiots, do you want to get yourselves killed. You know the ocean is forbidden territory for you."
"Zane? We know what we are doing."
Emma takes a step forward but is pulled back by Zane. Right at the place Emma wanted to go, a shiny beast swims by, making the water bubble.
"Emma, don't be reckless."
"What do you mean with forbidden territory?"
"And who is going to kill us?"
"What's wrong with you two? Oh no, has she send another demon after you, one that makes you forget stuff or something. She promised me she wouldn't do that anymore."
Emma and Cleo quickly look at each other before making a choice. Emma steps forward.
"I think she has, could you maybe explain to us what is happening?"
"Alright, but not here, it's not safe. C'mon before she sees us together. Quickly."
They follow him as he starts running.
-h2o-
Back in the past, Rikki and Zane are walking down the beach when Lewis comes up to them.
"Rikki, stop, I need to talk to you."
She turns around.
"I have nothing to say Lewis. You have chosen your side."
"No look."
He quickly looks at Zane as Rikki notices.
"Zane, sweetie, could I have a word with Lewis in private."
"Okay, but don't take to long."
"Don't worry, I won't."
He walks a few feet away and Lewis continues.
"Emma and Cleo need your help, they are in trouble."
"What do you mean? Aren't they big and strong enough to solve it on their own."
She turns around to head back to Zane. "Not this time. Rikki, they really need you, do you really want their death on your head." Rikki stops and turns around.
"Is it that serious?" Lewis nods. "Give me one second and I'm there."
-h2o-
Zane leads Emma and Cleo down into a little house, barely noticeable. He goes to a little stove.
"Do you guys want anything?"
"No thanks."
He turns around and sees Emma and Cleo looking at the dirty place in disgust. He laughs.
"I know, not exactly the palace."
Emma and Cleo sit down.
"Alright, so where should I begin. Maybe you guys can tell me what you still remember."
"We haven't got a memory of the last twenty years."
"Wow, twenty years, I have never heard of a demon who is capable to let people forget for such a long time. Or the people forgot at most a couple of days or forget everything."
"Well, it must be a pretty powerful demon then."
"I guess so. Alright, what's the last thing you remember then?"
"Rikki and us, we had a fight. She thought we were jealous of her."
"Oh, and you and Rikki were together."
"I remember, well that Rikki is dead. She has changed completely. Not even that long after your last memories."
"How long exactly is not that long?"
"A year at most. I don't really know how long it was, she changed trough the months. I finally noticed how much she had changed after she killed someone."
"What?"
"Rikki can't kill anyone."
"Not the Rikki you know."
"Did we know the person she killed?"
"Yeah, her name was Charlotte Watsford. I don't think Rikki actually meant to kill her. Charlotte had become a mermaid, but gained all three powers. She had threatened you and Rikki a couple of times and Rikki didn't like that. She took things into her own hands, she crossed the line and went too far. Rikki didn't want to acknowledge what she had done and acted like nothing was wrong. Her mom took her away for a couple of years. When she came back, she was a different person. When I asked her about her mother, she said that her mother wanted her powers so she had no other choice then to kill her too. Rikki had gained massive powers, she could make fire in her hands, fireballs. She also had complete control over Mako, she could create a water tentacle. You have already encountered him. At first, he could only come out on the full moon, but not anymore." Zane notices the looks of complete disbelief on Emma's and Cleo's faces. "And, I haven't come to the worst part yet."
Emma and Cleo give each other a look of not understanding.
"How could it become any worse."
"Well while Rikki was gone, you guys had befriended another mermaid, Isabella Hartley, Bella for her friends and a boy, named Will." Zane smiled as he thought back to this Bella and Will. "Bella was bubbly, always friendly and Will and I had become great friends." His eyes got sad again. "Rikki didn't like this newcomers, and especially not after she got to know that Bella also had three powers, not your three powers, but others. But still, Rikki didn't like the idea. She set a trap for her, three demons would attack her when she came back from Mako, one demon for each power. But Bella wasn't the one coming back form Mako first, Will was. He didn't stand a chance and got killed. Bella was furious when she realised who did it. She went after Rikki alone, you two and Lewis followed her. When you arrived, it was easy to tell who was winning and it wasn't Bella. She was taking it bad and Rikki was about to give her the final strike when Lewis jumped in front of Bella. He is still lying in a coma and Bella still died, she was already to bad damaged. Rikki grew mad, she never meant to hurt Lewis, she always had some sort of understanding with him. After that day, she disappeared and to make sure you two would never go after her, she let her water monster behind, so you could never go into the ocean again. I never have seen her since that day."
"Well isn't that a heartbreaking story."
They turn around and out of the shadows comes a woman.
-h2o-
Lewis and Rikki are sitting beside the sleeping Emma and Cleo.
"So what do you want me to do?"
"Well, I have analysed the drink and according to me it's a potion. I have looked around a bit on the internet and I think it has sent them to another place."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't know, I only know that a lot of the stuff that is in it, is meant to replace people to different places."
"So how do we get them back?"
"I figured that you could maybe ride a spell."
"Oh did you figure now?"
-h2o-
The woman is wearing a red corset and a black tight-fitting pants. Her blond hair is pulled into a high pony tail, but is still comes to her bottom. Zane recognises her first.
"Rikki?"
"Yeah it is me, who else knows you live in this filthy hole you call a home. But don't worry, I'm not here to stay. I have an underworld to rule. I only wanted to know why my water tentacle informed me that my two best friends were about to go into the water. You weren't looking for me now, were you?"
"You were the one who sent a demon after them. They have absolutely no memories of the last twenty years."
"Stay out of it Zane, and what do you mean? I didn't send one after them, why would I want them to forget."
Both Zane and Rikki look at Emma and Cleo for an explanation.
"There was no demon. We are from the past, twenty years ago to be exact."
"And how the hell did you get here? Only a mermaid in possession of the magic gene can send people trough time and since I'm the only here who owns it and I don't remember me doing that now or twenty years in the past, I would say you two are lying."
"No, we are speaking the truth, you've got to believe us."
"Well as long as I'm here, I can make my time still well spent." She forms a fireball in her hand. "I never killed you two, because I still felt a connection with you guys, but since we're lying to each other now…"
"Rikki, we're telling the truth. Please you've got to believe us."
Rikki throws the fire ball at them and without thinking about it Cleo raises her hands for protection. A wind blows into the hole and blows the fireball back towards Rikki. It hits her and she flies back into the wall. She gets back up and a knife forms into her hand. Rikki throws it at Emma but Zane jumps in the way. He falls down into Emma's arms.
"No!"
"Run!"
He lets go of Emma and Cleo and Emma run out of the house, hearing Rikki screaming.
"You'll pay for this Emma, you'll pay for it big time. Just wait and see."
-h2o-
Having no other place to go, Emma and Cleo head back to Cleo's house. They run inside, happy to see it's empty.
"I hope she hasn't followed her."
But behind Cleo's back, Rikki flames in.
"Cleo!"
Cleo turns around and quickly crosses the room to end next to Emma.
"You guys didn't think I was about to let you go, right? That would just be an anticlimax to our story. You've really made it nice in here Cleo." She looks around and sees the pictures. "Nice kids, I've only met Lewis. Wait are you married to Nate, well your taste hasn't grown positive in that department." She also notices the picture of Lewis. She strokes the frame with her finger. "I really never meant to hurt him." She puts the frame down and turns back to Cleo and Emma. "Well there is no need to think about the past, now is there?"
-h2o-
"And?"
Lewis tries to look at the paper in Rikki's hands, but she doesn't let him see.
"I think I've created one that can bring them back, it was hurt but I think it will work. Alright, here goes nothing. A time for everything and to everything it's place. Return what has been moved through time and space."
-h2o-
Rikki forms a fireball in front of her, big enough to kill them both at once. "Loved seeing you again." She winks at them and then throws it towards Cleo and Emma.
-h2o-
Emma and Cleo jump awake. "See Lewis, how great am I?" Emma and Cleo see Rikki and back away from here.
"Get away, you're evil."
"Great, it was great working with you Lewis, but next time they are in trouble, you can fix it yourself."
Cleo and Emma notice Lewis and that they are back in the past. "No Rikki, wait." But Rikki is already gone.
"What happened with you guys?"
"You won't believe us."