"So how did you get your tail?" Lyla asked as they exited Rita's house together. "Fall into the Moon Pool, right?"
"Fell into the Moon Pool twice actually." Marcus admitted. "I was climbing the cliffs above the Pool the first time and found it. I went down to search it and when I was climbing back up my rope snapped and I fell in. I don't remember what happened after that… I woke up underwater."
"And you could breathe underwater I'm guessing?" Lyla asked. "Sorry, stupid question. You wouldn't be here if you couldn't. So were you able to transform after that?"
"Nope." Marcus said, he hesitated and then shook his head confidently. "I haven't been able to grow a tail until very recently actually. Like within the past five days."
"So what do you think of it?" Lyla asked, looking at him eagerly. "It's amazing isn't it?"
"Haven't really had the chance to find out." Marcus said regretfully. "I've been really careful to avoid the others so I haven't really got the chance to swim. The next time that school gives us a vacation, which is next week actually, I'm going away to a secluded place to try it out."
"Want me to come along?" Lyla asked. Marcus frowned slightly and studied her eyes. She had not stopped smiling since they walked out of Rita's house, and Marcus found that he wanted to trust her. "I can imagine that figuring all this out on your own might be kind of overwhelming."
"Thanks." Marcus said after a moment's consideration. "But I'd like to try to figure it out by myself all the same."
"Well, if you change your mind just let me know." Lyla said cheerfully, evidently not at all upset by the refusal.
"Planning on staying around for a while?" Marcus asked.
"Maybe." Lyla said, "I haven't really decided yet. I've been staying with the Northern Pod for the past few months."
"You used to be friends with Zach and the rest, right?" Marcus recalled. "What happened? What made you leave?"
"The pod wasn't as understanding of mermen as they are right now." Lyla answered quietly. "Look, you will probably hear this from the others at some point so I'll just tell you. I didn't exactly leave here on great terms with the others. When Zach first got his powers, Serena, me, and another mermaid named Nixie were blamed. We let him into the Moon Pool and the pod kind of lost it. They left for a while and we were banished. So, we decided that all we had to do to get the pod back was to take away Zach's powers."
Marcus chewed his lip absentmindedly as he listened, considering Lyla's position and why she had reacted as she had. "Makes sense." He said finally. "I can understand your position."
Lyla looked at him with her eyebrows raised, clearly surprised. Marcus smiled at her and shrugged slightly. "If I was in your position and my home was in trouble, I would do anything I could to get it back. But, that's just me. So what made the pod come to accept Zach?"
"Long story short he saved the island from-." Lyla began to explain, but Marcus cut her off when he remembered.
"Oh yeah, the merman chamber." He said smacking a hand to his forehead. "Now it makes sense."
"You seem to know an awful lot about Mako." Lyla observed.
Marcus smiled quietly to himself. "You would be shocked to hear what people say if you listen." Was all he said on the matter.
The rest of the walk was silent as the two of them considered the other. Marcus found Evie's house rather easily and walked around the back of the house with Lyla following close behind him. He stepped around the back and rolled his eyes at the spectacle before him. Serena and David had resumed their customary practice of staring longingly into one another's eyes. Evie and Zach were at the grill, frowning as they attempted to turn the machine on. Cam and Carly were in an animated discussion with Mimi and another man whom Marcus could only assume was Chris. Ondina was sitting in between David and Carly, listening in on the conversation though it was clear she was not participating. She looked up when Marcus came around the side of the house and smiled welcomingly at him, though the smile faltered when Lyla followed him. "Look who I found." Marcus said cheerfully in way of a greeting.
Everyone's eyes turned as one to look at Lyla. Marcus stepped aside and caught Evie's eye, winking at her casually as Serena, Ondina, and Mimi shrieked in delight and swarmed their friend. After a beat, Zach, Cam, and Carly also went to greet the familiar face. The only three not present in the reunion was Chris, Evie, and Marcus. Chris was clearly intrigued by the reunion, but he remained in his seat. He was smiling however, which is more than can be said for Evie. She was glaring daggers at Marcus who had the grace to look very slightly abashed. "I brought a plus one." He said, a tad unnecessarily. "That's not a problem, is it?"
The only answer Evie gave at the time was an even more malevolent glare directed at Marcus. But if she was actually going to speak, it was lost on the rest as they pulled up a chair for Lyla and began bombarding her with questions.
"What are you doing here?" Was the most prevalent, and was asked several times until Lyla got around to answering it. After that they began to question her, interrogation style until they were satisfied that everyone was all caught up on her life. It was then Lyla's turn to ask questions regarding each of their lives, and they were all too happy to answer. Marcus had been pulled to the table by someone and now found himself sitting between Chris and Ondina, listening interestedly as Mimi's boyfriend detailed what he did for a job.
Lyla listened with rapt attention before glancing to Mimi, a question in her eyes. "So, Chris, do you ever let Mimi help out with the dolphins?" She asked delicately. Marcus was impressed by the subtlety of the question. Depending on how he answered it would tell her just how much the human was aware of.
"Well, sometimes." He admitted. "I mean, mostly at night when everyone leaves the park. Don't want anyone seeing her with a tail right?"
"Absolutely." Lyla agreed.
A rumbling sound interrupted the reunion and everyone followed the source of the noise to Zach who rubbed his stomach and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I'm a bit hungry." He told them. He looked wistfully at the grill and then to David. "You mind?"
David looked regretful that he would be leaving Serena's side and Marcus decided to take pity on him. "Don't worry." He said, getting to his feet and striding over to the grill. "I got this. I cook for myself all the time, this should be a breeze."
"I'll help." Ondina said, following after him.
Surprised, but not opposed to the idea, Marcus began to play with the grill. A small flame at the bottom of the grill flared to life and soon he had managed to figure out the specifics of the machine. "Ever used a grill before?" He asked Ondina curiously.
"Nope." She said, examining the grill closely. "Never had a reason to use one. We don't cook most of what we eat."
"Which poses an interesting question." Marcus muttered, leaning down and opening up the small cooler that Evie had left beside the grill. Inside were various meats, including a large variety of seafood. Marcus was relieved to see a pair of disposable latex gloves under the grill and quickly pulled them on. He picked up several burgers in his hands and set them on the grill, quickly stepping back when the hot metal met the cold meat. Ondina had mimicked his quick action and was now perusing the contents of the cooler, making small sounds of delight at odd intervals. Marcus focused on the grill and the meats he had placed upon it for several minutes until an odd chewing sound came from his right. He turned his head and shook his head immediately. Ondina was watching him interestedly while making quick work of a fish filet.
"Enjoying that are you?" He asked, rolling his eyes.
"Want some?" She offered the filet.
"Think I'll pass." Marcus said, shivering in disgust. However, the more he thought about it the more he found that the filet, even raw, was more and more tempting. He shook off the desire and focused back on the meat. "So what do you think? Pretty easy right?"
"I guess." Ondina said, eyeing the meat distastefully. "But I don't know why you would bother trying to cook fish. It ruins the flavor."
"I love sashimi just as much as the next guy, but there is a limit." Marcus told her. "And my limit is what looks like a fish that was just caught this morning."
"If you ever come swimming, you really have to try oysters." Ondina told him sighing as she remembered the food. "They're delicious, really they are. Soft and salty with just enough zing to be interesting."
"Pass." Marcus dismissed the notion immediately. "I don't like swimming to be honest."
"And you are hanging out with mermaids?" Ondina asked. "Seems like a conflict of interest."
"Don't make me throw you in the water." Marcus warned, brandishing the tongs at her. "Because I will." He paused as he considered the threat. It was not nearly as bad as he had expected it to be and he was suddenly disappointed with himself.
"I doubt you could." Ondina told him, finishing off the last of the fish.
Marcus very carefully put down the barbecue tongs and turned to face Ondina. She looked up at him, her eyes alight with a challenge. "You sound confident on that." He observed, his blood thundering in his ears as the promise of a challenge sang through him.
Ondina appeared similarly engaged in their confrontation. "I am." She said dismissively, walking away with a sashay of her hips. "You wouldn't."
Careful Marcus, careful. The rational part of him warned. You don't want to get yourself wet here, it would only end badly. Just admit defeat.
But his competitive side was just as in control as his rational side was and the two sides went to war inside his skull. He watched Ondina walk away and take her seat at the table, casting a final challenging look over at him along with a sly grin. It was that small smile that drove the internal battle to the edge and Marcus's competitive side won over. "You are so done." He growled, leaning forward and preparing to run at the blonde mermaid.