Mimmi's moon ring was running out of energy and fast. She sat in the grotto, feeling completely helpless as she once more directed the moon rings magic to the glass of water on the table that sat across from her. An image of the current sky showed up as the light of the moon ring bounced off the water, a simple spell the pod used all of the time to check the water's surface for danger. She glanced up at the sky to check the suns position once more. It was falling towards the horizon quickly. They were running out of time. The full moon would be in the sky in a few hours and the mermaids still didn't have a solid plan. They had a risky one but Mimmi wasn't sure if it was going to work.
"Mimmi?" a voice said behind her. Mimmi turned around and saw Lauren standing in the doorway of grotto. She had a fascinated look on her face, the one she always had whenever she saw the kids practicing magic.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything. Rita let me in, but I could always come back later if you are busy." Lauren said, pointing up at the staircase.
Mimmi waved her hand. "No, you're fine. This thing is going to…" she stopped as her moon rings light flickered and then went out. "Die soon." She finished.
Lauren walked over and sat down on the bench next to Mimmi. "Won't you need that for the fight with the water dragon tonight?" she asked.
Mimmi nodded. "I do but it will get recharged tonight. I don't think that I will need it much before then."
She then turned to face her adopted mother. "What can I do for you?"
"It's more like what can I do for you? How are you feeling? Are you worried about tonight?"
Mimmi sighed. "Of course I'm worried, but Zac said that they had it under control."
Lauren smiled. "Speaking of Zac, where is that darling son of mine?"
"He is with Weilan and Ondina getting the bracelet that we told you about. Weilan said they found it at some diving facility or something like that. All I know is that some blonde diver who lived here many years ago found it during an exhibition. I don't really know."
"A diver?" Lauren questioned.
Mimmi nodded. "Yeah, she started diving around here and then made a name for herself in the states. She has a boy's name I believe. What was it? Ryan? Ralph? Or maybe it was Mickey. It's not important but she has it."
Lauren gave a slight nod. "Okay… I hope you guys aren't doing anything illegal." She stated.
The young brunette gave her a devious grin. "Just following the laws of the sea."
Lauren still looked concerned, but soon realized that there was nothing she could do.
Mimmi put a reassuring hand on Lauren's arm. "Don't worry Mum, we will be fine."
Lauren smiled weakly. "I know you will. I'm always going to worry though."
Mimmi threw her arms around her adopted mother. "And that is why I love you." She smiled as she felt Lauren hug her back tightly.
They separated as they heard someone clear their throat behind them. Zac, Weilan and Ondina were standing in the doorway with Rita trailing behind them. In Zac's hands sat a beautiful golden dragon bracelet with ruby red eyes. It sparked in the light and gave off a majestic glow. Lauren gasped as she gazed at the bracelet. Mimmi's heart began to race in her chest. Everything just became a lot more real.
"Wow" she said aloud. Zac smiled.
"Yeah wow and let me tell you, that thing was not easy to get. Turns out people do not like random kids coming into a museum and stealing…" he stopped when he saw his mother's eyebrows raise. "I mean borrowing a priceless artifact," he said, quickly correcting himself.
Lauren smirked. "Though I'm not pleased with how you took the item, I am sure glad you have it. It is finally time to end that water dragon once and for all."
"That's the spirit!" Weilan chirped awkwardly, throwing her hands up in the air. Lauren stifled a laugh.
"Mimmi, we need to talk about the plan" Zac's voice said in his sisters mind.
"Here? I mean, shouldn't we go somewhere more private? Mimmi questioned.
"No, if we leave, they will get suspicious. You know Ondina, she will never disobey the pod again. If we get her in on the plan, she will go and tell the council immediately. And Weilan wants justice for her pod. She wants this thing dead. But we both know that can never happen."
"Why can't we get mum and dad in it?" Mimmi asked.
"And say what? 'Hey guys, we have been lying to you this entire time again. We are not going to kill the water dragon because we believe it is our mother that abandoned us at birth. Want to help out even though we could be wrong and it's not Nerissa and we could die in a horribly, painful way? Doesn't that sound like fun?' Mimmi, no one else can know. They will just try and talk us out of this. We have to do this alone. For Nerissa."
Mimmi visibly sighed. "For Nerissa" she agreed.
Luckily, no one was paying attention to the twins, so they didn't notice the change in mood and energy. They were all too busy talking about reorganizing the Eastern Pod when they were done. When the girls turned to face the twins, they quickly put on a façade.
"So, what do you think?" Weilan asked them with a huge smile on her face. Even though they were not paying attention to her, they could tell by the grin that she was excited about something.
Zac cleared his throat. "Sounds great"
Weilan clapped her hands in happiness. "So it's settled. After we defeat this beast, you are all coming to meet my mermaid council. Oh they will love you! The Great Heroes of Mako!" Weilan said, with a wave of her hand across the air as she imagined it on a sign. "And they will totally want to meet you Zac. The merman who restored peace between the mers. Oh! It will be wonderful!"
Ondina took a step back. "Okay, happy Weilan is scaring me. Is she scaring anyone else?"
That comment was met with a slap on her arm from Weilan.
Mimmi laughed. "Okay, now that we have the bracelet, we need to find out who is going to wear it."
"Well that's easy. You will dear," a voice said from behind them. Rita entered the grotto.
"Me?" Mimmi asked, placing her hand to her chest.
"Why of course. The dragon is from the Northern pod so that rules out Weilan and Ondina with trying to defeat it. Zac is originally from the Northern pod, but the only way the bracelet will work is if a mermaid uses it.
Zac smiled at his sister. "Go for it."
Mimmi smiled back and reached for the bracelet. She picked it up and slid it up her slim wrist. She eyed her friends who smiled back at her.
"Let's go and save the world," Weilan said with a devious smile.
Hours later, they were ready. The full moon was high in the sky as it casted its reflection over the water. The nigh air was warm and peaceful, perfect for a relaxing night. Unfortunately for the mers, this night was anything but peaceful.
Away from the mermaids, the water began to bubble. A light blue creature formed under the water. The water dragon emerged, baring its teeth as it let loose an unearthly growl.
Mimmi, Zac, Weilan and Ondina raced toward Mako as fast as they were able to manage.
They arrived in front of the dragon as soon as the full moon was above the moon pool. They stared as a blast if blue energy erupted out of the volcano. The energy of the moon rings blasted the water dragon with a powerful force.
"No!" Mimmi screamed in alarm.
"We'll stop this!" Ondina cried out to her best friend. She and Weilan dove beneath the waves, leaving Zac and Mimmi to face the dragon.
Mimmi was shocked. She was sure that her friends wanted this dragon dead, but there they were, racing to stop a force that could kill it. They didn't want revenge or for it to be destroyed, they wanted to help Mimmi. If Mimmi believed her mother was in there, the two mermaids were going to stop at nothing to help their friend. And they also heard her and Zac talking about their plan earlier that week, so they already knew that their friends were keeping secrets from them.
The dragon let loose a mighty roar. Zac shouted over to his sister, "Now Mimmi!"
Mimmi raised her arm and focused all of her powers on tone bracelet. It began to glow a brilliant red as shot a red beam out to the dragon. The dragon roared as it began to glow a vibrant yellow.
Mimmi smiled and shouted, "She's here! I can feel her!"
Zac smiled and shouted back, "I can feel her too!"
Their happiness was short lived as another blast if energy emerged from the moon pool. Ondina and Weilan couldn't stop the mermaid counsel.
Mimmi tried to summon even more energy, but she had met her limits.
"Mother!" she screamed as lightning stuck the dragon. "Mother come back!" The yellow light inside the dragon exploded, blinding everyone with a brilliant light. The mers placed their hads in front of their eyes to avoid the bright light.
When the light subsided, Mimmi was nowhere to been seen.
"Mimmi!" Zac cried out.
"Mimmi!" yelled Ondina.
Both mers were screaming her name as Weilan just waded there, dumbfounded.
Zac and Ondina were desperately calling the brunettes name as they both fought the tears that were threatening to flow.
The light from the moon pool faded.
"Mimmi!" Ondina cried, now in tears, as Zac still frantically called his beloved sisters name. Nothing.
Then, bubbles in the water started to form. They all held their breaths in anticipation. Finally, not one but two heads emerged from the deep blue sea.
Mimmi was there with Nerissa. Zac stared as his mother smiled and hugged Mimmi. Nerissa then stretched out her hand towards Zac. He hesitated, but then joined the embrace.
"My children" Nerissa said with tears in her eyes.
Zac and Mimmi snuggled up closer to their mother. The threat was no more.
Later in the grotto, Nerissa explained what had happened. Her story made everything so clear. Why she destroyed the Eastern pod and why Zac and Mimmi had a connection.
"Many years ago, I left you here, not knowing if I would ever see you again," Nerissa said to Mimmi. She then turned to face Zac. "It was the hardest thing I have ever done. I will never leave you again." Both teens smiled and hugged their mother.
They broke apart when they heard footsteps coming down towards the grotto.
"Zac? Mimmi?" a voice called desperately. Rob and Lauren rounded the corner and sighed in relief when they saw their children.
"Thank goodness you're both okay. We were so worried when…" Lauren faltered when she saw who they were with. She opened and closed her mouth, looking like a fish out of water. Or a mermaid in that matter.
Rob was the one who broke the silence "Nerissa," he guessed.
Nerissa smiled and nodded.
"You were the water dragon, weren't you?" he asked, finally understanding.
Nerissa nodded again, this time sadly. "I was. I was placed under a spell by an evil mermaid. Do not fear, I had no intention of harming my…um your… um the children. I had full control at that point. Sadly, I did not when I destroyed the eastern pod."
Lauren, finally able to speak again, whispered "You look just like them. I mean, you and Mimmi are a spitting image of course, but I can see Zac in you. You have the same smile and look in your eyes," she put her hand up to her mouth. "This is really happening."
"It really is." Nerissa said as she stood up from the bench. "Lauren and Rob Blakely, I want to thank you for raising Zac when I had to give him up. He has grown into such a wonderful young man. Also, thank you for taking care of Mimmi too. I am forever in your debt. You can come and visit us whenever you would like."
"Wait, what? Where are we going?" Zac said, rising up from the bench to face his biological mother.
Nerissa tilted her head in confusion but smiled. "To the Northern pod of course. It's time for us to head back home and be a real family again.
To my wonderful and faithful readers,
Surprise! I'm alive!
I owe you all an explanation and I am so so so so so sorry that it has taken me forever to update.
First my life has been hectic. I am really trying to focus on school work because I will be heading to college in two years and I need to do my very best in order to get into the best school.
Second, I got a new puppy! She is adorable but don't let those cute looks fool you. She is super naughty.
Third, my computer completely broke. Normally, I write most of my chapters in school, but because I didn't have my computer, I couldn't write. I got a new one so we are all good.
Fourth, I am in a musical at my school and I get home super late. I come home, eat, finish my homework and crash. Hey, I need my beauty sleep.
Fifth and most importantly, I have been dealing with a serious case of writer's block. I have a lot of chapters already planned out, but I lack the motivation to get those ideas down. I am really trying to push through it and I really don't want to give you all crappy writing. I am doing the best I can and life can sometimes get in my way. I'm nowhere near perfect. Hopefully by uploading this chapter, I can give myself the boat I need to get back on track.
Thank you all for staying with me during my unplanned break. I swear I have the best readers in the world. I really do appreciate it. You guys are the reason why I keep ion writing and I love you all.
So with that, I have to go and watch my puppy.
I hope you enjoyed it.
See you soon (I promise)
Xoxo,
~Moonlight Mermaids