Chapter Two - And Then There Were Four

Lewis and Zane could only stare in disbelief as their girlfriends, and surprisingly enough, Bella, mindlessly dove into the ocean. As Zane struggled to make sense of what just happened, Lewis impatiently snapped him back to reality, reminding him that the girls needed their help.

Zane: "Oh my god, Lewis! R-Rikki and Cleo a-and even Bella just… wait, is Bella a—"

Lewis: "Zane! Zane! Get it together! Your zodiac! Get the keys for your zodiac! The girls need our help at Mako!"

Zane: "R-Right! Just wait here for a minute!"

Zane rushed to the cafe for his keys, locked up, then met up with Lewis who was already waiting for him in the zodiac.

Back at Mako island, three familiar silhouettes emerged from the moon pool, their sombre faces lit by the eerie glow of the blue crystals they each held in their hands. Bella had already removed hers from the strings of her necklace and the three girls, still in a hypnotic trance, silently waited for the full moon to make its appearance. In the meantime, Lewis and Zane were going back and forth sharing theories regarding the girls' current state.

Zane: "Lewis, you said this was something new. So it isn't because of the full moon? Are you sure?"

Lewis: "I don't know either, Zane! The girls have been mermaids for almost two years now and nothing like this has ever happened. Whatever the reason, it must be because of those crystals they found at Mako."

Zane: "Yeah, that must be it. But why? And why did those crystals suddenly appear at Mako? Now that I think about it, doesn't Bella have the same crystal as the girls? Do you think she found it at Mako too? Is she a mermaid as well? Did she turn there?"

Lewis: "Well, she most likely is. No, I'm certain that she is. I mean she didn't come up for air. Right now, all we can do is hope that we make it in time and that the girls are alright. And that Bella isn't another Charlotte. Especially since it's only been a few months since she lost her powers. We really don't need a repeat of that."

Finally, it began. After a few minutes of silently waiting around, the full moon peeked over the volcano cone, the moon pool bubbling in response to its glorious light. When it was fully overhead, the girls formed a circle facing each other then slowly lifted their hands to the sky. The crystals, as if like magnets, pulled towards each other, their glows now intensifying into an electric blue light that was seen even from the land entrance of the moon pool.

Zane: "Hey, what's that strange light?!"

Lewis: "Don't know, but we're gonna find out soon enough!"

Both guys stopped dead in their tracks and stared in bewilderment at the unusual light emitting from the crystals. With one hand shielding his eyes, Lewis slowly approached the girls, trying to talk some sense into them.

Lewis: "Cleo! Hey, Cleo! It's me Lewis! I know you're still in there somewhere! You have to fight this! Whatever this is!

Zane: "Yes, he's right! Rikki please… just, please come back to me!"

Cleo: "Go home Lewis, you don't belong here."

Rikki: "She's right. Mako's our home. We don't need your help."

Lewis: "Cleo! Rikki! This isn't you guys talking. It must be the full moon or… those crystals! Come on! Cleo!"

Cleo: "Oh, Lewis. You still don't get it, don't you?" *raises her free hand and motions at Lewis and Zane*

Lewis: "No, Cleo! What are you doing?! Cleo! Stop this! Ahhh—"

Both guys begin screaming frantically as Cleo creates a strong gust of wind that not only levitated them high up in the air, but also picked up sand that got caught in their throat and eyes.

Lewis: coughing "Cleo, stop this, please!" coughs

Zane: squinting and coughing "Come on, Cleo, this isn't funny. *coughs* We're gonna seriously get hurt if you drop us from this height!"

Cleo's only response was to look at Rikki, and, as if knowing what she meant, Rikki raised her fist into the air, her lightning powers combining with Cleo's wind to create a powerful storm."

Lewis: "Oh no, not this again!"

Zane: looks up at the sky "What the—"

On Rikki's command, a ball of lightning lit up the dark night sky, and struck the volcano's cone. Luckily for Lewis and Zane, before any more damage could be done, the full moon was now out of view, and the bubbling slowly dissipated.

At this point, the storm was now gone; the girls slowly regained their senses as Lewis and Zane hit the ground, hard.

Cleo: blinks around in confusion "Huh, what's going on? What are we doing in the moonpool? Were we moonstruck?"

Rikki: rubs her eyes and shakes her head "Ugh, what? This can't be! We've already gotten over that, remember?"

Lewis: groaning "Oh, you have, but this… ugh, is something else." rubs head "Ouch!"

Cleo: gasps "Lewis! Oh my god! Did we do that?"

Rikki: "Zane?" Zane?!" Are you alright? Lewis! Did we hurt Zane?!"

Zane: coughs and groans "Ugh, yeah, Rikki, I'm fine. I'm a bit sore, but nothing I can't recover from." groans

Rikki: "Are you sure? You're not seriously hurt anywhe—"

Bella's POV

Bella: "Ugh, Where am I? In the water? *looks up" Huh? Am I inside a volcano? Wait, when did I even…? I remember heading out of the cafe and then…" *eyes widen* "Is that Cleo and Rikki… with tails…. and they're talking to Lewis and Zane!"

Bella: "I knew it!"

Cleo and Rikki quickly spun around, their only reaction being a couple of synchronised gasps, and a mixture of fear, shock and confusion written all over their faces.

Cleo: points and stares "U-Uh, B-B-Bella's a-a-a…" exchanges worried glances with Rikki, then Lewis and Zane

Lewis: "So she really is one! That's odd… why's the necklace still hanging from her neck? Don't their jewellery typically vanish along with their clothes?"

Although Zane could see the tension building up in Rikki's body, he was also surprised that she was keeping her emotions under control.

Bella: "I-I mean… I didn't know for sure, but earlier today at the beach… with the boys… I just had a feeling that… t-the two of you were—"

Rikki: "Is that why you showed up at the cafe? You wanted to find out for sure if we were mermaids?"

Bella: "Well, uh, yes, but it's not like you think—"

Rikki: raises eyebrows "Oh really? Then please do tell!"

Bella: "Well, it's just I've been alone for so long and I've never met another mermaid until now. I was just hoping that… um… I'd finally have someone who understands me… understands the whole … you know, the whole mermaid thing."

Rikki: "That's a gut-wrenching story and all, but how do we know you're telling the truth and that you're not out to get us?!"

Cleo: "Rikki, relax a bit would you? Bella doesn't seem to have any animosity towards us… maybe we should give her a chance? Get to know her before jumping to conclusions?"

Rikki: "I know that Cleo! But after what we've been through a few months ago, I'd say my suspicions are quite warranted!"

Bella: "Uh, um… tell you guys what. Since you're so distrustful of me, and I'm guessing that you have your reasons for being so, why don't I tell you all about my story tomorrow at the cafe. I'll even show you guys my powers. Hopefully, after that, you'll see that I really have nothing to hide."

Rikki: "I don't think s–"

Lewis: "Actually Bella, that sounds great! Let's meet at the cafe at 10. The girls will be willing to have a little chit chat with you. Right, Cleo?"

Rikki: "Lewis!" hmph

Cleo: "Yeah… uh-huh… s-sure! See you tomorrow, Bella!"

Bella: nervous smile "Right. It's getting late. See you guys tomorrow, bye!" disappears under the water

Rikki: "Lewis! What was that all about? You don't get to make decisions on our behalf! We're the ones with the tails here not y—"

Lewis: "I know, Rikki. But you heard her, she's never met another mermaid before. Who knows how long she's been this way. It's not the same with you guys, you've always had each other. Maybe she changed alone."

Rikki: "So? That's not our problem. Right, Cleo?"

Cleo: sighs "He's right, Rikki. Just because Charlotte turned out to be a crazy mermaid doesn't mean that every mermaid we meet will be out to get us. She seems like a sweet girl. Let's take things slow with her."

Rikki: "Fine! But if anything bad happens, this is on you and Lewis." ducks underwater

Lewis: sighs "It's late guys, we should leave. See you tomorrow at 10?"

Cleo: pushes away from the edge of the pool "Yeah, call me when you get home. Bye!" dives underwater

Zane: sighs and rubs his head "What a hectic night. But I guess that's what happens when your girlfriend's a mermaid. Nothing's ever normal. Come on Lewis, my bed's calling my name."

Lewis' only response was to stare back at the moonpool intently before quietly trudging behind Zane.

On her way home, Bella found herself lost in a sea of thoughts and emotions, her eyes fixated on the full moon. Upon entering, she mindlessly walked up the stairs, completely missing Sophie who was in the kitchen having a late night snack.

Sophie: "Oh hey Bella, you're finally home! It's a bit late, but I won't tell mom and dad."

Bella: turns head "Huh? Oh, hey Soph, I know it's past my curfew. Sorry about that."

Sophie: "Are you okay, Bella? Did something happen? Did anyone bother you at the cafe?"

Bella: "Huh…? Oh, no. It's nothing like that. Everything was fine at work. Well… something did happen."

Sophie: "Huh? So it's not work related?"

Bella: "Uh… no. Well… sort of."

Sophie: "Come on, Bella. What is it? You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Bella: inhales and exhales "Well, it turns out that you were right… again. The Gold Coast does have its very own resident mermaid. And not just one but two."

Sophie: "WHAT?! Seriously? You're not pulling my leg, are you?"

Bella: "I'm not joking, Sophie. I really did meet two mermaids tonight. And they look exactly like me."

Sophie: Bella that's, that's amazing! You must be so excited. That's all you've ever wanted for so long. To meet another mermaid! But you don't exactly seem happy. Why's that?"

Bella: "It's because they seem a bit wary of me. From what I can tell, they might have either had a bad experience with another mermaid, or maybe someone tried to exploit them somehow. I-I don't know if they'll accept me, and I really don't want to rub them the wrong way!"

Sophie: "Oh Bella!" pulls her into a hug "Whoever it is that left a bad taste in their mouth, just remember that you're not that person. You're an amazing girl, anyone would be lucky to have you as their friend. All you need to do is just be yourself and if they still don't like you then… it's their loss! You don't have to make anyone like you or walk on eggshells to gain their approval. If they're really meant to be your friends then they'll accept you as you are!"

Bella: wipes her eyes "Thanks Soph, I really needed to hear that! *sniffles* I'm going to meet them at the cafe tomorrow morning and I plan on telling them everything."

Sophie: "Really? Just like that? An open book right from the start?"

Bella: "Why not? I don't have anything to hide. And I don't want to appear sketchy or shady in any way."

Sophie: "Yeah, I guess you're right. So, who are they? Do you know their names?"

Bella: "I do, but I rather not mention who they are until I get to know them better? It's their secret after all."

Sophie: "Okay, fair enough. But will you let me know once you've gained their trust? That way mom, dad and I can keep an eye out for you guys if you ever need help."

Bella: "Sure, no problem. By the way, something else happened tonight. But It's a really long story and I don't want to get into it right now, so I'll let you guys know in the morning? Is that okay with you?"

Sophie: "Yeah, sure." yawns "It is pretty late. Well goodnight. See you tomorrow!"

Bella: "Goodnight!"

At breakfast, Bella relayed the previous night's events to her family. Her parents were excited at the prospect of Bella having friends her age, and they were even more thrilled knowing that they wouldn't have to worry about her secret since the girls were also mermaids. She also mentioned the incident with the crystals and how it led them to Mako island where, shockingly enough, there's a secret moonpool underneath the extinct volcano, much like the one where she changed. Naturally, Bella's family had her back, even though they still didn't fully understand the whole mermaid thing. Theresa, though, couldn't help but shed tears of happiness at the thought of her daughter's new potential friendships. The poor girl had been scared of opening up to her peers for so long. And now, her fears were seemingly coming to an end.

At Rikki's, the gang, minus Zane who was working at the counter, sat at a booth, their minds wracked with questions. They kept relaying what they were going to ask Bella, and just how many of her questions they were going to answer as well.

Lewis: "So it's settled. We're gonna lead with the questions, ask her about her transformation, how long she's been that way, and most importantly, her powers."

Cleo: "And then we're gonna tell her about our transformation, show her our powers, minus the upgraded ones, right? At least not until we're sure of her."

Lewis: "Right. Can't let her know too much about you girls right away, so it's good to keep the weather powers a secret, as an ace up your sleeves. Just in case, that is."

Cleo: "You've really thought this through Lewis, haven't you?"

Lewis: "I mean, it was my idea to agree to meeting with her. And naturally, I had a whole bunch of questions I wanted to ask her, especially about the crystals."

Cleo: "Oh yeah! Do you think she knows anything about it? Maybe she could help us figure out why they suddenly hypnotised us like the full moon?"

Rikki: "Or maybe, just hear me out, she's the one behind it all! Don't you guys find this strange? It's way too much of a coincidence that we found these crystals, then a new mermaid shows up and then we turn into mindless zombies! And she has the same crystal as us too! It's just too much!"

Lewis: "Well, there's always the chance that she found them wherever she changed. Maybe those crystals are somehow connected to the moonpools."

Rikki: "Or maybe you're giving this random girl too much benefit of the doubt. We still don't know anything about her! I'm just being cautious here since you two want to welcome just about anybody with open arms."

Cleo: "And what if she's nothing like Charlotte? Have you ever thought about that?"

Rikki: "If she isn't, then obviously I'll have no problem accepting her into our little club. Us mermaids have to stick together, you know? But only, and I mean only, if she's not out to get us."

Cleo: "Yeah, I get where you're coming from, Rikki. But, please try to remain neutral and not scare the girl off? She could be a potential ally."

Rikki: closes eyes and breathes in deeply "Yes, I'll… I'll try to go easy on her. She's my lead singer after all."

Cleo: "Wait, what about Emma? Should we tell Bella about her too? I mean she's gonna be here in, what, two days?"

Lewis: "Hmmm. I was thinking that we only tell her after the meeting once we get a feel of her personality. So, maybe later today, or even tomorrow? We could meet up at the moonpool."

Rikki: "I guess that makes sense. No point in keeping Emma's existence a secret since she's gonna be here soon."

Lewis: chuckles "I'm honestly surprised you agreed to that."

Rikki: "This is me being level-headed and neutral, Lewis."

Lewis: laughs "You, level-headed? Neutral?" laughs "Did you forget what your powers were?" laughs

Rikki: glares at Lewis and looks at the door "Where is Bella? It's already quarter past ten!"

Lewis: "So much for being level-headed."

Rikki: boils his drink in response

Lewis: "Real mature, Rikki." *sighs and mumbles* "Where's Emma when you need her."

Cleo: "Will you two give it a rest already? Bella's gonna be here any minute."

It wasn't long till the cafe's beaded curtains parted ways to reveal a familiar face. It was Bella, her face was a mixture of nervousness and excitement. Sensing the girl's unease, Cleo went to greet her and brought her to the booth, where she took a seat next to Rikki. And although she appeared outwardly calm, Bella could tell that Rikki was not exactly fond of her being there.

Lewis: "So, Bella, let's get straight to the point, shall we? I'm sure you have a several questions of your own as well."

Bella: "Yeah. I honestly didn't get much sleep last night. I really do mean to tell you guys everything. I don't wanna hide anything from you."

Lewis: "So, how long have you been a mermaid? And where did you change? Was it at Mako?"

Bella: "Uh, no. I changed at the sea caves in Ireland when I was nine. What about you guys?"

Cleo, Rikki and Lewis could only stare at Bella in disbelief.

Rikki: "Did you just say since you were nine?! And you're now what? Sixteen, seventeen?"

Bella: "Yes. I'm seventeen and in my final year of high school."

Cleo: "Hey! Us too!"

Lewis: "So there's another moonpool, huh. That's really interesting. I wonder if there are others around the world."

Cleo: "Yeah, and I wonder what they look like. Is it like Mako's or in a cave like Bella's? There's so much that we don't know!"

Bella: "So what about you guys, how long have you been mermaids? I'm guessing not too long?"

Cleo: "Uh, no. We… we changed almost two years ago, at Mako."

Bella: raises eyebrows "Oh… in the volcano, where were we last night? Is it the only one on the island?"

Cleo: looks at Lewis and Rikki "Yes, it is. It's basically our second home!"

Bella: "I know what you mean. I pretty much feel the same way about the Irish sea caves."

Rikki: "Okay, cool. Now let's get down to the topic of powers. Let's head to the office for this one."

After settling in the small room, Rikki stepped out briefly only to return with a glass of water.

Rikki: "Alright. Bella, do your thing."

Nodding in response, Bella stretched out her arm and made a hand motion similar to Cleo's but turned upwards. Cleo, Rikki, and Lewis shifted their gazes from each other then back to glass, expecting it to either heat up, freeze or move around. Instead, what happened was something completely unexpected. Seeing their confusion, Bella poured the contents of the glass on the floor, with Lewis stepping forward to inspect it up close.

Lewis: "Amazing! Is that jelly? I totally wasn't expecting this!"

Cleo and Rikki both remained silent as they quietly took in Bella's powers. It was quite interesting, they admitted to themselves.

Bella: "You weren't?"

Lewis: "No. The girls–we've… never seen anything like this before!"

Bella: "Oh, really? Then I can't wait to see their powers! By the way I'm not done."

Lewis: still playing with the jelly "You aren't? There's mor—" jelly reverts back to water "Oh!"

Bella: "Oh no, I didn't do that. Well, sort of. You see, if I wanted to, I could've made the water permanently remain in jelly form. See?" turns water into jelly again but this time into two portions

Rikki: "Okay… so is that all you can do?"

Bella: "Well, I can also do this!"

Bella proceeds to do the same hand motion as before, focusing only on one of the blobs of jelly, turning into a strange, glass-like, crystal-like texture.

Cleo: gasps "Oh wow! This is so cool!" *takes the crystal from Lewis* "It feels so strange, like glass but also something else!"

Lewis: "And not only that, the other jelly still hasn't reverted back into water, unlike what happened earlier. This is quite the interesting power you have there!"

Bella: "Aw, thanks. Up until last year, I was only able to turn water into jelly and this. But then I suddenly felt compelled to enter the moonpool, even though I was no longer moonstruck." *Cleo and Rikki exchange worried glances* "Well, the next day, I was messing around with my powers and turned some water into glass. When I held it in my hand, it was like I could feel it on a very deep level, something I've never experienced before. And then something even stranger happened—the glass started to move."

Lewis: "It moved?"

Bella: nods "Hmm-hmm. Yeah. It was like I could mould it however I wanted. So naturally, I started experimenting more with my new powers and then I realised that my new moulding abilities weren't limited to just my glass powers but other crystals and even rocks. I can change them into whatever shape I want, make it explode, or even revert it back to water!" proceeds to change the glass into different shapes

Lewis: "Huh, that's something else!"

Rikki: "So can you mould ice?"

Bella: "I've tried that, and no. My powers only seem to work on glass, crystals, rocks or earth."

Lewis: "You said you gained these new powers last year. Was it in January?"

Bella: "Hmm… oh yeah! How did you know?"

Cleo, Rikki and Lewis nervously look at each other, not wanting to mention the power upgrades as it was supposed to be their trump card. But since Bella also experienced the same thing as them, they realised that they might not be able to hide it any longer.

Bella: "Wait, did you guys experience something similar?"

Cleo: "Well… yeah, we did."

Rikki: "Cleo!"

Cleo: winces "Sorry Rikki. We might as well tell her, she's been pretty open about her powers and transformation so far."

Rikki: "Ugh, fine. I need to get more water."

Bella: "So your powers are water based like mine as well?"

Cleo: "Yeah, you'll see in a bit."

Rikki: "Okay, here's the water. Cleo, why don't you do the honours."

Cleo motions her hand at the glass of water and creates a water ball, then changes it into various shapes, putting on a little show for Bella.

Bella: "Oh cool! You can control water! That must be really useful for drying off!"

Cleo: confused face "It is?" confused face then gasps "Oh, it is! I honestly never thought of doing that before!"

Bella: "Really? So then how do you guys change back?"

Rikki: "Simple, I do this!" proceeds to evaporate the water ball into nothing

Bella: raises eyebrows "Oh wow! Now that is really convenient."

Rikki: smiles and chuckles "I know, right?"

Bella: "About your upgraded powers. You guys got them last year in January, right? Did you also feel drawn to the moonpool? The full moon felt really powerful at the time. It made me feel like I just had to get to the sea caves."

Lewis: "Actually, they were moonstruck. All three of them." covers his mouth after realising what he said

Rikki: "Lewis! What is it with you and those loose lips of yours? You too Cleo! So far nothing's going as we planned!"

Bella: "Wait, what's going on? Did you guys plan on keeping certain information away from me? Not that I'm entitled to it, but… I'd prefer not to be treated like some criminal."

Cleo: "Sorry Bella. It's just that we've had a really bad experience with another mermaid a few months ago. That's why we're so on edge."

Bella: "I get it. Really, I do. But it's still not fun being treated with so much suspicion."

Cleo: turns to Rikki and Lewis and whispers "Should we tell her about Emma and her powers? She already knows there's another mermaid!"

Rikki: "Yeah, whatever. Do as you please. I mean, you two have already been doing whatever you wanted so far."

Lewis: nods head

Cleo: "Okay. So Bella. This other mermaid, she's our friend Emma. I've known her since I was five. She, Rikki, and I all turned at Mako after Rikki rescued me from being stranded in Zane's zodiac because he didn't want it anymore because he couldn't find his spark plug —" *takes in deep breath* "because it turned out that she was the one who took it."

Bella: bursts out laughing "Stealing from your own boyfriend? Were you guys pranking each other?"

Rikki: rolls eyes "We weren't dating at the time, and he was a bit of a jerk back then."

Cleo: "Anyways, after picking up Emma from swimming practice, Rikki took us on this joyride out in the open ocean until we ran out of fuel, so we paddled to Mako and headed inland to search for a signal. Then I fell down this hole, Rikki and Emma came after me, and we couldn't climb back up so we continued walking into this cave then found the moonpool. *takes another deep breath* Emma realised that the moonpool was connected to the ocean and that it was our only way out. It took me forever to get into the water because I wasn't a really good swimmer and when I did, the moon passed over, the water started bubbling and then we left."

Bella: "Oh, so the moon showed up as soon as you entered the pool? Something similar happened to me when I changed. I was so drawn to the moonpool, it felt like I was meant to be there."

Cleo: "Were you scared when you saw your tail for the first time?"

Bella: "Are you kidding me? I was nine! What nine year old wouldn't be excited to turn into a mermaid? Then I happily showed my parents my tail and naturally, they freaked out. It took them a while, but they've gotten used to it. So… about your friend's powers, I'm really curious about them. If you can control water, and Rikki can heat it up, and she doesn't have my powers, then… what can she do?"

Rikki: "Obviously she can freeze it. Water, fire, ice. Seems like a natural progression, doesn't it?"

Bella: "O-Of course! Cool! So the Mako moonpool gives three powers, huh? It's so different from my moonpool. And the upgraded ones? I gained the ability to manipulate earth and crystals. What did you guys get?"

The three friends nervously look at each other

Cleo: sighs "We can't show you in here because it's too dangerous. But I can create wind, Rikki's lightning, Emma's hail and snow and together… well, we can create a storm."

Bella: eyes widen "A storm! That's crazy! Oh my god! Wait, do you think I'll be able to do it with you guys? What do you think will happen if I try to combine my powers with yours?"

Lewis: "Huh… that's a pretty interesting question and a potentially fun experiment. One that I'd be happy to study! What do you guys say?"

Rikki: "Nope! Not gonna happen! What if it's too dangerous? I mean, Mako doesn't give out Bella's powers. What if it's not meant to mix with ours!"

Lewis: "That's also a possibility, but we'll never know until we try."

Rikki: "Still not gonna happen, Lewis!"

Cleo: "I for one am actually curious about this, Rikki."

Rikki: "Ugh, Lewis' nerd brain is definitely spilling over onto you."

Lewis: rolls eyes "So that concludes all the questions about powers and transformation, right? Next is the crystals. Can you tell us anything about that, Bella?"

Bella: "Well I found mine the night I turned into a mermaid. At first it seemed like a regular crystal. But my family and I quickly realised that that wasn't the case the first night I became moonstruck. I nearly gave my parents a heart attack, making them think the house was haunted!"

Cleo: "Huh, what happened? Was it because of the crystal?"

Bella: "Well sort of. I didn't become moonstruck because of it, that was obviously because of the moon. But, apparently strange things began to happen. Like me displaying extra powers other than my regular ones. Here I'll show you."

With her eyes closed, Bella focused her mind and energy on the crystal that hung from her neck, while Cleo, Rikki and Lewis shifted their attention from her, towards each other, and then back to her again. Then it happened. For a brief moment, the crystal let out a dim glow, similar to the one that hypnotised the girls the previous night. Raising her hand, Bella demonstrated her first trick as she levitated a couple of office supplies off the desk.

All three gasp in union

Lewis: "Is that… is that telekinesis?"

Bella: laughs "Yep!"

Rikki: "So you had more tricks up your sleeves?!"

Cleo: "Is that how you dry off? By lifting the water off your body? With this ability, you can pretty much do what I do."

Bella: "Yes, pretty much. But there's one more thing." puts everything back in its place

Lewis: "Wait, there's more? Seriously?"

Bella: "Okay, brace yourself for this one."

And just like she did before, Bella made the crystal glow yet again, but instead made a closed fist near head, then seemingly disappeared out of the room.

Cleo: "Ahhh—"

Rikki and Lewis: hurriedly covers Cleo's mouth and whispers "Cleo! Shhh!"

Cleo: points at where Bella was "B-B-But… B-B-Bella just…"

Lewis: whispers "Bella… are you still there?"

Rikki: whispers "Did she teleport? Or turn invisible?"

Bella: laughs "Actually the latter, Rikki." laughs

Zane: walks into the office "Hey Rikki, is everything alright? I heard Cleo scr—" stumbles and falls upon seeing Bella reappear out of thin air "What the…? What was that? Did Bella just—?

Rikki: "Just more mermaid magic, Zane. And a new one too." turns to Bella "How… how did you learn to do that?"

Although still in disbelief, Zane picked himself up and left while shaking his head and mumbling to himself.

Bella: laughing "You should've seen the look on your faces." wipes eyes "It's like I said earlier. I started displaying these powers during my first moonspell, and a couple more times after that. And when I wasn't walking around like a werewolf, my family helped me figure out my powers and get them under control, especially my grandparents. As for what happened last night, that was a first. I've never experienced anything like this before."

Rikki: "Great! So you don't have any answers about the crystals' effects on us!"

Lewis: "That's not totally true, Rikki. What we do know so far is that those crystals hold a lot of energy that can be quite useful for you guys. I mean, telekinesis and invisibility? Now you don't have to worry about someone accidentally seeing your mermaid form when you can just blend into the background!"

Rikki: "I mean, don't get me wrong, those abilities are really cool and I can't wait to learn how to do it myself, but it's just that we've finally gotten over the moon spells only for this to happen! I'm just frustrated at this point!

Cleo: "I get it, Rikki, but we've got this. We'll handle this just like how we've handled everything else so far. Right, Lewis?"

Lewis: "Right! Our first objective is to investigate the moonpool. Maybe there's something there that we've overlooked."

Rikki: "Yeah, sounds like a good idea." heads towards the door "But can we leave in a couple minutes? I have to help Zane upfront first."

Cleo: "Sure, just let us know when you're ready."

Rikki: nods and leaves

Bella: "Should I come with you guys too, or…"

Lewis: "Yeah, why not? You might help us spot something that we'd otherwise miss."

Cleo: And don't let Rikki's grouchiness get to you, she'll come around eventually."

Bella: "Awesome! I can't wait to go swimming in the ocean! I haven't done it since I got here and no, last night doesn't count."

Cleo: "Well, you can rely on us to be your personal tour guides. Oh! Looks like Rikki's ready for us. Let's get going!"

Some fifteen minutes later, Lewis was now at Mako, equipped with a couple of special tools to aid him in his investigation of the moonpool. As he waited for the girls' arrival, Lewis passed the time by inspecting the cave's walls, hoping to find something, anything, that might help him understand what happened last night. It didn't take long for him to find his first clue, and so too did the girls finally arrive from their underwater tour with Bella.

Bella: "Oh my gosh! That was so awesome! The ocean's so beautiful! All those colourful corals and reefs and fishes. It was amazing!

Cleo: "Did you ever go swimming the last time you were here?"

Bella: "I did, but I've never gone that far out. Mostly because I'd be swimming on my own and the Mako sharks, they're pretty scary."

Rikki: "Oh them? They mostly ignore us. You'll get used to it eventually."

Lewis: turns around "Took you girls long enough."

Cleo: "Lewis, you won't believe this! I thought Emma was a fast swimmer, but Bella's on a whole other level! She just cuts right through the water!"

Rikki: "Even I have to admit that was impressive. Must be the perks of being an older mermaid compared to us who haven't even hit the two year mark yet!"

Cleo: "I'd love to see Emma race Bella!"

Bella: "So she's a really good swimmer, I take it."

Cleo: "Yeah, she was a competitive swimmer before the whole mermaid thing. It was really hard on her to give it up."

Lewis: "Hey girls, I've already noticed something odd here. I'm sure you have as well."

Rikki: "Enough with your riddles, Lewis. Just spit it out already!"

Bella: "Actually, I think he might be right. I know we're inside an extinct volcano but… is it always so warm in here?"

Cleo: "Huh, you're right. Rikki, this isn't your doing, is it?"

Rikki: "Really, Cleo? Of course not! It must be those crystals! Maybe the moonpool is somehow reacting to it?"

Cleo: "Lewis, didn't you say that the crystals were releasing some intense energy last night? Was it also warm here at the time?"

Lewis: "Now that I think about it, it was. But there was so much going on that I must have tied it to the light show you guys were putting on. And it was still warm when I left, too."

Rikki: "Something strange is definitely going on. Come to think of it, but Cleo, didn't you notice that there were less fishes around the island?"

Cleo: "Yeah I thought that was odd. Could be due to the rise in the temperature here. Maybe… it's somehow also affecting the surrounding waters. Fishes do beach themselves when the water's too hot."

Bella: "Where exactly did you guys find the crystals? Mine was at the bottom of the moonpool."

Rikki: "Over there, fixed in the cave wall. It's like it… just appeared out of nowhere."

Bella: "Hmm…" pulls herself out of the moonpool and dries off

Once on her feet, Bella walked over to the spot where Rikki said they found the crystals. It was so strange… three perfectly shaped holes for three crystals. Instinctively, she ran her hand over the wall only to quickly pull back, a strange tingle running through her skin.

Cleo: "Bella, what was that? Are you alright?" changes into human form

Bella: "I'm not sure. You guys know how I said that I can feel the earth or crystals on a very deep level? Well, something similar happened, but there was this zap. Like a jolt of electricity suddenly hitting me."

Cleo: puts her hand on the wall "Huh? I don't feel anything."

Lewis: does the same as Cleo "Me neither."

Bella: touches the wall "Ouch! It happened again! I'm definitely not making this up!"

Rikki, now in human form, walks up to the wall and touches it. Like Bella, she felt a jolt of electricity flow through her hand, causing her to instinctively pull back.

Rikki: looks at her hand "Yeah, guys. She's not making this up. The same thing just happened to me!"

Cleo: "So why did it happen only to the two of you, and not me or Lewis?"

Lewis: "Hmm… maybe it's related to your powers. Bella's are earth-related, and Rikki has lightning. So—"

Rikki: "So?"

Lewis: "So, my theory is that due to the nature of your powers, the two of you are more sensitive to whatever changes are going on here, unlike Cleo and perhaps even Emma."

Rikki: "Hmm… I guess that makes sense. But we still don't know how these are tied to the crystals."

Cleo: "Yeah, but it's a start. The moonpool is what changed us into mermaids and now… it's like the entire cave is overflowing with energy. Like the energy was always there, but now it's become… heightened? Even the water feels strange."

Lewis: "It does?"

Cleo: "Well, there's no zapping like what Rikki and Bella felt with the cave wall but… the moonpool water just feels… I can't really explain it. But it feels alive, somehow? Like really energised. I'm sorry if this doesn't make much sense."

Lewis: "It's alright, Cleo. Even if it's not much, this is just more information to help us understand what's going on. *sees Bella staring at the cave wall* "Bella, are you okay? Did you notice something?"

Bella: "I'm not sure. But it's like I can feel something in the cave wall. It almost feels like…" instinctively reaches for her necklace

Rikki: "The crystals? So you think there are more in there?"

Bella: nods "Yeah, I do. Is it okay if I test out my theory? I don't want to offend you guys by unnecessarily making another hole in the wall."

Rikki: "Sure. If it helps us getting closer to understanding this mystery, then why not?"

Nodding in agreement, Bella proceeded to use her earth powers to make a small hole in the cave wall, much like the ones the crystals were found in.

Bella: raised eyebrows "Uh guys..." steps aside

Cleo: "So you were right! But how did you know that?"

Bella: "Because of my powers, remember? Plus, I've had this crystal for a while so I know what it feels like. And it really doesn't feel like a regular crystal."

Lewis: "Bella, could you make another hole on the other side of the cave?"

Bella: "Yeah, sure." proceeds to use her powers

Lewis: "And over there?"

Bella: does as asked

Rikki: "Lewis, what are you up to?"

Lewis: "It's just as I thought."

Rikki: "What is?"

Lewis: "If Bella were to use her powers on the entire cave wall, then we'd see that this entire place is lined up with these crystals! This is an amazing discovery! I wonder if Max already knew this! *gasps* "Max! He might be able to help us with our investigation! I'll go see him later."

Bella: "Who's Max? Is he a merman?" closes up the holes in the wall

Cleo: chuckles "No, he… he's like a mentor to us, because he's been studying this whole mermaid thing for a really long time."

Bella: "Why's that? How does he know about this place and mer—. Wait, does he know other mermaids aside from the two of you and your friend?"

Rikki: "Pretty much. He used to date one."

Cleo and Rikki then rehash the story about Miss Chatham and her friends who turned into mermaids when they were sixteen much like them. And that the lockets they wear used to belong to them.

Bella: "That's a pretty cool story. Though, it's a shame that they drifted apart."

Cleo: "Yeah, it is. Hey! Since Lewis will be visiting Max, how about we do the same with Miss Chatham at the retirement home. I'm sure she will be thrilled to meet another mermaid."

Rikki: "Yeah, and we won't even have to tell her about Bella, she'll just know."

Bella: "Huh, what's that supposed to mean?"

Cleo: "Oh, you'll see! Hey Lewis, are we done here? When are you going to visit Max?"

Lewis: "I was thinking tomorrow, since Bella and I have to perform later."

Cleo: "Right, and we'll do the same with Miss Chatham."

Rikki: "Okay, so I guess this wraps up our little investigation here, for now."

Cleo: "See you later at the cafe, Lewis."

Lewis: "Uh-huh, sure."

Rikki: "Cleo, he's in nerd-mode right now. So Bella, ready for another race? Don't think I'll go easy on you this time!"

Bella: "As if! You were barely able to keep up with me earlier!"

Cleo: "I'm not going to even bother racing the two of you, so I'm out."

Rikki: "Come on, slowpokes!" dives into water

Bella: "Hey! No fair!" follows Rikki

Cleo: shakes head "Those two…"

Lewis: "Looks like Rikki's already warmed up to Bella."

Cleo: "Yeah, now she has someone other than Emma to race." follows after them