Mermaids Vs Mermen (A 'Moon Stones Gone Missing' Sequel)

Chapter 6

"Wales?" Charlotte and Erik, clearly unimpressed. "Do you know how much it rains in the UK? No merman in his right mind would live here!"

Erik held his hand up to Charlotte. "Don't argue with the detector. Pembrokeshire is where it says we should go." 

"What even is that thing?" Dr Denman asked, eyeing the detector.

"I have enchanted this to point me in the direction of mermen," Erik replied casually.

Charlotte scoffed. "And it couldn't have found any merman back home in Australia? It had to take us half way around the world?!"

"Hey!" Erik yelled angrily. "There are less mermen then mermaids in the world, but they do exist. This detector points us in the direction of mermen with great potential."

"Oh yeah, Fish-Boy," Charlotte said sarcastically. "How many have we found already? One."

"And we are about to find another," Erik replied.

He jumped down of the boat and looked at his glass detector, hovering above his hand.

"Where is it pointing?" Dr Denman asked Erik.

Erik looked up. "To the ocean," he replied. "The merman must have gone out for a swim."

And Erik immediately jumped into the water, not hearing the rude comments spoken by Charlotte.

Once, Erik and Charlotte were best friends. They had plotted to rid Mako Island of the mermaids. Charlotte was once a mermaid, but her powers had been taken away from her. Erik had promised to help her get her tail and powers back. Erik had given Charlotte a moon ring, but it had been taken from Charlotte a few minutes after. Erik had been unable to fulfill his promise, therefore Charlotte no longer thought of him as a close friend.

Erik swished his blue tail through the murky water, and he began swimming. He looked at the detector, and followed the directions given.

A few minutes later, Erik noticed another merman swimming twenty feet to his left. Erik didn't know who the merman was, but his name was Gareth.

Erik slowly made his way to Gareth, staying behind him at all times, watching his every move, like a hawk.

Gareth pushed his glasses further up his nose as he ran his hands through the sand. It appeared that he was looking for something.

Erik continued to carefully approach Gareth. Erik was about two feet away from him, when Gareth turned around.

Erik's and Gareth's eyes locked. Gareth looked both shocked and surprised, whilst Erik showed no emotion in his face.

Erik pointed up to the surface, and Gareth nodded. The mermen swam up to the surface.

"You're a merman as well?!" Gareth asked Erik, impressed. "I didn't know there were any other mermen around here... You fell in the Moon Pool too?"

Erik shook his head, using his tail and arms to tread the water. "No, I'm a real merman."

Gareth's eyes widened. "What? A real merman?"

Erik nodded. "Come with me, and I'll tell you more."

Gareth paused, thinking about this. He looked intrigued, but unsure. Then he nodded. "Okay."

*****

Gareth and Erik had reached the beach and dried themselves, before Erik took them to Dr Denman's boat. As it was a weekend, Gareth wasn't in his school uniform; instead, he was wearing a Superman shirt with black jeans with the Star Wars logo going down the left trouser leg.

"I was thirteen," Gareth told everyone. "It was late at night. I had just been at a friend's house playing video games. He had invited me to spend the night, but I don't like sleeping at other people's houses, so I was making my way back home. I went over the rocky slope, because it was a short cut. However, I feel down a hole, and into a cave where there was a pool of water. The only way to get out of the cave was to swim. The full moon shone just as I got into the Pool. The next morning, when I woke up, I took a shower and discovered I was a merman!"

"And you're the only merman here?" Charlotte asked.

Gareth nodded. "If there are anymore mermen, I haven't met them."

"Have you told anyone about your tail?" Erik asked.

Gareth shook his head. "Nope. I spend most of my free time in my room, anyway."

Erik took a step towards Gareth. "How do you fancy a little trip to Australia?"

"Australia?" Gareth repeated. He didn't sound enthusiastic. "Sorry, but the furthest I've ever travelled is to the comic book shop and back. I don't think I could managed half way around the world... Why?"

"Well," Erik explained. "Did you know that mermen exist all over the world, but were forced into live on land after a war with the mermaids?"

"I didn't know that," Gareth replied.

"Well, I'm creating a small army of mermen, ready to go and fight the mermaids on Mako Island - "

"Mako Island?" Gareth asked, curiously.

"It's an island where some mermaids live," Erik explained. "Anyway, the island used to belong to mermen, and I want to take it back. Let's let the mermaids live on land for a change."

Mabel looked extremely uncomfortable, hearing about mermaids and mermen.

Josh was pacing around the deck of the boat, tapping his necklace absentmindedly with his finger.

Gareth thought about this. "But... Why me?" He asked, puzzled. "I'm not a real merman, like you... Do you really want my help?"

"Mako Island can belong to all of us," Erik said. "You included. Do you have magic powers?"

Gareth nodded. "I can control, freeze and evaporate water. I can turn it into a hard glass substance, and turn it into a gelatine - "

"That's good enough for me," Erik said. Then he held out his hand. "Are you in, or not?"

Gareth thought for a moment. "But... I don't know what my mum would say..."

"Mum?" Josh asked. "It's pronounced Mom."

"No it isn't," Gareth said to Josh. "I'm guessing you're American?

"Ask her," Erik said, ignoring Josh. "Tell her you're going with some friends."

"I haven't got many friends," Gareth admitted sadly. "I spend too much time on the internet. I barely go out and socialise."

Erik gave a small sigh. "Are you in, or not?" He repeated.

Gareth paused, looking at Erik's still outstretched hand. Then he smiled, held Erik's hand and firmly shook it.

"I'm in."