I do not own H2O: Just Add Water or any of the characters.
Chapter 66: Control (part 1)
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[A few days after the full moon, the girls and Lewis saw themselves at school yet again for another school year now that their summer was over. Students and fellow classmates continue about their day, walking down halls, kicking soccer balls, and chatting with their friends. Cleo walks around the corner on the sidewalk to go across the campus yard when she spots a sprinkler going off in the grass nearby. She pauses in her stride as the sprinkler threatens her with its spray, worrying Cleo that she might get exposed.]
"It's the middle of the day. Why would they turn the sprinklers on now when there are students walking everywhere? They could get wet!" Lisa complained. "Like a certain few who really don't need to," Neil added to his wife's comment, looking at the girls. "Luckily, they didn't have to worry about that. The sprinkler system had another victim in mind," Charlotte chuckled, Cleo grimaced as she remembered that afternoon quite well.
[The brunette does a quick glance around to make sure no one was looking before holding her hand up to her side and twisting it in an attempt to use her old powers.]
"Uh, Cleo. I really don't think that's a good idea," Rikki grimaced, knowing how much the girl missed her old power and that it could go haywire if not under control. Especially around other people, as they had witnessed in the last episode. "Tell that to the onscreen me," Cleo rolled her eyes. "I did. She won't listen," Rikki quipped.
"You still don't have control over your powers, do you?" Sam asked. "If I did, would I be losing a fight to a sprinkler?" Cleo grumbled. "Yes," Kim said in a deadpanned tone.
[The sprinkler spats around for a second as Cleo tries to keep it under control, when a sudden burst of wind picks up, causing a frown on her face. The sprinkler suddenly twists around from her wind and sprays a very familiar red-headed girl, her head down as she walked nearby reading her class schedule. The redhead shrieks from shock as she gets covered in water from the sprinkler, her papers tossed into the air from the oncoming water.]
"Wait? Isn't that you?" Ash asked, looking at Charlotte. "Yep. My first day at a new school," Charlotte said with a slanted grin. "Heck of a way to start a first day," Zane chuckled.
"Yikes, that's a great first impression," Will grimaced.
"Cleo!" Bev scolded. "It was an accident!" Cleo remarked, quickly turning to the redhead. "Charlotte, I am so sorry." "It's okay, Cleo, it dried out. And I know you didn't mean to do it intentionally, like you said, you couldn't control it," Charlotte chuckled, shaking her head. "Still, I shouldn't have tried," Cleo responded, feeling guilty. "But the only way to control it is by trying," Bella informed. "Maybe not in a public place, but you still need to practice your powers."
"I can't believe you just did that," Rikki barked with laughter, out of shock. "Rikki!" Terry shushed her, not wanting the teenager to feel embarrassed. "It was funny now that I can see it from a different perspective," Charlotte laughed.
"You didn't tell us about that," Emma frowned. "It wasn't my proudest moment," Cleo flushed red with embarrassment.
"Charlotte? You didn't tell me about this either," Annette turned to her daughter, feeling bad for her. "Well at the time I didn't know how it happened. I had thought the wind did that; I didn't realize it was her. But she didn't mean to. And besides, it dried off and she had already apologized anyway," Charlotte explained. "But if you didn't know it was her, then why would she apologize?" Kim squinted in confusion. "You're about to find out," Charlotte laughed, pointing to the startled onscreen Cleo.
[Cleo quickly releases her grip of power and looks at the red-headed girl in shock and immediate guilt. The water from the sprinkler turns off, and she rushes over to her, avoiding the wet areas on the grass and sidewalk. Two students who had caught her papers give them back to her with a small apologetic smile.]
"Gotta admit, still not the worst day of school," Ash mentioned. "Yeah, it could've been worse. At least it was water and nothing that would stain," Charlotte said. "Plus no one laughed and they were nice handing me back my papers." "Miriam might have," Rikki mumbled. "So would Zane," Emma pointed out to her. Rikki tilted her head in thought before slightly agreeing. Zane might've changed some back then but honestly, she wouldn't put it against him laughing. She did.
"At least they were nice," Lisa said, trying to see the positive side.
"Oh honey, I'm so sorry that happened to you," Annette said in concern. "It's okay, mom. It was an accident. It could've happened to anyone that was nearby," Charlotte giggled.
Charlotte: turns to the other students giving her back her schedule. "Oh, thank you. Thanks." The two walk off as Charlotte turns back around to find Cleo running up to her.
Cleo: "I am so sorry. Are you alright?"
Charlotte: glances down at her wet outfit. "Sure, I think. You don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault."
Cleo: inward grimace. "I know. I'm just really sorry it happened." Looks around.
At least she felt guilty about it, Charlotte thought with a sigh. At the time, especially after the diary incident, she had thought Cleo hated her. In some way though, it created negative feelings towards the brunette too. Hopefully with all of this coming up, it will put all those negative and misunderstanding emotions to the side.
"Actually, it was," Cleo winced, raising her hand slightly. "Just another misfortune of being a mermaid," Lewis chuckled. "She didn't know it was you though," Sam said. "That's been said several times now," Elliot said. "And as been said also several times now I still felt terrible about it," Cleo reminded them.
Charlotte: nods, wiping her face. "That water just jumped out from nowhere."
"And now we know why," Bev said, looking over at her daughter.
"Literally," Zane snorted. "Reminds you of the ole fire hydrant. Doesn't it, Zane?" Lewis said loudly, giving him an amused look as several others laughed at the reminder. "And the zodiac Rikki stole," Bella smirked. "Huh, it is kind of like that in a way," Harrison chuckled. "In all fairness, I did deserve that, I was a bit of a jerk," Zane muttered, a bit embarrassed. "A bit?" Cleo gave him a pointed look. "Okay maybe a lot," he huffed.
Cleo: nods. "Yeah, there are some really strong winds around here. The trees ... create some sort of wind tunnel." Gestures around. Charlotte looks amused.
"Oh, so that's what you meant by wind tunnel," Kim realized. "Yup. It sounded ridiculous but oddly believable at the time," Charlotte grinned. "More believable than mermaids," Will snickered.
"Wind tunnel?" Emma raised an eyebrow. "It was the only thing I could think of, ok?" Cleo shrugged. "How about a sprinkler malfunction?" Rikki suggested. "That would've been better," Cleo admitted. "Far better than wind tunnels," Kim and Elliot giggled.
Cleo: "You must be new."
Charlotte: nods. "I'm Charlotte."
"Great first day so far, huh?" Will asked. "It certainly had been the most interesting," Charlotte said, sneaking a glance at Lewis. "First days can be tough," Bella agreed.
Cleo: "Cleo." Gestures to the school. "So, what do you think of our school?"
"It's pretty great. Not as warm of a welcome as I thought but otherwise not so bad," Charlotte joked. "Sorry about that ... again," Cleo grimaced. "Actually, Cleo, you were the first person to talk to me there. Besides the administrative," Charlotte mentioned. "Really?" Cleo asked in surprise. "Not everyone wants to talk to the new kid," Charlotte sighed. "Know the feeling," Rikki agreed. It took a while before anybody even knew her name. And the first person to talk to her outside of school was Cleo, the very same day they met on the zodiac.
Charlotte: nods, looks around once more. "I like it." Looks at her schedule. "I'd like it even more if I could find the art room."
"They didn't give you a tour?" Annette frowned. "It was the first day of school for everyone. They were busy," Charlotte said. "Still. They shouldn't have left you alone to your own devices," Annette said.
"You like art?" Elliot asked. "Like it? I love it. It's my favorite thing to do," Charlotte beamed. "Awesome!"
Cleo: "It's just, uh, near the library. I can show you if you'd like."
Charlotte: "Thanks." Lewis walks up from behind Charlotte and stands next to his girlfriend.
"The least I could do after attacking you with water," Cleo laughed. "You didn't even show me to the art room," Charlotte laughed at the reminder. "Oh, right. I forgot," Cleo winced, mentally slapping her forehead. "How did you forget? You had just asked her," Bev asked. "I had a lot going on, alright?" Cleo shot at her, glaring. Bev backed down at the mention of her departure again. With the new powers added to the mix, she had a lot of pressure on her. "Besides, someone distracted me," Cleo said with a slanted grin at Lewis. "My bad," he grimaced.
Cleo: "Lewis, this is ..." Looks to Charlotte, trying to remember her name.
Charlotte: smiles at him. "Charlotte."
Cleo: points at her. "Charlotte."
"She just told you her name," Kim said. "It's not easy remembering names, alright?" Cleo defended herself. "It's okay. It took me a while to remember everyone else's names too," Charlotte remarked. "Usually, it helps by saying their name several times to get it stuck in your head," Denman informed.
Lewis: "Hi."
Charlotte: smile grows. "Hi."
Annette glances at Charlotte, seeing the way she looked at the boy. She had a crush on him. But with him dating Cleo, she hoped it wouldn't create problems between the three. Annette cared for her daughter a lot, she can like who she wants, but these would be good friends for her daughter to have and she didn't want her to get hurt and ruin her chances.
Charlotte glanced down, another reminder of Cleo and Lewis being together flashed through her mind. She knew they broke up, but she knew they still had feelings for one another, and it still hurt, knowing that they were meant to be together. "Are you okay?" Annette whispered. "I'll be fine," Charlotte meekly whispered back.
Cleo looked anywhere but at the screen. She had seen the look too, and it wasn't the first time. It was part of the reason why she was so jealous of him and Charlotte hanging out even though they had broken up, she was afraid that Charlotte might take him away from her, not just as a boyfriend, but as her best friend. In the end, she did that to herself by ending their relationship.
Several others had noticed as well: Mrs. Chatham, Max, Bella, Sam, Don ... and Bev. She better not take him away from Cleo, she thought with a scowl.
Lewis: looks at her soaked outfit. "What happened to you?"
Charlotte: looks down at her clothes. "A sprinkler just jumped out in front of me." Laughs.
Lewis: "Really." Glances at Cleo with a knowing look, the latter glancing down with a sheepish smile.
"Don't need to know the math to know who could've done that," Lewis chuckled. "Ah you're just lucky you knew the secret," Rikki scoffed. "And now so does everyone else," Terry pointed out, as they all look over at Cleo.
"How many times does a girl have to apologize for not being able to control her powers?" Cleo rolled her eyes. "That's not something you hear every day," Ash chuckled. "Talking about mermaid problems isn't something you hear about every day," Zane argued. "It is in this group," Lewis held his hand up, as did the girls. Secretly Bella did too.
Lewis: "Mm, well, we should get going, but nice to meet you." Slaps a hand down gently onto Cleo's shoulder and tries to push her away for their next class.
Charlotte: "Yeah, you too."
"Hey, she was going to show someone their next class," Kim complained. "I didn't know," Lewis said, a bit baffled.
"Uh, excuse me, they were talking," Bella frowned. "We had to get to class before we were late. If I knew she needed help, I would've happily gone along with them, but we were on a time limit," Lewis explained.
"Leash, Lewis, leash. It's a bit too tight," Rikki whispered to him as she pinched her fingers together.
"A bit rude to shove someone away when they're talking to somebody," Don frowned. "He was my friend and boyfriend. We did that to each other all the time," Cleo defended him. Bev frowned. What does she mean by was? "And it's usually me being the one who gets shoved. Not just by Cleo either," Lewis said as he gave Rikki an accusing look. "Sometimes people need a good shove in the right direction," Rikki shrugged. "Some people don't need a shove for no reason either," Lewis furrowed his eyebrows. "Oh, you're one to talk," Rikki waved to the screen. "That's fair."
Cleo: stops him and points back at her. "Ah, the art room."
Charlotte: gestures behind her. "Oh, don't – don't worry, I'll find it."
"Somehow," Charlotte muttered. "Did you find it?" Cleo asked in curiosity, and hope. "Yeah. Took a while, but I was able to find it next to the library as you said. So, thanks," Charlotte smiled, the brunette smiling back.
Cleo: "I'll see you around sometime." Gives in to Lewis's shoves as she waves at her.
Lewis: glances back at her as they walk away. "Yeah. You got it." To Cleo. "Come on." Wraps an arm around her shoulder. Charlotte watches them as they walk together, a bright smile on her face as she thought of Lewis.
Annette once again looked at her daughter who had let out a sigh. She really needed to talk to her about this. As soon as the next break happens, they will.
Lewis has now noticed her longing gaze too, yet it only confused him. Why was she looking at us like that? Was there water on me too?
Cleo glanced at Lewis and then at Charlotte, a small pout on her face as she knew Lewis didn't understand it. He never was the lovey-dovey type, or ever did understand romantic feelings. After all, she was the one to confess to him first that she liked him. And he still couldn't understand it! Everything was always scientific when it came to him.
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[After school, the group decides to meet up at their usual spot: the Juicenet Café. Outside they sit at a table with Cleo next to Lewis and her head down in her hand. Emma and Rikki sit on both sides of them, all with juices.]
Lewis: "So, has anyone else had their powers go a bit too far?" Glances at Cleo then the others.
"It. Was. An. Accident," Cleo spelled it out. "So was us getting moonspelled yet it still happened," Emma told her.
"As long as we don't use them on people by spraying them with water, or icing people we're alright," Rikki said, muttering the last part at Emma who shushed her. She wasn't sure if Elliot would be happy or not she had helped him with his winning goal. "You couldn't control them either," Emma narrowed her eyes. "Yet you didn't see me accidentally shooting lightning bolts at everyone did you now?" Rikki smirked.
Emma: "Like what?"
Lewis: shakes his head. "Have you done anything really extreme lately?"
Emma: "No."
"Besides swimming with a tail, that's about as extreme as our lives get," Emma answered. "Besides the occasional drama for a teenage mermaid," Rikki remarked. "Not true. You girls seem to have a different adventure every day," Terry said. "Just like you three did," Max chuckled, glancing at Mrs. Chatham. "Different adventures for different lives lead to different perspectives," she smiled.
Rikki: "I don't see what all the drama is about. So what if we've got some new powers?"
"They're dangerous," Emma said. "Only if we use them wrong," Rikki retorted. "But we couldn't control them," Cleo said. "And the only way to control them is with practice. You can't practice if you don't use them," Bella interjected. "Exactly. Thank you," Rikki nodded her head and thanked her new mermaid friend. "The problem is trying to separate the old ones from the new ones. They're on a whole different level of strength. It's something we couldn't figure out at the time," Emma sighed.
"You like the new powers, don't you?" Terry asked his daughter. "Yeah! I got the ability to be able to make fire and lightning at will. It was awesome!" Rikki beamed with glee. "It is really cool," Elliot agreed with a smile. "So is mine," Emma grumbled as she crossed her arms. "Oh, don't get jealous, Em," Rikki teased. "Yours is still ... cool." "Stop with the puns."
Lewis: "Your powers have increased off the scale. That last full moon had some very rare planetary alignments." Emma listens to him.
"So, fix the scale. Make some changes to it. It took them a while to be able to fully control their first powers, it shouldn't be no different this time," Ash said.
"Just be patient, it won't happen immediately. Give them time," Neil said.
Rikki: annoyed. "Again with the planetary alignments?"
Lewis: "It has to mean something." Rikki rolls her eyes and looks away. "And until I figure out what, you need to learn some control. You don't know what you're capable of."
"He's right, though. It does," Max mumbled for only Mrs. Chatham to hear.
"You think we weren't trying? It's not easy using something you never had before until now," Cleo snapped. "Say what you want Lewis, but you're not the one with the powers. You don't know what it's like," Emma shook her head, a little aggravated that he tried lecturing them about something he doesn't have. "We know what we could do, and we know that we needed to be careful," she added. "And we don't need you talking to us like we're kids," Rikki said in annoyance.
"Believe me, we know what we're capable of, considering I created a freaking tornado in my house," Cleo huffed. "Caught my clothes on fire," Rikki scowled. "And mine," Lewis added. "And yours," she grumbled. Though I'm starting to wonder if you deserved it or not. "And froze a whole room without even trying," Emma informed. "I think they get it, Lewis," Kim said with a slanted grin.
"Careful, Lewis, you're making the mermaids angry again," Zane warned in a teasing voice.
Rikki: looks back at him. "That's what's so cool."
"Finding out new things I could do was exciting," Rikki said, thrilled. "It was ... interesting," Emma surprisingly admitted. "But we still need to figure out what we could do before we do anything else out in public." "You're one to talk," Rikki raised an eyebrow. "I haven't even used my powers out in public unlike you two and you're the one who kept getting on my back about it," she said, this time a bit louder. "When did Emma use her powers out in public?" Neil asked. "Oh, you'll see soon," Rikki laughed, earning a glare from the cool blonde. "Rikki!"
Emma: "Lewis has a point. We need to be careful."
"We were being careful, mom. But we also need to be careful of water dangers, like Cleo. Sure, she could've gone around it, but it didn't hurt for her to try," Rikki argued. "She blasted Charlotte with a burst of wind and water," Emma countered. "She lived. It didn't hurt her, no offense Char," Rikki turned to her. "None taken," Charlotte said, a bit surprised by Rikki calling her that, but she didn't bring it up.
Lewis: "That's why I need to measure the range of your new powers."
Cleo: slightly rolls her eyes and tenses up. "Here we go again."
"More experiments?" Don asked. "More experiments," Cleo pouted, earning a wince from Lewis.
Bella sighed. I guess it would help them learn more about what they could do and how to control them. It might not be something they like, but what other choice do they have? "I don't think she's going to like this," Sam said. "Not one bit. I hate experiments. It's what caused some of our problems in the first place," Cleo griped.
Lewis: puts his hand to her neck, trying to be comforting. "I'll help you through this, Cleo. Don't worry."
Cleo: smiles, still tense. "I'm not worried."
"Your tense posture says otherwise," Harrison said, a bit concerned. "I wasn't worried, just annoyed. It felt like he was turning into a scientific, experiment-obsessed person all over again," Cleo complained. "Oops, sorry, Lewis," she mentioned after she realized what she just slipped out. "It's okay, I can see your reason. At least I wasn't asking for ear wax or pieces of hair this time," he tried to joke. Not yet, Cleo thought with an inward groan.
"How could you help her through it when you didn't know what it was like?" Annette asked. "Simple. By being there for her, as Mrs. Chatham said. I didn't want her to be alone in this," Lewis stated. "There's a difference between being there for someone and giving them some space to figure it out for themselves. She needed some time to herself to think things through. She didn't have much of that with everything that was going on," Emma told him quietly. "I understand that now. It took a breakup to get the message," Lewis sighed, turning back to the screen.
Lewis: pats her arm. "Every step of the way, I'll be there."
Cleo: tightens her smile. "Great." Goes to stand up, looking at her friends. "I'm gonna get a juice." Stands up and walks over to the counter.
"I think she gets it, Lewis," Kim frowned.
"Laying it on thick there, aren't you mate?" Zane asked. Rikki had told him about the breakup between Cleo and Lewis, saying that Lewis was – in her own words – 'leading her around on a leash'. He didn't know what she meant until now, as he could see the string being tied in knots in their relationship. And they were beginning to strain and splinter.
Lewis: grins and jumps up after her. "I'll get it."
Cleo: stops at the counter and turns around, biting her cheek. "It's okay, I'll get it."
Lewis: "No, I insist." Gets right by Cleo's side.
"It's a juice, Lewis. It's not that hard to get," Charlotte raised an eyebrow.
"She's an independent woman. If she wants to get it, then let her get it," Sam frowned.
"You do realize you don't need to be over her shoulder every step of the way, right?" Ash said, a bit confused.
"I don't think she'll create a tornado by getting a drink, buddy. She doesn't plan on using her powers," Max said. "Accidents can happen," Lewis reminded. "And you need to learn to trust her. Let her do things on her own when she wants to. You can't protect her forever," Max warned him.
"You don't need to do every single thing for her. Let her do her own thing. You're her boyfriend, not her parent," Bella said. Exactly! Cleo thought. At least everyone else gets it!
Cleo: twists around and looks at him, furrowing her eyebrows and scratching her head, still tense. "Actually, I don't want a juice anymore. I changed my mind." Nods.
Lewis: looks at the bar then back at her. "No? You sure?"
Cleo: nods quickly and smiles. "Yeah."
"Gee, I wonder why she changed her mind so suddenly?" Kim sarcastically asked as she looked at the blonde male. Lewis winced as he watched his own actions. Was he really that bad? Did he really make her feel so uncomfortable and so caged up that she couldn't enjoy her drink? What did he turn into?
Cleo: smile drops. "I've got to go." Walks back over to the table.
Lewis: whips around and follows her back to the table. "Wha - Where are you going?" Lewis looks around, then looks at her in concern, leans over his chair. "You going to Mako?"
Cleo: rolls her eyes, facing the other way as she bends down and grabs her back, putting it over her shoulder. "Maybe. I just need to be by myself for a while." Walks off.
"Take a hint, Lewis," Bella spat. It's right in front of you!
Charlotte frowned, seeing how Lewis was being so overbearing. Could this be the reason why she broke up with him? She did have a lot going on at the time, with the new powers, her mom leaving, and the way Lewis was acting. It would be a bit too much.
"Does it matter where she was going?" Bev asked. "I just wanted to make sure she would be safe," Lewis answered. "She's safe anywhere. She wasn't planning to use her powers, and even if she was, Mako was the best place to do so. There's no one around and it can handle the strength of the girls' powers," Max said. "I know, I was just worried," Lewis sighed. After what happened to me, I was so worried about it happening to anyone else. I guess I let myself get out of control.
"You're going a bit too far with this whole boyfriend thing, don't you think?" Annette said. If this is how he acts as a boyfriend, then I'm not too keen about Charlotte having a crush on him.
"I think he's more obsessed with her than he is science now," Denman muttered, Max and Mrs. Chatham heard, however, and couldn't help but laugh.
"You really meant it when you said you'd be there every step of the way, huh?" Will asked.
Lewis: waves at her, a small smile on his lips. "Alright. See you later." Sits down back in his seat next to Rikki and grabs his straw.
Rikki: "Want my advice?" He looks at her. "Loosen the leash a little." Lewis frowned in confusion.
Lewis sighed, glancing down at the floor. He always wondered what Rikki meant by the leash comment. It took a breakup and him having to see it for himself to finally understand what the feisty blonde meant. He was too clingy, trying to do everything he could for Cleo. It was like he was trying to control her, the one thing she couldn't stand was not being able to do stuff for herself. If she couldn't control it, she didn't like it. And if she couldn't control her own actions because he kept doing them for her, then it became too much for her. He wanted to protect her, and he tried, but he only ended up hurting her even more.
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[Under the ocean, everything seems normal for the little critters at sea, unlike for two other mermaids who speed-swam through the waters. Rikki and Emma hastily make their way toward Mako, knowing that despite wanting to be alone, she wanted/needed her two mermaid sisters by her side. People who understand what she was feeling and what she was going through. Cleo sat in the sand in her human form on the rocky ledge of the cave, facing away from the moonpool, deep in thought.]
"Is everything okay, darling?" Don asked concerned. He knew the answer to that though, just from seeing the way she was acting on the screen. He knew it was a tough time for her, with their mother leaving them and all, but he never realized how bad it was for her with all the secrecy and powers added to the mix. "It was just ... a tough time for me dad," Cleo shifted uncomfortably, aware of the stares of concern and worry fixated on her.
"Looks like Lewis wasn't the only one who didn't get the memo," Charlotte commented. "We knew what she meant. She did need her alone time, but she also needed us. Two people who completely understood what she was feeling. We're practically sisters, we've been through everything together. And that wasn't going to stop then. Cleo needed the comfort of others who understood, just like we would if we were in her place. We needed each other," Emma stated. "Sisters stick together, no matter what," Rikki grinned at her two best friends – her two sisters.
Kim glanced at the two blondes before focusing on her sister. Everything they said was true, yet sometimes it felt like they just weren't a complete puzzle. And that puzzle broke into even more pieces when their mom decided to hit the road. "At least you two knew what she really needed," Lewis whispered. Bella nodded in understanding. If she had friends who were just like her, she would want them to be around when she felt down about her current situation.
Rikki: and Emma comes up for air, seeing Cleo sitting on the ledge, facing the other way. "There you are." Cleo turns her head and finds the two blonde mermaids paddling their way over to the ledge near her.
"She said she was going to Mako. Why did you think otherwise?" Kim asked. "We had checked the island first," Emma answered, a bit sheepish. "Sometimes when Cleo really wants to be alone, she would wander around the island, since she knew one of us might show up at the moonpool," Emma explained. "Like with her birthday party," Lewis added.
Emma: "Hey. Is everything okay?" Gets to the ledge.
Cleo: sighs. "Yeah, I've just got a lot on my mind at the moment and I needed some time to think."
Rikki: "What about?"
Because of me, Bev thought, glancing down. For leaving them when clearly Cleo needed her. For leaving them when her daughters needed a mother. For breaking so many promises and leaving them in such a distraught state.
Because of me, Lewis thought. For adding to the stress. For being a constant presence over her shoulders. For trying to understand and control the problem when she knew I couldn't. For trying to help when I didn't have the answers they needed.
Because of me, Kim thought with a frown. For not being a better sister, when she needed someone on her side. For causing so much arguments just because mom wasn't around. For blackmailing her for something that wasn't her fault when she didn't mean to forget.
Because of me, Don thought with a sad smile. For the constant shifts to catch up on lacking bills, leaving Cleo to watch Kim. For not being able to get everything they needed. For not knowing the situation she was in and the stress she was under.
Because of us, Rikki and Emma glanced at one another. For not knowing the pain she was feeling before it was too late. For not knowing how she felt due to her mother's absence. For not realizing how much she was hiding when she needed to set it free. For not being there for her like they should have. It was all because of us.
Lewis: in the cave. "Hi, guys." Walks into the sandy part of the moonpool with his backpack. "Time for some testing."
"And they never got to talk about it," Bella huffed.
"Thanks for ruining it again, Lewis," Kim scoffed.
"Can you let them have their girl talk? She really needs it," Annette suggested.
"What part of she needs some alone time do you not understand?" Don huffed. "Apparently none of it," Lewis piped down.
"Geez dude, you never take a break, do you?" Zane furrowed his eyebrows. "The sooner we got answers, the better for everyone," Lewis shrugged. "The more patient you are, the better," Mrs. Chatham corrected.
[Minutes later, Lewis finishes blowing up some floaties: a penguin, a crocodile, and some sort of sea creature. Lewis tosses the orange floatie into the moonpool. The three girls stood to the side waiting for Lewis to finish setting up his experiment.]
Rikki: "Is this gonna take much longer? Because I do have a life." Emma and Cleo rolled their eyes at him and walk to the other side of the cave.
"Please tell me you did not just blow those up on your own," Ash exclaimed, eyes wide. "How long did it take you to blow those up?" Harrison asked. "Uh, about five minutes ... each," Lewis summarized. "You've got an impressive lung capacity," Max chuckled. "After swimming with mermaids for so long, you get used to it," he shrugged.
"Those floaties are huge!" Elliot said, eyes wide. "Can I have one?" Kim eagerly asked.
"After you see what happens to them, I'd advise you not to," Lewis winced.
Lewis: grunts. "Okay, try and keep your hand movements to a minimum." Puts a hand on Rikki's shoulder as they take a few steps back away from the moonpool. "Remember, small. Think small, and then divide it by ten." They turn back to the moonpool, Cleo and Emma right behind them.
"So, you basically want them to do nothing," Sam raised an eyebrow. "I want them to try to use as little power as they can, then work on it from there," Lewis explained. "This feels like an experiment," Lisa said. "Because it is."
"How are they supposed to learn if you don't let them use all their powers?" Bella fussed. "Because in order for them to control it, they need to learn what they can do without using so much. If they throw it out all at once, they won't get anything from it, and only risk harming themselves and others," Lewis countered. "Since when did you become a mermaid expert?" Will asked. "Since I met Mrs. Chatham," Lewis remarked. "Or was it when you were tossed out of the cone of the volcano like a volleyball?" Rikki raised an eyebrow.
Rikki: tosses her hands to her side and looks at him. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Lewis: raises his hand up, getting frustrated. "Just try."
Rikki: gestures to the floatie. "But it's so lame."
"It does seem a bit ... odd," Lisa frowned. "Aren't there better ways to test this?" Neil asked. "Floaties come in human size, and they tend to be more fitting for their powers ... plus their cheap if something were to happen to them," Lewis informed. And thank goodness they were.
"Rikki, please just do it. It won't hurt to try," Terry told her.
Emma: feels uncomfortable. "Lewis, are you sure about this?"
Lewis: "Yes. Yes, I am. It's important." Emma shakes her head with a slight eyeroll. "Remember, small movements."
"It is important, for both your safety and others. But it is also important to be patient. This isn't something they will learn in a day's time," Mrs. Chatham reminded him yet again. "Yes, patience is key," Lewis sighed. I should've figured that out before the breakup. How did I not see the signs?
[Rikki sighs, then holds a hand up and very, very slowly, curls her fingers. The water in the pool immediately begins to bubble around the floatie.]
Lewis: nods and looks at her. "Good. That's good."
"Hush, Lewis. She needs to focus," Terry shushed, watching his daughter. "Maybe you should quiet down. You'll distract her," Lisa suggested. "Yeah, keep that yapper of yours shut for once," Rikki said with an amused grin. Lewis scowled.
"Come on, Rikki, you got this!" Elliot cheered. "Almost there, nearly there," Max whispered, leaning forward in his seat, with the rest of the audience in anticipation.
[Rikki curls her fingers even more, trying to increase the power, when she suddenly feels this overwhelming sensation of power and struggles to keep it under control. When it became too much, and before she could even make a complete fist, the orange floatie bursts into flames.]
Lewis: jumps back in shock. "Whoa! Whoa, whoa! Whoa, whoa!"
Rikki: stammers, in shock at what she has done. "Um, um, um." Cleo moves around her.
Lewis: grabs her hand and forces it down. "Stop, stop, stop! Stop it!" They look at the pool, and the fire dies down in the water. The orange floatie lingers to the side of the pool, deflated. Finally, the fire goes out.
"Woah!" the audience jumped up in shock. Some of them flinch back from the huge ball of flames.
"You just made fire on top of water. That is so cool!" Kim exclaimed in excitement. "And the impossible just became even more possible," Denman furrowed her eyebrows, wondering how in the world Rikki was able to do that. The more she thought about it, the more 'magic' became the answer.
"Sweet," Ash grinned. "More like hot," Will joked, though Zane didn't find it funny. He did find the gigantic fire that his girlfriend made to be cool though.
Terry's jaw nearly dropped to the floor from the amount of power Rikki did just to make that. And she looked like she wasn't using her full potential either. If she could boil water by barely tapping into her powers, make fire without even trying, could her full potential be able to create as much lightning as she wanted? His daughter was a lot stronger than he could ever imagine. At least he didn't have to worry about no boys messing with her in the future. Rikki could definitely handle herself.
"Aww, poor floatie," Elliot said, a bit bummed. The orange one was his favorite. "Geez, what did that floatie do to you?" Ash chuckled. "Didn't like the color," Rikki shrugged. Or the annoying person that bought it.
[Rikki laughs out of shock and yet nervousness.]
Lewis: looks back at her in disbelief. "That's not good."
Rikki: "Are you kidding? That was cool." Gestures back to the moonpool as she steps back next to Cleo. "I could really have some fun with this."
"It seemed pretty good to me," Max shrugged. "It's a lot better than the first time. At least no lightning struck down," Terry said. "It's an improvement." "Yeah, and there's still more to improve," Lewis informed them. "Just be glad you didn't get hit with lightning," Rikki rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"You gotta admit, Lewis, it was pretty cool," Elliot nodded. "... okay, fine. It was really cool, but not something that could be used in public without being under control," Lewis openly admitted before quickly adding the second part.
Lewis: grabs the penguin floatie. "Okay. Who's next?" Emma steps forward and takes a deep breath. Lewis sets the penguin floatie in the moonpool, standing it up straight in the water, and steps back. Nods at Emma. "Alright."
"Oh, do be careful Em," Lisa said with a nervous tone. Well, I tried, Emma thought with a small grin.
"You're very brave, dear. It's good to know you wanted to try," Mrs. Chatham encouraged. "Well, I did want to know more of what I could do. What better way to do it than attempting to use them on animal floaties," Emma admitted with a shrug. "How about on Lewis?" Kim teased. "Already on it," Cleo muttered, Rikki snorted from her muttering, having been the only one to hear it.
[Emma nods back and exhales, then holds her hand out, palm flat at the fake penguin. At first, nothing happens, or so it seems. Cleo and Rikki watch hesitantly.]
"Nothing's happening," Elliot frowned. "Wait for it," Emma bit her lip, a bit anxious. "Is it working?" Neil asked, unable to tell. "Kind of," she replied.
"Funny that you get the penguin," Ash snorted,
[Emma narrows her eyes, trying to focus her powers on the floatie. Then at once, the floatie ices over, growing thicker as the sound of ice cracking is heard. Emma keeps going, trying to maintain her powers. The floatie then explodes into a bunch of ice particles, ice having formed on the inside of it and became too much pressure, and scatters all over the moonpool and the cave. Some of it falls onto Lewis, making him stumble back from the force.]
Lewis: "Ahh!" Emma jumps back to avoid the explosion of ice she accidentally created. Rikki and Cleo stare at it, wide-eyed.
Once again, the audience jumps in shock as the penguin explodes. "No! Not the penguin!" Kim whined, seeing the floatie she wanted completely destroyed.
"And to think that could've been Miriam," Rikki chuckled. "Not funny, Rikki," Emma glared. "That's one way to cool things down," Ash said in amusement.
"That wasn't too bad. You had it under control for a good bit there," Max said supportively. "That's better. Good job, sweetie," Neil told her. "I'll say. That could've been my kitchen!" Lisa whispered, still a bit upset by the incident.
"Freezing a penguin, something that normally lives on the ice. A little ironic, isn't it?" Will said, finding it humorous.
Lewis: looks at the now missing penguin then at Emma with a frown, tilting his head as he looks back to the moonpool. "Okay, Cleo, third time lucky."
"Isn't it supposed to be 'third times a charm'?" Charlotte asked. "Eh, at this point what does it matter?" Lewis shrugged.
Cleo: shakes her finger, scared of the outcome. "I'm not doing that."
"Oh, come on, Cleo. Everything will be alright," Don encouraged. "At least try," Kim huffed. Bev looked at her daughter nervously. She wanted to support her, she wanted to encourage her. But she was afraid; she'd already done enough damage. And with everything that's happened in the past couple of episodes, her oldest daughter's anger has rekindled, and she was still furious with her mother's choices. She couldn't blame her. She might not have known what was going on, but she still could have been there for her. Both she and Kim.
Rikki: still wide-eyed in excitement. "You could have fun." Gestures to the moonpool. Emma looks at her in disbelief.
Cleo: "This is not how I have fun." Lewis puts the crocodile into the water.
"You should," Kim said. "It seems fun to me," Elliot grinned.
"I think we need to reread your definition of fun," Annette glanced at her. "We could control the weather! How is that not fun?" Rikki argued. "It's dangerous for starters," Cleo pointed out. "As long as we control it, it's fine. It's no different than us using our first powers," Rikki countered. "She has a point. As long as you use it for the right reasons, there's nothing wrong with it. Your stronger, that's it. It doesn't change who you are as a person," Bella stated.
Rikki: "Well, what do you have to lose?"
Cleo: waves her hand at the pool. "What if I can't control what happens?"
"Don't let your fear get in the way, dear. Fear is what controls you. Do not let it take over," Mrs. Chatham said. "A little too late for that," Cleo mumbled to herself, sneaking a glance at Lewis upset.
Hopefully the only thing she will lose is her fears, Kim thought. Cleo's fears is always what controlled her. Getting over her fears changed Cleo so much. She didn't want to see her go down that path again.
"You're not going to be able to control it the first time. No one can get things right the first time. And that's okay," Bella said.
"Just take a deep breath and try it out. It's not going to hurt anyone. You're not going to hurt anyone," Don told her. That's what you think, Cleo thought. She already hurt Lewis once. And she nearly did it again a second time.
"You got this, Cleo!" Elliot shouted, making his family laugh.
Lewis: holds her arm. "There is nothing to worry about. I'm gonna be right next to you the entire time."
"Funny how he tends to want to constantly be by Cleo's side instead of helping us out too," Rikki smirked. "She was my girlfriend," Lewis argued. "And we're your friends," Rikki shot back. "Oh, so now you want to claim me as a friend," Lewis grinned. "I said we're your friends. I never said you were mine."
"Here we go again," Bella groaned. "She's sixteen, not six. She needs a boyfriend, not a babysitter," Ash mentioned. "Dude, just leave her alone," Zane furrowed his eyebrows.
Cleo: looks back at her friends as he guides her closer to the moonpool. "That's comforting ... I guess." Sighs and stares down at the water.
"Your tense," Annette said. "You think?" Cleo sarcastically asked. I had a boyfriend who was clinging to me more than a toddler.
"I don't think it was comforting," Kim grimaced.
Lewis: "Please, Cleo, just try it for me. I know it's scary, but I'm not gonna leave you. Not for a second." Emma and Rikki share a weird look. Puts a hand on her shoulder. "Take a deep breath, focus only on your powers, and control –."
"Why couldn't she just do it for herself?" Sam asked. "I – I thought it might help her," Lewis answered, lowering himself in his seat. "Well, it clearly worked," Kim sarcastically said.
"Sometimes you have to face your fears on your own. In this case, I think it's best to be," Mrs. Chatham informed him.
"You are talking wayyy too much," Rikki complained. "I was trying to help," Lewis bickered. "You want to help? Zip it and let her focus. She can do it on her own," Rikki made a zipper with her fingers, running it across her mouth.
Cleo: rolls her eyes and cuts him off, forcing a smile. "Okay." Lewis takes his hand off her shoulder. "I'll try it. Just stop talking for a minute."
"Thank you!" Rikki exclaimed in relief. A few snickered, trying to hold in their laughter as Lewis blushed from embarrassment. "Seems like we weren't the only ones to think so," Zane laughed. "Sorry, Lewis, but I need peace and quiet to focus," Cleo winced.
Lewis: grins. "Alright, not another word."
"Finally," Rikki whispered. "I hear enough of you without this showing." "Hah hah," Lewis sarcastically laughed.
"Come on, Cleo. You got this!" Don encouraged, pumping a fist up in the air.
[Cleo stares at the water and holds her hand up, just about to use her power, when Lewis interrupts her again.]
Lewis: "Except –." Cleo bites her cheek and tosses her hand back down, looking annoyed.
"You are really good at making promises," Ash said, sarcasm lacing his tone.
"That's a word. I believe that is a word," Will grinned. "Does 'not another word' mean anything to you?" Bella frowned.
"She can't focus with you yapping. Quit talking!" Kim complained. She wanted to see her sister in action.
Lewis: "I – I want you to know that I'm proud of you." Glances at the water then back at her. "I'm really – I'm really proud of you." Cleo rolls her eyes. "That's all." Steps back. Cleo lets out a breath.
"Aww, that's sweet. Now shut your piehole so she can focus!" Kim huffed.
Bev sighed, beginning to understand why Cleo was getting so annoyed with Lewis. He was so much worse now than when he was just a friend.
"I'm proud of her too. I'd be even more proud of her if she could do this on her own," Don gave him a stern glare.
"I see you're improving on the supportive boyfriend role more now, are ya?" Annette raised an eyebrow.
"You know, there is such a thing as too much support," Bella suggested. "And talking," Cleo mumbled.
"She hasn't even done anything," Harrison said. "Yeah, but the fact that she was at least trying was something to be proud of. She was trying to face her fears," Lewis remarked. And I was getting in the way.
Lewis: turns back to her. "Oh, do you want me to hold your other hand?"
"Lewis!" nearly the entire audience shouted in annoyance. "Tough crowd," Lewis muttered.
Cleo: snaps. "No!" Out of instinct, she holds her hand up for him to stop, accidentally using her power over wind to be directed at him. Lewis holds his hands out to try and balance himself. Cleo pulls her hand back and stops it, but it was too late. Lewis falls back into the moonpool from the unexpected force with a splash, missing the crocodile floatie. Emma and Rikki step up next to Cleo at the edge, looking down at Lewis in shock along with the brunette. Cleo holds her hand up to her shoulder, forming a fist. Lewis pops back up gasping for air. Rikki places her hands on her hips and looks at Cleo with an amused grin, Emma joining in. Cleo looks up, shifting uncomfortably. Lewis grins sheepishly at them.
Everyone bursts into laughter, including Lewis, after seeing his face in the water. "Okay, I deserved that," Lewis said, his laughter dying down while everyone else was still going.
"Karma," Bella sang.
"Well at least the pool still wasn't on fire," Harrison chuckled. "That would've been a doozy," Terry responded.
"I regret nothing," Cleo said. "It was an accident," Lewis frowned. "Oh, I know. But I still don't regret it," Cleo shrugged, smiling smugly.
"You know what? I say that was under control," Ash grinned. "One hundred percent," Will agreed with him. "Are you sure that wasn't intentional?" Rikki asked, still laughing. No matter how many times she sees it, this will always be one of her most favorite,
hilarious moments.
"That's on you, Lewis. She told you to stop talking," Sam laughed. "You were warned, Lewis," Charlotte giggled. "I think next time you'll definitely learn to zip it," Zane smirked.
"That's a stress reliever," Bev smiled.
"Man, I wish we could record this," Kim sighed. "Is there a replay button?" Elliot eagerly asked. "Thankfully, no," Lewis shook his head with a smile. Elliot groaned in complaint. "So uncool."
"At least the alligator floatie survived," Max said, looking on the bright side. "Can I have it?" Kim asked. "Sure," Lewis finally gave in with a sigh. "Yes!" she fist-pumped the air.
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[Meanwhile, at the school soccer field, Elliot is at practice wearing his blue and yellow soccer uniform. With a soccer ball at his feet and orange cones lined up in front of him, he stands next to his teammates as they too are prepared for the drill. Billy, one of his teammates and current captain of the team eyes Elliot as they get ready for a practice race. Nate, the coach of the team, stands next to his assistant who was timing the players, holds up the whistle to his mouth, and blows.]
"Oh, this is great! We get to see you practice!" Lisa practically squealed with joy; her husband next to her showing a bright smile. "Oh ... great," Elliot said, sounding a bit hesitant about it. "Were you not there?" Annette asked. "No. Sadly we didn't get to go. We had another luncheon to go to," Lisa said, a little bummed that she missed out on her son's soccer practice. But it was important that they did not miss that lunch meeting. "Who was it with?" Emma asked, not aware that was where her parents had been. "I think I can take a guess," Zane grinned, looking over at his dad.
"It was with me again. About Mako. And before you get any ideas, it wasn't about developing it, it was about protecting it," Harrison said, as he saw Sam open then close her mouth. "And thanks to Harrison, plus a few members of the wilderness protection program, Mako and its surroundings are now under protection," Neil smiled. "And once we get back, it'll have the protection of my work as well," Sam added with a proud smile.
"Is that Billy? What is that dimwit doing on the team? He's not even good," Kim complained, knowing that Elliot was far better than him. "Kim, no name-calling," Bev scolded. "But it's the truth!" Kim exclaimed. "Because Nate's his brother. The coach," Elliot said gloomily. "What kind of person would let him be the coach?" Will frowned. "Despite what you think, Nate is pretty good at soccer. He was the captain of the high school team, and he can make a good coach too," Zane defended his friend. "If he didn't have his priorities set on his brother rather than the whole team," Emma grumbled, arms crossed.
[Once the whistle is sounded, Billy and Elliot kick the soccer balls around the cones in a race to the goal. However, Billy kept making rude comments and distracting Elliot.]
Billy: while kicking the ball around the cones. "You're gonna miss for sure. You run like a girl. Miss! Miss! Bet you're gonna miss."
"Who is this kid?" Ash frowned, gesturing to the screen. "Nate's little brother, aka the second in line for king of disappointment," Emma narrowed her eyes at him.
"Why is he being so rude? You were doing great!" Lisa frowned, not liking one of her kids getting picked on. "Because he's just like his brother. A mini version of Nate," Rikki rolled her eyes. "You got that right," Elliot scowled.
"You need to try to stand up for yourself kid. You shouldn't let someone pick on you like that," Terry told him. "Have you talked to the coach about this?" Neil leaned forward in his seat. "I tried. I even tried to tell the coach, but because the coach is his brother, he always takes his side," Elliot complained. "It shouldn't matter if it's his brother or not. He should know right from wrong," Emma said.
"He's probably just jealous. Elliot seems like a much better player than this punk," Will told him, making Elliot smile a little.
That little ...! Kim thought, narrowing her eyes at him. Just wait till I see you next time Billy.
[Elliot takes the shot and kicks the ball towards the net, the ball hitting the goalpost instead of going into the net. Elliot walks away, getting out of line.]
Billy: follows him. "Loser."
"You're one to talk!" Kim spat. "Kim," Bev hushed. "What? He deserved it!" Kim turned to her mother with a slight glare then turned back to the screen.
"It's Billy's fault. He would've done fine if he hadn't distracted him," Charlotte said. "It doesn't seem that way to everyone else," Elliot pouted.
"That is just awful of him," Lisa breathed out.
"Your teammates, not enemies. He should treat you like one," Max frowned.
Nate: bends over, letting out a breath of annoyance, then straightens up and points to the goal as Elliot stands in front of him. Billy stands to the side with his brother. "That was the worst shot I've ever seen. Elliot, what's your problem?"
"The problem? Your brother is the problem," Kim scoffed. "The problem is that your brother is messing with my son, and I will not tolerate it," Lisa fumed. She was so going to have a word with his parents after this.
"Worst shot? Even if it missed it was still close," Sam said, trying to help. "Not helping," Elliot turned to her. "Sorry."
Elliot: "Your brother was hassling me."
Nate: rolls his head back. "Oh, don't make excuses." Waves to the goal. "My nana could kick straighter than that." Billy laughs. "Get to the back of the line. Don't miss it again." Elliot walks to the back of the line, Billy watches him go. Nate blows his whistle to continue practice. "Here we go, Lachlan."
"But it's the truth! Your brother was being a jerk!" Kim huffed. "Guess you two have something in common," Cleo joked. "I have nothing in common with that pig, nor do I want to!" Kim glared at her sister. "At least they act more like brothers than you do sisters," Rikki smirked. "Oh, zip it," Cleo narrowed her eyes.
"Why should he get punished for something that wasn't his fault?" Annette scowled. "And the brother gets awarded for his 'good behavior'," Elliot used quotation marks at the end, rolling his eyes.
"I think I need to have a talk with your 'coach' after this," Neil frowned. "Forget the coach, go to the school. That is no way to treat a player, especially my son," Lisa huffed in anger. "Oh, don't worry. He gets his comeuppance," Emma grinned. "More like Billy did," Rikki snickered quietly.
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[After the floatie incidents at Mako, the girls and Lewis return to the mainland, walking alongside the water by the piers. Lewis has a towel wrapped around his neck, still damp from his 'fall' into the moonpool.]
Cleo: "I'm sorry, Lewis. I didn't mean to do that."
"Sure, you didn't," Rikki giggled. "It was an accident," Cleo gave her a stern look. "I still think he deserved it," Bella muttered under her breath.
Lewis: scoffs lightly. "Stop apologizing. It only hurts when I move."
"Was that a joke or were you serious?" Annette asked as Charlotte looked at him in alarm. "A little bit of both. I meant it as a joke but the only thing that hurt was my foot. I think it hit the ledge when I fell in. Only a bruise though, nothing permanent," Lewis held his hands up as he explained. Cleo's heart raced a little. She had thought he only meant it as a joke as well, but to know he was hurt a little saddened her. She was glad to know at least it was only a small bruise and nothing worse than that.
"How many times did she apologize?" Don asked curiously. "About a hundred times. I lost count once we came back to the Gold Coast," Lewis laughed.
Rikki: "That was pretty cool, though. Having that much power on tap is a rush."
"As long as we use it right," Emma added. "Yeah, yeah," Rikki waved it off.
"It was pretty cool," Will grinned, along with a few others.
Lewis: "Maybe. But that kind of power demands responsibility."
Emma: "Until we learn control, we can't be tempted to use our powers." Looks at Rikki. "None of us."
"And you broke that rule real quick," Rikki chuckled quietly. Emma glared at her. "Hey, your rule, your problem," she pointed out.
"You still need to at least try and use them. Maybe not in public but when you're alone. The only way to gain control is by facing your fears and practicing," Bella stated. "You seem to know a lot about this," Lewis said. "I – I – I've been invested way too much in this the past few days," Bella laughed nervously, her suspicious laughter gone unnoticed by the human blonde as he shrugged.
"Oh, you're going to regret doing that," Terry chuckled as he saw the look onscreen Emma flashed at Rikki.
Rikki: frowns, having noticed the look, and points at her. "Why did you just look at me when you said that?"
Emma: hesitant, looking up. "I didn't."
"You did," nearly everyone in the room exclaimed. Emma blushed in embarrassment. Rikki smirked at her small victory. Cleo nodded. "Yeah. It was there."
Rikki: "Yes, you did." Crosses her arms as they still walk. "You don't think I can control myself?"
"I think Rikki could control it. She might seem feisty, but she does have restraint," Terry mentioned. "Yeah. Plus, she's learned from past events – which shall not be named – about not using her powers on others and to hold back from doing something she might regret," Sam said, thinking of the warehouse incident. "Even Julia knew when she was crossing the line between her powers and humanity," Mrs. Chatham remarked. They didn't have the weather powers, but they still did have the original ones, meaning Julia with Rikki's heating power.
"Not to mention she's had plenty of opportunities to use her powers on me and Nate, and didn't," Zane said. "You do have a point," Emma sighed, tilting her head side to side.
Emma: waves her hands around to prove her point. "Well you are the one who thinks it's a bit 'of a rush.'" Smirks and walks ahead of Rikki, who watches her with a look as if she were saying 'game on.'
"Oof, sweetheart, you're gonna regret making that challenge with my girl," Terry laughed, shaking his head. "It wasn't a challenge," Emma said in confusion. "But she took it as one." "Don't make bets you can't pay, Em," Neil laughed. "Dad!" "Sorry, sweetie. But we both know Rikki will do everything she can to win." And luckily for me, I did, Rikki beamed with pride.
"Just because I thought it was a bit of a rush doesn't mean I was going to use it on everyone I see. If so, Zane and Lewis would be long gone by now," Rikki pointed out. "We're never going to hear a compliment from her, are we?" Zane asked Lewis. "Nope."
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[Over at the café, after their long practice was over, Nate takes the team to the Juicenet café for the 'successful' practice they had. Elliot sits at a table by himself with the soccer ball next to him, his arms crossed, bent over with his hoodie on. Nate walks over carrying a bunch of bottled juices over to the other table across from him where all the other players were sat, including Billy.]
Nate: "Here we go!"
Players: "Thanks, Coach!"
"Why aren't you sitting with the other kids, Elliot?" Lisa asked in concern. "Didn't think I was wanted," Elliot shrugged, a little down. "You're a part of the team though. You should be with them, not separate," Annette frowned as Lisa gasped in pained shock. "That's not the way Billy sees it," Elliot sighed.
"So, he'll give drinks to the others but not to you?" Bella huffed, crossing her arms. "Only to the ones he thinks deserves it. You don't get rewarded for not scoring a goal," Elliot answered. Emma glared at the screen, not aware of this until now. I'd like to see him go against me in soccer. One swipe on ice and he'd be seeing stars for weeks.
"Yeah, definitely having that talk with the school," Neil glared, not liking his son being outed like that. "I might join you on that one, Neil," Harrison mentioned, Neil nodded in agreement. It might not be necessary, but it would help to have one of the most well-known families in the meeting with him.
[Emma, Rikki, Cleo, and a still damp with a towel Lewis walks through the beaded curtains and into the café. Emma walks over to the counter and grabs a menu as the others walk past her, assumably heading for their normal booth. Emma listens in to their little meeting as Nate talks to the team, and notices Elliot all to himself.]
Nate: pats Billy on the shoulder, the younger brother stands up. "Now, Billy trained the hardest today, so he's gonna be captain again this week." Everyone cheers him on.
"Favoritism. It gets you nowhere," Denman scoffed. "From the looks of it, it seems to be getting him somewhere," Max replied.
"The hardest?! He didn't do anything besides bully my son!" Lisa shouted, standing from her seat. "Yeah, Elliot did all the work! He should be captain!" Kim narrowed her eyes, joining Mrs. Gilbert. "Feels like the crowd is tougher here than the whole game," Rikki whispered to Emma, the blonde nodding in agreement.
"Captain again? Wonder why? I mean, it's not like it's his brother or anything," Ash sarcastically said.
"Why does he get to be captain for being a jerk?" Charlotte asked. "Because he's the captain of jerks. He was awarded it by his brother." Kim spat.
Lachlan: pats his shoulder. "Well done, Billy!"
Billy: fist bumps the air. "Yes! I am the coolest!"
"His ego seems to match Nate's, that's for sure," Zane chuckled. "Nah, I think it's close to yours," Rikki teased.
"Quit cheering him on, he doesn't deserve it," Bella scoffed. "Relax. They're just kids," Cleo said. "Yeah, well, he still doesn't deserve it." "Ugh, kids," Rikki said in disgust.
"At least the other players seem friendly," Lisa mentioned, hoping he would befriend some of the other ones. "Yeah, but they all follow Billy," Elliot said.
Nate: "No, I'm the coolest, but you're a close second."
"It'll never match Nate's though," Lewis told Zane, the both of them laughing. "It's a tossup," Rikki remarked.
"And I thought Billy was bad," Kim winced.
Nate: "Now the rest of you, we have a big game tomorrow." Elliot stands, his hands fumbling with the ball. "Okay? We are gonna win this, guys." Walks around the table full of players, pointing his finger up in victory. Emma looks over at them, but her main focus was on her brother. "We're gonna rule!" Claps his hands up in the air and the rest of the kids cheer along with him.
Players: "Yeah!" Joins Nate in his ruckus.
Nate: "Here we go!"
"This is going to get annoying quick," Rikki said. "With Nate being the coach, definitely," Cleo agreed.
"He better let you play," Neil scowled. "He does," Elliot said. Some.
"At least he's involving most of the players," Bev said, a little hopeful. "Not all of them though," Lisa sighed as she glanced at her son.
Emma: sets the menu down and walks over to her little brother while the team is distracted. Smiles at him. "So how's things?"
Elliot: glances at her but keeps looking down at the ball. "Great."
"Doesn't sound too great," Ash said. "Because it wasn't," Elliot pouted, causing his parents to feel bad for him.
Emma: smile falters some from his false tone and glances back at the team for a moment. "How come you aren't sitting with the rest of the guys?"
Elliot: looks up at her, clearly in a bad mood. "I don't want to sit there, alright?"
Or maybe because he wasn't welcomed, Rikki frowned.
"I know things aren't good for you, sweetie, but you shouldn't take it out on your sister, okay? She didn't know and what happened wasn't her fault," Lisa sighed, not liking her two kids arguing. "Yeah, it's that egotistical coach of yours, fault," Neil griped. "I know, mom. Sorry, Em," Elliot said looking at her with a small smile. "It's okay, El. I know you didn't mean anything," Emma smiled back.
Emma: "Want to go home and kick the ball?"
Elliot: looks back down at the ball. "Be a waste of time."
"It's not a waste of time to play the sport you enjoy the most. The more practice the better. I wouldn't have gotten this far with art if I didn't keep practicing," Charlotte urged. "How long has this been going on? His bubbly personality is destroyed," Lisa whispered to her husband. "I don't know, but it's been going on long enough, this ends when we get back," Neil whispered back.
Emma: "Come on, you can show me that scissor kick you've been practicing."
"Oh, scissor kick? That sounds interesting. I'd love to see it," Bella smiled. "Maybe later," Elliot grinned. "There's no soccer balls in here after all." "Ah, true." "I'd like to see it too," Ash grinned.
Elliot: back at her. "I'm no good at it."
Emma: shakes her head. "Don't be silly. Of course you are. Who told you that?"
"Who do you think?" Rikki scoffed. "Now I understand why you wanted me to go with you to his game." She didn't like her little buddy being picked on. If she had known beforehand, she would've dealt with them properly, especially that Billy kid. Not with her mermaid powers of course, but definitely would've gave Elliot some sort of revenge. "Exactly. I needed to know what was going on since he wouldn't tell me," Emma whispered.
"Probably Nate," Lewis huffed. "Or Billy," Zane responded. "Or both," Don pointed out.
Elliot: "Everyone. Just leave me alone." Elliot walks off, ball in hand, through the beaded curtains and exits the café. Emma frowns in concern then looks back to the team, which didn't even notice that one of their members was missing.
"Poor Elliot," Lisa worried, putting her head on her husband's shoulder. "It's okay, mom. It gets much better from here," Elliot smiled, having an idea of where that ice might have come from. "It sure does," Rikki smirked. "Okay, I got to see where this goes," Will chuckled.
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[The next day while a show goes on at the Marine Park, Cleo prepares for her shift as she walks over to her ice cream stand carrying her box of supplies. As she sets up her stand, unbeknownst to her, she had a surprise visitor sneak up behind her from some nearby trees.]
Lewis: grabs Cleo around her sides, startling the girl as she whirls around at him. "Hey! How are you feeling today?"
"Even showing up at her workplace too," Sam mumbled. "Isn't that normal, though? He and the girls go there all the time, even when she is working," Bev frowned in confusion. As if you would know, Cleo thought then turns to Lewis. "By the way, if I would've dropped that box of cones, that would've came out of my paycheck." "Well luckily you didn't," Lewis laughed sheepishly.
"Geez, she wasn't kidding," Rikki mumbled to Emma. "Yeah, he was there for her, constantly."
Cleo: wide forced smile. "Lewis. You're here." Faces forward away from him with a slight grimace. "So early."
"The workplace sometimes can be a place where you can relax and be to yourself if you really enjoy your job. In this case, however ...," Neil said.
Lewis winced, feeling a little guilty for disturbing Cleo at work, a place where she really enjoys being, even if it is surrounded by water.
"But the park is already open. How is it early?" Denman asked. "I haven't even started my shift yet," Cleo remarked.
Lewis: "Yeah. Well, I got here before you started work." Grabs some cones from the box and sits them in the stand for her.
"That's not creepy at all," Bella sarcastically said. "How did you even know her schedule?" "I saw it on her calendar the last time I was at her house," Lewis shrugged, a slight blush from embarrassment. Cleo's eyes widen slightly from that odd statement. "Again, totally not creepy," Bella shuttered.
"What was the point in that?" Emma asked him. "I – I wanted to surprise her," Lewis said a little quietly. "Well ... it worked," Cleo shifted uncomfortably.
Cleo: shakes her head at him. "You really don't have to do that."
"I don't think she wanted the help," Ash said. "Yeah, I kind of got the memo after watching the first part," Lewis remarked. Didn't want, didn't need, Cleo sighed. Honestly, I love Lewis, but what we were going through with our powers and all, no matter how much he tries to understand, it's not something he will ever be able to fix. It's something we had to do on our own.
[A preteen walks up to the stand.]
Young Customer: "Single scoop vanilla, thanks."
Cleo: "Sure." Grabs the scoop and was beginning to get the ice cream when Lewis jumps in, takes the scoop from her, and unintentionally shoves her out of the way.
Lewis: "Here, let me. You relax and take it easy."
"No offense, Lewis. But I wasn't helpless. I could do it on my own. I couldn't control my powers, it didn't mean I was useless," Cleo huffed, rubbing her forehead. She was still aggravated by that. "It really annoyed me; the workplace was my own space that I could enjoy; it felt like it was getting taken away from me." Lewis glanced down at the floor, gulping. "Sorry," he mumbled. "No, I'm sorry. I know you didn't mean any harm," Cleo sighed, forming a small smile. "But can you please ask next time?" Lewis chuckled, returning the smile. "Deal."
Don and Bev smiled at the interaction. One, glad to know they were getting along again; the other, glad to see all the lovey-doveyness despite everything that went down in this episode so far, still unaware of their current relationship status.
"She's at work, she's not supposed to 'take it easy'," Ash said, using quotation marks. "Yeah, she's the one that's supposed to get paid, not you," Annette said.
Cleo: irritated. "I don't want to take it easy, Lewis."
Lewis: puts the scoop of vanilla on the cone, wraps it in a napkin, and hands it to the kid. "Here you go. Thank you." The kid leaves.
"Did you just ignore her?" Emma asked. "There was a kid there, I didn't want to argue in front of him," Lewis countered. "Then don't start one," Rikki shot back.
Lewis: turns to his girlfriend. "Sorry I put you under so much pressure yesterday. I've cleared my whole day so we can hang out together." Lewis walks away, Cleo bites her cheek.
"I don't think she enjoyed that news," Kim scratched the back of her neck. "Ya think?" Lewis raised an eyebrow. "I just ... wasn't expecting it," Cleo winced.
"How is hanging out with her nonstop for the entire day going to help relieve the pressure?" Terry asked. Lewis shrugged. "I dunno, I thought it would help." "He was trying at least," Mrs. Chatham defended him.
I'm starting to see the reason why Cleo broke up with him, Charlotte cringed. It was a lot of pressure, and he wasn't any help to it.
"Dude, you got problems," Ash said as everyone gave Lewis a strange look. "Yeah, I was told I was a little messed up," Lewis glanced at Rikki.
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[After a long shift, Cleo plops down onto her bed, still irritated. Rikki sits on her bean bag with her feet propped up on the bed, reading a magazine. Emma was in the bathroom, standing at the sink.]
Cleo: "Lewis is driving me crazy."
"That makes two of us," Rikki smirked. "Hah, hah," Lewis deadpanned.
"I'm surprised you're only cracking now," Kim commented. "Kim," Don hushed her. "It's been building up for a little while," Cleo mumbled under her breath.
"Just imagine how long her shift was with him then," Max whispered to Mrs. Chatham who nodded.
Rikki: looks at her dumbfounded. "You mean it's taken you this long?" Goes back to scanning through the magazine.
Cleo: "He's really getting on my nerves. He wants to fix everything."
"You're starting to sound like Rikki," Zane snorted. "That's not possible. There's only one me," Rikki gestured to herself. "And thank goodness for that. One is already enough to handle," Terry grinned as his daughter gasped dramatically.
"I'm sure he means well," Lisa started, then was cut off by her daughter speaking onscreen.
Emma: walks out of the bathroom. "I guess he means well." Grabs the desk chair and sits next to Rikki.
"Exactly! Thanks, mom," Emma exclaimed.
"At least someone was defending me," Lewis joked. "But I did mean well. I guess I was just overstepping my boundaries." "Maybe a little," Cleo pinched her fingers together. "More like a lot," Rikki said with a slanted grin.
Cleo: "I just wish he'd let us deal with it. He won't leave me alone. I feel like I'm under a microscope."
"Why didn't you just tell me that then?" Lewis asked. "Because I didn't want to hurt your feelings," Cleo looked down. And so, breaking up with me wouldn't? Lewis thought with a scoff. "But you kept building those feelings in until you just ... snapped," Lewis told her. "It wasn't good for you to hold it in. Yes, I wasn't helping the situation at all, but that's why you should've talked to me. It would've been much better than the other alternative."
"I know, and I should have. It's just there was so much pressure, and so much I couldn't even talk about, and it felt like everything was falling apart and – and – and I ... I'm sorry," Cleo breathed out, tears nearly in her eyes. "Oh, Cleo," Lewis rubbed her back, putting a hand over her shoulder. "I know things were tough, with – with everything going on," Lewis sneaks a glance at Bev, but even she wasn't that dumb enough to not notice. "Not to mention the new powers. I guess I was being too overbearing, that I didn't try to see it from your point of view. From any of yours," Lewis looked at his other two mermaid friends. "I'm sorry. To all of you."
Emma and Rikki hesitantly nodded, accepting the apology. "It's okay." Cleo looked up at him with a small smile. "Thanks, Lewis." "You're welcome. And I'll try to be there when you need me. Not consistently." Cleo laughed. "We'll see about that."
Cleo: "I really like him, but he's –."
"A pain?" Kim asked. "A know it all," Zane teased. "Wanting to make you bang your head against the wall?" Bella quipped. "Making you miserable," Bev whispered with a frown. Totally cute, Charlotte thought. But then again, she has been questioning his decisions lately. And this was a major one. "Gee, thanks guys," Lewis rolled his eyes. "I'm surprised you haven't added to it," he told Rikki. The blonde smirked and pointed at the screen.
Rikki: finishes her statement. "Totally suffocating?"
"Of course," he looked over at the feisty blonde. She shrugged. "Were you expecting anything else?" A few giggles escape the crowd.
Cleo: nods, looking at her wide-eyed. "Yes. He's doing everything right." Shakes her head. "But I can't stand it anymore. I don't know what to do."
"Girl problems," Ash chuckled. "Girlfriend problems," Bella corrected him. "Mermaid problems," Will laughed. "Headaches is what it is," Rikki told them.
Rikki: "Here's a thought. Dump him."
Lewis looked at the screen in shock. "What? You were the one that suggested it?" Rikki held her hands up in defense as everyone gasped and looked at her in shock. "Rikki!" Terry scolded. "I didn't mean it seriously. I was just joking around. You know I have a terrible sense of humor!" "Which needs to be fixed," Emma shook her head in disbelief. She was there and had known Rikki longer than most and she still couldn't believe she gave Cleo that idea. Though she did wonder if Cleo would've done it or not if Rikki hadn't given her that stupid advice.
Lewis laughed in disbelief, shaking his head. "Why am I surprised? I should've known." "Lewis, I would've never told Cleo that if I knew she was going to actually do it. I was just kidding! I didn't mean it," Rikki shook her head, trying to get him to listen. "Guess we do have something in common then. We're not very good at reading the room," Lewis tried to joke, but after that, he wasn't really in the mood. Lewis, I'm sorry," Rikki sighed. "It's fine. It probably would've happened either way with the way things were going," Lewis sighed. "I'm afraid he's right," Cleo rubbed her arms in comfort. "It was just too much." Rikki sighed and leaned back in her seat. "Now I feel bad." "Then don't say ridiculous things," Terry warned her.
Bev frowned. What are Cleo and Lewis talking about? Did they break up? Cleo never mentioned anything to me about a breakup. Is this some sort of warning?
"This is the exact reason why people need to think before they speak," Denman shook her head.
Now I don't know whether I should thank her or not, Charlotte thought before mentally shaking her head. No, no. Things will probably work out for them in the end, especially as they are now seeing their problems in front of them. Literally with a giant screen showing us the past. They'll probably get back together once this is over.
Emma: looks at her harshly. "Rikki." Back to Cleo and sighs. "Let me talk to him. If he knew how you were feeling, maybe he'd give you some space."
"A little late for that," Cleo muttered.
"Did you?" Elliot asked her. "I never got the chance," Emma glanced down, feeling a little guilty. Had she talked to Lewis first before the game, maybe she could've warned him about how Cleo was beginning to feel instead of getting lashed out at.
"Someone needs to knock some sense into him," Ash said. "I might need some of that," Rikki halfway raised her hand. "I wish you would have. Would've saved me some trouble," Lewis admitted, mumbling the last part.
Cleo: shakes her head. "No." Puts a smile on her face. "I can handle this. It's just something I need to work through." Emma looks back at Rikki, a sheepish grin plastered on her face.
"Oh, quit being stubborn and just talk to your boyfriend," Kim huffed. "Communication is key to a good relationship. Not talking about your troubles can only lead to more trouble," Mrs. Chatham warned.
Like you were working through with your mom leaving? Rikki thought. She knew what it was like, her mother having left her and her dad at such a young age, yet she got through it with his help. Rikki tried talking to her about it too since she understood in a way, but Cleo wouldn't listen. Always claiming that she was fine. But Rikki could see through the white lies. Alas, nothing she could do about it until the brunette herself opens up. The first time they arrived here was the first time she ever spoke so much about the situation and how she was feeling. The mermaid might have been soft and kind to everyone and everything she meets, but she is as stubborn as the magic that flows through her veins.