|
|
Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 27, 2008 22:20:25 GMT -5
Swimming in the ocean again made Eleanor feel more alive than she'd felt in years. It made her wonder why she'd stayed away for so long, but then she became acutely aware of the empty spaces at her side and remembered why.
But that was a long time ago. With any luck, no other unfortunate - or fortunate, depending on how you looked at it - girls have fallen into the pool on Mako and the secret of mermaids has been kept.
She surfaced in the pool and pulled herself onto the side, letting her tail remain in the water. It had been far too long ago that she had made the trip here. Her fins positively ached and her heart was racing.
Oh, how she had missed this place, even with the terrible memories it held. |
|
|
|
Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 27, 2008 22:51:01 GMT -5
Rikki wanted to be alone after the phone call with her mother. It hadn't gone to well and she was at the point that she was fuming. Her brows furrowed as she opened the door to her trailer. "I'm going out, Dad. I'll be back sometime," she called cold heartedly, her voice lowering when she said "sometime". She stepped out, then slammed the door rather hard. The trailer park she lived in wasn't very far from the closest waters that could lead her to Mako Island, so she chose to walk. Silently hoping that Emma or Cleo wasn't at the Moon Pool, she began sprinting rather than walking. She wanted to get to Mako as soon as possible - she needed to clear her mind. Badly. In a matter of minutes, she reached a lake just outside of the trailer park, which she was positive that lead to Mako. She had taken that route many times before. Rikki looked around for any witnesses before she dove into the water.
Ten seconds passed, then Rikki sprouted a golden tail. She only let a smile pull at the edges of her lips - she wasn't going to let a smile on her face just yet. Without hesitating, she took off, swimming at maximum speed. Her thoughts were blank until she reached her destination. Mentally, Rikki let out a sigh of relief and began to swim up to the Moon Pool - where her mermaid adventures had first began. Where her life changed forever. When she rose from the water, she kept her eyes closed for a second - she was thinking now, reviewing the harsh and the kind words she had previously spoken to her mother. When she did open her eyes, she felt them grow wide - there was someone else there. Not only that...there was someone else with a tail there. Speechless, Rikki stayed motionless, not sure weather she should make a quick escape or stay there.
"Er, um, excuse me?" the blond managed to spit out. "Can I ask what in the world you think you're doing here?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 27, 2008 22:59:12 GMT -5
Eleanor was snapped out of her reminiscing when she heard someone enter the pool - from the water. A mermaid, too! "Oh, dear," she whispered. "It's happened again."
She almost felt sorry for the poor girl. Or, rather, she did, until she spoke rather harshly. Ella narrowed her eyes. "The last time I checked, this place was sacred to any who know its secrets. I should think I have the same right as you do to be here." She raised her tail, letting it fall back to the water with a snap.
Honestly, teenagers today. Didn't anyone ever teach them any manners?
[/blockquote] |
|
|
|
Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 27, 2008 23:10:38 GMT -5
Rikki's expression didn't change whenever the woman...woman with a tail (she couldn't get over that)...seemed startled at her sudden appearance. She raised her eyebrows whenever the woman spoke. Oh, dear. It's happened again. Rikki's eyebrows furrowed in thought and confusion. Mrs. Chatham had explained to her and her friends that there were other mermaids before them, but...were there more than Rikki or anyone else knew of? How many seemingly normal people were actually mermaids that she knew? "What happened again?" she questioned rather dumbly, again speaking before thinking. Rikki took note that she hadn't moved even an inch from when she entered the pool. The blond couldn't hold back her amused grin whenever the woman narrowed her eyes at her.
The last time I checked, this place was sacred to any who know its secrets. I should think I have the same right as you do to be here. Rikki chucked and shrugged her shoulders. "All right then. You were here before I was," she said in a sarcastic tone. Inside, she was still feeling angry. She wished her mother would just leave her alone. "So, can I stay or are you some kind of maniac who will kill me if I make a false move?" Rikki questioned with a faint smile. Her eyes lingered on the mother woman's tail - she couldn't get over the fact that she was a mermaid too.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 27, 2008 23:20:47 GMT -5
Eleanor rolled her eyes. What happened? She would have liked to think it was obvious, considering the location and mortality of the its two occupants. "The Island! It's changed you as well. How many others are there?" She gripped the stone ground harshly. She wouldn't let what happened to her friends happen to this girl and however other girls were with her. Not when she could prevent it.
She shook her head, wet hair flying. "I'm not asking you to leave," she said, almost panicked. "I have no reason at all to harm you - quite the opposite, in fact. I need to set some things right."
[/blockquote] |
|
|
|
Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 27, 2008 23:31:44 GMT -5
Rikki's look didn't change when the woman rolled her eyes at her. She had to admit, the question she had asked was quite obvious. It was too late to take back the words now though. The Island! It's changed you as well. Rikki nodded her head, momentarily looking up at the opening of the volcano. No moon could be seen. How many are there? Rikki looked back at the woman, her blue eyes wandering around. "Well, from what I know, there's me and my two friends," she replied casually, finally shifting her position so that she could cross her arms. "And obviously you," she added, eying the woman's tail again. The blond's eyebrows raised as she noticed the woman grasping the rocks around the pool rather tight. "What's your problem?" she felt like saying.
Rikki felt a laugh rising in her throat as the woman seemed to panic when she suggested her leaving. I'm not asking you to leave. I have no reason at all to harm you - quite the opposite, in fact. I need to set some things right. The blond ended up only chuckling once more. "All right then. I'll stay under one condition." She paused, waiting to see what the woman did. "I'm not in the best of moods right now. Don't get me fuming, please," Rikki told her, pulling herself up cautiously so that she was at least a little bit closer to the woman.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 27, 2008 23:39:31 GMT -5
Eleanor nodded, taking in the information. Once again, it was three girls. "There used to be more," she explained. "Two of my friends were with me when I was changed. Imagine our shock when we realized what we had become." She laughed. "But we lost touch some time ago."
She raised a hand, toying with the water with her power. "It is not my intentions to get you upset with me," she stated. "Should I say something you would rather not discuss, please inform me of it quickly."
Ella smiled at the girl. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Eleanor Byrne." She held a hand out for the girl to shake.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 27, 2008 23:50:15 GMT -5
Rikki shifted her position, getting comfortable. She listened to the woman speak as she moved. There used to be more. Two of my friends were with me when I was changed. Imagine our shock when we realized what we had become. She nodded her head once more, letting the words function in her brain. There had been more...had been? Rikki used her wet hand to brush away some loose hairs from her eyes. "That's what happened to us. My friends and me, I mean. We were together, too," Rikki told the woman, now focusing on her face. "I had gotten us all stuck here and this was the only way out," the blond gestured toward the water before her. "Evidently it was a full moon that night." Rikki was startled when she saw the woman using her power on the water.
The blond nodded her head once again when the woman explained that if she were to upset her that Rikki should just speak up. That wasn't an issue. "'Kay. I can do that," she said. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Eleanor Byrne. Rikki took the woman's, Eleanor's, hand and gave it a squeeze. "Rikki Chadwick," she replied, smiling sarcastically.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 27, 2008 23:59:00 GMT -5
Eleanor smirked. Of course it had been a full moon. They both had tails that would attest to that. "I would imagine so. Out of curiosity, how did you manage to get home? We had to swim back - exhausting." She made a face. She hadn't been able to walk the next day.
She shook Rikki's hand, tilting her head to the side. "I'm sorry. Is there something amusing about your name that I don't understand? Please, enlighten me." She raised her eyebrows thoughtfully.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 0:10:26 GMT -5
I would imagine so. Out of curiosity, how did you manage to get home? Rikki sighed, going through the scene in her mind. "We swam, like you. But one of my friends almost ended up staying here," she replied, feeling a need for an explanation at the last sentence. "She wasn't a big fan of swimming back then," she added, her hand released from Eleanor's. "Actually, the first day we met was the day I got us trapped in here," Rikki told her, placing her arm in the water. She was slowly getting over her anger...but she could probably still get easily ticked off. I'm sorry. Is there something amusing about your name that I don't understand? Please, enlighten me. Rikki laughed aloud at this. She was expecting something like this to be said. It wasn't often that people let random sarcasm pass.
"Formal handshakes, I suppose. Nothing about my name. I'm just one of those people who aren't used to shaking hands with others," she explained, looking down. She grinned when she looked back up at Eleanor. "I'm going to warn you now, from what people have said about me, I'm quite a character," she warned, tilting her head back a little and popping her neck.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 28, 2008 0:20:46 GMT -5
Eleanor laughed. She couldn't help it. Imagine, a mermaid that didn't like to swim. "I'm sorry, it's just... A comical thought, when you consider what you became as a result of swimming that night." She chucked once more, a hand at her mouth.
She nodded. She could understand that. People weren't accustomed to well-mannered introductions anymore. "What matters most, I've found, is not what people say. Rather, it's what they do that you should concern yourself with." She smiled. "People used to talk about me as well. The freaky quiet girl obsessed with mermaids. I read all the old legends, looking for anything that resembled what I knew to be true."
|
|
|
|
Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 0:32:47 GMT -5
Rikki found herself smiling faintly as the woman began to laugh. I'm sorry, it's just... A comical thought, when you consider what you became as a result of swimming that night. The seventeen year old nodded. "She wasn't too pleased about this at first," Rikki said, looking down at her tail. "It took her a while, but she's gotten over it. Or at least she acts like she is," she added, running a hand through her wet hair. What matters most, I've found, is not what people say. Rather, it's what they do that you should concern yourself with. Rikki grinned at this. She nodded understandingly. Actions spoke louder than words, right? People used to talk about me as well. The freaky quiet girl obsessed with mermaids. I read all the old legends, looking for anything that resembled what I knew to be true.
"That kind of sounds like Emma," Rikki commented with a giggle. "Just replace the quiet and obsessed with mermaids part with organization obsessed," she smiled. "My other friend, Lewis, he's trying to help us see what scientifically caused our...mermanity," Rikki went on, leaning against a rock.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 28, 2008 0:42:42 GMT -5
Eleanor nodded. "Yes, it is quite a bit to wrap the brain around, isn't it? Plus being moonstruck every month doesn't help. I imagine I could tell stories far into morning of full-moon escapades." She never had been good at hiding from the moon, though she'd learned to live with it. People thought her strange regardless, so what was the point?
"Mermanity? That's a new one." She giggled. "I don't suppose Emma and Lewis are the friends that are also like us? You should tell this Lewis that he is not going to find a scientific answer and that he is wasting his time trying. The only explanation possible is magic." She grinned. Magic was the answer to everything.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 1:00:40 GMT -5
Yes, it is quite a bit to wrap the brain around, isn't it? Plus being moonstruck every month doesn't help. I imagine I could tell stories far into morning of full-moon escapades. Rikki nodded, her eyes large. "Yes, it is," she agreed, running her fingertips along the rock that she had been leaning against for the past few minutes. Eleanor mentioned the monthly-moonstruck ordeal. "Yeah, I'm not too big on full moons anymore," she said, still toying with the rock. Poor Lewis was always trying to keep them from revealing themselves on full moons. If it was Rikki helping three teenagers from showing the whole world that they could grow a tail, everyone would probably know of mermaids by now. She wouldn't be able to handle the stress. She was lucky to have Lewis as a friend...even if she didn't always notice it.
Mermanity? That's a new one. Rikki laughed. "Or mermaidness. But I think that one's been used quite a few times before," she said, grinning. I don't suppose Emma and Lewis are the friends that are also like us? Rikki stopped with her rock-tracing and turned to face Eleanor again. "Emma is," Rikki told her. "Lewis isn't. But he knows about all of this, obviously," she said. "I guess I've failed to mention Cleo - she's the one who was afraid of water. It's Emma and Cleo who are the other two," Rikki explained. "Can I ask you about your friends?" she questioned, feeling curious about what happened to the other two people that Eleanor had mentioned. You should tell this Lewis that he is not going to find a scientific answer and that he is wasting his time trying. The only explanation possible is magic. Rikki smiled.
"Hey, the science stuff gets him through the day. Whatever floats his boat, I say."
|
|
|
|
Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 28, 2008 10:51:03 GMT -5
Eleanor grinned, looking up at the nonexistent moon for a moment. "Full moons aren't so bad once you get used to them. The moon pool can shield you from its effects." She gestured to the water they were both in. "Of course, you'd still have to get here and return in the morning with some sort of explanation as to why you disappeared all night." She chuckled.
She shook her head at Rikki's terms. "None of us ever came up with silly terms to describe ourselves. We were simply mermaids, and we referred to ourselves as such." She brushed strands of hair out of her eyes. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather like to meet Emma, Cleo, and Lewis. I didn't think anyone else would get trapped here and end up with powers also."
At the mention of her friends, she bit her lip. "I suppose it would be fair," she replied softly. "Their names were Lillian and Felicity." She closed her eyes and reopened them slowly. Ella hadn't thought about them in detail for some time now.
[/blockquote] |
|
