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Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 11:36:46 GMT -5
Full moons aren't so bad once you get used to them. The moon pool can shield you from its effects. Rikki nodded, not blinking. She was kind of enjoying the information she was receiving from Eleanor. Just a tiny bit. 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. Rikki laughed at that statement. "Wouldn't be a problem for me," she assured her. She could think of a few excuses off of the top of her head - sleepover, party...the party probably wouldn't be likely, but it would probably work on her dad. Rikki listened to Eleanor explain how she never came up with "silly" terms to describe themselves. Then the woman mentioned meeting Emma, Cleo, and Lewis. Rik paused for a moment, trying to think of what she'd say to her friends.
"I'm sure Lewis would be thrilled to meet you," Rikki told her, thinking about the other two. "And I think I could probably get Emma and Cleo to come. Eleanor stated the names of her friends. Lillian and Felicity. Two others. Why was there always three at a time that got changed? Mrs. Chatham was with two others, she was with two others, and Eleanor was with two others. But, Charlotte (just the thought of the name made Rikki have a rise in blood pressure) was changed individually, so she couldn't say anything about that. Rikki waited patiently for Eleanor to continue speaking.
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Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 28, 2008 12:52:25 GMT -5
Eleanor nodded. She could respect that. Hey, even her own family wouldn't have made too big of a fuss if she made up a semi-decent excuse. "My parents were much the same. My mother believed everything you told her and my father was easy to placate. Especially if he'd been drinking." She made a face. That vile drinking habit of his was the reason she'd never touched alcohol. That, and the fact that people looked at you oddly if you drank it through a straw. Growing a tail while in mixed company would have some interesting results.
She ran a hand through the sand, thoughtful. "Perhaps it would be best if we met up as humans. Less of a shock that way." She had noticed Rikki staring at her tail and was self-conscious. Just the thought of three fixated stares at once made her want to blush!
She stretched, unaccustomed to staying in this form for long periods of time. "I would imagine we were much the same as you and your friends," Ella continued. "We stumbled through the first few days, played pranks on those we didn't like, swam to Mako practically every day." She smiled. "Back then, we didn't think anything could go wrong."
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Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 13:12:36 GMT -5
Rikki bit her lip when Eleanor mentioned the subject of parents. It was a touchy subject for her. Her mother was living in South Africa, divorced with her father over money matters. Plus the unpleasant conversation that Rikki had had with her mother a few minutes before she arrived at the moon pool. Not letting emotion cross her face, Rikki listened to the woman speak. Rik nodded after she was finished, then spoke up as well. "Yeah, my dad can be pretty gullible...when he's in a good mood and with his bike, especially," she said, chuckling a little bit in mid-sentence. Perhaps it would be best if we met up as humans. Less of a shock that way. Rikki laughed. "I think that sounds better," she agreed, grinning. When Eleanor noticed her looking at her tail, Rikki averted her eyes - she didn't deal with people being uncomfortable well.
Eleanor continued speaking about her friends. Past friends. Whatever. "We were pretty freaked out at first. We did come here a lot, though. Emma and Cleo were the first to get their powers - I wasn't too happy that mine were late," Rikki told her, crossing her arms again. Then, she became silent, waiting for Eleanor to continue.
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Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 28, 2008 13:27:28 GMT -5
Eleanor noted the discomfort in the current line of conversation and decided to drop all points about parents. It wasn't like she couldn't relate. Her parents had started arguments that had been the talk of the street for ages afterward. Talk about embarrassing.
"You're the firestarter?" she asked, making a mental note. "Felicity's power came late also. She would make a huge deal every time I or Lillian would complain about our power being out of control. Of course, then hers was always stronger than ours. We would tease her constantly." She chuckled. "Of course, that also led to a lot of disagreement." She frowned.
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Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 13:41:23 GMT -5
Rikki leaned against the rock again. It caught her off guard when Eleanor guessed her power correctly. "Er, yeah, I am," she said, suddenly more interested. She was going to ask her how she knew, until the question was answered. Felicity's power came late. She was the "firestarter" too. She would make a huge deal every time I or Lillian would complain about our power being out of control. "That's how I was...I would always say 'At least you two have powers!' and all of that," Rikki said, falling into a state of thought. This conversation was bringing back quite a few memories. Good ones, bad ones, ones in-between...Of course, then hers was always stronger than ours. We would tease her constantly. If Emma or Cleo teased Rikki when she wasn't in control of her powers at all, there probably would have been pure chaos. Someone wouldn't go out of the building without being burned.
Eleanor said something about disagreement. Rikki looked down at the water. Disagreements happened every now and then between her and her friends. It just wasn't possible to hold a grudge with her friends whenever they were holding this big of a secret. "What's your power?" Rikki questioned, looking back up now.
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Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 28, 2008 13:51:42 GMT -5
Eleanor grinned. "You and Felicity would have gotten along great. If only I knew where she was now..." A wistful look crossed her face. "Something happened to us that made us drift apart... We no longer enjoyed sharing the secret. We disagreed on who should be let into our circle. And then.... They gave it up, and vowed I should as well." She moved her tail fin through the water, tracing patterns. "Obviously I didn't. I moved to the center of the continent, away from the ocean. I though I could run away. It worked for a time, but I had to come back." She ran a hand through her drying hair. "Honestly, I can't believe I managed to keep away for this long."
Her power? That was easy enough to answer. "Wind," she replied, grinning. "I manipulate the water in the air to form wind, along with making the liquid do whatever I want."
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Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 14:05:06 GMT -5
You and Felicity would have gotten along great. Rikki smiled with a closed mouth at this. Fire and fire. Was there some way that the powers you received were based on your personality? It was possible, right? And it seemed true enough. Something happened to us that made us drift apart... We no longer enjoyed sharing the secret. We disagreed on who should be let into our circle. And then.... They gave it up, and vowed I should as well. Rikki nodded gravely. Giving it all up. She couldn't really imagine life without being a mermaid anymore. It just had impacted her life so much. But, during lunar eclipses, she could be normal for twelve hours. Normal, she thought. I don't even know the meaning of normal anymore. Obviously I didn't. I moved to the center of the continent, away from the ocean. I though I could run away. It worked for a time, but I had to come back.
Rikki nodded. Moving. She never wanted to move houses again. Her father and her had traveled enough just to get here, at the Gold Coast. Rik was satisfied with their settling place. If her father said he wanted to leave, he would have to leave his daughter. The next sentence Eleanor sprouted up a question. "Did you just move back today or have you been here a while?" she asked. I manipulate the water in the air to form wind, along with making the liquid do whatever I want. Rikki nodded, smiling faintly. "Like Cleo."
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Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 28, 2008 14:17:07 GMT -5
Eleanor thought for a moment. "I'd say I've been back for about two weeks, but I've only come back to Mako today." She smiled. "Though, if I'd known there were other mermaids here, I would have made an effort to get here sooner. I was afraid something might have happened. Like maybe it had become a major tourist spot and I would have been discovered immediately." She shuddered. "I can't imagine what would be worse. Being stuck in a zoo or Mako covered in messy, noisy tourists."
"That means Emma is the icegirl?" Ella asked, then laughed. "Sorry. That was our name for Lilly. It fit better than you'd expect."
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Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 14:30:11 GMT -5
I'd say I've been back for about two weeks, but I've only come back to Mako today. Rikki nodded. It was rare that she never came to the moon pool for a whole week, but two? She wouldn't be able to stand it, as dorky as that sounds. It was where she went to be alone. Though, if I'd known there were other mermaids here, I would have made an effort to get here sooner. I was afraid something might have happened. Like maybe it had become a major tourist spot and I would have been discovered immediately. "Nothing has happened. Obviously. And I don't think the sharks around here are very welcoming to tourists unless they want to go home without a few body parts," she said, smirking. I can't imagine what would be worse. Being stuck in a zoo or Mako covered in messy, noisy tourists.
"Well, my friends and I haven't been in a zoo yet, but we were close one time..." Rikki's voice trailed off as she stared into space, remembering the incident. "That Denman scientist, Linda Denman I think, caught us with tails. We were stuck here, being tested...Zane helped us get out. And Lewis," she explained in a soft tone. "Zane's father was helping the witch," she scowled, her eyebrows furrowing again. "It was horrible." That means Emma is the icegirl? Firestarer. Icegirl. Sounded like superhero names to Rikki. "Yes, that's right. Emma works at JuiceNet and Cleo works at the Marina. Just telling you in case you happen to like..run into them or something."
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Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 28, 2008 14:43:18 GMT -5
Eleanor grinned at the mention of the sharks. "Fee one tried to keep one of the sharks as a pet. She brought it raw steaks stolen from her refrigerator. It worked up until she turned human. Then it didn't trust her anymore." She laughed at the memory. "She ended up jumping back in the water to avoid being bitten. It sounds odd, but we were bigger fish than it could handle, so we were always left alone."
She shuddered at the thought of a scientist capturing her. "I would imagine it would be terrible. How did you manage to get her off your tail? A lunar eclipse?"
She frowned. "Isn't it dangerous for Cleo to work at the Marina? There's water everywhere. Not to mention, I distinctly remember the dolphins taking extreme delight in splashing people." She thought for a moment. "Is Emma the blonde waitress? I do believe I know who she is."
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Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 14:52:47 GMT -5
Fee one tried to keep one of the sharks as a pet. She brought it raw steaks stolen from her refrigerator. It worked up until she turned human. Then it didn't trust her anymore. Rikki laughed. Pet shark. That one be a hard one to handle. How could she tell which one was her's? Did she keep it in her bathtub? She ended up jumping back in the water to avoid being bitten. It sounds odd, but we were bigger fish than it could handle, so we were always left alone. The blond nodded. Shark bites weren't the most comfortable thing in the world. I would imagine it would be terrible. How did you manage to get her off your tail? A lunar eclipse? Rikki nodded again. "Lewis told us what would happen if we jumped in here during the eclipse, but he failed to mention the fact that we would be mermaids again in twelve hours," she said, smiling.
"We all touched water again after the twelve hours and ta-da, we had tails," Rikki added with a chuckle. Isn't it dangerous for Cleo to work at the Marina? There's water everywhere. Not to mention, I distinctly remember the dolphins taking extreme delight in splashing people. Rikki shrugged. "She said she was willing to take the consequences. She's been doing fine so far," she told her, scratching her elbow. "And yes, that's Emma. Funny how random people you see are actually mermaids, huh?" she said with a smile.
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Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 28, 2008 15:04:02 GMT -5
Eleanor laughed. She could only imagine how much of a shock it must have been to find yourself with a tail when you had supposedly given it up. "I can't even begin to think of how much it I would hate being forced to give all of this up. Well... So I can, but that was for a different reason. If some overly nosy 'scientist' started barking up the wrong tree, I would have to send her into the sharks." She smiled innocently. "Accidents happen, no?"
She laughed. "It's amazing how much you have in common with complete strangers, isn't it?" She waved an arm at her tail. "Had you seen me anywhere else, you probably wouldn't have even given me a second though. Hm... Or not. I'm afraid I've taken to reading mermaid legends once again. Perhaps you would have found that odd or amusing."
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Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 15:14:02 GMT -5
I can't even begin to think of how much it I would hate being forced to give all of this up. Well... So I can, but that was for a different reason. If some overly nosy 'scientist' started barking up the wrong tree, I would have to send her into the sharks. Rikki laughed. "I would have done that, except she had backup. It's not really that easy to push ten or so full grown men out to the sharks," she said, smiling without showing her teeth again. "And the bad thing is, the first time Lewis met Denman it was like he was in a trance. He couldn't leave her alone. The second time, well, she left him locked up in a boat, so...there went that 'relationship'," Rikki explained, shaking her head lightly at the thought. It's amazing how much you have in common with complete strangers, isn't it? The blond nodded.
"I wonder how many of us there actually is," she said. "How many people we see on the street avoid water at all costs...how many people know about this," she said, looking down again. Had you seen me anywhere else, you probably wouldn't have even given me a second though. Hm... Or not. I'm afraid I've taken to reading mermaid legends once again. Perhaps you would have found that odd or amusing. "Amusing, probably," she said with a smile. "Or I would have flipped, thinking you were onto us."
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Post by Eleanor Byrne on Dec 28, 2008 15:26:19 GMT -5
Eleanor laughed, though it wasn't funny that Lewis was locked in a boat... Except for how it was. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't laugh... But I can't help it." She leaned forward and lost her balance, falling back into the water with a loud splash. Of course, this only made her laugh harder. "Oh! I'm sorry again. Did I splash you?"
She grinned, showing all her teeth. "Yes, perhaps you would have taken to spying on me to see if I was working with that Doctor Denman you mentioned. Then you would have figured me out eventually."
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Post by Rikki Chadwick on Dec 28, 2008 16:31:20 GMT -5
The seventeen year old raised her eyebrows when Eleanor burst into laughter at her Lewis-locked-in-a-boat-by-a-deranged-female-scientist statement. I'm sorry. I really shouldn't laugh... But I can't help it. Rikki paused another moment after this was said, trying to see why this was amusing to the woman. It wasn't amusing to her because she was half the reason for it to take place, probably. To others it was probably laugh-worthy. "Okay then," she said softly, looking at nothing in particular. When Rik heard a rather loud snap of the water, she looked back at Eleanor, who had evidently fallen backward and was laughing harder now. "Geez, woman! Don't give yourself a heart attack!" Rikki snapped, her tone harsher than she had intended it to be. Oh! I'm sorry again. Did I splash you?
"No. It wouldn't matter if you did, I already have a fin," she said, crossing her arms once more. She was fuming again. There were little things that set her off sometimes. Laughing hysterically at her friend's unfortunate incident was apparently one of them. Yes, perhaps you would have taken to spying on me to see if I was working with that Doctor Denman you mentioned. Then you would have figured me out eventually. Rikki shrugged. "Not exactly spying, probably. I'm not a stalker. I'd probably just keep an eye on you," she corrected, running a hand through her hair.
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