A Change in the Tides (H2O: Just Add Water)

CLEO ✔️

Bella and I search for Rikki, although we have no clue where to look. A few other mermaids pass us by, even mermen, looking at us like we're psychopaths as we stare at them in awe.

"We should ask one of them if they've seen her." Bella says, looking at a merman as he passes by us.

I nod, "Yeah, okay. Um, do they even speak the same language though?"

Bella shrugs, "Let's figure out," She swims up to a merman, taking no time for introductions. "Excuse me, but have you seen a girl named Rikki? She has blonde hair, um, a red tail?"

"Huh?" He says, still staring ahead as he keeps swimming.

Bella repeats herself, "Rikki. Have you seen her?"

"Rikki? Oh, I know Rikki. She's weird," I turn to see a dolphin, it's big joyous eyes looking at both me and Bella.

I still feel weird talking to an animal, but I still speak up, "You saw her? Where'd she go?"

"With Shelby,"

"Shelby?" Bella ask.

The dolphin nods it's head, "Shelby Shore. She's my friend,"

"Do you know where they went?" I ask, feeling like we are wasting time. We should have found Rikki by now! How far could she go?

"Yup, Darla's Place."

Bella continued asking questions, "Where's that? Can you show us?"

The dolphin nodded, "Come on," and starting leading us through the water, talking the whole way. "One time, me a Shelby went to Darla's and she kicked us out 'cause she said w . . . but that's okay! Shelby's mom, Mrs. Shore made some really good fish for us when we got home. Mrs. Shore is really nice. One time—"

"Are we almost there?" I ask, tired of hearing his stories.

He nodded, "Just around the corner,"

I let out a sigh of relief, bubbles splurting out of my mouth in the process. Finally!

A cave comes into view with a large boat door covering the opening. "That's it?" Bella ask as we get closer and closer to it.

"Yup," The dolphin says, knocking on the door with it's snout. "Darla lives here."

Seconds later, a woman answer the door. She's older, her gray hair floating around in all different directions. "Who are you?" She says, unamused.

Bella speaks, "We're looking for Rikki. Have you seen her?"

The woman's eyes go wide, "Do not tell me you're Cleo and Bella."

I look at Bella and she looks at me, both of us wondering the same thing: how does she know who we are?

The woman groans. "Ughh," her shoulders slump, "come in, guys." She leads us into her home, which is full of weird looking gadgets. "Rikki, your friends have arrived!" She calls.

Rikki emerges from the corner, her eyes bulging and her red tail following behind her. "Guys? Oh, guys, things are bad. Really, really bad."