Cory, Rikki and Emma sat around one of the tables outside the usual café. Smiling as Lewis made his way over to them.

"You won't believe it." Emma boasted. "We timed ourselves, and guess how long we can hold our breath for."

"Fifteen minutes!" Cory finished proudly. Raising her hand to high-five Emma and Rikki.

"That's impressive." Lewis nodded.

Rikki raised her chin. "Yep, it's pretty cool."

Cory's mind flashed back to it. They had only tried it three times with the third attempt lasting the fifteen minutes."

"I think with more practice, we could stay down for even longer," Cory said.

"Oh, absolutely," Emma said with no doubts.

"You two are so on." Rikki challenged them.

"Are you sure you can keep up?" Cory asked the two of them.

Emma turned to Cory and smiled. "You think you can beat me?" She asked.

"I can take the two of you on." Cory told them.

"Bring it on!" Rikki said confidentiality.

"You guys must be jumping out of your skin about this stuff," Lewis commented. Feeling the excitement radiating off the girls.

"Yeah," Emma nodded, but then remembered someone." Well... three of us are."

Just as Emma said this, Lewis looked out of the corner of his eye to see Cleo approaching the table. Causing his face to light up.

"Hey, Cleo. Guess what?" Lewis grinned. "These guys can hold their breath for 15 minutes!"

"Lewis!" Rikki and Emma hissed at him.

"Not so loud." Cory finished.

"Sorry." Lewis apologised. They didn't want anyone to hear the wrong things when they were in public.

Cleo sat down in the remaining chair. "What's going on?. She asked.

"We've been, you know, swimming," Emma told her. Hoping to catch the brunettes interest. But Cleo just nodded in response.

"It's the best thing." Rikki spoke up." It's out of this world."

"You're welcome to join us, remember?" Cory asked. Really wanting to give Cleo a chance to see how amazing it could be. "The reefs are gorgeous."

"That's great," Cleo said with a fake smile. Dampening Cory's spirit a little. "So, has anyone been able to finish the calculus homework?" Question seven's a nightmare.

"What's calculus?" Cory joked.

"We missed you this morning," Emma told Cleo. Wondering why she hadn't responded to any of their messages. "Why weren't you answering your phone?"

"And that project on geography. That's due Thursday." Cleo continued. Pretending that Emma didn't say anything. "We really need to get together on that one."

Cory shook her head and didn't say anything. Rikki leaned forward on her elbows. "Listen, Cleo. Whatever's happened to us is incredible." Rikki told her. "You've got to come out with us. The water is amazing."

"Just once, Cleo. Please?" Cory pleaded.

"I'm not doing it, okay?" Cleo told her, firmly. "You told me I don't have to get in the water again if I don't want to. So stop bugging me about it."

This caused Cory to go quiet again as Cleo got up and left. As much as it bothered her, Cleo had every right to refuse to go into the water.

"She's gonna hold that over your head forever," Rikki told Cory.

Cory gave her a nod. "Well, if I knew we were gonna become mermaids, I'd have never said it. Then again, there's a lot of things I wouldn't have done." She joked.

"There has to be something we can do," Emma said with a concentrated look on her face. "She can overcome this. I know she can."

"But how?" Rikki asked.

"I don't know yet." Emma sighed.

The day continued on with the girls heading to school. Cory, Rikki and Emma didn't see much of Cleo. Mostly due to not having the same classes that day. Before heading to school, they justified to Lewis that he tried talking to Cleo.

As they were making their way out of the science room, they spotted Lewis making his way over to them with a disappointed look on his face.

"You bombed out, right?" Rikki commented.

"Nah, she's just taking a little time to... Yeah, I bombed out." Lewis deadpanned.

The girls nodded their heads in disappointment until they each spotted Cleo standing in the middle of the outside stairwell. With an awkward look on her face. Lewis turned his head to see what they were looking at, but hickey turned back. "Oh. I am pretty sure she doesn't want to talk about it."

"Forget it, Lewis," Emma said. Not backing down. "We can deal with this. It's a girl thing."

The three of them made their way up the stairs to Cleo. Who made her way over the rail to avoid looking at them.

"Cleo?" Emma said as she moved to stand on Cleo's right. While Cory stood to the left and Rikki stood behind her. "About this whole... mermaid business." Emma whispered.

"There are more important things in life than seeing how long you can hold your breath for and frolicking with the dolphins," Cleo stated.

Cory let out a fake gasp at Cleo's words.

"I don't frolic. I glide." Rikki protested.

"Whatever." Cleo shook her head. "It's not important. I don't want to talk about it."

"How can you say that?" Emma questioned. "This is the most amazing thing that's ever happened to us."

"Cleo, I know what I said on Mako," Cory explained. "But it was different then. What has happened is a one in a million chance. Aren't you just a little curious about it?"

"Well," Cleo thought for a second. "What about the turtles?"

Cory gave her a confused look. "Like... as a concept?"

"Apparently, a sea turtle got caught in a fishing net this morning." Cleo clarified. "THAT'S important."

Rikki didn't like Cleo's tone. "I don't believe this! You're such a hypocrite!" Rikki smiled.

"Rikki, come on." Cory tried scolding her friend.

"No, Cory. Think about it. Cleo's dad is a fisherman." Rikki turned to look at Cleo. "His nets are the ones trapping the turtles."

Cleo shook her head again. "That's not true. My dad would never do that."

"Really." Rikki raised an eyebrow.

Rikki waited for a comeback, but Cleo went quiet. Eventually walking off in a huff.

"Bit harsh, Rikki," Cory commented. She didn't disapprove, but felt it was a bit much.

"She needed to hear it," Rikki told her.

After school, Cory, Rikki and Emma went out for another swim. This time each of them were trying to see how fast they could swim through the water. After a bit, they slowed down and smiled at each other.

Emma looked towards the surface and noticed something. She pointed it out to Rikki and Cory. They frowned at the sight of a small turtle trapped in a large fishing net attached to what was most likely one of Cleo's dad's boats.

The girls nodded to each other. Collectively knowing what they needed to do. Rikki swam up the surface while Cory and Emma made their way over to the turtle to make sure it was okay. Rikki joined them soon with a knife she must have taken from the boat.

The three of them worked quickly to get the turtle free before the net got pulled up. Rikki was careful not to hurt the turtle while ripping openings in the net. Once Rikki had done so, Cory and Emma helped guide the turtle out.

Rikki put the knife back as the net got pulled out of the water. Once she got out of sight, the three stayed for a moment. Watching to make sure the turtle got away okay. Once the turtle was gone, the girls started heading back to land.

"Local fishermen today have been confronted with a possible menace from the deep." Everyone in the café watched the news intently. "Commercial fishermen have reported incidents that may involve a rogue shark."

The girls sat around one of the circular tables—each with a knowing expression on their faces.

The camera on TV panned over the docks as the newscaster continued speaking over it.

"Hey, guys. What's going on?" Cleo walked in. Sitting down with the others.

"Hey, Cleo. Your dad's on TV." Byron told her. Causing Cleo to turn to the news.

"I've fished these waters for a long time, and there's only one thing that causes damage like that." Cleo's dad said to the camera in a serious tone. "A huge rogue shark."

Three of the girls started looking around. Trying not to look too guilty.

"Poor Dad!" Cleo frowned.

Rikki spoke first. "Sorry to have to tell you this, Cleo," Rikki paused and looked around the room to make sure no one was listening. "But your dad didn't catch a shark. It was a turtle."

Cleo looked at Cory. Trying to work out if this was some kind of joke she and Rikki we're playing on her.

"We cut the net to set it free." Cory finished.

"No way," Cleo said. Not wanting to think that her dad had been lying to her. "My dad wouldn't catch turtles."

Cleo then turned to Emma. Who just sighed. "It's true, Cleo. I'm sorry."

Cleo gave each of them another look before looking down in disappointment. Not wanting to believe what had happened.

Cleo rushed out of the café and came back a little while later. Claiming that her dad denied everything.

"I mean, what could I say?" Cleo asked the others as they sat down in one of the booths. "I know you're lying, Dad, because my mermaid friends saw you fishing close to the nesting beach."

"He was using illegal nets too," Rikki told her.

"It's true." Emma said, sadly."

Cory thought for a second. "Wait a minute," Cory said. Placing her hand on Cleo's shoulder. "Rikki, did you see Cleo's dad on the boat?"

Rikki just shook her head in confusion.

"Well, I'm just thinking... What if we're jumping to conclusions?" Cory turned to Cleo. "How can we be sure it was your dad?"

"I mean... yeah, he owns a couple. I'd hear something if he was working on another one." Cleo shrugged. "I can try and ask him?"

"Cory has a good point." Emma realised. "I've known you and your dad for a long time, Cleo. He doesn't seem like the criminal type."

"Okay. I'll ask him about it tonight." Cleo said. A small spark of hope returned to her eyes.

After they were done at the café, Cory, Emma, and Rikki headed down to the fishing docks. They wanted what the other fishermen were planning and how bad their situation was. It almost looked like every fisherman in town was eager for a chance to take the 'shark' out.

"Great!" Rikki said. Sounding irritated while she looked around the people sharpening giant fish hooks. "Every fisherman on this side of the planet is getting psyched to catch that stupid shark."

Suddenly an older man, who was also sharpening a hook, turned to them.

"Shark?" she asked. Causing the girls to jump back in surprise. "Don't you girls worry. If it's still out there, it's sushi." He finished. Raising the hook and giving them a creepy smile.

The girls didn't say anything and moved away from the weird stranger.

"What a circus," Emma said. Realising the reality of the situation. "They'll be searching everywhere."

"Want to risk a swim?" Rikki asked. Not catching on like Emma just yet.

"Didn't realise you had a death wish, Rikki," Cory said to her friend.

"Too dangerous with these guys out there," Emma told them. "Let's face it. Until this cools down, we're grounded."

"You mean, beached?" Cory joked. Causing Emma to give her a look. "I'll leave now."

Cory comically started walking ahead of the other two. While Rikki let out, a small laugh and Emma shook her at the bad joke (with a small smile).

Cory really did hope that all of this would clear up soon. Not only for their sake but Cleo and her dad's sake too.

But it turned out things could clear up a lot sooner than expected—the very next day, in fact.

Cory had been hanging out with Rikki and Emma at Emma's place when Lewis burst through the door. Vagiung trying to tell them something about Cleo while trying to catch his breath. Eventually getting out that Cleo was in the water.

"At last!" Rikki shouted.

Cory smiled for a moment but stopped when Lewis started shaking his head.

"No!" Lewis shouted back.

"Lewis! Speak!" Rikki told him. "Like a normal person."

Lewis gave up on trying to tell them what was going on and gestured for them to follow him as he ran out of the house. They followed after him with confused looks on their faces.

He explained on the way that Cleo went off the chase after one of her dad's boats. The girls wasted no time getting in the water to chase after her. They were going full speed in the direction Lewis had pointed them to. Hoping to find Cleo and the boat in time.

They came across it just in time to see that Cleo had gotten caught in the boat's net and looked to be passed out.

The three of them rushed over as the net started getting pulled back up into the boat. Rikki and Cory began to untangle Cleo from the net. Cory tried thinking of some way to help out with her powers, but everything she thought seemed like it would just make the situation worse.

Getting Cleo out with the net moving upwards proved to be complicated. Emma moved up to the surface. To find a way to stop the mechanism that was pulling up the net with her powers. Once she did so, Rikki and Cory were able to untie Cleo. Cory and Emma took Cleo by the shoulders to pull her to the surface, while Rikki made sure to keep the net out of the way.

Each of them breached the surface and took a moment to catch their breaths. "You okay?" Emma asked Cleo.

"Yeah! I panicked. I didn't know you could hold your breath for so long." Cleo gasped. "But then I remembered what you guys said. And you know what?"

They each gave her a confused look.

"I lost count at sixteen and a half minutes," Cleo said, with her raised high.

"I'm so proud of you, Cleo," Cory told her.

"Later, guys." Rikki nodded to the boat.

The girls dived back under the water and started making their way to their secret part of the beach—each with bright smiles on their faces.

The next day they all made their way down the same beach. As they walked, Cleo explained how she had told her dad what had been going on and was happy to find that he fired the man immediately after confirming what was going on.

Due to finding out that Eddie had been fishing in the wrong areas, Cleo's dad called off the shark hunt. Believing that Eddie had most likely been fishing in shark territory at some point. Causing the sharks to fight back.

The girls arrived to find Lewis standing over something.

"Guys! Look! Turtle eyes." Lewis showed them the small pile on while eggs in the sand.

They each marvelled at them as Cleo and Cory kneeled down to get a closer look.

"Little turtles are so cute." Cleo cooed. "I hope they all make it."

Cory let out a relieved sigh. Knowing that the little guys had one less thing to worry about with Eddie not wandering around anymore.

Lewis smiled at the look on Cleo's face. "So, you want to show me something?"

"Yes, I do." Cleo grinned and turned to the others. "Ready?"

Cleo, Emma, Rikki, and Cory all started running towards the shore. Dropping their bags along the way before heading into the sea together. Once their tails appeared, they flipped up above the surface of the water for Lewis to see.

They swam off into the great blue unknown, without a care in the world.

Not a lot going on with Cory this episode, but Party Girls is gonna share a bit more of Cory's and Emmett's personal lives. Especially with the introduction of Emmett's girlfriend, Ava and Cory's grandparent figure, Kirra.

Also comments.... please?