Ondina had gone back inside and told all her friends about Veridia and her warning, and how they shouldn't go back to Mako that night.

So they spent the night at Rita's house. Rita was a mermaid, who was part of the Mako Pod, until she was forced to leave, due to falling in love with a human. She and her boyfriend planned to marry, but unfortunately he died before they got the chance.

Rita had done quite well for herself on land. She had a lovely large house, and was the Principal of the high school, Sun Coast High, which Zac, Evie, Carly, Cameron and David attended.

Sirena, Mimmi and Ondina always stayed with Rita on land when they visited. Rita had dark red curly hair that went up to her shoulders, and was always seen in a black pencil skirt and a white blouse.

Rita's house looked ordinary on the outside, but inside there was a magical bookshelf. On the bookshelf there was a book, with the title 'Mermaid Myths'. If you pulled the book from the shelf it would jam halfway, but the bookcase would slide open to reveal a small, stone tunnel. Then if you entered the tunnel you'd find yourself in her mermaid grotto. The walls and floor was made of stone, and everywhere you looked there was a different, unique treasure to look at. The grotto was full of potions, treasure chests, jewellery and magical mermaid objects, which Rita brought with her. There was also a pool of water with a tunnel that links to the Ocean, in case Rita went for a swim.

So Sirena, Mimmi and Ondina spent the night in the grotto. However, sleeping with legs did not prove to be an easy task for the mermaids, as they were used to sleeping in water.

They all lay down: Ondina was on the sofa, Mimmi was on the carpet and Sirena was on the staircase. Each girls wrapped several blankets around themselves, but by morning all the blankets were halfway across the room!!

It had taken the girls ages to get to sleep, but when they did they tossed and turned so much!! Sirena was the first to awaken. Her hair was a mess, clumped to one side of her head, and her clothes were covered in creases. She didn't even turned to look at her friends as she sleepily made her way upstairs to make three cups of tea.

Rita was awake too, she was in the kitchen, eating a small portion of shrimps.

"Good morning Rita," Sirena yawned.

Rita looked up. "I'm guessing you didn't sleep well?"

Sirena shook her head. "I'll be so happy when we go back to the moon pool." Sirena checked to make sure there was enough water in the kettle, before flicking the switch. She prepared three cups on a tray.

"I need to go soon," Rita said, checking her watch and standing up. "I have a meeting before school starts. Can I trust you three to behave?"

"Of course you can! When have we ever misbehaved?"

Rita raised her eyebrows. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

Sirena, Ondina and Mimmi always seemed to get into some kind of trouble on land. One time, Sirena and her mermaid friend Lyla had accidentally made it snow in Rita's grotto, resulting in Sirena and Lyla getting snow rash. Another time Ondina and Mimmi were at the Marina, and they had been splashed with water by a dolphin. They had to jumped into the pool of water quickly before transforming into mermaids in front of everyone.

Sirena shook her head. "You best not."

Rita reached out her hand for another shrimp.

"Meeting!! Remember? You need to go," Sirena reminded Rita.

Rita grabbed her bag which was on the chair next to her. "And don't you forget your meeting with Veridia."

"We won't!!" Sirena promised as she picked up the kettle and began pouring the water into the teacups.

Meanwhile Ondina was just waking up. She looked around confused. She had ended up on the floor, cuddling a cushion.

She sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. Then she realised that she was in the grotto alone...

Ondina's eyes widened with horror as she jumped into her feet and looked around. "Mimmi?" She called. "Sirena?"

But she got no response.

Panic began to build up inside Ondina, but she relaxed a little bit when she heard the sound of the bookcase sliding. Just then Sirena walked into the grotto, carrying the tray of tea.

"Sirena, is Mimmi with you?" Ondina asked.

"No, why?" Sirena agreed, watching the tray as she carefully walked down the stairs and put it on the round table in the middle of the room.

"Well, she's not here!" Ondina cried.

Sirena looked around. "Maybe she woke up and went for a swim?"

Ondina nodded. "Good idea, let's go see."

Ondina and Sirena ran to the pool of water, to find Mimmi was already there! She was sleeping peacefully, floating on top of the water.

"...What?" Ondina raised her eyebrows. She then jumped into the water as hard as she could, creating a huge splash. The splash went all over the walls, on Sirena (who then jumped into the water too) and Mimmi.

Mimmi coughed and spluttered and she opened her eyes. "Hey!!"

"Why did you come and sleep here without telling us?" Ondina asked angrily.

"It was the middle of the night, the idea popped into my head. But you two were sleeping. I didn't want to wake you."

"Sleeping with legs is so hard!" Ondina wailed. "I wouldn't have got mad it you woke me up! If anything I would have thanked you!"

"Well hopefully we don't have to do it again," Sirena said, trying to calm Ondina down. "Now that we're all awake, shall we go see what Veridia wants?"

Ondina nodded and ran a hand through her hair.

"Ondina, I think your ring is twisted," Mimmi pointed to Ondina's hand. Ondina looked, and the moon stone wasn't on show.

Ondina twisted her ring around, but there was no moon stone...

Ondina's eyebrows narrowed in confusion and she twisted her ring around again. But the stone was gone.

"My moon stone, its gone!" She yelled.

"What!?" Sirena asked.

Ondina took her ring off and handed it to Sirena, who turned it over in her hands before passing it to Mimmi.

"Can moon rings lose their stones?" Ondina asked worriedly.

Mimmi shrugged. "I'm not sure."

"I can't go to see Veridia without the stone in the ring!" Ondina cried. "Mimmi, I'll have to borrow yours."

"WHAT!?" Mimmi yelled.

"Please!?!?" Ondina pouted. Mimmi sighed and handed her friend her special ring.

"If you lose it I'll smack you around the face with a cod fish," Mimmi warned.

"I'll stay here and look for the stone," Sirena suggested. "You two go see Veridia."

Sirena jumped out of the water, and the other two mermaids swam to Mako Island but only Ondina entered the moon pool. Sure enough, Veridia was there, sat on the rocks, waiting.

"Ondina," Veridia said as soon as Ondina's had broke surface.

"Is everything alright?" Ondina asked. "Is Mako Island safe now?"

Veridia sighed. "I'm afraid not."

"What's been going on?" Ondina asked.

Veridia sighed again. "Some of the mermaid's moon stones have been going missing from their rings."

Ondina's eyes widened. "Really!?"

Veridia nodded. "Yes. And I made you and your friends stay on land so your stones wouldn't get stolen too. Why, have any of you lost your stone?"

Ondina slowly put her hands under the water. "No..."

"Good," Veridia nodded, pleased. "Because I want you, Sirena and Mimmi to go on a special mission, to try find who has stolen them."

"You think they've been stolen?" Ondina asked.

"There is no other explination," Veridia said. "A moon stone can't just fall out of a ring. You, Sirena and Mimmi have saved Mako Island before, and we were hoping you could do it again."

"We'll do what we can," Ondina nodded.

"Thank you, you will be rewarded greatly. You may also get Zac, and the land girl Evie to help you if you so wish. I must go now, the Mermaid Council are waiting for me. We are sending the mermaids to different places to stay, in hope that their rings stay intacted."

Veridia slipped into the water and began to swim away. But she paused, and raised her head above the water. "Ondina?"

"Yes?"

"Aquata sends her love to Sirena, make sure Sirena knows?"

Ondina nodded. "I will."

Veridia then swam out of the moon pool, and Ondina followed, and they both turned and swam off in different directions.