This was going to suck, Rikki decided. Having to rely on a complete stranger the way she was used to relying on Lewis, Zane, and Will. Whatever it was he was saying about the Force, Rikki didn't understand the significance. "You better mean that," she said seriously as he pulled her out of the pool. She watched as he extended his hand again and heard the lock click and she gave him an impressed look.
"You'd be right," she agreed. Extending her own hand, she closed it slowly into a fist until smoke began to rise from the doorknob. She opened her hand again after that. "It's too hot to touch anyway," she added with a tiny, self-satisfied grin.
Rolling herself onto her back, Rikki propped herself up on one elbow, wincing a little at the discomfort on her elbow and in her abs. It was nothing she wasn't used to, by now, but it still wasn't the most comfortable position to have to be in. "Thank you," she added, putting an effort into making it sound sincere. Gratitude wasn't exactly Rikki's forte, but she did appreciate his help.
Sighing heavily, Rikki looked down at her tail. "I hate this part," she complained. "Kinda stings." At that, she held her free hand over her tail and closed it into a fist, wincing slightly as steam rose up, evaporating the water both off her tail and around her off the floor. A few minutes and a fog filled room later, she was dry and, in a spontaneous show of sparkling lights, Rikki's tail dissipated, morphing back into jean-clad legs. The mermaid top, as she'd come to call it, changed back into her t-shirt, and she got to her feet. "Shh, don't tell," she said with a tiny smirk.