[17:18] <Champion> One week since starting school, Anto and Jack have started to adjust to the swing of life in the Big Apple. Alice still manages to persuade Anto to join the girls for lunch everyday, with Jack tagging along to keep an eye on the smaller boy. It’s Monday, august 3rd, and the trio of pilots find themselves in St. Mary’s natatorium, for Anto’s try outs for the swim team. Up in the bleachers,
[17:18] <Champion> Jack and Tania root for their ally in arms, while Alice, Beth, and Denice join them. Alice and Beth look to be doing little more than leering at the boys in Speedos, the Third Child in particular for Alice. The ever studious Denice is simply content to continue sticking her nose in her book.
[17:19] <Champion> St. Mary’s Highschool for Individual Tutelage, or S.H.I.T., as Beth has pointedly referred to it, is home to one of the top swims teams in New York, consistently placing in state every year. However, a first place trophy has eluded the school for the last half decade, and the team is sore for an ace in the whole
[17:19] <Champion> Coach Wingler is the coach of the swim team, though he looks more like a wrestler than an agile swimmer. A large man, he’s built like an ox, and could probably bench press a car. He’s genial enough though, and is surprisingly erudite. When Anto approached him for a chance to join the team, Wingler was enthusiastic and promised to give him a chance the coming Monday.
[17:19] <Champion> The time has come, and now Anto is standing by the poolside, surrounded by other swimmers as he prepares to begin. Dressed in nothing more than a Speedo, a cap for his hair, and a set of goggles, his tanned skin stands out starkly compared to the rest of the pale swim team. "You can do it Anto!" Alice cheers from the stands, Beth joining her to excitedly.
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[17:21] * Anto_Belac tilts left-to-right slowly, trying not to meet the gaze of the other swimmers - or indeed anyone's gaze at all.
[17:21] * Jack_Murdock just gives him a thumbs up as he sits next to Beth
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[17:28] * You are now known as Tania_Clarke
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[17:31] * Tania_Clarke yells out loud: "You can do it Anton~!"
[17:31] * Jack_Murdock starts to tap his foot rapidly, 'So are they why you and Alice are always down here?' He asks Beth
[17:32] * Anto_Belac nods and keeps tilting. He leers at the water.
[17:33] <Champion> "You're up Anto!" Wringler calls out. The diving board before Anto is free, his lane unoccupied. The coach rubs his stubbly chin, as he inquires, "So, what are swimming for? We need someone who can do a two hundred meter freestyle, do you think you can manage that?"
[17:34] <Champion> The blonde leansover to Jack, an answers with a giggle, "Well, Alice totally wanted to see Anto is a speedo. As for me, I like, had come with her as her bff."
[17:34] <Anto_Belac> "Uhhhhhh I guess?
[17:34] <Anto_Belac> ""
[17:36] <Champion> Coach Wringled nods in acknowledgement, and says, "Whenever you're ready then Belac."
[17:46] * Anto_Belac takes a deep breath and swoops off the diving board into the water. His body pulls itself into familiar rhythms as he plows through the water toward the opposite wall.
[17:46] * Jack_Murdock looks about the stands to see who else is watching
[17:46] <Tania_Clarke> "There he goes!"
[17:48] <Anto_Belac> He spins around at the wall and springs off it back down the direction he came from, arms pulling him along in short arcs through what is almost his natural environment.
[17:50] <Champion> "Go Anto!" Alice screams into the natatorium, earning her several glares from the swim team. Wringler mean while is watching the pilot making his way through the pool with astounding speed. As Anto surfaces for air at the end of the race, he is greeted by cheers, with Wringler smiling at him. "Excellent work, Belac!"
[17:51] * Jack_Murdock has quit (Read error: Operation timed out)
[17:52] <Tania_Clarke> "Hah, as expected of someone born at sea," Tania says as she sits back, arms crossed, and nods in satisfaction.
[17:52] * Anto_Belac clambers out of the water and smiles nervously at Wringler. "I did good?"
[17:53] <Champion> Wringler laughs at the boys question, and explains, "You did pretty good. I think you may have a place on this team yet. Anything else you want to try?"
[17:55] <Anto_Belac> "What else is there?"
[17:59] <Champion> "The four hundred meter freestyle men's relay has a hole that needs to be filled. Think you can manage it?" Wringler offers, curious as to Anto's response?
[17:59] <Champion> Alice mean while, seems giddy at Anto's success, and watches him with a sultry gaze. "Think he's always that quick, Tania?"
[18:00] <Anto_Belac> "Sure, I can try it." He begins tilting again.
[18:02] <Champion> "Good good, whenever you're ready go back to your lane and begin," Coach Wringler orders. Shifting his attention elsewhere, he begins to write down something on his noteboard, before turning to yell at two students for running.
[18:02] <Tania_Clarke> "He'll have to be if he wants to get ahead," she nods sagely.
[18:05] <Champion> "Oh, you're no fun," Alice admonishes the pale girl, before returning to making jokes with Beth about the female half of the team and their sturggles to fit into swimming suits.
[18:07] * Jack_Murdock (~Kov_D@Rizon-44793476.ok.shawcable.net) has joined #LibertyIC
[18:14] * Tania_Clarke ignores the remark and walking behind the group, moves over to Denise.
[18:14] <Tania_Clarke> "What are you reading today?" she asks.
[18:15] * Anto_Belac arcs right back into the water and reutilizes his capabilities to the fullest, this time going the full 400 meters with his brown kicky legs.
[18:15] <Champion> The smaller girl doesn't seem to notice Tania's presence at first, and jumps slightly at the sound of her voice. "I'm reading Plato'th 'Repuplic,'" sh explains quietly.
[18:16] <Tania_Clarke> "Oooooh~... is it interesting?"
[18:17] <Champion> "I thertainly think tho. I'm not thure if you would, though," Denice replies.
[18:19] <Anto_Belac> *THE FULL 100 METERS OF HIS PART OF THE LAP
[18:20] <Tania_Clarke> "Hmmm... is it more interesting than..." she leans closer "watching the swim team?"
[18:21] <Champion> Denice raises her head to gaze upon the swimmers and the rest of the natatorium. Just as quickly, she lowers it, her face bright red. "Yeth," Denice answers, all too swiftly.
[18:22] <Tania_Clarke> "Their half-naked bodies wet and glistening?" She whispers. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather pay attention to- Oh Anton's up again!"
[18:23] <Champion> This time, when Anto surfaces, he is pulled up by a pair of strong arms. Pulled upwards, he lands on his feet awkwardly, while two identical older boy's smile at him. Bright red hair, and smiling, freckled faces greet him, saying in unison, "Why, hello there!"
[18:24] <Jack_Murdock> "Hey Beth, why don't you try out for the girl's swim team?"
[18:24] <Anto_Belac> "H-hi? WHo're you?
[18:24] <Anto_Belac> "
[18:27] <Champion> "Because I have better things to do. Not that there's anything wrong with swimming or anything, but I do tennis. And besides, they totally won't let you wear you're own swim suit or anything," Beth complains humorously.
[18:28] <Champion> "Well I'm Tim," the one on the left says, winking at the boy with his left eye.
[18:28] <Champion> The two release him in unison, as the one on the right adds, "And I'm Tom."
[18:29] <Jack_Murdock> "Huh. You'll have to show me it sometime. Now who are those two, talking to Anto?"
[18:30] <Champion> "We're on the swimming team as well," they continue in tandem. "We'll be doing the four hundred relay with you."
[18:30] <Anto_Belac> "Uhm. Okay. Cool."
[18:32] <Champion> "Oh, they're Tim and Tom, a pair of twins. They're Irish, and they're dad runs a pub near the docks. Pretty lively, throw one hell of a party," Alice answers for Beth.
[18:35] <Champion> Once more, Wringler congradulates Anto on his good work, and announces to everyone on the team that the boy will be joining the team for the one hundred meter and four hundred meter relay. "And, Lord willing, we'll win state this year!" the coach declares, to the cheers of the team.
[18:35] * Jack_Murdock gets up, 'I've got some things to look into.' He then heads out
[18:36] <Champion> "Oh, ok," Beth replies, waving to Jack as he departs.
[18:37] * Tania_Clarke watches Jack go, then takes his now vacant seat.
[18:37] <Tania_Clarke> "So."
[18:38] * Anto_Belac smiles shyly but takes no part in the cheering. He continues to tilt in place.
[18:39] <Champion> "Yes?" Alice asks, unsure of Tania's intention.
[18:41] <Tania_Clarke> "He made it into the team (as I was sure he'd), so... do we give him a reward?"
[18:45] <Champion> Alice turns to Tania, a predatory gleam in her eyes. A rapacious grin makes its way on to her features, as she replies with a conspiratorial whisper, "Well, I have a few ideas. What do you have in mind?"
[18:47] * Tania_Clarke responds with a sweet, inocent smile.