FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

In the quiet early hours of dawn, the disturbed air whined slightly while a sleek civilian vehicle glided across the near-empty parking lot. It stopped near the front of the school building, and stepped out a tall otter. Rye did always prefer to arrive early.

Striding across the parking lot, the otter noticed another otter walking out from the locker rooms.

"Cloud? Hey Cloud!" Rye picked up his pace to catch up with the new otter.

"Hey Rye," Cloud greeted him. "You're here early."

"I was going to say the same thing," Rye remarked. "You must have gotten up really early to walk here."

"I'm a light sleeper," stated Cloud. "I don't like sleeping in too often. I guess I'm a morning person."

"I'm not, but if I have to get up anyway then I don't see why getting a few extra minutes of sleep will help," said Rye. "What did you do yesterday if you arrived so early, Cloud?"

"Sat in the cafeteria and read," he answered, following Rye while walking along side him.

"My friends and I usually gather in room one twenty-one," informed Rye. Both otters walked through the main entrance. "Ms. Passero's classroom. She's a tough teacher but awesome at the same time. So she lets us relax in her room during the off hours."

"That's kind of her," Cloud commented.

"You want to hang out with us?" Rye asked, strolling down the hallway.

"Sure, why not?"

They both smiled at each other while wondering down the near vacant hallways. There were dozens of other students already in the school, but within the next hour, several hundred more would appear in the hallways. Before that wave, the otters slipped into the classroom numbered 121. Inside the Political Science teacher was busy on her computer screen, while two students were sitting on desks, and quietly chatting with one another.

"Shasta, Marian, you're both here early," Rye remarked. He sat down on top of one of the adjacent desks, and invited for Cloud to sit as well. After both the students greeted Rye, he introduced his new friend, "This is the rumored new otter. Cloud, this is Marian, and the feminine one is Shasta."

"Shut up Rye!" barked the squirrel. "That's not funny."

"And vice versa." Rye finished, with a mischievous grin aimed at Shasta.

With a glare aimed directly at Rye, Shasta extended a friendly greeting to the white otter.

"Nice to see that the rumors were somewhat right," Marian said. "Nice to meet you Cloud. I assume that you are not albino though."

"No of course not," he answered. "I just have white fur and that's how my name came to be Cloud."

"So where did you come from Cloud?" Marian asked. "Why'd you come to Ab Amor? Do you like it better here?"

"Stop pestering the new otter."

From the classroom door entered the tall wolf, Nathan. He quickly closed the gap between himself and the new student and just as quickly introduced himself.

"Remember me, Cloud?"

"So you pester him with a question instead?" Marian muttered to himself.

"Nathan right?" answered the otter answered.

"Correct!" exclaimed Nate. "But that's what my parents call me, so you can just call me Nate. You're pretty good with names and faces."

"You're the only wolf that I know so far so it's not too difficult," explained Cloud.

The group laughed, and the new student was able to feel sincerely welcomed among them. With a couple more introductions and greetings with other students, none were as obnoxious as the last one that arrived.

"Why didn't anyone tell me that the party started so early?" exclaimed Ariel as she entered the room. "Oh, look, an otter!"

"I'm flattered Ariel," said Rye, moving another desk close to the group for her to sit on.

"Not you Rye," she snapped back at him. "Shut up. You know who I was talking about."

Snickering, Rye introduced the new student to the obnoxious feline, "That's Ariel, the obnoxious one I told you about yesterday."

"Hi, I'm Ariel," she said when she finally took a seat next to Rye, with Cloud on the other side of him. "I'm not that obnoxious, any rumors you hear about me are completely exaggerated."

"I'll trust your word," he replied, smiling. "I'm Cloud."

"Are you coming to the Ab Amor Games?" she asked, leaning slightly over the desk as if to persuade or inspect the otter some more.

"I honestly don't know what that is," Cloud admitted. "I've heard it mentioned several times yesterday though."

"They're the biggest parties of the year," Ariel said enthusiastically. "You have to come."

"It takes place at the Beach Lagoon," Rye added. "There'll be lots of activities, and then we all head over to the park for other activities. It's pretty much like a city fair but happens at the beginning and end of every school year, and once in fall and winter."

"Are you two going?" asked Cloud.

"I work at the Lagoon and help organize the Games so I'm required to go," replied the otter.

"I organize the Games at the park so I do too," Ariel answered.

"Well, then I have no excuse to not go," Cloud admitted, smiling. "How many people are going?"

"Almost the entire school district, the local Universities and the majority of the city," Ariel responded.

"How," his sentence trailed off as he tried to think of an appropriate word, "peculiar."

"What do you mean?" Rye asked.

"Nevermind," said Cloud. "What kinds of activities are there?"

"There's-" began Rye.

"They're the best!" exclaimed Nate, interrupting and intruding on the conversation. "There're so many. They are so much fun, but nothing beats laser tag."

While Nate informed Cloud excitedly about the Games and the activities, others joined in the conversation and the entire group started to get excited again for the festival activities. Finally, the school bell rang for students to get to class but the excited chatter only followed the group out into the halls.

"Everyone is really excited about the Games," Cloud commented, walking with Rye to their first class of the day. "I didn't even get to ask when it is."

"End of this week," replied Rye. "I can drive you there if you want. I usually go right after school, and it's convenient to have a car to leave your extra school work in."

Claiming the same desk and seats as yesterday, the otters continued chatting while they waited for the rest of the students to show up.

"By the way," Rye continued, "I have to work at the Lagoon today and I was wondering if you were interested in going. You know, to get to know the place a little bit before it's swarmed at the Games."

"I'd feel a little awkward if you have to work and I'd be there alone," Cloud admitted.

"Don't worry about that," responded Rye. "I've been described as an undercover lifeguard before. I'm a good friend with the manager, and because I help with the Amor Games taking place at the Lagoon, I don't need to be restricted to one small area of the pool. Why would they do that to their best lifeguard?"

"Good point," said Cloud. "Mind if I stop by my place first to change though?"

"Not a problem," Rye answered. "We'll be a little short on time though, so do you mind just grabbing your swimwear and change at the pool?"

"I guess not."

"Great. I'll be giving you like a tour of the Lagoon."

Cloud giggled, but he was interrupted shortly by the bell which signaled for the teachers to begin their class.

"Submit your homework now before I close the file in exactly five minutes," Mr. Mane commanded. "You'll receive a completion grade so it doesn't matter if you got the answers wrong. Your assignments will be corrected and returned to you for study material. Now, prepare to take notes. First, who can tell me what AU stands for?"

"Astronomical Unit?" one student guessed.

"Well, yes," replied Mr. Mane. "But I meant in our timeline such as in the War of 2854AU."

The regular routine of class continued for the remainder of the class, which lasted up to the bell ringing. After exchanging brief farewells, the otters went to their next classes.

The hours dragged on, and if it weren't for his friends, Rye would have had much more difficulties staying focus in his classes. When lunch approached, he regained his excitement and nearly bolted out the door once the lunch bell rang.

Attempting to stay ahead of the wave of students migrating toward the cafeteria, Rye arrived when the cafeteria was relatively empty. Without his appetite, he simply waited at the same table as yesterday for Cloud. While scanning the crowd, not much time elapsed before the white otter to appear, in contradiction to yesterday's example. With a quick exchange of greetings, the otters joined the line to wait to collect their food.

"How has you second day at Ab Amor High School been going?" asked Rye.

"It's going okay," Cloud replied. "I never did like the second day of a school year for some reason."

"I guess you're expected to know how to do everything by then," concluded Rye. "Some teachers won't excuse being late on the second day when they will on the first, because you're supposed to know your regular routes by then."

"I haven't really thought of it like that."

"Rye, cutie!" Another student figure bumped into the otter rather roughly and threw him off his balance.

"Diane, what do you want?" asked Rye, regaining his balance.

"No need to be so testy," she answered, with an annoying grin. "I saw that you were staying here for lunch again and I thought I would stay too."

"And you decided to cut in front of all the other students?"

"I'm not cutting, you were holding my spot in the line," commanded the mare. The otter could only sigh with regret that she showed up. "Oh and who's this? You're the other otter. Are you an albino?"

"Diane, just shut up," muttered Rye. "Please."

"No, my name is-" Cloud began before Diane cut him off.

"Oh don't worry," she interrupted and laughed hysterically. "I'll just call you Mr. Albino Otter."

Under his fur, Cloud blushed with embarrassment and resentment for being called albino. He glanced at Rye, who had a very apologetic and sad expression.

"You don't say much do you?" asked the mare, while she started to hang off of Rye's arm in a very flirtatious manner.

The assault coming from the mare forced the otter to withdraw deeper unto himself.

"That's because you keep talking Diane!" Rye nearly shouted.

"I'm going to go get food from a vendor," muttered Cloud and immediately left the line.

"Cloud," said Rye very softly.

"He's very shy," the mare commented. "But now that we're alone, let's get some food. There's so much I want to tell you about my summer vacation since you didn't let me yesterday. There were all these guys who wanted to buy me dinner. It was so annoying. Hey, Rye!"

Completely ignorant to the conversation or thoughts of the mare, Rye went after Cloud in desperate hope that his feelings weren't hurt.

"Damn, the other otter is going to be trouble," Diane muttered to herself, now glaring after Rye with her arms folded.

Weaving around the other students, Rye wasn't able to catch up to his friend until they were both outside.

"Cloud," Rye called after him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," replied Cloud and he smiled. "I just think she's... she comes off a little strong. I guess not all your friends are like you."

Despite his expression, Rye could feel that Cloud was hiding something. But he did take amusement in the fact that Cloud found Diane just as annoying as he did.

"She's not really one of my friends," admitted Rye. Now with both of them outside, they wandered toward one of the vendor carts to buy their lunches.

"No?" Cloud questioned, still appearing to be hiding his real feelings. "It almost seemed like she was your girlfriend."

"Ugh!" Rye exclaimed reflexively before he's able to stop himself. "Sorry. I meant that she's been trying to get with me for a while now but she's just too annoying."

"Mares aren't your type?"

"Something like that." Glancing at Cloud again, Rye saw a real smile on his muzzle. "Listen, I want to apologize for her behavior. Whenever I spend time with any of my friends, she gets jealous."

"You don't have to apologize on her behalf," remarked Cloud. Both otters joined another line and waited to purchase their food. "I believe in self-responsibility. Let's just eat. Oh crap, they have oysters here!"

"You don't like oysters?"

"No, they make me sick," Cloud admitted, placing a paw over his muzzle.

"What an odd otter you are," commented Rye. "I'll get you something that has nothing to do with oysters. You can wait for me outside of the mist of oyster aroma."

"Thanks," said Cloud while he retreated to find fresh air.

After buying a couple cups of fish soup, the otters rejoined and sat on a bench outside of the cafeteria while they ate their soup.

"So is that mare the only one who's obsessed with you?" Cloud asked before taking a sip of the soup.

"She wasn't but I guess she scared off the competition by now," answered Rye.

"If you're not interested in dating her then who are you interested in dating?" persisted Cloud. "That Ariel girl and you seem to get along well."

"No," coughed Rye, choking on some soup. "Don't suggest me dating her around her boyfriend, he gets jealous easy."

Cloud laughed. "Oh sorry."

"Hey Rye, I don't see you out here very often," Marvin, a caribou, greeted the otters. "Mind if I sit with you two?"

"Not at all," said Rye. "This is Marvin, Cloud. Marvin, this is Cloud."

"Nice to meet you."

"Same to you."

With the extra student, the conversation quickly turned around to the student's choice of conversation about the Amor Games. Marvin quickly began to inform Cloud on all of his favorite activities during the games, similar to one a lot of the students did in the early morning.

Similar to the morning, the conversation didn't end until the end of the break period, and the students started to disperse back toward the classrooms after the bell had signaled. Although disappointed about their free time being over, Rye was happy to share the following class with Cloud. Both otters began walking to their gym class together, much to their enjoyment.

"What's your last class of the day?" asked Rye, walking along the sidewalk that bordered the school and parking lot.

"Astronomy," Cloud answered. "With Mrs. Hagen."

"Oh, what class room is that in again?" Rye continued to pester.

"Oh, it's in room one thirty-two."

"That's in the East Wing right?"

"Yes indeed it is."

"I'll pick you up outside the East Wing exit then after school so we can go straight to your place and head to the Lagoon," suggested Rye.

"Sounds great," responded Cloud. He became a little concerned when Rye veered off toward the parking lot. "Where are you going, Rye?"

"I left my gym clothes in the car, it'll just take a second to get them," he answered.

"I'll just follow you then," Cloud commented. True to his word, it didn't take long for Rye to find his car and gather his gym clothes. "Your car will be easy to spot once I'm out of class."

The otter chuckled and led the way back toward the locker rooms. "Then that'll help us make better time after school."

Entering the locker room, both the otters went over to their lockers, and placed their binders inside. Facing toward their lockers, both otters began to change. While they changed, both of them seemed uncomfortable as all conversation ended and neither so much as even glanced at the other until they were fully clothed in their gym uniforms.

"Should I be expecting a tough day today?" asked Cloud while they were walking toward the fields.

"It should be the same exercises as yesterday," Rye answered. "Although the Coach tried to scare everyone into thinking it'll be extra tough today, I've been in his class for all four years of my high school career. Besides, you're well in shape so don't worry about it."

"Thank you," replied Cloud shyly.

Gym class was very similar to the previous day, just as Rye said and before the otters knew it, the class was over and they were headed toward the lockers once again. The last two classes again trailed on for Rye, but this time he was able to pay attention a little better as the teachers kept them busy with taking notes, reading text, and working on several assignments.

When the final bell rang, Rye rushed to his out of the hallways and into his car before driving it over to the east wing entrance where Cloud was surprisingly already waiting for him despite school ending less than two minutes ago.

"That was fast," he commented, sitting in the passenger's seat. "Let's hope you can beat the traffic jam out of here."

"It shouldn't be that bad," Rye said, accelerating toward one of the exits, and being stuck behind only a few cars. "I admit that I didn't expect you'd be out there so quick. Especially if you had to go to your locker or something."

"I don't use my locker very much," Cloud informed. "And besides, I know you're in a hurry so I tried to hurry to meet you here. That, and the fact that my classroom is right next to the exit so it literally only took me a few seconds to get outside."

"I see," said Rye, finally joining the traffic on the main street. "You haven't been to the Lagoon yet, have you?"

"Can't say I have," Cloud honestly answered.

"I'm actually kind of surprised because it is one of the most famous outdoor pools on this continent. Usually when there are otters in town, they go to the pool first. It's a huge tourist attraction for other otters."

"Well," Cloud started to say. "Like I said, I haven't really been able to afford going to recreational outings since I've been here."

"Don't you think a job would help?" asked Rye.

"Yeah, but," he trailed off in his answer. "I don't really have an excuse on why I am not yet employed."

"Don't worry," Rye reassured, pulling into the property of Cloud's apartments. "I understand that looking for a job can be quite stressful, especially when you're living on your own and have everything else to worry about as well. Come to think of it, why do you live on your own?"

"I," stuttered Cloud while the car parked. "We'll just say the environment I was in was too hostile for me."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rye apologized. "I didn't mean to pry."

"It's okay," said Cloud, opening the door and stepping out. "I'll be right back." The white otter hurried to one of the door in front of Rye's car, and he quickly disappeared behind it. All Rye was able to see was an empty apartment, which worried him. Soon enough, Cloud emerged from the dark apartment and hopped back in the car.

"Would you want a job?" asked Rye, continuing the conversation with Cloud.

"One definitely wouldn't hurt," he replied. The car began to head out of the apartment property and turn toward Rye's own apartment buildings. "I have been meaning to start looking but this city is a little overwhelming."

"I was just thinking, maybe I'd be able to get you a job at the Lagoon."

"Really?! That'd be great! But I don't' want you to put your reputation on the line for me."

"No really, Ryan would be thrilled to have another otter be on his staff!"

"Well, I can't turn that down if it was offered to me. Is Ryan the manager?"

"Yes he is." The car stopped again in front of Rye's place, and he quickly jumped out. "Now I will be right back."

Cloud giggled while the otter disappeared through his front door. Inside his room, he was throwing out his swimwear from a drawer until he found two of his favorite pairs of swim shorts. Gathering them up, he ran back outside and jumped back inside the car.

"So when was the last time you went swimming?" he asked beginning to drive on the main roads again.

"It's been a few years," answered Cloud with an awkwardly optimistic attitude while he watched the trees go by.

"A few years?" repeated Rye, astonished.

"There's been a lot going on with my life that has kept me from going swimming at all," answered Cloud, holding up an optimistic tone. "Once I graduate, then I can get a full time job and things will be somewhat normal for me."

"You don't have any plans for after school?" Rye asked.

"Other than work, not really," Cloud admitted. "My grades aren't that great for college."

"But the year just started."

"My first couple years of high school haven't been that great, is what I meant."

"Oh sorry," said Rye. He felt a weight in his heart as he pitied the poor otter. Cloud was very nice and smart, there's no reason why he should have to give up on school.

"It's alright," Cloud exclaimed. "I'll be fine with it." Glancing over at the white otter, Rye recognized the facial expression from earlier in the day, after their encounter with Diane when Cloud was hiding something. "Are you going to college?"

"Kind of," said Rye, thinking about his own after school commitments. "Here we are." The car pulled into a parking lot, with an entrance into an unground parking garage with a massive glass building in front.

Tall glass walls, supported by bright white beams bordering them composed the facade of the building.

"Whoa," exclaimed Cloud, completely stunned. Both of the otters stepped out of the car and walked toward massive glass double doors that led into the front lobby of the building. Cloud took notice in the tropical landscaping that surrounded the glass walls however, with plenty of foliage covering fresh dirt without masking a clear and small stream that wove around and through the landscaping. "Impressive."

Rye only chuckled while they entered the lobby, where Cloud again vocalized his stunned impressions of the interior. The entire lobby was very well lit because of the glass walls and ceiling, and also by the white floors and interior walls. To the white otter's surprise, he saw tropical plants on the inside of the glass walls, wrapping around toward the opposite wall. With two small streams snaking around the landscaping that was inside the building, a rail and several benches blocked the landscape.

"Don't lag behind," Rye cautioned still continuing to lead Cloud toward the front desk. A red fox was shuffling papers behind it but Cloud was examining every detail of the lobby before he even noticed that a fox was there at all. Cloud noticed a couple rooms on the perpendicular walls of the entrance. The indoor stream cut off what appeared to be the gift shop from the lobby, but a bridge arched over the stream to allow access while two palm trees added flare to the entrance because they were forming a rough arch over it.

"This is amazing," he muttered. Rye found it cute that Cloud looked at the place as if he is a tourist. To the left of the otters lays a darker entrance, also entered by a bridge, but no covering archway, where the recreation room rests, with arcade games and pool tables.

"Hi Aaron," Rye greeted the fox behind the front desk. The simple greeting attracted Cloud's attention but he again was distracted by the detail of the interior lobby since on either side of the front desk, over two different doorways, rest large slate rocks. Off of them there was two very quiet waterfalls that seemed to be the starting point of the stream that has snaked its way around the interior and exterior of the building.

"Hey Rye," the male fox behind the counter returns the greeting. "You need to take some school days off. It gets swamped here when you're not around."

"I'll try to explain that to the principal," Rye chuckled. "If we're hiring, I have a new friend who'd be happy to help out." Cloud finally took notice of the fox and stopped examining all the small details of the lobby.

"Oh, an otter," commented Aaron.

"I'm Cloud Waters," he said, introducing himself. "Very impressive lobby you have here."

"Thanks, I'll let Ryan know you said that," the fox said with a chuckle of his own. "So you're looking for a job then huh?"

"One certainly couldn't hurt," answered Cloud, still smiling.

"He lives on his own like me so he needs some way to pay the bills and this place needs another otter on the staff team," Rye said.

"Really?" Aaron says with an obvious sign of relief lighting up his expression. "Well, I hope you get the job here Cloud. I could really use some time off."

"I'll make it my top priority then," replied Cloud with a smile.

"Mind to buzz us through?" asked Rye with sarcasm.

Reaching under the desk, the fox pressed a button and the doorway near the desk could be heard unlocking itself. "Thanks. I'll see you later Aaron."

"It was nice to have met you Aaron," Cloud said.

"Likewise."

Beyond the doorway lay a long hallway with a clear glass roof, keeping the building well-lit. A large stone pillar, with water falling over it, towered up around one of the corners that the hallway possessed. Glass steps of a staircase spiraled around the large pillar which led to the second floor.

"Come on," Rye encouraged playfully when he noticed the white otter struggling to keep up. Of course, Rye has been through the hall many times so he ignored the fancy decorations mostly, but Cloud was marveling at them. "Here's the locker rooms."

The otters stopped in front of two doors that ended the hallway. Rye opened the door that was marked "Male Lockers" and allowed Cloud to walk in first.

"Thank you, Rye."

"Bu keqi."

Lacking a glass roof, the locker rooms were dimmer than the rest of the building, but the windows still allowed plenty of light in. The sound of an active shower was heard from beyond an entranceway on the opposite side of the lockers.

"I have a locker this way," informed the blue otter. Open locker cubicles covered the first main room of the locker room, and Cloud was led to a cubicle that was partially hidden by the entrance of the locker room.

"You can change and put your swimming shorts in here." Opening a locked locker, Rye sets his keys, sunglasses and towel inside. "I chose this locker because I can change with a bit more privacy."

Cloud set down the swimming shorts that had been in his paw, and when Rye saw them, he couldn't help but to comment on them.

"Your shorts way too small for you, they must be ancient," remarked Rye snickering.

Cloud giggled. "They'll do."

"No, here, I brought an extra pair," Rye continued. "These might you fit better."

Rye held out his second favorite pair of swim shorts out for Cloud to take. Cloud examined the extra pair before he accepted them only after sticking his tongue out at Rye.

"Thanks," he said.

Without completely turning around, the otters faced away from each other and began to strip off their clothes. Once Rye was only in his boxers, he quickly realized that he'd be completely naked for Cloud to see. And then, it dawned on him that Cloud would be naked and less than a meter away from him.

The thought alone excited his heart rate and put his head in a haze. Rye soon found that he was struggling to keep himself from peeking at Cloud for fear of being caught by him. To avoid accidentally touching Cloud when he was naked, Rye had his tail almost tucked between his legs.

"Ready?" Rye asked, after he slipped on his swimming shorts and began tightening it. With his head still in a confused haze, he turned toward Cloud and caught a glimpse of Cloud's naked tailside as he was slipping on the shorts.

Realizing that he just saw Cloud naked, Rye jerked his eyes away and feigned interest in something on the far wall as Cloud turned around.

"I am," answered Cloud, who was wondering if Rye peeked. Rye didn't notice that blood was rushing to Cloud's ear tips, blushing. "They fit really well."

His heart raced even when he allowed himself to look back at Cloud. Even Cloud without a shirt on was a great tease to Rye. He briefly glanced at Cloud's swimming trunks before adding, "They look more comfortable than your old ones would have."

"Let's head for the showers," suggested Rye, with his pulse and blush slowly becoming fainter. Once he turned on one of the showers, he was able to calm down back to an almost normal otter. Cloud claimed a shower next to him and began rinsing his fur from the sweat, dirt and dust that has collected on it throughout the day.

"Thank you for letting me borrow these shorts today," Cloud said, with his blush also disappearing. "They really are more comfortable. The old pair really cut into my hips last time I wore them, and that was a long time ago. I'm afraid of what they would have done to me today."

Rye giggled. "Well, if you're going to be working here then you need a comfortable pair that's decent to hold up against saving drowning kids repeatedly," he said. "You can keep them if you want. I have more than enough swimming suits for me." Normally Rye wouldn't have given away one of his best swimming trunks, but he still wanted to make a good impression on his new otter friend. The otter just hoped that it didn't seem like he was flirting with the new kid in town, even if hewasn't sure if he was or not.

"I really can't accept that," replied Cloud, shaking water off of his face and glancing over at Rye while he rinsed off his back.

"I'm clothing you too, remember? So you don't have a choice," responded Rye with a snicker.

"That doesn't quite make sense," Cloud remarked. "But if you're going to be so persistent. Are you absolutely sure?"

"I have too many so it's really no big deal," Rye explained and turned his back to the water, letting the stream rinse his tail off. "Well, come on. I don't get that check signed unless I'm actually in the pool area." He then turned off the shower and headed for the exit of the locker room, and Cloud had no choice but to follow.

Once the door was open, both otters were blinded by the sun glare but that quickly faded.

"Wow, this place never ceases to amaze," remarked Cloud, seeing the vast pool for the first time. It easily reached toward the horizon, and healthy looking lawns and trees bordered the concrete that surrounded the pool.

A couple dozen kids were playing and crawling over water slides and fountains and other large toys that was in the shallow end of the pool.

"Brief description is that the shallow water gets deeper the further away from the building you get," informed Rye. "Down that way where it seems that the trees are bordering the pool is actually our sand pit on the other side. It has playgrounds, campfire lots, barbecues and all sorts of courts for playing any sport you want. The stream that you saw in the lobby and the entrance of the building also runs through the sand pit to keep the children separated from the adults playing rougher sports. And it's very important that you use the showers that are lined up against the building before entering the pool again. Sand is a pain to get out of the filters."

"I've never seen a pool like this before," Cloud muttered.

Rye giggled. "Follow me," he said and began walking parallel with the edge of the pool, obviously heading for a deeper end. "We're here to swim aren't we?"

Again, Cloud followed him to wherever he was leading, but while walking by he noticed that the pool got deeper and deeper than what he originally imagined.

"Here are the racing lanes that many athletic swimmers will use," Rye continued speaking, as if a tour guide. He stopped at a wide and open area of the pool that was deeper than the swimmers' lanes. "Here's the most popular part of the pool, especially during the games. It's used for laser tag."

"After all the things I've heard about the game, I can't wait to play it," remarked Cloud. "But I thought there were maps or something."

"We have semi-solid holograms that form a couple dozen different maps," responded Rye. "They're expensive to use so we usually rent out the laser guns for those who want to participate but during the games, since the admission fee is buffed a little, the guns are free to rent. The laser guns are usually off limits for water games unless there's a large enough party interested in playing. The land guns are cheaper to use since there's only one map of boulders in the sand pit."

"I see," said Cloud. "So what do you want to do, Rye?"

"How good are you at diving?" he asked suspiciously and began walking toward even deeper areas of the pool.

"I haven't done it in a while but I wont' kill myself if that's what you mean," Cloud answered, giggling. But once Cloud saw the diving boards, he could only chuckle nervously. "Or maybe I will. That one must be thirty meters high."

"About," Rye said. "But I don't like to use that one. Now go on."

"Why don't you go first?" Cloud asked.

"Because I'm already in the pool," answered Rye. Before Cloud could question that, Rye dived into the pool directly from the edge.

He smiled and giggled lightly to himself and then went toward one of the diving boards and climbed up it.

Resurfacing, Rye looked up to see Cloud on one of the higher boards. "JUMP!"

Once he had confirmation that he was being watched, Cloud bounced lightly on the board before he jumped off and dived straight for the water. Hardly making a splash, he submerged deep into the water right next to Rye.

Watching the distorted image of Cloud, Rye was a little confused when he seemed to be ready to surface right where Rye was treading. Before he could react, Rye felt a webbed paw grab him by the ankle and pull him below the surface. In a sharp inhale, Rye was completely submerged only to see Cloud hovering right in front of him with a very large grin.

He couldn't help but smile, but when Cloud attempted to head back toward the surface, Rye grabbed his paw and immediately dove for the bottom of the pool. Surprised at first, Cloud didn't react but then he began to playfully struggle against Rye, in which he once even gnawed at Rye's paw.

With the firm grip however, Rye managed to push Cloud to the bottom of the pool and pin his paws to the floor. Both of them relaxed for a moment while they settled on the bottom of the pool. Once he had settled to the point that Rye had saddled on Cloud's hips, their position acted like an electric shock that jump-started Rye's heart into going at a hyper pace again. Quickly, he pushed off and swam for the surface before either of them was able to fully understand how suggestive the position would have been.

Rye surfaced quickly and inhaled fresh air, with Cloud doing also surfacing just a moment later.

"That wasn't fair," Cloud protested with a chuckle.

The light mood helped Rye's heart rate settle back down and for him to forget about both incidents that had happened in the matter of fifteen minutes. In the back of his mind, however, Rye feared that he was already becoming far too attracted to Cloud.

"Fair?" Rye repeated, suppressing his giggles. "You dragged me under first. It was just a little payback."

"Maybe," Cloud laughed. Without another moment of hesitation, he attempted to body slam Rye who easily dodged it. Failing, Cloud didn't stop and swam for the edge.

Again, Rye counter-attacked and grabbed hold of Cloud's tail before he was out of reach. Cloud turned back toward him with a half-amused, half-confused look on his face.

"Where do you think you're going?" Rye asked preparing to splash him.

"Youhave to dive off the diving board too," Cloud said innocently. "We have to see who is better."

Amused by this idea, Rye released the white tail and darted for the edge before Cloud could continue swimming again.

One fell behind while the other otter went for the diving board. With Cloud sitting on the edge of the pool, with his forepaws kicking in the water, he watched and waited for Rye to finished climbing the ladder.

"I'm waiting!" Cloud coaxed.

Smiling on the top of the board, Rye turned his back, extended his arms out and slowly slid his paws back until only his toes were on the board. With one little bounce and recoil, Rye sprung off the board backwards, bring his arms out in front of him and diving smoothly into the water.

Swimming toward the white pair of paws kicking in the water, Rye resurfaced.

"Ha, how was that?" Rye asked, snickering. He shook his head and the excess water sprayed Cloud.

Blocking the water, Cloud replied, "Not too bad but I can do it better."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Alright then." With that Cloud stood up and went to the diving board. Rye claimed his place on the side of the pool edge while Cloud ascended to the top of the board and prepared to do the same dive.

To his surprise, the white otter performed the swan dive just as successfully as Rye did, and produced a very tiny splash. Watching the distorted white otter swim toward him again, Rye took his forepaws out of the water and waited for Cloud to surface.

"Now are you satisfied?" he asked once he was above the surface. "I'm actually surprised I can still do that after all this time."

"That's a simple dive," Rye smugly said. Cloud laughed. "Let's try something a little more difficult."

For almost a full hour, both otters kept jumping off the diving boards, performing different stunts with a few twists and flips thrown in a few of the dives techniques. It didn't take long for Rye to give on trying to best Cloud on the diving boards and instead came up with the idea to move over to the swimming lanes. He had to wait for Cloud to finish his last double summersault dive before he could share his new idea.

"You're good, I'll give you that," he said when Cloud sat next to him on the edge. Other divers began to play on the boards, some trying, and horribly failing to repeat the otters' dives to their painful learning experience. Fortunately, those who wouldn't have been able to swim back to the shore after injuring themselves chickened out while on top of the board. "Since we can't settle this match by performance, how about we decide based on speed and strength."

Cloud chuckled. "What do you have in mind?"

"Racing," Rye answered, standing up. Cloud followed as he was led back to the swimming lanes. "Two laps, any stroke you want."

"Okay, you're on."

Both otters climbed onto the raised stools. "One. . ." Rye slowly counted. "Two. ." He held his breath, and without needing to say "three," both otters dove in the water.

Rye kicked with his webbed forepaws, while breaking the water with his paws until he surfaced. Then he threw his arms like propellers, pushing as much water behind him as he could using his webbed paws and all of his strength. Without having to come up for air every stroke or so, Rye was able to concentrate on swimming. Soon Rye closed the distance between him and the other edge of the pool where he spun and kicked off the wall.

Any other opponent, Rye would have seen about the halfway mark of the lane, but he did not see Cloud at all when he was returning to the start. Which the otter knew that would mean Cloud was right beside him, so he pushed himself harder until he again flipped for the second lap.

Reserving no strength, Rye pushed himself to his limits to reach the other end of the pool. Stealing a breath of fresh air on the turn, Rye made his final flip and struggled to reach the finish line in record time. Soon he felt the tip of his webbed fingers touch the wall and he broke surface to take in a gulp of fresh air.

Looking back down the lane, Rye didn't see Cloud swimming so he looked to his right where Cloud was panting heavily like he was. Both of them stared at each other for a moment, trying to catch their breath.

"Were. . ." Rye tried to say out of breath. He took a few more breaths. "Were you here . . . when I got here? . . . Did you win?"

"I don't know. . ." Cloud answered. "I just arrived . . . I think it was a tie."

"One of us . . . has to win," said Rye.

"Bah." Cloud sat on the end of the pool, leaned over; resting his elbows on his knees and continued panting. "I don't think I've ever swam so hard."

"Me neither." Rye mimicked Cloud by sitting on the edge of the pool also. "But I still say I'm the better diver, and faster swimmer."

Cloud laughed, knowing Rye was joking around. "How about you were the better diver and I beat you by a millisecond at swimming?"

"Hmm," Rye thought about it for a moment. "Okay, deal. Come now, let us not compete anymore."

"Sounds fine with me, this is too tiring."

Rye stood up and led Cloud toward some of the lawn chairs where he rested, and Cloud in the adjacent chair. Cloud closed his eyes from the sun, while Rye kept his eyes open slightly so he could observe the activity throughout the pool.

"My muscles are sore from that short little swim," commented Cloud with his eyes still shut. "I haven't raced some one as good as you in a real long time. Not even my brothers and sisters could keep up with me."

"You're the first otter I raced since my sister and that was about four years ago," admitted Rye. "She's good but I'm still better."

Cloud chuckled. "Only my tail feels normal."

"Aye, same as mine."

"So what else do you want to do?"

"If you're going to be working here, maybe you should learn the layout of the pool," Rye suggested, still watching the cubs and kits play and splash around in the water. "After we dry off, we could go toss a ball or a disk in the sand pit if you want so you become familiar with that area."

"That sounds fine," Cloud answered.

Once the sun heat dried them off their fronts, both otters readjusted so that the sun would reach their back as well. Rye ended up facing toward Cloud, who was lying on his stomach.

"Honestly, I'm really glad you moved to Ab Amor Cloud," Rye dared to admit. "I probably would get slow and clumsy racing the cats and wolves who try to race me."

Cloud laughed and turned to return Rye's gaze. "They're not exactly built to be the fastest swimmers, are they?"

"No, not at all," Rye chuckled too. "Lucky you chose this city too because the only otters even remotely close here are my parents and my sister. And trust me, you don't want to meet my sister."

"Why not?"

"She's way too hyper all the time," Rye answered. "And she'll be overly-friendly but really she's just trying to get to know you better instead of being friendly."

Cloud also chuckled. "In that case, I'm grateful I was fortunate enough to come across Ab Amor. Thanks for being my friend, Rye."

"Not at all. I'd hate if you were to leave the city to leave me alone again."

They both giggled again.

Before the sun dried the otters' fur, Rye noticed the lifeguards standing up in their posts. An instant later, Rye noticed thrashing in the six-meter deep water, and one of the lifeguards jumping in the water.

"Damn," Rye jumped to his feet. Cloud looked at him surprised. "A tiger can't swim. . ." Rye didn't finish his statement as he ran for the pool and dove in.

Beneath the water, Rye saw a young vixen no older than thirteen, struggling to get back to the surface. The tiger who dove in to save her was still pawing at the water, but Rye didn't hesitate and dove for the vixen.

Before the tiger was even half way to the vixen, Rye had his arm around her waist, her arm over his shoulder and he kicked for the surface. He broke the surface no more than few seconds later, and swam for the edge, setting the vixen out of the water before he got out himself.

The vixen doubled over on all fours and violently coughed, spitting out water and a bit of blood. Lifeguards stationed nearby formed a ring around Rye and the vixen, keeping the other guests of the pool back.

"Give them room," one of the lifeguards barked.

Patting on the child's back, Rye looked toward a female lifeguard.

"Take her to the locker rooms and check to see that she didn't inhale too much water," Rye ordered the lifeguard. "If she needs more care, call for an ambulance. She seems alright right now."

"Of course Rye," she replied, and helped the little vixen to her feet by and speaking softly to her. She led the girl to the locker rooms while the remaining lifeguards returned to their posts and the drenched tiger approached Rye.

"Sorry Rye," he apologized. "I couldn't get there as fast as you."

"Don't worry yourself about it," Rye turned to the tiger. "Worst case is she would have fallen unconscious and we'd have to give her CPR and call for an ambulance. She'll be fine. Just go back to your post and keep your eye out for any others."

"Right away," the tiger said and departed.

Rye walked over to Cloud, who was among the crowd that formed around the scene, and apologized. "Sorry about that."

"No need to apologize," Cloud said still astonished. "Wow, you really are an exceptional swimmer, and an employee!"

Rye laughed out loud. "You thought I was saying that to impress you?"

"Honestly?" replied Cloud snickering.

"But thanks for the compliment," Rye said, feeling his cheeks and ears burn in a blush from the generous compliment. "I have to talk with Ryan, the manager, and fill out some paperwork about this incident. I hate drowning's, they take up so much time. I'm sorry but we're going to have to skip out on the game. I hope you don't mind Cloud."

"Of course not," he said, following Rye when began walking back toward the main building. Entering the dark locker rooms, both otters quickly rinsed off and dried off in the showers before they returned to Rye's locker.

Slipping on his employee shirt, Rye handed Cloud an ID card. "Here, this will allow you to play the any game in the arcade room for free. It shouldn't take me more than half an hour to clear this up."

"Okay, thanks," said Cloud while they both migrated back to the main lobby. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Are you Rye?"

Both otters turned around to see a family of four foxes approach them, one of which was the young vixen girl Rye just pulled from the water. After nodding at Rye, Cloud parted for the arcade games.

"Yes ma'am," Rye answered to the vixen-woman who spoke to him.

"Thank you for saving my daughter," she said. "We really are in your debt. We wanted to apologize for ruining your day."

"Don't worry about it, it's all part of the job ma'am," Rye said modestly. "No debt is to be repaid. However, if you and your family would like to participate in a water-safety course, to ensure that today's events will not repeat themselves, the class is held every Thursday and it lasts for three months. You can pay in-full right now, only ten verdes. You can speak to Aaron at the front desk to sign you up."

"Thank you again Rye," the older vixen said. "We'll take you up on your offer and we'll make sure that our kits," the woman looked at her daughter and the younger male fox, "stay within their limits."

"If you'll excuse me, I have some paperwork to fill out," Rye dismissed himself while the foxes turned to the front desk.

With Cloud left alone, he headed for the arcade room where he played several games in an attempt to waste as much time as possible while Rye was busy reviewing the drowning. After discussing the issue with Ryan for nearly twenty minutes and filling out the paperwork on the incident, Rye found himself excited to catch up with Cloud again.

"Cloud," he said, entering the dark room.

"Rye," responded Cloud, setting down one of the plastic weapons that was involved with an arcade. "I'm getting tired now."

"Me too, I think we should head back to the apartments," suggested Rye. "Come on, let's get our clothes.