When Archie actuall got to the poolside, May had already retreated to the top of the Gyrados waterslide, taunting him playfully.
"Little brat." He shouted playfully. Just as he was about to head off to the slide after her, he noticed Maxie was just standing at the pool's edge, his face drawn in disgust.
"I'm not going in there, I've changed my mind." He declared, crossing his arms.
"Come on Maxie, it's just water." Archie rolled his eyes at his boyfriend.
"Beg all you want." Maxie turned his nose up indignantly. Archie was about to get upset, when he thought up a better tactic.
"All right, if "The Great Maxie" is scared of a public pool, I can't do anything about it." Archie shrugged and turned around, smirking when the red head scoffed.
"I am not afraid!"
"Then prove it."
Within moments, Maxie was descending the stairs leading down into the water, splashing children kept at bay by Archie.
"You're doing great, just one more step-" And with that Maxie slipped and fell. On the other side of the pool, Courtney was doing about the same.
"Okay, just hold the side of the pool like this." Shelly demonstrated to her girlfriend, who observed closely. "Then you extend your body out and kick. That's the Poochyena paddle." Shelly observed Courtney perform fairly well.
"Now, let go of the pool." As soon as she did, she sank like a rock.
"Courtney!" Shelly panicked and dove in. Of course, there was Courtney right at the bottom of the pool, calmly staring at Shelly, not fighting a watery death. Once she brought her up (thankfully Courtney didn't fight her either), she sighed. "How the hell did you sink like that? The body has too much air!" Courtney then closed her eyes, exhaled, let go, and sank once more.
Off at the corner of the pool, near the diving board, Tabitha sat at the edge, kicking his feet in the water, watching Matt on the high dive.
"Hey, hey Tabi, watch this!" Matt shouted to get his attention, even though the Magma Admin had never taken his eyes off him. Once he was sure he had him, he jumped off and landed feet first, creating a gigantic wave; unwittingly, this was a wave that knocked Maxie over and back under just as Archie had begun to stabilize him.
"Did you see me?" Matt asked excitedly upon approaching.
"Yes, I saw you." Tabitha sighed at his boyfriend's childishness. Matt became puzzled.
"Why aren't you in the water?" Tabitha became nervous.
"Oh no, Matt, I'm content to sit here." He smiled, but it wasn't enough for Matt
"Uh-uh, we came to the swimming pool, you're in a swimsuit, you're swimming." Before Tabitha could object, Matt hauled him up on his shoulder and began to place him in the water.
"No Matt! I can't swim!" Tabitha shouted. Matt looked puzzled.
"Hmm... I got an idea!" Matt's idea turned out to be teaching his boyfriend to float, which actually wasn't as bad as the scientist had feared. Within minutes Tabitha was effectively, if nervously, floating without assistance. That is, until May approached. She had apparently left Archie to contend with Maxie, and was now eager to pester someone else.