Disclaimer: Usual disclaimer is on. Have a good reading.

Chapter Five : Water Fun

The town swimming-pool was one of those big white buildings, meant to be at top hygiene and top security. The corridors leading to the changing-rooms and lockers were tiled in white, those that led to the showers in blue. Then there were double-doors that were the main entrance to the indoors pool. There was another swimming-pool outside, meant to receive people during hot summer days. Such as this one.

But we aren't there yet. Far from it…

"Son! Come out of here this instant!" Spectre shouted.

"No way!" Thunderhawk yelled back.

Spectre sighed. This had been going on for several minutes, now, and Thunderhawk still hadn't gotten out of the changing-room. Sojourner had had the wonderful idea to steal his father's clothes and bathing suit; now the red one was nowhere to be found, and Thunderhawk refused to come out of the changing-room. Speak about a relaxing day…

"Son, all you have to do is go out and ask an employee for other trunks," Spectre said, rubbing his temples to calm himself. "Surely that can't be that hard."

"This is indecency! I won't go out unclothed!" the lavender one bellowed.

Anger finally spilled over. "Well, excuse me, but your third son here doesn't mind flying around naked!" Spectre yelled, glaring at his fourth son. Athair was indeed floating in circles without any clothes on, his trunks slipped upside down on his head. Knuckles was trying to catch him, but it was useless. "And besides, your fur covers everything, nobody will see-"

"How can you be so sure?"

"You know, son, in case you haven't noticed it yet, I also happen to be an echidna male, so I'm pretty sure of what I say," Spectre said, sarcastic. "Now, please, come out and act your age."

"No!" Thunderhawk childishly replied.

"Fine, seeing as you won't come out willingly… get out at once or else I'll make you clean all of Haven's toilets with your tongue! I swear I will!" Spectre yelled, his face turning the same shade of red as his eyes. Locke, who stood on the other side of the room holding his and Lara-Le's towel and waiting for her to come out of her changing-room, winced in disgust. Knowing Spectre, he could very well do that…

They heard the door unlock, and a red-faced Thunderhawk came out. He was looking nervously at his relatives, and had his tail between his legs. His lavender fur was bristled, his fist tightly closed.

Spectre, however, sighed in relief. "Good boy." He patted Thunderhawk's shoulder. "Now go to the counter and ask for trunks."

"The-the counter?" his son squeaked. "You mean… in the crowed corridor?"

"Yes, in the corridor," the dark echidna growled warningly. "Out. Go. Now."

Scared by the fire he saw burning in his father's eyes, Thunderhawk quickly went in the corridor, and his relatives heard undignified cries as people saw the naked echidna run by. Locke couldn't help a few chuckles, laughing at his grandfather till he heard a door unlock. He turned his head, and his laughter stopped abruptly.

There stood Lara-Le. She wore a blue two-pieces bathing suit that could have made any male howl, and Locke could have done just that if his respect for his ex-wife hadn't helped it. He realised then that they've never done things like going to the swimming-pool when they were together. He felt like slapping himself for being such a jerk to her, but was prevented from doing that when Lara spoke up. "What are you looking at?"

Locke shook his head, realizing he has been staring at her all this time. "Nothing. I was just telling myself how beautiful you were." The words were out before he thought about them. But you couldn't blame him: he has spoken from his very heart.

Lara smiled at him. "Thanks, Locke." Her words warmed him up as her smile did, and he found himself returning it. He was loving this day out as much as his sixth father was hating it. "You're not changing?"

"Already done." He motioned to his simple blue shorts and grinned. "I think Grandfather Thunderhawk is in trouble with Grandfather Spectre," he added, his sight shifting to the corridor.

"I heard that," she laughed. "Is he serious about the toilet thing?"

"With him, you never know. He may be serious as well as he may be joking. But I wouldn't take the risk, if you see what I mean." He then became serious again. "Knuckles told us to meet at the pool's main entrance. Ready to go?"

"Sure, let's go," Lara said.

Locke hooked their clothes and towels on his right arm and, stunned once again by the female echidna's beauty, offered her his left one gallantly. She linked arms with him, and they went out in the corridor towards the lockers. There they saw Thunderhawk furiously chasing after Sojourner, who was laughing his head off. "Come back here, you little insect!" the lavender one roared.

"Make me!" his son replied tauntingly. Locke shook his head; Thunderhawk would catch him eventually… and make him eat his vest.

"Let's see," he said, glancing at the lockers lined up against the wall. "Knuckles said our locker was number 32… here it is." Locke opened the compartment and set the clothes inside, all the while chuckling inwardly. Ironic, how my name suits me. I'm cold and empty as if a lock was holding my heart captive. Was my father able to see the future? Or is it just a sick joke?

"Locke?" He snapped his head up upon hearing his name. Lara was looking at him strangely, her head tilted to one side. He realized he'd been gazing at the lock in his hand for several seconds now. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine." He shook his head and closed the locker. "Let's go."

She looked concerned, but she decided to drop it and took her towel. Locke threw his own towel on his shoulder and smiled. No, he wouldn't think those thoughts today. He'd save them for later… Then something occurred to him as he walked with his love to the pool. Do I know how to swim?

XXXXXXX

Spectre sighed in relief. At least, they were all there. Ah, freedom at least… He took in a big breath, and immediately coughed up chlorine scent.

The echidnas were – finally – together, standing beside the enormous swimming-poll within the white building. Sojourner wore a black eye, and every now and then Thunderhawk shook his fist at him, still angered about what had been going on earlier.

They'd finally managed to get Athair's trunks on him, and after a few words Sabre had put his monocle in his and Knuckles' locker. Thunderhawk, after "giving Sojourner what he deserved", as he had put it, had gotten his trunks back and put them on. And here they were…

"Okay," Knuckles said, pointing to a plastic bench. "We put all our towels there, and everybody, and I mark my words-" He glared at Spectre. "-everybody is going to take a dive. Did I make myself clear?"

"Limpid," Sabre said.

"Well… scatter and have fun!"

Wasting no time, Athair, clad in his bright green trunks, threw his towel on the bench and took a diving position near the pool. "Watch me, for I am Sea Saviour, the swimming echidna!" He dived in, splashing everyone else with water. Spectre winced and dried his hands on his plain black shorts; he wished he hadn't left his helmet in his locker… damn those sanitary regulations!

"I think I'll just sit here for a while," he said simply. "Go ahead, I'll join you later." Much, much later…

Lara-Le sank under water, and when she resurfaced she waved at Locke. "What are you waiting for, Locke? Come in!"

Locke grinned and, taking a running start, jumped in the pool. But his earlier guess was right: he really didn't know how to swim. Underwater, he blinked, wondering why in the seven Chaos Emeralds his eyes burned like that; he opened his mouth, but water got into his mouth, his nose, and his ears. He frantically kicked his legs to swim up, but found himself slowly sinking.

He felt someone grab his wrist, and pull him to the surface. He gasped, taking big breaths of air gratefully as he clung to his saviour, who happened to be Lara-Le. The chlorine burned his nose and his eyes, and he spat up water from his lungs to get rid of that bad taste in his mouth. Lara patted his back. "Well, what happened?" she asked.

"Tried… to… breathe," Locke gasped, the burning in his throat increasing. "It burns…"

"You bet it does. Don't you know you have to close your mouth underwater?"

"Yes," he rasped. "But I panicked when I couldn't swim up." He coughed up more water, shutting his eyes tightly.

Lara frowned, concerned. "You haven't been swimming before?" Locke shook his head fervently, holding onto Lara for dear life. "Not even once? No wonder you can't swim."

Locke was about to say something when he heard someone burst out laughing. On the side of the pool, standing near an annoyed-looking Spectre, Sojourner held his sides and roared with laughter. "Oh man, that's too much! Locke the Echidna, great scientist, master in chemistry and all… doesn't know how to swim!" He erupted in another laughing fit, earning himself a strange glance from Spectre.

Locke frowned. "Well, I don't see you swimming, do I?" That shut Sojourner up, and made Spectre smile a little. Good blow…

Sojourner nervously shifted his weight on his legs. "That's because I don't feel like getting myself drenched, and thanks to my father the chlorine will make my eye burn. So…" He was cut off when Thunderhawk pushed him in the pool; he got underwater with a yelp and a nice belly flop that made Locke wince. That must have hurt like hell…

Sojourner reappeared, panting for breath and glaring at his father as he kicked his legs to maintain his head out of the water. Thunderhawk had his arms crossed over his chest and a triumphant smile on his face. "Serves you right," he said.

"Smile all you want, Father," Sojourner growled. "I'll get you back for that. This is actually a matter of… seconds." The red one smirked darkly, and began flailing like hell while splashing water on the others. "Help! I'm drowning! Someone save me!" he cried in a desperate tone of voice.

Athair, actually getting ready to jump from the highest diving board, snapped his head up at the words 'help' and 'drowning'. He saw his second father struggling in the pool, and puffed his chest. "Fear nothing, Second father, for Sea Saviour is here to help you!" He dived, howling like a siren would do, and flew at top speed towards Sojourner, who grinned once he was snatched up and out of the water.

"Phew, thanks Athair-"

"Sea Saviour," the flying one corrected.

"Yeah, whatever… Another couple of minutes and I was as good as dead. Could you put me on the side of the pool, please? I think I'll sit down for a while."

"No problem!" Athair put him gently on the tilled floor, far from the bench Spectre was sitting on. "There you go, mister! And remember: if you're in trouble, just yell, Sea Saviour will come to the rescue!" He floated away, humming cheerfully.

Sojourner turned away and rubbed his hands in an evil way, chuckling darkly under his breath. Sweet revenge… He slowly crept behind Spectre's bench, avoiding Thunderhawk's eyes and leaning against the plastic structure. Father knows how to swim, but I do know he doesn't like getting wet because his fur gets all ruffled and he can't straighten it for hours! The look on his face when I'll push him in! Priceless! Sojourner chuckled in his hands, careful of not being heard.

"And what exactly are you plotting about, Second son?" Spectre asked without even turning around, and Sojourner widened his eyes. How did he know he was here? No matter, he was going to ruin all his plans! Come on, Sojourner, think, think! He searched a way to avoid being caught, and came up with something. Spectre would never let him live this down, but oh well. Here goes nothing…

"Err… meow?" he tried, imitating a cat. He made himself as small as he could behind the bench, and meowed again. This got a grin from Spectre and a frown from Thunderhawk.

"There's a cat here?" the lavender echidna asked. "I thought they were forbidden in the pool."

Sojourner rolled his eyes. I'll remind him this next time he says I'm an idiot. He sighed in relief when Thunderhawk shrugged it off, resuming staring amusedly at Lara who was teaching Locke how to swim. The red scientist had managed to keep himself from sinking so far, but was showing no sign of improvement. He kept grunting and complaining about how echidnas weren't cut out for this sort of things, and Lara kept giggling at him and his crazy antics to avoid drowning.

The lavender echidna snickered. Sojourner took this as his cue and jumped from behind the bench. He ran for it and, with a delighted scream of triumph, extended his hands and pushed his father in the pool. "Son! What do you think you're d-" Thunderhawk's voice was drowned when he fell in the water… right in top off Knuckles, who was unsuspectingly floating on his back till he saw or rather felt his ancestor crash on him, dragging him underwater.

Sojourner got on his knees and let out a long triumphant scream. "Yes!" he shouted to no one in particular. "Yes! I did it! Got you Father!" He stood up and saluted more to himself than anybody else. "I know, I know, I'm the greatest…"

"Yeah, the greatest," Spectre snorted. "The greatest fool."

Sojourner raised an eyebrow and turned… only to see Spectre's feet extending towards him, hurling him in the pool as well. Sojourner, caught off guard, fell in the water square on top of Knuckles, who had just resurfaced. The young Guardian yelped and protected his face, but no use: he sank once again when Sojourner's weight fell on him.

"Now, who's the greatest one?" Spectre asked, smiling smugly.

Not so far from there, Locke was paddling helplessly as he tried to swim properly. Lara was holding his right arm, keeping him from drowning. "Calm down," she instructed. "Make slower gestures with your arms and legs at the same time, and don't be afraid. I'm here to hold you, you can trust me."

Locke smiled weakly. "That sounds like what I told you back at the skating ring."

Lara smiled back at him. "How about this: you taught me how to rollerblade, I teach you how to swim. What do you say?"

"Fair enough. So, how am I supposed to do this again?"

Lara sighed, but showed him the swimming motions one more time nevertheless. Locke tried to imitate them, but he was knocked aside by Sojourner who hurriedly swam past him. Behind him in hot pursuit, Thunderhawk was swimming as fast as he could, teeth bared in anger. "That's it, boy, swim all you want!" he roared. "I'll bang some respect into your hard skull when I catch you!"

"Help! Sea Saviour, save me!" Sojourner desperately shouted, this time not faking anything.

Knuckles headed towards his parents, his head pounding from the two echidnas that had just fallen on it. He groaned and leaned against the side of the pool, earning himself two concerned gazes. "Are you all right, son?" Locke asked.

"Yeah… just a little shaken," Knuckles said. "I guess things are getting out of control once again. I wonder what could calm them down."

Locke shrugged, and was about to say it was no use when his stomach growled loudly. He stopped in mid gesture, his mouth hanging open and his eyes darting from his ex-wife to his son. Knuckles finally laughed. "You're right, Dad. It's lunch time, that's why they're so jumpy. Okay, we'll fetch everyone and go outside…"

XXXXXXX

"BURP!"

"Sojourner!"

"Oops, sorry!"

Spectre sighed and bit into his sandwich. They'd laid out their towels on the lawn and improvised a picnic outside, buying sandwiches from a stand near the pool. The dark echidna had gratefully let the sun dry his slightly dampened fur, calmly eating his sandwich. While Sojourner had swallowed his in one gulp, burping loudly and attracting himself his relatives' disgusted glares.

Thunderhawk was cowering under his towel, fervently refusing to come out. Sojourner had chuckled, apparently knowing why his father acted like that, but had refused to tell the others because he was afraid of Thunderhawk strangling him.

Spectre finished his lunch and lay down on his back, closing his eyes. For once he felt so good he was ready to take a nice nap. He was actually beginning to drift off when he caught sight of his son hiding under his towel. Spectre sighed, and got on his elbows. "Son, come out."

"No," Thunderhawk replied.

"We are not making a replay of earlier. Now come out or I'll make you."

"But Father," the lavender one actually whimpered. "You don't understand-"

"Get that towel off you. Now!" Spectre barked.

Thunderhawk sighed and pulled his towel off. Spectre immediately knew why his son has been hiding; the lavender one's fur was so ruffled and unruly that it seemed like all of his hairs were standing on end. He was actually looking like Sonic, in a lavender colour.

Athair, Sabre, Lara-Le, Knuckles and Spectre were staring at him wide-eyed, and Locke choked on his bite of sandwich. Sojourner had his hand clamped over his mouth; he knew that if he laughed, his father would kill him. But on the other hand, if he didn't laugh, he would burst… He broke down when Spectre snickered and ruffled the fur on his son's head even more. "I like your new style," he said simply before lying down and resuming dozing off.

Why fight it, after all. I'd better ignore them all… their stupidity… and take a nice nap…