#bergen_county

"Sure.. you don't need permission for that don't you?"

"I... don't know." He frowns a bit. "I haven't seen Chief yet. She was off on patrols when I came out."

"Wanna go swimming? It's hot today!"

A sudden flash of a grin, subject changed

"SURE" Lane says "Let me get my swimsuit"

A thumbs up to Jack. "Shadowpaw Cannonballs?"

"SHADOWPAW CANNONBALLS!" He agrees!

And soon, all the kids are in their swim wear and splashing arounnd... and it's okay if unennchanted kids join hem!

Okay, fine, maybe no HOPSCOTCH cannonballs, then.. but the regular kind are not bad either!

And he doesn't have to HIDE from them

Perhaps his tail doesn't work so well as a rudder any more, but it's a fair trade. Or maybe a Fairy trade.

Orr maybe it DOES and the unechanted don't know? mwhhahahaha

Regardless one boy says "You''rre a good swimmer" he doesn' know this kid.

The boy looks to be about Jack's age though, dark hair

Connor ducks under the water, and then peeks back out, blowing bubbles through his nose... then realizes that the kid is talking to HIM. "I'm really good at dog-paddling."

"Yeah... I Keep getting worried sharks will come aftter me... my big sisters that's impossible, but I don't know man" Then he says "I'm Ian. Who are you?"

"I don't know if there are any sharks here. I would smell them, I think. Maybe gummy sharks, but I've probably played with enough candy for this week. I'm... I'm..." He suddenly worries. Dagmar and Sam have their own names, so does Nadeen, but not everyone... is he supposed to have a different name?!

"I'm... not supposed to talk to strangers!" He finally adds in.

"Oh, that's a good rule..." A nod from Ian "But tha's okay, you share names annd we won't be strangers no more"

He sees Jack splashing nearby

"Uhhhhh, I'm... Jack!"

"I have a big sister too. She can beat up any sharks, if there were any."

"Nice to meet you Jack! Is your sister nice? mine's kind of mean"

Jack looks up as his name is called "Huh?"

Connor splashes around. "She's nice, but if you're rude, she'll drop you in the lake!"

"Well, I guess that works" Ian admits

Jack swims over "Hey, Ian!"

"Hey Jack... " then he grins over at Connnor "meet Jack!"

"Oh, um. Hi, Jack!" Connor grins. "I've seen you around town!"

"At the... uh." Where do kids go. "Bar?"

Jackblinks "Connor, we're best friennds"

He claps his hands over his mouth and shakes his head. "Never heard of no Conrad, nossir!"

"I hope not, Conrad is a jerk" Jack says still confused then "OOOOO"

Ian frowns "hey are you guys razin me?"

"Raisins? Or Raspberries?" Connor asks, curiously. "I didn't bring any snacks, because you'll explode if you eat and then swim without waiting an hour."

Ian starts to back up in the water, glaring

Connor looks baffled, and backs away as well. "Um. I was just leaving. All the fruit snack talk reminded me... I have a.. date... with a monkey. Or a Fig?"

Ducking under the water, he heads for shore!

"See, " Jack says "It's this game we have and I forgot abou it, COnnor is.. oh" Annd Jack swims after

"Hey, you should go play with Jack! I mean, that guy. Look, I talked about raisins, and now my fingers are all gone pruney."

"Connor it's okay. We'll talk to ian later. " Jack assures him, "You just need practice talking to ... 'A whisper "The glamour impaired"

"Conor is upset?" Lane joins them, then sees Connor is at least frazzled "What did you do, Jack?" A LOOK

"NNUTHING" Jack says "Connor used my name and I got confused"

"I lost track of time, issall." He gives them a reassuring grin. "I have to go talk to Dagmar and Chief."

Jack says "You can tell hem you're nname is connor if you want next time. It's a good solid boy name. One the girl's haven stolen yet"

"What's THAT meann?" Lane huffs at him

"Oh you know what it means, Lane" Jack counters ... "Half the boys names get stole by girls and then eventually, nno boy can EVER use them again"

Waving, Connor trots out of sight. If his smile vanishes once they are no longer watching, well, no one sees THAT.

Indeed, as Jack talks of the 'great name theft' perpetuated by Girls, and Lane scoffs at his accusations of 'Namian appropriation' ... Connor slips off

"Madison means SON of the Mad one!" Jack says "But guys can' usee it now"

"It DOES NOT!" Lane throws her hands up