"No it not! Get out of here you guys!" Bradford shouted. And soon everyone was shouting. The quiet dock soon began a loud yelling-fest.

Ron clapped his hand over the pocket that he'd stuck the paper in and took a step or two back.  "Back off, you two!  We don't wanna fight, but we'll kick your ass if we gotta!"  Ron took up a good position to fight if he had to.  He knew that he wasn't the best fighter in school, but he was strong and tough and had been in a few scrapes.

"Just 'cause you work outside here don't make you stronger than anyone else Ron. We also work on our own farms, plus we pull hours on Mr. Shannon's farm. You ain't as special or as tough as you make out to be." Joshua quipped. He wasn't advancing anymore, and instead had reverted to barbed words.

"Plus I seen your Dad and he's fat." Joshua added.

"Real fat. And lazy." Billy added, helpfully.

Ron reddened and shouted.  "You take that back!  My dad ain't lazy!  He got hurt and can't work like he used to is all!"  Ron balled his fists and took a step forward.  "Now, take it back and get outta here or I'm gonna beat the crap outta both of you!"

[OOC:  It looks like Ron will be trying to Intimidate them.  What is my roll?]

Ron felt hot anger rush up his neck and into his cheeks.

OOC: Ron Rolls Strength + Intimidation

Ron glared at both boys and took another step forward.  "I said, take it back and get the Hell outta here!"


[OOC:  Today: Ron King rolled 2 successes using 2d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((9,9)).]

Joshua took several steps back, moving quickly, feet shuffling on the dock.

"Hey, it was just a joke." He said, sounding like Ron was overacting. His hands came up, palms facing Ron in a gesture of surrender. He didn't apologize, or take anything back. His tone suggested that Ron's reaction was misplaced, but it didn't feel misplaced at the time. And what Joshua said really didn't feel like a joke initially. In fact, it still didn't feel that way.

Billy's eyes grew wide, the expression of someone who felt like things had gone too far.

Ron glared at the two boys.  "Don't you even joke about my dad ever again, or I'm gonna put my fist in both of your faces.  Now, go fish someplace else!"  Ron stood on the dock staring at the two boys, fists still balled up, to make sure they got the hint to get lost.

"You don't own this dock!" Joshua said, but his voice lacked the conviction of his statement and already he was shrinking away, his hand reaching down to grab the tackle box that was just a few feet away sitting on one of the dock's old, rotted boards.

"Come on Joshua." Billy said in a meek voice. "Let's get out of here. There are better places to fish on the other side of the lake, near Ms. Wilson's house."

As the two boys left, Ron turned to see that Bradford was right next to him the whole time. "I think you really scared 'em Ron!" he said.

"I think they'll be shivverin' in their Mommas' army boots for a while!" he added.

"They had no right to talk about your Dad like that." He said, tone becoming somewhat serious. "I don't like Joshua none. Actually, sometimes I think Billy can be OK when he isn't around Joshua."

Ron smiled, but mostly for Bradford's sake.  He didn't like to lose his temper like that, especially since Bradford was right.  Joshua was a giant jerk, but Billy wasn't half bad sometimes.  "I don't really feel like fishing right now.  I think I'm gonna go swimming for a little bit."  Ron pulled off his shirt and moved to the edge of the dock.  "You can come if you want or keep fishing."  He smiled and laughed.  "If you do, don't try to hook me!"

"Naw" Bradford said, tossing his rod onto the deck where it clattered. "We don't need to fish right now."


He took off his own shirt, revealing a torso that was pale and skinny, ribs exposed.

"Let's race!" he challenged, and he took his glasses off. Bradford's eyes looked beady without them, and the moved back and forth in small, minuscule motions like rat eyes, sensitive to the light.

Bradford got it the water, ready to race.

OOC: Ron Rolls Dexterity + Athletics + 1 Specialty Swimming

Ron hopped in the water, but as he did so his foot sunk deep into the mud at the bottom of the lake.  He didn't fall, but slipped and almost lost his balance, possibly leading to Bradford having a decent head start on him.

[OOC:  , Today: Ron King rolled 1 success using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((2,8,3,4,3,4)).]

22:17, Today: Storyteller, on behalf of Bradford Stork, rolled 2 successes using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((5,2,10(+8),2)).

Wha-ploosh!

Bradford jumped in the water and headed out towards the buoy in the middle of the lake. They had done it a thousand times, especially on hot days like this in the summer. The water was cold but in a few seconds it felt refreshing.

Ron raced after Bradford, trying to catch up after his own less-than-amazing start.  The buoy was just the mid-point and once they tagged it they would swim back.  Bradford had a head start, but Ron was confident that he could catch up to the other boy at some point in the race.

OOC: Ron Rolls Dexterity + Athletics + 1 Specialty Swimming


Ron took a deep breath and went underwater. He felt a tingling sensation on his nose, and he blew out some bubbles and it went away. He opened her eyes and looked around. It was always funny how hair floated around like it was seaweed.

Ron's Mom had always been enchanted by the thought that she could fly underwater the same way birds did in the sky. That's what she told Ron about swimming in this very lake and how she felt when she was a kid.  Ron kicked with his legs and went forward, the sediment at the bottom of the lake creating whirlwinds with every movement. A couple of fish became aware of his presence and swam away frightened. Ron could feel the fresh water slide by him as he swam after Bradford towards the buoy.

Now that he was free of the clinging mud, Ron was easily able to push through the water.  As he saw the fish swimming away, he couldn't help but keep an eye out for a goldfish, like from the note that they'd discovered.

[OOC:  Today: Ron King rolled 5 successes using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((10(+9),9,9,1,5,10(+6))).]

22:46, Today: Bradford Stork rolled 1 success using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((5,4,1,8)).

"You...win....again." Bradford said as he doggy paddled up to the buoy. It was just as Ron had thought. He was a better swimmer than most, and had gotten off to a slow start with the mud.

As he was in the water Bradford asked.

"Whose Ralph?" It was clear that he too was thinking about the letter.

"I mean..." he waited a second to catch his breath. "Who do you think he his? Or was?"

Ron thought for a few moments.  "The note says that he was a boy like us, but he got turned into a goldfish.  It said his name was Ralph, but I don't know any kids named Ralph.  At least not any kids younger than us."  He scowled.  "It's probably just some sort of stupid joke by somebody.  But maybe we should keep an eye out for goldfish, just in case."

"Alright." Bradford agreed, not really satisfied. But what could he do? The proof was in the note. And it was strange. But there weren't any Goldfish here.
They would just have to keep a look out.

"Hey, let's get back to the dock before those two come back. I want to make sure our stuff is OK."

Ron nodded and headed back towards where he and Bradford had left their stuff.  He didn't think that the two other boys would mess with their stuff, but Bradford's comments made him not-so-sure as he would be otherwise.

The two boy made their way back to the dock. When they got there, everything was fine, Joshua and his friend having been scared off earlier by Ron. The two boys enjoyed the rest of the day by the lake.

OOC: End Thread