A Sea Dog's Tale

Training/StreetDog Scuffle

Alright, here we go! We have one week to train for the race. Giulia swims, Alberto eats, Luca bikes. And as for me... Well, I was told I could train with them.

Right now, she's training Alberto. I was expecting a plate of pasta like he was... Until more showed up. "Wait, what?"

"Every year they change the pasta." Giulia explained. "You have to be ready for anything. Could be cannelloni, penne, fusilli, trofie, even lasagne."

"Can I eat the lasagne?" I asked. She sighed, but with a smile, "Go ahead."

As I chowed down, Alberto got ready to eat with his hands (again), but Giulia batted his hand away. "And you have to use a forchetta. It's the rule."

"Ugh! Rules are for rule people." Alberto said, annoyed, as he struggled to keep the pasta on his fork. I found his ignorance on the matter slightly amusing, considering he's never used a fork before.

When training Luca, we had to go (slowly) uphill. And then there was the downhill... "No. I can't." He said, nervous. Then guess who passed by us? 

"I know, I know." Ercole. I groaned and facepalmed as he laughed. "And remember, piccoletto..." He mimicked the knife swishing again. I stuck my tongue out.

"Forza, Luca, don't let him get in your head. You can do this." Giulia told Luca. He took a breath. "Okay. Silenzio, Bruno. Here we go." And downhill he went. A little fast for my own liking. I could hear his whimpering from up here. Then he put the brakes on the bike, and he fell forward and crashed. I winced, then rushed to help him up.

Finally, the three of us were on a boat as Giulia trained herself in swimming. I... I have no words. "I guess that's how humans swim?" Luca said, uncertain. "Ugh, that's embarrassing." Alberto said.

Again, my narcolepsy was about to kickstart again before I heard A motor roaring. I turned and saw Ercole and his cohorts speeding towards our boat. "Oh, no! It's Ercole! Go, go!" I urged. But the boys were rowing at different times, and in different directions. The boat wasn't going anywhere.

But thankfully for us, Guido fought with the controls and turned the boat before it hit us. He may be loyal to Ercole, but he has common sense. I like that, I respect that.

Except, the water splashed me and Alberto. He ducked to avoid being seen. Luca grabbed a towel for him, but he bumped his elbow into Alberto, and he fell off the boat and into the water. Ercole heard the splash that followed. "Hmm. Where did the other one go?"

Oh no, I bet he's gonna see his tail.

I jumped in the water and shook the boat. "Will you stop trying to kill us all for once?!" I shouted. He fell too far backwards, and his wool sweater fell in the water. "Galileo! It is wool! It cannot get wet!"

"I'd beat your fuzzy rear if I could swim." Socrates growled. Unseen, Alberto got back on the boat. Unfortunately, Giulia boards around the same time. Luca covered Alberto's with the towel. "Luca? Alberto? Galileo? Are you okay?" Giulia asked.

"Um..." Luckily, Alberto emerged from the towel, completely dry. "We're good! Good, good, good." He answered. "Well, I think that's enough training for today." Giulia said. 

"Yeah. Agreed."

"Yup."

I pushed the boat back to shore. Meanwhile, I heard Ercole shout "Ah, Ciccio! The motor! They are slowly getting away!"

The motor never got started. We got away. I evil laughed a little bit. 

Once we got back to the docks, I heard someone poorly mimicking a dolphin. Ignoring it...