Chapter 32: The Spirit of the Ocean

  The fog covered the port when the cruiser returned to dry land. For the Blue Mountain team, that trip to Canada had not only been an adventure... it had been a lesson that none of them would forget.

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  Talion and the awakening of the technique of the orcas

  Days after the reunion with Flippy, Storm and Blaze, Talion was determined to master that incredible way of swimming that he had discovered.

  "Concenter... float... let yourself go..." he murmured as he dived into the pool.

  At first, everything was clumsy. His arms moved too fast, his legs were shaking more than necessary.

  "You're fighting the water instead of moving with it!" Aurora shouted from the shore.

  Talion took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

  He remembered the movement of the orcas... how their bodies slid in perfect harmony with the water.

  Then, he understood.

  He shouldn't force the movement... he had to allow the water to guide him.

  When he opened his eyes, his body moved fluidly, as if the ocean was driving it. He moved so fast that the rest of the team was dumbfounded.

  "What the hell was that?" Bruno said, impressed.

  "That's the real Talion..." Luz whispered, with a smile of admiration.

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  The way of others

  While Talión perfected his new technique, the rest of the team also faced their own challenges.

  ?  Bruno, with Aurora's help, worked on her confidence, managing to stay calm even under pressure. His motivation: Valeria, who every time she saw him train gave him a smile of pride.

  ?  Jocelyn began to develop a breathing technique that allowed her to stay calm even when things got complicated in the water.

  ?  Aurora stopped focusing only on leading and began to trust her teammates more, strengthening the team's bond.

  Monta?a Azul was no longer just a team... now they were a real family.

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  Azrat and his despair with Stephanie

  Despite the great progress of the team, Azrat had his own personal mission: to prove that Stephanie was real.

  "Listen, everyone!" he shouted, gathering the team. Today they will finally meet Stephanie!

  "Agoing with that?" Jocelyn complained.

  "No, seriously!" I'll make it this time.

  Confident, Azrat took them to the port cafeteria, where Stephanie was supposedly waiting for him.

  When they arrived... she wasn't there.

  "And now what happened?" Aurora asked, already tired of the subject.

  "I swear, I was here!" I even have video! -Azrat said, showing on his phone a recording where Stephanie was clearly seen hugging him.

  "That's edited..." Bruno sneered.

  "Why the hell would I make such an elaborate montage?!" Azrat was on the verge of madness.

  The team laughed mercilessly. Azrat, frustrated but resigned, could only murmur:

  "Someday... they'll know."

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  A peaceful night

  That night, the team decided to take a well-deserved break. They met on the beach, around a campfire.

  "Hey... do you think we'll really manage to get to the Olympics one day?" Bruno asked, looking at the flames.

  "Of course..." Aurora replied confidently. We are much stronger than before. You are not only good swimmers... you are incredible people. The Blue Mountain is not a team... it's a family.

  Jocelyn smiled.

  "Who would have thought that this crazy group would work so well?"

  "What's incredible... is that this madman has learned to swim like an orca," Azrat said, pointing to Talion.

  The team burst out laughing.

  Talion just looked at the sky and murmured:

  "Let's make it... I know."

  Luz approached and took his hand gently.

  "I know it too..." he whispered before kissing him.

  For a moment, there was no laughter or jokes... only the tranquility of the ocean and a group of friends who, step by step, approached their dream.

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  End of Chapter 32