Time for a Swim

Sylvie took a few steps forward. At first glance, this world seemed to be empty.

Maybe she could hope that it was abandoned. She’d cycled the date of the portal back some way from the TVA encounter; it could be a long time before variance would register here.

It was a better home than her last outpost. Idyllic, even. The sky was bright rather than perpetually starlit, the clouds were delicate and wispy, and wild grass grew as high as her knee, criss-crossed with smooth, sturdy roots that were easy to walk along.

One of the first things she saw was a natural spring, a small river widening for a moment to display crystal-clear water.

Sylvie approached the bank; it seemed empty, devoid of life. Tranquil, even.

Then she looked down at herself in distaste. Grime from a lot of adventures, mud on her feet, and sand clinging to far too much of her from just her last escapade alone.

She looked out at the water again. Well, this was nothing new; she had to bathe in places like this while on the run, and it was about time.

She looked around again, more paranoid that she wasn’t alone. At no immediate sign of life, the desire for cleanliness took over. She undid her jeans and left them by the bank. She slid her panties down her bare legs as well, and left them a little way from her torn pants, burying them under a stone in case this world had too much of a breeze.

Then she stepped out into the water, and let herself drift. There was no reason cleaning couldn’t be relaxing, when there was no sign of the TVA.

The lake got deep fast. After just a couple of steps, the clear water was up to her thighs; she took a second to run her hands down each leg, ridding herself of the stray specks of sand that had inevitably made its way against her skin. Then she scooped up water and let it cascade down her, splashing up as far as her shoulders and wiping the dirt away.

When it seemed like she'd gotten past the worst of it, she took a step further in until it was deep enough for her to float. She made one swimming stroke, before nerves made her roll onto her back; she was too used to being caught while like this.

Okay, just jeans weren't the best of outfits to have, but she wanted to keep it anyway. If she splashed the wrong thing and brought the TVA down on her head, she wanted to at least be aware.

She trod water. Silence reigned.

Sylvie let out a long breath, and drifted onto her back again, keeping an ear out, even if the world felt tranquil. Just the sound of the water. She floated, her short blonde hair starting to spread out as she waited there.

It had been a while since she'd had any time to catch her breath. This was good, though, a chance to freshen up, wipe away any of the marks the last few time-jumps had left, and start her search for a new base anew. And while she was at it, enchant herself more clothes.

With a pang, she found herself thinking of Ava. No; she stopped herself. She'd been on her own long enough, there was no point dwelling on what it would be like to share a pool like this. No point.

There was a rustling. Sylvie shifted angle until she was up straight again, treading water and looking around. A twig snapped; the grassland of this world was verdant, some smaller flowers hidden among the tall grass, some of which must be wooded.

No portals. No people. if there was anything, it was probably hidden in the grass. Local wildlife maybe.

She didn't know if interfering with them would alert the TVA. Maybe this wasn't a suitable base after all; it wouldn't hurt to try for a bit.

Maybe make a grass top. She'd seen things like that before, woven from long strands like this world had in abundance. It was an option, she supposed; she hadn't tried making clothes herself before, beyond repurposing old, worn garments.

Another rustle. Sylvie flushed, automatically on edge. Maybe it was best to not be naked after so many mishaps. Not until she knew more about where she was.

Still, she was glad to have washed up. Sylvie swam to shore, trying to get her bearings. She'd come in over... there.

She made it to the shallower edges, and waded out, and immediately froze; she glimpsed a furry paw, certainly an animal rather than the TVA, sneak out from the grass and grab her jeans. It pulled, and grabbed them, sucking them back into the grass. Sylvie's eyes widened.

"Hey!" she said.

Quickly, grabbing her panties from where they'd been weighed down by a rock, Sylvie gave chase. She glimpsed dark fur, a brown shade, on some small creature. For all the world, it sounded like it was snickering.

"Give those back!" Sylvie shouted.

Stupid. Probably didn't understand her words. Still, she was hardly going to let it run off with her jeans, even if a dog had taken a bite out of them. She watched as the grass rustled as the creature ran away, and pursued it.

She was still wet from the pool, her damp hair clinging to her cheeks, not quite reaching her shoulders, and leaving splashes for a few steps behind her. Some rivulets of water still made their way down her back, over the curve of her butt, before being whipped away by the long grass; it reached her thighs, strands of yellow-green parted as she ran, tickling the sensitive skin of her inner thigh.

She wasn't so concerned with covering while it was just her and that animal; she did what she could to swat the grass out of the way with her hands, panties still clung in one hand, sodden from her haste in picking them up after leaving the lake.

Her TemPad was in those jeans, she suddenly realized. If she didn't catch up, and search the pockets...