Of course we save the duck!

"I'm coming!" I shouted, uncertain that psyduck could hear me under his 10 meter tomb of running river water. I thumbed my suspenders over my shoulder at the same time I stepped on my heel with one shoe, to rip my foot out of the other. By the time I switched feet and pulled my foot out of the second shoe, my hands had already pulled my shorts button and zipper open, and succinctly, I shucked them down my legs with my panties in one quick motion. Pulling my feet out of the crumpled mess of jean shorts and suspenders, I also shucked off my yellow top and bra. I did not waste time undoing the bra, I just shoved it and my shirt in a wad over my head and tossing it in the general area of my shorts. The second the shirt left my grip, I dove into the water head first, with the proficiency of an adult woman who has always lived in a glorified water park. The chill of the mountain spring fed river was a shock to my skin. I could feel goose bumps harden on my skin which pulled tight over my bones like a skin over a drum. Although colder and darker than the waters at home, I felt it inviting and familiar all the same. I had trained to hold my breath for minutes at a time doing "Mermaid" theatre shows with my sisters since I was like 5. Swimming was easier to a Williams than walking.

My legs kicked in the cool water, while my arms pulled me deeper. With every stroke it got a little darker, and the pressure in my ears and chest grew greater. When I reached the bottom and realized I could see nothing but darkness, I almost panicked. I purposefully shoved my feet into the mire to anchor myself down as I used both hands to frantically pull mud from the river bottom, praying my hand didn't accidentally find a chinchou or a tentacruel with my bare flesh instead of my sunken pokeball. When a small cold lump brushed my hand, I flinched. I was not in the mood to lose a finger to a grumpy Shellder or Crabby today. Fortunately my bad luck seemed to be waning as my right and closed on the familiar round ball. It's cold metal case gripped firmly in my fingers which gently probed for the button. There was no mistaking it, it was a pokeball.

With the prize secured in my palm, I straightened my body, used my sunken feet to tuck in my legs, and as rapidly as I could extended them. Even underwater I heard a pop as my feet sucked out of the muck, and started kicking my feet. Like a torpedo, my momentum carried me higher, and decreasing pressure laid off of my ear drums and sinuses as the lights grew brighter and the shimmering circle above me became closer. I let the expanding gasses in my lungs eject itself from my mouth and nose as I ascended, until I breached the surface of the mostly calm water, causing a temporary breach of peace as water erupted and wafted away in waves and mist off of my body. I tread water while sucking in the fresh air. How long had I been down there? It hadn't felt long, but the exhaustion I felt upon arrival of fresh air suggested it had been at least 2 or 3 minutes. Closing my eyes and focusing on deep, slow breaths helped me regain my composure, while I gently swept my arms towards the shore. It wasn't until my feet could reach the bottom that I checked my cargo. I looked down at my hand. A red and white orb filled my vision. That was a pokeball all right. "Psyduck, Go!" I shouted aiming the creature at the bank. A flash of light and before me appeared the befuddled creature. "Psy?" It asked, understandably confused as to why I was climbing out of a river naked, moments after returning him to his ball. "You fell in the river, I had to jump in for you." I told the duck. Its sometimes amazing to me that his eyes can even get any wider. Characteristically he started hopping from one foot to the other saying "Psy!" repeatedly. "Calm down you looney! I got you back! You don't have to be a freaking diva ok?" I shouted trying to wipe mud off my legs. "Wipe that confused look off your stupid face and give me hand here!" After offering a look of confusion, and breaking a few gears in that thick skull of his, I could physically see that cogs start turning. "Any day now," I said while gesturing impatiently.

Psyduck used water gun. It was maybe a bit too effective. "I need a rinse, not a waterboarding you dummy!" I sputtered between gargles while trying to cover my face from the full **** of the blast. He eased off to more of a hose, and less of a hyper beam. "Thank you," I said curtly while getting the last of the mud off my legs and our of crevices. "Thank you very much, that is enough," I told the duck once I considered myself clean enough. He caught on quicker this time ceasing his attack. I considered myself fortunate for choosing such a secluded spot to fish in, as I finished hand squeegeeing the water out of my hair, and down my body. The soles of my feet were going to pick up more dirt before I could get my shoes back on, but at least my body would be clean for the rest of my clothes.