Chapter 2: Cool water

splash*

'It feels so good to be out of the heat. Something about that red light just... actually, it didn't hurt that much, but it gave me a wicked fever! Sure it was dusty in that old tomb, but I've never felt that thirsty in my life! Like my lungs were on fire!'

'Glad that's behind me now, ah, even the sun can't reach me down here. So cool... wait, SHIT! I NEED TO BREATHE!'

The man struggled and thrashed in the water uselessly. After minutes of trying, he finally held still and slowly, with great effort, put his two legs together and pushed off of the lake bottom.

float... sink*

Again.

float, sink, float, sink*

Again and again.

float, sink, float, sink, float*

Finally finding a good rhythm, his head breached the water's surface. Lifting his head up felt unnaturally heavy, but not painfully so. It was possible to get his eyes above the water at least, but his head felt like jelly, sloshing and pulling back towards the water.

Forcing himself up as high as his body would go, he beheld the edge of the lake and slowly made his way across... His body made a wet slapping sound as he finally reached the bank.

"Ugh, professor? Need some help here. I think I got cursed by something... the Ruins of Alphabet soup curse." He spoke, sputtering up water with each syllable.

'Hell, that old man is probably getting high off powdered mummies again, or whatever it is rich guys do to pass the time. Come on! You couldn't give me a starter, you couldn't give me more than minimum wage, the least you could do is call an ambulance!'

Breathing wasn't as much of a chore now as it was moments ago, but the man still felt an odd desire to return to the water once more. Sighing deeply and taking one last look towards the ruins, he turned to see himself for the first time.

A blubbery looking Tentacool stared back at the man as the weight of his head sent him crashing into the reflection and back to the cool depths.

'I'm a... Okay, calm down. It's not the end of the world. Wasn't there a story about some kid who turned into an Alakazam? How did that one end? ...Don't have my phone on me. That's fine! THAT'S FINE! Deep breaths, deep... I'm breathing water.'

The man-o-war (Author's note: That's a type of jellyfish! =) thrashed about, alarming a group of fish pokemon who were swimming nearby. This little lake was sure to become a very exciting place.