"Shut up, Bubba."

"AND STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

"Well, I'll only call you that when I talk to you. So if I don't have to talk to you, I won't call you that. Bubba." Susanne was digging through her HammerSpace. "Ah, here it is," she finally said, pulling out a swimsuit. "Turn around."

"You need to train! You must prepare to fight!"

"Fine, I'll just go into HammerSpace." She opened up her HammerSpace and stood on the ledge she'd rigged up so she didn't fall through, and changed into her swimsuit. "Want to take a swim, Bubba?"

"No, I do not want to take a swim! And neither do you!"

Susanne tuned him out and slipped into the cool water of the river. It was so soothing... she hadn't been swimming in so long. It wasn't the ocean, but it'd do. Maybe she should go back to California... no, at least not yet. Roger was here somewhere.

The river was fairly wide, and when she was about five or six meters away from the bank, she was submerged up to her shoulders. The water was cool, but not cold. It was moving fairly fast, but not dangerously so. Nothing she couldn't handle. She dipped her head back and her hair floated around her head. With her ears underwater, she could no longer hear the annoying sounds of Bubba's voice. He was probably still talking to her.

This is my fault, isn't it?

No, it's not.

Susanne started, but thought it must be her imagination...

It's not your imagination, luv, she heard in her mind. Don't you remember the bond?

You can hear me?

Of course I can. And you can hear me. It is the bond between Otaku and Guardian. Of course, as far as I know, it's not supposed to be as strong and clear as this... but maybe you're just talented.

Susanne smiled at this. Why did you leave? She thought.

There was a silence, then she heard, I didn't want to. I'd much rather have stayed. But I didn't know quite what to do. But I have faith in you. Don't worry, they can't get rid of me that easily.

I hate this Guardian.

I would like nothing better than to be with you. And I will be with you again. I promise.

Susanne dipped all the way under the water, washing the tears from her face.

When she surfaced, Christopher was running back and forth along the bank, nearly frantic.

"There! You've had your swim! Now, will you kindly get out of the water?"

Susanne had an idea. "Be patient! Just because you're afraid of the water doesn't mean I can't relax a little! Go take a nap!" On the highway, she thought. She thought she heard Roger chuckling in her mind, but she couldn't be sure.

She swam around a little, keeping an eye on Christopher. Finally, he seemed to realize that she'd come out when she was good and ready, and he curled up in a patch of sunlight and dozed.

Now.

Susanne took a deep breath, ducked under the water again, and swam with the current. When she finally surfaced, she was nowhere near where she had gotten in. For good measure, she took another long breath and swam some more. Unless Christopher had started running downstream the moment she submerged, he wouldn't be here for another minute or so.

Susanne got out of the river on the opposite bank, walking into the forest a little, dried off, changed back into her clothes, and went on her way.