A Test of Discipline

Rio had learned plenty of training methods over the years, some more intense than others. Was it too much for a Lucario his age? Well, nothing mattered to him more than being resilient above everything. He walked into the lake to prove it.

He was already taking deep breaths the moment his paws touched the cold lake water. It was getting dark out, and he was alone. If anything happened, he would not find help easily, or quickly. He'd be found limp under the water. Yet he took this risk once a week, every week, for years on end.

Once the water reached his chest, causing an audible little shiver, he cleared his mind of any lingering thoughts or worries. He never bothered keeping track of time, or perfecting his breathholding technique. That's not the point here, really. The point is to endure. To stay down no matter what.

Rio drew in a sharp, deep breath, puffing up his soft chest, and kneeled down to sink his body under the water. He was barely a foot away from the surface here, and he wasn't gonna surface until he was either on the verge of blacking out or drawing water down the wrong pipe. He laid there, quietly.

Any folks who happened to pass by wouldn't have seen a thing. The grizzled Lucario was out of sight in the murky lake, and he could stay perfectly still; even his bubbles refused to budge, tucked away in his nostrils by some immense amount of discipline that nobody could wrap their noggins around.

Rio trained his body the way a sculptor bangs out the perfect statue, chipping away at every imperfection. Even if the wear and tear was visible -- scars spread across it, piling up over the years -- he kept an iron grip on it all. No heaves, no grunts, almost zero signs that he was breathholding...

But inside, he still felt all of it. The discomfort warmed up his chest, an instinctive plea to simply stand up and breathe. He'd ignore it, and be reminded of it every second, and every time that plea grew louder. His face showed the strain the rest of his body did not, scrunched up and wrinkled.

Although he didn't heave, he could still shudder. The sting of the cold water and the burn in his lungs added to the discomfort. "...Mrmph." His first sound in two whole minutes underwater, no bubbles, just a grunt squeezed out through pursed lips. He leaned forward slightly, clenching his fists.

Maybe, if he clenched hard enough and thought about tonight's dinner, he could keep his mind off the burn. But it was a bad idea to waste energy on that. And wasn't the whole point of this to grit through it with no help, no thoughts? Rio steeled his mind once again, but his body had other plans.

Rio could never decide between keeping his eyes open or closed for these sessions. He kept them closed this time, fully focused on clearing his mind. It seemed to work; although he shuddered once more, the first tiny bubbles finally slipping past his nostrils, he felt at ease. His head leaned back.

More air leaked out of his snout, and his face contorted as the fire in his lungs grew hotter. And yet... He didn't seem bothered at all. In fact, for a few blissful seconds, Rio became unaware of where he was. Was it a moment of total mindlessness, or was he simply air-starved and lightheaded?

The shaky Lucario was brought back to earth quickly. A strong heave made his chest cave in, a familiar feeling, like a well-aimed punch pushing his air out. "Mmphblbl--!" The mind has no limits, he always tells his students, but the body sure does. He briefly lifted an arm, then laid it back down...

It was all about restraint to him. The mind must beat the body, and only a strong mind can keep him under the surface. As if knowing it was being tested, his body protested. A stronger heave followed, causing a tingling shiver. His maw opened half an inch, enough to leak a chunk of air. "Hglblbl!"

He let out a bubbly growl. Don't move, don't move, he thought, a steady mantra that, unfortunately, reeked of desperation. The grunts grew louder and more frequent, deep throaty rumbles that clouded his mind further. The cold lakewater crept closer to his airways, tickling his flaring nostrils.

If there was an effort to stay calm going on, it sure wasn't apparent. Rio was a trembling mess, leaking bubbles that floated and popped mere inches above his head. It was that easy. He could just stand up and inhale already; there was nothing to prove beyond this point, right?

But... he insisted.

"Mmrph! Ghh-- SNRRK--"

And the body hit its limit first. The familiar sound of rushing water swirled around his nostrils. Liquid pushed through, past whatever air remained tucked inside, and flushed down his throat towards his shriveled, emptying lungs. Rio opened his eyes and coughed...

"Cough-- HGLP! RRGHGLUP!" There was no stopping it now. Water flowed through his open maw with ease, and Rio gave little resistance. Throughout it all, he stayed put, kneeled on the soft soil and staring at the last few bubbles popping above him. The burning sensation had grown white-hot, and yet...

Rio got used to these forced liquid inhales, even faster than usual. He had already won and proved the power of mind over body, but he wanted to run up the score some more. Through waterlogged groans and gulps, he stayed calm and closed his eyes shut again. Whatever hint of fear he showed was gone.

He knew he was really pushing it now. Tunnel vision began to set in, and his pupils began to dilate. Could he even stand back up if he wanted at this point? He wouldn't budge either way. The stubborn Lucario hyperventilated water with loud gurgles, fighting the urge to flail and kick wildly.

He was so adamant on staying under that he failed to notice he had already slumped to the ground, laying on his side and breathing water, noticeably slowing down. Maybe this was the great victory of the mind that he wanted, beating his own survival instincts into submission. ...Was it worth it?

A feeble attempt to get back on his feet failed right away. Rio could only stretch and curl his legs a little, and he gripped the soil between his paws hard. Breathing in was easy, but breathing out became a struggle now. His entire body tensed up, curling and stretching, at random intervals.

Rio drew strength from somewhere, still, and his eyes lazily drifted to the shore, mere feet away. Probably easier to reach than the rippling surface above. He thumped his feet clumsily against the ground, shoving himself inch by inch out of the cold water. His body was so spent, but he insisted...

A long groan exited his flooded throat. He could barely see, and he felt numb all over. But Rio refused to give in. He felt a bit amused at this point, having to power his limp body through sheer will alone. What was going on here, exactly? It's not like you can think your way out of a lake, so...

Was there more to his body than he previously thought? Was it really all about "mind over body", or would he have to mold them together just to live another day? His lights flickered. The thumping in his head, an echo of his weak heartbeat, slowed to a crawl. Every push was interrupted by a shiver.

Rio hadn't even thought of the possibility of drowning here. He was too out of it, body almost gone and mind turning to quiet fuzz, to consider it. Maybe that's why he barely noticed when his head poked out of the water and, feeling the sting of cold evening air, drew in air that clashed with water.

Immediately, Rio shook himself to an almost feral instinct to purge his flooded lungs. The Lucario climbed to his knees, well out of the water now, and exhaled hard, water flowing out of his throat like an open faucet. Loud, dry gasps, then a fierce coughing fit, then back to gasps, over and over.

He could barely move, locked in on this painful loop for a good minute or two until all the oxygen was back where it should be. The weary Lucario, having learned his lesson for the night, slumped to the floor, breathing hard and fast, face-up with his chest inflating and deflating wildly.

Though he didn't faint, Rio sure would've liked it right now, left panting, with a fiery burn in his chest that was slowly cooling down. All the while, that feeling of pure emptiness that took over his mind... He couldn't forget it. It was there only for a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime.

...Well, now he HAD to try and feel it again, he thought!

Rio barely seemed to care that he almost went out for good under a few feet of water. He pledged to try it all over again, still sputtering water out of his maw with every cough.

The old Lucario wobbled out of the lake, stubborn as ever...