It let Kate physically see an open-mouthed Riley twist midair and, somehow rocket up!
Riley twisted and her knees accelerated right into Kate's chest. They blew apart from the impact, Kate's face twisted, lungs aching from the hollow thwap that had echoed in her open mouth. Riley turned and twisted her legs, floating back to Kate like she could fly. Riley connected, feet first, determined to wrap those meaty calves and thighs around Kate's head, lock her in and throw away the key. A second attempt.
A signature move. Everyone had a little something they leaned on because of how well it worked with their body types.
Determined to be something more than a victim, Kate twisted her legs in corkscrew. Amazingly her whole body spun like a top. But she'd never lost sight of Riley above who looked frozen in time. Well, her failure. They snapped into each other. Kate's free hand shot out before impact as Riley cringed her elbows together to protect her face. Kate pulled the attacking hand back, the spin allowing momentum to slam and palm the gap between Riley's legs, smacking what would have been a game ender for Griff but Kate knew more than most, it still hurt for girls.
Kate's hand closed, she gripped getting at any meat and hair, she could. It was enough for Riley to reach down, exposing her face. Kate's other hand snapped onto Riley's neck and both hands squeezed like a vice and pulled! Like a lonely soul opening a Christmas cracker.
Whatever game plan Riley had started, or had been carved into her blood through practice vanished and she flailed awkwardly. It was like watching someone being electrocuted in slow motion. And with no pesky gravity to pull her forever to the ground, Kate had free reign to twist Riley's head between her knees and lock her in.
Riley's skull was now the property of Kaitlyn Simmons, not even the jaws of life could have freed her.
Hands free, Kate hugged shut Riley's arms in one hand. Using the free hand, Kate pulled open Riley's fancy trunks like a parachute opening.
The wind resistance did the work of stripping as Riley struggled to stay clothed with only the ability to buck and shake.
They fell into a mist that grew so dense Kate didn't feel a splat so much as a splash and Riley's trunks were ripped from her. It was caught up in the air above her as they fell, it looked like it was glued to the sky before vanishing in the mist.
The trunk should have ripped to pieces as per the game, it was good fabric.
The fall had been so incredible and deep! Their legs should have broken, but at least Riley's head was safe.
Tombstone Piledriver 101. Protect your victim's head. That didn't mean it would be hugs and kisses for Riley, just a good education as only a big sister could.
They kept sinking darting down deep.
Then, somehow, they splashed again!
Sinking into what had to be the real water because the pressure on her and the texture actually pressed on her. But what had been there before?
It was all so surreal.
Deeper and deeper they dropped until they parted, a limp Riley sinking like a rock.
Kate hugged her and paddled up.
She broke the surface, took a breath and spat water. She'd never experience so much… water while somehow out of the water, it was like being force fed mist, it was like the mist setting of a firehose had been turned on and aimed directly at her face with so little mercy her brain demanded she swim downwards feel some semblance of logic and control. She slapped the air, fanning it away, her fingers constantly dripping water making constant impacts.
Was… was she drowning?
Riley snapped awake with a jerk and jumped into action, pulled away while taking a seething breath, lips barely open.
Then she vanished, dropping back into the deep.
Time marched on. Kate was devoid of thought and logic, stuck without currency to slow things down. Panic set in. She flailed harder, slamming the air, kicking faster to stay afloat. Kate copied Riley's seething breathes and it did something, her nostrils blocked up to the end of the nasal cavity.
-Warning! You are under distress.
Emergency call?
Emergency Beacon?
-Doctor Beacon?