Note: This story is part of my series "Bandit". Despite this story happening years after "Bandit", it doesn't mean that there won't exist any stories in the between.


It was almost Christmas in Brisbane and many were already enjoying some time at the beach, even with some occasional rain.

Rad had just arrived to a certain building on the truck that once belonged to his father. After he parked, he arrived to the entrance of the building at the same time his brother Stripe arrived on his bike.

"So, Pat also called you too, hein?" Stripe asked, as he went to chain his bike to the bike parking.

"He practically begged me to come" Rad replied. "He said it was something urgent."

"He said the same thing to me" Stripe told, as he and Rad entered in the building. "Do you think it's about Bandit?"

"Why else would he call?" Rad asked.

The two brothers used the escalator to reach the floor where the apartment Bandit and Pat shared. Once they got there, they knocked and it didn't take long for Pat to come over and open it.

"Finally you're here!" Pat exclaimed, as Rad and Stripe got in. "I don't know what to do. Your brother is beyond my help."

"Okay, the only think we get is that Bandit is in trouble" Rad commented. "Do you mind elaborate?"

"I think it's easier if I just show you" Pat replied.

He took Rad and Stripe to Bandit's room. As soon they close to it, they started to hear music coming from it.

"Wait… that sounds like… a guitar" Rad said. "Is he playing his guitar?"

"And that sounds like Blues…" Stripe noted. "That can't be good. He normally does that when… he's depressed."

"Told you, he really needs help" Pat told.

"Come on, guys, I think you're overreacting" Rad said. "I mean, it's Bandit we're talking about. That guy is even tougher than any of us. Honestly, I can't see anything that can let him down."

"Hold that thought" Pat said, while advancing and knocking the door. "Bandit, your brothers are here!"

"Go away!" he shouted from inside, with a heavy melancholic voice. "Let me drown in my sorrow!"

"Okay…" Rad said. "I may stand corrected."

Having said that, he turned the doorknob and opened the door. The room was very dark, with the curtains closed and a lava lamp being the only source of light. Bandit was lying on a bean bag, with his head lying back on the bag, with his eyes closed, while he was playing his guitar. He was looking all messy and untidy.

"Oh boy…" both Rad and Stripe said.

"Close the door!" Bandit told. "It's allowing the light to come in and I don't deserve the light!"

Having said that, he put his guitar aside and turned himself around, burying his face on the bean bag. Rad closed the door and said:

"Okay, this is worse than I could have imagined."

Bandit: THIS EPISODE OF BANDIT IS CALLED "BRO TRIP"

"How could this happen?" Rad asked. "Pat, do you know anything?"

"Well…" Pat said. "Bandit did ask me to not tell anyone… Well, he actually yelled at me to not tell anyone…"

"Pat, spill it, what happened?" Stripe asked.

Pat sighed and then he said:

"It's Emily. She left him."

"What?!" Stripe and Rad asked at the same time.

"That was my reaction too" Pat replied.

"But… they were so in love" Stripe told. "Seriously, it was a little annoying sometimes how in love they were."

"Well, the only thing I know is that she just approached him, told him they were over and then got into a plane and went back to America" Pat answered.

"Just like that?" Rad asked.

"Well, not exactly like that, I'm just paraphrasing" Pat replied. "I bet there was a lot more drama, but essentially that was what happened."

"Okay… so what have you tried to cheer him up?" Stripe asked.

"Anything that I could think of that would normally work with him, but he remained just like that" Pat replied. "I mean, he only gets out just to get something from the fridge or to go to the bathroom."

"Don't worry, we just need to find a new way to convince him to get up" Stripe said.

"We don't need to convince him, we just need to get him out" Rad told. "And the only way for us to do this is to drag him out."

"Please tell me you just did not have one of your crazy ideas" Stripe said.

But Rad didn't reply, just opening the door to Bandit's room and getting in.

"Okay, Bandit, it's time to end this depressive mood you're in" Rad said, while going and opening the curtains wide.

Bandit, who was now lying at one side on the bean bag, grunted as he felt the sun hitting him on the face, hasting to cover it while saying:

"Rad, close the curtains and leave me alone."

"Oh no, you're not going to stay here feeling sorry for yourself" Rad said. "I will not allow it."

"Just because you're my older brother, it doesn't give you the right of acting like mum" Bandit replied, curling himself.

"It's because I'm your older brother I'm doing this" Rad said. "Seriously, are you going to stay in this room, in the dark, forever? What about school? Your dream to become an archeologist? Are you going to throw that away just because Emily dumped you?"

As soon Rad said that, Bandit released a loud distressful moan.

"Yeah, I should have probably warned you to not mention her name in front of him" Pat said.

"Come on, Bandit, cheer up" Stripe said, while advancing. "Just because Em… I mean, just because she left you, it doesn't mean you have to give in to despair. I mean, there are other girls. And I know the best place to meet some: the beach. Trust me, what you need is some sun, some sea breeze, maybe a good salt water swim… You'll feel much better. Come on, where's the funny and happy big brother I used to admire and…"

"Just take a hike, Stripe!" Bandit replied, still curled.

After that, Stripe turned to Rad and told him:

"You know that crazy idea of yours? Do it."

"Okay… Pat, get his arms, I'll get the legs" Rad said.

And so Rad and Pat went to Bandit and they just grabbed him and rose him, with Rad securing his legs and Pat securing his legs, with Rad then leading them out of the room, while Bandit started to squirm, while saying:

"Hey, what are you doing?! Let me go!"

But he was not able to set himself free and was taken to the bathroom, where his brother and best friend put him inside the bathtub. Stripe then took the shower, opened the cold water and, while the other two were securing him, started bathing Bandit. After they were done with it, the three of them took Bandit back to his room, where they dried him and tried to make him look presentable.

"There you go…" Rad said. "A little of cold water shower is exactly what you needed to cool down the depression."

"I think it will take much more than a shower to make me forget I ever loved someone only to be dumped by her" Bandit replied, while getting up.

"That's why the next phase of my plan involves these two taking you to the beach for some fresh salty air, while I take care of my real plan" Rad replied.

"I'm even scared to know what plan is that" Bandit told.

"Honestly, so am I" Stripe whispered to Pat, causing him to chuckle.

"Very funny…" Rad said. "But trust me, it will be awesome."

Turning to Stripe and Pat, he said:

"Take him to the beach and then text me where you are."

Having said that, he left.

"So, if I really have to go, can I at least take my guitar?" Bandit asked, while going to get it.

"No!" Stripe and Pat exclaimed at the same time.

"If it is for you to play Blues, then you better let it here" Pat told.

Bandit sighed in irritation and said, while going to the door:

"Fine… Let's get this over with so I can return to my depression and self-pity as soon as possible."


Note: I hope you've enjoyed this first part of this new special story of my spin-off series "Bandit". Like I said above, it's possible there will be other stories covering Bandit's life in the between. However, I wanted to bring you this one because I have been playing it for some time in my head and I just can't stop. Another thing I want to mention is the reference to Bandit's ex-girlfriend called Emily, who is a character created by my FanFiction friend and colleague Kodiwolf321 who I help to write some of his Bluey stories like "Sad Faces" and "When Loves Around" and who let me use his characters in my stories. Don't worry, this will not be the last you see of Emily, that's for sure.