"I need to bath." May announced.
Both the boys looked up from where they were lounging against the tree and on the grass.
"Bath?" Drew tilted his head to a side. Shū rolled his eyes at his brother.
"Yes, Drew. Bath. Bathing is the washing or cleansing of the body in a fluid, usually water or an aqueous solution. The main purpose of bathing is for personal hygiene." May said mockingly.
"I meant, where are you going to bath here?" Drew replied.
"Bathing can take place in any situation where there is water. It can take place in a bathtub or shower, or it can be in a river, lake, water hole, pool or the sea, or any other water receptacle." May replied again.
Drew stopped for a moment, "Have you been reading again?" He smirked.
May blushed, "Bulbapedia." (Pokémon equivalent to Wikipedia, eh?)
"Thought so." Drew chuckled, "Now, where are you going to bath?"
"I said, bat-"
"I heard you! River, lake, water hole…yes, alright. But you are not going to bath in this river, are you?" Drew raised his eyebrow.
May's lip curled slightly on one side, she crawled closer to him until she was cheek-to-cheek with him, "Would you mind if I do?"
Drew smirked, swallowing a little. "Not really."
"Will you like to join me?" May whispered, giving him an innocent look when she pulled back, "You are kind of dirty right now."
Drew's eyes glazed and darkened. "Don't test me, Maple."
May finally smiled, leaning down to kiss his cheek softly. Drew smiled in return, turning his head to capture her lips.
Shū grimaced. As much as he would love to sit there, blended with the trees and devise new plans, he was beginning to feel a little lovesick. He looked up at the sky, counting a days till finally reaching Rubello.
He mentally berated himself for thinking such thoughts when he was supposed to be looking out for the dangerous signs.
But he couldn't help himself as he moodily fingered his mobile, hoping for it to vibrate.
He jumped when he felt it really vibrate.
"Shū speaking."
"God, I missed you!" Shū smiled goofily.
"You are telling me!"
"I know you have that silly smile on your face."
"I know you are almost crying."
May slowly pulled back and blushed.
"Idiot." She mumbled and turned her face away. Drew chuckled.
She looked at Shū and raised her eyebrow. "I have never seen him that happy. What is he doing?"
"I think he is on a call." Drew observed.
"Call? He looks like he is talking to himself and smiling."
"See his ear. Right ear." There, hooked on his right ear was the small device and May gave a small 'oh'.
"Who is he talking to? And why is he always on a mobile?"
"Must be his girlfriend!" Drew said sarcastically.
However, he was not prepared when her eyes widened comically to an almost abnormal size and he jumped up, falling back down again and then stood up slowly and carefully.
"His girlfriend? Do you know who she is? Should I go ask him? Please?"
"May, no." Drew said sternly.
"What is her name?"
"I don't know."
"Where is she?"
"Rubello, I think he said."
"Ee! Will we meet her there?"
"I…dunno…May? Are you sure you are mentally stable? May! Stop! May!"
O.o
"I am at Pokémon centre right now. I can talk as long as I want to, you know."
"Yeah, I know." Shū smiled. "Are you allowed there?" Shū asked, falling back and resting on the grass, eyes closed.
"Yes, To remain inconspicuous. Where are you? I am dying to see you."
"We will take time, and you know that." Shū smiled sadly, "I told you it would have been faster alone."
"Don't start that shit again. You know it is important!"
"Sorry." Shū chuckled.
"Hey, Shū?"
"Yes?"
"I miss you. A lot."
"I know. I miss you too." Shū's eyebrows furrowed, "What is that noise?"
"The watch. I am being called."
"Again?" Shū groaned.
"Again."
"Do you have to go?"
"You know it is for your safety I am working my arse off here. You better repay me when I see you."
"Keep safe."
"They will keep me safe. They fear you."
Shū chuckled, "I will tear their limbs off if anything happens."
"They know that. Bye, Shū. Keep safe."
"Yes, bye."
Shū smiled a little, eyes closed as he felt like he was beginning to lose consciousness.
O.o
Scrunching his eyes as tight as he could to block out the sunlight, Shū groaned softly.
"Drew! Let the guy sleep!"
"Come on, May, he needs to get up!"
"You will not wake him up!"
"Fine! You! Go!"
"Drew!"
Shū rolled his eyes inwardly, opening them slightly. He saw a pink blur sitting on his chest and as his eyes opened, he recognized the shapeless…shape of a Ditto.
Opening them fully, his eyes widened.
"Ditto!" May and Drew jumped from where they were arguing and spun around to see the raven holding the purple blob in his hand, Ditto struggling to get down on the ground as he was suspended in the air near the boy's face.
"Shū!" May cried. Drew stared at his brother.
"Shū, what are you doing!" May cried again.
"Drew," Shū started, completely ignoring the brunette's cries of letting the Pokémon down and the struggling Pokémon, "what is this?"
"Get your eyes checked, dear brother! That is I believe a Ditto!" Drew rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.
"When did you get a sodding Ditto?" Shū almost screeched.
"I didn't! It is following me!" Drew cried, "Since LaRoussa!"
"You went to LaRoussa?" Shū cried, pointing an accusing finger at the green-haired boy.
"Shū, that's my hometown!" Drew retorted.
"Why is this-this- this following you?" Shū said, shaking the purple Pokémon. May leapt towards it, saving it from the clutches of the boy. Shū didn't even notice.
"I saved it from a swarm of Beedrills. (Sorry for the error in the first chapter) It is following me since then…"
Shū suddenly became uncharacteristically calm. "Where, do you say, was it from so long?"
"Well," May piped in, "it was with him when I met him, then that day he saw a berry bush and asked me if it can go….and then he just returned today!"
"Why is it not with you, Drew?"
"It's wild. It can go wherever it wants!" Drew said defensively, slinging his bag over his shoulder, signaling the end of the discussion.
May slowly began to follow him as he walked, glancing back at Shū who was staring at the Ditto who was hot on Drew's heel.
"Shū, is something wrong?" May asked softly, snapping Shū put of his thoughts.
"No." Shū replied, shaking his head as if trying to clear his brain.
"Come on, let's follow him." May smiled at him as she began to walk.
Shū smiled lopsidedly at the brunette, "Yeah. Come on."
The duo ran to catch up with the coordinator.
"So, Shū." May began after 10 minutes of walking in silence. Both the boys glanced at her.
"Yes, May?" Shū smiled at her.
"What do you do? I mean, trainer, coordinator, breeder?"
Shū looked over her head at Drew, who raised his eyebrow. May looked between the two brothers.
"Ah…I-I am a trainer. Yes, a Pokémon trainer." Shū nodded.
"So you must be heading for the next gym, ne?" When Shū nodded, she continued, "I don't think Rubello have any gym…." She turned to Drew, "Drew?"
"Ah, no, Rubello don't." Drew shot a look at Shū.
"Shū, why are you heading there?" May looked at Shū again, confused.
Shū was miserable. He had no idea what he was talking about, "Aah, I am heading for…uh…"
"Fortree City." Drew said quickly, "He is going to Fortree City. Rubello is between Fortree and Petalburg. Fortree have the gym. Isn't it, Shū?"
"Yes, Fortree City. Gym." Shū nodded quickly.
May raised her eyebrow, "Did you get the Balance Badge?"
"Balance Badge?" Shū questioned.
"From…from Petalburg?" May looked at Drew and gave him an incredulous look and turned back.
Drew made wild gestures behind her back, Shū's eyebrow's furrowed, "Uhm, no. No. I didn't….go there?"
Drew slapped his forehead, as May raised her eyebrow. "Shū, you didn't go to Petalburg, shouldn't you have gone in that order? Petalburg, then Fortee?"
"Yes, yes." Shū nodded solemnly, "I know. I made a mistake. Funny story actually. For some other time."
"Which is your flying Pokémon?" May asked, excited to see a new Pokémon.
"Flying…Pokémon…? Well….I have a Zubat and a Xatu….I have a Murkrow and an Altaria back at headq-I mean, I have them too, but not currently on me. Why?"
"You can't fly on either Zubat or Xatu! You need a flying type to get to Ever Grande!"
"Oh, really?" Shū blinked, confused as to from where did the Ever Grande city came into the picture.
"And one minute, did you get the Dynamo badge?" May asked, excited.
"Dynamo badge…?" Shū looked at Drew who was slowly trying to strangle himself.
"From…Mauville city..? Shū! You didn't even fight in Mauville?" May cried.
"I...it's after Fortree….huh?"
"After Fortree, it's Lilycove! No gyms! It has Contest Halls! We passed Mauville! It is between Oldale and Rubello!"
"Oh…" Shū looked at Drew for some sort of assistance. Drew shrugged miserably.
May sighed, "How many badges do you have yet?"
Shū and Drew exchanged looks, "I..."
"They were stolen." Drew blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. Both the raven and the brunette turned to look at Drew, eyebrows raised.
"Stolen?" May questioned Shū.
"I guess…if he says so…" Shū mumbled under his breath.
"Well, that's bad. Di-"
Suddenly Shū jumped when he felt his pocket vibrate. He pulled out his mobile.
"I have to take this." Shū said. May and Drew nodded as Shū fell behind them as they continued to walk, looking at Shū for a moment before turning to front.
"He is weird. It seems like he don't know what he is talking about. Seems like he's lying sometimes."
"Believe me, you have no idea." Drew muttered, glancing back at his half-brother.
O.o
"Hello?"
"Its Shū."
"Of course, sir, one moment."
Shū looked at their walking figures as he continued to walk slowly behind them.
"Shū? What happened?"
"Where is Brodie?"
"Br- what happened, Shū? Is there a problem?"
"Check his database! Find him!"
"Nobody has seen him since the last c-"
"I don't care! Find him! He's back and I am damn sure!"