Without You, There's No Need

Chapter 6

Back in Chicago, Darla Cortex walked over to the Pokémon playground. She took the familiar route that she often took, looking at all of the peaceful wild Pokémon. She had to smile at that. Her Keystone was kept in her thumb ring on her right hand. She saw a Smeragle as she walked, knowing that she was getting close. That's when she saw the playhouse, the home of her two friends, Jonathon Patrick Pichu and Peter Jonah Pichu. Or, as they were better known, John and Pete. Darla went up to the playhouse as a Smoochum poked its head out of an old tire.

"Smooch," said the Ice/Psychic type, winking at Darla.

Darla giggled as she replied, "Well, hello to you too, Smoochum."

"Smoochum, are you bothering Darla again," a voice asked.

Smoochum turned around to the voice that was behind her and shook her head no. Behind her was John himself. John smiled at Smoochum as he came out of the playhouse, his twin brother right behind. However, unlike John, Pete turned around to their friend - who was looking a little sad.

"No need to worry, Smoochum," Pete said, patting her on the shoulder. "We know, well at least I do, that you weren't bothering Darla."

Smoochum immediately perked up again as she started to kiss Pete's head. Pete chuckled, having being the ticklish twin. John rolled his eyes at the sight as Darla had to frown. Ever since the two had a huge fight, the Pichu brothers just weren't the same anymore. While John was becoming more focused on being in charge, Pete was becoming more focused on the actual Pokémon and their happiness. They weren't the jokesters that they used to be. Darla cleared her throat, gaining John's attention.

"What brings you here," John finally asked.

"When will you two stop bickering," Darla questioned, concerned more than anything else.

"We are never gonna stop bickering," John answered, a bit huffy that Smoochum was still tickling his baby twin brother. He got so irritated that he fired a rather small Thunderbolt, gaining the two's attention. "In case you haven't noticed, we have a visitor!" He snapped.

"Don't you mean you have a visitor," Pete shot back, a little pissed off that his brother had almost shocked Smoochum.

Smoochum was cowering behind Pete, now scared of John. Darla sighed out of annoyance, knowing that she had to break this up before it got ugly. She had been doing that more recently as of late and it was getting out of hand.

She asked, "Seriously you two, do I have to get my Mega Aerodactyl out?"

John and Pete stopped bickering almost immediately. The two of them had seen Mega Aerodactyl before during one of their worse fights. The Rock/Flying type took care of them both pretty quickly. Smoochum saw her cue as she gave Pete another kiss on the head, before heading off. Pete smiled as she left, thankful that he had one other friend that he could count on. He was getting to the point where he couldn't count on John anymore...and vice versa.

Pete finally sighed and stated, "My apologizes Darla."

John added, "Mine too."

Darla sighed herself as she replied, "I liked it better when I didn't have to come down here every week to break you two out of a fight." She paused then added, "So that's why I am not taking the both of you to London."

"What?!" John and Pete both blurted out at the same time, earning a glare from the other twin.

Darla waved her hands up as an indication that she wasn't finished. John and Pete looked at her with interest as she sighed. 'Seriously,' she thought, 'when are they gonna be their oldselves again?'