FLOOD [Pokémon]

Chapter 22

NERO

Saturday, March 24, 2018

I drummed my fingers impatiently on the table as Kuma placed a hand on Jude's forehead.

"Dizziness?" she asked. "Shortness of breath? Nausea? Any warmth to speak of?"

"No," Jude grunted crossly. "No, no, no. Are...you done?"

"Why?" Kuma snapped. "You've somewhere to be, boy?"

His good eye strayed over towards the stretch of grass surrounding the Sand Dollar — the merkids were laying out on long towels and mats, doing some stretching exercises under the watchful eye of a human girl in a Seawatchers T-shirt.

"Good!" she was saying as she walked down a line of kids. "Now keep your legs up and spread them wide, wide as you can. Come on!"

The children obeyed, some of them complaining that it hurt or that it was too hard. My fingers tapped faster.

"Put out ye tongue," Kuma said.

"For...pity's...sake," Jude growled.

"Just do as yer told, whelp, before I get angry."

Jude reluctantly complied, and Kuma peered in, tilting his head to the side. "Any strangeness last night?" she asked me. "Gills appearin'? Seizures? Sickness?"

"No," I said, and even to me, I sounded cranky. "Slept like a suckling babe the whole night." And I had been up the whole night — partly because of the strengthening Drought fever boiling in my head, urging me to return to the water, partly because of the conversation with Simeon, partly because of the unfamiliar bed I'd crammed myself in last night with Jude. They — Simeon, a couple of other Seawatchers — offered me a room of my own, but I'd refused; I'd determined that I wasn't going to leave Jude on his own for a moment in this strange place.

Today, that sentiment was beginning to wane; my head hurt, I was thirsty, and I was hungry for news, but instead of getting it I was sitting around in the sun, listening to Kuma and Jude bicker while I got sunburned.

"Hmm." Kuma leaned back, finally releasing Jude. "All appears to be in order. Though to be certain, I'll have ye take another spoonful of medicine before bed, and I won't hear otherwise."

Jude made a face, but turned his attention back over to where the kids were stretching. They were planking now — or some of them were. Most had given up on the form, collapsing onto their bellies even as the Seawatcher encouraged them to try again. One of them was Dinah — she kicked her feet in protest, and then tickled her friend, who was actually trying, making her scream and collapse.

All at once, Jude stood up, his brow furrowed in determination. He took a shaky step... Then paused, looked uncertainly back at me.

"Arceus' sake," Kuma groaned. "Will ye join in or not? Standin' there ditherin' won't help."

"I..." Suddenly, he sounded desperately nervous. "Don't...wanna...interrupt—"

"Who gives a care? They cater to ye, boy — that be their job. If ye seek to join, ye shall join."

Jude glanced at me again. Digging my fingers into my hair, I said, "It's either join or pace in place. And I'm already tired of seeing you pace in place."

Looking indignant, Jude swung around, squaring his shoulders before marching across the Pavilion towards the kids. He stiffened when some of then turned his way, but continued rigidly to the Seawatcher girl, who gave him a friendly smile and leaned over when he spoke—he must've been whispering.