I Want To Lay the Very Best!

195 – Snuggles in the Sun

Maple had saved them spots with some extra towels on the sand, and after some shuffling around and Rock Tombing an Umbrella, Brandy was able to take a breather and just enjoy the sight of Maple and her new Pokémon partner. Calcine and Morgan immediately lept on Marina to ask more about her, leaving Brandy to take in the sights with Maple and Mahi.

There was a lot for Brandy's new eyes to enjoy. Brandy had expected to see skin from Maple when she'd hopped off the back of Marina's metal corset, but she was actually wearing a really sporty, figure-hugging one-piece made of messy white and gold stripes with a sharp black trim to separate the swimsuit colors from her silky looking skin. She hadn't changed much since Brandy last saw her, but Maple was already gorgeous. Inheritance didn't have a lot to fix. Maybe she was a little fitter? Her skin a bit glossier and smoother than before?

Still effortlessly stunning, and Maple knew it. She had an amused smile on her face as Brandy watched her straighten out her team's towels. Mahi was by her side, her swimsuit nothing more than a few strips of white fabric, letting her own white and red frills do most of the work of making her look fashionable. She waved to Brandy with two fingers as if scratching an itch in the air.

"Maple looks a treat, doesn't she?" Mahi said. Brandy has been expecting a barb there or some squirt bottle-based trick, but no. Just a little teasing. Maybe she really was going to bury the hatchet with their rivalry finally. "You're barely wearing a stitch, Brandy, but respect. It works for you almost as good as it does for me."

Was that a compliment? Truly Brandy was in new waters.

"Maple looks incredible. Hey Mahi. It's been a while," Brandy said. She held out her hand to shake, but Mahi just stared at it with her eyebrows raised. Brandy's skin began to crawl from embarrassment. "Uh..."

Mahi pushed the hand gently out of the way and stepped up to Brandy, arms wide and an almost innocent smile on her face. She embraced Brandy, the hug firm and close, with a peck on the cheek.

"There's only one reason you should shiver around me Brandy Joyce," Mahi grinned, "And we'll save that for tonight. Relax."

Mahi's voice was a low and soft purr, her words a mix of honesty and shameless flirtation. Her sea-blue eyes sparked with what Brandy could only describe as a fiery lust. In the tight hug, Brandy could feel her nerves reacting in a confused panic, her body growing warmer and warmer as Mahi's unfairly perfect chest pressed against the bottom of hers. Mahi looked up from her cleavage with a predatory grin; it was a sight that got the blood racing with excitement and apprehensive fear. Brandy's heart had reached her throat before Maple caught Mahi's frills and tugged her back into a kiss.

"Mahi, what did we discuss?" Maple affectionately admonished.

"I'm trying," Mahi said, "Brandy's such a spicy treat. You can't blame me for wanting a bite."

Maple snorted and gave Mahi a pat on the butt, grabbing it and turning her around. "Sparky and Holly are catching up. Go share some stories and cool off. Please?"

"Because it's you." Mahi blew a kiss to Maple. Then reloaded and fired a second at Brandy. Brandy caught the kiss in the air and ate it, poking her tongue out at the Goldeen. "Keep that tongue warm for me. Enjoy the making up and making out, you two lovebirds."

Maple watched her go, softly shaking her head, before dragging Brandy down onto the towel, their limbs all a tangle as they both got comfortable until Maple slipped into the curve of Brandy's taller body.

"She's trying," Maple said up close. "Local Water Gym's had us all a bit weepy since we cleared it. It's been nice helping her be more confident in herself."

"More?" Brandy laughed gently, "That's like pouring a cup of water into the sea."

"You'd have said that about me just as we left school. Then I discovered I wasn't as big a deal as I thought and had to rebuild myself." Maple ducked her head to snag her hair into Brandy's fingers. Brandy eventually took the hint, stroking her hair and patting her head simultaneously. Maple's feet kicked happily in the spoony hug as Brandy petted away. "Mahi's trying to be better. I've picked up quite the mess of a team, and helping them fix things feels good. Like a bit of penance."

"Penance? For what?"

With a frown crossing her face, Maple's head shifted on Brandy's arm. It was there just a moment before she took a deep breath and sank back into the petting. "Looking down on people, thinking I was better. You did some nice work on me. I'm all pleasant now."

"You were never that bad," Brandy kissed the top of Maple's head. The sun beating down on her skin felt so lovely, the warmth of Maple's body up close helping keep her new internal engine running nicely. "A bit prissy, but you still cared for us. I guess Mahi wasn't that bad either, a bit sour about me, but she's been treating you right?"

"Best girl," Maple grinned, "Well, best of three. Holly's been trying hard, but I'll let her tell her story when she's ready. Marina is..."

Brandy and Maple looked over to Marina, who had made some bumps on her silvery corset for Calcine and Morgan to climb atop, using her back to get a view of the beach.

"She's an angel who was running herself to pieces trying to make everyone happy. Mahi and I are trying to teach her to be more assertive. She has a good heart, but she crumbles way too fast if she thinks you want something and she isn't giving it. Hard to believe she's that soft, right?"

It was. Marina was tall and looked supremely confident. The blue-skinned beauty was even taller than Brandy, and it was hard not to feel a bit of jealousy about it. Brandy was Maple's tall girlfriend! Now, she'd have to be something else.

A good cuddler was a potential for the future. Watching their Partners play about as they hugged together was the perfect destress after the long journey through the caves. The blue-mousey Marill, Holly, and Sparky were working on a fancy handshake together, hands beating together in a blur while Mahi tried to keep up with it all in polite bemusement. Morgan perched atop Marina and fluttered her wings to give the Lapras, the appearance of a gigantic black-winged beast. It got a lot of looks and applause, which she was enjoying.

"I mean, I'm tall and gorgeous," Brandy smiled, "So I can relate to being a bit soft."

"Not soft in the right places," Maple smirked, squeezing Brandy's stomach. "Go easy on her. We're trying to find her voice. She loves to back the team up and does it flawlessly, but she's still working on her personality. We got her the dress to help bring out that voice some. Do you think it's good?"

Brandy wasn't exactly the best when it came to judging fashion. Some people acted like it was beneath them, but Brandy wasn't like that; she knew clothes could make a look. Her recent introduction to short skirts really helped team cohesion, and they were just fun. You could swish them and make people drool! How could you not love that?

Also, while it seemed frivolous, it was a critical Trainer skill. If you put in the real effort with clothes, you could get an even more significant effect than a bit of drooling. The maid dresses they'd gotten at Motostoke were beautiful works of art. Brandy had felt strangely powerful in her dress as women had fawned over her. She'd felt like she could take on the world with just a smile.

Pokémon clothing was a strange thing with unique properties, far more important than human clothing.

Morgan's witchy hat, with its triple peaks and wide brim, was as much a part of the woman as her feathers. It didn't come off unless she wanted it to; Brandy had never seen her without it. Cassidy had only gotten a peak right before they parted ways. It was essential to Morgan, a look she wouldn't be complete without.

Finding the right clothes was important, and while Brandy was still finding her style, her increasing comfort with her body excited Brandy to find something that fit her as well as Pokémon clothes did.

Marina showed off what it could be like once you'd mastered it. Her glittering blue dress was swept back into four long capes like dragonfly wings that fluttered about as she moved. Over it was her shining silver corset, which grew bumps for people to hold onto and clung to her body so the dress could be the show's star. She was chilled frost in motion, her shining dress drifting behind her and lighting her blue skin. Impossibly beautiful.

"I can feel your heartbeat," Maple smiled, "Got my answer."

"Maybe that's just because I can feel your butt." Brandy teased, "I've missed you. I caught a blackbird while you were gone. You'll love her."

"I thought she was your kidnapper," Maple laughed. Morgan had briefly pretended on the train to be that. It'd lasted about as long as it needed to before it devolved into more sexy roleplay. "I want a proper talk with all of you. So much to catch up on."

There was a thump, and sand sprayed over them as something dug a divot into the ground beside their towel. They were both spitting sand and squawking, looking back to see who'd done it. Calcine and Morgan, trying to look innocent, hid behind Marina, who just shrugged and thumbed at them.

"We've been here five minutes!" Brandy huffed, "You troublemakers bored already?"

Brandy looked at what they'd thrown and bit her lip with excitement. Maple reached out and picked it out of the sand.

"Brandy." Maple turned the beach volleyball in her hands. "I think they're challenging us."

"If they want to start trouble, we'll end it," Brandy grinned.

"Marina's on our side! Team captain!" Morgan called over, "I'm not playing if I have to fight both your tall butts. I want a chance to win."

Brandy laughed. She didn't know who she was messing with. Brandy had lived and breathed Volleyball. "We'll pick from the others and make two teams. If we win, the Trainers are in charge today!"

"If we win, then the Pokémon call the shots," Calcine said, giving Marina's arm a friendly punch. "I'd love to see what Big M here comes up with when I've melted her a little."

"Problem," Maple said, "There are only two Trainers; the two Pokémon on our side will throw the match."

"No, not necessarily," Brandy said, "We just need to pick the Pokémon who want us to be in charge. That means we get Sparky, and from your team ... uh ... who'd fit?"

"If we can't have Marina, we should grab Holly. She'd love to be in charge but hates losing way more. She'll fight like hell."

They had picked the two shortest Pokémon for their side, but Brandy was still confident. She was the Volleyball Queen, and these brats needed to learn not to throw their balls in the sand.

She was just going to ignore Morgan's sly smile. The Murkrow was a cheat, but there was no way she could cheat at Volleyball.

Well. Probably not. It was Morgan, after all. If Holly hated losing, she'd get along great with Morgan because they shared that trait.

Damn, Morgan was definitely going to cheat. But Brandy knew the rules for Volleyball like the back of her hand. How did Morgan think she'd slip one by her this time?