I Want To Lay the Very Best!

213 – Two Shots of Brandy

They were greeted by a Whimsicott upstairs before they got lost in the crowds around the arena walls. Not an actual Pokémon one, but a human dressed up as one, with a greenhorn headband and an absolutely huge puffy white jacket. She looked hot, not in the sexy way but in the 'wearing a giant white coat on a warm day' way. The slightly sharp edges to her teeth and the yellow blush around her eyes certainly weren't inheritances helping her cool off. Poor thing. 

"So exciting! You both ready?" she asked, with the kind of put-on cheerfulness of someone who had a job to do and needed to break the ice quickly.

"I desperately need to be kissed by a cute Whimsicott, actually," Sparky said, grabbing up at her. "It's a condition I have, very problematic."

She actually went for it, brushing Sparky's hair back and giving her a kiss on the forehead. Sparky giggled to herself with a buzz in her throat that thrummed away happily. "Ooh, electric lips. I like you."

"I'm a delight. What about you, Ma'am?" the Whimsicott Mascot said, "Anything you need?"

"I am curious about electric lips." Brandy said, "But really, it's fine."

The woman went on tiptoes to kiss Brandy's chin, her lips fizzling pleasantly against Brandy's skin. It was like a less intense Sparky kiss, quite soothing in a way. She took her time with it, bunches of Brandy's dress in her head as she let the kiss drag on and on. Licking her lips when she finally retreated, looking expectantly at Brandy. 

"I remain curious about them," Brandy rubbed the wet spot on her cheek, the lingering fizzling sensation tickling her fingers. She'd never really thought to have Sparky crackle up her fingers. They should try that sometime. "You look like you need to get some shade, so I'm happy for you to explain things."

"Can't help myself around hottie Trainers worth any amount of heat." the Whimsicott Mascot said, gnashing at the air a few times as she led them along the cruise deck by the wrists. "But I'm just here to do a quick refresher of the rules with you."

Pokémon Tournaments took some special preparation. Pokémon loved to fight, and their Trainers fought with them, but there was no getting around that things could get wrecked fast when Pokémon really cut loose. Every good arena or gym had walls to contain that power, either constructed from special materials, or a Pokémon would create one using a Move like Trick Room. It depended on what was available. They were all built so the crowds could look in, but things didn't get out. Nobody wanted to be on the wrong end of a Flamethrower if they didn't sign up for it. 

The Whimsicott Mascot led them along the railing on the ship's edge, which had set sail while they'd all be downstairs. The crowd stands to the side, and beyond that, a tall, see-through crystal wall with just the hint of rainbow filmy color, like a soap bubble. With a flash of her lanyard to two people guarding a door underneath the crowded seating stands, she ushered Brandy and Sparky inside. 

"They'll be announcing you shortly. The last two are just finishing up." the Mascot said, the dull roar of the crowd above them.

"I can't wait for the TV replays," Sparky sighed, "They were rocking the boat so hard I'm worried for their hips."

"It certainly tested the barriers," the Mascot smirked, "Since this battle is on a cruise ship, I would ask you not to try to tip it over. If it happens, we've got people on standby to contain it, but it'd be a disqualifying move. Same for trying to drill a hole right through the boat. We've made this arena tough; you can cut loose out there; just please don't deliberately try to sink us."

"I don't think I have anything that could do that," Brandy said hesitantly. Calcine and her Fire Stone would make her much bigger, but how big could a Coalossal be? Not sinking the ship sized, surely. "Is this warning because of the Gardevoir we saw?"

"It's for all of you, though, maybe especially her," the Mascot nodded. "You're a powerful bunch this year. It's going to make some great highlights. But everybody's safety is our concern, too. We've healers on standby for injuries, and the Judges will step in if they think someone might get seriously hurt. Have you met Mercury?"

"Brandy nearly beat her," Sparky said, "They called it a draw and need a rematch."

"Really?" the Mascot bit her lip and reassessed Brandy, roving her eyes up and down the tall Maid. "I'm going to find Cy and bet on you as soon as we're done here. Anyone who can take all that on her own and get a draw will crush out there."

"Familiar with her are you?" Sparky teased. "Surprised you can walk straight if that's your taste."

"Trainers are the ones who try to take her on solo. I was sensible enough to have a few friends helping." she held up a finger for silence as Sparky whistled at her, "Anyway, Mercury is our Pokémon judge; if she steps in, you're to stop fighting, okay? She's doing it for all your safety."

Brandy and Sparky nodded, and the Mascot clapped happily.

"Perfect! You're making this so easy. I love it. Quick reminder for the rest of the rules! The Judges have a bell they'll ring; when they ring it, you can bring out one more of your Pokémon. The second bell you can have your whole team out. They'll ring it when they feel like one side is losing, so if you watched previous matches, don't expect it to happen at the same time."

Brandy hadn't, but it was good to know she hadn't missed out on an advantage because of it. 

"Beyond that, just the usual rules. Care for your opponent is more important than victory. Don't leave the arena or try to throw your opponent out. Don't argue with our Judge's decisions, and remember you have an audience. If you want to fight especially dirty, that's the reputation you'll come out of here with."

All the basics they'd gotten drilled into them at college. Tournament fights looked intense, and their rivalries could be emotional, but no one ever became a champion by being genuinely unlikable. If you were so unpleasant nobody wanted to battle you, you were cooked as a Trainer. 

"We're all set," Sparky said, bouncing on her heels. "Thanks, you've been a peach."

"I'm as sweet as one, too; if you want to celebrate after it's all done, I can prove it." the Mascot said, waving to the double doors that faced the arena. "You're good to go as soon as you hear your names. Give the crowd a bit of a show when you go out! Not that you'll find that hard. Your outfits are killer."

"So we just got to wait?" Brandy said. She could do with getting her Steam Engine warmed up a bit, but there wasn't really a source of heat nearby. 

Unless...

"We just got to wait." The Mascot nodded. "Any questions?" 

"No," Brandy smiled, sliding a hand under the Mascot's chin and stroking her throat. Tipping up those eyes with the little yellow freckles and giving her a big, hungry smile. "But I do have some ideas."

---

"And facing her, all the way from Turrfield." someone called over the tannoy. It sounded familiar to Brandy, but she couldn't place the name. She was focused on battling the Mascot lady's tongue. She'd become a rather warm puddle of jelly in her arms as she was pressed up to the wall, one leg hooked under Brandy's arm to raise her up. "She broke the Grass Gym, and she'll break her hearts. Brandy Joyce and her Team. Maid For This!"

Sparky webbed Brandy's back and physically pulled her off the Mascot, who slipped to the ground in a stunned daze. 

"I was coming!" Brandy said, wiping the spit from her mouth. 

"No, she was coming; you were just getting warmed up." Sparky grinned and pushed Brandy out the double doors. 

The roar of the crowd hit them like a physical slap. A wall of noise, an excited wind of energy that swept them forward and out onto the arena. Brandy took a deep breath of fresh, salty sea air and let her ears adjust to the din as she grabbed the edges of her dress and performed a perfect curtsey. Sparky scrambled up her back and hung off her head, blowing crackling electric kisses into the air.

The crowd responded to their entrance by screaming all the harder. Brandy knew her outfits were good, but she'd never had such a viscerally loud affirmation. People were going downright feral past the soap-bubble-coloured walls. Thankfully, from the inside, things were a little blurry, like you were viewing the crowd through water, so she didn't have to see any pretty faces, making it even worse for herself. 

Brandy looked across the arena instead, which had a hazard that Sparky would thrive in. The arena had a swimming pool in the center, taking up about half the space. The wooden planks surrounding it were decorated with sunchairs, colorful umbrellas, and a few drinks on some side tables. They must have torn the place up from all the ship rocking, yet it looked pristine. Pokémon moves could really work miracles.

Across the pool, Dinah had switched her costume. She was wearing a Wooloo costume now, but her fluffy hair was replaced with colorful patches, and her black eyes were just two messy squiggles. Wren was still wearing her lab coat, but on seeing Brandy, she smiled and undid the top button and then, with a flourish, threw it out into the pool. 

Brandy blinked when she saw what was underneath. How had she done this? Had the Mimikyu made it while they were waiting to go out?

It was a copy of Brandy's dress down to every frilly lace. As Wren straightened up and smiled, her hair began to shimmer, coiling up on itself. The long black waves arched back into deep red spikes, her eyes deepening to a bright red glow. "Love you, Brandy!" Wren yelled, making a heart over her chest with her fingers. "I told you, you're my new obsession."

"Yes," Sparky said. "Oh, I am so glad I am first now. Brandy, she's you! She's copying you."

"That's going to make this a little weird?" Brandy groaned. She'd inherited the Mimikyu's Disguise ability. Of course she had. 

"No, no, no. You don't get it. She's you, but she's still short!" Sparky grinned madly. "You're going to get to top yourself!"

She was still short. Wren could copy Brandy, but that couldn't make up for over half a foot in height. This did not make it any less weird. More so even as she was now like Brandy's miniature twin. Maybe that was Dinah's sneaky plan to copy her opponents so well they got self-conscious. Brandy had thought Wren was sweet, and she was, but she'd forgotten the Ghost Ace part. 

"It'll be strange." Brandy bit her lip. "I could do it for you."

"Brandy," Sparky gasped. "Maple is watching, do it for her. Do it for me. Do it for all of us. Do yourself." 

Maple was going to be absolutely screaming with excitement, and the idea of Calcine and Morgan coming out to this was both funny and exciting. They were going to melt, and Calcine and Lixi had fucked her brains out; she kind of owed her fiery rock a fun twins' experience. Maybe Brandy was going to feel a little weird doing this purely for the sex. But she was part Bug at heart, too. Could she do this for the bit?

She absolutely could.

"All right then." Brandy pounded a fist into her palm. "C'mon Sparky, it's time to go fuck myself."