60 – Moving On Up

60 – Moving On Up

They had never worked out which Pokémon had caused the pressed-down ground used to find Shay, so it was nice to get that answered as Shay left. Cardia was still a bit sleepy after sating her hunger, but with some coaxing from Nicola and Shay, she'd taken a few steps, and a wheel of red and blue light crackled into life around her. It looked a little ridiculous for them all to be walking in a giant wheel, but every small step from Cardia amplified the wheel's movement, and soon it was purring as it built up speed and churned up the ground.

Shay and Nicola held onto Cardia as her cheeks crackled. She broke into a run, the Aura Wheel bouncing a few times before it bit into the dirt and then really picked up speed. With a poke of their tongues over the shoulder, Shay and Nicola grew distant from the group, rapidly speeding up a hill and bouncing right over the top, away out of sight.

"You think they'll actually apologize?" Calcine said, emptying some water from her canteen into her hand and trying to clean up Sparky's face. Savaging Shay had her cheeks shining with spit and juices, and Sparky let her scrub her clean without any real complaint.

"I think a Dark Trainer does what they say they will," Sparky said, "I don't think Cardia and Nicola would put up with her if she wasn't at least very forward."

Brandy had grabbed her Poké-dex number, so she could always yell at them later if she didn't.

"Shame we didn't see her other partners," Brandy said as she took a drink from her own canteen. She'd actually come out of the battle without getting into too much of a mess this time. It was more to wash the taste of Calcine down. It wasn't that she disliked it, but she had a spicy edge that didn't sit well in the mouth.

"We might next time," Calcine said. "I don't think she's the type to take a loss and leave it at that."

"Well, let's get back to things," Sparky said, "Walking. With our legs. Like some suckers."

Calcine tugged at Sparky's cheeks. "Neither of us has Travel moves. Deal with it."

"I can ball you," Brandy said, patting the binding balls on her hip. "I don't mind walking."

"You got long legs. You're built for walking," Sparky huffed. "And I don't want to miss seeing them in action."

As expected really, new Partners didn't like being in the ball much. Once things had settled down, it'd get more common for Calcine and Sparky to rest up, especially in big groups. Better to enjoy a nap than fight everyone for attention.

"Shamelessly praising my legs is nice," Brandy said, giving her skirt a flick for Sparky's amusement. "But finding Mercury is our next task, and we still don't know where she is. Nearby maybe? Shay was on her trail too."

Calcine was looking thoughtfully at Brandy's legs. "We should bait her out."

"Oh no, I know what you're thinking."

"Sometimes a plan is just so good you can't avoid it."Reêad latest novels at novelhall.com

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Brandy was quite happy she'd won her first real trainer battle. Especially against someone who had a good bit of experience to her name. "We'd have lost if she controlled her own just a little better."

"But she didn't," Sparky said, bouncing on Calcine's shoulders until Calcine clamped down on her thighs. "She got cocky. Dark need to be firm."

"You think we should take her tip? I don't know how a Dark Type would fit the team."

"From a Weakness perspective, she'd be great. We'd have someone to take the lead in any fight, and it's down to if you can control her."

If she was like Nicola, she didn't think she'd struggle. Praising the Nickit had been fun, and she'd quickly bent to Brandy's commands. On the other hand, Cardia didn't seem like someone you could control. You just tried to point them the right way and hoped the result worked out. Or they could be a whole bundle of their own problems. Calcine and Sparky were pretty well-behaved, though she'd never tell Sparky that it'd just encourage her. Was she up for a challenge?

"We could see what she's like, then decide if you're happy with it. Though I still want a Fighting type someday."

"Just want abs!" Sparky said, "We see through you."

Brandy wanted to argue, but it wasn't entirely wrong. Lenna had been a treat, and while Partners weren't all about raw attraction, it certainly didn't hurt.

"Mercury has plenty of abs," Calcine said, letting out a satisfied grunt as she crested the hill and stretched, shaking Sparky off her shoulders. "We could just capture her."

Sparky hopped down nimbly, giving a twirl before falling back on the hilltop grass. "Let's not break out streak by doing something that stupid. This is already a crazy plan!"

"It'll work," Brandy said. "Trust me"

They both did. That was the nice thing. They didn't even need to say it; Brandy just knew they had her back on this.

"So we're going to lure her in with my legs? I'm still not sure how she'd notice."

"Mercury's got a sixth sense for pretty women. She'll notice." Calcine said, "Psychic isn't for show. You get in the right mood. She'll find you."

"And up here, see me too, right? So how do I get in the mood?"

Sparky and Calcine grinned.

Oh, right. Brandy probably should have seen this one coming.