196 – Ball-Busting Brandy

196 – Ball-Busting Brandy

Brandy Joyce fucking loved Volleyball.

She's spared her Partners from talking about it; Arceus knows Cherry had been patient about it in their relationship, letting her babble about it while she played with Brandy's hair and tried to ride her shoulders. She wasn't afraid her Partners would be bored about the sport. They'd humor her and maybe even be interested, but Brandy knew how she got about it. Once she started, she wouldn't be able to stop. Hard-hits tips, rolls, and off-speed shots, all the good stuff. Brandy was an Outside Hitter, of course, the one who slammed the points home, but she doubled as a Setter when the team needed it. Setters were calculating ones who took the second hit of the ball and gave the Hitter their moment to shine. Being a good Setter was like being a good Trainer; you didn't get all the glory of the final point-scoring hit, but without you, it wouldn't be happening.

Brandy felt like she'd be a Setter if she picked it back up. She'd let other people enjoy the cheers.

There was a beach volleyball area set up, and a big-whiskered Mienshao and a purple-haired human with a cardigan tied around her waist with long floppy sleeves were batting a ball back and forth. Her face was scrunched up in concentration and absolutely covered in sweat. She breathed a sigh of relief when Maple quickly negotiated a turn on the court. Meinshao was a Fighting Type, just like Maple's Mom. Self-improvement was a massive deal for them; they had a really bad habit of running their Partners ragged. Or good habit if you were into that sort of thing.

It meant the court was theirs. Which meant Beach Volleyball!

Brandy Joyce fucking loves Volleyball. This fact has been repeated just to press the point home clearly. The locker room planning, the meals together, the championships! The girls trying to use her like a climbing frame for photos and Coach Caramel egging them along the whole way. It was all so much fun and really spoke to just how intense all the Pokémon adventuring had been so far that Brandy hadn't missed it. Something that had been almost her whole life once had been filled up with Pokémon instead. Which was fine! Pokémon were better, no question about that.

But if she could have cake and eat it ...

"Whose plan was this?" Brandy asked as they took to the court, separating out into teams. "I know this wasn't spur of the moment. You got that ball from somewhere."

"Calcine mentioned you loved it," Morgan said, "Sparky has been gushing about it, and I planned it with Maple. We want to see you strut your stuff."

"Well, Sparky's on my team," Brandy grabbed the bug, pulling her in for a hair ruffle and a kiss on the head. "So she gets the reward."

"Seeing you this giddy is reward enough," Calcine says as she took a spot beside Marina. It was so strange to see someone taller than Calcine. Brandy was used to being the giant in any group; even the Carkol only matched her height. Marina towered over them both, a placid expression on her face as her shining silver eyes watched Maple's every move.

Moves that included turning Brandy's head and pulling her down to sneak a kiss for herself. Warm lips with just a taste of vanilla in her lip gloss made Brandy's heart flutter as they tapped foreheads. "I'm on your team too. Share the credit."

A thin wire wound around them all, a buzzing ball on the end bouncing off the side of Maple's chest. Holly's tail, the blue mouse girl hiding her no doubt evil grin with a hand. "I didn't do anything, but I'll take a kiss."

"This sucks," Mahi growled from the other side of the net as she rolled the Volleyball around in her hands. "Nobody to kiss on this team. Should have given us a Trainer each."

Morgan fluttered a wing at Mahi, "Play the long game, gorgeous. We'll win this, and they'll have to give you as many kisses as you want." Morgan tipped her hat to cover her face so she could conspiratorily and loudly whisper, "I'm sure we could conspire on some follow-ups."

"Fuck yeah." Mahi lifted up her Volleyball, "Brandy! Quit smooching our Maple and tell us the rules. I only know Water Polo."

"I would like to see Maple serve," Marina nodded, "She was paying close attention. I'm sure she could replicate it."

"I love Volleyball," Sparky whistled. "New favorite sport."

Calcine bowled the ball under the net for Maple to catch. Maple nestled it under her chest, her white and gold swimsuit stretched to near breaking. Brandy knew Maple was strong; she had a Fighting Type mom and a Falinks, which were a lot to handle for any woman. But other than using it to pick up Brandy now and then, she'd never really shown off her strength. Now was a chance to see if the others would get a volley going.

Maybe a nudge wouldn't hurt.

"Okay, this one we're doing an actual point for." Brandy said, "You don't hit this one back, then that's your fault!"

"Fiesty Brandy," Mahi grinned, "I like this assertive redhead we've found. Is she new?"

"Always was," Calcine said as she took a stance, ready to leap to match a serve. "The fire just waited inside."

"Aim it at Mahi," Brandy whispered. Maple shook her head at her as she tossed the ball up for a serve. Then Maple hit it hard. Really, really hard, the thump of the ball deafeningly loud as she battered it right up into the sky so high the sun obscured it. Maple even had time to take a bow before it started to come back down.

"I played Volleyball a bit in high school. Though I was always more of a Soccer girl myself."

"Oh, we're going to lose so badly," Mahi groaned. "The humans actually know what they're doing."

The ball came down like a meteor, Calcine biting her lip as she tried to judge where it would hit. She didn't really have hope; it was screaming in so fast even Brandy would have had to break a sweat to meet it. They may have to go easy on them.

The ball stuttered in the air, green lines flowing off it before it was slowed even further by a sudden spray of water. Morgan and Mahi were at the back of the court, Morgan waving her hands as she called out directions for Mahi to aim with her hands. After a few hits, the ball came down almost leisurely, Marina standing on tiptoes to slap it. Calcine's way before Calcine met it with a two-handed uppercut that had it sailing back over to Brandy's side.

"Cheats!"

"Not against the rules." Morgan grinned. "We didn't use our legs or my Hat. Where in the rules does it say a Pokémon can't play Volleyball?"

Well! Two could play at that game. Holly and Sparky were on Brandy's team; if they wanted to open up Moves as an option, they'd darn well use them.

Brandy smiled as she stepped back to prepare to lay up one of the other three. This is better. They wouldn't need to go easy on the other team at all. In fact, if she wanted to keep up with them, she'd have to go all out. Volleyball harder than she ever had before.

That. She could do.