200 – Pure Maple Syrup

200 – Pure Maple Syrup

Maple had always tried to be perfect.

A lot of people found that idea aspirational. To be the very best, without any flaws. Beloved by all, never a lose a fight, always immaculately dressed and dazzling. Her moms had always supported her in this, their perfect little girl. Top of the class and star of the team. She'd let it go to her head, thinking that she was just better than everyone. She hadn't meant to be nasty about it; she wasn't a bully. Maple genuinely wanted to make people smile. She'd just gotten so self-centered about it that she thought her presence alone should be enough to cheer people up.

That the world revolved around her.

Then she'd met Brandy Joyce, a girl who genuinely brightened the day of everyone she'd met. Earnestly enthusiastic, shamelessly obsessed with Pokémon, and far too giving with her time. An accomplished athlete but far from the model student like Maple was and yet. Everyone liked her, and it didn't matter how accomplished Maple was or how frequently she beat Brandy at tests. No amount of Soccer medals could make people look at her the way they looked at Brandy.

Maple should have felt angry. Her position at the school's top was being usurped entirely by accident. For some, that'd be enough to start a spiteful campaign to knock her down a peg. Thankfully, Maple wasn't like that; she wanted to prove to Brandy that she was special. She could make the girl who was such a delight to be around smile at her in the same way.

Hadn't stopped her from turning Brandy down when she offered to hang out. It was just too dangerous. What if Brandy didn't find her cool? What if the closer she got to Maple, the less she liked about her?

On reflection. Really stupid. Brandy had space in her heart for the whole world.

The edge of her lips twisted into a grimace. Maple brought a foot down on the wooden pallet, cracking one of the planks. Stomping things was so much fun, and between her and Calcine, they quickly turned the wooden pallets into a big pile of firewood. A few people had begged them for bits, and they'd resolved to get the whole thing done. The stamping and tearing weren't ladylike activities, but rending apart wood was kind of meditative. Calcine was just as focused working with her, while Sparky watched them both laying on the sand, legs kicking in the air and the smugest look on her face.

"She's thinking of a wood pun," Calcine said. "That's what the grin means."

"Wrong, I'm grinning because two gorgeous girls are showing off their muscles. I've got so many wood puns lined up. I'm just not sure which to pick."

"Knot sure?" Maple asked, "Wood you make up your mind already?"

"Oh fuck, is that what my jokes are like?" Sparky groaned. "Calcine! Tell me I'm funnier than that."

"You are an impossibly odd Bug." Calcine smiled, "One of a kind."

"Kind of an insult in there, but I know it's one of love. Love you too, Calcine." Sparky flicked sparks at Calcine, bouncing them off her dark skin as she turned her big blue eyes Maples way. "So you tell a lot of puns? Brandy hates puns. She only uses them to hurt us."

"No, not really," Maple laughed politely. "Holly tells a lot of sex jokes, but that's it for my group. Funny isn't our thing."

"Dewpider. I'm telling you. You want some absolutely filthy sex jokes for Holly. A Dewpider can't be beat. They'll make your ears burn off."

The thought of it was a little funny. Holly could be bad sometimes, especially when she was down bad for someone. Adding someone even worse to the team probably wouldn't help things, but it would lead to some jokes that could set the air on fire.

"Got a smile!" Sparky raised her arms. "You've been in a mizzy all evening."

"Sorry," Maple said, trying to keep the smile going. Mizzy. Willow had used that word whenever Maple returned from school with a miserable attitude. She hadn't thought anyone else in the world even used it. "Just lost in thought a bit."

"I get it," Calcine took Maple's arm and guided her down to the sand. "What's bothering you?"

Where to start? Brandy's team was so ...

Maple looked over to the Wingull, all sitting on the fence eating chip cones, even offering a few to Morgan, who got the prime spot in the center. Wingull's offering up food? It was all so backward. Nothing about it made sense. But it was delightful to watch. Brandy's team was full of that. Disarming in how much of a mess they could be. Still bringing out the best in people.

Calcine's comforting smile and Sparky's eager eyes demanded stories, and Maple didn't have it in her to bottle her feelings up any more than they were. She needed a little bit of a vent.

"I worry I'm not a good Trainer." Maple said, "And other worries, too."

"Oh," Cacline said, "That's strange. Your team adores you. Holly's more relaxed. Mahi seems a lot happier."

"She was a bit of a bitch," Sparky said, throwing her hands up when Maple raised an eyebrow her way. "Just being honest! She didn't treat Brandy very nice."

"We've been working on it," Maple shuffled in the sand, trying to get comfy. Calcine offered an arm and a bit of her warm cape, and Maple wasn't so proud she'd pass up that gift. The heat made her skin prickle from the oncoming sweats, but it was still lovely. Like the warmth of the sun had come back. "I promise under there is a lot of love. She wants to impress her partners so badly it hurts. She gets wounded when it doesn't happen. Felt like Brandy had insulted her."

"Must be tough to handle," Calcine said diplomatically. Maple could feel the tension in her body. You insulted a Rock Types Trainer at your own risk, and that she could put it aside to empathize was just more of the strangeness that was Brandy's team. Maple wouldn't have minded a little yelling, Mahi and her deserved it.

She'd have to settle for at least owning it. "Good intentions don't excuse bad behavior."

Calcine pressed down with her fingers, sinking into Maple's muscle like butter. She shuddered in the grip, and the Carkol leaned to whisper in her ear. "I'll take care of you both. I'll take you apart with pleasure. Then I'll hold you all night and keep you warm. I'll let you rest on my body, safe and loved. I will drown you in the affection you both deserve."

"Well shit, now I'm hard," Sparky groaned. "Can't compete with you two sexpots."

Maple tried to clear her throat, though Calcine had gummed it up pretty thoroughly with her whispers.

"Doing okay, Maple?" Calcine asked the smile in her voice not matching the burning hunger in those red eyes.

"Fine. I'm fine," Maple lied. "All cheered up. Thanks for doing this."

"You are part of the team," Morgan tipped her hat. "Brandy has a huge crush on you. I think you're hot. It all works for me."

"Absolutely." Sparky nodded, "And I want some Brandy stories. Brandy gossip. Brandy tales. I want them."

"We've been teasing a lot," Calcine said as her cape shifted, a big hand pressing against Maple's tummy, holding her firmly in Calcine's grip. "But, and this is serious. If you're not in the mood or want some time alone to think, just ask. We'll make it happen. We want you to enjoy tonight. Not just for Brandy's sake."

"Thanks," Maple smiled, "Seriously. My team has my back, but it's nice to know you do too."

"I mean, I'll try," Sparky shrugged. "But Marina's got more back then I have ... me. Not sure I match up."

"Really?" Maple grinned. "Holly's told me stories. You might."

"Well, maybe you'll find out," Sparky said, bobbing on her front in the sand. "You know..."

Morgan covered her eyes with a wing. "Oh fuck, this is going to be a pun. I can hear the tone in her voice."

"You've got a great figure," Sparky said, ignoring Morgan's pain. "Curly and Blonde. Gorgeous eyes. Great tan. You truly are the ultimate Maple Plank."

Sparky kicked her legs, her grin so wide the top half of her head was in danger of falling off. Maple couldn't help a snort of a laugh get away from herself. She shouldn't encourage it; she really shouldn't, but it was so dumb she couldn't help herself.

"How does she even know that much about woodworking?" Morgan sighed.

"How do you know that much?" Maple giggled. "A Carpenter Bird, that's got to be a story."

"Yeah, not quite." Morgan offered Maple a hand. "You really want to hear about it? Or do you want to go flying before we get this fire going?"

Maple wanted both, but she took the flying. She could always worm the story out of Morgan while she was up there.

---

"I like her," Sparky said as she got up, dusting the sand from her fur. "She's trying. I like a trier."

"I hope she doesn't feel like she isn't good enough," Calcine said as she held out her arms for Sparky to pile wood into. "I don't think Brandy could handle a breakup."

"I trust in Brandy's ability to make her cum hard enough that she stops worrying about it; you should too," Sparky said as she dropped a few broken planks of pallet into Calcine's arms. "Doubter."

"Some things can't be fixed that easily. But, sometimes, they can."

"Oh, very wise," Sparky rolled her eyes. "Good job cheering her up. Maybe she'll make Mahi chill out tonight."

"I hope not. I was hoping to put Mahi in her place myself," Calcine rumbled, "I can think of at least one way you could keep her quiet."

"Don't feed my dick to the crazy fish lady," Sparky huffed, then paused, tossing a piece of wood in her palm. "Although, it would be fun to be a living choking hazard..."

Calcine shook her head as Sparky embellished her disastrous scenario. Looking after Maple hadn't been so bad. Her idiotic yellow bug took a bit more effort.

Worth it, though. The smiles were always worth it.