"She's said goodbye to the same Noibat four times now," Calcine said, arms folded as she watched Sparky run about, shaking hands. "I don't know if she's doing it on purpose."

"Probably on purpose," Brandy smiled as she watched Sparky spin around and shake hands with the same one again, "They deserve a little teasing. She can have her fun. Sure you don't want to come, Victoria?"

"My girls don't like the daylight much," Victoria said, giving everyone a polite curtsey, "And it's been a long time since we've lost a battle. They'll be squabbling all day anyway. You don't need to put up with that. Let me calm things down, and then maybe, sometime at night, when you're least expecting it. We'll come for a rematch."

"I already have a rival," Brandy blushed, "A Rapidash from back home. She's a bit driven."

"I could fight her for you." Victoria folded her arms. "I doubt she can bring anything a swarm of Noibat don't."

Morgan had her hands apart and waggled her eyebrows. Brandy wasn't sure Victoria could see eyebrow waggles with her sonar vision, but she seemed to get the gesture.

"Goodness," Victoria pushed her red-tinted glasses up her nose and shook her hair. "Tempting, but she's all yours. I'm saving a challenge like that for my first Noivern."

"First?" Saffira looked at the small swarm of Noibats that were mobbing Sparky, "What if they all evolve at once?"

"Then come to my funeral and tell everyone I died happy." Victoria laughed and clicked her tongue, the Noi's swarming around her. "I'll be seeing you around. Maybe you'll see me too."

She faded away. The glint of her glasses sparkled in the air before that also vanished. Brandy knew it was just Roost that made her disappear, but it was such a cool exit she didn't have the heart to poke at the space and ruin the illusion.

"I actually enjoyed this quite a lot," Calcine stretched her legs out and rolled her shoulders. Saffira stared at her like a starving dog the whole time. She had it so bad for Calcine that it was a little funny. "We're going to try to make up the time, Saffira, are you okay with a hard pace?"

"Love hard," Saffira nodded, "Rock Aces are all about the hard."

Sparky popped out of the air in front of them, gasping as she dragged herself along the invisible pile of Noibats. She flopped onto her face and slid down to the ground, bouncing off invisible elbows and wings until she landed in a heap before Brandy. 

"I think I'm good to go," Sparky groaned. "Let's get out of this mine before they suck me dry."

Brandy didn't ask if she meant sucked dry of blood. She knew the answer.

---

"You really don't have swimsuits?" Tansy said as she bounced on her heels just ahead of the group. It wasn't that she was leaving them behind or even hurrying them up. Tansy always seemed eager to see things first, chasing after Morgan in the air and occasionally racing up to the top of hills to take a peek at what was ahead before running back to tell Saffira.

It looked exhausting, but Nova and Saffira smiled and listened every time. Scratching behind her ears before sending the Rockruff off with a slap on the rear. Her enthusiasm was so earnest it was infectious. Brandy couldn't wait to get some greasy Hulbury street food and then hit the shops. Maybe not in that order. If she went into a changing room smelling of fried fat, someone would come in and take a bite. 

"I did have a swimsuit, but I've kind of outgrown it," Brandy smirked. "You must know how it is. Saffira's probably changed a lot too."

"She used to be tubby," Nova said. "Like a boulder."

"I was not!" Saffira punched Nova's arm, then sucked her knuckles when her arm bounced off Nova's tough dark blue skin. "I kept in shape because I wanted to be Rock Ace. But Nova has unrealistic standards."

"You were perfect," Tansy said as she swept up beside Saffira, running a hand over her side. "Now you're just more perfect."

"You'd love an actual rock if we told you it was Saffira," Nova snorted, "Your compliments don't count."

Brandy knew that wasn't true. Getting a dumb compliment always made her feel better. It didn't matter if it was completely stupid. The important thing was they cared enough to do it. Sparky rarely was honest with her feelings if she hadn't been fucked silly like last night, but Brandy knew her well enough to know that whatever she gave attention to, she cared about. In her own odd way. 

"Do we need swimsuits? Brandy could just swim nude." Sparky grinned. "Everyone will be too busy staring at her legs to notice anything else."

A perfect example. That was a compliment about her body! Also, probably a genuine suggestion. 

"You can see Brandy naked anytime," Nova said, "But you're only getting her in a swimsuit a few times a year."

"Only getting her out of one a few times a year, too," Calcine nodded. "Enjoy the novelty Sparky."

"I can't argue with hot rock ladies. You know what's best for me."

Nova and Calcine nodded at this wisdom. Sparky took it as her cue to help Tansy annoy Morgan, trying to net the flying Murkrow out of the sky while Tansy pulled on the webs like a kite string. Nova and Saffira were quieter when she wasn't about, and Calcine was happy to hold her hand and walk. It was peaceful, and Brandy enjoyed the calm before the storm.

The feeling stayed through a quick lunch where Saffira insisted on cooking on the camp stove. Not that she had to cook much, she was incredibly organized and had everything ready in little plastic tubs. Some onion rings and little spicy vegetable bites in little pastry parcels that were really good. It was mild enough; even Sparky had one, though she made some funny faces the whole time she ate it. Morgan said she couldn't really taste spices, which Brandy knew was common with Flying types. Another thing to note for when she cooked, she'd have to buy a bottle of honey to add sweetness to Morgan's food. Also, a second backup bottle for when they inevitably used the first for sex stuff.

Shortly after lunch, they got to the top of a hill Morgan, Sparky and Tansy were waiting on. Striking poses as they waved to what was beyond. 

Hulbury! The sandy beaches packed with people and colorful umbrellas, the long old piers with all their shops. Scoria had won Brandy a Sharpedo plushy from the claw machines when she was really young, and she'd kept that thing until it was more patches than plushy. She'd also had her chips stolen by Wingulls, a tradition she wouldn't let happen to her again. The red and white striped lighthouse at the very end of the docks had a banner hanging off it with a puffy-haired Whimscott advertising the tournament. It was crazy Brandy could even see that from here, Sparky's eyes were something else. 

And the sea! Shining in the sun, stretching out in a great blue field to the horizon with little boats floating on it, and even one massive classy-looking white cruise liner going into port. 

It just all looked like good, wholesome fun, and Brandy couldn't wait to get down there. The Hulbury gym was the glazed cherry atop the cake. She'd been to it before; it was open to kids on holiday days, and it had been an absolute blast because the Hulbuy gym also doubled as a waterpark. She remembered every colorful slide and drop inside of it, the padded gantries under her feet. She had no idea how a waterpark would work for a gym challenge, and trying to peek didn't reveal anything. The gym's walls were made of glass like a giant fishbowl. You couldn't see anything inside it was all distorted, but the vivid color of the slides gave it a very cute rainbow pattern. A massive splash of water blossomed from the gym's top, splashing a few people relaxing on the grass outside. 

"Damn," Sparky whistled, "I hope we make that big a .... splash."

"I'm not laughing at any pun you do a dramatic pause for," Brandy said, somewhat undercut by Morgan and Tansy's giggles. "What's your plan, Saffira? We want to get swimsuits and hit the beach, but I don't want to just abandon you."

"I guess I'll just have to squeeze into a swimsuit of my own with you," Saffira sighed, "I sacrifice so much for friends."

"Brandy," Nova took Brandy's hands and clasped them together. Her long, messy waves of blue hair draped over Brandy's forearms as the yellow jewel of an eye gleamed. "I've not said it yet, but I'm so glad to make a new friend."

"You're getting a swimsuit too," Calcine said, "Saffira saw me naked. Only fair she sees you naked."

"That is fair," Nova nodded, "Can't argue with that."

People said Rock Types could be too polite and reasonable to be sexy. Clearly, they'd never actually met a Rock type; they made being reasonable sexy, and being polite a way to make everyone smile. 

Everyone was going to be absolutely terrible picking Brandy's beach outfits; she just knew it, but Brandy didn't mind. She was going to get a good show out of it in return.

Premier

55+ chapters ahead on Patreon! including Side Stories. 

Okay, the beach is coming soon I swear. Don't kill me.