The Carkol's voice had been a pleasant husk in Brandy's ears. Now roused to a shout, Brandy's spine tingled as she heard the flames Carkol had burning inside her. The entire mine rattled under the power of her voice, and Brandy swore she could even feel her bones shaking.

"CALCINE. COME SEE ANOTHER ONE"

Sparky made a show of clearing one ear with a finger as the cry echoed through the caves. The Carkol covered her mouth with her fingertips and looked away with an amused sparkle in her eyes.

It's a shame she was so busy trying to remember her old life, Brandy thought. She seemed like she'd have been an awful lot of fun to have around.

"Calcine" took her sweet time, finally entering with a slow swagger. Head held high as if it was pure luck she'd been strolling this way when called. She had no fiery cloak, but her only a hair shorter. Her resemblance to the Carkol was plain, jet black stone skin mottled with small freckle-like splotches of grey. The same toned physique would suit a boxer and nubs of rock horn poking through black hair. Her eyes didn't have the burning hot red intensity of the Carkol. Instead, they were more orange-cooling lava formed into a half-lidded shape. Calcine's hair was also a fair bit messier, completing the look of someone who'd recently rolled out of bed. Brandy could empathise with that; she'd never been the best at getting up.

She kept walking right up to Brandy until they were face to face. Brandy knew to hold her ground, using her full height to look down into Calcine's molten eyes. Brandy let out a tiny gasp as she felt Calcine press up to her. Brandy's tomboyish figure meant she wouldn't win a battle of the chests with any but the flattest of Pokémon. The Pokémon was firm beyond her muscle, hardened skin unrelenting. If the Carkol was all smooth statue perfection, then Calcine was more roughly hewn. Every line of her muscle definition pressed in as Calcine squeezed to try to make the Trainer buckle.

"Tall", Calcine said, voice calm after it became clear Brandy wasn't going to move without a shove. "Tanned skin looks much better than the pale ones we've had before. Chest isn't much, but she has some hips"

Calcine put her hands around those hips in a way that felt more clinical than sexy to Brandy. The rock Pokémon stroking firm fingers along Brandy's more pliable curves. The casual way Calcine explored her body was making Brandy's head spin.

"Calcine dear, I'd like to see you test her." the Carkol said from off the side, eyes blazing as she watched the display. Her focus was intense as she tried to stir up even the faintest flame of recollection.

Calcine looked over at the Carkol with a flicker of affection in her eyes. She kept her head turned as she grabbed a handful of Brandy's spiky red hair. Brandy gasped, but Calcine didn't pull, letting the hairbrush through her fingers as she mussed it up. 

"You've got fire in your veins," Calcine said as she caressed the vivid red hair. It was the first compliment that sounded more than an observation. "Vivid red hair and bright red eyes. A good look." 

"This is so hot", Sparky mumbled as she leaned in to nudge Brandy's side with an elbow. "You're like a juicy steak to her."

"Th-thanks?" 

"She tastes good too," Sparky added with a grin, giving Brandy's arm a playful punch "No need to slather this one in sauce."

"Challenge!" Brandy barked, feeling a blush begin to crash up her body like an unstoppable tidal wave and wanting to start before it got to her face. She pressed a hand to Calcine's chest to move her back, though she may as well have tried to push a mountain. "I'm challenging you, right? That's what we're doing. The challenge."

The Carkol stifled a laugh and shook her head when Brandy looked her way. 

"I think it's already started! You're just not doing very well, dear," the Carkol said, amusement dripping in her voice. "Though don't feel you need to. This is interesting in its own way."

Brandy's eyes widened as the realisation she was already in a contest hit her. Calcine grabbed her top in an immovable grip before Brandy could even try to move away.

"Carkol is good to her Rolycoly's," Calcine growled as she lifted Brandy off her feet. Her eyes flicked to a nearby wall that seemed even more polished than the rest of the chamber. "And I'll be good to you."

Shit, Carkol hadn't wanted to teach Calcine a lesson. This was another Pokémon ambush Brandy had walked right into! 

"Sparky, Agility! Slip in here," Brandy barked, legs kicking in the air as she tried to worm out of Calcine's grip. 

Sparky became a blur of speed, electricity crackling through her fur as she did as ordered. With a wiggle of her hips, she joined the grapple and pressed her body between Calcine and Brandy's. Agility let her fit into tight spaces, and the press of the shortstacks body was enough to force Brandy's top to rip. As Brandy dropped to the ground, Calcine came away with two handfuls of her shirt.

The Trainer wasted no time running to get some space and glanced at the Carkol. Wrapped up in her fiery cloak, the Carkol seemed intent on only watching. Brandy gave silent thanks that she wouldn't be getting double-teamed today, or at least not right now!

Even wrapped up by Sparky, Calcine took slow steps forward as the Joltik tried to hold her limbs back. Straining against limbs carved with muscle Sparky couldn't move them even an inch. It was only thanks to her slippery agility skill she escaped being grabbed and tossed aside like a rag. At best, all she could do was get in the way of Calcine's face, blocking her view of Brandy to slow her approach. 

Brandy looked around in a panic for a place to hide, but the trap had been thorough. Outside the Carkol's amateurish statue, Carkol had used Rock Polish to grind down the whole room until it was as flat as a mirror. If she wanted to escape, she'd have to run into the connecting shafts, with the risk of running into a second Pokémon. She doubted her chance in the fight as it was, without having to deal with even more heat.

She had to work out how to pin Calcine down if she wanted to stand a chance. Sparky was giving it a damn good try, but she couldn't do a thing with Agility. If the impish Joltik had shared more of her moves, then Brandy could work out a plan, but their bond was new, and trust wasn't there yet. The old phrase "Know the hearts of those you're fighting with, and you're halfway there" went both ways. At least she could fix one side of that right now.  

Taking out her Pokédex, Brandy snapped the Calcine, slowly marching towards her. 

*Ping*

Four captures weren't too frightening. Rock Pokémon were a brutal capture, and it made sense a few had tried and failed. Especially with a sneaky Carkol helping lead them into lousy terrain to fight a slow Pokémon. The notes were helpful for a change too! If Brandy could heat Calcine up, she'd be able to shower some affection on her. Then Brandy would stand a chance of getting bonding strings around those mouth-watering muscled limbs. 

Brandy followed the edge of the room to get some space from Calcine, who began cutting across to match her. The plodding Rolycoly would catch her, and Brandy doubted the same trick to escape would work a second time. She needed to devise a plan to stop her in her tracks.

It was time to take a few risks.