Pokémon Centers aimed to be a one-stop place for services that helped facilitate the bonds between Pokémon and Humans. The dining areas were often a popular date spot for when people were too tired to be creative about it but still wanted to take people out for a treat. Brandy had always wondered what the little slices of cake they sold tasted like, but her Poké-mom had always told her she'd find out when she was older. It hardly seemed fair that she was older and still didn't know.  

Stores set up inside sold useful accessories for Trainers and Pokémon alike. Brandy was still excited to drag Calcine and Sparky into them when she had some money. Her supplies were in a pretty sorry state. She only had one Binding Ball and a half-empty bottle of Repel spray. She probably should have been a little more judicious when using the spray, as the Goldeen she'd squirted while bathing was probably still washing most of it out of her mouth. 

Her destination today was probably the most common reason a Trainer had to enter the Pokémon Center. The comfy private bedrooms were for people who'd overdone it. All it took was a press of a call button on the Pokédex, and the Center would send someone to pick them up. Pokémon were good about doing it, mainly because it was the easiest way to get a Failed Capture recorded against their name. Some even took pride in it and competed to drive their numbers up with each other. However, Brandy was hoping she wouldn't run into anyone that aggressively strong yet, or she might end up like Maple. 

Poor Maple. Brandy was almost sure her former classmate had deliberately sought the strongest Pokémon near their hometown to be her first Partner. Though the prissy woman had very much gotten the fucking she deserved, it was hard not to feel bad for her. No Trainer wanted to be put in the Center on their first attempt to capture something. It was the sort of thing you'd tease a friend about, but for it to actually happen? Rough. 

Sparky was thankfully on their best behavior, standing back with hands politely crossed before her as Brandy caught the attention of the Pokémon manning the reception desk for the Rest Area. Brandy was usually fantastic with identifying Pokémon types, but this one eluded her. Beady crystalline blue eyes peeked out from the shadow cast by her massive yellow shell. The shell wasn't the usual Turtle shape but more like a giant ladybug, made of yellow geometric triangles patterned with blue dots. The eyes made her think a bug type, but Brandy couldn't believe someone inclined to mischief would be trusted to man a quiet desk. 

She knew all the pure bug types, so they probably had a second typing that mellowed them out, just like how Grass had dampened Honeycrisp's domineering Dragon spirit some.

"Hi," Brandy said, trying to hush her voice like she was in a library. "Maple Haze's mother sent us to visit her. I'm an old classmate?"

Those crystal blue eyes looked at her, and Brandy felt like a breeze had run over the inside of her head, a weird sensation that made her rub her eyes and shake her head. 

"Oh, sorry!" the yellow-shelled receptionist said, "I have to scan people to make sure they're not trying to sneak in to make matters worse."

"That happens a lot?" Sparky said, ears pricked up; now, some saucy talk was on the table. 

"Constantly," the receptionist sighed. "Often from the same Pokémon that put them in here. We're all for encouraging relationships here, but we only have so many beds. I like my guests walking out under their own power!"

"Just friends!" Brandy said, crossing her heart. "I mean, uh..."

"Don't worry dear, I know your intentions are pure." the receptionist tapped a finger over her mouth, a quick sign she could keep a secret that flooded Brandy with relief. "Maple's been in a terrible mood, and she needs someone who can shake a little sense into her."

"I wouldn't have thought it'd be me! I saw what happened."

"Mercury got to her, we know," the receptionist nodded, her shell shining as it caught the lights overhead. Brandy was into a lot of Pokémon, but this one had a more reassuring edge to her. Maybe for people who were a little nervous? Or just wanted a perfect companion who respected their boundaries. Psychic made sense there. They understood people the best, even if some, like Mercury, used it to be real terrors.

Sparky bounced on her heels upon hearing the name. "Yeah, Mercury is a big deal. She used to tell me about her fights."

"You're friends with her?" the receptionist asked, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Pfff, no way! I was someone she could brag to, and, well, admittedly, they were some really cool brags. I doubt she'd even remember my name." Sparky shrugged, content with her place in the world. 

"A shame. It would be nice to know more about her." the receptionist took a keycard out of an enormous pile of them on her desk. How in Arceus' name she knew which was which, Brandy had no idea, as they all seemed the same to her eye. "Take this. She's in room sixteen. Make sure to hand it back in after you're done, and please, no sex."

"Absolutely not," Brandy nodded, agreeing far too quickly.

"Oh, trust me, I'm used to no sex by now," Sparky huffed, putting her arms around Brandy. "Come on then, my ever-teasing Trainer!"

"I'm not that bad!"

"No lying to receptionists, only good deeds! Take away your needy Partner to another thankless task."

Brandy had to drag Sparky behind her for a bit until she got sick of it and pushed her up against a wall, giving the Joltik a kiss that made her fur sparkle with electricity. Sparky really picked up the pace after that. 

 

--- 

 

"Mom, not right now!" Maple called through the door as Brandy ran her card over the lock, and it beeped, leaving her standing there torn up with panic like she'd just been caught breaking into Maple's house. 

"I'm not your mom?" Brandy said each word, filled with more awkward nerves than the last, slowly turning the handle to the room. "It's okay. I'm a friend."

"I don't have any friends!" Maple shouted.

Well, that's just sad. 

"I can fix that!" Sparky said, pushing Brandy through the door.

Maple was sitting on her bed with a bowl of popcorn in her lap and a big pink blanket wrapped around her to form a small burrow, eyebrows raised as she watched Brandy tumble in with a Joltik right on her tail. 

"Holy shit, you are pretty!" Sparky gasped as she saw Maple on the bed, "I mean ... hi!"

Great start. Thanks, Sparky. 

Brandy gave Maple an apologetic look, running a hand through her spiky red hair and gripping her neck. "Hey, Maple, we were in class together?" 

"Yes. I remember," Maple said, voice sharp as she gave Sparky some vicious side-eye. Brandy had to admit Sparky wasn't wrong, though. When they'd last seen her, Maple was half covered in mud and still rolling off the highs of multiple orgasms from a big dicked Galar Rapidash. More composed, her blonde hair fashioned into long rolling waves and her skin clear and smooth, highlighted artfully with just a touch of makeup, she was back to her usual standards. A refined and powerfully hot look that made Brandy just awkward and gawky being around her.  

"Well, uh, wanted to come to see you. Saw you had a rough time out there and uh.... uh..." Brandy faltered, her heroic deed already running afoul of the fact she just really didn't know how to talk to someone who'd treated Brandy more as a rival than a person and one Maple had happily crushed mercilessly in every test and activity. 

"My mother sent you," Maple said, pulling the pink cover around her as she shied back into its depths. 

"Yeah. Sorry." Brand said, "Even so, I wanted to see you. I mean, you were top of our class!" 

"Much good it did me," Maple looked past Brandy to Sparky. "See I wouldn't even rate above the bottom now."

Sparky gave her a wave. "Nonsense, you're way hotter than Brandy."

Brandy glared at Sparky, but the Joltik ignored her to keep up the compliments. "You got a way better figure. Brandy's tall, which is hot, but she's got no curves yet." 

"I swear you keep bringing that up. I'll put you in the ball and drop it in a river."

"And she's so mean to me! Listen to her, just absolutely vicious."

Strangling Sparky would prove her point, but that neck looks really grippable right now. It was cheering Maple up a little, though, just the glimmer of a smile on the edge of her lips. Maybe Sparky was doing this on purpose, or more likely, doing this on purpose while also finding an excuse to embarrass the hell out of Brandy. 

"Nice try. Brandy's not mean," Maple said, "Daydreamy and a terrible coursework partner, but she's good." 

Oh yeah, their shared project on Bonding Relations that Brandy had somewhat gotten lost researching, and Maple had needed to come over and watch her write it all down in a mad rush. To be fair to Maple, she hadn't been mean to Brandy. She just got really intense about anything that might possibly drop her grades, and that thing had just happened to be Brandy. 

"We got an A! I wasn't that bad." 

Maple snorted. "I got an A. You got lucky I was your Partner."

"Okay, fair. You are great at that stuff." Brandy admitted. No way she'd get a lie past these two. "I didn't want to come in and tell you how clever and pretty you were, though." 

"Yes, I'm aware you don't like me." 

"That's... that's not fair." Brandy faltered, again unwilling to even try to lie. Much as she had something to lord over Maple, now it just didn't really feel right. The Gym had wanted to teach her to look after others' feelings, and kicking her when she was down would make Brandy a heel. "I just never really got the chance to like you?" 

"We were in school for a year together."

"Yeah! And you are super into school. Like, really into it," Brandy said. "Admit it! I offered to hang out, but you only cared about studying."

Maple took a sharp breath and didn't answer her question, looking instead to Sparky. "Why did you pick Brandy?"

"She seemed fun? I don't plan much, really. Brandy's clever."

"Really?" Maple said incredulously, a tone Brandy really didn't appreciate.

"Yeah! Not like, book clever. She's kind of an idiot there." 

"You two aren't allowed to bond over how dumb I am." Brandy said, giving Sparky's side a poke, "Stick to the nice things!" 

"She's quick! Adapts to things fast and rolls with the punches. Too dumb to quit."

"I don't think that's nice," Maple laughed, rolling her head back to shake some of her covers off. She was smiling now, and it was an annoyingly pretty smile. Brandy had wanted to cheer her up, but not this way!

"It's super nice!" Sparky said, giggling as Brandy poked her even more mercilessly. "Too dumb to quit is just what you call determination!"

"I'd recommend not catching a Bug Type first. They're the worst," Brandy hissed. "Electric too, just bad."

"I'll bear that in mind," Maple said, shuffling into her seat. "But you saw what Mercury did, and I like to think I'm determined, quick-witted, and smart."

"Gosh, so modest, too," Brandy said bitterly. "You're smart. You know Mercury is out of your league!"

Maple looked at her popcorn, picking up a piece and rolling it between her fingers. 

"I should have been able to handle it."

"Psh, Mercury missed out. You're cool," Sparky said, hugging Brandy. "That's the problem. Mercury doesn't want someone better than her, she wants ... uh... not really sure, but I know she'd hate being beaten."

"Well, she beat me anyway, easily," Maple said, taking a bite of popcorn and then offering the bowl to the pair. They took it as an excuse to grab a seat on the bed with her. 

"We saw, and she didn't have it easy. I know Mercury. She's a beast! She can break a girl in minutes, but you made her sweat! Are you really gonna be upset you lost to the best? That's very ... actually, that is very Mercury. I get how you two match now."  

"I should have been able to handle it."

"You handled it! Brandy took one look at Mercury's dick and ran for it."

"You did too!" Brandy huffed. 

"Yeah, but she wasn't going to fuck me. Just telekinesis me into a pretzel."

"That sounds worse."

Sparky nodded. "Not fun at all. At least you'd get some orgasms out of it."

Maple snorted. 

"A lot of orgasms? So many orgasms. Mercury might be rough, but she's generous,"

Maple's cheeks were going red. "Brandy caught a Pokémon already. I still need to start," she said quickly, changing the topic as she gripped her blanket. She hadn't hated the encounter as much as she was acting. 

"Two, actually," Brandy said, trying to make it sound casual though the bragging was not as well disguised as she thought. 

"No way"

Sparky nodded, cheeks already stuffed with popcorn. 

"It wasn't easy, really. I have two partners, and I've barely understood what that means. It's all complicated, and I feel I learned little that'd be useful in school." 

"You always were a daydreamer." Maple nodded. 

"Point is," Brandy pushed on, not wanting to get into how bad at school she was again. "You'd be better than me at this if you set your sights maybe a bit lower? Don't get the strongest. Get someone you can help get an A?"

"You want to date me?"

"NO" 

Maple smiled, rapping her fist on Brandy's head. 

"You are as bad at cheering me up as you are at handing in your work. But thank you for trying."

"Actually," Brandy said, biting her bottom lip, "I have an idea. If you don't mind? I think someone I met would really be your speed."

"You're going to set me up with my first Pokémon? I don't need pity." Maple said, flicking a piece of popcorn at Brandy. 

"And I'm not gonna. I'm just going to show you where they are. It's on you to fuck them real good!" Brandy said, snatching the popcorn out of the air with her mouth. Sparky gave her a thumbs up. 

"I can see why you two are a match," Maple said, looking between the two. Brandy was pretty sure it wasn't a compliment, but she would take it as one. Her first Maple compliment. Maybe they'd become good friends!

Well. At least Maple might recognize her existence beyond a kind of dumb rock that went to school for some inconceivable reason, and that's still a step up.