I Want To Lay the Very Best!

174 – Badly Grounded

174 – Badly Grounded

Galar's civilian transportation network wasn't set up to be convenient; exposure to Pokémon was considered more important than that. Getting places could involve going across lakes, through mines, into glowing mushroom forests, and along mountainsides. Pokémon needed to bond with humans, and humans benefited from Pokémon's incredible abilities. It was important that no Pokémon got left out just because they preferred to live in strange places.

So having to go through a mine to get to Hulbury wasn't anything unusual to Brandy, though it seemed one of their group wasn't as used to it.

"You can fly over," Brandy said, squeezing Morgan's hand. "Or I can ball you. Can see you hate this."

It wasn't like Calcine and her fear of heights. Morgan didn't struggle to step into the mine, but her constant glances at the mine's ceiling and how stiff her limbs were; all clear signs she was uncomfortable. Morgan usually flowed as she moved, like nothing in the world could stop her if she wanted to pass. Seeing her act awkward didn't suit her, and they'd all quickly picked up on it.

"I can handle it," Morgan said as she squeezed back at Brandy's hand. "I can go indoors or through tunnels, and that doesn't bother me. It's just the wind is so stale here, it feels unreal."

There was a spluttering sound, and Brandy and Morgan both turned back to look at Sparky, who was making a raspberry sound as she blew out through nearly closed lips. She gave Morgan two thumbs up.

"That's her way of saying, 'We're happy to help however we can,'" Calcine said, reaching over to give Sparky a rap on the head. Sparky just shrugged, her wide grin growing wider as Morgan's cheeks flushed at the stupid but thoughtful gesture.

"At least it's a pretty mine," Morgan said, and she wasn't wrong. The lighting was kept low so Ground types wouldn't feel too awkward, but the mine had some natural light from tiny blue crystals that sprouted from the walls like mushrooms. They cast a low blue glow on everything, shimmering off pools of water and the polished path. It had a feeling of twilight, that strange tint you got when the moon wasn't quite bright enough to light things up, but your eye had finally adjusted.

They hadn't spotted much in the way of wild Pokémon despite Calcine keeping a careful eye out. A Pokémon with shiny-looking pale blue skin and colorful yellow tattoos had kept her distance from them for a while, but the intriguing-looking woman had refused to be drawn out. Not by food or Morgan sneaking a few tongue-tussling kisses that made Brandy dizzy. Whenever they approached her, she literally melted back into the cave wall and disappeared.

"Ground Types take some getting used to you," Calcine said. "We could make camp? She'd probably come out if we cooked something hot."

Brandy looked at Morgan, her fingers flexing as she regulated her breathing and shook her head.

"I'd rather not," Brandy said, waving to the Pokémon hiding half in a pool of shimmering water. "We're going to go on, but it was nice looking at you! Don't be a stranger all day, okay?"

A gentle approach was best with Ground; they could be quite loving, but they didn't like to be pressured. The worst possible thing you could do was try to rush them.

Brandy's face was splattered with water when a grey and brown blur ran right up to the pool's edge and belly-flopped in. Morgan grabbed Brandy and darted back on a gust of air as the ground rippled and turned to thick sludge. Sparky swearing as one of her legs sunk deep into what'd been rock only a moment ago.

"I got you now! Come be friends with us already!"

Brandy's sharp eyes let her see really well in the dark, so picking out the wrestling in the pool was easy. The shy blue-skinned Pokémon was rather confidently dunking her attacker under the water with one hand stuck to the back of her head. A chunky light grey tail was flicking about and splashing the water as the belly flopper tried to wrestle back. Brandy caught glimpses of big blue eyes and a messy head of light grey hair. The water rushed out as they both burst up out of it on a circle of rock.

"Calcine? If you're going to Rock Tomb them, just disable her." Brandy said, looking at the Carkol.

Calcine shook her head. "Not mine. One of them has it."

"Sparky children. A horrifying thought," Morgan adjusted her hat. "Is your trainer close? We can do introductions all together."

"Oh, I kind of, maybe," Tansy cleared her throat and lowered her voice. "Ran off a little and lost her."

"That's why you got to get a tall trainer," Sparky said, waving at Brandy. "Can't lose her. You just look for what the airplanes are having to fly around."

"She is really tall," Tansy whispered to Sparky, louder than all of them were talking. "How do you ..." she wagged her tail in her arms and gave a meaningful look.

"I climb her like a tree."

"Awesome."

"Want a go?"

"No!" Brandy cut in before she ended up losing clothes, "Let's go find ... Saffira, you said?"

"I'll take you right to her! She's the best human ever. You're going to love her to bits," and Tansy took off with a confident stride down the mine path. She got four steps before she turned back and gave an embarrassed smile. "I'm actually still lost. I don't actually know where she is."

"Well, it's a Mine," Morgan said, "There's only really so many places she could be. We didn't pass her, so let's just keep going. Do you mind if I grind this Joltik's face on your stomach as we walk?"

"A lot of people say that, but nobody actually does it!" Tansy laughed, "Love the boldness. She's got really cool fangs like me as well! Let me poke them, and we got a deal."

Brandy opened her mouth to say it'd slow them down, but Calcine shushed her and pulled her close. "Morgan's coping better. Let them have their fun."

"We're never getting out of this cave." Brandy huffed.

They both stared at Tansy's stomach muscles as Sparky play acted at putting up a fight against Morgan.

"Lovely view though," Calcine said as she licked her lips. "At least we've got a good reason to be making poor time."

Brandy pressed a hand to Calcine's stomach and squeezed, letting her fingers run into the valleys of Calcine's muscles. "We have to put up with these every day and manage."

"Do we?" Calcine laughed and pressed Brandy's hand firmer to her stomach. "I think we all just make do with being a little Tansy ourselves."

Brandy couldn't really argue with that.