I Want To Lay the Very Best!

One of the deliveries had a note that it would be a big climb, so Morgan had snatched it up and took off on her own. There were a few in the same rough area, so Brandy had said she and Dani could handle that; it'd give her some time to get to know the Magikarp better. This left Sparky and Calcine to handle the rest, which was very unfair. Because Sparky had wanted to sneakily get herself on Calcine's team, and she'd just ended up there by default! Robbed of a chance to make mischief!

It was tough being a bug. But not too tough.

Sparky trotted just ahead of Calcine as they walked the streets, humming to herself as she balanced the cheesecake box on two of her hands, her other two fidgeting with the edges of her dress to flash Calcine some thigh and butt. Sparky's maid skirt was tiny, and a lot of the focus was on showing off her hips and thighs, which was good because, as a Galvantula, she had a hefty helping of both. She was getting looks not just from Calcine but hungry ones from passersby and it was feeding her ego. As a Joltik, she'd always been curvy, but that extra Galvantula height had really let her curves become something that made necks turn.

Every glance, every lingering stare sent a little spark of pride through her. She reveled in it, playing up her movements just enough to draw attention without looking like she was trying too hard. A flick of her hip here, a sway of her step there. It was a game, and she was winning so many points. Calcine's glances were the best, though. Her normally cool expression would soften ever so slightly as if she was savoring how much leg Sparky was showing. It was a delight to be watched and adored, and even more delighted she could make Calcine, a literal rock lady, go all soft.

It all felt so magical; Spikemuth at night was a feast for the senses. Neon signs buzzed above narrow alleyways, painting the damp streets in shades of electric blue, deep crimson, and sickly green. Music pulsed from behind iron-barred doors, the deep bass thrumming through the soles of their feet. The city was alive in its own lawless way, a party that never quite ended; it just shifted venues. Punks and goths clashed affectionately, stepping on each other's boots, teasing with sharp grins and sharper nails, and sneaking kisses in shadowed corners.

Every city they'd been to had been so much fun, but this one really called to Sparky. It had an air of mischief about it, and she wanted to stir the pot. But no, she held fast, striding confidently. They had a mission, and she wouldn't let Brandy down unless it was funny, and wasting food this good was never funny.

Matching Sparky with an easy stride, Calcine crossed her arms and watched Sparky with an amused smile. "You're taking this job very seriously," she said. "It's just a cheesecake."

"It's our cheesecake, Calcine. Well, for someone else, but still. It's our responsibility. Brandy trusted us with it, which means we must be the best cheesecake couriers that ever lived," Sparky declared, adjusting the box so it rested against her shoulder. "Besides, I've never had a delivery mission before. I want five stars, a huge tip, and my beautiful colleague to kiss me for being such a diligent and hard worker."

"Make a lovely change from kissing you to keep your mouth busy," Calcine smiled. "Hungry for a kiss, are you? You've really been laying it on thick."

Sparky grinned, her fangs peeking out. "You love it. My Electric enthusiasm is part of my charm, my irresistible, undeniable charm."

Calcine gave her a slow, deliberate squeeze around the shoulders. "I admit, I do like seeing you happy."

Sparky's grin softened for a second before she rallied, her confidence never letting her stay vulnerable for long. "Of course you do! I'm adorable! Also, devastatingly sexy, but that's just a side benefit."

Calcine chuckled. "We've gotten close, huh?"

Sparky nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Obviously, you and I are the greatest couple to ever exist. Brandy can join in on that and fill out our sandwich. It's nice. We're a proper team, y'know? It feels like we've got each other's backs."

Calcine tilted her head slightly. "Except we're not as close with Morgan. Or Dani. You left them out."

Sparky pursed her lips. "Huh. That's true. Morgan's kinda... Morgan. She's like an angry little puzzle box wrapped in a hat and attitude. And Dani's just happy to be included right now. Need to warm up to her. We should probably fix that, huh?"

Calcine nodded. "Which is why I need to figure out where to take Morgan on our date."

Sparky's eyes gleamed. "Oho? You've not got an idea? Calcine, you never get stuck on things!" She nudged Calcine's side with an elbow. "Is this because you secretly like her more than you thought? The feathers got you all ruffled?"

Calcine ruffled Sparky's fur with her fingers and flicked at the bratty bug's chin, fingers dodging the bites aimed at her fingertips. "I like her, but she's still difficult to read after all this time. I want to take her somewhere she'll enjoy, but I don't want it to be like I didn't put thought in? There are a lot of obvious things she'd love, and I want to take her to something that made it look like I tried to actually pick something deeper than that."

"So, in summary, you need my wisdom and unmatched knowledge of romance," Sparky said, smirking. "Calcine, my dear, my flame-kissed goddess, you have come to the right bug."

Calcine chuckled and looped an arm around Sparky's shoulders, pulling her in for a quick squeeze. "You're almost as good as Brandy at thinking on your feet. Dazzle me with your big brain."

Sparky preened. "Why Brandy's thighs need to squash it. Keep it in check. Okay! Let's think. Morgan likes gambling, challenges, and being horrendously dramatic. She needs a place to let loose with the drama without turning everyone into broken Ceridwen's."

Calcine smiled. "Shame that Mismagius isn't about; I'm sure she'd love a rematch."

Sparky nodded eagerly. "Yeah! Maybe you can make her a new rival? We need someone who's boisterous and full of themselves she can sink her claws into, all while impressing you. You wouldn't care about her card stuff."

Calcine rubbed her chin. "So, a fighting date?"

"Something super kinetic, at least. There's apparently a rave club here that makes you sign a waiver before you go in," Sparky added. "But I think that's just because of the smoke machines."

Calcine sighed. "We don't really know the city that well, there's the ghost pier."

"Ghosts," Sparky pulled a face. "Pass."

"Not for you, for her. The Goths and their Ghosts run it at night. It'd be perfect. If Brandy hadn't already done a pier date with her. I'd feel I'm just copying."

"From the best." Sparky grinned. "Brandy does good dates."

"We need to shake some out of her."

Before Sparky could suggest they grab Brandy's ankles, a particularly aggressive door slammed open right in front of them, nearly making Sparky drop the cheesecake. They'd been so engrossed in the talk they'd walked right up to the delivery point without even noticing.

"Oi! 'Bout time," a voice rasped.

The woman standing in the doorway had a look that absolutely demanded attention. She had a full head of shaggy black hair and a black-and-purple mohawk, which was freshly gelled but slightly lopsided as if she'd styled it while half-distracted. She wore a mix of punk and goth fashion, as if she had committed to rebelling against the rebellion itself. A leather jacket with chains, a mesh shirt beneath it, and an absurdly lace-heavy, tattered skirt that looked like she'd stolen it off a goth in a street fight. Her shredded crop top revealed abs you could have sharpened steel on, and her muscular arms were crossed like she had to hold her breasts back from escaping the mesh shirt. She might well have been; they were kinda huge.

A complete mess of a look, and Sparky immediately decided she was the coolest person she'd ever seen.

The woman's heavily ringed fingers drummed against her forearms as she looked them up and down, then focused on the box on Sparky's shoulder. "Is that Reena's cheesecake?"

Sparky nodded, handing it over carefully because this woman looked like she broke things both by accident and on purpose.

The moment the woman took the box, another figure dropped from the rafters above, landing in a graceful crouch before standing tall. Her body was coated in a striking mix of red, white, and green feathers that flared out like a dramatic cape. Mask-like orange and green face markings made her golden eyes look sharper, and her confident smirk screamed 'main character energy.'

"A timely delivery," the Hawlucha said, crossing her arms. "Good. I was about to start a match without a taste of heaven in my heart."

Still slightly stunned from this pair, Sparky leaned over and whispered to Calcine, "Wait a sec, Hawlucha has Limber as an ability. Can she-?"

Before she could finish, the muscled woman rolled her shoulders, then bent backward in a spine-defying arch. She smoothly flipped one leg over her head, holding a perfect handstand, before twisting herself back onto her feet casually and taking a bow.

Sparky nearly choked on her tongue, holding her heart with all four hands. "Calcine. Arceus is fucking with us, and I'm entirely down for it."

Calcine sighed. "Focus, cheesecake courier."

The woman took the box and then squinted at them both. "Hang on, do I know you both?"

"I promise you, we would have remembered," Calcine said, "So I don't think so?"

"No, I do, I watch all the tournaments. You're that maid team from the Wandering Whimsicott"

"Wait, are you a fan?" Sparky perked up. "Did we do good?"

"Very promising new talent, but a lot of them were for that tournament. Crazy good style though, you killed it there."

"Looking good is as important as doing good," the Hawlucha said and respectfully nodded at Calcine. "And you made a very impressive Coalossal."

"My girlfriend can shake an arena," Sparky said proudly. "It's so cool you saw! You both look awesome, too; why didn't you join in?"

That actually got a snort out of the woman. Small, but real.

"It's for new Trainers, and we've practically retired from the mainstream anyway. Raised too much hell. I'm Roxie," the woman introduced herself with a lazy grin. "And this is El Furia." She jerked a thumb toward the Hawlucha, who flexed with a proud smirk.

"You're an experienced Trainer?" Calcine perked up. "Shame we didn't bring Brandy. If we bring her over, can you maybe give her some tips?"

"Brandy! Oh, she's got spunk, and I loved watching that. I want to meet her, but we've got a match at the Obsidian Cage to get to."

"I thought you said you don't do tournaments?"

"Not official ones." Roxie grinned. "This is completely unofficial, which makes it cooler."

"Wait! We were just talking about where to take a teammate on a date! This sounds perfect. Tell us more!" Sparky asked eagerly.

El Furia grinned. "It's a battle club, but not just any fight pit. Think high-stakes wagers, flashy showdowns, and the kind of crowd that lives for a good spectacle. You don't just fight there, you put on a show and make your opponent eat the mat and thank you for the meal. If you're boring, they'll boo you out."

Sparky gasped. "Morgan would love that!"

Roxie chuckled. "Then bring her. And Brandy. I really want to show her a few things."

Calcine raised an eyebrow. "About training?"

"It's all about training if you do it hard enough," Roxie said immediately, tossing the cheesecake under her arm with a grin. "One of you take your top off, I'll write the address."

Sparky was quicker because she wasn't going to miss out on this. Roxie used a marker to sign Sparky's chest, and when she got a few moans out of the bug, she made sure to sign it extra firmly, leaving Sparky's legs shaking.

"I expect to see you both sometime tonight. We're the headline, so if you miss our match, I will be upset, and El Furia will twist you into a knot."

"I'd be into that."

"And your girlfriend?" Roxie said, looking at Calcine.

"You could certainly try," Calcine smiled confidently. "Morgan's not the only one who loves a challenge."

"Okay, okay," Sparky said, "How about if we don't show up, you refuse to wrestle Calcine because I really want to see this now."

"I'd snap her like a twig, have her bring the Coalossal out at least. Make it a challenge for me."

"Deal," Calcine said. "And if I win, you sign a Murkrow and me up for a fight tomorrow at the Cage?"

"I don't run it, but we can convince the lady who does easy. You can be a little exhibition match."

"We need someone who'll infuriate a Murkrow."

"A pair of heels to bloody on you both? Very well," El Furia said, "If you win. If you lose, then we want your team to put on a show for us and a few friends. We do love young blood."

"Arceus thank you so much," Sparky said, clasping all her hands together, "We can't lose."

"Morgan loses if I fail," Calcine shrugged. "So I plan to win."

Sparky grinned. "And you will, so this is perfect. Morgan's going to lose her mind. Date night secured!"