PMD-E: Team Bollocks M7 01

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Vincent, it had to be said, had something of a jealous streak. Slivers of it had begun to appear when he and Dec first moved to Tao, and the suave Sableye had begun to attract the gazes of several females. But of course, that had been when the Shroomish had a crush on his team mate.

So why, after he had successfully managed to see Declan as nothing more than his best friend, did this egg threaten him so?

Some part of him realised that his anger shouldn't be directed at the unborn Pokémon inside. No, he knew full well the blame lay on Declan. Adopting eggs in a drunken stupor without consulting one's team mates was not a good way to stay friends. And if this were a normal day, he would still be chewing out the Sableye for doing something so reckless.

But, like so many days in Tao, it wasn't normal. Declan was missing. And so was Mikami, one of his hosts. And so was Penelope, that Drifloon that Dec liked. And half the village populace. Vincent, being a master of worrying, had been horribly anxious since the spiriting away of half of the guild members. Jacques had been pacing back and forth, standing vigil by the window in case his feline companion should walk down the path to their house. It never happened.

"Vell, at least whereveg zhey are, zhey are togezheg," Jacques had said, and it served them well as a comfort. The rest of the village was with them, too. All they could do was hope that they would be back soon, unharmed.

"...Vincent, you are staring razher hard at zhe egg. Are you alright?"

Vincent bit back a sarcastic retort- fond of Jacques as he was, he wasn't in the best of moods- and simply shook his head. The Gastly scowled, settling down in front of the fireplace with Vincent and the egg.

"Mon ami, are you still angry at zhis egg?"

"...No," Vincent answered. It was a half-truth. "It's not the egg's fault it's here. I don't like it being here, but it's Dec's fault. Not the eggs."

It didn't soothe his hatred any.

"But because Declan iz missing, you don't feel you can be angry at him because you are too vorried about him to be angry, oui?"

"...Oui." Damn, Jacques was good.

The frenchman was silent for a moment, pondering his thought as he stared into the fireplace. "Vell, you know, maybe you vill like the hatchling more zhan you zhink. I know it is of little comfort, but... Give it a chance, Vincent. I do not like seeing you so angry."

The Shroomish turned to the fire as well, as if seeking advice from the flames. "...I'm not sure I can. I've never been fond of kids, Jacques. I just... can't stand them," he said, punctuating his sentence with a shudder of distaste.

"Desolé, I do not like to be blunt, but I zhink you may 'ave to be. You cannot give zhat egg back. Zhat poor daycarer woman is stressed as it is. Not to mention it vould be a social faux-pas."

Just the thought of trying to return a baby to the nursery made Vincent cringe. No, they definitely couldn't do that. The shame would be unbearable.

"Ah, mon ami... I zhink you may 'ave to sort your thoughts out soon," Jacques suddenly said, slightly panicked. He pointed a ghostly wisp of a tendril at the egg, which softly rustled upon the pillow Vincent had propped it on. "It vill 'atch soon."

The Shroomish pursed his lips, feeling fear and anger crush his lungs in a vice grip. He hated this. Dec being missing, being a father, his existing issues with self-esteem... everything. It was horrible. But the light, cold touch of a ghostly hand on his head eased the pain away for a brief moment.

"I vill be out looking for zhe ozhegs if you need me, Vincent."

The Shroomish nodded grimly, and settled in for a long night of racing thoughts and egg-watching. The missions that had been sent out involved Castle Draclugia, dealings with a Fire-type Pokémon, and being a bartender, none of which Vincent felt he could do to a suitable standard. With nothing else to do except watch the egg, he sighed.

Maybe things will pick up soon, he pondered. The depression making a little hole in the corner of his mind disagreed loudly.

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APP: [link]
Written cameo from Black Bullet: [link]

Woooowww, it's been a while, huh? Unlike Event 6, this IS getting done u_u I miss my boys!