Dax smirked. "Looks like it's you and me, Princess." Dax felt the odds were in his favor. Sure, he felt as if he were about to burst, but he could tell Jinja was in the same boat. Every time the girl moved she let out little pants of strain and she often clutched her belly. Dax stroked his own beach ball sized gut letting out a small purr. What he'd do for a tummy rub right then and there.
Jinja grinned. "Bring it Daxy. I've still got room and I can take you on."
"Big words for a big girl."
Jinja fumed finding the need to punch Dax square in the face, but unable to do so due to her newfound extra weight. So she just resorted to glaring daggers almost earning the same affect.
The remaining dish was gelatin cups. They decided to just have an all-out war. Whoever gave up first lost. Dax and Jinja each picked up a cup and began. In the blink of an eye Dax had devoured three of the cups. Not such a good idea because now even the slighest move he made sent the substance into trembling fits deep within his gut. Jinja was doing a little better by going at a moderate pace, but she too was feeling the effects of the jiggling dessert making it harder and harder to keep it down.
Jinja was on her fourth cup when her tummy gurgled horribly and her throat seized. Her mouth felt so dry while she trembled head to toe.
"Jinja?" In worry Beyal crawled close enough to where their bellies smooshed together and cupped her face. She felt super warm. A curious hand trailed down to her beachball sized belly, equally warm and sort of tight. "You feel so warm..."
"B-Beyal...n-no...I...I'm gonna...I'm...," Jinja's belly hardened under Beyal's hand. A gurgling noise that resembled a groan resonated from her throat as she threw back up some of what she had eaten all over Beyal's belly. Some was the gelatin that had just been in her throat, bright green and fresh. The monk looked a little shocked as it dripped down his stomach.
Jinja's face turned bright red as she sobbed. Dax was happy he had won, but this was no time to gloat. He got up and went to the kitchen to see if he could find something to clean Princess and Monkfish up.
"It is ok Jinja. It is not your fault." Beyal soothed as he stroked Jinja's face. Jinja could only moan and cry in response.
The next day Jinja couldn't look Beyal in the eye as Coretech went into the dress store. Even though the monk kept reassuring her it wasn't her fault and that everything was ok she still felt guilty. Not only that, but her belly had barely gone down in size. Her outie belly button visable through Chase's shirt. She had taken the leader's shirt for her own would have to be replaced due to stains.
Jinja absent mindedly stroked her midsection. She still felt so full and was envious of how the swelling of her male friends had gone down so quickly. Her poor stomach was sore too for being packed so tight only last night.
"If you need to sit Jinja, that's ok." Chase soothed.
"Alright, I'll keep that in mind, but I think it's a good idea to walk it off."
Beyal stood next to Dax looking at all the pretty dresses. The Lowlander sighed. He wanted Jinja to look pretty, but he also wanted her comfortable. It would probably take a week for the swelling to go down. These corseted dresses weren't cutting it.
"Don't they have anything looser?" He muttered to himself.
Beyal, like his usual self, wandered off. He was a little sad Jinja was acting nervous around him over the fact she vomited on his belly. The monk had assured Jinja that he knew good and well it was an accident. He had even curled up next to her and rubbed her belly, but still Jinja seemed to distance herself. Beyal rubbed the lump that remained of his own stomach sighing. It still hurt. He'd take a nice long nap later.
The monk looked around the area he wandered into. There were a few women looking through dresses on the racks. What caught Beyal's attention though was the size of their bellies. The women's bellies were as big as Jinja's if not bigger.
One woman looked at him. She had long brown hair and was wearing a blue dress that fit her well. It looked like a beach ball had been shoved under the clothing. She walked over to him.
"Have you gotten lost, little one?" she asked. She gently ran a hand through Beyal's hair as if soothing a young child. The monk blushed as the woman coddled over him. Soon others joined her.
"Awww! He's so cute!" said a blonde woman. "I hope my baby is as cute as him."
"He's like a baby panda!" giggled another one.
The women swarmed him and begin to coo and squeal in delight over him. Beyal was sort of enjoying the attention. Jinja sometimes did this to him and he tried to not be too eager with the attention.
Dax came over. "There you are Monkfish. I've been lookin' all over for ya."
The brown haired woman turned to him. "Aww. Is he yours?" she asked.
"What!?" Dax blushed bright red. "He isn't mine. We're almost the same age! He's thirteen and I'm seventeen."
"Oh," said the woman. "Are you babysitting him then?"
"Yea, pretty much." It wasn't the whole truth, but it was close enough. "Now c'mon Monkfish."
"But Dax," Beyal said. "I have found dresses suitable for Jinja." The monk gestured.
"Hmmm…maternity dresses? Her stomach's big enough for 'em alright."
The two boys began looking through the dresses while the pregnant women watched. They looked confused, but tried to pay no mind.
"Hey Princess, Monkfish and I found a dress for ya," announced Dax as he approached the sullen, bloated girl.
"Finally…," Jinja moaned. "I feel so sick…"
Beyal frowned in worry and gently stroked Jinja's swollen belly. Her face turned pink as she looked away in embarrassment. Beyal whimpered at her behavior.
"It's time to see your dress, Princess." Dax fished out the maternity dress he and Beyal picked out. It was a hot pink with a lacy black hem. The dress had straps like a tank top. Overall it was a very cute dress.
"It's not too bad," Jinja had to admit. "You boys did a good job."
The brown haired pregnant woman walked out of the store carrying a store bag. She stopped when she saw Beyal and the others. "Ohhh! So that's why you were buying a maternity dress. Your friend had an incident…"
Jinja's face turned bright red and she glared daggers at Beyal and Dax. "A MATERNITY DRESS?! AM I FAT TO YOU?!"
"No Princess! No!" cried Dax. "We just wanted you to be comfortable! There were only corsets and stuff like that!"
It was too late. Jinja huffed, tears forming in her eyes. Chase wrapped an arm around her. "A bet is a bet, Jinja. You have to wear it."
"Fine, but I'm not gonna like it!" cried the girl.
Jinja stopped in a bathroom stall to change. When she emerged the boys grinned. She looked quite beautiful.
"I am so getting you two back," grumbled Jinja. "You better learn to sleep with one eye open."
Beyal was not happy with Jinja's behavior. He had discovered a dress that would not make her any more uncomfortable than she already was. Even through his anger he couldn't help but stare. Jinja was so beautiful and she did look like she was carrying young. Thinking it was his own made his cheeks burn.
The group decided to stay at a different hotel. They would have left town, but Jinja's stomach ache wouldn't let them get too far. As soon as they had gotten a hotel room the girl was over a toilet vomiting her guts out.
"Princess, I know you feel self-conscious, but ya can't just vomit it back up." Dax said from his place in the doorway.
Jinja burped softly and wiped her mouth. "Dax…I hate the feeling of throwing up. If my overfull stomach wasn't forcing me, I wouldn't be doing this." She panted and moaned before ducking her head back into the toilet.
Beyal held Jinja's hair back. The monk hadn't left Jinja's side the whole afternoon even though she was still giving him the silent treatment. He smiled softly when Jinja sat up again.
"Thanks Beyal, I think I'm done for now." Jinja gave him a weak smile. She wobbily stood on her legs.
Jinja's legs suddenly buckled. Beyal grabbed her sides and supporting her. He pressed her back close to his front. "Are you ok, Jinja?" the monk asked the taller girl.
"Yea Beyal, thanks again." Jinja felt really bad for yelling at the smaller, younger male in the store parking lot earlier. She knew the monk's feelings were hurt. If Beyal had a hand in picking out the dress, then he really put his heart into it.
Beyal helped guide Jinja to the couch. She halfway sat as she watched her team mates. Bren was looking through the Core Tablet while Chase went from looking at the tv to looking out the window nervously for any sign of Klipse, S.T.O.R.M, or Punk Monks.
Jinja gave a sleepy yawn when she felt Beyal sit and cuddle up next to her. She grinned as Beyal rested his head on her chest and wrapped an arm protectively over her belly.
"Something is telling me you're enjoying this a little more than the others." Jinja giggled.
Beyal's face turned bright red. "Yes…I am enjoying this look." He swallowed hard. "You look quite beautiful."
Jinja blushed. It wasn't very often that Beyal called her beautiful. "Um…thanks Beyal, but you know this isn't going to last right?"
"I know. With all the traveling we take the weight will be gone in a weak. As soon as your stomach settles we shall be heading out…but…you look pregnant…and…and…" Beyal began to tear up. Jinja held him closer on impulse.
"I think my mother was pregnant when I lost her." Beyal blurted out.
Jinja kissed Beyal's forehead. "It's ok Beyal. I understand."
"Th-Thank you…," he whimpered.
For the rest of the afternoon and night Jinja and Beyal stayed cuddled up on the couch. Jinja wanted to give Beyal comfort for the people he had lost: his mother and possibly a sibling.
