A/N: Now we at long last come back to this. Personally just wished i had finshed this 2 years ago. But we press on anyway. Enjoy.
Chapter 10: The Commingled Rehearsals.
6 Days to the Stomp.
"Ok lets get running…" Becca lead the group in an early morning workouts while her mind still lingered on the previous nights events and how those girls unified.
"That Honoka…"
Her mind lingered while passing Cynthia Rose on the path. How that other night Maki seemed like the one who truly was the leader when it came to the acapella stuff. But unlike the Bellas U's certainly knew how to accurately balance the load of 9 members.
"Becca could you slow down…" The Voice of Chloe echoed along the roadway as she managed to slow down her speed to get her to catch up.
"Whats up?"
"Did anything about last night seem off to you?"
"Not from what I can tell."
"Don't play coy with me. You were thinking about those girls and how naïve they seemed at this."
"Honoka and them didn't seem that naive. Maki seems to be the brains behind their music. I mean Start Dash was really beautiful especially when heard acapella."
The road in the bright early morning seemed misty and full of the wet dew on the grass near the quad.
"Well, one of the 3 performances for the stomp is a song in the competitor's native language. I can't believe they did that weird theme to a show called shingeki no kyojin at the riff-off. So action heavy for a tv show."
As Becca and Chloe continued onto the sidewalks, they caught up with the rest of the Bellas who were stopped dead in their tracks. Breaks were put on as Chloe could see the contingent staring ahead
"Lilly what's up…" Lilly walked behind Becca to whisper one audible word.
"Muse…"
"Yep that's them…" Fat Amy spotted them a few yards ahead stretching out on the grass. Becca could see Nico and Nozomi back to back. The girls stood there for nearly 4 solid minutes watching them go through stretches. It seemed odd that even though the Bellas were the defending National Champions, the girls they were having an exhaustive time trying to think of the right way to beat them.
"Oh Hey…" Without breaking concentration Honoka noticed them now in the distance. "Becca over here."
Becca looked at the other 2 behind her deciding on how to do this, needing to know how may would greet them.
"Fat Amy and Chloe with me for everyone else normal routine and we'll see you later on today."
All but 3 of the Bellas dispersed to witness the members of their competition rigorously stretch out along the grassline. Umi and Kotori broke from their routine of stretches to greet the contingent awaiting them.
"You guys stretching as well?"
The Bellas nodded while Amy kept her eyes affixed on Nico wondering exactly what made her tick. Honoka divided the other 6 up while she joined her besties
"You 3 feel like joining us?"
Becca laughed off the embarrassment while Chloe prodded her in the shoulder.
"We don't want to interrupt you guys."
"Oh its perfectly fine." Kotori now spoke breaking the tension "Let's show you how we do things back in Japan. Have Honoka and Amy pair up for better tension."
"Tension?" Fat Amy's voice now broke through the group and that led the others to laugh while the Bellas joined the girls in stretches. For the most part except for a few pratfalls from Amy they enjoyed how the others worked out and kept in vocal range.
40 Minutes Later
"Maki, Can I ask a favor." Maki looked at Becca with a mix of uncertainty and wide eyed optimism. The practice had just finished and the groups were about set to break off when Becca grabbed Maki away from the others.
"What is it?"
"I do a radio show for Barden and I'm wondering if we'd happen to get a quick interview with you and Honoka?"
"You sure that's not a ploy?"
"No Ploys, it'll be a couple hours after we tape our pieces for the show. Just would love for those in the metro area to get a chance to know us beyond this competition."
Maki considered then nodded in agreement. As Muse walked away Chloe stared longingly into Becca's eyes about a plan of attack.
"You do know, that this could gain public sympathy for them. Right."
"What sympathy, screw the Aca-Politics I just want us to be great friends when this is all over."
Fat Amy joined the duo laughing about something Nico whispered to her, and the trio headed back for campus trying to take stock of their morning.
A/N: The countdown to the stomp rolls on as we get a daytrip in Chapter 11: Muse in the ATL. As Always. Subscribe for more.