Amy, She/Her, Heavily Closeted and Married Bi đłď¸âđ, Mom of 2, one with autism, USA, Mid-Atlantic Region, currently on hiatus from beta'ing and accepting prompts
At the next Bellasâ practice, Beca and Chloe had a plan.
âAlright, ladies, focus up. We have to beat those German dumbkopfs!â Chloe explained.
âYep, yep!â exclaimed Amy.
âBut the important thing is that we have fun, right?â Emily replied, smiling.
The rest of the group was appalled.
âLegacy, donât take this the wrong way,â said Amy, âbut you are the dumbest person alive.â
Emily hung her head.
âOkay, so hereâs the plan,â said Chloe, ignoring Amy. âWe beat Das Sound Machine at their own game. Do what they do but do it better.â
Chloe continued. âAnd weâre about to do a full skills assessment to blow out our choreography to match.â
âI like it,â said Fat Amy. âSo, youâre going to fly around the stage, right?â
âNo!â Beca and Chloe shouted in unison.
âYou know I need to keep my powers a secret,â said Chloe.
âBut, just think of it! Nobody in that German group can fly!â
âWhich is why having Chloe fly during our performance would reveal her identity,â said Beca. âAnd, we still donât know who crashed the Hood Night party, or if thatâs the same person who controlled my mind at the DSM performance.â
âYou said they spoke to you in German, right?â Stacie asked Beca.
âYes,â said Beca, pausing for a beat. âAnd, come to think of it, it all started after they learned I knew German.â
âHave you heard it since?â Chloe asked.
Beca shook her head.
âIt has to be one of them,â said Stacie, and the other Bellas nodded and chimed in their agreement.
âAnd, you donât know who?â Fat Amy asked.
âI couldnât tell,â said Beca. âItâs so rare that anyone speaks to me in German, especially with my grandmother gone, that I really couldnât process the voice.â
âAnd, the mystery villain was probably using a device to disguise her voice,â added Chloe.
âHey, Beca?â Fat Amy asked.
âYeah?â
âDoes Chloe ever use her powers inââ
âNone of your business,â said Beca, cutting her off.
âSo, letâs get back on track,â said Chloe. âShow us what you got!â
The group began to attempt a lot of different tricks. One of the group members started to do moves imitating a cat. Jessica did the âworm.â Lilly found hula hoops and was swinging one around her neck. Emily took a ribbon on a stick and began swinging it around, trying to dance with it. Stacie did a headstand, and she and several others practiced cartwheels, only Stacie, Flo, and Jessica managing to perform them with straight legs and landing successfully on both feet. The group tried to do pyramids - once with Beca on top and once with Flo on top. Beca complained the entire time and was almost dropped. Flo, being a gymnast, handled the pyramid without a problem. A few group members tried climbing poles like pole dancers, and, while several actually did a good job, Beca and Chloe knew that such moves were definitely against the rules.
Fat Amy insisted she could eat fire, and Chloe had to use her super speed to stop Amy from burning herself.
Chloe wasnât sure that theyâd gotten any closer to a plan once practice ended, and, worst of all, Beca hadnât even started on musical arrangements.
She heard Emily talking to Beca as she was about to bring up this problem.
âHey, is it weird we never got around to singing today?â asked Emily.
âWell, itâs tough to sing when we donât have the arrangements, and thatâs on me, so thanks for reminding me.â
âYeah, Bec, weâre going to need those ASAP so we can start nailing down our choreography.â
âIâm right on top of that, Chlo.â
âAwes.â
âYeah. Awes.â
Beca zipped up her bag, threw it over her shoulder, and started to head out, Emily following her.
âSo I just wanted you to know that Iâve been working really hard, calming my nerves and keeping my eyes open and stuff. I was hoping to show you, maybe get some pointers.â
âSorry, I donât mean to be rude, but I just have somewhere I need to be.â
Beca quickly added, âUm, you did great today.â
âThanks,â said Emily.
Chloe racked her brain as she headed back to the Bella house. She was sure Beca didnât have any classes, so where was she going?
The next morning, the Bellas headed to a nearby car dealer to see the car show where theyâd been scheduled to perform before Fat Amyâs âincident.â The German team, Das Sound Machine, would be performing in their place. The group had unanimously decided it was in everyoneâs best interest to see what they were up against.
âGuys, focus up. Weâre here for one reason: to scout the competition,â said Chloe.
âItâs totally going to help us win the Worlds if we know what weâre up against,â Emily agreed.
Chloe sighed. âAll right. So where the hell are these tour thieves?â
Chloe looked around and then spotted Stacie rubbing against a sports car while several men took photos.
âStacie!â Chloe scolded.
âKeep it in your pants, maybe,â Beca added.
The Bellas entered a room containing a very modern-looking stage with two futuristic cars.
âWhat the? This all should have been ours!â Chloe exclaimed in disbelief. âI hate these Germans.â
Suddenly, both cars drove backwards off the stage.
âHoly aca-moly,â said Flo.
âOkay, the cars moved. Nothing else happened yet,â said Chloe, although she was wondering how that had happened.
âBut they are moving backwards. With ghosts driving them,â said Fat Amy. Chloe didnât think that was the case, though.
Six large LED panels lit up, revealing the face of a beautiful blonde woman. Chloe shuddered again, feeling a similar sensation to the one sheâd felt the night before, just a brief moment before the mystery villain appeared.
âWe are âŚwe are Das Sound Machine. A German collective operating in concert to create sonic mastery. What better way to appreciate automotive perfection?â said the voice, with a thick German accent.
âChlo, what is it?â Beca asked quietly.
âItâs that feeling of power nearby.â
âIs it just like last night?â
Chloe shrugged. âMaybe?â
Chloe struggled to focus on the performance, her senses on overload.
The group began to perform the chorus of Museâs âUprisingâ in perfect harmony.
They will not control us
We will be victorious, so come on.
The first five members to come out were all male. They were dressed in all black, with fishnets for sleeves. All were wearing headsets or holding microphones.
The paranoia is in bloom, the PRâ¨
Transmissions will resume, they'll try toâ¨
Push drugs, keep us all dumbed downÂ
and hope thatâ¨
We will never see the truth around
During that verse, four more men appeared on stage, followed quickly by two groups of women. By Chloeâs count, there were a total of eighteen members on stage. Their choreography was as precise as their musicality, in Chloeâs position. She feared the Bellas may have been outmatched.
Come on
At that line, the last member of DSM appeared on stage with a spotlight on her. She was the blonde whose face had appeared on the LED panels at the beginning.
Another promise, another seed
Another, packaged lie to keep us trapped in greed
And all the green belts wrapped around our minds
And endless red tape to keep the truth confined
The group began to mix in another track - âTsunamiâ by DVBBS & Borgeous.
Tsunami!
With that word, the group began a precise, choreographed fall and vocalized the instrumentals from the track.
Cynthia Rose broke the Bellasâ stunned silence.
âMan, they massive! How are we going to compete with a group that size?â
âTheyâre so freakinâ in-sync,â Stacie added.
They went back to âUprising.â
They will not force us
They will stop degrading us
Come on
They will not control us
We will be victorious
Come on
They continued, mashing up âTsunamiâ and âUprisingâ that Chloe felt was almost as amazing as Becaâs mash-ups. The Bellas stood in stunned silence, looks of shock on their faces.
âDo we clap?â Flo asked as the performance ended.
âPolitely clap,â said Chloe after a beat of deliberation.
âDanke schĂśn,â said the blonde leader. She looked right at the Bellas.
Das Sound Machine walked directly to the Bellas after their performance. The tall blonde woman who had appeared on screen spoke first.
âBarden Bellas. You came here to see us. Is it because you are... what do the American kids say, jelly?â
Chloe replied, âWe are so not jelly!â
âAnd nobody in this country has used that expression in years!â Beca added.
The blonde said, âWe should probably thank you for making this tour a reality because of your bumbling ineptitude.â
She turned to the man next to her. âWe should send them something. Fruit basket?â
âYum, yum.â
She turned back to Beca with a smirk on her face.
âOr would you prefer mini muffins?â
Beca put her hands up in mock surrender.
âOkay, we didnât come here to start something with you guys. We just wanted to check you out. You know, for when we go to the Worlds and kick your ass.â
The Bellas backed her up with âooâ and âthatâs right.â
The woman stepped up to Beca. âYou? You are the kicker of ass? But you are so tiny. Like an elf. Or is it a sprite? Fairy?â
She turned to the guy next to her and asked a question in German.
Beca interrupted as the guy began to answer her. âIch weiĂ nicht, welches Wort du meinst, aber ich bin sicher, es wird mir nicht gefallen!â
âYou speak German?â The woman looked at Beca in shock.
âJa. Meine GroĂmutter hat es mir beigebracht.â
âWell, I didnât expect that.â
âThe word you mean is âtroll,ââ the guy added.
âThatâs it. You are like a troll.â
Chloe was relieved they were speaking English again.
âWell, you... are... physically flawless. But that doesnât mean I like you,â said Beca, her face wearing an odd expression Chloe didnât recall seeing before.
Chloe added, âWe are not scared about the Worlds because, when The Bellas hit the stage, we are going to blow minds.â
âBlow minds? With what? More of Flabby Abbyâs baby chute?â asked the guy with an expression of disgust.
âThatâs not my name,â said Fat Amy.
âI donât know your name. It could be anything. Obese Denise. Inflexible Tina. Lazy SusanâŚâ
Chloe knew he was in for it. Fat Amy could call herself âFat Amyâ all she wanted, and she didnât mind the Bellas calling her that, either. However, sheâd never known the woman to tolerate that kind of talk from anyone else.
âMein Name ist Fat Amy, und I eat krauts like you for lunch.â
Had Chloe not still been dealing with the uneasy feeling of power similar to what sheâd felt the night before when the mystery villain had crashed the Hood Night party, sheâd have found this reply hilarious.
The man wasnât fazed. âYour team is like, a, how do you say that? A heated mess. You know, a mess where heat is applied to it, so what once was a little messy is now even messier.â
Beca rolled her eyes. âItâs âhot mess,â not âheated mess,â replied Beca, doing air quotes.
âDarlings, please take my advice. Donât try to beat us. You canât. We are the best,â said the woman.
She turned to Beca.
âI must go and rest my neck. It is sore from looking down on you.â
Beca stepped up to the woman and stood on her tiptoes.
âOkay! Just because you are making me very sexually confused does not mean that you are intimidating. We have nothing to lose. We have literally nothing!â
The group began to leave.
âAca Wiedersehen, bitches,â Beca called after them. She then turned to the Bellas. âAw, whatâs happening to me? Why am I using my hands so much?â
Chloe took Becaâs hand as the Bellas headed out. âSexually confused?â
Beca shook her head. âIâm not. Still gay, I swear. I wasnât saying those things. Well, I wasnât saying them on purpose.â
âWhat do you mean?â
âI mean, I heard this voice in my head, telling me what to say.â
âWhose voice was it?â
âI donât know, and I just had to do what it said.â
âWas it the woman?â
âElisa? Maybe?â
âWait, who is Elisa?â Chloe asked.
âThe blonde, I think. The voice told me. The guyâs name is Pieter,â said Beca. âAnd, it told me all of this in German.â
âI donât know why I keep forgetting youâre fluent in German.â
âIâve rarely had to use it in college, save for the German class I took in my sophomore year to get my foreign language requirement out of the way.â
âYou donât still hear it, do you?â
Beca shook her head.
Fat Amy piped up. âHey, Chloe, can you control minds?â
âUhhh, no. I donât think so.â
âTry controlling mine!â
âAmy, no,â said Beca.
Chloe was relieved that her girlfriend stopped Amy before she could press further. Chloe didnât want to read or control anyoneâs mind, and she didnât want to try.
Merry Christmas @bri-the-nautilus 𤊠Iâm your secret Santa for this yearâs Pitchmas Gift Exchange! I hope this is ok đ¤
Project Bloe WhatsApp
FAT AMY: Merry Christmas aca-bitches!
EMILY: Omg
STACIE: Merry Christmas sexy ladies đ
EMILY: (Merry Christmas everyone btw đ)
CR: Merry Christmas!
CR: Fat Amy this better be a Beca and Chloe update đ
JESSICA: Yes how did their date-not-a-date date go??
JESSICA: (Merry Christmas đĽ°)
Ashley: Merry Christmas đ¤Š
JESSICA: Babe, Iâm sat next to you đĽ°
ASHLEY: It was meant for the others đ
JESSICA: đ
FLO: Happy Christmas đ¸
FAT AMY: Bloeâs date-not-a-date date was definitely 100% a date đ
EMILY: Iâm so confused
EMILY: So was it a date or not?
STACIE: Emily catch up!!!
STACIE: Beca asked Chloe if she wanted to go for a drink after work on Christmas Eve
STACIE: Chloe freaked out because she didnât know if Beca meant in a romantic way
CR: Accidentally burnt herself with her flat-iron she was so busy worrying
STACIE: đ
FLO: One time I burnt myself on lavaâŚbut yes that kind of burn is horrible too.
ASHLEY: Beca got home and helped with the burn
STACIE: Which was conveniently on her collarbone đ
FAT AMY: The tension here was as WILD as bush kangaroos in heat!!
CR: Fat Amy was hiding on her bed behind the clothes rail divider reporting everything
FAT AMY:
LILLY: Theyâre in bed together now
FAT AMY: So they didnât establish if the drink that night would be a romantic drink or a drink as friends
CR: Which drove Chloe crazy
FAT AMY: yep
JESSICA: And last we heard, theyâd gone out on the date-not-a-dateâŚ
EMILY: Thisâll teach me to have my WhatsApp notifications switched on đ
FAT AMY: ANYWAY I have an update!!!!!
Fat Amy stood at the foot of the foldout bed in the studio apartment in Brooklyn, Santa hat on her head, still dressed in the tight fitting red sequin dress sheâd worn the night before. As expected, sheâd found a hookup quickly - at the first bar sheâd entered - and was only now returning home. The clock read 5am.
CR: đ
EMILY:
STACIE: đ¤đ¤đ¤đ¤đ¤
CR: Stacie manifesting something there đ
STACIE: You know exactly what Iâm manifesting đ
Fat Amy grinned and looked down at the bed. Sheâd not told her roommates sheâd be back tonight. She hadnât not told them either, so sheâd covered all bases if they ended up getting mad at her. Which they shouldnât do, because it wasnât her fault theyâd gone out drinking last night and were now curled up naked together with the thick winter blanket covering up to their chests, arms very clearly around each other.
FAT AMY: Bloe banged last night!!!!!
CR: YAAAAAAAAS đĽł
STACIE: Details immediately!!
STACIE: What do you see right now??
EMILY: 𼚠theyâre finally together!
ASHLEY: Jess, you owe me $5
LILLY: Chloe kissed Beca first
JESS: @Ash $5 already under your pillow đ
FLO: đ do you think theyâre in love?
LILLY: but Beca was the one who initiated making out on the way home
STACIE: Fat Amy!!! WHEREâS THE DETAILS??
FAT AMY: Iâve just got home!
FAT AMY: Theyâre naked in bed together!
CR: So much for Beca not having any feelings for Chloe, Aubrey đ
ASHLEY: Oh yeah! Where IS our illustrious old aca-leader?
Aubrey paced quickly down the corridor, brought out her card key, and slammed into her hotel room. Her chest heaved as she pushed the door closed behind her and leant her back against it, her eyes squeezing closed. Flashes of last night crossed her mind, and a coy smile spread across her face while her fingertips smoothed delicately across her skin. They tracked over the deep love-bites on either side of her neck and she thought about the two women who had laid naked with her overnight.
Itâd been a total accident bumping into Beca and Chloe last night, but a happy one. Theyâd all let their hair down, consumed way too many cocktails, and when sheâd watched Chloe suddenly pull Beca into a deep kiss sheâd felt something stir within her.
Project Bloe WhatsApp
LILLY: Aubrey was with them
FAT AMY: No idea
ASHLEY: Yeah itâs not like her to not have an opinion đ
Aubrey held her phone to her chest, thinking about the group chat thatâd been specifically created to get Beca and Chloe together. Sheâd always been adamant that neither Beca or Chloe would want to pursue a romantic relationship together, but perhaps after last night she was wrong. Perhaps after last night, theyâd consider letting her join them more oftenâŚ
A grumpy introvert is forced to wear an embarrassing costume and play Mrs. Claus at a big public event on Christmas Eve.
Beca Mitchell was wrapping up her work for the day as a junior producer at Residual Heat Studios. Just as she was closing her laptop, her coworker Jesse walked into her office with the puppy dog eyes Beca knew all too well.
âWhat is it, Jesse?â
âWhat? Canât I just walk into my friendâs cubicle at the end of the day?â
âOf course, but I know that look. You want something. Spill it.â
âSo, do you remember how I mentioned there was a big Toys for Tots event tonight?â
âYeah. I already donated a bunch of toys,â replied Beca.
âRight,â said Jesse. âButâŚit turns out we need a Mrs. Claus.â
âJesseâŚâ
âI wouldnât ask, but thereâs literally nobody else. I just found out sheâs down with norovirus, and thereâs no way she can come. Even if she stopped throwing up, sheâd expose all of those kids.â
âI donât even like Christmas,â said Beca.
âI didnât grow up celebrating Christmas, and I feel like I missed out. Hanukkah was cool and all, but not really the same.â
âWell, my holiday memories generally involved a lot of family drama, especially after my parentsâ divorce.â
âThis is an event for kids. Canât you just throw on a Mrs. Claus costume for a couple of hours and put smiles on the faces of underprivileged children?â
âStacie and I had plans for tonight.â
âSo, invite her to come along. She can be an elf.â
âStacie is almost as tall as you are, Jesse.â
âOkay, then she can still help out. Iâm sure weâll find something, and we could use as many hands as we can.â
âLet me text her.â
Beca texted Stacie, who agreed to come along, especially after reading that Beca was going to dress as Mrs. Claus. Beca suggested Stacie wear the costume instead, and all Stacie sent back was a laughing emoji.
Beca sighed and rolled her eyes. âOkay, Stacieâs on board, probably so she can take embarrassing pictures.â
âExcellent,â said Jesse. âIâll text you the address.â
About an hour later, Beca found herself in the womenâs bathroom at a nearby department store holding up a Mrs. Claus costume that was definitely going to be too big. She sighed as she held it up in front of her, hoping someone had safety pins or that sheâd be sitting down the whole time. The dress was way too long and was going to drag on the floor.
Before Beca had managed to try to get the costume on, an adorable redhead entered the bathroom, holding up an elf costume.
âHi!â She said upon seeing Beca. âIâm Chloe. Jesse said your name was Beca. Is that right?â
Beca froze for a moment. Chloe was so beautiful sheâd forgotten her own name for a second or two.
Clearing her throat, she replied, âYeah, thatâs me.â
âAwes,â she said.
âAwes?â Beca asked.
âAwesome. I started shortening words back in college, and I guess I didnât get out of the habit.â
Beca nodded.
To Becaâs surprise, Chloe immediately began stripping in the middle of the bathroom rather than going into a stall.
Beca glanced at the stalls and realized she was going to have to do the same thing; she didnât want any part of her costume, or worse, her own clothes, landing in the toilet. The stalls were very small. She tried not to stare at the beautiful woman in front of her in her underwear and started stripping.
However, Chloe seemed to notice her staring.
âYeah, Iâm pretty confident aboutâŚall this,â she said.
âYou should be,â Beca mumbled back, her cheeks flaming.
Once she got into her costume, she discovered it was worse than she thought. It felt like it was a foot too long, but it probably really was only half of that. Thankfully, it had an elastic waist, so at least the skirt wasnât going to fall.
âI guess the original Mrs. Claus was taller,â Beca said sheepishly. âI donât know what Iâm going to do. I donât know how to sew. I donât even own a sewing needle or thread, much less a sewing machine.â
âIt will be fine,â Chloe reassured her. âI have some safety pins. My grandmother taught me how to sew, and she taught me how to hem. I donât have my machine, but I think I can strategically place some pins so it looks like it was hemmed.â
âOkay, I guess. I donât exactly have a choice. I mean, I do, but I promised Jesse. He kind of suckered me into it.â
âHe said it was âfor the children,ââ Chloe said, doing air quotes.
âExactly.â
âThatâs him.â
âHe got me with the puppy dog eyes.â
Chloe winked. âGood to know those work.â
Beca groaned internally. Chloe was adorable, and the wink already had her hooked.
She followed Chloe out of the bathroom and into the storeâs stockroom. It was cramped, but it was better than doing all of this in the bathroom. Chloe pulled a pack of safety pins from her purse and asked Beca to stand still. She folded the bottom of the dress and asked Beca to look down and see if she was okay with the length. It was a couple of inches above the floor, so Beca agreed. In a few minutes, the dress was off the floor. She looked down at the dress and saw that Chloe had been true to her word. She could barely see where the dress had been pinned. She reasoned that everyone would likely be looking at Santa, rather than the bottom of Mrs. Clausâs skirt, anyway.
Stacie walked in at that moment and practically doubled over with laughter.
Beca folded her arms. âStacie, thatâs not helping. You know, this costume is probably the right length for you if we take the pins out of the bottom of the dress.â
âYeah, but you canât convince me to wear it.â
Beca opened her mouth to say something and then shut it. Sheâd been friends with Stacie long enough to know that she was right. Stacie had never been one to do anything she didnât want to do, and it was nearly impossible to change her mind.
âFine. So, what are you doing?â
âJesse has me in charge of keeping the kids occupied after their turn to see Santa is over.â
Beca looked and saw Stacie had put on an ugly Christmas sweater and had a festive headband in her hand, figuring sheâd put it on when things started.
âOkay, itâs picture time!â Stacie declared, holding up her phone and already beginning to snap pictures.
Chloe soon put her arm around Beca and posed.
âShouldnât you be taking pictures of Jesse as well?â Beca asked.
âAlready did,â said Stacie. She showed Beca the photo gallery on her phone. Beca had to admit Jesse looked surprisingly at home in the Santa suit.
Beca sat next to Jesse in her Mrs. Claus costume. She tried her best to smile, but the costume was itchy and uncomfortable. She wasnât comfortable in large crowds, and she wondered how and when to make Jesse pay for this. She figured sheâd start with insisting he bring her some coffee first thing Monday morning.
Jesse did an excellent job playing Santa. He had the âHo Ho Hoâ laugh down, and he took the time to listen to the children as they told him what they wanted. Becaâs job was to walk the child to the elf, and sheâd direct them to the correct toy bin. Chloe helped each child select a toy and gave them a candy cane if they wanted one. To keep the magic of Santa alive, Santa and Mrs. Claus made a point to tell the children that they could choose an early gift for being on the âExtra Nice List.â Parents were then allowed to choose an unwrapped toy or two to take home to give to their child on Christmas, while Stacie kept the children occupied with Christmas specials, snacks, and crafts in another area of the store.
One quiet, shy girl caught Becaâs attention. Sheâd spoken so quietly when Jesse asked her what she wanted that Beca had to strain to hear her. Jesse asked her to repeat herself, but even he didnât seem to be able to understand her. When Beca caught the little girlâs eye, she thought sheâd try to take over.
âHi, sweetie. Whatâs your name? I need to help Santa make sure youâre on the âExtra Nice List.ââ
âItâs Amelia,â she mumbled.
âAmelia, right?â Beca asked.
The little girl nodded.
âI see youâre on the list!â Jesse exclaimed. The girl gave a small smile, but she looked directly at Beca.
âThatâs wonderful,â said Beca. âWhat would you like for Christmas?â
The girl shrugged. âI donât know. Mommy said you might not make it to our house this year.â
âWhy is that?â Beca asked.
âBecause my daddy left us, and she said Santa might think we live with him.â
Becaâs heart broke in two. She remembered how sad sheâd been when her father left, but sheâd still received Christmas presents. The girlâs poor mother must have been dirt poor.
âWell, now we know thatâs not true,â said Beca. She glanced at the crowd and caught the eye of a young woman who appeared to be signaling the girl to stop, looking embarrassed.
âIâll help Santa make sure he knows where you are on Christmas Eve,â Chloe added.
Jesse said, âYou get to choose a gift early because youâre on the list. What would you like?â
âA Labubu doll,â she said. âAnd, some Legos and a Barbie doll. But, Mommy said thatâs too many gifts.â
Beca looked again at the young woman and tried to express with her eyes that things were okay.
âItâs not too many for someone like you on the âExtra Nice List.ââ
âLetâs go look at the bin. I have some dolls over here,â said Chloe, leading the girl to the bin of dolls. It warmed Becaâs heart to see the girlâs face light up.
âExcuse me,â she said to Jesse.
She walked over to the young woman and pulled her aside. âYouâre Ameliaâs mom, aren't you?â
The woman nodded and looked at her feet. âIâm Stephanie. Just a few months ago, her father left me with nothing. He had an affair and left me so he could raise a baby with the other woman. I stayed home with Amelia before that, so I have no money. We had to move in with my parents because the house was in his name only.â
âMy dad left when I was young, too,â said Beca. âMy mom worked, so we got to stay in the house. But it really sucked. My dad moved across the country with his affair partner. We still talk, but itâs never been the same.â
âAmeliaâs father doesnât even talk to her anymore.â
âIâm sorry to hear that. Anyway, we are letting parents take a few brand new toys home to put under the tree for later. Iâm sure Amelia will be okay with the other children for a few minutes. Why donât I show you what we have?â
Stephanie followed Beca to the unwrapped toy area, and Beca encouraged her to take a few toys for Amelia. She smiled when she saw her choose a Lego set Beca would have loved as a child. She chose President Barbie, and she said sheâd chosen a career Barbie with big dreams.
Beca headed back to the main event and took a seat with Jesse, explaining that sheâd had to take a little break to use the âlittle girlsâ room,â making a lot of the young children giggle, several of whom reminded Mrs. Claus that she was a grown-up.
Beca really hit her stride as Mrs. Claus after that. She listened and engaged more with the children after that, instead of mostly sitting back and letting Jesse and Chloe do it.
As the event wrapped up, she saw Stephanie and Amelia leaving the childrenâs area. They stopped her on the way to the back of the store.
âMrs. Claus! Mrs. Claus!â Amelia called, taking Beca by surprise, as the child had barely spoken above a whisper earlier.
âYes, Amelia?â
Amelia turned to her mom. âShe remembered my name!â
âOf course I did.â
She thrust a craft made mostly from green construction paper at Beca. âI made this for you.â
Beca swallowed hard when she looked. The girl had made a Christmas tree, and sheâd carefully written âThank you Mrs. Clausâ on it. Sheâd drawn a picture of herself holding Mrs. Clausâs hand on the back.
âMiss Stacie helped me with the spelling. I wanted to do my very best.â
Beca cleared her throat before responding, trying to avoid openly crying and possibly frightening the girl.
âYou did an excellent job,â she said. âMay I take this back to the North Pole?â
Amelia nodded vigorously. âYes!â
âIâm going to put it in the workshop. I am going to be so busy with the elves when I get back that this will remind me to keep doing my best.â
Chloe appeared behind her. âEspecially this elf!â She winked at Beca.
Chloe, again, stripped in front of Beca.
âThanks for your help with my costume,â Beca said.
âIt was no problem,â said Chloe. âYou were so sweet with that little girl.â
âAmelia?â
âYes.â
Beca sighed. âI saw myself in her. My dad left when I was a little girl. I never had to worry about getting presents, but I missed him terribly at first. He tried to keep in contact at first, but he was on the other side of the country, so it was tough. I was also really angry and shut him out. And I never did accept Sheila the Stepmonster.â
âStepmonster?â
Beca shrugged. âShe tried to replace my mom when Iâd go to my dadâs. She even tried to convince me to move in with them. I wasnât having it, and Iâm pretty sure I remember hearing some rather heated exchanges when my mom was on the phone with my dad. I made amends with my dad when I begrudgingly started college. He taught at Barden, so my tuition was free. Heâs still with Sheila, and Iâm polite to her, but Iâm much happier when she isnât around when I spend time with my dad.â
âWow.â
âYeah.â
The two looked at each other for a few beats.
âSoâŚâ Chloe trailed off.
âSoâŚ.?â
âIâŚthis is probably too forward.â Chloe took a breath before continuing. âI hope my gaydar is correct. Iâm bi, so maybe itâs not great.â
Beca smirked as she realized what was happening. She let Chloe stammer for a moment before gesturing to her to continue.
âWould you like to go get drinks after this? Or, maybe a coffee tomorrow if youâre not busy? Wait, are you with Stacie?â
Beca chuckled. âIâm not with Stacie. Weâve been friends for years. We met at Barden, actually. I do have plans with her tonight, but Iâd love to get that cup of coffee with you tomorrow.â
âAwes.â
âYeah, awes.â
They exited the store bathroom and headed to the stockroom to return their costumes. They found Jesse looking at them and grinning. He held up something green and motioned for them to come over to him.
âOkay, you two. I have a mistletoe here that Iâm not using, soâŚâ
âYou donât have to tell me twice,â said Beca. She pulled Chloe in for a kiss, and she felt the last ounce of dislike for Christmas melt away. Maybe Jesse didnât owe her that coffee on Monday.
Chloe led the group to the Treblemakersâ house and was immediately welcomed by Jesse.
âBellas! Welcome!â
âHey, Jesse. Whereâs Beca? I thought she might be with you tonight,â said Chloe.
Jesseâs face screwed up in confusion.
âI thought she was with you,â Jesse replied.
âI thought she was with you.â Chloe thought hard, but she couldnât remember Beca saying anything about missing Hood Night.
Someone turned up the music, and Chloe walked around to see if she could find Beca. She circled back to Jesse to find Beca sitting next to him at the bar.
âThere you are!â Chloe exclaimed.
âSorry, I just got here.â
Chloe saw Jesse give Beca a look she couldnât quite read. When Beca didnât further explain herself, Chloe let it go. It must have been something between the two friends.
Stacie began to pull her onto the dance floor, and Beca assured Chloe sheâd join her in a minute.
She overheard Emily greeting Beca excitedly. Chloe had sent Beca a quick text on the way over to the Treblesâ to let her know about the newest Bella. A few minutes later, Beca joined Chloe and the others in dancing around the pool.
Just as Chloe looked over to find Lilly in the pool, she felt a strange sensation that made her shudder.
âChlo? What is it?â Beca asked.
âI donât know. I felt something,â Chloe said. She waited a beat. âPower, butâŚnot mine.â
Before she could try to find the words to explain herself, a figure appeared, flying over the group. The figure appeared to be female and was wearing a black skintight suit that covered everything except her eyes. Chloe had never seen another person fly before, and her head was instantly full of questions.
âThis is Bardenâs a cappella?â The voice sounded more robotic than human. âYou will be eliminated!â The person raised their arm in what appeared to be a threatening posture toward the partygoers, and Chloe saw a flame beginning to form in their palm. Chloe zipped back to the Bella house and donned her Red Fire suit. She was flying over the pool, opposite the mystery figure, within about three seconds. Luckily, the figure hadnât launched an attack yet.
âDonât you dare!â Red Fire called, raising her hand, although she wasnât sure what compelled her to do so. Her hand got very hot, as it had earlier that morning, and then she saw a fireball forming in her palm. She raised her hand towards the figure and tried to throw the fireball at her, but her aim was way off, and the fireball landed in the pool and extinguished. She was thankful that Lilly had already gotten out.
âRed Fire! You canât stop me!â
âI wonât let you hurt them!â Red Fire formed another fireball and threw it, this time grazing the womanâs foot before it, too, landed in the pool.
The figure began to cackle. âPathetic!â
Before Red Fire could hurl another fireball, the figure quickly flew away. Chloe returned to the Bella house and changed back into her normal clothing. She wasnât surprised to see all of the Bellas, save for Fat Amy, entering the Bella houseâs living room.
âWho the hell was that?â Stacie asked.
âWhat the hell was that?â Cynthia Rose asked.
Chloe sat down and put her head in her hands. âI have no idea. Iâve never met anyone else who could fly. Well, nobody who is human. Or, maybe theyâre not human. Maybe Iâm not human.â
âIâm pretty sure Iâve seen you naked enough to say youâre human,â said Beca, generating a few âewwwwâs from the others. âMaybe we should go and see your parents, though?â
âI guess,â said Chloe. âMy dad has always been good at helping me figure things out, but I wonder if this is more than a little out of his league.â
âI donât have any better ideas. Itâs not like you can Google âpeople who can fly,ââ said Beca.
âSure, you can. Itâs just that Red Fire is the only thing that comes up!â
The next day, Beca and Chloe flew to Chloeâs parentsâ home.
Chloeâs parents had a spread of different foods laid out in the dining room for lunch. Chloe shared what had happened at the party the previous night, and that she seemed to be developing a new power.
âDad, it was so weird. Iâve never seen someone like me. She appeared to be human, but I donât know whether or not she was.â
âAnd, you said she was flying, correct?â Chloeâs dad asked.
âYes. She hovered above the pool at the Treblemakersâ house. I couldnât see much of her except for her eyes. She looked human, I guess, but her voice didnât sound human at all.â
âAnd, she made a remark about Bardenâs a cappella groups?â
âYeah. I think she was about to throw a fireball at everyone. I think she would have had I not transformed when I did.â
âWell, Iâm glad you were there.â
âMe too,â said Chloe. âItâs weird, though. I thought I was the only one with powers. Why is there someone else with them?â
âI have no idea,â said her dad. âI can say this isnât covered in any of the parenting books.â
âI guess not.â Chloe paused for a moment. âDad, am IâŚhuman? Why do I have these powers?â
âIâm certain you are,â he said. âIâll be honest with you. When you started developing powers, I spoke with your pediatrician. I had them run some bloodwork, and almost everything came out normal.â
âAlmost everything?â
âThey found a mutation in some of your chromosomes - one that the lab hadnât seen before. All of your DNA is definitely human, though.â
âSo, the mutation is what gave me my powers?â
âThatâs what the doctor thinks.â
âHow did that happen?â
âWe donât know,â said her dad. âThe hospital estimated you were about six days old when you were dropped off at the fire station. We have no idea who your biological parents are or what happened before you were dropped off. It could have been anything - a random mutation, chemical exposure, some sort of recessive gene, or something else we havenât thought of. I asked your doctor to keep your lab results confidential. When the lab asked for a repeat test, the doctor submitted a blood sample from another patient. I know thatâs not ethical, but I didnât want you poked and prodded.â
âThanks,â said Chloe. She decided to switch gears. âSo, should I fly us to the lake so I can practice? I donât know when or if she will be back, and if she will spare us the next time.â
âI suppose so,â said her dad. âLetâs go.â
The lake was several states away on land owned by Chloeâs great-uncle. He rarely used the property, and Chloe and her family felt that his finding out about her powers was worth the risk.
Beca, Chloe, and Calvin arrived there after about five minutes in the air. The first thing Chloeâs dad had her do was get used to aiming and throwing the fireballs into the lake from a standing position. Once she had some control, they worked on throwing from above the lake. Chloe had a harder time with that as she had to be careful not to throw anything beyond the edge of the lake. There were a few mishaps, but Chloeâs super speed made any damage to the area minimal.
A few hours later, Chloeâs dad thought she had done enough practice, and Chloe flew them back home. When they arrived, Chloeâs mother held up some new gloves sheâd sewn. They looked like driving gloves and perfectly matched her costume.
âI made these with some fireproof fabric we just got in at the fire station. I made flaps with Velcro you can open when you are using the fireballs. That way it wonât scorch anything.â
Her mother had her put them on and showed her how to pull back the fabric.
I'm a writer, so I'd love to get to know a bit about your taste in fics, or like if there's a particular ship, setting/premise, or genre/trope you'd like me to write.
Looking forward to hearing from you! I can't wait to write something for you đźđđ
My name tells you I like Bechloe đ. If thatâs not your thing, though, Staubrey is cool. I like Jessley as well. A fic with all three ships would be fun, but I know thatâs a lot of pressure.
As far as the fic goes, nothing sad. Comedy, fluff, stuff like that is good. I will leave the rest of it up to you, but you can always shoot me an ask if you want me to come up with more ideas.
The next morning, Chloe was up early and making a hot breakfast for the Bellas. As she was scrambling eggs, she looked down and saw that her hand was red. It didnât hurt, but it had never happened before. She looked at the frying pan and saw that the handle was nowhere near the burner.
As Beca walked into the kitchen, Chloe asked her to come over.
âHey, be careful, but can you feel the handle of this frying pan?â
Beca carefully put a finger on the handle. She shrugged. âWhatâs the matter? It feels fine to me.â
Chloe held up her right hand. âMy hand is red.â
Beca tapped Chloeâs palm and immediately pulled her hand back. âYour hand is really hot!â
Chloe looked at her left hand as well. âThis one is just as red, and I know I didnât touch the pan with it.â
âDo you think itâs a new power?â Beca asked.
âMaybe, butâŚI donât know what itâs for.â
âFor now, maybe get an ice pack or run it under cold water? I can take over the cooking.â
âYou hate cooking.â
âYeah, but I love you more than I hate cooking.â
Chloe gave Beca a quick peck before opening the freezer and grabbing an ice pack. Chloeâs hands quickly cooled down and returned to their normal coloring.
As the Bellas walked into the kitchen and sat down to breakfast, Chloe lamented.
âIt sucks we canât hold auditions. Even if weâre reinstated, what happens to us? I canât be the only group member, and my parents arenât going to pay for grad school forever.â
âI was planning to go to school for my PhD,â said Stacie. âBut, honestly, I wasnât looking into Barden. Thereâs a better program at Georgia Tech.â
âYou know Iâm planning to head to LA to pay my dues. There arenât very many recording studios here,â said Beca.
Chloe sighed. The only thing she could do was try to win the Worlds. A world championship would surely attract new students, and the Bellas would be saved.
Later that evening, Chloe heard a knock at the door at the Bella house. Fat Amy answered.
âSorry, my boobs are all crazy. I was just jumping.â
Chloe heard a voice she didnât recognize.
âHi, I just came from auditions. You guys werenât there, and I was hoping for the chance to sing for you.â
âNo. Canât help you. Weâre not allowed to take anyone new,â said Fat Amy.
âNo, no, wait! Iâm a Junk!â the girl called out as Chloe saw her slip through the door as Amy was shutting it. She was a tall, fresh-faced brunette who looked incredibly nervous.
âWhatâd you say about your junk?â asked Cynthia Rose.
âHi. Iâm Emily Junk. I know, itâs weird. Itâs my momâs last name. My dadâs last name is Hardon, soâŚâ She trailed off for a moment.
She added, âIâm a legacy. Junk. My mom was a Bella.â
Chloe gasped in realization. âYour mother is Katherine Junk?
âWho?â Stacie asked.
âOnly the top bitch of the 1981 Bellas,â said Chloe. âShe pioneered the syncopated booty
shake. And word is she had a five-octave vocal range.â
âStill does. You do not want to hear that woman doing it with my dad,â said Emily, chuckling.
âWhat an odd thing to say,â replied Fat Amy.
âIf a legacy wants to audition, we have to let her,â said Chloe. âOkay, show us what you got.â
âHere. Right here. Right now,â said Emily, looking nervous.
âOkay. Iâd like to perform an original song Iâm working on. Iâm not finished with it so... letâs
not be dicks about it.â She waited a beat. âSorry, that was crass, wasnât it?â
Emily shut her eyes, took a quick breath, and began to sing.
When tomorrow comes, I'll be on my own
Feeling frightened of the things that I don't know
When tomorrow comes
Tomorrow comes, tomorrow comes
Emily had a beautiful voice, but Chloe noticed she shut her eyes throughout most of the song.
And though the road is long
I look up to the sky
Darkness all around, noâŚ
Emily stopped. âIâm still kind of tinkering with that verse.â
I got all I need when I got you and I
I look around me and see a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark, but you're my flashlight
You're gettin' me, gettin' me through the night
Kickstart my heart when you shine it in my eyes
Canât lie, itâs a sweet life
I'm stuck in the dark, but you're my flashlight
You're gettin' me, gettin' me through the night
She began to make a few percussion noises, something Chloe surmised sheâd learned from her mother.
You are my flashlight
Emily looked at the group and smiled, clearly proud of herself.
Chloe looked at her and said, âWould you excuse us for just one second?â
She turned to the group and began to discuss in a hushed tone.
âSheâs pretty good. Can we take her?â
âWhat do you expect us to say? Sheâs standing right there,â said Fat Amy, in a volume Emily had to have heard. She slightly lowered her voice to add, âDefinitely not a soloist.â
Chloe thought for a beat. âTechnically, she came to us. So, really, weâre not breaking any rules.â
âYeah, itâs the perfect loophole,â Stacie agreed.
Flo added, âWe could always use another body. You know, in case one of us gets kidnapped for ransom, thrown in a shipping container, and made to eat only leaves and gas receipts.â
Thatâs oddly specific, thought Chloe. She added, âI agree. We need new blood.â
âI donât think we should decide anything without Beca,â said Cynthia Rose.
âWell, sheâs not here, soâŚâ Chloe trailed off, wondering where Beca was. She hadnât mentioned an evening class or other plans.
âDid anyone else think it was creepy that she almost never opened her eyes?â whispered Stacie.
âAgain. Weâre still talking. And sheâs standing right there,â said Fat Amy. She lowered her voice again. âBut if weâre gonna talk negative, letâs start with the giraffe legs.â
Lilly spoke in a voice Chloe assumed only she could hear.
âI keep a penny under my tongue,â said Lilly, sticking her tongue out to show it, making several group members give her a side eye.
âOkay, letâs put it to a vote. If you think we should let her in, sing a G sharp. If you donât, sing an E flat. One, twoââ
The group sang a note, and, thanks to Chloeâs super hearing, she heard seven members sing a G sharp, and only one sang an E flat - Fat Amy.
Chloe turned to Emily and took a beat before smiling at her.
âWelcome to the Bellas.â
âO. M. ACA-G!â Emily did a goofy celebratory dance.
âGirl, stop. Stop. Girl, stop that,â said Cynthia Rose, putting a hand on Emilyâs arm to stop her.
âSorry,â said Emily. âSo, when does initiation start?! Iâll go back to my dorm and pretend to be surprised when you throw a hood over my head and make me solve a Rubikâs Cube while sucking vodka from a maxi pad.â
The group looked at Emily as though she had two heads.
âThatâs what my mom said happened,â she explained.
âNo can do,â said Chloe.
Fat Amy said, âLook around, we donât have a maxi pad to spare.â She continued. âSoâŚAlright, grab your guts, ladies, itâs party time! Weâve got tickets to Copenhagen and a brand new Bella!â
She hugged Emily. âLetâs go!â
The others cheered and followed Amy out of the house. Emily wondered aloud if she should leave her bag at the Bella house.
âCome on, girl,â Chloe called.
Emily followed the group over to the Treblemakersâ house. Chloe heard Fat Amy explain to Emily that it was an a cappella party and to be prepared for a lot of sexually confused young men. She chuckled to herself and decided not to tell Emily that Fat Amyâs definition of âsexually confusedâ was given to any man who rejected her advances.
The Barden Bellas, now three-time ICCA champions, were performing at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, for their Kennedy Center Honors celebration. It was an even bigger stage than Lincoln Center, and they were honored to have been asked. The President of the United States and the First Lady were even in attendance.
Beca and Chloe were still together, stronger than ever. Theyâd created a special set. The Kennedy Center had given them nicer costumes for their performance, and they had also supplied professional hairstylists and makeup artists.
The performance had been very flashy - sequined costumes, special props, and even new, fancy shoes. Theyâd gone all out, finally allowing the newest Bella, Flo Fuentes, to perform a short tumbling run. Fat Amy had even convinced the two captains to let her get on aerial silks to perform her solo song: âWrecking Ball.â
Unfortunately, the performance ended in disaster. Just as Fat Amy was finishing the first chorus, she got her feet tangled while flipping over, and her skintight costume split right at the seat. Everyone found out the hard way that Amy was not wearing underwear. The silks then turned Amy as her costume continued to rip, exposing all of her nether regions to the audience before the stage crew was able to close a curtain in front of her. To Fat Amyâs credit, she took it all in stride, hollering, âAvert your eyes, or take it all in! Make your choice!â
The story was all over the news, and several different anchors found it hilarious and/or disturbing. The Bellas made an appearance and publicly apologized for the incident. Fat Amy had made her own statement, adding that sheâd been punished by âsilk burn.â She went to show the âsilk burnâ to the audience, but the others stopped her before they had another incident on their hands.
The ICCA officials, John and Gail, came down hard on the Bellas. They suspended the group from performing at any collegiate a cappella competitions and canceled their national tour. Barden University added to the punishment by forbidding them to recruit any new members, which meant the end of the group, as every member was a graduating senior. Luckily, Chloe read the details of their suspension and found a loophole.
âThereâs nothing in here that strips us of our national title. And, if weâre still reigning champs... then weâre automatically invited to represent America at the World Championships this spring.â
John and Gail agreed that they couldnât stop them from competing in the Worlds.
Beca asked, âWhat if we win it?â
John and Gail began to laugh hysterically.
âWhat if you win it? What if you win it? Like, you outperform the other groups. Ho ho! How do you fit such big dreams in such a small body? What if you win it?â replied John between fits of hysterical laughter.
The Bellas all looked around, none of them understanding the humor.
âYeah, if we win, will you reinstate us?â Beca asked.
âSure. But no American team has ever won,â said John.
âThatâs because they hate us,â added Gail.
âThe whole world hates us,â said both John and Gail, still laughing.
The Bellas regrouped once they left the deanâs office. Chloe was already panicking.
âIf we donât win, the Bellas are over!â
She went on to tell the group that theyâd have to have âlaser focusâ if they wanted to win.
âI canât let this be the end of the Bellas. I might have âaccidentally on purposeâ failed Russian Lit a few years ago so that I could be a Bella.â
The others exchanged murmurs of âreally?â
âYeah,â said Chloe. âI almost failed it again, but I found out I could still participate if I were in grad school.â
âSo, are you going to finish up this year?â Stacie asked.
Chloe shrugged. âIâŚdonât know.â
The Bellas had been given a sorority house the fall after their first win at Nationals. There had been rumors of some sort of scandal surrounding the sorority that had previously occupied the house, but nothing was ever confirmed.
The group was opening the mail and sitting down to lunch as Chloe opened up her laptop and registered them for the Worlds. Flo and Fat Amy lamented the fact that they were still getting hate mail a month after the incident. There had even been a letter containing a razor for Fat Amyâs âhairy situation.â
âOkay, weâre officially registered,â Chloe announced. âUpdate your passports, ladies. âCause weâre headed to the very sunny, very beautifulâŚCOPENHAGEN!â
The group cheered and gave each other high fives.
âYeah! Where is that?â Fat Amy asked.
âItâs in Denmark,â said Chloe. She tapped a few keys on the laptop and pulled up a map.
âGot it.â
âLooks like the Worlds have been dominated by that stupid German team that took over our tour,â Chloe said.
âYou mean stole our tour,â said Stacie.
âWord,â said Amy. âWe need to scout those Deutsch-bags.â
âYes,â said Flo.
Fat Amy scoffed. âBut, how good can they be? Germany hasnât produced a good singer since David Hasselhoff.â
âBut Iâm not worried,â Amy continued. âWhen we win, we can stick it to these chumps who
sent us all this hate mail, like â Sonia Sotomayor.â
Amy paused to hold up a letter. It had a bunch of big letters cut from a magazine, spelling âDie Bitches Die.â
âJudge-y bitch,â said Amy. âThe Bellas are back!â
The group cheered again.
Chloe looked around and realized they were missing a Bella.
âHas anyone talked to Beca today?â she asked.
Several Bellas shook their heads.
âWhy donât you use your super hearing and find out where she is?â asked Stacie.
âNo,â said Chloe. âWhen I got my super hearing, I vowed to never listen in on any loved ones. Iâve honed it to generally just listen for serious distress.â
Stacie rolled her eyes. âIâd never be able to do that.â
Chloe shrugged. âItâs the only way I can handle it. Iâd go crazy listening to eight billion people all the time.â
I can so relate, except Iâm over 40 and not generally out. Some people know, but a large percentage of people close to me donât know. Maybe one of these days Iâll come out to everyone.