The new tournament

Putting the team together

Beca and Jesse left 'The Optimist' at 8:30 p.m., not before thanking Gail for thinking of them. They hadn't brought the car (it was actually Jesse's car but they both used it without restrictions) because they enjoyed walking to any place they could. Right now their decision seemed fitting, as there was a lot to talk about.
"So who do you think we should call first to help us put the team together?" Jesse asked.
"Definitely Aubrey... and Chloe... and Emily. Maybe Fat Amy, too." She answered, as she rubbed her hands because of the cold weather.
"What about the guys?"
"You know them better, who do you think will be a good help?"
"Benji."
"Definitely."
"Bumper."
"Not so much."
"Donald."
"Yep, that's it."
Jesse was aware that Beca had never liked Bumper or Donald, even when they were the boyfriends of two of her closest friends.
She is right, though. Bumper is talented but also quite of an ass.
As a matter of fact, she practically didn't like any of Jesse's Treble friends, except for Benji.
She's a Bella after all, it's in her nature to dislike Trebles.
"Wait, wasn't Aubrey running that boot camp? What was its name? 'The Lodge of Poor Unfortunate Souls'?"
Beca laughed at Jesse's goofiness.
"'The Lodge of Fallen Leaves'."
"Right. So you think she will accept your invitation despite her job?"
"Hah! After graduating she said she was done with a Cappella but I know Aubrey, the only thing she loves more than screaming at people is singing. She will say yes, I can assure you."
"What about Chloe?"
"She more than anyone will accept. She is my best friend and all but she didn't graduate for 3 years in order to stay with the Bellas. She will be happy to do it."
They both kept walking in silence for a couple of blocks, arm in arm.
"I can't believe we are doing this." Jesse said after a while.
"Me neither."
"You know? I think this might be fun!"
Beca stopped walking and looked at him.
"What do you mean with 'fun'?"
"Think for a moment, we have always been rivals because you were a Bella and I was a Treble, right?" Beca nodded. "Now, for once in our lives, we get to be in the same team! Isn't that awesome?"
Beca couldn't help but smile at Jesse's excitement. To be honest she hadn't thought about it but now that he had mentioned it, the whole thing indeed sounded like fun. And not only because she was going to be able to work with her boyfriend, but also because, at last, all of that shitty "rivalry" was about to come to an end. And she, for one, couldn't wait.
"Yeah, it will be awesome." She said, and they both kissed in the middle of the street.

The next day was a Monday, but Beca and Jesse had no time to lose. They started making calls first thing in the morning. They decided Beca was calling the girls and Jesse was calling the boys.
First, Beca called Chloe.
"Hi Chloe, it's Beca. How're you doing?"
Then Jesse called Bumper.
"Hey Bumper, it's Jesse. How are you, man? I know you have been busy with your new album and everything, but I would like to see if you are interested in a little project..."
After which Beca called Emily.
"I'm good, thanks. Hey listen, I need your help for something..."
And then Aubrey.
"We are meeting tomorrow at the empty dance studio..."
And finally, Jesse called Benji.
"Yeah, where the Bellas rehearse."
They briefly told them what the call was about and agreed to meet at 4:00 p.m. at the empty dance studio in which the Bellas rehearsed. When they arrived at 3:50 p.m., Aubrey and Chloe were already there. Beca was really glad to see them and they hugged. When they broke the hug, she couldn't help but smile at her friends.
All her life Beca had heard of the kind of friendship between two people in which both of them are inseparable, and you can't really picture one without the other. However, she had never actually seen it until she met Aubrey and Chloe. They both had been friends for years, although Aubrey's obsessive personality clashed with Chloe's more open-minded views of the world. They were both very enthusiastic about the idea of going back to an a Cappella competition and accepted Beca's offer immediately, as she had predicted.
"Wow girls, it's so good to see you again!" Beca said, visibly happy. "Aubrey, you look great! And Chloe... what can I say? You both look amazing, girls."
And it was true. Aubrey, the control freak, had realized she was rather good at bending people's wills and had decided to make a living of it by running a boot camp. She had let her large, blonde hair loose, and the long hours of exercise had paid off, as she looked fitter than ever. She was wearing a blue blouse and a pair of jeans, and black boots. Although she and Beca had had a rough start, they grew fond of each other and eventually became good friends. Aubrey respected Beca's natural leadership abilities and Beca admired the passion and determination Aubrey put on everything she did.
Chloe, on the other hand, was a sweet and sensitive young woman who had delayed her graduation in order to remain a Bella until Beca and her other friends graduated. After that she became a singing teacher at a local elementary school. She was wearing a red blouse, black jeans and brown boots. Her red hair, longer than ever, ran loose all through her back. Her blue eyes radiated energy and enthusiasm, and her positive attitude and disposition were always contagious. She was Beca's best friend and right hand when she was the Bellas' leader, and also her confident.
"Thanks, Beca." Aubrey said, with a smile.
"I can't believe we are doing this again!" Chloe added. "I mean, I thought with us graduating all of this was coming to an end."
"I know, but life takes many turns."
In that moment Jesse, who had stayed behind, approached and greeted them.
"Chloe, nice to have you around. And it's always a pleasure to see you again, Aubrey."
"You too, Jesse, especially since you are no longer wearing that awful Trebles hoodie."
"Not for long. I guess Beca told you what this little reunion was about."
"Yeah, I guess I'll have to make an effort."
They proceeded to take a seat. Right in that moment Donald, Bumper, Emily and Benji arrived. Donald was wearing his characteristic glasses, and Beca hoped he were still the best at beatboxing. Bumper, the nasty former leader of the Trebles, had made himself a name in the music industry after being a participant in The Voice. Although it was technically "forbidden" for Bellas and Trebles to be in a relationship with each other, both Donald and Bumper were the boyfriends of Lily and Fat Amy respectively. And so was the case of Emily and Benji, who had met the previous year when she was a freshman and they fell in love with each other. Now Emily was the new leader of the Bellas, and had decided to continue Beca's legacy in the group.
They all said hi to each other, although Aubrey did it with not a lot of enthusiasm.
"What's the matter, Aubrey? Aren't you happy to see your old friend Bumper?" he teased her. Donald laughed, while Aubrey looked at him with serial killer's eyes.
"Since when you and I are friends?"
"Well, it doesn't matter anymore. From now on you'll have to be nice because, after all, we are part of the same team now, aren't we? Your dream come true. Just don't choke on the idea."
Aubrey was about to say something else but Jesse interrupted their little argument.
"Guys, stop it! We are here because we have a common cause, don't we? We have to leave the rivalries and the hate behind if we are to succeed so please, enough with the teasing, Bumper."
The former leaders stared at each other with hate one last time, until Beca took the word.
"Okay. First of all I want to thank you for coming. I understand you all have other stuff to do and I appreciate your interest in the project. Second, as you know we need to create a team made up only by the best a Cappella singers Barden has ever seen. That team must include members from The Bellas, The Trebles, The BU Harmonics and The High Notes."
"Why? I mean, the DUs can't sing something that's not Madonna and the High Notes spend all of their time smoking weed." Donald said.
"Not all of them." Chloe pointed out, as Bumper laughed. "The BUs won a couple of Riff-Offs back in the day and The High Notes have had a bunch of really good members over the years. I'm sure we can find someone decent if we look close enough."
"Anyway." Beca continued. "We will deal with that later. Right now what we need is to start from somewhere. Donald, Bumper, Benji and Jesse will focus on thinking of past and present Trebles that you think we can add to the team, while Aubrey, Chloe, Emily and I do the same with Bellas. Do you agree?" Everyone nodded. "Any doubts, suggestions?" No one said anything. "Okay then, let's start with the recruitment."