32 Let's Imagine: Three Peas Make a Pod!

Calina grins as her armor gleams in the sunlight.

"For the next challenge, teams of three must be formed. If you can't find two other members you're automatically disqualified. You have… Er… 10 minutes?"

The crowd grew silent then burst into a frenzy. Dust clouds filled the area as the contestants ran to try to find a party.

"Wanna join my team?!" A male said while passing beside me.

"Hey I met you the other day, let's make a group!" A female grabs another girl's arm pulling her forward.

These guys don't waste any time!

I look frantically for at least one person I knew would be in the same boat as me. A long red-haired girl with a relaxed look stood still in the hectic field. I ran over to her with my hands flailing in the air.

"YUUMI! YUUMI! YUUMI! TEAM! TEAM! TEAM!"

Yuumi looks over and grins.

"I was wondering where you were—"

Interrupting her, I turn my head side to side in frenetics looking for another loner.

"WE GOTTA FIND ANOTHER TEAM MEMBER!"

The crowd started to become organized in groups of three. The units discussed plans and strategies for winning the upcoming race.

My eyes look to the left and make a double-take as I catch another person by their lonesome. A girl with link-pink hair wearing an armored chest plate with a white shirt underneath sporting a plated skirt had a concerned look whisking her head left to right.

"SAOKI! SAOKI!"

I grab Yuumi's arm pulling her towards the stranded individual. She struggles in my grasp but my strength overpowers her to move forward with me.

"H-hey quit it! I can walk on my own!"

We make it over to Saoki and I stop tugging on Yuumi's wrist; She quips it to her chest grabbing onto it with her other hand.

"Dam Spider-monkey trying to take my entire arm off!"

Grabbing Saoki's hands between mine I give her a radiant smile then bow.

"Join our team! I promise she doesn't bite!"

Saoki glances past me to Yuumi making different faces and gestures toward her.

She gives me a nervous smile. "I-I'm not so sure about that…"

I turn my head full tilt and give her a smug look. Yuumi turns her head upwards and starts to whistle.

"And besides."

Saoki gestures a finger towards the left. A female with reddish-orange hair wearing the same plated armor as Saoki but with a black shirt underneath as well as a green-haired male with slim grayish armor looks our way.

"I'm partnering with Natsu and Dai… Remember the two from the other day?"

I let go of her hands and my expression saddens.

"Oh… Ok."

Saoki runs towards her acquaintances while waving in the air. Her plated armor radiating in the light with her every step.

"Good luck! I'll see you guys at the finish line!"

Yuumi turns her head over and smacks her teeth.

"We didn't need her anyway."

I sigh and continue looking for any straddlers.

"Um… Excuse me…"

Turning my head, I'm met with a delicate smile with even more elegant clothing. A young girl with a red wool scarf wrapped around her neck stretching into the front of her torso creating a skirt beckoned to me. Her arms were a different texture, black silk along with her tight black pants contrasted the scarf. Her boots stretched to her upper thighs.

"If you're in need of a partner, I'm more than happy to oblige!"

My eyes shine as I jump in the air. "Woohoo! We're saved!"

"…One question though…" She makes a stern face looking towards me and Yuumi.

"… What's your family name?"

Still stranded in the air I make a blank expression.

"Eh? ...What does that have to do with anything?"

As I fall to the ground, she gives me an irritated expression.

"Do you come from nobility or not? I'm not teaming with a mere commoner!"

… Another one of these bitchy aristocrat's children!

"Hey, Yuumi!" I turn my back on the girl. "You know any nobles in this group?"

Yuumi picks her ear while looking in the air.

"Naw, don't know any… Guess she's way too outta our league."

My head tilts for my eyes to meet hers. "Well then, MA'DAM, guess you're too HIGH AND PROPER for mere peasants like us!"

"Hmph!" She struts away from being denied a spot in our team.

It always comes to how much money you have in this place!

Yuumi taps my shoulder and points to a female with light brown hair, little cat ears poked above her fur, her tail flicking in angst with the hectic atmosphere.

Before I can grab Yuumi's arm she runs ahead of me towards the cat-girl.

"JOIN OUR TEAM! JOIN OUR TEAM! JOIN OUR TEAM!" We both say in unison as we approach her.

The cat-girl's ears pry up and her tail straightens in the air. Her hand covers her chest in fear of the noisy individuals making their way towards her.

We stop in front of the lass and get a better look at her. She's wearing a short brown dress with floral designs at the bottom with blue lining surrounding her waist and neatly tied in a bow on her back. Her wrists are covered in clothe-mittens striped in blue and white while her socks are the same material but also contain a black stripe coming up to her knees. Her boots were a light brown leathery material.

She shifts her gaze to the ground while her tail flicks with vigor.

"T-team you say?"

Yuumi throws her arm around my neck and draws me forward. "Yep! We're looking for a third!"

The cat-girl sighs and straightens herself up, her tail curls up. "In that case, I'd be happy to join!" She expresses her gratitude with a smile showing her the edges of her sharp canine teeth.

Her smile's on par with Mikku's in terms of innocence.

"We're not rich or anything, that Ok with you?" I divulge to her in a hushed whisper.

She waved her hands in front of her with a worried expression.

"N-no, of course not! I couldn't care less about anything like that! The truth is I'm not from here and come from a small farming village north of here. So I'm very out of my element." The girl gives a small nervous laugh.

"Well, that's perfect! We both come from humble beginning ourselves." I try to give her some reassurance.

"My name is Momoko, and the scary-looking girl is named Yuumi."

The cat-girl glanced at Yuumi as she returned a shrewd smirk.

"Eep! M-my name's Mimi… Nice to meet you both…"

"TIMES UP!" The silver-head lady raised her hand and pointed towards the sky.

"The race will now commence!"

. . .