[Uma Musume: Pretty Derby fan fiction]
All grown up, just as Mejiro McQueen thought things would settle into something stable, Tokai Teio brought up changes neither of them expected, with long-reaching consequences.
Housewarming came a lot faster than Teio had imagined.
Both she and Nature hadn't even unpacked half their belongings when Scarlet called Teio and excitedly told her she'd be coming over the next day with Vodka to see her new apartment. Nature overheard, and there was clear panic in her eyes.
"It's still very messy!" she tried to shout over the phone, but Scarlet said it didn't matter.
"It's not housewarming if it's all in place already!" she said through the loudspeaker. Nature sighed and Teio could only chuckle.
"Bring us your best gifts, then!" Teio said.
"Leave it to me!"
Scarlet ended the call there, but she clearly wasn't done talking, because the next thing Teio knew—while Nature convinced her to hurry up and unpack the rest of their stuff—McQueen called.
"I've been told that Scarlet-san plans to throw you a housewarming party tomorrow," she said. Teio scratched her head.
"Yeah, but it's not like we're done unpacking…."
"That is of no problem. Rest assured I will join the party," McQueen said. "Be sure to check the Spica group chat later. Oh, is Nature-san there as well?'
"Yeah, she's unboxing some things. Wanna talk to her?"
"Perhaps." McQueen's voice became faint, but Teio could tell she was calling for Dictus. "Ikuno-san would like to have a word with her."
"Alright, wait a sec. Nei-chaaaan!"
"It's Nature!"
"It's Ikuno Dictus."
"Oh?" Nature got to her feet and took the phone offered to her. "Hello?"
Teio left her phone with Nature as she spoke with Dictus, and decided to continue with her own unpacking. If they were going to be taking guests, then they would need to prepare some snacks to munch on. She'd also have to ask Nature if they were going to cook dinner, or if they should just buy some takeout from somewhere nearby. Then they would need enough furniture space to store the housewarming gifts Scarlet promised.
Teio thought it would be safe to assume that McQueen would also bring some gifts, and even though she'd moved out of the Mejiro estate, she still did not shed her habit of extravagant gifting, so they'd also need to prepare some extra secure space to make sure nothing happened to McQueen's gift later.
Nature's call with Dictus didn't take much time, and as Teio prepared to unbox another one of hers, Nature returned her phone. "Thanks," she said.
"So how'd it go?"
"The girls want to come with," Nature said as she scratched her head. "Tomorrow, too."
Teio chuckled a little. "Ah, seems like it'll be crowded here…."
"Ahaha, yeah…."
Teio started counting on her fingers. "So we'll have Scarlet, Vodka, McQueen, Ikuno-san, Turbo-shishou, and Tannhäuser-san, huh…."
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