Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 35th cycle. Now cycle 36!

Had the idea for this cycle back in July or August where I thought it'd be interesting to do a set inspired by tarot cards. My initial research then directed me to the cards of the Major Arcana, of which there were 22, so I combined two, which got me to 21, making this a cycle-long set of stories. Then I did more research, to find out about each of those cards, and what they can represent. Now I need to point out that it's a more or less basic approach. I don't go into the reverse meaning or other things, just this part. ** If you would like the document of info I've collected and based myself on, let me know and I'll send it, since it covers the next three weeks' worth of stories. ** Lastly, in connection to the first card, 'The Fool', and the journey through those other cards, this entire cycle will feature, in lead or supporting form, one Brittany S. Pierce...

"Creative License"
or 'The Chariot'
Rachel/Puck, Brittany, & Company
Project No Day But Today #9 (following Audience Testing)

As soon as the first notes had flooded the auditorium, as soon as everyone had begun moving into position and the showcase had started, all their worries had been shoved to the side. Everything they had worked on, with ease at times, with great struggle at others, was coming down to this, a quick sampling before Mr. Schuester that would hopefully get him to let them go on with what they'd started. If he did say yes, maybe they'd be able to do more. They had supplies, yes, but the majority of it had come through favors owed, personal belongings, and in some cases purchases with their own money. Having school funding would change everything.

It had ended as suddenly as it had begun. The auditorium had grown quiet again, just for a moment and then there had been applause, small in the vastness of the room – Mr. Schuester was smiling… This wasn't an indication of anything however. He had told them that what they'd done was very good, and that he would get back to them shortly. The very brief flicker of hope had gone and spent itself, and as they watched Mr. Schuester walk out of the auditorium, one by one they just began to take seats, wherever they found them… to wait…

Puck had spent the whole time silently holding on to Rachel, one hand to her shoulder, the other draped over her own hand. None of them could say a thing. The nerves may have vacated them for the time of the performance, but now they were back, with all their might and no mercy. It took roughly ten minutes before they saw Mr. Schuester had returned, just inside the door. He waved the two directors over, and they stood, facing their troupe for a moment before walking up toward the exit.

The letdown was achieved swiftly, to the point they had been able to relay it practically word for ford. Mr. Schuester had told them that they had done a great job, they really had. Unfortunately he had to stay aware of the realities, that as much as he would have wanted to let back them up, he had to think of their future at this school, and he had to decline putting his support behind them with the school.

That was it. They were done… no Rent, no more…

The rest of them, they had wandered off with very little response. There were a few quiet hugs. In a 'surprise' twist, there had been a public kiss; it seemed Gus and one of the Elizabeths, Lizzie Wyatt, had forged themselves a secret romance. Craig and the other Elizabeth, Ellie Michaelson, were the only ones who had known about their friends.

But then everyone had started making their way out. Rachel wasn't ready to leave the stage, and Puck stayed with her. Once the last of them had gone, he wrapped his arms around her, and she breathed out against his chest. "I thought it was going to be bad, getting a no…" she mumbled, then sighed. "It was even worse…"

"I'm sorry," he told her.

"It's not your fault," she looked back at him.

"I know. But I mean it is a shame we won't get to do it," he explained. She gave a quiet nod.

"Yeah…" she put her head back against him. "Can I talk you into a two-man revue?" she began, coy.

"Depends who's the other guy," he teased, and she laughed. "Brittany?"

"What? No, I meant…" she looked back up at him, confused, but then he looked up the aisle and she followed his gaze to find the blonde was coming back up toward the stage. "Hey, did you forget some…"

"I just wanted to know when our next rehearsal is," she explained, stopping at the edge of the stage and folding her arms over it. Rachel looked back to Puck before moving up and crouching in front of her.

"Uh… Brittany… there's not going to be another rehearsal. Mr. Schue shut us down," she reminded her.

"No but that's not what he said," she shook her head, untroubled. "You said that he said that he couldn't support us with the school." Rachel and Puck nodded, not getting her point. She shrugged her shoulders. "He never actually said to stop, did he?"

Rachel almost fell back against the stage, but managed to spring back to her feet, turning to look at Puck – he was looking back at her, too. "Holy crap, she's right…" he spoke in awe. Rachel was nearly vibrating with energy as she worked back from her bummed out mood and into driven focus.

"He couldn't go through proper channels, but he knows we did good," she spoke, like it was obvious. "He's telling us to keep going, oh!" she smacked the table that still sat on the stage from the showcase, she looked around in awe. "We would have let it go if not for…" she spun back around, then moved to sit at the edge of the stage and hop off, throwing her arms around Brittany to hug her. "You're a genius!" she gasped.

"First time I heard that…" Puck chuckled under his breath. The girls didn't hear; Brittany was all smiles, proud of herself. "But, wait…" he spoke louder now, so they would look back at him. "That's all good and fine for now, but what happens when we're ready to go full out, when the show's ready to be put on? Or how are we going to get sets, props, costumes? How are we going to sell tickets if we can't tell anyone?" he explained.

"I thought we were just hiding from Mr. Schue," Brittany looked to Rachel at her side and Puck on stage.

"Schuester's one thing, there's still Coach Sylvester, and Figgins, and any other people," Rachel explained. "We have to keep playing it low key, and at minimum we might be able to throw him some hints about things we need, but other than that it's business as usual, like it's been from the start.

"Right, so it's like I said, how are we supposed to get ready, we have no money and we can't tell no one so what about tickets?" Puck repeated.

"There's plenty time for that later; this is a victory," she nodded. "We can walk a little lighter, and… we can figure out what our next step is," she smiled, and he smiled back. "First things first, we do need to tell the others. They think the musical's cancelled."

"Phone tree them, get them back," Puck nodded.

"Please, they're all in the halls somewhere, we just need to gather them up," Rachel pointed out.

"Oh, I can do that!" Brittany spoke up, excited as well. "I'll go, I won't tell them yet, I promise," she dashed off without hesitation. Rachel watched her go, then startled when she heard a thump and turned to find Puck had jumped off the stage. As he stood there in front of her, smiling, she could feel her cheeks bursting with excitement.

"Guess we'll have to put that two-man revue on hold for now," he bowed his head.

"Yeah, to tell you the truth I do like it better that way," she did the same. She let out a breath, moving back up to him. There was a pause, and he could see the thoughts going through her mind just running across her expressions.

"You're critiquing the showcase now, aren't you?" She moved back toward the stage.

"We need to rethink the set, it was all wrong. It's a miracle no one got hurt," she shook her head, then stopped, feeling his hands on her arms.

"That can wait. We've had a long week, now we got some good news. Just take it for a while…" he suggested. She nodded, slowly.

"No, I… You're right. This is good… the rest can wait."

THE END

A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.
In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are
always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!