Author's Note: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SEASON FINALE SPOILERS. While I don't know details, and even if I did I've strayed pretty far from the actual plot, I do know the judges and set lists for Regional's. For all Glee purists out there, you will want to skip chapters 26 and 28. I will provide my own version of Glee-wind (spoiler-free) for those chapters in 27 and 29. Thank you and enjoy!
And so they registered and took their seats. Somehow they'd once again drawn last, a sign that Rachel took as a good thing (after all, she insisted, they'd won Sectionals and gone last). However, as the lights dimmed and the host came out, they found out that the surprises weren't over just yet.
"Welcome everyone," he said, smiling at the audience. "And welcome to the 72nd Regional Show Choir Competition. Today should be quite an event. My name is Rod Remington, and I'll be your host and technical judge for the night. Please help me welcome our judges: for musicality, recording artist Josh Groban—"
Adrianne clapped, but noticed Will looked a little nervous. The host continued, "For showmanship, recording artist Olivia Newton John--"
Adrianne was now feeling a little awkward. Olivia Newton John and Josh Groban were judging this thing? Who was going to take overall—Elton John?
"And our overall performance judge, named 'Cheerleading Coach of the Decade' by Splitz Magazine, international celebrity Sue Sylvester!"
The audience around them applauded, but the entire Glee Club sat in shock, their mouths hanging open. At that moment, Sue turned to face everyone and took the microphone from Rod.
"Just in case any of you social misfits out there are wondering why I'm using my valuable time judging this performance, it's not because I enjoy Glee. I think it's a waste of space and air, and that its performers should be quarantined and used for medical experiments in a secure government facility. However, until that time, I am determined to make sure that those who could possibly pass for talented and not distract the other judges with your human interest fluff or oil vats of hair product do well; because I'm a winner, and am dedicated to tearing apart each and every one of you losers in order to find which group is the least so."
Sue sat back down to scattered applause as people tried to make something of her speech. The host, however, tried to pick the atmosphere back up by announcing the first act.
New Directions sat in their seats, taking in the competition and trying to ignore the judges. They were glad at least that their numbers seemed to still be their own, anyways. Rachel took Finn's hand and tried to relax.
They didn't recognize the first group of schools, except Aural Intensity, doing an amazing rendition of Olivia Newton-John's "Magic", and Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" (which Rachel argued was shameless brown-nosing). However, after the first break, Rod made his way to the stage again, "That was wonderful! And next, the National Champions for the last three consecutive years: Vocal Adrenaline!"
The group clapped, and Finn squeezed Rachel's hand as Jesse took the foreground. Behind him, Vocal Adrenaline began harmonizing:
(Vocal Adrenaline)
Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide
No escape from reality
Open your eyes
Look up to the skies and see
Jesse began to sing out, "I'm just a poor boy (poor boy). I need no sympathy."
Because I'm easy come, easy go
Little high, little low
Any way the wind blows
Doesn't really matter to me
Rachel suddenly saw Jesse's eyes focus right on her, even though she told herself there was no way he could see her.
"To me" he intoned, dancing with a beautiful female whom he didn't seem to see at all. It looked like his eyes and body were two entirely different entities.
"Too late, my time has come
Sends shivers down my spine
Body's aching all the time
Goodbye, everybody
I've got to go
Got to leave you all behind and face the truth
Mama, oooooh (Anyway the wind blows)
I don't want to die
Sometimes wish I'd never been born at all"
And though he dipped and twirled his partner with ease as he sang for the opposing team, and had completely betrayed her in every way, she could still feel the way he always said he felt about her. The way his song projected his very soul. Rachel was still holding Finn's hand, but again she felt the rip of being torn between her love for both of them.
Jesse continued on, the music and moves progressing in meter and difficulty, and yet he never struggled: "I see a little silhouette of a man"
"Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the Fandango
Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me
(Galileo) Galileo (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo Figaro
Magnifico-o-o-o-o"
"Easy come, easy go, will you let me go?
Bismillah! No, we will not let you go
Let him go
Bismillah! No, we will not let you go
Let him go
Bismillah! No, we will not let you go
Let me go (Will not let you go)
Let me go (Will not let you go)
Let me go-o-o-o-o
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
(Oh Mamma Mia, Mamma Mia) Mamma Mia, let me go
Beelzebub has the devil put aside for me, for me, for me!
Jesse rejoined the group amidst a complicated choreography routine, then made his way back to the front, weaving around different members of the group as he sang out to Rachel (to the audience, she reminded herself)
"So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?
So you think you can love me and leave me to die?
Oh, baby, can't do this to me, baby
Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here
As Jesse finished his song, his arms dropped in defeat, his face pleading, in such a way that Rachel wondered if that was really part of the routine.
"Ooooh, ooh yeah
Nothing really matters
Anyone can see
Nothing really matters
Nothing really matters to me"