Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Sam checked his ticket for the second time. He just couldn't believe he would get to meet Brainwarp backstage now. A couple of seconds ago, frontman Rex had announced the ticket numbers that had won the backstage visit, and surprisedly, he was among the five lucky winners. That was just…unexpected. He had never won anything before.

Bryson next to him literally bounced up and down excitedly. "Dude…you will meet the freaking members of Brainstorm in less than ten minutes!"

"I know, right?"

It was a shame Bryson hadn't won and wouldn't share that experience with him. Actually, that concert has been his birthday gift to his friend, to be honest, Sam wasn't that much of a fan. Bryson should have won the backstage visit.

His friend seemed to know what he was thinking because he shook his head fervently. "Hey – don't even think about it, fella. You won't switch tickets with me, you are going to meet Brainwarp. It's cool, really."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Just promise to tell me whether Kaz is as hot in real life as in their music vids."

Sam needed to laugh. "I promise."

…

Sometimes, being able to do witchcraft was indeed pretty practical. Santana looked at her ticket with satisfaction. She would lie if she said she hadn't made sure that her ticket would be among the ones that would meet Brainwarp personally.

Not that she normally was into pop music, but Brainwarp's songs were pretty catchy - not that she would ever say it out loud. Even though she was no hardcore fan, she was happy when she learned she had won the lottery with a ticket for their concert as the main reward. Whether she had manipulated the lottery? Totally. But hey, that was life. Life was never fair, so she needed to make sure to use the uno-reverso card - with maybe a little magic.

With a malicious grin, Santana went towards the exit of the Madison Square Garden. She was such a badass. And she loved it.

…

Kurt was surprised when he won the backstage visit at Brainwarp's concert. Why he had gone to their concert in the first place? Actually, his dad wanted to give him Lady Gaga tickets as a Christmas present, but unfortunately, her concert was already sold out. And since his dad didn't really know the difference between Lady Gaga and some other pop band, he got him tickets to Brainwarp's next concert. Kurt just didn't have the heart to tell him that he wasn't even into Brainwarp that much, so he just faked a smile and thanked him. It was the thought that counted, after all.

Since the invitation to the concert was quite spontaneous and his parents needed to work, Kurt was unable to find a plus one and needed to go alone.

And it was fine. He was independent, he didn't need to be around his friends all the time…right?

On his way to the backstage area of the Madison Square Garden, he bumped into someone else. Ugh, he should have known who it was.

Annoyed, he rolled his eyes. "Rachel Berry. Why do you keep running into me and worsen my week?"

…

Actually, Mercedes didn't even want to go to that concert of Brainstorm. But her boss promised to her she would think about a promotion if she went and delivered her a report about the band's performances. Cynthia Silverstone wanted to win over Brainwarp as possible clients for her record label, but she was too busy to watch their concert herself, so she gave her ticket to her most loyal employee – her. Okay, in reality, all the other employees had already said no, and Mercedes was her last hope, but hey, let's focus on the bright side.

She never would have thought she would get to meet those guys backstage. To be honest, she kind of felt bad because she was no devoted Brainwarp fan and didn't even know that much about that band. She preferred R&B or maybe Jazz and only listened to Pop songs of her black queens Aretha Franklin (may she rest in peace) or Beyoncé.

Brainwarp was way too mainstream for her taste and that they only had one black token (Deacon) in their otherwise snow-white band to pass as racially diverse was just uncool, but who was she to judge people that loved their music?

Clipboard in hand, Mercedes started to walk to the backstage area as well -where she met four other people that were already waiting in front of a closed door in anticipation.

A quite flamboyant guy and a girl with Ms-Know-It-All- vibes were fighting because the brunette "Kept on worsening his week". Mercedes inhaled deeply and stared down the notes on her clipboard. That was nothing but a task for work. In two hours, she could leave again and run a bath at home.

"I cannot believe I'm forced to breathe the same oxygen as you", the annoying petite brunette just scoffed.

Stuck-up guy rolled his eyes. "And I cannot believe your crooked nose makes you look like a witch."

"What did you just say?", a Latina who was also waiting, suddenly scoffed. Why was she even offended?

Mercedes pinched the bridge of her nose, already bugged out.

…

Why did her dads think it was a good idea to give her tickets to Brainwarp's concert? They had gotten them from work, and since they weren't into their music, they gave them to her instead. Rachel's plan was to sell them without her parents noticing, but Leroy and Hiram insisted that she sent them photos of her during the concert.

So there she was, enduring their hideous and generic pop songs. If this was Barbra Streisand's concert, she would be hooked, but sadly, it wasn't.

She had no other choice than to make the best of it. That she would meet them backstage - and encounter Kurt at the concert, was unexpected. Yes, admittedly, she still felt bad about the Diego issue, but she never got the opportunity to apologize to Kurt personally because he just wouldn't listen to her and kept insulting her.

"And you are just bitter because I'm more talented than you", she spat.

Kurt glared at her. "Say that again."

"I got into NYADA. You didn't. Isn't it obvious why?" She really should stop talking because they had an audience now. But she just couldn't help it. Insulting her nose she had hated for years and learned to love only a few years ago was a low blow. And she was experienced in low blows. Kurt wanted to hurt her? Fine, but she would hurt him more. "Because you have no talent. And what did you do, instead of fighting? You gave up."

"That's not true." He didn't sound as if he was convinced himself. Ha!

"Before you make fun of the shape of my nose, think about what's missing in your life first. I may be miserable, but I'm sure you are more miserable than me."

"Okay, that's enough." The Latina from before looked in the round boredly. "Enough soap-opera drama for today. Where are those dudes of Brainwarp? Aren't they supposed to meet us here?"

The black girl with the clipboard shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Where are they? I want to get this over with, I have that important appointment tonight."

Blond guy cocked his eyebrows. "What could be more important than to meet with superstars?"

"My bathtub, for instance."

"Interesting point of view."

"I know."

Rachel cleared her throat loudly. She hated it whenever attention wasn't on her. "Brainwarp promised us that we are going to visit them backstage. I don't know about you, but I want to see them." She started walking towards the rear exit.

"Where are you going?", the Latina called after her. "Home?"

"Of course not!", Rachel shouted back. "I want to meet those people; my dads will be so disappointed if I don't send them a selfie with Brainwarp."

"Aww, Rachel Berry still wants to be her daddies' most favorite princess", Kurt teased her. "That's just pathetic, isn't it?"

But the brunette had already left. Blond guy followed her immediately.

"Screw this", Santana muttered and hurried after them.

The black girl pointed at her clipboard apologetically. "Sorry, but I need it for my report", she muttered before she was headed to the rear exit as well.

Kurt was standing still at the same spot until he signed resignedly. "I hate peer pressure", he mumbled before he followed the rest of them.

…

The bushes in front of the band's changing room's window were scratching their legs.

"I hope this is worth it for my report", Mercedes muttered, more to herself. "If the cops come arrest us, don't be mad at me if I flee first. You guys are white anyway, you won't get shot."

Santana threw her a killing glance at that, and she corrected herself: "Mainly white."

They arrived in front of their window which was open, luckily. Racks of colorful clothes and hats were standing in the room they were about to enter illicitly.

"What am I even doing?", Kurt wondered. "I don't even like their music, yet I'm here, breaking into their changing room."

"Congrats, you didn't miss out on the ultimate millennial experience", Sam said jokingly. "You can tick it off now. Next on your list will be to steal a car."

"Ha ha, really funny", Kurt answered dryly. "I know you for only five minutes and you are already a bad influence."

"Hey, that's what friends are for, dude", Sam said with a smile and boxed him in the shoulder amicably.

One by one, they climbed through the window and got into their empty changing room.

"Shouldn't there be more…watchdogs or something?", Mercedes wondered when they looked around in that messy room. Clothes were spread all over the floor as well as palettes of eyeshadows, bras, boxershorts, empty cans of energy drinks, and even wigs.

It was indeed weird they could get into their changing room that easily. But more importantly…where were the stars even?

Speaking of which - Sam looked to the right. "Did you also just hear voices?"

"Fuck", Santana cursed. Only now that the stars were coming closer, they realized that their idea was actually stupid. None of them were keen on going to jail due to intrusion. The group scanned the room for a possible escape. The window was too far away now, the closest hideout was that small broom closet to their left.

Without thinking twice, four of them started moving – expect for Rachel.

"No", she protested. "I'm not hiding in a broom closet. I went to the hairdresser today."

"So did I, and you have absolutely no idea how long it takes for a black woman to get her hair done. If anyone has the reason to be upset about her hairdo, it's me", Mercedes hissed and grabbed the brunette's wrist before she could protest. "Now, get in, wannabe Barbra."

Rachel wanted to say anything, but Kurt had already covered her mouth while Santana and Mercedes pushed her in. Sam needed to stifle his laughter. Right after they had closed the door of the closet, the room to the changing room flew open and the members of Brainwarp came walking in with triumphant face expressions.

"We slayed it today, didn't we?" That sounded a lot like Rex, the frontman of the band.

"Heck, yeah!" That was Deacon's voice, the beta-leader of Brainwarp. "But we will be better at our concert in Sydney next week."

"Of course, we will, bruh." Taj's voice. "Let's drink to our success today."

"What success?" Definitely Kaz's female voice. "As far as I know, the humans aren't our slaves yet. We still have a lot of work to do."

In the broom closet, the group of five exchanged confused glances. What was Kaz talking about?

"Oh, Kazzie." Rex again. "Why do you always have to be so impatient? More haste, less speed, okay?"

"You can save your human pieces of wisdom", Kaz scoffed back aggressively. "I'm from Caldran. We are an impatient nation."

"I can see that", Rex answered dryly. "But our methods need time. It only makes sense to brainwash humans with our songs as long as we get at least three quarters of the earth's population to listen to our music. Now, only-" He checked his iPad –"-51.48 percent do. That's by far not enough."

What the hell?

"Just give us two weeks, and after that, we are going to rule this world", Bodhi said determinedly. "We can do it. We are Brainwarp."

Exactly at that moment, the doors of the broom closet opened, and the five intruders stumbled out of it. Rachel glared at the other four angrily. "Who among you gave me those bruises?" She melodramatically pointed at her elbow – which still looked quite normal. "I need to look perfect when I return to Broadway next month."

Kurt just cocked his eyebrows at that. "You return to Broadway? I guess that will be the reason why they will go bankrupt. No offence."

"Sounded offensive to me", she spat with narrowed eyes. "You're just jealous."

"Can you please shut the fuck up now? Thanks." Santana rolled her eyes.

The members of Brainwarp blinked at them in bewilderment before Rex cleared his throat. "How much of our conversation did you just hear?"

"Oh, enough to know that you want to take over our world", Sam deadpanned. "May I ask where that Caldran place is you were talking about? I have never heard of it before? Is it some fancy kingdom in Europe? Are you a princess, Kaz?"

Kaz threw him a killing glance at that. "No, I'm no princess, whoever you are."

"We were waiting for our backstage meeting with you guys", Mercedes explained. "But you never showed up, so we thought we could maybe come over to you."

"By breaking into our changing room?" Taj cocked his right, pierced eyebrow. "Yeah, right."

"Too bad you all are going to die now", Bodhi added.

The five concertgoers broke into laughter – until they noticed that the band members weren't in fact laughing with them.

"Wait…that was no joke?", Sam asked, his smile faltered when they stayed silent. "You're…you're going to kill us now?"

"Exactly."

"That sucks."

"It does." Deacon looked at his friends. "Who wants to go first?"

"Wait, wait, wait", Kurt said when something came to his mind. "Before you take our lives, you do at least owe us an explanation. What makes you want to take over our planet? I mean, humans are not exactly angels, right? Just wondering."

"You got that damn straight, my friend", Rex answered. "Humans are no angels. But we want to change that. We want to reset their brains and reeducate them. Make you better people."

"But seriously…do you have to brainwash us?", Rachel interjected. "Just sing another educational song, that's going to be more than enough. Or maybe write a musical with me playing the main part..."

Kaz threw her friends a questioning glance. "Can I kill her, please?"

"What are y'all even?", Mercedes asked.

"You humans would call us aliens", Deacon answered her question with a frown. "We are from a planet called Caldran. That's a much better version of Earth, to put it with nice words." He retrieved two oddly looking weapons from his belt which he pointed at them, so did all of his friends.

"You are annoying me", Bodhi groaned. "Any last words before you bite the dust?"

"Yes." Santana lifted her hand as well, her ring on her finger started glowing. "Terra." Suddenly, the ground started vibrating, but only underneath the five aliens that fell to the floor immediately.

"What the actual fu-?"

"Run!", Santana cut off Mercedes, but she didn't need to be told twice. When they headed towards the windows – they were slammed shut by an invisible force. In the meantime, Kaz had gotten up again, her eyes were glowing red.

"You stay the hell here!", she growled. "We are not done yet."

The only way out was the door behind the band members. When she aimed the weapon at the group of five – it suddenly fell out of her grasp and flew right to Kurt's hands.

"Sorry", he said with a shrug. "But I don't like weapons." Another touch with his finger made the weapon emit electrical sparks. "It's useless, you can throw it away. But not into the trashcan, we do seperate waste here on Earth." He put it down and smiled at Kaz innocently who in turn was glaring at him. "Oh, pardon me, my bad", Kurt said with a wink "I forgot to mention I'm magnetic."

Mercedes was staring at him with an open mouth, at a loss of words. Deacon and Rex had gotten up in the meantime and were shooting at them – when the bullets froze in midair – as well as the aliens.

Sam looked in the round and rubbed his neck. "Did I mention I could freeze time?"

"You can what?" Mercedes gaped at him incredulously. "In what parallel universe did I just land?"

She was ignored by Sam who was tugging her by the arm. "Only for ten seconds, though. So I'd say we should get the hell out of here now before the time is up."

The five of them stumbled out of the room and started running down the hallway, past bewildered and confused staff members of the Madison Square Garden. When they arrived in front of another rear exit – Kaz and Taj were already standing in front of it.

"You are starting to get on my nerves", Sam muttered with narrowed eyes. "Can't you leave us alone?"

"Only if you tell us what the hell you are", Taj said, shrugging.

"And even if you do, you will still die", Kaz added. "You just cannot win."

Santana gave them the finger. "Move or I will get tough."

"Forget it."

"Kay. Warned ya." The Latina lifted her right hand and muttered something in Spanish. When the ring on her finger started glowing again, a wind came up that got stronger and stronger, until it swept away the two aliens.

"Goddammit!", Taj cursed in midair. He tried to aim his weapon at the five of them and pulled the trigger. The bullet flew right to Rachel, but she didn't even try to move to the side. Instead, she watched the projectile come closer – until it bounced off her like a rubber ball.

"Is that all you got?" Rachel cocked her eyebrows, unimpressed.

In the meantime, Sam had already opened the doors of the rear exit and motioned Rachel to follow them outside while their opponents tried to catch their breaths again.

Suddenly, the tires of a car were squealing, and the driver was honking.

"Get in!", Santana shouted from the driver's seat, and they all followed orders.

While she was driving off in high speed, they saw in the rear view how the five aliens watched them leave and groan in frustration.

"Do I even want to know where you got the car from?", Kurt next to the Latina asked after a while.

"Nope", was the short answer.

"I guess you can also tick off the 'steal a car' - bulletpoint of your list, my friend", Sam joked, but quickly closed his mouth again when Kurt threw him a killing glance.

So there they were, embarking on a journey into the unknown. Five strangers that barley knew each other. At the moment, none of the five millennials knew that this was the beginning of a brand-new chapter in their lives. The beginning of the end. Oh well.

Aand that's it for today. I have no idea when I'm going to post the next chapter, so please be patient... Until next time =D