Brittany/Britney: continued! Enjoy! Again, thanks to Ylenia & Iman for helping me get this stuff all done and constantly inspiring me to continue- whether they know it or not! I'm sorry there was somewhat of a delay- real life got in the way so the chapter had to be put on hold somewhat (plus I've been writing chapters 5, 6 & 7 too, so that kind of put me in a little jam for a while) but it's here, it's ready to read, so I'm going to shut up and let you read it! :)
Please drop a review, it would mean the world to me!
Once cleaned up and bandaged back up, Kurt morphed his jacket to a new one with the little energy he had left, slumping against the sink afterwards, panting for breath as exhausted tremors shook through him. He ducked his head, cloth gripped in his hand as he tried to breathe steadily.
Unfortunately, that was when Tina walked in. "Kurt!" She yelped. "Oh my God, are you okay? D-Do I need to take you to the nurse's office? O-Or do I need to go fetch Mr. Schue?"
"Tina!" Kurt interrupted, firm and concise. She stopped rambling. "I'm fine, I promise. Missing lunch just made me a little tired that all. And coupled with all the rushing around for my extra credit English assignment..."
"Oh!" She gasped. "I see! Well, here!" She offered, pulling out some kind of breakfast bar and handing it to him. "My mom makes me take one to school, just in case, but I don't really like them. So you can have it!" She chirped. Kurt smiled gratefully and took a bite, feeling some energy return a few minutes later. "So...Rachel said she saw you with some nasty injuries." She began.
"Rachel says a lot of things..." Kurt grumbled under his breath, before sighing. "But, she was right. I fell out of a tree."
"You hate outdoor activities." Tina frowned.
"And now we can all see why." He repeated his earlier statement to Rachel, watching as Tina grinned. "Thanks, for this I mean." He clarified, holding up the nearly finished bar. Already his strength was somewhat back, enough for him to function- so long as no more serious magic was involved for a while.
"No problem." She swore, smiling. "Anyway, I'd best get back to Mike..." She decided, getting up. "If you need anything, just let me know, yeah?" She checked.
"Sure. And Tina?" He asked just before the girl left the bathroom. "Could you spread the word I'm fine?" He asked. "I don't need bombarding about this." He explained, waving his good hand at the injury on his arm. Tina nodded and, with a wave of her hand, left him in peace. Kurt sighed, tipping his head back as he started chewing on the last of the snack the Asian girl gave him.
And he still had all afternoon and Glee to deal with.
"Alright so here's the deal," The dentist, Carl or something, began after Mr. Schuester introduced him to the class. Kurt had raised his eyebrow. Dental hygiene? Really? What did they think they were, animals? But he sighed and leant back in his seat, unwilling but relenting, accepting his fate as the dentist spoke. "You chew this little capsule, and if there's any plaque in there the dye will stick to it and turn your teeth blue." He finished. Santana made her obligatory comment over his attractiveness whilst Kurt and Brittany opened their bond.
Think it's safe for us to use them?
I think so. If it's designed to attack plaque, something we have in our world regardless, then it shouldn't expose anything. Besides, we keep our teeth clean- why should it bother us?Kurt shot back, Brittany humming and the two of them relaxing imperceptibly. Oh, hang on, need to have a go at the Idiot with Curls I have to call an educator.
"Just before we chew I would like to alert Mr. Schue to the fact that there's been a new addition to the Britney Spears facebook campaign." He announced, a little smug. It was the honest to god truth, with a student that he'd not anticipated jumping on the idea.
"Sorry, the answer's still no." Mr. Schuester declined.
"Sorry, you're still a hypocrite..." Kurt muttered under his breath.
"Kurt!" Mr. Schuester barked. Kurt glowered viciously. Rachel eyed him worriedly. The last time that look had been directed at someone, she was pretty sure Kurt ended up in a scrap. Albeit the loathing and what almost appeared to be blood lust was hidden under what she knew was a false front of anger, she saw it there- a performer's greatest asset was the ability to express emotion through their eyes, in her opinion, so naturally she knew she was perfect at reading people's emotions through their eyes. Her gaze flickered between the teacher and student briefly, and prayed there would be no fight. "So, capsules guys!" He clapped. Kurt suppressed an eye roll but obediently popped it into his mouth and chewed, grimacing. It tasted vulgar. He finally felt like he could swallow- barely holding back a gag- before he showed off his teeth to the group around him. When he got no reaction, he knew they were clear and white. Then he heard Finn yelp and turned around curiously.
"Oh my God." He gasped, spotting the bright blue of Rachel's teeth and feeling a little nauseous. Seriously, in his normal life hygiene was serious and important- particularly in the poorer parts of town where disease was rifer. He brushed his teeth religiously, keeping them clean with a tiny enchantment that helped remove plaque constantly throughout the day.
"What?" She asked, her smile fading as she pulled out a pocket mirror, letting out a strangled exclamation of surprise and horror, clapping a hand to her mouth. "I-I don't understand I floss between classes!" She told them in mortification. Kurt's judgement eased up.
"Well, sometimes it's genetics." Carl admitted, looking at the other adults in the room. Yeah, something our people worked out eons ago, but whatever...Kurt heard Brittany mumble in his head, forcing him to duck down and stifle a laugh. Whilst Artie tried to explain his plaque riddled teeth away, Kurt got an urgent message. Kurt, my teeth are blue! How are my teeth blue? What the hell am I supposed to do?
Okay, erm...just go with it. I have a plan, just need some time to execute it. You're good at acting vapid- make an excuse up. What was that drink called again? That fizzy one filled with additives that human teens like so much?
...Cola?
No, the other one!
Pepsi?
No, still not it...ugh, what was it? Wait, Dr. Pepper! That's it! Use that as an excuse or something, like I said, I have an idea, I just need some time.He promised her. Confirmation and understanding seeped through the bond as she started rambling her own excuse off.
"I was pretty sure Dr. Pepper was a dentist..." She mumbled, sending gratitude at Kurt for helping her, even as he faked gagging she felt the wave of love and nonchalance in response. Brittany could almost see his shrug.
"I got this one." Carl promised, walking over. Acting fast, Kurt snapped his fingers in his lap, keeping his eyes closed to avoid anyone seeing the flash as he felt a tiny bit of energy seep from him, wrapping around Brittany's mouth in a glamour. "With some deep bleaching, some scaling, you'll be as good as new." He promised. "Okay, open up." He requested.
Go ahead, got it covered. He swore quickly as she did so.
"Ugh, close!" He waved his hand at Brittany, leaving the two other off-worlders bristling. Brittany kept her mouth open, teeth clenched and eyes shut as she fought down a spike of humiliation. "Close again." He repeated. Brittany opened her eyes, smiling and closing her mouth.
I want to kill that condescending bastard.
You're not the only one. Kurt promised. But, good guys and all that. However, he'll be having a nasty surprise before bed tonight. Creepy crawly at the foot of the bed, anyone? Or maybe a monster in the closet?He asked.
I wish we could. But you know it's-
I know, too risky. Still, fun to picture, right? He asked, hearing her chuckle.
After Carl had gone around and given everyone an appointment, they were allowed to leave. Kurt went first, not stopping for anyone save to tell Mercedes he'd text her that evening, and Santana and Brittany weren't far behind. "Okay, when's the appointment?" Kurt asked, straight to business.
"Tomorrow afternoon. And, from what I can see...he'll be using anaesthesia." She replied.
"Do we even have the faintest idea what that stuff does to us?" Santana asked.
"No..." Kurt frowned, thinking hard. "Alright, here's what's going to happen. Brit, we're going to shift your teeth so they seem awful and horrible, and, I'll sneak in along with you, find a hiding place and form a barrier over your teeth to stop any damage accidentally being done. Then, you get off scott free, and no one ever knows we're anything different." He concluded.
"Not to mention, with you there we can counter any unwanted side effects that might be caused by the anaesthesia." Brittany mumbled. "That's...genius."
"Thanks. I have my moments." Kurt accepted graciously. "Now, we'd better get going." He paused and yawned. "You guys meet me here just before lunch, and we'll sort out Brittany's teeth then."
"What about those bodies you wanted?"
"Keep them in stasis. We'll check them out tomorrow night. I think after today we all need a rest." Kurt reasoned, his friends nodding in acceptance. "Well, then, see you both tomorrow." He decided after a moment, turning to leave and walking away, closing his eyes and the link as he allowed his loneliness to wash over him again after seeing the way his two friends held one another.
"Kurt, wait!" Santana called, making him stop and turn, barely having enough time to catch her. Suddenly, Kurt found himself being wrapped in a hug. "Thank you." She whispered. "I'm sorry you're not allowed to have what we have but-!"
"San," Kurt cut across gently, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "It's alright. Don't worry."
She smiled weakly. "You're my friend. And my Prince. It's my job to worry."
"Yes, well, don't. I'm alright. Besides, I won't begrudge you and Brit being together- you make each other happy." He smiled at her. Santana was still frowning. "Honestly, I'm okay. But I have to get going- Burt will be wondering where I am soon." He rolled his eyes and smiled, giving her one last quick hug before leaving, boots clacking as he strolled away, smile falling away once he turned the corner and shutting their bond off so he could be left alone with his thoughts. Santana watched him leave with a sad and concerned expression. Brittany came up and slowly hugged her partner from behind.
"Something wrong?" She whispered.
"Not really I just..."
"You hate seeing him so lonely." Brittany finished as the dark haired girl nodded. "I do too. But we can't do anything, especially not here." She sighed. "He's strong San. We'll get through it, and then Kurt will find someone as well."
"I hope so. I really do hope so."
"This looks like that alien spaceship where I got probed." Brittany commented from her position in the dentist's chair, eyeing the room warily. Kurt was unable to hide his snort, making Carl stare around. Luckily, he didn't look up, and Kurt dropped his head in relief. Brittany was holding back a smirk so he stuck his tongue out at her.
"Brittany you have the worst teeth I've ever seen." Carl commented. "You have cavities in every single tooth. That's got to be some sort of record."
Oh. So these people are not like some of the people in our villages then. Right. Woops.
Yeah...we'll have to remember that if there's a next time. Brittany agreed mentally as she spoke out loud to the dentist.
"Alright," Carl continued, moving around the room. "I'm just going to put you under a little general anaesthesia, you won't feel a thing." He swore, already getting the mask out. Kurt watched as his friend slowly fell unconscious. Grimacing as he watched Carl begin drilling around in her mouth, luckily the barrier actually keeping her teeth safe, Kurt paid close attention. His eyes widened in alarm as she started glowing.
"Ah damn it." He cursed, shifting into a better position and waving his hand, pulling the energy into his own body, channelling it through the air and away from Carl. The dentist didn't notice a thing. However, Kurt did notice when Brittany started getting gold stripes across her body. Again, he waved his hand, watching them sink back into her skin. He spent the next 5 minutes alternating between trying not to be caught by Carl- seriously, was the man part hawk or something? His ears were too damn good for a human, Kurt was sure- and trying to keep Brittany from being caught. Finally, after a lot of effort and some pretty brilliant multitasking, if he said so himself, Carl was done. Brittany came around a minute later as he woke her up.
"I petted a snake." She grinned dopily, leaving Kurt thoroughly confused.
Is she referring to Oshka? Because I thought he was part panther, not snake, last time I looked...Kurt mused, relaying information to Santana who was waiting outside.
I think it's safe to say Brit's a little out of it. She responded, Kurt nodding and flipping out of the door, knocking on it a couple of minutes later. "Hi? Dr. Carl?" He asked. "I'm here to pick up Brittany..." He trailed off.
"Ah, right, here you go kid. Have fun." He winked, passing off the woozy girl.
"I can make sparkles with my fingers." Brittany slurred. Kurt's eyes went wide, but luckily Carl just chuckled.
"Sure you can." He laughed, patting her on the shoulder and heading back inside, muttering about 'the wonders of anaesthesia' to himself.
"Let's get you home, before you do something serious to blow our cover..." Kurt mumbled, already half dragging the girl to the entrance. He huffed as Brittany dragged her feet, for once genuinely as distracted and air headed as her false persona made her out to be. "Okay, hold on Brit, I'm carrying you."
"No!" Brittany whined, stamping her foot. Now Kurt suppressed laughter. "Wanna walk."
"But wouldn't you rather relax and have a nice nap whilst we take you home?" He urged, already slipping a hand under her knees.
She sighed and nodded, head hanging as she pouted. "Fine..."
Kurt chuckled at her facial expression. "Come on, and...up we go!" He urged, lifting the girl and finding it much easier to walk her out. With Santana there, he quickly passed her off, Brittany happily snuggling close despite loudly complaining during the transition. "We've got things to discuss. But first...time to get Brit back home." He decided, opening the back door of his Navigator for the girls before heading around to the driver's side.
"Hehehe, funny carriage..." Brittany mumbled, running her fingers over the upholstery as Santana and Kurt fought down snickers, Kurt pulling the car into gear as he drove away.
Brittany groaned as she opened her eyes, mouth feeling strange and head fuzzy as she blinked awake again, the faces of the two people she loved most the first things to come into focus.
"Hey there sleepy." Kurt teased.
"Nice to have you back with us..." Santana agreed, smiling.
Brittany groaned, sitting up and holding her head. "What happened?"
"You were put under anaesthesia." Kurt reminded her gently.
"Oh yeah, guinea pig duty, right." She mumbled. "My head feels awful."
"Yeah, so does mine..." Kurt muttered. Brittany looked at him funny. "You clobbered me on the way up here, said I was 'an evil pixie come to take away your flowers.'" Kurt quoted as she groaned in embarrassment. "Then you fell asleep." He finished.
"Before that...?" Brittany hesitated before asking.
"Well...you sang the human song 'twinkle twinkle little star' all the way home..." Santana inputted.
"It was whilst you were under that concerned me." Kurt admitted, sitting a little more comfortably on the bed. "Brit, you lost control of your magic." He informed her, watching as her jaw dropped. "It was weird. It took a couple of minutes, then you started glowing...and striping..."
"I've never striped before- are you positive?"
"Absolutely. Your markings were beginning to show up, clear as day. Luckily they showed up on your arms at first so Carl had no chance of spotting them, but yeah, your magic went haywire."
"Do you know why my teeth turned blue?" She asked, regaining most of her equilibrium and leaning slightly off Santana.
"My only guess is that it was the specific combination of your DNA." Kurt admitted, shrugging. "I'd need more time and a lot more evidence to put a solid idea forwards, but so far it's the best I've got."
"It makes sense I suppose...and explains why you guys weren't affected." She agreed.
Santana frowned. "What's bugging me though is this anaesthetic thing though. I mean, would it just have that effect on Brit? Or could it make us all feel that way?" She pointed out.
"San's making a good point." Brittany agreed, Kurt nodding again. "There's something else too." She added, drawing the others' attention to her. "You know we've been discussing Britney recently?" She checked, her friends nodding. "Well, when I was out, I had this sort of...dream sequence, like I was part of one of the videos." She admitted, crinkling her nose. "It was weird. That 'Slave 4 U' video, you know?"
"I know the one." Santana agreed. "Skimpy green top and blue skirt, red leather catsuit?" She checked as her girlfriend nodded.
"I think I know what that might be." Kurt whispered.
"What?"
"Subconscious longing for home and family. Remember Santana's ceremonial dress?" He asked. "Your preparations for the bonding?"
"Of course..." Santana gasped. "Same sort of top, with a long skirt..." She murmured. Brittany was frowning. "Your brain made an automatic connection between a longing to be back where we all belong, whilst also thinking about the Britney discussion we've been having in Glee, and as a result-!"
"I had that weird fever dream." Brittany concluded. Her friends nodded. "Well at least I know I'm not going insane now." She muttered as the other two exchanged a smile. "But San's got me thinking...what about doing another trial thing?"
"How so?"
"Well..." Brittany thought a second. "Everyone knows San and I are inseparable, right?" She asked. Kurt nodded slowly, trying to follow her train of thought. "Well...what if we went in together for my second appointment?"
Kurt sat back, pondering. "It...it would work..." He conceded. "With Santana being a different species, it'd be a good thing to see if anyone can be affected, or if it's just certain groupings." Kurt looked over. "It alright with you?"
"Sure, not like we get much chance to further our mission these days. It'll be fun." She shrugged.
Brittany nodded, nudging Kurt with her foot. "Besides, you'll be there to bail us out, and with you there, what could possibly go wrong?" She reasoned, Santana grinning in concurrence.
"Ever the optimists..." Kurt muttered dryly, raising his eyes to the heavens and shaking his head.
He was rewarded with two pillows smacking him in the face.
The next day Kurt found himself holed up against the roof again, pinned there and bored out of his mind as he watched his girls converse with the dentist. They were put under fairly quickly despite some protests from the admittedly attractive man. This time they'd all agreed to make the girls listen to Britney in order to see if there was a correlation.
Kurt eyed them carefully. Sure enough, soon Brittany's magic began flaring up, her markings showing as he hid them, absorbing the energy before sending it back to Brit in small doses. Then he noticed Santana's hands morphing unintentionally. He began multitasking once more; only this time it was even more of a strain with both of his friends' identities at risk if he screwed up. Kurt focused; fully aware he'd shifted himself, wincing as his clothes tore when he shot up a few inches, making a note to fix them before going back to his house absentmindedly before focusing once more on his friends. Kurt winced when he noticed one of Santana's nails growing- nearly out of his line of vision- and puncture the seat before he could force it back into a normal nail instead of the claw it had become. Finally, he could breathe a sigh of relief when they came around.
Of course, then he had to cart them back to his house and try to avoid getting beaten up by flying, uncoordinated limbs and wait for them to regain some sense before they could even begin to discuss what had happened. Which left him with nothing but his thoughts.
Never a good idea.
Santana was the first to wake, stirring blearily into silence. "What went on?" She demanded and noticed the scratches in Kurt's cheek. "What did I do?"
"Uncoordinated limbs, plus your claws are not a good combination." Kurt admitted, dabbing ointment on his wounds. "Still, you should see the bruises I got from Brit." He chuckled as he helped her up. "She's still out, but we can talk for a bit." He told her upon seeing Santana's worried frown. Upon being told Brittany was fine her face smoothed out and she sat more upright. "Well, I think we all need to stay away from anaesthesia." He announced.
Santana winced. "I lost it?"
"Yep. Thank God I kept your teeth in place or there would have been problems." He chuckled. She shot him an apologetic look and he waved it off. "Seriously, don't fret over it. I'm fine."
"Yes, Brittany?" Mr. Schuester asked as her hand cut him off during his rant.
"I would just like to say that from now on I demand to have every solo in Glee club." She announced.
Mr. Schuester stared. "What?" He demanded.
Kurt fought down the urge to growl as Brittany responded. She's just as talented as anyone here, moron. Just because you're favouritism is more blinding than the star this planet orbits, does not mean nobody else has talent save for the people you pick.
Kurt interrupted as he planned when Santana and Brittany dissolved into inane chatter over speculation on their combined fantasies. "See Mr. Schue? I told you! Britney Spears busted our Brit out of her every day, fragmented haze of confusion and has given her the confidence to step up and perform." Kurt enthused, eyeing the teacher with a steely look. Even the other human kids could see what his gaze meant. Your move.
"I'm more talented than all of you; I see that clearly now." She declared, also hammering home Kurt's point.
After Brittany said her piece Mr. Schuester raised his hands. "Guys, we're not doing Britney Spears." He decided. "And that's that."
Kurt snapped, letting a little frustration seep out. "Mr. Schue you are letting your own personal issues get in the way of something we're all telling you we really. Want. To do." Kurt enunciated clearly, gesturing to emphasise his point. "I mean, this club regularly pays tribute to pop culture, and various different aspects too, and Britney Spears is pop culture!" He reasoned. "To suggest otherwise is regrettable-!"
"KURT!" Mr. Schuester bellowed, taking the boy aback. "I'm done talking about this!" He snapped.
"Jeez, let loose a little, would you? Stop being so freaking uptight all the time!" He demanded, picking the words straight from the man's brain and feeling no regret. He could also see Santana and Brittany seething and was fully aware if Mr. Schuester pushed it they'd be coming down on him too.
Everything went deadly quiet. "Kurt...I'll see you in the principal's office." He decided.
"What? No!" Santana argued, taking everyone aback as Kurt fought down a smirk. I got your back.
Me too. He's not getting away with this one. Brittany added.
"Santana?" Mr. Schuester asked in disbelief.
"Mr. Schue you are constantly nagging at us to 'stand up for our beliefs' and telling us that if we want something, we have to fight for it." She snapped, angry as she stood. "So how is Kurt doing anything other than taking your own advice and dishing it right back out? You're a hypocrite. You tell us all the stuff we need to do but when we try and deliver it back we just get shipped off to another man to be dealt with, is that it?" She demanded.
Mr. Schuester floundered, unsure of how to cope with the kids all turning on him as the rest of the group nodded in agreement. "What? No! That's not it at all!"
"Then what is it?" Mercedes asked. "Mr. Schue, you've been pushing Kurt for ages now. If you'd sat down and discussed with us, none of this would have happened." She pointed out.
"Exactly!" Santana agreed, gesturing to Mercedes. "Kurt's right- you're stopping us all from doing something purely because it doesn't suit you. And the moment Kurt calls you out on it, you hide him away so no one can have the chance to agree." She snarled. He gaped.
"Yeah." Mercedes nodded. "If you send Kurt to the principal you send all of us. Because frankly, we agree with him." She admitted, everyone nodding their consent.
Mr. Schuester shook his head. "You know what? Club dismissed for the day. And next time when we come in, I want you guys to have been thinking a little about the respect you give a teacher." He scolded sternly. The kids did not look impressed as they sauntered out. "Kurt, I want a word." He admitted. Kurt rolled his eyes, stopping by the door.
"Well get on with it."
"Get on with what?"
"My scolding. My punishment." He listed.
Mr. Schue frowned. "Kurt, what you did today was rude and unforgivable. You disrespected me in front of the entire Glee club!" He reprimanded.
"And, with all due respect, you disrespected me." Kurt pointed out softly, taking the older man by surprise.
"What? No I didn't." He denied firmly.
"Yes you did." Kurt disagreed. "You refused to let me say my piece, you wouldn't listen to my argument and cut me off before I had a chance to elaborate every time I tried and no matter how many people supported me or now reasoned and respectful I tried to be towards you, you never granted me the same respect." Kurt listed off. The teacher looked stunned as Kurt hoisted his strap more firmly. "Mr. Schue, you're a good teacher. And when you're good, you're great. But you can be really selfish at times. This club is about more than just you. Yes, you're the teacher, so we look to you for guidance and help. But we're also a part of this, and we have a voice. One that needs to be taken into account. And frankly," Kurt shrugged, already turning to go. "You're just refusing to do that." He finished.
"Kurt, wait." Mr. Schuester ordered as Kurt nearly exited. He stared at the boy in confusion. "You really believe that?" He asked softly. "Does...does all of Glee really believe that?"
Kurt hesitated. "I can't speak for everyone else...but yes, I do believe it. And I stand by my convictions." He promised.
"In that case...I'm sorry." He apologised. "I think you're right, I have been block headed this week." He admitted.
Kurt smiled sadly. "It's okay. Just...do something for me?" He asked. "Remember that you're a teacher, not a dictator. When you're teaching, you're fantastic. You open everyone up to so many new possibilities, but sometimes, like recently...you become so intent on having things your way you miss the truth in being a teacher: opening yourself up to new ways of thinking." He admitted, eyes sad. "Don't let the power you wield over the club influence your decisions. Because trust me," Kurt observed him with grave blue eyes. "It never ends well." He promised. Before Mr. Schuester could really press the subject further, Kurt had left. No one saw him wiping a tear from his eye as he did so.
The next Glee club meeting had Kurt's eyes boggling out of his head. "My God Rachel." He commented. "Where'd the reindeers go?"
"I still have them." She chirped happily. "I just don't think they'll be making an appearance any time soon." She went on as Finn looked around awkwardly.
The girls exchanged comments, Brittany being the most flattering and Quinn coldest with just a 'well it's better than the sweaters.' But he had to admit- even from his stance, Rachel did look good. "I think what Santana's trying to say Rachel, though I risk expulsion by saying so, is that Britney Spears really helped you blossom." He pointed out after his friend made a comment. Mr. Schue gave him a glare and he held up his hands in defence. "That's all!" He promised, sitting down again.
"Rachel...is this true? I mean, you are dressing differently." Mr. Schue agreed. Mercedes held out her hand automatically and Kurt tickled their fingers together in response.
"All I know is I had a very vivid Britney Spears fantasy at the dentist and since then it's made me feel...free to get out of my own way." She concluded, Kurt leaning forwards a little. As much as he detested Rachel's ego...he felt she was a good person deep down and her phrasing was concerning him. "Like I've always been...afraid, to dress like a pretty girl because I never...felt like one before." She confessed. Kurt looked at her with wide eyes before relaxing again. "But now I realise it's okay to feel that way about yourself every now and then, that maybe it's a good thing." She finished.
"It's such a good thing." Brittany agreed.
"No." Mr. Schuester stated firmly. Kurt deflated. He'd not got through to the man. "No, I'm not going to stand in the way anymore. You guys want to do Britney at this year's homecoming assembly and I'm fine with it." He promised, maintaining eye contact with Kurt who smiled warmly as the group all cheered and celebrated their victory. "I had a...shift in perception." He admitted. "And, more than that," He went on. "I'm going to perform with you!" He announced, most of the Glee club going silent in horror. Kurt went along with his friends, but flashed the teacher a smile to show his support.
The performance was fairly good, in Kurt's opinion, although he felt himself squirm at the idea of acting 'sexy' for a show. Still, to act otherwise would cause suspicion so he went along and felt more than a little chuffed at the response he got from the crowds as they cheered and jumped up and down.
Until the fire alarm was pulled and he had no idea how that happened.
But then there was screaming.
Lots and lots of screaming.
People were terrified.
Instantly, he was thrown back to his home world and the first fight he'd been thrown into, evacuating a town as Aladorn had torn it apart. Children screaming as their parents were cut down, parents screaming as their children's lives were taken, families screeching as they sought each other out, soldiers crying out as they were struck down by their opponents, only to cry out themselves as they were struck down in turn. The ringing of the fire alarm morphed into the ringing sound of steel clashing. The students of McKinley high morphed into his people, fleeing from the terror.
He stumbled back, eyes wide and panicked. He reached for his blade but it wasn't there. He wasn't in control, staring around. Above him the ceiling shifted between the rafters of the gym and the stormy grey sky that had cast over the day of the fight. Faces blurred, all familiar and yet strange at the same time. Kurt felt dizzy, confused, as he backed up and wound up in someone's arms. The world span and he could hear people calling his name before everything went black.
When he woke up Kurt saw blurry faces blinking down at him until Mr. Schuester's face came into view. Remembering vague snippets of screaming, Kurt tried to sit up only for a hand to gently press him back down.
"Easy there, you took a bit of a knock." He soothed, urging Kurt to sit back down.
Kurt blinked sluggishly, finding Santana and Brittany's worried faces amongst those of the Glee club. "W-What happened?" He demanded blearily.
"...You passed out." Mercedes finally admitted. "It was weird, you seemed to go really funny and then just keeled over." She admitted, as Kurt felt his memories returning.
"Oh." He answered softly, the word the only thing springing to mind after what he recalled.
"Just, stay there." Mr. Schuester urged. "Can someone stay with him until we're sure he's alright? Your Dad's on his way." He added and Kurt nodded.
"Thanks." Kurt whispered, leaning back as he saw Brittany and Santana move to sit by his side. Mr. Schuester just smiled and ushered the rest of the club out. Once Kurt and Santana were sure the club had gone, using their superior hearing to detect when the final shuffles of feet tapered off around the end of the corridor, heading back to the auditorium, Kurt spoke again. "I had a flashback."
"What of?" Brittany asked gently, stroking his hair as Kurt closed his eyes.
"The screaming...all I could see was my first fight. T-The one where I saw...where I saw all those people get killed." He swallowed hard. "It brought it all back and then...I just kept shifting between the gym and that night and I guess it just...got on top of me." He sighed and pushed himself into a sitting position, allowing himself a second to regain his equilibrium before turning to the girls. "Did I...do anything?"
"Not really." Santana assured him. "As you went down I think a couple of lightbulbs blew, but nothing serious occurred." She confessed. Kurt nodded, sitting up properly and rubbing the back of his head.
"Okay. Well I'm going to...I'm going to go and just...relax." He smiled at them. "I think we can leave off training for a while."
"Gee, you think?" Brittany muttered with an eyeroll as he swung his legs off the couch he'd been placed on. "Here, let me check you over before you leave." She urged, Kurt nodding and wincing at the mistake. Brittany set to work quickly, moving over and examining Kurt's head gently. "You had a slight knock, nothing worth worrying over. But you're right: Don't train this evening."
"You can advise me and Brit." Santana offered. "Help Brit learn some new sparring skills with her daggers."
Kurt smiled and inclined his head. "That sounds perfect. Also, Brittany, can you stop by tonight to look over some spells with me? I want to get in some more studying whilst we have a chance. Each day we have is a day we can use and we need to be fully aware of our enemies' capabilities." He urged, sliding off the couch completely and brushing down his outfit. "Speaking of which, remind me to stop by the mansion and look in on how the troops are doing. Perhaps I could lend a hand to the healers." He instructed, strictly business in a way that had Santana and Brittany nodding respectfully towards him as he stretched out his neck absently.
"Duly noted." Santana promised dutifully.
"Good. In that case, I need to get home and organise the books we might need and how I can get out of the house tonight in order to pay a visit to the mansion." He concluded, before flashing them a brief smile. "I'll be going now. Could you-?"
"We'll cover for you." Santana assured him. Kurt shot her a grateful and warm smile, letting the expression linger on his face for slightly longer than before as he turned and walked out of the room.
Down the hall, Mr. Schuester started walking back to check on Kurt when he saw him stopping off at his locker, clearly intent on leaving. "Kurt!" He exclaimed, making the boy look round. "What are you doing up?"
"It was only a minor bump, Mr. Schue." Kurt placated calmly. "I'm fine. But I think I'm going home to get some rest." He decided with a tired smile.
The teacher nodded. "Alright." He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Maybe this was all a mistake..." He muttered.
"No." Kurt disagreed, making the man look to his charge in shock. "Letting your class do something they want is not a mistake. Perhaps the execution needed...a little work." He relented, forcing down the bile in his throat at the double edged word hidden amongst the rest. "But I think you did the right thing. For all of its flaws, it gave several kids confidence, and if you think of it this way then it's not so bad. Plus it wasn't going that badly until the fire alarm was pulled, and everyone seemed to be really enjoying it." He reasoned. "Though perhaps we should limit it to the choir room from now on?"
"I think that might be wise." Mr. Schuester agreed. He looked down with a smile then back at Kurt. "When did the teacher start needing counselling from the student?" He asked with a wry smile.
Kurt smiled at him. "Mr. Schuester, we're all just people. No matter who we're talking to, there's always something we can learn from one another." He shrugged and shut his locker. "Maybe this is one thing you can learn from me: a good leader never lets his personal opinion totally dictate his charges, but rather he lets it guide him whilst still listening to what the others have to say." He advised sagely, leaving the other man stood in the hall as he pondered the boy's words.
By the time Kurt had driven home and stumbled down the steps into his basement, the teenage Prince was fast asleep on his bed, exhausted from all that had been going on.
Studying could wait for a while: He seriously needed a nap.