The next act was a dance number starring Mike Chang, Brittany, and a number of larger Muppets performing a segment from the dance musical "Contact". More specifically, the 'Simply Irresistible' number from the "bar" segment. In said number, Mike played the lonely man looking for love as Brittany played the mysterious woman in yellow who was being courted by many a dancing Muppet, ranging from the full-sized Mutations to the diminutive Pepe!
The show went on, from a number by Quinn assisted by Bobby Benson's All-Baby Band (dedicated to Beth, of course) to Sam singing with the Gills Brothers (which incited some references to Santana's "Trouty Mouth" motif). All went well, or at least relatively well with a few technical difficulties and mishaps usually to be expected whenever the Muppets were to perform.
Now it was time for Miss Piggy's big number, in which she was to be singing "I Am Woman", a number she performed with Raquel Welch back in the day, with Mercedes. They even dressed accordingly, white feminine tuxedo with red bowtie and everything. They were just about to go on when Mercedes witnessed a small scene between Kermit and Scooter.
"Chief" said Scooter, "according to some of the rats, they're overhearing audience members wanting to see that Rachel Berry girl."
Kermit sighed.
"She's been so quiet the whole time we got here. I've done all I could, but it may take more than the usual Muppet charm to coax her out of her shell."
"Speak for yourself!" said Gonzo, all covered in clamped clams from his act. "I've been using that charm to get these guys to unclamp off of me…so I can stick active grenades in them and have them clamp back on me! I completely messed up my act!"
"Mr. Schuester wasn't lying when he said Rachel was fickle…I still don't know what to do to help."
Mercedes remained motionless, even when Piggy stomped her stiletto foot to garner her attention.
"What are you waiting for, girl? Hurry up!" the Pig demanded.
Mercedes thought, and said "No. I think you should really have a talk with Rachel."
"WHAT?! Moi has already tried that once when she got to this dump, and she just stood there! Haven't you heard the saying about making a first impression?"
"Well, haven't YOU worked so hard for something that even the thought of not receiving what you were working for hurts deeply?"
For once, Piggy was beside herself.
"…there have been many times for me, yes."
Kermit, Scooter, Gonzo, and a number of the kids were watching this, unbeknownst to them.
"Then go talk to her" Mercedes said softly, "tell her she's not alone."
Rachel was all alone in the dressing room, surrounded by framed pictures of Broadway marquees and looking at a brochure for Nyada. Then came a knock at the door. She raised her head to see who it was. It was Piggy, and the sight of her just made her sink again. Who could blame her after what happened in their first encounter?
The porcine Muppet put her gloved hand on the girl's shoulder.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you the first time we met. You may think moi is doing this for good publicity, but that's just 65% the reason."
She looked at the pictures and the brochure Rachel was looking at.
"I see you had your sights set on Broadway. You know, let me fill you in on my youth:
Moi's father died when she was just a teeny little girl, and mother was NOT the nicest sow in the sty let me tell you. She always said I was dumb to think I was to amount to the star I would become and be known throughout the world as today. In my teens, I had to enter beauty contests to survive. They were the only place I ever felt like I was a star. Everyone cheering for moi, it was also the only form of love I ever knew. Until one day, I met the frog of my dreams as I won a local pageant at a carnival. It's re-enacted somewhat accurately in our first movie, you know. And he once told me: you don't need the whole world to love you in order to be a star, sometimes you just need just one person.
Does any of that make any sense to you?"
Rachel sat up and wiped away a tear.
"Do you have anyone in your life that you love?" Piggy asked.
Rachel looked at a locket given by Finn for her birthday, then a picture of her with Mercedes and Kurt taken during one of their sleepovers.
"Yes" she replied, the first word Piggy heard out of her. "I have all my friends in glee club. I always figured we were part of something special, ever since we all began singing all those years ago."
"Kinda sounds like us in a way, doesn't it? And you see now? Things aren't as bad as they seem. So what if you didn't make that school? You can still make it big! Maybe not as big as moi, but big in your own special right. And always remember…"
Piano music started playing in the distance.
"If just one person believes in you" Piggy began to sing, "deep enough, and long enough believes in you. Hard enough, and strong enough, before you knew it, someone else would say…"
"If she can do it" said/sang Mercedes coming in, "I can do it! Making it…"
"Two whole people, who believe in you" the two sang together, "deep enough, and long enough believe in you. Hard enough, and strong enough, there's bound to be some other person who believes in making it a threesome…"
Finn came in and joined the two.
"Making it three, people you can say, believe in me! And if three whole people…"
Kermit came to Piggy's side.
"Why not four? And if four whole people…"
Will, Emma, Kurt, and Blaine opened the door…
"Why not more…"
…ushered her out of the room…
"and MORE…"
…and brought her onto the stage, where she was met by all her singing friends, all the Muppets, and to the audience's cheers as she finally graced the stage in all her glory.
"…and MOOOOOOORRRREE?"
As everyone sang the final verse of the song, she looked around her and all thoughts of Nyada vanished as her eyes sparkled, seeing all of those who always supported her and always will.
"Maybe even YOU…" she sang at long last, "can believe in you, tooooooo!"
As the audience applauded, Rachel and Miss Piggy hugged.
"Thank you, Piggy" she said with much happier tears in her eyes.
"It was moi's pleasure" Piggy replied, "I was going to sing 'Every Situation Has a Sunny Side' from "42nd Street", but they sang that already a few chapters ago in this story…"
Kermit then grabbed Rachel's arm.
"Rachel, would you like to sing the last song with me and Piggy?"
"I'd love to."
She looked out into the audience and smiled.
"I'm Rachel Berry, and we are the New Directions: stars in our own right!"
Kermit took out his banjo, and began strumming a group of chords that delighted generations.
"Why are there so many songs about rainbows" he sang, "and what's on the other side?"
"Rainbows are visions, but only illusions" Rachel added, "and rainbows have nothing to hide."
"So we've been told and some choose to believe it" Piggy chimed in.
"I know they're wrong" sang Kermit, "wait and see."
Piggy and Rachel then put their arms over each other.
"Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection, the lovers, the dreamers, and me!"
It wasn't long until everyone began to join in again, even Will, Emma, Beiste, and even Figgins!
"All of us under its spell, we know that it's probably magic!"
Statler, Waldorf, and Sue then got onstage to join in the moment, much to everyone's surprise.
"Hey! If you can't beat them, join them!" the three all said.
For everyone that night, this was a scene to behold, as is any moment when that famous song is performed by the Muppets. Here at McKinley High was no exception.
"Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection, the lovers, the dreamers, and me! La-di-da-dee-la-da-dum, the LOVERS, the DREAMERS, and ME!"
The finale was met by thunderous applause and infectious standing ovation. Will had tears gushing down his face, as were many of his students, Rachel included.
"We've done it" Will whispered to Emma, "it's just like I pictured it when I first started the club!"
Finn kissed Rachel on the cheek with an "I love you" whispered in her ear. Kermit beamed as he looked at Will, while Piggy nodded in content as she looked at Rachel.
"Just like us?" Kermit asked his love.
"Mmm, moi supposes so" she replied.
Kermit and Will then turned to each other, then outwards and sang as the entire Muppet cast and every McKinley/Lima personality joined in:
"Life's like a fan fiction, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending, we've done just what we set out to do! Thanks to the LOVERS…the DREAMERS…and YOOOOOOOUUUUUUU!"
THE END
This story written in loving memory of Cory Monteith, who never stopped believing, even when things got tough. May he be remembered and loved just as much as Jim Henson himself, whose Muppetational creations, in a sense, paved the way for the show that he starred on and revitalized the dream of singing and dancing and making people happy in a seemingly defeated world. For all that, we are truly grateful. Thank you, Cory.