I'll Stand By You (Finn Hudson x OC)

NINETY TWO

Season 5, Episode 4:  A Katy or a Gaga

Ownership of Glee:  FOX, Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuck

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Another week had passed since Finn's memorial week in glee club. The New Directions – including Will – were walking on eggshells with Angie. They didn't know how to talk to her without asking about her well-being; they didn't want to upset her by talking about her deceased husband. Though she had assured everyone that she was doing better, they still had doubts lingering in the backs of their minds.

Angie and Will walked into the choir room together, and Will claps his hands. "All right, big week, guys. Come on. Gather round. I have here in my hand... drumroll, please... a secret list of show choirs that we will be in competition with at Nationals in six weeks."

"Ooh.." is the reply of some.

"Nice enthusiasm," Angie replied teasingly.

"Yes. Okay, let's see what we've got. We got the Rust-Belters from Pittsburgh, the Thunder Showcats from Gainesville, and finally, from Fort Wayne, Throat Explosion." Will announces.

After Will said Throat Explosion, Tina began panicking. "No! Why, God?!"

"Uh, what? Throat Explosion? Are you kidding me?" Angie gapes.

"That's a joke, right?" Will asks his students and co-director.

"Anything but. They're the new supergroup the Show Choir Underground's been buzzing about," Blaine replies.

"Their budgets for costume, makeup, hair alone are astronomical. You guys have read that Malcolm Gladwell book, Outliers, right? So, Gladwell says you can't possibly master anything unless you've spent 10,000 hours practicing it. So students can't even join Throat Explosion without proving they've logged in 10,000 hours of show choir rehearsal." Tina inputs.

Angie nods. "Will, they don't even go to class. They just perform, every minute of every day. They live their art. They know no boundaries. They're constantly pushing the envelope, living and performing on the edge. They're like mini Lady Gagas."

"We're so screwed... they're not like Vocal Adrenaline, who were unfeeling Borg robots. They're total outsiders and misfits, which used to be our niche," Artie comments.

"We can't compete with Throat Explosion at that level because we lost our biggest Gaga when Kurt graduated last year." Blaine remarks.

Tina groans. "Look around, we're a room full of, like, Katy Perrys now."

"Oh, you best check your spectrum, Queen T, because orange is the new black, and Unique is the new Gaga," Unique states proudly.

"Well, not Marley... she's a Katy Perry," Jake informs.

"So is Sam, so is Blaine. I'm a Katy Perry and I'm proud of it." Artie states.

Will decides that now is the time to intervene. "Uh, the truth is, Tina, we're a potent mix of Katy Perrys and Lady Gagas in here. But it's not a liability... it's the way we're gonna beat Throat Explosion. Some of us in here are, you know, ambi-edge."

"Ambi-edge? You just made that up." Angie whispers.

Will ignores Angie's statement. "Uh, some of us are more, you know, wholesome, innocent, romantic, all-American girl-and-boy-next-door types. Uh, who in here would describe themselves as a Gaga?"

Jake, Kitty, Tina, Unique, and Angie's hands go up.

Angie nods. "Okay, great. And the rest of you are Katys?"