"Yo, fellow Americans! Listen, a vote for Brittany is a vote for root beer water fountains and robot teachers," Brittany said as she passed out balloons.
"Don't be a bully, vote for Brittany," Ava said as she gave a student a pixie stick.
"Brittany's the coolest! Make sure you vote for her for student body president," Maya said, smiling as she gave one of the older Cheerios a sticker.
"And, also, listen," Brittany said, lowering her voice. "Rachel Berry is still on Myspace, and thus unfit to lead."
"Uh, Britt?" Autumn frowned as she walked up to the blonde. "What are you doing?"
"The minis are helping me with my presidential campaign," Brittany smiled as she gave Autumn a 'Vote for Brittany' sticker. "I know you said you haven't decided who you're voting for yet, but we both know I'm your favorite, so vote for me."
"Uh, right," Autumn mumbled, furrowing her brows at the sticker in her hand as she walked away from the crowd of students.
****
The Trobletones walked into the auditorium, frowning when they saw the New Directions entering from the opposite side of the stage.
"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, her arms folded across her chest.
"Miss Bailey said she had something to show us," Mercedes replied. "What are you doing here?"
"Mr. Schue said the same thing," Autumn said.
"Let me guess. He wants to combine choirs for sectionals," Santana grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "Well, it's not gonna happen. The Troubletones are here to stay."
"Yeah," Juniper agreed as she stepped forward with her arms crossed. "So, shuffle your busted choir off our stage."
"Juni, tone down the savage," Quinn whispered as she pulled her back.
"You're not the boss of me," Juniper scoffed.
"I kinda am, though," Quinn shrugged, smirking a little.
Juniper felt her cheeks turn hot as she nervously glanced around the stage of teenagers, hoping that no one was sensing her bi-panic.
"Guys, we can compete without being enemies," Autumn sighed. "We're all friends, right?"
"We might be friends, but I'm not friends with them. Not anymore," Santana scoffed. "See, the Troubletones are 3F: fierce, femme, phenomenal–"
"I thought phenomenal started with a 'P'?" Naomi frowned, furrowing her brows in confusion.
"Oh, guys, hurry up," Santana said as she turned around to face the Troubletones. "Go get some moist towels. We have to keep Finn wet before we can roll him back in the sea."
The twins, Sugar, and Naomi nodded and turned to go get some, but Brittany and Quinn grabbed them and shook their heads.
"She's joking," Quinn whispered as the twins exchanged a confused look.
"But she sounded serious," Maya frowned.
"Adalynn would've wanted us to roll him in the sea," Ava grumbled, pouting as she shuffled her combat boot on the crusty stage. "I miss my Ada."
Music was heard, and Bailey walked in strumming her guitar. Mr. Schue entered from the other side. They sang a mash-up, and both clubs swayed to the beat as they listened.
When they were done, everyone clapped, and the twins ran up to hug their mom.
"Mommy, you were so good!" Ava exclaimed, hugging the older woman tightly.
"Was that a new song?" Maya asked.
"No, just an older song from the olden days," Bailey chuckled. "Not one of mine."
"Oh," Ava said, slightly disappointed. "You could write a better one."
"Mr. Schue, Miss Bailey, I think we can all admit that that was weirdly amazing, but what exactly was the point?" Rachel asked.
"That sometimes bringing together two conflicting things can create something unexpected," Mr. Schue said.
"We're not combining Glee Clubs, Mr. Schue," Mercedes groaned.
"Not what I'm talking about. Bailey and I agreed that with sectionals coming up for both of us, it's time we all got serious with some friendly competition."
The twins gasped and exchanged an excited look. 'Competition' was their favorite word. They've been competing ever since they were in the womb, and Maya still likes to brag about how she was the first one to make it out to the world.
"Each group is going to put together and perform their own mash-up to perform head-to-head," Bailey told them.
"For the first annual McKinley High–"
"Mash off!"
****
Santana narrowed her eyes as she watched Naomi smile at something on her phone. As if sensing she was being looked at, the sophomore looked up, her cheeks tinting red as Santana raised a brow.
"What's with that look?" the older girl asked.
"What look?" Naomi asked as she set her phone down next to her.
"Don't act innocent," Santana scoffed as she moved from the table she was previously sitting at to sit next to Naomi on the floor of the classroom. "Talk to me. What's going on? Is it about a boy?"
"Ew."
"A girl?"
"M-Maybe...?"
"Awwww, Little Nomi's got a crush!" Santana squealed excitedly. "Okay, spill. I wanna know everything. Who is it?"
"Uh...S-Sugar?"
"No way," Santana gasped. "Oh, my god. This all makes so much sense! Okay, okay. Um, how about this? You find out if–"
"No."
"You don't even know what I was going to say."
"Yeah? Well, the answer's still no," Naomi scoffed as she stood up and put her homework away in her backpack. "I'm not telling her. Ever."
"Nomi, come on," Santana sighed. "You're never gonna get a girlfriend if you don't talk to her."
"I talk to her," Naomi mumbled, rolling her eyes.
"You know what I mean."
"I'm not confessing, Tana," the younger girl whined as she turned around to face the taller girl. "I-I can't! She...She'll hate me!"
"Hey, it's okay," Santana said, pulling the petite brunette into a hug to calm her anxiety. "You don't have to. I'm sorry, I...I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's okay," Naomi mumbled, melting further into Santana's embrace.
****
"This could be deadly," Rachel said as the New Directions got ready for a dodgeball match against the Troubletones. "I mean, facing our foes head-on without any adult supervision?"
"You worry too much, Rae," Autumn chuckled as she patted her girlfriend's shoulder. "We'll be fine. It's the twins and Naomi that I'm worried about. They're so little."
"So little," Rachel repeated, shaking her head as she looked at the three younger girls on the other side of the gym. "How tall is Naomi, anyway?"
"Like, 4'10," Autumn said as she tied her shoe. "The twins are about 4'8. Maybe 4'9."
"Yo, double-stuffed!" Juniper yelled, cupping her hands to her mouth to make her voice louder as she shouted to Finn. "If anything happens to these twins, I'm murdering you!"
"Can I help?" Ava asked.
"Of course," Juniper smiled. "The more the merrier!"
"Juni, you're forgetting that you're not that much taller than them," Santana scoffed. "How are you gonna murder that giant?"
"I'm gonna David and Goliath this shit," Juniper shrugged. "I'm tiny and mighty. Don't let my height fool you."
"Tiny and mighty, but can't put up a fight when I–"
"Lucy, you shut your mouth."
A whistle blew, getting everyone's attention.
"Let's roadhouse!" Finn yelled.
"Oh, it's on, Pillsbury dough-turd," Santana scoffed.
"Excuse me," Rory Flanagan said as he walked up to them. "I've never heard of this game of dodging balls before. What's the rules?"
"Don't die," Puck said as the music started.
Both teams huddled up, listening carefully to their captains about the game plan before breaking and running to grab a ball.
Naomi looked around, debating who to throw a ball at. Just as she was about to throw it at Puck, one came flying at her. She dropped the ball in her hands as she covered her head with her arms, but Sugar grabbed her and pulled her out of the way. The taller girl picked up the ball that the Cuban had dropped and threw it as hard as she could at Artie, smirking proudly when it hit him.
Santana quickly pushed Ava behind her when she saw a ball flying at her. She caught it and threw it back over to the other side, and Rachel pulled Autumn out of the way so it wouldn't hit her.
Juniper grabbed a ball and was about to throw it when one came flying at her, hitting her shoulder roughly. Quinn snatched the ball that was in her hands and threw it at Puck, smirking as it hit his dick and he bent over in pain.
"S-Serves him right," Juniper mumbled, groaning at the pain in her shoulder.
"Come on, Junebug," Quinn said as she put an arm around her girlfriend's waist and led her to the exit. "Let's get some ice."
"Can I eats the ice?" Juniper asked.
"No, for your shoulder, silly," Quinn chuckled.
"But the Cheerios have the good ice!" the younger girl whined.
"How about this? One bag of ice for your shoulder, and another in a cup for you to eat?"
"Deal."
Back in the gym, Santana threw a ball at Finn, grinning proudly as it hit him in the face.
"Okay," Finn said. "Good game."
"Boy, oh, boy, that was a cracker," Rory said as he jogged up to him.
Santana took the ball Naomi was holding and threw it at the Irish boy. The other Troubletones did the same, except for Maya, Naomi, Brittany, and Mercedes.
"Bad, Ava!" Maya scolded her twin, grabbing her arm and pulling her back. "Mom raised you better than that."
"Yeah, and Ada taught me how to be a bad bitch," Ava countered.
"And you wonder why I'm mom's favorite."
"You are not!"
"Are too!"
"You're a bitch!" Ava yelled, shoving her twin.
"You're a bitch!" Maya spat, pushing her back harder.
Ava lunged at Maya, both of them screeching as they wrestled and pulled at each other's hair.
"Guys!" Brittany yelled as she pulled them apart. "Stop the violence!"
"She started it!" Maya yelled, whining as she tried to break free from the older girl's grasp.
"Yeah, and I'm gonna finish it!" Ava shouted as she tried to attack her sister again, only for Brittany to pick her up and carry her away. "Kidnapper!" she screamed, kicking her little legs in the air. "Someone help! I'm being kidnapped! Santana, save me!"
"Stop it!" Kurt yelled as he ran up and kneeled down next to Rory. "For God's sake, he's bleeding!"
"Maybe that's how the others treat us around here, but we don't do this to each other," Autumn said, frowning deeply with her arms crossed. "You guys are better than this."
"God, calm down, Grandma," Santana scoffed.
"This game's over," Kurt said as he and Autumn helped Rory up.
"We still won," Sugar shrugged.
****
The Troubletones stood around the piano as they worked on vocal warm ups, the twins on opposite sides from each other so they didn't try to kill one another again.
"Ladies," Mercedes said as she walked into the classroom. "Vocal Warm ups can wait. Now, I was up half the night thinking about our mash-up for the mash-off, and it came to me. Adele."
"Yes!" Ava gasped, standing up straighter. "Yes, yes, yes! I know all her songs. Adalynn raised me right."
"I'm pretty sure I raised you, but okay," Bailey chuckled.
"I sound just like her," Sugar said.
"Dude, I love her," Brittany smiled. "She sounds like what banana cream pie sounds like when it sings."
"I think it's a good idea," Bailey agreed, nodding as she sent Mercedes a smile.
"Agreed," Santana said. "And now with that decision out of the way, I can stay focused on my one-sided battle of wits with the knuckle-dragger."
"Santana, the dodgeball thing was fun until the end, but enough," Mercedes said.
"No, honey, I'm just getting started."
"I'm the leader of this group, and I'm telling you, lay off those guys."
"Um, there actually isn't a leader–"
"I'm sorry," Santana scoffed, interrupting Bailey as she rounded the piano to Mercedes. "The leader? Who died and made you queen, Aretha?"
"I brought you guys in, and I came up with the idea for our mash-up while you were wasting time trying to figure out how to make Finn Hudson cry."
"I mean...he deserves it," Juniper shrugged as she ate some popcorn.
"So, I nominate myself as president of the Troubletones."
"No," Bailey said.
"No?" Mercedes frowned.
"No," Bailey repeated more sternly as she stood up to address the group of girls. "We don't win with leaders. That's why the New Directions are falling apart."
"They should change their name to the No Directions," Ava mumbled.
"We're gonna win as a team, okay? We're gonna work together, and we're gonna work as equals. Understand?" Bailey asked.
"Yes, Miss Bailey," the group mumbled.
"Yes, Mom," the twins said.
"But Mercedes was right about one thing," Bailey continued. "We should all be focusing on winning because we are better. Not meaner. That goes for you, too, Ava."
"I didn't do shit!" Ava scoffed, holding her hands up. "Maya started it!"
"No, you started it!" Maya shouted.
"Knock it off, or you're not getting dessert tonight," Bailey threatened.
The twins' eyes went wide, and they instantly shut their mouths.
"Now, Mr. Schue and I both agreed on the ground rules. We play fair."
"I just don't have time for this kind of thinking," Santana grumbled as she went back to her spot next to Brittany.
"Well, make time," Bailey said. "Because you are a star member of this group, and you need to represent. Think about the kind of example you're setting for the underclassmen. They look up to you, and it's your job to show them the way."
"Stop the violence," Brittany sang, nudging Santana with her shoulder when she smiled. "Come on."
"Okay, god, okay," Santana chuckled. "Look, I'll play fair. From now on, I will be so nice that cotton candy won't melt in my mouth"
****
"I'm proud of you, Rach," Autumn smiled, leaning back against the lockers after the student body president election speeches. "I know how hard that must've been for you."
"It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be," Rachel shook her head. "And Kurt deserves it. He...He really deserves it."
On cue, Kurt walked up to them.
"Why'd you do it?" he asked.
"I should've withdrawn from the race when I got the lead in the musical," Rachel sighed as she turned to face him. "You needed the résumé boost to get into NYADA. You're already so spectacular, but being senior class president will just put you over the top."
"Only Rachel Berry could perk up an old, boring high school debate with such a riveting twist," Kurt said, shaking his head.
"Drama queen," Autumn teased, nudging the slightly taller girl with her shoulder.
"I know," Rachel chuckled. "But I just...I hated you hating me. It was–"
"Me too," Kurt sighed. "Scowling gives you forehead lines, and I'm way too young for Botox."
"I guess I was just...you know focusing on my dream of going to New York and getting into NYADA, but then I realized that part of that dream is going there with you...With both of you," Rachel said, smiling as she put an arm around Autumn.
"That would be the most fun ever," Autumn smiled.
"It would," Rachel agreed before turning back to Kurt. "So, now I'm all about helping you win. Consider me your...campaign slave."
"Don't say slave," Autumn shook her head. "People might take that the wrong way."
"Okay, uh...campaign...manager? ...I'm gonna hug you now," Rachel said, chuckling as she hugged Kurt.
****
Autumn frowned as she heard what sounded crying coming from the girls' bathroom. She walked in, her frown deepening when she saw a pair of tan legs and white cheer shoes in the handicapped stall.
"Santana?"
The room suddenly went quiet, and Autumn knocked gently on the stall door.
"Tana, it's Autumn. Let me in."
"Go away," Santana mumbled, her voice breaking.
Autumn sighed and got down on all fours as she crawled underneath the stall. Santana had her head resting on her knees, her body trembling as she cried.
"San, what happened?" Autumn asked as she put a hand on her back.
"F-Finn...commercial...Auttie, e-everyone's gonna know now," Santana sobbed as she turned and buried her face in the crook of Autumn's neck.
"About you and Britt?" Autumn asked, gently rubbing the Latina's back.
"Y-Yeah," Santana sniffled, hugging the smaller girl closer to her as she broke down.
****
****
a/n
f*nn haters, rise! i hate that bastard with a burning passion.
the twins are always fighting over something 😂
a little bit of quiper 🤭
some sanomi sister-like relationship, and autana friendship 🥺
thoughts?