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The End of the Circus: A Tale of the Yizibajohei
Omake: Taking Off in a New Direction
by Regina Magia

Including characters and situations from Glee, created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan.

Lima in Ohio (126 kilometres south-southwest of Toledo), the Friday before Columbus Day in 2012, after school...

"She's gone," Finn Hudson reported as he looked away from the window.

The other people in the living room of the Abrams home a mile or so from William McKinley High School breathed out in relief. "Finally!" Rachel Berry moaned. "I thought she'd never leave!"

"Tell me about it," Artie Abrams said as he rose from the manual wheelchair he "normally" used to move around in, walking as if he had never endured a spinal injury thanks to a car crash when he was eight. "You guys have any idea how tough it is pretending I'm still paralyzed?!"

"No," Tina Cohen-Chang admitted as she came in from the kitchen with some mugs of coffee, immediately moving to serve the glee club's host first. "I doubt it's easy for you these days."

"So where are we going?" asked Kurt Hummel, tapping away on a modified iPad that he got from Elizabeth Wakefield over in California; said device had the same incredible functions as the standard PAA. Gazing at the news from one Hasegawa Chisame, Finn's would-be boyfriend shook his head to and fro. "There's stuff going on in Maine, Texas, Delaware, Washington..."

"Let's get everyone on the Yellowjacket first," Rachel then bade. "We can decide then..."

As everyone stepped out of the Abrams home through the back door — they pausing to take a look around to ensure no eavesdroppers who might report that Artie was once more fully mobile — the current incarnation of the Unstoppable Repairman, Yuoum Erba ("Doctor Eternity"), focused his eyes on one point of his glasses, triggering the activation of a special telepathic recording device he built with the assistance of the leader of the Sweet Valley Boosters so he could make a new entry into his journal for later dissemination to Yizibajohei on both Earth and the World of the Forge itself...

It seems only yesterday that New Directions were made up of pretty ordinary high school students with ordinary high school student problems. That changed when Finn nearly died from drinking drug-laced alcohol at a party Tina was hosting one day back in the spring. Luckily, a nice guy from old Nesetimtuto going by Pale Watcher — sorry, don't know his real name — these days was in the area helping out some locals with Tariko's "let's get as many people Gifted as possible" casting drive in preparation for E-Day. Once he sensed what happened to Finn, it was a quick trip to the Cave of the Future outside R'bem-eke, healing him as easily as Molly Hecht did Regina Morrow before last Hallowe'en.

New Directions now goes by the Yizibajohei name R'bem-Buotuo whenever we get involved in helping other people out these days. Leading off the cast would be Finn himself. He became the Structure Smasher, Latobar'ba — Blockbuster in English — which gave him mid-level FISS powers, plus the knowledge to seek out the various structural weak points in anything he wants to wreck.

Hah! Move over, P-chan! You got competition...!

Naturally, once he recovered from the post-Gifting shock, Finn elected to "share the wealth".

Rachel came next, proving that the spirit of the Great Crystal does know how to give people the right Gifts. Our would-be musical theatre actress became a reborn actress as the Shifting Stage Star, Yuoimyuo; Cinema here in America. Not only getting the memories of someone who had worked with the likes of Leem Keamee and Sogusohu Fasimgemu back in the classic days of old Lemriesem — Ha! My money's still on Ataru to become Rake! — she became a shape shifter.

Next up was yours truly. As you'll know, I became the Unstoppable Repairman, Yuoum Erba, AKA Doctor Eternity. Telekinesis and loads of mechanical knowledge in many disciplines came my way...

...though the best Gift was being able to WALK again!

Even if I STILL have to use the damned wheelchair around in public!

Ah! E-Day can't come soon enough...!

Next up came Tina, who became the Shadow Princess of the Centre, Uotum...or Dusk as she'd be called here in Ohio. Talk about getting a nice and more stable version of Raven of the Teen Titans!

Once she got in on the Great Show of Life, the casting drive really too off.

We got Finn's would-be boyfriend Kurt, who was Gifted as the Stealthy Soldier of the East, R'buoruku, AKA Fadeout. In him, we got a high-level empath with loads of urban combat experience who can also cloak himself when required. Believe me, the skills in firearms and espionage are more than welcome.

Quinn Fabray joined next. She was Gifted into becoming the Wise Winter Mistress, Kaeumro; Cryogen here on Earth. Not only was her IQ shot into the stratosphere by that Gifting, she also received powers that would allow her to match the friend of Tariko's "wife" from Triton and come out the winner.

Co-captain of the school's cheerleaders, the Cheerios, came next. Santana Lopez matched up well with people like Xander Harris and Steve Austin when she became the Fierce Feline of the West, Ramnuonyuo; here, we call her Calico. And while having our own version of Wolverine of the X-Men is nice with ki manipulation, ki claws and loads of enhanced senses, she won't smoke cigars!

After Santana came her girlfriend Brittany Pierce. She got Gifted as our team's lone magical member, the Chaos Mistress of the Meadows, Ruodumnabuo or Ley Line. With that, she was able to pick off a couple demon-possessed vampires who were trolling for fresh blood in town over a month ago, which clearly hints that we may have a Hellmouth somewhere here in the Rust Belt.

Oh, Harry! Thanks for giving us the number for the DMLE office over in Columbus. The auror who came to talk to us was a pretty cool guy. I think he may know something about the possibility of another Sunnydale happening somewhere here in the Buckeye State.

Damn! Sorry to dump all that on you, Buffy!

PLEASE ask Mister Giles to keep those idiots from London away from here!

Anyhow...

Once Brittany learned how to use proper earth magic, we got Puck — Noah Puckerman, I mean — to become the Bold Repeller, Rotyuo AKA Bishop. Having a guy who could both attract and repel any forms of matter would definitely do us a tonne of good in case we run into some hyped-up militia freaks who want to defend their oh-so-important Second Amendment rights, not to mention any stupid staleblood who wouldn't care for "no-majs" being so damned powerful in the first place.

Isaac! Isaac! PLEASE! Don't bring Ruby here, okay?!

If any of those gun nuts SEE Crescent Rose...!

Oh, man!

I'm getting WAY off script here...!

Anyhow, after Puck joined the party, there came the first person to actually audition for New Directions back when we were all normals, Mercedes Jones. Once she got the lowdown, she was Gifted as the Living Ray of the South, Mium AKA Neon. So we have someone who can transform into energy as well as shoot it off whenever we need some heavy suppressive firepower. Of course, becoming effectively immune to most magic spells fired her way was a definite bonus there.

Puck's friend Mike Chang jumped onto the bandwagon next. Once he became the Glowing Prince of the Centre, Buola AKA Radiant, we got us a second energy manipulator who also brought telepathy onto the overall card for the team. Thanks to his first-self Basee R'bano being lovers with Tina's first-self Lima Aor'batuoekkro, those two practically are wed to the hip right now.

No, Shirayuki! PLEASE! Don't make a wedding cake! They don't need it NOW!

The last of the original run of recruits came with Mercedes' boyfriend Sam Evans. He was Gifted as the Ruler of Rush Hour, Riker'bo; we call him Breakneck here. With him, we get a high-level speedster.

And NO, Haruhi! We're NOT getting involved in the Crisis a few omniverses over!

That scene is just WAY too whacked out for even normal Yizibajohei!

Oh, man...

Well, after the current school year started, our group got three more people to join up.

First came Lauren Zizes, our local gossip queen; she was Gifted as the Magical Mistress of Metal Tuokike Nanyu AKA the Steel Sorceress. Next came Kurt's current boyfriend Blaine Anderson, who became the Genteel Gladiator, Titor'be; we say that Dandy here in Ohio. Finally, our Irish exchange student Rory Flanagan got the chance to emulate Roman Reigns by becoming the Hound of Souls, Yuotitim; he chose the Irish Gaelic word Cú Sídhe as his local alias.

We're debating now about bringing even more folks onto the team. I'm glad that you stuck around Ohio to help keep an eye out on things, Watcher...

"Oi! Artie! You okay?!"

Artie yelped, then chuckled apologetically. "Sorry about that, Quinn."

The current incarnation of the Wise Winter Mistress gave him a knowing look before they pitched in to load backpacks and suitcases onto the team's specially-built multi-environmental transport vehicle. The Yellowjacket resembled an ordinary school bus — which it once had been before Quinn and Artie got their hands on it — but it now had vastly dimensional-expanded interiors, the ability to fly up to half of light-speed in deep space, plus came with all the necessary amenities for a large group of travelling metahuman fighters when they were out on the road trolling for fight scenes.

"Honestly, I kinda wished Mister Schue could come with us," Quinn mused as the last of the backpacks were loaded in, then everyone stepped aboard the transformed bus to take their seats.

"Maybe we could leave him a note," Brittany suggested.

"Actually...!"

Eyes locked on Rachel. "What?" Finn demanded.

A nervous chuckle escaped the Shifting Stage Star before she helplessly shrugged. "I...may have told him I was Gifted," she then quietly announced. As some people moaned, the reborn veteran of the Lemriesem movie machine added, "Well, he caught me practising with my powers. I swore him to secrecy, then offered to get him pre-Gifted if he was interested."

"Was he?" the Structure Smasher asked.

Another shrug. "I did leave him a pre-Gifting snack and a letter..."

The others moaned. "Well, strap in, Rachel!" Tina snapped. "We're waiting on you!"

"Relax!" Quinn bade. "I thought you were the pushy one..."

Laughter filled the van as the members of New Directions headed off...

The End

WRITER'S NOTES

Fans of Glee should be able to recognize who's who here.

As for those others mentioned here (with notes on who they are):

Elizabeth Wakefield (the Academician) is one of the two main stars of the Sweet Valley High young adult novel series created by Francine Pascal and written by a massive team of ghost-writers. She is a hyper-genius polymath and the smartest person bar none on Yiziba as a whole.

Hasegawa Chisame (Nexus) is one of Negi Springfield's students from Akamatsu Ken's Mahō Sensei Negima manga series. She is a mistress of information as well as a technokinetic/technopath, able to affect all forms of computer programming with her mind.

Molly Hecht (the Dominatrix) is a minor character from Sweet Valley High. She is a high-level FISS-type (akin to Superman without the special vision powers) who actually gains even greater power every time she's hurt thanks to a special adrenal boost capability.

Regina Morrow (Manacle) is another Sweet Valley High character. She is a telekinetic who is so powerful, she can restrain even someone like Molly with the power of her mind alone.

Harrison "Harry" Bluth (Neutron) is one of my characters from the omake Magic In Miami: The Sunshine Troupe Assembles. He is also a high-level FISS-type with the unique ability to physically affect all forms of non-corporeal life such as ghosts and the like.

Elizabeth "Buffy" Summers (Virago) is the lead character of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series. Atop her demonic-descent inheritance as a Slayer, she is also a high-order empath with over two millennium's worth of combat experience in urban and rural environments.

Isaac Thomas (Doctor Renaissance) is a character created by Dr. Tempo for this universe. He is Elizabeth's equal when it comes to genius and inventive capabilities.

Ruby Rose (Blur) is the lead character of Monty Oum's RWBY animated video series. Atop her standard abilities as a huntsman on Remnant, plus her capacity of building very versatile armaments like her own Crescent Rose, she now possesses hyper-speed movement capabilities.

Osamu Shirayuki (Küchenchefin) is one of the characters of Kimino Sakurako's and Tenhiro Naoto's Sister Princess short-story/game/anime series. One of the sisters of Tariko Katabarbe (Tuyuki) in this story, she is a trofikinetic with the ability to create any form of edible food from any type of matter.

Suzumiya Haruhi (the Weaver) is the lead character of the series of light novels of the same name by Tanigawa Nagaru, not to mention the anime The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi. She is a cosmic-level reality warper who specializes in being able to create, change or destroy alternate timelines and parallel dimensions. Haruhi is the second-most powerful being to live/operate on Yiziba.

Finally, Nesetimtuto is the Yizibajohei analogue of the United States of America as a whole. R'bem-eke is the analogue of New York City, of course. And Lemriesem is Yiziba's version of Hollywood.

Also, fans of Ranma 1/2 should guess who "P-chan" is. No, he's NOT a Yizibajohei!