Silent Heroes (Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy)

Silent Heroes - Chapter 25

Practice had gone well and you were pretty sure that you had everything covered, practicing with Riku in-between helping the others when it seemed appropriate.

“Well, lets do this for real shall we” Demyx questioned as he stood beside you. You had been busy peeking out of the curtains. Practically the whole school were seated out there. Sora and Roxas had done a good job setting the stage up, or rearranging it after Larxene, who Reno and Zack managed to distract throughout. You pulled your head back inside and look around.

“You’ll be fine” Zexion strolled over to comfort you as he noticed your nerves beginning to get the better of you.

“I know Zex, thanks” you smiled. “Are you guys ready?” Roxas questioned as he and Sora appear from a side door.

“It’s all set,” Sora smiled before adding “Good luck.” He offered you a quick hug, quick as in not to upset the others, before leaving you to run back to the sound box. Roxas nodded and jogged up the stairs to a balcony where he would be controlling the lighting and special effects from.

“You sure you’re ready?” Riku questioned. You nodded as the curtains began to ease open.

“Larxene is going to be so pissed” you muttered as Riku clutched your hand.

You and Riku took a bow as Sora brought two microphones to you. You and Riku took them, setting them on a pair of stands in the front of the stage. Axel was already at the drums, slightly elevated and directly behind you. Demyx adjusted his guitar strap next to you on the right and Zell was playing with a pick nearer to Riku, on the left. Marluxia was further left, standing with his keyboard next to Zell and Zexion stood in-between you and Demyx, though further back towards Axel thumbing his bass before plugging it into a nearby amp. You looked around and noticed an expression of shock cross Larxene‘s face as she re-emerged holding Zack by the ear and Reno by his ponytail. She gaped when she noticed you and released Zack and Reno. She was about to storm towards you but Xemnas put a hand out to stop her.

“Hi guys,” Riku began “We have some special guests in the audience tonight. We’re playing tonight to welcome the Kingdom-X Football Team to our College.” A roar erupted through the audience. “This song is called ‘Stay’. You may need to look at it with an open mind” Riku finished before Demyx and Axel came in with the guitar and drums.

“You say… I only hear what I want to…” Riku starts.

“…you say, I talk ‘so’ all the time… so? And I thought what I felt was simple, and I thought that I don’t belong and now that I am leaving, now I know that I did something wrong, ‘cause I missed you.” Another cheer erupted.

“Go Riku” Yuffie shouted from the audience as Namine laughed.

You smiled as you pressed your lips to the microphone in front of you, “You say… I only hear what I want to. I don’t listen hard. I don’t pay attention to the distance that you’re running to anyone, anywhere.” You noticed a look of shock dance over the faces of your friends in the front row.

“Don’t understand if you really care. I’m only hearing negative. No. No. No. No” you and Riku sing in chorus.

“So I turn the radio on, I turn the radio up and this woman was singing my song:” “Lover’s in love and the other’s run away. Lover is crying ‘cause the other won’t stay…” Demyx grinned at you as you glanced over at him. He had a microphone in front of him so that he could sing Riku’s back up.

“And you say…” Riku sang.

“Stay” you finished. A loud cheer erupted through the audience once again as Riku turned to embrace you in a tight hug.