Dissidia High

Hey, everyone. After a deleted account, a five-year hiatus, and lots of time spent playing video games, I decided to get back into the world of fan fiction.

Dissidia High is the lovechild of two of my favorite things: the DIY music scene, and Final Fantasy. Inspired by inside jokes, my own friendships, and plenty of caffeine, Dissidia High is going to explore a lot of different characters throughout the Final Fantasy franchise.

Oh, and it's going to be gay. You've been warned.

Chapter 1: Love It If We Made It

WANTED - Band member. Synth experience required. Please know how to actually play and please don't waste our time. Auditions are this Saturday at 208 Midgar Road. See you there.

Didling the flyer in his hands, the silver-haired boy looked back up in confusion.

"A pizza shop?" he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "That can't be right." After reading over the flyer once more, he decided to finally go in and check it out.

Pushing the door open, he was greeted with the soft chime of a copper bell and a little voice carrying across the counter.

"Welcome to Strife Pizza," he heard, a dark-haired girl appearing from the back room. "What can we get started for ya?"

The boy looked around at the empty room and chuckled nervously. "I was here to audition for a band, but I guess I have the wrong address? I'm sorry to bother you."

The girl perked up and beamed a huge smile. "Nope, you're at the right place! They're in the storage space behind the kitchen. You can head back there."

The teenager thanked her and walked back, maneuvering his keyboard case around the kitchen until he heard the sound of instruments. He waited for the music to stop and then knocked on the door. "Finally, someone's here," he heard through the door. "Come in!"

He walked in and immediately felt suffocated. The room was extremely small, the walls lined with product from the pizza place. The girl leaning against the far wall shuffled her feet and leaned in close to the boy, looking at him intently before cracking a huge smile. "Oh, you are just precious!" she laughed, grabbing his cheeks. His face got beet red and looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Stop embarrassing him, Serah," an older-looking guy said, his face partially covered in a red cloak. "This is why we can't find a band member. You scare them all away."

The girl, Serah, pouted and turned on her heels. "Oh, hush, Vincent. Not everyone just sulks in the corner like you do!" She turned back around, a smile back on her face. "My name's Serah. Nice to meet you!"

"Hope," the boy said, extending his hand sheepishly. "Hope Estheim."

They shook hands and he turned to the older guy, extending his hand out once again only to be met with a shrugging of shoulders. "Vincent," he said calmly, without emotion. "Can we get this show on the road?"

Hope brought his hand back slowly, looking back at Serah. "Don't mind him, I promise it's not personal." They heard a pffft sound escape his lips right before the door swung open in a crash.

"Seraaahhhh," a chipper voice called from behind a giant stack of boxes. "Give me a hand, would ya?" Serah grabbed some of the boxes from the boy and they put them on the shelf to the side. He brushed off his short and turned, laying eyes on Hope and cocking his head sideways. "Oh? Who do we have here?

"Tidus, this is Hope," Serah chimed. "Hope, Tidus."

They grabbed hands and shook, Tidus immediately and excitedly ranting about having a prospective new member. Hope could tell he was exhausting to be around but appreciated the light heartedness.

"I'm not sure where Fang is. I thought she was right behin- ah, nvm, there she comes now." An extremely tall, dark-haired girl came in. "Fang! Check it out. Someone showed up!"

The girl, Fang, walked up to Hope, a little smirk over her face. "Fresh meat, eh? Well, let's hope he can keep up, then. The name's Fang."

Her accent took him back for a second; he wasn't expecting such a heavy Australian voice to come from the girl. They made their introductions and everyone chatted briefly while Hope set up his synth in the glorified closet.

"So, kid," Vincent said cooly, "can you play?" Hope furrowed his brows; he wasn't liking Vincent very much.

"As a matter of fact, I can. How about you?" Vincent scoffed.

"Oh, he can. Trust me. He's better than good," Tidus said, tapping his sticks against his legs.

"Well, let's hear ya then," Fang called out. "Play something and we'll fall in."

Hope went to speak but decided not to. He lightly tapped his middle C repeatedly, looking down at the floor. "See," Vincent spoke. "The kid's just wasting our time-"

Vincent's voice was drowned out by a flurry of keys. Hope's fingers danced across his synth, Serah eyes widened in excitement, looking between Tidus and Vincent for validation. Fang's eyebrows lifted, nodding at Vincent to join in. Reluctantly, he did just that, doubling-down on Fang's duty as the rhythm section. Tidus began swelling a cymbal roll before crashing, Serah joining in with vocals.

After the song died down, Hope looked back up, smiling into Vincent's blank stare.

"Fireflies!" Serah shouted. "What a fun choice!" Serah and Tidus began rambling again, shouting how much they loved it. Hope and Vincent continued their stare-off.

"So. Was that good enough for you?" Hope chirped cockily.

Vincent walked out of the room.