Chapter 8

Dan stopped where he stood and almost dropped his Rickenbacker 360/12, and turned to look at who had called him out.

"Yeah you." said Riku.

Demyx's memories welled up inside of Dan and he immediately recognized the keybearers and his old friends. Shortly there after Zack dashed back onto the stage.

"What the...?" he asked.

"I challenge you to a guitar contest, you vs. me. We can both use bands and vocals." stated the silver haired youth.

"I don't know..." Dan began, but the roar of the crowd soon pursueded him otherwise.

"You're on." stated Dan narrowing his eyes, "What are your conditions?"

"If we win, you come and help us for a while; if you win, then we're gonna leave you guys alone." said Riku.

"Why do we need to help you?" asked Zack.

"You don't need to help us; we only need your memories." said Riku.

Oohs and ahhs filled the audiance at what this random guitar wielding guy had just said.

"You're on." said Dan confidentely.

"Good." said Riku, "Sora, get up here, I need you on rythmic guitar; Matt, can you do bass?"

Matt nodded and he Axel, who was going to play the drums, and Sora quickly took the stage along side their comrade.

And thus the contest began. The good guys began with a Welcome to the Black Parade, which was countered by a Anna Molly by the XII-2. The good guys quickly recovered by whipping out From Yesterday, but again the XII-2 gained the crowd favor by playing Beast and the Harlot. But the XII-2 were running out of energy and the Good Guys were just getting started. The Good Guys played Last Breath and the XII-2 attempted to play Take Me Out, but the crowd was begging to lean more toward the Good Guys. At last, the Good Guys prevailed in a two teamed rendition of Freebird leaving the crowd in a standing novation.

"You guys...won." said Dan under the roar of the crowd's applause.

"Yup!" shouted Sora through his goofy grin.

"I guess we're yours." said Zack in nearly the same manner as Dan.

"Don't worry guys, it's just like old times. We can be buds again...well...for the first time..." said Axel.

"Dude, just shut up." said Riku, "We just want you guys' help for a little while. After we round up the whole Organization, then you guys are free to go."

"Sounds fair enough, I guess." said Dan with a sigh.

In that moment, the happiness turned to sheer horror as from over the ampitheatre wall a gigantic white and red airship slowly made its way across the horizon.

"Grr..." grolwed Leon picking up his date by her hand, "Cloud, they're gonna take the city if they havn't already. Me and Aerith are gonna take care of the residential district; you two and Yuffie need to go take the market."

"No, both of us can fight. No offence to Aertih, but she's not much of a front line fighter." said Cloud as he and Tifa stood.

"Okay!" said Yuffie, "Hey Axel! Wanna come?"

Her question almost startled the fire wielder, but he agreed and went with them, even though he was probably needed more where he was.

Okay, so a really short chapter. But hey, the next chapter is gonna be one long one, or maybe two average ones; not quite sure. This one's short because I started chapter nine today at school and don't have it with me to work on. Oh yeah, a few more FF characters and a Yuffie x Axel thing looming in the horizon (Cid kills some stuff with a four foot monkey wrench). Oh yeah, all of those songs belong to their respective owners: MCR, Creed, Leonard Skinard, Incubus, Avenged Sevenfold, and Franz Ferdinand