It was after school on Friday. Frank was shuffling books in and out of his locker while his sister was watching him curiously."So, Neko-Chan..." Frank said as he zipped up his backpack. "What did you think of Windian High?"
"Myah..." Neko-Chan started as Frank shut his locker. "It's a great place! Purr... I think I'll enjoy coming here..." The Persona User smiled at his sister, who offered him her usual kitty grin.
"I thought you would..." Frank said with a smile. Both he and Neko-Chan began to walk through the emptying hallways of the high school, making their way to the auditorium.
"Meow, Frank?" Neko-Chan asked as she fingered the package that Principal Stewart had given her earlier. "Why do you have to wear these things? The uniforms..."
"Well..." The Persona User started as he opened the doors leading to the auditorium. "I honestly don't know... Hey... what color did you choose? The gray uniform, or a pink one like Kate's?"
"Meow!" The nekomata said as she opened the parcel and pulled out a gray uniform. "Purr... I think I look good in gray..."
"This wouldn't have anything to do with..." Frank said as he set his pack down and picked up his guitar case. "The fact that I wear a gray uniform, day in and day out?"
"Myah, well..." Neko-Chan said, blushing through her fur. "That may have had something to do with it..."
"I thought so..." Frank said, holding back a laugh. "Well... we've got band practice... then we'll head back home, okay?"
"Meow... okay!" Neko-Chan said happily, adding a low purr to punctuate her sentence. The nekomata watched curiously as Frank pulled his white and black guitar from it's case and casually slung it across his shoulders. The Persona User then made his way toward the stage and was immediately greeted by his friends.
"Yo Frank!" Brad said as he twirled a drumstick. "Ready for practice?"
"In a moment..." Frank replied as he continued to strike chords, making sure his guitar was tuned. Satisfied that it was, the Persona User stood up and climbed onto the stage, while Neko-Chan just took a seat.
"Guys..." Frank said as he turned to face Ellen, Brad, Alex, Lucy, and Janet. "The dance is tonight... and this is our last practice. Back at St. Hermelin, when my friends and I played, we had a tradition... and I'm gonna carry it over to here."
"Tradition?" Lucy asked in confusion.
Frank just nodded before handing notes to Ellen and Brad. "We should be out there having fun tonight. Back home, we usually did a song for good luck... and that usually calmed us down for the event in question."
"So you're going to sing a song that you're not going to do at the dance..." Janet said as she looked up from the piano she was standing beside.
"Right." The Persona User replied as he looked at his last set of notes. "Er... who wants to keyboard for this song?"
"I'll do it." Alex replied from where he was sitting, checking over his keyboard. Frank gave the woren the lyrics. As Alex read over them, his ears twitched in confusion. "Er... what the..."
"It's a song from back home..." Frank replied with a big grin. "On my count. One...two... three..." The Persona User slammed out a few chords on his guitar after Brad had started with a drumbeat. Soon after, Frank's voice began to flood the auditorium.
I got my first real six-string
Bought it at the five and dime
Played it 'til my fingers bled
Was the summer of '69Lucy raised an eyebrow and turned to Janet. Both of them were sitting out of the song, and were in the audience with Neko-Chan. "Janet..." The raven hair Windian said to her friend. "What's he..."
"Just... don't ask, okay?" Janet replied, remembering where Frank was actually from.
"Meow..." Neko-Chan said, purring lightly. "It's such a pretty song..."
Me, and some guys from school
Had a band and we tried real hard
Jimmy quit, and Jody got married
I shoulda known that we'd never get farOh, when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Ya - I'd always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my lifeThe group went into a slight instrumental before Frank began to sing once more.
Ain't no use in complainin'
When you've got a job to do
Spent my evenings down at the drive-in
And that's when I met youStandin' on your mama's porch
You told me that you'd wait forever
Oh and when you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my lifeBack in the summer of '69
Man we were killin' time
We were young and restless
We needed to unwind
I guess nothin' can last forever - forever, noOnce again, Frank and his friends went back into an instrumental. After a few seconds, the Persona User's voice flooded the auditorium once more.
And now the times are changin'
Look at everything that's come and gone
Sometimes I play that old six-string
I think about ya wonder what went wrongStandin' on your mama's porch
You told me that it would last forever
Oh the way you held my hand
I knew that it was now or never
Those were the best days of my lifeBack in the summer of '69
The Persona User continued to sing that last line and played along with the band, repeating that last line while he faded out. After a few more seconds, Frank finally finished playing and had a grin on his face.
"All right..." Frank said to his friends. "That one was for good luck... Whose turn is it?"
"Are we actually beginning practice now?" Janet said from her seat.
"Why, yes, Ms. Meyers." Frank said with a chuckle. Janet just rolled her eyes once before breaking out into a giggle.
"Well... I'll give Frank a chance to rest his voice and arms... I just need Alex and Brad for this song..." Ellen said as she handed musical notes out to her boyfriend and her friend.
"Dude!" Brad said as he glanced at the lyrics. "This song is YOU, Ellie!"
"Love..." Alex said as his tail twitched slightly. "Brad's right... Didn't you say you were part of an exchange program back in your old hometown?"
"Yes!" Ellen said with a giggle. By now, Frank had joined Lucy, Janet, and Neko-Chan down in the audience. "That's one of the reasons I chose this song, besides it having a great dance beat..." The blonde Persona User said as she took center stage.
"Well..." Brad started as he twirled a drumstick. "On your count, Alex... You start with the keyboard..."
"Right..." The woren said as he readied himself. "On three... one... two... three..."
Alex began playing notes on his keyboard rapidly while Brad joined in with quick beats. Eventually, Ellen began to sing.
The kisses of the sun - were sweet I didn't blink
I let it in my eyes - like an exotic dream
The radio playing songs - that I have never heard
I don't know what to say - Oh not another wordJust - la la la la la - It goes around the world
Just - la la la la la - It's all around the world
Just - la la la la la - And everybody's singing
La la la la la - And now the bells are ringingLa la la la la - la la la la la la la - la la la la la - la la la la la la la
La la la la la - la la la la la la la - la la la la la - la la la la la la laInside an empty room - My inspiration flows
Now wait to hear the tune - Around my head it goes
The magic melody - You want to sing with me
Just la la la la la - the music is the key
And now the night is gone - Still it goes on and on
So deep inside of me - I long to set it free
I don't know what to do - Just can't explain to you
I don't know what to say - Oh not another wordJust - la la la la la - It goes around the world
Just - la la la la la - It's all around the world
Just - la la la la la - And everybody's singing
La la la la la - And now the bells are ringingLa la la la la - La la la la la la la - La la la la la - La la la la la la la
La la la la la - La la la la la la la - La la la la la - La la la la la la laThe kisses of the sun
La la la la la - It goes around the world
Just - la la la la la - It's all around the world
Just - la la la la la - And everybody's singing
La la la la la - And now the bells are ringingLa la la la la - La la la la la la la - La la la la la - La la la la la la la
La la la la la - La la la la la la la - La la la la la - La la la la la la laAround - Around - Around the world
Ellen finished singing, while Alex on his keyboard finished out the melody.
"Jeez..." Ellen muttered as she reached for a glass of water that she had ready nearby. "That song really tired me out..."
"I'm not surprised..." Janet said as she offered the Persona User a smile. "All those La's you threw in there..."
"True, true..." Ellen said with a giggle.
"Well..." Frank said as he grabbed his guitar again. "My turn. Er... Ellen?" The Persona User said before whispering into her ear. As Frank continued to whisper to his friend, a smile just began to creep onto her face.
"Sure! I'll do that..." Ellen said with a smile.
"Er... love? What exactly are you going to do?" Alex said as his tail twitched in confusion.
"Oh, you'll see..." Ellen said, leaving her boyfriend thoroughly confused.
Frank handed notes to Brad, while Ellen took her place on stage. "All right guys...just Brad, Ellie, and me for this one..." After saying this, Frank took a seat on a stool and held his guitar ready.
Alex nodded and headed off the stage to take a rest.
"Right... on my count... One... two... three..." The Persona User began to strum out a melody on his guitar. The melody flowed through the auditorium as Ellen began to dance to the Spanish sounding notes. The dance was obviously something that she had picked up in Spain, during her world tour. Eventually, Frank added his voice to the guitar chord and the drum beats.
Esta noche bailamos
Te doy toda mi vida
Quedate conmigoTonight we dance
I leave my life in your hands
We take the floor
Nothing is forbidden anymoreDon't let the world dim my sight
Don't let a moment go by
Nothing can stop us tonightBailamos, let the rhythm take you over
Bailamos
Te quiero, amor mio, bailamos
Gonna live this night forever
Bailamos
Te quiero, amor mio, te quieroTonight I'm yours
We can make it happen I'm so sure
Now I'm letting go
There is something I think you should know
I won't be leaving your side
We're gonna dance through the night
IÕm gonna reach for the starsBailamos, let the rhythm take you over
Bailamos
Te quiero, amor mio, bailamos
Gonna live this night forever
Bailamos
Te quiero, amor mio, te quiero
Whoa, oh oh oh, tonight we dance
Whoa, oh oh oh, like no tomorrow
Whoa, oh oh oh, if you will stay with me
Te quiero, mi amorFrank continued to play into a guitar solo while Ellen danced with a Spanish flair. Out in the audience, Alex was watching with his mouth wide open.
"Myah..." Neko-Chan said as she stared at the woren curiously. "You seemed shocked... Purr..." The nekomata reached over and closed Alex's mouth for him. "There! All better!"
Eventually, Frank's voice joined in with the music once more.
Quedate conmigo, esta noche
Quedate, mi celloBailamos, let the rhythm take you over
Bailamos
Te quiero, amor mio, bailamos
Gonna live this night forever
Bailamos
Te quiero, amor mio, te quieroComo te quiero...
Frank slowly played to a stop along with Brad. Ellen finished up her dance with a bow.
"Love!" Alex said as he bounded up onto the stage and wrapped his girlfriend in a great big tiger hug. "That was... WOW!"
"Mmm... I'm glad you liked it, Alex..." Ellen said as she remained in the comforting arms of her boyfriend. Eventually, Alex had wrapped his tail around her.
"Okay..." Frank started before taking a sip of water. "Who's next?"
Songs in order
Summer of '69
Bryan AdamsAround the World
ATCBailamos
Enrique Iglesias
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