Hii everyone, sorry for the late update. I already made a start with this chapter some time ago, but when I wanted to continue I couldn't find it, so I had to start all over again. It came out differently than the first version and I like this version better actually. I hope you'll like it and before you guys start to read, please remember than this is a comedy fic. So, some fighting scenes aren't very serious.

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time are created by Square Enix and Nintendo.

Chapter 2: Exploring and the monster in the tree

*Splash*

"Yuck my sock is all soaked!" Zack complained while he lifted his foot out of the water and took out the water from his left boot. "It's so dark out here you can hardly see where we're going."

"Well, we are inside a tree." Red XIII mused. "Did you expect to find this place filled with lanterns to light our way?"

"Ehh…" The black-haired teen rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. Refusing to answer the mammal's obvious question and turned his attention to his other friend. He decided to distract the animal by changing topic. "Hey Cloud did you find out where we're heading to?"

To his surprise the blond seemed to lifting something that looked like a large tree bark. He swung the bark to what seemed to be a wall. A few seconds later the bark was caught on fire. "Shall we go?" Cloud asked the rest of the party.

Zack and Red XIII looked at him speechless as the blonde made his way further in the tree. "… I guess that solves one thing…" Zack mumbled. "Hey wait a sec!" The boy looked suspiciously at Red XIII. "You have a flaming tail, why didn't you use is?"

"You think something as small as that, could lit this place well enough for us to see where we're heading?"

Zack stood again speechless while Red made his way toward Cloud, who was get further ahead of them.

"Guys, don't leave me behind!" The teen yelled after his companions.

After walking for a while the group noticed that the ceiling, walls and ground were glowing slightly. It was a blue-greenish glow, and even thought the glow was faint it was enough to make the whole place visible.

"Wow." Zack breathed.

"It's beautiful indeed." Red agreed. "This light is a sign of the mako that's flowing through this tree and the whole forest. It's supposed to shine brighter than this, but I guess the monster that took residence in this tree is devouring this tree's life, including the mako. We should make haste before it's too late."

Just as Red finished speaking, monsters started to rise from the ground, they looked like carnivorous plants. Cloud and Zack quickly unsheathed their swords and rushed at the creatures. Before the monsters could make a move they were cut in half by the two soldiers.

"Heh, it's just like stealing candy from a baby." Zack grinned.

"… Stealing from a defenseless baby would be mean, heartless and low. Killing monsters that tried to kill you is self-defense." Cloud stated.

"Cloud, don't spoil my awesome victory speech!" Zack whined.

"Gentlemen. I wouldn't drop my guard that fast." Red mumbled, while he started to growl at something at the end of the room.

The two teens looked curious at the corner, where they saw something hiding under the ground.

"What's that?" Zack asked.

As the group wanted to approach the mysterious entity cautious, but they were showered by nuts thrown into their faces.

"What the…!"

"Run!" Cloud yelled.

The group quickly took cover behind a branch. "What was that?" Zack asked.

"Well…" Red XIII started. "According to the attacking pattern it makes it clear that we shouldn't worry much. It's only a Deku C. scrub."

Cloud and Zack blinked. "A what?"

Red groaned. "I guess your generation knows it as a drug scrub."

"Owwww." Zack looked over the bark they used as a shield and back at the lone drug scrub. "Hey wait, why did Cloud tell us to run then?"

"… For precautions."

Zack groaned and dragged the others out of their hiding place. "Hey you! We know what you are Deku drug thingy! So it's no use to hide in the ground anymore! My buddy and I can use our swords and shovel you out of there!"

The scrub flinched. "Yo… I won't spill any beans! I won't betray my boss!"

The scrub started to scream the moment Cloud inserted his sword in the ground and scooped up the little monster. "Speak or I'll slice your throat and burn your body." The blonde hissed coolly.

"Fine fine! I'll talk! The one you're trying to reach is one floor below this one, to get there you need to know a special location…"

"And…?"

"That's all I know! Swear, for more information you have to find my 2 comrades who are roaming around somewhere."

Cloud blinked confuse when he tried to find a link between a scrub roaming around a tree for no reason, since there's no one to do business with and the fact that those scrubs went into the tree. He decided to worry about that another time "Were are they?"

"I don't know…"

Cloud lowered his sword just a few inches away from the scrubs throat.

"EEEKKK! I suddenly remember! If you head east and walk pass a few rooms you'll find him there. The other one is at north-east direction!

Zack and Red looked around the room confused. "Which way is east?" Zack asked.

The scrub shrugged. "Hell, if I knew I would have pointed the direction."

Again Cloud moved his sword.

"I SWEAR! I'M NOT LYING PLEASE LET ME GO! IF YOU DO I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING!"

Cloud decided to let it go, since there wasn't any more information to get from the scrub. He put the little creäture down.

The scrub dusted itself off while mumbling something about how much the world had changed. He took Cloud's hand and placed something in his hand. The blonde looked curiously at his gift. "… A pouch?" He frowned.

"You should be more thankful! It's the best quality you can get here!"

And just like that the drug scrub disappeared. The party stared at the pouch for a couple of minutes until Zack broke the silence. "So Cloud, are you going to open it or what?"

Cloud nodded and undid the tiny robe from the bag. He flinched when a strong smell filled his nose. "Whisperweed?"

"Is any of us even using drugs?" Zack asked.

Cloud and Red shook their head.

"Ohh well, I'm sure it'll come in handy some day. Just keep it with you." Zack grinned.

"But what if my mom finds it?" Cloud asked.

"Just tell her that someone gave it to you."

"Won't that make her even more worried?"

"… hide it between your underwear!"

Cloud sighed and stored the drugs in his pocket reluctantly. So, how will we find the other scrubs?"

"May I suggest something?" Red XIII asked.

Cloud and Zack nodded curiously.

"Well then Cloud, could you give me the pouch you got from the Deku scrub? I can try to use the scent to locate the other 2 scrubs."

Without a word Cloud handed over the pouch. The mammal memorized the scent after some difficulty and took off.

"By the way Cloud, didn't you had a burning branch with you? What happened to…"

Zack flinched as he suddenly found his friend carrying the same branch from before. "Where did you had that?"

"I stored it in my bag after we came across the mako."

"But the fire…"

"You didn't pay any attention, did you?"

The trio arrived at a dead-end the only thing noticeable were the vines hanging on the walls.

"So are we expected to climb these?" Zack wondered a lot, while throwing a glance at this four-footed companion.

"Don't mind me. If the only way to proceed are these vines then go ahead. I'll wait here for you."

Zack frowned and lifted Red over his shoulder. "Now let's go!"

"Put me down this instantly!" Red demanded with a horrified expression.

"There's no way Cloud and I will let you fend off the monsters here alone while we're having a talking with drugs dealers."

"I assure you that I can defend myself perfectly fine! I prefer risking my life that having a human carry me, like I'm some defenseless creäture!"

"Stop complaining, look we've arrived already!"

Red quickly jumped off and growled at the boy. "Don't even think of doing that again."

Zack shrugged it off and helped Cloud who was still making his way up the platform.

"Why haven't they got a map of this place. We have no idea where we're heading and I'm starting to crave for sunlight."

Cloud looked around, the place was a bit brighter that the bottom floor, so they were also able to see the tree's state clearly. The wood looked like it was rotting slowly, there was even lingering a terrible smell and spider webs were everywhere.

"Why are there spiders inside a tree?" Zack wondered after killing a few spiders.

"Maybe they're minions of the monsters like all the other ones we encountered."Red explained.

"You think that this layout was already inside the tree or is the monster also responsible for this?"

"I'm not sure. For all I know grandpa could have done this out of boredom."

Cloud imagined Bugenhagen with his typical laugh and expression while making a ridiculous dungeon inside the tree. It gave him the urge to chase him with his Fusion sword. Oh how he dreamed to get out of the forest for a while. "Seeing the outside world wouldn't be such a bad idea." He mumbled softly to himself.

Again the party got rid of a group of monsters. Cloud sighed and sheeted his sword as he shot a glance at the gulping drugs scrub. "I'm fucked aren't I? Damn I should have known that Gio wouldn't keep his mouth when his life is at risk."

"So are you going to talk, or do you want to be threatened first?" Zack asked.

The scrub signed. "Fine I'll talk, it's not like I have anything else to lose. If you want to reach the bottom floor you have to reach the highest floor first. Also my friend is hidden somewhere in a room on the same floor."

"Is that all?"

"No you need a code to make him appear."

"That sounds stupid."

"He's just very cautious!"

"Still sounds stupid."

"If you don't want any info then good luck with finding your way to the boss room!"

And just like the previous Deku scrub, he disappeared.

"… I am starting to get sick of this place…" Cloud commented.

"We all do." Red responded.

"So, we have more climbing to do!" Zack cheered.

"God no!" Red growled. "I already said it once! I am not letting you…!"

"Carry me…"

Again Red laid sour-faced over Zack's shoulder and grumbled to no one in particular. "Aren't you getting tired of carrying me all the time? I'm not that light."

"Soldier, remember? We have like super powers compared to normal humans."

"That wasn't what I meant."

After climbing more they finally reached the top floor. There were even more spider webs than the previous floors.

Zack accidentally walked into one of them, when he wasn't looking. "Eeeek! Get it off me get it off me! How gross! And it stinks terrible!"

The young teen quickly stopped making a scene as he noticed that the web wasn't present anymore. Cloud stood next to him holding his burning branch. "Who would have thought that that would come in handy." Zack commented in an amused tone.

"Just a feeling." The blonde answered.

So with Cloud leading the group they walked around the floor with his burning stick in his hand. As if it was their daily routine they killed a monster or two and burned a few spider webs.

"I can't comprehend how burning the spider webs doesn't burn the tree thought." Cloud wondered while looking at his branch. "I also wonder how come the branch hasn't turned into ashes by now…"

"I think the reason the tree didn't caught fire is because of the mako, but for your branch… I have no clue." Red explained.

"But it's a funny weapon." Zack grimaced. "You can burn whatever you want with it. Even thought you only used it for spider webs."

Cloud looked at his burning stick. He really didn't realize that he could use it was a weapon. He decided to swing a bit with it, until he hit something that started to scream.

"GYAAAA! Help me I'm on fire! IT BURNS! IT FUCKING BURNS!"

"Ah there's the third one." Zack pointed. "Uhm has anyone got some water with him?"

Red and Cloud shook their heads awkwardly.

"Crap, how will we get the information from the scrub if he's death?"

The Deku scrub started to scream harder and ran around all over the place, burning every monster present, until he tripped and fell.

The party quickly ran after the Deku scrub and looked over edge. The screaming died slowly and was followed by a splash at the something something what seemed like spider silk dropped from the ceiling. In front of the party's noses.

"Well, look at that Cloud; you made a faster way to get down and Red can choose this time if he wants to follow our drugs dealer or borrow my back again."

Red looked nervously at the darkness where the Deku scrub disappeared into. "You are allowed to carry me."

And just like that they climbed down quickly. To their surprise they ended at the same place where Zack soaked his boot accidentally. Only the water didn't seemed to be present this time and a big hole with lower platform had appeared instead.

"Did the fire or the fall of the drug scrub caused this? Where is that thing by the way?"

"I think it fell deeper in the ground." Cloud pointed to the hole. Upon closer inspection they saw the scrub floating in the lower section of the tree's interior.

"So that's what happened to the water."

They quickly climbed down and fished the unconscious Deku scrub out of the water. After a quick argument on who would give the scrub CPR, Cloud ended up unfortunate. He looked at the scrub with a disgusted face.

"Hurry up, Cloud we don't have the whole day!"

Cloud glanced at the Deku scrub. He suddenly took out his branch and started to hit the scrub, who woke up screaming. When he saw the face of his attacker he started to scream maniacally.

"Now look what you did! At this rate we'll never get the information of the monster's location." Zack grumbled.

"Mister Deku scrub we mean no harm. Your comrades informed us that you could tell us more about the creäture that's terrorizing the lives of the forest." Red explained quietly.

"No harm?! MY ASS! Your little blonde friend there was the one who set me on fire! Almost drowned me and then beat me up for no reason! Someone needs to check up his brain!"

"Hey that's not fair!" Zack protested. "No one would want to do CPR on a drug scrub, who knows how many drugs you've taken yourselves!"

"DON'T PUT ME ON FIRE THEN!"

"How about this then. You'll tell us what we need and you'll never see those two again."

"The Deku scrub pondered for a moment. "Fine you have a deal, the only way to get to the bottom floor is to press a button that's on this floor. It will lower the water level and make the way to the bottom floor accessible. It's not easy to find it so you have to look very hard."

"This is the bottom floor." Cloud interrupted.

"Then the drug scrub must have pressed it while it was running around frantically earlier." Zack concluded.

"I hate you."

"Is that all of the info you have?" Red asked.

"As if you would need any help from me! You seem to be perfect at killing and torturing! Good luck with the rest of your miserable life!" He threw a slingshot at Cloud's face and walked away. "I'm going to kill Gio and Fabio when I'm out of here!" The scrub mumbled before disappearing.

"This is getting weirder and weirder." Red mumbled.

Cloud rubbed his forehead. "Why did he threw a toy at me?"

"Maybe it'll come in handy when beating enemies?"

Cloud looked bored at his friend and held up his branch.

"Maybe!" Zack repeated.

"I don't even know how it works."

"Don't worry about it! When the time comes you'll find out."

In the end they ended up in a large room. It was dark and they felt an eerie presence.

"This must be the place." Cloud mused.

"Yuck, it smells worse than a graveyard!" Zack complained as he pintched his nose shut.

"That must be because the decrease in mako!"

Cloud and Zack looked at the ceiling; a giant four-legged creäture was feeding itself on the tree. The tip of its tail was green like the tip of its legs. Everything else, except for the head was a light color of brown. The head was purple and decorated with green stones. It turned around when it felt intruders and jumped in front of the party, while letting out a horrible scream.

The party immediately dodged as the creäture tried to stab them.

"That's the Zolokalter Gohma! Watch out it is poisonous!"

"Wut?" Zack asked just at the moment that the monster threw its toxic barf at the boy.

The boy fell on his knees and started to cough heavenly.

"Zack are you alright?" Cloud asked worryingly.

Zack's face became green and he started to vomit.

Cloud and Red took a few steps away as Zack continued emptying his stomach. He panted heavenly when he calmed down.

"Zack?" Cloud called his friend, not daring to come near in case the boy started to puke again.

"Ugh it's worse than the air here! At least it explains where that smell came from." The boy said, before he stared to vomit more. "I hate this day!"

Cloud patted his friends back awkwardly. "How do we solve this? I mean we can't leave Zack here."

"I'll stay with him while you get rid of Gohma." Red mused.

"No way in hell!" Zack protested. "I didn't come here to lean on other… ugh…"

"But what if you're feeling sick again?" The feline asked.

"At least that thing would think twice before throwing his barf at someone!"

"We don't have any antidotes with us Zack, who knows how long you can maintain that body of yours." Cloud protested.

"Heh."The older spiky-haired snorted. "I have a pride to keep. I won't fall because of a little… ugh…"

Zack quickly ran to the back and emptied another portion of his stomach's contents. When he finished he quickly ran back to his friends and recovered his posture. "Like I said I won't fall because of a little poison." He grinned sheepishly.

"…" Cloud and Red looked horrified and the free-going teen."

"I'm going to keep my distant from him." Red whispered.

So the party continued their fight. This time they all tried to be more careful and evaded every toxic barf Gohma threw at hem. Attacking the creäture didn't do much, as it's armor was harder than expected.

"Great what do we do now?" Cloud asked.

"Try to use that slingshot that you got and aim for the eye! We'll distract Gohma." Zack yelled.

Cloud took out the little toy and stared blankly at it. He made sure he was far enough from Gohma and aimed for its eye. Sadly the weapon backfire and hit Cloud instead. The boy moaned softly and rubbed his sore eye. He took out another bullet and aimed again, which resulted in another failure.

"What the hell is he doing that's taking him so long?" Zack wondered aloud. He turned around, not being able to show much of his annoyance because of the poison. He froze when he saw Cloud trying desperately to use the slingshot. But failed miserably. His face and arms were covered in bruises and the only things that still looked fine were his nose and his left eye. Again Cloud aimed for Gohma, but the bullet shot back at his nose.

"Ouch!" Cloud quickly held his now bleeding nose. He noticed his friend staring at him and look up giving him an innocent look.

Zack started to twitch as he was trying his best not to laugh, but he wasn't really successful and Cloud's action made it only worse, until he finally snapped.

"HAHAHAHAHAHHA!"

Cloud glared at his friend, but Zack was too busy with laughing that he didn't notice. The blonde's glare quickly changed into panic as he saw Gohma approaching his clueless friend. "Zack watch out!" He ran as fast as he could.

Zack quickly stopped laughing as he felt another nausea. He turned around, still obvious to the danger and stated to vomit again.

Cloud, who accidentally took out his burning branch quickly tried to stop, but tripped as he was running too fast and flung his branch accidentally in the air. At the same time Gohma slipped over Zack's stomach content.

Red who saw what was happening, looked horrified at the scene. It went so fast that he hardly had time to blink; Gohma fell on its back as the branch fell straight on its eye. Within seconds the monster exploded and the whole place was set on fire.

Cloud and Zack got up carefully and saw the accident they caused.

"… uh… oops…" Zack mumbled.

"The… Deku tree… what have you done?" Red asked still horrified.

"… Am I only good for causing trouble?" Cloud mumbled as he felt a depression coming up.

"Wait, we have to get out of here!" Zack suddenly realized. He quickly took his gloomy friend and Red and dashed as fast as possible out of the room.

Well, that was one heck of a chapter. Those Deku scrubs were never useful; not even in the games. But the scrub was right, Cloud and Zack really are good at killing and making a mess of things of course. I guess a lot of people are wondering why Cloud has such misfortune with such an easy to handle weapon. Well, it's a reference to the class, jobs in the FF games. Cloud is classed as Soldier class, which makes it only able for him to wield swords, but since all those weapons are quite essential in the Zelda game, I thought I'd pull a little prank on Cloud. :3

I really want to draw the scene were Cloud clutched his nose and stared cutely at Zack, but I don't know if I have the time for that ! Oww well maybe one day I'll draw him.

Anyway, I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter, if you want to leave a review please do, since I love them a lot. Till next time!