A/N: Thanks to my best buddy, GreenPearl Atlantic Aries for all her hilarious ideas to get me going with this story and for you awesome viewers for viewing to encourage me to keep writing! :D

Warning: Characters MAY be OOC

Disclaimer: All Character rights belong to Square Enix

Characters: Cloud&Marlene&Zack

Setting: None

Rated: T (For slight language)

The House Pet

Since Marlene has been doing well in school and with soft ball practice, Cloud and Tifa had made a promise that they'd get her a little pet as a reward for her good work and positive attitude.

Marlene loved animals, like most children, and was always dreaming of having her own one day. Cloud however, wasn't so fond of animals but he said that as long as Marlene for a small one, that he'd be alright with it.

"How about...a pony!? Can I get a pony!?" Marlene asked Cloud as they arrived at the pet store.

It was a chilly Saturday morning in Midgar, so Cloud had Marlene put on a couple of layers since the breeze riding on the Fenrir would make Marlene even colder, and he didn't want to risk her getting sick.

"We promised little animals, Marlene. Not big." Cloud replied as he took Marlene's hand in his.

Marlene couldn't help giggling, messing with Cloud could be very entertaining but you could thank Zack, Cid, Yuffie, and Barret for that.

"A Chocobo then?"

Cloud sighed. "Is a Chocobo little?"

"A baby one is! It's about the size of me!" Marlene replied followed by a little squeal as they stepped into the store.

"Correct, but eventually, that Chocobo will grow taller and taller." Cloud replied crinkling his nose at the foul smell of poop and the mix of all pet foods that lingered in the air of the store, he hoped that Marlene was quick on what she wanted.

"Taller than you?" Marlene asked smiling.

Cloud rolled his eyes. "A lot of things are taller than me, Marlene."

Marlene giggled and nodded her head. "Like Uncle Zack, Barret, Cid..."

"Alright, alright I get that I'm short. Now go and pick your pet." Cloud muttered and followed Marlene down the bird isle where they found a large cage of squawking birds.

Cloud tried to imagine a little bird in his home, chirping like that every five seconds and he already knew that it'd drive him crazy the first five minutes. He looked down at Marlene. "You...don't want a bird...do you?"

To his relief, Marlene shook her head and pointed over to the Hamster section.

"I want one of these! Aren't they cute!?" Marlene squealed bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet.

Cloud raised a brow. "You want an oversize hamster?"

"No silly!" Marlene laughed. "It's a guinea pig!"

"It's...big...but smaller than a cat..." Cloud said slowly, Marlene cheered and picked out a big white fat one.

"I'll call you Marshmellow!" She cooed stroking the rodents head gently.

"Just please keep it in it's cage or your room..." Cloud muttered before he called over one of the employees to help them purchase their new pet.

All afternoon, Marlene has played with Marshmellow, he was very friendly and seemed quite fond with Marlene as she was with him. It was a boy because Marlene was dying to know, Cloud couldn't help blushing when she asked the employee at the pet store.

Zack strode into the room whistling a happy tune to himself, he had just got back from benching at the gym and he was heading for the shower but stopped in his tracks when he caught a glance at Marlene with her new pet. Smiling, he entered the room to get a better look.

"Hiya, Kiddo. See Cloud's got you an oversize hamster? What's his name?" Zack asked sitting besides Marlene on her bed.

"He's a guinea pig!" Marlene corrected.

"He's fat! You feeding him to much carrots? Better watch out or he might explode!"

Marlene laughed. "No, silly! They're suppose to be like that! Wanna hold him?"

"Sure!" Zack replied spreading out his hands as Marlene placed him in his lap.

"His name is Marshmellow, because he's white!"

Before Zack could respond, Tifa beat him to it, calling Marlene to get ready for soft ball practice.

Marlene sighed as she picked up Marshmellow and put him back in his cage.

"I guess I'll have to play later!" She said before waving goodbye to Zack and left the room.

Zack smirked as he got up to tap on the cage and wiggle his fingers through the bars, playing with the little rodent. However, the guinea pig wasn't moving!

Zack's eyes popped, and he shook the cage, Marshmellow didn't budge.

"WHAT!?" He shouted, shoving a hand in the cage to wave it in Marshemellow's face but he still didn't move. "NO! DON'T BE DEAD! WE JUST GOT YOU! AW COME ON! I'M NOT THAT SCARY! I'M A GREAT GUY! EVERYONE LOVES ME AND I LOVE EVERYONE...WELL MOSTLY EVERYONE!"

Marshmellow didn't move.

"EAT! EAT! EEEEEAAATT!" Zack cried as he started shoving handfuls of food at Marshmellow, but it was no use.

Cloud walked into the room. "Zack, what are you doing?"

Zack looked at his friend frantically. "THE OVERSIZE HAMSTER IS DEAD!"

Cloud's eyes widened. "WHAT? I just got the damn thing, Zack what the hell did you do!?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Zack cried, obviously upset. "But we have to get to the pet store and buy another one before Marlene get's home!"

"Hey...Uncle Zack...why do I have two guinea pigs" Marlene asked finding a black one next to Marshmellow, who wasn't dead.

"Well, Marlene that's becau-Ahhhh...ssssshhhhhiiitttt..." Zack's mouth dropped when he saw that Marshmellow was running happily on his wheel.

He just wasted twenty-five gil on an oversize hamster when the other one was absolutely fine.

"NO POTTY WORDS!" Marlene scolded him.

It made no sense! How could he be moving when he wasn't an hour ago? Ah...today just wasn't his dead.

"I need a shower..." Zack muttered, but he couldn't hide a smile.