Cheer up and dry your damp eyes, and tell me when it rains, and I'll blend up that rainbow above you, and shoot it through your veins.

Rainbow Veins, Owl City

Alright, I know it's a little late, but due to a request I've started to but bits n' peices of songs and poems at the top. Not many chapters left, and I'm still unsure about whether I should write a sequel... Hmm... Anyways, sorry I took so long to post this measly chapter, but here ya go- Oh, and if you're wondering why I called it 'Pea Soup' I don't know why, but I couldn't think of a better title. Sad, I know :) Hope you enjoy it- And by the way, the dream segment at the beginning is the second part to Cloud's recollection, but through Zack's perspective this time.

Lotsa sappiness in this chapter, careful not to drown in it:)

Zack lazily opened his eyes, blinking confusedly as his eyes adjusted to his surroundings. He was back at the academy, lying under his wool blanket in the barracks. The skies were gray and

colourless, slowly coming to life as the sun made its way up into the sky. It was still quiet in the dorm, as half of its occupants were still sleeping, the others in the bathrooms or sluggishly

dragging themselves from their beds and pulling on uniforms.

He peeked over the edge of his bunk to where Cloud was sleeping peacefully, his blankets pulled up to his nose. He smiled at his friend's innocence, watching as the spikes in front of his nose

gently bobbed with each breath, up and down.

Though reluctant to disturb his friend's slumber, he sluggishly hopped out of bed and jumped to the floor.

"Hey Spike, time to get up." Zack said, prodding the shape.

Cloud's eyes opened lazily, still clouded with the remnants of dreams. "Morning-" He paused, a flicker in his eyes.

Zack saw Cloud bury himself deeper in the blankets. He raised an eyebrow at Cloud, who seemed to be trying to hide his expression.

Unfortunately, the blonde's eyes betrayed the smile playing on his lips.

"What?"

Cloud shook his head, his face returning to the stoic expression he wore so perfectly. "Nothing." He said, slipping out of bed and carrying his duffel bag to the end of the bed to pull on his uniform.

Zack blinked, and the scene changed.

He was entering the training arena, were a group of boys were standing in a line, waiting for the rest of the group to arrive.

There were several snickers as Zack slid into the line beside Cloud. "What's so funny?"

Cloud shrugged, turning back to the officer who'd begin inspection.

The captain walked up to Zack, a furious expression plastered on his already beet red face.

"Fair! What the hell are you playing at? We do not tolerate that sort of thing in this academy. If you wanna play dress up in your spare time, you go ahead, but not in my session! Get the hell off

the field until you get that fixed!"

Zack's temper flared. Cloud gave him a warning glance, and Zack bit his lip, marching out of the arena.

Blink.

Zack was pacing in his dorm. "What the hell? Dress-up?" he snarled.

He marched into the bathroom, looking into the mirror. He was quiet for a moment as he looked at the horrible shape his spikes had been moulded into.

Two giant horns sticking straight up, curled at the top like an ice-cream cone.

"CLOUD!"

________________________________________________________________________________________

Zack woke up to the fog horn reverberating through the ship. His hand immediately went to his hair, which still resembled soft spikes.

He smirked, clearing his head of the memory.

Cloud had never run so fast in his life.

He rubbed his eyes and peered through the porthole in the side of the ship.

In the distance, a dark shape was approaching. Port Midgar.

There was a crackling noise and the ship's speaker came to life.

"All righ', listen up. We'll be arriving in Port Midgar in about two hours. We've got the wind on our side, but the fog's awful. Anyways, get yer crap together, anything ya leave on the ship

belongs tuh me."

Zack smirked as Cid's voice faded and the speaker was replaced. He stretched, his mouth twitching satisfactorily as he heard a small crack.

Flint looked as though he'd slept through the entire thing, and was still buried beneath the covers of his cot.

Zack made his way to Cloud's cot, careful not to disturb him. "Hey Spike." He gently shook his shoulder.

"Mm." He mumbled.

"Morning Chocobo." Zack said, grinning when Cloud's mouth twitched, as if in disapproval.

He carefully sat Cloud up, wrapping his black cloak around his body and putting on his own. He slipped the hood over Cloud's face and left a note for Flint, slipping out the door.

The air was laden with a heavy mist, making it impossible to see twenty feet ahead.

A warm yellow bathed the deck in unearthly light, and the fog thinned slightly, as if wanting to let the sun through.

The sunrise was a beautiful one, full of yellows, oranges and fiery pink, all in celebration of the birth of a new sun. Explosions of purples, violet blues, and a violent shade of red that lit the

sky in an unearthly fire. It was breathtaking.

Zack hitched Cloud up on his back, so his head was resting on his shoulder and his blank eyes were fixed on the spectacle before him.

"See Cloud, it may not seem like it now, but the world is still full of light." Zack said, his violet eyes swimming in memory.

Despite how close they were to reaching Midgar, he couldn't help the unsettling feeling that had begun to grow in the pit of his stomach, couldn't help thinking that this sunrise could be

one of his last. I guess that's what you get for being a SOLDIER. you've gotta appreciate everything in front of you.

You always have to watch friends fall in battle around you, and you know it could've been you.

He chuckled gently, letting the feeling drift at sea.

"We will make it Cloud, all of us." He said, as if to soothe the worries that threatened to consume his thoughts.

"Zack." Cloud mumbled quietly.

"That's right Cloud." Zack said, a warm smile touching his lips. He gently put Cloud on the small bench on the railing side, supporting his friend's weight as he wrapped an arm around his

shoulders and leaned against him, heaving a sigh- half of sorrow, half of relief.

They were going to make it.

Cloud would get better, and they'd start anew in Midgar. Everyone would forget who they were, and everything would be just as it'd been before.

Quiet. Painless. Safe.

Something told him it wasn't going to be as easy as it sounded in his head.

"I promise you Cloud, even if I have to carry you through the gates of hell and back, we'll make it."

The two were silent then, left only to watch the glorious heavens as they were doused in golden fire.

"I promise."

________________________________________________________________________________

Zack quietly made his way back into the room where Flint was sitting, taking a sip of the coffee Shera had delivered. He looked up as Zack entered with Cloud, gently depositing him on

the bed, and walking over to sit with Flint.

"I've been thinking-" he said, putting down his mug and lowering his voice. "Once we get to Midgar, once we're safely out of reach of the docks, do you have a plan after that?"

Zack nodded slowly, pouring himself a mug of coffee. It had become routine that Shera deliver them tea or coffee in the evenings and mornings.

He took a sip. It wasn't half bad.

"Ya gonna tell me what it is, or do I have to guess?" Flint asked, drawing a light smirk from Zack's stoic lips.

"Well, I suppose we'd have to find a place to stay. Someone we can trust."

Flint nodded, leaning back and taking a long drink.

"Cloud has- an old acquaintance in Midgar. I think we'll be able to stay with her."

Flint's expression grew serious. "Are you absolutely sure?"

Zack hesitated.

Would she welcome them if they just barged in and asked to hide from Shinra?

Would they be able to take refuge in her home, risking her life and freedom all for the safety of

themselves?

From what Cloud had told him, she seemed like the type of person that would, but faced with such drastic circumstances, it would be entirely possible and likely for her to turn them away,

or turn them in.

He nodded.

"She's our last hope."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

After Tifa's father had been killed, she'd decided to stay behind instead of returning to Nibelheim and keep the bar running. Her father had left for Nibelheim with a group of men to help

rebuild the ruined village many years back, as most of the buildings had collapsed in the storm.

Only one man had returned, bloodied and broken, staying alive only long enough to tell everyone that Nibelheim had been burnt to the ground by someone he'd called 'the silver-haired

demon', slaughtering all in his path.

No one survived.

And so, the residents of Nibelheim were given a small amount of funding to help them build their own dwellings where they pleased.

Barret helped of course, doing all he could to supply them with materials and workers. In the end, only a couple of original Nibelheimians stayed in Midgar, the rest moving to North Corel,

Rocket Town, and all over Gaia; starting a new life where they could forget about their bloodstained past, and move on.

She found herself staring at a picture taped to the wall behind her. It was her and Cloud, sitting together on a bench. Tifa had one armed draped around him, a huge smile lighting up her

face, and he was blushing, scratching the back of his head as he always did, but wearing a small lopsided grin

I don't even think Cloud knows about Nibelheim. She thought, taking the picture of the wall and holding it close to her bosom.

She hadn't even heard from Cloud.

Two whole years, and all she'd gotten was a letter.

Tifa,

I apologize for not writing all this time. Being in SOLDIER has kept me busy, and I don't know when I'll have time to visit.

The academy is tough, but I've made a friend, Zack Fair. He's a First Class, and he doesn't seem bad at all.

I think I might be starting to fit in here. Christmas is coming around soon, so I hope to be home for the holidays. I hope everyone's well, and if I don't see you, have a Merry Christmas.

I miss you Tifa.

Cloud

It had no return address, so she had no idea where he was, or where to send a return letter.

He'd never ended up coming home for Christmas that year.

Big surprise there. She thought plainly.

Despite his promise to visit, he'd not been to see her once. She wanted more than anything to see him, to see what he'd become...

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Zack carefully hoisted Cloud up onto the saddle, tying him firmly so he wouldn't slip or fall. Their plan was simple. Pass the SOLDIERS waiting at the bottom of the gangplank, with Cloud

propped up on the Chocobo to appear to be riding it, and hope to god those SOLDIERs were as blind as bats not to see through their disguise.

Flint mounted Fifer and Zack hid his sword under Cloud's cloak, adjusting the goggles on their eyes and taking Fenrir's reins.

Inside, his heart was beating a mile a minute, but on the outside, he remained calm and collected.

He wrapped the loop of the reins in Cloud's fingers and took a piece of the bridle for himself, leading their assembly line out onto the deck.

________________________

Outside, the calm waters of the dockyard lapped the sides of the ship, making gentle sloshing noises against the metal.

Through his darkened goggles, he could see Denzel, Sen and their parents waiting to file off the boat, along with several other passengers.

Cid was taking a long drag of his cigarette, leaning casually against the railing. From the corner of his eye, Zack saw the old man wink, returning it with a subtle nod and a smile.

Denzel gave a small smile as well, and Sen, a respectful nod as they departed.

Zack smiled back, watching the little family amble down the gangplank and disappear amongst the many others who were waiting to board different ships or were returning from long

journeys at sea.

Many were SOLDIERs, meeting families or friends. It looked like one of the year-long voyagers had returned, as a multitude of scruffy looking SOLDIERS were disembarking, meeting their

families with warm smiles and tear-filled reunions. The SOLDIERS milled about aimlessly, gaining their land legs once more, and happy to be off the ships.

_________________________

Zack carefully led Fenrir down the plank, his eyes forward as he passed the lineup of SOLDIERs.

There was a man with a large metal detector waiting at the end, and as they reached him, he lifted a gloved hand.

"One at a time." Zack nodded, letting Flint go first, giving out his sword to be inspected.

One of them took it looking at it with curious eyes.

"Wow, you don't see the SOLDIER weapons made like these any more. Sturdy metal, lithe, and deadly. Where did you get such an old sword?"

"Antique shop down in Rocket Town." Flint said steadily as the blade was returned to him.

Zack walked ahead, remembering he'd left his sword with Cloud.

Once he was clear, he turned to Fenrir.

"C'mon Fen, what're you waiting for?" The Chocobo warked, and strode right past the guard.

"Sir, we need to see your weapon please." The man said as the detector gave a shrill beep.

Zack winced internally. A small flaw in their plan.

Cloud couldn't talk.

"Er- sir? He's a deaf mute." Zack said, wincing at the awful attempt at a save.

Zack made some odd hand gestures in front of Cloud, hoping to Gaia that the SOLDIER didn't know real sign language.

Fenrir, as if sensing his moment of urgency, shifted ever so subtly, causing Cloud's head to bob as if nodding.

"He says you can take the sword for inspection. It's under his cloak." The guard stepped forward, lifting the cloak.

After a look-over and a heart stopping eyebrow lift, he nodded the all clear.

"That's a nice sword he's got there." He said, "An impressive replica of the real one that Angeal used." He stated.

Zack nodded, anger flaring inside as his mentor's honour and pride was being deemed a replica.

Talk about an insult to his memory.

"Yes, his brother is an excellent blacksmith." He said, pulling Fenrir along, and wishing he could go back and beat that SOLDIERS face in.

A replica? Honestly. And he calls himself a SOLDIER? If someone finds out he just let three of Gaia's most wanted slip under his nose, after seeing a standard issue first addition SOLDIER sword

and Angeal's relic among three mysterious disguised strangers- well let's just say he would be digging himself a grave before his time.

Hope you liked the chapter. Another soon hopefully. It should be up within the week, so keep an eye open :)

Thanks for reading,

Lucifer