Hello all! Sorry for the long hiatus. Aside from a few one-shots and a collab I haven't been updating much. My bad. Real life has been crazy. I'm really happy I was able to get this update out since last chapter ended on a cliffy. I'm hoping this is the start of a comeback with more story updates, but i'm not making any promises. My personal life right now is kinda of odd. I have no idea what's going to happen from one day to the next, so enjoy them as they come and be patient for the ones that don't, but of course, you guys have been awesome like that anyway, so yeah. Enjoy! :)

Zack and Cloud raced to get to the young thief in time to protect her, but the SOLDIER glanced over at his friend. "Cloud, I want you to stay out of the fight, just grab the girl and head back to the ranch. No matter what you hear, don't look back."

Cloud's fear was forgotten the moment he heard those words leave Zack's mouth. "Are you NUTS?! I'm not gonna let you take on that thing alone!"

"No offense Spike, but you're not a SOLDIER. I'm a First Class. I can handle myself. An unenhanced kid like you has no chance."

"But Zack-"

"No buts Cloud. If you wanna be in SOLDIER you have to learn to follow orders, especially in times like this. Your mission is to save the girl and the bird and get them back to safety. Understood?"

Cloud could only stare at his friend with a worried look.

"Understood?" Zack tried again. The battle scene coming up fast.

"Yes Sir," Cloud replied in defeat. It was no use trying to argue any further.

The zolom let out a loud, echoing roar as it launched itself towards the Ninja and her stolen chocobo. Yuffie was frozen with fear. It was her stolen steed that saved them. It quickly bucked her off and sent her flying while at the same time diving out of the way of the colossal serpent.

As the creature lifted its head back up the bird took off, leaving the girl behind at the monster's mercy. It was about to strike again, but Zack was now within striking distance. Leaving his chocobo behind, he dismounted and charge ahead, drawing out his sword and putting himself between beauty and the beast.

The monster's head came striking down and Zack countered it with the flat end of his sword. "Now Cloud!"

The blonde, having just caught up halted his frightened bird and reached his hand out to the girl. "Come on!"

"B-but Black Phoenix," Yuffie replied, looking around for her prized stolen chocobo.

"Oh for the love of- Just Get On!" He shouted and the girl was startled into action. She grabbed his hand and he helped her up onto the Chocobo.

With a swift kick the bird started to run back across the marsh the way they came. Cloud tried to focus on the path ahead, but the sound of metal clashing against fangs and scales echoed loudly behind him. "Just keep going Strife, remember what Zack told you. Don't look back no matter what!"

"Your pal's in trouble," Yuffie commented in his ear.

Cloud didn't want to look back, but hearing that Zack was having problems made him give in. He looked back and his eyes went wide. Zack wasn't just in trouble, he was in BIG trouble!

The beast had managed to separate sword from SOLDIER and the large Buster Sword was laying on a pile of mossy bushes well out of the warrior's reach as Zack was forced to dodge the beast's powerful strikes. Without the blade he couldn't use his materia and every time he tried to make a move towards the blade the Zolom would strike and force him back. This beast was a smart one and Zack was finding he was wishing one of the other Firsts were here providing back up. Heck, he'd even take a lecture from Sephiroth if the General would just appear and slice the damn thing in half!

Zack couldn't even think of anything witty to use to taunt the beast, every move he made determined whether he lived or died and it was all he could do at that moment to not prove the latter.

As Zack dodged another strike he was knocked off his feet as the Zolom's tail came out of no where and tripped him. The serpent went to strike then but a rock struck it in the eye and it roared in pain.

"Hey ugly! Over here!"

Zack turned to see Cloud about twenty feet away with another rock in his hand before throwing it and striking one of its fangs. The warrior was horrified and infuriated.

"Cloud! What are you doing? Get out of here!"

"No way," the blonde replied, "It's payback time. You saved me, now I'm returning the favor!"

The serpent turned its focus from Zack and hissed at Cloud. He was terrified, but he wasn't about to show it in front of Zack. He pulled out his hunting knife and glared at the Zolom. The beast was unphased by the small morsel's weapon and dove for a strike, but Cloud jumped out of the way, but only barely. Zack knew he had to be fast. A trained SOLDIER like him would consider this a challenge, but to a small boy it was impossible. He had to get to his sword and end this before it was too late.

The zolom was one step ahead of him however and swept its tail at Zack again. Obviously the monster could handle more than one opponent, but it was still mostly focused on the less experienced prey as it continued to go after Cloud. Zack scrambled and fought to get closer to his sword and was ready when the tail came at him again. Instead of being tripped this time he jumped up and ran up the zolom's tail. The beast turned its head to see what the bigger prey was up to and flicked its tail like a whip, flicking the SOLDIER off with ease. Zack went flying and landed awkwardly in a bush.

He shook his head to clear it and when he looked up he realized how close he was to his Buster sword. With a beaming smile he made a mad dash for his sword, but just as he was about to grab it he wondered where the tail had went. That's when he heard the scream.

Zack whipped around and saw the beast's tail wrapped around Cloud and lifted him into the air, only to let go. Zack watched in horror as he saw the kid fall right into the beast's mouth and the jaws clamp shut, cutting off the boy's scream.

"NOOOOO!" With a cry that sounded like a roaring bahamutt, Zack grabbed his sword and lept twenty feet into the air and swung his blade at the monster. The zolom turned and dodged a fatal blow, but was knocked back, landing heavily on its side.

"Give him back!" Zack shouted as he swung his sword. The zolom raised its tail to strike at Zack, but he hacked it clean off, causing the beast to roar in agony. It hissed and was about to strike out at Zack, but then something odd happened. It froze in mid air. Zack was about to strike when the beast started hissing and its jaws opened wide as blood began to drip from its mouth. The creature looked like it was having trouble breathing and it started to make a noise that Zack thought sounded like coughing.

The next thing he knew the creature started thrashing and curling in on itself. The SOLDIER had no choice but to fall back and watch the creature go into a series of death throws. It lasted for a minute or two before the creature gave one last attempt to clear the blood from its throat before it gave into death and lay still.

Zack approached it carefully and when he got close enough he fell to his knees, letting his sword fall beside him. The creature was dead, but it was a hollow victory.

"Oh Cloud, why didn't you listen?" He closed his eyes and tried to fight back the tears.

Out of anger he punched the creature's side. "Damn it, WHY!" He hit it again and again. He was about to punch it once more when the edge of a knife emerged from the carcass and made Zack retract his hand quickly before it was stabbed.

"What the?" asked the SOLDIER as the knife went back in only to emerge in a different spot. Hope shot through Zack so hard that he fumbled with his sword. Once he had it he called out loudly, "Back up buddy! I don't know how thick this thing's hide is!"

With that warning out of the way he stabbed the dead monster's flesh with his sword and started cutting it away. Once he had made a big enough opening the blood flowed freely. Zack tried to peer inside, but a blood-stained hand reached out and Zack took it and pulled the kid free.

Cloud emerged from the dead zolom choking and gasping for air, the hunter's knife he had dropped to the ground as he was freed. Zack smiled at him through tears and hugged the young boy who was nearly dyed red from the blood. "I thought you were a goner, Don't ever do that to me again, kid."

"I thought I was too," Cloud replied. His hair was flat and soaked with blood and he was exhausted, but otherwise unharmed.

Zack pulled him back enough to look at him. "You're not hurt, are you?"

Cloud shook his head. "How did you do it?" Zack asked as he looked back at the dead monster.

Cloud looked down at the knife laying at his feet. "I figured I had nothing left to lose. If I was going to die, I was going to take it with me, so I went to stab the creature in the throat, but then I was thrown down its throat and somehow ended up in its big lung and figured it was the perfect place to kill it from the inside. I just didn't expect there would be so much blood. I nearly drowned in it."

Zack couldn't help it. He laughed. "Spiky, you are gonna make one hell of a SOLDIER!" He ruffled the kid's sticky hair only to pull his hand back and look at his now blood stained hand in disgust. "We might want to get you cleaned up before we head for Midgar."

. . .

Four days later Zack smiled as he gazed upon a familiar sight. Shinra Headquarters never looked so good. It had been a long journey back from what was supposed to be a short and easy mission. Kill a few monsters and save a town. The mission hadn't gone as planned, but Zack had decided to look on the bright side. He had made a new friend from the whole event and now he only had to focus on keeping that friend safe from the dangers of the city. But he was a SOLDIER and if Angeal could keep Zack alive in Midar during his training then Zack could make sure Cloud survived. Speaking of which...

Zack poked the large back pack that he was carrying over his shoulder. "You okay in there?"

"The zolom's lung was more roomy than this," was the reply.

Zack chuckled in reponse. "Don't worry, we're just about there. Once we make it up to my apartment I'll let you out."

The SOLDIER entered the building and headed up the stairs that led to the elevator. Swiping his card he waited patiently for the elevator to reach the lobby floor. When the doors slid open Zack's eyes went wide as he was greeted by the towering form of General Sephiroth.

The silverette glared down at his fellow First Class and narrowed his eyes causing Zack to gulp. "H-hey General. Long time no see."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes. "Zackary."

Next Time: Angeal scolds a puppy, Zack has some explaining to do and the Chocobo is let out of the bag...sort of.