Note: Next chapter will be better, and longer. more fighting woohoo. Be sure to review if you have any sort off opinion and tell me how bad it sucked or anything i could improve on. still working on finishing ff13 so i haven't spent alota time writing. Hope yall enjoy it.

Zack and Lightning sat at opposite ends of the small fire they had prepared for the night. they had traveled through the forests around the ruins of cornelia, on a wild goose chase when a comrade had reported seeing Cloud. they had found no enemies so far. And no trace of Cloud

There time of travel consisted of Zack making small talk, and Lightning giving the most vague answers she could muster. Zack had given up prying her for the day, he sat silently by the fire looking over his sword for any damage it may have recieved.

running a gloved finger across the blade he determined it was fine. looking over it he was startled when there awkward silence had finally been broken. "I've never seen someone obsess so much over a piece of steel."

He looked over to her with a smile before returning his gaze to the sword. "It belonged to someone important to me... That's my only memory of where it came from."

Lightning let out a small yawn before speaking again. "Still seems like a waste to not use it more often, weapons can be repaired."

Zack looked at her from across the fire with his usual smile. "Use brings about wear, tear, and rust. that's a waste."

She sighed from across the fire, it was about time for sleep. "But you know what's a real waste?" Zack asked.

Lightning looked at him before shrugging her shoulders at the grinning soldier. "Your face."

Lightning sat up a bit, a scowl on her face. "What?" she questioned a bit irritated.

"Don't take it the wrong way. I just think you could smile more." he said while setting his sword down.

"Even though I've never seen it. id bet money..." he trailed off looking down at the fire then back at Lightning. "That face of yours has one hell of a smile. if you'd give it a try." Zack said before cocking his head and closing his eyes, a wide smile on his face.

Lightning held a hand over her face for a moment before looking back up at Zack. Expression unreadable, she stayed silent waiting for anymore nonsense to come out of his mouth.

"Its not our fault but, its beautiful people like us who have a responsibility to smile. for everyone else's sake." he continued.

Lightning sighed at him. "Are you done?" She had stopped becoming mad at his rabble, and more just irritated.

"You should try it sometime. it would be the light of my day." he pried more, before deciding that was enough for tonight.

Lightning laid herself down to sleep before responding. "Don't hold your breath."

Zack also adjusted himself with his back against a tree for support, getting set to sleep as well. "I will."

Lightning's eyes awoke to the smoke coming from the fading coals and ash of the fire from the night. Quiet but noticeable grunts and groans came from a bit away from there camp site.

Lightning rose up to her feet and followed the noises to find Zack performing a series of squats, he kept a good rhythmic timing almost like he did it competitively. She stood quietly behind him and was sure to not draw his attention before she spoke. "What are you doing?" she questioned almost mocking him.

He turned mid squat to she her standing behind him, arms crossed with a fixated gaze on him. "Squats..." he said before falling down onto his rear and leaning back, smile on his face that dripped sweat.

"Are you ready to leave yet. we've wasted enough time here." Lightning stated.

Zack still catching his breath while he spoke. "I'm in no rush... the way I see it going out and looking for the bad guys isn't working. we'll let them make the next move"

Lightning glared at him for a moment as his walked behind a tree hiding himself from her view. "Just a minute or two, I promise. Then we'll move on." Zack said while walking back around with a large bowl filled with a few different colored and sized fruits. "I know your hungry!" he said jokingly while shaking the bowl of fruit.

Before Lightning could open her mouth to speak her stomach answered for her. giving a noticeable growl. Zack gave a wide grin at the small red blush forming on Lightning's face. He grabbed a piece out of the bowl tossing it to her. "Eat up, there's plenty."

She caught it with both hands and examined it a moment before looking back to Zack, who was sitting down eating away. She sat down as well. "Thanks." she said before taking a large bite.

"Its nothing like the dumb apples back home, but there not bad." Zack said while finishing another piece. Lightning had finished her food for all of two seconds before Zack threw her another. "I've been meaning to ask you something Lightning." he said while wiping his mouth.

"Yeah?" she questioned, before taking another bite of the unnamed fruit.

"I assume I'm not the only person who couldn't remember anything when I got here." he said while digging around threw the bowl of fruit.

"You assumed right." She took another bite.

Zack scratched the back of his head. "And we get our memories back from fighting."

Lightning nodded. "Some quicker than others it seems." She threw the remainder of her fruit behind her.

"You put anything together yet?" He questioned.

"No. just little bits and pieces." Lightning replied while looking at him for a moment, she hesitated to ask her question.

Zack smiled back at her. "C'mon. Humor me." he said jokingly.

She closed her eyes and sighed before looking back up at him. "Okay... how about you?"

Zack gave a slight grin. "I don't remember alot." he said. "From what I can tell, I worked for something called the Shinra electric power company, In there Soldier division... First class mind you, first class." He boasted jokingly

Lightning listened, crossing her arms she leaned up against a tree stump.

"Me and Cloud were involuntarily involved in an insane experiment. After escaping we were labeled fugitives, and had the whole shinra army out on us... But Cloud... Cloud was sick." Zack shook his head in negativity. "Eventually the army cornered us on a cliff side. There was nowhere to run so I hid Cloud, and faced them head on.."

Lightning sat up from her position a bit, as Zack had paused. "What happened?" she asked, seemingly interested in his story.

Zack hesitated before answering."I'm not really sure.." He said. "I thought I died.." he continued, lost in his memories over what actually happened.

Lightning stood up and walked over to Zack, kneeling beside him. "Zack.." he snapped his attention back to Lightning, who seemed concerned with Zack's sudden gloomy aura.

"Don't worry about me... Whatever happened then doesn't matter. because I'm here now." He said, trying to reassure himself more than Lightning.

"Good." Lightning said while standing and heading back toward there belongings.

"Lightning." she stopped and turned her head slightly to see him. "Thank you." he said, with his usual smile. "If you ever decide you need to talk about anything... I'm all ears."

She turned her head back and continued to walk, a soft smile on her lips. "Ill keep that in mind.." she said. Speaking just loud enough for him to hear.

Zack's boots sank a bit into the sand as he stepped onto the beach. Gazing out into the sea he looked back to Lightning before nodding his head to the water. "Take a dip?" he said with a smile.

"Is that a joke?" she said with her usual emotionless glare.

"Suit yourself." he said while turning to head to the water.

"What do you think this is? Play time?" she snapped at him. Causing Zack to stop in his tracks. "What if you were attacked while your off frolicking on the shore?" She said lowering her voice now.

He turned to see Lightning again, her arms crossed in annoyance with Zack. "Don't worry Light. Nothing Catches a hero off guard." He said while pumping his fist.

As they stared at each other for a moment a large shadow cast over Zack, and stopped before reaching where Lightning stood. "Zack." She said before covering her mouth with her hand.

"Hey! was that a smile I just saw!" He said enthusiastically. not noticing the shadow over him. She pointed behind Zack, prompting him to turn around and see the unnatural sized tidal wave about to crash into the beach. "Oh man..." Not even turning to run Zack was swept up when the wave hit the land.

When it receded back into the water Zack was left flat on his face in the sand, pushing himself up he spit and coughed the sand from his mouth until Lightning approached him, blade in hand. "Heads up Zack. Manikins."

Zack jumped up to his feet and turned back to the beach. a squad of machine gun armed crystal warriors stood on the shore, weapons aimed on Zack. "That's the one. Drop him!" One of the manikins spoke in its echoed voice as they began firing there weapons.

Zack reached for his weapon, ready to eat the incoming bullets head on he screamed. "Bring it on!"

Before Zack could bring his sword to defend a magical shell surrounded him to his surprise. "Barrier!" Lightning screamed from behind Zack.

"Cease fire!" the manikin screamed again. when the bullets stopped the shield faded away, but was still there for protection.

Zack put his sword away before punching the palm of his hand with a grin on his face. "My turn now!" his hand lit up with a green glow. "Cactaur! I choose you!" A small green needled Cactaur with bent elbows and knees landed in the sand beside him. Zack imitated the Cactaur's dance, Hopping from foot to foot while spinning in place and cranking his arms up and down.

Lightning stood behind Zack dumb founded, close to busting into hysterical laughter.

"One-thousand Needles!" Zack screamed while pointing his hair at his opponents before countless needles seamlessly bursted threw Zack's hair flying at the manikins, destroying them.

Zack turned back to Lightning with heavy laughter as Cactaur disappeared. She had a hand clasped tightly over her mouth to contain her own laugh. When Zack's laughter finally died down Lightning spoke. "An interesting technique you have there." She said while recalling her comment to Yuna days prior.

"It beats getting my sword ruined." He said while Lightning walked past him. Approaching what seemed to be a large gate on the shore with a swirling red portal in the center.

Zack walked up beside Lightning, staring into the gateway. "What's this?"

"A gate." she replied. Zack gave her a confused look.

"What's on the other side?" He questioned again.

"Enemies. That's all I'm sure of." she crossed her arms before looking to Zack. who seemed lost in thought again. "It might lead us to your friend... or at least maybe some clue of where we could find him.."

Zack waited a moment before looking over and making eye contact. They stared at each other for a moment before Zack gave a nod, and looked toward the gate again. As Lightning did the same.