Probably wrong, but an interesting idea as to how they met.

o o o

Zangan stumbled, falling to one knee, cursing himself as he nearly dropped his burden. He paused, looking down into the soot and tear streaked face of the girl he held. She was so strong, one of the best he'd ever seen, and now she was barely holding on to life. Gritting his teeth, the sensei staggered to his feet again, grimly heading north. The destruction of Nibelheim played in his mind like a bad record, the fire, the heat, the screams, and the horrid, cold laughter of the General, all of it swam through his head. A day and a night and another day had passed since the massacre, and all Zangan cared about was getting to Corel before Tifa died. He knew many shortcuts through the mountains, little-used paths that would cut miles off the journey, but it was still very far. With luck, and a short rest, he could be out of the mountains and into the Corel valley by dawn. Then Corel by midnight again.

Zangan stumbled again, but instead of getting up he settled against a rock, Tifa in his lap. Sighing, he looked up into the starry sky above, hoping against hope that he could find help. Unable to fight exhaustion any longer, he slept.

When he opened his eyes again, the sky above was blue, and a face was peering into his own. Zangan blinked, looking up into ebony eyes surrounded by chocolate skin. "Shee-at, man, what in th' hell happened to ya?" He heard. He blinked, trying to focus on the dark giant before him, noticing the man turn his attention to Tifa. "Hell, both of ya's! C'mon, I can get ya to th' truck and into town. What's yer name, man?"

"Zan...gan." He managed through lips that were cracked from heat and thirst. would be safe there, Tifa was....was being pulled from his grip. With a sudden snarl Zangan tightened his grip on the girl.

"Dammit, y' fool!" The man snapped. "Yer hurt, an' half crazy, too! C'mon, man, I'm tryin' t' help here. Lemme take her, an' you, too."

"Who....who are you?" Zangan muttered, trying to focus as grayness threatened to swamp his sight.

"Barret Wallace." The giant replied. "Will ya let me help y' out?" Zangan nodded, his vision graying again, and he dimly registered the feeling of Tifa leaving his lap. He shook his head clear enough to see Wallace craddling the girl in one arm like a baby. Then he was scooped up and thrown over a wide shoulder. "Don't worry, man." Wallace said, his hand on Zangan's back as he walked. "Well get ya both taken care of, a'ight?" Zangan grunted a reply and passed out again.