huh. this one's short too. must be a trend. that's okay. it'll change next chapter.

DISCLAIMER: (forgot this last chapter, so it applies for both. and any others i've forgotten) I don't own FF7, its characters or its settings. i'm not trying to make money off them. this is all in fun.


Chapter 12

Vincent broke the surface of the Lifestream like a diver coming back up for air. Chaos came up next to him, and the Galian Beast a few feet away.

They were next to the shore, and Vincent dug his claw into the ground to use as an anchor to pull them all out. When they were safely ashore, the Galian Beast shook vigorously, spraying droplets of Lifestream everywhere. It was then that Vincent realized he was wet—and cold. Dangerously cold.

"Chaos, we need to find shelter and build a fire, or I'm going to freeze to death," he told the demon.

"A problem I share, Vincent, but where do you suggest we go? There is no real shelter between here and the City of the Ancients. If it's still standing."

"The crater had plenty of caves," Vincent said. "We could take shelter in one of those."

"You would be right," Chaos agreed, "Except that I'm pretty sure this is the North Crater." He pointed to the lake of Lifestream they were on the bank of.

"Then we have to get moving. We'll climb the mountain if we have to. The activity will help keep us warm."

"-Er," the demon added. "We may not make it, Vincent."

"No," The gunslinger met Chaos' eyes with a determined gaze. "But we have to try."


The surviving members of AVALANCHE had put together a fairly large, organized rescue force in the last two days, Yuffie noticed. The survivors of Midgar were more than willing to help find others, as long as someone was there to tell them what to do. And they were more than happy to take orders from AVALANCHE, when the seven of them stepped up to take over. They'd split their workers into teams, and each of the heroes had taken one group. Tifa had set up a medical center with two surviving doctors; everyone else was working to find survivors in the piles of rubble and broken buildings.

Yuffie shrieked as the board she was prying at came free and she fell on her butt. Rather ungracefully. And then the board had to smack her on the head.

"Ow! Stupid board," she muttered.

"You okay, Miss Yuffie?" One of the other workers asked.

"Yeah. I'm good. Just wasn't expecting that." She stood up and peered into the hole her tugging had exposed.

And straight into a pair of mako green eyes.

"AHHHHH!" She jumped nearly out of her skin at the sight, then blushed in embarrassment.

She peered into the hole again, but the eyes were gone.

"Hello?" she called.

"Get some water in here," was the reply she got, in a gravelly voice that was naggingly familiar.

Quickly, Yuffie thrust her canteen through the hole. "How many of you are there?" She asked, waving the nearest rescue workers over.

"Three," the voice replied. "And we ain't doing so well in here."

"We're working on it right now," Yuffie replied. She pointed at one of the workers. "You go find Reeve. Tell him we've got three survivors and we need one of his engineers to dig them out." She pointed at another worker. "You go find Cloud Strife and Barret Wallace. They should be at the command tent. Tell them I need them. Move!"

The two workers sprinted off, intent on their duties. Everyone else got to work looking for the best angle of approach to dig the survivors out.

"You're pretty good at dishin' out orders, Kisaragi," the voice from the hole said. He sounded less gravelly now, but still a little hoarse.

And Yuffie realized why it sounded so familiar now. "Reno?"

"Got it in one. You shoulda seen your face." The Turk chuckled dryly. "Classic."

"I bet. I thought the Turks were leaving Midgar."

"We got as far as here when shit started collapsing on us. 'Lena got all altruistic and tried to save some kid. I got caught trying to save her. Dunno what happened to Rude." Reno sounded more than a bit regretful. "'Lena's busted up pretty bad."

"Don't worry. We'll get you out," Yuffie told him emphatically.

"I know. That's what you heroes do."