Blizzard

It's strange how close people become in the heat of battle.

I mean, me and Cloud and Vinnie had been close after the whole Sephiroth deal, and gotten even closer after striking out on our own and fighting together even more often. What was really getting to me now, though, wasn't the way I was so used to fighting and standing with Vincent and Cloud.

It was the redhead fighting beside me, his companions helping Cloud break a path through town.

Godo and Tifa weren't real eager for us to leave. As far as they were both concerned, I'd waltzed right into their hands, and this was a perfect opportunity to kill me. 'Stand and fight' was not the best option, as the entire town appeared to be out for my blood, and I wasn't interested in massacring the inhabitants of my former home. So we ran. We plowed into Turtle's Paradise and locked the door behind us to buy some time to think out a plan. We were good enough to take on the town, but one, we didn't want to hurt innocents, and two, Tifa and Godo were also good fighters.

As it turned out, there was a barfight going on. Vincent's cape had flown back by now, leaving my face exposed, and as soon as the townsfolk spotted me there was debris and fists flying our way. Cloud dove behind the nearest upturned table, yanking me down with him. Vincent followed us after a moment, gun out and at the ready. A drunk tried to hit me on the head with a bottle. I ducked and Vinnie shot the bottle out of his hand.

I didn't hear Vincent's strained command. I was staring at Reno, who grinned and lifted his glass to his temples in mock salute. "Hey."

A sword split the table we were all hiding behind. "Shit!" I scrambled back, whirling a shuriken at one of the charging men. It caught at his belt and pinned him to the wall. Cloud sprang to his feet to slam the flat of his blade on the man's head, knocking him unconscious. Elena popped up from behind another table. "Good shot," she acknowledged, before Rude pulled her back down just in time to avoid a whizzing bullet.

I leapt behind the bar and found myself crouched next to Reno again. He was popping up at intervals to take out the patrons closest to the bar with his nightstick.

"So," he stated cheerfully, "I know they're not overly fond of Turks here, but why is it they're after you?"

I hurled a shuriken over the bar and was rewarded with a shriek. I caught it on the rebound. Vincent swept by, the edge of his shirt torn, and shot me a dark look. I shrugged apologetically; it's hard to aim without looking.

"I'm gay," I answered Reno shortly, not wanting to waste time. "Not a good thing to be in these parts."

Reno considered that, then nodded. "Yeah, I can see how that might be a problem in Wutai. Especially for their princess."

I snorted. "I haven't been a princess for years now. We came here to investigate something."

The redhead raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"Someone tried to have me kidnapped. Turned out it was Tifa and Godo," I slammed a shuriken into a hand reaching over the bar. It withdrew with a yelp.

Reno hissed, tapping his nightstick against the floor. "Your father and your best friend. Wow, that sucks."

"Tell me about it," I griped. "Man, I knew it was a bad idea to return here, but I didn't know everyone would try to kill me!"

"Same here," Reno said dryly. "Though I admit, we should have anticipated."

"Ditto." I stood up. "The bar's clear. Let's go."

Vincent and Cloud were standing with their backs to the wall. Elena and Rude, across the bar but also backed against a wall, were eyeing the door.

"Well," I said brightly, feeling battle-fury invading my senses, "shall we make a break for it?"

All eyes turned to me. I shrugged, feeling reckless and invincible now that we'd come unscratched out of the first half of the battle. "To Da Chao, I think. We'll pull back to the holy mountain." I felt a grin tugging at my face. "Then I have a bit of a Christmas gift for the town."

"But it isn't-" Cloud started, then fell silent with a frown. After a moment, he said thoughtfully, "Huh. You're right, it is Christmas."

Reno shook his head and shoved past me. "Friggin' Holy, where have you three been living? In a cave?" Cloud and I both grinned and he sighed. "Figures."

I incanted something under my breath and Rude glanced at me inquisitively as red power-circles flared and faded.

"Haste-all. Gonna be one hell of a fight," I grinned. We all stood against the far wall as Vincent slowly lowered his arm and took aim at the door.

"Get ready to run," Elena warned unnecessarily.

A shot blew the door of its hinges. Cloud and Reno were the first out, sword and nightstick flashing with dizzying speed. Reno swept his nightstick at a man's knees. The man leapt to avoid it and brained himself on the flat on Cloud's sword, who continued the bright arc to gash another man's sword arm and take out a woman's knee.

Me and Vinnie charged next, my shuriken clearing a wide path in front of Cloud and Reno, who both shot back grins. Vincent shot carefully at the bridges, sending the townspeople packed onto them into the water. At the same instant water shot up from all sides as everyone fell into the shallow streams. While they were screaming in confusion, Elena and Rude stormed past us to overtake Cloud and Reno in the first wave, spreading a ring of bullets around us. Several people who had been climbing back up out of the water screamed and fell back in, clutching injured legs and arms. Rotating in a circle, spreading bullets and shuriken whirling around us, the six of us beat a path to the mountain. Once we reached the foothills, less and less of the townsfolk seemed willing to follow us. Reno and Cloud took point, clearing the monsters from our path. Elena, Vincent and I switched off to hold the narrow path behind us, sending crippling bullets and shuriken.

In no time at all our charge had carried us to the top of a mountain. I signaled to Vincent and he threw me a glowing red materia. Light sparked and trailed from it as it tumbled towards me and I snatched it from the air in front of Reno's stunned face. Continuing the motion, I swept my arm up and called out a name, lost in the roaring of the angry town. In an explosion of light and a shattering roar the Dragon God swept down from the mountain to circle the town and perch on the Pagoda. Leviathan roared again and then Vincent leapt from beside me. Half-transformed, he dove at the town with Chaos' wings.

"Chiki, Ipsen, Kiora, Kaida, Tokala!" I screamed to the wind. There was a thunder of 'warks' and five Golden Chocobos swooped out of the sky.

"Mount up!" I yelled over the wind. The sky was swirling into what looked like it was going to be the storm of the century. Thunder roared and Leviathan roared back, causing the clouds to split and spill the rain down over Wutai.

"I didn't know your Chobos could fly!" Elena yelled as we each grabbed and held on.

"Neither did we!" I called back, laughing, as the Chocobos spread their wings and dove down the side of the mountain in perfect synchronization. At the last moment we pulled up before hitting the ground and skimmed over the ground in Vincent's wake, staying low to the ground to avoid being thrown by the raging wind. Chaos in the lead, we swept under Leviathan and into the freedom of the fields beyond Wutai. Neither Chaos nor the Chocobos seemed willing to stop, so we found oursleves racing the storm across the ocean. I could hear Reno laughing wildly from Ipsen beside me.

I have no idea how long it was before we alighted on the edge of our lake in front of the cave. Time had been impossible and unnecessary to measure from the time our mad charge began. Vincnet settled before the cave last and transformed back to normal, and his face was practically glowing. It was a bizarre expression to see on Vincent.

He looked at my expression, smiled and said calmly, "I have control now."

I found myself laughing from the combination of adrenalin and joy. "That's awesome! Hey, Cloud, Vincent can control Chaos!"

Cloud grinned. "Cool."

Elena was looking around with interest. "So this is where you live."

"In a cave," Reno rolled his eyes. "Oh, how the mighty have fallen."

"Are you kidding?" I scoffed. "We were sleeping in tents or outside when we were chasing Sephiroth all over the planet. A cave is a real step up."

Elena came over to me and shook my hand with a smile. "Pleasure fighting with you. Friends?"

"So long as you never try to kill me again." Elena laughed and promised not to harm any AVALANCHE members.

"Except Tifa," I added, renewing the laughter. "You can do what I like to her. So, you staying for a visit, or do you have someplace to be getting back to?"

Rude shook his head with real regret. "Tseng."

"I thought Tseng was dead, "Cloud commented.

Elena grinned triumphantly. "Hurt, but by no means dead."

"The Chocobos will take you home," I said, gesturing at them. "Feel free to visit whenever you like."

"Oh, we will," Reno smirked. He still hadn't lost the wild edge to his voice he'd picked up during the fight.

We all waved the Turks off and headed back into the cave, where everyone relaxed.

"Merry Christmas, you guys," I said wryly and was rewarded with quiet laughs as I drifted off to sleep.