Dallin:

Dallin jerked awake to the worst freezing cold he had ever experienced.

He sat up and looked around Fleem's room. It seemed way bigger than when he'd gone to bed. His confusion vanished in an instant. No way.

Dallin looked down at his body. His fur was gone, replaced by his familiar sweatpants and Percy's borrowed coat. He was back.

He was back. Actually back.

Dallin laughed, running his hands over his arms and smoothing down his coat to be absolutely sure this was real. He started to stand up, and wobbled. He wasn't accustomed to having normal sized feet anymore. He plopped back down with a grunt. Right. I'll have to adjust again.

Dallin moved his numb toes as much as he could. It felt like he'd just woken up from a really long bizarre dream.

Except he was still at the top of the mountain. This time without fur and with less capable lungs. Crapcrapcrapcrap. If he and Fleem had swapped back, shouldn't he have ended up at Percy's apartment? Figure it out later. He told himself sternly. After you get out of here.

"Uh, Tania!" He shouted as loudly as he could. "I need some help over here!" He strained for any sounds from the quiet house. Had she left for the city already? "T-Tania!"

Dallin shivered violently as the rest of his body quickly went numb. Perhaps he'd gotten just a little too used to not getting cold. Yeti fur was warmer than any coat.

He crawled to the edge of the giant rock bed and looked down. Fleem may have been small for a yeti, but his bed was still huge for a human. Getting down by himself was officially off the table. "Hello!"

A giant form burst through the curtain door, skidding a little on the ice floor. Tania's eyes went straight to Dallin, and widened.

Dallin let out a relieved breath. "Oh, thank goodness! You're still here! I got worried for a moment."

Fleem's mom blinked and went to speak, but her words came out as animal-like growls.

Dallin leaned back in surprise. The harsh sounds sounded wrong coming from her. "Oh. Right. I guess we're back to opposite sides of the language barrier now."

Tania approached the bed, still looking him over. Dallin swayed, beginning to feel tired. Not a good sign. He put a hand to his chest and looked her right in the eyes. "Please, I need you to understand this at least. I need to get back to…"

He was cut off as Tania scooped him up, cradling him like a newborn, and in an instant, they were heading out of the room and towards the front door. He yelped as she stumbled on something in her rush and almost fell. "Whoa! Slow down!" Tania growled as she recovered and bolted again.

Dallin squinted as the two burst through the entrance. It was still mostly dark outside, with the sun barely peeking over the mountain ridges. It did absolutely nothing to drive away the cold, but at least the longest night of Dallin's life was over.

Tania roared, making him flinch. She'd seemed a lot less loud when she spoke in words. A moment later several tired looking yetis poked their heads through their windows and curtained entrances. Dallin recognized one of them as Kolka. She frowned as she saw Tania, no doubt wondering why she'd been woken up so early. Then her eyes honed in on Dallin. Kolka perked up, shaking her head, and immediately jogged to meet them.

Dallin struggled to get upright in Tania's hold. "N-No time to explain. We've g-gotta get down before I f-freeze to death." He sighed as Tania tightened her grip, making it harder to move. She ignored him and growled something to Kolka. After nearly a week of talking to them, it messed with his brain to go back to this.

Dallin gave up his struggle and sagged. "P-Please, it's really cold up here!" He tapped Tania's hand desperately.

Kolka gave Fleem's mom a nod, her expression determined, and both yetis parted, moving in opposite directions at full sprint. Dallin recognized the yeti village entrance ahead. But where was Kolka going?

He twisted his head to look behind Tania, and caught a glimpse of her disappearing into another house. Gwangi's house, he remembered. So she was rallying the troops...

As the village passed out of sight, Tania hunched over him, doing her best to shield him from the cold. She growled softly, obviously trying to reassure him. Dallin offered a grateful smile, even though he could no longer understand.

Once they reached the cliff edge, Tania didn't even stop to look down. Clinging to her, Dallin squeezed his eyes shut as she leaped with all the strength and grace only a yeti could have. The fall was much bigger for a human.

Tania didn't scream like everyone else did as the two plummeted towards the ground far far below them, giving way for the wind to fill the air space. Dallin bit his tongue and tried to focus on anything else.

The city. He was on his way back to the city. His home. This time for good. He could go back to his own life.

And Fleem too. If Dallin had woken up on the mountain, Fleem must still be in the city, now as himself.

He peeped through one eye, hoping for a glimpse of the familiar bright neon lights. Fleem would likely be as overjoyed as Dallin to find out that they weren't trapped forever in each others' bodies after all. Maybe then he wouldn't have to see everything he'd lost every time he looked at Dallin.

He was pulled back as Tania landed on her back in the snow, making both of them grunt. Dallin went limp, a little stunned, but relieved too. The cold had eased and he could breathe again, but that fall had taken a lot out of him.

Tania stood up and looked him over with a smile. Dallin gave her a thumbs up. "Another successful crash landing." He mumbled.

The yeti lifted him to her shoulder, keeping a hand on his back for support. She growled and pointed at the path ahead. Dallin grinned, letting himself feel excited now that he was out of the danger zone. "You said it."

Fleem:

Fleem's eyes snapped open.

The first thing he noticed was that his blanket was no longer on top of him. The second was that he was on the floor.

Almost by instinct, he reached and felt around for the blanket. Only then did he notice a third thing: that he was no longer so small and furless.

Fleem gaped at his hands, taking in every detail to make sure this wasn't a dream he could suddenly wake up from. He flexed his fingers, and slowly sat up, hunching as he almost hit his head on the ceiling. He didn't wake up. He felt at the sides of his head and found the familiar hardness of his lost horns. This was real!

Fleem could have cried right there in pure overwhelming joy. Then he noticed Percy staring at him with wide eyes, and almost had a heart attack. "Gah! Don't do that!"

Percy looked around and said something in the high pitched gibberish Fleem had been sure he'd never hear again.

Quickly recovering, he grinned at the smallfoot. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you have no idea how good it feels to hear you not making sense again." He shifted, and froze as the floor let out a big CREAK. "Uh oh."

Percy held up his hands, gesturing frantically for Fleem to keep still, and looked around again for any way to get him outside.

Fleem glanced over his shoulder at the large window, wincing as one of his horns lightly scraped against the ceiling. It was the only opening big enough for him to crawl through. Assuming he could get to it without falling through the floor.

Percy followed his gaze and ran an exasperated hand down his face. Fleem shrugged helplessly, the motion bringing more unwelcome sounds from the floor. Percy bit his lip and pushed his way past Fleem towards the window, pulling out his phone to send a text.

At Fleem's suspicious look, he began signing, and jabbering, gesturing at the window, the phone, the front door…

Fleem simply shook his head with a sigh. He'd never be as good with smallfeet as the rest of the S.E.S.

Not long after, Brenda came through the door and immediately ran to join Percy with a quick nod to Fleem. The two smallfeet began to unlatch the window pane. Oh.

Fleem watched them, starting to get restless. He didn't dare move, not even to turn and face them better. It would be a shame to fall and die now, after all he'd been through. Hurry!

Percy and Brenda eased the pane away from its frame, and leaned it gently against the wall. Cold air blew through the newly made hole in the wall, making them shiver. But Fleem didn't feel a thing. One of many perks of being a yeti.

The floor groaned as Fleem slowly and tactfully began to maneuver himself in the tiny living room. He forced himself to keep his eyes straight forward, and not imagine what would happen if it gave under his weight. He was too big. And he was only a small yeti.

He poked his head through the opening, and looked down at the street a couple stories beneath him. Ha! That jump would be a piece of fruit! He just needed to take it easy...turn around again, and put out one leg...then the other...there!

Fleem let go of the window edge and dropped lightly to the ground. Percy and Brenda's heads peeked out, and he grinned. "See, I told you we just had to keep trying!" That was a lie of course, but hey, it wasn't like they could understand him.

Laughing, he spun and took off down the street, reveling in the freedom of his newfound speed. For the first time, he really noticed the strength of his own legs, short as they were.

He'd never forget, he vowed.

Then something occurred to him.

I'm still in the smallfoot village. Why didn't I wake up in my own bed?

Fleem stopped just outside the maze of buildings and looked up at the mountain. That meant Dallin was still up there. At least until his mom or one of the S.E.S members noticed his current...state.

Fleem smirked. How much of a shock had the poor smallfoot gotten to wake up at the coldest time in the coldest place with no fur?

A sound from behind made him turn around. Percy and Brenda drove up on their snowmobiles and quickly hopped off. Now that Fleem could stand at full height, he noticed just how small they were now. He straightened up even more with a smile. Percy rolled his eyes at him but before he could say anything, something behind Fleem got his attention. He pointed.

Fleem turned and squinted as a running figure leaped over a rock, heading straight for them. He recognized her immediately. "It's my mom." As she slid down a hill, he realized she was holding something on her shoulder. No, someone. "Looks like Dallin caught her just in time." The smallfoot looked dazed from the wild ride.

"Wait up!" Called a voice out of sight. Fleem's mom stopped at the top of the last slope down to the village. She looked back just as several more yetis ran into view. The S.E.S.

Puffing, Gwangi, Migo, Meechee and Kolka caught up and together all the yetis slid down the slope.

Fleem's mom set Dallin onto his feet, where he promptly sank to his knees in snow. Fleem laughed at the look on his face. He obviously had some things to get used to all over again. In fact, everything about being a smallfoot was a huge adjustment.

Fleem grabbed Dallin around his middle with both hands and lifted him out of the snow to his eye level. "Well, Shorty! Who's the short one now, huh?" He lightly shook him. "Who makes a better yeti?"

Kolka glared at him, exasperated. "Fleem…" She took a step towards him, but cut herself off as she noticed that both Fleem and Dallin were grinning.

"What? That's it? No 'welcome back'' for one of your best friends?" Fleem put Dallin down and crossed his arms with an expectant smirk. "Admit it. You missed me. All of you."

Kolka sighed and half smiled wearily. "Yes Fleem. We did."

The others simply gave small nods of agreement. His mom looked on with an unreadable expression.

Fleem's smile grew. "Good. Cause you're never getting rid of me again. I'm coming to every S.E.S meeting, and annoying you until you've gone crazy! In fact, everywhere you go, I'll be there! You won't be…"

"Fleem!" Meechee ran a hand down her face. "Just come here." She held out her arms. Fleem hesitated, then walked forward into her embrace. To his surprise, Kolka joined on one side, Migo on the other. Gwangi's big arms encircled the group from behind. Then with a little reluctance, Fleem's mom joined in at the edge.

Fleem blinked as he got hemmed in on all sides, at a loss for words. He hadn't quite expected his friends to get all mushy about this. And his mother even less. They always spent more time yelling at him than showing affection.

But it was nice nonetheless.

No one moved for a long moment, not even the three smallfeet watching from the sidelines. Fleem glanced over his shoulder and saw them all smiling. He huffed. "Okay, okay, you can stop giving us those eyes now."

The yetis promptly broke apart and stepped back. Kolka swatted his shoulder more gently than usual. "Really, Fleem?"

Fleem ignored her and turned to his mom standing next to him. She held his gaze for a moment and looked down. "I'm...glad to see you back, Fleem."

Fleem looked into her tired face. He hadn't really talked to her since she'd found out he'd joined the S.E.S. She had had plenty to say then, but couldn't seem to find any words right now.

Fleem couldn't either. So he settled for, "me too, Mom." He managed a small smile, which she returned.

"But I still don't understand how. That device was pretty broken."

Fleem's mom thought for a moment. "Maybe not as much as we thought. It must have had at least enough strength to keep you here and Dallin on top of the mountain. I will have to discuss it further with Seth Laker, after his head heals a bit more. He should be resting inside today."

Fleem shrugged. "As long as you keep those things and anything like them far away from me. I'm done." He didn't really care how he was back. He was too happy to be back to care.

He looked down at Dallin. "Besides, you and I have something else to do that's equally important."

Dallin:

A minute later, Dallin was tucked under Fleem's arm as they approached the Yak Shack. "My workplace? What are…"

Ron and Dave had just arrived for a morning shift. They spun in surprise as Fleem came charging straight for them. Without wasting a second, the yeti raised his free arm to make himself look bigger and began a tirade of growls and snarls.

Dallin gaped along with Ron and Dave. This was the first thing Fleem wanted to do back in his own body? Terrorize his self appointed bosses?

He couldn't deny that there was some level of satisfaction to it.

Their eyes went to Dallin in Fleem's grip. Dallin smiled and shrugged helplessly. "What he said."

Without a word, Ron and Dave fled into the Yak Shack out of sight.

Dallin sighed as Fleem set him down on the sidewalk. "Well. If I wasn't out of a job before, I definitely am now. Thanks, Fleem."

Fleem brushed off his fur, looking rather pleased with himself. The concept of having a paying job must have seemed foreign to him.

But what would Dallin do now?

Percy appeared next to him. "He did that to me when I first met him." He chuckled. "I think he thinks he's being scary."

Dallin grimaced. "I think he's still a little salty about having to do the dishes."

Percy laughed. "You don't say!"

Brenda jogged over to join them. "What in the world is he doing?"

Fleem had his face pressed up against the Yak Shack window, making faces at Ron and Dave inside. People passing by stopped to stare.

The other yetis had gathered on the street, shaking their heads. Meechee put her hands on her hips and growled, but there wasn't any real frustration in it.

"How good are you with a camera?"

Dallin snapped his head back to Percy. "A what?"

"A camera. For a TV show? My last cameraman just quit last week."

"I-I don't know. I've used a camera before, but this seems out of the blue. You want me to replace your cameraman? We just met a few days ago."

Percy glanced at the yetis. "I was thinking it would be useful to hire someone who knows yetis. You've talked to them in their own language and lived in their village for said few days. That's more than even I can say."

He looked thoughtfully at Brenda, who nodded. "It would mean you'd be in on a lot of the action. We need the best shots we can get."

"We'd be happy to have you." Brenda added. "We haven't had much luck finding a new cameraman."

"That too." muttered Percy.

Dallin hummed. It wasn't every day a job just fell into your lap.

Fleem glanced back at him with a smirk. Dallin couldn't keep back a smile. He stepped up to the window and looked inside. Ron and Dave were doing their best to ignore Fleem, but frankly, he was very difficult to ignore.

Dallin crossed his arms and looked up at him. "I think they've had enough." Fleem growled a laugh and stood up to his full height. Kolka and Gwangi rolled their eyes, unimpressed. Meechee gestured for everyone to follow her back to the yeti-human meeting place outside the city.

The rest of the yeti village was arriving. People rushed to meet them, shouting happily. It was like the past few days hadn't happened at all.

Dallin stood apart from the crowd, marveling. None of these people were aware that Dallin's and Fleem's worlds had collided and been rocked. Then just this morning he was back. Was everything really just going back to normal?

Dazed, wandered further away and sat down on a boulder. Migo and Percy talking excitedly...yetis following their human friends farther into the city…Tania had disappeared, likely to find Dr. Laker.

A giant finger shoved Dallin's shoulder, almost knocking him off the Boulder. Fleem huffed and plopped down next to him in the snow.

Dallin brushed off his shoulder. Maybe everything wasn't entirely normal anymore.

Fleem started signing and growling as best as he could. Dallin let him talk as they watched everyone else talk. The shorter yeti had opened up to him since they'd first met. Perhaps they could even be considered friends now.

Dallin turned to face him. "You know, for what it's worth, I don't think you're so bad. Just a little misunderstood."

He knew exactly what Fleem heard. But something in his eyes made Dallin think he understood what he meant.

Fleem got up and gestured with his head for Dallin to follow him. Dallin tilted his head. "Where?"

Fleem swept his arm out towards the city and gestured again.

"Oh." Dallin slid off the boulder. "Is this what you usually do when you come down here?"

Fleem responded by walking away, making sure to take small strides.

Dallin followed.

The two fell into an easy silence, walking wherever their steps took them through the city.

Fleem:

Fleem glanced back at Dallin. He looked more relaxed than he'd ever seen him.

He smiled. He still wasn't a people person. But as he and his smallfoot friend made their way through the maze of lights, he supposed they couldn't be all bad.

THE END

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! I had fun writing my first story, but the end is here. Stay tuned though! There will most likely be more stories to come. This fandom can't die yet!

Hope to see you there!