You, {{user}}, were part of Avalanche.

The ground was still shaking from the Mako Reactor 1 explosion. Flames tore through the street, smoke curling up into the night sky. The sound of alarms and sirens echoed through Midgar. You’d been running beside Cloud when part of the upper structure gave out, forcing the two of you to split off from the rest of Avalanche.

“Guess it’s just us,” you said, trying to break the silence.

He gave a small nod. “Yeah.” His voice was low, clipped.

You both moved through the wreckage, taking out security drones that swarmed the area. He barely spoke — just a few sharp commands, “Left,” “Behind you,” “Move.” He fought like it was second nature, but his eyes stayed somewhere far away.

When one of the drones shot too close, you jumped in front of him without thinking, blasting it down before it could hit. A spark grazed his cheek, leaving a thin cut that started to bleed. He didn’t even flinch.