_Lucky Devil_

A mudslide was one of those freak events that would only dare happen to him in Wutai, Sephiroth decided. Spared being swept several meters downhill by his quick reflexes and a conveniently placed boulder, he was one of few who weren't blanketed by the flow. The general leaned over and snagged his aide as the man was sucked past his makeshift outpost, and then did the same for another trooper in convenient reach. The jeep the man had been driving wasn't so lucky, and smashed into a tree thirty feet later. Squeezing the mud from his hair, Zack could only whistle appreciatively at the sloppy mess that was oozing to a halt all around them. He studied the stability of the hill where the slip had started and then reached for his radio.

"All sections, report in as soon as you dig out your radios! Assist fellow troopers in need! Emergency reports on band two!" As soon as he let go of the button, his little device began crackling with requests for aid and section leaders moving to regroup. Sephiroth prodded the mud with the tip of his blade, not liking the ease with which it dipped into the muck.

"Man, what I wouldn't give for a pair of snowshoes." The southerner laughed at the irony of wanting the winter accessory in the middle of the jungle. "Ah well, not like I can get any worse, eh?" Sephiroth merely made a face as Zack stripped off non-essential gear and voluntarily waded back into the mess.

"General if you'll keep a count? I'm going to go lend a hand to the poor bastards trapped in the cargo container."

"How long before this-" Sephiroth gestured at the general soup, "Hardens up into something tolerable?"

"Hopefully not for days." Zack blandly opined. "Otherwise we'll never dig out half of what's been buried."

Super strength meant that when he pushed through the muck he was able to propel himself forward in one foot increments rather than in inches. It still appeared to be extremely slow going. The Soldier hadn't gone more than five feet however before he tripped and near sunk himself in the jungle debris.

Cursing, Zack freed his arm from the mud and then nudged whatever it was underfoot with a thoughtful expression. Sephiroth watched as perplexed, the man dared to stoop over, delving into the mire to pull out a muddy blob about the shape of a small bag. His friend turned with effort and just as slowly slogged his way back to the boulder to plant his finding up where it was dry.

"What is it?" The general grimly wondered as he kept half an ear on the reports flowing from his radio.

Zack grinned as he wiped fistfuls of dirt and leaves off of his find. Amazingly, the mud-ball revealed itself to be an undamaged six-pack of beer. Somehow the bounty must have been swept out of someone's tent in the deluge. "Nice!"

Sephiroth could only shake his head in disbelief. "You have the devil's luck, Thompson."

"Don't I know it." Laughing with the probability of it, his aide turned back to the messy business of digging out, his spoils left safely behind on the rock for later.

*****