Aerith & Tifa

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack took one step forward and swang the buster sword upward, concealing a wince as several of his wounds broke open and began bleeding with a vengeance. There was the clang of metal as Reno's short rod met with Zack's blade. Zack pivoted sideways and kicked out towards Reno's chest. All his attacks designed to be primarily defensive, hoping to simply dissuade the Turk from his current course of action.
Whether it was successful or not Zack would retract from the kick and regain his shaky footing, cursing how out of shape he was. The buster sword would then return to its defensive angle in front of his body.

Despite how afraid he was, the moment Aerith ran over to him Cloud moved to stand beside her defensively, doing what his best friend would no doubt want him to do, protect Aerith. His eyes were still trained with horror however onto the infantrymen who stood waiting by the door.

[The Painted Lady]

Reno muttered a few choice words as he received his boot to the chest. Skidding backwards a few feet, he gritted his teeth, brushing the dirt from his uniform. Which, really, seemed like a waste of time considering how slobby his suit already looked. He wasn't put off just yet, seeing how Zack seemed to struggle with his attacks. Using his quickness to his advantage as much as possible, he darted around, trying to avoid Zack's large blade, to attack him again.

Aerith shrunk back a little as the battle began. She really didn't like violence, and she had always been a little reluctant to see this side of Zack. Her concern for him ran deep though. She hoped he could fend off her would-be kidnappers.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack cursed as Reno made a dart around behind him, his spinning head and lack of balance made movement rather difficult, he began to turn but was not quite quick enough, receiving a nasty knock to the ribs with Reno's metal baton. The blow drove what little air he had in his lungs out and he coughed heavily quickly lifting a hand to wipe away the blood that speckled his lips. He was facing Reno again now, his breaths gasping in his chest, audibly wheezing as his ailed lungs struggled to recover from their shock.
He didn't think he had the energy for any spells, so he'd have to settle for the same attacks he'd been using up till this point. Zack jerked his sword up, ever hopeful that he might disarm the Turk.

Cloud seemed to get paler, if that was ever possible and before he realised what he was doing he sought out Aerith's hand. He knew she needed comfort as much as he did.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith went into panic as Zack received the blow, breath quick in her chest as she held Cloud's hand tightly. It was more to ensure she didn't dart forward as she wanted to. She was pretty certain Zack wouldn't be happy with that.

Reno was a little surprised but pleased that he was doing pretty damn well against Zack. He was starting to get even more cocky and confident in his technique. Unfortunately, his big head cost him though, and he didn't concentrate enough as the Buster sword swung to strike his rod from his hand.
"Crap..."
He back flipped out of harm's way to retrieve his baton by the wall, before charging again.

[Tifa Lockhart]

As Reno's rod went flying and the Buster swords swing returned it to the neutral position Zack blacked out for a second his vision flickering. Once he could see again Reno was charging at him, newly rearmed and ferocious.
Zack brought the buster sword up the parry, spark flying as the two metals met.
"Can you do it?" Zack grunted to Reno as he pushed against his rod, "Can you kill me? Can you take Cloud and Aerith back to Shinra?" He twisted the buster sword, hoping to disarm the Turk yet again, "You know what really happened at Nibelhiem." He finished, his voice gravaly from the blood in his throat. He stepped back away from Reno, whether he was disarmed or not. As he took a step away his head span again, and there was a thunderous clanging of metal as the buster sword fell from his hand.
"You want them... you'll have to kill me." He panted, standing with his arms outstretched so a clear shot could be taken at his already injured chest, "Try explaining that to Tseng."

[The Painted Lady]

Reno managed to keep a stronger hold on his rod, having learnt his lesson from earlier, but it was clear from his expression that his conscience was ticking over. He looked to Zack, now open and defenceless. Could he really kill someone like this? And a former comrade no less?

His thoughts were interrupted by a cry somewhere behind Zack. Aerith came rushing forward, obviously having let go of Cloud, placing herself between Zack and Reno, holding onto the SOLDIER, head buried in his chest. Reno's mouth set into a thin line. He couldn't kill the Ancient.

"Let's get outta here," the red-head muttered sullenly to the soldiers, backing out of the church.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack's arms dropped down to his sides as Reno began to back away, he was faintly aware of Aerith's arms around his waist, but everything felt surreal around him and sounds were like he was listening through a pane of glass, garbled and senseless.
He tried to pull his mind back into real space rather than spinning off in the nothingness between unconsciousness and consciousness but he failed and within seconds he was falling.

Cloud saw the SOLDIERs knees crumble and ran forward ready to help Aerith with some of the weight.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith gasped as Zack fell, taking her down with him. With help from Cloud though, she was able to steady the both of them before they crashed to the ground. Gently, she lowered him, again cradling his head and shoulders. Some of his wounds were bleeding again, and she hated the way blood speckled his lips.
"Cloud?" she said to the boy, looking up to him. "I'm pretty sure there should be some potions in one of those bag over there. Maybe it will help..."
She looked back down to the battered SOLDIER in her arms.
"Oh Zack..." she whispered.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud nodded once he'd helped lower Zack to the ground and ran over to the bags that Aerith had brought back with her when she'd gone shopping.
He rummaged around for a few moments before bringing out a strange cylindrical object, the contents glowed a strange greenish blue colour.
He brought the potion over offering it to Aerith with the same childish fear reflected in his pit-like eyes.
Again it seemed Zack had fought himself to breaking point while he'd stood around gaping, how terribly useless he must seem to Zack.

As Cloud handed the potion to Aerith, Zack coughed the wetness of the sound indicating he'd coughed up more blood on which he choked for a moment before his breathing returned rattly and shallow.

[The Painted Lady]

Slowly and carefully, Aerith had worked Zack into a more upright position, leaning back against her. She looked up to Cloud, murmuring a quiet 'thank you' and trying to manage a small smile for him as she took the potion from his hands.
With one hand secure around his waist, Aerith brought the bottle to his bloodied lip, slowly tipping it up so small amounts of the blue-green liquid spilt past. She wanted to make sure he didn't choke on that too.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack spluttered slightly as the first of the potion gushed into his unprepared mouth, but then the natural reflex kicked in and he swallowed. Nerves in his face twitched slightly as he did. Slowly he drank the entire contents of the potion bottle. As he did the struggling of his breathing lessened somewhat and the tenseness in his limbs loosened, allowing him to relax more in Aerith's caring arms.
He did not wake though, but his eyelids did flutter briefly.

"Do you..." Cloud began nervously, shifting uneasily by the packs, "Need anything else?" He finally finished asking, looking at Aerith, his dark eyes still distressed.

[The Painted Lady]

Once the bottle was empty, Aerith placed it on the ground beside her, arm then moving to wrap around him very gently. She looked to Cloud as he spoke, feeling a strong need to comfort him. She smiled to him reassuringly.
"I might clean up some of these wounds that have opened up," she said, voice calm and soothing in an attempt to relax him.
She glanced over to the bowl of water and cloth from yesterday, before looking back to Cloud. She felt the boy would be more settled if he felt he was aiding Zack.
"Would you be able to re-fill the bowl for me?" she asked gently.
"You just need to go up there," she nodded to the end of the church, where the pews faced, "and into the little back room on the right."

[Tifa Lockhart]

Cloud nodded and stooped to pick up the bowl and rag. He then hurried towards the back of the church where Aerith had pointed.
He found the little sink and emptied out the water from the day before. He quickly rinsed the bowl and the rag before refilling the bowl with new clean water... or as clean as you'd get from a tap in the slums anyway.
He then emerged, carefully holding the bowl, eyes glued to it so that he wouldn't slosh any of the water.
"Here..." He murmured, placing the bowl carefully down beside Aerith, his eyes fixing on Zack's pale face with a look of fear. He was concerned for his friend.

[The Painted Lady]

Aerith smiled to Cloud as he returned with the water.
"Thank you," she said, in her same gentle tone as she reached for the cloth.
First, she lightly sponged the sweat from Zack's brow and wiped the blood from his lips. After rinsing out the cloth in the water again, she moved onto his chest, cleaning his wounds of the blood that oozed from them. Even from the awkward angle, she could see some of the bullets starting to surface in the open wounds. It seemed his body was quick at rejecting them. She didn't touch them for now though, wanting Zack to be at least a little stronger before she would do anything that would hurt him.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Zack slept through Aerith's work for some time, only small winces showing his discomfort. Cloud sat a short distance from her, watching her work with strangely keen eyes. He looked at nothing else the entire time she was patching Zack up. The only time he moved his eyes was when he stood and went to the bags, fetching a roll of bandage, which he shyly offered to Aerith.
"I-I thought... it might... help with the dirt?" He said uneasily.