Flower Girl (Invites)

[Kragen]

"I had just about enough of you!"

Reno charged the woman, swinging the iron rod in his right hand towards her while keeping his free hand prepared in case the rod was blocked or missed.

[Garrus Vakarian]

The battle lines has been drawn and Rude watched as Reno already charged ahead after Tifa, swinging with his rod. Rude was curious to test the woman's physical prowess and compare it to his own, he stayed close behind his partner. Ready to back him up as the surrounding citizens began to run away from the conflict among the three.

[Saephara]

As the two rushed towards her, Tifa's face grew serious. Reno came first with his rod, seemingly coming from his right. How best to deal with this... Behind Reno was Rude, approaching with the same determination. She remembered from their past encounters in her time that he had been deadly with his fighting technique, and Reno had some skill as well. She could not take the two lightly. Reddish eyes narrowed as she summoned the power of her Speed materia, granting her the slightest of advantages. Her outstretched leg was pulled under her and back she flipped, her hands landing on the ground to push her body into an arc. As she landed, she saw that two were right on her and quickly she acted.

Tifa crouched and sprung forward, her right fist pulled back and aimed for Reno's chest. She would risk a hit to her left side but if she could incapacitate him quickly that would only leave the one.

[Ayen]

Ayen heard something hit the window and opened up his eyes. When he heard it a second time he turned his head to where the window was on the side wall. At the third and final time the blonde stood up and looked out the window to see a man who's own hair seemed to have the ability to defy every law of gravity ever forged by the Creator of all things. Ayen opened up the window and looked down at the man irritably.

“What the hell do you think you're doing!? Do you know what time it is!?” said Ayen in a hushed tone as to not to wake the others.

[Kragen]

Reno's rod collided with Tifa's knuckles and rebound as he spun to her left and launched three quick strikes with the rod towards her side.

[Garrus Vakarian]

While Reno moved to her left Rude continued forward in a frontal assault unleashing a fury of powerful left and rights at Tifa.

[Saephara]

Finally, somebody showed themselves to Cloud. It looked like the blonde from the church...what was he doing here at Aerith's home? In a split second, he remembered. Upon first meeting her, he had also come to this home and attempted to leave her there, thinking it was safest for her and to honor her mother's wishes. Little had he known how strong her will and determination had been back then. Was what was happening a repeat of the past?

“What the hell do you think you're doing!? Do you know what time it is!?” he called down in a quiet tone. His hair looked mussed which made sense being that it was now completely dark. Cloud said nothing for a moment, trying to figure out how best to get the younger looking male to understand the dire situation. Finally, Cloud spoke clearly but somberly, "The men at the church. They followed you both here. You and Aerith. We need to leave. I have a friend holding the two off right now but they could overpower her at any moment. You need to grab her and get out." It had been the most he had said in quite a while. With the rise in his emotions, the darkness swirled around inside of him and he quietly willed it to settle. "Tifa and I will help you protect her. Let's go. Now."

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Pain tore through her knuckles and down her arm as the metal rod connected with her knuckles. Tifa simply gritted her teeth and bore it. Reno had moved to her left side, hoping to connect with that side and Rude and pushed forward towards her. He sure was determined to test her ability. She couldn't help but allow the rod to strike her side, three quick strikes landing in succession against her skin and once again pain bloomed from under her flesh. Tifa paid no mind to it. She simply spun and applied a right roundhouse kick in Reno's general direction, hoping it flung him somewhere away from her, and ran to the right to confront Rude's punches.

It was almost to fast to keep up with, however she had learned from the very best and she would do her best not to shame his name. One by one, she kept up with Rude, blocking most of his blows and missing few, allowing some blows to land in various areas. In turn, she threw her own punches and like his, most were blocked and some were landed. he came at her with a punch that landed on her cheek, rocking her head off to the side. Dizziness came over her, blackness creeping across her vision. She jumped away from Rude, breathing heavily. Quickly she called on her healing materia, using only enough to heal major damage. Immediately after, she called on her lightning materia and focused the energy to collect in her gloves. She clenched her fists and determined, sped toward Reno this time, getting up close, grabbing his rod with her left hand and throwing another right punch toward his face.

She could only hope that she was holding them off long enough. She was close already to her limit break from the previous fights and she really didn't want to hurt the two that had come to be a sort of friend to her in her time.

[Ayen]

"The men at the church. They followed you both here. You and Aerith. We need to leave. I have a friend holding the two off right now but they could overpower her at any moment. You need to grab her and get out."

“I guess a good night's sleep was just too much to ask for.”

"Tifa and I will help you protect her. Let's go. Now."

“We'll be right down.”

Ayen closed the window and exit his room, coming in front of Aerith's and lightly knocking on the door. Testing to see if it was unlocked and finding that it was opened it and stepped inside.

“Aerith,” he whispered, “we have to get out of here those men from the church are back.”

[Kragen]

Reno was knocked back by the roundhouse kick from Tifa but managed to keep his footing about him, which was when he noticed the lack of numbers. Not on his side but Tifa's as the absence of a certain blonde headed male in violet became increasingly known, his eyes searching around for where he might have gone before it hit him. Tifa was nothing more than a distraction!

"Son of a-!"

Renoi didn't even get to finish his sentence before Tifa sped towards him and grabbed his rod.

"Oh sweetheart."

Reno quickly pressed his foot up against Tifa's chest to push her back meanwhile yanking the rod out of her grip, this act allowing him to avoid the punch altogether while Rude had another opening to work with.

[Garrus Vakarian]

Rude received hits in return from Tifa, impressed by the damage she had managed to inflict on his body but was strong enough to endure and suppress the feeling that came with the pain before she turned her attention to Reno. As soon as Reno provided the opening, Rude charged forward and extended his right gloved hand to grab her right arm and yank it back, applying pressure on it to hold her in place.

[Saephara]

The kick to her chest had been too quick to see. The air that remained in Tifa's lungs came out in a rush as Reno kicked her back, sending her off balance. Almost immediately, Rude's giant hand enclosed around her right arm and pulled back, threatening to pull her arm out of it's socket. Tears sprung to her eyes from the pain but she refused for them to fall. She quickly tested what movements she could do and found there was not much. If she had enough magic, she could encompass her body in the electrical charge. So close to a limit break....

She slowly lowered herself to the ground, allowing Rude to maintain his hold on her, silently thinking about what she could do. After several seconds, she had decided. With a violent twist along the ground, she swept her left leg back and behind her to make Rude fall, in the process dislocating her shoulder. A short scream escaped her lips as it occurred and once more her vision turned into tunnel vision. Quickly she stepped in front of the two, blocking their path again and letting her arm hang uselessly. With her free hand, she braced herself and pushed her arm upwards, pushing her arm back into its rightful place. A short bark of pain left her this time and she gritted her teeth, her hands coming back up to defend herself. Her breathing had quickened and the numbness was setting in. She couldn't last much longer. They needed to hurry.

[Kragen]

"Hold her there, Rude. I'm going to go find where the other one ran off to."

Reno began to trace the steps of Cloud and went off into the direction of where he knew Aerith's house to be, but before he could take another step further Tifa was blocking his path again and irritation became clearly visible on his facial features.

"Don't you ever know when to quit!?"

[Garrus Vakarian]

Rude fell to the ground, somewhat surprised that Tifa was capable of getting out of his grip but at a terrible price as her right shoulder was now useless to her. Rude stood back up to his feet and rejoined Reno's side, watching as Tifa popped her shoulder back into place and stood in their way. Curious to see what Tifa would do next.

[Alex]

"What?" asked a half awake Aerith as she rose from her bed. "What are you talking about?"

Aerith rubbed her eyes and looked up at Ayen waiting for him to clarify on what he just said before going anywhere.

[Saephara]

The blonde male had disappeared inside the house, leaving Cloud standing outside where he could hear the battle that was taking place not too far away. The various grunts and shouts were dulled since night had fallen. Every fiber of his being wanted to run and help Tifa but knew that he couldn't leave the two in the house. Plus, Tifa had her pride and honor to uphold. She was strong. Time and time again had proven that. And what had he done? He had just run from the ones closest to being called his family. He bowed his head and shook his head gently, a rare smirk coming across his lips for only a few seconds. And then a short scream erupted through the air. Cloud's head snapped upwards towards the sound. Tifa...you can do this. Only a little longer...

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Her panting was growing worse and as Tifa slowly gained her magic, she used it to heal what damage she could. Now that she was stationary, the effects of the short battle had taken a toll on her body. "You ask...why I never...quit?" she questioned through her breaths. She really didn't want to hurt the two men. They really were good people that had gotten involved in a terrible cause. She closed her eyes for only a moment to regain her composure. She stood taller and took a deep breath, thoughts racing through her head.

If I do this, it will leave one standing and able to run towards Cloud...do I risk it? If I don't do it now, I'll be of no use. Who do I go for? Rude, the martial arts fighter, or Reno, the man skilled with his weapon and various magic?[/i] Her eyes opened and steel determination sparked inside her, the fire of her limit break racing through her. "I never quit because I am protecting those I care about!"she yelled at Reno. Tears threatened to streak across her cheeks but she willed them away as she felt the power course through her. The air around her simmered with her energy as she prepared. She could only hope that Rude could block some of what she threw at him.

She willing all of her joints and muscles to do what she willed as she ran up to Rude, throwing a quick right and left jab followed by a right uppercut. Right after she jumped up and off of his upper leg, throwing the other up to aim towards his chin. As she landed, the momentum of her body threw her into and low left sidesweep across the ground to drop Rude to the ground hopefully. She wasn't paying attention. She was just giving her all to take out at least one of the Turks. Grabbing at Rude's waist she brought him up into the air using her shoulder to keep him up, a yell escaping her throat as she jumped up with the mass of man and slammed down into the earth. As quickly as she could, she jumped right back up and forced more power into her right fist, bringing it low and into Rude, pushing him high into the air, jumping for further distance. As he landed she still wasn't done. With another shout she grabbed him by the collar of his suit and lifted him up into the air. She suddenly jumped several feet into the air and slammed him into the ground. I'm so sorry...[/i]It was all that was running through her head as her assault continued for one last move. Final Heaven...

As she landed, she turned towards Reno with a glint in her eyes, power charging in her beaten fist. Tifa charged forward, a hoarse cry echoing through the air as she aimed toward Reno, running past him. An aftereffect of the energy in her punch tore through the air around the redhead and surrounded the area several feet around him. "I'm so sorry..." The words escaped her lips before she knew they had left them as she fell to her knees, her good left arm braced against the ground. With a heavy head she peered upwards with sad eyes to see what damage, if any, had been dealt.