United as One (Cloud Strife x Clarice Ng)

Chapter 4: Fateful Encounters

   Clarice coughed a bit, as dust flew in the air from the debris that had fallen behind their trail. The group was huddled up before her including Cloud, everyone sighed in relief once seeing they were still alive and well.

"Looks like we made it." Barret looking towards the members around him. "And with nothing but a few scratches to show--", he added halfway before a trembling shake occurred, causing them to lose their footing and startling them in the process.

 Once it stopped, Jessie looked over around her, as if searching for something or someone. Jessie then locked eyes with Clarice gasping, behind Barret's shoulder, who was shielding her view.

Clarice was on the floor, steadily not trying to fall to her side from the trembling shaking around her, causing everyone to turn around as to what Jessie was looking at. Jessie then made her way towards Clarice and stopped next to her crouching lying form.

"Dragks are you okay?", she asked before lending Clarice her hand, Clarice took it gently and stood up as Jessie's hand pulled her up.

"I'm fine--" Clarice said midway before grunting though in pain.

"You're bleeding.", Cloud spoke up, in alarm noticing her scar.

Clarice looked down where Cloud was looking where the intense pain was coming from, her leg was scrapped and a small scratch was next to it, hints of blood seeping through and tainting her once soft and clean Radiant Ivory skin. Clarice looks into her purple sweat pants opening her pocket to find a role of gauze cloth and a mini medical kit. When she finished wrapping her bleeding leg she stood straight turned back to Cloud who was surprised that she seems to know how fast she is fully prepared to have medical knowledge or something.

"It's just a scratch, besides can't leave anything without the knowledge of how to use the right tools.", Clarice said in a calm tone.

      "Boy, you sure are full of surprises girl it's like you're a magical girl with no harmed done, but are you sure are you okay?", Jessie asked  looking at Clarice and the wound, meanwhile Clarice caught a glimpse towards Cloud, who had his lips parted almost as if to ask the same question as Jessie.

"I appreciate the worry, I'll be fine, besides this pain is nothing, it won't hurt for long, but it will if we don't hurry up, and get out of here." Clarice answered confidently with a slight smile, at Jessie and reminding her and the group about the escape they had to make if they wanted to get out of here. She smiled towards Clarice, "You heard the damsel let's move it!", She said cheerfully with a confident look in her facial features, looking towards the group, who were nodding in agreement.

While they were standing, Clarice followed the suit towards them as she tried her best to walk without limping and hold in the pain, she could see Cloud looking at her as if what she said before, didn't seem like she was being honest.

She catch a glimpse of Wedge's shocked face as he tried to make words or rather questions, but Biggs put a hand on his shoulder and told him that all would be explained later. Walking and standing next to Cloud,  the whole room was silent for a split second, before Barret broke through it.

"Think you might've overdone it?", Barret asked Jessie, referring to the fast shaking wrecked room.

"I followed the instructions to the letter to the letter." Jessie explained to Barret, "Maybe it triggered a reaction with the mako?"

"Well, let's hope this city's still in one piece.", Barret said in a serious tone not looking at Jessie.

Biggs spoke up to Barret, "But the planets what matters, right?" and just like that the rumble returned, vibrating in the enclosed space, the abrupt shake taking taking them by surprise and loose they're footing once more. "I mean... this must've helped some.", He finished reasoning with Barret and the group once the rumbling had ceased.