The wall clock struck 9:00 AM. The sun was already shining brightly, burning away the lingering morning mist.
Johnny and Aerith stood by the door, ready to leave. Aerith wore her new ribbon and carried a wooden staff—which she usually only used to whack moles in the garden.
"We're heading to the church now, Mom!" Aerith called out cheerfully, masking the slight tremor of nervousness in her voice. "There are... some wild weeds that need clearing around there."
Elmyra watched them from the kitchen. She knew 'wild weeds' likely had claws and fangs, but seeing Johnny's sturdy back beside her daughter, she nodded.
"Be careful. Don't come home too late," Elmyra cautioned.
They walked out, leaving the safety of the residential area for the wilder outskirts of Sector 5, near the church ruins.
"Relax, Aerith," Johnny said quietly without turning his head, his eyes warily scanning the perimeter. "I will protect you. You don't need to be afraid."
Aerith gripped her staff tightly. "I know, Johnny. I trust you. It's just... usually, I only use this Fire Materia to scare monsters while I run away. Or Sorcerous Storm to push them back. But this time... we're fighting back."
From Johnny's jacket pocket, Puck popped up, chewing on gum.
"Don't pee your pants, Princess!" Puck teased. "Remember, you have a Bodyguard with the face of a wanted criminal right next to you."
"Watch your mouth, Furball!" Ivalera flew out from Aerith's ribbon, bonking Puck on the head with her tiny wand. "Princess Aerith has immense magical potential! She just needs practice!"
Johnny ignored the bickering fairies. He checked his equipment.
On his wide leather belt, he had equipped two Materia orbs. A Green one (Cure) on his right side. A Purple one (Cover) on his left, right at his body's center of gravity.
Meanwhile, on Aerith's metal wrist Bangle, her own Fire and Cure Materia were securely set.
For half an hour, they wandered through the concrete ruins and scrap metal surrounding the church. It was quiet—too quiet.
Suddenly, a shadow flashed rapidly overhead.
SCREEECH!
A sharp shriek pierced the air. A Lesser Drake—a winged lizard with dull brown scales—swooped down from atop a concrete pillar.
The reptile's eyes instantly locked onto the target that appeared weakest and possessed the most delicious Mako energy: Aerith.
"Kyaa...!" Aerith yelped, reflexively raising her hands to protect her face, forgetting she held a staff.
Time seemed to slow for Johnny. He saw the Drake diving straight for Aerith. His brain told his legs to run, but his body moved faster than thought.
It was the effect of the Cover Materia.
The purple orb on Johnny's belt glowed brightly, sending a jolt of electrical signals to his leg muscles.
ZAP!
Involuntarily, Johnny's body was flung sideways, intercepting the Drake's flight path as if pulled by an invisible magnet. He became an instant human shield.
SLASH!
The Drake's sharp talons missed Aerith completely. Instead, they raked across Johnny's left arm, which was raised in a guard. His jacket sleeve tore, and the skin underneath was gashed deeply.
"Grrrhh!" Johnny growled, suppressing the sting. He swatted the Drake backward with his arm.
At the same moment, Aerith jolted back. She clutched her own left arm, wincing in pain.
The pain—sharp and hot—slammed into her soul through the Lifestream Bond. It wasn't physical damage, but a resonant 'echo' of the pain Johnny felt.
"Johnny!" Aerith screamed in panic. "Your arm!"
Johnny stood tall in front of Aerith, his greatsword already drawn in his right hand. Blood dripped from his left arm, but he didn't waver.
"I'm fine, Aerith!" Johnny shouted, his eyes locked on the Drake circling in the air for a second pass. "It's just a scratch!"
Puck flew right in front of Johnny's face. "Boss! This is practice time! Don't just be a meat shield! Use that Green Materia on yourself! Quick, before the flying lizard comes back!"
Aerith, though still feeling the phantom sting in her arm, tried to focus. Ivalera whispered in her ear, "Teach him, Princess! He needs guidance!"
"Johnny!" Aerith called out. "Use Cure! Now!"
Johnny hesitated. He was used to enduring pain, not magically fixing it.
"How?!"
"Touch the Materia!" Aerith guided him from behind. "Focus your mind on the wound! Imagine the pain being pulled out and replaced by cool water! Use your MP!"
Johnny touched the green orb on his belt with his bloody hand. He closed his eyes for a split second.
"Focus... cool water... MP..." Johnny thought.
It was hard. For Guts, who had lived a life of purely physical violence, visualizing magic felt like trying to grasp smoke. He felt a tiny pool of energy in his gut (his teaspoon-sized MP), and he tried to force it out.
The green orb flickered weakly, like a dying lightbulb.
"Come on, Boss! Don't be stingy!" Puck cheered. "Push it out!"
Johnny gritted his teeth. "Heal... Heal, damn it!"
PING.
A soft green light finally enveloped Johnny's arm. It felt cold and soothing. The gaping scratch slowly knitted together, the bleeding stopped, leaving only a thin red line.
The pain in Aerith's arm faded instantly as well.
Johnny opened his eyes, staring at his arm in amazement. "It worked..."
"Good job!" Aerith praised, her smile returning despite the tension. "Now, it's our turn to attack! Cover me, Johnny!"
Johnny grinned, hoisting his massive sword high.
"Ready, Teacher!"
================================================================
Aerith didn't waste the opening created when the Drake staggered back from Johnny's blow.
She twirled her wooden staff like a majorette's baton, then pointed the tip directly at the flying lizard's face.
"Take this! Fire!" Aerith shouted.
An orange fireball shot from the tip of her staff, slamming into the Drake's chest, scorching its scales and making it shriek in pain.
"Now, Johnny!"
Johnny didn't need to be told twice. He lowered his stance, pulling his greatsword level with his waist, the tip pointing straight forward like a giant lance.
"BRUTAL THRUST!"
THWACK!
The thrust was so fast and powerful that it pierced through the Drake's left wing, pinning it momentarily against the air itself. Before the monster could struggle, Johnny yanked his blade free and immediately followed up with a vertical slash using all his might.
CRACK.
The Drake was cleaved down the middle and fell to the ground, dissolving into particles of green light, leaving behind its carcass.
Silence for a moment.
Aerith stood tall, spun her staff one last time, and rested it on her shoulder in a cute victory pose.
"Hooray! We won!" Aerith cheered happily, and then she began to hum a very specific melody.
"Tu tu tu, ti tu tu tuuu~".
Johnny stared at her in confusion while wiping monster blood off his sword. "What song is that?"
Puck popped out of his pocket. "That's the mandatory RPG victory anthem, Boss! You really are uncool."
Ivalera clapped her tiny hands. "A stunning performance, Princess!"
However, the celebration was premature.
Just as Johnny bent down to carve out the valuable Drake wing, and while Aerith was busy brushing dust off her skirt, another shadow flashed by.
A second Drake—which had been hiding behind a ruined pillar—launched a cowardly ambush. It dove sharply toward the distracted Aerith.
"Look out!" Johnny yelled.
It was too late to dodge completely. Aerith tried to jump back, but the Drake's wing slammed hard into her shoulder.
THUD! SPLASH!
Aerith was knocked off her feet and landed squarely in a puddle of dark brown mud left over from last night's rain. Her pretty pink dress, her new ribbon, and her face were now splattered with filthy muck.
Aerith froze. She looked down at her ruined dress. Her sweet face darkened.
"Shit."
The word came out perfectly enunciated and with profound emphasis.
Johnny, who was already in a combat stance to attack the second Drake, nearly slipped upon hearing it. He turned his head toward Aerith, eyes wide.
"Did..." Johnny blinked. "Did you just say something, Aerith?"
Aerith immediately stood up, her face returning to its innocent and sweet expression as if nothing had happened, despite the mud on her cheek.
"Hmmmp? Nothing," Aerith denied with an angelic smile. "I didn't say anything."
"My ears didn't deceive me," Puck whispered in horror. "That Flower Girl just cursed worse than a sailor."
"That's part of her charm, you Idiot!" Ivalera defended, though she looked a bit shocked herself.
Aerith glared at the Drake that had dirtied her. This time, it wasn't the gaze of a friendly flower merchant. It was the vengeful glare of a woman whose outfit had been ruined.
She raised her staff. The fire at its tip burned twice as large as before, fueled by rage.
"You... Brat!"
FWOOSH!
The fireball exploded in the Drake's face, blinding it momentarily.
"Johnny! Finish it!" Aerith commanded.
"On it!"
Johnny charged. He took advantage of the Drake's blindness. He began to spin, his greatsword becoming a propeller of death.
"WHIRLWIND STRIKE!"
Johnny spun like an iron top. Slash after slash battered the Drake's body without mercy, shredding scales and flesh. The Drake was knocked into the air.
Johnny stopped his rotation, planted his feet firmly, and leaped for the final blow.
"SOMERSAULT SLASH!"
BOOM!
The massive sword slammed the Drake into the ground with such force that the earth beneath it cracked. The monster died instantly, unable to even let out a final shriek.
The battle was over.
Johnny looted the second monster quickly, then approached Aerith. He offered a clean cloth from his pocket to wipe the mud from her face.
"Are you... okay?" Johnny asked carefully. He was still smiling slightly from the 'Shit' incident.
Aerith took the cloth, wiping her cheek while pouting cutely. "Just dirty clothes. It'll wash out. Let's go home, Johnny. I need a bath."
Johnny walked Aerith back to the border of the Sector 5 residential area. The sun was high, almost noon.
"Well, this is as far as we go," Aerith said at the path leading to her house. "Thank you for being my shield today, Johnny. Even though... well, apart from the mud incident."
Johnny nodded, bowing slightly out of politeness.
"I'll take my leave then, Aerith. My parents must be waiting for me at the workshop. My duty for today is done. Thank you for today, and... I apologize for failing to protect you from that last hit."
"It's okay, Johnny, and thank you!" Aerith waved cheerfully. "Bye byeee!"
"See you," Johnny replied.
As Johnny turned and walked away, Puck whispered from inside the pocket.
"Boss... you heard it, right? 'Shit'. She definitely said 'Shit'."
Johnny smiled faintly, shaking his head.
"She is full of surprises, Puck. And funny."