Post by Aeris Gainsborough on May 28, 2011 9:59:36 GMT -5
Midgar...
The alleyways were almost empty, as the break of dawn had not yet awakened those without purpose within the city's walls. Aeris could hear the echo of her footsteps as she walked.
It's going to be impossible for me to explain my purpose here. She shook her head slightly. Perhaps I should go over it once more...?
Her pink dress swayed uneasily with her steps. The air was crisp, almost cold without her red jacket to cover her shoulders. She huddled her arms closer to her, clutching her basket of odds-and-ends flowers she'd managed to gather along her path into the city.
Exasperated, she sighed. How am I supposed to go about this? Every attempt at "Hey, I'm not dead anymore!" just seemed ridiculous. And that was excluding her mission, the main reason for her even being at all.
As she stepped from the dark alley, oblivious that she'd left her cover, morning sunlight washed over her body. Catching a glimpse of pure daylight for the first time in more than six years warmed her heart, and made it rise within her chest. She froze, unable to breathe.
Was she really so preoccupied and desperate that she'd completely missed the beauty, and warmth, of life?
She was standing on the ground of her entire life from...before.
She stood for a moment, observing children sleepily leaving their homes, some on their way to lessons (or so she assumed,) others waking up to a day of play and mischief. As she looked around, her basket of flowers now hanging limply from her arm, she watched men in suits and ties quickly pass her by, adding to the crowd growing on the street. She saw young girls, some clad in pretty dresses begin to gather all around her.
I was one of these people once. The notion seemed foreign as surpressed memories began to resurface. The entire city had grown to a monstrous size, her home and old life eliminated, she was sure. For a moment, though, she was back in the slums, venturing to the decrepit church to tend to her flowers instead of winding through unknown streets for pieces of an old existence. She was to head back to her mother's directly after, outside the reaches of the polluted city, to tend to her garden, her yard, her...home.
She clutched her basket confidently and approached two of the older girls she saw on the street. One was a thin brunette, with wavy hair much like her own. She wore a jean dress, simple but stylish, with a black turtle neck underneath. Her dress buttoned down the middle with shiny, pearlesque buttons. Her friend was blonde, and beautiful in a little black dress, grey leggings (a new trend Aeris assumed--they were everywhere) and black boots. The two girls looked up at the woman, a youthful curiosity in their eyes.
"A flower," Aeris began, "for two beautiful young ladies. I have some that will compliment your outfits just perfectly!" She shifted blossoms around in her basket for a moment, then pulled out a fresh red rose and handed it to the young blonde girl. "You should wear it in your hair; that would be so pretty!" She paused for a moment. "If you decide to, though, be sure to watch the thorns." Aeris smiled brightly to her young comrade, who smiled shyly back, and then she turned to the brunette. "For you, I have one of my favorite flowers," Aeris paused once more to search her basket, "A white lily, such a delicate blossom." She motioned to the girl's hair. "May I?"
The young girl nodded, and brushed her hair behind her ear. Aeris tucked the flower snugly with the hair, the blossom pointed out for the world to see.
Aeris admired them fondly for a moment, before the brunette spoke up.
"You don't want...gil for these, do you?" Her voice was earnest.
Aeris waved her hand. "Not at all! No one needs to pay for a flower. They're here for everyone to enjoy."
She recalled selling flowers from the church on the streets of this very city, but the idea seemed silly now. She no longer had a mother, or a home to support. These things were remnants of something that was no longer hers.
Aeris gave the girls a small smile and wave, as she turned to leave. Two "thank you" 's rang behind her as she walked away.
Could I ever be one of them again?
The alleyways were almost empty, as the break of dawn had not yet awakened those without purpose within the city's walls. Aeris could hear the echo of her footsteps as she walked.
It's going to be impossible for me to explain my purpose here. She shook her head slightly. Perhaps I should go over it once more...?
Her pink dress swayed uneasily with her steps. The air was crisp, almost cold without her red jacket to cover her shoulders. She huddled her arms closer to her, clutching her basket of odds-and-ends flowers she'd managed to gather along her path into the city.
Exasperated, she sighed. How am I supposed to go about this? Every attempt at "Hey, I'm not dead anymore!" just seemed ridiculous. And that was excluding her mission, the main reason for her even being at all.
As she stepped from the dark alley, oblivious that she'd left her cover, morning sunlight washed over her body. Catching a glimpse of pure daylight for the first time in more than six years warmed her heart, and made it rise within her chest. She froze, unable to breathe.
Was she really so preoccupied and desperate that she'd completely missed the beauty, and warmth, of life?
She was standing on the ground of her entire life from...before.
She stood for a moment, observing children sleepily leaving their homes, some on their way to lessons (or so she assumed,) others waking up to a day of play and mischief. As she looked around, her basket of flowers now hanging limply from her arm, she watched men in suits and ties quickly pass her by, adding to the crowd growing on the street. She saw young girls, some clad in pretty dresses begin to gather all around her.
I was one of these people once. The notion seemed foreign as surpressed memories began to resurface. The entire city had grown to a monstrous size, her home and old life eliminated, she was sure. For a moment, though, she was back in the slums, venturing to the decrepit church to tend to her flowers instead of winding through unknown streets for pieces of an old existence. She was to head back to her mother's directly after, outside the reaches of the polluted city, to tend to her garden, her yard, her...home.
She clutched her basket confidently and approached two of the older girls she saw on the street. One was a thin brunette, with wavy hair much like her own. She wore a jean dress, simple but stylish, with a black turtle neck underneath. Her dress buttoned down the middle with shiny, pearlesque buttons. Her friend was blonde, and beautiful in a little black dress, grey leggings (a new trend Aeris assumed--they were everywhere) and black boots. The two girls looked up at the woman, a youthful curiosity in their eyes.
"A flower," Aeris began, "for two beautiful young ladies. I have some that will compliment your outfits just perfectly!" She shifted blossoms around in her basket for a moment, then pulled out a fresh red rose and handed it to the young blonde girl. "You should wear it in your hair; that would be so pretty!" She paused for a moment. "If you decide to, though, be sure to watch the thorns." Aeris smiled brightly to her young comrade, who smiled shyly back, and then she turned to the brunette. "For you, I have one of my favorite flowers," Aeris paused once more to search her basket, "A white lily, such a delicate blossom." She motioned to the girl's hair. "May I?"
The young girl nodded, and brushed her hair behind her ear. Aeris tucked the flower snugly with the hair, the blossom pointed out for the world to see.
Aeris admired them fondly for a moment, before the brunette spoke up.
"You don't want...gil for these, do you?" Her voice was earnest.
Aeris waved her hand. "Not at all! No one needs to pay for a flower. They're here for everyone to enjoy."
She recalled selling flowers from the church on the streets of this very city, but the idea seemed silly now. She no longer had a mother, or a home to support. These things were remnants of something that was no longer hers.
Aeris gave the girls a small smile and wave, as she turned to leave. Two "thank you" 's rang behind her as she walked away.
Could I ever be one of them again?