The song was immediately catchy; it boasted an infectious beat and a throaty singer. The sound hooked Aeris; she moved to the beat, dancing from the bare wooden boards to the dry packed mud in the centre of the church. A decidely different sound to her normal musical accompaniment, but worth considering for future performances. Assuming she caught the title. Or at least who sang it. The props could remain where they lay for now; more important to get a sense of the rhythm and the beat if she was seriously intending to use the song.
The next line was too close to home and her dance faltered. Not only was her personal implication jarringly familiar, but that movement- The last time she had danced like that had been a good five years previous, and for a specific audience of one. The memory of that occasion made her heart lurch, but the lyrics continued, ignorant of their complicity. Maybe not such a good choice of song - not if it provoked that kind of reaction in her. She could switch the radio off right now. But the song – whatever it was – did not seem to be a love song and for now she would let it continue. Move on it seemed to say - and the focus of the lyrics shifted. Despite, or perhaps because of, the personally awkward wording, it could almost have been about her. Curious but improbable.
Aeris span around, the music growing more frantic; her movement was slow enough to not leaver her dizzy, but still fast enough to blur the church around her. The music hit an abrupt lull when the next verse began; she ended her spin facing the radio. The tiny LED clock indicated it was almost nine. Time she got moving. Aeris murmured along to the lyrics and picked up the scattered props; her still not quite right line of candles, her staff, her poi. Was the song already repeating itself in the verse? Certainly it was not a complicated song. Still effective enough to dance to. Aeris sashayed to the pew where her long pink dress lay. Demure at a quick glance, but anyone taking a longer look would note the garment was less innocent than might be initially assumed; the neckline was pretty low and she never did button it up fully.
She tied her hair back and retied the ribbon loosely over the top. Another pang of memory, but this one different, older and much harder to forget. Her old green ribbon, thread-bare past the point of usability. Safe at home. Another shake of her head. Focus. Last check for anything she might have left behind. Nope; nothing in the church but empty pews, a patch of muddy floor and decades of dust. Aeris headed for the door.
The thin slivers of sky visible between the plates were darkening fast and the tinny noise of the radio seemed overly loud out here in the open; every other sound in Sector Five was somehow subdued and distant. Brief pause to turn the radio down; still loud enough to be audible, but not enough to eclipse the sound of an enemy – either monstrous or human. Hopefully she would avoid attracting any attention for now. The music faded out; the song had ended. Aeris wrenched the volume up and winced at the resulting blast of noise. Too late; she had missed the announcer's comment about the song and now the radio was far too loud. She swore and clicked the device off. Maybe she would hear the song another time.
Aeris was not late yet, but the thought of the long trek back into the middle of the cluster of housing and then off towards the station and then the subsequent wait on the platform was too much to contemplate. Too much effort. And if she took the shortcut she could make the next train. She changed direction and headed for one of the myriad heaps of debris that effectively screened the station off from the rest of the sector. Aeris skirted the worst of the refuse and grabbed at ever shifting handholds while she scaled the trash heap.
The growl was only just warning enough. No good getting distracted; she needed to stay focused. The monster was almost upon her when she turned to face it. Nothing she couldn't cope with, but if she had been even a few second slower- Aeris shook her head, putting the lyrics and associated memories out of her mind. She loosed a jet of fire towards the creature. Not hot or intense enough to kill it outright; the monster screeched plaintively and fled from her flames.
Aeris reached the station without any further incident and for a change it seemed like the universe was on her side; no guard on the station. She vaulted the turnstile in one smooth movement and maintained a brisk pace without seeming to hurry, resisting the impulse to check around her for witnesses. Seconds passed. A few more. No footsteps stomping towards her. No shouts, no protestations. She was fine. A few other travelers waited, scattered across the platform. The tinny beat of a bass line was audible from a nearby teenage girl's headphones. Another infectious beat; Aeris tapped her foot and swayed to what little she could hear.
The girl with the headphones did not take any notice of Aeris until they were both on the train and stood opposite each other. A jolt sent the girl stumbling into Aeris; she was older than her first glance indicated, maybe a year or two younger than Aeris herself. Aeris caught the girl and gave her time to find her footing. Her blue eyes were nothing short of amazing this close. Big, round glasses, pale red hair. If she didn't live in Midgar she'd look wonderful with freckles. Aeris grinned at her and after a moment the girl smiled back. "Sorry," the girl mouthed and backed off to the other side of the train. Aeris grabbed for a handhold the same time the girl did; the floor tilted a moment later. The train was beginning its climb towards the upper plate.
"It's fine," she mouthed to the girl. The stranger's cheeks reddened; she glanced up the length of the train, looked back and met Aeris's gaze. They both smiled at the other. Did Aeris need to work tonight? It was not like she and Mom would starve if she took one night off to see where things might go with the girl. Aeris tightened her grip on her handhold. Not the way to look at things. While today might be fine, what about tomorrow? Next week? Aeris glanced at the girl again and leant back against the wall. The girl stole glances at irregular intervals; definitely interested and it looked like she was working up the nerve to say something. Aeris was going to agree to whatever suggestion she made. If she made the first move, if she crossed the carriage, if-
The train announcer ruined the moment by announcing their arrival at the next stop. The girl jumped and looked around, the train already slowing down for the station. Not Aeris's stop. So much for that. The girl at least flashed her a crestfallen smile and a wave that Aeris returned before she hurried alongside a handful of other passengers. Her red hair was soon lost in among the crowd and the train moved on. A missed opportunity for them both it seemed. Aeris let out a breath she did not realize she held. Maybe they would have been good together. Maybe it would have gone terribly. In any case; she seemed like she would not be avoiding work tonight.
Her stop was the end of the line; right beside the Mako reactor and across from the Shinra building. Everyone streamed off the train, Aeris crowding in among them, jostled every step of the way to the exit. Far too many rail employees around to risk dodging the fare in the same way she did in the slums. Nothing else for it. The man in front of her pressed his pass over the scanner on the turnstile. Aeris immediately pushed into him and pressed him forward, the restraining bar coming up hard against her back. He staggered, found his footing and turned to her, ready to snarl. She smiled, leaning forward a touch before he could say anything. The man stared down at her, his intended outburst dying on his lips after her murmured apology. Aeris darted around him and into the crowd; other people were swarming out of the station. Best to not get in anyone else's way - and also best to ensure the stranger could not make anything more of their brief encounter.
At least none of the guards seemed to have noticed her little stunt. Success; she was on the upper plate for free once again. Now she needed to get ready. The sky was unexpectedly clear for a change, the normal haze thinner today. For once she actually she had to shield her eyes from the sinking sun. A good omen? Tall buildings soon screened the sun from view; the streetlights flickered on and pushed the pooling shadows back. More distant stars than normal in the sky above; the night would get pretty cold at this rate. Not that it affected her; Aeris was always warm. And perhaps the cold would encourage people to linger at her performance. More chance of donations that way.
The plaza in Sector Eight held familiar sights; Shinra workers heading into or out of the towering company building; other performance artists; couples enjoying the evening. Aeris quickened her pace; if only she could out-distance that same unwanted thought now welling up from the depths of her mind. Hard to shake a desire to dwell on the past today and Shinra's relationship to it. No. No time, no distractions now. She put that out of head. Aeris made it to her usual spot; a corner to one side of the plaza, free from other performers. The radio went down on the ground, switched over from radio to tape.
Aeris arranged her staff and poi nearby, hesitated for a moment and decided against the candles – why try to pre-emptively demonstrate a part of her act that was far from perfected? Stick to the essentials today. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. Ready. She clicked the tape on and tapped her foot to the beat, swaying in time with the music. The noise got immediate attention from passers-by; most only glanced at her and kept on moving. Fair; nothing too exciting for them to see yet. Unbuttoning her dress drew more overt attention. An unnecessary step, but part of the act, part of the show. Draw people in however she could then dazzle them.
She let her dress fall to the ground – it was dry enough – and began the first of her more complex moves. A scattering of watchers now. Some might think she was about to strip completely given the provocative red outfit she wore beneath the dress, but her skill lay elsewhere. A few members of her audience looked familiar; they might have seen a previous performance and made the effort to come back to see her. Gratifying if that was the case. The minority however; most would likely have never seen this before. Well; they were in for a treat.
The song hit the right lyric; Aeris hooked her foot under her staff and with a flick sent it up into the air. A moment of focus and both ends burst into flame. She caught the staff without missing a beat, twirling it around herself and the Fire Dancer began her nightly routine.