Authors note: this is mushy sorry I'm not used to writing stuff like this. So please review (I'm begging)
Disclaimer: I don't own (or want) Aerith, nor do I own Zax. They are property of Square Enix
She walked along yet another gloomy street filled with disheartened people on the brink of despair. She looked so out of place, everyone down here wore brown, black and those colours in between colours that at best can be called grey. Then there was her; her clothes stood out, pink dress and a red jacket, it was too bright for the slums. Her smile set her apart from the empty souls that mingled around these parts as well. Her smile was full of warmth. Most smiles around here were fake or deadly or at best guarded. Hers was open and friendly. She like seeing peoples faces when they bought the flowers she was selling. They shared a small part of her light to the people around her.
Unfortunately some of the wrong people noticed her; dangerous people. That was the problem with being bight in a dull place, and trying in vain to brighten others, you got noticed. A man, he was tall and had a leer in his eye, walked towards her.
"Hey there pretty lady."
She didn't like this. This man scared her, she couldn't run but she found herself backing away slowly. No sudden movements, like he was a savage dog.
"What's ya name? People call me Stoker. Now what's a lovely sweetheart such as you doing in a place like this? Mightn't be safe for a lady such as yourself, there are some very unsavoury folks around."
She didn't like the smile. It said the things his voice wasn't saying. And all the while backing away. Until her back hit a wall. Four more men appeared out of the gloom behind Stoker. Why hadn't she noticed them before?
"Now, now boys." He said to the four cronies, "she's mine first." He was closing the distance between them faster then she liked, she knew what was going to happen and squeezed her eye's shut, she didn't want this man to see her cry.
She heard a thump, and a clatter then the man, Stoker, swear as if he was in pain. She opened her eyes to see another man standing a few meters away with a stone in his hand. "This is a lot light than my weapon, and I'm kind of tired so please don't make me use it." He threw the stone at one of the cronies that had stepped in front of Stoker, but he dodged. Stoker didn't
"Aww fuck, who are you, bastard?"
"My name doesn't mater to you; the disease of Midgar. So just let the lady go and I'll leave you alone."
"Who do you think you are?" Stoker wouldn't be so confident had he know he was talking to a soldier.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." He said reaching over his shoulder and taking hold of something that was obscured but the dim light. He unsheathed a sword, almost as tall as himself, the cronies legged it, and Stoker stood his ground for which he got himself split in half.
The whole time she just stood there. Was this new man going to help her, or simply pick up where Stoker left off? He bent down and picked up her basket. She had dropped it at some point and her flowers were scattered on the ground. He gave the basket to her, and then started to pick up the flowers. She smiled and started to collect the fallen plants too.
When they were all picked up and safely back in the basket that was looped over her arm he smiled to her. "My name's Zax."
"Aerith, thank you."
"It's okay, I like helping pretty ladies in distress, what are the flowers for?" he changed the subject at a fearful glint in her eye, he didn't want her to think he was like the man now in too halves just behind him.
"I'm selling them."
"Really? How much?"
"One gill each."
"In that case I'll buy one."
He chose a beautiful yellow one and gave her the money. "I think there's someone this flower will cheer up wonderfully." He smiled again; he really did have a nice smile she decided.
"Really? Who?"
He smiled and tucked the flower behind her ear "The most beautiful person I've ever met." Still with that smile he turned and left. Leaving a beaming Aerith behind. She had a feeling she'd meet him again.