#001: Beginnings

By Lutearina

Cloud Strife walked down the streets in sector seven of Midgar. He watched the ground, his feet in a rhythmic motion. Left, right, left, right. It wasn't as if there was anything interesting to think about, oh no. So he watched his boots. All the blacks and grays of Midgar loomed back at him, melancholy.

Until he saw a flash of - was it? ...Pink.

He abruptly stopped. Pink, in this place? Who in the world would be wearing pink here, in this dismal, colorless city?

He felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Excuse me, sir!" A lively voice called out from behind him.

"...What?" he turned around and found himself facing a cheerful girl holding a basket full of flowers.

Flowers...In Midgar...? She seemed to contradict the very nature of this city. She smiled, a cheerful smile.

"Would you like to buy a flower?" She held out a lily. He took in her appearance warily. Long brown hair, held in place by a pink ribbon, and a bead that looked like some kind of materia. A red jacket and a pink dress, with brown leather boots. And that infernal flower basket! Hardly your typical Midgarian.

"They're just one gil!"

Another enticing smile...He couldn't say no to this flower girl.

"Uhhh...Sure." He took it, and walked on.

Cloud was falling.

He thought for sure he was going to die. Oh, what a short life! But then - he felt himself crashing through an old timber roof, landing with a sickening thud on a bed of flowers.

"Owww..."

He rubbed the back of his head. "Urgh.."

He heard footsteps behind him, and a familiar voice said, "Are you okay?"

She came into view, putting her hands behind her back and leaning forward just a bit.

"That was quite a nasty fall! It must be destiny that we met again, hm?" She winked, and then looked at the flower bed. "Good thing my flowers broke your fall..."

Cloud realized he was still crushing them.

"Oh...I...I'm sorry!" He quickly rolled off of them. They were pretty bent and broken.

"Oh, don't worry about it!" She said, kneeling down, fingering their petals. "It's not as if you fell on them on purpose, hmmm?" She, with a twinkle in her eye, fixed them up as best she could. "Well! Do you remember me?" She smiled. Pink dress. Red jacket.

"...Ummm...Yeah. You're that flower girl...Right?"

She grinned even wider. "Yeah! That's right! My name's Aerith Gainsborough. What's yours?"

Cloud looked up, slightly startled. "...Cloud Strife."

She looked pensive for a moment.

"...Cloud?"

"Hm?"

"...Have you ever been a bodyguard?"