Aerith, Shinra Captive

Aerith ran to the chopper as quickly as her shaky legs could carry her. The fire had spread from the nearby crashed helicopter. Lifting her arms to brace her face from the heat, unwittingly baring more of her body, she ran inside.

Tseng wasn't far behind.

She sat in the back of the chopper as it took off, a Shinra soldier sat either side of her. She crossed her legs, their uniforms still against her skin. They fastened her harness, keeping her in the chair as the helicopter lifted up.

To try and distract herself, she peered sideways out the window. Sector 7 shrank away below her, illuminated by the occasional plume of fire. Then the pillar rushed past the side as the chopper turned, gunfire shooting out from it, another helicopter engaging in some kind of fight atop it. Aerith grimaced, tears prickling in her eyes, and looked away.

On one hand, it put her nudity in perspective. On the other hand, it really didn't make her feel that much better.

"Where do we drop the girl off?" Tseng said.

"Sector 5," Aerith said. She paused. "My home. Can we please stop off to get a change of clothes?"

"No time," Tseng said. "Hojo wants you back at HQ as soon as possible."

Right. That. Aerith reddened as the Turk chopper flew on over Midgar.

She'd left Sector 7 behind, but life in a glass test tube might not be much better than life under the plate, especially if she wasn't going to get an outfit.