Aerith on the run

A drunk staggered into the alley. He took one look at Aerith, then rubbed his eyes in disbelief. The flower girl recoiled.

She looked up at the window again, for a moment panicking too much to know what she wanted to do. She didn't want to be caught by the Turks again, but she didn't want to just sit where the drunk could see her, not while her dress was still inside the parlor.

"Whoa," the drunk said.

Aerith reddened. She moved her arms but, deciding quickly that wasn't enough, moved sideways. Her back dragged across the parlor wall.

"Did you hear that?" Reno said, inside the parlor.

Aerith's eyes widened. She heard him near the window. In that moment, she let panic seize her, not wanting to be caught like this by the Turks. She moved past the side of the window, so she could stand up without immediately being in view, and ran as fast as she could. She hoped she'd be out of view before Reno looked out of the window.

She reached the side of the alleyway, turned, and froze.

It was night in Wall Market, the busiest time for it, every house lit up bright, hundreds of people milling around from salacious attraction to salacious attraction. Out the front of Madam M's massage parlor was the street many people entered through, bandits and ne'er-do-wells and business folk looking for a night on the town.

As Aerith burst from the alley, she very quickly realized that this place wasn't nearly so quiet a hiding place. Dozens of eyes turned to her, the sight of the flower girl's nudity attracting attention even here. Aerith froze, and squealed, and trembled.

It was better than being found by the Turks, she insisted herself. Even she didn't quite believe that.

But she still wasn't going back with them. Legs weak as she stared down the crowd, and knowing that if she stayed near Madam M's parlor she was bound to be caught, Aerith did the only thing she could. She ran, braving the crowd, holding her arms in front of her both for a little modesty and to push her way through.