‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀･*･ﾟ 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦...
⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀
⠀ ... 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. ･*･ﾟ✧

⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀

[— 𝑰𝑵𝑽𝑰𝑵𝑪𝑰𝑩𝑳𝑬. @INDMITIBLX]

༄ 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺 #ℱɪʟᴛʜɪᴇ

𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚,
𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪
𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙮 𝙞𝙩.

⠀⠀⠀⠀ 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘴𝘰𝘯 ; 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

A slender finger beckons @DEFIVNT to come closer— flower girl peeking from behind a pillar as she sports a soft, albeit mysterious smile.

She hopes to draw him away from the others.

[‍ ‍‍ ‍𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐄. ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ @DEFIVNT]

⠀⠀
⠀⠀ “ Huh? ”

Picks up the bouquet of flowers.

He scanned the vicinity, wondering if the sender would still be around — to no avail.

Turning his attention back, his thumb traces the soft petal, appreciating the delicacy of nature, as he learned from a certain Cetra.

—

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

A bouquet of blooms for @DEFIVNT...

Right outside his door.

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

You're never truly alone. Just listen closely to the wind...

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

- away— footsteps drifting like whispers in the wind.

Like a long-forgotten dream slipping away.

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

"Mmm..." she crouches down further, regarding the small plushie. Gentle emerald eyes observed its form, blonde yarn cascading down...

So that's what she looked like.

Aerith slowly stands, satisfied with his decision— casting her gaze upwards, listening intently.

"Just so -

[— 𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑫𝑶𝑾. @ultimtelifefrmx]

𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭.

He’s not even sure why she offered this to him in the first place. Oftentimes, he only gets weird looks or. . scared ones. She seems– neither of those.

Stem twirls between gloved thumb and index for a thoughtful moment, then he tucks »

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

- you know, regarding your earlier question...

... The answer is ... 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶."

A soft breeze blows, her smile emanating warmth.

"Take care of her, okay?" She nods towards the precious plush in his grasp before turning -

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

"Had a 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 you might like daisies," she speaks with a soft yet playful undertone. Chestnut curls bob gently as she organizes the rest of her flowers in her basket.

"Keep it for yourself, or give it to someone special!"

[— 𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑫𝑶𝑾. @ultimtelifefrmx]

Blink— Glancing up.

Of course the first thing he notices is green. Never mind that.

Crimsons flickering between the woman and said daisy. Brows furrow, questioning.

. . Taking the flower with some hesitation.

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

... A small white daisy slid into view.

"Hiya. Want a flower?"

[— 𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑫𝑶𝑾. @ultimtelifefrmx]

Guilt.

Its severity depends on the day.

Why is he the one who lived?

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

- take too long!"

This statement might not exactly be a guarantee...

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

"You don't think shopping is dangerous? Right now, when we're basically wanted fugitives? I mean — assisting AVALANCHE counts for something, right?"

The holes she spoke of were inconsequential. He could maybe barely see them from the back, just a tad bit of her skin showing -

[‍ ‍‍ ‍𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐄. ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ @DEFIVNT]

⠀⠀

A once-over at her dress from head-to-toe, he couldn't spot the holes she referred to. Either she hid them well with stitch work, or this was simply her expressing her desire for a change.

Either way, his conditioned brain to respond with drive towards the word —

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

- through...

Not a huge concern to Aerith, but maybe her 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥 would be more concerned over a few inches of her exposed thighs? Hmm! Who knows?

Regardless, she turns around to show him said holes anyway, just to add towards her argument.

"Come on! It won't -

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

It's not so much mischief as it is needing company, but...

... Well, maybe. Who knows how this'll pan out?

"I'm thinking of ... getting something new to wear. This old dress has holes in it. Buuuut... going alone is kind of boring.

Besides, you're my bodyguard, aren't you?"

[‍ ‍‍ ‍𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐄. ‍‍ ‍‍ ‍‍ @DEFIVNT]

⠀⠀

His head perks as she calls for his attention ; the tone used being one he’s become all too familiar with.

⠀⠀ “ Hm? ”

As his mako blues land on her visage, he catches the smile that suggests possible mischief.
⠀⠀

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

A flower for you!

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

Hmm...

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

- one that's been nice enough to speak to me before trying to start a fight!" she declares, unsure whether or not Zagreus was friend or foe.

"This is the... Underworld?

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

As awful as this wretched place had been, built for the most wicked of fools whose life brought nothing but shame and dishonor to their kin, it indeed posed a question on how 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐚 had found herself in such a place.

Did she not live a righteous, kind -

[‍ ‍ ‍𝐙͟𝐀͟𝐆͟𝐑𝐄𝐔𝐒 . ᐟ @REVIVEDEUS]

⠀
Aerith is certainly unfortunate to have found herself within 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗧𝗛𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗨𝗦 ，the prison in which the Underworld’s worst reside to be forever entrapped && tortured ，whoever she might’ve wound up here with the rest of the damned. →
⠀

[‍ ‍‍ ‍─ ✧･ﾟ 𝐀𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐡 @blossomingwinds]

- draw power from within the planet.

So... did she live? Did she die? And if so, where is the Lifestream she was set to return to? Why did she find herself here, battling grotesque creatures from chamber to chamber?

"I'm not exactly sure how I got here, but you're the only -