Authors note: Ok so this turned out to be a fairly short chapter too. Its more of an interlude. I guess you have two characters and one is basically a mute, its hard to develop long dialogue. Don't worry though, more talktive people shall appear from the next one. I just wanted to get in some Zack/Cloud one way conversation.

Chapter Three

Flower Town

"This is the twenty twenty seven train from Sector One, Last stop is Lower Sector Five. Expected time of arrival is twenty one hundred, Midgar standard time. The Shinra Company wishes you a happy journey."

The PA finished its announcement as a pull out of its penultimate destination. Zack stood impatiently, looking nothing like a man whom was had been facing near certain death less then twelve hours ago. His eyes scanned the carriage, wary of prying eyes. Few people remained now as the train descended to the depths of the lower city. Or as everyone other then public service announcements called it, the slums.

His hands tightened their grip around the handles of the wheelchair in front of him as the train rocked roughly from side to side. Tseng had been very generous in providing Zack with what he needed and it certainly was easier then dragging Cloud around on his shoulder. Less like to draw attention to himself too.

"You don't think she found someone else do you Cloud. She said it was her last letter, maybe that's why," wondered Zack. Cloud rocked side to side in his chair, although he had been doing the same pretty much since he had been first seated in it. Zack decided it was a head shake. "Your right Cloud. No-one can replace me, I'm a SOLDIER! Me and Aerith and then you and Tifa. Remember, your a SOLDIER now and we always embrace our dreams."

"Sephiroth.." muttered Cloud better murmurs. He had been restless ever since Zack had retold the story of Nibelheim to Tseng. Zack guessed he was having flashbacks of it. "It's ok Cloud. His gone now. That's why you have to have good dreams." It hurt him to see his friend so tortured, but the optimist in him thought at least mild anguish was better then nothing at all. Maybe he was finally starting to come back around.

As the train reached the bottom of its descent the ride smoothed out allowing Zack to loosen his grip on the wheelchair and reach down to the case of letters. Removing the first one, he placed the case back in the bag hung over the back of the wheelchair before slowly opening the first letter Aerith had sent him.

How are you?

Since you might be away a while, I decided to write to you. Its been two weeks since you left now. I miss you. I went to sell some flowers yesterday. I sold a few flowers, but it wasn't as fun on my own. I still think we would sell more if the cart was prettier.

I'd love to hear from you,

Aerith

As Zack folded the letter back over, despite the sadness of being gone for so long he could help but break a small smile. "Always with the prettier cart," he uttered softly to himself, sliding the letter back into the case inside the bag. The train began to softly slow as the train arrived started to pull into the station.

"We are now arriving at Lower Sector Five, where this train terminates. Thank you for using Shinra Rail." the intercom crackled, Zack's blue eyes gazing out the windows at the sector before him as they slowly eased to halt. Little had changed. Four years was a long time, but apparently not long enough for Shinra to decide to do anything for the people that lived on the underside of their mighty city plate. Crumbling buildings and the absence of natural light dominated the horizon. At its heart, the church still stood almost watching over the entire sector like a guardian.

As the doors slid open with a hiss, he rolled the chair out of the carriage and onto the platform. Immediately he was hit by the thick, stale air that was almost a trademark of the slums. "Here we are Cloud. Aerith's home town. I finally made it. Didn't I tell you we would get here. Even if it killed me." He paused his movements, glancing down at the bundle of blonde spiked hair sitting in the wheelchair, ruffling it with a hand. "Which to be fair, it damn nearly did. Lets go to the church, that's where she normally is."

As they entered the main street through the sector, he was greeted by the sight of several merchants out in a small market, despite the late hour still desperate for some custom. Small children ran across the streets, playing imaginary games. One small girl, of no older then 5, approached the two blue eye strangers as the took in the scene. In her brown, slightly matted hair hung a solitary flower. She smiled at them, thinking that their bright blue eyes made them pretty like flowers.

"Welcome to Flower Town."