Yo, back with another chapter. The duo has finally made it to Midgar and the FFVII story will begin shortly. Hope you guys enjoy it. If you'd like to chat with either me or some other writers or even just readers, feel free to join the discord server. Link below.

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The trip to Midgar had taken longer than the pair would have liked. The ferry they'd hitched a ride on had made more stops thanks to wealthy businessmen onboard that wanted to take a detour in order to survey new areas to potentially expand their businesses. Cissnei wasn't sure why they bothered, however, as long as Shinra existed their profit margins would always be low.

The closer one was to a Mako reactor, the more expensive it would be to set up shop depending on what they were trying to sell. On the other hand the further they went from one, the less likely people were to have money. As much as they harmed the planet with their reactors, they did also keep the economy alive by providing jobs for even the average folk. The people of Gaia were really in a catch 22 situation.

Ichigo knew that Wutai was one of the few who fought back against mako reactors and in turn, Shinra as a whole. They managed to succeed to a degree as they were one of few places in the world that didn't house a reactor, but in turn the once proud nation had become nothing more than a tourist destination.

Last he heard, it was still ruled by the Kisaragi clan but even then it hadn't come back to its former glory. They weren't starved of resources but their military might had definitely suffered. Wutai didn't have access to materia the way other places did, and that in turn was a large weakness for them. The thought of materia caused the orange haired man to gently rub his fingers over the smooth orbs placed within his sword.

He couldn't imagine what it would be like not to have them, so he could only wonder what Wutai was like where everybody was without it.

"Something troubling you?" Cissnei asked, breaking him out of his momentary trance.

"Just thinking about what's to come." He said with a shake of his head. "Thanks to those suits we took longer than planned but now we're only a few minutes away from docking. From there it should be a straight shot to Midgar."

Cissnei nodded and leaned against the railing, gently clutching the metal as the waves rocked the ferry.

"Is the gravity of the situation finally sinking in?" She asked in a light tone.

Ichigo let out a sarcastic scoff and crossed his arms. "Not a chance. Either they don't find us and they give up, or they find us and we have to fight. It's pretty straightforward."

"You realize you're talking about the largest military force in the world right?" She asked slowly. "We won't just be facing one or two people."

He nodded. "I'm aware. The only thing that changes is the amount of people they'll have to clean up after we're done."

Cissnei stared at him and tried to keep the corners of her mouth from quirking upward. The way he disregarded Shinra as if they were a minor annoyance was refreshing. In a way he also reminded her of Reno who never seemed to take anything seriously.

"Us versus the world and you treat it like we're just fighting some amateurs." She said with a quick laugh. "I really hope it's as simple as you make it out to be."

"It will. We just need to make sure we play our cards right and we'll be set. Now look alive, we're about to dock."

The captain of the ship announced that they would be docking within the port of Junon within the next two minutes. They were well rested and had plenty of money and food for the next leg of the trip. Had it not been for the fact that Shinra was likely on high alert, they could have remained on the ferry and gotten off at a closer port.

Ichigo sighed, he supposed this was what he signed up for.

Disembarking from the ship, the two began making their way to the outskirts of Junon, careful not to go through any places that had very little people. Fortunately for them, a small crowd had gathered in order to see one of the large airships that Shinra owned as it took off. A few Infantrymen lined the perimeter but with so many people it was unlikely that they'd get spotted.

Cissnei had the added benefit of being trained to blend into environments and with this many people, they easy made their way out of the area.

"Alright. Let's head east toward the grasslands and find an inn to rest at. First thing in the morning we'll head north towards Midgar. It should only take a couple of days at most, assuming nothing goes wrong." The former Turk outlined.

"Sounds good to me. Lead the way."

As they trekked further away from Junon, Cissnei couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of trepidation about returning to what had once been her home. She wasn't afraid per say, but the unnerving feeling of having to see her old coworkers again, this time as a fugitive wasn't a pleasant thought.

The moments they'd shared, the battles they'd taken part in, bonds that they'd forged, none of that would matter once they came face to face with one another. Reno would likely want an answer as to what she was doing, Rude would do his job regardless of what he felt. Then there was Tseng, he would eliminate her without hesitation.

He gave her a way out and she blew it. Now she would be taken care of for good.

She snuck a glance over at her new partner and saw that even his face was more stoic than usual. Despite what he may say about the future, he had to be nervous to some degree.

Pushing those thoughts out of her mind, she continued walking further from Junon. There was no point thinking about what the future held. She would take a page out of Ichigo's book and take things as they came.

xxxx

"Home sweet home." Cissnei muttered. The pair stood atop a large cliff overlooking the massive city that would house them for a while.

"So this is it huh? The city of Mako." Ichigo spoke neutrally. The city looked dreary for a lack of a better term. Even from their vantage point the dark metal that created the circular city gave off an uneasy feeling. Whereas Mideel gave him a feeling of warmth and familiarity, Midgar seemed almost cold and lifeless just like the wasteland that surrounded it.

"It's a little…" he trailed off, not knowing how to continue without potentially offending the woman's home.

"Ominous? Dreadful? Sinister?" She suggested flatly.

"I was gonna say underwhelming but those work too. You didn't like your time here?" He probed.

Cissnei shook her head, not once taking her eyes off the metallic city before them. "I wouldn't say that. In fact there's a lot to love about the place when you overlook what Shinra does. Midgar is tied so close to Shinra that they're basically the same at this point, and Shinra and I didn't exactly split amicably."

Ichigo glanced at the shorter redhead and noticed how tight her jaw was set in place. Her arms which were crossed across her chest were also tense with her hands squeezing her bicep. His curiosity was triggered but he knew better than to ask for more details.

They'd only known each other a short while and despite getting along, they weren't exactly close enough to share their deepest secrets yet.

"I see." He replied. "Let's just get this over with then. No point in reminiscing if it brings up bad memories."

Cissnei glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes and sighed. He was right. The longer she looked at the city, the more negative thoughts would enter her head. She just wanted to get this over with and put it behind her once and for all.

Most of the security was scattered around the ports, highway entrances up on the plate, or near the center of the city where the iconic Shinra building was situated. As such it was simple enough for them to enter the city from below through one of the many scrap yards that littered the slums.

Ichigo carefully moved a rusty motorcycle out of their way, grimacing as he felt something slimy touch his hand from below the metal. Scrunching his nose, he whipped his hand off to the side and watched as a black goop flew onto the ground.

"Be careful about touching things down here." Cissnei commented much too late. She wore a look that was far too innocent to believe. In fact he wouldn't put it past her to have been waiting for a moment like this for a good laugh.

"I'll keep that in mind." He deadpanned.

Their walk was spent in mostly comfortable silence. Ichigo focused on every detail he came across, making note particularly of the seemingly never ending ruin that was sector six.

"So what's the story here?" Ichigo asked as he ducked under a metal beam that was barely being kept in place. Letting it rest on his shoulder, he stood to full height so that his partner could safely walk through it.

"Thanks." She muttered. "As for the story, what you see here is the result of Shinra dealing with a problem getting out of hand." She explained.

Ichigo saw her look up to the sky and followed her line of sight. Up above was the famous plate he'd heard of, or rather a part of it. As far as his eye could see, the sky was blocked out by the modern marvel that was the upper plate. There was one above all eight sectors from what Cissnei had told him but the one above sector six was different.

It seemed almost sturdier from what he could see. Large braces were fitted in spots designed to reinforce it. His eyes trailed to a neighboring plate and noticed the metal was darker and had seen better days leading him to believe the plate above six was newer. Much newer.

"Was sector six the last sector to be built?" He questioned.

"No. During Midgar's construction an 'accident' happened that caused the upper plate to fall onto the slums. The plate was rebuilt but the slums stayed as they were. It became a lawless area that eventually gave birth to wall market which is why you'll see things there that wouldn't slide anywhere else." She explained, motioning him to follow her.

The further into the slums they walked, the less Ichigo liked what he saw. Homes were seemingly made of scrap metal in whatever area was flat enough to build on. Kids running around covered in dirt and the stench of less than appetizing food assaulted his senses.

"Do these people even have amenities?" Ichigo questioned with a scowl. So far Midgar hadn't made a good impression on him. What kind of city allowed its people to live like this? To make things worse, sector six was where Cissnei suggested they stay.

"Some. The inhabitants of the slums are creative. They've found ways to make things work. Those in Wall Market however, they're pretty set."

He opened his mouth to convince her to check out sector seven but was stopped by the loud creaking of an old door. Both turned their heads to the side, their weapons ready to put down whoever tried to come at them.

The creaking grew louder until they finally saw their culprit. A man who seemed to be in his late twenties. His body was covered by a tattered hooded black robe with the only visible parts of him being the bottom half of his pale face, along with his shoulders.

"The hell?" Ichigo whispered. The man ignored them and slowly walked across the area while muttering something unintelligible. Ichigo's eyes narrowed at the sight of a number 14 on the man's right shoulder. What was that? Was he from some sort of gang down here?

"Reunion" they heard the man say in a raspy voice. He took two steps forward and suddenly became still as a statue.

Cissnei tightened her grip on her weapon but didn't attack yet. She'd seen mako junkies in the past and knew how crazed they could become, but until he made a move she'd rather not leave evidence of people entering the city through here.

The man turned and stared at Ichigo before raising his right hand and pointing directly at him.

"The planet…it called you. You are one of the chosen ones!" He finally yelled. The man broke into a sprint toward him but before he could lunge, he tumbled. Ichigo's hand had already gripped his sword tightly and was prepared to cut him down in one swing. Fortunately for the sick man, his body's failure saved him.

"This is what we have to look forward to down here?" Ichigo asked, not taking his eyes off the spasming man.

Cissnei shook her head. "No. I'm actually not sure what that was about but I doubt we'll have to deal with anything like that."

Ichigo wasn't too sure but took her word for it. Leaving the man felt a bit wrong but they couldn't do anything for him. His cure materia could only deal with physical wounds. Whatever mental challenges the man was facing was beyond him.

They took one final look at the now still man and kept moving. From what Cissnei told him, they weren't too far from their destination.

"Wall Marker isn't far now, a few minutes and we should be there. It's relatively tame in the day so we'll have no problem maneuvering." She told him.

True to her word they eventually heard the sound of loud upbeat music from up ahead. A small chocobo station greeted them when they arrived and were offered a ride anywhere they liked, for a fee of course.

Politely turning him down, Cissnei walked through the somewhat crowded area. Her eyes darted left and right rapidly, taking in every new addition to the market since she'd last seen it. For the most part it was the same with the exception of a new shop here or there.

Taking him by the arm, she pushed her way through men and women who were already drunk this early in the day until they were standing in front of a two story building. Neon lights littered the outside and the words "bed and breakfast" were illuminated next to the front door.

Looking up to the top of the building, Ichigo read out loud.

"Honest Sal's Inn". For some reason he highly doubted that.

Cissnei pushed forward and headed inside leaving Ichigo to follow along. Before he entered however, he looked up once again and saw another sign that was hidden by the bright lights from its outline.

The soiled maiden the sign read. Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, he walked in and stood next to the young woman who had already taken it upon herself to ask for a room.

"All we have left is a single and a double room. Which would you like?" The man behind the counter asked.

"We'll take the double." Cissnei replied.

"2000Gil per night. How long will your stay be?" The man asked, fishing out two keys.

"Indefinite." She responded. The man shrugged, it didn't matter to him how long someone wanted to stay so long as they had the money.

The receptionist placed two keys on the countertop and placed a sheet of paper next to them. "Need one of you to sign and we need three nights worth upfront."

Ichigo shared a look with his partner and took hold of the pen. The way Shinra operated, he wouldn't doubt it if they had their hands in Wall Market. They knew her name so they couldn't risk her signing. Scribbling down the signature, he pushed the paper back.

"A pleasure doing business mr… Sosuke." The man finished unsurly.

"Thank you." Ichigo said, taking hold of one of the keys. "Also, is this place called Honest Sal's or The Soiled Maiden?"

The man behind the counter smirked. "Pretty ballsy to ask about that place in front of your girl." He said with a laugh. "This and upstairs is Honest Sal's. Basement floor is where you'll find the entrance to the Soiled Maiden."

As they made their way up the stairs toward their room, Cissnei shot Ichigo a look out of the corner of her eye.

"How did you know about the Soiled Maiden?" She asked with a bit of accusation seeping into her tone.

"Saw the sign when we walked in. On that note, you're having us stay at a place that's part brothel." He shot back.

The young woman huffed and looked up as she climbed the final step. "I didn't know it was a brothel, this place wasn't here when I last came down."

Opening the door, the two glanced around the room that would be their home for the foreseeable future. It was rather large and spacious, but that was in part because the room only had one bed.

"You said double room." Ichigo commented, placing his sword against the wall.

"I did. So where's the second bed?" She asked, not really expecting him to answer.

Ichigo sighed and pinched his nose. "I'll go back down and see what the deal is."

Not waiting for a response, he made his way out leaving Cissnei to her thoughts. They had plenty of money which they'd need for clothes and food, but that was only the first step. Now they needed to wait and see how Shinra would respond to her sighting.

Would more troops begin flooding the area or would they allocate them out of Midgar? They needed to know what Shinra was going to do in order to properly plan their next move. The best case scenario was that they give up after a while and they can leave but she knew that was unlikely.

Eventually they'd face Shinra head on and either them or Shinra would come out alive. Glancing out the window, she watched the plethora of people as they went about their day in Wall Market. Some drinking, others puking in a back alley, and some trying to get lucky with a girl or two.

"I can't believe this is home now." She whispered to herself. From the comfort of the Shinra building, to the poverty stricken slums. Maybe this was her punishment for doing the company's bidding all those years.

Her ear twitched as the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs reached her. The door open and her partner walked in sporting an exasperated look.

"What happened?"

"Good news and bad news." He began. "Good news is they can get the second bed up here by the end of the day if we really want it."

"What's the bad news?"

"They took it down to the basement because it was needed."

Cissnei grimaced at the thought. It didn't take a genius to know what that bed was being used for. "We're shit out of luck then."

She sighed. "We don't have another choice then. We'll share the bed. As long as you don't try to get handsy we'll be fine."

Ichigo scoffed at her words. Trying to get handsy with a former Turk who wasn't consenting wouldn't end well. Even if he was sure he could beat her, he didn't quite feel like testing that out.

"Fine. So now we have a base of operations. What now?" He wondered.

"Keep a low profile. Basically just live as though this has always been home. We can get lunch right now and then go buy some clothes and basic necessities." She replied quickly.

The daylight soon faded and Ichigo saw how quickly the ambience changed in Wall Market. In the day, it almost resembled a shopping center, but once night fell the transformation was instant. The neon lights around the buildings lit up brightly compared to the rest of the sector.

Men and women flooded the already narrow corridors of the district but now shadier people lined the streets. Men in suits and women in what he could barely consider clothes continuously asked would-be patrons to enter their establishments. Considering their home was above a brothel, it wasn't hard to deduce what kind of places these were.

"Hey handsome." A woman dressed in a bee costume stepped up next to him and quickly took hold of his arm and began walking along with him. "How would you like to have a good time with me? We can head back to the Honey bee Inn and I'll blow your mind for a few Gil." She proposed.

Ichigo pried his arm out of her grip and shook his head.

"I'll pass." He replied curtly. He was beginning to think that leaving the hotel without Cissnei might not have been worth it. She had told him it would be best for him to get to know their home while she thought up of their next move. They needed a stream of money coming in, covers in case they needed them, and so much more.

Had he known that Wall Market was flooded with prostitutes, he would've insisted she came with him. Fortunately, the street walkers seemed to know how far they were allowed to go and soon, the bee girl stopped walking and left him to his endeavors.

Once he was out of the more populated areas away from the bars, clubs, and shady looking alleyways, he found himself at yet another straight path.

In the distance he could see a large illuminated symbol near the end of the street with a few women dressed in provocative clothing entering the establishment. They seemed too well dressed to be prostitutes but here, one couldn't tell.

Turning away from that for the time being he turned his attention to a small shop tucked away on his left. He frowned as he had to step over a passed out drunk man and stood in front of the small weapons shop. He wasn't looking to replace his sword, not by a long shot, but one never knew what kind of gems they could find.

Sadly for him, there were no gems here. The weapons ranged from bats with nails to small daggers. There was materia available for sale but nothing worth buying. Common staples such as Fire, wind, and ice materia were present in abundance.

"Nothing catching your eye?" The shop owner asked, staring at him from behind his glasses.

"Nah, sorry."

The shop owner waved his hand in disregard and smiled. Pulling down his glasses lower into the bridge of his nose, gave Ichigo's sword an appraising look, at least what was visible over his shoulder.

Taking in the fine craftsmanship on the handle and what little he could see of the blade itself, he gave a whistle. "Yeah I can see how these wouldn't come close to that. If you're keen on some better materia, then your best bet is to take part in the Corneo Colosseum's weekly battle tournament."

Tournament? His curiosity must have been noticeable as the man smiled wider and leaned forward onto the counter.

"This week's grand prize is a Dark Thundaga materia. Super hard to come by these days if you don't work for Shinra. Unless you have the tools to do a materia fusion, you're out of luck. If some more kick is what you're looking for, that's the only way."

Ichigo thanked the man for the information and left the shop. Truth be told, he didn't really need the materia, his were better than most he'd come across. What had his attention was the fact that there was a battle tournament. He'd yet to find anyone to really let loose against. Shinra infantrymen were the best he'd had and they were a disappointment.

Perhaps it was a bad idea to believe he'd find someone worth fighting here in Wall Market, but it wasn't like he had anything better to do. Cissnei did say to get to know the area, this would be doing just that.

Smiling to himself slightly, he turned off the path he was walking on and found his way to the colosseum. The entrance was intricately designed with accents of red and gold lining the walls. Like the battle square at the Gold Saucer, he was forced to register himself to battle.

The difference between the two arenas was instantly made known to him. He was forced to acknowledge that death was possible by signing up and weapons of all sorts would be allowed. Signing under his alias at the bottom of the registration sheet, he was instructed to head to the elevator and make his way underground and wait until his name was called.

It didn't take long to be called for his first match. As he understood it, there were two separate groups and one would need to win 3 matches to then go against the winner of the opposing group in the final. To his dismay however, his opponents ended up being common thugs, a Shinra grade robot, and one of Corneo's men armed with Shinra weaponry all in that order.

The robot had put up a bit of a fight but had ultimately fallen to a counter slash after ducking under a large buzz saw swipe. Ichigo mentally made a note to take something back for his blacksmith when this was all over. He'd done a killer job with the sword. To be able to cut through metal as if it was butter was definitely worth praising.

"Hey good work out there kid." The man stationed in front of the large gate complemented. "You and the other guy are just breezing through the competition. To be honest though, I'm not even gonna bet on this last match. Just make sure it's a hell of a show."

Ichigo nodded and made his way to his personal waiting room.

"So someone else is making quick work of these guys huh?" He thought to himself as he took a seat. Closing his eyes, he took a few deep breaths to relax. He wasn't tired or nervous, but it always helped him focus before a fight no matter who he was up against.

"Yo. You're up." The same guy told him

Making his way to the large metal door, he waited for them to open while wondering who exactly would be his opponent. Would it be another random thug who just so happened to have better equipment, or perhaps another robot?

"Ladies and Gentlemen! It's time for the final match of the night! This week we have the most exciting matchup we've had in a while! What's more, this is both of their first times participating in a Corneo weekly tournament. First up, from group A we have Sosuke Aizen!"

The crowd cheered loudly and stomped their feet in excitement. Even as the large doors opened he could still feel the ground vibrate with each stomp. Stepping out into the arena, he grabbed the handle of his sword and gave it a single twirl before pointing it downward diagonally.

"Next up, from group B give it up for Cloud!"

Ichigo ignored the ravings of the spectators and studied his opponent. He was a blond just a few inches shorter than he was. He wore baggy pants which were tucked into his boots along with a blue high collared shirt. A piece of armor held by two straps was situated above it along with one protective shoulder plating over his left shoulder.

Most notably were his eyes which were a deep blue along with the large sword he seamlessly carried in one hand. Just at a glance he could tell it was very well made. There were no chips, cracks, or dents in the metal despite having surely fought the same robots he had to go through.

Two materia slots filled the base of the blade as well as a small band he wore over his right arm. The look on his face was stoic but Ichigo could tell Cloud was sizing him up in the exact same fashion he'd just done. Blue eyes locked onto the black blade and his hold on the sword tightened before it was brought up in front of him.

Ichigo smirked, it looked like he'd have a challenge on his hands.

Both competitors waited for the signal, and upon hearing the announcer start the match, both charged in. The sound of metal clanging against each other was deafened away due to the crowd, but both men had gotten a good feel for each other's strength.

Cloud stared back at Ichigo with surprise momentarily written across his face. It was clear he hadn't been expecting any real competition. The look morphed into a frown and he slid the large sword over the black blade and attacked once more.

Ichigo's eyes followed the trajectory of the large sword and easily blocked the diagonal slash that came his way. Sparks flew due to the clash but neither man paid it any mind. Pulling back, Ichigo tightened his grip on the handle of the blade and went on the offensive.

A downward slash followed by a horizontal one was his go to combination. The lighter sword allowed him much faster movement but Cloud was surprisingly agile considering the blade he wielded was almost as wide as him. The first swing was blocked but the second was handled differently.

In a split second, Cloud brought his sword up into a defensive position and waited until Ichigo's blade was on him. There was plenty of time to pull back but having not fought anyone worth his time, he was curious.

The blade connected and Cloud countered. A faint glow surrounded Cloud before Ichigo found his sword and arm forced aside. The blond jumped and spun once to build momentum before launching his own downward slash.

Ichigo stepped aside and whistled at the large chunk that was now missing from the spot where he'd stood. The attack wasn't over however, another red hue enveloped Cloud and with movements faster than he'd let on, he dashed forward leading with his blade.

In what could only be described as a show for the crowd, Ichigo turned the blade so that the flat side faced Cloud and met the attack head on. His feet dragged along the arena floor while the Tip of Clouds sword tried in vain to pierce the metal of Ichigo's thinner blade.

Raising his left hand with his palm out, Ichigo let a purple orb materialize. Small streaks of lightning surrounded his hand before the orb was fired. Predictably, Cloud canceled the attack and moved side to side to avoid the attack but his eyes never strayed from Ichigo.

Running around the arena faster than the orb could give chase, Cloud dashed at him again unleashing a flurry of slashes. Ichigo grinned and parried each attack. He noted idly that the lows held much more power behind them than when they had started.

"Not bad" Cloud muttered as he engaged in yet another deadlock. The two were separated by only their blades, neither willing to pull back.

"I was thinking the same thing." Ichigo replied. Before Cloud could reply, Ichigo's bicep bulged slightly and he began overpowering the blond. Cloud frowned and bent his knees unwillingly as the pressure began to increase. Knowing what was happening, Ichigo released his hold letting Clouds legs extend suddenly.

His right leg shot out and connected with the blonds chest, sending him back toward the edge of the arena. Cloud only had a moment to act before Ichigo's sword sliced across where his head would be had he not ducked. A deep gash in the wall drew cheers from the crowd.

The over extension of his swing created an opening that Cloud was perceptive enough to notice. With a two handed grip, Cloud swiped the air in four different patterns. Light seemed to follow each swing despite Ichigo blocking the strikes. On the final strike, a red blast seemed to be released from the sword.

The materia at the base of Ichigo's own blade began to illuminate and the two attacks let off at once. A red beam clashed with a black one generating enough force to crack the walls of the arena. The spectators seats began to shake and cracks grew along the floor.

When the blast died down, both fighters looked almost unscathed. Ichigo had a thin cut that stretched from above his eye down to his mouth which Cloud's right arm had turned light red due to the burns that had inflicted it.

The two brought their swords back up, each sporting a small grin. Just as they took a step forward, the announcer interrupted.

"Stop! Unfortunately due to the arena not having been reinforced to handle a clash of this magnitude, we have no choice but to cancel the match!"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, he was holding back. And from what he saw and felt, Cloud was as well. He supposed he could understand where they were coming from though.

Touching the wound on his face, he tapped a finger near the opening and a faint green glow surrounded him. Almost like magic, the wound steamed before closing completely.

"We know the match was heating up, but perhaps we can catch them again at the next tournament this time when we're prepared for such Goliath's. However, as the match was interrupted, it's been decided that the fighter with the least amount of damage will be the winner."

Cloud looked over at Ichigo and narrowed his eyes at the missing wound. Clicking his teeth in displeasure, he crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

"The winner of this weeks tournament, Sosuke Aizen!"

Ichigo almost didn't react until he remembered that had been his fake name. He waved to the crowd with a stoic look just as displeased to have won this way. The large door opened allowing both fighters to leave the arena.

Just on the other side of the door, Ichigo was presented the emerald green materia that was Dark Thundaga and congratulated on his win. It didn't look any different from others he'd seen but upon closer inspection, he could see small streaks of what looked like lightning.

"Yo." He called back, having seen Cloud making his way to one of the doors.

The man stopped and looked over at him questioningly. Making his way over, Ichigo tossed the materia into the air where it was easily caught by the blond.

Cloud blinked in confusion and raised an eyebrow.

"I don't need it. Didn't even win fairly, had I known that's how they were gonna choose the victor I would've left it alone."

"You're just giving me the prize? Just like that?" Cloud shot back with a hint of suspicion in his tone.

He nodded. "Just like that. I didn't come here for the materia. I was just looking for a good match, and I was starting to get it too. You military? SOLDIER?"

Cloud tucked the materia away and shook his head. "Ex-SOLDIER. I quit a while ago. What about you? I haven't met anyone who could keep up as easily as you did."

"Nothing like that. I'm self trained. I've had a knack for fighting since I can remember. It's almost like my body moves on muscle memory, even if I don't remember having ever done certain things if that makes sense." It didn't. Not even to him, but surprisingly, Cloud nodded.

"I know the feeling." He replied before taking a moment to continue. "Let me ask you something."

Ichigo nodded at him.

"You said you've fought Shinra fodder. Why?" There was no suspicion in his tone this time, rather, it sounded almost…curious.

"They attacked one of my friends. I don't care who anyone is. If they mess with my people, I'll strike them down. End of story. Even if it's Shinra."

The ex-SOLDIER didn't respond for a moment but soon smirked to himself. Of all the people he'd met since he started working with the group Tifa recommended, this was the only one he could relate to on any level.

"I see. Are you actually gonna participate again next week?" Cloud probed.

Ichigo shrugged. "Not sure. If it's every week I'll have plenty of chances. You local?"

Cloud shook his head. "Nah. Just here to do a job for a client."

"Your a merc." Ichigo deduced. "How's that pay?"

"Depends on the job and the client I suppose. Most jobs are shit to be honest but some pay enough to make it worth it. You thinking of getting in?"

Ichigo placed his sword on his back once more and rested his hands behind his head. "Perhaps. Would need to make connections first though. The people of Wall Market aren't exactly the types to spend their money on mercs when the honey bee inn is so close."

"True enough." He commented before looking toward the door. "Well I need to get back to the client and deliver this. See you around Sosuke."

"Ichigo." The orange haired man said in a hushed tone. Cloud however was still close enough to hear him. "Sosuke is an alias in case Shinra goes sniffing around."

Cloud blinked. He was already sure the man in front of him wasn't Shinra just because of how he spoke of them. But to go so far as to use a different name meant he was possibly being targeted. That brought up the question as to what the man could've done. However, at the same time it also reinforced the fact that he wasn't a Turk undercover.

Someone of his caliber would definitely be beneficial to have as an ally if not as least not an enemy.

"You must be in deep." He commented. "Doesn't matter to me either way. I owe you one for this." He added, holding up the materia.

"If you're ever in sector seven, stop by Seventh Heaven. I'll at least give you a cut."

"One more thing." Ichigo exclaimed. "When you were in SOLDIER, did you ever know anyone named Cissnei?"

The blond scrunched his face in concentration and then momentarily gripped his head with a single hand. It was as if he'd been hit with a migraine but only a moment later, he was back to normal.

"Sorry. Can't say I did."

With that, the former Shinra operative made his way to the door and disappeared from sight. Ichigo sighed to himself and followed though not before having to meet and greet a few people who were impressed with his performance.

When he finally exited the colosseum, he made his way straight back to his new home.

"Seventh Heaven." He muttered to himself as he walked through the doors of the inn. "I'll check it out one of these days."