Summary: Cloud and Zack arrive at civilization. Well, at Wall Market, but that's close to civilized. Cloud has some ideas on how Zack can disguise himself.

Chapter 3: Hive of Scum and Beauty

Before they could get going, they had to calm down Wex. Luckily, he wasn't the smartest bird on Terra, so all it took was a handful of gysahl greens and a few soothing pets.

Zack's SOLDIER strength made loading everything just as easy. Zack was obviously feeling better physically. Enough that he decided to run beside the chocobos carrying his sword rather than climb on behind Cloud.

Cloud tried not to be disappointed. Though he knew nothing would come of it, Cloud had enjoyed having the big body next to his – the smell of another human and the warmth of arms wrapped around him. Now he just felt kinda cold.

Even the endless chatter had stopped. Probably because both of them were feeling raw, thinking of what their last conversation had revealed.

Cloud wasn't surprised the SOLDIER had been experimented on. He wasn't surprised, but he was furious with Shinra again, like he hadn't been in years: Zack Fair had been one of the good guys.

SOLDIERs had always had the reputation of being more than a little crazy – like, psychotically, pathologically crazy. Rhapsodos had gone around quoting that stupid play demanding that every grunt he worked with talk with him about it or get some dogshit punishment. Sephiroth had been a scary fuck even before he destroyed Nibelheim. Sebastian had been a racist asshole, going to the undercity and beating up Wutaian refugees in their businesses when they didn't speak Common without an accent.

Maybe those were extreme examples, but there was no denying that SOLDIERs had been Shinra's bully boys, beating Wutai into submission, beating Fort Condor and Corel. The blunt force Shinra used to bend the world to its will. And as far as anyone knew, they'd enjoyed being Shinra's hammer.

Zack Fair, however, had built up a reputation as something different.

Anyone who'd done a mission with him talked about how cheerful and friendly he'd been. He'd talked to the regular grunts, giving them combat advice and asking them questions about their lives. (Though it seemed the man would talk to a cactuar if it were the only thing around).

Cloud knew he'd done work under the plate as well, clearing out monsters and such. It hadn't been required and Cloud hadn't heard of any other SOLDIERs doing it, but Zack had. Because Zack had believed the hype about SOLDIERs being heroes.

Then he'd become inconvenient to Shinra. Like Cloud and his squad mates, and the citizens of Nibelheim, the company had buried Zack Fair alive.

Sometimes, Cloud found himself agreeing with Barret Wallace about what should happen to Shinra, and he didn't like it.

"Up ahead, we cut right and go up," he said to Zack. "It'll take us over the old expressway, and from there we go down to the 6-7 Road." Zack nodded. "There might be bandits," Cloud warned. "They live in the tunnel. Come up to rob and be assholes."

Zack just grinned. "They won't be expecting us!"

Well, Cloud thought, they might be expecting him, but they probably wouldn't expect a SOLDIER First.

"Lot of them report to Don Corneo or to someone who reports to Corneo. If they see you…"

That got rid of Zack's smile. If they encountered bandits, they'd have to kill them.

Cloud usually didn't care if he killed the bandits he encountered – they'd attacked him after all. This time he disliked that the idea of it made Zack grim. "It's early," he said in reassurance. "Might not be out."

Zack nodded, but he still swung his huge blade a couple times, warming up just in case.

In the end, the only thing they encountered was a lone ringmaw that thought they looked like dinner. Even without ice materia, Zack had it down with only a couple thrusts. "You want anything from it?"

Cloud shook his head.

They made good time. When they reached the top of the tunnel, Wall Market was in view. Built close to the central pillar, it was always dark enough there for Wall Market's lights to shine. Don Corneo's gaudy mansion stood out, placed as it was, several layers higher than the rest of the city.

"It's… very bright," Zack said.

"Before Shinra gave up on building the undercity, there were thousands of workers living down here. As they moved around the sectors, the entertainers and merchants moved with them. They were starting on Sector 6 when the plate fell." He jerked his chin up, and they both looked up. Even as high at it was, it was easy to see the heavy metal beams sticking out from the sides of the unfinished plate floor. Like a piece of woven cloth that was forever halfway undone.

"Shinra stopped construction, pulled all the workers out. The merchants and entertainers just stayed. "

The path left the highest part of the ridge but Corneo's mansion was still visible. It would be visible halfway to Sector 5. An obvious and useful landmark.

"When we get to the track down to the road, you stay up here, hidden," Cloud said. "I'll turn in the cargo and my salvage – do it after every run. Then I'll head south out of Wall Market."

"And me?" Zack asked.

"Stay up here," he repeated. "Circle south around the market 'til you reach the lake. Wait up top 'til I arrive."

"Sounds good."

Zack's easy agreement was a relief. Chocobo Sam's workers guarded the entrance from Sector 7, while Madame M had people watching the road to Sector 5. It would've been hard to sneak the SOLDIER First past one group, let alone both.

They moved Cloud's supply box over to Deza. Sam would probably guess Cloud had let the yellow carry his personal stuff, but he wouldn't know for sure, and what Sam didn't know, he couldn't charge for.

Cloud loaned Zack the healing materia to use in case he encountered something harder to deal with than a ringmaw. Then they were done. Ready to part.

With a jaunty wave, Zack bounded over a slab of reinforced concrete and was gone from sight. Cloud fought the urge to call the SOLDIER back. He'd be safe enough on the ridge, Cloud told himself. Cloud told himself that, but he didn't fully believe it.

However, his belief had nothing to do with anything, and he forced himself to continue to the 6-7 Road.

He made sure the road was clear before going down those last exposed metres. On the wide, flat surface of the 6-7 Road, Cloud clicked Deza into a faster pace. He resisted the urge to look up at the ridge. Just because Cloud had spent the last 24 hours healing the man, didn't make Zack a helpless baby

As he got closer to Wall Market, it was easier to hear the crowds and the music and the endless, vibrant noise that made up the place.

It was familiar to Cloud. He'd spent his first years out of the military in Wall Market's insulated environment. Then as now, he'd earned money doing odd jobs. Sure, Wall Market had had some seedy elements, but they hadn't bothered Cloud and Cloud hadn't bothered them, (unless he'd been hired to bodyguard someone they wanted to rob). It had been a good time for him, and he'd healed a lot, mentally and physically.

Then Don Corneo had moved in, wanting to control all of Wall Markets most famous attractions. He'd tried to recruit Cloud – forcibly. Cloud's response had been quick, violent, and bloody. It took a year before it was safe for him to travel in Sector 6 again. Two, before he could go into the central area without one of Corneo's people trying to kill him.

It was good, though, that he'd left. The move to Sector 7 had been one of the best things to have happened to Cloud. His business thrived, enough that he occasionally had to hire someone to fulfill all the contracts. He'd met up with Tifa – Tifa Lockhart, star of his childhood dreams. They weren't children now, of course. They'd both survived contact with Shinra after all...

Cloud's mind stopped.

Tifa had probably seen Zack in Nibelheim. She had to have – she said she'd been the expedition's local guide.

Would she try to kill Zack if they met?

It was entirely possible. Her rage at Shinra was greater than anything Cloud felt – like a lit match next to a bonfire. And now that she'd joined with Wallace….

Cloud reassured himself that she probably wouldn't succeed in killing Zack. At least, not before Cloud had the chance to break them up.

Maybe he'd give them each a heads up about the other before they met in person.

One last bend in the road before it widened into Chocobo Sam's stable and staging yard. It had been a quarter its current size when Cloud first came down to the ground floor, but Sam had slowly and steadily shifted the garbage and debris as his business had grown. He now had regular scheduled runs through Sectors 5, 6 and 7, and an active stable of nearly thirty birds.

As he came up to the main building Sam sauntered out. "Yer late!"

The man's voice was low and growly, and he'd retained the accent of his hometown not far from Chocobo Farm. Sam also maintained a version of its attire. From the decorated Stetson he wore on his head, to the boots made of dual horn hide, everything about Chocobo Sam screamed his roots as a simple plainsman.

It was a lie, of course.

Sam was one of Don Corneo's Trio, and that wasn't a position a simple man survived for long. His success depended on keeping Corneo appeased, so Sam paid a portion of all his earnings to Corneo, negotiating the percentage down by being a part of Corneo's smuggling ring and a conduit for Corneo's "brides". Cloud never forgot that Chocobo Sam was not a good person.

Cloud stayed on Deza, looking down on the man. "Contract said today."

Sam smirked. "Yer always a day early, so 'ccording to history, yer late."

Cloud just shook his head. "Need to manage expectations better," he said before jumping off Deza.

"Who does?" Sam asked his back. "You 'r me?"

Cloud took Deza's rein and led the way to Sam's main stable. "Billy put the whole truss of greens in one bundle," he said. "One bundle, one preservation spell."

Sam nodded, "That's what I paid fer."

"Next time, break the bundles up," Cloud said. "I couldn't unload by myself, so Wex's been carrying them for four days, all hours."

"Hadn't thought of that," Sam said with a frown. Cloud nodded, accepting the statement. Sam did care about the birds he owned, (probably more than he cared about the people he employed) but he didn't do long haul. It wouldn't have occurred to him that there'd be nobody with Cloud to help unload the birds at night.

They'd reached the feed room lift, and Sam whistled for a couple of his boys to come over and help with the cargo.

"He's a good bird; strong, sturdy and generally happy," Cloud said. "Not smart, but trainable. Ran into a couple things–"

"As you do on in the open." Sam's interruption was a way of saying that he wasn't going to pay extra for any damages Cloud had suffered.

Cloud ignored him. "Jumped the first few times, but by the end, was pretty calm about it."

"Will he work in harness?"

Cloud gently pushed the yellow's beak away from his hair. "Maybe? He's sociable. Likes being around other animals." He took his ropes from Sam's men as they untied them.

Sam snorted unhappily. "I don't do tandem rigs."

Cloud shrugged. "Still young, yah. Might grow out of it. Worth the effort to try, though."

Sam nodded. Cloud knew Sam would make his own evaluation of the yellow, but he also knew that his opinion would count.

Tiam and Randy grunted as they lifted the truss of greens. Cloud let them do the work, content to stay at Wex's head and keep him in place. He only moved when Sam took out his large hunting knife, ready to examine the cargo.

He watched Sam cut the cords, their undisturbed knots proving the load hadn't been tampered with. Next Sam lifted a corner of the canvas wrapping, breaking the preservation spell worked into the weave.

Still not content, Sam dug his hand into the kurie greens, pulling out a handful in the middle to make sure they weren't old or rotten. He even pulled them up to his face to sniff them.

"They're good," Sam declared and rose to his feet. "Let's go settle up."

Cloud took Deza with him when they went to the office building, tying him to the post there. Behind him, Wex gave a sad warble.

In Sam's office, Cloud pulled out his order slip and had Sam sign it under goods received. After he'd counted the money, he filled out the 'Paid in Full' section and gave it to Sam. For someone else, Cloud wouldn't have bothered counting. Sam, however, expected people to cheat him, just as he tried to cheat them. If he could short you a gil, he would.

In his favour, Sam never got insulted if you double-checked anything he said or did. If you caught him in a lie, he would shrug and own up, considering it just part of doing business.

They didn't shake hands once the job was concluded. Cloud just took his gil and left. They would never be friends because Sam didn't trust anyone that much.

It was a horrible way to live, as far as Cloud was concerned.

He recognized the stablehand working the carriage service, so he paid the man a gil to give Deza a good currying while he went into the Market.

Two more stops, then he'd head south to meet Zack.

First stop was selling his container of salvaged monster parts to the pharmacist. Paul's store was just inside the main entrance. It had a bright white moogle outside the door, waving a paw to welcome everyone in. A tinkly bell rang when the door opened, and the interior was decorated with bamboo and soothing colours. It was, Cloud always thought, a look entirely out of place in Corneo's Wall Market.

Paul came through the curtain to the back area. "Can I help you?" he said before actually looking. "Cloud! I expected you yesterday."

"Contract was for today," he repeated.

"Yeah, still…"

Cloud just stared at him until Paul shrugged a half-hearted apology.

Cloud lifted his cold box. "Got a few things you might like."

Paul's smile widened. "I knew you would! Let's have a look."

The pharmacist bought everything as Cloud had known he would. After all, he'd only salvaged what could be turned into antidotes for food poisoning, indigestion, and heart burn, plus the other things people could catch while visiting Wall Market.

What took the time was haggling over the price.

Paul was a decent guy; he just enjoyed haggling. Always tried to get a little extra for less than it was worth. Since he was a good alchemist, Cloud usually gave him something extra in exchange for a discount on potions and ethers.

"Do you have time to run some prescriptions around?" Paul asked.

Cloud shook his head. "Gotta couple more errands then sleep." When Cloud left the pharmacy, Paul shook his hand and wished him a pleasant evening. Cloud also left with three potions and an ether. A somewhat better stock level than he'd left Midgar with.

Out the door he turned right, heading deeper into the market. The corridor – it wasn't wide enough to be a lane – was jammed with people and smelled of dumplings and beer. Cloud kept his hand close to his money, but the local pickpockets knew him well enough to keep clear.

The corridor ended in a T-intersection. Another right would take him to the stairs down to The Honeybee Inn. He'd originally planned to end his journey there, see if Andi had time to spare for an old friend, but now he turned left. Second shop in sold stupid tourist shit and gods-awful clothing.

He grinned.

Cloud picked a garish T-shirt a size larger than his own, and a pair of hideous cargo shorts. He even found socks and a cringe-worthy pair of boxers that said RELEASE THE CRACKEN across the ass. At the counter, he grabbed a cap and sunglasses so Zack could cover his very distinctive hair and eyes.

The haggling this time was more serious – tourist shit was ridiculously overpriced – but considering the starting price of all of it, Cloud thought he got a pretty good deal.

When Cloud passed the dumpling shop again, it smelled really, really, good, so he made one final stop and picked up a variety pack of two dozen. He ate one on his way back to Deza, and then one more while he stuffed his purchases into the saddlebags. Then he resolutely packed the rest away in the supply box.

He led Deza through the gate of Wall Market. Originally, there'd only been the one entrance, and the 6-7 Road had run all the way to Sector 5. A pile of debris had slid down off the expressway tunnel, cutting the road in half, and instead of clearing it, Corneo had torn down a section of the south wall. Now, unless they wanted to risk their lives in the collapsed expressway, everybody had to go through Wall Market.

Corneo hadn't made the gap very big, however, so all the people were bunched up, gawking. Deza didn't like crowds, and the crowds didn't like Deza, but he was half a tonne of sharp-beaked bird, so the crowd mostly got out of his way.

Eventually Cloud emerged onto the mostly empty 5-6 Road and he started to run. The green gave a happy wark and jogged easily beside him. It didn't take long to reach the turn off to the lake, and once there, it didn't take long for Zack to drop onto the road beside him.

"Everything okay," Cloud asked.

Zack nodded. "Nothing I couldn't handle. You?"

"Got paid," Cloud answered. He jerked his head towards the lake, leading the way in where they'd have a little protection from the eyes of passing traffic. "Got supper, too."

"You did? Awesome!" Zack said with a happy bounce. "Will it kill me? 'Cause I've heard stories about the food down here. That it's actually rat. I can't say I believe it." He rattled on as Cloud led the way down the short path. As planned, it was empty – too late for families and too early for drunken parties.

Deza, like a lot of green chocobos, didn't like large open bodies of water. When Cloud ordered him to sit close to the path, he did so happily and turned his head away from the lake. Cloud figured the bird was trying to pretend it didn't exist.

"Got you some clothes," he said to Zack. "No holes, no blood. We'll toss the rest."

Zack's eyebrows went down. "Get rid of the pants," he said blankly.

"People'll remember 'em and you in 'em," Cloud explained. "Plus, your girl might be upset to see so many bullet holes where your body was supposed to be."

Zack put a finger into one of the few solitary holes. It lined up perfectly with his hip bone. "I suppose so."

"Should also cut your hair."

Zack slapped a shocked hand over his heart. "Take that back!"

Cloud smiled. "Think you'll like what I picked for you."

"Oooo. Lemme see!" Zack bounced.

Cloud shook his head. "Bathe first. Then clothes. Then food."

Zack wilted. "You're so mean."

Unsurprisingly, Zack was completely unselfconscious about stripping in front of Cloud. Shinra military – any branch – trained the modesty out of you. First it was shared quarters and shared showers. Then it was medical exams, and the science department wanted to see and measure everything. Then, of course, there was Zack's four years as an experiment in a lab. Cloud doubted he'd been given any privacy then.

Feeling somewhat guilty for staring, Cloud turned his back. It wasn't much, but he tried.

As a reward, Zack tossed his crusty (and smelly) tank top at Cloud and hit him in the back of the head. Cloud let Zack hear his put-upon sigh. He didn't need to turn around to see Zack's grin.

"Got any shampoo in that bag of tricks of yours?"

Cloud did. He got it out of his saddlebag and walked it over to where Zack was removing his boots. "You know, I've had these boots since Nibelheim, and they're still in pretty good shape…."

Cloud barely heard him. There was a lot of bare (if blood-covered) muscle on display, but one thing stood out. "They're all gone. Not even scars."

Zack glanced down at his chest. "Yeah. Not a one."

"But…" That wasn't possible. SOLDIERs healed faster than normal people, yah, but they still scarred.

"Haven't got a new one since Hojo's lab." Zack's reached up and rubbed absently at a thin white line on his cheek.

"'s fucked up."

Zack's laugh wasn't happy. "Seriously fucked up. I know that Hojo injected me with more than just mako and Sephiroth didn't scar. Neither did Genesis or Angeal. Until... Until they were degrading."

"Worried you'll degrade, or that you'll turn into one of them?" Cloud asked.

"Ah, fuck, Cloud. That's the question, isn't it." Zack turned his face up to the sky. It would be visible through the gap in the Sector 6 plate. "They were all crazy in the end. What if…" It was a legitimate fear, given everything Zack had told him.

Cloud placed a reassuring hand on Zack's bare shoulder, ignoring the feel of smooth, strong muscle. "If you start setting fire to a village, I promise to stop you."

Zack's laugh was horrified, but still happier than before. "You'll try, mountain boy."

Cloud shrugged. "Try not to go crazy, and we'll never have to find out.

Zack's grin was blinding. "Maybe I'll turn into a cat," he said, kneeling to unzip his boots. "That would be cool. I'd just lay around in the sun and people will feed me. I could stick my tongue out at everyone who ever called me 'puppy'. Oooh!" he straightened, "I could live with Aerith, and she could pet me! That would be nice…" His eyes fogged.

Cloud gave him a swat. "Focus."

"Oh, I'm focused," Zack leered.

With his boots finally removed, it didn't take Zack long to strip out of the rest of his clothes. He actually hesitated before taking off his pants, so Cloud turned to the side, pretending to watch the entrance.

The trouser legs wrapped around his head.

When Cloud turned to him with a growl, Zack cut him off. "You're a good guy, Cloud," he said seriously. "I'm glad I met you. Again."

Then he sprinted to the end of the dock and cannon balled in.

"Fucking hells! This water's freezing!" Zack screeched out more colourful curses and all Cloud could do was laugh.

While Zack splashed and spluttered, Cloud hunted down some rocks heavy enough to use as weights. When he got back, Zack was already out of the lake, still cursing, but clean.

Cloud tossed the guy a towel, and then pulled out the shopping bag. "I thought of you when I picked these," Cloud said solemnly. "I hope you like them."

With an eager look, Zack opened the bag. The first thing he pulled out was the T-shirt. Neon pinks and yellows and greens collided in a frenzy of splotches. Zack gazed at it in awe. "Fuck me, I'm blind."

Cloud shrugged. "People'll remember the shirt, not the face."

Zack switched his gaze to Cloud. "It's awesome. I love it!" A part of Cloud relaxed. It was joke that could've gone horribly wrong.

"Underpants, too."

Zack's face brightened. "Did you really? Oh man, how bad are they?" He dug through the bag until he found the orange and brown boxers. " 'Release the cracken!'," Zack chortled. "Hells yah. I did enough squats for my butt to be a weapon."

"Those are the best two," Cloud admitted. "The hat just advertises the Coliseum."

Zack pulled out the ball cap, looked at the swollen embroidered moogle with the flaming red eyes. "What the hells is this?"

"Mr Cuddlesworth. It explodes," Cloud explained. "People can buy them then throw them into the pit during the match if they think it's not exciting enough." Zack's jaw dropped.

"As a fighter, you get paid more if you let them."

"Personal experience?" he said with a raised eyebrow.

Cloud smiled a little. "Good money. Great way to level materia."

"Midgar is seriously messed up, top and bottom."

"Got you one more thing," Cloud reached into one of his pant pockets. He took out the strip of three condoms and tossed it at Zack. "Might need these when you catch up with your girl."

For someone so tanned, Zack's blush was easily visible. He stuttered and stammered and glowed like an alarm. Cloud just laughed at him and didn't let him give them back.

They sat on the dock, feet dangling over the water and ate the dumplings, watching the cap slowly sink into the water. Behind them, Deza dozed. Occasionally, the chocobo would make a weird snoring noise that could probably scare a fang, and sometimes someone would wander by on their way to somewhere else, but mostly it was peaceful. The sun emerged from above the plate, moving slowly towards the horizon. A fish jumped out of the water.

"How much farther to Sector 5?" Zack asked.

"Not far. Twenty minutes fast walk."

"And to the church? Beyond the station."

"Hour above that. Maybe less?" Cloud was guessing. He'd never been beyond the train station in Sector 5. Nobody lived out there; nobody worked out there. The only reason Sector 5 had a station was Shinra had planned to make it industrial, build their car batteries and cell phones. Like most their projects under the plate, they'd stopped once they'd dug up everything that had been there before, and all the green was gone.

Zack threw the last of his steam bun into his mouth. He stood up and brushed the dirt off his cargo shorts with its many (intact) pockets. "Well, then. Let's mosey."

This time they both walked. And they talked a little more. Zack waved his monster sword around, demonstrating moves. He didn't mention anything that he'd done while in SOLDIER and Cloud didn't ask.

He could see the sign for Sam's chocobo stop up ahead. Cloud was aware that he might never see the former SOLDIER again. The undercity was too big, too spread out, and if Zack stayed with his girl in Sector 5…

"I've enjoyed travelling with you," Cloud said instead of 'I'll miss you'.

"Yeah," Zack answered. "We should do it again. I mean, if I'm going to stay down here, I'll need work." He stopped. "Fuck. What I mean is, I'll… I'll need friends. People who know what I was and don't care and won't rat me out to Shinra."

Could it be that easy, Cloud wondered? But since it was exactly what he wanted, he just smiled and nodded. They just had to choose to make it that simple.

AN: There's now lovely artwork for this fic - Zack in his new finery! I can't post the direct link because, but it you look up theskycriestoo on Twitter and add "status / 1306318761448878084" (without the spaces) to the address bar you should find it.

Also, if you want to know what I'm listening to when I write Goodbye Hero, the playlist is on Spotify. I'm etrixan there too.