It's because Rufus seems genuinely interested that Zack decides to tell him, and not just wave off the question instead. "I wanted to do mercenary work. Try out a little bit of everything, you know? And I didn't want to head home - not that I could."

With Shinra swarming Gongaga, even his brief stop there had been dangerous. At least Cissnei had been there to tell him how his parents were doing. But even without the danger, he doesn't think he'd have gone back.

He makes a considering noise. "Start simple? It's a brand new place, let yourself be a tourist for a while. You can't know what to do with yourself if you don't know what there is out there."