/Woot. For those of you reading this again you'll notice I changed a few things. It kind of confused me when I re-read it so I changed it a bit to make more sense and to agree more with the compilation. Alright, enjoy take two!/

If I had known what would happen as a result of my actions I would have ended it then and there. Jenova…the project…that
abominable man and myself. Even if it meant becoming the villain. Even if I had to burn that town to the ground.

Hmph…well. It ended up burning anyway, so it seems my good intentions were misplaced.
But there is no going back, is there?
"Painful tomorrow is all that waits for you."
Ha ha….I never imagined that I would be the one quoting 'Loveless'.
I guess it really is the final act then.

Nibelheim – Shinra manor
29 years before the Jenova War.

"I'm advising you against it."
"I don't care." Hojo groaned.

With her teeth set the young lab assistant refused to move, her arms folded angrily to her chest. She was the voice of reason echoing pointlessly in the distance, unheard. As she walked back and forth her head shook with protest, causing her long dark hair to ripple. One last time she looked up at the two scientists in front of her, still fuming.
Hojo would be just crazy enough to suggest injecting an unborn child, HIS unborn child with alien matter. She growled to herself.

"It's for the Project." Lucrecia spoke up, trying to soothe her collegue only to have the doctor shoot her a distraught look.

"Fuck the project."

Lucrecia looked as if the young woman had physically slapped her. Hati had never been the type to be so blunt but desperate situations called for desperate words.

The girls dark eyes shot her mentor a harsh look.

"It's lunacy to think that if you inject your child with something that nothing will happen." Hati reminded her.

"Of course it is. Of course something will happen. That's what we're counting on." Hojo interrupted. "So quit fussing. Besides, Professor Gast has already given the go ahead for it. In fact, Professor Hollander has already injected several human subjects with the cells."

Hati ground her teeth again. "And you think that's a good thing? I'll believe it when he tells me himself."

"Believe it or not, you're not stopping us. We're injecting the cells as planned. I don't know why I'm listening to your nonsense anyway! Your feelings are irrelevant."

"What?! No! You can't do it!"

"And why not?"

Once again Hati cast a glance over at the other woman who held her head low, unwilling to get involved in the argument any further. Hati fumed.

Idiot. You can't seriously believe the bullshit he's trying to pull. He doesn't give a damn about either of you.

"What if the subject dies?" She asked coldly, watching as the Hojo turned to look at her seriously for the first time. Emotional pleas didn't work on him– she knew that. That was why she despised him. But she could use his logic against him.

"If your subject dies it won't be as easy as finding another one. You know that Professor Gast will cancel the project immediately."
Hojo seemed upset at the possibility of the cancellation.

"None of Hollanders subjects have died."

"Yet. But I can't count on you to be as discretionary as Hollander. Knowing you you'll put in as many cells as you can just to get a reaction and end up killing your subject in the end."

"Then what is your 'brilliant' plan?" He sighed, rubbing his head. Hojo wasn't the one to trouble about ethics. In his opinion they were pointless obstacles to success. But Hati had nailed it right on the head when she's said he would inject as many cells as possible. He hated to admit it but her point was scientifically valid.

"I need to do tolerance tests on a subject to find out how much an organism can take."

"And how much it takes to get a reaction." Hojo mused, off in his own world of possibilities again.

"It has to be human." Hojo immediately responded. "No animal, the biology isn't right."

Hati glared at him again. "They have to be willing."
The scientist threw his hands onto the table in a rare fit of anger.
"WILLING? This isn't the time to prance around! Just drag someone in here!"

"They will be willing."

"You have a week."

"You know as well as I do it's not enough time."

Hojo snorted. "Of course it is. If the subjects don't die within a week I doubt they will. Besides, you just have to up the dose until something – anything happens. It's not that hard."

A week to find willing human experiments. He really is making sure I fail. Hati seethed.

"Fine!" She snapped. Storming out of the cramped office she gave one last look at Lucrecia who was doing her best to appear nonchalant – emotionless and immovable no matter what the verdict.

"You married him." Hati whispered to her as she left. For a second she saw the doctor stiffen before a defeated sag crept into her shoulders.
It was cruel. Hati knew it. But if her friend was going to be a damned fool then she was sure as hell going to let her know it. She'd had a chance for happiness – for a normal life and she'd let her own ego get in the way of that. Only the two of them knew the real reason she'd gone running into Hojo's arms…

Outside of the building Vincent watched the young technician with eager eyes, as if awaiting a judge's sentence. In a way he was, his world revolved around Lucrecia and her marriage to Hojo and consequent refusal to have anything to do with him had taken a few years off of his life. As he watched the tan skinned woman approach he began to fidget. Seeing him Hati felt her own spirits drop.
I'm sorry you're in love with an idiot my friend.

"I did what I could, but her decision is final. She's staying with Hojo."
Vincent's crushed look made Hati's stomach drop and she softened her demeanor.

"I'm sorry. I tried to talk to her but she won't open up to me anymore…"

"You tried…that's all you could do."

For a moment Hati thought about telling him of the human tests but firmly clamped her mouth shut. Vincent was a turk. His only role was to protect the scientists, not get involved in their research. And knowing what Lucrecia was about to do would only break his heart even more. If he knew about the human trials he would volunteer in a heartbeat.
No. He'll agree. I can't put my oldest friend through that. I've already lost one as it is.

Without finishing the conversation she walked away.

"Hati. What can we do if she won't even speak to us?"

With a slight pause she called back. "Anything we can."

Edge
Three years after the Jenova War.

The memories fell like rain against the windowpanes, rattling her thoughts.

"Ms. Hroo?"

With a patient smile Hati turned to the young girl. "You're still working on it?"

The girl gave fast nod. "Iz hard."

"Hro – vit – nis – son."

"Hrovisn!"

"Close enough." Hati laughed, tousling the child's hair. "You'll get it when you're older."

"Uh Huh!"

After tying the tiny shoelaces she was left alone in her thoughts again.
Her eyes turned to the empty medicine bottle and bandages on the sill.
I'm out again…and this rain doesn't help either.

Carefully peeking under the worn bandages she could see the bright white patches glaring against the darker skin around it. The edges of each discolored area had the telltale bruising of Geostigma.

"Ms. Hati! Ms. Hati!"

Quickly covering the wound the caretaker rose from her seat. Since the fall of Meteor a few years ago she had taken to caring for the children left behind in the wake of the disease. As she made her way to the door she saw all of the children splashing about in the water.

"Ms. Hati! It's gone!" Her assistant shouted happily, splashing in the water along with the kids. "This rain, whatever it is,
cures the Geostigma! Come on out!"

Cautiously, the woman extended her hand only to retract it with a sharp breath.
How can they hop around like that when it burns? Unless...
Looking up at the rain Hati scowled.
Metamorphic Geostigma. I don't know what's in this rain but it may was well be poison to me. "Ms. Hati?" A concerned voice called out to her and she forced a smile, shaking her head.
"No…it's just that mine is a little different. It's okay though! It's great all of you are cured. That is a miracle! Call everyone out into the rain!"

Watching as all the children made their way into the healing drizzle Hati quietly made her escape, retreating back into the house. She looked over the toys scattered about and ran her hand along the wood of the old banister that lead upstairs. Outside she could hear the children playing in the miracle rain. It truly was a Great Gospel that came down from heaven.
But despite the happy laughter she couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. She had grown close to them.

"But I can't stay here with them…not with what I am. Not now that I know how to get rid of these abominable cells…"
She whispered, moving back to her window.
That's that then. Laurel is around seventeen isn't she? Yes…it'll be okay now that they're healed…
Later, under the cover of a cloudless night Hati vanished into the darkness, leaving only a note and her savings behind.

Shinra Manor, Nibelheim.
29 years earlier

Just a little more…..God…how much more…..
Tightening the band with her teeth she readied her arm again like a professional junkie. It was all in the name of science Hati mentally chanted as she brought the needle to her arm.
This makes the seventh dose. So far there haven't been too many ill side effects of the Jenova cells. Thank God….
Hati hadn't really expected anyone to say yes, but it would have been nice. She was left holding the roulette wheel this time but at least now she didn't worry about dying in some horribly excruciating way. Only slowly and relatively painlessly.

"Whatever doesn't kill you." She whispered as the needle pierced the skin. As the cells flooded into her bloodstream she felt the familiar pitch of nausea as her body tried, and failed to fight off the invaders.

"Damn you owe me Lucrecia…"

But the week was finished.
Handing the report to Hojo she made certain to belittle him again before retiring to her room, leaving before he could question her yet again on the subjects. Lying down on her small bed she tried to keep her mind from thinking about what the scientists would do next. Even though she hadn't suffered any side effects yet she had taken more than all of Professor Hollanders subjects combined. Something was bound to happen.

It's inhuman. Just like the child will be.

Rolling over she tried to calm her nerves. Hojo was becoming more and more insistent on seeing the test subjects for himself. Hati knew well enough that he was planning on confiscating anyone with Jenova cells. And if he found out it was her she'd be in a holding cell for experiments in a matter of minutes – probably hooked up to monitors while he cackled on the other side of the glass.
But it's done and over with. Nothings happened. Not even Hollander is seeing any results. I'm glad to see that it's all worked out so well.
A few days later Hati found her once raven hairs turning silver.

The Jenova project was well underway by then.