~Violet's POV~

When they're out of earshot, Vince turns back to me.

"What?"

"Genesis was out in the woods. Or he might've not been because he said he's in me, or at least he has control over every part of me. Something like that. Anyway, I was out there and my head started hurting and he was quoting something- I think it was Loveless- and then he just came out of nowhere and said all that crap about how he's got control now and how he can kill me if he has to, yada yada yada." He stands there silently for a moment, trying to process my long run-on sentence.

"… And what is that?" He points down to the vial still held in my hand. I open my palm, revealing the glowing green liquid.

"Purified mako, or so he said. Supposedly meant to get him out of my head if I ever think I can't take it."

"And the catch?" I smile wanly. Such a smarty.

"There'll be a few consequences, to give the exact words. He didn't say anything else. I don't think they'll be too bad."

"…" Scarlet eyes study the glass for a while. Then I nudge it toward him. He looks up at me, frowning. "What…"

"I want you to take it," I cut him off. When he hesitates, I continue. "The stuff he does to me hurts really freaking bad. I don't want to wind up panicking and then..." My voice trails off, point made.

"How do you know that I won't use it?" I cock my head to the side.

"Why would you need it?"

"For you," he clarifies.

"I know you won't. You're one of the most level headed people I know."

"… Had you seen me when you died, you would have thought otherwise."

"Well I'm not dying, so you can hold onto it for me," I reply softly, closing his fingers over the tube. Before he can protest further, I stand up on my toes, give him a kiss, and walk away. Don't fail me now, Vincent's inflated sense of duty.

~Vincent's POV~

I watch Violet walk back toward the group, black cloak swishing with every step she takes. With a sigh, I look down at the little glass vial in my hand. Is this really a cure? Or is it false hope? Carefully, I slide it down the slim space that's left in my holster and follow her. Cid stares at Violet like he wants to ask a questions, but smartly keeps his mouth shut. Cloud looks over at me once I've arrived.

"Ready to go?"

Upon seeing my nod, he gets in front of our usual line and leads the way toward the mountains. Violet takes her place by my side, arms hugged to her body while she watches Aeris and Yuffie converse quietly. After a while she sighs heavily and tucks a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, pale eyes turning to meet mine.

"Don't you think it's weird that we haven't seen any monsters around here yet?" And she's right. There hasn't been a single living creature out here besides us. "It feels so… empty without them. I wonder what happened."

"Hunters," Aeris says, turning her head to talk to us. "Over the past few decades, large groups of armed people came out and hunted for anything with a good hide or fangs."

"But why?" Reeve asks, joining in. "Isn't there a law on how many can be killed annually?"

"Yes," she nods. "There was a law. But it wasn't enforced as tightly when Shinra fell because of how many jobs were lost. After the WRO fell years after you died, Reeve, the law was dropped completely. People needed gil to provide for their families, and as a result, some parts of the Planet have turned into a barren wasteland."

"When did the WRO fall?" The commissioner asks, frowning.

"Around nine years ago," she gives him a sad smile.

"And what's taken its place?"

"I don't know, to be honest. I stopped watching Midgar when another war on Wutai arose."

"Hmph!" Yuffie huffs, crossing her arms. "Have they gotten their freedom back?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"It's sad," Violet sighs, looking out at the mountains. "How people turn against each other in hard times."

"You haven't been in a war, Violet. How would you know?" Yuffie scoffs. The blonde smiles at her weakly.

"There was a famine way back when I was a kid. Some mob went crazy in town while my friend and I were coming home from school, and she got trampled. I count a riot that lasted three months to be close enough."

"… Oh. Where'd you grow up?"

"Nibelhiem." The ninja looks over at Cloud, but he shakes his head.

"That was way before my time."

"How long?"

"Oh about thirty… six years?"

"It was definitely in the history books," our leader nods.

"Violet's in a history book?!"

"Aren't we all?" Barret raises an eyebrow. "It's been long enough."

"Yeah!" Yuffie nods, grinning now. "And guess what? I bet I'm in there more because I'm way cooler than all you oldies!"

"Yeah right," Cid scoffs. "I was better known than you, Brat." A mild argument ensues, but none of it's serious. I think we just want a distraction from the danger we're facing once again. This visit to Joshua had better not be a waste of time, because we don't know how much we have left. If this maniac Genesis is really in control of the Lifestream, then we need as much time as we can possibly save. Especially if what Violet said is true.

"Violet!" A scream breaks me from my thoughts, Yuffie's face paling as the first warning that something has gone horribly wrong.

"What're ya freakin' out about, B.. *#%*!"

Violet's fallen to the ground in a crumpled heap, coughing up bright red all over the ground. Sputtering and gagging, she reaches up and clutches her ears so hard that I think her head might combust. "Get out!" Aeris kneels by one side and I crouch by the other, trying to shake Violet from her sudden fit of insane agony. "GO AWAY!"

"Violet," Aeris murmurs, tapping her. "C'mon…" It's not real, Violet.

"What's wrong?" Yuffie asks, Cid fishing through Cloud's materia back quickly. Barret and Tifa watch, horrified, as Violet's eyes shift to a furiously glowing amethyst.

"Vincent, what's happening to her?!" Tifa asks over a particularly loud, blood curdling scream from my partner.

"Does he look like he knows?!" Cid snaps back, cursing when he pulls out a Fire materia instead of a Cure. "Cloud, where the (#*$ is the curative (*)&?!"

"In there somewhere," the blonde answers quietly.

"V-Vincent…" Violet mutters, crimson dripping from her lips. What's happening? Is this Genesis' doing?

"Just calm down," Aeris says gently. Violet shakes her head stubbornly.

"The m-mako…" I shake my head back.

"You said not to…"

"Do you have any idea how b…" She's cut off abruptly by her body's sudden need to expel more blood. "Just g-give it to m-me."

"What's she talkin' about?" Barret frowns. Reeve's face turns green and he turns away quickly, Nanaki frowning at his back.

"This?" Yuffie holds up the glass tube filled to the brim with pure green mako, the emerald substance glimmering in the sun.

"Where did you..?" I frown, reaching for it, she holds in behind her back quickly, giving Violet an unsure glance. We can't mess up this soon.

"Is this gonna make her better?"

"No," I insist, making another grab for it.

"Please…" Violet whimpers, voice shaky and weak.

"It will!" Yuffie shrieks, glaring at me hatefully. "You want her dead!"

"No, I.."

"Brat, give it back," Cid growls. "I don't know what the (#*^ that is, so I'm not for pourin' it down Vi's throat."

"Well I am!" She fires back, tossing it to Violet. She catches it easily, even in her state, elbowing Aeris hard in the ribs when the Ancient tries to take it away. So hard, actually, that we all hear a loud snap and anyone that knows Violet knows that that wasn't her elbow. Aeris gives a sharp cry of pain, clutching her side, while Violet downs the entire vial in one swallow. What did that do? She sits there a moment before looking up at me with a soft smile.

"See, I told you it…" Her voice trails off as she falls backward, eyes closing slowly.

"Violet?" Yuffie asks quietly as I reach forward to catch her. Still breathing. Cid tosses the bag of materia back to Cloud, getting down beside me.

"What was that stuff?"

"Purified mako. Genesis gave it to her if she couldn't take whatever he was going to put her through. There are supposed to be consequences for using it, though."

"Well killin' her off wouldn't have a point, and she wouldn't get mako poisoning with her drug past." When he sees my annoyed frown, he rolls his eyes. "C'mon, Vin. Ya don't have to pretend it never happened."

"I don't."

"Good. Now what's wrong with her?"

"Do you really think I know?" He huffs, frustrated with my current mood. "I suppose we'll have to carry her until she wakes up."

"Sounds like our only reasonable option," Cloud sighs. "We can't allow Genesis to catch up to us. Let's keep going."

"No, it's 'Let's mosey'," Tifa corrects with a small smile. He just shakes his head in amusement, turning to lead the way to the mountains. I take a limp Violet up in my arms, following the group at a slower pace. It takes hours to actually reach the base of the mountains, and by then most of the others are all tired out. Cloud allows us to take a break for a few minutes. It's late afternoon when we get moving again. Reeve stumbles over rocks and constantly calls for us to wait for him. The man was built for office work, not treks across the roughest mountain range on the Planet.

By the time night falls, we're almost off Mount Nibel. Cid insists that we get to Rocket Town for Violet's sake, or maybe he secretly wants to know what has become of the daughter he left behind decades ago. I wouldn't be surprised. Only a few people who have been selected by the Planet are allowed to see what's happening in the world of the living. That's how Aeris knew all that she did about the WRO and the Wutain Wars.

It must be close to midnight when we get to the outskirts of town. Barret took his turn holding Violet hours ago, though he's been weary of her awakening ever since his job turned into "designated pack mule". I think he may be worried that she'll wake up and go "all demon mode on him", as he so kindly stated. Without Violet to lead us to her son's house, because I'm sure she would still remember, we rely on Cid to find our way there.

We turn around three times before we find at ourselves at the familiar building, though the paneling has started to rot and it could use a good coat of paint. The window frames have evidently been nailed back on many times, and the roof looks like it's deteriorating. Inside, a soft light glows through a thin white curtain. He still lives here? Cloud, seeing that no one else wants to take the initiative, steps up to the splitting wood of the door and knocks firmly. The door cracks open a few seconds later, a familiar face peering through, though it isn't who we wanted to see.

"…Hello?"

"Dave?" Cid asks, frowning. "Where's Josh?"

"Cid?!"

"Yeah, and?" Blue mako eyes flit over the group, moving from one face to the next. He huffs, raising a hand to push his dark hair back from his face. He looks the same. It must be effects of the Deepground operations. Naturally, he's confused that we're here, because we've been dead for the past three (nearly four) decades.

"I'm dreaming, right?"

"No," Cloud sighs. "Look, it's a long story. Where's Josh?"

"He's out doing some, uh, thing. I don't really know what, but he's got the ships with him. Maybe refueling?" He looks away quickly. "I think he'll be back tomorrow, but he might not ever come back with the state Midgar's in."

"What?" Tifa frowns, concern filling her features like a flash flood. "Are you going after him?"

"No, I don't know exactly where he is. He could be at Junon too; no point in chasing him down." His eyes drop to Vi0let. Naturally, he becomes concerned that she hasn't even noticed his presence. "What happened to her?"

"Part of the long story. We'll tell if ya let us in," Cid scowls. David shrugs, stepping out of the way.

"Sorry I was being difficult. I just didn't know if you were imposters or something."

"It's fine," Aeris smiles, shaking her head.

"Hey Vincent," David grins, clapping a hand down on my back. I glare at his over friendly actions, but he doesn't seem fazed in the least. "How've you two been?"

"…" Ignoring his question, and bitterly recalling how much I despised him before, I follow Barret to the living room, watching silently as he sets Violet on the worn couch. Will she survive whatever torment Genesis is putting her through? I scowl at the wall. Whoever he is and whatever his intentions are, I'm going to make sure he cannot do this again.

"So how'd you guys, uh, resurrect?"

"There was this guy named Genesis in the bad part of the Lifestream," Cid starts. David blinks at him blankly.

"What?"

"I'll take this, Cid," Aeris smiles sweetly, Cid chuckling softly.

"I reckon ya should."

"The Lifestream is where all dead souls come back to life. It was not different for us. But not everyone goes to the same place. Those who've done good with their lives are allowed to live in peace and safety in the main town. Those who have chosen evil are sent to a place commonly known as Hell. And those who were indifferent are Wanderers.

"There was a man named Genesis in Hell who was trying to take over the Lifestream. He still is, actually. Anyway, he covered the city with this black mist, and no one knew what was happening. Violet decided to hunt him down, which isn't allowed because normal people aren't allowed in Hell, much less more important people like her. Genesis fought her, and she said there was a flash or something, and we wound up here. We've been thinking of ways to find and stop Genesis and his possible 'master' since we've been walking here, but, well," she trails off with a weak smile.

"Couldn'a said it better myself," Cid mutters.

"We noticed," Barret scoffs back.

"So basically the Lifestream spit you guys out because there's a bad guy that you could've stopped?" David asks skeptically.

"Or maybe we were sent to stop him from here," she shrugs. "Who knows?"

"Okay… So is that what happened to Violet?"

"Not exactly, but…" The Ancient glances toward me. "That story will take you a couple decades in the Lifestream to understand."

"Alright…" He sighs, stretching. "Josh should be back tomorrow morning. Why don't you move Violet up to my room- Cid, this is the same layout as your place- and I'll sleep down here. The rest of you can fight over the guest room. Josh wouldn't be too happy if I lent his bed to a bunch of random people."

"We're the ladies!" Yuffie yells over her shoulder as she makes a mad dash for the said guest room.

"Yeah, whatever," Cid grumbles, following at a slower pace. "Barret, get Vi. Ya comin' Vin?" I shake my head, looking back toward the father of Joshua Harper, Violet's past lover. "Alrighty then. See ya in the mornin'." Goodnight, Highwind.