Ruka's sharp barking wakes me up. I groan and rub my exposed eye, squinting into the dim light of dawn that illuminates our shelter.

"What the hell?" I moan, sitting up. Ruka barks again, biting the sheet that covers our shelter and ripping it down before leaping outside and facing me. Waiting. Huffing, I force myself to my aching feet and chase after her. Stumbling past a few early risers that wander the streets, I follow the dog down the road and into an alley at the very end. "Ruka, what—"

My voice fails me when a swarm of black energy arises out of the torn concrete, morphing and twisting into a familiar, towering figure. Glimmering ebony eyes turn to mine, skin shifting to accommodate for the motion of the figure's raising hand. The gloved hand lifts to the sky, black eyes narrow, and long, long hair sways.

"Mother…" the shadow of Sephiroth hisses.

What are you doing?

This isn't my power… How would the dog sense it?

I look down to see Ruka's dark fur raised all along her back, a deep growl rumbling from her lowered chest. Sephiroth's image turns back at me, the slightest smirk playing on a face that looks far too much like my sister's.

"It's time…"

"For what?" I demand, stepping forward. Ruka snarls when Sephiroth's hand falls back to his side, his chin lifting with his haughty gaze.

"The Reunion… I thought you knew… Sister."

"What?" I frown, tensing when he throws his head back.

"She is nearby. We can feel it."

Before I can react, the swarming black energy dissolves, tearing apart into tendrils that melt away into the ground. I stare at the concrete, unsure how to feel. The Reunion…? But… I killed him. Sephiroth is dead. My phone's ringtone breaks me from my thoughts; I answer immediately, my heart sinking when a lighthearted voice greets my ears. What else did you expect?

"What's up, Vi!?"

"Hi, Reno," I sigh. Reno and I… Well, I suppose we're at the point where I'd consider him a friend. He's certainly changed, and he's helped me far more than necessary since I was dumped here. Whenever he's in Edge, he's sure to buy a couple drinks for us to catch up over. Of course, there are certain roadblocks along the way to such a friendship, but that's to be expected. "I'm sitting in an alley and hoping that I'm not hallucinating."

"Pretty sure that's just a symptom, hon," he teases, laughing to himself.

"I'll write it down for the doctor, just in case," I retort, rolling my eyes and sinking back against the brick wall. "What'd you need?"

"Well fuck, where do I start?" he huffs. I smile to myself. "We got sent to the Crater to pick up Elena and Tseng—they went to retrieve Jenova's head. Some weirdos lookin' for 'Mother' crashed the part and I dunno what's gonna happen to those two. Me and Rude got out okay but…" Reno sighs and something creaks. I assume he's leaned back in his seat, wherever he is. "I'm not sure about the other two."

"Mother…?" I repeat, frowning at the path of dirt Sephiroth's illusion disappeared into.

"Yeah. Those guys… they look a lot like Sephiroth. They got the silver hair and the same eyes." Another creak; he's straightened. "I was wonderin' if you'd be willing to come out to Healin and talk."

"About this?"

"Well," he chuckles. "I mean, I'm not gonna complain if there's somethin' else on your mind—"

"There's not," I cut him off, rolling my eyes and kicking a stone. "See you in an hour or so." I hang up and tuck my phone away, peering down at Ruka. "Guess we're going on a trip."

On foot, it might take any other person a while. But, well, Lucy really went out of her way to create a serum that evolves. At this point, I can run as fast as any car if I pump my legs hard enough. I've never actually been inside the Healin Lodge, mainly for Rufus Shinra's safety, though I've met up with Reno a few times to talk about goings on and to run a few errands for the Turks when they're short on helping hands.

I start walking toward the outskirts of Edge, Ruka faithfully trotting by my side. There's about the calming presence of the dog that keeps Shadow's demands at bay and my mood swings quelled. Maybe I'm just lonely, but I love the simple existence of something willing to die for me at my side. And I'm not a big animal person. Honestly, Vincent probably would have shot her by now for all the trouble she gets me in, but it's worth having her around. She fetches food for the homeless orphans, scares off thieves from our shelter, hell, she even fought off a whole pack of wolves once when I was injured. That's what I call a friend.

Once Ruka and I have stepped past the city limits, I take a deep breath and prepare to run. A motorcycle suddenly speeds around the corner of the road; I hardly have time to jerk Ruka out of the way by her tattered collar. I watch the bike zip past and scowl at the back of the blond rider's head. Jerk. Sighing, I tighten the laces on my boots and start sprinting down the road. Ruka lags behind, barking her protests.

"C'mon, Rukie," I call over my shoulder. She yips twice, tongue dangling from the side of her mouth as her paws thump against the pavement. I laugh, pushing myself to continue the speed up the steep hill ahead and skidding to a stop just outside the Lodge. Breathless, I see the bike rider stepping off his motorcycle. Angered, I start toward him, my voice just starting to raise when he turns to face me and we both do a double take.

"What the hell was—Cloud?"

"Violet…?" The blond glances over my roughed-up appearance and I eye the blood streaked across his forehead before I recall my rage.

"What the hell!? You almost hit us and you didn't even stop to apologize!"

"… Sorry." He glances down at the panting, dingy dog. She growls, mismatched eyes narrowed. "Is that why you followed me?"

"I wish I was that dedicated," I roll my eyes and pat the dog's head. "But no. Did Reno call you, too?"

"Yeah." He turns on the heels of his boots, leading the way up the steel stairs to the small lodge that sits atop a grassy ridge. I follow closely, Ruka in tow. Cloud tries the door and Ruka sits behind me.

"Stay," I mutter to her. She grins up at me in response.

Suddenly, an arm swings out protectively, defending me from a flurry of bright red and navy blue. A hand grasps my shoulder and shoves me inside; Cloud turns the lock in the door after it slams shut, his eyes meeting mine in silent question. Before I can come up with an answer, a shuffle breaks the silence and I block several strikes from Rude before hitting him with a sharp uppercut. I wince, pulling my hand back to my chest as the Turk stumbles back. Ow, that hurt! Rude groans, getting to his feet and Cloud scowls at him. I merely revel in the sounds of Reno's pain.

"No! Don't bite me, you dumb dog! Violet, get this thing off me!"

"Impressive. You fight like the SOLDIER you once claimed to be." I freeze and turn to see a covered man in a wheelchair rolling into the room, a white sheet draped over his head to hide his face. I can clearly tell who it is, though. "And you- you still have the fighting fire you possessed in the days you strove to end Sephiroth's terror."

"Rufus Shinra," Cloud mutters, brows furrowed as he watches the former president of Shinra come to a stop before us. Cloud looks at Rude, who now stands beside Rufus. "Boy, do I feel sorry for you."

"If you were wondering—"

"I'm not interested," Cloud starts.

"I managed to get out before the building collapsed completely—"

"I'm leaving."

"Unfortunately, I was not unscathed—"

"I don't care how many boo-boos you got," I interrupt, crossing my arms and stepping to the side to prevent Cloud from leaving the Lodge. "Why did Reno call us here?"

"I understand that Shinra owes the Planet a lot," Rufus replies, touching the edge of his sheet. "The company and I are the ones who put the world in the sorry state it's in. Therefore, it's our responsibility to set things right."

"Get off my arm!" Reno cries from the other side of the door. "Open up!"

"Kadaj's group is young and violent—as dangerous as they come."

"Kadaj…?" Cloud repeats, frowning. Who's this Kadaj? What does he have to do with Sephiroth this Reunion? "What does this have to do with us?"

"After Tseng and Elena were attacked at the Crater, we decided it might be best to hire a little muscle."

"Well, you're our buddy, aren't ya?" Reno calls through the door. "Ow, get—!" Cloud kicks the door and I frown at the floor, thinking.

"Too bad, I'm a delivery boy now," Cloud replies dryly. I shake my head.

"I'm just a homeless girl. Not much I'd do for Shinra dogs these days."

"Just a girl?" Rufus repeats, almost wryly. "You're one of Professor Hojo's prized creations." He hasn't changed a bit since Meteor, the smug bastard.

"I'm not a creation," I snap.

"No matter. After some simple research, I've discovered that you are the most powerful being this Planet has ever known, aside from perhaps the Weapons and Sephiroth, of course."

"And Chaos?" I frown, glancing at Cloud. He's wearing the same expression, always uncertain of how to approach my experimentation despite having his own dark past with Hojo.

"Only a greater creature because you have yet to unlock your full potential," Rufus replies simply. I glance down at the dark green and gray spots littering the exposed skin of his pale hand. So you have it too, Shinra. "But we're getting off topic. You two are all we have. Violet, you used to be an excellent huntress—"

"Used to be. Not anymore. Haven't been in a long time."

"But your power is—"

"Shut up about my power," I snap, irritated. How is it that everyone around me can easily find answers to my questions, but no matter how hard I search, I can't even find a lead? "Is that all?"

"I'm still out here!" Reno calls, his voice still muffled. "Sit!"

"These men call themselves the Remnants. We believe they are the spirit energy that Sephiroth has left behind, and they live to obtain their Mother and complete Jenova's Reunion." We all fall silent; Cloud and I exchange a look. Help the powers that already know their stuff or refuse to get involved again?

"Think about it," Reno chips in. "Together, we could rebuild Shinra!" Cloud gives a sarcastic huff and throws the door open.

"Not interested." With that, he shoves Reno aside and leaves briskly. I sigh, shaking my head and following him out. No, I'm not serving Shinra again.

"Geeze, he's got an attitude problem," Reno huffs, brushing dog hair off his sleeves. Ruka sits at my side proudly, admiring the slight tear she put in the Turk's jacket. "What about you, Vi?" I scowl, eyes piercing his as I speak my sharp response.

"Sorry, but I'm not helping rebuild the empire that destroyed the Planet, slaughtered my family, and stole my humanity."

I stride past the stunned redhead and head down the stairs with Ruka at my side. The dog nuzzles my hand and I pet her head as I come to a stop, watching Cloud settle on top of his motorcycle. He glances up, his bright blue eyes striking in the drab, dull greens and grays of our surroundings.

"Violet."

"Hm?" I ask, absently scratching my dog's ear. "What do you want?"

"You… didn't say yes, did you?"

"No," I shake my head. "The idea's ridiculous."

"Good," he nods, looking down at his gloved hands.

"Hey." He looks back up at me. "Tifa's worried, you know. Want me to tell her anything?"

"She worries too much," he sighs, frowning. "Sure, I guess. I gotta go do something."

"I don't care what you're doing," I shrug. "She's having a really hard time. I'll tell her you're alright, but I think you should see her yourself." I start to head down the declining road, stopped by Cloud's voice.

"You have the Stigma?"

"… Yeah." I stare down at the road, my fingers absently tracing the bandage wrapped tightly over my arm. "Everywhere. Took the vision outta my eye. Orphaned a bunch of kids. Killed my granddaughter… What's it you?"

"… Where's Vincent?"

"It was nice seeing you," I reply abruptly, continuing my way down the path. Cloud shakes his head and rides off, careful to avoid Ruka before disappearing down the road.

What was I going to say? Cloud… The thing is, I… don't know. Yeah, right.

The first thing I notice upon returning to Edge is the clear absence of children in the streets. The second is that no one seems to acknowledge that their absence. Ruka whines and surges forward. I follow her tiredly, my head pounding to an irregular rhythm. What's wrong with me? Did I catch something else?

Impossible.

I mean, I caught Geostigma.

That's different. It's no virus; it's—

I don't need a science lesson, right now, thanks.

… My pleasure.

Ruka stops, whining and pawing at something that sits on the ground, drenched in rainwater. My heart skips a beat and I stoop down, picking up the soaked moogle doll. The moogle girl… What happened? Shadow chuckles.

Go to the church.

For what? A Sunday afternoon service?

Go.

Okay, okay.

I stand and turn on my heels, rushing to Aeris's church, where she tended the only garden in all of Midgar before Avalanche took off and became the group of friends that destroyed Sephiroth. Or, so we thought. A bad feeling churns in my stomach and I summon Nightmare as I run, pushing past debris and leaping over the stacked corpses of those whom the Stigma claimed already. Cloud's motorcycle is parked outside. I throw the doors open only to catch sight of Cloud and Tifa collapsed in the bed of golden flowers that breaks through the chopped floorboards.

My head rings sharply and I grit my teeth, clutching my head. I gasp when another round of agony pushes me to my knees. Shadow's sword clatters to the floor and my head pounds louder and louder and louder…

"I swear the boss said they'd be here—Oh! Hey, Vi! Long time, no see!"

I don't reply to Reno's cheerful greeting. My teeth are grit too tightly; my hand clutches my oozing Stigma rash too hard; my lungs force out their air too harshly. Reno's heavy footsteps pause before he kneels at my side, shaking my shoulder as I try not to scream out from a fresh round of pain.

"Shit! Violet, are you okay?" His voice is distant and his face is fuzzy when I look up to meet his worried green eyes. "Rude, help me out, man!"

I start awake, only to see that I'm laying down in a dark room I recognize all too well. Quickly, I sit up, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed and standing.

"Hey, I'd take it easy if I were you."

I jump, turning to see Reno and Rude standing at the back of the bedroom, arms crossed. Reno grins, eyebrows raised. Something stirs in my peripheral vision and Cloud sits up, Tifa standing beside the window across the room from me. Cloud glances up at Reno, frowning.

"We found you guys passed out at the church," Reno explains.

"But… she wasn't there," Tifa frowns, nodding toward me.

"I'd just gotten there," I shake my head. "You guys were already down."

"You got it bad, Vi," Reno shakes his head. "It's—"

"You think I don't know that?" I snap, glowering. He shrugs.

"The children were taken by Kadaj's gang," Rude reports. "To the Forgotten City."

"Cloud, you have to go save them," Tifa demands, eyes wide and pleading when she turns to her childhood friend.

"I can't…" Cloud frowns, staring hard at his lap. "I can't save anyone."

"But—"

"I can't."

"You think you have it so fucking hard, don't you?" I demand, turning to face him. "You hate being alone, Cloud, so quit pouting and let people in!"

"I—" Cloud cuts himself off. That's right, be ashamed.

You spend far too much time around that dog.

Shut up.

That'll be on your tombstone if you're not careful.

What tombstone?

"I can't," he sighs finally.

"Dilly dally, shilly shally," Tifa mutters. The blond frowns, looking up at her. "Dilly dally, shilly shally!" The martial artist hits the windowsill with the palm of her hand, sitting on the bed beside Cloud's and looking at him earnestly.

"I think she wants you to move on, man," Reno clarifies. Really? I thought she'd really lost it this time. One can always hope. Cloud sits in silence a moment before looking up at me.

"You coming?"

"Yeah," I nod.

"I want to—"

"No," Cloud interrupts Tifa. "You stay here."

"… Fine," she huffs eventually, ready to give Cloud some space.

We head outside and Cloud scoots forward to make room on his bike. I wrap my arms around his waist and he takes off, zooming across the deserts surrounding Edge. I lift my head off his back to watch the rocky land past. I hope Ruka'll be alright. And what about Vincent? Does he have any clue what's happening right now? He obviously knows about the Stigma, but what about the Remnants? Sephiroth? Does he even care in his little corner of bliss—wherever the hell he decided to hide away from reality all this time?

We continue through the setting sun. Thankfully, the WRO, which is still very slowly building up underneath none other than the Reeve Tuesti (that's right folks, Cait Sith), crafted a bridge connecting most mainland continents to nearby islands. We head over the long stretch of road that carries over the water, driving straight into the night. I won't bore you with details of the long drive with me hugging Cloud while he drives way over the speed limit. I'll just jump ahead a little…

Ah, here we go.

We finally enter the Forgotten City's eerie glowing woods, the glow casting a blue hue over us. Cloud leans forward against his handlebars and I let go of his waist, hanging onto the bike with my legs. I summon Sacrifice, Lucrecia's gift, and watch the glowing trees flash past. Then I hear the first gunshot.

"Cloud?!" I cry, trying to catch his attention.

He starts and tosses a look at me over his shoulder before narrowly dodging the bullet headed for us. Ahead stand three men dressed in black leather, two firing bullets from their odd, slim guns and the one in the middle grins, his hair silver and his eyes green—catlike. I shudder. Just like Sephiroth. The sides of Cloud's bike open like drawers and I wind up crouching on the back of the seat to avoid getting my legs chopped off by the endless swords stocked in the vehicle. It's not the best idea to tiptoe on the back of a speeding motorcycle, but I don't have much of a choice when I'm riding with this psychopath.

The man in the middle, who I'm assuming is Kadaj, draws a double-bladed katana, waving his free hand in the air. Several children drop on all sides, eyes empty and flashing green—just like Sephiroth's. A whole crowd of them drops in front of us. Cloud's bike spins out of control as he attempts to avoid hitting Marlene, Barret's daughter, and Denzel, the boy he and Tifa took in, as they stand in the front of the group. Marlene looks afraid, watching on with wide eyes, but Denzel… he's the same as the others.

I leap from the spiraling motorcycle and roll to my feet, Cloud standing at my side. Kadaj sneers, leaning forward so he can stare the blond down.

"I'm glad you could make it!"

"We came for the kids," Cloud says firmly, in no mood to fight with Sephiroth's crazy Remnants He's clean out of luck, it seems.

"See these people?" Kadaj cries, swiveling around to face the children as he paces. "They're our big brother and sister. But alas," he coos, circling around both of us. My eyes narrow and Sacrifice finds my hand yet again, its weight comforting. "In our happy flock, they're what you call black sheep." He points his weapon at Cloud's face.

"Cloud!" Marlene's small voice calls.

Kadaj is distracted long enough for Cloud to draw his sword, the two of us, standing back to back to keep an eye on all three men. Kadaj, snarling, leaps into the air and lands a short distance away. Cloud quickly blocks a barrage of bullets with his blade; I fire an arrow at the man with short hair. He smirks, his entire body flashing bright blue; he speeds out of the way before my arrow can strike its target. His movements are fast and sharp and I'm forced away from Cloud as he strikes at me with an electrically charged punch from the pronged device attached to his arm.

I duck under another swing, leaping up into the tree branches to get out of his reach and shoot again. I narrowly dodge a bullet as he climbs, a sharp sting signaling a slice from a graze. Chuckling, the man stops pursuing me and turns tail to chase Cloud. The blond raises his sword, trying to swipe him from the air, but the fast Remnant merely lands and grabs Cloud's ankle, throwing him to the ground. I leap down from the tree, slashing Nightmare down over his head. He blocks the blade, stepping back and parrying another blow. Frustrated, I grit out an enraged cry, jabbing at him again. Sneering, the man grips the end of the slender blade, jerking mine toward him.

"The name's Loz. Nice to meetcha, Auntie."

I yelp as he jams his pronged device into my stomach, pulling a trigger. A crackle of electricity rushes through my body and sends me flying backward into Cloud. We slam into the nearest tree trunk, stunned for a mere moment. Groaning, I straighten to see the other man rushing toward us. His silver hair is the longest, his movements as graceful as the real Sephiroth's as he presses a boot into Cloud's chest and sends the blond toppling over me again before firing his gun.

Cloud rolls to his feet and I dig Nightmare into the dirt, dragging myself up. My head's pounding and my bones ache, but I'm not near ready to give in. Cloud splits one sword into two and uses them to block the flying bullets until he's kicked again, Kadaj rushing forth to attack now. The Remnant expertly blocks every powerful strike from his opponent, using the momentum from one slash to fly backward and far away from the fight to recuperate. I catch up to Cloud's side just in time for Loz to shout out, slamming his electrocuting weapon into the packed dirt. The second Remnant sneers, leaping over the wall of earth that rumbles toward us and firing one shot after another as he goes.

I dive behind Cloud as he uses his sword to deflect the shots once more, swinging his sword through the air hard enough to send a piercing wave of blue energy toward the Remnants. The rubble keeps coming, and despite my excellent shelter behind the not-so-ex-SOLDIER, one of the flying stones strikes me hard across the face, sending me flying back onto my ass with a groan. Through the debris, Cloud doesn't see Loz diving toward us, the electrified weapon sending Cloud through the air. The gunman teams up with Loz, the two of them a flurry of blue, blades, and bullets every-which-way.

The duo becomes overpowering when Cloud is thrown into the air and into the branches above, forced to fight the stubborn Remnants. I press a hand to my forehead, dizzily watching the fight. Cloud's sword is wrenched from his grasp and pinned to a tree trunk; Loz slams his device into the tree, sending chunks of glowing wood flying. Cloud fights off bullets with a smaller blade as he rushes toward his tumbling weapon. They surge back up into the air just as I manage to drag myself back up to my feet.

Need help?

I think I've got this myself.

You can't be serious. You're getting your ass kicked.

I roll my eyes and hold my hand out to the side, demanding a sword. Nothing happened. What the…? Cloud hits the ground beside me and I boot plants itself in my back, sending me face first into the dirt. I grit out a cry of pain when Loz's sharp prongs dig into my spine and another lurch of electricity fires, pushing me harder into the ground and leaving me on the brink of consciousness. I struggle to push myself up, seeing a flash of red and assuming it's blood. But it's not. The world suddenly becomes a whirlwind of black and crimson; Cloud vanishes and then so do I, pressed to something alarmingly warm.

I squeeze my eyes shut as my stomach lurches and we soar up into the air, the loud crack of a gun echoing beside my ear in response to a shot from a Remnant. The red fades as we plummet toward the ground. I'm released and I collapse onto my hands and knees, desperately trying to catch my breath. Cloud rolls into the thin grass beside me, knocked clean out with a long trail of blood smudged down his face.

I hear a crunch in the grass and freeze, gingerly turning my head to see a face I've been longing to see for what feels like a century and a half. Still unsteady, I scramble to my feet and latch my arms around a thin waist, my cheek pressed to a chest covered in black leather. He tenses, mostly in surprise at my sudden response, and slowly finds it in himself to gingerly rest his hands on my back.

"Gods, Vincent, I haven't seen you in forever."

"… Yes, it has been a while, Violet."

"I miss you," I insist, squeezing him tighter. He sighs, tolerating my childish insolence until I let go—only to be forced into a kiss when I grab hold of the back of his head. How long is this hair gonna get before we do something about it? When I finally pull away, he arches an ebony eyebrow.

"Are you done?"

"Nice to see you still care," I huff, my hands settling on my hips. He sighs, his crimson eyes flickering over to the pool of water to our right.

"I apologize if I—"

"I was kidding," I scoff, raising a hand to rest it on his shoulder. "Geeze, you looked like a scolded dog for a second, Vince. And how in the helldid you just become a flying blanket?"

"… It's a secret." I roll my eyes and the corner of his mouth quirks up into the tiniest of smiles. I hear a soft rustle and turn to see Cloud sitting up, looking dejected. His blue eyes stare hard into the water.

"See? I knew I'd be no help."

"Hey, I would be full of holes if it wasn't for your giant sword," I tease, offering a smile. He only sighs, glancing at the gunman standing behind me.

"Vincent, what do you know about all this?"

"I come here often," Vincent replies, straightening, his eyes narrowed the slightest bit as he thinks. Here comes the pacing… Sure enough, one long golden shoe follows another and Vincent starts his rhythmic wandering, pulling his tattered cape out of the way as he goes. "I've seen what Kadaj's crew is doing." Suddenly, he drops into a crouch and grips Cloud's arm, the one that's been covered by a heavy black cloth since I first saw him at Healin Lodge.

The blond winces, jaw clenched as Vincent stares hard at him, watching as our former leader's eyes flicker between his own eyes and Sephiroth's. So he does have it. "The Stigma… It's a symptom of alien matter infesting the body. The body tries to eliminate it and overcompensates." Vincent stands and walks past Cloud, stopping in front of the thick trunk of a glowing tree. Someone's been doing his science homework. Due to Professor Lucrecia by three? Hopefully not. "Inside our bodies is a current like the Lifestream. That current is what fights off malevolent intruders."

"What do you mean by intruders?" Cloud asks, frowning. I sigh, sitting beside him in the grass and missing my cloak. It went flying when Ruka and I were running from a whole fucking avalanche of behemoths. A story for another time.

"The Sephiroth gene," Vincent replies. I fight a smile; this guy sure talks a lot once you get him going. "Jenova's mimetic legacy. Call it what you want."

"You're well informed," Cloud points out.

"Tseng and Elena—"

"They were attacked," I butt in. "By Kadaj and his gang, right? Reno told me all about it."

"They were brought here half dead," Vincent nods. "They must have been brutally tortured. I did what I could to save them, but, well, we'll see."

"Tortured?" Cloud repeats.

"They had it coming."

"How so?" I frown, leaning back on my palms. He frowns right back.

"They got their hands of Jenova's head. Reno said nothing about this?"

"Then when Kadaj says they're looking for Mother…" Cloud mutters.

"They meant her head," I finish. "Rather, her cells."

"Heaven's dark Harbinger, the calamity Jenova. If they wanted to, they could recreate Sephiroth," Vincent muses.

"Kadaj… What is he?" Cloud asks. Vincent hums in response, his eyes lifting from the dull grass to meet his.

"I'd rather not know."

The bushes blocking us off from the main forest rustle. Cloud grabs his sword, Vincent unholsters his gun, and I jump to my feet, an arrow trained on the rattling foliage.

You're gonna pay for keeping your sword from me earlier.

Are you now? Aren't you an archer by trade?

By trade, no. By preference, yes. But you can't blame me for needing a blade when the enemy is smacking me around with a pointed stick.

Out of the branches bounds a little girl, Marlene Wallace to be exact. Barret's daughter runs toward Cloud, her brown eyes big and round as her little feet pound against the dirt until she reaches him. She throws her thin arms around his leg, clinging tight.

"Marlene!" Cloud kneels, grabbing her small shoulders gently.

"Cloud! It's Denzel! And Tifa!"

"Tifa's alright," he replies calmly, shaking his head.

"I wanna talk to her," the little girl demands, stomping a foot on the ground stubbornly. I smile; she's definitely Barret's daughter, adopted or not. Cloud reaches toward his pocket, pausing when he feels nothing and shaking his head. I sigh, realizing mine's long gone, too. Marlene turns to face Vincent, unfazed by his appearance, unlike most children. "May I?" Vincent merely raises an arm out to the side, lifting his cape to reveal that even if he did have a phone, he'd have nowhere to put it. "You don't have a phone?!" He shakes his head.

"Vincent," Cloud looks up sharply. "Will you bring Marlene to Tifa?" Are you kidding me? "I need to go to Shinra and get a few answ—"

"I can't do that," Vincent interrupts, shaking his head.

"But I…" Marlene's face falls and she shoves her way out of Cloud's grasp. "Forget it, Cloud! Why don't you ever pay attention to us!?" She rushes toward Vincent, hiding behind one of his lanky legs. The red cape falls down to his side, draping over the hiding girl as Vincent eyes Cloud, waiting for his response. Like a freaking mama bird. Cloud sighs.

"Marlene, please give me some time."

"She doesn't have to," I bite back. "This is one quick trip, Cloud. You already can't face Tifa?"

"Violet—"

"No."

"There's a battle to be fought," Cloud sighs, peering into the space between the cape and Vincent's leg where Marlene's bright eyes shine through. "But it's not as simple as fighting. Do you understand, Marlene?"

"No, I don't understand!" Marlene shouts, stomping a foot.

"Cloud," Vincent breaks in. "Are you sure this is about fighting?"

Cloud's eyes fall to the ground and his brows furrow. There's a long moment of silence where he takes the time to mull over Vincent's words. Finally, he looks up.

"Marlene, let's go home."

The girl peeks out from behind the cape and grins, nodding.

"Uh huh!"

"Are you staying?" Cloud asks. "We can fit three if Marlene sits in front."

"I'm staying," I nod, ignoring Vincent's irritated glance.

"Alright. See you."

Cloud takes Marlene's hand in his and leads her back through the bushes, the girl's excited voice chatting his ear off the whole way. I finally look over at Vincent to see his frown.

"I told you to stay in Midgar."

"And I did," I cross my arms, raising an eyebrow. Let the bad reunion begin!