A/N: Alright, here it is! Chapter 7 up and at 'em. Now, I do get a lot of fighting into here, and a surprise twists of sorts (not a good one, but it makes the battles last a little longer). I'm kinda feeling bad because I didn't really characterize Galian Beast, buuuttt it's bout 3 in the morning here and I'm to lazy to fix it.Thanks to everyone that reviewed!

Flower Girl Aerith & BabyGurl278: Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you guys liked it

CloudLov3r: Yes I know, Vincent with an apron is outa character (I didn't mean those funky old ones, the waist ones waiters and waitresses wear). Anyhow, I'm also sad that I rushed the relationship build, but I just was getting worried about not forming a plot (and yes Tifa does sound needy, I imagine someone like her would feel vulnerable after her only love refused her). But thanks for the reviews, I'll keep your words in mind! Hope this one is better!

Chapter 7

Cloud stared at the spot where Elena and Rude had been engulfed in the flame, his eyes narrowed. Tifa had tried to say something, but he had paid no attention; he was in a battle right now, and the Turks were not the easiest of foes. He lowered his arm, the materia in his armor gleaming majestically in the passionate flames as they danced and consumed the once modest tavern.

Suddenly the inferno parted in one spot, where the Turks stood, Elena with her arms crossed and Rude with his hands in his pocket. "Damnit!" cried Cloud, reaching around to grab his enormous sword he inherited from Zach. He moved with amazing speed for a human, and much more astounding with that huge sword, but when he swung Rude simply crouched down and avoided it. He leapt up from the spot, his uppercut connecting with Cloud's jaw, and he fell backwards onto the table near a sore Cid.

"Damnit all! Mother-fuckin' jackasses think they can come waltzing in here and tear the place up! I'll teach ya!" Cid struggled to his feet, then held up his hand, two materia placed in between his fingers. He struck out with his hand holding the two orbs and suddenly the entire room started to tremble. "Take this, ya lowlife bastards!"

Suddenly the air seemed to warp around the room, and one by one, comets flew from all directions from seemingly no where. Elena and Rude managed to destroy the first two or three, but were soon bombarded with the meteorites.

Cloud coughed as the dust settled, waving his hand to part the dust. "Damn, Cid, I didn't know you still had Comet on you." Cid merely grinned, but it falter when they saw Elena and Rude weakly stand get on their feet. "They don't know when to quit."

Suddenly Cloud whole body seemed to glow, and his grip tightened on his sword, the Ultima Weapon. "Omnislash!" He lunged at the two with unrivaled speed, slashing several times with blurring speed.

He slid eloquently and dramatically a few feet from where the Turks had landed, thrown up by the sheer power of his attack., his sword out at his side to complete the pose. He grinned and shouldered his blade, turning his head slightly to the defeated enemies, and his eyes grew in surprise.

The Turks were slowly on their feet yet again, and Cloud knew that something was wrong. He turned to them, his sword gleaming in the remaining flames as he pointed it toward the two. "How are you two still up? That attack took out Emerald, it should have had no problem with you."

Elena chuckled, and Rude smiled slightly. Elena withdrew a materia from her armband, and Rude drew one from his pocket. It wasn't the usual green, magical materia, or any other identifiable one, for that matter; it was a bright and spectacular white.

Cloud stood dumbfounded, and he wasn't the only one; the entire team stood still, curiosity, realization and several other expressions dotted across their face. "Is that…?"

Elena laughed triumphantly, placing the materia back into her armband as Rude pocketed his again. "According to our sources, this is the materialized materia 'Holy', submerged into the Lifestream for who knows how long. It increases our materia by ten fold, so there's almost no way you can beat us. Even as we're talking, Regen cures all our wounds in a matter of seconds, and Shield makes us practically invulnerable to your weak attacks."

"Still, you shouldn't be able to stand after that attack…"

Rude stepped forward. "Not before, but now our client knew about your attacks, and sent us this…" He opened his navy suit, revealing a dark armor hidden underneath it. "He said it would take most of the damage from any of your limit breaks except the demon's. Still…" He rubbed his chest slightly. "If that was a little of your power, I am glad our client knew what he was doing."

Yuffie hopped over the counter while Barret charged after her. "Who the fuck is this 'client'?" demanded Yuffie, her hand on her shuriken. "And what do you mean 'everyone's limit except the demon's'? Who the hell…" Suddenly she stopped, and turned around madly for Vincent. "Where the fuck…?"

Elena laughed coldly. "We turned his little crush with Lockheart into our advantage. Reno grabbed the girl so Vincent would follow while we distracted everyone." She threw her head up and laughed again.

Rude gave Elena a disgruntled look then turned to the Avalanche members, smirking. "Yes, now let's finish this battle, we have a little something for you." He drew out one hand and lifted it into the air, and suddenly the ground shook as a large, green creature burst through the ground. "This is a little summon that our client gave us. I was surprised it could be sealed within a materia, but I will let you be the first victims of it."

Cloud gasped as he stared up at the new summon, and Yuffie screamed. In front of them stood the giant creature Emerald Weapon. "Now Emerald," commanded Rude, stepping forward. "Show them Air Tame Ultima!" Emerald lifted it's head upwards obediently and suddenly the room turned green, shrouding their visions from anything else.

Cloud instantly felt his body seize up, and felt himself drop to one knee. His arms burned and he suddenly dropped his sword, the hilt around it too hot to grasp. He gasped for air, as he fell to all fours, sweat running down his forehead. He could feel Emerald killing him from the inside out, and no materia he had would be much help against a Weapon contained in concentrated form for long. He bared his teeth, and suddenly felt the weight lift off him, and he felt completely drained of his power.

He looked up weakly to find Elena sneering over his body, covered in cold sweat and blood running from the corner of his mouth. "This was the guy who beat us bad and saved the world?" she asked mockingly, kicking him in the stomach as she folded her arms. "Ha, don't make me laugh." He rolled onto his back, his eyelids growing heavy as he started to succumb to fatigue.

"Wouldn't think of it," Cloud grunted through clenched teeth. He suddenly threw his arm up, and cried, "Full Cure!" He felt his muscles relax, his fatigue lift and his pain abolish. Elena cried out in shock as he leapt up and punched her straight in the jaw, sending her into the ceiling. She fell back with a loud thud and moaned, struggling to get up, then fainted.

Rude stepped back in surprise, only to feel his back press against something hard and heavy. He felt Barret's long, toned arms embrace Rude and crush him, and he cried out in pain. He dropped him, and before he could fall to the floor, Barret unleashed his Limit Break Ungarmax, showering Rude from behind with s fury of bullets. Rude fell to his knees, then onto his face, unconscious, revealing a grinning Barret behind him, gun-arm still smoking.

"Damn tough fight, eh Spike?" he asked, panting, before turning to the others. "Fuckin' dumbasses, why did they have so much goddamn materia on?"

Cloud shook his head, lifting his arm and closing his eyes. He felt a warming sensation run through his body as Phoenix hovered over them, and the others slowly awoke, looking around in confusion. "There," he said, after they all had gotten to their feet. "Now there's no time to waste. Barret, Cid, Cait: Stay here and watch these two. Take any of their materia off them and make sure to keep it out of their grasp; split it between you all. Yuffie and Red," He turned to the two, his face serious. "You two are fastest. We'll try and track down Reno and find out what he's done with Tifa…and Vincent." They both nodded and ran out the back door. Cloud turned back one final time before Barret nodded, and he smiled slightly and took off after the two.

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Galian could hear Reno swear softly as he chased him down. With a majestic leap, he landed in front of Reno, an unconscious Tifa slung over his shoulders. He stopped a few feet away, and lightly set down Tifa, his eyes on Galian. A smile flirted on his lips for a moment, but he withdrew his nightstick and twirled it in his fingers, electricity crackling from the tip.

"So, you came to save your girl," he started, placing one hand in his pocket as he continued to spin his weapon. "I can respect that, but unfortunately this is a mission I have to be serious about. I'm afraid I'm supposed to take your head, Valentine, as well as all your friends'. Nothing personal, Vampy, but this is a big client with a big check." He lifted his nightstick above his head like a chopper, then charged Galian with speed he had never thought the Turk had possessed.

Unfortunately, nothing was faster that Galian at his peak.

He calmly sidestepped it, allowing it to brush his fur as he enjoyed the feeling of the shock tickling him. As Reno's momentum carried him over, Galian spun his forearm around on the spot, catching Reno full in the face. His shades flew off and he stumbled backwards, holding a materia to his broken nose. In an instant it healed and he leapt up, spinning his weapon once again.

Galian yawned and captured the oncoming rod, clasping his hands around on either side. Reno held on with such strength, he actually stopped in mid-air, pushing with all his force against the beast's grip. Galian threw the rod, along with Reno, to the side, smacking him against a brick wall.

Reno dropped his nightstick as Galian advanced toward him, his keen nose sniffing blood and sweat on his victim. It is time to feed, he said, coming out in growls, and as he tilted his head back to lunge at Reno, he looked up, grinning a sheepish grin.

In the palm of his hand was a red materia, one Galian had never seen before. Did you not retrieve all the summon materia, Vincent? Galian thought, and he could feel Vincent nod, obviously at a loss for words. He roared and charged, but Reno had activated the materia.

Before Vincent stood Ruby, its body pushing against the thin alleyway walls, and they slowly broke apart against him. Galian leapt back instinctively, but no where was safe. He could not fight Ruby as Galian.

"Now, Valentine," gasped Reno, getting to his feet. He rubbed his jaw and wiped the blood from his face. "This was a gift from our affiliate, specifically concentrated to prevent you from stopping us. Here's a new attack: Ruby! Ultima Lash Cannon!"

Galian watched in horror as Ruby opened its mouth wide, and a section of its chest opened as well. Galian leapt up, only to be pinned to the wall with Ruby's tentacle-like hands. He struggled, but to no avail; only Chaos was strong enough, and he couldn't convert back and forth in time.

Suddenly his vision turned green, and his entire body seemed to slice open. He wished for death over and over, hoping he'd die and wishing he wouldn't. He screamed and howled, and suddenly felt his body fly up.

Opening his eyes weakly, he saw he had reverted back to a human, his tattered cloak beating around him. He tasted blood in his mouth and felt it running into his left eye, obscuring his vision. Ruby raised its arm and brought a whip down upon Vincent's back, causing him to gasp in pain as his cape flew off. It felt to the ground behind him, indented into the concrete as Ruby removed its hand. It opened its mouth once more and fired its final attack, a solid, green blast; Ultima in a focused ball.

Vincent flew against the wall, and as Ultima dissipated, he bowed his head, his bangs covering his face. His bandanna lay on the ground in front of him, as he gazed at it from his embedded position.

"Shit," he heard Reno whisper softly. "I never knew how powerful that would be." He heard Reno walk toward him, and he with all his being he wished he could reach out and attack. Damn, he thought. I couldn't save her, I couldn't even save myself. How weak I've become…His thoughts were interrupted as Reno's footsteps ceased in front of him. He heard a sigh, and suddenly darkness engulfed him, and he remembered no more.