A/N: Yes, I am alive and well! I managed some time between Cross Country, Speech and Debate and regular schooling to actually write this next chapter up. Definitely not one of my best chapters, at least its something people. Sorry for the sloppiness!

Recognitions! Damn, I gots a lot from the last chapter! Thanks everyone!
Thanks to nataliethegreat for adding this to your faves!
The Tiramisu Of Impending Doom: Yes, I'm pretty proud of how I portray some of the attacks. I think I need some mroe variation and detail but I'll work on that later.
Karaoke Risa: Hope your expectations were met in this one. Was this sooner or later?
BabyGurl278: Haha, getting on unauthorized sites at school is fun (not like porn you dumbasses, like xanga and here). It's just so fun. Yes, Yuffie is a brat, but I think of her as an obnoxious child-like ninja, so I guess I characterized her good.
Cloudlov3r: Lol, I guess Golem could remind you of that. Anyhow, sorry I dragged it out a bit, but a little drag is good sometimes, adds to suspense. You don't get much Yuffie action in this, but believe me, you get some nastily delightful Yuffie-ish moments next chapter! Heehee, something to tune in for next time!
Sakura-Valentine: I'm glad you like my twists on the plot, I think some are ingenious while others are sort of...ify. Meh, Ticent forever!
xCR1MS0N-T3ARSx: Yay, evil Yuffie! Anyhow, I'm not sure if I'm stupid or something, but I don't remember you ever reviewing besides these last two. Under a different username? Anyhow, I know this is a romance thing, too, so don't worry; next chapter will have more good, whole fluffiness in it. And yes, walking in high school sucks, but I'm growing used to it. I'm not late to every class anymore!
Flower Girl Aerith: Don't worry bout not reviewing, you've reviewed your fair share. Hope the bahamas were good to you :)

Now, onwards, my loyal fans and readers, to the next chapter of...Hidden Memories!

Chapter 16

Red leapt to his feet, growling and looking madly around for the source of the sound. He relaxed slightly when he saw nothing, but jumped when Cid came jumping out screaming profanities about disturbing his 'beauty sleep' that would make a bunny drop dead. They had all decided to stop for a break from searching the grounds, which they had done three times, and had ended up passing out from exhaustion.

"Fuckin' gaddamn motha-fucka…what the hell was that?" he yelled indignantly. Red gave a half shrug and ran to the cave entrance, closely followed by Cait Sith and Cid. In the distance, a large dome of dust flew up. It was almost near…

"My damn Highwind!" cried Cid, his hands clapping against the side of his head in horror. With god-speed, he grabbed his bag, his spear and his joint and rushed out the entrance.

Red sighed. The man cared more for a flying piece of metal than the lives of his seven crew-mates.

How sad.

xxxxXxxxx

Cloud coughed into his sleeve as he straightened himself, gazing around wildly for Lartsa or Vincent. To no avail, however, as the attack had thrown up a large amount of debris and dust into the air. He could feel his eyes water slightly as they came in contact with the dirt, but he merely fanned it away with his giant sword and looked around once more.

He spotted Vincent easily getting to his feet, brushing off his cloak and brandishing his gun and claw. Damn, how come he got up like that was nothing? Cloud could feel the effect of the attack, even though Lartsa's blade never touched him. Just the power of the swords made Cloud nauseous.

Suddenly, Cloud felt the ground shake and through the billowing clouds of soil and earth came Golem's monstrous form charging at him.

Cloud had barely enough time to brace his body as Golem swung his giant spear. Cloud tried to parry it, but the force of the swing threw him off his feet. His eyes caught Vincent's form moving, but he was too preoccupied with his own battle to observe the other's.

He hastily climbed to his feet and held out his blade, his Mako eyes glaring into Golem's deep, eternal mahogany ones. "You're tha pip-squeak that killed dat swordsman in the cave, eh?" he asked, his voice booming with a heavy accent. Golem must have noticed the confusion wash over Cloud's face, because he said, pointing to his head, "Tha silver-haired guy, with big sword. He dan't talk much, but he sure can wave dat damn sword o' his."

Cloud felt a wave of dread and horror hit him. They revived…Sephiroth?

"Did you mean Sephiroth?" questioned Cloud, circling about Golem slowly. Golem's face lit up as he nodded.

"Yea, dat guy. You dan't seem dat strong, though," he added as an afterthought. Cloud grimaced.

"Then maybe I should prove you wrong!" Cloud leapt up and jabbed at the air with his sword. He felt a huge wave of energy behind him as several large comets and meteors launched themselves at Golem. Got him, he thought. But as he landed, he gasped in horror as Golem merely sidestepped each attack.

He waved his spear tauntingly. "Ya gonna havta do better to kill dis immortal."

xxxxXxxxx

Vincent slashed at Lartsa with his claw, forcing him back. He let the momentum of his left arm swing him around and revealed the gun behind his back, pulling off several rounds. Lartsa batted them away with his glowing blades before shooting forward, his katanas held out in front of him to instantly skewer him.

Vincent flipped over him, raking his claw into Lartsa's back behind landing. He threw the cloth pinned to his metallic hand aside as he spun about once more and fired. He knew he had to pull out all stops to beat this Turk, but he wasn't sure anything less than Chaos could actually hinder him.

Come on, think! Vincent commanded of himself as he sidestepped Lartsa's jab. He rushed forward and plunged his claw into Lartsa's abdomen and heaved, feeling Lartsa's body respond in pain and fly back.

Lartsa skidded to a stop several yards away, leaning forward on one hand but standing all the same. He still held his grin though blood flowed freely from his wound. "You can't kill me, Valentine," he said, hysteria in his voice. He straightened himself and poised his swords. "I have the mighty and divine power of my God behind me. Witness…Angelic Brand!"

Lartsa leapt up and crossed his swords across his chest. Vincent could hardly keep his eyes open as Lartsa's materia grew blinding.

The buzzing in Vincent's ears grew as loud as the glimmer was bright.

Lartsa laughed ecstatically, holding out his arms in the form of a cross. A large pentagram formed behind him, ancient markings that crackled the air lining the mystical shape. Lartsa angled his swords at Vincent, who did not seem to notice, nor care, that Vincent had dropped to his knees and clutched his head. Even Cloud and Golem had stopped to watch Lartsa's display of power.

"My final spell…the divine judgment of God is upon you, Immortal Demon!"

You are not a demon.

Vincent shook his head, trying to drive out the voice ringing through his mind. She was dead!

"You cannot escape your destiny, Valentine! Submit!"

Yes, and destroy this impure soul that hinders your path. All he wanted was to forget her death. Why did it haunt him so?

"Die!"

Do not hesitate…

It happened too quickly for even Cloud to see.

One moment, Lartsa had shot from the air like a bullet, his body engulfed in a strange aura. In the next, Lartsa had collided with Vincent, who suddenly had stood up, his shoulders slumped and his head bowed down. Something was different, but Cloud could not place his finger on it.

Then Cloud suddenly cried out in shock as the ground around the two immortals shot upwards, obscuring his vision.

What is going on?

Cloud gasped as his vision returned. What he saw was the last thing he expected.

Vincent stood feebly, his left claw extended. In it was Lartsa's blade; he had stopped Lartsa's powerful slash without even looking up. However, it wasn't exactly Vincent who had stopped it.

Cloud suddenly realized what was different about Vincent: His cloak had been through up, acting as a cape in the wind. His headband had been sliced cleanly off by the shear force of the attack, and his hair blew freely in the wind. His metallic claw, normally a mixture of bronze and gold, now burned an angelic and divine silver. The most peculiar thing about his appearance though was a single, large snow-white wing protruding from the right of his back.

"Vincent…!" Cloud could only gasp the name as he watched in amazement. Vincent, keeping his eyes on the ground and covered by strands of hair, crumpled the katanas like sheets of paper in his hand. Lartsa's eyes grew wide in fear as Vincent spun about and brought his human arm to his adversary's arm.

Cloud could hear the bone snap as it came in contact before Lartsa screamed in pain. Suddenly, a large, white light shone, and Cloud instantly knew the materia had been destroyed. As he regained his vision, he saw Lartsa laying motionless on the ground, blood oozing from his stomach and arm.

He would never rise again.

Vincent suddenly turned his gaze to Golem, who immediately cowered. Cloud knew why: Vincent's eyes were completely different; the center of his eyes were completely covered over with a godly silver glaze.

"Now for you, Batsu."

Vincent's voice was sleek and powerful, and Cloud knew in a moment, Golem would join Lartsa. Vincent extended his arm, his Death Penalty aimed at Golem, and fired a single round. His body hit the ground before the bullet shell did.

Vincent's eyes met Cloud and a mutual understanding passed between them. They turned simultaneously to Ryo, who was lazily poised a few yards away, seemingly unconcerned with what had just unfolded in front of him.

What's with this guy? Cloud thought, advancing slowly. He made sure his steps were in time with Vincent's slow and steady pace. He just watched two of his immortal allies get slaughtered right in front of him and he's lounging about as if he's on vacation! Cloud knew nothing good could come out of this, and he tightened his grip on his sword.

"You're scared, Strife."

The voice was smooth, strong. It had an air of confidence, but no hint of arrogance or conceit. He knew how powerful both he and his opponents were, and would use whatever leverage he had to pronounce it.

"I can hear you clasping your sword tighter. You are nervous about attacking me." Ryo smiled a ghost of a smile before starting forward. Cloud faltered slightly, shocked at how he could hear him, but noticed Vincent seemed unfazed.

"Vincent?" he called out uncertainly.

"Leave this to me, Cloud," he replied, his monotone voice cutting into Cloud's ears. "Only an immortal can defeat another of his kind." Cloud leapt back, shouldering his sword. Something was different about how Vincent held himself, that Cloud instantly knew he could handle this hazy threat.

"People say the swords are man's deadliest melee weapon," started Ryo, both him and Vincent stopping feet away from one another. "Lartsa was famed as the melee expert, while you held your reputation as the gunslinger. I, however, perform using weaponry man has had since the dawn of time." He brought his hands from his pockets and held them in front of him, balling them into fists. "I was not as recognized as you or the Astral Swordsman, but I am considered the last of the trinity; the most cataclysmic and lethal Turks known in history."

Ryo slid his foot in front of him, going into a stance Cloud had never seen before. He kept his front foot pointed forward while he angled his rear one at a perfect ninety-degrees. Keeping his front leg buckled, he crouched slightly and leaned forward. His left hand parallel with his front leg while his right hand was near his head, both relaxed and hanging limply.

"Come at me," Ryo taunted. "Show me how powerful your new divine form has become."

Vincent studied the posture for a moment, then sheathed his gun. He lifted his sterling claw and whispered, "Gladly."

Vincent lunged at Ryo, scraping his claw on the ground to sweep upwards into Ryo's unsuspecting form. However, he merely kicked off with his back leg and leapt backwards, snapping his front foot forward and catching Vincent in the jaw.

He stumbled backwards, and before he could regain his footing, was instantly pummeled by a barrage of palm strikes all of his body. Ryo's arms were barely visible as he struck out at Vincent, throwing him onto the ground. He leapt up and kicked himself down, his heels meeting with Vincent's stomach. Cloud heard a deafening crack of bones as Ryo's attack met home.

He moved from Vincent's unmoving body, slouched into the crater the force of the blow had made. He smiled slightly and made to turn away when Vincent's eyes snapped open.

In a flurry of feathers, Vincent swiped his angelic wing in front of Ryo, obscuring his vision with the snow-white feathers. Ryo gasped in shock, striking out blindly before he saw Vincent's shape loom out of the barrier.

Vincent spun counter-clockwise, letting the sharp nails of his claw slice open Ryo's neck. As he fell backwards in shock, he screamed in pain. Vincent had completed his rotation and plunged his claw into Ryo's chest, puncturing his heart. He gave one bloody cough, and fell limp, his body shuddering slightly.

"And so a new chapter begins, the end of the story looms in sight," Vincent whispered, allowing Ryo's dead body to fall lifelessly from his arm. He heard a scream from behind him and turned to see the Yuffie pointing fearfully at the corpse, the entire Avalanche group racing up behind her.

Then Vincent suddenly realized; she was not indicating Ryo, she was pointing at Vincent's silver wing, which was slowly turning black.

As Vincent was distracted, he did not notice Ryo's body shake slightly, as if a laughter was filling his dead body. Then his wine-colored eyes, recently glazed over, filled with life.

You have not killed us yet, Valentine.

A/N: If you didn't catch it above, I apologize for the weak chapter. Next one includes: Fluff (TifaxVincent and, quite possibly, YuffiexVincent along with one-sided CloudxTifa), some major cat-fights and jealousy between men, some explanations on Vincent's new transformation, a couple more twists, possibly lemon, and all that good stuff. I haven't had some good fluff in a while so I think this will be a good break chapter. Also, you have been warned: You have not seen the last of all the Turks! This may or may not include: Elena, Lartsa, Reno, Ryo as well as others mentioned in the game and/or story. Ghostly appearances too, can you guess who? Betcha you can't!