Hello, I'm back already! I don't get much to do because I live in south Louisiana and we had Rita come in last year; so I go to school every other day sharing a campus with another school. Quite stressful actually. But it still gives me more internet time and time to procrastinate!  Anyway, I know It's been a little boring but I'm gonna put a little more action it this chapter. Make sure you tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7….

Chapter 4

"Shade? Where are you?" Tifa called out from the back door.

"Over here!" he called back from the garage, poking his head out.

Tifa stepped outside and closed the door. It was late, around nine in the evening. The only light came from the light posts scattered around the Avalanche base.

A little less than a year ago Barret decided that Shinra would never give up, and Avalanche would need a base of operations. So he built this. It was kind of an inn of sorts, with a garage and shed and everything. Tifa had insisted there should be a bar, even if not many people came around, especially this time of year.

Tifa felt it was rather nippy. Before she got far from the door she ran back in and grabbed her jacket and came back out to the garage. She imagined that Shade was admiring all of Cloud's bikes, or something of that sort.

"Hello? Where'd you go?"

"I'm over here."

"Where?" she asked again.

"In your armory." He called, right as Tifa found him.

"There you are." she said. "What are you doing in here?"

"Admiring your swords…" Shade replied, eyeing one curiously. He took his hands out of his pocket and lifted one of Cloud's favorites, swung it around a bit, and replaced it.

"You have quite the collection." He complimented.

"Thank you." She said, smiling. "Mine are over on that wall there." She said, pointing to the wall on his left.

Shade walked over there and took off Tifa's most prized and favorite sword. "You practice the arts?" he asked curiously, cocking his head to her.

"All my life." Tifa told him, as he swung the weapon around, testing his flexibility and ability with the new feeling.

"I've never seen one like this before…" he said aloud.

"It was specially made by my sensei, it's the only one of its kind."

"Wow…" he whispered, replacing it more carefully than he did with Cloud's. "Do you use these often?"

"Not really, I prefer my hands of iron other than knives. But occasionally I'll bring one of these along on a mission or something." She said, gesturing towards her swords.

"Would you like to duel? One-on-one? Not to the death of course, but to where we can declare a winner."

His question startled her a bit, but she accepted. "Where?" she asked.

"Your pick…I promise to go easy on you." He told her.

Tifa smiled and told him to follow her to where she usually practiced, which was located on the edge of the property, to give plenty of room.

Cid had followed her out, and spied on her and Shade from the window. He heard Shade ask if she would like to duel with him, with made Cid laugh aloud when she accepted. He immediately ran inside to fetch popcorn and the others for the show.

Tifa saw Cid run inside while leading Shade to where she usually trained. 'Oh great, now if I lose I'll never hear the end of it…' Tifa thought to herself.

When they finally reached the training grounds Shade saw that all the others were already there, smiling and waiting for the show. He took his chain, a memento of his mother, and stuck it in his pocket, so it wouldn't be harmed.

Shade walked on to the middle of the area and took his stance, waiting for Tifa.

He watch Tifa take off her jacket and take her stance about twenty feet from him.

"Round one!" Tifa heard Cid and Yuffie call at the same time, which was quite unusual, because they usually argued.

Tifa saw Shade running toward her and flipped over him to land behind him and smack him in the neck. He saw it coming and turned around and grabbed her wrist to prevent it.

She wrenched her arm free and back flipped a few times, getting away. She held her arm out to grab a sword Cloud had thrown to her. Shade did the same to receive one from Barret.

"More action!" Cid called out to them. Tifa noticed some popcorn in his hand.

Tifa ran toward him, ready to slash him in the chest, he parried and nicked her leg. She retreated back a bit to come back at him again and again. Finally she hit his arm, leaving a good sized gash on it.

"Okay, I'm done going easy on you" he told her. They both jumped in the air and gave a series of attacks before they landed. Tifa lunged at him and grazed his side. He stepped aside and swung at her head to have his sword parried. He kicked at her, hitting her hip and sending her sprawling. She turned wiping the dirt from her eyes, to have a sword land right next to her. If an inch to the left it would've pierced one of her lungs.

"You died," he pronounced, picking up his sword. "Again?" he asked, holding out his hand.

Tifa could only smile as she took his hand. When she was on her feet again she stared into his gray eyes. She froze as he looked at her, as if he was reading her soul.

"Well? How about another go?" he asked her.

"What a work out." Shade said, flopping down on the couch. Despite the cold air outside he was full of sweat. Tifa got really hard on him on the second fight. He closed his eyes while he let his body heal the big gashes she gave him.

'Whoever she marries will have his hands full.' He thought to himself.

After a few minutes the rest of the group had returned from the shed, where they had replaced the weaponry.

"Wow, what a show!" Cid exclaimed. "I haven't seen a good fight like that in a long while. That was marvelous!" he said, complementing Shade

"Thank you. If I had been at my full strength I may have let it last longer, but I was wearing out and needed to take a break." Shade told him with a small smile. Shade had won both fights, and was worn out from doing so.

Tifa came in last and shut the door, also full of seat she went to the bathroom and grabbed two towels, throwing one to Shade to wipe off the sweat.

"Well, I'm tired. I'll think I will head on upstairs to bed for a full night's rest for once.' Tifa announced.

"Full night's rest? We've been away for almost a week with no one but you and Marlene and your complaining about not getting a full night of rest?" Cid asked.

"Yes, I am." Tifa told him, turning to Barret. "Because your daughter is the worst night owl I have ever met. She keeps me up until nearly 4am in the morning."

"Well, send her to bed and lock her in." he told her, as if trees grew out of the dirt. "She'll get tired eventually."

"You do it then." She ordered. "She never listens to me.

"Yes I do! When you play with me!" Marlene exclaimed.

Tifa scowled at her and stomped on upstairs.

"She's just sore because she lost." Cloud said to Shade's expression. Shade could only smile.

Well, I hope you like it! I put some more action but I need more practice with the fighting commentary. New character coming soon! REVIEW!