Well...this is the chapter which you've all been waiting for. I present you...CHAPTER 5!

Chapter 5: A Dark Day

Cloud... Please... Help me...

Cloud looked around. The voice sounded so close. Like it was coming from right in front of him and everywhere at once. "How can I help you!"

"Don't yell Cloud!" the voice responded. It didn't sound like the voice. Confused, Cloud looked around. He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Cloud spun around to see Zack.

"Zack... What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask the same of you. It looks like we are sharing the same dream."

"Yeah, looks that way." Cloud continued to look for the source of the voice.

"There!" Zack pointed to a spot in the dark. Cloud squinted, but he didn't see anything. After a second, he saw something. He could barely make out a figure. It looked female.

Cloud... Zack... Please... Help me... It's so cold...

Cloud strained to make out who she was, but was blinded by the flash of pure white light.

"Zack? Where are you?"

Cloud looked around for Zack, but he was nowhere to be seen. He turned his attention to Aeris, and Sephiroth. But Sephiroth looked different. There was a robe over his head, blacking out his face. He grabbed Aeris and kissed her hard. They stayed that way for a while, both enjoying the kiss as much as they could. When they finished, they both turned and smiled at Cloud. They began to laugh.

Cloud screamed in rage, but his scream was muted out by another scream. The scream he knew all to well, since his dreams began. The scream of Aeris being ran through by Sephiroth. A scream that was as inhuman is it was blood curdling. A scream that the real Aeris did not scream. In fact, the real Aeris made no sound what so ever when Sephiroth ran her through. Cloud tried to look into the darkness of the hood, but saw only black. Sephiroth pulled is sword out of Aeris, and she fell silently onto the ground. Cloud unsheathed his sword, and charged Sephiroth.

The fight was evenly matched. But something about the way Sephiroth was fighting seemed not only familiar, but didn't seem his style. Cloud locked swords with Sephiroth, and grabbed his hood. He ripped it off, and was face to face with-

"ZACK!" Cloud's scream was joined in by Zack screaming Cloud's name. They turn and stared at each other for a few minutes.

"I dreamt that-" They both started. Cloud gestured for Zack to begin first.

Zack had dreamt the same thing that Cloud did, only Sephiroth turned out to be Cloud in Zack's dream, while in Cloud's dream, Zack was Sephiroth.

"This is starting to get REALLY weird." Cloud commented.

Zack nodded his head in agreement.

"Do you have any idea who the woman in the dark was?" Zack asked.

Cloud recalled her image. The most he saw was an outline. No definable features. "No... You?"

"Not a clue." Was all Zack said.

"That was not fair!" The Light One protested. "We are not to influence Outsiders!"

The Dark One simply glared at him. "Anything is fair to me, if it helps me Exist again!"

The Dark One took a swing at the Light One, but the Light One dodged it with ease. He brought his sword around and got a good cut right on the Dark One's right leg.

The Dark One swore, and backed off a bit.

"We will play by the rules, understand?" The Light One asked.

The Dark One only sent him a menacing glare.

And the battle raged on. Neither one aware, that a third person was watching them.

Zack walked back to the campsite, where Cloud was finishing packing. Cloud turned around to talk to him, but stopped.

"You like it?" Zack asked, indicating his freshly shaven face.

Cloud studied it for a while. "It suits you." He finally said.
Zack shrugged it off. "So... Where to next?"

Cloud stopped and thought about it. He had just been following his instincts. He never had a goal set out. He closed his eyes, and listened.

Zack gave Cloud a weird look.

After a moment, Cloud finally opened his eyes. "North. To the Bone Village."

Zack nodded. "Ok. How do we get there? I don't think swimming across the ocean is a possibility."

Cloud agreed. Suddenly, he had a thought. Cloud ran to the top of the hill, and looked around as if to take in the surroundings. Finally he walked back, grabbed his gear, and walked off. "Follow me."

Zack scrambled to get his stuff, and quickly caught up with Cloud.

"What's your plan?" Zack asked after about 15 minutes of hiking.

Cloud said nothing as they neared the beach. He walked up to the rock face and began to search for something.

Zack was beginning to think that his friend had gone bonkers since they last met.

Finally, Cloud found the rock he was looking for. He pressed it.

Suddenly, Zack's ears where filled with the sound of old machinery turning. What he saw, he didn't believe.

The rocks in front of them where giving away to a hidden passage. Cloud indicated for Zack to follow him. As soon as Zack passed the doors, they closed behind him. Trusting Cloud, he just followed him.

Cloud lead the way to an old docking port. Water filled most of the room. Zack was surprised to find BOTH a submarine, AND an airplane.

"I found this place about a few months back. Cid and I knew we needed a place to hid these things from everyone else, so I stored them here. Cid doesn't know this place exists, and I don't want him to know." Cloud summarized as he prepared the Tiny Bronco.

Zack just stood in amazement. "Why?" he finally asked.

Cloud took a deep breath. "Well... In the other rooms are some top-secret Shinra technology that Cid would give BOTH his legs to get his hands on. He'd spend all his time here, trying to figure it all out. I just don't think he should get that obsessive right now." Could finalized preparations, and started the engines. "Hop in!"

Zack grabbed his stuff, and jumped into the Tiny Bronco as the hanger doors behind the

Tiny Bronco opened. "I should warn you!" Zack yelled over the sound of the propellers.

"I don't like to fly!"

"That's ok!" Cloud yelled back. "This thing CAN'T fly!"

And with that, they headed out towards the Bone Village.

Vincent and Red walked out of the door, leading to the liquid wall. They turned around, and covered it back up. The sun was slowly setting behind them as they finished. Afterwards, Vincent turned to Red.

"Promise me that you will tell no one of this place." Vincent gave him a look that meant "Or else!"

Red didn't miss it. "I promise. As long as I may continue to visit, to read the books."
Vincent didn't hesitate for a second. "Done."

They headed towards the house when they where attacked. Instantly, Vincent and Red took combat positions, but then relaxed when they saw their opponent.

Yuffie looked at Vincent with a look that could kill wild buffaloes. She was sweating heavily, and was breathing hard. "Where the HELL have you been! I've been looking EVERYWHERE for you!"

Red looked at her. "Is something wrong?" He asked.

Yuffie nodded. "HELL yeah!" She jabbed a finger at Vincent. "HE won't tell me how he got me to stop being queasy!"

Red lowered his head and laughed inwardly.
Vincent just stood there. Once Yuffie had calmed down, he spoke very softly. "One who seeks knowledge from another person, doesn't learn half as much as the one who seeks knowledge for himself." And with that, Vincent went inside the house.

Yuffie stood there with a confused look on her face. She turned to Red. "What?"

Red rolled his eyes. "He wants you to look it up for yourself." Red explained. "Perhaps you will learn more from that experience than from just listening to us." And with that, Red also went inside.

Yuffie walked around to the front of the house. She was thinking about what Vincent and Red had said. It WAS true that she liked to take shortcuts. To learn from others, and not from studying. She walked up, and sat on the door that Barret was working on.

This annoyed him. "What are you--"

"Do I take shortcuts in knowledge?" She asked him.

Barret didn't know what to say. He had never had a conversation with Yuffie that didn't end up with him hating her guts, and probably vice-versa. They never just talked.

"I... I don't know." he replied.

"I mean... I like to learn... but studying is SOO boring! I spend my time improving my fighting skills, instead of studying. Then when I need information, I just sap it off someone else. Does that make me smarter than the people who actually LEARN the stuff, or just a... sapper of knowledge?"

Barret had absolutely NO idea what she was talking about. But he HAD to help her if he could. "Listen. I know you aren't as smart as Red or Vincent... but you are smart in your own way. Hell, you're probably smarter than me!" He knew he shouldn't have said that! "But sometimes being smart ain't what it's cracked up to be." He added before she could comment. "You get everyone wanting to know what you think of this, or that. Then they want you to come up with some sort of brilliant plan that will save the day... They ALWAYS have this problem."

Yuffie seemed to brighten up at this thought. "Hey, you're right! We're always asking Red and Vincent for that type of stuff."

Barret slapped her on the knee. "There you are! See?"

"Yeah! Thanks Barret!" Yuffie gave him a hug, then hopped down, and went inside the house.

Barret just stood there. Did what he thought happen, happen? Did Yuffie THANK him? Worst of all, did Yuffie HUG him!

Now Barret was the one that was confused.

Tifa walked over to him from her reading spot by a nearby tree.

Barret did a double-take of where Yuffie had entered the house. "What the?" He looked at Tifa. "Did you see that?"

Tifa leaned against Barret. "Yeah I saw it. I saw the whole thing." She pat him on the side of the arm. "You did good, Papa bear."

Barret let a smile escape his lips. "Thanks, Mama bear."

Cid laid against his pillow, staring at the ceiling. He hadn't eaten much recently, which for him, was a bad sign. From outside his tent, he could hear the nurse talking with Dr. Ganzgo.

"I have a bad feeling about him Mac. He hasn't eaten, he hasn't slept much, nor has he moved a muscle since yesterday." The nurse's concern was obvious.

"Yes... I've noticed that too." Dr. Ganzgo commented. "It's almost as if he's lost the will to live." He shook his head, then rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I don't know. I've tried to talk to him about the lifestyle changes he'll have to make, but he was unresponsive. I told him what could be done to try to get his ability to walk back, but he barely moved."

"I've noticed that. The most movement he does blink and move his head back and forth." The nurse's shoulders slumped. "Is there anyone we should contact?"

"Word of the explosion, and it's lone pilot, spread almost the instant it happened." Dr. Ganzgo explained. He opened the door to the tent, and looked at Cid. "And he wasn't been able to give us any name other than his own." He closed the door. "There's not much more we can do until he decides to help us."

"What of this 'Shera' person?" The nursed asked. The doctor's puzzled look was enough.

"Last night, during his sleep, he kept calling to someone name Shera. I don't know if Shera is a man or a woman, but I'm willing to bet that it's his wife, or friend, or lover, or something like that. Someone he's close to."

"Well... the most we can do is hope this 'Shera' person comes looking for Mr. Highwind. 'Shera' may be his only hope."

Cid heard all of this, but he didn't care. He didn't care about anything anymore. No matter what the doctors told him, he knew his life was over. He just wanted to see Shera one last time, before he left this world.

Shera... Please hurry.

Reeve quickly ran across the fields. He was being chased by wild creatures. Every once in a while, he would stop to cast Lighting, in hopes that it would scare them away. In a few cases, it worked. But for the most part, it just enraged the creatures.

Reeve was running, when he pasted something small. He afforded a quick glance at what it was. Reeve stopped dead in his tracks.

It was a 5 year old little girl picking flowers.

The monsters had changed direction towards the little girl.

Reeve shook his head. "Damn!" He started to run directly at the monsters. "Hey! Over here you block heads!" Reeve shouted at the monsters. They all stopped and looked at this new target. They seemed curious at first. Then some of them started back towards the girl. "Oh no you don't!" Reeve found a good sized rock and huffed it at the lead monster. It hit it right in the eye. The serpent-like monster stopped and looked at Reeve with it's good eye.

"Uh-oh..." was all he said. Suddenly, all the monsters where after him again. He ran until he was sure the little girl was safely away. Reeve suddenly stopped, and pulled out a red Materia orb. He looked into the orb with a clear idea in his head.

Suddenly, to the monsters' surprise, lights flashed all around them. Suddenly, their prey had disappeared. He was replaced with a large beast that looked almost like a WEAPON. The tallest of the monsters coming up only to it's ankle. The Creature bent down to look at all the monsters. Slowly, the Creature opened it's mouth.

"BOO!" The Creature's voice was deep enough to shake the nearby mountains.
The monsters all ran away as fast as they could. When they had left, the Creature disappeared, and was replaced with Reeve. Reeve walked up to the little girl, and bent down.

"Are you ok, sweetie?" He asked.

"Yes." The little girl replied. She appeared to be oblivious to the whole ordeal. "Thank you. Want a flower?" She offered him a slightly droopy dandelion.

"Why thank you." Reeve took the flower. He closed his eyes, and took a whiff of it. It smelled a little old, but he smiled anyway. He opened his eyes to thank her again, but she was gone.

Reeve got up and looked all around. She was nowhere in sight. As if she'd just disappeared. Reeve scratched his head, then looked at the flower. It now looked much healthier then it had a few moments ago. He took a whiff of it. It smelled vibrant, and fresh.

"Something very weird is going on here."

"Something very weird is going on here."

Two men stood around the body of Cait Sith, which was just standing in the middle of the road... In mid-stride. One of his feet was suspended above the ground, but Cait Sith didn't wobble, or tip over.

The younger of the two men turned to the older. "Hey Chuck! How much do you think we could get for this at the Golden Saucer?"

Chuck scratched his balding head, which he hid under his hat. "I don't know Verne. I mean, I know we could get a lot, but what if the owner comes to get it?"

Verne just started to try and move Cait Sith. "Well too bad! He shouldn't have left it here in the first place!" Verne wasn't particularly strong, but Cait Sith wasn't particularly heavy either. Verne was able to get him in the back of their truck without much difficulty.

"Yeah, but Verne, what if it was your stuffed toy?" Chuck asked as he got into the cab.

"I would just hope the little girl who got it, loved it as much as I did!" Verne responded.

"Now drive."

Chuck just shrugged at that, and started to drive. After a few minutes, there came a tapping sound. "Did you hear that?"

Verne faced him. "Hear what?" The tapping came again, only a little louder.

"That!"

Verne looked at the ceiling. "I dunno. Maybe a bird?"

Chuck gave Verne a harsh look. "Birds don't tap on the roof of a moving truck!"

A muffled sound came from behind them. Chuck stopped the truck, and opened the window leading into the back of the truck.

"Excuse me." Said Cait Sith. "But my destination is the other way."

Chuck and Verne looked at each other, then screamed. Chuck floored the gas pedal, sending the truck racing down the road. However, the initial acceleration had caused Cait Sith to tumble out of the back of the truck.

He got up, dusted himself off, and continued on his way to Rocket City.

The Watcher continued to watch the battle unfold before her. The two combatants where still trading insults, and wounds. As she watched, she noticed that both of them where fighting for the same thing. Their right to Exist. She considered telling them this, what would it accomplish?

Suddenly the Dark One's eyes grew wide as she discovered that he could SEE her! "Hey. Look behind you."

But the Light One smiled. "I won't fall for that again."

The Dark One then stepped out of combat. His sword was still ready, but he did not swing it. Instead, he circled the Light One, until the Light One could see the Watcher. His eyes too, grew quite large.

The Light One and the Dark One, for the first time since they could remember, lowered their swords, as they walked up to the Watcher.

The woman stepped off the Lithavore. "Thank you Captain."

The captain saluted her. "No, thank you! My engines have never ran this good! I might have to start raising my price."

The woman smiled, then turned and walked into Bone Village. Several people were working on uncovering bones of some kind or another. The woman walked up to a man in a white coat.

"Excuse me. But what happened to the pilot of the airplane that crashed here?"

The balding man pushed his glasses up. "Are you a relative of the man?"

The woman looked unsure of what to say. "Well... not really."

"Then I'm afraid you can't see him." The man started to walk away.

The woman's heart nearly stopped. "Excuse me Mr…?"

The man stopped. "Doctor. Dr. Mac Ganzgo."

"Dr. Ganzgo... I'm not a reporter or anything." Then the woman explained everything.

Cid stared at the ceiling. He knew his time was short. Not much more time left. I only wish that Shera had gotten here in time. Cid sighed inwardly. Not much chance she'll get here in time now.

Cid heard the door to the tent open. He saw Dr. Ganzgo's big, fat head appear. "Mr. Highwind. You have a visitor." Dr. Ganzgo backed away.

No one appeared. Great. I get a visitor from nothingness.

Suddenly a familiar face obscured his vision. He blinked. It wasn't possible!

"Shera?" he asked.

Shera exploded with emotion. She laughed and cried. "Yes... It's me."

"What...? What are you doing here?" Cid sat up a bit so he could see her better.

Shera laughed even harder. "I'm here to see you, you big lug!"

Dr. Ganzgo simply smiled. "I think I'll leave you two alone."

When the doctor had left, Cid took a good look at Shera. "I'm glad you came. I thought I would never see you again."

Shera didn't know what he was talking about, and she didn't care. She walked over, and sat on the bed next to him. "It doesn't matter what you thought. I'm here now. And when the doctor releases you, we'll go back to Rocket Town, and build you a brand new spaceship!"

"That sounds nice." Cid smiled weakly. "Listen." He took her hand with both of his. "No matter what happens to me, I want you to live a full and happy life. Follow your dreams. Don't take any lip from anybody, and never settle for anything. Promise me you will do this."

Shera didn't like the sound in his voice. "What are you talking about Cid? You're going to live through this! The doctor told me that you could still live a full and happy life!"
"It ain't gonna happen. I don't have much more time left." He stated. "Promise me. Please."

The tears started to roll down Shera's face. "No. I won't promise. You're going to live!"

"Promise me, damn it!" Cid yelled.

Shera looked into his eyes. She could see the look in them. He wanted to die. But he wanted to make sure Shera was going to be OK before he did. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I promise."

Cid almost fell back into his pillow. "Thank you." His voice had suddenly gotten weaker. "Now listen Shera. No matter what... don't let Barret fly the Highwind. He'll just ruin it." She had to laugh at this. But that didn't stop her crying. "And remember... I'll always... love... you..." Cid's eyes closed slowly. His head slumped to one side.

"Cid?" Shera asked. "Cid!" He still didn't move. "DOCTOR!" Dr. Ganzgo and the nurse quickly rushed in. "Cid, don't leave me!"

"He's flatlined!"

"20cc of quartazine!"

"No effect."

"Paddles!"

Shera didn't pay any attention to what the doctor and the nurse had to say. She just stood there watching. "CIID!" Her crying didn't stop.

The Watcher saw the Light One and the Dark One walk up to her.

"Who are you?" The Light One asked.

The Dark One hit the Light One on the back of his head. "Fool! She came from Outside. We don't speak to Outsiders."

"If she is an Outsider, then why is she here?" The Light One asked.

"She is like us! A Cetra." The Dark One explained.

The Light One considered this. But then he remembered something. "But we are not Cetra. We only contain the cells of one. Like the Others."

The Dark One exploded in rage. "We are of the same stock! We exist in this plane by ourselves! Like the Others. But she is a pure Cetra! She can go into any plane!"

"But she Existed. Now she does not. She had nothing to settle. She is Whole. Why has she not crossed over?"

The Dark One thought about this. He had no answer.

Suddenly, a ripple rushed through their existence.

"Some one has entered." the Dark One said to no one in particular. "Soon they shall either Cross, or be divided." The Dark One began to laugh at that prospect.

The Watcher and the Light One exchanged glances. Suddenly, the Watcher disappeared into the colorless colors that surrounded them.

Cid walked down a long corridor. At the end of it, he could see another room. When he entered it, he was slightly amazed. Wax-like figures stood in displays to either side of him. However, they all represented his life, starting from his birth.

"Is this what they mean when they talk about your life flashing before your eyes?" He asked outloud.

There was no one around, at least as far as Cid could see. The hallway was dimly lit, but each display had it's own lighting to reflect Cid's mood at the time.

He strolled down the hallway, carefully looking at each display. He came up to a display that was marked "My 5th Birthday". Cid looked at the display, to see himself at that age. Little Cid was wearing an oversized sky cap. He had made an airplane out of a cardboard box, and his wagon. His father was pulling him along in their backyard.

By the display stand was a small button. Cid pressed it, and he heard what sounded like a taped recording.

"Faster Dad, Faster!" Little Cid laughed. "You're the greatest dad in the whole world!"

"Thanks Cid. Want to go higher?"

"Yeahh! I want to touch the stars!"

The recording ended. Cid remembered this event. This was his earliest memory of wanting to go into space. He couldn't believe that he finally did it, not more than a year ago.

Cid continued to walk down the corridor, enjoying each display.

When the Highwind touched down in Bone Village, Barret was the first one off. He ran over to the hospital, where he found Shera sitting outside a tent. The rest of the group was close behind him.

"Shera?" Tifa asked when she arrived. "How's Cid?" Suddenly they heard the doctor and the nurse making a fuss inside the tent. Tifa walked over to Shera, and sat down next to her. "Shera?"

Shera lifted her head. She had been crying for hours. "Cid... he... he..." Shera began to cry again. She leaned against Tifa, and just cried.

Tifa put her arm around her, and rocked her slowly back and forth. The way her father had when Tifa need a shoulder to cry on. As the nurse came out, Tifa motioned for Barret to check on Cid.

Barret carefully walked into the tent.

Yuffie fell to her knees and hugged Red, a look of dread in her eyes. Red looked at her, and let her. Vincent and Cait Sith just stood there, each of them hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

Barret's imposing figure startled Dr. Ganzgo. "Excuse me sir, but you can't be-"

"I'm a friend." Barret interrupted. He didn't even look at the doctor. He just watched Cid.

Dr. Ganzgo was willing to leave it at that.

"How is he?" Barret finally asked as he turned to the doctor.

Dr. Ganzgo took a quick look at Cid, then turned back to Barret. "We had a close call. We were able to stabilize him, but that could change at any moment. We've done all we can." Dr. Ganzgo turned back to look at Cid. "It's up to him now." Dr. Ganzgo walked out of the tent, and told the rest of the group the news.

Barret walked up to Cid's bedside. "Get better old friend. I don't want to hafta bury you."

The Dark One just stood there, leaning against his sword. He took a drink from his goblet, then casted it back into the darkness from which it came. He smiled inwardly. Old habits die REAL hard.

The Light One also stood there, but he had other things in mind. He turned and walked up to the Dark One as if to say something.

The Dark One knew that they had chosen to have a rest, and so didn't fully expect what came at him. He was suddenly rolling on the ground of their existence, holding his crotch.

The Light One just pummeled away at the Dark One. After a small time, he got up, and admired his handy work.

The Dark One lay beaten and bruised on the floor of their existence. He could barely form a single thought. He seemed to be in a lot of pain.

The Light One took advantage of this opportunity, and did what he felt he had to.

Break the rules.

And that's another chapter concluded.