A CLOUDY SKY

Hey there fans. Today Cloud goes on an adventure! Later, its Sora centric. Sora and Cloud look a lot alike, eh? Weird…

I actually wrote 30 chapters! I am so proud of me! sniffle Anyway, umm… right. The story :

It was pale blue for a moment, and he felt like he had no physical body, no weight to his soul, and was simply star dust in the sky. After, he plummeted back to earth, landing on his feet on a white turf that overlooked a long fall off a steep cliff.

When Cloud looked up, he yelped and fell back, in awe and shock. When he regained his composure, he moaned in awe.

Before him was a part of the universe that few knew of. It was locked away, very hard to access, but it was essential to all of everything. Unknown to Cloud, it was called Twilight's Horizon.

It was a marvelous sight, a sky moonless, cloudless, starless, and sunless, but filled with what looked like the Aurora Borealis. From the higher part in the sky, it pulled on shining lights that flew upward, and at the bottom, it pulled the dust downward, so that everywhere you looked, it was shining and mystical. There was no wind, but one could float just by being near it. Little lights that looked like stars, but weren't, flew about the yellow energy pull as free as doves.

"Amazing. You weren't lying, Vincent." Cloud chuckled, standing again.

By his feet, a little stardust ball was flying around his leg, talking in its "Smee!" language. Cloud raised his brows at it, as it seemed a bit infatuated with him. Shaking his head with a sigh, Cloud walked up to the cliff.

The little sphere followed him, cooing, even though it didn't have a face. It circled his head twice, and Cloud lifted his hand to smack it. He ended up smacking himself. Giggling insanely, the sphere danced about as Cloud glared at it playfully.

"I don't suppose you know how I can find a way across?" He asked. The sphere made a u turn and came back to him, bopping him lightly on the head. Cloud blinked, watching it twirl.

"So I… spin my head?" he asked sarcastically. The sphere bopped him harder.

"Alright! Just please, stop dancing so I can get across!" He begged. The being seemed to be thinking. Cloud watched it quizzically.

The sphere zoomed out into the air, flying out above the drop ahead of the cliff. Standing on the cliff's edge, Cloud watched it.

"Follow you?" He interpreted. "I am not committing suicide, thank you." He grumbled. The sphere seemingly taunted him.

The sphere flew behind Cloud, lightly hitting his back. Cloud looked at it, and took a step forward. Surprisingly, he felt solid ground beneath him.

Looking down, Cloud saw that he was walking on gold dust that clustered beneath the soles of his feet. With an emotionless nod, he thanked the sphere.

It sighed contently, flying in circles and twirls behind the blonde haired enigma.

Cloud was blissful inside, walking about such beauty. Twilight's Horizon felt like a drug, lifting him up. It seemed never ending.

The sphere was still following him through the infinite pass.

Suddenly, Cloud felt a bit woozy. He looked down to see some of the dust passing through him, and then again, and each time it seemed it was lulling him to sleep.

Before he knew it, Cloud groaned and fell into sleep.

Little child, be not afraid

"Teach me how to do it, please!" The black haired female child begged. The reserved blonde boy pondered, and then nodded.

"Okay.


The rain pounds harsh against the glass

"Ah!" The girl gasped as the boy began folding the paper.


Like an unwanted stranger

"It's just folding paper." The boy explained, folding the perfect black square of paper in quarters.


There is no danger

"If you do it right… it'll…" The boy released his creation, and the girl, grinning wildly, finished his sentence.

"Fly!"


I am here tonight

The little black paper airplane flew and dropped at the end of a breeze, and then picked up, twirling around and about as a young girl trailed after it giddily. The boy walked behind, watching it reverently as it sailed beneath the blue skies.

Little child

"What do you want, Cloud?" The brown haired flower girl asked. The blonde enigma turned to her.

"Want?" He asked.


Be not afraid

"Yes; what do you want to earn, from all of this?" She asked again, explaining her meaning. Outside the balcony they stood on, fireworks lit up the sky.

"I want…"


Though thunder explodes

'Revenge?' He thought. 'Understanding?'

"What will truly make you happy?" The girl smiled at him.


And lightning flash

"My happiness… will come from my heart. Once I finally have it again, that is how I will be happy." He muttered, not fully understanding his own words.


Illuminates your tearstained face

"Then you want to be whole again. To understand yourself?" The girl guessed, the fireworks lighting up her pale face with beauty. Cloud watched her.


I am here tonight

"Yes. To be complete."

And someday you'll know


That nature is so


This same rain that draws you near me


Falls on rivers and land


And forests and sand


Makes the beautiful world that you see


In the morning

"Cloud! Cloud!" The black haired girl called, waving. "Come on! We'll be late." The boy ran up the hill.

"Coming!"

Little child

"Hyah!" Cloud cried, kicking the totem. "Hyah!" Someone tall and strongly built chuckled.

"You try… you fail. Without knowledge, you lose." His voice taunted. The sweating warrior watched him approach.


Be not afraid

"You wish for strength. I will teach it to you." The man lifted his hand out, guiding the younger boy as he trained.

"Now, watch."


The storm clouds mask your beloved moon

Cloud trained again, and again the silver haired man watched. It had become a silent pattern between them; Cloud trained, the other man watched, and they left in silence. Since the first day, neither had talked to one another.


And its candlelight beams

"It's Nibelheim! They say it's up in flames!"

"They say the general betrayed us! He destroyed the city!"


Still keep pleasant dreams

"Sephiroth, you… betrayed us?" The blonde mouthed silently, unable to find the words.


I am here tonight

"One day, I will be stronger." The blonde child promised. The girl leapt to her feet, black hair blowing wildly in the wind.

"Me too, then!" She grinned. "We'll be strong enough to protect each other!"

Little child

"Aerith!" Cloud called, searching the hall. The girl's head appeared at the end.


Be not afraid

"There you are, Cloud." She spoke, smiling. "Someone's here to see you." He cocked his brow.


The wind makes creatures of our trees

"Who?" He asked.
And the branches to hands

Aerith turned and began walking down the hallway before answering.

"He said his name was Squall Leonheart."


They're not real, understand

"Leonheart?" Cloud asked himself.


And I am here tonight

And someday you'll know


That nature is so


This same rain that draws you near me


Falls on rivers and land


And forest and sand


Makes the beautiful world that you see


In the morning

For you know, once even I

"Help me!" The boy Cloud cried desperately. "Won't anyone help me! Someone, please!"

Cloud ran and ran, and stumbled in the tree roots. Someone appeared above him, extending his hand to the boy.


Was a little child

"Who are you?" Cloud asked the man as he ran through the forest with the boy on his back, the water level rising as the storm grew worse. The man was silent for a moment.


And I was afraid

"You can call me Leonheart." The man responded.


But a gentle someone always came

As Cloud became weaker and fell into sleep, he pondered. "Leon… heart?"


To dry all my tears

"Aerith, forgive me." Cloud cried to the stars above. "Tifa, Aerith, everyone, forgive me."


Trade sweet sleep the fears

The woman, Tifa, had told him to stop blaming himself for everything. The woman Aerith had told him to never lose hope.


And to give a kiss goodnight

"FORGIVE ME!"

Well, now I am grown


And these days have shown

"Cloud, you've changed." Leon stated before leaving the room.

"Changed?" The blonde asked the open air.


Rain's a part of how life goes


But it's dark and it's late

"I'm the universe's greatest ninja!" The girl taunted. Leon, standing beside Cloud, scoffed.

"If you're the greatest, I'd hate to see the rest of the ninja."


So I'll hold you and wait


'til your frightened eyes do close

"FORGIVE ME!"

And I hope that you'll know


That nature is so


This same rain that draws you near me

"I find myself… falling in love with you…" Cloud talked to himself. He was coaching himself through the conversation in his mind; a conversation he knew would never exist.


Falls on rivers and land


And forests and sand


Makes the beautiful world that you see

"Will I be forgiven?"


In the morning

Everything's fine in the morning

Tifa giggled, running after the black paper airplane. Cloud smiled slightly behind the child. The plane slowly began floating downwards.

"Do you think the world will always be this beautiful?" Tifa muttered.


The rain will be gone in the morning

Cloud shook his head as the airplane softly landed in his outstretched hands.

"The world will change. But I think… while the world may not be this beautiful forever…"


But I'll still be here in the morning

"We still can be."

Cloud awoke with a start, spinning in place, searching the air. It had all been a dream; remnants of the past. Shaking his head, Cloud tried to regain his composure.

"Welcome." A light female voice chimed. Cloud looked up.

A woman was sitting in a throne at the end of the room he stood in. the room was torn and a mess, the thrown chipped; the woman was cloaked, but he knew who it was.

"I've come for answers." Cloud demanded. "I want to know why this 'game' is so important and what it has to do with us." His ferocity shown through. The woman sat quietly, legs crossed.

"What you must understand…" She sighed. "Is that we did not mean for this to happen. We already lost one of our own." She choked a little at the end.

"Xen, the man Xemnas traded bodies with before he died." Cloud speculated. The woman nodded.

"As all dreams, he was born from a dream of extreme power and belief. He was born of Xehanort's need to learn more; he is – was Xehanort's dream. Hence the connection to Xemnas." The woman stood. "He chose to die to save the Superior."

"Why this game?" Cloud insisted.

"Listen, we've been fighting Hinode since the sisters were born. She wants it. We can't let her get it!"

"Get what?" Cloud questioned. The woman pointed out the window in the tower to Twilight's Horizon.

"Beyond the Horizon is a door that Mitsuka, Saix's little sister, traversed a while ago. She never returned. Instead, Hinode and Tsuki were released from the door in her place. Ever since, both sisters have fought to be the one to open the door; none of us really know what lies in wait behind the Door to Sunrise, but it is something Hinode must not have."

"So you started the game?" The woman nodded.

"You see, we need the keyblade bearer. We need his help. So, we slowly introduce him to our war, and lead him to the doorway. That is our plan." Cloud grimaced.

"So you'll use him like the organization did, and hurt innocents like Tifa in the process!" He proclaimed angrily. The woman looked taken aback.

"Tifa was an accident…" She began.

"HOW MANY MORE ACCIDENTS WILL THERE BE?" He screamed, throwing his arm out. Cloud was angry.

The woman sighed, removing her hood. She had blue eyes, pale skin, and black hair that just barely touched her shoulders.

"Cloud, I am and have been your friend for a long time. You know I would never hurt Tifa… I have done my best to end this, and we are so close!" She cried, shaking her head. "I left Leon, I left everyone. All Leon has of me now is that necklace. A necklace; that's all he has left of me!" She sobbed slightly.

"You can't understand the importance of all of this yet. But know that the Dream Catchers are your allies, and Hinode means you no good." Cloud nodded.

"Does anyone know what lies behind the door?" Cloud asked. The area around him was fading, which meant Vincent was bringing him back to Radiant Garden. The woman began to walk away, and paused for a moment, smiling.

"Tsuki told me that it was brighter than star shine, more infinite than reality, and deeper than all the oceans. She told me… it was the secret to a dream. The secret."

'The secret of a dream?' Cloud thought as the area disappeared. Leaving the thought untouched, Cloud called out to the woman before she disappeared.

"Thank you, Rinoa." He nodded. She smiled.

"Tell Leon hi for me."

(No Sora centric for you, I've run out of time and space. SO… in the next story will be Sora centric. I'll tell you a secret… It's CRACK comedy, and the chapter's called; 'It's Not Opposite Day!'

SEE YA! Sulhadahne)