Yay! My first AU! Here's what you need to know:

Aerith, Sephiroth, and Vincent don't exist. At least, not in this world. Don't worry, they'll be in the story soon.

Tifa is 25, Yuffie is 21, Cloud is 26. Aerith (when you meet her) is 24 while Vincent is 28. Sephiroth (yes he is in this story, and no, he isn't the leader of the empire,) is 27.

Sephiroth is a main character, though not in the way he was in FF7. He's going to be a bit like Seifer (FF8) in a way...heh heh heh...you'll see what I mean soon...

Aerith still has her Cetra powers, but she had been injected with Mako.

Both Sephiroth and Vincent have Mako in them like in FF7, though Vincent has no demons inside him as Lucretia died before she met him. Vincent and Sephiroth both have the same weapons as in the game.

The pairings are: Cloud/Tifa (at first, doesn't last long) Cloud/Aerith (main pairing), Vincent/Yuffie (important pairing), and Tifa/Reno (also highly significant.) I don't know If I'll pair up Sephiroth or not...he is not the same as in FF7...so maybe I can do a love triangle or something...heh heh heh...wait and see my child...

Enjoy!

Chapter One

The Best day of our Lives

Today was the day.

They had booked the church nearly six months previously, eager for this day. Tifa Lockhart was getting married.

Tifa Lockhart was about to become Tifa Strife.

Said bride was anxiously waiting for her Maid of Honor, Yuffie Kisagari to emerge from behind the dressing curtain. Her other bridesmaids, Jessie and Shera were clustered around her, adding the finishing touches to their appearance. Tifa had known both of them for about three years, Jessie through her employment with Tifa's family friend, Barret. Barret had been like a father to both her and a young girl Marlene, taking them in after the death of their parents. Tifa's mother had died giving birth, her father later dying of cancer in her teen years. Marlene had been orphaned at age three when her parents got in a mountaineering accident. Marlene grew to be an adorable and sweet girl, now eight years old, she was the perfect pick for flower girl in the wedding.

Tifa had met Shera also through Barret. Barret worked in the mining business, and had become partners with a master of machinery, Cid Highwind. Shera had been living with him, and moved with him when Cid came to live in the beautiful and peaceful city of Midgar. Though the woman was a few years older, she and Tifa had become fast friends. Shera was quiet, though once you knew her, she hardly shut up. Jessie too, had a great personality, she was always responsible and made sure that everyone was treated fairly.

"There!" Shera said as she finished setting Jessie's elaborate braids. She blew a stray bit of golden hair from her eyes and smiled warmly at her friend. "You're all done. Don't you dare mess it up…" Jessie laughed, fingering her copper colored hair. "No way, this took you forever. I don't think I've ever sat down for so long in my entire life." She stood up, gazing in appreciation at her reflection. "This looks fantastic Sher! Ever consider being a personal hairdresser?"

"And have to spend my days fingering through tangled, lice-infested hair? I laugh. Hah, Hah, and, just for good measure, another hah!"

Jessie glared while Tifa giggled at her friends.

Both Jessie and Shera's hair were in small braids that were all pulled into a larger one hanging down their backs. It was elaborate and took a long time to do, but all had agreed that it was worth it. Shera stood out the most, her light blue dress contrasting nicely with her golden-brown hair and blue-green eyes. Jessie, who had the longest hair after Tifa, lifter her heavy braid with a playful groan. "This thing weighs a ton! It could be a deadly weapon!" Shera rolled her eyes. If anyone attacks you'll be right out in front them, ready to knock them out with your hair." Jessie glared again, slapping Shera's arm playfully.

Tifa couldn't keep the giddiness she was feeling contained. Her she was, surrounded by her best friends, marrying the man of her dreams. It was almost too good to be true.

Jessie twirled in front of a large mirror. "These dresses are gorgeous Teef! If our dresses look this good, what does the Maid of Honor look like?" Tifa laughed. "You'll see. I'm glad you like your dresses…"

The brides' Maids' dresses were light blue, simple, sleeveless, and elegant. A silk white sash was tied around their waists, pearl necklaces and earrings were worn on both of them. A single print of a white rose was imprinted on the dresses, on the left side of their chest. Blue strap heels made them a good few inches taller; something Jessie said could only be improvement.

"Well…how do I look?"

The group turned to look at Yuffie as she emerged from behind the curtain with a gasp.

The dress was a sky-purple and blue, off the shoulder, coming down to her ankles. It puffed out like an old style-dress, getting wider as it went down. A white stone cut in the shape of a rose was attached to the V-dip where the dress came off her shoulders. A blue sash was tied up like a headband, contrasting her black hair wonderfully. Her hair was the shortest among them, hanging down about an inch above her shoulders. The shoes were also blue, and high-heeled like the other ones.

Compliments were pouring out her friends' mouths like a gushing waterfall.

"Yuff! You look soooooo good!"

"Wow! That dress looks great on you!"

"Oh my god! You look fantastic!"

Yuffie gazed warily at her squealing friends. "Okay, that's enough! Is there a button I can press to make you shut up?" Tifa laughed, embracing her friend of five years.

"If you find it, let me know! I've been looking for ages!"

Yuffie laughed, hugging her friend back.

They had met while Tifa had been on vacation in a small, exotic country called Wutai. To say that they didn't immediately hit it off would be an understatement.

Yuffie had pick pocketed the unsuspecting Tifa, and hadn't been caught. Later, Tifa had found herself attacked by thugs…

"Hey! Get your Hands off me!"

A man in a black facemask leered at Tifa. "Heh…not likely, lady." He made an odd motion with his hand, and out of nowhere, a fist plunged into Tifa's stomach. Doubling over in pain, Tifa found her eyes were hazy and unfocused. Looking down, she saw, to her horror, that blood was seeping through her shirt onto her hands. With a groan, she fell to her knees, clutching her stomach.

"How long will it take the poison to fully enter her system?" The man in the facemask asked, turning to his comrade that was still in the shadows. He eyed Tifa, looking slightly bored. "A few days from now. And in that time she won't have the strength to walk, let along talk."

The man in the facemask cackled.

"Excellent…she won't know what hit her."

"Yeah!?! Well how about I hit you!!"

A shuruken came spinning into view, lodging in the stomach of the masked man. Without so much as a groan, he fell to the ground, eyes staring lifelessly. The other man hissed and drew a sword, turning in the direction the flying weapon had come from. "Come out here you Bastard!"

A shadowy figure appeared in the darkness.

"Hah…that's not quite the appropriate term for me…"

And the figure charged as Tifa's world went black…

She had woken up in a small hut five days later. The girl who had saved her from the thugs, also saved her from the poison injected into her blood.

Her name was Yuffie Kisagari, Princess of Wutai.

Her mother had been murdered by the same thugs years ago, and she had sworn revenge. She said that there was no way she would let another woman fall prey to their madness.

Needless to say, they became best friends.

Yuffie even gave back the things she had stolen, and though she did not live in Midgar, she lived close enough to visit every other day. She left her father and throne behind, unhappy with that life. She was a few years younger than Tifa, having only been sixteen when they had met, while Tifa had been twenty. Many mistook the two for sisters with their similar dark hair and features, though Tifa's eyes were wine-red and Yuffie's were a bright gray-green. Yuffie had been extremely honored to be Maid of Honor at her best friend's wedding, though she was reluctant to take part in the formal affairs.

Yuffie looked forlornly at her high-heeled shoes. "Damn…I'm gonna break my neck in these things…" She looked up at Tifa incredulously.

"I wanted to wear flat shoes, but nooo, they just HAD to have heels, huh?"

Tifa rolled her eyes. "It's about time you got out of there, I need to change."

Yuffie grinned at her friend; taking her hand she squeezed it, letting all her joy and happiness flow into that movement.

"So, Tifa Lockhart…are you ready to become Tifa Strife?"

Tifa smiled, tears of happiness in her eyes.

"This day is too perfect! What could possibly go wrong?"

An old priest stood at the altar, reading off the wedding vows to Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockhart. The couple gave small smiles to each other, linking hands. The priest rumbled on, feeble voice barely echoing in the glowing church. "…Any persons who object to this union…speak now…or forever hold your peace…"

A cloaked and hunchbacked figure stepped over the threshold. The figure looked up at the bride and groom, gaining the whole attention of the assembly. The face was that of a ragged old woman with chiseled features and unnaturally bright blue eyes. She walked slowly down the isle, a twisted wooden cane clutched in her knotted and veined hand. No one spoke out against the figure, as though they were under a spell, unable to look away from her overly bright eyes…

She spoke…in a voice older and more powerful than time…more wonderful, and more terrible than death…

"I speak against a union of what could never be…"

Her voice didn't echo in the room, penetrating their being like an icy knife…

"The soldiers are yet to fight their battle…"

Her hand disappeared in the folds of her cloak, reemerging holding a smooth, glowing, blue stone. The room seemed to pulse with its power as it began to glow brighter and brighter still.

"A battle for their destiny…they must decide the outcome…"

In a fluid motion, she whirled her arm around, flinging the stone at the ground before Cloud and Tifa.

Cloud pulled Tifa behind him, "Tifa look out!"

"Cloud!"

The stone exploded with the force of a bomb, a whirlwind of Blue Lightning growing and expanding, pulling at them, sucking them in like water would go in a drain. Cloud quickly grabbed one of the stone pillars, seizing Tifa's hand as she began to slide toward the raging whirlwind.

"Tifa!" Yuffie jumped forward, running toward her best friend, grabbing her hand as she struggled to keep herself upright.

"Yuffie!" Tifa cried, tears coming to her eyes as their hands and fingers strained to hold together.

"Run Yuffie!"

Yuffie shook her head, eyes too shining with tears as she clutched Tifa's hand. "I won't leave you!" she screamed, squeezing her eyes shut as she began to feel her grip slipping on the pillar she was holding. The wind continued to suck them in, forming a bubble around them, keeping anyone else out. Even the priest that had been blown backward by the explosion could not approach the barrier.

Tifa gazed at her loved ones, clutching desperately to her hand.

'I cannot let them stay in such pain…If I let myself be sucked in they may be spared…' A vision of the old woman's face appeared in her mind.

'That woman…there was no evil in her eyes…I feel…as though I can trust her…as though I should let myself go…'

With the face of the woman swimming in her mind, Tifa let go.

"TIFA!!!" Cloud and Yuffie screamed as Tifa released their hands, falling into the swirling blue abyss. In one fluid motion, they pushed off of the pillars and followed Tifa into the unknown…

The world was spinning.

Colors, words, and sounds tumbled around them. Everything was free in this place; minds and hearts were released, soaring across the cosmos with clarity unknown to their earthly bodies.

For a moment…their hearts knew true freedom…

Feeling…without doubts or lies…knowing…without wondering why…

The moment passed…and they found themselves facing reality…

"Ugh…"

Yuffie opened her eyes slowly; surprised to find it almost as dark when they were open as when they were closed. "What…happened…? It feels like…I've been hit by a train…"

With the force of a speeding bullet, the memories of what had occurred returned to her.

'Alright…so we entered the vortex thingy…where am I then?'

Yuffie's thoughts were interrupted when a muffled groan broke through the silence like a knife. Squinting, Yuffie could make out a dark shape sitting up.

"Tifa…?" she whispered, edging closer to the figure, trying to make it clearer. The figure jumped, scooting closer to her as well.

"Yuffie?" Tifa asked, unable to make out her friend's features in the dark.

"Tifa! Thank Leviathan you're okay!"

Yuffie rushed forward, embracing the still slightly confused Tifa. Another moan broke through the air, this one deeper, more masculine.

"Cloud…?" Tifa said, crawling toward her love. "Cloud, are you alright?"

Cloud opened his eyes to find himself staring directly into the wine-colored eyes of Tifa. With a sigh of relief, Cloud pulled her into a hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Teef…"

Tifa nodded, melting into his embrace

"Where are we?" he asked, breaking the embrace sooner than Tifa would have liked. In the darkness, he missed her look of hurt.

Without warning, a beam of green light flooded the room, blinding the three people crouched on the ground. Two figures stood in the doorway, illuminated by the strange bright light. They rushed forward, guns pointed at them as they squinted in the light.

"Tell us who you are! If you swear allegiance to the empire your life may be spared." One of them ground out, his voice low and guttural as he aimed his gun at Cloud and Tifa.

"What empire?" Yuffie asked, eying the gun in confusion.

'What's going on here…?'

The other man jumped closer to her, aiming his gun at her head. "Shut up!" He roared, voice vibrating with fury. "Don't play dumb with me! Tell me, do you support the empire!?!"

"Leave her alone!" Tifa exclaimed, glaring at the men. "We don't have any idea what you're talking about!"

"We don't know what's going on," Cloud said, gazing warily at the men garbed in strange black clothes. "Care to explain where the hell we are?"

Surprisingly, the man nearest to him let out a bark-like laugh, one that made ice enter their veins. "You've got one thing right," he rasped out.

Looking over to his companion, he gave a slight nod, and charged forward, firing at Cloud and Tifa with bursts of bright red light, while the other man fired the same at Yuffie. They slumped to the ground, unconscious. The man laughed again, striding over to Cloud and Tifa, he slung their bodies over his shoulders. Turning to his companion, who already had Yuffie slung over him, he grinned. "The boss'll be pleased." He rasped. "We found him some more labor." The other man laughed too, his laugh more high pitched and eerie. "Let's take them to their new home, shall we?" He walked out the door flooded with the green light.

The rough-voiced man spoke to the unconscious people in his arms.

"Welcome to your living Hell…"

Well? What'cha think? Please Reveiw!

Next Chapter: Reality

Aerith, Vincent, and Sephiroth make an appearance! Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie are sent to a cruel prison camp. Can they survive the horrible conditions? While trying to come to grips with their new Reality, they are suprised to find a secret resistance! Can they provide it with what it needs to endure?

Catch ya on the flip side!