EDITED: I spend increasingly less time editing as the chapter number increases. Hell with the haphazard and unsophisticated vocabulary. I will deal with it when I have more time in my life, which is not anytime soon.

Please read and review!

To The Crossroads Of Fate: Chapter 2

A New Identity

"Tifa. We've reached your house! It sure was hard to look for!" Lucrecia parked her car in front of a small apartment with rusty gates. "Oh yeah… You live alone, so remember to get someone to go to the hospital with you, alright?"

"Tifa? Wakey wakey!" Lucrecia patted her on the shoulder, but there was no response. "A deep sleeper huh."

She turned Tifa around to find her extremely pale. "Oh my god…" She placed a trembling finger to her nostrils only to find that her breathing was weak.

Too weak.

"Oh my god! Hold on! I'll send you to the hospital now! Hang on, you hear me?"

She sped towards the nearest hospital shown on her GPS.

xXx

I was falling down a hole, no matter how hard I tried to, I couldn't move an inch. By the time the fall stopped, I felt something hit my head, hard.

"O-Ouch!" I cried, ungracefully clasping my head, groaning. At least I could move now…

"Lady Tifa, is something wrong?" A soft, gentle voice beside me spoke.

I opened my eyes only to see Yuffie in a strange costume with frills, too much frills. "Wow, Yuffie, why are you dressed like that? … Is that a corset?"

I watched her facial expression change as she plopped down to the floor. "I'm very sorry, Lady Tifa! I will never wear this again! Please spare me!"

I stared in bewilderment as more people in strange clothing swarmed in. "Lady Tifa, please spare Yuffie, please, please with your kind heart, spare her!"

I tried to part my lips to speak, but the light movement sent my head into spirals, and feeling my head oddly heavy, I fell backwards onto a bed.

"Lady Tifa!"

"O…Ouch…" What the fuck is on my head? "Please… bring me a mirror."

"Bring the mirror, bring the mirror at once!" The crowd scampered over to the other side of the room and brought the mirror with inhuman speed.

"Thank you." I formed a awkward smile, and took the mirror from the hands of a blonde haired girl with a lacy hat.

"I-it's my pleasure, m-my Lady…" The girl spoke in a soft tune, and I saw tears in her eyes.

I looked around the room and everyone was kneeling stoically on the floor with their heads lowered. Just where in the world am I? Did I go crazy? Is this an illusion?

"Um… Can you guys stop kneeling?"

In an instant, everyone lifted themselves off the floor and looked at me. Did I say something weird?

Yuffie walked towards me, her body trembling. "M-My dear Lady!" she gasped, "P-please allow me to take a short leave while I change out of such unflattering garments!" her eyes were on the floor the entire time.

With that stare of hers, I could only manage a nod with my head going in circles.

"M-My lady, I'm terribly sorry to interrupt but please, there is an event Lady Tifa is expected to attend!" The girl speaking plopped to the floor at once.

Okay. Whatever, but I need to know where the fuck I am.

"I'm sorry, but where am I?" I tried, as mannerly as I could.

Everyone in the room gasped. Oopsie…?

"M-My Lady, this is your room…"

I looked around myroom, and saw nothing but things too luxurious for me to afford. This is my room? Right… Good joke there. I'm a pauper, dear. But I can't possibly say that out loud…

So, I looked into the mirror. And of course, I saw me. Except, I was stunning. I could still recognize myself, but there were no zits, at all even though I had one on my forehead just this morning… I touched my face, and it felt like a peeled egg. What…! My brows were a little sharper than before; my eye lashes a little longer, my hair smoother…

I'm fucking gorgeous.

My head spun and I tried to think of the possibilities this is happening. Is this like, my past life or something? Or did I trespass dimensions? Maybe I've gone permanently berserk… I was in Ms Crescent's car… Oh, I fell asleep! Yeah, I did, the monster was there.

Ahhh, only in my dreams I could be this beautiful.

Heaving a relief, I laid back into the bed and closed my eyes. I will wake up and find that this is all just a dream.

"Lady Tifa… My deepest apologies, but there is an event My Lady absolutely needs to attend!"

I jerked my eyes open. SHIT! I'M STILL HERE!

"Um… okay… But can I ask a few questions?"

She stared at me wide-eyed. "I-I will do my best to answer them, My Lady!"

"Oh… Um… Who am I?"

Tears formed in her eyes as she forced her mouth open. "My lady, Tifa Adella Lockheart, only daughter of Duke Zangan Reuben Lockheart and Duchess Elmyra Lorraine Fair-Lockheart, betrothed to Prince Rufus Ralph Shinra, whom will finally meet My Lady today at the Midgar lake for a hunt." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she continued, "Please, My Lady, make haste to the lake!"

What did I just hear? Am I royalty? This is… I pinched my arm, and it hurts. This is real? The light guided me to the 'crossroads of fate' and I travelled back in time? Or to my past life?

"Help me get prepared, then…" I said with much resignation.

"Yes, My Lady."

The next few minutes… or hours, was a complete blur. They led me to a huge bathroom and took my clothes off for me, it was all frilly. I bathed in the largest tub I've ever seen, filled with rose petals floating on the water surface and something that smelt like peaches was poured into the water without bubbles foaming up. Then they dried me and that was when I realized my boobs were about two or three cups bigger. Wow. I'm a smoking hot gorgeous chick? No wonder my current life sucked so bad. Used up all my good luck in the previous…

Strangely, I don't feel too uncomfortable when they help me get dressed, other than when they pulled the corset. Ou-Ou-Ou-Ouuuuuch?

There was even this hanger thing that they tied to me, called crinolines, I think…

My hair was pulled in all directions and finally tied into an elaborated bun with braids and some accessories before covering it with a 'poke bonnet' or that's what they called it. So much for tying my hair.

They put too many things on me, I couldn't even count, let alone describe them. I'm just a ton heavier now; I couldn't even walk in a straight line.

"Prince Rufus would be enthralled by your beauty, My Lady. I looked into the mirror and had the worst shock of my life.

"What the fuck! My lips and cheeks are too red!" Though I do admit the blue dress looked good with the white frills and linings, I couldn't possibly walk with it and talk with such a thick layer of makeup! "I'll do my own makeup!" The girls were too traumatized to even speak, let alone rebut me. They just cried and kneeled together. A lively bunch they were.

I wiped the blush off my cheeks such that only a faint peach tint remained, and the lipstick off. A light tint of pink remained on my lips and it looked better this way. Next, I took some greasy substance from some random box and just lightly coat it on my lips. My current beauty shouldn't be hidden by those thick makeup!

"There. I look much better." Like those models from Kawaii magazines. Yeah, Wutai affects our fashion too much these days with their cutesy doll falsies and nude lips. Oops, those days in my true lifetime, I mean.

I'm disturbingly cheerful, aren't I…?

Anyways, my only purpose here is to look for Cloud and change my fate.

"Do you guys know a certain Cloud Strife?"

They looked at me as if I'm an alien from outer space. Well, I am indeed an alien here though. Just how many years back in time is this… Let's hope it's not during the time when Midgar and Wutai fought the terrible 17-year war.

"We're sorry, my dear Lady, we know no man by the name of Cloud Strife." A timid voice said, echoing the thoughts of the pack.

"Well, okay." I couldn't care less about the engagement with some stupid prince. I got to look for Cloud… I'll sneak away somehow, and out of this mountain of clothing. "Let's go meet the prince then."

xXx

The carriage was luxurious, but the ride was not. Bumping here and there, worsening the throbbing in my head. What a sinful ride.

"My lady, we've arrived at the lake, please tread with care." The guy on the horse moving the carriage said, and extended his arm to help me down. He had a silk handkerchief laid across his hand, probably the part he wants me to hold. I did and he pulled me down with elaborate care.

I scanned the surroundings. A few metres from me, stood a man facing the lake with three bodyguards. That must be the prince. Better think of something… no time to meet him…

THE HORSE!

Before the man let go of my hand, I pulled him and knocked him out with my elbow. OUCH! Wow, it shouldn't hurt at all, since I learnt Wutaian martial arts in school… Okay, this Tifa in this weird world has got a super weak body.

I tried to jump on the horse but the stupid crinoline was a disaster. Nevertheless, I managed to get half of my body up on the horse and that startled it enough to gallop away. The carriage followed closely behind. It must have been such a sight.

I held on with all my might, but this body had little strength and I found myself screaming. Damn horse runs fast!

After a long few minutes, my arms went numb and I flew from the horse, landed in the forest by the lake with my tattered clothes.

"O-ouch…" I tried to stand, but every part of my body screamed in pain, especially my leg. Angry, I tore the Crinoline that was stuck between some twigs and my bodice. I'm a disaster now. Why had I even dreamt of looking for Cloud?

"Lady, are you alright?" A deep, husky yet clear voice called out.

I turned and saw Zack, except he had his hair combed back, with only a small lock of hair on his fringe, unlike the spikes he had in school. He wore a huge furcoat and held his hat in his arms. He looked funny as hell. That totally doesn't suit him.

Despite the pain, I chuckled at his clothing. "Entertaining…" I whispered.

"I beg your pardon, My Lady?"

"Nothing. So, who are you?" I asked casually, my tone indifferent.

He seemed to be surprised at my words, but he swallowed and replied, "My Lady, I am Zack Fair, son of Angeal Fair."

Right, okay, so his name is still Zack. So maybe Cloud's name would still be Cloud. I sniggered, feeling a little sorry for him having to live out his two lives with that name.

"Are you feeling alright, My Lady?" He asked, concerned. "How may I address you by?"

"Tifa," I replied, still giggling. "Tifa Lockheart."

He gasped. And the shock from his face slowly faded to a confident smile. "Nice to meet you Lady Lockheart. May I please escort you to your company?"

"NO!" I cried in reflex. No way am I going back ever again! Never those dresses, those crying people and some random prince. I have to look for Cloud. "I-I did not come with company." I croaked.

His eyes shone with suspicion, but he rubbed it off with a smile. "My Lady, you seem hurt. May I please have the honour to escort you to the village past this forest in the east? I was heading there for their festival myself."

Festival… Meaning that there would be many people… higher chances of finding Cloud… Good idea!

I smiled and nodded. "That would be great!"

He offered his hand to help me up, but the mess of dress and crinoline pulled me back.

"Mister Zack, could you help me undo this Crinoline please? It's tugging at me." I grumbled, pulling it from my body.

I could see a sea of red flush over his cheeks. Seriously? This guy has the time to be embarrassed over my torn dress and bleeding knees.

"Right, forget it, I guess that's not quite appropriate. Could you lend me that sword then?" I pointed his sword hung over his waist.

"Oh, sure, Lady Lockheart, it would be my pleasure." He passed me the sword from the leather strap and I used it to "trim" my Crinoline and dress such that it was still long enough to cover my legs up till my ankle, but a great, great mess.

"I would be sure to find you something to wear when we reach the village, my lady." I nodded and he carried me to his horse, his ears red the entire time.

This horny bastard…

xXx

Rufus stood rooted to the ground as he saw his future bride hugging a horse, which galloped into the forest, her bonnet flying and her styled bun came undone, revealing the auburn hair. He couldn't see his face but he didn't know what words could be used to describe this scenario.

Her servants rushed behind the horse, with cries that echoed through the clearing. He looked over at Tseng, his most trusted servant, who had an equally perplexed expression.

"Could that, perhaps, be my fiancé?"

Tseng blinked twice before he found the words. "It seems so, my prince."

"Oh." Rufus stared, still wide-eyed at the mess left behind.

A/N: Recently I came up with a series of witty quotes for each of the characters and I'm really loving one of them... You'll know soon! I love Oscar Wilde, so a certain character will have a vain and shallow, yet moving and deep personality, with the wittiest quotes. Can you guess who that is?

And Tifa has the most smart-ass quotes. Cloud... Quite brusque... Typical Cloud I guess. But he does have some lovey dovey lines with Tifa. ;)