*Disclaimer: I do not own Fushigi Yuugi. Doing so would mean that this fic was not needed and Tasuki would be walking around on a leash. Thank you. Kori McCaelen and related events are mine, however, so sue me for her… erm… Kori-ness. Love, Taryn

Prologue

"That is so weird," Kori McCaelan mumbled to herself, climbing the stairs to her mother's apartment. She flipped the small book in her hands over and over again, inspecting each and every corner of the tiny object. It was a very old book, a century at least, and was a reddish pink color where the color had not yet worn off. On the cover, in small golden letters, read Universe of the Four Gods. Kori recognized this title as the one that one of her comic book heroines had been sucked into and taken to a mythical world. That was Kori's favorite series, and so the excitement and curiosity on Kori's face as she entered the apartment was, as you can imagine, utterly complete on Kori. She set her book bag down by the door and disappeared to her room without even so much as greeting her mother, who was busy working in the kitchen.

Kori sat down in her desk chair and opened the book near its half-way mark. The pages were empty. Thus, Kori went to the beginning to find a few pages of text. She began reading very, very slowly, and glancing around nervously from one corner of her room to the other. She paused after the second sentence and looked around, relieved to see that she was still in her bedroom. She continued reading.

Just as Kori was finally starting to believe the book was just a fake copy, a bright light surrounded the girl and she closed her eyes tightly. Kori screamed as a searing pain ripped through her, but it was soon gone. The light was gone, too, and Kori looked up.

When she looked around, Kori wanted to scream. She was standing in an alley of what looked to be a very small, very poverty-stricken village. Kori dusted herself off before heading out of the alley in search of help. She began her way down one street that looked particularly busy, but paused when she noticed that everybody was staring at her strangely. She glanced down at her clothes. She was wearing her relatively short khaki shorts, and almost all the women here were wearing long dresses. She was also wearing a bright orange tank-top, whereas everybody in the street had long sleeves, despite the heat. Kori pulled into a large crowd in order to avoid stares, but caught a few men whose eyes remained on her.

Kori didn't like the looks they were giving her. She got them sometimes when her friends were with her back in America, and they didn't bother her then. But here, all by her self, she was a little nervous.

Kori suddenly got an idea. She spotted a clothes shop nearby and pulled into it. She managed to go unnoticed by the store owner and everybody else in the shop. She quickly grabbed a bundle of clothes and casually exited the store. She pulled into a nearby alley and took a look at her new-found attire. She had managed to pick up, miraculously, a pair of pants, some shoes, and a few shirts. Kori took one of the shirts and stripped it. She removed her current shirt and wrapped one of the larger pieces securely around her breasts and bra. She glanced at herself to make sure the strip held her in. It did successfully and Kori smiled at her handiwork. She put on another shirt, and then one more. She quickly pulled the pants over her shorts, and then found a nearby mirror. Using one of the previous strips of shirt, Kori tied her hair back into a tight braid.

Kori stepped back. The transformation she had just mad astounded even her. She almost convinced herself she was a boy. She did a pose and laughed when she found it convincing, too. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard.

"Hey, kid!" Kori whirled around to see a small group of about five men standing in the alley entrance. Kori gulped and hoped she was convincing enough for these guys.

"Y-Yes?" Kori asked, lowering her voice just slightly.

"Lil' boys like you shouldn't be hangin' around deep, dark alleys," the guy laughed and looked to the two men right behind him. They laughed, too.

"Don't mess with me," Kori stated, suddenly incredibly irritated. Did every Earth-girl get greeted like this!? The band laughed again.

"Why not? Is Pretty-boy gonna run home ta mama?" the guy behind the head man asked. They all laughed heartily again. Kori scowled.

"No," she stated, seeing a large stick just to her right. She smirked, "I'm going to kick your ass. And maybe teach you a bit of good grammar."

"Oh, now we're reawy scared, right boss?" the third guy shook in mock fright. Kori picked up the stick and the head guy scowled, too.

"'Nough jokin' guys. This kid mean' business," Boss stated. All five guys stepped forward. Kori hit one of them in the side of the head as he jumped towards her. Another came flying at her and she just barely dodged him, hitting him in the back of the head. The three remaining guys came together. Two got her by the arms, but couldn't get the stick from her. The boss finally took it, but not before Kori could kick him in the groin and finally free herself from the two other men. She kicked one of them in the head and he reeled back into a bunch of boxes. She picked up her stick and hit the other square in the forehead. Finally, she managed to hit the boss in the back of the head. Kori smiled as she looked down at the five unconscious men.

"Maybe I can do this no problem," she joked. One of the men stirred and she hit him on the head again before leaving the alleyway.

Meanwhile, Miaka smiled as people surrounded her. Tamahome appeared beside her and immediately scolded her for such public appearances. Miaka began a long explanation, but Tamahome ignored her as he spotted a girl far from the crowd head for a nearby alley. She was dressed in ridiculous clothing, much like Miaka. But this girl looked to be trying to be inconspicuous. She disappeared into the alley, soon followed by a small band of men. Tamahome was going to go help her, but Miaka pulled him farther away. Tamahome glanced back moments later just in time to see a boy emerge and smile back towards the alley. He disappeared into a the large crowd and that was the last Tamahome saw of the girl who entered the alley or the mysterious boy.

~~~

Yay!!! I finished! Um… should I continue?? I just LOOOVE FY and while lying in bed (after joking about self-insertions and much chibiness) I came up with this idea. Not sure if it's original, so PLEASE PLEASE let me know in ('cause I know you'll leave them *wink wink*) your reviews! Oh yeah… and this follows the plot of FY almost exactly… I pride myself on this fact (followed the plot pretty dern well, if I do say so meself!)!!!

Thanx! Yay!

~Taryn Eithne