Remy closed the book with a disappointed sigh. It didn't help… she learned nothing new. Despite the lengthy read she had just finished, there were only a few things she was absolutely sure of:

1. She wasn't the only girl in Konan (aka the Bishounen World).
2. She had to find her "chosen bishounen" who was, apparently, already chosen for her. (Like that makes any sense!!)
3. She had to fight ::shudder:: yes, she had to *fight* other people for her bishounen (Some pretty face that she didn't even *know*!).

And…

4. No matter how much she wanted outtie, she was incapable of returning to her own world. A world that, according to the handbook, was, in its entirety, fiction.

Great! Just great! Her reality was fantasy. She was just some stupid character in a series of stories written by antsy college students with nothing better to do. *She* wasn't even real… at least, that's what the book said. But she was… there. She was tangible and palpable. When she pinched herself she felt pain. So what the hell was going on?! Her glance strayed to the hardbound, maroon book resting on her lap, willing it to talk and answer her questions. But nothing happened. She was just as ignorant about her current situation as she was when she first came there.

In a moment of unimpeded frustration, she snatched the book from her lap and sent it flying in a perfect arch until it hit the ground with a graceful thump. A second later, the bound volume burst in a blaze of blue flame. Remy watched cautiously. Anything was possible in this mixed-up world.

As the flame slowly died, Remy could see the outline of a figure rising from the smoke. What now? Was this some assistant of Hana's? With her luck, this creature would probably tell her that her life expectancy was now a quarter of what it had previously been… She could almost imagine a black, grotesque, extremely disfigured animal rising from the book's ashes and announcing, in broken English and without ceremony, "You… die… today… grunt grunt." If it wasn't happening to her, she could almost find the upcoming confrontation comical… almost, but not quite.

She looked towards the pile of ash and was taken aback by what she saw. Her gray eyes bugged and her mouth hung open in… she was in… *shock*.

Instead of the big, scary figure she imagined rising from the flames, there was a tiny, off-white, extremely furry creature standing before her that could probably fit it the palm of her hand. "Konnichiwa, On'na no ko," it greeted.

Remy openly stared. Oh my God… it could *talk*!!

Remy continued to stare. Why was she so shocked? You'd think she'd be used to this by now. After all, a talking animal wasn't anything compared to knowing that you didn't exist beyond the imagination of a couple of college students. Sighing with defeat, she finally accepted her fate… what did it matter, she *was* just a non-person anyway… she straightened her shoulders and decided to take things as they come. "On'na no ko?" it repeated again.

"On'na no ko?" Remy questioned. "I beg to differ, little…umm… whatever-you-are. I may be short, but I *am* of legal age and I'm about 100 times bigger than you. The way I see it, you are in no position to tell me that I'm the infant."

"I am and you are" it informed her.

"Nani?" she muttered, confused (what else is new?). "Who the hell are you?!" and more importantly, "*What* are you?!"

"I'a an Aidan… but that's not important." It dismissed that unimportant fact and continued, "I'm your guardian. Watash-"

"First a creator, now a guardian. Is there anyone else I should know about?!" she cut him off.

Ignoring her, it continued, "Ko-chan, I am your guardian. Watashi wa P-man"

So it was a he. "P-man? You mean like Pac-Man?"

He blushed… "not exactly… look, I didn't give myself this name okay?"

Remy sensed there something more to this name than he was letting on. "What does the 'P' stand for?" she questioned, then added, "And don't call me Ko-chan…"

Purposely neglecting both her request and her question, he replied, "Ko-chan, we don't have time for this. We must go…"

"I'm not leaving…" …until you tell me what I want to know. She silently added.

Picking up her thought, he relented. "Okay, okay… fine. Have it your way Ko-cha-…umm… I mean Remy-chan." He bit his lip and mumbled, "It means perfect."

"Perfect?" she laughed… and laughed… and laughed. "my guardian… my perfect man?!" She giggled. "I always thought that you'd be…"

"Devastatingly handsome? Extremely clever?"

"Human" she finished. "I alway thought my perfect man was human."

"Well, it beats being a stick figure."

"What was that?"

"Nothing…ummm...nothing. Ko-chan, let's go."

Still giggling uncontrollably, she turned towards him, not bothering to correct him about being called 'Ko-chan'. "Okay P-kun" she said, picking him up from the ash and placing him on her left shoulder, "Where now?"

~TBC