A/N: I have been working on this story for an unbelievably long time now, but I'm pleased with how it's gone so far. It's all written from the viewpoint of my character, and it begins in the modern era, but it is going somewhere, I promise!

WARNING: This story is LONG. Seriously. It's more than 100 pages in my notebook, and still rising (Page count on 18/2/09 - 335). Pairings may be included when I can be bothered to add them (by which point I won't need to because I'll have made them so obvious in the first place...). Sorry for all of the long paragraphs!

Disclaimer: The only things I own in this story are the plot and my character, Laura/Su Zhi. Now please sit back and enjoy my story.

Or don't, it's up to you, but don't bother flaming me if you don't like it. You'll only get a sarcastic reply.

I tugged at my collar irritably. The last day of school before the summer holidays seemed to be dragging on forever, and my uniform was really beginning to bug me. Last lesson was science, but no-one was paying any attention to the work. It wasn't like you could hear the teacher, anyway - the class never shuts up. God only knows how we pass tests around here.

Ah! There's the bell. The room emptied in seconds, until it was just me and my friends, Beth and Steph. We walked out to reception together, chatting about how bad the teacher was getting, and how half the class was failing as a result.

"Laura, you catching the bus today?" asked Beth.

"I can't, I have that Taekwando thing on."

"You always have Taekwando on!" said Steph.

"I know, but it should calm down after this competition. I hope." I added, swinging my bag over my shoulder. Inside were my shoes, belt, suit, and other things I would need for the day. I mean, I wouldn't call myself the best at Taekwando, no way, but I could pull off the moves perfectly, and, hey, I had got this far, hadn't I?

I waved at my friends as they got onto their bus, and set off for the Forum. Ever since I started Taekwando at the age of six - and that was a good ten years ago - I'd been training here, under the guidance of Master Tony. I shifted the bag on my back into a more comfortable position, nodded at the teacher as I went past, counted to ten, and ripped off my tie. What was the point of them? I could only see them being used for two things, and neither of them was socially acceptable.

Chucking it into my bag, I plugged in my earphones and began to listen to my music. It was a thirty minute walk to the Forum through a not so pleasant part of the town, but I could take care of myself.

The walk was actually quite uneventful - I saw someone approach me before recognizing me from an earlier 'encounter' and running away, but that was it. The familiar shape of the Forum was soon within my sights, and I could already see Master Tony's car. In fact, I could see Master Tony inside his car, having a quick smoke before I turned up. As soon as he saw me shuffling along under the weight of my various bags, he got out of the car and flung his cigarette to the ground, grinding it with his heel before locking his car and turning to me.

"The things are already set up inside, so we can get started as soon as you're ready." he said as he walked inside with me. I nodded, and went to the toilets to get changed into my suit.

I was careful to pack my school uniform so it didn't crease - it was the one thing my Mother was hot on about my choice of sport - and emerged from the cubicle after five minutes to fix my hair. It was quite long, and cut in a style that obscured part of my face. While I appreciated the air of mystery it created, I didn't want it distracting me while I trained.

Picking up my bags, I glanced at my reflection in the mirror again. My long, chestnut brown hair was securely tied back, my hazel eyes seemed to sparkle under the harsh light, my suit was on properly, and my belt tied correctly. I was good to go.

I went into the room we used for training, and dumped my bags just inside the door. Master Tony was leaning against the wall, reading a piece of paper and pulling faces at the content. He looked up as my bags thudded to the floor, launched himself off the wall, and walked over to me.

"Just got the new rules. Bottom line - you've been moved up a category."

"Well, that's not so bad, is it?"

"It is when you now have to fight Andrew Patsy first."

I went pale. Andy was a big lad - he had a punch even an elephant could respect, and had only joined a Taekwando club so he could fight back harder when bullies mocked his name. Fight him first? I was dead meat. I would be lucky to leave on my feet through the door - I had no doubt he could put me through the wall if he set his mind to it.

Tony noticed my expression.

"At least we can try and get you prepared. I think we should concentrate on blocking and dodging."

I nodded, still very much preoccupied by the prospect of being flattened by Andy before I'd even got started. We spent the next hour or so practicing blocks, diving onto the mats, and going over the rules. According to Master Tony, all the others were easy - although, if I could beat Andy, it was a safe bet to say I could beat anyone. I didn't really need to practice my attacks so much - I could kick a tall man in the head with ease, and my punches and other strikes were more or less perfect, allowing for my tendency to forget about my other hand when it returned to my belt.

At the end of the session, I helped Tony pack away the pads and mats, before picking up my own bags and following him to his car, still in my Taekwando suit.

"I can't give you a lift home tonight, I've got a meeting, but then I'm going to see if I can't get you put back into the other category again."

" Ok. It's not too dark, I should be fine. And thanks for all the help."

"No problem. You've got a real talent there; I'm just glad I could help."

I smiled, waving him off in the car, before picking up my bags again and walking off. I had to walk directly through the worst part of town to get home from here. I was slightly nervous, to say the least.

Before I got to the really bad area, I checked that my school bag was on properly, my personal items out of reach of any pickpockets, and that I was ready for any attacks. All that done, I set off, senses almost painfully alert. The people around here wouldn't mug you for your money - although it was a nice bonus - they'd hit you because it was fun. My mother had strictly told me to go around this area, but it was getting late and I needed to consider writing my will before the competition. Besides, it wasn't exactly as if I was defenseless.

I was right in the very centre of this urban living hell when it happened. Maybe I heard footsteps, maybe a shadow was just a bit too dark, but I ducked just as a sturdy plank of wood went flying past where my head was, before smashing into the brick wall on the other side of the alley and splintering. I span around, bringing my leg up for an axe kick, but as I saw my attacker, I quickly had to change it to a side kick. This guy was built along the lines of a ten foot troll - I had a nasty feeling he was more intelligent than he looked as well. It wouldn't have been hard for him.

He looked to be the only attacker, but I knew the shadows were full of eyes. The man quite easily caught my leg and forced it on upwards. I fell on my back, but had the sense to roll as the splintered and jagged piece of wood came slicing down again. I scrambled to my feet, ready to take him down with a jumping front kick...

...Time seemed to slow, my movements were like a slug through custard...

Someone was behind the other man. He looked completely out of place in this part of town - in fact, he looked like someone caught in an obscure time loop. His hat was like an upside down lampshade, and he wore long, white robes. He also had a blue tattoo on his face, covering the right side, as well as the strangest mustache and beard combination that I had ever seen. He nodded at me, only once, pointed behind me, and vanished.

...Time flooded back, and my knee came up as I began to kick, but from behind me came a fist that slammed into the side of my head and knocked me off my feet. I rolled to a stop next to the alley wall, hardly able to move, as the man and his accomplice - not quite built to the same scale as the first but still large - started to rummage through my dropped bags.

I could only watch through the white explosions as they straightened up, muttering something, before one came over and kicked me in the head, hard. Through the rushing darkness, I felt my head slam into the wall behind me, and I slumped back into the gutter, senses dead to the world.

X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X()X

I awoke very slowly, my scattered thoughts seeming to come from a long way away. I lay where I was, waiting for the world to make sense again. I still seemed to have two arms and legs, and - I checked - yes, I could still move them. The presence of the top of my head was debatable, but I was still intact otherwise.

Well, that was one worry off my mind. Now for the increasingly more urgent ones.

I opened my eyes cautiously. I wasn't dead, but around this area of town, that wasn't necessarily a good thing. As soon as my eyes opened, they closed instinctively against the light, but I had seen enough to make me wonder how hard I had hit my head last night, if it wasn't longer. What I had seen wasn't my town. I doubted it was even in England. It looked more Far East, and in some undeniable way ... old, but old before it aged. In the past.

I chanced opening my eyes again, and what I saw confirmed it. There were no cars, or any of the other things which I had come to associate with civilization. There were no roads, or, at that, people, at all. I levered myself up onto my elbows quite easily - that in itself was amazing, as I had taken quite a beating, and was expecting a severe headache at the least - and stared around me.

I was in a cave entrance, next to the remains of a fire, and with several canvas bags scattered around. I cautiously explored one, and found nothing more menacing than some water and several meat buns. The others simply contained survival equipment, such as flints for starting a fire. Well, however it was that I'd managed to get here, at least I was being given a fighting chance.

I pulled myself to my feet, happening to glance down as I was doing so. My shapeless and stiff Taekwando suit had been changed for short, white trousers, ending just below my knees, and a creamy coloured top with sleeves that ended at my elbows. They were both quite snugly fitted, but still giving me a full range of movement. Beside my sandaled feet was a stout length of wood. I picked it up, glancing around me at the same time. I wasn't sure where - or when - I was, but I was suddenly comforted by the knowledge that, maybe, someone was watching over me.

Of course, added my brain, that isn't always a good thing - it certainly wouldn't have been in the area I was attacked in, at any rate. Just to be on the safe side, I said "Thank you." out loud.

"You are quite welcome, Su Zhi."

I whipped around in the direction of the voice.

"Wh - who's there?" I quavered, gripping the stick and dropping into a defensive stance. "And how do you know my..."

I trailed off. It was my name, but at the same time, it wasn't. I was Su Zhi, and Laura, but Laura was one person, and Su Zhi was another, and I was both... I wondered if this was how a schizophrenic felt all the time.

"Yes, you are both. However, this is a new chance for you, as Su Zhi. Do not forget what you learned from Laura, but let Su Zhi take control."

"What are you talking about? Who are you? And what was wrong with my old life as Laura?"

A figure stepped out of the shadows in the back of the cave. He had an odd hat, somewhat like an upside down lampshade, and a blue tattoo on the right side of his face...

"You? From the fight?"

"Yes. My name is Zuo Ci, and I ensure that things happen as they should. Your life as Laura served to teach you several lessons you will need in this life as Su Zhi. You have all you need from it."

I hesitated, as a new thought was forming that I didn't like the look of.

"You're telling me that it's your fault I'm here? That those bastards knocked me out? Were you trying to get me killed? Or am I already dead, and this is just some sort of sick game?"

The old man was silent for what felt like an age. When he spoke again, it was in the quiet tone of someone delivering unwanted news.

"I was indeed the one who brought you here, but I am not responsible for those men attacking you. I, myself, prefer to use less violent means of persuasion. And no, you are not dead, just as you have not been dead as Su Zhi for the past sixteen years. I believe that you, as Laura, suffered from nothing worse than a fractured skull and some internal bleeding - certainly nothing that the science of your old world can't cure.

"And as for the rest of your questions, you are in China, near the province of Jiang Xia. The area is ruled by Huang Zu, who has made an enemy of the Wu faction by killing the current ruler's father. Wu is one of three major factions - the other two are Shu and Wei. The year is early 208 AD."

I blinked. I blinked again. My mind was a total blank. Then my senses came rushing back.

"Are you telling me that I've been transported through time and space to Ancient China as it was, what, 1800 years ago? And that the whole purpose of my life up till now has been to learn to survive during that time? What part of this is supposed to make sense? And why does it have to be me?"

"I can tell you no more. In time, you may learn and understand. You shall only see me once more, and then I shall give you a choice. Good luck, Su Zhi."

As soon as the words left his mouth, I heard a shout from outside. Five or so soldiers, dressed in purple, were approaching my cave with some caution. I looked down at the length of wood in my hand as if seeing it for the first time, and threw it aside. These soldiers appeared to be armed, but it would be nothing I couldn't handle with just my feet and fists.

It didn't take long for them to spot me - white against brown isn't the best of camouflage - and I backed away slightly as they approached. Just because you can kill a man with ease doesn't mean you don't get nervous when he starts poking blades at you.

The person who appeared to be the leader sauntered over, his hand on his sword hilt.

"And who are you, then? A spy from Wu?" he sneered.

"What? No!" I replied, shocked by the sheer arrogance of the man.

"Ha! A likely story. You won't mind if we have a look through your bags there, then?"

"I would, actually! Who do you think you are, ordering me about?" I demanded, my fists balling as my already frayed temper flared.

The man's sneer dropped into an unpleasant scowl.

"Lads? Let's check her out." he snarled at the soldiers behind him. I dropped into a defensive stance for the second time in five minutes, eyeing them all to see who would make the first move.

Eventually, one of the soldiers snorted, and tried to attack me with his pike. I easily dodged under his first attack, brought my leg around in a swipe that toppled him, picked up the previously discarded stick, and used it to block an overhead attack by another soldier, before using the end to hit him in the groin. The first soldier was trying to get up again, but I swiftly kicked him in the head, knocking him out.

When I looked up from that, a third soldier was trying to rush me. I sighed, and caught him in a 360 turning kick to the head.

In all this time, the leader hadn't moved. I was in the cave entrance by this point, and only the leader and two soldiers remained upright. I brought my hand up to move a piece of hair from my face, and one of the soldiers, sensing that this was his chance, rushed me, pike raised. I dropped my hand, forced his pike aside with my other fist, and brought my foot into play -

- And froze at the feel of cold steel on the back of my neck.

A/N: In case you're wondering what I meant with the tie, I was thinking of gagging/tying someone up, or garroting them with it. See? Also, sorry if you didn't understand any of the whole Taekwando bit, you have to do it to get some things.

A/N2: Yeah, just some basic changes to help the story flow better, and keep Su in character based on the later chapters.