AN. Keitaro, Naru, Kitsune, Motoko, Su, Shinobu, the Hinata House and anything else you recognise is NOT mine. Abigail and the plot are though. This is set anytime really, just not during or instead of a book and everyone is there.

Swinging her head backwards, Abigail wondered when the landlord would get back. She really wanted to find her room but, having no idea where it was and not being able to speak Japanese, she was stuck. Abigail swiftly jerked her legs upwards onto the back of the sofa and stared blankly around the room – upside down. Very Japanese, she thought; proper lights and everything.

Abigail had just a week before she started at Tokyo University and had decided to rent a room in a girl's dormitory. Now, as far as she was aware, she was at the right place and was now waiting for someone to explain to her what to do.

"Kon nee chee wa! Gomen nansa, ha ji may ma shitay! Shinobu, Su! Su!" A small, pale girl had appeared in front of Abigail, making her jump.

"Kon nee chee wa. I'm sorry, is it Shinobu? I can't speak Japanese. Do you speak English?" Abigail gestured wildly with her hands, trying to communicate with the quiet little girl. "Erm... I'm Abigail." She pointed at herself. "Do you get it?"

"H-hello." Uttered the tiny voice. "Me...sorry, I can speak a little English. Oh, was that good?"

"Yes! Do you know when anyone else will be back?" Shinobu glanced frantically around herself, looking for clues, her long, black hair whipping around her. "Oh, erm...gomen nansa. Who is Su?"

"My f-friend. She lives there, at Hinata House. Oh...dear..." She trailed off, under confident with her English.

"Your friend? Can she speak English?"

"Yes. Yes! I will...f-fin...find her!" Shinbu's eyes lit up and she dashed from the room. What a cute looking girl, thought Abigail, but who is her friend? In answer to her question, Shinobu ran back in with a taller, more tanned girl in tow. She pointed at the other girl and said "Su! This is Su!"

Su stared at the new-comer for a few seconds, and then broke into a big grin.

"Hey there!" said a very obviously not Japanese accent. "I wondered what had got Shinobu so wound up. I'm Su, if you hadn't guessed. Are you our new lodger?"

"Yeah, phew, I'm so glad you're here. I can't really speak Japanese and am going to find it hard enough at university, but in my dorm too! By the way, do you know where my room is?" Abigail smiled at Su. She seemed genuinely nice.

"Sure!" SU laughed and skipped off. Why was she so happy? Who knows.

Abigail followed after her down an open, airy corridor and stopped outside one of the doors. "You are next door to me so we can talk and stuff! Nothing exciting has happened for ages; I bet you'll be great fun! First you'll have to meet Keitaro, the landlord, and Motoko, and Naru, and Kitsune, oh they're all great. Keitaro is really clumsy like the time he..." Abigail chuckled as Su waffled on, and tossed her hair.

So ,she thought, this is going to be interesting!