Pairings: N/A

Summary: As an exchange student, I am to experience the life of the other in their world and learn. But who ever said one had only one world to learn in?

Disclaimer: I do not, I repeat, DO NOT own Inuyasha. But I enjoy tampering with their lives through fanfics.

Normal

"Dialogue"

'Thinking' 'Conscience/other-voice-in-head'

------------------++++ Exchanged ++++------------------

It was early in the morning that I'd woken up, giddy and excited. I had just arrived in Tokyo, Japan for my exchange student program, we were sent a few weeks earlier than usual so we have time to adjust. I searched for my whole freshman year for a program that linked to Japan and I had finally found one. I worked my butt off on my studies to ensure I'd be able to keep it up here, and I'd saved up enough to live for a couple years on my own. Of course I was going to live with the exchange student's family, Kagome I believe, but I never really trusted strangers to take care of me as well as I knew I could take care of myself. So the first thing I did when I arrived was wire some money from the bank.

It had taken a while to get to the house or should I say 'shrine', I mean there were a million steps just to get up, and the family looked quite surprised when I came in with a few suitcases and a bag of presents. I'd taken the liberty of looking into the family I was going to live with beforehand and thought a nice gift for each of them would score me some points just in case they weren't the 'friendly' bunch. All in all, they liked what I got them and were very friendly, except the grandfather. I think he was a little distressed that his little girl left for Canada, it is a very big place. But she'd have fun there.

We had home cooked dinner that night, I can't say that I hated it or loved it, but it was pretty good! So I guess I ate a little too much and gave me an upset stomach. I wasn't going to ruin her bed because I was an idiot.

"I'm such a pig…" I whispered to myself as I lifted myself off the bed and walked towards the washroom. I groaned slightly in pain and was just about to open the washroom when I heard a thud on the roof. 'How odd… Is there always loud noises in the middle of the night when no one seems awake? And on the roof of all places.'

I looked around and listened intently for its source. I ran back into my bedroom, well Kagome's, but right now it's mine. The window was open and one of my suitcases was opened up and toppled over. However, there didn't seem to be anyone in the room. I quickly came up to the window and looked out to see a flash of silver disappearing into the well house. I shook my head vigorously and took another glance, but it was gone. I sighed and closed the window and laid back into bed, my upset stomach settled by the disruption.

----++ Morning ++----

"Wake up! It's time for breakfast, Flynn!" I heard the unfamiliar Japanese voice ring in the darkness, and I wondered where I was. Then I remembered and I bounced up happily just in time to see a Souta, Kagome's brother, in PJs wave to me before he ran down the stairs. I could smell the food cooking and with a hungry stomach I ran down with him.

"Morning Higurashi-san," I greeted in Japanese with a very Canadian accent. The family was amused by it and I had the grace to blush. On the table was a large bowl of rice, pieces of sushi and seaweed on one plate pickled veggies on another, clams in one bowl and some bean soup. It looked awfully delicious, sadly I was extremely picky but I forced myself to devour every last morsel given to me. I was used to eating with chopsticks, not as much as the family but just enough to be able to use them.

"Oh please Flynn, call me Yukio. As a guest I forbid you to be so formal." She told me, she was a very cheery gal. "So, how did you like Kagome's room last night?" Yukio asked as she bit into the crunchy pickled cucumbers.

"It wasn't bad, but I think we had some company early this morning. I heard something walking on the roof when I walked into the hallway and then when I returned to the room the window and one of my suitcases were open." I spoke with mixed dialect, still not fluent with Japanese but much more than I had a year ago. The boy seemed worried, as if he knew something but I dismissed it.

"I bet it's those darned burglars on the news, good thing they weren't in the room when you came back." The grandfather said quickly; so quickly I almost missed it.

"But nothing was stolen though, right?" Yukio asked to make sure. I shook my head and picked up my bowl and washed it. She smiled and soon everyone finished eating.

"So would you like to go for a tour of Tokyo with us, Flynn?" she inquired after breakfast. "Sure," I replied, I was going for one anyway, might as well go with some people I know. So I went upstairs to take a shower before leaving. With my clothes set on the bed I took a towel and happily skipped into the bathroom.

----++ Downstairs ++----

A figure clad in a red old-fashioned kimono and with matching white or silver dog-ears and hair stepped into the Higurashi Shrine, and seemed to be fuming.

"Where the fuck is Kagome? Didn't I tell her I'd be coming to pick her up in a few days? And what's with her room, it smells different." He grumbled, it was obvious that he was the one who had come last night. Yukio-san just smiled and patted him lightly, which made him feel very awkward.

"Didn't she tell you, Inuyasha? She signed up for an exchange program a couple years ago and she left for Canada." Inuyasha looked confused but let her continue. "There's girl sleeping in her room that is the exchange student from Canada, her name's Flynn, a very odd name but she's very nice. Much like Kagome." Yukio beamed at him continuously as she sat down.

"So's Kagome going to be gone long or what?" He asked nonchalantly, totally ignoring the fact that someone new was in the house, which caused Souta to become interested.

"Yep, she's going to be gone a whole six months." The boy piped. 'That's going to drive him nuts!'

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Six months!" He yelled with unbelief. 'How will I make it without her?' "It can't be! We still have to find those jewel shards. Argh… how are we going to get them without her? Of all damn…" He growled a low animalistic growl.

"Calm down Inuyasha, I'm sure you'll do well on your own and six months isn't that long. It's only 180 days or so." Yukio-san assured, but to no avail.

"Nice try Higurashi-san, but it's not helping. I best get started on those shards." With that, the ill-mannered half demon rambled out of the house and back into the well house.

----++ Upstairs ++----

I was able to catch a glimpse of the blur of his red clothing as he rushed into the well house from my window. "Who, or what is that?" I whispered to myself as I dried my hair. I put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt that had an "I 3 DOGS" sign in kanji on the back.

I looked at myself in the mirror. Still not believing that I was actually in a foreign country other than my birth country. It was certainly unsettling, especially considering how I didn't exactly fit in. I had the hairstyle set, straight and with bangs, but it had dyed tips of copper and reddish-brown. My face was speckled with freckles and was a noticeable olive hue. It contrasted it those of the fair pale skin of the Japanese and make me feel out of place.

"You ready to go?" I heard someone call from the other side of the door. I replied with a startled "Yep!" and grabbed my purse and went downstairs, then walked down the steps of the shrine.

"So where to first, Yukio-san?" I asked as we strolled down the sidewalk. She and Souta were carrying a couple bags and I was only carrying a small purse, it made a little guilty but they didn't seem to mind it. Then again the grandfather wasn't carrying anything.

"I believe we'll be going to the park first, it's beautiful this time of year and a perfect place to have a quiet picnic." Yukio answered, as she looked down at her bag, which I realized was filled with food.

"You're going to love Tokyo!" Souta told me, he had rambled about the buildings and festivals going on at the moment.

I found my thoughts wander to the blur of red passing into the well house that morning. "What's in the well house?" I asked myself aloud, but it seemed that the others had heard it as well. I looked down trying to pretend I hadn't said anything at all.

"A well of course." Souta said, in a 'know-it-all' tone, 'Not just any ordinary well though.'

It was obvious though and if he'd been my little brother I would have bonked him, but he wasn't so I didn't. I mouthed an 'oh' of response and we kept walking. 'Cheeky little brat that Souta.'

When we reached the park the cherry blossom trees and how peaceful everything seemed astounded me. I felt that peaceful feeling instantly sweep over and I suddenly felt as though I had been there before. I shook off the feeling, telling myself I always had this reaction to parks. The Higurashi family led me under one of the trees where the shade sheltered us from the blazing sun.

"It must be wondering to live here." I said; my tone filled with awe. Yukio smiled at me. It was a warm smile, much like what she used in the house, but it seemed as though it were masking a hidden pain. I returned it with a sympathetic smile and she acknowledged the fact that I understood her situation. To have your daughter leave for such an extended period of time was difficult, and I knew my parents felt similarly.

For a while we conversed about small things as we set up the picnic, like personal favourites and hobbies. I told them how I liked the colour blue as well as red and violet (notice how they're related?), I had pets, but at the moment a dog, which I reluctantly left at home, I enjoyed the company of people as much as animals, but left out the part where I was lonely at nights when I was studying for everything just so I could get to Japan. I was fascinated with it. I knew some of its culture but not yet experienced any of it. I'd learned that Souta had a girlfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed poking fun at him about it. His mother didn't mind it anyways. Jii-sama was quiet for the most part but instantly became just as talkative as the rest of us when I noticed his dried imp hand. I humoured him by commenting on how lucky he was to find such a treasure. He said he had many more things in the shed behind the store and I was eager to see what else he had.

By the end of the picnic I had made friends with the entire family. Something I never thought I'd do in just a day, and improved my Japanese to boot! I packed up for them and volunteered to carry their stuff seeing as how I ate almost as much as Souta, and he ate quite a lot. On the way back home we passed a street that I hadn't noticed before. There were some people who didn't appear Japanese, or human even. I shook my head and looked back at them trying to see if I'd get a glimpse of some of the people again. But the street was gone. In its place was a door, locked and appeared run down. 'I must have eaten some bad sushi…' I thought to myself, and sighed.

----++ Home ++----

We came back with low energy and empty stomachs, but with a better understanding of each other. We had a small dinner after we took a rest from our mini voyage to the park. I had heated up myself a cup of ramen since it was similar to some of the instant noodles in Canada. As soon as I got to Kagome's room I quickly drifted off to sleep, sweaty and worn out.

------------------++++ END CHAPTER ++++------------------

A/N: Voila! Meh fanfics that includes myself. I sort of tried to include as much about myself here just to let you all get to know me. Woot! Er.. I'd love it if you'd review and give me any ideas and critiques because I'm a total amateur writer and am currently adrenaline high from who knows what so I'm acting all peppy-like. Oh, and I have a fugly summary… Dx

.+-:: Final Thoughts ::-+.
Me: Mhmm… Ramen gooooddd.