I tried writing this story about a year ago but unfortunately I fell out of Yu Yu Hakusho and with the other fanfics I had going on at the time, it fell into un-interest. But thanks to my amazing friend FireStorm1991 I'm going to start it up again, under the same name as before but things will be different if anyone actually remembers this from last time. Anyway I'm just going to start this now so review if you like it!

Chapter 1

"Mickey?" The girl stirred slightly at the sound of the boy's voice. "Mickey, wake up!"

Her eyes fluttered open as she struggled to take a breath. She panicked for a split second, wondering why she was finding it hard to breathe, but relaxed when saw the young boy, eight years in age, sitting on her stomach. "Oh lord almighty, please help me! I have magically and mysteriously turned into a bench overnight!"

"You're silly, Mickey. You're not a bench," the young boy told her. "You're a person."

"No, no, no. I think you're the silly one, Alexander," the girl said with an attempt at a serious look. "I must be a bench, otherwise why would you be sitting on me? You sit on benches, not people. But since you say that I am a person, you should get off me before this person suffocates."

Getting her hint, Alexander climbed off his sister and onto her floor. "Sorry, McKenzie. You were making noises in your sleep and you wouldn't wake up. Was it that nightmare again?"

McKenzie sat up, pushing her hair behind her ears. "Yeah, it was. I'm okay, though." What other nightmare do I ever have? I dread it every night. She noticed the frown still on his small face and she sat up, swinging her feet down to the floor. She lifted him up by the waist and plopped him on her lap, his back to her chest, and wrapped her arms around him, taking his hands in hers. "What's wrong, little man?"

He squirmed in his new seat but she refused to let him escape. "Stop treating me like a kid! I'm all grown up now!"

"Of course you are, sweetie," she said with a smile, resting her chin on top of his head. "That still doesn't tell me what's wrong."

She could tell he was pouting about what he believed was childish treatment so she started to hum a tune familiar to him. "Just close your eyes; the sun is going down. You'll be alright. No one can hurt you now. Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound."

He relaxed into her and she kissed the top of his head. "Mickey?"

"Hm?"

"I miss my old school…" Ah, so that's what's bothering him. He doesn't want to start at a new school. "I liked my friends back in New Jersey. I don't wanna go to a new school. I won't know anybody. And what if they're all mean and don't like me?"

"Oh, having friends is overrated anyway," she said with a laugh. "Trust me, kiddo, you're going to be fantastic. You're going to be the cool kid from America and everyone's going to want to be your very best friend. You're going to have to fight them off, there's going to be so many."

He turned his head to look at her with hopeful eyes. "You think so?"

"I know so." She kissed his cheek and proceeded to scoot him off her lap. "Just don't tell them you're from a town called Middlesex. Even in Japan, that's a terrible name. Now go downstairs so I can get changed. I'm sure Grace has breakfast on the table already. I love you."

"Love you more," he smiled and ran out her bedroom door.

Alone now, McKenzie couldn't help but smile to herself. He's going to be okay, she thought as she stood up.

Her bedroom was almost completely bare, except for the boxes of her things piled around that she hadn't yet unpacked. She had thrown some of her clothes in her dresser but the only things hanging in her closet were several sets of the new school uniform she was required to wear. Retrieving one from its hanger, she changed and headed downstairs.

In the kitchen, her brother was sitting at the table while a blonde woman stood at the stove, flipping pancakes in the frying pan. "Morning, Grace. Where's Jack?"

"He had to leave early for work." The woman shut off the stovetop and turned around. "I think it suits you," she said, referring to the girl's uniform.

McKenzie glanced down at herself and made a face. The uniform of her new school, Sarayashiki Junior High, was hideous as far as she was concerned. It was blue in color with a skirt that came down past her knees and a heavy blouse with long sleeves and yellow scarf tied around her neck. "If you say so."

"Would you like some pancakes for breakfast, McKenzie?" Grace offered, piling the last of the pancakes on the plate on the table. "Or I could make some eggs. Whatever you want."

"No thanks," McKenzie answered quickly. "I'm not really hungry."

"How about a ride to school? I can drop both of you off on my way out to run some errands."

"Sounds good," Alexander answered in between pancake bites. "I'm not sure where mine is. You gonna come with us, Mickey?"

Shaking her head, McKenzie threw her schoolbag over her shoulder. "I don't think so, kiddo. I know where my school is and I think I'd rather walk today. I gotta get going, though, so see you guys later. I love you," she said to Alexander as she tousled his hair.

"I love you more." He stuck his tongue out at her as he shooed her hand away.

"I love you most. I'll be there when you get out of school so don't go anywhere without me. We'll come home and play a video game, okay?" That seemed to make him happy and she left it at that.

~X~

McKenzie took a deep breath of air as she walked to school. It was a sunny day and warm enough to make her happy. As happy as she could be, going to a new school in a new country, anyway. The school wasn't far from her house, only a few blocks. As she walked, she noticed people she passed by were giving her strange looks. "Oh, yes, let's all just stare at the weird American girl!" she grumbled to herself, earning stranger looks than the ones she had already been getting. "There aren't enough funny looking American girls in Japan with funny hair that talk to themselves. Why not stare at her? She's so fucking rare!"

The look she began to give them made them promptly look away and she finished her walk to school in silence. The school was a bit smaller than she had expected it to be and she wandered inside amongst the other students. "Let's see… I'm supposed to go the main office and talk to the jerks in there." She looked up at the signs and numbers posted above each door and frowned. She had learned to speak the Japanese language easily enough but the written one was something she had yet to conquer. "Maybe if I just wander around long enough the main office will pop out and smack me in the face… Is it even called the main office here? Fuck."

Even here, she was receiving odd looks from the students who noticed her. What the fuck is wrong with people? God damn jackasses with their imbecilic prejudices and fucking ugly faces staring at me. They're lucky I don't feel like blowing anything up today. Where the hell am I going? "Dumb ass language… When did drawings of boxes and crap become a language?"

"Something wrong, sweetie?"

McKenzie stopped in her tracks and barely suppressed a shudder. Turning on her heel she braced herself for the lump of meat that was looking at her like a lion looks at its prey. He was decent looking, she supposed, for someone she probably wouldn't be able to pick out of a crowd. "Well, aside from the brainless sack of shit doing a lousy job of hitting on me, I'm just damn peachy."

Ignoring her obvious disdain for him, the boy continued to look her up and down in interest. "I think I'd remember seeing you around before so you must be new. I selflessly take it upon myself to show the new girls, especially the hot ones, the ropes around here."

Did he really just say that? "Since you're obviously an imbecile who can't comprehend a simple get the fuck out of my face, you pompous jackass, I'm going to make it real simple." Calm down, McKenzie, before things blow up in your face. "If you don't get out of my face right now, I'm going to-"

"Akito!" a female voice called from behind him. "I believe she told you to leave her alone."

A brunette girl walked around him to stand by McKenzie, giving him a stern look. "Damn," Akito sighed, turning around to walk away. "If it wasn't for you being Urameshi's girl…"

"Finally," McKenzie groaned to herself. She gave the girl the best smile she could. "Thanks for that. See you around."

"My name's Keiko Yukimura," the girl said, moving to keep up with McKenzie as she continued to stroll down the hallway. "You must be the new girl from America. McKenzie Cole, right?"

McKenzie slowed her pace, seeing as Keiko wasn't likely to just walk away. "That would be me."

"Nice to meet you. I'm the class representative and I'm supposed to show you around, if you want." Keiko was able to get a good look at the new girl now that she had stopped trying to walk away from her.

She was pretty and… different. Definitely different than what they were used to around school. McKenzie wasn't much taller than her, maybe by an inch or two at most. Her skin was cream colored and her face was covered in freckles with a small beauty mark under her right eye. Her wide eyes were a blue-gray, the color of slate and her dark auburn hair was long and kept in a braid over her right shoulder, with a thin strand of hair left out that she was currently twirling around her finger. What was so strange about her? Not only was her hair auburn but she had dyed strands of her hair different colors so that she had highlights in shades of blues, pinks and purples.

"No, I think I'm…" McKenzie stopped and thought to herself. "Actually, can you show me where the main office is? I, uh… Can't seem to tell which one it is."

Taking the lead, Keiko started showing her down the hallway. "Are you having trouble with the language?"

The girl snorted. "I can speak it just fine. Talking in any language comes easy to me. It's the reading part I can't get down."

Keiko felt bad for the girl. Getting by in school wouldn't be easy without the ability to comprehend the written word. "If you want, I can help you. I'm an excellent tutor and I've helped other students with their reading."

Well, isn't she just helpful? Hell, what have I got to lose? The worst that can happen is I still can't read. "Sure. Why not?"

Keiko smiled at the chance to help her out. "The main office is just down this hallway. If you have any questions or need anything, I'm always around so don't be afraid to come find me. A word of advice, though. Most of the teachers here are pretty nice and so is the principle, Mr. Takanaka. But watch out for Ayakashi and Iwamoto. They have it out for most students."

"Good to know." McKenzie grinned, thinking she might have some fun here after all. "I'll make sure to piss them off." She almost laughed at the look of surprise Keiko gave her. "What? Life's no fun with no one to argue with." She stopped, then though of another question important to her. "What's the rules on smoking here?"

Hope you like it :) Don't forget to review!