Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Path of Discovery ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

I have a headache..." moaned Yaten, he was almost splayed on the table with Usagi and the rest. The midterm had just pasted and the finals were coming up. The Inners and the Starlights had decided to pool their resources together in daily study sessions. They all met at Hikawa Temple after school and studied.

"Take an aspirin Yaten..." said Taiki his nose still in his book. "We still have one hour to go... It's not that long..."

"It is to me... I'm bored out of my wits..." Yaten replied.

"I wouldn't be talking of your wits," Seiya interrupted. "Especially with your grades... "

"Bite me!" grumbled Yaten. "Anyway what's the use of all this?"

"Well you have to get good grades if you want to enter the good schools..." started Makoto.

"Yeah... just a little more effort and once you're there you've made it!" added Minako.

"Why?... I don't even know why I'm studying all this?..." bluntly said Yaten.

"Well, for me, I have to study extra hard to become a doctor..." said Ami.

"I want to go to the Culinary class of Tokyo University and become a Grand Chef" added Makoto, "I have to get good grades to enter..."

"After all Yaten..." said Taiki. "We won't be Idol Singers for the rest of our lives..."

"Well I could always be a composer..." thought Yaten.

"Not if your Kanji skills don't pick up, you won't..." pointed out Taiki.

"Yeah... from what I've heard you managed to break the Minako and Usagi barrier..." sneered Rei.

"HEY!" said the two girls pointed. Yaten sighted, he couldn't wait for the hour to be up, Kurama was coming and he needed a good snuggle break. The girls and two boys noticed Yaten dawning smile.

"And I thought Odango Atama here, was the worst in that category..." said Rei, all girls nodded except for Usagi who resented that remark.

"It's no wonder your grades are so low Yaten... if you let your mind wander like that!" Taiki added. Yaten blushed.

"My mind wasn't wandering..." said hotly Yaten, the girls giggled.

"Oh I don't know... I've seen that look before..." kidded Makoto.

"Uh-uh... in a mirror..." finished Minako.

"You should talk!" Makoto replied. There was a loud banging on the table, Ami's fist had spoken.

"Minna! We are loosing study time... there will be time for that kind of conversation in an hour... Now let's get back to our books, we still have time to do two more chapters before the hour is up..."

Everyone except Taiki groaned and put his or her nose back in the book. Well woopdeedoo! thought Yaten, he sighted and tried to go back to his book. He knew that now that they were stranded on Earth they had to do things the Earthlings did. Like going to school, to have a career, sighted the silver hair boy. But I don't even know what I want to do...

Slowly the minutes passed by, Yaten tried to interest himself in the books. They were in algebra, he used to love algebra, but now it just seemed like another boring thing. He felt bored by everything right now... except...

He heard voices outside of the Temple, joking voices, voices that spoke on a rather elaborate subject. The voices were familiar because Usagi also had lifted her head from her book.

"Wow!... I hope they let you write your thesis on that Mamoru-san... That really sounds like a interesting project." said a voice that spoke volumes to Yaten.

"Well, we'll see what Harvard will say about that, Kurama-san. By the way, what subject will be applying for?" responded a voice that made Usagi smile.

"Botany..." he chuckled. "Although I don't think Harvard will take me..."

'Harvard?' Yaten's heart sank, Kurama wanted to study in Harvard, just like Mamoru-san. Yaten had no idea.

"I wouldn't doubt your chances with the high scores you got..." replied Mamoru.

"Too bad good grades don't rub off..." whispered coyly Seiya. Mamoru slid the door open as the girls giggled.

"Komban wa, are you guys finished?" asked Mamoru, Usagi beamed, she was about to close her book, when Ami said.

"No, you're early, we still have 14 minutes to go..."

"Yes... " added Taiki " Fourteen minutes... starting... now." He put his nose back in his book.

Those two deserve each other, thought Yaten before trying to get his nose back in his book. But just before he did he saw Kurama wink at him, he winked back and tore into the book.

Kurama and Mamoru seated down on the tatami and waited, they both reached for a manga and read waiting for the study session to finish. Finally Ami said:

"Okay, we're finished for today..." that was met with a great enthusiasm from everyone. Kurama rose as most of the ones at the table stretched their sleeping legs.

"You know, Yaten... maybe you should pinpoint and work on the subject you have the most difficulty in..." said Taiki.

"It's going to be hard to find which one..." said Rei.

"What?" inquired Kurama. "Do you have a problem with a subject Yaten?"

"Try putting that sentence in plural..." kidded Seiya, Yaten glared at him.

"Huh? You shouldn't have problems with a 3.5 score..." said Kurama, Yaten cringed, the girls started to do a oho sound.

"Yaten! If you're going to lie at least say you did 3.9..." said Seiya. Yaten wanted to dive under the table and bring Seiya with him. Instead he met Kurama, slightly mad gaze.

"What exactly is your REAL score? he said. Yaten mumbled his score. Kurama raised an eyebrow.

"2.3!!!" he said, Yaten facevaulted he didn't think Kurama had picked it up. "You'll never pass if you have a score like that!!!"

"I... I-I'll pick up my score... It's just all those practices and late night gigs that got me down..." Yaten replied.

"Excuse me..." said Taiki. "We have the same schedule as you and we managed to keep our scores. If you're doing so badly Yaten, it's because you don't study enough..."

"I study..." replied Yaten.

"If you did; your score would be so low..." started Taiki.

"WELL, MAYBE I'M DUMB... THERE, YOU HAPPY?" yelled Yaten, he picked his stuff and headed out, passing Kurama, he noticed he hasn't moved an inch. "Come on, Kurama... let's go see that movie..."

"no..."

Yaten spun around. "What?"

"No movies tonight, we're going to the library... I'm sorry but it's for your own good." Kurama slowly turned around, Yaten saw in his eyes he wasn't kidding.

"But... what about the movie?" whined Yaten.

"No movies for you tonight I'm afraid..." Kurama replied, seeing Yaten fret he added. "Yaten... either you come to the library with me or you go home... alone."

The girls looked at the exchange, they felt bad for Yaten even Ami felt bad. Taiki whispered to her:

"I think, Kurama has the right approach with Yaten..." Ami gave him a quizzical look.

"Ha...Kurama. I get enough of that at home..." started Yaten.

"One. You lied to me when you told me your score. I know, you're ashamed of it and that's probably why you lied. Two. You could have asked for my help but you didn't..." Yaten looked down ashamed, biting his lower lip. "Now... I'll make you a deal... If you can pick up your score by let's say .5 points we'll go to the movies next week. But if you can't raise those scores we won't go out together until you do... Deal?"

Yaten sighted. "Okay..." he replied. Kurama smiled and passed his arm around him.

"Come on... it won't be so bad." Kurama said he added whispering. "We'll still be together..."



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Kurama was able to get a small study room in the library so they could talk loud and not worry about making too much noise.

"Okay now..." said Kurama sitting down next to him. "What's subject you have most difficulty in..."

"I don't know, pick one..." replied Yaten.

"Yaten, what's wrong?" asked Kurama. "You're really moody lately..."

"Nothing... maybe I'm just dumb..." he replied, slumping on the desk.

"Yaten... you're not dumb. Maybe you're not motivated enough... but you can get over that..." said Kurama.

"Well you didn't tell me you were interested in going to Harvard..." said Yaten.

"Maybe I should have... a few weeks ago, in class, we had a presentation of the Harvard University and when the spokesperson talked of the Botany labs... Well, I was interested. I could ask for a grant to study there..."

"What about me?" asked Yaten.

"Yat-chan... Even if I go, it won't be before at least 2 more years... and who knows maybe we could go together. If you work hard enough I'm sure..." started Kurama.

"Me? At Harvard?" interrupted Yaten. "Taiki... maybe Seiya even but me? Get real... I'm no Harvard material..."

"You never know... What subject would you like to study for University..." asked Kurama.

"That's just it... I don't know!" replied Yaten.

"Maybe... maybe that's where the problem lies... You have no idea about your future... So how can you plan for it?"

Yaten thought about it, he was wondering why he should go to school. Maybe that was it, he didn't know...

"If you knew, you could concentrate your energies on attaining your goal... don't you think?" Kurama said. Yaten was forced to agree his thinking was logical. Yaten put his head on his shoulder.

"You know... not even Taiki could figure it out... Arigato Ku-chan." He turned his eyes and looked in Kurama's own. They looked at each other a long time like that. "That's probably why I love you so much... "

Kurama smiled, he put his arm around Yaten's shoulder. "I'm just looking out for you... I only wish to help you be happy..." He looked into Yaten's eyes and edged closer to him, they started to kiss. Yaten let the kiss wash away all his problems, it didn't matter now, Kurama was there, holding him, making him feel more special than any screaming fan could.

They jumped when they heard a knock at the door, they both blushed at looked at the door. Fortunately the door had no window so no one could have witnessed their tender moment. Kurama rose to see who it was as Yaten dived back into the books. As he opened the door he was surprised, he didn't expect the delegation he saw.

Taiki, Ami, Seiya, Mamoru, Usagi, Rei, Makoto and Minako were there. They all carried a small bag of food with them.

"Ah...um... We thought maybe you guys were hungry... Since Yaten hadn't eaten dinner, we thought we could bring you a little something..." Seiya said.

"Yaten... you didn't have dinner?" asked Kurama.

"Well... I forgot. And I'm not very hungry... I would have grabbed something to eat later." replied Yaten.

Kurama sighted. "Yaten... no wonder you have no energy to study... You can't run on empty all the time..." Kurama gestured to everyone to get; in since he didn't want to disturb the peace of the library. "Well you might as well come in and eat..."

Goodbye romantic mood... thought Yaten. Everyone sat down except Seiya who sat on the floor and Kurama who sat on the corner of the table. Everyone had brought a little something for Yaten, so that when everybody had given him a portion of their lunch, they started to eat.

"Actually..." said Kurama. "I think it's a good idea you guys showed up..."

"You mean..." said Seiya between bites, he was eating a hamburger (what else?) "... you haven't figured out Yaten's problem either?"

"Oh I think we both know what the problem is..." replied Kurama. "He's not motivated enough..."

"I think we all could figure THAT out..." said Taiki.

"Maybe but have you found a way to motivate him?..." wondered Kurama, Taiki and Seiya blushed.

"Of course they haven't because all I hear at home: is nag, nag, nag..." sneered Yaten.

"Okay... what the problem is... Yaten has no idea what he wants to do when he graduates." said Kurama. "So why don't we start by talking about our ambitions and maybe that will help Yaten, figure out what he might like to do later..."

There was a silence, Seiya let go of his burger, he had no idea Yaten was unsure of his future. I guess I had a phase like that, he thought, but Yaten has always been the most focused of us, I guess I never realized. Taiki was having the same trail of ideas as Seiya, here Taiki had found love and a reason to stay. Seeing on how everyone was silent Kurama decide to start talking.

"Well, I, for one, always had a passion for plants..." they all erupted in giggle. "Yes, I know with my powers I can make plants grow and do all I want with them. But I can't make them more resistant to disease or grow them to be more productive... and that's what I want to do... Become a botanist to help feed the people of the world and make medication for the doctors of this world..."

Mamoru spoke next. "I've always been interested in Chemistry, but I have a passion for genetics. I want to study to become a geneticist and help cure cancer or aids..."

"I want to become a doctor, you know to save lives, to bring people back to health... I always admired my mother because she could do those things. I wish to be able to do that one day. I want to be a chirurgian..." said Ami.

"And I envy your future patients..." said Taiki everyone chuckled as he passed his arms around her shoulder.

"And what about you Taiki-san?" asked Kurama, he checked to see if Yaten was understanding all that.

"Well... Astro-physics, that's what I like, all that research and technology... I think it would be great..."

"Well me!" said cheerfully Minako. "I want to become a Star... an actress... a model... so I take all the dance class, the acting class so I can fulfil my dreams... You could become an actor too Yaten..."

"I don't know... those soap opera left me a sour taste in the mouth..." replied Yaten, his mind was at work. What did he like?

"I want to be Priestess at the Hikawa Shrine... I know my grandfather is the head of the shrine. I still have to work hard and study so that I can be the best I can possibly be." smiled Rei.

"I want to be a cook..." said Makoto. "But my ultimate dream is to open my own shop of pastries, even my own restaurant. That's why I take cooking lessons, but I also take accounting so I can deal with a business on my own one day..."

"What about you Usagi-chan?" asked Yaten when he realized she was keeping quiet.

"Me?... I just want to marry Mamo-chan..." she said, the girls groaned, Mamoru sweated.

"Usako..." he started, "You are not being truthful..."

"What? She thinks she can have a career..." said Rei, the others giggled. Mamoru glared at them a bit.

"See..." said Usagi downcast. "That's why I don't want to talk about it... Everybody will laugh at me..."

"I'm not laughing Usagi-chan..." said Yaten, Kurama smiled, this was helping Yaten more than any seminars.

"Okay... but promise you won't laugh..." she looked at everyone present especially Rei. She sighted and took a deep breath "I want to do a major in Political studies..."

Everyone was shocked except for Mamoru and looked at Usagi with a strange expression mixed with surprised and amusement. Yaten broke the uneasy silence.

"You know... it sounds weird at first... but when you think about it... It actually makes a lot of sense..."

Everyone besides Mamoru, Kurama and Usagi who was happy Yaten understood, facevaulted. They looked at Yaten although he had just said the stupidest thing ever.

"Well..." he explained "Usagi will be Neo-Queen Serenity one day, won't she? She better know the inner workings of politics if she want to be the ruler of the next Millenium."

Usagi was so happy Yaten understood her career path, she got up and reaching over the table, she gave Yaten a huge hug. Yaten fought back a little saying she was choking him and the others started to chuckle. When Usagi let go of him, Yaten noticed that Kurama was closing and gathering his books.

"I thinks it's enough for the night, Yaten..." said Kurama. "You have a lot to think about..." Yaten smiled. Minako was overjoyed:

"In that case! You guys want to come over to Mako-chan see the video I rented... everyone here is coming right?"

Everyone nodded and got up to exit, suddenly Seiya asked.

"Say Minako-chan... You didn't tell us what movie you rented..."

"I rented a classic... everyone will like that... Mr. BEAN!" beamed Minako. Everyone developed huge sweatdrops on the sides of their head.



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Everyone laughed anyway, Taiki couldn't stop at certain points and they had to paused the video so they could hear the last thing that was said.

"Gomen... I must be too tired..." he said.

"Yeah, we do have a practice tomorrow morning and we have to get up at 4:00 am..." added Seiya.

"Four... four... four..." hiccuped Usagi, she looked at her watch it was almost nine.

"It'll be quite a revolution if Usagi-chan ever wakes up that early... don't you think?" Makoto said turning her head to see everyone's' expression when she saw something that caught her attention. She beamed and giggled "Kawaii!!!" Everyone turned around to see what she was looking at.

Kurama and Yaten were sitting on the floor propped against the wall and some pillows. Yaten's arm were around the red hair boy's waist and his head rested on his shoulder. Kurama had his arms around Yaten's shoulder and rested his head against the soft silver hair boy. Both were sound asleep.

"They must trust each other so much if they can fall asleep like that..." said Usagi.

"What are you babbling about Usagi..." said Rei.

"Well, Mamo-chan falls asleep on the sofa sometimes when I'm there. That means he trust me..." replied Usagi.

"It never occurred to you that he might be bored by your inane babbling..." Rei sneered. Everyone in the room developed huge sweatdrops they all knew where this was heading. They all cringed as Usagi and Rei started into a tongue sticking contest. All the ruckus woke Kurama, they made enough noise to wake the dead. Kurama was surprised Yaten could sleep through all that, he put his hand to his cheek to wake him up. That's when he realized Yaten had a fever, his face was all warm.

"Yaten?..." he said softly. Yaten opened his green eyes, he felt like his eyelids weight a ton.

"Kurama?..." he whispered. "I don't feel too good..."

Kurama could see that, he looked up to where Ami was sitting and gestured her to come. Ami intrigued by the flushing color of Yaten's face, walked to them. Both Seiya and Taiki became concerned and they also rose from the sofa. Rei and Usagi stopped arguing as they wondered what was going on.

Ami reached for Yaten's forehead, he had a fever all right. She let her hand dropped to his neck and that's when she felt something, a small bump.

"Yaten-kun... Did you realize you had bumps on the side of your neck?" she asked.

"Yeah... a couple of days ago... but I thought because I had stretched a muscle..." he replied.

Taiki bent down next to Ami. "Do you suspect something Ami-chan?"

"I'm not sure... but that would explain why Yaten-kun has been doing so badly lately these past few weeks..." She took a cold wet towel that Makoto had brought her, with Kurama's help they put it on Yaten's forehead. "I'll try to reach my Mom..."

Ami went to the phone while Seiya looked at Yaten. "Yo, squirt!" he knew Yaten hated that nickname and it he complained then he was okay. Yaten didn't reply, Seiya was concerned.

"How do you feel?"

"I feel sluggish, hot and cold at the same time... no sweat I'll go to sleep early and I'll be okay tomorrow..." He tried to get up.

"Yaten-kun, stay put..." said Mamoru. "I'm no doctor but from what Ami-chan has found I think Yaten-kun has Mononucleosis..."

"The kissing disease?" asked Minako.

"Kissing disease?..." Both Seiya and Taiki looked at Minako, then they turned around to look at Kurama.

"Well... I had this disease but it was like... 2 years ago..." he replied to the brothers unasked question.

"Well this diseased is usually transmitted via saliva that's why it's called the kissing disease..." said Mamoru.

"Hey wait a minute... Isn't Shinji-san the basket ball captain sick with mononucleosis right now?" wondered out loud Minako. Everyone turned a questioning gaze to Yaten.

"I didn't kiss him!" started Yaten, then he paused as though he remembered something. "oh... Stars! It couldn't have..."

"What?" said Rei wide eyed.

"Well three weeks ago we had a Sports day, and I went to the Basketball competition, with Mako-chan... At the end the coach gave us something to drink but when it came to my turn, there weren't any glasses left..." started Yaten.

"I remember, you asked me if you could borrow my glass, when Shinji-kun gave you his half-filled glass..." added Makoto.

"I didn't think twice about it and filled my glass and drank..." Yaten finished.

"Well... won't be the first time this happens..." said Mamoru. "Maybe you just have a touch of flu also..."

Ami came back and took her jacket. "My mom is still at the hospital, she'll take a look at you right now Yaten-kun..."



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Mizuno Akane rose from her desk, she sighted, at this time of year, teenagers did catch that disease it was almost cyclical. " Kou-san?... Yaten Kou-san..." Yaten rose from his chair in the waiting room and went into her office.

"Now... Kou-san... may I call you Yaten-san?" Yaten nodded. "Yaten-san, I am afraid this is what my daughter suspected... You have mononucleosis... now if you have a relationship with someone you might want to ask this person to come in and be examined..." she said.

"My... girlfriend told me she had it two years ago..." replied Yaten, hoping he wouldn't slip that his girlfriend was in reality a boyfriend... But the way, she smiled Yaten wondered if she didn't know already because she had said person and someone... and not specified a gender.

"In that case your... 'girlfriend' might just want to check if he might come down with it again, it happens..." Yaten blushed she said he... oh Stars she knows. He looked down.

"Yaten-san..." she said. "What is said here will not come out of this room... I know because your brother Taiki talked to Ami-chan at our home and they both thought I wasn't there... Now you can trust me and you must know that you don't have to hesitate to come to me if you have anything that you need to discuss..." she smiled to him. "You do make a cute couple..."

Yaten blushed, he didn't know if he should run away, yell at her or say thanks. She got up and told to Seiya and Taiki to come in.

"Now..." she continued when the two boys seated themselves." Taiki-san, I will give you a paper that you will give to the director. Yaten-san won't be going to school for the next 2 months."

"TWO MONTHS! But I'll never pass if I miss two months..." said Yaten shocked.

"That's a minimum... maybe I'll permit it if the spleen takes back it's shape..." she continued. "I think Taiki-san can help you in your studies Yaten-san. Now, for the next two week I want you to have complete rest... That's 2 weeks bedrest and after that for the rest of the two months you take it easy. That means no practice, no jumping or running around you may study but you are not permitted to exert yourself... it's very important... at least until I say you can... All you boys understand?..."

Taiki and Seiya nodded, but Seiya added. "But we have a musical in one and a half month... We can't find a replacement that fast..."

"I'm sorry but for Yaten-san sake... he may not do exercises during his sickness..." She lighted the X-ray. "You see this spleen is normal." She lighted the one next to it. "This is Yaten's organ you see how big it has gone..." The boys nodded, "Well, it's very fragile at it point and can burst... if it does... it can have rather dire consequence... maybe even death." She let that sink in, both Seiya and Taiki understood, in Yaten's condition it was totally out of the question for him to do the musical...

"Don't worry Yaten... you take it easy... We'll take care of it..." Taiki said.

"Yeah, and the album? It'll be two months later... so what it's not the end of the world... The fans will understand..." said Seiya.

What am I going to do in two months? Yaten though... And how am I going to pass the school year now?