Pursuing Dreams

Disclaimer: characters not mine, original story not mine. Do you think I'll be doing this if it were? The main plot is kind of mine, though kudos to Obsidian-Butterflies (Tennis Trek: First Generation) and purple jellybean hoarder (CounterSpin) as inspiration.

Reviews most welcomed!

Author: Phantom Shyraz

01: Departure

"Remember Ryoma, no one is to know about the mission details. There will be a selected few who already knew who would be there at the place. But unless there are indications that they know, you are not to reveal it. Do you understand?"

"Right, oyaji. You've been saying that ever since the start of the week. It's hard for me to forget." Ryoma sighed in frustration. He knew his father was only looking out for him. His baka oyaji would only use his name when he was serious and that was what clued him into the situation.

"You better get going before the patrol comes back around. Remember to give this to the Baba." Nanjirou handed his son a memory device in the style of a ballpoint pen. "It holds the detail to the safety of the universe."

"I never saw you this worried when Aniki left." Ryoma murmured, pocketing the device in his jacket. "I wouldn't have to go if the security hadn't stepped up here."

There was a sudden beep coming from his earpiece, waking Ryoma up in the process. The screen blinked twice, removing the Himalayan kitten screensaver.

"Master Ryoma." The female AI onboard the fighter craft said. "We're nearing our destination.

"Thanks Karupin." Ryoma rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and concentrated more on the display panels. Travelling through deep space is normally interesting, seeing the galaxies and stars blinking in the deep dark. But his journey was not one of ease. When he set off from the colony, Ryoma was met with resistance, causing him to fight his way out. The fight had tired him to the point when he had to sleep to replenish his energy. "Can you send signal to Ryuusaki Sumire and ask for docking coordinates to Seishun Academy?"

"Of course Master." There was a small beep as Ryoma thought back to the information given to him by his oyaji about Seishun Academy.

"Listen up seishonen, I'm only telling you this once." Nanjirou said as they shared the meal. "You're to go back to Earth's Seishun Academy."

"Why would I want to go there?" Ryoma sipped the grape flavoured Ponta and stared out the window, ignoring the frustrated looks his oyaji.

"Because I told you to!" Nanjirou knew Ryoma wouldn't cooperate unless he heard the full details. "It's been a while since I could make the report...not that I wanted to in the first place. Also, it's high time you checked yourself into one of Earth's satellite Academies."

"What's so special about it? It's not as though it'll teach me anything I didn't know already."

"Seishun Academy is where I was taught and where I will send you to! I've already told the person in charge of the Seigaku crew. The Baba would be more than happy to put you in along with the freshman."

"The Academy is just education facility to learn about universe development and piloting. That'll just be a waste of my time." Ryoma was determined not to leave for some beginner course.

"Seishonen, didn't you hear a word I just said? You need to check yourself in as one of Earth's forces. Else they can shoot you down when you encounter them next time. Don't forget, you're a New Human, one born in space and had been affected by it—an evolved version if you will. You might not look like the Aliens—the mutate humans—but those born on Earth would definitely find you abnormal because of your looks and can easily classify you as an Alien and kill you on sight."

"Right, right." Ryoma sighed, with slight regret being born with enhanced senses and reflex but at the cost of not looking as human as those born on Earth. He knew on Earth it was impossible for people to be born with golden eyes and green-hued hair. These 'defects' were a result of evolution. Unlike their other counterparts, the Aliens, which had their genes mutated because of radiation from space.

"Once you get there. Contact a person called Ryuusaki Sumire. She'll put you onto the Seigaku fleet for sure. After that, it'll be easier for me to communicate with the Earth forces."

"What does the fleet do? Apart from being a mobile training ground for pilot wannabes." Ryoma was now interested. Not all Academies have their own fleet.

"The fleet is not for training. It's for patrolling the area around Earth. Seishun Academy is one of three satellites stationed around Earth. The others are Hyotei and Rikkai. Both have their own fleets but I'm more inclined to send you to Seishun seeing I graduated from there."

"Why not send Aniki instead?" Ryoma knew it was not wise to send his brother. But he had been unwilling to leave their temporary home, away from the oyaji because he had to beat his idiot of a father in both the game called tennis and as a pilot.

"With what happened to Nanako and your mother. He's quite unstable, even if he does the missions I give him. It's best if I can keep an eye on Ryoga. Seishonen, you on the other hand, is stable. Though your skills are still mada mada dane."

"I swear, oyaji, I'll beat you."

"Master Ryoma? The signal went through and a reply just came." Karupin snapped Ryoma out of his reverie once more.

"Set course for the coordinates." Ryoma commanded, although it was not necessary. But the AI Karupin had only just recently been developed and was still in the process of learning. He'd rather not take the chances just yet to have the AI function on its own. "What's the ETA?"

"An hour at most."