Chapter 3

"Exam Season"

At the Kuwabara home, siblings Shizuru and Kazuma are anticipating the weekend's events. As Shizuru maps out her outfits, Kuwabara continues studying. Eikichi sits comfortably along the windowsill, idly watching as Kuwabara freaks out over a math problem.

"Ugh, I swear I know how to do this one," Kuwabara wants to challenge himself by not referring to the textbook for guidance, "C'mon, Kuwabara. It's on the tip of your tongue."

"Hey, bro. Are you studying hard or hardly studying," Shizuru jokes as she enters her brother's room.

"T'ahhh, leave me alone, Shizuru. I'm working on my math."

"Well, at least you're not playing video games," she heads for his closet, "Do you, at least, have a few things packed up for the weekend?"

"Some of my underwear and socks if that's what you're asking."

"So what are you gonna wear to Kiyoni's party?"

"I don't know. Not thinking about that right now," he regains his concentration, "Hey! I got it!"

Shizuru takes a seat on Kuwabara's bed where she's joined by Eikichi, "Baby brother, what's Demon World like?"

"Huh," Kuwabara turns around in his chair.

"What's Demon World like? Did you see the same monsters we saw back at the tournament or worse?" Curiosity makes its presence known in Shizuru's eyes. It's rare for Kuwabara to see his sister like this.

"Couldn't really tell," he looks out of the window, "Whatever demons were around were taken care of by either Sensui or Urameshi." He takes a moment to think, "I wonder how Yukina will handle it."

"I'm worried about her too. She seems to be doing okay with Genkai, so far."

"Yeah, but Kiyoni said her territory is like a never-ending summer vacation. Yukina would melt like a snowball."

"Don't worry about it too much, bro. If Kiyoni can come through for Keiko, then I'm sure Yukina will be just fine."

A moment later, they hear someone enter the house. The sister/brother duo are called downstairs not long after.

"Yukina," Kuwabara shrieks as he's the first to see her.

"Hello, Kazuma, Shizuru," she greets with a bow. In her hands is a suitcase.

"W-what are you doing here, sweet pea," Kuwabara is still starry eyed.

"I asked dad to bring her here early so that we can all leave together," Shizuru answers, "She'll be with us until then."

"Y-you mean…she'll be…" images of Yukina bathing and sleeping run through Kuwabara's mind, turning his face cherry red.

"I hope you don't mind, Kazuma. Seeing as how we'll be leaving soon," Yukina wishes in a sweet tone.

Kuwabara turns on the charm, "Oh, don't you worry about a thing my beautiful ice princess. I, Kazuma Kuwabara, will do everything in my power to make sure your stay here is the most comfortable stay ever." He grabs her suitcase and heads upstairs, "Just call me your personal bellboy," he chuckles with glee.

"Well, he seems excited," acknowledges Mr. Kuwabara.

"I wouldn't worry about it. It won't take him long to figure out he doesn't know what he's doing," Shizuru leads Yukina upstairs, "C'mon I'll take you to your room."

In the Ikeda apartment, Kenichi and Ayesha are making an early departure in order to inform Kiyoni's birth parents of her friends' arrival. "I still don't believe it," Kiyoni declares, "The work the city did for this place is amazing. Even the kitchen looks better."

"Don't know why they had to redo the kitchen since it didn't take much damage," Kenichi inputs as both he and Kiyoni put away the dishes.

"That would be because of me," Ayesha boasts as she enters the front room, "When I filled out the insurance claim, I added the kitchen to the repair list. Some of the cabinet doors needed to be fixed."

"Utsue's hammer was as powerful as all get out," Kiyoni concludes, "I'm just glad to be back here."

"We all are, princess," Kenichi agrees, "Ayesha, how much more do we have to pack up?"

Ayesha places a large suitcase on the couch big enough to carry both her things and his, "Just finished, actually. Whatever else we'll need, it'll be available when we get there."

"Now, Kiyoni. Are you sure you're going to be alright while we're gone," he affirms.

"Yeah, yeah dad. I'll be fine."

"Ooh, I hate to leave you alone," Ayesha whines, "There's no telling what could happen."

Kiyoni laughs at the thought, "Our biggest threat is gone now. There's nothing to worry about."

Kenichi gets serious, "Alright, a couple of rules before we go-"

"I know, I know. No boys, no sweets and staying up after nine, no boys, make sure to turn off all the lights before going to bed, and…no boys."

Kenichi is surprised, "Well…yeah…that would be it. Except for your study sessions. That's goes double for Shuuichi."

"But Suu'chi's harmless! Not even him?"

"That goes double for him," both Kenichi and Ayesha decree simultaneously.

Kiyoni crosses her arms in a huff, "Aw, man."

"Well, now that we have everything, I guess we better go," Ayesha declares as Kenichi grabs their things.

"Wait! How are you gonna get there," Kiyoni wonders.

"The car is on the roof. We'll need you to cast the spell for us again," Kenichi instructs.

"Whoa, the car is on the roof? Alright then, let's go."

Outside, Kiyoni gives her adopted parents one more goodbye before they depart. "Take care of yourself while we're gone," Ayesha says.

"It's only a short time, mom. What could happen?"

Ayesha stares at her daughter, "Knowing you and magic, anything." Kiyoni pouts.

"Alright, princess. We have to go now," Kenichi insists as he gives Kiyoni a hug.

"Bye, dad. I'll see you both real soon."

Kenichi and Ayesha enter the hover car and start it as Kiyoni looks for an inconspicuous spot to open the portal. With the spell in her hand, Kiyoni announces the invocation, "Aperi mihi portas loci temporisque Heliopolim eas ad civitatem ipsorum (Portal of space and time, please open for me. Take them back to Heliopolis, their home city)."

In the night's skies, a giant portal opens revealing early nightfall in Heliopolis. As the hover car levitates, Ayesha shouts, "Be good, Kiyoni." Kiyoni waves in acknowledgement. Kenichi puts the car in gear and the two take off for their home territory. The portal closes after the two glide through.

Out of their eyesight and earshot, Kiyoni mocks her parents, "That goes double for Shuuichi," making her way back inside mumbling under her breath, "Damn man, can't let me have any type of fun." Reentering her apartment, Kiyoni leans against the door, "What the hell am I gonna do for the next two days? …Magic time!"

In her room, Kiyoni dumps all of her marbles on the floor. She finds it easier to find the right ones for her spells that way. A rainbow colored rune circle becomes her only source of light as she sits on the floor with her spell book in her hands. "Those exams, tomorrow and Wednesday, will be a cinch so long as I have Suu'chi's brain to pick," she giggles at the thought, "It's my magic that could use some work."

With Kurama on her mind, Kiyoni gathers a combination of red, blue, and green marbles. Manipulating their energy, she transforms the gems into an impression of her first love, swooning at the sight. Kiyoni puts the book down and rises from the floor to embrace her sparkling man, "For five days, we'll get to play together. I can't wait for you to come to my world," she gives the statue a passionate kiss before resting her head on its chest, "We're gonna have so much fun, Suu'chi. I just know it." On her command, the crystal figure wraps its arms around her, increasing her infatuation. The emerald around her neck glows again as a result, "This is gonna be the best birthday ever."


Another round of exams take over the schools of Mushiyori City as Keiko, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Kiyoni are all engulfed in a test of intelligence. Keiko manages to get through her assessments with confidence. Kuwabara struggles a bit with his tests, but overcomes them eventually. At their school, Kurama and Kiyoni work in tandem for their examinations. Whatever question one gets stuck on, the other offers assistance. Sharing a telepathic connection has its perks.

During lunch, Kiyoni sends everyone a reminder about the meeting and departure times and to check out her uncle's pawn shop before leaving. Yusuke is among the first to respond. After sending his reply text, he contacts Botan via the communication mirror. "Hello, Yusuke. How's everything going in the living world," she greets.

"Hey, Botan. I just got a text from Kiyoni about the departure time for this weekend. I wanted to make sure both you and breastmilk breath are in on it."

"Oh, we're fine. Kurama keeps us updated, if not you. We'll be all set once Koenma finishes his paperwork."

"I can't believe Koenma is coming along. I take it King Yamma is taking his foot off of his son's balls?" Yusuke chuckles after that.

"Very funny, Yusuke. King Yamma is actually letting Koenma go just to get some information on Heliopolis. Seeing as how it's not in Spirit World's registry."

"A toddler on a business trip. Makes sense."

"To King Yamma, it's a business trip but, you know Koenma."

"Do I ever? Hey, speaking of business, I got a question for you."

"Oh, what is it?"

"When the hell am I gonna get an upgrade with these stupid tools? Hasn't Spirit World heard of smartphones?"

Botan laughs, "I'll look into that whenever I can, Yusuke. Until then, if it isn't broken…"

"Oh, whatever."

Lunch break at school is a welcome reprieve and an opportunity to rest minds and hands. "By the gods, my hand hurts," Kiyoni barks as she massages her left, "I hope that's all the English I have to deal with this week. And do you see all these scuff marks? I'm gonna get lead poisoning from all the writing I did."

"So long as you were clear and concise, you shouldn't have anything to worry about," Kurama confirms as he takes a bite of his sandwich.

"What about you? How'd you think you did on that English test?"

Kurama sighs, "Hopefully enough considering how much I've studied for it."

"Is that why you kept asking me about it?"

"It is. I told you, English is not my best subject."

"We passed it, don't worry." She takes a couple of bites of an apple.

"Say, Kiyoni. There's something I want to ask you."

"I'm already your girlfriend what more do you want?"

"Humorous and true but, that's not it. It's about your fangs."

Kiyoni gives Kurama the side eye, "What about them?"

"I'm wondering, have you ever used them…you know…on a person?"

"You're asking me if I ever bitten anyone. Well, to tell you the truth, the answer is no. Despite the fact that I'm half vampire and have these gorgeous fangs, I've never used them for their original purpose. If anything, when it comes to using them, I'm more like a fruit bat than a vampire." She giggles.

"So, have you ever thought about…biting me…consuming my blood?"

Kiyoni changes her tone and mood to something a bit apologetic, "…For years. I just wasn't sure of when would be the right moment. Of course, it would've been best if you found out that I was a vampire first."

"I see," Kurama gets an idea, grabbing Kiyoni by the hand as he leads her to a secluded area.

"Where are we going, Suu'chi?"

"You'll see."

The two arrive at the school's gym equipment room. Jiggling the door handle, Kurama figures that the door is locked, "Well, that's unfortunate."

"What did you expect, Suu'chi," Kiyoni crosses her arms, "Looks like you'll have to pick at it. Why are we here anyway?"

Kurama looks around for a proper lock pick, "Your hairpin will do."

She grabs her accessory, "No way! This hairpin was a birthday present from papa Kenichi and it happens to be one of my favorites." The hairpin in question is a long, metallic, golden bobby pin with three small button-sized blue rhinestones at the end.

Kurama's thieving personality shines through, "Have you forgotten what I used to be? Your hairpin will be in good hands, I promise."

"Oh…alright," Kiyoni reaches behind her head to take out her hairpin. She decided to switch up her hairstyle by pulling it back into a twisted bun. When the pin comes out, shiny and straightened hair fall over her back and shoulders, smoothing it out with a little finger combing. Because of its new texture, the length nearly reaches beyond the middle of her back. Kurama is astounded by his girlfriend's new look, for this is the first time he's seen her hair like this in her human form. The second (and first time ever) was in her vampire form.

"What are you staring at me for," Kiyoni queries as she hands over her pin.

He sputters with a slight blush, "Uh, no reason in particular." In his head, he's still staring at Kiyoni with hearts in his eyes.

After properly picking the lock, the teens enter the room without anyone noticing. "So, why are we here again," Kiyoni looks around her surroundings.

"I said you'll see," Kurama avows for a second time as he unbuttons his shirt.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Suu'chi! Don't you think it's a bit early for…that?" She blushes a little.

"Huh," Kurama laughs, "That's not what I was going for, Kiyoni."

"Then what's with the striptease?"

"Striptease," Kurama laughs again, "You have quite an amusing way of thinking. You just said that you've never bitten anyone before and that you always thought about biting me. So, I'm volunteering to be your first."

Kiyoni is both touched and embarrassed by his actions, responding in a low, innocent tone, "Suu'chi, you don't-have to do that."

"But, what about your anemia? As a vampire, I'm sure you have your cravings, don't you?"

"Should I have an anemic episode or any type of bloody hankerings at school, a nearby hospital will provide a blood bag or two for me. My parents made sure to let the school know of my condition."

"What about at home? How does that work?"

"Whenever my parents get hungry, they drink my blood. If and when things get serious, the hospital and blood bank closest to my house, knows of me and my family's need for the substance from time to time. We've all been there a few times since our arrival. Remember my doctor's appointment the day I met Keiko? That was a replenishment engagement. You can kinda say the same thing for that hospital stint in Akihabara, too. I told you, our dependency on blood is not that serious. At least, not to the point where innocent humans are attacked. If my real parents were here, dad would still bring blood bags from the hospital for my mom and me to feed on. Just like old times."

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't mind. I'd hate for you to torture or starve yourself."

Kiyoni steps up to him, buttoning up his shirt and straightening his necktie, "I'm sure. In fact, you don't have to do too much of anything. You don't even have to get me a birthday present, this year. All I ask is for you to just be you, the same you that I'm falling for…the one I want to fall for."

"I-I wasn't thinking about a birthday present, just now."

"You were yesterday," she taps her head.

"...So, what now?"

"…Well, since we're in here and we have some time left, you can kiss me. You know, a quick make-out session before class?" She bites her lower lip as her pendant glows again in anticipation.

Kurama admirably looks at Kiyoni's lips, "Gladly." They embrace each other as they kiss, giving Kurama an opportunity to get a feel of Kiyoni's hair.

"So much for the 'no-physical-affection-on-campus' rule, huh," Kiyoni predicts through telepathy.

"So long as we're quiet and out of sight, that rule should not apply." They go at it until the bell rings, eventually ending the school day with more exams.


A full moon takes over the night skies accompanied by thousands of stars over Mushiyori. Hiei leaps from building to building in order to clear his head; wanting a good reason of his own as to why he should go with the gang. The things that Botan said, pushes him to accept the invitation. Using his Jagan, he finds his sister sitting comfortably with Kazuma and Shizuru watching a comedy show, at the Kuwabara home. Continuing with the Jagan, Hiei listens in on their conversation.

"I can't wait to see Kiyoni's world," Yukina insists.

"I hope the weather holds up while we're there," Shizuru adjusts her sitting position, "I wouldn't mind coming back with a tan."

"Hopefully you'll be a little less ugly," Kuwabara mumbles. Shizuru punches his shoulder for his remark.

"Do you think Hiei will come along," Yukina asks.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't. Either way, I'll make sure to protect you from any danger while we're there," Kuwabara guarantees while massaging his newly injured shoulder.

Outside, Hiei thinks about the invitation one more time, "No one is gonna lay a finger on my sister while I'm still standing."

Sometime later, Koenma gets a surprise visitor, "Oh, Hiei! What's brings you here?"

"It's about that vampire."

"You mean Kiyoni?"

"…Tell her I'm accepting the invitation."

"Great! We all leave tomorrow afternoon when everyone finishes their exams."

"Whatever."

Everyone is now on board to go to Heliopolis. Come tomorrow afternoon, the gang will see not only a whole new world, but a whole new Kiyoni.