And thus his journey begins

A Future Diary/Mirai Nikki fanfiction. Featuring a clever young genius in a deathmatch with 12 competitors for the throne of God.

Let's imagine for a moment the complete opposite of the current Yukiteru we all know, what would we get?- A clever young man, a person who strivers for perfection, someone who wants to protect the one he loves, a cunning character who knows how and when to use people for his benefits and lastly, a brave soul who can stand up and face any challenge, no matter what it is or who it is. Sounds interesting, let's see what we would replace our common Yukiteru with this character, same body, same environment, nothing changed there, nothing but a completely different personality and soul altogether.

Infinite Moment

A Future Diary fanfiction

We all have those special moments in our lives when a sudden inspiration takes control over all our life, when a simple moment of courage can make the difference between ''Oh how I would wish it would happen…'' and ''I will obtain it no matter what!''. One of those moments happened to young Yukiteru. Nothing special, nothing planned, merely a few words stringed together that will have one profound impact on his whole being, one special moment when he managed to view life in a different perspective, some would say an idealistic one, while others, those who were once called idealistic but now are well known as ''those particular people who seized their dream and made it happen'', they all bow down in respect for this young soul, who managed in that few time he had, what other's couldn't achieve in a lifetime.

''This wasn't supposed to happen…why are they fighting, they should be planning the trip they promised me a few weeks ago'

Young Yukiteru was asking himself while hiding in a corner watching from the shadows while his parents got in yet another fight, this time it seemed it wouldn't end so nicely.

His father recently arrived from a so called ''business'' travel abroad, and wasted no time in complaining about his newest debts and how he's the only one who finances this family. This particular event wouldn't be out of the ordinary, only if he hadn't begun to criticize everything he knew would badly insult his wife, the pressure was keep building for months now, but now, something snapped, she finally decided to strike back.

-I wish I never married a low life, like you. All you do is complain about everything every time you come home, I cannot take it anymore, I had it, I refuse to be with someone who drags his family into debts , ruining it with everything that comes out of his mouth!

We couldn't say his father was a man of words, one could best describe him as a man of action, and that he did, refusing to hear any more words, he raised his hand against the devoted wife that has been by his side in good and bad, for so many years, he begun to hit her with everything near his reach. Striking with thirst for blood until finally she lost conscious out of sheer pain.

Not wasting any more time, he quickly searched all possible hidings for the money his wife had surely hidden, after some minutes of frantic movement, he was satisfied with the amount of cash found. Grinning in victory he took his already packed suitcase with all the necessary for a new life, and opened the door as casually as he was leaving for a stroll.

Back then, not even Yukiteru could find a reason for his action, there was no explanation but pure love for his family that drove him to stop his father mid step, timidly grabbing his left sleeve, and pleading with a pair of eyes that could melt even the coldest ice.

-Dad, please stay! You promised we go and watch the stars together, don't you remember?

As he supported his words pointing to the new bought telescope laying near the door. It worked innocently in his mind; dad would see what he did, and would deeply regret it, dad would hug him and tell him everything will be alright, dad would come back and stay forever with them….childish dreams.

Kurou Amano lost in that day everything that gave him the right to be called a human. He casually jerked the young's child grasp, walked down to his new bought telescope, and showed it to him, exposing a wicked smile, one that a child should never see in his life.

-Is this the telescope you kept bragging about?

Not showing any sign of emotion he unpacked the telescope and begun in sadistically wrecking in piece by piece, any material that was fragile enough to be broken was condemned by his hands to utter destruction.

Yukiteru watched with a mixture of shock and horror as his father destroyed the only thing that kept them together. He embraced himself in a gesture of self-protection, well aware that nothing would stop his father from doing the same thing with him. To his surprise, however.

His father seemed to bored in of the current home, threw a disgusted glance over to his wife and son, opened the door and just as how he forgot something important, he turn around to face his soon, and threw away what was on his mind, words said in hatred, words that for a young boy would sting as poisoned knives.

-You're the reason I hated this place in the beginning, I never wanted a pathetic child like you, no friends no life, you're nothing, no one would ever care if you would die right here and now. I regret the day I even had the thought to make you!

As his father was about to leave, he grimaced at his frightened off-spring, and uttered the final words that in his mind, would make his statement complete.

-You are nothing more than a stupid little coward!

And with that he vanished as thief who beats helpless women unconscious, robs their wealth and mentally scars young children for life.

With that, Yukiteru, ran to his mother trying desperately to wake her up. After a failed attempt he dialed the ambulance as he seen on television, and told everything that happened. As he waited for the paramedics to arrive, he walked into a corner, crouched down and buried his face in his hands, exploding in torrent of tears and repeating throw sobs:

-Stupid coward….stupid coward! , that's everything that I am, and that's the reason why dad left, I'm nothing more than a stupid little coward!...and no one can change that.

And while it continued long after the paramedics arrived, nothing could erase that memory. The most vicious disease ever created by man, an idea, an idea implanted that would weigh his life down for all his days left.

Months after those events, there weren't enough days in the week for all the psychology he needed to wash that nightmare away. His mother eventually had to gave up, on all those sessions, fearing that she would become like her ex-husband buried in depth. Nevertheless, she comforted her child with every occasion, assuring him that nothing was his fault, everything will be alright. Nothing worked, moreover, he seemed to become more and more solitary every day, no social contact at all, he begun to fear people, and even refused to watch television. Weeks past by, but his condition never improved.

As time passed by, we find Yukiteru in his classroom, as far as he knew all alone, struggling at an assignment his teacher gave him to improve his grades. He always sits in the same row, same desk, same position, near the window watching as time goes by, praying that sometimes it would end faster.

The question that won't let him leave was What do you want to do in your future? . He thought what to write, he honestly tried, but all he would think of is I don't want to be a stupid coward. And it somehow felt impossible to change.

On the opposite row, a girl was struggling at the same assignment. Although not to improve her grades as for the extra credit it offered, she curiously watched as the lonely boy was bumping his pencil repeatedly on his forehead. In a way it looked he looked cute all hopeless and innocent. Eventually she decided to see what he managed to write this far.

The young girl carefully slid the chair away so she wouldn't make her presence noticed, brushed her hair instinctively for a better view, and walked gently, hands together behind her back, as though not to perturb the silence that was already settled. She leaned in close to see his paper, and frowned when she was the words written. After a few seconds of thought she casually tapped his shoulder waiting for a surprised reaction.

As expected the boy looked at her se though he'd seen a ghost, the pink haired girl chuckled softly at her prediction, and leaned closer to the boy so that they were at eye level. As though chatting with a scared kitten she asked in a soft, almost comforting voice.

-Why don't you write something positive? It doesn't suite you to be this dark and gloomy all the time.

He looked at her a bit shocked by her presence, but after so many days of a sheltered life, he decided just a few minutes of casual chat would actually put his mind on something else. He looked back in his paper, a but disappointed and replied with a voice full of sorrow.

-I can't think of anything else, these words haunted me ever since my dad…cursed me with them. I simply don't know of what else to think.

She looked a bit disappointed as well. Looking at the young boy, she immediately had an interesting idea. The pink haired girl rose up, grabbed his pencil, and scrawled away his depressing words, while writing a new dream, she looked at the boy and said in the same cheerful tone:

-You simply can't expect a change in your life, if you keep wishing for not what to happen, trying to avoid those bad things in life. It's impossible, in the end they will reach you and they will drag you into the deepest pit of sadness. Try this for a change, use a different way of viewing life, what do you want to attract, and what do you want to reach, something like…this, here!

And she handed over the new forged dream, quite the opposite from his previous one, this one was more positive, and come to think of it, it even sounded realistic…even achievable.

-I want to become a brave genius, and if I never give up, nothing and no one in this world will be able to stop Me !

He reed the newly written sentence, wondering, just why would she even think he would be capable of something like this.

-Umm…you see, the problem is….

But he never got to finish his excuse, the pink haired girl hastily interrupted him, placing a finger on his lips, and smiling as if all the world was hers.

-I don't want to hear it, there were plenty of other inspirational phrases to use:

And she casually begun to number them in her own order, raising one finger for each one

-If you never give up, you never lose, there no losing only delayed victory, no one is taller than the last man standing, the world is against you it wouldn't be fair otherwise, the doctors called it impossible disease I call it challenge, pain is temporary glory is eternal. And my favorite one, courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement hat something else is more important than fear, thus a man of courage, never wants a weapon. Huh… 's why I tried to sum these all up in one simple sentence that would describe both you and your goal.

And she exhaled deeply as if she was holding her breath the whole time, after smiling joyfully at her little speech she looked at the boy in hope of a positive reaction, her efforts would be meaningless otherwise.

And surprise, surprise a positive reaction he had. He looked at her in awe, eyes gazing at her as if she grew a second head. After a few seconds he blinked a bit stunned and tried to process the current situation. After some moments of thought he replied in a low voice:

-How can I become brave and smart, when I have no reason, to? No one, ever wanted me to become someone better, they all want just want me to stop feeling sorry for myself.

She cooked her head a bit and stared the bit annoyed by his response.

-Geez, you're really stubborn, how about this then?

-Don't believe in yourself, believe in me who believes in you!

Again, the boy blinked a bit surprised, not even noticing the young girl leaning over to write something else.

-And to be sure you never stray away from this path, I'll become your bride in the future!

Those final words were written on the paper, near his new dream, like a eternal declaration of love and commitment. Yukiteru was for the first time in many months amused by something, he was genuinely happy that something a gentle breeze of joy refreshed his life and gave him an actual purpose for living. In the end, he had to submit.

-Alright, when we grow up. Until then I will do everything in my power to make this dream a reality.

The young girl looked as if she was blushing, nevertheless, she seemed happy, and pleased by his statement, she shook her head in approval murmuring her own response in a low voice, only for his ears.

-Okay! And that's a promise!

He blushed as well, not knowing exactly why, and had time to think of a single question before she watched her leave.

-Wait, can you tell me your name, please?

Just as she was about to leave, she stopped and looked back into his eyes for a moment after replying with a smile on her face that could make the whole world happy:

-Gasai Yuno, and yours?

He tried to match her smile, mostly from his desire to make her leave her with a happy face.

-Amano Yukiteru, recently known as that one brave genius!

She chuckled cheerfully after waving him goodbye, and so he was left again all alone in that solitary aura that defined his reputation.

Something was different this time, something he couldn't explain, he leaned on the chair looking up at the celling staring at nothing in particular and said to himself:

-Waw, just…waw. This girl was everything I needed get myself up from that sad phase of life. Come to think of it, I wasted a lot of time dwelling in my own misery, all that time wasted for nothing…when I could have put it to Oh way many better objectives. Sad thought I admit, but at the end it is or most likely it was just a thought, and nothing else.

He couldn't help restraining a grin that covered his face, because something strange, a feeling he never felt before possessed his entire being, what was the name, he tried to remember.

-I believe this is what people call confidence. Hmph

Closing his eyes as if visualizing the words.

-WHAT THIS POWER IS, I CANNOT SAY, ALL THAT I KNOW IS THAT IT EXISTS,..and its chanting continuously two words that this time, I know will guide my life on the right path : Brave and Genius.

Suddenly just as he was about to burst into a laugh amused by his own confidence. A tall frame covered with a suit to match his posicion as a school teacher, he walked into the classroom surveying the area to check if everything was in order spotting the small figure leaning in what he would call way to relaxed pose.

-Amano? I thought I heard someone speaking, was that you young man?

Yukiteru looked over his shoulder and for the first time in his life, he wasn't afraid of the sudden appearance or the need to answer questions, quite the opposite actually.

-Hmm? No, I didn't heard anything, must have been your imagination, Mr. Hiyama. Quite convenient that you arrived, I just finished my assignment, if you were to be so kind as to check it.

And with those words he casually rose up, picked the paper politely but with a sarcastic smirk on his face. The teacher saw that, but decided to ignore it, he also knew about Yukiteru's condition, and thought reactions like these would be unavoidable. After looking over the assignment for a few moment, his eyes rested on the answer he gave to the last question, and asked with a sense of mock in his voice.

-So you actually want to become, a brave genius? he couldn't keep a chuckle from escaping.

The young boy, looked at him in the exact way he handed the paper, only this time, he replied in a more authoritative than his usual character voice, almost as if he was demanding to be taken serious, also, there was something in his eyes, something that was to intense for even the teacher to ignore, almost like, fire?

-You see, Mr. Hiyama here we find ourselves in small conflict. You were wrong, I don't want to become one, that statement is open to the possibility of failure, which is something I cannot accept. This time, I'm fighting to become someone real, but allow me to eliminate any sense of doubt I'm not fighting because I want to become that person.I'm fighting because I HAVE TO BE THAT PERSON. If not for myself, then for the one who believes in me, the only one who did, and the only one who I need to.

And with that, he left the once mocking teacher, petrified at the boy's statement, having a hard time believing this determined character was once the same solitary soul.

Not waiting for his reaction, young Yukiteru turned to leave, waving right above his head two fingers in a sarcastic goodbye to his teacher, replying instead of a normal salute:

-And if this assignment doesn't brighten up my grades, rest assure, right from tomorrow everyone will see an Oh so joyful improvement in both my marks and my attitude. I'm supposed to be a genius after all….

On the way home, he never felt the air taste so fresh, never seen the sun shine so bright, even his steps seemed to hold a purpose, in the end he really was a new man, all thanks to that pink haired girl, Gasai Yuno, maybe that was all he needed someone to believe in him, asking for more would be an actual insult to this divine inspiration. He looked at his hands, paused his walking and closed his eyes to visualize yet again how own words.

-In my hands the means, in my heart the will.

He opened his eyes, not able to restrain his smile that brighten up his whole face

-Simply wonderful.

After a few weeks, drastic changes could be seen in his attitude, marks, social skills, basically his whole life, to line them all up would require a little bit to much effort, fortunately one day he decided to sum up all his experiences in one phrase. A simple phrase composed of nothing but how he left and what that feeling manifested:

-Recalling back on that day I can honestly say that was the turning point. Since that day, I've lived a lie: The lie of living. My inner-self, too, was a lie. My personal history, a lie. Nothing but lies. I was sick to death of a world that couldn't be changed. But even in my lies, I somehow refused to give up in despair, she refused to give up on me…. And now, this incredible power, because that's the only way I can name this change, now…it's mine.

Grinning in confidence trying effortlessly to mask his utter delight.

-Well, then…

Author's note:

And no, this is not a one-shot, I plan to continue this story following the anime entirely, however, completely ignoring old Yukiteru and focusing on developing my own version, just to create a plot very few could imagine. Believe me, what I have in stored has everything an avid reader would want, humour, reasoning, strategic planning, a bit of horror mixed with the same amount of romance, fictional events maybe to stretched for my own mental health. And so… so much more.

I do require one thing though, one review that will simply say something like ''Me, Like, Another!'' (and perhaps if it's not too much of a bother a mark from 1 to 10 on how good the story war, that, and my writing skills. Not to worry, I honestly don't care if it's 1 or 0,0001, I just need to know if it's worth continuing).

Until then dear reader I bow down respect waving my stylish hat in a mysterious:

" Oh, stay tuned, this show Will go on!