A/N: Hey everybody! So, this is going to be my first Yu-Gi-Oh mutli-chapter fic that I keep up here. I really hope it does well!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh Characters, but I own the story, so please don't use it!
Warnings: I've decided to not warn you about anything, because this is my story and I don't see a reason for me to warn you about my writing.
A/N: I titled this song "New Soul" after the song of the same name by Yael Naim. It's awesome, and I highly recommend it! Plus it fits Ryou very well.
New Soul
The day Ryou's mom left was terrible. It wasn't raining, but Ryou has always thought it should have been. Instead the sun was out. The weather acted as if it were any other summer day, when really it was the end of Ryou's life. Or it had felt like that at the time.
That day was the first day he had ever touched a camera. Through the tears that clouded his little seven-year old brown eyes he saw a hard black camera case on the bureau. He walked over and touched the cold box with trembling hands. He undid the latches and lifted the lid. The camera itself wasn't anything special. It was old, from at least 1960. It had belonged to Ryou's Grandmother, and neither of his parents ever got any use out of it.
Ryou could barely lift the camera up to his little face, but when he finally pushed the button he felt amazed. It felt as though the camera was picking up his life for him and only showing him what he wanted to see.
As fast as his legs would carry him, Ryou ran to the front door and looked at his parents hugging for the last time. Without wasting time he snapped the photo. There, he thought. Instead of his parents seperating forever, it only looked like they were saying goodbye before Daddy went on one of his digs.
Ryou decided that this was where he was supposed to be. Behind a camera, taking pictures only of the parts of life he wanted to see. He'd never have to deal with anything sad unless it somehow snuck into his shot.
Ryou's father walked past him and ruffled his long white hair. He turned his head so his son wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. Ryou swallowed a lump in his throat and watched his mother's taxi pull down the street and turn.
Yeah, not seeing the bad stuff would be a good change.
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Three years later, when Ryou was ten, he got the news that his mom was dead. She'd been in a terrible accident with her new husband and neither one had made it.
The only picture of her funeral was a bundle of flowers with a ribbon that had gold letters spelling out "Mother" floating in the breeze.
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"It's time to go, Ryou. Take one last picture and then get in the car."
Ryou nodded without really hearing what his dad was saying. Focusing his camera, he managed to fit just enough of the Maple tree in the shot that if he tilted his head just a bit to the side-
There. Perfect shot.
Or, perfect enough rather. The tree looked overwhelmed by the sunlight shining through it's branches, but not so much that it was unnoticable. Just enough that it was admirable for standing up to the rays beating down on it.
"Ryou, seriously. These movers haven't got all day." Sixteen-year-old Ryou Shiozu blinked his doe brown eyes and turned to see his dad shouting out the window of their Station Wagon at him. He sighed and took one last, short look at his childhood home. Then he ran to the passenger door and climbed in next to his father.
"Sorry, Dad." He said. Then they pulled out of the driveway and down the same street his mom's taxi had gone so many years ago.
"It's alright. I didn't mean to rush you it's just... you know...scheduled, and everything." Ryou nodded absently at his father's attempt at a conversation.
The only reason the man was even trying was because he knew Ryou wanted to be back in his darkroom in the basement, not moving to a different town in a different state where he'll have to get used to a whole new way of life.
Ryou put his camera away and put his iPod speakers in his ears, drowing out reality in a way that didn't invlove a lense.
As Ryou watched the scenery pass by out the window, he slowly realized that he didn't recognize a single tree or building or street they drove past. It was then that reality hit him and he knew he'd never see that old Maple tree again.
"We're here." Ryou looked through the windsheild at his father's words. There in front of them was a giant house. There were eleven windows on the front of the house alone. There was so much house that there was barely any yard, and the two front doors could probably have eaten the entirety of his old house had they wanted to.
"Dad, how are we affording this?" Ryou asked. His dad didn't say anything, but shrugged instead and got out of the car. Ryou followed his example and got out, unplugged his headphones and walked up to his new house.
He had to hold back a shudder. It was so impersonal, too big for just a father and his son. Ryou didn't even bother getting out his camera. There wasn't anything to photograph yet.
It took the whole afternoon, but eventually all the boxes and furniture from the moving trucks made it into the house. Around dinner time, Ryou eated up some Pizza Rolls in the microwave, reading his Physics book for school tomorrow. He was exceptionally bright and made it into all the Honors courses, but he wasn't exactly up to date with what the other students had learned so far. So he was planning on spending his night reading about it in his room.
He hated his new room, too. It was the smallest room in the house, but it was still huge. There was a bed in there he'd never seen before and dressers and a desk and a vanity and honestly it scared him. Where was his father getting the money for all of this?
Think of the devil. Ryou's dad walked into the kitchen and headed straight for the refrigorator, ignoring Ryou standing on the other side of the room at the microwave. Ryou decided now would be a good time to get some answers.
Usually he avoided all conversation with his father, on account of they had nothing to talk about. But this was important.
"Hey, dad?" He started. His dad jerked, smacking his head off the refrigerator in surprise. Ryou flinched at the sound, but continued as if it hadn't happened. "How are you affording this house?"
Mr. Shiozu sighed and put his hands down on the island counter seperating him from his son. He leaned all his weight on them and looked down at the granite. Ryou waiting patiently, ignoring the ringing of the timer on the microwave when his dinner was ready.
Finally, his dad sighed and said, "This isn't easy for me to do, son."
Ryou was immediately on his guard. His father had never spoken to him with such care before, such honesty. Ryou didn't know how he felt about the change.
"Just tell me, dad." The man sighed and tugged on his black ponytail.
"I'm leaving." Ryou blinked in the silence that followed.
"Like to the store?" He asked. His dad shook his head.
"More like, to Egypt." Ryou's doe eyes widened and Mr. Shiozu licked his lips before continuing. "That's where the money is coming from. I'm going to be leaving you here by yourself while I'll be on a dig with my old crew. I wanted to make sure you had a functional, stable place to stay while-"
"So you picked here? In this massive, castle that I've already gotten lost in?" Ryou walked up to the counter and angrily stared at his father.
"I chose the best school district where you'll have the chance to become something great in two years when you graduate. And yes, this castle, was necessary because this particular area has the best record for students making it to Ivy League."
"Dad, you know I don't want to go to an Ivy Leage school." The argument would have continued if Ryou hadn't caught on to what his dad was saying. "Wait... why are you setting me up for college already? How long is this dig?"
Mr. Shiozu didn't say anything. Ryou took that to mean a very long time.
"When will you be back?" He asked. His dad didn't look him in the eye. Ryou stepped back from the counter and pulled the sleeves of his black hoodie down over his hands. He wasn't very hungry anymore. Choking back the tears he looked at the man who had been there his entire life. The only constant he'd really had other than his house and his camera. "When do you leave?"
Mr. Shiozu straightened up as well and looked at the door of the kitchen, obviously wishing to drop the conversation without answering. But he knew he'd have to and that it would probably end worse than he'd ever imagined.
"Tomorrow. While you're at school."
"Well, then..." Ryou walked out the door, freezing at the door frame for the final words he'd say to his father. "Good bye, dad."
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So... this is my new story. :) It's not going to be great, I'll admit. It's defnitiely the most depressing beginning I've ever written, but it should be decent. Please review and tell me what you think!! I'm pretty excited, honestly, because I love Ryou so much!
Thanks!
Yobster