This is a fic, in Shizuka's POV. I'm not too sure how accurate it'll end up
being but, with the knowledge I have I'll do my best. ^^
Personally, I think often Shizuku is an overlooked character. As far as I've seen, the only fics with her as a main character ends up being some love story, where she falls in love with Seito, or Honda. (That's only what I have seen, though. If anyone knows some good fics with her - preferably not a romance story, -_- I'd love to know. Thanks. ^^)
You know I actually started writing this a few months ago. It was saved on a floppy disk, but then the disk drive on my computer broke, so I couldn't access it. I saved this disk, though. Now that I've got a new computer, I just put in this disk and. "Hey, look what I found! I remember writing this!" Then I just finished the chapter, edited it, and there we go! ^^ Well, anyway, I hope you all like it. ^^
Disclaimer: Hey, Mr/Ms/Mrs. Lawyer people, I don't want any trouble and you know as well as I do that I don't own anything.
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I squinted at the letter in my hands. I bent my head low over it, trying to read the return address so I would know who it was from. Some of my long brown hair fell from behind my ears, but I didn't notice as I continued to stare unblinkingly at the letter. I gave up with a sigh, the writing was just too small. I've always had difficulty seeing things that most other people can see, because I am visually impaired; but it is a lot worse now than it was when I was younger.
Once, before my mother and father split up, my big brother Jou took me to the beach. We were there most of the day... We chased each other in bare feet across the soft sand and swam in the cool ocean water, splashing each other. It was one of the greatest days of my life.
Even when the sun was setting the beech was a magnificent sight. The water almost an orange color, sparkling and shimmering, all because of the way the sun shone upon it. It was like a dream come true, and time seemed to stop for me while we were there. Then while we sat together building a sand- castle, Jou promised that he would take me again someday.
But then our parents split up... While Father was still at work, and Jou still at school Mother took me by the hand, and told me to get in the car. I complied, and watched in amazement as she brought box after box from the house to the car.
"Okaa-san? What are you doing? What are the boxes for?" I asked curiously, as I turned in my seat to face my Mother.
She looked at me, staring at me, as if unsure of what to say. "We're going away, Shizuka." Her answer was stern, and she appeared calm, however, I saw the way she avoided eye contact with me and the haunted look of fear in her eyes.
My Mother got in the car, turned on the engine, and we started backing out of the driveway. "Okaa-san, what about Onii-san? And Otou-san? Are we going to pick them up?"
She put her foot on the break, stopping the car halfway out the drive-way. She stared out the windshield unblinking and sighed. "Shizuka, the two of us are leaving. We're not coming back... Jou and your Otou-san are staying here."
I looked at at my watch and saw that it was 4:24pm. That was around when Jou usually came home. As my mother put her foot on the gas petal again, and we started down the street, I turned in my seat, hoping to get a glimpse of my brother. Sure enough, he was there. He was chasing after us, his hand outstretched towards the car. Franticly, I cried out to him but to no avail. He stumbled, and tripped, falling face first into the pavement.
That was the last time I saw my big brother. We send letters to each other once in awhile... but it's not enough to fill my lonely heart. I want to see, and hear my brother. I want to touch him, to be physically near him. I love him, and I miss him terribly.
But now it might be too late to see him. The doctors have told me it won't be long before I lose what little sight I have left. There is, of course, an operation I could get. It would not only prevent me from going blind, but restore my vision to 20/20. It's too expensive though... my mother can not afford it.
I made a video tape for Jou, and sent that to him. If I won't be able to see him again, then at least he'll be able to see me. I told him it's too late, and I know he'll understand. I just hope he doesn't do anything irrational... knowing him he'll try to come up with some elaborate scheme to save my vision. That's just like Jou... He's got such a big heart. I may have given up, but he never will.
Carefully opening the envelop, I took out the letter, and was met with mild surprise. The letter was written in large font! I smiled to myself knowingly. It was from Jou. He was the only one who ever really cared and understood about my visual impairment. He was the only one who would write things out big for me so I could read them.
Sitting down at the kitchen table, I grinned. Jou used to either read everything to me, or right re-write it in large font, but since my parents split up, I'd been forced to use my CCTV to do any reading (unless, of course, it was a letter from Jou.) Having to use that machine can get quite tiring. Sure, it is helpful and I certainly wouldn't be able to live without it. It's just that sometimes, I wish I could read like everyone else. That's why this letter made me feel so much better.
Looking down at the letter I read:
Dear, Shizuka.
I did get you're tape. And at first I didn't know what to do... We all knew it would happen someday, but when the news did come, I was in shock. I don't want you to go blind, sis. And you're not going to!
Don't you worry; I've got it all under control! Did you hear about Duellist Kingdom, by any chance? It was this Duel Monster's tournament held not too long ago by, Pegasus. J. Crawford, the creator of Duel Monsters (and if I might add a royal jerk!) It was a real tight tournament, only the best duellists from around the world got invited. The prize was three million dollars, and the grand title 'King of Games'.
My friend, Yugi, was invited to the tournament, and he helped me get in as well. I won't bore you with the details of how I did it but... I came in second place! Made it all the way to the finals but then I had to face Yugi. We both had real good causes we were fighting for. I was trying to when the prize money, to pay for your operation; and Yugi was trying to save his grandfather's soul. After Yugi beat me, he went on to face that stupid, over dressed prima-Dona of a duellist, Pegasus. Yugi won, of course. But even though he did, he gave me the prize money. All he cared about was saving his grandfather's soul, not the money, and he knew how important saving your eye-sight is to me.
So now, you can have your operation and you won't go blind! I'm sending the check, straight to the hospital... the sooner it's there the sooner you can have your operation. Aren't I the greatest?
Love you always,
Jou.
P.S. Remember that time we went to the beach? I'm still keeping my promise... One day we'll go there again.
I looked up from the letter, after I finished reading it, amazed. I had heard of the Duellist Kingdom. I'd been listening to the news one day before the tournament actually started, and they had a segment on it.
I hadn't even known that Jou was playing Duel Monsters, let alone entering in some huge tournament. And to think he came in second place in the finals!
I knew he would probably try to find some why to save me from going blind, but to be honest I'd never actually thought he'd find a way that would work. For some reason, I'd thought he would try and set up a lemonade stand or something. I should have had more faith in my big Brother.
Knowing that I won't go blind, knowing that one day, in the near future I'll be able to see what everyone else sees, is something I've hoped for since I was very little, but never something I actually believed could happen. But no more, will I have to worry about whether or not I'll see my Onii-Chan again. I guess, it's a bit strange - Jou was the one person, I would have missed seeing most, and yet he was the one who fixed everything.
Without him, I'd be blind soon. "Thank you, big brother. I love you."
******************
So. What do you guys think? Good, bad. or possibly even the worst thing you've ever read? ^^;;
Personally, I think often Shizuku is an overlooked character. As far as I've seen, the only fics with her as a main character ends up being some love story, where she falls in love with Seito, or Honda. (That's only what I have seen, though. If anyone knows some good fics with her - preferably not a romance story, -_- I'd love to know. Thanks. ^^)
You know I actually started writing this a few months ago. It was saved on a floppy disk, but then the disk drive on my computer broke, so I couldn't access it. I saved this disk, though. Now that I've got a new computer, I just put in this disk and. "Hey, look what I found! I remember writing this!" Then I just finished the chapter, edited it, and there we go! ^^ Well, anyway, I hope you all like it. ^^
Disclaimer: Hey, Mr/Ms/Mrs. Lawyer people, I don't want any trouble and you know as well as I do that I don't own anything.
*****************
I squinted at the letter in my hands. I bent my head low over it, trying to read the return address so I would know who it was from. Some of my long brown hair fell from behind my ears, but I didn't notice as I continued to stare unblinkingly at the letter. I gave up with a sigh, the writing was just too small. I've always had difficulty seeing things that most other people can see, because I am visually impaired; but it is a lot worse now than it was when I was younger.
Once, before my mother and father split up, my big brother Jou took me to the beach. We were there most of the day... We chased each other in bare feet across the soft sand and swam in the cool ocean water, splashing each other. It was one of the greatest days of my life.
Even when the sun was setting the beech was a magnificent sight. The water almost an orange color, sparkling and shimmering, all because of the way the sun shone upon it. It was like a dream come true, and time seemed to stop for me while we were there. Then while we sat together building a sand- castle, Jou promised that he would take me again someday.
But then our parents split up... While Father was still at work, and Jou still at school Mother took me by the hand, and told me to get in the car. I complied, and watched in amazement as she brought box after box from the house to the car.
"Okaa-san? What are you doing? What are the boxes for?" I asked curiously, as I turned in my seat to face my Mother.
She looked at me, staring at me, as if unsure of what to say. "We're going away, Shizuka." Her answer was stern, and she appeared calm, however, I saw the way she avoided eye contact with me and the haunted look of fear in her eyes.
My Mother got in the car, turned on the engine, and we started backing out of the driveway. "Okaa-san, what about Onii-san? And Otou-san? Are we going to pick them up?"
She put her foot on the break, stopping the car halfway out the drive-way. She stared out the windshield unblinking and sighed. "Shizuka, the two of us are leaving. We're not coming back... Jou and your Otou-san are staying here."
I looked at at my watch and saw that it was 4:24pm. That was around when Jou usually came home. As my mother put her foot on the gas petal again, and we started down the street, I turned in my seat, hoping to get a glimpse of my brother. Sure enough, he was there. He was chasing after us, his hand outstretched towards the car. Franticly, I cried out to him but to no avail. He stumbled, and tripped, falling face first into the pavement.
That was the last time I saw my big brother. We send letters to each other once in awhile... but it's not enough to fill my lonely heart. I want to see, and hear my brother. I want to touch him, to be physically near him. I love him, and I miss him terribly.
But now it might be too late to see him. The doctors have told me it won't be long before I lose what little sight I have left. There is, of course, an operation I could get. It would not only prevent me from going blind, but restore my vision to 20/20. It's too expensive though... my mother can not afford it.
I made a video tape for Jou, and sent that to him. If I won't be able to see him again, then at least he'll be able to see me. I told him it's too late, and I know he'll understand. I just hope he doesn't do anything irrational... knowing him he'll try to come up with some elaborate scheme to save my vision. That's just like Jou... He's got such a big heart. I may have given up, but he never will.
Carefully opening the envelop, I took out the letter, and was met with mild surprise. The letter was written in large font! I smiled to myself knowingly. It was from Jou. He was the only one who ever really cared and understood about my visual impairment. He was the only one who would write things out big for me so I could read them.
Sitting down at the kitchen table, I grinned. Jou used to either read everything to me, or right re-write it in large font, but since my parents split up, I'd been forced to use my CCTV to do any reading (unless, of course, it was a letter from Jou.) Having to use that machine can get quite tiring. Sure, it is helpful and I certainly wouldn't be able to live without it. It's just that sometimes, I wish I could read like everyone else. That's why this letter made me feel so much better.
Looking down at the letter I read:
Dear, Shizuka.
I did get you're tape. And at first I didn't know what to do... We all knew it would happen someday, but when the news did come, I was in shock. I don't want you to go blind, sis. And you're not going to!
Don't you worry; I've got it all under control! Did you hear about Duellist Kingdom, by any chance? It was this Duel Monster's tournament held not too long ago by, Pegasus. J. Crawford, the creator of Duel Monsters (and if I might add a royal jerk!) It was a real tight tournament, only the best duellists from around the world got invited. The prize was three million dollars, and the grand title 'King of Games'.
My friend, Yugi, was invited to the tournament, and he helped me get in as well. I won't bore you with the details of how I did it but... I came in second place! Made it all the way to the finals but then I had to face Yugi. We both had real good causes we were fighting for. I was trying to when the prize money, to pay for your operation; and Yugi was trying to save his grandfather's soul. After Yugi beat me, he went on to face that stupid, over dressed prima-Dona of a duellist, Pegasus. Yugi won, of course. But even though he did, he gave me the prize money. All he cared about was saving his grandfather's soul, not the money, and he knew how important saving your eye-sight is to me.
So now, you can have your operation and you won't go blind! I'm sending the check, straight to the hospital... the sooner it's there the sooner you can have your operation. Aren't I the greatest?
Love you always,
Jou.
P.S. Remember that time we went to the beach? I'm still keeping my promise... One day we'll go there again.
I looked up from the letter, after I finished reading it, amazed. I had heard of the Duellist Kingdom. I'd been listening to the news one day before the tournament actually started, and they had a segment on it.
I hadn't even known that Jou was playing Duel Monsters, let alone entering in some huge tournament. And to think he came in second place in the finals!
I knew he would probably try to find some why to save me from going blind, but to be honest I'd never actually thought he'd find a way that would work. For some reason, I'd thought he would try and set up a lemonade stand or something. I should have had more faith in my big Brother.
Knowing that I won't go blind, knowing that one day, in the near future I'll be able to see what everyone else sees, is something I've hoped for since I was very little, but never something I actually believed could happen. But no more, will I have to worry about whether or not I'll see my Onii-Chan again. I guess, it's a bit strange - Jou was the one person, I would have missed seeing most, and yet he was the one who fixed everything.
Without him, I'd be blind soon. "Thank you, big brother. I love you."
******************
So. What do you guys think? Good, bad. or possibly even the worst thing you've ever read? ^^;;