Hey everybody, T-Fox here. Yeah, new fic, I have too many, yada yada yada, but hey, who's REALLY complaining huh?
Yeah, so this fic is an AU, so hope you all enjoy it. Japanese names, and the boys have never met.
Don't own Digimon, and I'm not going to bother warning you about the slash. Oops, guess I just did. Whatever, happy reading!
Things do not change; we change.
-Henry David Thoreau
"You what?" the woman with white-blonde hair yelled at the young boy sitting in the arm chair across from her.
"I got kicked out of the school." Yamato shrugged nonchalantly. Clarice, Yamato's stepmother, went on another rant about how this was the third school he had been expelled from in one year and how he was impossible to deal with. Frankly, Yamato couldn't care less about what she thought. After all, he never really thought of her as a mother, much less a stepmother. His mother was someone he could trust, someone who wasn't so snobby and pushy about the way Yamato acted.
'Basically my mother isn't a bitch.' Yamato thought grudgingly as Clarice kept prattling on. If it had been his choice, his father would still be single, just like it was when he was a child. It had always just been the two of them after his parents divorced, a team, in a sense. But right after his 11th birthday, his father began to think differently. Hiroaki Ishida had started going out and meeting new women. Naturally, Yamato thought it was pointless because they had learned a while ago they didn't need a woman. Not to say that Yamato was against his parents getting back together. He loved his mother equally as much as his father; or rather, he did. Then, that one fateful day, Hiroaki met Clarice at a formal ball. Somehow, they had fallen 'in love' and got married the summer of Yamato's 12th birthday.
So, because of Hiroaki's foolish, in Yamato's opinion at least, mistake, he was now stuck with this nightmare woman who would punish Yamato to no end. It was just as her ranting seized that Hiroaki walked into the front room.
"What exactly is the problem here?" Hiroaki asked the pair. He had somewhat suspected there was dislike amongst the two of them, but he merely assumed that it was because of Yamato. As the years progressed and the golden-blond boy entered his teenage years, he became a tad…rowdy. He had rebelled against the idea of having a stepmother from the very beginning.
"The third school, Hiroaki! The little snot has been expelled from the third school this year," Clarice spat out and shoved the note from Yamato's principal into his hand. Hiroaki briefly read the paper and returned his gaze to his son.
"Is this true, Yamato?" he questioned, indicating the paper.
"Damn straight," Yamato answered, not bothering to regret the words.
"You are so ungrateful. Be happy you're even living with us instead of shipped off to the boonies with your mother," Clarice said, regarding the word mother as if it were foul. Yamato clenched his fists together. First of all, his mother wasn't a bad person and secondly, she didn't live in the 'boonies' either.
'Just because it's not New York doesn't make it the boonies. Jeeze.' He shook his head involuntarily.
"Clarice, that's enough. Although Yamato, New York will eventually run out of schools for you to go to," Hiroaki said in attempt to please them both.
Yamato stared at his father blankly for a short time before shrugging and bluntly replying with, "Who cares?"
Hiroaki sighed and rubbed his temples. "Yamato, stop being negative about everything I have to say."
"Why not? You made me like this," Yamato responded with a smirk. His father gritted his teeth, slowly loosing his temper. Yamato chose to continue. "Although, I suppose you wouldn't notice. You've become too preoccupied being Clarice's lapdog." That was the final snap. Hiroaki's eyes widened and he emitted a low growl.
"Go to your room. We'll discuss what we're going to do with you down here," he said and pointed towards the stairs.
"Whatever." Yamato bolted up the stairs, only pausing to stop and listen to a few words being yelled by the she-devil. He walked into his room and slammed the door. He slid down to the floor behind it, trying to decide if he would rather scream at the top of his lungs or burst into tears. He knew he was in major trouble for this one. This was the third school he had gotten expelled from. His father wasn't happy the first two times it happened. But it didn't seem to matter much to Yamato, mainly because it was just school. No big deal.
It wasn't that he was stupid by any means; it was more like he refused to apply himself. As soon as Clarice moved in and his father began dedicating himself to their relationship, Yamato decided that he didn't need to bother trying anymore.
"But by no means are they going to intimidate me," the blond said to himself and rose to his feet, stealthily sneaking over to his window. Quietly, he unlatched the lock and opened the window, stepping out onto the patch of roof that was sticking out from above the first floor. He carefully crawled to his right to the tool shed, hopped onto the roof of it, and then jumped to the ground, landing on all fours, much like a cat would. He ran off down the street, knowing that this he was going to regret, but not really caring about the consequences.
He never thought about the consequences of anything really. Such as when his first expulsion came from making plans for an atomic bomb. It didn't really mean anything and it wasn't supposed to be a bomb anyway! But would his teacher and principal believe him? Of course not. In his mind, it was just a bunch of harmless scribbles that when put together formed a bomb. Ironic if you think about it. His second expulsion wasn't really an expulsion at all. He had chosen to drop out. But it had been almost two months before his father realized that he had been missing school and the school wouldn't let him back in. And so came the third school, which he was now expelled from for multiple riots.
"Can't people just calm down and stop being so flippin' uptight about everything? Seriously, I worry that one day the world will be so focused on rules and doing things 'the right way' that it'll spin off its axis right into the sun!" Yamato shoved his hands in his pockets and wandered around the neighboring park. He then realized he had nowhere to really go.
"Maybe this is why I should have friends. Somebody to help me escape my family," the young boy spoke wistfully as he spun on his heel, heading back in the direction he had come from. Following his path back onto the top of the tool shed and onto the roof, he slid back through his window and snapped it shut.
"Good, made it," he whispered quietly.
"And where have you been?" Yamato whirled around and came eye-to-eye with Clarice.
"None of your business," he shot back. She reached out and slapped him on impulse.
"Your father and I have been worried about you," she replied angrily.
"Correction, my father has," Yamato retorted, watching as the color rose to her face.
"Your father has what?" Hiroaki interjected as he also appeared in the doorway.
"Nothing," Yamato answered as he rolled his eyes.
"Where have you been Yamato? We've been looking all over for you," Hiroaki pointed out.
"I wasn't even gone that long," Yamato replied as he tried to walk away. Hiroaki grabbed him by the waist and held him back.
"Oh no, you're not getting away that easily," Hiroaki said hastily. Yamato grunted and squirmed to get away from his father.
"Sit down," Hiroaki commanded, pointing at Yamato's bed. His son obeyed quickly and silently.
"Have you decided what you're doing with me? Just enroll me in another school?" Yamato asked his father, sighing in relief as Clarice left the room.
"Yes and yes. You are being enrolled into another school," Hiroaki answered calmly.
"Where's this one? Lots of miles out of the city?" the boy joked with closed eyes, lying on his back with his arms behind his head. Clarice soon destroyed the relaxed aura as she came back and tossed something rather heavy onto his stomach. Blue eyes snapped open and an eyebrow rose up.
"A suitcase?" He examined the black box, hoping for an explanation. Hiroaki nodded.
"You'll need it," Clarice added.
"Why?" the teen asked suspiciously.
"Yamato, we've decided that you can no longer stay here. We can't figure out what to do about your behavior lately," Hiroaki started off. Yamato's face slowly became covered with a grin.
"So, I'm going to live with Mom?" he guessed, feeling more joyous then ever.
"No." Clarice deflated his happiness bubble. Yamato's grin faded slowly.
"So then, what's going on?" Yamato prodded them.
"We've enrolled you in a private boarding school," Hiroaki explained to his son.
"A boarding school? Why?" The blond suddenly sat upright.
"Because we feel it's what's best for you. Hopefully it will help your behavior and attitude change," Hiroaki replied.
"So that's it. You're just sending me away without trying." The blond jumped to his feet in defense.
"We have tried. Three times. I can't control you anymore. Hopefully someone else will be able to succeed more then I have."
"All right. So how far is this boarding school?" Yamato asked.
"Japan." The answer was too simple, at first Yamato thought of it as a joke. So, like with any joke, he began to laugh.
"Great, Dad, you actually had me going there for a few. But no really, where are you sending me?" Yamato asked.
"Japan." Hiroaki repeated. Yamato's jaw dropped.
"You're seriously sending me to Japan?" Yamato yelled in shock once he realized the reality of his situation.
"That we are," Hiroaki replied as he handed over a brochure to his son. Yamato read the front page briefly.
"Odaiba Academy?" he whispered to himself. Shaking his head, he tossed the packet down and looked back at his father.
"Why Japan?"
"Because the Japanese are seemingly stricter with their students then Americans are. You need to be under more reigns and discipline. The school was said to be perfect for boys like you who needed…refinement, if you will," Clarice said, a small mocking tone making its way present in her voice. Yamato glared in response.
"You're flight leaves tomorrow. I suggest you start packing now." Hiroaki nodded briefly and left the room. Clarice followed closely behind. She suddenly turned around and smirked at the teenager.
"At last, we can finally get rid of you, you ungrateful little brat. Hope you enjoy Japan!" she said and closed the door behind her. Yamato stared at the door and growled.
"Stupid Japan," he muttered to himself and packed up everything he owned. Most of his shirts and jeans, a pair of black running shoes, all the boxers and boxer-briefs he could find, a few pairs of jogging pants, some pajama pants, socks, and of course, his favorite pillow all went into one suitcase and those were just the clothes. Yamato spent most of his evening packing every little thing he owned into some suitcase to take with him. Nothing would be left behind in the country of evil; or it could just have been that Yamato was possessive of everything he ever owned. Either way, he had packed up everything in his entire room, save for his bed, dresser, desk, computer, chair, and trashcan. With that taken care of, he crawled into his own bed one last time.
"He finally gave up on me. I never thought he would…but he did," Yamato spoke into the darkness quietly and closed his eyes, not planning to open them again until the sun shone once more.
The next morning, Yamato was awoken bright and early by his father.
"Up and at 'em Yamato. We need to get you to the airport in an hour," Hiroaki said as he opened the blinds and stole the blankets away from his son. Yamato groaned and rolled onto his other side.
"I'm serious, Yamato, get up." Hiroaki dragged the boy out of bed. Yamato opened his eyes and struggled from his father's grasp.
"I'm going, I'm going. Calm down," Yamato grumbled and dragged himself into the bathroom. He went through his usual morning routine, dressed, and packed the last few things in his bags. He threw everything down the stairs and waited for his father to put them in the car. Meanwhile, he watched Clarice prepare breakfast for his father and herself.
"Well, Brat, is your father ready to dispose of you yet?" she asked him.
"He should be finishing loading the car soon," Yamato gritted through his teeth. He hated being called a brat and he hated it even more that his father allowed it to happen. Thankfully, Hiroaki walked in before Clarice could shoot any more insults at him.
"Ready to go?" Hiroaki asked him. Yamato nodded quickly and started to walk out of the kitchen.
"Say goodbye first, Yamato," his father whispered into his ear.
"Goodbye first, Yamato," he snickered to himself. His father shook his head at his display of immaturity and swatted him behind the head lightly.
"Correctly, please," he hissed. Yamato sighed and rolled his eyes.
'She's got him to the point he can't even take a joke anymore. Fun-Nazi!' His mind screamed as he turned towards Clarice, trying to erase any signs of malice written on his face.
"Goodbye, Clarice," he said in a dull tone. Clarice didn't reply and waved him off. Yamato shrugged and got into the car. Hiroaki followed and drove away from their house. They drove in silence to the airport. They unloaded all of Yamato's stuff and sent it into luggage storage. They walked to the gate and stood in more silence.
"This is for the best, Yamato. You understand right?" Hiroaki asked. Yamato nodded and sighed.
"I understand, Dad," Yamato replied. Of course, he didn't really understand what the best actually was. It most certainly wasn't the best for himself. Maybe it was the best for his father. Whatever the reasoning was, he played along with it.
"You'll be able to come home when you have changed. It'll come in good time," Hiroaki continued
"Dad, is there something you're not telling me about this school?" Yamato asked, suddenly becoming suspicious.
"It's for the best, Yamato. See you when you can come home." His father brushed around the question and hugged his son.
"But Dad-" Yamato started to say.
"I'm doing this because I love you, Yamato," Hiroaki said as he turned and left the gate, leaving Yamato alone. The instant Hiroaki left Yamato's side, he felt that familiar feeling of betrayal and emptiness; a feeling he should have been used to by now or so he told himself.
"I…yeah," he whispered at the retreating back of his father. Deep down, he knew he still loved his father. He didn't understand why things had to suddenly change and throw his whole world off balance. It just didn't make sense to him. Then again, nothing made sense to him anymore. He never knew what he was feeling or thinking. Yamato sighed and boarded the plane. He sat in his seat and pulled out his Discman.
"Maybe this is for the best," Yamato said to himself as he turned the CD player on and slipped into his own little dream world.
Yamato opened his eyes as soon as he felt the plane start to descend from the air. He took off his headphones and put everything into his carry-on. As soon as the plane landed, he got off and went to baggage claim. He collected his luggage from the carousel and walked out of the airport. He spotted a limousine not too far away, the driver standing outside of it. He looked up, saw Yamato, and motioned for him to come to him. Yamato tilted his head to the side curiously. The driver motioned to him once more. This time, Yamato obliged.
"Ishida Yamato?" the driver asked him.
"Yamato Ishida." Yamato corrected the older man.
"Ah, in Japan, it's backwards, surname goes first," the older man replied cheerfully as he tucked a strand of his chin-length light brown hair behind his ear.
"Oh. Well than, yes, that's me. Do I know you?" Yamato asked.
"I was told you'd be arriving from America today to attend the academy," was the response given as the driver began loading Yamato's bags into the trunk of the limousine.
"That's right," Yamato replied. The driver nodded and opened the door, ushering Yamato inside. The driver got in as well and they took off away from the airport.
"So, you're just the driver?" Yamato asked the man sitting in front of him.
"That's correct. The name's Akira," he introduced himself, ice-blue eyes reflecting an inner child-like soul.
"Nice to meet you," Yamato said, peering out the window as they sped along the streets of Odaiba and out into the more rural area.
"First time in Japan, I assume?" Akira asked.
"Yeah, never been out of the US before," Yamato said in awe, watching the landscape change before his eyes.
"You'll enjoy it, I can guarantee it," Akira chuckled as he drove into a gate-like entrance. They pulled up in front of a large white marble building, at least 5 stories tall.
"Wow…" Yamato breathed quietly, obviously impressed.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Akira turned off the engine and stepped out, heading for the back to help Yamato with his bags.
"Yes. Very," Yamato replied as he got out of the car. Akira dropped the last of Yamato's four bags on the ground, slamming the trunk loudly. He started to pick up two of the slightly larger bags, but Yamato shook his head and grabbed them from him instead.
"Are you sure you don't want help with those?" Akira questioned, allowing the boy to do as he pleased.
"No, I got it. You've been plenty helpful just by getting me here." Yamato nodded politely and slung his backpack over his shoulder. Akira nodded in return and grinned at the blond. Pointing to the main doors, Akira began giving out directions.
"Now, go to the front office, just inside the door. Somebody there will most definitely help get you squared away and help with your luggage and such."
"Thanks, Akira. See you around," Yamato bid his driver goodbye and marched up the stone steps, lugging behind his two rolling suitcases, duffel bag, and backpack. He stepped inside of the building and into what he assumed was the main office. He was greeted by a girl with brunette hair behind a desk.
"May I help you?" she greeted him.
"Um, am I in the right spot?" Yamato questioned her.
"Well, that depends. What do you need?" the lady asked him.
"Well, I'm new here..." se started off.
"Oh, you must be Yamato," she said and smiled.
"Right," Yamato agreed.
"Well, then you are in the right spot," she said as she handed Yamato a large stack of papers.
"Welcome to Odaiba Academy. These are your timetables, maps, rules, and such. Classes start tomorrow. Your room number is 187, up the first flight of stairs and to your left. You have the rest of today to figure out where you're going. Dinner is at 6 pm sharp in the dining hall. That's all," the lady said to him.
"Thanks very much," Yamato replied and began to walk out of the office.
"Oh wait!" the girl called after him. Yamato stopped in his steps and turned around, seeing the girl chasing him with a bag what appeared to be dry cleaning in her hands.
"This is your uniform. They expect you to wear it during class," she explained, piling the slacks/shirt/blazer combination on top of the papers in his hands.
"Thanks again." He nodded and continued on his trek to find his room. He walked up the stairs and turned to his left. He slowly took in all of his new surroundings, everything from the candle-decorated walls to the smoky blue carpets. He looked at the brass numbers on the wall until he found room 187.
"Well, here we go," Yamato said to himself. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Cautiously, he stepped inside and looked around. One side of the room was completely bare, leaving Yamato to believe that it was his side. He walked to his bed and threw his papers, uniform, and luggage down on or around the area. It was then he got a good look at the other half of the room. His jaw slightly dropped and he raised his eyebrow. The other half was absolutely filthy. The bed unmade, clothes strewn everywhere, textbooks lying around the desk, food wrappers all over the floor and some under the bed, and a glass of…something on the bedside table. Yamato wrinkled his nose and shook his head.
"You would think people at a fancy place like this would be more, cleaner," Yamato's inner neat-freak spoke through. Suddenly the door slammed and his head snapped towards it. In bounced a boy, about his age maybe, with the largest, messiest mass of gravity-defying brunet hair ever seen by man. Behind him ran in a boy a bit younger, with spiky, shorter, mahogany hair.
"Dai, give me a few seconds to find it and we'll go," the older boy said, apparently not realizing that Yamato was in the room. His mud-colored eyes scanned his half of the room, storming through and turning things even more haphazard then they already were. He clambered under his bed and with a muffled, "Aha!" crawled out with his wallet. It was then he noticed Yamato.
"Hey, are you the new guy?" the boy asked him. Yamato looked up from his timestable and glanced at the boy.
"Yeah, and I assume you're the other guy living in here?" Yamato asked him.
"You betcha." The boy grinned cheekily. He crossed the room and stuck out his hand. "I'm Yagami Taichi, but you can call me Tai. Everybody else does," Tai introduced himself. Yamato looked at his hand, but refused it.
"Yamato Ishida, Ishida Yamato, whatever. And I prefer that you call me that," Yamato replied. Tai slightly winced at the coldness in his voice, but Yamato didn't seem to mind.
"Call you Ishida?" Tai replied, hoping to lighten the mood.
"No you twit, Yamato," Yamato grumbled to himself. Tai shook his head and brushed off the antisocial part of Yamato's personality.
"Oh, and this is Daisuke." Tai gestured to the boy behind him.
"Hey," Daisuke said as he leaned against the doorframe. Yamato glanced at the boy, but said nothing. Tai looked at Yamato again.
"So, where you from?" Tai asked in any attempt to get to know Yamato better.
"New York," Yamato said simply.
"You came from the states? That's cool," Tai replied.
"Yeah I guess. Nothing too special," Yamato retorted, hoping to end this conversation quickly. He looked up and saw Tai watching him. They locked eyes and stared at each other silently, each boy studying the other.
"Tai, can we go yet?" Daisuke asked his older friend. Tai and Yamato jerked up and broke contact.
"Oh, right. Hey Yamato, we're going downtown. Wanna come?" Tai invited him along.
"No thanks," Yamato said instantly, hoping they would take the hint and leave him alone. Tai raised an eyebrow and shrugged.
"All right dude, if you say so," Tai returned as he started towards the door. "See ya around." Tai waved and grinned one last time. Yamato simply ignored him.
"Let's just go, Tai. He obviously doesn't want us around," Daisuke said quietly, but Yamato still heard him. Tai sighed and walked away as Daisuke followed, shutting the door behind them. Yamato watched the door swing shut and looked back around the room. He thought about what had just happened, the way he pushed Tai away. Why had he done that? Tai was only trying to be friendly. Yamato sighed and closed his eyes.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" he asked himself. Of course, there was no answer.
"Maybe this place will help after all. Maybe; and maybe whatever the best is will be proven," Yamato tried to convince himself. He then turned back to his papers and started to settle into his new home, Odaiba Academy.
If you read the first version of this chapter, you'll realize I changed around a ton of things. So I hope that this chapter turned out better. I'm revising all chapters I have hoping they'll be read better. So hope you liked it!