Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Differences Don't Matter ❯ And It Begins ( Chapter 26 )

Words cannot express how sorry I am for how long this took to get out!! If it's not one thing it's another and there has been things. First I couldn't think of anything to do for this chapter and then I went to Asia for two weeks and I was too busy the whole time to actually sit down at my computer for an extended period of time and try to think of something to do. After I came back I was too busy with catching up in school and trying to understand my stupid math that we're doing right now cause it's sooooo confusing. Then I started a new job on Saturday and I've only had two days off in the week and yesterday was taken up doing a Spanish project due this Thursday. Needless to say I've been a little stressed out and more than once I stared at a blank page trying to think of something to do. I even used my breaks at work to find something to do. I truly am sorry though and I'll try not to take so long next time, but I'm not making any promises. Thank you everyone for being so patient during your extended wait

 

~~

 

Yugi jumped from the horse and ran towards the frontal trees, leaning against a large one with many human-made scars on its surface, training one of his pointed elfin ears to the trunk. The three humans watched in silence as tears slowly slid from Yugi's cheeks and dripped to the disturbed soil at the tree's roots.

 

“It's crying,” he whispered, barely loud enough for anyone to really hear. “It's crying out for help. All of them are.” He pushed away from the trunk and looked at Yami and the others with a determination they had yet to see in his face. “We have to help them.” To the surprise of Marik, Bakura, and Yami, Yugi turned and ran into the trees. Whether the elf had meant to or not Yugi was following the footsteps of the humans well ahead of them.

 

Bakura was the first to move and he dismounted his horse and started running after Yugi. “We have to catch up. The horses won't be able to make it if we're going to be hurrying!” The two still mounted on their horses gave each other a look and then heaved a sigh before following their cousin and the elf.

 

It was a few minutes before either of them caught sight of Yugi as they ran through the trampled forest. Hundreds of footprints were littering the ground, bushes had been cut and tossed aside for easier hiking, and broken branches were everywhere. They found their fourth member standing and staring with fear and anger swimming in his eyes. Standing before him was the very wall of trees that Malik and Ryou had helped to grow. Used TNT and embers from recent fires were evident around the area and mostly situated around the now fallen trees.

 

“Why would they do such a thing? The trees have done nothing to them,” Yugi whispered when he heard Yami and the others walk up behind him, awe etched on their faces at the gravely scene.

 

Out of the corner of his eyes Marik noticed that some of the embers near the edge of the wood graveyard were livening up and he hurried over to throw dirt on them. Bakura did the same and soon there were only the trees that gave evidence of the one-sided battle. When they were done Yugi thanked each of them for helping as he looked towards the new hole looking towards the sky. The sun shone down brightly and formed a circular rug of sunshine on the floor.

 

“We've used up so much time already,” Yugi announced after a moment of silence. He opened his eyes and they seemed even brighter with the sun reflected in them. He walked over to a shorter tree and leveled himself on one of its sturdier branches before heaving himself onto the tree beside it and climbed up the length of the tree until he reached a suitable height. “Are you coming,” he called down to the three staring up at him incredulously. Yami wasted no more time to follow the same path Yugi took, but Bakura and Marik stayed behind.

 

Marik waved his arm to gain Yugi's attention, which had turned to Yami once the crimson-eyed teen started making his way up the tree. “We'll follow along on the ground. With the path the townspeople made it'll be easier for us to spot them!” Bakura and Marik then started running past the giant trees lying on the ground, heading deeper in the forest. Yugi waited until Yami was on the same branch as him before slipping from branch to branch as easily as walking along the ground. Yami didn't have the easiest time as he tripped and nearly fell more than once. Then the inevitable happened and Yami called Yugi turned back at the sound of his distressed noises.

 

“My foot's stuck,” he said, showing how his ankle was caught between two narrow branches, a trickle of blood soaking the edge of his pant's leg. Yugi made to help him, but Yami quickly stopped him. “No, you have to keep going. I'll catch up as soon as I can.” The elf was hesitant at first, but he understood the logic of going on and he nodded guiltily.

 

“Okay, you just go straight ahead until you reach the opening. You won't be able to miss it.” He then turned back around and hurried along at a faster pace.

 

Precious seconds and valuable minutes ticked by and Yugi was becoming more and more anxious the longer he traveled through the trees. He was beginning to wonder if the elves had moved deeper and grew trees where the village used to be when he caught a flash of light in the lengthy tunnel of wooden limbs and leaves. He moved even faster and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the familiar sight of the top of a hut. That's when he started his descent, but he didn't truly touch ground until he jumped from the last branch directly in front of an elf carrying a pile of wood.

 

“Where's the High Elder,” he demanded. “The villagers from Castle Town are coming and nobody's safe!”

 

The elf had ice-blue bangs coming down the front of his face and the rest of the lightly colored strands were pulled back into a tightly fastened ponytail near the top of his head. His earthy brown eyes started at Yugi for a few seconds before his eyes shifted to the mark on his wrist, which had dirt smeared mostly over it and along both of his arms. “Are you Yugi,” he questioned curiously.

 

Nodding hurriedly, an impatient look crossed Yugi's face. It didn't even occur to him how the elf would've known his name.

 

“He's in the main hut. The preparations are almost complete for you.”

 

Wonder bubbled in Yugi's chest, but he didn't have time to contemplate it as he turned on his heel and ran for the center of the elfin village. His breath was coming in loud, gasping pants, but he didn't stop until he skid to a stop in front of the curtain-like door and barged in without making his presence known first. He only took notice of the four figures, one being the elder and three other unknowns, before he collected a deep breath and blurted out:

 

“Sir, humans are coming to attack the village and we need to hurry or they'll be here!”

 

The wizened elf looked at Yugi and smiled brightly. “So, you've finally arrived, little Yugi. We've been waiting for you.” At that the two other elves turned around and Yugi gasped.

 

“Malik, Ryou, you told them! Weevle, you're here too!”

 

Ryou nodded. “There was a bit of trouble, but everything's fine now. You came a little sooner than we were expected, but that's even better.”

 

Agreeing nods from Malik and Weevle were given. “Trees are being added to the perimeter along with strengthening the barrier of trees already there.”

 

“Then the preparations that guys was talking about….” Yugi looked up, all blood gone from his face. “You can't!” He ran out of the hut and raced to the nearest person at the edge of the elfin village who was feeding life into some of trees. He tackled him to the ground to stop him and all the others stopped what they were doing to see what the shout was for.

 

“What's going on,” some shouted.

 

“Are you crazy? Do you want to be taken away by the humans,” others shouted.

 

Yugi looked up and without removing himself from the elf he tackled he demanded, “Stop planting the trees. The humans have dynamite and they have no problems killing every tree in our home to get to us. I can't bear to see anymore deaths!”

 

“Who are you to be telling us this,” one of the elves closest to him asked.

 

There was a gasp from the pointed-eared male underneath Yugi and he sat up when he felt the grip on his arms lessen. “He's Yugi! Look!” He pointed to the mark on Yugi's wrist and everyone gathered closer for a look. Murmurs went through the gathering crowd and more and more elves joined them.

 

A small elfin girl walked over to Yugi and handed him a white lily, sparkling with water dew. “I picked this for, Yugi,” she said in a sweet, childish voice. “Thank you for making the fighting stop.”

 

“We don't need to be with the humans,” someone shouted.

 

“We can live in peace just fine without those murderers,” another announced.

 

“Elder Morzin will listen to you. Tell him that our only need is to move away from here and it will be so!”

 

Yugi stood, the little girl clinging to his side and the lily held loosely in his hand. “Not all humans are bad. You need to understand that,” he told them desperately. “I've spent over a year with them and I've made friends with some of them.” Just has he said this there was a loud crunching sound and everyone's turned to the source. Yugi grinned and hurried over to the heap of twigs and flesh that was Yami. “I'm glad you made it okay,” he said with relief.

 

“It's a human,” a woman coming out a nearby hut shrieked. “They've already begun to arrive!”

 

The amethyst-eyed elf stood and blocked anyone coming at Yami. “No, he's one of my friends. Him and two others have come to help me and I trust them with my life.” Everyone stopped and stared at Yugi with disbelief. Morzin, Weevle, Malik, and Ryou all rushed to the scene and when the teens saw Yami they hurried over.

 

“Where's Bakura and Marik,” Ryou inquired worriedly.

 

“Did you see the villagers coming,” Malik demanded.

 

Weevle pushed his way forward to stand in front of Yami, “Tell us what's going on.”

 

The elder cleared his throat and silence fell on the large crowd. “Our guest is injured,” he announced. “He should be treated immediately and with the same care that you would give to your own brethren.”

 

“High Elder, you would welcome this stranger, this human, to our home so easily when you know what the humans are capable of,” an elf with scarlet hair questioned.

 

“If the Chosen says that this human is his friend than he is a friend of mine.” No more was said on the subject.

 

~~

 

Marik and Bakura stopped for breath few times as they ran. They knew they had to be somewhere close to the marching villagers, but how much was close they couldn't be sure.

 

“This is ridiculous,” Bakura announced as he leaned against a tree. His cousin nodded, his hands on his knees while he gasped.

 

“At this rate we won't be of any use to anyone, but we've got to keep going.” Bakura agreed and they pushed on.

 

Their hopes were slowly sinking as their trail became slower and slower until Bakura stopped and stared.

 

“Look!”

 

Just ahead, disappearing behind some trees, was the back end of the group of rioting townspeople and suddenly fires grew in the two cousins' chest.

 

“We've finally caught up! Let's go,” Marik urged and newfound energy made it into their weary legs, but they were too late when they turned the bend and heard shouts of celebration up ahead along with cries of pain.

 

~~

 

“Is this okay,” a female elf with kind eyes asked, looking up at Yami after she finished bandaging his ankle.

 

Yami nodded. “Its perfect, thank you.” He carefully slid his foot back into his shoes and stood up.

 

“Try not to jostle it too much or you'll hurt yourself more,” she advised. They walked out of the small hut and met Yugi just as he walking in.

 

“Oh, good,” he smiled. “How are you feeling?”

 

Yami chuckled and wrapped his arms around Yugi's shoulders tenderly. “I was never anything but fine, Yugi. You need to not worry so much about others and focus on what you're going to be doing when the humans arrive. You don't have much longer before they find this place.”

 

The elf looked down and nodded. “Yes, I know.” He turned to the green-haired elf who had bandaged Yami's ankle. “Thank you, Arisa. I'll make sure he doesn't use it too much.”

 

She bowed her head. “Anything the Chosen asks,” Arisa answered before hurrying away to tend to other things.

 

“They aren't against strange relationships, are they,” Yami asked suddenly, surprising Yugi.

 

“I suppose not,” he answered slowly. “Why do you ask that?”

 

“After I got stuck and you left I realized that I didn't even get a goodbye kiss,” he chuckled. “That's the only thing that really got me here and ignoring the pain in my foot.” He chuckled, but stopped when he felt Yugi's wonderfully warm lips suddenly press against his. There was a sigh from a few girls and giggling from younger elves, but it stopped quickly when Yugi turned to look at them.

 

“If I were anyone else I think there would've been a riot against me,” Yugi said, looking at the ground.

 

“It's only a respective title,” the teen said, rubbing his shoulders and giving them a light squeeze. “It'll go away with time, I guarantee it.”

 

Yugi looked up at him. “How can you be so sure?”

 

“Humans!”

 

The two looked up and ran towards the noise and sure enough the leading group of humans was starting to slip through the trees. They looked around with awe, but when they realized that the clearing was filled with elves of young and old they started shooting off arrows and guns like a rodeo show.

 

Ryou pushed a few of the girls deeper into the village, telling him to warn the others and he turned his back to follow him. He got a few steps before an explosion of pain burst through the high of his back and spread through his shoulders in a sudden chill. Dizziness overtook him and he collapsed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

 

No one saw the event take place, but Yugi was the first to notice that in the scarce numbers of his kin left, only one was lying on the ground. The white hair was impossible to miss and a fear like no other clenched tightly around his chest into his very soul and tears burned harshly in his eyes. “Ryou,” he whispered.

 

“Yugi, what's -,” Yami never finished. He was interrupted by Yugi's loud cry before his pointed-eared other ran through the pistons of arrows and sometimes gunshots, the crowd of humans gathering every few seconds as more and more pushed through the cracks of trees.

 

“Ryou,” Yugi yelled again as he dropped to his knees at the still form of his friend. The next time he looked at the humans with a hatred he had yet to feel towards anyone.

 

 

 

(*) There's a bit of preparing for the inevitable battle coming to the elves' home in the forest.

 

(*) Yugi and Yami race around the forest past the crowd of humans marching. Yami gets stuck in the tree branches and orders Yugi to go on ahead and hurry, he'll be catching up later.