XLIV. Socialization

One week has passed and Marik hasn't made a move yet. Everyone was alert and the people here were starting to get cautious. Sora and Riku just came to visit Yugi and things were getting better. Much to everyone's surprise, Kaiba visited as well only because Mokuba begged him.

"How are you feeling? " Sora asked.

"Lousy." Yugi replied, as he got out from his bed and stretch his arms.

"Awww, it's not that bad." Sora grinned idiotically. "So why don't you give us a tour of this country?"

That hit Yugi like a brick. "I rather not go out of my own house except the request of the High Sage and to get some groceries.". He frowned deeply and the Keyblade Master practically begged.

"Come on, it's not that bad." he pleaded, looking at the teen with the puppy dog pow look on his eyes.

"Here comes 'that look on his face'." Riku mumbled.

"No." Yugi said.

"Please!" Sora said, still using that look.

"No!" Yugi repeated his answer.

"Pretty please with sugar on top!" Sora pleaded again.

"I said...no...N...O...NO!" Yugi said, irritated at this.

"Come on...pretty please with lots of sea-salt ice cream on top!!" Sora pleaded again.

"If I were you, you better do what he says or he'll pester you until you do what he gets what he wants." Riku suggested.

"... Fine, but promise me that you'll behave or I'll cast a Firaga spell if you do any mischief." Yugi groaned.

"Alright!" Sora said, doing his victory dance.

"Remind me again why is he the 'Keyblade Master'?" Yugi rolled his eyes in irritation.

"I always asked that question when he does 'that look' on me." Riku sighed.

- - -

Outside, the entire gang was ready. Yugi on the other hand didn't want to. Not that he had a choice to begin with anyway. Everyone were enjoying their little tour on the Solarian Continent except when Yugi spotted a couple of mages in his class. The teen just stared at them and was about to leave.

"Hey, squirt, where ya all going?" asked a boy who was his age. His groupies just laughed at him.

"Just don't mind these guys, let's get going." Yugi said as they were about to move on when suddenly one of them fired an ice spell in front of them.

"Hey, what did you do that for?" Sora yelled but Yugi just shrugged it off.

"Just leave them alone." Yugi said as he was about to continue when a fire spell aimed at him but the teen used a Reflect Spell to bounce it back. The teen decided to face them.

"What do you want?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

"All we want is to play and besides it's rare for you to come out from your pathetic home after you --" the boy replied in an unfinished sentence when all of a sudden, Yugi pointed the sharp points of Fate Guidance on his neck and his eyes were turned silver with malicious fury.

"Don't even go there!" Yugi snarled and the boy grinned at him.

"What are they talking about?" Sora asked but before the boy could reply, someone knocked him out. The others wondered what's going on. Yugi made the weapon disappear and looked at his right side.

"I thought you had things to do back at the palace, Yami." Yugi said and from the darkness, the prince came out of nowhere.

"I did so I was able to finish what I was doing then I sensed your aura filled with malice..." the prince said and stared at the two mages. "Looks like they earned a free trip to the Dark Realm."

With a snap of his fingers, the other mages were sent to the designated place. "If they ask, tell them they went home. Besides, using the power of dimensions is too powerful for my taste so I wouldn't worry, they'll stay there for around and hour or so."

"That is so cool!" Sora said, feeling excited.

"...Dark Realm, when did you...?" Riku asked, a note of anger in his voice.

"I just picked it up after Yugi left the desert continent...and..." Yami replied then he whispered in his right ear. "I know your past Riku so I would prefer if you stay away mine as well."

"Anyway, can we go someplace else?" Yugi asked and they continued their tour or whatsoever.

Sora was having a good time and well he bought a lot of souvenirs. Yugi only sighed and Riku just ignored his surroundings. Even Kaiba as well. For the first time, Yugi never had the chance to be with anyone other than Joey or the High Sage and for some odd reason, he felt relief. Time passed real quickly and the teen knew it was lunch time so they went to the finest restaurant in this continent and sure enough, Sora liked to eat a lot of food much to Riku's embrassment.

"Is he really a Keyblade Master? Cause I don't think he has table manners." Yami said.

"You should have seen how my guardian eats his lunch and dinner. He's far unmannered than Sora." Yugi said, sweatdropping.

"How many gluttons we have here anyway?" Riku grunted as he ate his meal.

"Don't ask." Yugi said.

- - -

After lunch, all of them left the restaurant and continued their tour around the Solarian Continent. So far, everyone enjoyed it. Everyone except Yugi who was avoiding everyone around him. Yami noticed this but decided to wait it out.

"Come on, guys let's have some fun!" Sora said as he kept running.

"Sora, wait!" Yugi said. All of them were puzzled.

"Come with me. There's a place I want to show you but swear to me that you won't tell anyone." the teen said and everyone nod their heads. Heading towards the opposite direction where Sora was, Yugi brushed off the bushes around here. It seems that he was leading them somewhere. To everyone's amazement, it was a beautiful lake with numerous trees around here.

"Welcome to my secret garden!" Yugi said, bowing at his guests.

"It's okay, they're not enemies!" Yugi said to the nearest little creature. It looked at the them first in the eye then it nodded to its friends well sort of. The others were puzzled and for the fact that how could he communicate them. They are quite small and each of them has a different color but their size is the actual size of a small cat except for the big ears and an upside down triangle symbol on their foreheads.

"What did you tell them and what are they?" Kaiba asked.

"I told them that you guys are not enemies and second: these creatures are called Elemental Gnomes. These guys are the guardians of this place." Yugi replied. "Once in a few hundred years, these little guys'create' another new element."

One of the gnomes were playing with Sora. The brunette was giggling for they were trying to tickle him. Riku just stood there and watched his little fiasco. Kaiba decided to take a light nap which is rare. Yugi was at the lake looking at the reflection on the water and Yami just lean on the nearest tree. Then all of a sudden, one of the gnomes were nudging the spiky-haired teen.

"What is it?" Yugi asked.

The gnome stared at him then Yugi went a bit red with embarrassment. "You're kidding, right?"

It shook it's head then another gnome nudge the prince. In fact all the gnomes including the new one were nudging not only the prince but Sora and Riku as well.

"Yugi, what are these guys doing?" Sora asked.

"... Um...they wanted me to...show you guys something..." Yugi replied, feeling a bit shy.

"What are they going to show us anyway?" Riku asked.

"It's their version of welcoming new friends like you guys." the teen replied. "And it looks like their leader wants to see you guys."

"Their leader?" Yami asked.

Yugi stood up and walked through the lake which is a surprise to the Keyblade Master. He raised his right arm and in an instant his staffblade: Fate Guidance appeared. All the gnomes began to circle around the teen and the entire lake began to glow. Suddenly, a beautiful human-like gnome appeared. It's color was similar to the sunset.

"So Twilight is here, huh?" Yugi said.

"It's been a while." she said and Yugi just nodded.

"Uh, would you mind telling us who she is?" Riku asked.

"Oh right, this is Twilight. She is the leader of these little guys here." Yugi replied.

While the leader of the gnomes was busy occupying her guests, Yami was peering with the Millennium Necklace. He was pondering the item. Yugi noticed this little gesture.

"Are you pondering about the future?" Yugi asked.

"Whether its the past or the future, it doesn't matter. We can bend it out of our will. And I don't rely on such things." Yami replied.

"Awww, you look like one smart brat..." Yugi grinned and the prince made a feign anger look on his face.

"I'm not a smart brat!" Yami said, growling a bit.

While everyone is having their fun, the brunette sensed something familiar coming this way. He stood up and went out of the secret garden. In the faraway distance, a man witrh spiky blonde hair and serious eyes was walking this way. Sora sighed heavily. He knew this guy and knew what he wanted.

"Cloud, what are you doing here?" Sora asked while the others are preoccupied.

"Sora, did you 'defeat' Sephiroth?" Cloud asked.

"Defeat that guy? There's no way I--" Sora replied but the man cut him off.

"Don't lie to me, Sora. On my way here, Sephiroth told me what happened at the Olympus Coliseum and Radiant Garden. You could have been killed out there. Why do you think he knew your name in the first place?" Cloud said with a mixture of anger and worry in his voice.

"Cloud...As Sephiroth said to me, I can't 'defeat' him. He harbors too much darkness in his heart." Sora said, this time with seriousness.

"Stay away from that man, Sora." Cloud said.

"I'm afraid I can't, Cloud and besides, if he wants me then ..." Sora said and the Keyblade appeared on his right arm. "So be it."

"Looks like I have no choice but to--" Cloud said but never get to finished his sentence when all of a sudden, his weapon was sent flying. To Sora's surprise, Yugi spread his arms as if he was protecting the brunette.

"I would prefer if you leave." Yugi said.

"Yugi, you don't know how strong Cloud is. He'll cream you!" Sora said in a worried tone.

"Don't move from this spot, Sora. I won't let him lay a hand on you." Yugi said as he relaxed his stance.

"You should have listened!" Cloud said and he picked up his weapon then energy began to gather from his right hand. "Giga Flare!"

Suddenly, a six winged dragon appeared from the sky and fired several volleys of energy at Yugi. But the teen wasn't fazed at this even Yami smirked. The dust began to cover the entire field and to Cloud's amazement, Yugi brought out his staffblade and destriyed that dragon in the process.

"Divine Retribution!" Yugi chanted and he raised Fate Guidance above him. The entire field was wrapped in a blanket of white and before everyone knew it, Cloud got tossed backwards. Sora was speechless at this move. Even Riku was amazed at this.

"Please leave or else, I'll be force to do drastic measures!' Yugi said, this time warning him.

Cloud stared at the teen for a moment then he smirked and walked away. The teen sighed in relief as the gnomes suddenly went to him.

"It's alright, no one's gonna destroy this garden, I promise!" Yugi said, assuring them. Sora stared at Yugi in amazement. Who would have thought he was able to defend against Cloud with just one attack. Sighing, he walked towards the teen.

"Um, Yugi, can you teach me how to communicate with these guys?" Sora asked. Yugi blinked for a moment then smiled.

"Sure!" Yugi replied.

- - -

"Before you guys go, I personally invite you guys to the Lunarian Castle." Yami said as he gave them a letter of invitation. Everyone was skeptical when they received it.

"If you're wondering, tomorrow night is my coronation." the prince added and everyone was surprised.

"Really? Since when?" Riku asked.

Yami fell silent for a moment then sighed "Since my dad died 2 weeks ago."

"What!!" Sora gasped. Yugi on the other hand felt sorry for him.

"I think you guys better get going." Yugi said and everyone left the garden then he stared at the prince. "You okay?"

"Don't worry, I've seen worse." Yami replied.

"I better get home as well. Joey might be wondering where the hell I went." Yugi said but before he could do that, the gnomes stopped him for a moment.

"What are these guys doing?" Yugi asked though he had no idea.

"I could ask you the same thing." Yami replied as the gnomes were moving the two of them a bit closer.

"We have a surprise for you two." Twilight said and all the gnomes began to circle around then sparks began to fly at the sky like fireworks. Yugi smiled even the prince as well.

"You know, I'm really glad Sora asked me to tour this place." Yugi said as he closed his eyes like it was a dream.

"Why's that?" Yami asked.

"Because...for the first time, I have friends and Sora made me feel like I'm one of them." Yugi replied.

Yami sighed then to the spiky haired teen's surprise, he kneeled down and kissed his right hand. Yugi went red a bit but hey doesn't matter now. Anyway, the gnomes finished their little surprise then they disappeared.

"Good night." Yugi said and he left the secret garden.

spiritfire: That tourney was tough

Yuen: No kidding, I mean you got yourself in a bind here

Yaru: At least, you took that loss with a stride

spiritfire: Uh-huh...

Yuen: Lokks like you're getting closer finishing the story as your imagination says it

spiritfire: Shut up

Yaru: Read and Review