Last chapter was short, but this one will be longer. Will Yami finally believe in magic! Only one way to find out!

Thanks to the reviewers: s2Teennovelist, Monkey Girl xD, SkaterGirl246

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh!

A Fairy Tale

Crumbling World

"Come on. The forest is dangerous for outsiders." Yami scowled and followed Yugi into a large clearing.

The clearing was just as beautiful and surreal as the village they had just left. A babbling brook at on end and large trees on the other. Next to the brook was a relatively normal sized oak, but the area around the tree had obviously been kept nice and neat. A make-shift wooden fence made a small yard and the surrounding flowers were in full bloom. Two boys sat on logs around a small fire pit, poking something with in the fire with large sticks.

Yugi left Yami at the edge of the trees and rushed to the boys. "Joey, Marik, How is the egg doing?"

They both looked up. One with dirty blond hair and wearing only a pair of brown trousers. The other with long sandy hair and a cream tunic and pants. They both shrugged at Yugis question and focused on Yami. "Who is he?" Asked one of them.

Yugi grinned and motioned for Yami to come closer. "It's Yami. He is the human that the elves brought here."

The two boys gasped and jumped from their seats. "No way! Why is he with you?" The blond asked.

Yugi continued to grin as Yami stepped forward. "Well, Grandpa IS the village elder."

"We know that. But why isn't he with King Nazeal?" The other asked.

Yugi shrugged. "I'm not sure. Grandpa said something about talking to the king with out a human there would be easier. I think…" Yugi grabbed Yamis arm and pulled him toward the fire. "Come on. Sit. They don't bite! Well, maybe Joey."

"HEY! I don't bite!" Yelled Joey. Causing Yugi and the other boy to laugh.

Yami had been watching the interactions carefully, but they all seemed very human. He had figured they would act weird, but so far nothing strange had happened. "So, these are your friends?"

"Yup! This is Joey, and Marik." He pointed to each of them in turn. "I was telling Yami about you guys on the way here."

"Didn't you mention someone else?"

Yugi was confused for a moment. "Hmm… Oh ya, Ryou! Where is he, anyway?"

Joey pointed toward the tree. "In his tree. He said somethin' about asking the trees for more info' on the egg."

Yami snorted. People couldn't communicate with trees.

"What's his problem?" Asked Marik.

Yugi sighed. "Yami doesn't believe we aren't human…"

"Wha!"

Yami hmphed and looked toward the tree, only to gasp in surprise. It looked like a person was growing from the tree. Only the face was visible at first, but soon the bark seemed to take the complete shape of a person. Only when the shape began to move did Yami begin to become freaked out. The bark person seemed to step out of the tree and the bark fell away to reveal a boy with long white hair.

"Sorry it took me so long, guys. The trees in the part of the forest that the egg was found are very old. It took me forever just to wake them up! Oh, Who is this?"

Yamis jaw dropped. He had just witnessed a person WALKING out of a tree. Ryou ran his fingers thought his hair, picking out stray pieces of bark. He walked toward Yami and held out his hand. "I'm Ryou. From the look of it, you must be a human. It's been a long time since a human has come here. It's an honor to meet you."

Yami was frozen at first, but he soon regained use of his limbs and flung his self away from Ryou. His was getting a little to freaky for his liking.

Ryou blinked in confusion. "Is something wrong? You look a little pale…"

"I'm fine! Just stay away from me!" Yami continued to back away from Ryou.

The boy took a step forward with his hand out. Yami backed up again, only to catch his foot on a root and stumble backwards. Yami tried to use his hands to stop the fall, but landed a little to close to the fire they had gathered around. He yelped in pain as the hot flames licked the skin on his palms. He pushed himself away from the fire and looked at his hands. They were already becoming red and blistered. He gritted his teeth against the hot pain.

Everyone was gathered around him in an instant. "Are you alright?" Yugi asked.

Ryou knelt next to Yami and examined the burns. "That looks bad. I better get you fixed up. Sorry I scared you. This whole magic thing can be very overwhelming." Yami looked up, but Ryous doe-like eyes were fixed on his burns. "I think I can handle this." Yami gasped and looked at his hands.

Ryous own hands were glowing with a soft, green light. He placed them over Yamis, transferring the light to the burns, which seemed to heal before his eyes. The redness faded and the blisters went down until Yamis hands looked as if they had never been burned.

Yami gasped once the healing was done and rubbed his hands. They still tingled from being burned, but they seemed to be as good as new!

"How did you..?"

"Magic."

Yami looked down again. Not believing his eyes.

"Ryou is renown for being a good healer. Grandpa says he is the best in the village." Ryou blushed and stood.

"The elder gives me to much credit. I just do what I can."

Yugi and Joey helped Yami sit back down, away from the fire. The human was to lost in his own thoughts to even notice being moved.

'I just don't get it! Magic can't be real… Can it? OF course not!... But… Then… How do I explain this? Burns like that just don't heal that fast on their own. Especially with out scaring! Besides that, he came out of a tree! I though Yugi was just making it up when he said Ryou was a nymph! I guess that would also explain last…' He clenched his eyes shut. Yami had been trying to NOT think about last night. He didn't want to come to term with the fact that he might indeed be magical, but what other choice did he have? He looked at his hands once again as his entire world was about to crumble around him. "Thank you, Ryou." He looked up. "So, Yugi, if you are a fairy, where are you wings?"

-oOOo-

UGH! This one is short to! _ Geez. I could have combined this chapter and the last one! _

Oh well. Well, it might not be obvious, but Yami is finally coming to terms with the whole magic thing, poor guy. I would feel sorry for him if I wasn't the one writing. :D