Fishy, fishy, fishy, come swim in my sea.

Chapter 25: Deja vu

Johan's phone rang, echoing into the silence of the empty mall. The ordinary people had clearly seen danger and ran. The orange light of sunset was coming in through the many Windows of the mall.

"You have my address, sensei," Shark said, still in his Barian form like the rest, stepping forward, "you can talk with us there. But we might be a while." Shark looked to the pale blue form of Yuma, then to the faces of Bronk, Cat, Trey, Kite, and finally Astral. It pained him to see the looks on their faces, as he'd seen once before, when he'd turned on them. It wasn't quite the same, they weren't on opposite sides this time, but it was similar enough that it brought back a lot of unhappy and painful memories, and Shark couldn't imagine what was going on in Yuma's head right now, because he'd never been on side of a friend finding out a shocking truth that had been concealed. Yuma had. That Shark knew all too well. 

Johan watched quietly for a moment, his phone still ringing in his pocket. He'd thought Yuma was the leader. But instead it was the purple one. But there was something more that moved him close to tears. His emerald eyes dance between the blue Yuma and the Purple Shark. Then he sensed it. A powerful connection. An unbreakable bond. Then he looked, by accident into Shark's red and blue monochromatic eyes and saw them shining as they looked at Yuma. He'd only ever seen a shine like that in one place. From one person. That's all Johan needed to know. Yuma and Shark would do anything for each other. They shared a bond like he shared with both Judai Yuki and his very own crystal beasts.

"I can see that ya'll have a lot to clear up here," Johan stated, bowing to Shark out of tradition and respect, "I'll talk to ya some other time." He turned and started walking away, answering his phone. Soon there was silence, filled only by the tinkling sound of water from the fountain. None of the Barians moved. Nor did anyone else. Tori had fallen to her knees, Kite cradling her in his arms.

"How could you put us through this Yuma?" Bronk finally said. The pain in his voice slicing the silence like the blade of a knife. Yuma found himself suddenly very interested in the floor, under the water of the fountain in which he stood.

"I...I...I know..." Yuma struggled with his words, fidgeting with his own fingers, "sorry won't cover any of what I..."

"Tori, no!" Kite cried out, followed quickly by a soft thud as he was pushed to the floor, then by the sounds of a lot of splashing. Many sets of feet moving as fast as they could through the water. Without looking up Yuma caught the wrist of Tori inches from his lipless face. Then he raised his gaze to meat hers. There were tears. Yuma expected that. There was the pain of betrayal. Also expected. However, there was also shock and fear. That wasn't expected and it hurt Yuma a lot. Yuma also noticed that Shark and Vector were flanking her in such a way that suggested they were going to restrain her before Yuma had snatch the wrist of his human friend in the air.

"I would punch me right now." Yuma said, looking sadly into Tori's water filled eyes as everyone else watched, "My skin is like crystal. You'd hurt yourself, and not me. I don't want to hurt any of you more than I already have. Or any more than the answer you deserve will." Yuma then released his Barian form in favour of his human form, and released Tori's arm from his grip, "If you must hit me, do it now, I'll feel it. I won't block it. It's no less than what I deserve."

Yuma's words were followed by a crisp slapping sound as Tori struck Yuma around the face with the flat of her palm. Yuma took, although Shark wanted to hold Tori back, but didn't out of respect for Yuma, listening carefully for any sign of depression returning to Yuma. He wasn't going to let that happen.

"Why?" Tori practically screamed at Yuma's face, "Why put us through that? You know what it feels like. What possessed you to put us through knowing how hard it would be on us. Knowing how hard it was on you when Shark..." Tori tailed off unable to finish the question, but it didn't need finishing, then she turned to the still purple Shark and glared at him as she continued, "And knowing everything, how could you of all people let him do it? Or did you threaten him? Well Shark what did you do to make Yuma..."