PREVIOUSLY...

"Where's Hart?"

"T-The Barians have him."

"What?!" Kite took a few steps towards Kat. He forced her to look up at him, then stared right into her emotional cat-green eyes. "Which Barian took him?"

"..."

"Kat. Which Barian stole my little brother?"

Kat looked up at the sky. She blinked, then spoke in an almost silent tone.

"It was Girag. My older brother."

THE PRESENT...

Kat stared at Kite's terrified and confused expression. She shifted her gaze to the ground, just allowing the tears to fall. On total accident, the one secret she'd never wanted anybody to ever know had been revealed. Tears began to fall again as the rain finally stopped. Kat glanced up as Kite approached her a bit more. Slowly, he put his hands on her shoulders and stared right at her.

"Kat...you're a Barian?" Kite whispered, staring right at her. Kat blinked, then sniffled. She nodded and backed away slowly. Kite couldn't believe it. All this time, the one girl he'd fallen in love with was a Barian, the one creature he found to be the most filthy! Not the kind of thing he'd been hoping for. He watched as Kat stood there, frozen. Nothing happened for a while.

That all changed when Kat was engulfed by a pink light. Kite shielded his eyes, but stared anyway. He gasped when he saw Kat in her true form. Now, in her Barian Form, she had light grey skin, short, smokey-black wings, and the same skirt and boots she'd had on. Her Pikachu backpack was clutched in her hands as she looked down, obviously embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry that I never told you Kite. But I thought you'd react negatively," Kat whispered. She allowed her tears to fall, not caring if Kite saw. Slowly, she straightened herself up, then slung her pack over her shoulder. Kat got in a real Barian stance, then began to talk in a normal tone. "My real name is Katanlia. Remember it well, Kite Tenjo, for there will be a day when you and I will face off to see which of us gains control of your younger brother." Kat-no, Katanlia- turned all the way around and vanished into a portal. Kite wasn't sure what to think.

Was his girlfriend on his side? Her voice had cracked a bit on that last line. Or was that just because of stray tears, and she really was against him? There was no way to tell.

XxXxXxXx

The sudden flash of light and the fact Katanlia had shown up was not what Girag had been expecting. He thought for sure his little sister wouldn't have come.

"What're you doing here Katanlia?"

"I live here too, bro."

"Hmph." Girag turned back around. Katanlia rolled her eyes and walked to his side, then gasped when she saw what he was staring at.

Hart, inside one of the Barian Crystals.

Katanlia was furious. For some reason, she had always been closer to humans rather than her own kind. Seeing her boyfriend's little brother locked away like a caged animal set her off. She took a few steps toward the crystal, then placed her hand to it. Hart just stared at her. Pretty obvious he didn't recognize her now, but that was fine with Katanlia. She turned back to Girag and growled.

"You have him captured. What do you plan on doing with him now?"

"I've told you before sis. Barian World is gonna take the remainder of his powers and use them for our own good."

"I won't let you!" Katanlia jumped in front of the crystal Hart was in. He sat up inside, then watched intently. Why was a Barian protecting him? Hart was so confused.

Neither Girag nor Katanlia seemed to notice Hart attempting to stand up. They were too busy arguing with one another, scratching and clawing each other in a serious sibling argument.

"ENOUGH!"

Katanlia froze, as did Girag. In complete unison, they turned to see Alit. Behind him stood Mizael, and Durbe was right in front of them both. He glared at Katanlia and Girag. This was not the kind of thing he'd been hoping for when he'd heard one of his strongest Barians had returned.

"Katanlia, what do you think you're doing?" Durbe asked, walking towards her. Katanlia stiffened, then rolled her eyes.

"I'm doing whatever I want."

"No, you aren't. You are going to help monitor how Hart's powers help, whether you like it or not."

This sent Katanlia off. She crossed her arms and glared, then simply said the one word that would always make her seem stronger than she was. "No."

"Oh really?"

"You can't control me. I don't care what you say or do. You can't control me."

Durbe had had enough. He looked Katanlia in the eyes as his began to glow, then watched as her's did the same thing. Katanlia couldn't move. She struggled against Durbe's grip, then watched as he got in her face. "You wanna try telling me that again?"

"Yes. Yes I do," Katanlia said, shutting her eyes for a moment, then reopening them and tackling Durbe down. The other Barians watched intently as the two went and fell to the ground, where Katanlia began to dig her claws into Durbe. He shoved her off himself and stood a bit, then let out a startled yelp as he was blasted back. When he looked up, he could see why he was thrown back.

There floated Katanlia, and she had fired a Barian Energy Shot at him. She dropped back to the ground, then loomed over him. "Still think I can't do what I want?" she asked in a mocking tone.

"Gah, fine. Do whatever. See if I care." Durbe sat up and vanished. Katanlia laughed and threw her hands up happily. Alit ran over and high-fived her, then raced off with her.

"Those two are insane," Girag said, staring at Mizael. He nodded and stared at where that small scuffle had just occurred. It was hard to believe Katanlia was still that strong after all those years she spent on Earth.

"Hey! Where the hell is Vector at?"

Mizael and Girag turned around to see Durbe there, who crossed his arms and growled. "No seriously, where is he? He's supposed to be doing stuff here."

"I thought he was on Earth," Mizael chimed in. Durbe went wide-eyed.

"Why is he on Earth?"

"He said something about finding more captives and taking their Numbers, if I recall. You know, capturing people and then returning with their Numbers after he does whatever with them."

Durbe let out an irritated sigh. He often wondered how Katanlia was Girag's little sister and not Vector's. They looked so alike, and both behaved however they wanted.

But then again, he could see the resemblance between the two. No way Vector could've been able to knock him down like that. Was it possible maybe the three of them were secretly all related, and he just didn't know it? Durbe sighed, then rolled his eyes. Maybe he didn't want Vector to be doing this, but he was interested in how it would play out nonetheless.