Hi guys, thanks so much for reading my stories! I hope you have as much fun reading them as I did writing them for you! Please note that this is my very first fanfic ever, so please be gentle with your much welcome reviews! :)

(SPOILERS! This fanfic is based off events from Zexal II, episode 35 and 36. Please have at least seen up to those episodes to avoid major secrets! Story short: Shark has realized he has Barian memories, while Rio remains in a coma.)

Shark's POV

My hair whips around my face, and the smell of saltwater burns my nose as Abyss stands in front of me, laughing confidently. His monster is poised to wipe out what's left of my life points and end this duel, but all I can see is my sister. Rio floats 20 feet above a raging whirlpool, completely defenceless, and I'm out of time.

"She has served her purpose to me; I know longer have need of her." Abyss's voice echoes around me, and time seems to slow as Rio drops, plummeting downward.

Some part of me realizes Yuma should be here, but this time, he's nowhere to be found. As Rio tumbles headfirst into the waves, I scream for her, but my voice gets caught in my throat. The scene blurs around me, reshaping.

I'm suddenly back on the front of my warship a thousand years ago, armies standing at the ready to unleash our final assault against Vector, but all I can see is Rio in the grasp of his monster spirit.

"Make your choice! Do you want to save your sister or your people?!" Vector screams, laughing manically.

Rio lies limp in Vectors' control, and again, I'm out of time. Before I can make my decision, Rio finds her strength and stands up, offering me a smile.

"Yes brother, I will offer up my own soul to Abyss."

I call to her, begging her to stop, but she closes her eyes and lets gravity take her. She hurtles toward the water as I rush to the front of the ship, screaming her name, but it's too late. As she vanishes beneath the ocean again, crippling despair washes in, hollowing me from the inside out. Then, before I can react, the boat beneath me vanishes. The memory melts away, and now I'm the one who's falling. Down through the inky blackness, as Rio's screams claw through my mind.

Normal POV

I jerked my head up, gasping for air, and almost tipped over in my seat. I was gripping the sides of my chair so hard that my knuckles had gone white, but my hands still felt numb. Shaking, I let my head fall back, and tried to catch my breath. Another nightmare about that duel. I've must have had at least a dozen by now, but I kept coming up empty on answers. I closed my eyes.

It had been almost a week since my duel against Abyss, and Rio still hadn't woken up from her coma. The doctors said that she's stable, but they still didn't understand why she wouldn't wake up. I did though, and the thought made me want to punch something. The Barians' actions had toyed with our minds and landed Rio back in the hospital. I slumped forward, resting my face in my hands. I'd been over those memories again and again, but I still couldn't wrap my head around them. Somehow, I had been an Emperor of an ancient city over a thousand years ago, but apparently didn't remember any of it.

I groaned, shaking my head in frustration. With more Number Cards than the Barians and a new location to find the last ones, we'd actually been winning. But now... I lifted my head, and watched Rio. As sick as it made me, the only word I could use to describe her would be... lifeless. I took in a sharp breath.

"Rio, if you can hear me", I said shakily, "I'm so sorry. Ever since we were kids, I-I was supposed to protect you. And now, when you really need me..." Her face blurred as tears formed in my eyes.

"But I couldn't", I ground out, slamming my fist down on my knee. "I swear though, the Barians are gonna pay for what they did to you, and you're going to be awake for it, you'll see."

Even with my focus on reining in my emotions, I still heard the soft voice in front of me.

"Shark..."

I whipped my head up, hope spiking my blood like adrenaline. It couldn't be possible, but maybe...

"Rio?" I asked, hoarsely.

A gasp came from the far end of the room, and looking away from Rio's face, I saw a figure standing by the window.