Note: That I was randomly typing this out after watching that episode for someone through PM's and the story isn't exactly written the way I would have originally done it. The reason for this is because the person I was sending this to is behind me in the episodes so I didn't want too many spoilers! XP

Barian's Truth

There they were all stuck in some wasteland baited there by the Barians in hopes of being defeated. Looks like Yuma pulled everyone into another fine mess that might result in them being beaten or destroyed whichever came first. One Barian in particular couldn't help but poke at the duelists to distract them from concentrating on their duels.

Shark glared at the Barian who was obviously the ringleader for this chaotic situation. "And what do you find so funny?" He asked. The Barian couldn't grin but his facial expressions were just annoying enough. "Did you know your girlfriend is a Barian?" Angel had come along, she had to. If everyone else was joining in to be killed she'd tag along too. But she refused to stay on the ship she wanted to be close to Shark. "Vector don't..." She said as a warning. Shark glanced back at Angel, he made her stand several feet back as not to get in his way. Then he looked at Vector. "No way. You're just trying to mess with my head." Vector laughed. "You are so dating a Barian! And you never even knew it." He found this topic very entertaining. "She's not as good looking as I am but look on the bright side she is a Barian Empress!" "Vector I warned you not to say anything!" Angel frowned. "Oh come now that pathetic human frown can't hurt me and you know that. Why don't you show your boyfriend over there your true Barian form?" Vector was having a blast playing with the fragile relationship between Shark and Angel. "He can't be telling the truth can he?" Shark was letting his guard down and starting to believe Vector. "Angel you aren't one of them are you?" Shark looked at Angel but she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth. She didn't want to lie to Shark but she was afraid of what he might think if he really did see her as something other than her human form.

"Tick tock Angel. We can't wait all day." Vector continued. Angel hesitated as tears began to fill her eyes. "He'd think I'm a monster... they would think I'm a monster..." She said quietly to herself. "Time's up! If you won't transform of your own free will then I'll just have to force you to do it!" Vector's plan was working just as he had hoped, tearing away at the duelists little chunks at a time. Soon everyone would be in dissolution maybe even turn against one another and Vector couldn't wait. The events that came next happened rapidly. Vector used his powers to form a massive hand grabbing Shark right where he stood picking the duelist off the uneven rocky terrain. "NO!" Angel shouted. "Say goodbye to your boyfriend." Shark struggled against the Barian's power but it was no use he couldn't get free. "Now where should I send him?" As if Vector didn't already know. "How about that black hole?" "Don't you dare! Don't hurt Shark!" Angel huffed at Vector. She was still unable to make the jump across the plain to Vector's side. "Then you will show them all." Vector dropped Shark from the hand and grabbed Angel instead forcing her to his side of the field. In human form the grip of Vector's power was harsh it truly felt like being crushed by hundreds of pounds of weight.

"I'm sorry..." Angel looked sorrowfully at Shark before transforming into her true Barian form. Much like the others her hair remained the same, long red hair flowing down her back hitting at her knees. But everything else changed. She wore garments from Barian World, Angel's Barian skin tone was white like the snow, she had a pair of wings and now her life force was attached to the left side of her chest in a Barian red crystal. Once Shark was on his feet again he stared and everyone else who came along on this journey outside or on the ship stared as well. Then the whispers started and everything Yuma had been through was certainly the one most against Angel now. "You think I'm a monster!" Angel dropped to her now Barian knees covering her amethyst eyes Shark had come to love with her hands crying. "I told you! She's quite the looker isn't she?" Vector grabbed Angel by the arm. "That's enough!" Shark said. "You've tormented us long enough Vector let her go." Angel glanced over at him. "Shark?" "You're not a monster Angel and I'd never think that about you. The only monster I see here is the one who calls himself Vector. He's the reason we're here."

Before Vector had a chance to respond with more taunting threats the entire area became unstable. The ground shook beneath everyone's feet and that black hole Vector considered a few moments ago? Was now beginning to suck anything close to it inside. What was even worse is that this place, this junk filled space was going to trap everyone here. "Vector we have to go. Right now." One of his fellow Barians said. "Go? But we were just having fun." Vector complained. "Do you want to be trapped here forever?" Vector growled in response then grabbed Angel and threw her to the other side where Shark and the others stood. Vector's companions only glanced in his direction at how cruel he was being to someone of his own kind. "Do you have a problem?" Vector asked them. "Let's just get out of here." The Barians opened a portal leading out of this horrid place escaping back to their own world.

Shark ran to catch Angel. "That jerk!" Shark looked at the Barian Empress in his arms. She was still shaken from everything that just happened. "Come on guys we have to get out of here too!" The duelists hurried back to the ship all except Shark. "I'm not going anywhere without her!" He looked back at them. There was a moment of hesitance he knew all too well the reason for it. "Well we can't leave him…"

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Once on board Angel had transformed back into her human form clutching to Shark as he kept his arms wrapped around her protectively. Unfortunately Shark and Angel were standing alone in the control panel everyone else wouldn't go near them or rather Angel. Angel hadn't bothered to look at any of them she was too fearful of the awful things they were thinking. Finally Shark had enough of this. "What's the matter with all of you?" He turned to face them. "Angel has never done anything to hurt any of you." "No, but she's one of them." That had already been pointed out. "Unlike you guys, I trust her." Shark said. Angel looked at him. "Just like I trusted Ray and look where that got me. Maybe she's just using you and you're walking right into her trap." Yuma pointed out. Shark smirked. "All this time I've known Angel, she's never done anything to hurt me but I know I've done things to hurt her in the past. Plus she's never handed me any mysterious Barian cards and asked me to keep them secret. I believe in her and I know Angel is not like the other Barians." Shark returned to Angel wrapping his arms around her once more. "I will protect you from the other Barians if it comes down to that." Angel couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Oh Shark, thank you." She smiled at him. "You don't know how much it means to me for you to trust in me and protect me like you're doing." Angel whispered resting her head against Shark's shoulder. It was safe to say the rest of the ride home was quiet.

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By the time they made it back to the city the sun was already beginning to set and the sky was turning towards nightfall. Shark's loyalty remained with Angel as he helped her down. He didn't say a word to the others and didn't intend to hoping to walk away with his girlfriend unnoticed. "Where do you think you're going?" Obviously this question was directed at Shark. To which he paused for a moment and looking over his shoulder responding. "I'm going to walk Angel home. I don't want anything to happen to her." That sounded a little accusing not that any one of them might do something bad to the Barian in human guise. "Don't even try to stop me because I'm already gone." You could imagine Yuma wanting to throw his two cents out there. "No, let him go." Though Astral was not wise on the subject it just seemed like a better idea than to start a whole new battle over something as simple as walking a girl home.

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Shark walked Angel all the way up to her doorstep and insisted he come inside. "I want to make sure you're safe." Angel didn't object as Shark walked in behind her and surveyed her home. "The place looks clear." He announced after checking the rooms. "Thank you." Angel looked shyly at her duelist. "I don't know what I would have done today without you being there. I should have expected everyone to be that way-" Shark placed a finger to Angel's lips. "Don't worry about them. They'll get over it." Angel blushed and looked away. "I guess I'll get some sleep it's been a really long day." She said. "Wait." Shark said as Angel was about to turn away. "Let me stay with you tonight. You know… just to make sure you're safe." To this Angel smiled and sighed softly. This was the reason she had chosen Shark. Even though he never showed any real emotions Shark was still protective and caring and Angel loved that most of all. "Come this way." Angel led Shark down the hall to her bedroom. There was a tingle of excitement running through her body this would be the first time Shark had ever opted to stay the night. Not that they hadn't hung out with each other into the late hours but this just felt much different than those times.

Angel had gotten ready for the night wearing her long soft gown and having brushed out her long hair. She got under the covers on one side of her bed awaiting Shark to join her. She had to smile again sensing that Shark had a bit of nervousness about him and would never show it as he sat on the other side of the bed removing his shoes and taking the tie off from around his neck. "Will you be comfortable like that?" She asked. "I'm fine." Shark replied slipping under the covers. In all her Barian years even the time she'd spent here as a human Angel never felt anything like this before. It was a heated sensation inside her heart, a strange desire she couldn't suppress and wondered if Shark felt the same way. The feeling only intensified as Angel could feel Shark wrap his arm around her body and rest his head next to her shoulder. Was this that unfamiliar affection that humans call love? If so then Angel enjoyed every minute of it especially as her and Shark became very close to one another, intertwined and tangled in the sheets during the night. Love is a beautiful and powerful feeling. Goodnight.