Battle, the day before...

Ian was pushed back by Aigaron who was catching up on his fighting making him slightly retreat into the trees and undergrowth. Black's comrades disappeared in the scenery as he was pushed back and down into a valley.

And all of a sudden, Aigaron's attacks slowed down until he didn't fight no more. The flashes of fire died down as Aigaron and Black stared at each other.

Mortal enemies they called each other at first – he killed Black's friend, Shiro so Ian killed Aigaron and his leader's Debo monsters.

Pretty fair Ian used to think when he was revengeful and hateful but as black joined the Kyoryuger team and fought with them not for his revenge, but to won and lose with them, his evil thoughts becomes ones of avenge but not in a hateful way but all in his cool stride with his comrades by his side.

But Aigaron had finally got to talk to him and he wasn't going to let this chance escape now.

"Oyoy, black" he yelled over to Ian, who was again peaceful minded.

"I won't lose to you Aigaron and I won't let you get your way with people and their emotions" Ian said.

"No, I just want to talk" he chimed, "can't men talk these days, how sad" he cried a tear but flung it to the side.

"First, I don't have time to talk to you and second, you're not a man" he shouted back, "you're a piece of tin can who leaks when he is sad".

"But I still have emotions like a human" he had a point Ian thought.

"But they aren't real, they are stolen emotions from innocent people you've watched suffer, laugh, cry, getting lucky or falling in love, experiencing anger and hate" he started to walk away, having enough of sharing the same air as his enemy.

"Aren't you going to fight me, Black ranger" he asked.

"Not if you're going to talk nonsense, I'm going to help my friends" he turned again and started to run to the path back to his fighting comrades.

"But what if I talk sense about a topic you'll find very interesting, Ian".

He stopped running and turned slowly back to Aigaron, "nothing you'll say will ever make me want to listen to you".

"Let me surprise you then".

"Try me" Ian laughed waiting for his attempt.

"How about Shiro as the topic starter".

"I've already said that I'm going to get revenge for my friend with a cool head with my comrades".

"What if I told you you might not have to do such a thing".

"What are you mumbling about you emotional piece of scrap, never mumble or speak bad of an innocent human being you killed".

"But I didn't kill him".

Ian stopped breathing, "what?" he questioned the Doboss army general as he walked closer and closer to the confused ranger.

"You heard me right, he is still alive" he smiled underneath, "I didn't kill him, he still very much alive" he laughed.

"You lie".

"Now Ian, I wouldn't lie to you".

"Don't say my name as if you know me, Aigaron".

"But I do, you're the friend of a person under my protection and you will do anything to get him back, right".

"Your right about doing anything".

"How about I show you before we make a deal" Aigaron said.

"Show me then that Shiro is so called alive" Ian needed proof, "show me before we make any sort of deal".

"So be it" Aigaron wiped a tear of his helmet and held it on the tip of his figure as it grew in front of Ian and himself.

"Look inside if you want the truth, Ian" he instructed and Ian did so.

He peered into the water bubble in his hand and saw a body in a chair strapped down. It didn't move but the chest was going up and down showing his breathing. Ian finally saw the face and he went white, Shiro was sitting in that chair, alive and well.

"You..." Ian began but he couldn't find the words to show his emotion or couldn't move.

He was so happy, his friend who was thought to be dead was still alive and just in front of his eyes.

But he was also sad that he was there, under Aigarons protection and not here in his arms reach.

He finally felt anger for he was being played all these years bY Aigaron.

"why, why" he repeated many times trying to understand his current situation, "why is he alive".

"Because I kept him for you" he said, "thought it would interest you in the future fights and it would influence you on what I want from you. Your an interesting character Ian" he circled the ranger, Ian's eyes following the bubble of water and Shiro inside it, "never felt so much powerful emotions from one human our boss had said, but we found out that you were actually part of the team going against us, so we decided this could be a trump card for our side".

Ian just stood wide eyes. "Shiro your ok" he smiled but cried, he was so happy, "You're alive Shiro, thank god".

"So shall we keep it that way Ian?" Aigaron asked.

"Of course, Aigaron" he said.

"Ok, but some things I need to make clear before I retune him to you" he said.

"Ok, go on ahead".

"Are you sure, I'll give you some time to think about the problems you'll face".

"Go ahead, explain what I must do".

"Well, quit the Kyoryuger team".

"What" he exclaimed.

"Never interfere with the fighting from now on" he continued.

"But"

"And forget this fight ever happened, forget it all" he finished.

"All of it?".

"Yes, everything. Your friends, your loyalty, your team, your enemies and ill return you precious Shiro to you".

Ian just continued to stare at the bubble, Shiro was right there and he was unable to do anything. He felt extremely confused.

Happy that he was alive

Angry at aigaron for the secrecy up till now

And finally sad, for he will have to lose one of his two greatest life experiences and greatest memories.

All these emotions were transferred from his body and placed throughout the sky, some going into Aigaron in front of him and some going to the battle grounds behind the trees.

"Seems like i'll have to give you some time to think this over" Aigaron said and placed his hand on his shoulder. He walked past up the valley steps to where they first entered and he shouted back, "Meet here when you decide".

And with that he was gone.

Ian deformed now defeated mentally and knelled down on the ground, the choice between his old friend and his new family was a hard decision to make. He looked upon the dropped bubble on the floor in front of him, with a hazy image of Shiro still asleep.

He screamed his frustrations out to release the tension and tightness that had gathered in his heart. "What should I do?".

Around the corner, Aigaron came face to face with a deformed Diago, he looked at him with a death glare, "using someone's friends as bait and using them for black mail is not what I just let happen in front of me, why did you do that?".

Aigaron laughed, "Does there need to be a real reason for me to have a backup plan of success" he waited for an answer but Daigo gave none back, "exactly, but his emotions back there was something"

"Yes we felt that when we were fighting the other generals".

"Then you should know that he will give you up, be careful around him is my only advice for you fools."

"How are you so sure, he has grown stronger since your murder in that European castle, he was hateful, revengeful and now he has comrades to fight with, to support his strife. What gives you the right to mess with those feelings and new bonds?".

"Everything" he crossed his arms, and continued to look at red, "be careful of him, I have just given him the deal of his life" he opened his arms, "just wait and see if you trust your comrade so much, but don't come crying to me when he betrays you for the one he was with before".

With that he disappeared leaving king also confused but he had a stronger faith in Ian then Aigaron thought. He knew Ian, or he thought he did but his confidence changed as he looked around the corner at the back of Ian who was leaning over a pool of water and an image of Shiro dissipating slowly with the water into the ground.

"Ian" he whispered and turned around to go back to the searching team.

"I will believe in him until I see no reason to not"

'Whatever he chooses, we shall support him as a team'

He reached the group as they carried on their search, "It's OK guys, Ian is OK".

"Thank goodness" they all said. They were all battered and bruised, bloody and cut, burned and beaten but they didn't complain and just continued to wait for Ian so they could return to base after a long hard battle.

They believed in Ian, so why couldn't King get the slight feeling of disbelief off his chest.

King started to walk back to base without them and Utchy followed seeing the blood run down his arm, while everyone else waited for Ian who was returning from the trees which covered his discovery, King looked back at Ian and smiled.

He finally knew their companionship would not go against Shiro's and Ian's past and they could not win him over.

"Ian, could you find king and tend to his wounds, please, he needs it" Utchy asked his friend full of concern and regret that he couldn't help king himself.

Ian looked around him slightly confused too, 'King was just here he exclaimed to himself. "sure Utchy" he grabbed an extra first aid kit and his gun before heading to the passage, shooting down and dissipating, and reappearing on the golden slab by the sea.

"king, why did you leave" he asked his leader in a playful manner, but King didn't look at him, his face now shaded by the darkness.

"you will kno..." king stopped with his explanation and looked fully at him now, but looked away after the sea's calm waves filled in the awkward silence, "you will know soon, if Aigaron is correct" and with that he stood up and started making his way up the beach.

as if king knew he was still following, he turned around and said " i told you i'm OK" as he placed his hand over his eye and did his v-sign, but Ian saw blood trailing off his hand, but king didn't notice as if he couldn't feel the pain and carried on walking.

"king", he yelled to get his attention, and pulled him by the other arm to a chair and placed him down.

"what Ian, seriously" he complained, "I WANT TO BE ALONE" his voice loud and clear as it echoed around them, he finally realized his facard had gone but Ian ignored his statements and yanked him more to sit down at a bench.

"king, just let me at least tend your wounds" Ian shouted over king's struggle of freedom.

"i know your hurt and i know you have a secret that you wont let me know, but please king calm yourself". king stopped slightly, shocked with this, but calmed down and looked at his friend, who smiled at him, finally getting through to the real him.

Ian took his clothes off and saw a wound on his arm, cutting deep into the skin, 'that's where the bloods coming from' Ian concluded now feeling sick to his stomach as the blood pored out, but he carried on. "can you feel that, king?" Ian questioned, but was answered by a strained nod of the head, but his face showed no sense of pain.

"why cant you trust me anyway, king" he questioned, silently to himself, slightly pouting in the darkness, but king heard and saw and smiled slightly.

'has he forgot about Aigaron's deal' he wondered but continued

'i do trust you, but you will eventually betray me and the others and I'm finally prepared for that' he thought to himself as he look up at the moon, as a tear trickled down his face from his eye but he continued his smile. 'but i don't know what to do'

He looked at Ian who was tending to his wound and asked, 'So what will you do Ian?'