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

Chapter 19: The Aether is coming.

Duman, Mizar and Rio had been told by Shark to go and raise the palace's very powerful mystical shield, to protect the evacuated population of Barian world. While they were doing this Yuma was sat with both Alito and Vector, looking through his deck. Girag had gone to help the soldiers prepare for an invasion by Astral world, should it occur.

"Is you're deck alright?" Shark asked joining the trio on the floor, making a point of placing himself between Yuma and Vector. Yuma handed his deck to Shark, who started to look through it himself.

"It's fine," Yuma said, "but when we head back, the new Barian cards are going to make it hard to..."

"...protect your identity." Shark finished for him.

"I say we don't go back." Vector suggested, "I mean, Earth isn't our home."

"We have to go back." Shark said matter of factly handing Yuma his deck back, "If we don't Yuma's family will report him missing. With all eight of us here, the rest of us would be the first on a suspect list. Also, the attack on Astral world came from Earth, so who ever framed us for the attack on Astral world, is either operating on Earth or through it. If we are to stop this and get answers, we have to go back to Earth."

"I hate it when you make sense, Nasch." Vector growled, folding his grey arms over his chest. A scowl was evident in his manic eyes.

"Why don't you build a second non-Barian deck, and carry both around," Alito suggested to Yuma, "you know, just in case."

"He can't," Vector said, "that would be more suspicious. No one carries a second deck around, apart from Turbo duellists."

"I hate to say it," Shark said, feeling physically sick, "Vector is right. Carrying two decks is not a good idea."

"Then I'll remove the Barian cards," Yuma said, "But I keep them on hand, just in case."

"That's an idea." Shark smiled.

A few hours later, Shark, Yuma, Rio, Duman and Alito had returned to Earth, all the Barians having agreed to continue to keep Yuma's identity a secret because they were uncertain if Yuma's friends would tell Astral if given the chance. Vector, Girag and Mizar stayed behind to make some final preparations to the palace's defences.

"You sure you're ok with keeping this from Tori, Bronk and the others?" Shark asked as he was walking Yuma back to his house. Yuma squeezed Shark's hand in his once again human hand, to try and reassure his beloved.

"I'm not," Yuma answered honestly, "but there is still the risk that they'd tell Astral. Not that, that idea actually bothers me. No, I just don't want to risk a repeat of what happened when we all found out about you." Shark couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips. Yuma scowled at him.

"Sorry," Shark giggled, hugging Yuma tight to his side as they continued to walk, "I'm not laughing at you Yuma. I just find it amusing that you are more worried about losing the friendship of the others, then Astral, considering his threat. Me personally, I'm more worried about that last bit."

"I'm not." Yuma said smiling confidently, "I have beaten Astral once, with a weaker deck. I can beat him again if I have to."

"Is that a promise?" Shark asked as they walked up the darkened footpath that led to the front door of Yuma's house.

"It's a fact." Yuma said.

"Well, just don't get too cocky." Shark warned the smaller teen, wrapping his arms around Yuma, "I don't want that confidence to get you hurt or worse."