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

Chapter 24: True face

"No problem, I wasn't lookin' where I was goin'." came the accented voice of Johan.

"It was." Tori said to herself as she got a final glimpse of her new teacher pulling out a phone and following them with his emerald gaze.

In what felt like seconds to Tori they were two floors above the cinema, she was gasping for breath while clutching a very painful stitch in her side. Yuma was looking over the rail, no signs that they had been running for several minutes straight.

"Shit!" Yuma spat. Tori looked at the angry and focused face of her friend, then followed his gaze to see all of their friends trying to keep Shark and Vector apart, and failing as the two were engaged in a fierce fight. It was unclear who was winning. Tori watched as Yuma looked straight down then a the rail his hands were on, as if he was calculating distance.

"Wait, you aren't thinking of jumping the rail?!" Tori exclaimed in shock, "You'll break your legs."

"No I won't. I done bigger in gym class." Yuma said, pulling Tori onto his back, she was too taken aback to resist. Next thing she knew she and Yuma were plummeting to the lowest floor, to the sound track of many shocked screams. Then Yuma grunted as he took his landing on both feet, not even having to correct his stance on impact. He let a very surprised Tori off his back and ran over to the group, at the back of which was fortunately Rio.

"Tori you'll have to briefly explain our story to Rio, she won't believe me given the current circumstances." Yuma told Tori. Tori didn't argue and was explaining things as she brought Rio to the real Yuma, was crouched behind the corner of the water fountain.

"Thank heavens," Rio said, embracing Yuma, placing a hand on his chest where she would be able to feel his hidden Barian symbol, "I suspected that it wasn't the real you. Tori told the highlights. What do we do?"

"What happened to start the fight?" Yuma asked.

"Shark saw you and Vector kiss." Rio stated. Tori just watched not sure if she might be able to help, looking around as a look out if something happened.

"That would start it. But Shark knows I wouldn't kiss Vector." Yuma hissed.

"Shark is very narrow visioned when it comes to you, Yuma," Rio said a kind smile on her face, "just the image, or the idea is enough to send him into a rage. And the look in your eyes has me guessing you are close to raging, as now I have all the facts, it is clear Proteus is targeting my brother."

"And he is going to pay for it, Rio." Yuma practically spat, angry red fire in his eyes, "No one messes with us and gets away with it." Tori was still too shocked to remind Yuma how unlike himself he seemed to her.

"Your just jealous that you boyfriend has finally recognised the superior spiecemen!" Vector shouted.

"Damn it Vector," Yuma snarled punching the marble fountain causing it to crack around the impact, Tori taking a step back a little scared of her friend, "I'll take the fake, try and get the key to Kite, he'll have the power to make Astral come out. You talk some sense into your brother, and let him know that we can't hold back." Yuma began to rise.

"Wait," Rio said pulling Yuma back down, both having forgotten that Tori was there with them, "are you sure?"

"Yes." Yuma said, then he changed to the language of the Barians as he glimpsed Tori, "They will find out soon anyway, besides," Yuma took Rio's hand in both of his, then continued in the Barian tongue, "I have you, and Nasch and all of the other Emperors." Rio smiled and nodded. Yuma stood up. Tori looked around again, noticing a hooded figure a single floor up, clearly watching what was going on.

Yuma vaulted clear over the fountain.

"Proteus!" Yuma yelled, pointing at his doppelganger, "Your lies and tricks end now!" Shark and Vector stopped fighting at the appearance of a second Yuma. Rio rushed to her brother's side and began whispering in his ear.