Chapter Sixteen-The Fact of the Matter
"What do you mean,he violated her?!" Kaiba demanded. When Mokuba told his older brother what Noa had done, the older Kaiba was furious. "This is getting dangerous. I'm going to deal with him. Mokuba, you stay with Marik, okay?"
"Alright." He turned to return to Veronica's room. When he got there, Marik was sitting beside her bed, looking really worried. "Is she okay,Marik?"
"She needs to go home, as soon as possible." His friend replied. "This has been too much for her."
"Yeah…I can imagine." Mokuba sat on the other side of Veronica, who stirred then. "Hey there…"
"I'm gonna kill him, you know." The girl replied softly.
"I think my brother is way ahead of you." Mokuba told her with a smile. "Just let him handle it."
"Okay." Veronica was in no mood to argue at the moment. She closed her eyes briefly, with a sigh. "Mokuba, I'm sorry I got you involved in this…"
"Don't be! Noa's the one who should be sorry! I don't know what he was thinking, going after you like that! You've done nothing but help him!"
The girl sighed again, and turned to look out the window. "We're submerged again…"
Marik followed her gaze. "It seems so." He looked at Mokuba, then cleared his throat. "Veronica, you need to rest, okay?" He stood up. "Come on,Mokuba."
"Right." The two friends glanced back at the sleeping girl, before wandering out to find Seto and Noa.
*******************************************************************************
"What are you talking about, Seto?! I never touched Veronica like that! Ever!" Noa insisted, his eyes narrowed. "I've been framed!"
"Unlikely story." Seto grunted.
"It's true! I swear! I would never hurt Ronnie!" The younger of the two Kaibas stared up at Seto, pleading for his trust. "I know I did some horrible things in the past, but I'm not like that now!"
"Then explain to me why Veronica and Marik both can flat out know it was you that did it!"
Noa blinked. Seto was right. There was no one to account for his whereabouts at the time of the attack, and he knew he hadn't been in his room. "I don't know!" Maybe my father has something to do with this! Anything to ruin me! "Perhaps my father had a clone of me made?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Seto scoffed. In all honesty, he was starting to think maybe they'd been tricked into believe Noa had turned bad again. It is quite possible that he is using a cloning program. In that case, this could wind up bad. "Alright. Suppose I believe you. Where would he be programming everything from?"
"That, I'm not sure of." Noa replied, feeling stung. "Do you think she'll talk to me?"
"Probably not for a very long time. I saw her a few minutes ago. She looks very shaken." The CEO sighed deeply. "She needs to be sent home, before anything more can happen."
"I know…but I can't risk using the Virtual Key right now." Noa told him. "My father could be using it to track us." He turned to his keyboard, and started typing again. "I'm trying to write a program to throw him off of our course. It might not kill him, but at least it will keep me and my world safe for a little while."
"What happens when that "little while" wears off?" Seto asked softly. Despite his intense hatred towards Noa, he really didn't want to see someone his brother Mokuba cared about so much killed again.
"I don't know, Seto. I just don't know." Noa sighed now. "The sooner I can get this program up, the better."
"Let me help you." Seto offered. "You should probably go see Veronica. But don't be surprised if she tries to throw something at you."
"Thanks, Seto. I owe you one." Noa left the control room, and walked down the corridor to Veronica's quarters. He was certain she wouldn't even be able to look at him.
************************************************************************************
"Ronnie?" Noa spoke softly, standing in her doorway. His eyes widened, seeing the state she was in. "Veronica, can I come in?"
"Go away!" The girl shrieked at him. "I hate you, Noa Kaiba! Just leave me alone!" Veronica turned away from him, burying her face in her pillow. Noa realized a second later she was quaking in terror.
"What did he do to you….?" Noa whispered to himself. He ventured through the door, and went to sit on her bed. "Ronnie…it wasn't me, Otoota." He put a hand on her back, gently. "Please will you let me explain?"
"Get out!! NOW!!" Veronica's muffled scream replied. "Don't ever come near me again, Noa! EVER!"
"Veronica…." Noa stood up, shaking himself. He realized then that he'd just lost the only person who truly loved him. "Please…. It wasn't me. It was Gozabouro. You know I would never hurt you! I swore it, remember?"
"Get out." Veronica whispered, tears streaming. "All I want from you again is to send me home."
Noa backed up into a wall. "No…. Veronica, please don't shut me out! I didn't do it!"
"Get out!!" Veronica had gotten out of bed by now, and she shoved Noa as hard as she could out of the room. "Out!"
By the time Noa was outside of the room, Seto, Marik and Mokuba had arrived, hearing Veronica's screams. "What in the world happened, Noa?" Seto wanted to know. He had explained the truth behind the clone Noa to Marik and Mokuba.
"S-she wouldn't listen to me! She doesn't want anything to do with me at all."
"It was a rather traumatic experience for a girl her age…" Marik reasoned. "Of course she wouldn't right now. Even if she does believe you, Noa, she's not going to tell you that."
"Poor Veronica…." Mokuba remarked. "Do you think it would do any good to make her listen to him?"
"That would not only be a bad idea, it would make everything worse!" Seto told him. "The only thing we can do now is to let her have time to think things out." He turned to return to the control room. "Come on. Let's just leave her alone for now."
"Alright." They chorused, following him.
"I've nearly completed the program, Noa. It should be ready in about fifteen minutes."
"That's good…" Noa replied softly. He was thinking about Veronica. He couldn't believe she hated him so much. I should've just sent her back. I should've kept my word! I'm supposed to be protecting her, and I let this happen! Well,it serves me right, if she hates me.
*~*It's frustrating when no one believes you, isn't it, Son?*~* His father's voice taunted Noa mentally.
"Leave me alone!!" Noa growled through clenched teeth. "What you did was wrong!"
*~*Oh really,now? Well, if you had just given me the Key to begin with, this wouldn't have happened.*~*
"Leave that girl alone!" Noa commanded angrily. "She's been through enough!"
*~*You're too late, My boy. I already have her, and will continue to play with her, until you give me what I want!*~*
"Ronnie! No!" Noa whirled and ran back to Veronica's room, finding her lying on the bed,breathing heavily. "Seto!! Marik, Mokuba! There's something wrong!" His eyes narrowed, as his nose caught the scent of something funny.
"Noa! What's happening?!" Mokuba demanded, beginning to come into the room.
"No! Mokuba, stay out! He's trying to poison her lungs!" Noa scooped Veronica up, and carried her out into the hall, closing the door to her room. With a quick snap, it was sealed airtight to keep the gas in one place. "Ronnie! Ronnie please be okay!"
The young girl gave a few good coughs, before bursting into tears in Noa's lap. "Noa…."
"Shh…..it's alright. You're okay." Noa held her close, a sigh of relief escaping him. "My father is using you to get to me." Noa's eyes turned cold. "I'm sending you home, before anymore harm can be done to you."
"No! I promised I'd help you, Oniisan…don't send me home…please…"
"You can help me by staying alive." Noa told her softly, hauling her to her feet. "Come." He had every intention of making good on his word this time, but he didn't know there was going to be one final fight.