Chapter Seventeen- Gozabouro's Tempting Offer

"So, he's going to send her home, is he? He's going to be in for quite a shock, when he discovers his key is useless." Gozabouro turned to Krump with a smirk.

"Sir, Noa controls the Virtual Key. How can you have rendered it useless?"

"I didn't. I figured out how that Key works." Kaiba Senior replied. "Veronica is too weak now. She is it's intended wielder. She is the one who can get us out of here. It is likely that was Noa's original plan, but it seems he has truly fallen for this girl, and will not use her." He narrowed his eyes. "But you see, we will."

"If she is too weak to go home, how can she be any use for us?" Gansley asked.

"There is a difference in strength level. Her dimension takes a lot more strength to create a portal. To return to Domino, we only need a little of her." He stood up now, and looked at Krump and Gansley. "I want you to bring me that girl and the Key. Kill anyone who gets in your way."

"Yes Sir." They both left to carry out his orders.

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Back at Noa's base, Noa wouldn't take his eyes off of Veronica. He even made her sit beside him at the console. "Not trying to scare you, but I don't want anyone hurting you again."

"It's okay, Noa….I understand." Veronica had begun to withdraw into herself. All she could think about was going home. She wanted her brother Vincent, and Morgen. "When can I go home, Noa?"

"Soon, Doll. Very soon." Noa scowled at the computer screen now. "Great!"

"What's the matter?" Seto asked him, his eyes narrowed.

"My father's decided to send those two creeps here! I thought I threw him off course!" Noa cursed under his breath, and stood up. "None of you follow me. I'm going to settle this on my own."

"No!" Veronica stood up now. "Please don't go alone,Oniisan….you'll be hurt!"

"Then I'll be hurt! I will not let you be victim to my father's cruelty. Enough people have been hurt on his account." Without another word, Noa left the four to stare after him. He was serious. No one would be hurt again. He met Krump and Gansley at the top level of his base. "What do you want here?"

"Veronica, of course." Krump told him. "We've orders to kill anyone who gets in our way. I suggest you just comply."

"Oh you do, do you?" Noa snarled. "Well, sorry to disappoint you boys, but you're not getting anywhere near her!"

"Then I guess you're going to die." Gansley told him.

"You morons! I'm already dead!" Noa laughed. "The only way you can kill me is to de-program the whole system. That would destroy you, as well as my father." What they don't know is Seto's already found a way around that! We just need my idiot father to get into place.

"You think we don't already know that?" Krump asked him. "There is more than one way to kill you. We don't need your base."

Noa wondered silently what they meant by that. "Fools! As long as I'm still here,I control what's going on! No cheap clone can replace me!"

"Certainly it did. Veronica sure thought it was you." Krump countered. "How can you be so sure she still trusts and loves you?"

"I know her. I'm the only thing standing between her and her own brother. She'd be foolish to betray me now."

"I see…..Well, perhaps you'd better take a look at what's going on back in your control room." Gansley pointed, and then a picture of the control room appeared, and the three watched as Gozabouro came into view. He was trying to convince Veronica of how treacherous his son was.

"You're so certain he's going to send you home then?"

"Yes! I trust him. I don't trust you." Veronica retorted.

"I see. Veronica, do you know why he brought you here in the first place?"

"No, and it doesn't matter. Oniisan will send me home. He promised."

" "Oniisan"! He's not worthy of being an older brother! He's been using you this whole time, Child. Side with me,and I will make sure you go home."

"You had me thrown in the Shadow Realm. You made me duel Yami Marik! How can I trust you?!"

"Those were tests, Dear. And you have passed." Gozabouro moved closer to her. "Noa has no intention whatsoever of sending you home. Seto thinks you're insane. Mokuba…. Well…" The former CEO shrugged. "I will take care of you. You can come back to Domino with me, and we can reclaim the Kaiba empire! Just us. We don't need them, do we?"

"Don't listen to him, Ronnie! He's a liar!!!" Noa shouted at the screen. His eyes narrowed. He could tell from her expression that the girl was thinking about what Gozabouro said. "Come on, Veronica! You yourself know how deceiving he can be! Don't listen!"

"It doesn't look like she can hear you." Gansley smirked, watching the scene.

"Gozabouro, you snake! Veronica, listen to me. I don't think you're insane! Mokuba and I….We love you too. We don't want you to go with him. Please don't betray us!" Seto glared at his foster father, glaring daggers.

"She already betrayed the both of you, by befriending Noa." Gozabouro pointed out.

"That's not true! Noa's changed! He has a heart. Even Mokuba knows that now!" Veronica defended her best friend. "I told him how I felt about what he did, and then we called it day. He knows he was wrong in it, and he repented! Just like Marik!"

Kaiba Senior glared at her now. "You're a stubborn stubborn girl! I'm offering you a free company!"

"You'd have to take Seto down first! And he worked too hard to let you just take it all from him!" Veronica was beginning to feel weak again. She wondered if it was Noa again, but couldn't even think of voicing it.

"Ahh. I see you're finally feeling the effects of the poison you inhaled. Such a pity you have to die down here, when you could've had medical attention." Gozabouro sneered.

"Ronnie!!" Noa spun around, and with two of the Big Five behind him, he ran up the stairs to his control room. "Veronica!"

"She's not breathing!" Marik told him in a panic.

"No….." Noa turned and glared at his father. "You…Why can't you just leave her alone!"

"It's very simple, my boy. I need her just as much as you do to get out of this virtual place. That's why you sent for her,isn't it?"

"No! I sent for her to teach her neglectful brother a lesson!" Noa raged, before returning to tend to Veronica. "Come on, Ronnie. You made it past heights, darknesses….You can get through this!"

"You're wasting your time!" His father taunted.

"I've heard enough of this!" Seto exclaimed, and went to help Noa. "Marik, you and Mokuba find some wet cloths."

"Oh Seto….This is not how I meant for this to end!" Noa told him sorrowfully. He took Veronica's hand in his own. "Things weren't supposed to be this way.."

"This isn't over, Noa. Don't worry." Seto consoled, surprising himself. "She's started breathing again. Look!"

"Oh Ronnie!" Noa smiled overjoyed. "Veronica, you're going to be okay!"

"N-noa…can't….can't br-breathe right…" Her grip on his hand tightened.

"Shh…..rest, Immutou. You've earned it." Noa looked up at his father." We will take you down! Mark my words!"

"Right now!" Seto added. He had moved to the console. "Ready, Noa?"

"Take him out!"Noa picked Veronica up, and moved her out of the way.

Gozabouro was gawking. "What do you mean by this?!"

"You're about to find out!" A beam of red light came from behind the man and vanished him. "He'll be barricaded for approximately three years." Seto told Noa. "That should be enough time for me to…. Well….get you out of here."

"Y-you're going to give Noa a body?" Veronica was stunned.

"Soon enough, yes. But the first order of business is to get you home." The CEO smiled at her. "You need to rest first though. You can't go to your brother like this!"

Noa nodded in agreement, and moved to carry her back to her room. "Seto, tell your brother she's in her room when he and Marik get back."

"I will." Seto smiled, watching the two best friends go down the hall.

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"Noa, I'm sorry…." Veronica said as Noa settled her into the bed.

"For what, Doll? You didn't do anything wrong. You did everything just right."

"I almost believed him…."

"That's my father for you. That's what made him a difficult businessman. But you resisted him, which proves that you're not only loyal to me, but to Seto and Mokuba too."

"I love all the Kaiba, except him." She told him sleepily. "You guys are the best."

Noa smiled, as she closed her eyes. "Maybe…maybe not." He patted her arm, and then turned in the doorway. "She's sleeping."

"Good. She most definitely needs it." Marik said with a nod.

"I'll be sending you guys home shortly." Noa told him and Mokuba.

"Send her first. I left a note for Rishid and Ishizu, so they 're not going to worry too much." Marik assured him.

"Yeah, and Seto wants to make sure everything is okay for her at home." Mokuba added, before turning to join his brother in the living room. "Come on, Noa. We're going to play Crazy Eight."

Noa looked up at him, a smile on his face. So a good turn does indeed turn into another good turn. My dear mother was right. Thanks to Veronica, I have a real family now. "I'm coming." He got up, and went with Mokuba and Marik to the living room, where they all wound up sleeping until morning.