Ketchum's Twelve
08: Deadline
A PikaFlash's Studio Fanfiction
Disclaimer: All characters, songs and scenes belong to their respective owners...
An A/U Crossover Type fanfic...
At CLAMP HQ, Konoha branch, Tsunade has returned from her trip only to find out about what Syaoran did. The two of them were arguing in Tsunade's office when six cars arrived at the main entrance.
Downstairs, Tsunade and Syaoran meet up with the leader of the group.
"You Li?" asked the leader. "I'm Section Chief Anzu Mazaki. I spoke to a very nice man at CLAMP. Commissioner Nokoru Imonoyama. He asks that you take the first flight to Hong Kong. There seems to be some irregularity with your paperwork."
'Shit,' thought Syaoran.
Anzu looks at Tsunade. "Tsunade. If you would take us to the suspects..."
Anzu looks at the suspects in the boy's jail cell. One of them catches her eye. "This purple-haired kid would do."
Yugi looks up.
Yugi was sitting in an interrogation room with Tsunade and Anzu.
"Imagine yourself in a room that is too short for you to stand up and not wide enough to lie down," said Anzu. "A room with no light and no head. Its stone walls scratched by the nails and teeth of desperate men, driven crazy by isolation. A small window to look out off to watch the world pass by. Your parents will grow old and die. Your friends will forget you and they will tell your stories as if it's their own. After all, what's good is a story if there is the one who owns it is not there to tell it."
"What do you want?" asked Yugi.
"Confess to the 'Kaiba Land' heist. The charges in Konoha will be dropped. Talk, and you'll walk, with parole," offered Anzu.
Yugi looks at Anzu. "No. I won't abandon my friends."
Anzu looked away. "Very well, if that is the case, remember what I told you..." Anzu looks at her sheet. "Yugi. For a second, I was starting to forget your name."
Anzu and Tsunade were about to walk out. "Wait!" The two women stopped and looked at Yugi.
"Alright, I'll talk."
Outside of CLAMP HQ, Anzu escorts Yugi to a car.
Misty was taken from her cell to one of Anzu's cars to be extradited to Tokyo.
Followed by Metabee being escorted out of the cells to the cars.
Then, Ash.
Then Pikachu.
Koji.
Keitaro.
Koichi
Tai.
Eriol.
And finally, Sakura was placed into the custody of Anzu's team.
Syaoran walked to his car to be taken the airport.
The cars leave CLAMP HQ and were driving straight to Konoha Airport.
In Anzu's car, Anzu gives Yugi a key to his handcuffs. "Yugi."
"Thanks, Téa." said Yugi, taking the keys and unlocking his handcuffs.
"You ok?" asked Anzu/Téa.
Yugi sighed. "Well, I blew the meet with Neji."
"Neji?" Téa had a small giggle. "Let me guess. He pulled a 'Bad Anime Dub' on you, didn't he?"
"'Bad Anime Dub'?" Then, Yugi realized what Téa meant. "Damn, how come I didn't see that?"
"It's his idea for fun for first-timers," explained Téa. "Don't get yourself down, Yugi. I hope Ash and Sakura appreciate the job you did in a tight jam, I'm proud that you are my boyfriend."
"Thanks," said Yugi.
"Your grandfather said that he's also proud of you."
Yugi was shocked. "You told my Grandpa?"
"I had to, Yugi," said Téa. "Your grandfather had much better contacts than I have to pull this off."
"Great," Yugi sarcastically said. "Looks like I'm going to hear this one for months. 'Remember the time your girlfriend had to bail you out of jail?'" Yugi mimicking Solomon's voice.
"Sorry, Yugi," apologized Téa.
"It feels like...it feels like a..."
In another car, Misty slaps Ash in the face. "Owwww."
"That is for keeping me in the dark!" Then, Misty land a few light punches on Ash's stomach. "And that's for making me a Master Thief!" Then, Misty elbows Ash in the groin. "And that's for ruining our Second Third Anniversary!"
As soon as the beating stops, Ash hugged Misty and gives a peck on Misty's cheek. "Look, I'm sorry for keeping you in the dark." Ash kisses Misty's cheek again. "And I'm sorry for making you a thief."
"Master," corrects Misty.
"Master thief." Misty looks at Ash and Ash kisses Misty in the lips. "And I'm really sorry for ruining our Second Third Anniversary. Do you forgive me?"
Misty smiled and kissed Ash. "A little."
"Thanks." As Ash was about to kiss Misty again, he said, "So, what was Trunks Briefs like?"
Misty pinches Ash at a very sensitive spot...
"Ow."
Syaoran's car was following the group, when one car breaks off, heading towards another airport.
"Follow that car! That's Avalon's car."
The two cars reached the domestic airport, where a plane was waiting. As soon as Sakura and Syaoran got out, their cars drove off.
"Hey! Come back!" yelled Syaoran.
Sakura walked to Syaoran.
"What the hell is going on?" asked Syaoran.
"Your father is alive, Little Wolf," said Sakura. "Your mom lied to you to keep you from him."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"When your parents divorced, your mother threatened your father that if he ever tries to contact you, she'll hand the police everything they need to put him away for good," explained Sakura.
"How do you know? I don't believe you." Syaoran looks away. But as his mother has passed away, he might as well ask about his father.
"Ok, do you know where he is?"
Sakura shrugs. "I know someone who does."
Syaoran looks away.
"There's nothing back there but a forged 1077, Syaoran," said Sakura.
Syaoran looks at Sakura. She has a point. His career as a CLAMP detective is over. The only thing he can do now is go visit his father.
"Come on."
Sakura and Syaoran got on the private jet.
Inside the plane, Sakura sits next to a backpack. Syaoran takes out Sakura's cell phone and tosses it back to her.
"Thanks."
Meanwhile, back in Hong Kong, James has a visit from an attorney in James' Jail cell. He's has black hair, short and has no nose. James smiled as he recognizes who the attorney is.
Krillin has gotten James out of jail.
Naruto returns to his mansion in Konoha. He sees his wife at the entrance.
"Hey, Hinata." Naruto kissed Hinata. "I got something to put in my gallery. Could you help me put it there?"
"Sure," said Hinata. "By the way, your guests are at waiting for you out at the back."
"Guests? What guests?" Then Naruto has an idea who it is.
At the back, at the very place Ash first meets up with Naruto, Ash sitting down with Misty, talking to her while having some sake.
"No. Really? No."
Ash shakes his head. "No."
"That will be horrible."
Naruto walks in. "Well, you must have very good contacts. It usually takes days to buy your way out of jail."
Ash looks up. "Misty. This is Naruto Uzumaki.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Ketchum."
"Hello."
Naruto sits on a chair in front of the two. "Shouldn't you two be making your way to...I'd say... Siberia?"
Ash smiled. "Before we get to that, let me ask you something. How did you do it?"
"Ahhh. You want to know," said Naruto. "I guess that's normal. But I got another deal. You both recognize that I'm the best, and I'll tell you my secret."
Then, Misty whispered to Ash. "Why don't you make him tell us first before you tell him that he's the best. I won't tell because you're the best, Ash." Misty kissed Ash.
"Ok, Naruto," said Ash. "You tell us how you do it and I'll say you're the best."
Naruto grinned. "Why not? I can't refuse the request of a dying man."
Naruto picks up his Sake cup.
Flashback: Saturday Night
The GS Ball was under tight security as employees of the museum took the GS Ball out of its box and place on its display stand.
Naruto's V/O: The GS Ball arrived at 8:15pm on Saturday night before it was place on display."
Ash's V/O: Wait? You stole it that night? With the museum on lockdown? How did you get in the building? How did you get past the sensors? Why didn't my recon team see you?
Naruto was having a leisurely walk along the roof top of the museum, finding a way in while down below, the recon team was having their usual brotherly spat.
"Don't touch my thing," said Koichi.
"I'm not touching your thing," retorted Koji.
"No, your hands are touching my thing," said Koichi, taking off his night-vision goggles. "You got greasy hands and it's has made a mark on my lens. Now I can't see anything"
"As if you can use it," said Koji, removing his NV goggles. "You can't see a thing if you don't use it like this.
"Well, I see that you're a retard," said Koichi.
"Alright, I'll give you a million dollars if you don't speak for one month. One month," said Koji.
"I am going to eat your whole head."
"I'm not joking. A million dollars."
Koichi is really annoyed with Koji. Meanwhile, Naruto easily entered the building.
"Right, without any ropes or equipment," said Ash.
"Come on, Mr. Ketchum," said Naruto. "Don't tell me you don't know how to use Chakra to walk up walls or on water?"
"Ok, what about the laser field in the Great Hall?"
Naruto smiled. "Ah. Well, the Laser Fields."
Flashback: Saturday Night
As the lasers randomly move around the great hall, Naruto puts in a set of head phones playing some music to get a rhythm in his head. Naruto dances his way through the laser field, using the rhythm to dodge the lasers. Once Naruto navigates his way through the field...
"I am the greatest," he mumbled, before making his way to the GS Ball.
Ash is surprised at how Naruto could navigate his way through the laser fields using the rhythms from his music player. "Wow. You really are the best, Naruto."
Naruto had a grin on his face. "Thank you, Ash."
Ash and Misty stood up. "Now, if you could give us the money, we'd be on our way."
Now Naruto is surprised and it's Ash's turn to have a grin. "The money? What money?"
"The money you agreed to pay Kaiba if we won," answered Ash.
"We're under a deadline," said Misty.
"But you didn't win. You lost," said Naruto. "Not only you did you lose. Your whole entire team was pinched. Which reminds me, you do not look like her. Maybe the hair, but the face and the voice..."
Ash and Misty had serious looks on their faces. They really mean business. Then, it hit Naruto.
"That means you spoke to Clow Reed," said Naruto. He looks at the two. "You spoke to Clow Reed?"
Flashback: Second Thursday, Six days left
At Hong Kong train station, not all of Ketchum's remaining nine were going to catch a train to the airport to take the flight to Konoha. In fact, Ash and Sakura made a slight detour earlier...
Ash and Sakura were in a bird shop, talking to a man sitting in the shadows.
"As I am supposed to be dead, it's best if my involvement in this is kept between the three of us."
"Of course," said Ash.
"Yep," said Sakura.
"It's ironic that the solution to all of our problems will be provided by Naruto. I'm sure my comment about you being better than him has somehow provoked him. For that, I sincerely apologize to you for the trouble I have caused."
"There's no need for that," said Ash
"Especially, right now," said Sakura.
"Remember, from the time you visit Naruto at his mansion to the time the challenge begins, you must assume that he has you under surveillance at all times."
Ash and Sakura looked at each other.
"You're going to have to put on a very elaborate show. As for the real GS Ball. It will be carried in a backpack leaving for the Wave Country on the Magnet Train at 9:30 am."
"Thanks for the tip, Clow," said Ash.
"You saved our lives, Clow Reed," said Sakura.
"I know," said Clow Reed. "But I'm still getting the better of you."
Second Friday, 5 Days Left
As an escort of security trucks leave the Hong Kong Museum for the airport to deliver the GS Ball, a lone courier leaves through a side entrance carrying a backpack containing the real GS Ball.
As the courier makes his way to the train station, a lone figure waits with his own backpack while reading the newspaper. As soon as he spots the courier, Yugi puts down his newspaper and picks up his backpack and followed the courier into the train station and into the Magnet Train.
Inside, Yugi enters the Magnet Train and sits behind the courier, who happens to be escorted by two plain clothes security guards hired to guard the GS Ball as they sat on a table opposite the courier on the right side of the train.
At that moment, Koji walks in, wearing Koichi's green cap instead of his purple bandanna. He choose to sit at a table on the left side, opposite Ash and Eriol, who were already there.
(For your information, Sakura and the others were already in Konoha, stealing Naruto's stuff the night before. And this was why Koji, Eriol and Yugi choose not get caught during the first attempt to steal the GS Ball.)
During the train ride, Koji looks at Ash's cap and had a huge smirk on his face.
Ash, whispered to Eriol. 'Must be a Digimon fan.'
'Want to find out?' whispered back Eriol.
Ash puts his red Pokémon cap on the table. Koji followed suit by putting his green cap on the table. As soon as the cap lands on the table, Ash flings the caps off the table and both Koji and Ash got into a scuffle, bring the small fight to the next table, where the courier and the security guards are. Fortunately, the fight didn't last long as Eriol, Yugi, the courier and guards broke the fight off. It was during this time that Yugi took the chance to switch the backpacks and steal the real GS Ball. As soon as the fight was settled down, the courier and guards sat back at their seats while Yugi keeps a hand on the backpack he has taken.
When the train finally arrives at the Wave Country Station, Ash, Eriol, Koji and Yugi got off separately, as they don't want to risk getting caught together.
End Flashback
At the moment, the backpack carrying the real GS Ball is safely on a plane with Sakura and Syaoran.
Back in Konoha, Naruto has finally realized the truth. "I stole a replica?"
Ash smiled. "Anyway, your books and scrolls are kept in a high-security warehouse in Sunagakure. The code is "2-3-1-1-6..."
"... 6-4-6. Thank you," finished Naruto.
"Well, all games aside, that was very good," said Ash. "How did you do that?"
Naruto slowly turn around and said, "I think one story is enough for now, don't you think. Now, if you could please leave..."
"Ok."
Ash and Misty left Naruto alone.
Hong Kong
Sakura and Syaoran walked to a villa in Hong Kong, with Sakura carrying the backpack with the GS Ball and her wand.
"Whose house is this?" asked Syaoran.
"It belongs to a thief I know in Hong Kong," answered Sakura.
"He knows my father?"
"Probably better than anyone," Sakura said. "He helped with the whole Night Fox thing."
"What's his name?"
Sakura smiled. "His real name. I don't know. I only know him as Clow Reed."
Syaoran stopped. "Clow Reed?"
A man walked up to Syaoran. "It can't be."
"Yes it is, my son," said Clow. "It's been a long time."
Syaoran hugged his father. "I missed you, dad."
"Same here. I have been waiting for this moment for so long."
At the entrance, Sakura smiled and placed the backpack on a chair. "It's great to see a father and son reunited," mumbled Sakura.
Kaiba Land
Back in Domino City, Tai has delivered the check to Kaiba, valued at 198 million, 4 Hundred and 27 Thousand, 84 dollars and 32 cents ($193, 427, 084.32)
"So, are we done?" asked Tai. "Issue closed?"
"Is it good?" asked Seto, checking the authenticity of the check.
"It's good. Trust me," replied Tai.
"I don't trust you. And I don't trust Ketchum. If it's good, we're done," said Seto.
"These grudges, they're won't do any good to anyone. Nobody wins," said tai.
"I don't know. People like Ketchum. They don't like to lose," said Seto. "They keep coming back. Too much pride and too much ego"
"If you think that is bad, the competition is worst than our business," said Tai. "Always some new young punk trying to prove that he's better than everyone else. Ash is different. In fact, Ash feels that he hasn't lost in all this. You can trust me on that."
Seto looks at Tai. "If Ketchum or anyone else does anything, I'll be watching."
"Listen, Seto, I can't predict the future," said Tai. "I hired professionals to do that and even they get it wrong. I can't predict if anyone is ever going to rob you again. But I can say this, if, Pika forbid, something ever happens to you, I will assure you that we will not be involved."
"You'd better not be, Tai. You'd better not be."
Outside the window, Seto's new blonde gardener happens to have his blue eyes on the check Seto has received. Naruto smiled. If he is going to prove that he is better than Ash, why not do the same thing as what Ash did three years ago...with only one person.
Kaiba Land, Monday Night
The twins, Koji and Koichi entered a room that was specially booked for them in Kaiba Land.
Pikachu enters the room.
"Hey! It's Pikachu," said Koji.
"Pika!"
Metabee walks in carrying two cups of beverages. "Good to see you guys," said Metabee.
Yugi enters the room, followed by Ash and Misty.
"Who's she?" asked Koichi.
"You don't remember me? You put me through hell," said Misty.
James walks in and sees Yugi. "So, what did I miss?"
"Hey, everyone," called Keitaro as he enters the room.
"It's Keitaro!"
Following Keitaro was Eriol.
"Hey, guys," greeted Eriol.
"Great to see you again, Eriol," said Yugi.
Tai walks into the room.
"You look more beautiful than ever, Misty," said Tai.
"Thanks, Tai," said Misty.
"Who's she?" asked Koji.
"You don't remember me? You put me through hell!"
"Whatever," said Ash. "Let's start playing cards."
The group of 11 split into two groups, with one group playing Yu-Gi-Oh while the other were the Pokémon TCG. Then, a former detective enters the room. The first person to notice was James.
"Oh my god."
Everyone looked up and saw Syaoran. Suddenly, Sakura bursts into the room, saying, "You're under arrest! You're thieves! Crooks! Pirates!"
Sakura introduces Syaoran to the others. "Metabee, meet Syaoran. Syaoran, meet Metabee."
Syaoran shakes hands with Keitaro.
"Ok, Syaoran. You have a choice. We play Yu-Gi-Oh or Pokémon?"
"Pokémon."
"Let's play!"
The gang was enjoying their time playing cards.
"I win!" Syaoran slips off his chair.
"Uh-oh," said Sakura, laughing. "Someone gave Syaoran too much to drink."
End of Ketchum's Twelve
Main Character List:
Ash Ketchum (Pokémon) – Danny Ocean
Sakura Avalon (Card Captor Sakura) – Rusty Ryan
Yugi Moto (Yu-Gi-Oh) – Linus
Misty (Pokémon)/Asuka Soryu Langley (Neon Genesis Evangelion) – Tess Ocean/Julia Roberts
Taichi Kamiya (Digimon 01) – Reuben
James (Pokémon) – Frank
Koji and Koichi (Digimon Frontier) – Turk and Virgil Malloy
Metabee (Medabots) – Livingston
Eriol (Card Captor Sakura) – Basher
Pikachu (Pokémon) – The Amazing Yen
Keitaro (Love Hina) – Saul
Seto Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh) – Terry Benedict
Syaoran Li (Card Captor Sakura) – Isabel Lahiri
Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto) – The Night Fox/François Toulour
Some Minor Characters worth mentioning:
Clow Reed (Card Captor Sakura) – LeMarc
Jounochi and Honda (Yu-Gi-Oh) – Henchmen
Krillin (James's attorney, the 'Baldy' in Ketchum's Eleven, DragonBall Z) – Bruiser
Trunks (Dragon Ball Z) – Bruce Willis
Gendo Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion) – The Antique Freak/van de Woude
Neji Hyuuga (Naruto) – Matsui
The usual pointless stuff at the end of my fanfics (if any):
1. Just in case you are not aware of it, the security system at Gendo's house that was disabled during the break-in are the NERV's three Magi Supercomputers.
2. Choosing Puffy AmiYumi as the band that is touring Hong Kong seemed like a good choice because of having Japanese characters based on real people made by Americans seems to make a perfect cameo and cover for Ash and Sakura during their escape in Hong Kong. Plus, is there ever a professional mixed soccer team?
3. It was a very tough process to find the perfect Anime character to choose for Misty to disguise herself as. Rather than going though a long list of violent females with red hair, I had to look through a poll in one of my Anime Magazines which happens to select which is the most favorite male and female with red hair. And believe it or not, the one who tops the list was Asuka. Then, I happen to remember an old and forgotten fanfic that happens to have the scene where Misty was mistaken for Asuka, so this is what I got.
4. And finally, the gang of eleven had their emergency meeting in chapter 01 at the Mahora Academy Library from the Negima: Magister Neji Magi series by Ken Akamatsu, the very place where Ash and Sakura planned the job in Ketchum's Eleven.