Chapter 5: Dealing with Corruption

Last Time After finishing off Crump, Ash was able to contact Lusamine, who went ballistic on hearing what almost happened to her daughter. Goh received a summons from Project Mew for his final qualification mission. Gladion volunteered to take Goh's place. After the switch, It was revealed that all of Ash's previous traveling companions had arrived in Alola. Ash revealed his relationship with Lillie, breaking Serena's heart. Eventually, Serena recovered and had a heart-to-heart with Lillie. Ash also learned that Greninja had finished destroying the vines in Kalos, meaning Ash could use him in Masters 8. Johnson of the Big 5 was able to talk Noah, Annie, and Oakley out of erasing the Big 5. He then proceeded to challenge Joey Wheeler to a duel. Ash offered his jacket to keep Lillie warm after her ordeal. Eventually, Ash, Lillie, Gladion Yugi, and Tea stumbled upon Joey, who was dueling against one of the Big-5, Johnson, a former Kaiba Corp. attorney who had taken the image of the Duel Monster Judge Man as his Deck Master. Lucario felt something was off about the duel and let Ash know. Ash told Lucario to try and sense the problem. What will happen? Find out now:

"I find you guilty of poor dueling," Johnson cracked. "And the punishment for such a crime is a lifetime sentence in Noah's virtual world!"

"We'll see, Johnson," Joey said as he drew a card. Johnson's face-down card is probably another trap, but I can't worry about it now. I must get a monster onto the field before he attacks me again. "I summon Panther Warrior in attack mode!" (2000/1600) With 2000 attack points, Panther Warrior should be able to hold off his wizard, but just in case. "I also place a card face-down. That ends my turn." Even I'll admit it, but it's not the best strategy I can come up with, but it should keep him off of me for a while.

"I play the magic card Leading Question," Judge Man announced. "Adding 800 attack points to my fusion monster!"

(CW: 1300-2100)

"Kamionwizard, begin your attack on his Panther Warrior!"

"Hold on there, genius, I activate the trap card, Skull Dice!" A goblin holding a red die appeared. "Skull Dice lowers your monster's attack points by the number the die comes up with. The die was rolled. A six became visible on the top. "Oh yeah, a six!"

"Take a closer look," Judge Man corrected, rapping on the table with his gavel.

The die flipped over at the very last second to reveal a one.

"A ONE?" Kamionwizard's attack points were unchanged, and Panther Warrior was destroyed.

"Don't forget, my life points go up every time my Kamionwizard attacks, thanks to Sinister Justice."

(Joey: 1100)

(Johnson: 1800)

Lucario turned to Ash. "Master, I felt a spike in the disturbance when the dice were rolled."

Ash nodded. "Hopefully, Joey will use another card based on luck, and we can prove that Johnson rigged it. Stay quiet and focused on the feeling."

Lillie turned to her boyfriend. "Ash, what is" Ash put the finger on her lips, causing Lillie to blush.

"We felt a disturbance when we entered the courtroom. When Joey used Skull Dice, we felt it increase. We want to prove it was Johnson, so keep it quiet, so Johnson doesn't know we are on to him." Lillie nodded in understanding and kept quiet, turning to watch the duel.

Yugi and Tea shouted words of encouragement, "Come on, Joey, you can beat him!"

"It's not over yet," Tea added.

"I don't see what else I can do. The only monster I have in my hand is Swordsman of Landstar (500/1200), not exactly the king of monsters." Joey thought as he drew the magic card Graceful Dice. My luck may improve. "First, I summon my Swordsman of Landstar in attack mode, and next, I'll add the magic card Graceful Dice to increase my monster's attack points depending on the die roll," Joey observed as the die was thrown. He had to be sure it was a number he wanted.

Judge Man chuckled and banged his gavel again.

The die flipped over to a one.

"Master, I can confirm Johnson rigged the die roll," Lucario told Ash through the aura. Ash nodded, knowing he had his proof.

"Gyah!" Joey cried. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"I've never seen Joey have such terrible luck before," Tea commented.

"Don't worry, Joseph. I won't humiliate you severely just yet. I activate my Deck Master Ability. Clear the Courtroom!" A bang of his gavel destroyed Swordsman of Landstar.

(Joey: 600)

(Johnson: 800)

Joey now had only two cards, a magic, and a trap card. He placed them both face-down. "I end my turn."

Gladion, while not knowing Joey, could feel something was off. His suspicions were proven correct when he heard Ash call out, "Stop the duel. That dice roll was rigged."

Meanwhile, on a virtual beach Seto Kaiba, president of KaibaCorp, was walking through it with his little brother Mokuba right next to him. "At least it's a change of scenery," said Kaiba.

"But I don't want to be on a virtual beach," Mokuba whined. "I don't want to be in a virtual forest or even a virtual amusement park. I want out of here!" Kaiba turned and started to walk down the beach. Mokuba quickly realized his attitude and composed himself. "Sorry, Seto, I didn't mean..."

"Relax. If you get upset, you're letting Noah win." He looked up and yelled. "If you think you can break us by toying with our emotions, Noah, then you don't know who you're messing with!"

Sitting in his chair, Noah listened to the man he despised. "Oh, I know exactly who I'm messing with," Noah rebutted. "A no-good cheat."

Soon after Kaiba said his piece about Noah not knowing who he was dealing with, he and Mokuba came upon a television embedded in the sand. On it, they saw an image of Joey.

"That's Joey!" Mokuba realized. "He's in a duel!"

"The Big-5 must be desperate if he's dueling," Kaiba cracked.

"But who's he dueling?"

Kaiba saw Joey's opponent and realized it was Judge Man. "Johnson,"

Mokuba turned to Seto. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. I remember our stepfather talking about how Johnson could lie and make any argument in court aimed against KaibaCorp disappear."

Mokuba nodded before spotting Ash, Lillie Gladion, and the Pokémon. "Seto, who are they, and what are those creatures?"

Before Kaiba could answer, they heard Ash call out, "Stop the duel. That dice roll was rigged."

Mokuba's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Wait, how did he" but he was interrupted by a flash of light on the screen seconds later, Noah and two women appeared.

Yugi and Kaiba were asking the same question: "What's Noah doing here, and who are those two women?" Ash was growling in anger at the sight of Annie and Oakley. In which Lillie and Gladion noticed as well as Lucario.

"That wasn't a normal growl that Ash made there. Did it sound more like a Lucario one...no more like mine. Ash, there is something about you I can't put my paw on it?" Lucario thought to himself as he knew that Ash's aura was strong, even stronger than his, but he never got a full aura scan but saved it for later.

Ignoring Yugi, Tea, Noah, Annie, and Oakley spoke in unison, "We're putting a stop to this duel!"

Everyone was shocked, but nobody more so than Johnson. "But Master Noah Mistresses Annie and Oakley, I'm only a few moves away from winning this fool's body!"

"Maybe, but I don't think you deserve the prize," Noah said to the lawyer, with the two women nodding in agreement.

"Come again?" Joey asked.

"I know you've been using my virtual technology to tamper with Joey's dice roll!"

"So Joey's bad rolls weren't a result of luck. It was cheating," Yugi realized.

"That's right, Yugi," Noah confirmed. "I originally brought you Big-5 into my world to beat Seto and his friends. And I gave you the ability to manipulate my virtual world with the single rule that you would use it before a duel, not during it. But apparently, my trust in you was misplaced. How can I prove that I'm better than Seto if all my employees do nothing but cheat?"

"What's he talking about?" Mokuba asked.

"I'm not sure, Mokuba." If Noah wants to prove that he's better than me, why and to whom is he proving this to?

"For years, I lived in Seto's shadow, always trying to prove I'm the better one. I should be the president of Kaiba Corp., not him, and it's time that I prove to Gozaburo that he should've left the company to me, not him!"

Kaiba was shocked by this revelation (which Noah obviously wanted him to hear, which was why he left the television right where he would find it). Gozaburo had been missing for five years! And even if he was still alive, why would Noah need to prove anything to him? Who was this kid?

So my faulty rolls weren't the result of bad luck. It was because of Johnson's cheating, Joey realized. And if Johnson's been cheating all this Time, then if I forced him to play by the rules, there's still a chance I could win this!

"But Master Noah, I can't stand living in this virtual world anymore," Johnson complained. "If I don't get out of here soon..."

"Save it. I'm pulling the plug on you once and for all! I should have deleted you just like how Gozaburo should have fired you in the first place Johnson," Noah said, scaring the lawyer.

Kaiba snorted, "I'm not surprised that Johnson was on his last legs in KaibaCorp."

"Let him play," Joey requested. Everyone looked at him like he was off his rocker. "I've dealt with plenty of cheaters throughout my career, said Joey thinking of his first duel with Mai, then his duels with Bandit Keith, Espa Roba, and Weevil. "But no matter who I dueled or how they cheated, they all had one thing in common: they all got their cheating butts kicked by me! And Judge Nut-Job over there will be no different. So let me finish this duel to the end."

"As you wish," Noah said, and with an evil glare at Johnson, Noah, Annie, and Oakley disappeared in the same manner.

"Is Joey nuts?" Tea asked.

"Maybe," Yugi said. "But now that Noah's onto Johnson's cheating ways, I think Johnson would think twice before trying anything underhanded again."

Johnson drew a card. "I play the magic card Pot of Greed. I bet you wish you had this card in your deck, and it lets me draw two cards, something you no doubt need very badly."

"That's right, and I'll get it too, with my trap card: Gamble!" Joey had to activate Gamble because the conditions were just right: Johnson had six cards, and he had none.

"It's a risky move," Yugi commented.

"What does it do?" Tea asked.

"It allows Joey to flip a coin. If he calls it right, he gets to draw five cards. If he doesn't, he skips his next turn. And that's something he can't afford."

A holographic coin appeared. It shot up into the air, twirling around as it started its descent. Come on, Lady Luck, don't fail me now. "It's headed," Joey called. Five seconds later, the coin landed, revealing Heads.

"Yes," Lillie cried, hugging Ash, who returned the hug.

"I activate Scapegoat," Joey called after drawing his cards. "This will protect me from your monster." Four sheep tokens appeared in front of Joey.

I play Reinforcements of the Army to add a warrior monster to my hand. Next, I'll use Polymerization to fuse Armaill with One-Eyed Shield Dragon in my hand so I can form Dragoness the Wicked Knight! (1200/900) (And since Dragoness is a fusion monster, I can use Leading Question to increase its attack points by 800."

(DWK: 1200-2000)

Johnson's two fusion monsters destroyed two of Joey's Scapegoat tokens.

Alright, said Joey, "my turn" he drew his card. First, I move my Flame Swordsman to the field in attack mode!" The Flame Swordsman drew his sword and stepped forward. "And next, I'll play Burning Soul Sword's magic card!" The Flame Swordsman's sword transformed into a cutlass. "Burning Soul Sword only works if I sacrifice a monster."

"But you have none!" Johnson protested.

"Not after I play this magic card: Arduous Decision!"

"What does that card do?" Tea asked.

"It's another gamble card," Yugi explained. "First, Joey will draw two cards from his deck, and then Johnson has to pick one. If he picks a monster card, Joey gets to summon it to the field. But if he picks a non-monster card like a magic or trap card, then Joey's turn automatically ends."

Joey looked at the two cards he had chosen. One was the monster card Goblin Attack Force (2300/0), and the other was Jinzo. (2400/1500) "All right, genius, one of these is a monster card, and the other is a magic card," Joey said, lying a little bit to pay Jonson back. You have to decide which is which. If you pick the monster card, I get to summon it and sacrifice it to power up my Swordsman. But if you pick the magic card, you're home free. And this time, with your boss watching, there's no way you can cheat." Johnson stuttered a lot. "Stumped? Here, I'll give you a hint, one of them is a magic card. Which one, though? Well, your honor? You get only one chance."

"All right, Joey," Yugi cheered. "Now Johnson's losing his cool!"

"This feels like a Move Ash would pull," thought Gladion.

"That Wheeler's a fool," Kaiba commented. "He's leaving this entire duel up to chance."

"I'll choose... the card in your left hand, the magic card!"

"Are you sure?" Joey asked.

"That's the oldest trick in the book! Of course, it is!" Wait for a second. Wheeler's too stupid. He wouldn't try to psyche me out... would he?

"Is that your final answer?" Joey asked with an amused glance.

"I've acquitted murderers and thieves! I've sent victims to jail instead of criminals! I've spent years making people believe lies were the truth and the truth was lies. You have no chance of outwitting me."

"Well, if you want to pick the card in my left hand, I'll show you." He slowly started to turn the card around.

Yugi and Tea held their breath. "The suspense is killing me," Tea complained. Lillie nodded her head, agreeing with her.

"And the card is..." Joey began.

"Wait!" Johnson cried. "I changed my mind. The card in your right hand, I pick the card in your right hand!"

Joey chuckled, "Congratulations..." He showed Johnson the monster card. "It's a monster card!"

"No!" Johnson cried. "How could a lower-class in-breed heathen have beaten me!"

"Now I summon Jinzo!" the android monster appeared. "And since that was a special summon, I Summon Goblin Attack Force. Five goblins wearing armor and carrying clubs appeared. "And next, I'll sacrifice it to power up my Burning Soul Sword." Burning Soul Sword raised the attack points of the monster equipped to it by the number of the attack points of the sacrificed monster. In short, Flame Swordsman's attack points were increased by 2300.

(FS: 1000-3300)

"Flame Swordsman, Jinzo, attack his monsters with Burning Soul Slash and Cyber Energy Shock!" The Flame Swordsman's armor became golden as the fire warrior charged forward and sliced through Dragoness while Jinzo blasted through Kamionwizard.

(Joey: 600)

(Johnson: 0)

Johnson cried out in despair as a beam of light enclosed him.

"Sorry, Johnson, but you've been dismissed," Noah's voice said as Judge Man disappeared.

"Way to go, Joey," Yugi cheered.

"Yeah, good job," Tea agreed.

"Thanks, guys. Now, who are you three, and what are those creatures (referring to the Pokémon," Joey asked Ash, Lillie, and Gladion.

It took ten minutes for Ash to explain who they were and why they were there. He also told of the history between him, Annie, and Oakley, which left Lillie and Tea horrified and upset at Latios' fate. Joey, Gladion, Lucario Yugi, and Yami were angry.

"Damn, those two are bad news," said Joey, "and if the Big 5 were that persistent to attack Lillie, who has never dueled then," Joey gasped, "OH NO SERENITY." Worried for his sister Joey rushed off to find her with the others following him.

Hopefully, I don't have to go back to the Ice area, thought Lillie, still not feeling 100% from the after-effects of her duel.

Done and done. Special thanks to my Co-writer DraconicFireLord for writing this chapter. I want to remind folks that this is a collab, and I have permission to put this on here. Also, please give this story a review for those reading this because he is getting some reviews on Wattpad, and I'm not getting any. I know this story is always all over the place, but this was the stuff we did. Also, most of the humor was my doing. The rest was his idea. That said, the next chapter will be out when it is.