Chapter 17: Ash's Heritage Revealed & The True Enemy Shows His Face
"This duel is over, Noah," Yami shouted.
Noah couldn't believe it. "NOOO, This is impossible! I can't lose," Noah screamed in disbelief.
"I'm afraid you just did, which means my friends are now free," Yami declared. As he said this, Lillie was freed from her stone prison. She had only been freed for a second when Ash rushed over, lifting her into his arms in a hug, and swung her around.
"ASH put me down," she squealed in embarrassment when she heard Tea giggling. Ash did so, only for Snowy to jump onto her mother's shoulder and licked her face furiously. Lillie patted her starter on the head.
Gladion rushed over. "Lillie, NEVER DO THAT AGAIN," he growled at her.
Lillie glared at him. "Don't tell me what to do, Gladion. I can take care of myself."
While this was happening, the others who had been turned to stone were being freed from their prisons.
"I'm back to normal," Tristan cried. Then let out a monkey squeak. "Well... sort of."
"Serenity!"
"Big Brother!" Joey rushed over to his sister and engulfed her in a hug, glad she was safe after being turned to stone by Noah.
"Mokuba!"
"Seto!" The Kaiba Brothers were finally reunited. "Oh, Seto, I was afraid I would never see you again."
"Mokuba, I'm glad you're safe."
"Seeing as you two are back to normal, that means Yugi won the duel," Duke said.
"What duel?" Kaiba asked.
"After Noah pulled a sneak attack on you, Yugi took over," Tea explained. "He combined your deck with his."
"My deck?" He looked down at his empty Duel Disk. "He used MY deck?"
"Quit your belly aching, Rich Boy," Joey said, annoyed at Kaiba's anger.
"Wheeler," Kaiba growled but decided to let the subject drop. He was free, and he and Mokuba were reunited; that was all he cared about.
The stone platforms descended. "How?" Noah asked out loud. "How could a mere mortal have defeated me?"
Lillie groaned, "SERIOUSLY, HE STILL THINKS HE'S A GOD."
"Because you weren't just defeated by me," Yami-Yugi said.
"What do you mean?"
"Each card I played contained the heart of a friend. You weren't just defeated by me; you were defeated by all of us." Noah collapsed to his knees. "I could not have won without the help of my friends." He looked back at the others. "And the more you tried to break us apart, the stronger our friendship grew."
"Not to mention Ash's crazy transformation," Joey pointed out. Seeing the confused look on his sister's face, Joey explained what happened when Noah turned Lillie to stone.
"This wasn't how it was supposed to happen," Noah whined. "I was supposed to win."
"You have been trapped alone in this virtual world for six years, Noah," Ash said, walking over to him. It's distorted your mind."
Ash's right, Noah thought. Even before I was trapped in the virtual world, I had no friends. Maybe the reason I despise Yugi and his friends is because of that friendship because they share a bond I've never experienced. I tried to eliminate their friendship. But they don't understand; they'll never understand what it feels like to be me. My father promised me everything but left me with nothing. "It's not fair, and I should be president of Kaiba Corp.!" He glared daggers at Ash. Look at him, thinking he's better than me. "I can still escape to the real world in your body, plus that transformation will be mine " He rushed at Yami-Yugi and stuck his arm inside his body.
"ASH," Lillie screamed, rushing forward to try to stop her fiancee from having his body stolen. She was about to grab Noah's arm when Noah was sent flying away. In a flash of light, Ash and Lillie saw they were not standing in the canyon with everyone else but in a forest-like area. A man with spiky black hair wearing an orange and dark blue Martial arts Gi stood in front of seven orbs, each with different stars on them.
Lillie turned to Ash. "What's going on?" Ash shook his head. He didn't have a clue.
"So why have you collected the Dragonballs, Goku," Ash and Lillie turned and saw a tall, green-skinned creature wearing a purple Ki, a white cape, and a turban on his head.
Is that an alien? Ash and Lillie thought.
The man, now known as Goku, looked serious. "Remember that Ginyu force member we fought that could steal bodies with his body swap technique?" Piccolo nodded and motioned for Goku to continue. "Well, I decided that it would be a good idea to make sure he can't get hold of a Super Saiyan's Body."
'Super Saiyan?' Ash and Lillie thought. Is that what happened to me/Ash?
"A very wise decision Goku," said an elderly voice. Everyone turned to see another green-skinned creature similar to the first; however, this one was much older, wearing a white robe with a blue cape and holding a wooden staff.
Goku smiles. "Kami, good to see you," Piccolo grunts out a greeting. Ash and Lillie thought that those two must share a history similar to Joey and Kaiba. Goku took a deep breath and turned towards the seven orbs. "Eternal Shenron, by your name, I summon you forth." Ash and Lillie's jaws dropped when a Dragon came out out of the balls
"You who have collected the 7 Dragonballs speak your wish, and I shall grant it."
Ash and Lillie's jaws dropped further. "THIS DRAGON CAN GRANT WISHES," they screamed.
Goku took a deep breath. A year ago on Namek, one of Frieza's top men possessed the ability to steal bodies. I wish my sons and I were immune to anyone trying to steal our bodies."
Piccolo's jaw dropped. "WAIT SONS?"
Shenron's eyes glowed. "Your wish is granted. FAREWELL." The 7 dragon balls were lifted into the air. With his mission complete, Shenron vanished, then the Dragon balls flew off in different directions.
Piccolo turned to Goku. "WHAT DID THE DRAGON MEAN BY SONS? DON'T TELL ME YOU AND YOUR WIFE CONCEIVED ANOTHER KID. IF SO, WHY DIDN'T TRUNKS MENTION THAT DURING HIS MEETING WITH YOU? He shouted.
"Calm down, Piccolo. Let me explain," Goku told him that Chi-Chi gave birth to twins Gohan and Ash.
Ash and Lillie's eyes widened. "HE'S/THAT"S MY/YOUR DAD? I'M/YOU'RE NOT FROM OUR WORLD?"
Goku continued that Kami came to visit him Chi-Chi with a god from another universe called Arceus. "Arceus told us of a prophecy." Goku took a deep breath. "Disturb not the harmony of fire, ice, or lightning, lest these titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash. Though the water's great guardian shall arise to quell the fighting alone, its song will fail, and thus the earth shall turn to Ash. O Chosen One, into thine hands, bring together all three."
Piccolo nodded in understanding. "I see, so Arceus needed your son for this prophecy."
Kami nodded, "You are correct, Piccolo. As of this moment that the prophecy has not occurred." Kami turned to Goku. "So, do you think this prophecy will lead to Ash becoming a Super Saiyan?"
"Probably if it's a world-ending threat. But let's focus on the Android threat. Once that's over, we can worry about the prophecy." Piccolo and Kami nodded, and then Ash and Lillie returned to the canyon.
By this time, the others had run up to them. Pikachu and Snowy stood before their trainers, ready to blast Noah. "Why don't you try that on me," Joey challenged.
"Joey, stop. He's just a kid," Serenity argued.
"Relax, guys Noah couldn't take Ash's body because Ash's dad took precautions against something like this," said Lillie. She proceeded to tell them everything they learned.
"WHAT? ASH IS AN ALIEN?" Everyone was stunned.
Ash walked in front of Noah. "It's time to release us from this virtual world."
Noah laughed, "You've never left the real world." Everyone reacted with surprise. "Everything here is virtual, and your real bodies are in virtual pods inside the ship."
"So that's why we've been able to feel things in this world," Tea realized.
"Yes, your bodies are just as virtual as mine."
"Of course!" Kaiba exclaimed. "When we fell through that hole, we didn't fall into a virtual world; we were knocked unconscious and placed in virtual pods!"
"So I'm not really a robot monkey?" Tristan asked.
"No."
"That's a relief."
The skies began to get dark which surprised even Noah. "Now what?" Lillie asked.
"YOU HAVE FAILED FOR THE LAST TIME, NOAH!" A voice boomed.
"That voice!" Mokuba cried.
"It can't be!" Kaiba added.
Ash groaned. "OH, CRAPBASKETS!"
A giant face appeared. The face looked like the picture that Yugi and Tea found in the virtual Kaiba mansion.
"Gozaburo!" Mokuba recognized.
"Father, what are you doing here?" Noah asked.
"How can he be here?" Kaiba asked.
"AFTER SETO DISGRACED ME BY TAKING OVER MY COMPANY, I VIRTUALIZED MY OWN MIND AND DESTROYED MY BODY!"
"But why?" Serenity asked.
"FOR REVENGE!"
"Of Course," Gladion groaned in annoyance.
"So you were behind all this!" Kaiba realized. "I should've known Noah wouldn't recall his funeral or adopting Mokuba and me."
"Yes, and now you're going to give Kaiba Corp. to me, right, Father?"
"YOU HAD YOUR CHANCE, AND YOU FAILED! NOW I'M TAKING OVER!"
"No, Father, I only need a little more time."
"YOU'VE HAD PLENTY OF TIME! NOW I'M GOING TO FINISH WHAT YOU, THE BIG 5, AND THOSE ROCKET AGENTS COULDN'T!"
"Hold on," Kaiba interrupted. "You had your chance too, Old Man, and you failed and lost Kaiba Corp. to someone more deserving of the job."
"I TAUGHT YOU EVERYTHING YOU KNOW. YOU WERE A WORTHLESS FOOL UNTIL I CAME AROUND!"
"All right, Gozaburo, enough games. Tell me what's really going on," Ash demanded.
"VERY WELL KETCHUM. BY THE WAY, SETO, YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED AT ALL. I'LL START BY TELLING YOU THE REAL REASON WHY YOU WERE ADOPTED SETO."
"When you beat me at chess, I realized you had a potential I have only seen in myself. So I adopted you and your runt of a brother to motivate my biological son, Noah. But then Noah had his... accident. I managed to preserve his mind in cyberspace, but I soon realized that it wouldn't matter. Noah would always be the same spoiled brat, unworthy of taking charge of an arms manufacturer like Kaiba Corp. So I turned my attention towards you. I worked you hard, grooming you to become the next head of Kaiba Corp," Gozoboro said to the group.
"You gave up on your son and left me alone in cyber-space?" Noah asked incredulously.
"Poor guy," Mokuba muttered, staring at Noah.
'Jerk,' Lillie thought.
"So, what did you intend to do with me?" Kaiba asked.
Even if Noah could learn to run a major company, he still lacked one critical element... a body. And that was where you came in, Seto!
"That's sick!" Serenity gasped.
"Huh, what?" Duke asked.
"Gozaburo planned to put Noah's brain inside Kaiba's body," Ash deduced.
"No kind of human would do something like that," Tea commented.
Gozaburo laughed.
"Relax, that plan only worked for a short time. Why should I give Seto Noah's mind when his mind was just fine, perfect for running Kaiba Corp. So I trained you, Seto, working you beyond your limits so that you could inherit my empire. But you stole it right out from under me! Even with Team Rocket on my side. So before I ended my own life, I downloaded my brain into the computer where I could plot my revenge," Gozoburo said as Seto realized why Team Rocket, who hadn't shown themselves in years, would show up for this now, given their shares in the company.
"You only used me to trap the others here," Noah accused.
"YES, IT WAS THE ONLY THING YOU DID RIGHT."
"You snake," Kaiba spat.
"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL ME A SNAKE. I WAS THE MOST POWERFUL PERSON UNTIL YOU CAME AROUND AND STOLE EVERYTHING FROM UNDER ME! I TREATED YOU BETTER THAN I TREATED MY OWN SON!" Gozoboro shouted to Seto.
"Thanks for nothing," Kaiba cracked. "I'll make sure you'll never regain your power."
"YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. OBSERVE." A view screen opened in the sky, and a satellite was shown. "THIS IS ONE OF THE KAIBA CORP. SATELLITES LEFT OVER WHEN I CONTROLLED THE COMPANY. WITH IT, I CAN BEAM A SIGNAL ANYWHERE ON EARTH. I PLAN TO USE IT TO TAKE CONTROL OF ALL COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND ASSIMILATE EVERYONE INTO THE VIRTUAL WORLD, AND THAT INCLUDES THOSE IN THE POKEMON WORLD IN THE ALOLA REGION AS WELL," Gozoburo Said to the group.
"Let me guess, and this was one of the things that Giovanni gave you when you were working as business partners?" Ash said to Gozoburo. This caught everyone's attention, and Gozoburo laughed.
"YOUR CATCHING ON YOUNG MAN. YES, IT IS PART OF OUR DEAL WHEN THEY HAD THEIR 49% SHARE IN THE COMPANY, AND THEY BROUGHT THEIR ENEMIES HERE TO WITNESS THIS," Gozoburo said to Ash.
Lillie was horrified. GLadion was furious. "DAMN, YOU FABA."
"That's the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard," Noah scoffed.
"I'M SURPRISED YOU FEEL THAT WAY, NOAH. IT WAS BASED ON YOUR PLAN, REMEMBER? ON YOUR BIRTHDAY."
Noah gasped.
"Nobody would be willing to come to a world ruled by a psycho," Ash argued. "Even if you forced them to."
"THEY WON'T HAVE A CHOICE. ONCE EVERYONE IS IN MY VIRTUAL WORLD, I WILL USE THE REAL WORLD'S WEAPON SYSTEMS TO DESTROY ALL REMAINING LIFE ON IT! THE WORLD WILL BECOME UNINHABITABLE, AND THE NEW WORLD WILL RISE WITH ME AS GOD!" Gozoburo exclaimed with a laugh as everyone was disgusted by what he had just said. Noah couldn't believe that his father would do this, it wasn't what he wanted.
Lillie was horrified. "He's Insane"
"We have to stop him," Duke shouted.
"YOU'RE TOO LATE," Gozaburo laughed as his head vanished.
"GET BACK HERE NOW," Kaiba demanded, but Gozaburo wasn't returning.
Noah took the group to some underground caverns. "My father's gone for now, but you have to escape quickly, and I know the way out, so follow me.
Joey and Duke questioned this idea, but Lillie pointed out they had no choice.
Soon they find a control panel in a cavern. "This is an exit. But it seems that Gozaburo has closed off the exits to prevent you guys from escaping. When my father showed up after six years, Gozaburo promised to help me. But he was lying. My father was using me."
Mokuba feels sorry for Noah, thinking that Gozaburo treated Noah just as he did Seto—with no respect. "Noah, are you okay?" Noah ignored him.
"Are you sure there are no other exits? We have to stop Gozaburo from taking over the world," Joey states.
"I want to wake up my own body!" Tristan complained
Noah is silent and head bowed over the control panel. Then he laughs. "Every virtual reality program has more than one emergency exit, so you should look harder, Noah," Kaiba demanded.
Noah turns to him. "Seto, what's wrong? Don't you want to stay in the virtual world for a while? They won't be alone there for much longer." He then starts laughing crazily, his eyes dark, and his body moving like a puppet."My father is bringing the whole world in there, and I'll never be alone again."
Mokuba ran to Noah and started shaking him. "How can you talk like that? Gozaburo has abandoned you." Noah looks at Mokuba, suddenly looking like young Seto. Mokuba jumps back, shaking his head and wondering if he's going nuts.
Noah tells Mokuba to calm down. Mokuba walked away, Noah's an evil brat, but it's not his fault. They can help him, he thought.
There it is, the exit that will allow you to leave the virtual world," Noah said to the group as they saw a door appear. Ash, Lillie, Gladion, and their Pokemon were skeptical about it, and Lucario was about to sense if what Noah said was true, but his head was still spinning from the events of what had happened to his master to sense things.
"Finally, we can get out of here," Joey said as the group entered the doorway as did Ash, Lillie, Gladion, and their Pokemon. Noah smirked, which Lucario caught, but by the time he said something, the door closed.
Instead of the real world, everyone was experiencing the stuff that happened to them during their time in the virtual world, except Tristan, who was still in his monkey body. Ash, Lillie, and Gladion were experiencing what Lillie went through during her duel with Crump, making Ash mad as it was the last part before he stepped in to save her meaning Lillie was once again trapped in ice.
What Noah had forgotten was that Ash was now able to go Super Saiyan, and Ash turned into it and went to destroy the Penguin Torpedo to stop the attack. However, doing so destroyed the Illusion Noah had put on the group, everyone realized what had happened. On the other hand, Lillie nearly had a panic attack again from reliving that duel, and Gladion noticed and comforted her now, knowing what she had gone through.
"That brat Noah tricked us into thinking that we are home free only to make a monkey out of us more than Tristan here," Joey said to the group.
"I saw a smirk on Noah's face after we entered the door. He closed it before I could warn you all," Lucario growled/said to the group. He was even angrier than Ash was, having to see all that again as Ash put his arm on Lucario's shoulder, which calmed him down. "My apologies Master Ash," Lucario said to Ash, who nodded.
"Has anyone seen the Kaiba brothers," Joey asked the group. Lucario managed to get his sensing capabilities back up and running.
"I sense them, two are far away, and one is heading away from us," Lucario said, pointing in the directions as the group noticed a familiar building and knew where Seto went.
"I think Kaiba went to find Gozaburo," Gladion said to the group, who turned to him. "I mean, that has to be the Kaiba Corp HQ that was shown during Noah's duel with Kaiba, so that must be where Gozaburo is hiding, but we should let him handle this," Gladion said.
"I agree we need to find a way out of here hopefully find where Noah and Mokuba went," Yugi said to the group as everyone nodded and turned to Lucario, who nodded.
"They're about 30 minutes from where we are. From what their Aura is showing, we need to hurry. If I had to take a guess, that is where the actual exit is," Lucario said as the group nodded as they made their way out.
Elsewhere with Mokuba and Noah as they were in what looks to be the arcade.
"Are you sure the exit is around here, Noah? I mean, this place doesn't look like where the others went?" Mokuba said to Noah, who shrugs.
"I'm positive Mokuba and the others are in the real world now. This is just another exit, just in case," Noah said to Mokuba.
"Even though we had a rough start, I wished we had met you in different circumstances. Heck, we could've been good friends, not just brothers," Mokuba said to Noah, who was taken aback by what Mokuba said but brushed it off as Mokuba was trying to see which Arcade game was the way out.
"The game that leads to the exit is this machine here, Mokuba," Noah said, pointing out a dancing machine, except it was more of the directional pads than the Arcade game itself.
"Wow, now that should have made it obvious. Thanks, Noah, and I wish you could come with us if this place didn't hold you back," Mokuba said, walking over to the platform.
Just as Mokuba was about to leave, Noah took the opportunity while Mokuba was defenseless and vanished with him. Back in the real world, one of the Virtual pods opened up, and Mokuba stepped out of it. However, it wasn't Mokuba that was in control. It was Noah.
"What a stupid kid believing he could escape the Virtual World without a hitch?" Noah said as he started to laugh. "I'm finally free, and now to get rid of the virtual world with everyone in it," Noah said as he laughed.
To Be Continued
Done and done. We usually don't add the A/N when a To Be Continue shows up. But this is one of a few occasions as we are nearing the end of this story. I thought the duel was part of this episode, but nope, it's the next chapter that shows you how long it's been since I watched the anime. It's Kaiba vs. Kaiba next time as we are nearing the Penultimate chapter of the story, and I'll be working on it. See you next time.