Based on the original Yu Gi Oh storyline. (Combination of anime & manga canons)

Rated M

A/N: Once again I was on hiatus. Work, depression, and the holidays really took a number on me last year. I think I'm officially done with making due dates for myself on this website. Updates will happen accordingly and my newest project will begin when I feel like. Just happy to get this chapter to you guys. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh it belongs to Kazuki Takahashi

Chapter 20: A Farce Trial

Once the resonating static pain subsided, the young mage noticed his environment had changed. Instead of the grand open space of the front lobby, he was now in a small courtroom. Aside from the guards still holding his arms, only about ten individuals were in the space. He recognized these men as some of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. One in particular was the famed Seti I. Next to the former king was his son Ramses II. Joshua attempted to prop himself up but he felt a cold metal tug at his wrists.

"Wow you guys actually had the balls to hold me in cuffs." The mage said a loud. "Anti-spellcaster ones too huh?"

"Be quiet!" The guard on Joshua' right commanded.

With that, he jabbed him in the ribs. Joshua grunted from the action but glared daggers at the man and shot a wad of spit through the opening of the guard's helmet. The man grimaced and reached out to grab the mage's neck but someone spoke up.

"There is no need for that. Don't waste your energy on the half breed." Seti then turned his attention to the young man. Joshua was still on his knees from the initial shock of the taser. Seti crouched to meet eye level with Joshua. "Now I'm sure you are well aware why you are in my custody."

"I wasn't aware you adopted me. Nice to meet you daddy number two." Joshua's lips twisted into a smile. "Well, considering my biological father, you would technically be daddy number three, right?"

A swift hand smacked against the mage's cheek. But he continued to laugh away the pain. Seti snarled. "No matter how many times I tried to look at your relationship with the Chosen Pharaoh's daughter with an open mind, I couldn't get over of how much of a smug and wise-ass mutt you are."

Joshua raised a brow. "Oh really? Cause pissing you off only makes the sex better."

The other guards and council members gave gasps of disgust. Seti simply closed his eyes and stood up from his position. He cracked his knuckles and tapped his foot.

"Look we can sit here all day and discuss how much you hate me for being half Jew but honestly that isn't going to get us very..."

Joshua was cut off by a foot kicking him directly in the chest. A loud grunt escape him. The guards let his body fall back onto the floor. The mage coughed violently in an attempt to catch his breath. Once the knot in his throat settled, he spoke again.

"Fuck man, I really liked this shirt. And you had to get your filthy Persian slippers all over it."

The former pharaoh stomped his foot and gave another kick to mage's torso. "Agghh, by Ra do you ever stop! If only a loose mouth was a crime as well."

Ramses's lips formed a tight line and he walked to his father's side. Grabbing his shoulder he spoke in his father's ear. "Please stop this. You promised me this would be a simple trial. Not a savage beating on the princess's fiance."

"He deserves what is coming to him. This boy broke the sacred bond between priests and their rulers. His recent theft just gave us the perfect opportunity to ring him in." Seti strolled toward the court desk and picked up a file of paperwork. "In the process we can annul his engagement as well. Surely we can find a much better suitor for the princess."

Hearing this caused Joshua's blood to boil and he felt a dark energy surge through him. 'Damn I thought I had a better handle of this thing.' He thought as the beast within fought to emerge. "Oh now you idiots gone and pissed me off. All this bullshit over your personal vendetta and a magic staff that belonged to me anyway. You know I wasn't the only one involved in that heist."

Seti grinned. "Oh I'd be a fool to go after true royalty. But unlike him, you aren't anything close to that. You are nothing more than a servant that needs to be reminded of his place."

Joshua could feel his control slipping and fast. Quickly glancing around the room, he saw a window by the desk Seti was standing by. If memory served him right, there was an arena just outside. Last thing he needed was to turn inside this small courtroom and cause more damage. He took a deep breath and turned to his side on the floor.

"If there is anyone here who needs to be reminded of their place it is you!" His voice became distorted. "And to mind your own damn business!"

Purple energy surrounded the mage's body. The dragonic guards tried to hold Joshua down, but in a swift motion he broke free from his shackles, sending the guards flying back. Standing up, his now golden colored eyes met with Seti, who was shocked to see the young man with such an aura. Before Seti could even react, Joshua grew claws on his hand and leapt toward the pharaoh. The force at which their bodies met sent the two flying out of the window and down into the large arena below. Clouds of dust and sand surrounded the impact zone. A deep howl called out of the debris and the movement of long arms cleared the clouds. A large jackal head attached to a long muscular body covered in various spikes and Egyptian jewelry emerged. Its skin was a deep purple like the energy surging around him. His forearms were longer than his back legs and the beast walked on its knuckles like a powerful great ape. Joshua had transformed into the beast Ka he seldom used, The End of Anubis. He gave another haunting howl.

"Two can play this game half-breed!" A voice called from the debris and a flash of light shined from the remaining dust.

Massive wings stretched out and glowing green eyes stared Joshua down. The huge copper scaled creature was none other than a Tyrant Dragon. The mage was unaware that the man chasing him all these years was a high ranking dragon. One that was twice his beast Ka's size at that. But despite the disadvantage, Joshua was not about to back down.

"Well? Oh mage turned creature of darkness. Where are your wise words now mutt?" Seti roared out also in a distorted booming voice. "You started this foolish battle and trust me, I intend to finish it!"

Joshua snarled before leaping to the dragon king. His claws grappled onto the dragon's lengthy neck but not for long. Seti use his own claws to fling the jackal beast off and across the sandy ground. Joshua swiftly landed on his feet but upon looking up he noticed Seti gathering flames in his throat. There was no hiding from this assault and without his staff, Joshua did not have magic powerful enough to shield him from the attack of such dragon almost on par with a Blue-Eyes. Bracing for the fiery impact Joshua stood his ground and crossed his long forearms as a means for a shield. Seti then released his attack upon the mage before him and half of the arena became engulfed in red flames. Once the fire ceased, Joshua opened his shut eyes only to discover not a single burn was present on his beastly body. Instead a lone soldier clad in golden and navy blue armor stood in front with his shield held up in the direction of the attack. It had spread the flames away from them. Joshua was unsure of his savior until the individual turned around.

"Sorry I cut it a little short there, Joshua. Luckily, Marcus recognized your calls and brought us here in time." Atem gave the mage a confident smirk.

"Atem." Joshua was shocked to see his fiance's father downed in the Soldier of Chaos's armor. He only heard stories of the pharaoh doing so in the past but here he was in the flesh. "Wait, you said Marcus brought you here?"

With that another individual leapt from the broken window on the tenth floor. His body glowed into the majestic Blue-Eyes Alternative Dragon and dive bombed in Seti's direction. He landed right in front of the Tyrant Dragon. While Seti's body was slightly larger than the Blue-Eyes before him, he could not compare to the prince of light's power.

"You've got a lot of nerve going after my best friend." Marcus growled at Seti.

Seti flinched his head back. "Surely you cannot be in support of such a filthy and thieving half-ling with your relative."

"OH BUT I DO!" Atem called out.

Marcus moved his body out of the way so Seti could meet eyes with Atem.

"The Chosen Pharaoh..." The dragon's body scrunched more. "Surely there has been a misunderstanding. Let me explain my case against that boy..."

"The only thing you will be doing Seti and standing the fuck down!" Atem pulled out his large sword. "Or you will be entering a fight with me!"

It did not take long for Seti to return to human form and everyone else followed suite. However, in doing so Joshua's sight went black and he collapsed to the ground.

Opening his eyes, Joshua was met with a worried princess hovering above him on a love seat.

"Oh by Ra, Josh thank the gods you are okay." Keanna proceed to hug the mage tightly.

He smiled through the throbbing pain on his bruised face and returned the gesture.

"Of course. It was just a ..."

Soft and eager lips melded with Joshua's. He sank into the arousing surrender his lover allowed him to feel. It certainly helped with the soreness aching all his muscles. After a few moments, the two parted. Her crimson eyes met with his shining emeralds. Joshua gently placed a strand of Keanna's hair behind her ear before caressing her cheek.

"Ya know, sometimes I look at you and I have to make sure I'm not dead again."

She laughed from the remark. "No we aren't dead anymore babe. Now let's keep it that way. You still have to walk with me down the aisle."

A knock on door interrupted their moment. The knob was twisted several times. Joshua raised a brow. "You locked the door?"

"Yeah, I didn't need another jackass kidnapping you again." She walked to the door. "Come in Marc."

Marcus entered the lounge. "Oh you guys picked my girlfriend's favorite place to escape."

The mage suddenly felt disgusted to be laying down on a possibly dirty sofa. But his torso was too bruised to bother sitting up at the moment. "Thanks for bailing me out back there. I'd be burnt to shit if you hadn't shown up when you did."

"Hey it was her pops that shielded you from that blast." Marcus chuckled. "I just helped that prejudice asshole shit his pants. Besides if he hurt you anymore then I think Keanna would have his head."

"Very much so." The princess nodded.

The trio laughed aloud and then another knock sounded on the door. A muffled male voice called out.

"Son? Are you awake?"

Marcus opened the door and Mahad entered the room with Joshua's scepter and a messenger bag in hand. Approaching the group of sofas, the magician took a seat next to his son. From the bag, he removed a sheet of paper and a pen.

"Hey dad. I see you got my favorite stick back." Joshua adjusts his position so he is sitting up, but slightly winces from the pain in his chest.

Mahad's eyes became filled with worry. His lips form a thin line. "I think I need to give you a stronger healing spell."

"I'm fine pops." He winces again. "The guy just had big feet."

The high priest's hold on the paper tightened a bit. "I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that man and his followers are no longer allowed on the Council. They had no right to outright detain and beat you over absurd misdemeanor charges and your engagement."

"I also like how they decided to charge Josh but not me." Marcus added.

Joshua chuckled. "Well, Seti is a dragon which makes you his superior. Charging the great dragon prince isn't something a coward like him would do."

"Well, Atem has that piece of shit on lockdown at the moment so we can all focus on other things." Mahad shook his head. "What I have here my son is a contract that will forever bind you to the Scepter of Dark Magic."

The young mage gentle grabbed the paper from his father. His emerald eyes darted across the paragraphs. "Wow. Proof that this thing actually belongs to me. Aside from my inheritance of course."

"All you have to do is sign." Mahad inhaled. "And please, if not for me but for the sake of your mother, try not to get into anymore trouble. If you must do illegal things or anything that would attract the attention of the wrong people, at least consult me about it. I would be glad to support you in any way I can."

Joshua gave his father a half smile. "Sure pops. Next time I plan a heist, I'll invite you."

His father glared. "Son..."

"I'm kidding. Of course I'll keep you and mom in loop from now on." Joshua rolls his still sore shoulder. "I just wanted to keep my princess and her family safe."

"And get married." Keanna chimed in.

He chuckled. "Yes, and finally get married."

Sorry this was shorter than I originally planned. And is it me or have I basically turned Joshua's character into the Ryan Reynolds of this series? Anyway this part was already written out from a long time ago. I'm talking like the month (I wanna say August last year) that I was supposed to update but obviously didn't. The next chapter will have the other components this chapter was supposed to have. Anyway glad to be updating again, no promises on the next update other than it will happen when it happens. Thank you for the continued follows, favorites, and please leave behind comments and reviews! See ya!