Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Gi Oh

Chapter 8 Trial by Fire

"Mr. Kaiba, we have been looking over the information you gave us about Madeline Ohhira. While much of your claims about her targeting your brother and your company are circumstantial at best…" the attorney's voice faltered slightly as Kaiba shot him a dangerous look. Trying hard to ignore the icy stare, he cleared his throat and began again. "While they are circumstantial, we believe that there is enough there that we can present a strong case for you. We will need to hinge our argument largely on your relationship with your brother."

"As far as we can tell," the second attorney interjected, "Ohhira does not have any evidence conclusively linking you to the apparent drugging of Mokuba. Demonstrating the strong bond the two of you share as well as your clear capacity to care for your little brother should, in all likelihood, be enough to sway the judge into our favor once your case comes to trial." She handed Kaiba a file of the information she and her partner compiled.

"Should be?" he asked casually as he perused the file's contents.

"Yes sir."

"It's likely the judge will be convinced?"

"Yes."

"For the amount I'm paying you to represent me, the two you had better come up with plan that is guaranteed to work. I have to win; I need to win. Do you understand me?" The pair of attorney's looked taken aback.

"Yes, completely sir," the first one began. " It is just that the strength of your case depends to a great extent on the people who will witness on behalf of your character. This is where we will require your undivided cooperation."

"Are you that incompetent? I've given you a list of my most trusted employees and business associates, or are you trying to tell me you lost it already."

The second attorney took a steadying breath. "We have not lost your list, Mr. Kaiba," she explained. " Unfortunately, it was not as comprehensive as we had hoped."

"The people you have named will certainly play an important part in our argument, but what we need are more personal, friends perhaps," her partner added quickly.

Kaiba leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. "The list I gave you is satisfactory. Deal with it."

"With all due respect, we feel that it is not," said the second. "We've done some research and decided that we want to put a couple of your dueling companions on the stand."

The young CEO slowly straightened up in his chair. "Who?" he asked in a manner that dared his legal representation to respond.

The first attorney swallowed his apprehension and answered, "Yugi Mutou and Katsuya Jyonouchi." Kaiba shot out of his chair and slammed his fist on the desk.

"Those geeks? No! Absolutely not!"

"We must insist, Mr. Kaiba."

"Oh you do you?"

"They know you on a level that your employees and associates do not," argued the first attorney. "They are your classmates and are fellow duelists. As such, both have spent a great deal of time with you. Even though you complain about them, the three of you always seem to be drawn together. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, they have befriended Mokuba, have they not? You couldn't ask for better personal witnesses."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "You know, I really think I could. I refuse to include them," he retorted. Just the thought of Yuugi saving the day, saving his hide, was almost more than he could bear. If anyone was going to bring Mokuba back it was going to be him, not some spiky-haired, wannabe hero.

"Then you are running out of options," was the blunt reply of the second attorney. "Like it oar not, if you want to win this case, they are going to be your best shot."

"For our first character witness, the defense calls Katsuya Jyonouchi to the stand."

Kaiba remained composed, but desperately wanted to rake his hand through his hair in frustration. He wondered for the umpteenth time how his attorneys convinced him this was a good strategy. In his heart, Kaiba knew what was about to happen was not going to be pretty.

"Mr. Jyonouchi, how would you describe your relationship with the defendant?"

"Well, uh, we've been through a lot together. You know, duels and…stuff. We haven't always gotten along."

"Oh?"

"I mean sometimes it is like pulling teeth trying to get Kaiba to help out, but when I think about it, he always comes through at the end. Especially if Mokuba is involved."

"Would you say that they have a close relationship?"

"Yeah, definitely. He's like a big ol' mama bear and Mokuba's his cub." Jyonouchi gave Kaiba a cheesy grin then added seriously, "Ya don't get in between them cuz, well, cuz all they got is each other."

"The defense rests. No further questions." Jyonouchi looked pleased with himself. Kaiba looked seriously peeved at being called a mama bear. His attorneys tried to give him words of encouragement as the prosecution began its cross-examination.

"Mr. Jyonouchi, you spoke of the defendant 'coming through' to help out in certain situations. Can you think of any specific instances?"

"Oh sure." There was a stretch of silence that followed his answer.

"Would you mind telling them to the court?" asked the prosecuting attorney. A few muffled giggles could be heard coming from the back of the courtroom.

"Um, okay. There was this time at….er. Well, this one time we were….no that won't work…hang on a minute."

"Mr. Jyonouchi, anything at all." The poor boy was getting frustrated. He could think of many times, but none that he could describe to the court. How could he explain Kaiba helping them stop Marik or Dartz or even how he helped them in the Pharaoh's memory world? Everything he could think of would involve the Shadow Realm or living duel monsters or people having their souls removed. No one would believe him.

"Um, at the Battle City Finals, Kaiba gave Yugi a card that helped him win," he offered weakly.

"That is it?" Jyonouchi's mouth moved like he was trying to say something else. He knew if he didn't say something else he would discredit his previous responses and Mokuba would be lost.

"No further questions."

"Wait! I'm not done," cried Jyonouchi.

"No further questions."

"You may step down Mr. Jyonouchi," said the judge. Kaiba's attorneys shared a quick glance before they proceeded with their witnesses. Things were not going as well as they had planned.

"Next we call Yugi Mouto to the stand." The court watched as Yugi shyly walked to the front of the courtroom and sat down. In true Yugi fashion, he charmed the court with his ideals of friendship. Kaiba vacillated between being bored by Yugi's statements and strangely thankful that the duelist was there to testify on his behalf. He snapped to full attention, however, when it was the other side's turn.

"Mr. Mutou, would you consider the defendant a friend of yours," began the prosecuting attorney.

"Yes. Absolutely."

"Interesting. Why is that?"

Yugi thought carefully before he responded. "Everyone thinks that he is proud and aloof, and yeah he can be. But Kaiba has a good character, a sense of right and wrong, and doesn't stand by to see others pushed around. He stands up for what he believes in, and is a devoted brother."

The prosecuting attorney gave him an incredulous look. "Uh huh. Well, Mr. Mutou I am going to have to question your sense of judgment."

"Objection!" cried the defense.

"Sustained," ordered the judge. "Where are you going with this?"

"My next few questions will be more direct," the attorney promised. After giving the statement a moment of consideration the judge nodded and gave his consent.

"Proceed."

"Thank you, your Honor," replied the attorney before turning back to face Yugi. "You call the defendant a friend, but did he not duel your grandfather?"

Yugi looked a little shocked that someone outside of their circle knew of that event. "Yes," he answered quietly.

"And what happened?"

The spiky-haired duelist looked a little uncomfortable. "Grandpa had to be taken to the hospital because of his heart."

"So he dueled your grandfather knowing that he couldn't take the strain."

"I don't think he kne…"began Yugi, but he wasn't given the chance to complete his comment.

"Mr. Mutou, you said that the defendant was a devoted brother."

"If I could just clarify my last statement…"

The attorney looked impatient. "Yes or no? Is the defendant a devoted brother?"

"Yes. He would do anything for Mokuba," declared Yugi emphatically.

"Anything?" The attorney raised his eyebrows. "Would he give up dueling, forsake his fortune?"

"Yes, I believe so, yes."

"Would he die for him?"

Yugi gave a slow nod. "Yes," he replied.

"You sound certain about that."

"I am."

"That is interesting because I heard he would rather risk his life for causes less noble. Mr. Mutou, you dueled the defendant at Duelist Kingdom did you not?"

Yugi visibly blanched at the question. "Yes, we dueled."

"And who won the duel."

"He did…technically."

"That must have been some move to beat you, the reigning duel king. How did he win?"

"Mr. Mutou?" It was obvious that Yugi didn't want to answer. "Mr. Mutou, must I remind you that you are under oath?"

"No."

"I will ask you again, how did the defendant win?"

Yugi shifted uneasily in his seat before he answered. "He forced my hand."

"Would you mind explaining this concept to the rest of the court?"

"He, um, climbed on to the ledge of the tower wall. I…I had to choose between not attacking and losing and attacking and winning but risking him being knocked off the tower," he ended in a rush.

"I see. Let the record show that Seto Kaiba, the sole guardian of his younger brother, would risk his own life just to win a game."

"You don't understand!" protested Yugi.

"What is there to not understand, Mr. Mutou? Did he or did he not stand on the ledge to win?"

"Yes, but.." a look of desperation flashed across Yugi's large, expressive eyes as he was interrupted once again.

"But I think your loyalties are misplaced." The attorney grinned. "No further questions."

As far as the prosecution was concerned they were finished; however Yugi was not. "But he is a good brother, I know it! If you would just let me explain"

"Mr. Mutou," warned the judge.

"At Duelist Kingdom, he wasn't dueling for himself. He was dueling for…"

"Mr. Mutou take your seat or I will have you thrown out of my court!" Realizing that he could do no more, Yugi nodded and stepped down from the stand. As he passed the defense table, he cast Kaiba a plaintive look as if to convey how sorry he was. Kaiba gave an almost imperceptible nod before quickly looking away. At that moment, receiving pity was absolutely unbearable. They had failed; he knew it. Kaiba wondered to himself how things could have gone so terribly wrong.

"Mr. Kaiba? Mr. Kaiba?"

Seto Kaiba woke startled to find himself in his office and not a courtroom. In his hands was the information file his attorneys had left him some hours earlier. Right now, iIt was late. The only light in the room shone from his small desk lamp. Next to him stood Isona looking at him with concern.

"It's late Mr. Kaiba. Perhaps you should call it a night."

"I'll leave when I'm ready," grumbled a half asleep Kaiba. "I just need to make some last minute arrangements. There is some important business I need to take care of tomorrow."

"Very good sir." Kaiba watched Isona make his way out of the office as his computer rebooted from stand-by mode. "Whatever happens," he said to himself, "I can't let this case make it to court."

A/N: I really should be strung up by my toes for how long it has taken me to update this story! Too much homework and too little inspiration equals no new chapters I guess. Please forgive my lack of knowlege about the court system. Hopefully it made sense as I really didn't know what I was doing. I'm in anthropology not poli sci : )