Amenochiyuki

"Ginji!" Ban screamed through the curtain of snow that was making it almost impossible to navigate. "Damn it! Where are you, baka? This isn't funny!" he shivered, and wrapped his arms around himself to try and keep warm. 'If this drags on for very much longer, we'll both die.' Ban thought as he feverishly looked for his blonde friend.

It was just supposed to be another mission. Get back a very important date book for the CEO of Tokyo's most influential businessman. Who knew that this little black book would cause so much trouble?

-FLASHBACK-

"They're on the balcony! Get them!" shouted the guards of the mansion that the GetBackers had infiltrated.

"Looks like we're about to have company," Ban said, as he looked for a way to escape. They were on the opposite side of where they needed to be. It would be quite a feat getting back the Lady Bug. "You still have that book, ne Ginji?"

Ginji nodded. "Hai. Target geto!" he held up the book with a big smile.

Ban couldn't help but smile as well. "Yosh! Now, we have to find away out of here." He leaned over the balcony. "Whew. . .that's a long ways down."

Ginji put the book back in his vest pocket, and joined his partner. "Heh. . .yea. That's for sure. Look how the land slopes down into that huge hill. I sure wouldn't want to take a ride down that." He shook his head.

"Stay right there!" Ginji and Ban turned around fast as they were quickly surrounded. "Hand over the book. Now!"

Ginji raised his hands, "What book?" he said innocently.

Ban chucked a little, "We honestly don't know what you're talking about. We're just here to admire your scenery." He said shrugging his shoulders and pointing out over the balcony.

"Cut the bull shit! We know you have the book. If you hand it over nice and easy, we might allow you to live!" the leader of the guards shouted at them.

Ban huffed and stared over his glasses at the man, "Yea right. In your own personal prison cells, right? Like hell we'll had it over."

Ginji looked at Ban as he spoke to the guards. His eyes suddenly transfixed on the deep blue of Ban's eyes. Suddenly his own amber eyes shot wide open, as Ban's body was bombarded with hundreds of bullets. Ginji backed away shaking, almost on the verge of crying. He couldn't believe what was happening right before his eyes. "B. . .Ban-chan." He held his head as he kept backing away from his partner's bloody, lifeless form. "N. . .NO!!!" he screamed and his body jolted with electricity, sending it high into the air.

Ban looked over at his friend in shock. 'Shit! Ginji got a dose of the Jagan!' Ban ran to the terrified youth, but was stopped short as the former Raitei snapped. "Crap!" 'This isn't good!'

The electricity left Ginji's form and the boy stumbled backwards, holding his head. He stumbled over his own feet and fell backwards over the railing.

Ban's eyes widened as he saw his friend's form tumble over the balcony railing. He ran to catch him, but was a few seconds too late. "Ginji!" Ban screamed as the blonde's body hit the ground hard and he rolled down the hill towards the untamed mountain wilderness. Ban didn't even wait for the guards to act, he perched himself on the railing and jumped off, following his partner.

-END FLASHBACK-

"Ban-chan. Ban-chan. Ban-chan," was Ginji's mantra as he wandered aimlessly through the deadly winter wonderland. The snow had started to come down in sheets shortly before Ginji came to. He had wrenching his shoulder when he fell from the balcony, also spraining his ankle and had a nice sized bump on his head to boot. However, none of that seemed to bother him. He just kept walking through the never ending whiteness, holding his shoulder, repeating his mantra. His eyes unseeing; his body unfeeling; his mind unknowing. Constant visions of Ban's bloody, mangled form burned into his retina.

He walked for what seemed like an eternity, holding his shoulder and limping through the snow. Ginji suddenly stopped cold in his tracks. He swayed in the snowy wind, silent; then suddenly collapsed face first into a mound of snow. His body no longer having the heat nor will to move. Ginji's eyes were closed, his breathing was shallow. 'Ban. . .chan.' Ginji thought to himself. 'I guess we'll meet again in the next life. But first, I just need to rest for a little bit. It's so warm and cozy here. I can't help it. I want to sleep.' his mind fazed in and out, darkness was quickly closing in on him. 'Oyasumi. . .Ban. . .chan. . .' he trailed off as his mind was blanketed with a warm darkness. While the world around him continued to be covered in a perpetual white death.

It felt as though Ginji had just closed his eyes when he was opening them again. He heard a familiar voice calling to him through the darkness that surrounded him. He looked up and could barely make out the face of his supposedly dead partner. Ginji smiled, and lifted a heavy hand to touch Ban's cheek. "Ban. . .ch. . chan."

Ban held Ginji close to him. "Damn it, Ginji. Don't you even think about going to sleep, got it?! I'll get you out of here, I promise."

Ginji reached into his vest pocket and pulled out the black book. "See Ban-chan. I still have to book. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. You're dead because I was too weak." His eyes started to close again, the fog quickly engulfing his mind again. "But now I'm dead, and we're together. . .again. . ."

Ban felt Ginji's body relax and saw his eyes close once more. Ban shook the boy violently. "Ginji! Ginji! Damn it! Baka, don't go to sleep! You'll never wake up! Oi! Ginji! We're not dead yet! It was the Jagan!" Ban tried desperately to get through to his friend, but Ginji could no longer hear him. He could no longer stay awake, even though Ban was shaking and yelling at him. As he slipped away once more, the book fell from his hand and was quickly covered up by the falling snow.

Ban cursed under his breath, and grabbed the book from the snow before he lost sight of it. "This is all your fault," he said as he stuffed the book into his pocket. "If it wasn't for this stupid book, Ginji would have never been hurt." He gently picked the boy up supporting him around his waist and under his arm. Then he started to head back towards the mansion and their car.


The Jagan user was starting to seriously doubt if he could make it back. His vision was blurry and he was losing touch with his body. He couldn't even feel the snow scrapping his skin raw with every gust of wind. 'I won't. . .let Ginji die here. I'll definitely save him.' Ban thought as he fought against time, fate and the mighty elements. 'Even if it. . .costs me my life. I will save Ginji.'

Suddenly a small squirrel blocked their way. Ban and the creature stared at each other for a long moment, Ban trying to figure out what it was at first. Then he heard footsteps approaching them. He backed away and stared off into the thickening snow, ready to fight if need be.

"Calm down, Snake bastard," a rough voice cut through the storm as Shido and Kazuki emerged from the blinding blanket of snow.

"Ban-san. I'm glad we were able to find you in time," Kazuki moved closer to Ban, "Let me see Ginji-san."

Ban backed away, pulling Ginji out of the Thread Master's reach. Kazuki stopped and stared at Ban. Shido got angry and advanced on Ban as well. "Oi! Snake-bastard! Stop being difficult! Just. . ." he was cut off by Kazuki holding a hand up to silence him.

"Ban-san's probably not in his right mind from the cold. We have to be careful or he might do something drastic." Kazuki explained to Shido, never taking his eyes from the Jagan user. He could tell just by looking at Ban's eyes that he was just at his limit.

Shido huffed and crossed his arms, "Like he's ever in his right mind?"

Ban was finally able to decipher who was standing in front of him. "Th. . .thanks," Ban forced his mouth to move. ". . .for coming all this way. But Ginji and I can finish this mission by ourselves." He tried to walk passed the Thread User and Beast Master.

Shido and Kazuki blocked his way, not intending to let him pass. "It doesn't look like Ginji's finishing anything today," Shido glared at Ban.

"Please Ban-san. Allow us to help. If not for your sake, then for Ginji-san." Kazuki tried to reason with the exhausted Get Backer.

"I can take care of Ginji by myself. Move." Ban glared at Kazuki and Shido, slightly swaying on his feet.

"Teme!" Shido balled his fists and grabbed Ban by the shirt. "Stop letting your pride get in the way of saving Ginji's life! If you really cared about Ginji you would let us help!"

Ban slapped Shido's hand away, holding Ginji around his waist. "Don't you ever. . ." he growled at Shido. ". . .tell me what to do. And don't you ever say that I don't care about Ginji. I care more about Ginji then you ever have!" he punched Shido right in the face.

Shido was pushed back through the snow, not expecting the blow from the weakened Jagan user. He rubbed his jaw, scowling at the man. "Damn snake bastard. I'll kill him!"

Kazuki sighed and placed a hand on the Beast Master's shoulder. "Take it easy. Hevn-san sent us to help them, not to start a fight."

Shido sighed, "I know that! He just makes me so angry! Argh! What a jackass!"

Kazuki shook his head, "Yare. Yare. This is not how I had envisioned this mission going."

As the two Mugenjou warriors talked between themselves, Ban's condition worsened. The sudden stress and movement was like adding salt to a wound. His eyes were almost useless to him, and he almost dropped Ginji a few times as he tried to keep his body functioning. "We'll be leaving now. Enjoy the snow, children of Mugenjou." Ban forced his legs to move, but they felt like lead weights, and Ginji's 'dead' weight did little to lighten the load.

Shido moved in once more and placed a hand on Ban's shoulder. "You're not going anywhere."

Ban had long ago passed his limit. As he went to shove the man off his shoulder the world around him suddenly brightened. Every sound was amplified ten times what it originally was, and gravity seemed to increase beyond Ban's limit to resist it. His head was pounding and he could hear his heart beat in his ears. 'It's so. . .fast. Why?' he thought as felt the world under his feet slip away. He went to grab Ginji to cushion him from the ground, but found that the boy was no longer at his side. He looked over and saw that Kazuki had all ready taken him. He saw Kazuki's mouth move, but he couldn't hear anything from him. In fact, all sounds were now missing from his ears, and the world's light had started to fade. 'What. . .what's going on? Am I. . .dying?' was Ban's last thought as his eyes closed and his mind succumbed to the darkness.

"Shido! Ban-san is. . ." Kazuki was kneeling in the cold snow, his former leader resting on his lap.

"I know. I know." Shido grabbed the Jagan user before he could meet the cold earth. Shido frowned slightly as he felt Ban's skin.

"What's wrong, Shido?" Kazuki asked as he saw the frown spread across his friend's face.

"He's cold. I've never felt a living body so cold before." Shido said, never taking his eyes from brunette.

Kazuki nodded, "That's why we need to get them out of here as soon as possible." He hoisted Ginji over one of his shoulders, and watched as Shido carried Ban piggy-back style.

They marched through the snow following the forest creatures so that they too wouldn't get lost. It was several minutes before they reached the Lady Bug, which was their only way out of this frozen nightmare. They wrapped Ginji and Ban in several layers of blankets that they brought with them and found in the back of the car. With Ban and Ginji safely in the back seat of the little Beetle, Kazuki sped towards town, hoping that they would not be too late.

Tsuzuku

So. . .what do you think?