AN: Tomorrow's my birthday - have a chapter early!

"Was it me, or was Frasas rather empty for a city that large?"

Jounouchi glanced over at Honda, who watched over his shoulder as they left the city behind. He frowned, shrugging. "I can't say for sure. I never stayed in Frasas any longer than need be travelling between Kyador and Modina."

Honda nodded, though Jounouchi could tell he wasn't put to ease. It was hard to ignore the number of people were fleeing south. Word had quickly spread that the capital had fallen as people seemed to believe they had a better chance in a foreign land than staying close to home.

Jounouchi never stuck around Frasas long before, but he tried to ignore Honda's words. He didn't want to admit that the city seemed suspiciously quiet while they were there. Sure, there were people still doing business as usual, but Jounouchi always had memories of the place being more crowded, louder… less dour than it was now.

When they stayed the night in Frasas, they decided to try Yami's suggestion to sneak into the capital. Honda pointed out that travelling by the roads would be a quick way to run into trouble going towards the capital. Jounouchi was fortunate to be travelling with a trapper, as Honda had a much better sense of direction and instincts for surviving in the wildering. He trusted that his friend could get them close to the city.

So it wasn't long into the morning that Honda led them off the trail, carving a path through the undergrowth as they would spend the next few days camping and slowly making their way to Modina. Jounouchi wanted to enjoy this as much as he could. It reminded him of a simpler time when he, Yugi and Honda would go camping together as kids during the summer. A simpler time of fireflies, stealing honey from a bee's nest, and staring up the endless stars.

But Jounouchi didn't have that luxury anymore. Not after he abandoned his post, his country, and his family.

He knew that it was dangerous, but Jounouchi should have never followed his captain's orders. He should have insisted on fighting and getting into the city. He should've anticipated that leaving the city meant that he had no way of getting his sister away to safety.

And yet Jounouchi did nothing.

He turned his tail and fled like a coward.

And he couldn't bare the shame of it. Jounouchi had to go and redeem himself, not just for the sake of his pride, but for the people he loved.

The cold wind rattled the two travelers, Jounouchi pulling his coat tighter around him. He needed to stay focused. He needed to just get into the city. He looked up, noticing Honda shuffling through the fallen leaves, checking the tree bark momentarily before continuing their pace.

"Going alright?" Jounouchi asked, the late afternoon sun causing him to squint slightly.

Honda nodded, his face ponderous. "Yeah, just a little tricky. I've never been this far north and winter is already upon us."

Jounouchi grunted, a small smile on his face. "I remember when I join as a soldier, I could barely stand my first winter in Modina. They usually have snow already around this time and spring comes much later. My squad would hassle me for being such a southern hick that couldn't handle a bit of cold air."

Honda rolled his eyes, a dry smile on his face. "We get winter around Kyador too. Just not so early."

"Well, Modina is up in the mountains, so that certainly doesn't help," Jounouchi explained, feeling the slight incline in the ground. The path ahead would seem difficult as the elevation grew steeper. They would soon feel the effects of the highlands soon enough.

Honda slowed down a bit, glancing around. "Well, it'll be sundown soon. There's a creek just past the ledge. What say you fill our waterskins and I'll start looking for a spot to set up camp?"

Jounouchi nodded, knowing they would want their tents pitched and a fire going before night fell. He grabbed Honda's waterskin with his own as he climbed his way towards the sound of water babbling over stones.

After a few minutes of tentatively climbing down the rocky ledge, Jounouchi knelt down, catching the cool, water against his hand as he filled up a waterskin. He took a long sip out of it before filling it again, the icy water refreshing and chilling at the same time. He had just capped off one pouch and was grabbing the second one when some falling stones caught his eye.

Jounouchi blinked, looking up as he noticed some pebbles sliding off a ledge. He figured it was nothing, but something still compelled him to see what the noise was. So when Jounouchi hopped across the stream and peaked over the shallow ledge, he nearly jumped back when a human face greeted him.

Jounouchi covered his mouth to keep from yelping in surprise. Somehow, in his shock, he had registered that the person was asleep. Jounouchi peaked over again, staring at the young woman's face as she seemed completely out, lost in dreams.

He had no earthly idea what to do.

Jounouchi didn't think waking her was a good idea, but he didn't want to leave the strange girl alone. What if she was lost or sick? What would any other person do in this situation? Jounouchi stared, confused and baffled at the situation before him. It wasn't until he heard Honda's voice that he even considered asking his partner.

"Jou, what's taking so long? I found a clearing that'll work well-" Jounouchi frantically waved his hand in a gesture to quiet Honda. The brunette just raised an eyebrow, not really impressed and more exasperated than anything. "What the hell are you o-"

Honda blinked, freezing in his steps when he spotted the young brunette with long hair turning over in her sleep. She was wrapped up in a coat and blanket, but otherwise, she would freeze overnight without proper shelter. Jounouchi stepped back, leaning over to whisper to Honda. "What do we do?"

"Set up camp?"

"I meant about this girl." Jounouchi snapped, rolling his eyes.

"That's none of our business, you idiot," Honda sighed, though Jounouchi could tell that he wasn't really sold on the idea. Even though Honda talked tough, the idea of leaving some lost girl on her own in the woods during winter sounded ridiculous.

"We can't just leave her here," Jounouchi muttered, the only part of his plan that he had figured out.

"Are you suggesting we carry her back to our camp? That might not be well-received," Honda warned, a dry note in his voice. Carrying some unconscious girl around the woods was an excellent way to terrify the poor thing.

"She'll freeze to death if we don't do someth-" Jounouchi cut off as he heard the girl toss, stretching slightly. The two stared dumbly as the young woman sat up, her brown hair wild around her face. She blinked slowly, eyes widening on the two young men.

"Hello?" Jounouchi asked, feeling stupid over his greeting.

It took only a moment for the young woman to snap up from her spot. Her blanket and coat fell off of her as she jumped back, alarm across her face. Honda and Jounouchi both stepped forward, trying to calm her when the air suddenly tingled around them. It was at that moment that Jounouchi noticed the glove that she pulled out, a magic circle on the inside of her palm.

"Shit, wait!" Jounouchi cried out, realizing that they were foolish for thinking she needed protection. It was clear that both he and Honda were the ones in danger. Jounouchi grabbed Honda's arm, yanking him to the side to avoid whatever trap the young mage tried to spring on them.

Jounouchi felt the ground crumbling away as he and Honda leapt away, rolling across the hard stones to avoid the black pit that now consumed where they previously stood. Jounouchi rolled onto his feet, yelping as one foot plunged into the icy cold creek. The mage didn't give them a chance to breath, drawing her hand back, sparks flying.

"Wait! We're not your enemy!" Jounouchi called out, standing up from his spot as he tried to read the next potential attack.

"Prove it!" The young woman snapped, her eyes filled with anger and alit with suspicion. To his surprise, she didn't attack, holding her position as she observed the two men. She remained still, like a viper debating whether to retreat or strike.

Honda struggled to catch his breath, still kneeling on the stony brook. "How do you want us to prove we're not your enemy?"

The mage blinked, as if considering the option. Jounouchi realized she was older than he had initially thought, though still just a teenager. On further inspection, she looked as if she was close to the same age as his sister. Still… her skill with magic was undeniable despite her youthfulness.

"Throw down your weapons!" The mage ordered, taking one step forward as she held a glove hand in front of her, as if to cast a shield or spell. Jounouchi glanced over to Honda, who shrugged. Even if they wanted to use their weapons, they knew they would have their work cut out trying to close the distance between them and the mage. Not that they wanted to make an enemy of the young sorceress.

Jounouchi pulled his sheathed sword, tossing the blade towards the mage. Honda did the same with his hunting knife and quiver of arrows. The mage didn't let down her guard, taking another step closer. "Show me your palms!"

Jounouchi blinked, not really sure what she was so suspicious of. He sighed, biting back his irritation as he raised both palms in a motion of surrender. "Are you satisfied yet?"

"Are either of you summoners?"

Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "If we were, don't you think we would have tried to use some sort of magic?"

The mage frowned, but a curious look slipped through as she got closer. She pursed her lips for a moment. "Neither of you are Branded?"

That's when it finally clicked in Jounouchi's mind. He chuckled, shaking his head no. "We're not necromancers. Just two magically inept travelers heading towards the capital."

The mage lowered her hand slightly, her wariness started to fade as her curiosity got the better of her. "You're going to the capital? Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Honda snorted before Jounouchi could reply. "No, it's a stupid idea. But there's someone important there and we don't care much for the Sennen's new rule."

Jounouchi shrugged, a grin growing on his face. He wasn't going to deny that their plan was a really stupid one. But Jounouchi had never been one to rely on the clever tricks and ingenious tactics before. Fool's errands were a challenge to the karmic balance in a way. "I've got a little sister I need to help. I've got to get in to the city. And maybe we'll try to tear down a dictatorship while we're at it."

The mage lowered her hand, her blue eyes staring Jounouchi. He met her steady gaze, unflinching. After a long moment, she rested her hands on her hips, eyebrow raised. "You really are stupid."

Jounouchi felt his face burn red. Honda laughing in the background not helping his overall mood. "Oh, piss off. Like you have any room to judge. Who the hell takes a nap in the middle of the forest in winter?"

The mage frowned, a haughty look crossing her face. "Hey, I didn't plan on being here, jackass! My teacher sent me-"

She suddenly stopped speaking, her expression dropping as if realizing something. "Shit, Mahado…"

"I'm sorry?" Jounouchi asked, his foot starting to go numb from the cold water that drenched his boot. He was ready to put down his arms and just set up camp.

The mage ran back to where her coat lied, flinging it on as she started to run up river. "I have to get back to the capital! My teacher's in trouble!"

Jounouchi blinked, not understanding what was going on. It was only as the young woman seemed to be packing up as if she were about to march on to the capital and fight the Sennen did he finally stepped forward. "Wait! If you're going to the capital, why don't you come with us?"

The young mage froze, turning back to study Jounouchi. "What?"

"Yes, Jounouchi, what?" Honda asked, walking up next to him. He grabbed his arm as he tugged him back, a wary scowl on his face. "We don't know who she is or what her business is."

Jounouchi leaned in, speaking only so Honda could hear. "She's not with the Sennen and stands in opposition of them. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?"

"We don't even know her name!"

"It's Mana!"

The two men jumped back, realizing that the mage, or rather Mana, had leaned in to listen to their conversation. A confident smirk grew on her face, shaking her head to toss her hair back over her shoulders. "My name's Mana, and I'm a magician in training. If you guys are going to take on the Sennen, then count me in!"

Jounouchi exchanged a look with Honda, who at that point had given up. It seemed that they had added a new companion to their entourage whether he liked it or not. Jounouchi offered a hand out. "Nice to meet you Mana. I'm Jounouchi, and the pointy hair guy with the weird looking face is Honda."

Jounouchi grinned as Honda cuffed him over the head. Mana giggled, taking his hand and shaking it firmly. "Nice to meet you boys. Are we ready to go?"

Honda rolled his eyes, walking away as he headed back to where they were originally supposed to set up camp. "It's going to be dark soon. We need to set up camp."

"Set up camp? But we haven't gone anywhere!" Mana complained, chasing after Honda.

"Well, don't sleep the entire day and you wouldn't have this problem," Honda snapped back, trying to reign in his irritation. Jounouchi chuckled, following along with their waterskins now refilled. He was reminded how his friend didn't always have the best temperament for children. And even though Mana wasn't a kid, her mannerisms and attitude were rather reminiscent of such.

"It's not like I planned to sleep all day!" Mana huffed, the three arriving at the barren camp. Honda let the comment slide as he pulled out their tents.

Jounouchi started gather up some wood for a fire, noticing that Mana stood back, watching with a curious look. She shifted her weight, toe digging into the frozen dirt. "Ever been camping before?"

Mana shook her head, a light blush growing on her face. "I've never been outside the capital before. Not really," she muttered.

Jounouchi didn't even need to look over at Honda to sense his exasperation. At least one of them would need to be civil and apparently, it was going to be Jounouchi today. "Well, let's start basic. Know how to start a fire?"

To his surprise, Mana grinned, hopping forward with an eager look on her face. "Sure do!"

She brought her hand forward, snapping her fingers. Jounouchi jumped back as the wooded pile he gathered bursted into a pillar of flames. "Fuck!" He yelped, patting at his bangs that were singed from the sudden blast of heat.

"Crap! Sorry! I didn't think about reining that in. But I know how to start a fire!" Mana declared, not the least bit worried that she nearly set one of her companions on fire.

Jounouchi leaned back, tilting his head back to see Honda smirking at him. It was a distinct 'you should have listened to me' expression that Jounouchi was extremely with over the years. "Well, we won't go cold this winter."

Mana plopped down on the ground, shedding her coat to the ground as she warmed herself by the fire. "Camping's great. I should've done this sooner. Anything else I can help with? I'm sure I can tailor my magic to help us! Maybe I can go get us some food… uh, you wouldn't happen to know what plants are edible, would you?"

Jounouchi fell back onto his back, shaking his head. A small dry smile grew on his face. Mana was definitely a handful. He wasn't entirely sure what he had gotten himself into, but things were sure to be interesting.