Crossover Fan Fiction / Bleach Fan Fiction / Saiyuki Fan Fiction ❯ Aint Nothing But Magick (reverse) ❯ 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Title: Ain't Nothing But Magick (Reverse)

Author: J'dee, Mabelle, & Tobias

Rating: PG-13 some smoking and drinking refs…

Genre: Drama / Humor/ Action / Adventure / Romance

Author's Note: The original ANBM was a fic where 25 authors + were pulled in to the DBZ/GT world, the reverse is just that… a reverse where a select number of anime characters are yanked in to the real world, with not a true reason why, and no idea how to get back to their home…

 

Chapter Five

 

 

The next morning…

 

Zack arrived to the apartment early the next morning… moving through the room and it's extremely basic trappings, it was nothing like he was used to on a ShinRA payroll, but it was what he was used to when on the run from ShinRA infantry and the Turks.

Zack stepped outside and looked to the level below over the balcony. Zack turned his head looking to the `target's' balcony which remained empty the humming sound wafted up as her friend the other team's target made her own breakfast before she walked out on to the balcony and he heard voices as she passed on some food obviously.

“Kira I made you and Hisagi some food.” The friend of the `target' spoke.

“Thank-you.” A polite voice replied.

“You both didn't have to sleep out there all night, we have a couch.” She let out a sigh.

“It's okay Belle, we need to remain the safety of the perimeter.” A different voice spoke.

“Making sure you're both safe is our propriety now.” The polite one added.

“Just leave the plates on the table, I'll collect them later.”

“We will…”

He watched as the two stepped in to sight and he moved out of eye shot range and he heard the two jump and the sound of phasing out was heard, followed by the balcony door sliding shut.

 

Zack waited till he heard Belle enter the kitchen and he jumped down on to the balcony below his feet landing with a light tap. He moved to the sliding door looking inside the `target's' room. Roy would be arriving soon, he needed some kind of Intel to pass on, and so far he had nothing. He slid open the door and moved in to the darkened room, he looked at the target lying on her stomach face half buried in to the pillow bangs splayed over the pillow the braid hung over her shoulder and he blinked.

 

Braid…

 

He moved up to the bed and he crouched down his hand pushing the bangs from her face, and he looked at her.

“Aerith…” He whispered. “Why'd you have to look like Aerith?”

Her voice seemed to mumble in her sleep. “Cloud… trying to sleep here.”

Zack pulled back for a moment. `Cloud' he mouthed out and looked round the room.

 

The sleeping form stirred when he heard her cellphone warbled out a familiar ring tone.

She reached for it lazily and he slipped out of her peripheral vision as she looked at the name.

“Hnnn Sephy…” She groaned her face diving in to the pillow letting it ring one more time. “No concept of time.” She mumbled.

Zack stayed out of her sight and his eyes moved over the posters that were slowly one by one being placed up on her walls, Roy was on her wall, he smirked the Colonel would get an inflated ego at that. He stopped blinking seeing he was on her wall also.

`What is this?' He thought a smirk passed his lips. `Guess I didn't die an unsung hero after all.'

 

Zack looked down at her dresser four photos lined the dresser. A picture of a dark haired middle aged woman in the frame a crystal hanging round her neck she seemed surprised in the photo, then another of when the `target' was younger with a little black haired boy in a cardboard box, wheels drawn on the box she sat behind him her head resting on a green pillow smiling at the camera, there were two more photos, another of her and the boy sitting on the steps in front of a yellow bricked house, the boy held a toy in his hand grinning and she sat there in a red tartan skirt and a cardigan smiling again. The last photo was of a young woman holding a dagger, grinning at the camera looking ready to draw the blade.

He heard `Aerith' flip open the phone. “Hellooo.” She then yawned flopping on to the bed her back to Zack, facing the wall and he moved from the room quietly out onto the balcony.

 

Zack took a step back looking in the room. “Aerith… I don't think I could-” He began but was cut off as a voice cut him off.

“Going somewhere dude?”

Zack looked over to the balcony two doors over. The red head lent on the railing looking at him cigarette between fingers.

Zack smirked and he motioned up before jumping on to the railing and jumping up.

“Shit!” He heard the red head cry out.

 

~*~*~*~

 

“He sure does sleep in late.” Jim replied. They were watching Tobias's home through the hidden cameras they had installed throughout the house. There had been an extremely awkward moment last night as they watched their supposed target and Misato stumble home drunk. The camera in Misato's room had shown all, and Aisha had declared in her loud voice what they were all thinking.

 

“Are they making Jim?”

 

Needless to say, havoc ensured from there after and it was much to Jim's relief when he watched his father do the noble thing and walk away.

 

This morning, they had decided to take shifts, and naturally, Jim got the early morning shift. Melfina was cooking breakfast and the others were stumbling around like usual in various states of wake. Gene, as always, was barely awake, Aisha right behind him, and Suzuka looked like she always did.

 

Just another morning for the crew of the Outlaw Star.

 

Jim had occupied himself with checking over everyone's weapons has he observed the man who was another version of his father.

 

`I wonder what he's like. Is he like my Dad? Does he love to do the same things Dad did?' Jim pondered. His eyes flicked to the purple haired woman who also resembled his mother. Jim barely remembered her but he had a picture of his parents. He wondered what she was like.

 

His eyes were drawn back to the screen of his father's bedroom as Tobias awoke and slowly sat up, yawning.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Abel watched as the target cooked, she was mixing something with a smile as she fried bacon. Her face moved in concern and she quickly placed what she was mixing on the counter before turning to the bacon. She suddenly jumped back waving her hand, obviously the victim of hot bacon spit.

“It's weird, she looks like Noelle but her hair is lighter,” Leon said from beside Abel.

“This girl is younger than Noelle,” Abel commented and Leon gave him a look. “Noelle told me once she started out as a blond child, her hair got darker as she got older.”

“So you're saying that when this girl gets to be Noelle's age her hair'll be darker?” Leon asked and Abel gave him a look. “Oh right, we're not supposed to let her get older.” They watched the woman as she continued working.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Gojyo lent over the railing and he jumped the two doors over and in to J'dee's room, she sat up at his sudden intrusion and he blinked seeing her on the phone, unharmed and he gripped the door. That was such a close call. Too close.

“Yeah I'll be there… you want me to bring the Rangiku and Aerith costumes… why?” Her eyes meet with his and she placed her finger to her lips. “Photos to take back to Jubei... yeah okay. I'll see you later.”

Gojyo waited and she ended the call and he walked up to her and he grabbed her arms his hands skimming the flesh making her squeak, and he let out a sigh of relief she wasn't hurt. She was fine. Alive even which was better.

“Gojyo!” She slapped him on the chest. “What do you think you're doing?”

He looked round her room and he stopped seeing the Final Fantasy VII Advent's children poster of two of her favorite characters and his eyes widened. “Shit.” The Zack fellow from her game, he had been in her room.

“Shit what?” She asked.

“The back up, it arrived honey, he was in your room.” He whispered and he heard her quick intake of breath.

“My room?” J'dee squeaked.

“I'm going to follow him beautiful, go in to the lounge now!”

He watched her pulling on her kimono robe hurriedly doing it up and running in to lounge.

Gojyo raced out the balcony door and looked up before leaping up to the next floor.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Tobias yawned widely as he scratched his stomach, heading for his bathroom. He turned the shower on hot, and turned to the mirror. He began to shave, and as he did his brain finally began to process again. He nicked himself and cursed as he remembered tucking in Misato last night.

 

`Oh boy. This is going to be an awkward morning.' He thought, and finished shaving and then brushed his teeth. He couldn't help the lecherous grin that spread across his face though. `But it could be a good morning if Misato says that offer is still valid.'

 

After his shower, Tobias dressed and made his way to the kitchen. He saw Washu and Shinji there but no Misato.

 

“Morning all.” Tobias said, and couldn't help another yawn as he headed for the fridge. He opened it and began pulling out food for breakfast.

 

“Most days I only have a cup of coffee but I like making a full breakfast on Saturdays.” Tobias explained as he pulled out ingredients. “Want something?”

 

“Thanks but Shinji's making miso soup for breakfast.” Washu said. Tobias looked up from the fridge in surprise, and turned to his stove, seeing two pots on his stove, one for white rice, the other miso.

 

“I didn't know I had ingredients for that.” Tobias replied, surprised. He saw Shinji and Washu grin at him.

 

“You didn't, but Little Washu made us a portal to your car, and then we went shopping!” Shinji replied. Shinji couldn't help grinning. Ever since they got here, Washu had been spending a lot of time with the Eva pilot and just hanging out. Granted she may only look 14, but it was Shinji who thought it was nice to spend time with some one who didn't want him around because of something they needed from him.

 

Plus, he thought her portals were so cool!

 

“Well I'll be damned.” Tobias said, grinning. He turned to Washu who winked at him. “Did you at least bring it back with a tank full of gas?”

 

“Nope, but I did one better! I replaced the entire engine with my super, duper Washu car motor! Never needs any fuel again and will provide enough power for any car to exceed 500 miles per hour!” Washu said. She stood and began to cackle madly. Tobias watched with amusement as her little Washu bots appear, one of each shoulder.

 

“You're the greatest Washu!” Number 1 cheered.

 

“Yes the greatest!” Number 2 agreed.

 

“Yes, I am!” Washu shouted and with one final cackle, she sat down, the robots disappearing. Shinji stared in shock as Tobias sighed and returned the ingredients for his breakfast. Tobias hoped Shinji wouldn't mind if he had some and grabbed a cup of coffee. He sat down next to the self-proclaimed greatest scientist in the world, and noted that Shinji was still staring at her in awe.

 

“Want some advice, Shinji?” Tobias asked. The teen turned to Tobias. “Washu can do anything and does what she wants. So don't let anything surprise you just take it as it is.”

 

“Oh, you're no fun!” Washu complained as the shocked Eva pilot got up to stir the soup. Tobias was looking forward to trying a Japanese breakfast, and as Shinji was serving the bowls (with a hearty thank you from Tobias), Misato stumbled in.

 

Dressed as she usually did (making Tobias wonder for the first time, where everyone got spare changes of clothes), she staggered to the table. She plopped down and Shinji placed a bowl of miso and a can of MGD. Murmuring a sleepy thank you, she opened the can and took large chug.

 

She instantly sprayed it out, covering Washu and Tobias in beer. They shared a glance with each other, both with dripping hair in their eyes. They sighed in unison.

 

“Gah! What kind of beer is THIS?” Misato cried, ignoring the fact that two of her dining partners were covered in what accumulated to be backwash.

 

“I'm sorry Misato but we couldn't find any Yebisu! So I just picked one!” Shinji cried, and Tobias sighed. Grabbing a clean dish towel, he dried his hair and headed for the garage. He opened the fridge in there and took out one of his cans of Sam Addams. Heading back into the kitchen, he saw Misato moaning her fate in the kitchen while Shinji kept apologizing. Washu just watched, amused, and Tobias frowned seeing her already clean and newly dressed. Shaking his head, he placed the can in front of her. Misato stopped bemoaning her fate and looked at the can.

 

“MGD is a very weak beer. Sam's is a bit stronger. Not all our beers are the same.” Tobias said, amused. Taking the beer and opening it, Misato took a cautious sip.

 

“This'll do.” She replied happily, taking a chug. Shinji sighed, and turned back to breakfast. Washu left, chuckling, and Tobias eyed the woman he almost slept with.

 

“Remember much about last night?” Tobias asked. Misato shook her head.

 

“Not a thing after we got into the cab. Why?” She asked before digging into her breakfast. Tobias felt a small pang in his chest and smiled reassuringly at her.

 

“Just curious. You were pretty wasted.” He said, and got up. “I need another shower.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Belle heard a thud and blinked in surprise, it was strange that the neighbors were so loud. She shrugged as she finished the large serving of bacon, there was enough for an Army but that might not fill the Saiyuki and Shinigami groups' hunger. She stretched as she poured the scrambled egg mix into the pan. The warm scent filled the air and she sighed, her stomach growling.

“What is taking her so long,” Belle muttered as she looked at J'dee's door. “I know she has trouble getting up in the morning, but really.” Belle shook her head, glad to know that she had some guards; no one was going to be getting in. There was another thud and Belle stared at the ceiling. “What is wrong with them today?”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Zack looked at his cellphone as it rang and he flipped it open answering. “Roy…” He stood on a balcony and looked in to the distance he saw the two cars approaching. “Yeah I see you guys… I haven't let her see me yet, but I was close enough to make contact.” He explained. “I think this won't take any more than two weeks.”

He heard the noise in the balcony below and looked down seeing the red head jump two balcony's over. “Only problem… I think they know we're coming. I heard her on her phone though she's going out today… meet a friend want me to trail them?” He looked to the buildings in the distance. “Understood. I'll report back afterwards.”

He looked down seeing the red head jumping up balcony after balcony and he slipped behind a pillar out of sight as the red head passed by him.

 

~*~*~*~

 

J'dee rubbed her arms she was trying to calm down. But the fact the guy had waltzed in to her room and left like nothing un-nerved her. She had been thinking about calling Toby today so they could get him out in the open about his Mecha joy ride, but that was temporarily forgotten.

J'dee saw the large spread breakfast laid out and she blinked. “Feeding an army?” She asked.

Belle looked at her. “Yes and you know I am.”

J'dee slipped to the couch sitting down, she knew Hisagi and Kira were on patrol of the area, so obviously the rest of them we're coming in for breakfast and this complicated things, considering Sephy was coming up to their floor to catch up before they met up with her boyfriend and headed out for a lunch picnic in the park together.

“That second team they mentioned…” J'dee sighed. “Gojyo caught one of them in my room this morning. I didn't… even know. I'm so off my game.”

Belle let out a sigh. “Did you lock your door?”

“No… I thought with `them' roaming round outside it would be okay.” J'dee let her head drop she ran her hand through her hair. This stress was going to make her go grey soon.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Belle stared at J'dee before rubbing the bridge of her nose and sighing.

“I can't believe you didn't lock that door. I know it's not easy to get to, but anyone could get in that way,” Belle sighed. “I'm just glad we have a few extra strong people on our side. I really hope Toby's alright.”

She set the tables with all the plates she had available, glad that she had already given Kira and Hisagi breakfast. Two down and an army to go. Still, it upset her to think that one of their enemies had been in J'dee's room. He or she could have easily killed J'dee and left. It was strange and Belle thought about it. Why would someone sent to kill you hesitate? For Belle, she had saved Yachiru which was very much against the information the shinigami had had. She wasn't sure how J'dee and Toby survived their teams, but now there was a new round of teams.

Why didn't the would-be assassin kill J'dee? What stopped them? Belle chewed on her lip, if only they knew who was after them, and then maybe they could tell them the truth. Most anime heroes were willing to listen if you picked the right character to approach.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Tobias found himself in the garage after his second shower, checking out Washu's improvements on his car. It looked the same, except for certain key components were gone or replaced with something else. His fuel tank was also gone and he was damned if he could find the replacement. He had his radio blaring like always, so he didn't hear anyone approach until he heard them speak.

 

“Hello?” A woman's voice asked.

 

Tobias jerked up to look and banged his head on the axel. He swore and heard the woman giggle. He slid out from under the car on his creeper board, rubbing his head. He saw a petite woman with black hair fluffed out around her. She was a bit pale for this time of the year and wore tight jeans, a t-shirt, and shoes. She looked a bit lost.

 

“Can I help you?” Tobias asked, getting to his feet. He grabbed a shop rag and cleaned his hands as best he could.

 

“Um, yes. We just moved in next door and I got lost during my walk.” She explained looking sheepish.

 

“Oh! You bought the place next to mine then?” Tobias asked. He stuck out his hand. “I'm Tobias.”

 

“Mel.” The woman answered, shaking his hand. Tobias turned and pointed at the corner of his lawn where it met the tree line behind his house.

 

“There's a trail right there. It should take you to a bunch of pine trees that line the edge of my property. Now the trail splits off left and right, following the trees. I think if you keep going straight, you should hit your place.” Tobias told her. The woman, Mel, nodded thoughtfully.

 

“Thank you so much!” Mel replied, and Tobias grinned.

 

“Hey, it happens. Took me a month to make that trail with my lawnmower so use it well!” Tobias said and Mel laughed.

 

“Hope to see you again.” Mel said and jogged over to the trail. Tobias shook his head, and went back to examining his car. He missed Melfina taking into a cell phone.

 

“Did you get that, Jim?”

 

“I sure did Mel. Great job.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Sanzo stood on the balcony and he glanced over seeing Hisagi arrive back with two plates and he put them on the table.

Gojyo jumped down from the level above and nodded. “Damnit I lost the guy.”

Sanzo looked over at Hisagi. “One of the teams has already made contact. Expect the others to arrive soon.”

Gojyo lent on the railing lighting up his own smoke. “I wouldn't be surprised if the other team out to kill Belle were as arrogant as the asshole that vanished up there.”

Hisagi raised a brow. “Meaning?”

“He caught one of them in J'dee's room this morning.” Sanzo huffed. “Stupid woman forgot to lock her door.”

Gojyo looked at Hisagi. “Think you have enough to double the watch for the next few days?

Hisagi looked behind. “We're going to meet in Belle's apartment soon. We'll bring it up.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Roy slipped out of the room and he looked across the living area as Zack stepped out of his room, Gojyo had peeked in the window but they had hidden before the half breed could notice them. Roy raised a brow at Zack.

“You let yourself get spotted.”

Zack shrugged. “He was only one.”

Roy sighed. “Continue to trail her today, but do not act unless the order has been placed we have to figure out how we're going to get her body across the state lines.”

Zack moved to the sliding door opening it slightly and he looked out with a sigh. “I'm sure you'll think of something Colonel.”

Roy looked at the SOLDIER his eyes going flat. “Who does she look like?” he demanded. He wasn't an idiot to know the man recognized her from somewhere.

Zack looked over his shoulder. “A girl I once dated. She wouldn't hurt anyone.”

Roy walked up to him. “How far did your relationship with this girl go?”

“We went on a couple of dates; I didn't get to go back before I...” Zack stepped away from the door with a sigh.

Roy noted he seemed to cringe with the memory. “You got hurt…?” He asked.

Zack shook his head. “More than hurt. I'm supposed to be dead and she… died too. Both of us.”

Roy shook his head. “They're playing God… whoever they are by bringing you back and sending you here. No wonder you were the first to arrive. Resurrection should never be attempted… ever.”

Zack looked to Roy. “Don't you think I know that? So if something… starts to go wrong with me Roy… I need you to-”

“We'll get you home before that will happen…” Roy cut him off.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Goku stuck his head in through the balcony door. “Heeeeey Gojyo said that there's gotta be a meeting or something…”

“Goku can't you use the hallway door like a normal person?” J'dee rubbed her forehead.

Gojyo booted Goku in through the door. “Shift your ass you're in my way monkey.”

 

J'dee stood up with a sigh. “I'm sorry about them Belle I really am. Glad you confronted me, because seriously hiding those two is like trying to point directions to a blind man.” She heard a knock at the door and she moved to it opening the door looking at Belle. “Anyway I have to go meet Sephy today, she's passing through and wants me to meet her boyfriend.” J'dee explained turning round to see a broad chest covered by a black shirt.

“Oiiiy Yachiru vanished did she come here?” The deep voice asked.

J'dee looked up blinking at the spiked hair and the bell's tied on to the end and she pointed. “What the hell?! KENPACHI!” She slammed the door and ran onto the balcony pointing at the door. “BELLE WHY THE HELL ARE YOU ALIVE?!?!?!”

 

~*~*~*~

 

“J'dee that was horribly rude!” Belle called before opening the door. “I haven't seen Yachiru today. Please come in.” The massive shinigami grunted at J'dee before entering the apartment, the other five shinigami men behind him.

“Here I am!” Yachiru called as she bounced in from the balcony. J'dee took that opportunity to high tail it to her bedroom.

“J'dee, lock that door. Gentlemen, please sit down, help yourselves, we're waiting for the men from the next apartment,” Belle said as she closed the door only for it to shove open.

“We're here,” the angry blond that had to be Sanzo grunted and Belle rubbed her hand where the door had slammed into it.

“Charmed to meet you too,” Belle stated with a glare.

“Hey food!” Goku cried with joy and rushed in. Gojyo entered with a wink and Belle was proud that she didn't even bat an eye; even through it was a very attractive wink.

“I'm sorry for their behavior,” Hakkai said and Belle couldn't help but smile.

“It's okay, I'm a teacher, I'm used to poorly behaved boys,” she stated, making sure that some of the mature men in the room didn't rate above a child in her eyes.

“So, what are we meeting on?” Ikkaku asked and Belle fought the urge to groan at his manner of starting this get together.

“The secondary teams are here,” Gojyo stated. “Caught one in J'dee's room this morning.”

“One got past us?” Kira asked and Belle nodded.

“That wasn't expected,” Hisagi muttered.

“Well you should have thought about it. We're in the apartment over, the balconies are method of concealing movement,” Sanzo snarled in a tone that Belle didn't like. She stared at him until his purple eyes turned to her.

“I like you better when I can ignore the writing next to you or mute you,” Belle stated. Goku and Gojyo started laughing at that point and Sanzo gave Belle a death-glare before beating on the two. Yumichika seemed amused and Kenpachi seemed annoyed.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Examining the car didn't take that much time, and soon Tobias was washing his hands and heading back inside. The house was silent, and that worried him. Deciding to play the odds he headed for Washu's room. Knocking on her door he waited.

 

“Come in!” Washu called. Tobias opened the door and wasn't surprised when he walked into Washu's lab. Closing the door and ignoring the fact that it vanished, he headed deeper into the lab. He found Washu with Misato and Shinji. Washu was busy going over data from Jehuty, and the other two were engrossed in catching up in current word events. Shinji especially seemed drawn to fact about the world in general.

 

Very understandable since in Tobias's world half the human population hadn't been killed.

 

“How goes it?” Tobias asked. Washu glanced at him and gave him a so-so gesture with her hand.

 

“Not too bad considering what I have to work with. I have determined that whatever brought us here has left a slight energy signature on us. Nothing harmful, but like a signature on a painting. It marks us as being brought here by the same person or persons but not much else. I think it'll fade in time, six months or so.” She replied, and opened up another holo screen. Tobias was surprised to see a layout of his home and in most of the rooms, there was a red blinking light. “I did however notice that there are numerous cameras and microphones in your house. They had to have been planted there recently, because I didn't notice them upon my scan shortly after we arrived.”

 

“That doesn't bode well.” Tobias said, frowning. “What can you do about it?” Washu grinned evilly at him.

 

“Already taken care of. In exactly two hours, whoever is one the other end will get a nasty surprise and it'll take care of the surveillance.” Washu said, grinning. Tobias grinned back.

 

“How's Jehuty?” He asked, and Washu frowned.

 

“Not so good. I think it was damaged in the crash more seriously than I thought. Studying the notes on the videos games, manga, and series, Jehuty should have more fuel efficiency with what it has. I traced it to a slight containment error in the metatron conversion matrix and-” Washu was cut off as Tobias cleared his throat. “Right, sorry. Over your head. Long story short, it was processing metatron twice as much as it should have been to get the same results. She's down to 3%, and that's after I corrected the problem. Your joy ride may have severely limited our time frame.”

 

“Damn.” Tobias muttered. That was bad. ADA may have been a computer program but she did count as an intelligence. To simply let her fade away was like letting a patient with cancer just simply die without kemo. “Have you been able to scan in deep space?”

 

“Yes and no. I was able piggy back so NASA signals and copied their data on their Mars rovers. But because I didn't make them I don't have the complete details I need. Using what I have, we're dead even on a 50% chance of metatron being there. According to Jehuty's own records, the largest concentration of metatron on Mars can be located is in the center of Valles Marineres.”

 

“Shit.” Tobias snarled, and he ran a hand through his hair. He glanced at Misato and Shinji. They weren't paying attention and they had headphones on as they watched their monitors. “Can you make something to go around Jehuty's cock pit? Like a small living quarter for space travel?”

 

“I can, no problem. It would take three weeks.” Washu looked him over and frowned herself. “If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, it's suicidal. I wouldn't have enough time to build boosters, so you'd have to use some of Jehuty's remaining reserves to reach escape velocity and send off. And even if you did make it, the window for a return to earth would be minimal. You'd have to collect the ore, store it in the vector trap in a window of hours. Granted power on the return trip wouldn't be a problem. You could burn off 25% of your reserves for constant burn to shorten the trip to a week, but it would take 4 weeks to get there with the first burn, if you could withstand the g-forces of the initial burn, not to mention the forces of the 2nd burn home which would be four times as much!”

 

“Little Washu, the pilot suit in Jehuty is meant to help the pilot cope. And if this was the only way to save Ryoko, wouldn't you do it?” Tobias gently asked. Washu was silent for a moment before turning back to her holo computer.

 

“ADA means that much to you?”

 

“You all do.”

 

There was a long moment of silence.

 

“I'll have it ready.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

J'dee had raced in to her room when Belle let the Bleach guys come in for the breakfast and meeting she had locked her door knowing it wouldn't do much good but she felt terrified, if they had been after her she wouldn't have lived, why the hell did they let Belle live?… She heard Sanzo and Hakkai make their selves known, Sanzo's fan making an apparent noise over the top of Goku's head, she knew that shout anywhere. While Hakkai humbly apologized to Belle for the noise they made and Sanzo's smoking in the hallway.

J'dee lent against the door letting out a sigh. “Who's the other team…? How strong do I need to get to live?” She whispered to herself and looked up at her samurai champloo and Peacemaker posters on her designated `samurai' themed wall, her Crisis Core, Advent's Children and FMA posters decorated the military half of her room, and her Saiyuki posters had yet to be put up, she didn't want to inflate Gojyo's already existing Ego incase he dropped by again by having him notice he was a theme in her pictures.

 

J'dee looked up as she heard a rapping on her balcony door, she moved opening up the curtain and she blinked stopping seeing a bunch of flowers laid at the base of the door. She opened the sliding door and picked up the bunch and looked to the card with three words scrawled across the card.

`Aerith… I'm sorry…'

J'dee raced out on the balcony and she looked down then up to the left then right, but there was no one. She stepped back in to her room and looked at the flowers, brilliant white and yellow flowers; she didn't know the first thing about flowers just how to grow them, the actual plant types eluded her.

She set the flowers on to her bed before walking up to her crisis core poster, her eyes flickered over Cloud and Zack's image calculating.

“Which one of you was it?” She whispered.

 

She heard the knock at her door. “Miss J'dee you are required for this meeting too.”

J'dee unlocked the door and Hakkai blinked looking at her as she walked past with the flowers in hand, moving past Renji reaching to the shelf grabbing a vase, before bypassing Kenpachi shivering to get to the sink to fill the vase up, she then moved between Ikkaku and Yumichika sitting at the table setting the vase down before putting the flowers in the vase.

“Those are pretty.” Yumichika remarked.

J'dee nodded her head slowly. “From the guy who wants to kill me.”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Abel watched the woman as she talked with the large group, realizing that they had to be the primary teams. Something was wrong. Why were they helping these people? His heart warned him that something wasn't right about this. He left Tres and Havel watching the group from the rooftop before going for a walk.

`Don't you love it?' Noelle's voice whispered from memory as she stared at him on the beach. It was hard to see this shadow of Noelle alive and well while the real Noelle was cold and dead. She had told him she loved him before she had died and he had been unable to return the feelings. Now there was a living version of Noelle who was alive, a teacher, and currently a target of AX. How could this be?

Abel blinked as he discovered he was in front of a wine shop; he suddenly turned inside and began browsing. Noelle had ordered their wine for her last meal, unaware it was her last. She had decided on a white dessert wine with dinner, a strange choice, but she had demanded and Abel had let her have her way. It was sweet enough that even he had loved it. She had adored it drinking the majority of the bottle herself. Abel suspected it was what gave her the motivation to proclaim her love to him.

As he walked a familiar bottle greeted him, there it was, the last wine Noelle had ever had and he grabbed the bottle. It was a sign. Abel bought the bottle unsure what the sign meant but he knew this was going to be one of the hardest things he had to do. He headed to the apartment building, he couldn't do anything outside, the others would notice. The fourth mailbox to the left, two down from the top that was hers.

Abel was able to pick the lock quickly and as he was about to place it in, he paused, removing the ribbon from his hair. He tied it around the bottle's neck before just barely managing to fit it in the mailbox. He closed the mailbox and rushed out.

“I'm sorry Noelle,” he whispered before heading off.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Walking down the drive to collect the mail, Tobias had to admit, he was slightly regretting his decision. But he was the only one capable of piloting Jehuty and pulling this off if something did go wrong. He wouldn't let ADA die, even if she just was a computer.

 

Opening the mail box, Tobias rooted around for his mail, but only found one thing. It was a photo. Frowning, Tobias looked it over, and his eyes widened in shock. It was a picture of him, but he looked different. He wore glasses (he had his eyes corrected by Lasik surgery years ago) and wore a brown leather jacket. He had an arm slung around a woman's shoulders, and his other hand helped hold a baby they were both posing for the camera. The woman was a dead ringer for Misato, and she wore a bright red jacket. They were both smiling for the camera. Tobias noted this picture was a copy because he could see wrinkles on it but his copy was smooth. He flipped it over.

 

Some people are counting on you. She loves you even if she doesn't remember.

 

“What the hell?”

 

~*~*~*~

 

Jim watched his father walk back up the drive on the monitors. He knew Gene would lose it when he found out what he did, but Jim couldn't help it. He had to do something, and even if he wasn't his father in his world, he might still be his father here.

 

Jim sighed and was about to turn to another monitor when they all went black.

 

“What the hell?” Jim cried, drawing the attention of the others.

 

“What's wrong, Jim?” Gene asked, coming over with his caster drawn. Jim pointed to the turned on but completely black monitors. They all watched in surprise, as on the middle monitor, a computer chibi version of the girl with red hair poked her face from the edge onto the screen. She walked calmly into the middle of the screen and wagged her finger at them in a scolding manner.

 

“Ah ah ah ah! You have been very, very bad! No peekie!” It said in a cute chibi voice, before clapping its hands. Everyone jumped back in surprise as all of their equipment began to blow out as a huge electrical surge ran through. The last thing was to go was the center monitor and speakers which giggled and gave a “Tee hee hee!” before overloading with a loud pop!

 

They all stared at the equipment as it smoked.

 

“So, anyone got any more bright ideas?” Gene drawled.

 

 

To Be Continued…