Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Outlaw Star Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Bounty Hunters, Outlaws, Pirates and Princesses ❯ Relocations and New Lives ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I do not own these respective characters or settings. They belong to Pioneer, Sunrise/Bandi, and Fundimation.

Author's Notes: I need a break from the vampire novel that I'm working on so . . . Also, this was originally going to be an OS/GW crossover, but I thought to avoid the so called "Mary-Sue" complex, that I just might as well do a bunch of animes at once. Besides, it's a fun way to see how many characters from other series I can combine and the story still be able to make sense.

Bounty Hunters, Outlaws, Pirates, and Princesses

Relocations and New Lives

By: Elf

"You'd better think again, Yuy! It takes more than that to catch me," the handsome android taunted. His long black hair fell into his beatific features and cold, icy blue eyes. He hovered in the air, looking for the bounty hunter looking for him once again.

Heero Yuy was crouched down behind a crate in the massive space port of Blue Haven. Android 17 had been making a ruckus lately, again, and another bounty had been put on his head to stop him. Of course, his partner, 17's twin sister, 18, jumped at the chance to make even more money, even at her brother's expense.

Technicians were huddled around from the manic android. Heero touched the receiver in his hear and said, "18, you better get ready. Or I'm going to have to use the deactivation device. Again." His voice was as calm and emotionless as ever.

"Don't you ever think about it, Heero. If you do . . ." 18 normally icily seductive voice was thick with anger in his ear.

17 chuckled as he sent a bright red energy bolt to the ground, blowing up things mindlessly with a childish glee. Sparks and shards of shrapnel went flying, causing the workers to scream in terror. Heero looked up to see 17 point his palm at a spaceship. Heero's mind quickly calculated the risks. The angry pilot. The angry 18. The money which they would have to pay to rebuild the guy's ship. The even more angry 18.

Grunting, Heero stood up and 17 smiled. "There you are with your primitive technology, Yuy. I was wondering when you were going to show up," he crowed gleefully.

Heero rushed at him, using his cybernetic legs to his best advantage. He leapt up to 17. The android looked surprised as Heero wrapped his arms around the bio-mechanical creature and held on. They were a lot alike, actually, both made of flesh and machine, except 17 was far more advanced, even though he was created way before Heero was born, and that was the reason that 18 had searched him out, especially after her daughter and husband died of old age.

He heard 18 curse sharply in his ear as the coldly gorgeous cyborg flew from her hiding spot. Her pale, blond hair flew in her features, the pale twin of her brother's, her icy blue eyes blazing in rage. She snapped, "Heero, what the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Subduing your brother," Heero answered coldly.

17 smiled and asked, "Really?" His blue eyes narrowed mischievously as Heero's palm sensors picked up a high increase in energy output. The way his cybernetics were set up was that he could feel some pain incase they were going to be damaged beyond repair. The idea behind that, as Hilda had told him, that the idiot would stop whatever they would doing to avoid the pain. She just hadn't counted on Heero Yuy's stubbornness and his high pain threshold.

"17! Stop it! Damn you, stop it!" 18 shouted as she flew over to them. She landed a square punch to 17's face, causing his head to snap back. He looked surprised as the energy stopped coming from his body. Heero relaxed his back, but left his arms still gripping the android.

17 looked surprised as he asked, "What did you do that for, Sis?"

"You idiot, you could destroy this space port and everyone in it!" she shouted, slapping him again.

17 smiled and asked, "Would that be a bad thing?"

"A very bad thing 17. You never listened to me. We brought you back with the Dragon Balls, you play mind games with my daughter and husband, tried to get into a fist fight with Vegeta, even though he's much more powerful than you. And what about poor Goten? I'm not that fond of the boy, but you didn't have to traumatize him like that," she spat at him.

Heero pointed out, "Not to mention the bill we'll get from Blue Haven's council for rebuilding the station."

"Exactly! You know how much money that would be, 17?" 18 shouted at him, punching him again.

17 grunted and reached to grab Heero. Heero let go of him, but it was too late. 17 held Heero calmly in his hands and said, "Here Sis, catch." Then he was slung like a rag doll to his partner. Heero made his body go limp as he flew toward 18.

18 growled as she caught him, holding him in her strong arms. They looked each other in the eyes and she snapped, "Maybe you should use the deactivator. We can always reactivate him."

"Yeah," Heero said emotionlessly.

18 asked, as she always did, "Do you always do that? Do you ever show any emotion? Have any fun?"

Heero looked at her as he dug the device from his jeans' pocket. He looked at the now familiar Capsule Corps logo on it and pointed it at his partner's twin. "No! You can't! Damn you!" 17 shouted shrilly.

Heero glared at him and pushed the bright red button. 17's icy blue eyes clouded and became pupiless. His body slackened as he crashed to the ground. "Heero! You could damage him like that," she snapped at him.

They landed and Heero walked over to the fallen android. "Mission accomplished," Heero said with a cold grin as his partner approached him.

"Why do you always say that when we finish a job?" she asked for perhaps the hundredth time since they partnered up.

Heero looked out to space. He preferred staying on Blue Haven. He had no desire to go back out in its cold embrace since almost dying and becoming both man and machine. Unless Duo Maxwell was out there, then Heero would find him.

After all, what else did he have left?

******

"Trunks! I can't hold up this fucking barrier forever," Duo Maxwell crowed. His long bangs fell into his face as sweat trickled down his forehead and back. The magical circle of protection was wavering around the ex-Gundam pilot. The Kei pirates were using their own Tao magic to try and break down Duo's own Druid barrier.

He looked at the tiny Oriental girl standing before him in a shining pink kimono. Her wide emerald eyes looked at him with contempt. Her magic wasn't working on him and her elderly companion with the foot long claws moving his fingers around while screaming "Pagawa Sunfa!" wasn't helping him much either.

"Trunks! Ryoko! Get your asses in gear!" Duo shouted as he braced himself. He closed his eyes with the effort. Aboard the pirate ship the half-Sayan and the demoness were flying to get their cargo, over half a kilo of Dragonite. He was blocking the two from the little brat's and the geezer's attacks as the ship's alarms blared their warnings.

Their magic started to crack the barrier. Duo screamed as the wards collapsed around him. His knees buckled as he fell to the ground. He heard the little girl giggle at him as she strode over to him. He looked up into those shining green eyes and became quite pissed.

The God of Death stood up and towered over the little girl. He shouted,

"Earth, Air, Water, and Fire!

Nature bestow upon me

The power to defeat my enemies

To save my comrades and lovers

By Hecate's Hand, I command you!"

The familiar elemental energy channeled through his body, rippling from his hands in a blaze of violet tinged black fire. The little girl and the old man shrieked as the fire rippled toward them. They hid behind one of the control consoles as Duo shakily held his ground.

Blood trickled from his nose. Magic was a neat thing but it had its price. It was physically taxing and he couldn't even hope to call on the power that his partner Trunks could. "Speaking of Trunks," he grumbled as he looked around.

Speaking of the devil, the tall, lavender haired teen and the lovely, voluptuous demoness flew toward him. One of the Kei screamed something intelligible and rushed at Ryoko, the Demon Caller. The lovely ex-pirate turned around, a wolfish expression in her topaz eyes as a sword of pure, golden energy formed in her slender hand.

Trunks shook his lavender hair from his face and shouted, "Don't, Ryoko! You can't!"

"Shut up Trunks and live a little," she guffawed at him as she drove the blade deep inside of the pirate's throat.

Duo smiled wearily as he looked at his companion's loads. Trunks took notice of him and flew down by his side instantly. His intense, bright, brilliant blue eyes were wide with worry. "Duo, how are you?"

"Alive and kicking, I guess, not up to full God of Death speed, but this little bitch and this old geezer really had some power," Duo managed as he stood on his still shaking legs. He dusted off his long, black cloak that he wore and smiled warmly at his companions, two people cursed themselves.

Ryoko shifted her load and ran her fingers through her long, pale blue hair with a come hither smile. She said, "Well, another successful grab. I'm glad that I teamed up with you, Shinigami."

Duo looked over at the screen and groaned. Endorsements were coming and Duo didn't think he had the energy to cast another round of Wiccan/Druid spells to ward them off. He said, "We're not out of the woods yet, babe. We've gotta get our asses out of here ASAP."

******

Gene Starwind didn't know what was worse, finding out the android had been bagged or his twin sister had been the one who had bagged him. His ragtag crew which consisted of Jim Hawkings, Ashia Clan-Clan, Twilight Suzuka, his beloved Melfina and himself were standing in Blue Haven's Law Services Office. The older man shrugged his shoulders and stated, "You just missed out. 17's own sister, 18 along with her partner were the ones who brought him in, Mr. Starwind."

"Well, this sucks," Ashia whined as she inspected her claws. She looked at the officer and asked, "Any other androids running amok that we can stop?" She made a slashing motion with her clawed fingers as her blue-green eyes lit up with predatory delight.

The officer shrugged and answered, "Well, rumor has it that Sailor Saturn is running around town. That girl is death incarnate especially with Neo-Queen Serenity off on her honeymoon with that Endymon guy."

Sailor Saturn. Gene smiled. It wasn't a lesser known fact that all the Scouts were hot, and two of them were lesbian lovers (which was something that Gene would pay to watch), and that they were powerful. Except Saturn had the power to destroy and give birth to planets. Rumor had it that she didn't like to use her power and that it killed her every time she did.

There was a knock on the door and Jim asked, "Wonder who that could be?"

"Probably 18 and her partner collecting her bounty," Suzuka answered in her calm, serene voice.

The door burst open before the officer could say anything. Two people walked into the crowded office and looked around. Gene inspected them both. The first one had to be the android 18. She was tall and statuesque, pale blond hair falling into her beautiful features and icy blue eyes. The other one was a guy a few years younger than Gene with shaggy, unruly dark brown hair and emotionless, intense dark blue eyes. He crossed his arms as 18 made her way to the officer.

"You owe us, pay up," she snapped, slamming her hand into the desk.

The officer stood up and stated, "It's your own brother who caused all of that trouble, Miss 18. I think this is all some big game that you Capsule Corp androids are playing."

"We were built by Dr. Gero, not Bulma Briefs or her upstart son," she snapped as she shattered the table in half. The officer cowered away from the deadly beauty, sweat trickling down his features. She sneered, "We. Want. Our. Money. Asshole."

Gene pulled out his Caster and pointed it at her lovely head. She turned to look at him with an amused glance in her eyes. He told her, "Pretty Lady or not, breaking furniture is not going to make you any friends. So, I suggest you back away from the nice man and step closer to me, beautiful."

Melfina cast him an angry glance as she turned away from them. Her slender body was tense with anger as she tried to ignore Gene. "I think you just hurt your relationship," 18 replied smartly as she looked at the Caster. She looked over at her companion, who had said nothing during any of this, and said, "Heero?"

"Mission accepted," the guy, Heero, replied in a deep monotone. He moved lighting quick, snatching the Caster out of Gene's hands and throwing it to the ground. Ashia screamed at him and launched her feline body at him. He sidestepped the Kartal-Kartal and grabbed her long braid by the ornamental gold ring. He swung his hips and Ashia was howling as she hit a potted plant.

Suzuka drew her bokken from her robes and took a stance. Jim was on the floor with his hand held, getting the readings off of Heero.

The officer shouted, "Enough! I don't know who's worse, you five, the androids, or the Sayans!"

18 crossed her arms and asked smugly, "So, do we get our payment?"

"Yes, yes, 18, but you better take that thing back to Trunks Briefs before any more trouble is caused," the officer shouted, his grey hair bristling with anger.

She smiled sweetly as she and her partner started to walk out of the office. "Thank you very much, your honor, I expect to see my wong as soon as possible," she stated as she sauntered out the door.

Her partner looked Suzuka over, especially the bokken she was holding. He said something in a language that Gene never heard of before and Suzuka blinked in surprise before she replied in the same language. He bowed and so did she, startled looks on both of their faces. Heero looked at Gene as he reached down and picked up the Caster.

Gene was fairly surprised when Heero handed back the Caster, butt first. He studied the guy, and a faint stirring of memory and recognition started at the back of his brain. He took the Caster back and asked, "Who the hell are you?"

"Heero Yuy," was his reply as he walked out of the office, leaving them alone.

Ashia snarled at him, and Jim tugged sharply at Gene's poncho sleeve. Gene looked down and asked, "What is it, Jim?"

"He's a cyborg, legs and arms, state of the art, Gene. He'd make Harry MacDoogal look primitive. He could have ripped Ashia apart without blinking, but he's not as advanced as 18 or Mefina," Jim answered as he pointed out the diagnostic specs.

Gene looked over at Suzuka, who was wearing a puzzled look on her face as she still looked at the door. He asked, "What did he say to you?"

"He asked if I knew Kendo and if I knew that my sword was a bokken," she answered in a thoughtful tone. She tilted her head so her long, raven hair cascaded to hide one side of her face. Her smoky eyes were alert and thoughtful. "I haven't heard anyone speak that language to me since I was a little girl. Interesting."

******

Their office/apartment was sparsely furnished. Well, Heero's half anyway. Third if you want to get really technical. 18's third was decorated with rich furnishings and fine cloth and then their was the third partner who acted more as a doctor and tech than bounty hunter.

Hotaru Tomoe, Sailor Saturn, was quiet, demure, and dangerous. She had this air of calm serenity around her that made even 18 speak quietly to her. Heero was no different.

Her black hair fell into her pale features as she looked Heero's cybernetic implants over. She rocked back on her heels, her long black hair falling around her. There was something about her that reminded him eerily of Duo. Maybe it was the way that both were "cursed" and both were born with stunning violet eyes.

Except Duo's eyes had been more brilliant and lively while Hotaru's violet orbs were quiet and subdued. They both wore black all the time and both had an air of death around them. At first, when Hilda had him repaired by Capsule Corps then set him loose in this new universe he had been surprised at how much had changed.

Magic ran ramped through the galaxy. Aliens and humans had uneasy alliances. Pirates were the most feared force in the universe. Light speed travel had been accomplished. Humans lived on other worlds and not just colonies in space. Then there was the technology. Dr. J's cybernetics had been clumsy and awkward while Heero's were better than his natural limbs.

Hotaru and 18 were perfect testimonies of how the "world" had changed in Heero's slumber. 18 was a cyborg, even though she called herself an android, and Hotaru had been reborn more times than she could count. Both Heero and 18 were children compared to Hotaru's many reincarnations.

Heero looked around the lab and then back at his favorite partner. Hotaru asked, "How are you?"

"Fine," he answered as she pushed something on one of his limbs. Her dark, shadowy eyes narrowed in concentration as Heero spun his wrist in a 360-degree circle. He did it in the opposite direction so she could see if that was working right. Biting her lip, she hooked up the various electrodes to his limbs as he lie back on the cushioned examining table.

She typed different commands into the computer as it began its diagnostic of his systems. She said, "I heard 17 threw you around today and that you got in a scuffle with another group of outlaws."

"18 wanted her money and lost her temper," Heero told her as she unhooked him from the machine. He remembered the lovely sword woman dressed in a Shinto style robe holding a bokken. He forgot what his native land was like and missed it for a moment as he slipped back into his native language to talk to the woman.

Hotaru smiled warmly and spoke in her celestial voice, "And a Kartal-Kartal none the less. You're not 18, Trunks, or Vegeta. You have your limits."

Heero only grunted as he stood up from the table and pulled on his jeans and tank top. His clothing style hadn't changed during all of this time either. The first thing he had done after he had his new limbs attached was to cut that long hair. He couldn't understand how Duo could stand it, and his hair had only reached his shoulders. Heero couldn't comprehend how Duo could take care of that waist length mess that he always sported.

Hotaru watched him and said, "Are you still looking?"

Heero nodded as he approached the computer and the saved files. He knew what happened to all of the pilots. Trowa and Quatre had gotten married and created a test tube baby named Heero Duo Winter after their "fallen" friends. Sally Po and Wufei had an infamous affair before Wufei finally proposed to his "Stubborn Dragoness". Lady Une headed up the Preventers while Zechs and Noin developed the first colony on another world. Mars Teraforming was a success and Relena Dorlian never married despite the fact that she was president of the Earth Sphere Alliance for three terms in a row. Dorothy Catalonia was her vice-president of all people for three terms and eventually wed an ex-OZ soldier and Preventer despite having a brief affair with Quatre.

Heero began his search once again, anything about a God of Death, expert pilot with violet eyes, a guy who wears all black with a meter long braid, anything like that. Hotaru pulled over a chair and sat beside him. She tucked strands of her long, raven hair and asked, "What was Duo like?"

"Loud, obnoxious, cheerfully hiding a darker past. He always looked on the bright side of things, no matter how bleak they were. He was an excellent pilot and an even better friend. He . . ." Heero paused as he looked down at his cybernetic attachments.

Hotaru reached out and grabbed his hand with her own deathly pale one. She told him, "You don't have to go on if you don't want to."

"I remember the look on his face when I told him to run. He didn't want to but I didn't give him much of a choice. I was ready to die and Duo wasn't. Duo was never ready to die; he was the least suicidal out of all of us."

Hotaru asked, "Do you think he's still alive?"

"Yeah. I do," Heero answered grimly as he looked at the screen.

Hotaru smiled softly, pushing her long raven hair from her face once again. "I'd like to meet him," she said as she looked at the screen with him.

******

They used each other for physical gratification, the Demon and the God of Death. They both knew that and were friends outside of the bedroom, but it wasn't a lasting relationship. They were both healing from broken hearts. Duo's because Hilde had died a long time ago and Ryoko because she had to leave her beloved Tenchi when he became King of Planet Juri.

Ryoko was unashamed in her nudity as they bathed in their after glow together. "What was she like?" Ryoko asked with a smirk.

"Who?" Duo asked as he shifted in bed. Soon Trunks and Ryo-ohki would be banging on the door with Trunks asking when the hell they were going to get done and Ryo-ohki whining like a kitten.

Ryoko pointed to the lone photo that Duo had on his bed. He looked at the short black hair, the gamine smile, the pink barrette, and the huge blue eyes staring back at him. He traced Hilde's lips with his fingers. Even though it had been centuries since her death, the pain was still fresh and new, even though it had been a year since he had been found by the mad scientist Washu.

Washu had taught him everything about this new "world", about what magics the Kei pirates were immune to and what would hurt them severely, helped build the Shinigami, a Gatling class racing ship with offensive capabilities, and introduced a heartbroken Ryoko to a grieving Duo. Physical attraction took place and the two quickly became lovers and occasional partners. After that, he had met the first of the two Trunks Briefs who ran around, the warrior and not the business man.

Mirai Trunks, as Washu liked to refer to him as, was almost as cursed as Duo was. Trunks' other self and his father had been blessed, or cursed, with Immortality by the seven Dragon Balls on Earth as Bulma Briefs was placed into status because of an incurable virus. Mirai Trunks happened to be at the wrong place at the right time so he was engulfed in the wish as well. Except that Mirai and Chibi Trunks hated each other with a passion.

They were as different as night and day. Trunks was tough, a warrior, with power to rival Vegeta's, Chibi Trunks was more of a scientist and business man with super powers. Trunks and Vegeta got along better than Chibi and Vegeta, so that installed more bitterness than the two. Plus, Mirai was much cooler than Chibi.

Ryoko picked up the photo and stated, "She's pretty, for an Earth girl."

Duo ran his fingers though his bangs. His hair was still in its braid, despite the fact of their heavy coupling. He smiled and stated, "Yeah, she was."

"Do you know what happened to her?" Ryoko asked as she put the photo down.

Duo nodded sadly. He hated this. The first thing he did when he was himself again was look up to see if he could find anything about the former pilots and their other friends. A lot of it was as he expected, Quatre and Trowa finally getting together, Noin and Zechs setting up Mars to live on, Relena coming president, yadda yadda, but not what happened to Hilde.

"She became a cop for the Preventors. She was killed during a drug raid. Unmarried, no children, rumor had it that she died a virgin," he answered bitterly.

Ryoko looked at the photo again. She sighed, "At least I know that Tenchi's live, ruling Juri. I wouldn't say he's happy, but he's alive."

"Why don't you go to him?" Duo asked, "Not that I mind the sex, but I'm curious, you can always teleport to him."

Ryoko sighed as she leaned back in the bed. She answered, "Because I don't belong in Tenchi's new life. After Aykia was murdered, he had no choice to rule. Juri was already corrupt and he's doing his best to fix it, but it wouldn't be right for the demon who nearly wiped out the world to be his lover."

"Fuck that. Tenchi loves you and you love him. Why don't you go to him?" Duo asked as he sat up in the bed.

Ryoko asked, "Then what would happen to you? Come on, between you and Trunks you two, except for Trunks being immortal, would have been dead by now. You're too brooding. Sure, you can have fun and enjoy destruction like a good agent of chaos, but there are times I wonder about you Duo."

Duo leaned over and kissed her. He didn't like thinking about this. He was the last surviving Gundam pilot. He often brooded about it, but it never did anything except give him a headache.

"Shut up," he told her softly and she chuckled.

She smirked and purred, "I'll give you this, Duo, you're a feisty little thing."

"I'll show you just how feisty I am," he growled as he settled on top of her.

She replied, "Then stop talking and show me."

******

The creature beside him was an adorable mixture of cat and rabbit. She could also become a space ship if needed. Ryo-ohki purred as she rubbed herself on Trunks' leg. He blinked and picked up the little creature, absently rubbing its head.

"Meow," she purred as Trunks scratched behind her ear.

Trunks walked around the spaceship, doing checks and the like. He sighed. They had a half a kilo of Dragonite to sell soon. And soon Ryoko and Ryo-ohki would go on their merry little way until they met again. The demi-Sayan was uncomfortable with Duo and Ryoko's relationship.

He believed that relationships should be built on love and trust, not physical needs. He thought about his mother and father for a moment. Vegeta was still searching the universe to find a cure for Bulma, who was sleeping like a princess waiting for her prince in Capsule Corp headquarters. Trunks sighed and pushed his lavender hair away from his face and tucked behind his ears in a familiar gesture.

He flinched when he heard a few groans and giggles from Duo's bedroom. "Come on, Ryo-ohki, lets see if there's anything we can do on this ship," he told the creature. He flew to the control room and right as he was about to sit down in his chair, the alarm blared.

He typed rapidly into his console and frowned when he saw the fleet of Kei pirate ships coming their way. "Dammit, Duo," Trunks cursed as he was being hailed from one of the ships.

Ryo-ohki cried out piteously as Trunks answered the hail. On the communication screen appeared the small, emerald eyed girl dressed in pink from earlier that day. She giggled, "Surrender our Dragonite and be dealt a quick and painless death. If you do not, well, lets just say that you will be begging for mercy."

Trunks growled, "None of us beg." Then he slammed his fist into the alarm console, shattering it. He knew that Duo was going to be pissed, but Trunks didn't care. He shouted into the ship com system, "Guys, we're being attacked by the pirates. I'm going out there."

With that, he flew into the air lock and quickly dawned a space suit. He went out into space and watched as the miniature fighter ships were flying toward the Shinigami. He stood out in front of the black ship and gathered his energy.

The suit was barely able to hold him when he turned into a Super Sayan, and he wasn't even at Level Two yet. He pointed out his palm and blasted into a ship. He sighed as he caught a missile and turned it back to a ship.

Why did this always happen to him?

******

18 dropped 17's body before Trunks Briefs. Heero and Hotaru waited patently as Trunks looked up at them with spectacled blue eyes. His lavender hair fell softly in his angular features as he looked at the android. He asked, "18, what the hell am I going to do with this?"

"Well, you better not break his heart like you did my daughter's," she answered bitterly.

Heero looked around the expensive office as Trunks sighed and took off his glasses. "What happened between myself and Marron is none of your business, 18."

"You could have warned her before you ran away with Pan, damn you," 18 snapped as she crossed her arms and looked at her brother.

"They're both dead now 18. You know that. I'm sorry about that happening. I'm sorry about Marron. I'm sorry that I've been made immortal," Trunks snapped as he put his glasses back on.

18 grunted and turned away, her pale blue eyes angry. "No wonder your father is disappointed in you, Chibi. Mirai wouldn't let me talk to him like that."

Heero was confused about the whole Sayan complex and the beautiful blue haired woman in a cyrochamber in the office. Hotaru explained to him that she was deathly ill and that Trunks was waiting for the cure to bring her back. Still, the fact that there was two Trunks Briefs running around was confusing enough.

"I'm not Mirai. I'm Trunks Briefs and if you're finished, I would like it if you and your friend could leave," Trunks snapped. Then he softened as he looked at Hotaru and said, "But you can stay, Miss . . ."

Hotaru crossed her arms in a defiant gesture very rare to the elfin girl. She answered, "Saturn. Sailor Saturn, Dr. Briefs."

The look on Trunks' face fell as he looked her over. "You mean your Saturn?" he choked out.

"When I want to be," she replied as she stepped closer to Heero, a mischievous grin playing across her features.

Suddenly, a tiny blond woman rushed into the room, her pale hair held back by a red ribbon. She panted as she said, "Dr. Briefs, someone named Mirai is trying to contact you."

"Thank you Mina," Trunks stated as he rushed to the computer, his business air gone as something else took over. Mina walked back out of the room and 18 walked over to her partners. Trunks took off his glasses and loosened his tie as he answered the call.

Heero stated, "I thought this guy was a warrior."

"Was. Money and women became top priorties to him. That's why Vegeta left to find Bulma's cure and why Mirai is out in space," 18 whispered back to him, hiding her mouth as she spoke, "They both thought that Chibi was betraying his Sayan heritage, and the final insult was when he eloped with Goku's granddaughter, Pan." Her mouth clinched in anger at this.

Hotaru asked, "What about Bra?"

"Bra died because she tried to save Chibi. That was right before Bluma fell sick and Vegeta and Chibi grew even farther apart. That was the final nail in the coffin. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that Bra was Vegeta's favorite child," 18 answered indifferently.

Hotaru breathed, "How sad."

Heero ignored this as he watched the vidscreen. Mirai Trunks appeared on the screen. There were differences between them. Chibi Trunks was arrogant while Mirai Trunks carried himself with a confidence born of many battles. Chibi's face was softer, not as careworn as his counter part from the other dimension.

Mirai No Trunks spoke first, "Chibi."

"Don't call me that. I'm not a child," Chibi Trunks snarled.

A harsh look crossed Mirai's face as he stated, "Fine, Dr. Briefs. I have half a kilo of Dragonite that I need to sell. Got any buyers?"

"Fred Lowe's always interested in Dragonite," Chibi snapped, turning around, "But that's not the reason you called, is it Mirai?"

Again, that harsh look as Mirai's expression tensed and answered, "Have you seen Father?"

"No, remember, he hates me," Chibi answered harshly, "I'm not the golden child. Not the warrior from the future. I'm not the Trunks you are. I can't go Second Level Super Sayan like you can and I can't even fuse with Goten any more."

Heero watched as Chibi was about to end the conversation when a very familar voice shouted, "Trunks!"

"Coming!" Mirai turned and shouted. He said, "My partner needs me. If I see Father . . ."

"I don't care what that bastard does," Chibi grumbled.

Mirai looked lost and sad as the voice, Duo's voice, shouted, "Dammit! Trunks, get your ass over here!"

Mirai cast a small smile and said, "If you do see Father, tell him I'm looking for him."

"Whatever," Chibi grumbled as he turned off the screen.

Heero walked over and asked, "Where was that signal coming from?"

"I don't know, but Mirai's partner, never even seen the guy, is a crack wiz at this stuff. Not even I can trace his signal," Trunks answered as he put back on his glasses and straitened his tie.

Heero said nothing as he walked out of the office, with 18 and Hotaru trailing after him. Hotaru asked, "What is it, Heero?"

"I heard Duo's voice," Heero answered briskly.

18 rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her slender hips. She drawled, "Oh no, not this crap again."

"You really think so?" Hotaru asked with a smile on her face.

Heero nodded and said, "Now, I just need to find him."

"Not alone, kid, I'm coming too," 18 stated as they walked out of Capsule Corps Blue Haven and onto the busy street. She haled a cab and automatically, at the site of a pretty blonde, they pulled over.

Hotaru nodded in agreement and added, "I wanna meet Duo. I'm coming too. Besides, you might need me."

"We know how reckless and suicidal you are," 18 added as they drove.

******

Gene threw back another beer. Jim was beside him, trying to get information on any jobs they could pick up. Jim said, "This is bad, Gene. I can't find anything except from the Kei pirates."

Gene, curious and drunk, asked, "What do they want?"

Jim looked up at him from beneath the fall of dark blond hair with his big, blue eyes as he answered, "This ship called the Shinigami. The crew is stealing from the pirates."

Gene looked around the bar and groaned when 18, that Heero guy, and a beautiful, elfin girl with long black hair walked into the room. Jim swallowed and said, "Gene, don't get into a fight. 18 doesn't have any weakness."

He turned back to Jim and asked, "Could you tell me any more about the Shinigami?"

"Well, the demon Ryoko is often seen along side them on most of their heists, but that's all. And the pilot uses a form of magic that's been long dead, like your Caster," Jim answered.

"How much to find this ship?" a deep monotone asked behind Gene. Gene gave a startled cry as he spun around to see Heero standing there, his arms crossed and his dark eyes looking very hostile.

Jim suggested, "I wouldn't work for the Kei pirates if I was you, buddy."

"No, how much do you want to find this ship for me?" Heero asked as he crossed his arms.

Gene smiled and leaned back against his seat. He answered, "Well, friend, it just depends on how much you wanna pay."

"Fine. One condition my partners and I go with you. Half up front and the other half when you get us to the ship," Heero calmly stated.

Gene and Jim smiled at each other. Gene, milking it for all it was worth, stated, "Well, my friend, this would be a very dangerous job. We are heading into Kei territory."

"One million wong up front and two million after you find the ship," Heero stated briskly.

Gene and Jim looked at each other, the same thought on their minds. They both smiled as Gene extended his hand out to Heero Yuy. "Well, you just cut yourself a deal, my friend. We'll ship out tomorrow."

"Good," was all Heero stated as he turned away from Gene and Jim.

Jim shuttered and said, "That's a lot of money. Not that I'm complaining, but that whole group is creepy."

"Well, they'll just have to put up with Ashia when she's pissed. I doubt they'll be that scary after that," Gene replied with a grin.

To Be Continued

Author's Notes: Yeah, the Chibi/Mirai thing is confusing. It's confusing the hell out of me too, but read and review, okay!