Disclaimer: Okay here goes, I don't own xxxHolic or TRC they belong to the lovely and talented ladies of Clamp. Gundam Wing is owned by other assorted people like Sunrise and Bandai. I do Own my stories and any OC's.

Metallic Feathers - by Lady Syndil

Summary: Syaoran and Sakura's quest is finally over and they have wed. But Kurogane and Fai are nowhere near close to being ready to settle down. A new quest, a new adventure and feathers to search for once again.

Warnings: Implied and not so implied Yaoi, violence, angst, language. Deranged animated plush toys and hilarity will ensue.

Chapter 1 - The players gather

Watanuki was dozing in the sun, when Kohane-chan came by that day. Carrying yet another letter from her guardian, the kind and elderly psychic Yuuko had once taken him too, the one that had told him, about his and Doumeki's relationship so long ago. They still argued, Doumeki still drove him insane with his presence, just in a much different way than he had ever expected. Watanuki no longer left the shop, he couldn't. These days he bickered with Doumeki to relieve the stress and when that didn't work, which it usually didn't, he called him Shizuka and then let the archer take him to bed, which always worked. It had taken Watanuki Doumeki's entire college career before he'd admitted to himself that he honestly and truly loved as well as desired the tall quiet archer.

Six months ago Doumeki had used the egg Yuuko had left with him and tied his life to Watanuki's. Doumeki could still leave the shop, run errands, take care of missions, exorcize spirits, etc…all those things that Watanuki could no longer take care of himself except thru the dreamworld. He also no longer aged, his life bound directly to Watanuki's as long as Watanuki waited in the shop for Yuuko to return, Doumeki would be waiting there by his side. It had been his choice, to join Watanuki in waiting. The seer needed him, and Doumeki had promised everyone, and more importantly himself, that Watanuki would never die alone. Doumeki would be there at his last breath and then follow him into the next world. Whether that be today, tomorrow or an eternity from now, did not matter to the strong solid man, he loved his mate and always had. He had just been waiting for Watanuki to realize what he and it seemed Yuuko, had known all along. It was Hitsuzen.

Doumeki was out shopping and running a few errands when Kohane-chan visited, which is why Watanuki had been dozing. The lovely teenager was growing up so fast, nearly 15 now and attending the same High School he, Himawari and Doumeki had once gone too. They chatted and drank tea, while Mokona guzzled some of Doumeki's secret Sake stash. Watanuki had read the note a soon as Kohane-chan had given it to him. It held few surprises, but several interesting bits of information. That Fai and Kurogane were coming tomorrow for a visit wasn't news. He was expecting them, Syaoran and Sakura had gotten married last night, finally. It had taken the Shop, Watanuki and Syaoran 5 years to find a way around his price. The answer….Find someone or someone's 'qualified' to take his place moving from world to world.

Thanks to the letter Kohane-chan had brought He now knew who it would be showing up in the Shop to join the Ninja and the Mage as they moved from world to world. That Kurogane and Fai would go with had been a little bit surprising at first. They had both originally given the reason that they continued traveling with Syaoran as that they didn't want him traveling alone. But it seems they each had their own much more personal reasons. Like that Fai had no home to return to, and though Kurogane did, and would have taken Fai with him to his, he honestly no longer felt challenged by the world of Nihon. Watanuki smiled to himself, face it, those two were action junkies. They both loved solving problems, whether it was by might, magic, stealth or whatever means was needed for a particular situation. A bored Ninja was dangerous, a bored Fai, was flat out terrifying. It would be decades, perhaps even centuries before those two were ready to settle down anywhere.

Which it seems was a good thing, the ones arriving soon were going to need all the help they could get. Not just in traveling from world to world on a new quest, but in finding themselves, and each other. Two would arrive together, no longer needed in the world from which they came. The third from someplace completely different, and was also expected, a box holding a set of three rings had found its way out of the storeroom and on to his favorite chaise this morning. The shop had obviously 'helped' the items along as it often helped the Shamshin. As always Watanuki 'listened' to what the shop tried to tell him. Once Kohane-chan left Watanuki meditated and let the shop tell him all he needed to know regarding the ones arriving on the morrow….

-

In another world, another place 5 teenagers watched as their Gundams were jettisoned into the sun.

It was the only way to know for sure that the highly advanced Mobile suits were completely destroyed. To the general public, on both earth and in the space colonies, the Gundams were considered weapons of mass destruction. Most never realizing the truth, that the most dangerous weapons throughout both wars had always been the pilots inside. Though they had all agreed to this, with the stipulation that they be allowed to watch and say goodbye to their long time 'friends'. Two of the pilots felt as if a part of them was being destroyed along with their Gundams, as Wing Zero and Deathscythe Hell hit the sun it appeared to all watching as if the wings of both Gundams had exploded outward. The small group watched long after the last bit of gundanium ally melted into the sun. Maybe hoping against hope that their 'friends' would reappear, as they had done before. But eventually they left one by one to mourn their loss, each in their own way.

There was no reprieve this time, the Gundams were utterly destroyed and the ex-pilots no longer needed, in a solar system now at peace. Now they would each try to fit their lives into this new and peaceful world, a peace they had fought so hard to obtain and then keep. Wufei already knew his path, he was going to join Sally Po and Une's Preventers. Right after he married the honey blonde. Of all the pilots he had spent the least amount of time in the 'Perfect Soldier' training program. Having been chosen as Shenlongs pilot only after his first wife's death, and but weeks before leaving his colony. Trowa had also only spent a limited time in the harsh program. He had become a pilot only after the original pilot had tried to revolt, and he, then unnamed, had killed him and taken his identity and placed as Heavyarms pilot. He was bound and determined to stay by Quatre's side.

Quatre Rebarba Winner, had found the Gundam being secretly built with his family's money. He had insisted on being the pilot, forsaking his inheritance and family so that he could protect them in the best way he knew how. His training program had been modified, his mentor feeling the empathic blonde Arabian would be able to do more using his own innate abilities. Quatre and Trowa had come together during the first war and were now inseparable. After the first war his sisters, the 28 that were left, had warmly accepted him back into their family along with his partner. The Winner family had perfected test tube reproduction. Children were not an issue for the slender blonde and his tall silent lover. Even if they never choose to create any of their own children, Quatre already had 53 nieces and nephews and more on the way every year.

That left the two pilots that had gone thru the 'Perfect Soldier' conditioning, Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell. Heero had started it as a child and his own personality had been harshly suppressed because of it. He'd repeatedly been told over his life, to follow his emotions, problem was he had a hard time accessing them. But as he watched his suit burn away he felt a part of his soul dying with it, he was unnecessary, a useless tool in a peaceful age.

Duo had been brought into the program when he was twelve. His personality had already been well developed. In fact it had been his cocky personality and his innate superior intelligence that had impressed Professor G, and won him the berth as Deathscythe's pilot in the first place. He'd been trained for a little over three years before being sent to earth. Not as long as Heero, but enough to ensure he was also a walking weapon of mass destruction, and extremely hard to kill. Oz had certainly tried often enough. It left him few places to go.

He'd tried between the wars to rejoin the sweepers, but it had been too tame for him. He felt a little bad about Hilde, she'd done her best to try and give him a normal life and even a home after the first war. But turned out, he hadn't been what she thought she wanted or needed. And she certainly hadn't been what he had needed either, she wasn't strong enough, and had often fled from his nightmares and darker moods. As he watched Deathscythe Hell descend into the sun he felt as if another piece of his soul died. First Solo, then Sister Helen and Father Maxwell, and now Deathscythe Hell. Was he always destined to destroy what he loved? Was no one strong enough to love the God of Death? There was no place for him here anymore. He heard the distinctive click behind his left ear just as the last of the other ex-Gundam pilots left the room.

"About that time I guess. How many bullets you got in there?"

"Two."

"Always knew it would be you Heero. So they gave you one last mission, huh? I just got one more thing I want to do before I die."

"Hai."

The gun lowered, and Duo turned to face the other pilot. The rest had already left the observation room unable to bear watching any longer, so they would never truly know what had happened or why. He gave Heero his biggest smile as he undid his hair from its usual braid and pulled out his favorite knife from a sheath on his back hidden under the braid. Once undone, he stepped forward into the personal space of his assassin.

"Ah Heero? Did you want me to do you? So you know, you don't have to do it yourself?"

"Would you? I hated to ask, but…" Duo looked at the knife in his hands as he fiddled with it.

"I understand Heero, really I do, I um, well I brought the knife cause I was planning it anyway."

"Hai, me too."

And for perhaps the first time ever, Heero smiled at Duo. The two pilots had always felt closer than the rest. They were stronger and more deadly than the others, each time they had fought it had always been to a standstill. Now they would die together, it was fitting. Duo raised the point of the knife to Heero chest just below his heart, as Heero put the muzzle of the gun to the long haired teenager's head. His other hand grasped the other side of Duo's face and he pulled the other male closer, their lips touching for the first and what they thought would be the last time. Duo bunched his arm muscles to deliver a deep fatal jab into Heero's heart, just as Heero cocked the gun once more.

Neither saw the blinding flash of light that initially enveloped them. Eyes flew open, Cobalt stared into Violet and they were hurled thru time and space. Only to end up dropping into the middle of a small garden situated off a little shop on the world of Holic. A place seemingly similar our own modern day Japan.

-

In yet another world entirely, in modern day America, a woman sped thru the night in her little compact car. The day had been long and she was tired. Perhaps that was the reason she never saw the gas rig in front of her jackknife. She hit it head on, there appeared a blinding flash of light just milliseconds before she hit it and she hurtled thru time and space. Head towards the light, that's what they always said, so she did. And suddenly she was falling…

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AN: Okay I decided if I couldn't get my favorite Gundam boys out of my head I would just write them into my favorite worlds. The worlds of Clamp. Come Kuro-pi and Fai plus Heero and Duo along with a new clueless Beloved Daughter of God... think about all the mayhem, situations and gags I get to write in this one. And let's not forget MOKONA!!!!! Yeah!

Anyone that wants to suggest a world for them to visit or peps to meet just let me know, the forum is open!