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Disclaimer: I don not own Gundam Wing or any of the characters places or references. This is written for fun with intent to insult or gain profit.

Notes: Once again I apologize for the time it took me to update. I'm writing on this whenever I can but things have gotten hectic. I'll probably figure it all out eventually and get myself organized, but for now it's whenever I have a free moment. You know only after I wrote this chapter did I realize how weird it was. I didn't intend for it to take this turn but it seems anything I write will eventually turn weird and bizarre.

Chapter Ten

(Fine Apparition)

"Need a tune up? Are your circuits just not working the way they should be? Then come see a professional machinist, we're not just your average repairmen!"

" I'm Doctor Brine, you look a little down. Are you implants giving you trouble? I'm a certified MD. Getting Implants or any biomechanical operation done by any amateur is dangerous. If you have a real medical need I can help. Hey now don't just walk away."

"Hey there handsome, looking for a little love and intimate relations? Want to indulge your sensual side for cheap, we can make all your fantasies come true. Just, BZZZRRSTS… lane." The young man didn't even blink as he walked through the irritating hologram. He continued trudging through the crowds of people and keeping to the darker side of the walkways. He stopped on one of the higher building bridges and looked over the side into the river of traffic below.

It was nearing evening and the city lights were turning on. Great fluorescent signs for space flights, hotels, brewery's, exotic animals, body art and mutations, restaurants, gag shops, instant knowledge (with a column of medical warnings in tiny print), clothing, illusion fantasy's, computer, beauty and other stores of every kind. They said that if you couldn't find what ever you wanted in one of the Great Earth Cities then it didn't exist. There were brothels for every preference, ego trips if your preference was famous or not available yet. There were shuttles to the sea colonies and rift stations. There were concerts and opera's, including a special show by the four-armed man on a flaming pole doing impossible contortions.

Off to the right a skyscraper had lights traveling along its windows. Green lights moving up, down and across, blue lights moving diagonal and inside out. Glowing in the center was a constant white company logo. Many of the commercial screens were holographic and able to float along in front of your face for a designated distance. These were cheaper then actual salesman holograms and used by the lesser companies. As night fell more completely, the energy veils on the sides of the walkways and ramps became visible. There was a stark contrast between the ramps which were dark with only car and directional lampposts to light the way, and the city walkways which were nearly as bright as daylight from all the building lights, floating commercial screens and holograms running around.

One of the holograms advertising skin recoloration wandered a little too far in search of customers and ran into the veil by side of the walkway. There was a slight fizzling sound of mixing currents and the holo turned off. The young man grunted in satisfaction at the apparent demise of another hologram. He did not like holograms. He turned the corner and walked through another one. This one however did not take the hint.

"Ye look a li'le down on yer luck young sir, 'ad some trouble wi' the missus?"

"No." he said stiffly. He quickened his walk but made no more moves to acknowledge it. The hologram continued to tag along behind him trying to sell its' masters services. Whoever had programmed it had obviously been a very persistent person, if nothing else.

"Now, it don' do to jus' run off wi'out 'ear'in what a man as to say. Mite rude it is!" he hitched the strap of his all purpose sack higher up on his shoulder, completely ignoring the sales program. "Ye don' look the type to be wanderin' 'bout wi'out a purpose, lookin' for some'un are yeh?" the youth stared firmly ahead, intent on remaining oblivious to his follower. "Not yer wife then, but might it be some'un else? A brother, a friend gone miss'in?" he stopped at a crossroads junction and turned slightly to look over his shoulder. He did not appreciate the holo programs lack of respect for privacy, nor it's observant questions. He hoped that he would soon reach the border of this holo's movement space.

"I have no need of your services," he said, annoyance creeping into his voice.

"Well now how do yeh know that, if'en ye don't know what my services be young sir? Mayhap I have just the services ye need, and ye do look like enough to be in need uv somethin'." Out of the corner of his eye the young man saw a pale glowing and semi-transparent hand point to his shabby sack and less than new clothes.

"Any business I have is my own. A mans journey is not something to be used for commercial gain," he spat. "My search is my own!"

"Now young sir I meant no disrespect I did. Sure an' certain ye could it on yer own. I just be thinkin' ye might want to finish a'fore ye die of old age is all, and I 'ave only modest wage." His hands bunched into fists, his fingernails biting into his palms. Ancestors give me patience and keep me from screaming, he prayed. Things had gone badly the last time he did that in a city square. There was only so much he could tolerate. He had been surrounded by loud, busy people all day without any space to breath, He had clearly stated he was not interested in what ever it was selling and still it did not leave.

"I do not need or want your services, nor do I need or want your company. Now go away!" he snarled viciously. The hologram stopped in the middle of the bridge they had been walking across. After such a clear dismissal its old programming stated that it was not supposed harass this person any longer. The Hologram stood in the center of the walkway bridge and watched the youth stalk off among the crowds. It never lost sight of him though. With incorporeal eyes narrowed it followed at a distance. Far enough behind so as not to attract attention and close enough to see where it's target was heading.

~~~~~

He stepped out of the stall and thanked his ancestors for public access showers. They might be cheap and sonic, but clean was clean and this way he could wash his clothes for free as well. Besides, he thought stepping up to a mirror; no government old or new would pay a water bill for its homeless.

He paused in front of the mirror, examining his reflection. He had only put on about half an inch since the war and was still ridiculously small compared to the average boy his age. He blamed his ethnicity. Besides, only the foolish will judge a man by his size. He remembered a great grandfather of his who could bring down a full-grown man in one move and was no higher then four feet.

He looked more closely at his face. It had elongated somewhat making him look older, but his features were just as severe as ever. His face and body were all sharp angles. Tired black eyes and black hair that had grown longer. It now reached down to the bottom of his shoulder blades brushing softly against his bare back when he moved his head. With a grunt he reached back into the dry shower and pulled out his clothes. Slipping on a faded blue tank top, some jeans and his traditional white over shirt with three buttons missing, he left the crowded facility. He grabbed his bag from one of the safety boxes and slung the strap over his shoulder.

Once outside he made his way to a relatively quiet corner in a back walkway and finished pulling on his combat boots. Somewhere in the building behind him they were playing a piano concerto. He felt more relaxed after the shower. Any nervous energy that had built up during the day was washed away with the dirt. He leaned back against the brick building, still warm from the day's heat. Winter was ending on this part of the earth. The days were warmer and new plants were starting to struggle their way up through the melting snows in the few public and private gardens around the city. It would be a warm night.

He thought back briefly to his encounter with the persistent hologram. Most holograms were given a simple program of lines and various approaches to attract a customer. They followed these parameters completely and without thought, like any computer program. But every once in awhile you came across a smart one. One that could improvise at times based on its store of knowledge. Sometimes they appeared to almost think and that was disconcerting in a world where AIs were still just a myth for the most part.

Smart or not he was sure he had no use for any services its company could render. He had only one task now, one that he would do alone. He had been searching for a year and he would not be so weak as to falter now. He would not fail himself... Or him, he added as an after thought. He had no doubt his comrade would be just as lost as he.

He relaxed a little more into the warmth of the wall behind him and pulled out a small book from his bag. It was unusual in that it was made of old materials and full of paper rather than the usual mechanical data reader. With a private smile of pleasure he brought the book to his face and inhaled the faint smell of paper, ink and binding. Then he brought out a pen and began to write in a small flowing hand. So engrossed was he in his writing that he never registered the quiet electric fizzle to the left.

" I do a'member me an old sayin' now, pride goes before the fall." He stilled his pen and capped it with a soft sigh, closing his book. It seemed that the universe was conspiring to bring every petty annoyance that existed against him at times. Just to see if he would crack.

"I do not need your services!" he hissed without looking up.

"Bollocks, young sir."

"What?"

"Bollocks, complete bollocks! My eyes 'aven't deceived me yet an' I'd bet me life, uh, if I 'ad it tha' is, that yer more loykly to end up six fee' under then comin' to the end uv your journey, as ye so eloquently pu' it, an that won't be do'in your friend any 'elp." He stopped mid motion in roughly stuffing his book back into his bag and turned his head to look at the hologram to his left. Standing casually against the wall was the glowing image of an older well to do 19th century gentleman. Complete with a dark frock coat, top hat, walking cane and a pair of oval spectacles perched on its nose. Its hair was dark and well trimmed, with a thin mustache and goatee sporting its chin. The image was smiling a shrewd smile in greeting, and its eyes twinkled with an intelligence that was unmistakable. It had actually sounded like person when it had spoken… but it was not supposed to be able to think.

He was not so feeble as to refuse to admit that the hologram's speech had had a ring of truth in it. He was not in the best condition himself he knew. He felt burnt out. Though his temper was just as quick as ever and his fuse seemed to be getting shorter daily. Some days it seemed that he lived in a perpetual rage. Others he felt no more substantial than ashes blown about on the wind.

He knew his reasons for searching for his old ally were selfish. No one wants to suffer alone. He wasn't even searching with much purpose. The program was right; if he really wanted to find him, he wouldn't do it on his own.

"What exactly is it that you do?" he asked. The Holo grinned roguishly and swept off its hat in a bow.

"Private detective young sir! I specialize in missin' persons, cheatin' spouses, missin' valuables an even a few murder investigations, though they do be gettin' awful rare now days. Most uv me clients are angry old bags whi' too much time on their 'ands to meddle 'bout in other peoples business. I 'aven't 'ad me an interestin' prospect in some time, but you look to be in a right bit uv trouble if I may say so sir."

"You already have." He reached up behind him and tied his hair in a simple ponytail. "Very well, you find missing people, but can you find someone that doesn't exist?" he asked. The holo paused with a slightly stumped expression.

"I honestly don' know young sir, I can't say I've ever tried before." The young man dug out a crumpled paper photo from his bag and showed it to the hologram.

"This is all there is to go on." The hologram bent in to take a closer look at the picture.

"Yeh mean to say tha' ye've been searchin' about wi' no more 'an this in yer pocket? You're off yer trolley young sir!" then it pushed its spectacles farther up its nose (from where they promptly slipped down again) and grinned. "Well, like I said I've never tried to find some'un that don' exist before, but I do love a challenge! What be yer name young sir"

"Chang Wufei, when do I meet your designer?" after all he would like to meet the man he was hiring. The holo made another quick bow.

" Phineus T. Wile a' yer service young sir. Not to worry, I 'aven't failed a case yet. All resources available will be used to their u'most for your service. In fact I do believe I know the exact place to start!" with that he strode briskly out of the side passage, whistling a merry tune and beckoned Wufei to follow.

Wufei swung his bag up onto his shoulder and followed. Something was not right here. I'm going to regret this, he thought to himself.

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