If you recognise it… I don't own it.

1234567890

"Gundam Wing" & Bleach – Start

1234567890

Duo looked around. Heero had run out of all bullets. He was standing staring at Duo in desperation and frustration. Wufei was holding the hilt of his sword. The blade snapped off, still quivering in the ground where it had stuck. Quatre was in shock. He'd fallen to his knees next to Trowa. Trowa was lying on the floor, barely conscious… Maybe barely alive. His left leg missing from above the knee. The rest of his leg was gone. Blasted into atoms.

All of his friends were breathing heavily. Bruised and cut. Badly injured.

There was only one way to stop it.

"Stop." Duo spoke, "Stand down!"

"No." Heero snapped, "We can still…"

"No you can't!" Duo replied, "Don't. Not for my sake. Get Trowa help. There's nothing you can do. I have no choice. Don't look for me. You'll never find me… I will go. Just leave them alone."

He turned to the three people who surrounded him. Their black kimonos and white undergarments almost mocking his old attire of a priest's outfit.

"Please. Leave them alone. They can't follow. I submit to whatever happens next to me. But I will die to protect them. Just take me and go. Leave them be."

The other Pilots watched, basically helpless, as Duo turned his back on them. His hands cuffed behind him. A guard on both sides and one more leading him.

A circle appeared in the air in front of the small group. Opening at the centre to allow them to pass through. Some black butterflies seemed to fly out, almost accompanying the group.

Then the doors closed behind them. And disappeared from sight.

No way to follow.

Heero and Wufei exchanged glances. They would not leave their friend to face who knew what on his own. They would find some way to chase the… The… The things that had attacked them and taken their friend.

123456789

Nearly a week later they knew nothing more than they had on that street. Which was, their assailants were very good and very dangerous.

It wasn't as if they hadn't tried. The descriptions of the assailants had gone round every Preventer's Station. Been distributed among the local Police Forces. And even shown on the news.

Not one gang had been identified who wore such unusual dress.

Not one person had come forward.

The only piece of good news was that Trowa had survived. And was no longer critical in hospital. Though he would have to be fitted for a prosthetic leg at some point. His career both at the circus and with the Preventers was on hold. Possibly indefinitely.

Heero was making his way back to the hotel they were staying at late at night. Walking to try to clear his mind.

The image of Duo's face had yet to fade from his memory. Resigned. Apologetic. Begging for forgiveness for his betrayal in going with his enemy. Knowing that it was the only way to protect his friends… His family.

But there was also a desperation behind those eyes. A fear that Heero could not reconcile with the Duo he knew. The boy who had stared into his eyes with no fear of death. Perhaps even welcoming it.

Whatever lay beyond those doors, Duo had feared it. Possibly more than he feared anything else… Except what would happen to his friends if he didn't go.

Heero lifted his head slightly as he heard approaching footsteps. He lowered it again as he recognised Wufei catching up to him.

Ever since Duo had been taken the Pilots had tried not to go anywhere alone. Even now Quatre sat guard over Trowa, with both Noin and Zechs guarding the door.

The two Pilots walked together in silence. They did not need to talk to know what the other was thinking.

A loud noise caused both of their heads to jerk upwards and towards the source. It sounded like an explosion… An attack.

Both of them moved in sync towards the noise.

It stopped as suddenly as it began. However they were close enough to turn the corner and face the scene.

Both of their hearts almost stopped.

A teenager stood in the middle of the street, in the process of slinging a large sword swathed in bandages onto his back. His bright orange hair would make him stand out in a crowd.

But neither of the two Pilots cared for those features. The sword could be ignored. The hair could be ignored.

But the black kimono with white undergarments could not. Nearly identical in every way to those who had taken Duo from them.

"Put your hands up and turn around!" Heero barked.

"What the…?" The teenager turned around, "You can see me?"

Heero and Wufei managed to restrain from looking at each other in shock. Why wouldn't they be able to see the boy?

"Surrender." Wufei demanded.

"Why?" The boy asked, one hand wrapped around his sword's hilt, "I haven't done anything wrong."

"Three of your gang took our friend. And destroyed Barton's leg." Wufei snarled.

"How do you know they're mine?" The boy retorted.

"They dress like you." Heero growled.

"Ah!" The boy actually looked a little embarrassed, "And nothing I say will convince you that I'm not with them. Though I kinda am… And I'm kinda not. Any idea why they took your friend?"

"No. But he recognised them."

"That doesn't exactly help me. Can I have a name?"

"He's Maxwell Duo."

"Great." The boy grinned, "Still doesn't help me. I've never heard of him in my life."

"Your gang took him."

"I wouldn't exactly call them a gang. They would object. But… It's not entirely inaccurate. Anyway, I'll meet you tomorrow, ten pm. In the park. By the fountain. Bring your injured friend."

"What makes you think we're letting you go?" Wufei laughed mockingly.

"Because you want your friend back. And I don't know why they took him. But I can find out. Bring your injured friend. You won't regret it."

"You'll take us to him. Now!" Heero ordered.

"No." The boy retorted, "I can't. But I will meet you tomorrow. Hopefully with all the answers you need."

"How do we know you'll turn up?" Wufei countered.

"You don't. But with this hair? I'm not hard to find."

"We couldn't find the others." Wufei stated.

"Not surprised. They're not exactly local. I am. If I don't turn up. You'll be able to find me. I'm leaving now."

"Stop or I'll shoot." Heero snapped.

"No, you won't. And even if you did. It wouldn't make any difference. I'm leaving."

"Why do you think we won't shoot?"

"I'm your only link. Tomorrow. 10pm. The fountain. Injured friend. And people you trust."

"No limits on numbers?"

"Why bother? You'd just hide them."

With that the boy turned and leapt. Heero and Wufei stared in shock as the boy landed on a nearby roof-top, apparently without trying.

He leapt once again and disappeared out of sight.

123456789

The next day all of the Pilots arrived at the park at about quarter to the appointed time. Noin and Zechs had had the area staked out for the previous three hours and had seen nothing untoward. No sign of a trap or a trick.

In fact there was no sign of the boy at all.

The only people left in the park were three teenagers all sitting on the rim of the fountain. Two boys and a girl. Rather an odd grouping in appearance, but clearly all close friends.

Trowa was in a wheelchair, a blanket over his lap. Hiding his missing leg. Quatre positioned the wheelchair next to a park bench, before sitting next to him.

Heero and Wufei arranged themselves nearby ready to protect in case of attack.

Sally had also come along, in case Trowa took a sudden turn for the worse.

All of them wished the teenagers would leave, just in case a fight broke out. But there was no way to persuade them to leave without tipping off the enemy.

Ten o'clock came and still no sign of the boy.

At five past the teenagers were looking at their watches.

"He's late." The boy with the glasses remarked.

"Do you think anything has happened to him?" The girl frowned.

"Unlikely. We would know."

"Seems they're waiting for someone as well." Quatre murmured to Wufei.

"Hopefully they will leave soon." Wufei retorted.

A set of footsteps were heard running towards the park.

"Sorry I'm late!" A cheerful voice called out, "Kon was being an idiot again."

Bright orange hair. The same build. The same voice, though now it was gentler and filled with amusement.

It was the boy. Their contact.

But the clothes… They were normal. Were it not for his hair the Pilots would have not looked twice at him.

He wasn't even carrying his sword.

"Kurosaki-kun!" The girl leapt to her feet.

The other two rose slowly, but just as willingly to greet him.

"Thanks for meeting me, guys." The boy grinned at them.

"No problem." The largest boy nodded.

"Given what this is concerning, it is best that we all are present. Were you successful?" Glasses asked.

"I got some of what I needed. Though I had to make a run for it at the end." The suspect shrugged, "Thank you for coming." He addressed the Pilots.

"You might wish to call your two back-up members out." Glasses pushed his glasses up his nose, "It will be easier to address all of you at once."

"You brought back-up?" Heero snarled.

"To be fair," The girl shrugged, "So did you. And we're Kurosaki-kun's friends!"

"If I may introduce," The boy's grin was almost mocking, "Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado and Uryu Ishida. I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. I got some of your answers. But before we start, a gesture of goodwill. Inoue, the wheelchair please. It's his leg."

The girl stepped forward, towards Trowa. The Pilots automatically moved to protect their injured comrade.

"Hurt her and you will regret it." Ishida declared, twitching his wrist. A charm on a chain dropped out of his sleeve.

"She won't harm him." Ichigo stated.

The Pilots moved slightly away, allowing her to approach. She stopped by Trowa's side, kneeling down to be level with his leg. She spread her hands and a glow seemed to form a bubble around Trowa's lower body.

After a few moments she rose and returned to her friends. Nodding at Ichigo as she did so.

"Trowa-san," Ichigo spoke firmly, "Stand up."

"He can't!" Quatre yelled in shock.

"Trowa-san," Ichigo repeated, "Stand up."

The two locked eyes. The former acrobat/clown staring at the only current link to his kidnapped friend.

For the first time since Duo had been taken, Trowa moved without looking like an automaton.

Both hands moved from his lap to the arm-rests. They gripped firmly. He shifted his weight.

And stood up.

His blanket fell to the ground.

He placed both feet firmly on the floor. Okay, so his previously missing leg was standing on the dressing that had been on the stump.

But it was his own foot. Flesh and blood.

Every Preventer present was staring at him.

"How?" Trowa stared at the small grouping of teenagers.

"We'll get to that." Ichigo declared, "That was just to get us off on the right foot. No pun intended.

"Now, I have some of the answers you seek. You willing to listen?"

1234567890

New Manga series. Really enjoying it.

Not so good at writing it.

Would really appreciate hints and suggestions here. Or if no-one can do that, suggestions about which Bleach Fanfics I have to read.

I'm not in the mood to trawl through the trash to find the jewels this week.

Also I'm really surprised. A grand total of 5 Bleach and Gundam Wing crossovers and no-one has used the idea that Duo really is a Shinigami!

What are we coming to people? Or was it so obvious a cross that everyone thought it was below them?

Please Review.