Gundam Babylon
A Gundam Wing / Tokyo Babylon crossover
Part 1: Setting the Stage
By Beth 

Rating: G to PG-13 now, later R (for violence)
Pairing: Heero + Duo, Seishirou + Subaru

WARNING: Shounen-ai ahead
DISCLAIMER: Gundam Wing owned by Bandai, Tokyo Babylon and CLAMP Campus Detectives (CLAMP Gakuen Tantei Dan) owned by CLAMP. This is an unauthorized not-for-profit work inspired and using elements of both for purposes of personal and shared entertainment. Some of the best mangaka get their start in doujinshi... I'm trying to see if the same goes for writers ^_^

Author's Notes: This story takes place after Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz, but does not spoil it in detail, also after the fourth tankoubon of Tokyo Babylon (adding new characters and events), and uses characters, though not events, from CLAMP Campus Detectives. Prior knowledge of CCD or Tokyo Babylon unnecessary, I guess, although it could make things clearer. The Gundam pilots learn the story as they go along, so I'd say it's possible to catch up. As for the CCD characters, I figured that since Nokoru, Suoh and Akira are about Subaru's age in X, I'd make Nokoru 18, Suoh 17 and Akira 16. The
Gundam pilots are 16-17 here. This fic has twisted way out of control... but in a good way, I hope!

Notes on Japanese usage: I tried to keep it to a minimum, here's a small dictionary for the first part:

sugoi - great, brilliant or scary
kawaii - cute, pretty
kaichou - chairman (Nokoru's title as chairman of the high school division)
sou ka - oh really, I see
Neesan, Oneesan - elder sister
Shinigami - oh c'mon... (no, it doesn't mean 'oh c'mon' ^_^)

CHAPTER 1: Setting the stage

The war was over.

"You're still the right age," Lady Une said.

The war was over.

"It's the best there is; they only accept the most talented people," she said.

The war was over.

"Anyway, some of you might be surprised to know this, but we do have a minimum education requirement for Preventers."

The war was over and they were going back to school.

"Ne, Wu-chan, you nervous?" Duo asked. The American was bouncing along as the five ex-pilots made their way through the park to the main school buildings.

Wufei spared him an exasperated look. "We will be transfer students again, with falsified records and obscure histories. We have done this more than 23 times during the last three years."

"Oooh, you are nervous!" Duo grinned. Since the end of the Mariemeia incident he had made it his mission to taunt Wufei enough to make the Chinese boy feel in place in the reunited team, and he knew the other pilots welcomed his efforts. Then they reached the edge of the park and he felt his eyes getting wider. "Sugoi! This place is huge!"

Huge was an understatement. Before them, the complex of buildings spread out almost beyond the horizon. What last night had been but a cluster of lights ("Kawaii," Duo had crooned, leaning out of their shared living room's window) now revealed itself in all its towering glory.

CLAMP campus.

"Wow," was all Duo could say.

Four other figures made their way through the normal eight o'clock CLAMP High School crowd. The three boys were a common sight here - the blond chairman of the high school division on the lookout for something that would keep him from doing paperwork, his blue-haired secretary hell-bent on making him do said paperwork, and the cheerful dark-haired treasurer of the division tagging along to make sure the two got any work done between them and did not forget to eat. But the girl who was almost running to keep up with the blond Nokoru's cheerful pace was both new and famous enough to turn heads; it was not every day that the former Queen of the World enrolled in a school, even one as renowned as the CLAMP academy. Relena was currently drowning in Nokoru's discourse about the highlights of school life.

"And then there's the festival, that's coming up in just two weeks, with the official dance!" Nokoru's fan snapped open, the kanji on it reading 'music'.

"That'll be great, Imonoyama-kun," Relena muttered. She started to think that fighting OZ was easier than hearing the heir to the Imonoyama fortune praise the values of the campus. Then she saw five very familiar figures standing at the edge of the morning crowd. She drew her breath, preparing to call to Heero-

"Quatre-kun!!!" Nokoru yelled. "Over here!"

"Nokoru-kun!" The shorter blond boy headed their way, with the other ex-pilots in tow. The two groups met in the middle of the corridor, effectively stopping the traffic but paying no heed. Quatre was ecstatic. "Suoh-kun, Akira-kun, so good to see you again!"

"Quatre-kun, I didn't know you were coming!" Nokoru seemed pleasantly surprised by his friend's appearance. Relena wondered whether they grew those blond boys in a vat somewhere.

"You would have known, kaichou," Suoh interjected, "If only-"

"You'd done your paperwork!" Quatre finished for him. "Glad to see things didn't change here! It's been what, four years since I was here? I cannot believe, I feel like I've only left weeks ago..."

"We missed you," Akira said. "Poker with kaichou is no fun if he can outbid everyone."

The Arabian was still beaming as he turned towards the ex-pilots. "Guys, those were my best friends in elementary school and junior high - Nokoru Imonoyama, who's supposed to run this division," the blond bowed and snapped open his fan, the kanji reading 'welcome' now, "Suoh Takamura, who makes sure kaichou actually does some work," the blue-haired boy nodded politely, "and Akira Ijyuin, the person who holds this whole place together!" The cheerful black-haired boy grinned at the other group.

Quatre executed a 180-degrees turn. "And on this side we have Heero Yuy," Heero glared at the CLAMP boys, "Duo Maxwell," the braided pilot smiled and flashed a Victory sign, "Trowa Barton," Trowa looked blank as usual, "and Chang Wufei."

The Chinese pilot shared a look of sympathy with Suoh. Blonds.

"And this-" Nokoru pointed to Relena.

"We know her," Heero cut in coldly.

"It's good to see you again," the girl smiled. "We have to have lunch together again. But I'm afraid I must go now."

"Why?" Nokoru protested. "Your classes don't start for another hour!"

"I think I've lost my necklace on campus yesterday," she explained. "I want to go look for it."

"Oh no!" Nokoru was grinning widely. "We could never allow a lady in distress to go without help! Right, guys?"

"Yes, kaichou," Suoh and Akira chorused.

"Uh, that's nice of you..." Relena stuttered.

"Have no fear, that's what we're here for! CLAMP Campus Detectives, at your service!" The fan snapped open once more, this time reading "mystery". "We shall not rest until your jewel is restored to you!"

Suoh sighed. "At least he doesn't make us do any choreographed mottos..." he muttered, taking care to keep it out of Nokoru's hearing range - he didn't want to give kaichou any ideas.

Duo realized that between Nokoru, Quatre and Relena the developments were not going along to his liking. So he decided to do something uncharacteristically productive and go find his first class. He located the floor plan and quickly understood that the complex system of alphanumerical designations would take quite a bit of getting used to. Still, there was one sure-fire way of finding his way around here...

"Oi! 'scuse me!"

"Yes?" The boy he had accosted could very well be mistaken for a girl, with his elfin features and longish black hair. His eyes were sea-green and he wore black gloves with his school uniform.

"Do you know where room 32A7C is? I have a class there now, I just got here, and this place is such a maze!"

"On the third floor, to the right of the stairs." The boy hesitated, then asked: "Are you attending the second-level physics course?"

"Yeah," Duo flashed him one of his patented crazy smiles.

"So am I..." the other boy shyly smiled back

"Cool! That means you can tell me all the hot gossip about the school! We'll have a whole class to talk through - c'mon!"

"But it's physics-" the black-haired boy stuttered as he was being pulled along the corridor by a hyperactive Gundam ex-pilot and trying to avoid being hit in the face with said ex-pilot's braid.

"So what? Man, if you've got trouble with the stuff I'll be happy to help - I only flunked the test so I wouldn't end up in fourth-level, I mean that quantum stuff gives me major headaches, you wouldn't believe... Oh, and I'm Duo Maxwell."

"My name is Subaru Sumeragi," the other boy smiled.

During lunch break, Heero found himself at Nokoru's table, sitting between a dangerously flashback-inclined Quatre and a decidedly sappy-feeling Relena. Fortunately the Peacecraft's feelings were at the moment directed not at him but at the gallant Nokoru, who was right now assuring her that all the evils in the world couldn't stop the CLAMP Campus Detectives from accomplishing their daring mission - i.e. finding her necklace. Heero wondered where his partner was...

"DUO-CHAN!! That can't be true!!!"

"Hokuto-chan, I may run, I may hide, but I never tell a lie! See for yourself!!!"

Heads turned all around the cafeteria, and Nokoru stopped with his fan half-opened. Come to think of it, all three Detectives looked rather stunned. Finally Akira spoke.

"Did somebody just match Hokuto Sumeragi in scream volume?"

Suoh winced at the name.

"Not somebody," Quatre remarked. "Duo."

"You know him?" Nokoru demanded.

"The one with the braid, this morning, remember?"

"Sou ka."

"I just hope he doesn't share her other traits," Suoh added, blanching at the thought.

Heero used the distraction of the conversation to quietly stand up. He was curious about Duo's companions, and he knew that in a moment he would not be able to refrain from revealing to Nokoru that Relena Peacecraft could shriek twice as loud.

He easily followed the loud argument to a table in the corner of the cafeteria. Duo was engaged in a heated exchange with the female half of a pair of twins. Though both of the American's newly acquired friends were slightly taller than him and slender, and the large green eyes shining from under sable hair gave them a delicate, almost elfin appearance, the girl rivaled Duo in expressive gestures and facial expressions, while her brother quietly picked at his food with gloved hands, eyes demurely lowered though attentive to his companions.

"Still you gotta admit that-" Duo paused when a familiar shadow fell over the table. He looked up and broke into a wide smile: "Hi Heero!"

Heero paused for a blink of an eye before nodding at his erstwhile partner.

"Hi."

Duo gestured for him to sit down. "Guys, this is my best friend, Heero Yuy!" he said, noting with satisfaction that the way he had introduced him made Heero's face soften momentarily as the other boy took a seat. "Hee-chan, meet Subaru and Hokuto Sumeragi, they're- ITAI!"

Heero glared at the boy he'd just kicked off the chair. "Don't call me Hee-chan."

Duo scrambled up and looked quickly at the Sumeragi twins, ready to placate any outrage at Heero's outburst. The whole group seemed frozen for a moment. Then Hokuto reached out and shoved Heero off his chair, which took him so much by surprise that he allowed his body to fall to the ground.

The black-haired girl smirked at him. Duo prepared to throw himself in front of her to block any deadly attack Heero would choose to retaliate with. He also winced mentally at the number of mortal sins he would be leaving this vale of tears with.

Heero glared at both of them from his current horizontal position. His fists clenched and Duo offered a silent prayer to Shinigami that the god may take him swiftly and without undue pain.

A soft sound broke the ominous silence. Three heads turned to focus on a quietly chuckling Subaru, who promptly blushed with embarrassment.

"Hmph," Heero remarked, allowing his mouth to twist in a mirror image of the green-eyed boy's shy smile. He accepted Hokuto's outstretched hand and stood up, reclaiming his seat. "Now I know why Takamura-kun's so afraid of you."

"Hohoho!" Hokuto laughed merrily. "He should be! You were lucky compared to what he got!"

"What happened?" Duo asked.

"Neesan caught him rifling through her notebooks," Subaru explained. "He said it was some Campus Detectives business, and she put a paralysis spell on him. It was three hours before Imonoyama-sempai found him and two more before he contacted me to disable the spell. Takamura-kun wasn't amused."

"He deserved it!" Hokuto protested. "Security issues are no excuse to infringe someone's privacy like that! Right, Duo-chan?"

"Sure they aren't," Duo grinned, looking pointedly at Heero.

The ex-pilot of Gundam Wing had something else on his mind. "You said a spell?" he asked Subaru.

"Oh, please forgive me," Subaru said. "I forgot that you're not from Tokyo and you wouldn't know about our family..."

"What about your family, Subaru-chan?" Duo asked. Heero noted that both his partner and his new friends took the familiarity of the "-chan" for granted.

"Subaru-chan's the best magician in all Tokyo!" Hokuto announced.

"Really?" Now Duo was curious too.

"Actually I'm an onmyouji - I use yin-yang magic," the boy explained. "Our clan has the duty to guard the proper use of the art and take care of side effects like spirits and demons, as well as untrained practitioners."

"And Subaru-chan's the clan leader," Hokuto added helpfully.

"Wow, that's so cool!" Duo was obviously thrilled. "Wait a minute... the art's name would be 'onmyoujitsu' then, right? And specializing in warding and spirits? Shiki-something... what was that name..."

"Shiki-gami," Subaru helpfully supplied. "They're spirits that obey the magician's orders. And you're right about the other things - you seem to know a lot about magic."

"Oh, I was just doing some research once," Duo laughed. "Read some historical manga with lots of magic. Then I wanted to find out more about a nickname I chose, my callsign."

"Callsign? You were in the war?" Hokuto asked. "But you're no older than us!"

"We're from the colonies," Heero said. "It was necessary to fight."

"Was the war as bad as the TV broadcasts?" Subaru asked.

"Worse," Heero said quietly.

Hokuto winced. "We didn't have many of those OZ guys here, but they sure were scary! And then last Christmas, that was bad! Right out of the blue! Messed up Subaru-chan's Christmas Eve date, too."

"Hokuto-chan-" Subaru hissed.

"Subaru-chan's got a girlfriend?" Duo asked.

"A boyfriend," Hokuto giggled. "Sei-chan's the best! And sooo romantic!"

"Ho-Hokuto-chan!!!" Subaru blushed bright red. "It's not like that! Stop teasing me!"

"Anyway, what was your callsign, Duo-chan?" Hokuto demanded.

"Oh, just some stupid thing. That's all behind us now, right Heero? War's over and we're free to lead normal lives - speaking of which, I'd like to lead mine in normal clothes from now on. This school uniform's not that bad but I'd like to wear something with more style!"

"Sugoi! I know just the place for quality shopping! And I'm sure I know the perfect outfits for the two of you!"

Subaru winced.

"That bad?" Heero whispered.

"Worse. Whatever you do, avoid the hat stand."

Hokuto prattled on, oblivious to the quiet exchange and rattling off addresses of various must-see shops.

"Hokuto-chan, I can't possibly remember all that!" Duo protested.

Heero wanted to point out he could but a swift kick to the shin silenced him.

"I know! I'll go with you tomorrow!" Hokuto was ecstatic at the thought of a whole Saturday spent shopping.

"Could you? I'd love your help with picking out an outfit for Hee-chan, you wouldn't believe the stuff he used to wear-"

Heero blanched at the suggestion and completely forgot to take offence at being called Hee-chan. Subaru shot him a look of sympathy, then decided to intervene.

"Hokuto-chan, the family balances your credit cards and running tab at Kenzo, but Duo-kun and Heero-kun are from the colonies... uh, you know..." Subaru stuttered.

"No problem!" Duo grinned. "Someone owes me money."

"Who?" Heero asked.

"Remember that time when you... uh, after Siberia? Me and Quatre had nothing to do for a while, and we played poker a lot. I always bet an hour of total silence on my part and he bet me an all-expenses-paid shopping trip at one shop."

"And you won." Heero stated.

"Sure did! And to facilitate things, we'll bring Q-man and Trowa along too!"

"And I'll pick out things for them," Hokuto added. Both she and Duo cackled evilly.

Notes: Christmas Eve is a bit like Valentine's Day in Japan, and the day of choice to propose to your sweetheart. I kinda gathered Seishirou would have invited Subaru somewhere, and then of course the Eve Wars broke out... poor Sei-chan!

In the next chapter: There's a ghost in the swimming pool! Will Subaru and Heero be able to help the wretched soul? And just what will they discuss as they wait for it to appear?