The Finding

By Bashfulglowfly

Chapter Two: Fire Break

Junjie King was the third of six children and the second of three sons born to an Australian accountant and his Chinese wife. His parents couldn't give them everything but what they had was enough to make everyone happy. Except for the fact that there were only three bedrooms in their house so that meant that the three boys shared one and the three girls shared another.

And the biggest complaint amongst the boys was the fact that Junjie, or Jay as he was called, as he grew older, talked in his sleep. "Babbles nonsense, he does! Not a single recognizable word!" Complained his older brother one morning at breakfast.

His mother slid a gentle hand across the top of his head. "What do you dream of, my son?"

10-year-old Jay swallowed his oatmeal and looked up at his mother. "Violet eyes of fire." He said.

His younger brother laughed so hard the boy fell out of his chair, earning him a hit from one of the girls whom he'd knocked against. Jay's older brother shook his head. "You're crazy. He's crazy, Mum!"

Jay's mother quickly restored order. "He is not crazy. He was just dreaming." She leaned down and kissed the top of his head and whispered in his ear. "Do not stop dreaming of your violet eyes. They may be important to you."

Jay smiled at his mother then went back to eating.

Time passed and Jay graduated from high school and went on to University where he got degrees in History, which he loved, and in Education. When he graduated, he went on to teach. He loved history and he loved teaching. He made it enjoyable for his students but he also demanded that they learn; reminding them if you don't learn from the past you are doomed to make the same mistake in the future.

And every time he told his students that, something inside of him…shook. He couldn't put his finger on it but he knew there was something missing in his life.

So he tried to fill that empty space.

So, every year, despite his love for teaching, he would leave his students and go to fight the wildfires that would try to devour the land. And he was good at doing that too. In his more whimsical moments, he felt as if, in fighting the fire, he was courting it. He loved the fire, it was a demanding mistress; one he knew quite well somewhere deep inside of his soul.

His fellow firefighters though he was insane because he took chances that he shouldn't take. But those chances, usually, paid off.

"This is going to be a bad one, boys." Said his team leader, Albert. "No rain for over a month, lots of brush and tinder. And tourists. There are a lot of tourists out there for some reason and not all of them have checked back in with the rangers."

Mutters and curses were heard throughout the group. It was bad enough fighting the fire but to find a body amongst the ash was worse.

Albert nodded. "Alright then, we're in Section Two. Let's get moving." The firefighters grabbed their packs and equipment and began the long hike. There was quiet talking and soft laughter but it was mostly silent, as everyone wanted to save their strength for the fight ahead of them.

After several hours of hiking, they reached their section and began chopping back the brush and small trees trying to make a fire break that would hopefully halt the ferocious flames. But they weren't sure if they were succeeding since the smoke rolled towards them, growing thicker every minute.

Jay and the team leader Alfred, who was his usual partner, were working frantically to chop back some dense brush when a woman emerged from the smoke running as fast as she could.

Jay's heart stopped for a moment. He knew her. He didn't know how he knew her. He loved her…he still loved her. And he didn't know how he knew that either.

He could tell that she was frightened and hadn't seen him so he reached out and grabbed her arm trying to stop her flight.

She looked at him and screamed a word that he vaguely recognized. She tore her arm from his grasp and turned to run but she was going the wrong way! She was heading back into the fire and Jay couldn't allow that to happen so he tackled her in a way that would have made an American Football lineman proud.

Unfortunately she was able to twist around and kick him away from her. She grabbed a smoldering branch and swung at him. "I won't let you kill me!" Jay realized that she was speaking Japanese, which he'd learned at University.

"Lady, I'm not going to hurt you. Okay? I'm here to help." He held out his hands to her hoping that she'd calm down.

"Help?" She gave a laugh that spoke of the smoke she'd inhaled. "I remember your 'help'! Trying to destroy my home, my grandfather's reputation. Oh and let's not forget the airplanes!"

The comment about airplanes confused the hell out of him but he had to concentrate on her since she was very intent on killing him. He kept trying to talk to her and get her to calm down but she wouldn't, so Albert took matters into his own hands and sucker punched her into unconsciousness.

Jay protested as Albert wrapped the girl in duct tape. Something inside Jay said that she was going to make him pay for that later. But Albert told him to shut up. Jay refused to let Albert carry her as they made their way to the others of their team. Jay cradled her in his arms with her head on his shoulder instead of over his shoulder like Albert was going to do.

The argument continued on even after they made a cold camp. Jay turned as he heard a strange noise. It was the girl trying to speak but the smoke had taken most of her voice. He reached for a water bottle. "Don't try to speak. You've breathed in a lot of smoke." She watched intently as he untwisted the cap. "Water, just for you. You're the only one who has used it." He told her that since she was so hostile. Jay slid an arm under her shoulders and lifted her upright. He rested her head against his shoulder and put the bottle to her lips. The girl tried to gulp the water. "Slowly. Slowly. That's it. Small sips so you don't get sick." He continued until half the bottle was gone and she turned her face away.

He lowered her to the ground and found himself smiling at the rage in her face when she discovered she'd been duct taped.

"Sorry about all the duct tape. It wasn't my idea. My boss was pretty pissed off about you attacking me."

"Was he the one who hit me?"

"Yeah. Which surprised me. He's usually pretty protective about women." Jay smiled again as he brushed her long beautiful black hair away from her face. "I'm Junjie King. What's your name?"

"Hino Rei."

"Pretty." He examined her for injuries, "Other than your face, do you hurt anywhere?"

"No."

"Were you by yourself or where you camping with someone?"

"I was by myself."

Jay frowned at that. It was pure carelessness to go camping alone. But he knew he just knew this was one stubborn woman. He lay down so that she could see him easier, their bodies nearly touching. "Why would you want to go camping by yourself? You aren't even from Australia, are you?"

"I'm from Japan. And what's wrong with camping alone? Maybe I like being alone!"

"You don't strike me as much of a camper. City girl, yes. Camper, no." When Rei glared he laughed and gave into temptation and kissed her nose. But he had to jerk back as her teeth snapped at him. "Stay there, I'll get you something to eat."

Jay stood up and walked away and the memories hit him like a sledgehammer.

Being told that he was one of the Shitennou of the young Prince Endymion. Meeting the three others who would be his brothers. Being closer to them than his own brothers of blood. Showing Endymion the things that would make him a man, a prince and a king. Dealing with the silver moon girl who captured Endymion's heart. Dealing with the Guardian of Fire that was determined to protect her princess.

Loving his firebird as much as Endymion loved the silver moon girl. Sometimes fighting with his firebird and most times making love with her.

The witch who was obsessed with Endymion, trying to kill her but being captured by her and his very soul ripped asunder. Then attacking and killing his firebird and fellow guardians. Then attacking them in this time and place.

Jay came back to himself. He now knew what he'd been missing in his life.

Sailor Mars. His beloved. And his prince, Endymion. He prayed to Selene that both would be able to forgive him.

He gather up some food and made his way back to Rei's side. He could see that she was trying to loosen the duct tape. "You'll just hurt yourself. Albert, my boss, wrapped that around you pretty good. So you won't get free since you don't have any way to transform." She stared at him in shock. He smiled. "Yeah, I know who you are. Sailor Mars, Senshi of Fire." He frowned at her. "What were you thinking going around without the ability to transform?"

"I didn't think that I needed it."

"Well, you thought wrong. But I have to say that I'm glad that you left it behind. Otherwise I wouldn't have found you."

"Jadeite!" She growled

"Ah! Not at the moment. Call me Junjie or Jay."

He could tell that she wanted to call him something else…probably not all that polite.

He set a brown packet on the ground and once again pulled her body until it was resting against his. Picking up the packet, he held it in front of them pulling out a spoon. "This is chicken with rice. Not too bad. I put some Tabasco in it to add a little flavor. Open wide." He could tell that she contemplated refusing the food but common sense took over and she quietly opened her mouth and he fed her until the food was gone.

Jay ignored the amused and confused looks from the others. Albert spoke up "Get some sleep, guys. It's late and dawn will come quickly. Scotty, you take first watch."

Jay shook out a foil blanket and tucked it around Rei so she'd be warm. He laid down next to her, resting his head on his backpack and fell asleep. The next morning the group moved out with Rei, still duct taped, on the portable stretcher. The others snickered and Albert shook his head as Jay told her about his family and his other job.

"She tried to kill you and you're telling her about your family?" asked Albert

Jay shrugged. "Yeah, why not? I'm going to marry her."

"Jay. She tried to KILL you!" Albert spoke slowly in his "Communicating with the Village Idiot" voice.

Jay shrugged again. "Wouldn't be the first time. Actually, she succeeded once."

Albert blinked at him. "What?"

"She killed me." Jay smiled gently at him. "In a previous lifetime."

"You…are strange."

When they made the Main Camp Rei was turned over to the authorities that made her explain her actions of the day before. Jay took advantage of the facilities and got a shower. After he left the showers, he looked for Rei. When he found her, he could tell that she also had had a shower. But she was staring numbly into the distance. He sat down beside her. "What's wrong, firebird?"

She stared at him for a moment then, with a red flash, a heart-shaped crystal appeared in her hand. She stared into it for a long time, and then blinking, she turned back to him and slapped him hard. Then she crawled into his lap and kissed him deeply. "I'll kill you if you leave me again."

"Okay."

"I lost everything in the fire. My passport. Money. My ticket. Everything."

Jay tilted her head up until he could look into her eyes. "You can stay with me until everything is fixed. I'll take you to the Japanese Embassy. I'm sure that they have ways to help people in your sort of situation."

"Thank you." She kissed him. They both ignored the wolf whistles.

Softly he murmured against her lips. "You're welcome."

A week later, after meeting his family and getting new documents from the Japanese Embassy, they packed away his things to be put into storage since he was going with her to Japan. His brothers and sisters thought he was insane to run off with a girl he didn't even know. His father asked if he knew what he was doing. But his mother, who had studied Rei closely and had questioned her even closer, simply smiled and ran her hand across his head. "I'm glad you have finally found your violet eyes of fire."