Aquiet moment in the hectic life of watching the tree of life. Skuld watches the display in front of her, looking for signs of bugs in the system. After two weeks, still nothing. The last big set of bugs was that wedding in Nerima, where only fast action on her part stopped that from getting any worse. She remembers this event, and shudders thinking about what could have happened if she was late, if he had actually Married her. She was the Norn of the future she had a good idea what would happen. She watches as Bug-sign grows on the screen. Huge one, bigger than any recently. “Hammer time!” she cry’s happily, as she runs off to her next task.

Another place, same time. the rain pours down, on a trail in the lowlands of china. A Red headed girl cursed her panda father once more. “at least we are heading home” she thought. The rain continues unabated.

Yet again another place, Time meaningless as even the dimensions themselves have changed. An armor clad warrior, facing a mage, delivers his final bow. The flames of his armor rise bright as the mages curse engulfs the warrior. Both perish, but only the mages body remains.

And the place where the bugs reside, a shrine in Tokyo, where a Hino Rei watches the fires, and chants. She see’s images of the warrior fighting. She often sees images in the flames, and wonders about this one, for it shows a world very like her own, but not. She continues her ritual as the images show the destruction of the warrior before her. A momentary gasp from her, and the location of the many bugs, hiding near by changes her ritual by a few syllables. Her fires burn brighter than before, a mild explosion, that throws her back away from the fire. Unheeded the fire grows as it reaches the ceiling of the shrine. Her grandfather rushes into the room, as the fires take shape, and a great phoenix s formed in the flames. He too starts to chant, to bring the fire under control. He feels the power of the fires, and rushes to extinguish the flames. The flames respond with a rush of air, throwing him down on the ground close to Rei. They watch, unable to stop the flames, as a section leaves the pyre, moving on the floor towards them. And suddenly darkness envelopes the room.

“Rei-chan?”

“yes grandfather. I am ok..” a third voice, unknown to either, coughs in the darkness…

Grandfather Hino placed the damp cloth on the head of the young man. He was feverous, and shaking. At least Hino was satisfied that this was no demon, who came to them that night. So he must help him. Rei came into the room, carrying the tray with water, and herbs, and prepared to help her grandfather take care of the boy. Silently they cleaned the soot form his body, and laid him back under the covers on the futon.

Rei looked down on him, and realized after her hurried care of him that he was in truth very cute, resting there. He was Japanese, and looked very strong, if a bit feverous. The only thing he wore was a strange brass amulet, in the shape of a phoenix, around his neck. Her grandfather had tried to remove it, but it would not budge, not letting him get it around his neck. She examined the medallion, entranced by it, and learns over him touching it. Hino looks over at his Grand daughter, silent as she bends over the boy. She touches the amulet, feeling its warmth, and without thinking removes the amulet from the boy, looking down at it. It seems to natural in her hands, this amulet of fire. The boys eyes open, scanning the room, but both can tell he is not truly awake, or cognitive. His eyes seen Rei, and one word escapes his lips before he passes out again. Both look at each other, with confused looks. “Now why would he call you ‘Fire-Goddess’?” asked her grandfather. Rei blushes and says nothing.

A few days later, Grandfather Hino walks in again on the sleeping boy. Its middle of the day, and with some care, the boy has stabilized, and appears to just be sleeping. He had spent long consulting his books, reading the flames, and calling in a favor from a government friend of his. This boy did not exist, before the incident, but the fires of his shrine favored him. The visions said he was to stay, and protect the shrine against destruction yet to come. He even smiled somewhat as the vision had shown Rei-chan as well, and how close they could be. The boy started somewhat to come around, and rolled his head to the side, eyes open but not speaking. He tried, but no sound came out o his mouth.

“shh, its ok. Don’t talk yet, I am Hino, and you have been greatly hurt. Rest more” The boy tries again, Trying to force words but fails and degenerates into a coughing fit…

After a few mins of wracking coughs, he settles back to sleep some more. Grandfather wipes hiw forehead again, with the cloth, and then leaves the room quietly. ‘a few more days’ he thinks to himself, ‘ and that boy will be fine’.

Rei fidgeted on the bus trying to get home. Usagi was supposed to meet her tonight and she had not yet called to tell them that she was not going to be able to make it. She was still waiting for him to wake up, and she wanted to know who he was, and why he appeared in her fire. Was he the warrior who appeared in her vision? Was he something else? Was that an image of the past, future or something else. Some feelings like a voice, but not, comforting her when she started to panic about the boy, calming her. Everything would be fine, he is ok, he is not a demon, he is not seeing anyone. “Not seeing anyone? What?” she says to herself, aloud. An older woman sits across from her, raising an eyebrow at her and causing Rei to blush, and lower her head. ‘I got to get my head on straight before this gets to me’ she thinks to her self. The eyes of the amulet twinkle, and if it could have, it would have laughed at her angst…