The Egyptologist and the Adventure (Story Notes)
So if you're reading this that means you've probably stumbled onto Jared Padalecki and the Faith of the Feathered Serpent and you haven't yet read the original story, Jared Padalecki and the Mystery of the Egyptian Mummy. Have no fears! Here is all you need to know from the first story to get through the second. This is by no means a play by play of the entire story, but merely enough facts to know the basics and to understand why Jared and Jensen are who they are in the second story.
Warning: There be spoilers here! :P If you plan on going back at some point and reading the first story, I am explaining how it ends... just a heads up. There is still time to go back and read the first before you spoil yourself for it :P
Synopsis for Jared Padalecki and the Mystery of the Egyptian Mummy
Jared is an egypyologist and a linguist who set out to find a hidden tomb built for a General, beloved by his people even about their living god, the Pharaoh. He has visions of being in a tomb with a green-eyed man who brings with him a sense of confidence and peacefulness, but who had a lingering sadness. Jared has had visions since first coming to Egypt though few know about it.
On his way to find what he hopes is the marker to the secret tomb, he and his crew get caught in a sand storm. They barely make it to cover in time, led the last few miles by a stranger who came upon them as they ran. When Jared gets a good look at him, he realizes the man is the man from his vision. he introduces himself as Jensen Ackles and says he might join them. Jared's foreman, Akil, tells him that he knows the name Jensen Ackles, but that he's best known as Green-Eyed among the local men and he is almost revered by them.
Jensen and Jared have an easy banter and forth going on, though Jared is constantly on edge, fear that his growing attraction to Jensen will be uncovered and the man will leave. Jensen seems to take Jared's eccentricities easily enough and they fall into a good working relationship that develops quickly into a meaningful friendship.
When they arrive at the tomb, Jensen gets painful headaches that cause him to back away. He does show up when Jared gets to the main room though, begging Jared not to actually touch the sarcophagus. Jared is about to ask him why when a vision strikes him. Instead of Jared being alone though, Jensen is pulled into the vision with him. A slave from that vision knocks Jensen and Jared together, causing them to stumble against the sarcophagus. Jensen says it doesn't matter what they do now, it's been touched, the damage is done.
That night, before they can break into the sarcophagus raiders come into the camp and cause trouble. Their leader, Jahde, holds a gun to Jared's head and threatens to kill them all if they aren't out by sunrise. Jensen, a knife to one of the raider's throats, tells him to let Jared go and Jensen translates for Jared what it is Jahde is saying. They agree to leave at first light and the raiders leave.
Jared gets everyone moving because he wants inside the sarcophagus before they leave. He and Jensen fight. Jared says they're leaving but they'll come back with enough men to defend the site next time. Jensen says it's over and tells him that he'll see them back to Cairo and then they'll part ways. He is there when Jared finally breaks into the sarcophagus though and finds the mummy of the beloved General.
On the way back to Jared's, he and Jensen come to a truce, realizing that they can both respect each other but not agree on their current path. They tease about going on other adventures together. As they get closer to Cairo Jensen's headaches get worse. Jared takes him home with him and takes care of him and he seems to recover. They go to see a friend of Jared's, along with Akil, and they find Jahde there already. After a confrontation, they learn that Jim, Jared's co-worker and mentor, has known Jahde a long time. He threatens them again and reminds them of the curse they've unleashed.
Jensen gives Jared a necklace he stole from the mummy's hand, one no one else had seen, and tells him to see what his visions have to tell him now. Jared sees a monstrous presence in the tomb and feels it coming for Cairo to reclaim the stolen pieces and the soul of the General. Jared tells them that the Pharaoh is coming and that now, he knows how to stop it.
Jared and Jensen go back to the manner but Jared won't look Jensen in the eye. Jensen finally pins him down to his rooms and talks to him. Jensen makes the first move and they become lovers. The next day, they set off for the tomb, planning to meet Jahde and his men to take on the Pharaoh.
The Pharaoh is waiting for them there and they fight an army of shabti. As the shabti attack Jensen, they speak to him. They get into the tomb and Jim pins Jared to the wall, demanding to know why he didn't tell them that Jensen was the General. Jensen is calm about it all, but he gives Jared a blank face that he doesn't know how to read. He asks how they're supposed to save the General now that they're in the tomb and Jared announces that the only way to save the General is to cut out his heart and present it to the ancient Egyptian Gods.
Jared, Jensen, Jahde, and Jim get to sarcophagus, but Jensen is pulled into a vision as Jared touches the General's necklace around his neck. When he awakes from it, he is no longer Jensen, but the General. The Pharaoh steps forward in the room and tries to claim the General as his own.
Jared sees a chance and gets the sarcophagus open and cuts out the heart of the mummy while Jim completes the chant that calls the old gods to them. The General's heart is placed on the balance and he is seen as worthy. He tells the Pharaoh then that it was always his heart that was unworthy. When the Pharaoh's heart is placed on the same balance, it is indeed unworthy and is devoured by Amut.
Out of the vision, the Pharaoh grabs the General and pulls the necklace from his neck before dieing. The General goes down to the floor in a heap, but Jared catches him. He's knocked down also, both of them falling to the floor but Jared hit his head hard trying to protect his unconscious lover.
Jared is on another adventure six months later. His guide is scared of the local superstition so he's mostly on his own. He gets caught up in a system of symbols written in a set of caves. When his guide comes down and brings him lunch, Jared dismisses him quickly without turning away from his symbols. It turns out to be Jensen, who has come to terms with his memories as the General and as a wandering adventurer, and is ready to take his place back at Jared's side.
Reunited, they tease each other once more about beginning new adventures.
Other side notes:
So, you noticed this (and the original) story was very reminiscent of some other things you've seen?
Why yes it is. This was all started as a birthday present. The request was J2 a la The Mummy. What I ended up with was a story that was a dedication to my love of the Mummy, Indiana Jones, SG-1, and the brilliance of the soldier-geek pairing. ( Evelyn/Rick, Sam/Dean, John/Derek, Daniel/Jack, Charlie/Don... you see I love them so :P) As soon as I came up with the name I knew that I wanted to make this like the old serial novels that Indiana Jones itself was based on. So there you go. Yeah, not original at all, but I hope you have some fun reading it anyway!!
Will there be more?
God only knows. There are druids of course that need to be seen to and there were caves mentioned and I really like the title "JP and the Revenge of the River god" (though I don't know what the hell that would actually be about :P). There is so much that I could really research and go into but we'll just have to see where the muse takes me. But if you read my stories you know... I never say no :P
What is Yaxchillan?
It's real. It's beautiful. You should google it for yourself and see. Seriously, amazing. I wanted a Mayan site that wasn't too well known and yet that was breathtaking and still easy enough to get to that our guys could make the trek from Egypt. I learned a lot about the Mayans while researching this and I'm still amazed at everything I don't know. Are there any errors in my mythology? Could be. But it's all for fun and I hope to make it at least believable enough for that!! :P