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Chapter Three: Leader – Minanoai
Minanoai was little more than a child when she first met the man who was to be the Phoenix Prince. Shima was a studious youth then, albeit a cheerfully studious one. He was nothing like the childish little boys that she was so used to back home on Venus. Nor was he like the boring dull men and students of Mercury, where her friends Akai and Amilia lived. He was different, and older!
Plus, she got to see him a lot. Especially since he was the beloved older brother of her friend Reiki. Which meant that she saw quite a lot more of him then she had ever got to see of any of her other friend’s older siblings. He and Reiki were very close for siblings. In fact, Minanoai’s nanny had pointed out a very pretty painting of Shima holding his little sister when she was a baby in the main hall. Minanoai took that as a telling point for Shima since most of her other friend’s paintings of them as little babies showed them with their parents.
But be all that as it may be, she had never expected for that handsome older youth to ever notice a little girl like here. No one else his age ever noticed her before. Which is perhaps why she was so surprised when he made an especial point of taking the time to introduce himself properly the first time he met her.
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The High Court was abuzz with the sound of gossip and various comments scurrying this way and that around the large onyx hall. The miscellaneous voices echoed almost eerily in the vaulted chamber as far as the tiny girl-child from Venus was concerned. She felt so unbelievably tiny in the gigantic room with the only color relieving the inky darkness coming from the gaudily dressed foreign ambassadors and the two massive chairs in the front of the room.
The first chair was made of what appeared to be a single huge ruby. It looked very hard and infinitely uncomfortable, which made it undeniably the War Throne, especially since it dominated the center of the way and was presided over by the enormous mountain of a man with his great shaggy black beard and long hair who was the Martian King. To its immediate left was a slightly smaller chair, though no less intimidating once you realized who was sitting in it. The smaller chair was made of bright, highly polished gold. Which by itself was impressive, but not awe-inspiring so. It was the boy who was perched unconcernedly upon that inspired the awe.
The boy was young. Maybe thirteen or fourteen years old. His face was unmarked by the massive bush that dominated his father’s face. His long hair was unruly, but no where near as bad as his father’s wild curls. He bore a pensive expression on his face and reclined rather than rode his chair. He was thin, and did not look to terribly fierce, but he sat the Throne of the High Prince with ease. And he had the right to it, as he had bested the best warriors of Mars in order to achieve that right. Besides, at his waist hung the legendary Sword of the High Prince, which was enough to inspire loyalty in nearly anyone on Mars.
These were the people who the tiny Princess of Venus was slowly being taken to, and quite frankly she was just this side of terrified by them. She would have been completely terrified if it wasn’t for the fact that it was her father walking with her and not her nanny. For she was still a young girl and she firmly believed in the deification of her father that all small children hold so resolutely to.
"King Shoorisha, my friend!" Her father crowed, to grasp the outstretched hand of the smiling giant.
"Ah-ha! King Ungaii! How are you, old boy?" The giant roared back, rising from his throne to clap the smaller man on the back.
"Oh, you know. The usual. The usual." Ungaii shrugged with a sly grin on his face. "Anyway, I came to meet the new High Prince! This is he?"
"Ah! Of course! Ungaii, old boy, meet the finest warrior on Mars and MY son! This is Shima!" Shoorisha bellowed, waving a massive paw in Shima’s direction.
Shima, for his part, looked mildly interested in the whole going on.
"Well, Shima, my boy! It’s a pleasure to meet you!" Ungaii grabbed Shima’s hand and pumped it a few times, leaving Shima with an expression that would be familiar on the face of someone that had just handled something rather disgusting. "So, tell me, boy! How are you going to treat the Martian/Venusian treaty when you ascend to the War Throne?" the overly jubilant Ungaii asked.
"You are being awfully rude, sir." Shima had answered in a soft voice as he deliberately turned from the overbearing King of Venus.
"What?! What was that?! Shoorisha! What is the meaning of this rudeness!" Ungaii demanded of Shima’s father.
"Shima! I order you to answer King Ungaii’s question this instant!" His father blustered.
"I shall not." Shima replied. "For he is a rude and arrogant fool."
"How.. How dare you!?"
Shima completely ignored the red-faced looks he was getting from both his father and the Venusian King in order to stand and walk the two steps to where Minanoai stood forgotten. Dropping to one knee before her he held out a gentle hand to her.
"Hello, little one." He spoke in a soft voice, confident of his abilities, but gentle and sincere. "I am Shima of Mars, the Heir to the War Throne and the High Prince of Mars. I apologize for my father’s arrogance in refusing to introduce us properly. I do hope you shall forgive me." He continued in the same soft voice.
"Shima! What do you think you are doing!" Shoorisha roared in fury.
"Please pardon me, little one." Shima said, before rising to his feet and sneering at his father. "I happen to be correcting a fault made by you, Father!" he roared, anger evident in his voice.
"I made no mistake, boy!"
"You did. You made your mistake when you refused to acknowledge a guest before you. You refused to make proper introductions between two people who are first met! Just as you refused to raise my sister! You are no man, Father." The word "father" was spit out with disgust. "For no true man would ever refuse a person something so integral to their being just because they are a girl. So, Father, just wait. The time will come, and you shall be removed."
Then he turned his back on him and returned his attention to Minanoai. "Now, little one. May I know your name?"
Minanoai nodded shyly. "I am known as Minanoai of Venus, great lord."
"Now, now. I shall have none of that." Shima smiled. It was a very pretty smile. "I am no great lord. I am Shima. And that is what you may call me if you so desire."
By this point, Ungaii was positively glowing. If he managed to look any more pleased, it is quite possible that he would have burst. His daughter! A friend of the High Prince of Mars! What a glorious match it would be! And his mind was gone off in visions of a fairytale land.
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She had thrived under the friendship of the High Prince and his sister. The gawky young girl had matured quickly into a beautiful young lady. Though she still bore her slight crush upon the handsome Shima.
Then one day he disappeared entirely. The Lord Phoenix had claimed him for his own. And Shima was gone.
Minanoai found out what had occurred when Reiki had appeared suddenly in her chambers on Venus with tears in her eyes. Minanoai knew of only one possible thing that could bring the fairly religious Reiki to such a point. Immediately she was filled with concern for her only truly male friend besides Princess Kina of Jupiter’s elder brother Shinouki.
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Minanoai slowly pulled open the doors of her chambers with an understandable wariness.
"Yes? Who is it?" She asked through a crack in the door.
"Mina-chan?" the trembling voice was immediately recognizable. Minanoai pushed the door open enough so that Reiki could enter then quickly shut it again after looking both left and right. So far no one knew where her chambers were and she would like very much to keep it that way.
After securing the door, she turned to where her friend had sat down on the edge of her simple bed. The poor girl looked like she had been sobbing for days. No tears ran down her face anymore. She had none left to cry.
"Reiki, what is it? What’s wrong?" Minanoai asked the poor girl, coming over to sit by her side and drape a comforting arm about her shoulders.
"It’s – It’s Shima." Reiki choked out between sobs.
"Shima? Oh no. What happened, Reiki?" Minanoai’s voice was becoming anxious.
"He’s gone, Mina-chan! He’s gone! The Lord Phoenix came and took my brother away and now I don’t know what to do!" Reiki wailed, suddenly turning and burying her face in Minanoai’s shoulder.
Tears were beginning to stream down Minanoai’s face. She had heard about the Lord Phoenix. Rumors said that he went from planet to planet and took the best from each and then destroyed them completely. At least, no one ever came back from being with the Lord Phoenix. And now He had gone to Mars. There was no doubt in Minanoai’s mind or in Reiki’s that He would take Shima once he came to Mars, for who could possibly be better than Shima upon the Planet of War?
And now it had occurred. Already the two girls were beginning to feel the desolation that his loss would cause them for the rest of their lives. So many had gone with the Lord Phoenix and never returned. They couldn’t afford to hope beyond hope that Shima would be the exception to the rule. They both loved him so dearly, but they knew better than to confidently expect the impossible from the young man every time something happened.
Now they saw only two options lying before them. The first wasn’t really much of an option as far as they could see it. It was to simply forget and go on with their lives as if he had never touched them. And that was absolutely impossible for two girls who’s lives had been shaped around knowing him.
Which left the second option. To find a path. To chose a direction in which to live their lives. And most of all, to chose a path that would honor the young man they both looked upon with the eyes of an adoring little sister who’s hero was no more and no less than her big brother.
"What are we going to do now, Mina-chan?" Reiki asked softly, as she gradually gained control of her emotions again.
Minanoai swallowed down the lump in her throat that attempted to prevent her from making an choice known. It was a dangerous program she was thinking of suggesting they enroll in, but it was a distinct honor to be accepted into it. She knew that most often only one person, most often a girl though she had heard rumors of one young man managing to get through the program, from each planet would be awarded a position in the program. However, she felt that it would be a worthy operation to dedicate their lives to, as they could not truly inherit their patriarchal kingdom’s thrones.
"There... there is one thing we could do, Reiki..." Minanoai gulped, her gaze unfocused and random.
Reiki looked up and stared confusedly at Minanoai. "What?"
"The Senshi Program." Minanoai whispered, almost as if she didn’t really want to say it.
"The Senshi Program?" Reiki breathed, almost in awe. "Do you think we have a chance?"
Minanoai’s eyes refocused, and she directed their gaze to her friend’s questioning features. "Well, we can’t know unless we try, don’t you think? Who knows, maybe we’ll be Chosen for a position on the Senshi themselves!" She laughed at the possibility. She didn’t really think that they would be accepted, but it was an honor to try anyways.
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The two friends’ enrollment into the feared and awe-inspiring new Senshi Program that was instrumental in providing the key defenders of the Realms seemed almost destined. They had both prospered from the friendship with the High Prince of Mars both physically and mentally.
Reiki easily beat out all of the other girls running for the position of Senshi of Mars in the Martian Arts competition that was a big factor in the Choosing of a Senshi of Mars. It was a definite advantage to have been trained in hand-to-hand combat by the best warrior nonpareil on the planet. And her helping her brother with his studying allowed her to show well in the religious backgrounds.
Minanoai had charm to spare for the position of Senshi of Venus. There was a reason after all that she took such care in keeping people from knowing where she slept after all. And then she managed to impress the first Senshi of Venus with her skill with a bow and arrow and her accuracy of fire.
Soon, the two found themselves before the Board which would give the final interview that would decide once and for all whom would get the honor of entering the Chamber of Choosing that would decide who would be the best Senshi overall. Without too much surprise involved both Minanoai and Reiki were among the selected groups that would venture into the mysterious Chamber of Choosing. The question was who would emerge victorious.
Reiki went in last of her group. It was a long time before she emerged, which most everyone took as a good sign, since everyone else was only in there for a few Terran minutes at most. Then, finally, Reiki emerged, weary but striding from the chamber with a pride that had been noticeably absent from the other applicants who had emerged from the same chamber.
She had emerged victorious. In her hands she bore the mystical charm that held the powers of a Senshi of Mars. On her face she bore a proud smile. Yet, she appeared so much older than she had been when she went in.
This is what Minanoai saw before they called the for the Venusian group to step forward. Minanoai had sometime to wait before they called her up. But eventually she came to her turn to step through the stone arch into the dark chamber beyond.
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Minanoai stepped into the inky darkness of the chamber and felt for a moment as if she was falling. Then she remembered another place that had shared the inky quality of the darkness. And the darkness changed. About her formed the high arching walls and vaulted onyx ceiling of the Throne Hall of the Martian Palace where she had first met Shima so long ago. Under her feet formed the smooth black obsidian flagstones that made up the floor. No longer did she feel like she was falling. She smirked and walked down the uninhabited hall towards were the two thrones she remembered so clearly sat.
There were the two thrones. The ruby War Throne and the gold Throne of the High Prince beside it. And in those chairs sat Shima and his father. For a moment she seemed to hesitate, but then she kept going, striving to keep the laughter from burbling out of her at the sight. For the beings that now imitated Shima and his father may have pulled their images from her mind, they most certainly did not get every detail correct. For there in the ruby War Throne sat Shima with an amusingly imperious look on his face and there on the gold Throne of the High Prince crouched the bushy giant that was his father with a positively uncomfortable look on her face. Which made sense as the Throne of the High Prince was far too small for King Shoorisha to sit in comfortably, and apparently the being which had taken his image was beginning to notice this.
"Hello, little one." The voice rumbled from everywhere and nowhere, yet it was the Shima-being who’s lips moved. "We are quite amused by you. Not often does a candidate enter the Chamber of Choosing with laughter in her mind. Or does one managed to so quickly find a place of comfort to their minds. We are impressed, congratulations."
"Thank you, good sirs. I am most honored by your congratulations." Minanoai offered politely. "Forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Minanoai of Venus."
"Yes, we were made aware of your name some time ago. Now, we suppose that you are perchance wondering what your test shall be. Are we correct in this supposition?"
"Actually? Yes. You are correct."
"Good. Because your test is upon you."
Suddenly Minanoai found herself deep within a raging battle with the powers of Venus at her command. She found herself commanding a force in gold and was leading it quite against an opposing force in red. Then she recognized the leader of the opposing force.
Reiki herself sat proud upon a massive roan charger wearing crimson armor embossed with the emblem of Mars.
Looking down at herself, she found herself in yellow leather armor embossed with the crest of Venus. And suddenly wept in loss. For whatever it was she had done it had driven apart the friendship between herself and Reiki. Not only had she lost Shima to the Lord Phoenix, she had now lost Reiki to her own foolishness.
Suddenly, one of her archers loosed an arrow. The golden shaft flickered through the air and plunged deep into the crimson breastplate of Reiki’s armor. Reiki paused for a moment, looking down at the burst of golden fletching protruding from her chest. Then she tumbled from her mount with a massive clatter to strike upon the ground hard.
"NOO!" Minanoai screamed. "Everybody STOP!"
As the two armies slowed to a halt, Minanoai threw herself from her own mount and raced across the ground to her dying friend’s side. Dropping to her knees beside her, she lifted her bloody friend into her lap. Reiki looked up at her with her remarkably violet eyes lacking any form of recrimination that Minanoai so deeply expected to be there.
"Oh, Reiki.. Reiki, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry this happened." She sobbed, holding the slightly taller girl to her as she rocked back and forth.
"Do-don’t blame yourself, Mina-chan." Reiki choked out through the blood that frothed from her lips. "I-it wasn’t your fault. You were being controlled by the evil."
"No. Reiki. No, I wasn’t. I-I.. oh, blessed Venus, it was my fault, Reiki. It’ll always be my fault you died, Reiki!" Knowledge suddenly came to her giving her the information she needed to know what had caused the events that were occurring now to have started. "It was all my fault. I let myself be capture. I was overconfident and stupid, and oh, Reiki! I’m so sorry!" She sobbed. "I should have listened to you! I should have known I couldn’t resist the evil. I should have KNOWN! It’s all my fault! It’s my fault Serenity fell!"
Minanoai sobbed heavily into Reiki’s cape, then looked down at her friend and saw that the light had gone from her violet eyes. At that, Minanoai lost it. She laid Reiki’s body back down upon the ground and pulled the arrow from her breast.
Positioning the arrow between her breasts, she took a deep breath and yelled.
"I know that I was at fault! I know that I have been cause of so many deaths that could have been prevented! I know that I am at fault and I choose to make amends!" she sobbed as loud as she could, kneeling between the two armies were all could see, beside the extinguished body of her dearest friend. "I know that what I do now will never be enough, but maybe, someday, someone can find it within them to forgive what I have done! I hope that somehow peace can be found with my death!"
And with all the force in her arms she plunged the arrow that had taken the life of her friend deep within her heart and fell back to lie upon the rocky ground beside the one who’s life she had caused to end untimely. As her life-force slowly bled away into the ensanguined soil, she stared up into the cloudless blue sky and wondered upon what soil they fought.
As she stared into the sky, her hands still enwrapped about the shaft of the arrow, she noticed a very peculiar thing occurring in the sky. As she watched, it darkened and became not unlike onyx. Then it came to her. She was no longer on the field of battle.
She had been returned to the weird Throne Hall of Mars that the beings that wanted to test her had messed up so badly. Then she began to remember. It had been a test. Reiki was still alive. And more than that they were still friends. She sat up suddenly, not even thinking about the item in her hands.
"Congratulations are in order, Minanoai of Venus." The Shoorisha-being’s lips moved in correspondence with the words this time. "It seems that you have passed our little test."
"Passed? I don’t understand. I failed. I must have." She argued confused and weary.
She was rewarded with the distinct feeling that the beings were laughing at her because of her argument.
"No, you most certainly do not understand, do you? The test was a question of responsibility. And you did pass. Because, despite everything, you did take responsibility for your actions at the last. Your way of proving it was a bit on the strange side, but it definitely proved that you are willing to take responsibility for what you cause. Responsibility is an important part of a Senshi. And we all think that you shall perform well as the Senshi of Venus. So rise, good lady, and leave now. We have Chosen."
Minanoai stumbled out of the room in a daze. The amulet of Venus was clutched tightly in her hands, having replaced the arrow that she had attempted reparations with.
End Book Two