Ch 4
Cold air blew over the mountain top in strong gusts, a lone dark haired girl stood leaning into the wind on the very pinnacle of the red rock staring out over what she had climbed. Rei could almost feel the icy embrace of the winds surrounding her once again as she allowed the vision memory to fully take hold over her.
Straightening her shoulders the dark haired princess stretched her hands skyward, baring her shoulders and arms to the frigid air before letting loose as mighty a cry as loud as she could muster. Rei shouted as loud and as long as she could, until her lungs burned and her throat grew raw. She shouted for her lost childhood and the loneliness she always felt, she shouted for her joy at her achievements, she shouted for the turning toward adulthood, she shouted because she could.
Like her older brother and sister before her the youngest princess of the Martian Royal family climbed the Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain in the solar system, on the completion of her training. The young princess had received her first tattoo a week before signifying that she was not only was a full member of the village but a master in the art of the War God himself, hand to hand combat.
Small puffs of breath condensate before Rei's eyes, she should begin the trek down before height sickness takes her over, 'Just a bit longer'. She was finally on her path once she made it back to the village her second tattoo would be given, the symbol of her status as avatar of fire. The elders had been preparing a special ink just for Rei and her older siblings had been invited to the ceremony.
Rei let out a stream of warm air and began pulling her traveling cloak around her shoulders once more. Her father, the strong leader of Mars was ill. He had been growing weaker for years, and his sickness made it so he was confined to the Phobos-Deimos Castle. Of course the Martian people didn't know of their leader's weakness and assumed that the elder royal siblings were merely doing their duty.
Shun the Crown Prince was 25 and it was expected that he begin taking on more responsibilities. He like his father before him and chosen to enter the Martian military where he excelled in sword fighting, Shun's current position as a Blood Knight Commander was hard earned and he was proud of the title. Likewise Ryoko the eldest daughter at 20 had become a Ranger at the tender age of 13 and her cunning and skill, well talked about on Mars, had won her the rank of Ranger Lord. Ryoko, as part of her duty as a Ranger Lord acted as an emissary for the crown, her grace, pleasant nature and feral beauty made her the perfect representative of Mars. Then there was little Rei, 15 and had just received her mark of the War God. She was the living symbol of fire to her people and at large celebrations was charged with the task of lighting the sacred fire. In a year she would have her coming of age ceremony and then she too would begin taking on the responsibilities of her station.
But first thing was first, she had to get off this mountain. The climb down was slow and tedious and if the Ebony haired girl miss-calculated her footing she would plummet to her death. Half way down the mountain the air around her became hazy a tell tale sign that her vision memory was shifting.
Curious violet eyes stared off into the distance where two grey figures seemed to materialize out of the fog. As the two figures came closer the young princess gasped as recognition coursed through her. Her brother Shun walked toward her, his barreled chest hidden behind onyx plate armor. On his face was an easy smile which caused the lines and tattoos on the left side of his face to smooth and seem less threatening. Next to him, nearly a head shorter was her sister Ryoko dressed in her finest Ranger outfit. Her leather armor was also onyx as was the long bow slung over her back as always she appeared to walk with cat-like grace in comparison to the muscled bulk of their brother Shun. Ryoko's piercing red eyes drew in Rei with their warmth until the haze began to lift.
"Rei-sama !"
The haze as well as the red rock of Mars began to grow transparent as feeling began to flood Rei's senses, the cool stone floor beneath her, the warmth of the fire before her, and the heaviness of her robes on her skin.
"Rei-sama!"
She could feel her fingers now, flexing the knuckles popping.
"Rei-sama!"
Finally the veil of the vision memory lifted and clear violet eyes took in the ebony and ruby furnishings of her room.
"Rei-sama, the Senshi Appointing Ceremony will begin shortly, you must hurry"
A frantic servant stood somewhere behind the Martian princess, no doubt scared to come any further into the room. With a nod of her head Rei slowly stood and shook the wrinkles from her priestess robes.
"Are my brother and sister in the throne room already?" Rei asked curiously.
"How did- Y-yes Rei-sama."
The ebony haired girl glanced quickly in the mirror, checking that the warrior markings on her face were still there and not blown away by the winds of her vision. With a satisfied nod and one lance look over to see that she looked both wild and refined as a Priestess of Mars should Rei followed the mystified servant toward the throne room.
The day before the a Appointing Ceremony all the princesses were summoned to the moon kingdom's tailor where a rather strict black cat announced that they would all be fitted for special royal robes of their planet's royal colors. All the families of the princesses would be wearing their royal garments accordingly the cat announced. When Rei replied she would not need a fitting she could almost see the little black cat bristle.
"Its tradition" the cat had insisted.
"Did Queen Serenity herself order us to wear royal attire?" the Martian calmly asked.
"Well, not in- Its tradition that at the anointing ceremony the royals be in their royal attire" The small cat was getting angry now, her voice climbing a whole octave.
Violet eyes leveled themselves on the cat before her coolly, and in a slow even voice carefully keeping out the growing Martian's aggravation she replied, "Moon tradition is not my tradition, unless I am personally ordered by Queen Serenity herself I will not wear your idea of royal attire."
"Touché"
Rei's attention snapped to the right directly at the smirking Princess of Venus herself. With a slight frown and a glance toward the obviously fuming Moon Advisor the ebony haired princess mumbled a Martian curse, pivoted on the heel of her feet, and marched out of the room.
The throne room was decorated with white flowers and hundreds of guest filled the already large room to nearly bursting. The other Senshi candidates stood next to their families dressed in similar royal attire and behind them a black cat scowled at the two Martians dressed as if prepared for war and not a peaceful ceremony. Rei like her siblings choose to wear the clothes of their station, as was the tradition on Mars.
Rei's face had two large black lines painted on starting at her hair line, traveling over her eyes, straight down to her jaw line giving her a feral look. Her hair hung loose and wild about her shoulders, as black as the robes she wore. Her ceremonial priestess robes worn only at special occasions were not as colorful as her other outfits this robe was black with blood red lining and stitching. The robe itself was a piece of art not unlike the onyx plate armor of her brother and her sister's leather ranger armor. The embroiderer had painstakingly stitched the symbol of the Avatar of Mars, a rising phoenix, on the back of the robe in white thread that shimmered in the light.
The symbol itself had plagued the dark haired princess since she first dreamt of her demise, how fitting that her symbol would be a phoenix whose fated death was in flames.
Rei pulled her attention from her brooding thoughts as she met her siblings on the platform where all the royals stood waiting for Queen Serenity. Her brother had never looked so proud as he stood like dark statue in hall of silver. She knew her siblings would show her no outward affection but their eyes spoke volumes to her, they were proud and honored to be here. Biting back a swell of emotion Rei twisted her hands in front of her chest and bowed formally to her older siblings.
As the youngest Martian's bare feet took the stage, smirking devilishly at the scowling Luna, she realized today would be the first day she took up her responsibly as the Avatar of Mars.
Throughout the ceremony Rei felt the pressure of bright cerulean eyes on her but she refused to return the attention instead she stood proudly next to her siblings and dutifully listened to Queen Serenity make her speech.
The amount of power surging in the room made the youngest Martian's head swim. With the bestowing of each planetary crystal the swell of power as the crystals found their new homes made Rei's head ache in response.
So focused was she on breathing and staying centered that Rei nearly missed her turn, the heavy steps of Shun's plate covered boots snapped her to attention. The three Martian siblings took their place at the foot of the empirical throne where Queen Serenity stood like a silver goddess.
As one the three siblings bowed low to the Queen Shun's hands clasped palm over fist in front of his chest as he began to speak his eyes averted.
"Silver Queen Serenity I am Mars Shun, Crown Prince and High Commander of the Blood Knights or Mars. Today, on behalf of my planet I am honored to continue the tradition of the Silver Millennium by presenting one of my own blood to the station of Senshi, Mars Rei."
At the mention of her name Rei lifted her eyes to the Queen whose aura had mesmerized and calmed her before, the pounding in her head forgotten as violet orbs met kind silver ones.
"Mars Rei would you stand"
Rei's eyes were drawn immediately to a dark ruby in the Queen's hand; it seemed to pulse with life only intensifying as the dark princess grew near. Rei knew her part well in this ceremony and immediately pulled her fist over her chest and twisted it over her heart as she bent her knees in a half bow.
" I Mars Rei swear by my life, my honor, and my planet to protect the people of this empire from those who would harm it. My blood is yours."
A gentle smile graced the features of the monarch before her, satisfied with the Martian oath and with that same quiet voice that somehow echoed through the hall with its power Queen Serenity formally accepted and gently lifted the red crystal to Rei's chest. The crystal then burst with red light as it seeped into the Martian princesses' trembling form.
The Martian gasped her knees buckling before she caught herself, it felt like her veins were singing with fire as the new power inside her spread itself through her entire being. Rei stood slowly blinking as the power settled in her chest and her nerves calming to a hum.
Wonder lit her amethyst eyes as her hand settled over the place the crystal rested in her chest; she could feel every flame in the entire castle.
After the ceremony Rei was not surprised to learn her siblings had to leave at once. Her brother Shun had arranged for a proper tattoo artist to visit the Martian on the moon, it was important that she have her newly acquired station properly displayed. She had gained the rank of warrior. Her sister Ryoko however stayed behind an in a secluded balcony they shared a sisterly embrace.
"My little Reiko, grown so big" the older princess doted, running a hand affectionately along the sleeve of Rei's robe.
"Ryoko, I've grown out of that pet name." In the distance twin cawing sounded, alerting the arrival of Phobos and Deimos.
"You'll always be my younger sister, no matter who you become" Ryoko squeezed Rei's hand briefly before turning toward the arrival of two large ravens.
Ryoko fondly ran her fingers down the backs of both birds before turning toward her sister once again.
"I left you a present in your room, I must leave now"
Rei watched silently as her sister left the balcony to go back to her life on Mars while Rei was left in this foreign planet with these strange people. The ebony haired princess turned toward her guardians, absentmindedly holding her fingers for them to rub their beaks against. Her sister Ryoko had always been affectionate and caring toward Rei but their time together had always been brief, so the youngest princess savored their meetings.
With a small sigh Rei pulled her mask of indifference on once again and turned back toward the throne room the light from the earth casting shadows on her footsteps.
As she rounded the corner from the balcony a figure slid up next to her, matching her step for step. Instantly Rei stiffened, it wasn't enough for the Venusian to haunt her dreams but she had taken to haunting her waking steps as well.
"Why don't you wear the Lunarian royalty attire like the rest of us? We're a unit, our strength is in solidarity"
A dark frown etched its way onto the Martian's face as she stopped and turned toward the blond next to her.
"I don't agree in uniforms with different colors to tell people apart."
The rough Martian accent made its way into Rei's speech causing her words to sound as feral and wild as she looked.
"Our duty is to be a unit"
The blond leveled her bright blue gaze on the Martian daring Rei to deny her.
"Our duty is not to bully each other into conformity"
Rei countered lifting her chin slightly.
The two princesses shared a tense moment both on edge like to fighters waiting for the first move. Finally the blond haired Venusian blew out a quiet breath, diffusing the tense atmosphere.
"Why do you fight me?"
Blue eyes looked everywhere but at Rei's own violet ones.
"Why do you chase me?"
The Martian countered once again the question hanging in the air between them. Rei's palms were slick with sweat and her breathing was shallow, the dark princess had brooded for many nights over her response to the blond, but the fire offered no suggestions. The only other answer caused the Martian Princess to blush and push the idea out of her mind. There was no way.
"You can't answer a question with a question!"
Rei glanced up at the blond in front of her, pulled from her musings by the outburst. The Venusian Princess Minako had a stubborn tilt to her chin and her eyes glared intensely at the brunette before her. Rei had seen this look before, the stubborn almost willful look in those large blue eyes. She had seen them in dreams of fire and blood, a future whose possibility she didn't want to think about. It was too much.
Rei turned from the agitated princess at her side, quickly side stepping a darting hand attempting to keep her from running. But the Martian couldn't help one last parting shot.
" Can't I, Princess Minako?"
This chapter was rough on me. I had originally planned it to be much different and with alot more interaction between Minako and Rei. I didn't like how it flowed so you get this wonderful clipped conversation at the end of the chapter. Speaking of end, its the end of the semester and i am nearly done with my first semester at graduate school. Yay!
Again I hope you all enjoyed reading, comments, concerns, rants, feedback in general is always welcome.
LunarMiko07- I like Rei being able to see her future self also. I think it makes her all the more interesting.
ShoujoGirl- Ah fanart, well if anyone wants to draw any I'll be happy to include them. However my own hapless scratching are not making it up here. Lol
Heatqueen- Thank you, I hope you continue reading and that I continue to please.
Trusuprise- I think Rei is a little confused herself about if her attraction to Minako is due to her visions or her own attraction. As for choppiness.. haha.. I did it again.
As for Rei's end, I guess you'll just have to see if she changes it, has the ability to change it, and if it changes at all. Do you like that completely ambiguous answer? I do .
Rikku's twin- Wow the caps make me feel warm and fuzzy inside as if you had to shout out how much you liked it. Thank you very much and I hope you continue reading.