Through several negotiations with the Venusian royal family, and no assistance from Minako who had managed to not resurface for the duration of these talks, Adonis was able to work out an arrangement that would allow for Endymion’s lead Shitennou to travel to Venus to assist Adonis in training a group of elite soldiers. Though Adonis’ first encounter with the silver haired man had been relatively brief, he found himself instantly fascinated by this natural born leader. Everyone obeyed this man with barely more than a quick glance of sharp green eyes – even the other Shitennou and those of the Royal family never questioned his words – which were not often spoken as the man seemed to value brevity of speech. At the end of this initial visit, Adonis left believing that Endymion was merely the figurehead in the hierarchical structure while it was this soldier that truly ran this Golden Kingdom.
The lead Shitennou now had full access to Venus and had travelled back and forth between the sister planets many times since that day. As an act of gratitude for his efforts, he had been given his own apartment within the palace by the king and queen – an honor that had only previously been bestowed to the Queen of the Moon and her daughter.
Adonis had noticed the shift in Minako’s personality on the eve of the first of many visits from the Earthen soldier. She had somehow seemed hurried as if she were anxious and, for the first time in their relationship, shied away from him not wanting to partake in their normal playful dalliances in hallway corridors. When questioned her about this change, she laughed off his concern - something that had not made Adonis feel any more at ease. Her immediate response came in the form of a joke where she teased that when she next saw the handsome soldier from Earth she would happily give him a tour of her rooms that would last for hours. Adonis laughed at her and remarked that perhaps he would stand in so that she could make sure that she was ready for such an endeavor.
For a moment things appeared exactly as they always were between them – Minako rising onto the toes of the strappy heels belonging to her senshi fuku, pretending that she would kiss him before twirling away as smooth as the wind that blew across the vast bareness of land that lay below the floating castle.
The next morning, when Adonis went to alert her to arrival of the Shitennou, he found that she was gone.
