Disclaimer: I do not owe any sailor moon characters. It's all fan fiction.
After Aso had finished the speech monarchs went to try to get some decent room to stay. Lowers were called on training. From the windows of Welcomness one could see only flashes of light, flying and fighting humans and creatures and hear screams. Three friends looked out trough one of the stone windows.
"Those lowers train very hard every day. Good I'm not one of them," said joyful young voice. The young man with blond hair aproached them.
"Marc," said Taiki "You came here as well?"
"Yes. I've been here for few days now. It's amazing how many interesting books one can find here and amazing creatures one can meet. Have you come here today?"
"Yes"
"I see. You are lucky then. Once in 10 days there is a fun day here. It's today!"
"Fun day?"
"Yeah, ball for monarchs in the huge hall where you were welcomed. Monarchs have to get to know each other before we set on a mission to Cloister. "
"Great! Are you going to come?" asked Taiki
"To be honest, downstairs in the basement there is a room as big as the hall. Lowers have their party there. It's more fun, lowers are so strange, but I enjoy their company. I think I will go there. I am here for some time, and I am just bored of monarh's balls. We can have them on our planets, right?"
"Are we allowed to speak to lowers?" asked Yaten unsurely.
"They are as interested in us as we are in them. And we came here for adventure. If you get bored with the ball, you can go with me to the basement."
"I'll go with you," said Seiya.
"Seiya, we should get closer with other monarchs," whispered Yaten.
"There is plenty of time for that," said Marc. "All of you should come with me, you should see as much of this planet as you can. Most of us have only one opportunity in the lifetime to see Middle Planet. We eat together in the huge dining room (everything is huge in this fortress), so you can get to met other monarchs there. You should use chance to get to know lowers better in their own environment."
"All right we'll go with you Marc," said Taiki.
"Taiki," shouted Yaten.
"It's decided then," said Seiya.
Despite their decision, Yaten made them to go to the monarch's ball for some time. The hall was decorated with candles. The walls were made of stone and different were from beautiful palaces of the monarchs, but people seemed to enjoy the ball. They talked and drunk and danced popular classical monarchs dances. Three friends looked around and talked with some people. They were quite handsome so they got intrest of monarchs women. After a while Marc came to fetch them.
"All right let's go and have fun. Just dress more casually."
After they had changed they were walking through long and tangled corridors of great fortress. Soon they saw more and more humans and creatures running through the halls.
"Lowers have their rooms here," said Marc. They went to the long stairs and went down. They got into a very spacious room with a high ceiling. There was a stage on the end of it. Near the stage there were many humans and creatures crowded. They were talking, dancing, singing – enjoying themselves.
"We're here. Let's seat over there. You see, this is section where monarchs sit. I wouldn't recommend that you get into lowers crowd near the stage. Some of them may not be friendly. But they accept us here, and those who like to meet monarchs come here. Many of them speak interplanetary common language, so we can really have interesting conversation with them. I am interested in their healing plants, and I ask anyone who want to talk with me about it."
"Don't worry about us, we can understand…" before Yaten could finish Taiki hit him under ribs. When he looked at him he put his finger on his lips.
"Don't tell anyone we can understand common lower's language. If no one knows we can gather more information."
It was true. There were many lowers in Seiya Yaten and Taiki's planetary system, who spoke common lower's. The women who had taken care of them when they had been children had spoken it also. That's when they first had learned it. During the restoration of their planet many lowers had come and hadn't known interplanetary common language (for it was mostly for monarchs, lowers had their own common language, and it was sufficient for them) and the three men had to use their almost forgotten ability.
They sat down at the long bench that was for at least 20 people. Soon some lowers sat next to them. Marc went somewhere and brought them a wine.
"Drink it, it's delicious, just watch out not to overdose," he said smiling.
Marc started a conversation with a lower who sat next to him. Three friends were just watching the crowd of lowers.
"There are so many of them," said Yaten.
"But they seem to have a good fun," answered Taiki. Marc heard it.
"They love to sing and play plays about their adventures. They are very funny, you will see. Every day life is hard for them, that's what they've told me, so when they get together they try to enjoy themselves as much as possible."
Now all the lowers were looking at the stage. Someone got on it. A tiger man and a human - they were singing a song, that seemed lewd and everyone was laughing. Then someone else jumped in with another song, this time it was sad. A group of centaurs went into stage and sang their anthem. A beautiful young woman spoke song about love. Everyone was clapping their hands. After many songs a young brown-headed ikarian boy jumped to the stage. People laughed. He sang a song and dance and flew around the stage. Lowers were entranced.
"Another one Erst (lowers common language)" screamed lowers below the stage. Young ikarian smiled and raised his head proudly.
"I will give you your favorite song, but I need a lady to sing with me" lowers laughed with appraisal.
"Choose one" screamed lowers.
"I will. I will choose Usi. Come here girl", lowers clapped their hands. The girl didn't show up on a stage for a while. Finally someone pushed her on the desks. She was an ikarian also, she spread her wings and looked hostilely at the boy and shook her finger, but then she smiled to him joyfully. Ikarian said the title of the song, and some other creatures went to stage to help them sing. Seiya was looking at the girl, it was her. Now she was laughing and seemed very joyful. She looked coquettishly at the Ikarian. Everyone laughed. The girl smiled to the lowers below the stage. The song seemed to be funny, and though the ikarians seemed to sing out of tune, everyone was enjoying it.
They were running around the stage, along with other creatures, dancing, acting and making funny gestures. The song seemed to be about the ikarian male dilemma with ikarian woman. (* Here I imagine that they sing song similar to hot & cold*). The song was greeted with laughter and applause. But just before it had finished one could hear quiet yells.
"Aso is coming!"
"Watch out Aso is coming!"
The ikarian boy who was facing the crowd spread his wings and flew, but the girl who was facing the wall didn't see white haired man and stood still. The song was over, lowers were applauding, when Aso reached the stage and stood behind her. She turned around with smile, but then she noticed Aso.
"Aso!" She laughed nervously.
"I need to talk to you. Where is Erst? " said the man stilly.
"He just was here, that traitor" said the girl.
"You should be resting before tomorrow training. I disapprove such parties."
"Aso don't be such a prick!" yelled someone from lowers gathered under the stage.
"Yeah Aso, have some fun with us!"
Aso turned around and looked menacingly at the lowers down the stage. Quiet chuckles were heard but no one said anything more. He left the room followed by the girl who looked angry.
"Damn that Aso! Here, he won't come here where monarch are sitting. He got Usi already, maybe he won't be looking for me. Hahah," said Erst, seating at the same table as Seiya. He and his friend looked at ikarian boy with interest. He came along with two centaurs. They sat and some other lowers joined them. Seiya, Taiki and Yaten could understand them quiet well, although lowers couldn't suspect it. There weren't many monarchs who spoke common lower's language.
"Great song Erst, you and Usi are the masters of it" said some lower who sat near them. All of them started to laugh. Suddenly they looked suspiciously at three monarchs who were watching them, but soon forgot about them and started talking between themselves. Someone put some cards on the table and lowers started to play it and laughed loudly. The show on the stage lasted for a while. Seiya didn't watch any longer. Although he knew who he saw on the stage, he started to doubt it. It was impossible. A well know and cherished voice awaken him from his thoughts.
"Erst you damn traitor, you left me alone" exclaimed the girl while approaching the bench and when she got there she hit the ikarian slightly on his head.
"No, it's not like you think. I just exited the stage because song was over, and then Aso showed up. I wanted to go with you but the crowd was too big and I couldn't make it" said ikarian with silly grim on his face.
"Cut it Erst," said girl with a sight, she sat near Erst and took his wine.
"Hey that's mine!" said boy but she only looked at him grimly. Everyone except Erst laughed.
"What did Aso want from you?"
"Oh don't ask, just the same stuff as always. Do I remember about this, do I remember about that. He made a lecture that we should be resting; there is no time for having fun (for him there is never time for that). He forgot to teach me something today, and he had to say it right away. You know Aso." They all sighted heavily and nodded their heads.
"Oh by the way he is looking for you Erst," she laughed, "and I hope he will find you, you traitor" she pointed and winked at him. "Can I play with you?"
"Yeah now when we are even number we can play in pairs."
"Let's play together Usi," said Erst " centaurs together and tigers together. What do you say?"
"I don't want to play with you, you annoy me. I'd rather play with Cer," she said and smiled to the centaur.
"No, Erst has a good idea. Let's make it a war between species," said one of the tiger lowers. Everyone agreed and they started to play.
"Usi you were suppose to give me a sign scatterbrain," said Erst after a while.
"Erst, can you try to focus on the game? You play like a 3 year old" she said in next round. Everyone laughed, but it seemed that ikarians were doing poorly.
"No, I am done playing with you! We have 0 point after five turns. I will play with Cer now," she stood up proudly and walked to the other side of the bench and sat next to the centaur. She was sitting now on the opposite side to Seiya, Yaten and Taiki so they could observe her now. She didn't notice them, although they were so close. She seemed to be focused on her friends. Erst was shuffling cards but he was doing it in a strange way. All the cards scattered on the floor. Lowers sighted.
"Erst, you are such a kid. Stop showing up," she said and put her hand to her forehead. She laughed though. All of them were watching Erst trying to gather cards together.
'I must ask her now,' Seiya thought.
"Excuse me" he said to the blonde girl. She turned her head and looked friendly at him. Taiki and Yaten were observing her with interest. She looked at Seiya and then on Taiki and Yaten. Her friendly smile gave place to astonishment and shock, which gave place to anger. She turned her head to her friends without saying word to Seiya. Taiki, Yaten and Seiya looked at each other.
"Excuse me," said Seiya again, but girl ignored him.
"Excuse me!" he exclaimed for the third time, now louder. She turned around again. She looked furiously. Seiya could see unspoken menace in her eyes. She was looking at him for a few heart bits. Then she stood up.
"I don't feel like playing anymore," she said to her friends in a stiff voice.
"Why so suddenly? I've finally managed too deal cards," said surprised Erst.
"I'm going to the lowers near the stage. I saw someone I want to talk to," she said in an offended tone and just disappeared in the crowd. Lowers, and three friends just watched her leaving.
"What's eating he?r" asked the centaur girl with concern.
"I have no idea, but we have to play another game because she has gone. I must deal again" said Erst impatiently.
"Maybe we should check on her?" Centaurian girl asked. Ikarian boy sighed.
"All right I'll go, but Aso can hount on me in this crowd." he said and left.
Lowers started to play cards again.
"It was her, she recognized us," whispered Taiki.
"I knew it was her from the moment I saw her. But why she wouldn't speak to us. We are her friends" said Seiya sadly.
"I don't know," said Yaten, " but we shouldn't bother her. If she doesn't want to speak to us let's leave her alone. Seiya, just leave it. She has done so much for us, and if she doesn't want to acknowledge us let's respect that. Maybe she is a spy among lowers or… I honestly have no idea what is she doing here, but she wants us to leave her alone."
"No! I must know!" said Seiya. Yaten sighted.
"I would like to know to" added Taiki.
For the rest of the evening they didn't see her.
