*Disclaimer: I don't owe Sailor Moon (and never will) *
Everyone entered the big dinning hall. Monarch's tables were located on an elevation. Everyone sat. Seiya tired to sit in the place from which he could watch Usagi. He was confused by what he had heard. It was so unexpected. He decided to tell everything to Yaten and Taiki after the meal and think it over with them. He couldn't believe that Earth people could do such thing to her, it was impossible; it must have been some terrible and fatal misunderstanding.
She was sitting below, facing him. He watched her. She seemed to be tensed up. She looked up in the middle of a meal to meet his eyes. She was looking at him; her eyes were full of anger. She didn't break the eye contact as if she wanted to see who would be the first to withdraw. He retired first. It was sad to see her so angry. Each time he looked at her she was raising her furious eyes to him.
Lowers were hastened by their leaders throughout the meal. During days before the departure they were training very hard. After finishing they stood up and left the dining hall.
"When will they come back?" asked Seiya.
"They are gone for the whole days usually. Sometimes they are back earlier if their leaders have to make some speeches or have other arrangements," replied Marc.
"Can we see them training?"
"It's not a good idea. You will see them fighting during our quest. There so much to see here in Welcomnes." Seiya thought about it. He needed to talk with his friends.
"All right, let's see the fortress, but I need to speak with Taiki and Yaten one to one."
"I'll see you in two hours then."
"I can't believe it! I've never heard about anything like that,. So she truly is a lower." said Taiki.
"That's just sad I guess. I mean I understand the monarchs of that planet. Earth was small a planet in a small system. Demons can whip out more powerful systems. We would also do anything to protect our princess. And yet it does seem sad, what happened to this girl," said Yaten calmly.
"If it's true it's just cruel. How could they given up a person who has done so much for them? She loved them so much." said Seiya with anger.
"Universe just seems cruel. The good thing is that she is fine. She found her place among her people," answered Yaten.
"Found her place, among lowers, with that Aso? We must help her." Seiya exclaimed.
"She seems fine here, and what can we do for her anyway? The best we could do is leaving her alone. She seemed to be fine until you've spoken to her. We are here on our own business. Do you agree with me Taiki?"
"I just don't know what to think. We do owe her a lot but then what can we for her?"
"There must be something we can do to help her"
Four young monarchs were walking around Welcomnes for the whole day. The fortress on middle planet was interesting but ouster place. They were studying the maps for few hours and reading about kinds of tribes that were living on the Outer Middle Planet. Outer Middle Planet was a very small part of the planet, like a continent, where outsiders from other planets could travel. The Sacred Cloister was a boundary between Inner and Outer Middle Planet. Inner Middle Planet had a much bigger surface, but it was closed for monarchs from other planets. Although Outer Middle Planet was just a small part of the sphere in reality it's surface was very vast, vaster then the surfaces of many planets.
Four young men were looking at maps and exchanging the information they had.
"I've come here on the pilgrimage, but also to find out about the new energy that entered our Galaxy. Nothing is known yet, but it's seems it may become danger for everyone. My dream is to collect some interesting species of healing plants and bring them to my home planet"
"We've come here for the same reasons (except for the plants). I just hope that monks have noticed the danger, and they are praying for the spell to fight the new enemy. We hope to come back to our system with the answer. After previous war that ravished our system we know it's better to be safe then sorry. Of course we want to make also a pilgrimage. Anyway every monarch has to do in his life." Taiki said.
"Let's hope everything will go smoothly."
Day passed by quickly even for Seiya although he had had problems with focusing on what had been going on. The evening came, and everyone gathered in the dining hall again. Lowers were a little late. Although they had been training the whole day most of them had washed before the meal. Seiya took the same place as last time. He was waiting for Usagi to come and she did come soon. She looked tired as all her friends, but she seemed to regain her good mood. She didn't look at him at all, it appeared that she forgot about him. The evening meal lasted for a long time, because everyone was enjoying the conversations at the tables. Lowers and monarchs had many things to tell about the day that had passed. Seiya was watching the blond girl with interest and didn't get involved in any conversation.
Chitchats were suddenly interrupted by one of the lower's leader.
"There is an announcement to be made so please everyone be quiet for few minutes," he said in the interplanetary common language and then he repeated it in lower's common language. "The announcement concerns teams of: Mater, Terter, Viren, Aso and Begre. Any lower who is a member of one of those teams for less then seven years must go for a five days training camp to Berethe. After dinner you should pack you things and be ready to depart first thing after morning meal."
Lowers were stirred. All of them stopped to laugh and seemed very displeased.
"Why? We are leaving on a quest in few days, shouldn't we rest?" someone said, but didn't show his face. Aso stood up.
"That is exactly why we are going to practice harder! For many of you it's a first quest to the Cloister and it's a dangerous quest. We must make sure that as many of you as possible will survive it. Yet looking at you, how lazy you are, just thinking of fun we are staring to doubt that any of you can make it. Few days of extreme effort should put you on right track." Displeased hums of lowers were heard in the hall. "Read the further announcements my friend" added Aso and sat down.
"Today leaders will practice the paired attacks with the selected warriors. I will read the list now. Ones on the list are supposed to be on Welcomnes courtyard in ten minutes. Master Mater: Belini, Rug, and Terta; Master Terten: Viatan…" Human stood up.
"The paired attacks? Today? We are exhausted! Maybe you will tell me that I am supposed to leave for the training tomorrow in the morning and train paired attacks today?" A powerfully looking lower human stood up.
"Quiet Viatan! Tell me what will you tell to the powerful demon when you encounter one. I am tired or I had a hard day?" The protesting man seemed to be confused.
"Maybe I will be too tired to open my mouth. Maybe I will tell him, that my training was so hard that I don't have strength left to fight him." Appraisal whispers were to be heard.
"Then maybe you should go back to you tribe. It seems that you shouldn't join the Middle Planet Anti-Demon Military in the first place. Be on courtyard in ten minutes or pack you things and leave to your home tribe where you can cry to your mother," said the man and sat. The human, who protested left the room with others who were on the list. The man who made an announcement waited for few second and then took the peace of paper again.
"If everything is clear I will continue. Master Terten is going to train with Viatan; Master Viren with Relec, Demian and Vifi, Mater Aso with Erst and Usagi, Master Berge with Elica, Master…." He kept on reading.
Seiya looked fast at Usagi and her friends. The ikarian boy looked very frantic. He hit a desk with his fist. Usagi dropped what she was holding in her hands and was just looking at Erst. They stood up without a word and left the hall. More angry lowers who were on the list followed them.
"They are getting serious" said Marc with interest.
"What are the paired attacks?" Taiki asked.
"Oh, that is very interesting," answered Marc. "Lowers on this planet are known for their paired attacks. If two lowers join their attack in one big wave it is much more powerful then if they would attack separately. It's called synergy. I heard that they can do it with anyone, but for some reason they mostly used it with the person of the same species. Humans do it with humans, centaurs with centaurs, ikarians with ikarians etc. Maybe it's because they specialize and each species fight in a different way. I've heard though that creating a paired attack is not that easy though. Ones who do it should be of similar might; otherwise the weaker one will get knocked down and hurt. In case of a big difference of powers the weaker one can be killed. I feel sorry for those lowers who practice with their masters; I understand why they seemed to be so worried. It's nothing pleasant I believe. I've heard that many lowers avoid joining the master of their own species. You can guess why. Masters really need the powerful fighters to do with them the paired attacks though. Hey! I've never seen them practicing that. It will be on the courtyard. Let's go there after the meal. I want to see that."
"Yes" all three friends agreed. Lowers were already leaving the dining hall. Seiya wanted to go as soon as possible but some older monarch asked every monarch to stay for the announcements. He wanted to read an important guide about Middle Planet. Four young men had to stay, although they were more interested in something else. In a short while they started to hear the loud blasts outside and sometimes the shouts of pain.
After the reading was over they ran downstairs to courtyard. As it turned out many lowers had come to watch alongside with many monarchs.
"I guess it's interesting for everybody, we won't see anything here" Marc said. Seiya nodded.
"Let's try to see something from one of the windows," said Seiya. All of them came back to fortress. All the windows were taken as well, but luckily some group of monarchs got bored and just left. They looked through the window. They had a good view. Although they were seeing everything from the side they were quite close and could even here the words. Selected lowers and their masters were sending their attack to the big black wall ahead of them. Unfortunately barely ever blasts reached the wall. Mostly they reached the person who was trying to join attack with the master.
"Stand up"
"Stronger!"
"Can't you do any better?"
The exclamations of masters were heard one after another. The selected lowers didn't answer. They just clench their teeth and tried to get up and stood for another blast that would push them to the ground.
"Fascinating!" exclaimed Marc "The tiger is pretty good; look he can join every blast with his master. I don't see Pegasus any longer; I guess he has already given up. Others look weak but they are trying hard. It's absolutely fascinating. I am happy to be able to see it. I hope we see the paired attack during our quest!" said Marc. Seiya, Taiki and Yaten didn't listen to him. They were looking at their friend. When they came she was knelling on the ground leaning on her hands. Erst was standing with Aso. They tried to focus on their voices and distinguish it from the others. Two ikarians prepared the blast. It didn't go far and Erst was thrown aside. He managed to stay on his legs though but a grimace of pain appeared on his face for a second.
"Again!" yelled Aso. This time as well the blast didn't go far.
"Again!" Three more times Erst managed to hold on, but forth blast threw him on the ground. He tried to get up, but his legs didn't listen to him.
"Now you, stand up!" Usagi stood up. She tired to join the attack with Aso, but all the energy went to her side and she was immediately thrown to the ground. She seemed to be fighting with the pain.
"Again" She stood up again but in few second she was on the ground again. Second blast pushed her further.
"Stan up" She leaned on her hands but didn't stand up. Aso came to her, grabbed her by her arm and pull her up. They tried again. This time the blow seemed less powerful and she didn't fall. Next one though threw her few meters to the side.
"Stan up now!" but she didn't. Erst tried to come to her to help her but Aso stopped him.
"Leave her! Stand up!" he pulled her again and she was thrown with even grater force during next try.
"Useless girl!" she leaned on her hands again with pain written on her face. She started to cough and vomited. Erst wanted to protest but Aso closed his mouth with one look.
"We must stop that" said Seiya and was ready to run there. Marc looked at him with surprise. Yaten hold Seiya back.
"You can't go there! She will be fine. I bet it is not the first time they do it," said Yaten.
"I think she has finished for today," said Taiki.
"What are you talking about?" asked Marc. Yaten pull Seiya back to the window.
"Pathetic! Now you boy," said Aso to Erst. Erst tired and almost managed to make a joint attack, but finally he found himself lying next to Usagi. Aso just looked at them and left. They looked pretty bad but there was no blood around them as it was around some others who practiced with their masters. After Aso had left two centaurs run to the courtyard and helped them to get up. Usagi and Erst sat on the centaurs back and were carried to the fortress. On the ground there were only five people left, they were still practicing.
"We must help her, now you can see that," said Seiya to his friends but they didn't seemed to be convinced.
