Chapter 7
♂ ♋️ 27° 54' 🏠 11
"Hurry, the air signs need their power!" shouted Aquarius.
No one is around her.
Aquarius is an elegant-looking woman. Skin electric blue, dark black futuristic-looking shades.
Long flowing black hair with streaks of brown. On her upper back, on both of her shoulder blades, are amphoras. The left is silver. The right is turquoise.
She's wearing metallic-colored pants. Asymmetrical earrings.
Left ear: long, silver lightning bolt. The right: a teardrop crystal that continuously shifts neon, light blue, silver, and electric blue.
She's outside currently on Uranus. Neon-colored skies with blotches of holographic patterns. Everything on the ground is blue.
She sits on her recliner chair, looking up at the sky.
Blows air from her mouth.
It thickens like smoke. Lifts in the air. They turn to water particles, and they begin to rain down.
"Much better," said Aquarius.
A 14-year-old boy runs up to her. He's wearing baggy white pants and a white shirt. He's panting as he finally gets face to face with Aquarius.
She sees him.
"Aquarius, only the air signs need their power," said the boy.
Smiling.
"Great, I suppose that's the case. Bring me someone. Anyone. Someone that encapsulates an Aquarius. Then I will bless him or her with immense power," replied Aquarius.
"Yes ma'am!" he replied.
He scurried back off, and in a matter of seconds, he vanishes by being carried in the air.
"Who is worthy of Aquarius? Only time shall tell."
#
It's nighttime in the Air Sector. A 27-year-old Black woman is lying in her bed. Her blanket designed with all 12 planets.
Hazel eyes. Knotless braids with a high bun. Black hair. Her eyes wandering.
Exhales, then closes her eyes.
#
"Where is the person? I don't have all day!" said Aquarius.
A woman falls from the sky but is cushioned by a holographic pattern.
Metallic pants, holographic shoes. White shirt. Turquoise asymmetrical cape.
It's Syimphany Unity.
The holographic pattern is stiff like leather.
"Well, look who dropped by," whispered Aquarius.
The woman wakes up screaming, then tries to run away but trips.
"No point in running. You're stuck with me like ground chuck, darling. Now what's your name?" she asked.
Syimphany's ears perk up. She slowly moves her eyes around.
Nothing but blue terrain and neon skies. Off to her right is a monument of Aquarius in stone with her outfit and accessories on.
To her left is an electric blue and neon amphora that is 2,000 feet tall. The neon one floats in the air and begins to pour itself.
"Magnificent…" thought Syimphany.
"Hello!!"
Syimphany turns around.
Her body tenses. Heart pounding out of her chest.
"Wha-what are you, and why am I here? Where am I?" asked Syimphany.
"Oooooh, now you wanna talk, darling," replied Aquarius.
"Ma'am…" whispered Syimphany.
Gets up and walks slowly to her. Walking like a zombie because she's not used to the environment of Uranus.
Aquarius turns around. Ignores her.
"You have to help me, please…"
"That's what I'm here for. Now take a seat."
She snaps her finger, and holographic shockwaves ripple throughout the air.
They turn into belt straps.
They wrap around her ankles.
Now she can't move an inch.
"Ugh! Ughh!! I can't move!"
A wooden chair forms underneath her where she can sit.
"Now sit," Aquarius said with sass.
Syimphany's body sits in the wooden chair. The holographic belt straps wrap themselves around her ankles and the legs of the chair.
Now she's completely strapped in for the ride.
"What's your name, birthday?"
Aquarius analyzes her fit.
"I see you look the part. That's a plus one for you. Now my questions."
Syimphany briefly closes her eyes, not wanting to look Aquarius in the eyes. Even behind her shades, her eyes are piercing.
Shaking, she says…
"My name is Syimphany Unity. I was born on January 31st. I'm 27. I was just sleep before I came here," replied Syimphany.
Aquarius's eyes through her shades softened. Much less intense than before.
"Well, you have the look of an Aquarius, your birthday checks out, and your name is beautiful. Who gave you that name?" asked Aquarius.
Now Aquarius began to get curious. Even her last host did not pique her interest this much. Why though? She might or might not say, but let's see anyway.
"My father gave me my first name and my mother my last. My dad loved classical music and was a talented musician in his day.
My mother gave me my last name because we were inseparable," said Unity.
Aquarius's tears began to stream down her electric blue skin.
The neon-colored skies shifted to the color of chrome.
"That's so… beautiful. Where are they now, if I may ask?" asked Aquarius.
"They passed away when I was 10 years old. They died suddenly with no prior warning. Ever since then, I've lived alone."
"Wow…" mumbled Aquarius.
"What did you want to tell me? I didn't come here on my own power," questioned Syimphany.
"Well, a great evil is coming to Drokeo Bay in 3 years. The 13th zodiac. His arrival and victory means no one else lives. At this time period, all zodiacs must have a host so they can use our power to defend Drokeo Bay."
"Ooh, so I'm special!! Chosen?!" she said excitedly.
"Haha. Yes, that's proper to say, and honestly your story moved me. I want to give you my power and my abilities. Of course, you can make your own moves as well, crafted from the power of Aquarius."
"Ok, I accept!"
Aquarius looked a little concerned. Almost sad even.
"You're not upset about your parents anymore? This is bigger than you, and I almost feel bad—"
"No need to feel bad at all. You chose me for a reason. I'm happy to be here. You look so cool, and you styling! I'm on Uranus!" Syimphany shouted with excitement.
Aquarius can't help but smile. Her teeth beautiful and white.
They even have a reflection on them, like floors after they've been waxed down and scrubbed.
"Since you have been so happy and resilient, even hitting a soft spot in my heart, I could let you speak to one of your parents."
Syimphany began to try to jump up and down but can't because of the chair.
"Let her go," said Aquarius.
Chair and belt straps gone.
"How can you do that?" asked Syimphany.
"I'll ask Pisces. He lives on Neptune. They rule dream worlds and illusions. Even though it won't be them currently, he can put you in a state that will allow their souls to see you now.
Then they'll be able to talk to you in a dream. But only one. That's the rule. I don't make them; that's not my domain," explained Aquarius.
"I choose Mom. Dad told me don't worry about him no matter what. He always told me she needed me more."
"Hence the reason for your last name…"
"Unity," they said in unison.
"That day will come soon, but you must go. I will arrange it. We all talk. Even though we will be inside the body of each host, our very essence and spirit lives on the planets."
"Yes ma'am," replied Syimphany.
Aquarius takes off her earrings and gives them to Syimphany.
"Put these on. Once you do, you will have my power and abilities. This is a sign of respect for me. I just don't give away my belongings. Especially things made just for me," she emphasized.
Syimphany takes them. Puts them on.
"Woah!"
Her body convulses as neon green, turquoise energy surrounds her body.
It all seeps in her skin. Skin briefly turns neon, then goes back to normal.
"Wow."
"Pretty painless, huh? We'll talk soon."
She snaps her fingers.
Syimphany's eyes close.
Now opened.
She's back in her bed.
#
Samuel Xeno is tending to his garden. It's extra windy today, but skies are sunny and beautiful.
He picks a fresh, ripe tomato and takes a bite. He's really enjoying it. The juices from the tomato are everywhere on his face.
Black man. 28. Silver-grey joggers. White sneakers. Afro fade. Brown eyes. Light blue muscle shirt.
Dual-faced pendant hanging from his neck. One side laughing, the other serious.
The laughing side is colored light blue. The serious one yellow. Muscular fellow.
He looks up in the sky and sees what looks like an asteroid coming to him.
"Damn, I gotta get out of here," he said.
It's rapidly approaching, but the closer it gets, the less it looks like an asteroid and the more it looks like a planet.
Samuel starts to see craters in the surface. Then he notices it has some color to it. Grey, darkish blue, and yellow.
The plants start to die, and temperatures drop. Conditions begin to get harsh. He's having trouble breathing now.
Drops to his knees. Frustrated. He shouts.
"Stop right now and get out!" commanded Samuel.
Then to his shock… it does just that.
He hears echoes of hysterical laughing and playful banter, but not to him, but something or someone else.
It's the planet Mercury coming at him hot again.
"Stop!!" he screams.
It stops.
This time, more laughing from the planet.
He notices it's the planet Mercury.
"Mercury? What are you doing, and why are you laughing? Wait, am I really talking to a planet?" said Samuel.
"Well yes, you are. About time you spoke up. What brings you here today?" asked Mercury.
Samuel looks dumbfounded, more so that a planet was in his face than anything. Literally.
"Bruh, I know you messing with me. And how you talking? Just what are you? Planets can't talk or laugh," questioned Samuel.
"Come find out, boss. See for yourself."
Hurricane-force winds carry Samuel to Mercury. He is terrified.
"No! I'm scared of heights! I don't want to go!" said Samuel.
"Well that's too bad. Here are your wings. The second we spoke and you told me to stop, you unlocked your power. Now it's time to merge with the highest."
Butterfly wings form on his back, and they navigate him safely to planet Mercury. The winds get slower the closer he gets to the surface.
"Got your wings now, boi. We taking flight back to space."
"How? I'm going to die! I can't breathe up there! Bruh, are you crazy?" asked Samuel.
"A little bit. But what Geminis aren't a little crazy? You talking to the serious side, not the playful twin," said Mercury.
"Wait… Gemini? I'm one. But you're a planet?"
Samuel lands on the surface. Cold as hell.
Below him is Mercury's icy surface. Yellow, blue, and grey.
Off in the distance is a statue of a face. Grey and blue. One side laughing. The other serious. It's as big as two pyramids in height and length put together.
In the sky, he notices instead of stars, he sees butterflies in their place. Thousands of them.
To his right, he sees a wooden bookcase. It's filled with all types of books. Fiction, non-fiction, encyclopedias, and all sorts.
It stands 5,000 feet in the air.
"Well, I'm here. What's up, Gemini," Samuel said.
A face forms in front of him. It looks serious as a heart attack. Philosophical. Dark skin tone. Huge Afro. Mustache but with little hair.
Another face forms. This one animated. Albino. Same features. Yellow hair and eyebrows. Giggling his behind off.
"Well that was quick," Samuel stated.
"Let's get down to business. You can call me Gemini. I'm the serious side. When you want to get ish done you talk to me," stated Gemini.
Then the other face speaks up.
"Hehehe! You can call me Twin… twin! I'm the playful side but don't get it twisted I'm just as important," said Twin.
"But wait. Ain't no way y'all actually related or twins. Y'all look completely different," Samuel pointed out.
"Nah we are. We have the same features he just light skinned. You never seen Black folk of different colors before bro? For real?"
"Man the homie is a house man type of guy. Don't even know we come in all types of shades. Buggin for real," chimed Twin.
"Now twin hold up bruh I'm one too now."
"Yeahhhh but you don't even recognize your own people. Literally. Like in more ways than one. You got that lil homie?" Gemini stated.
"Man whatever. What you got me here for," Samuel said in a despondent tone.
"Cheer up. We chose you for a reason. Argasis the 13th is coming. You're going to need our power in the meantime and to fight him," Gemini said.
"When's your cake day?" Twin probed.
"June 20th."
"Oh wow right on the anaretic degree. You were born at 5 pm weren't you?" asked Gemini.
"Wait how you know that?"
"Because you're on planet Mercury. My domain. Gemini and Virgo rules this planet hence the twins, butterflies and bookcase you see," stated Gemini.
"In other words we know almost everything about our people. Once you're here it becomes clearer. Your speech pattern gives away the time of your birth," said Twin.
"That doesn't make sense to me."
"Of course it doesn't. Yet that is. But that's for another time if we broach that subject. You fit the bill for a Gemini but the only question is are you ready?"
"You either with us or you're not. I recommend the former. Pick it up from there Sam," Twin said.
"Well this Argasis dude sounds like trouble but that's not my business."
"It will be when he destroys every zodiac until none other exists but his. Including you. You want that? You really want to be a slave to someone else's will then die ultimately?" asked Twin.
"Hell to the nah. Give me that power Twin and Gemini."
Gemini and Twin both smile this time. A faint light twinkling in their eyes. Just like the wind their mood swung to happiness and admiration.
"But first you must answer a riddle."
"Or parable if you will," continued Twin.
"Well what is it?" asked Samuel.
"If one chicken was safe to eat but the other wasn't how would you be able to tell?" asked Gemini.
"Like in a package? Well one would be green or slimy," answered Samuel.
"Correct."
"Now part 2. In a life or death situation between your life and saving someone else's whose would you choose?" asked Twin.
Samuel looks puzzled at first but goes ahead and answers anyway.
"It depends on the person. But I would probably save them over me. If I die I know my purpose was fulfilled anyway. I'm not scared to die."
"I'll take that answer!" exclaimed Twin.
"But those aren't right or wrong answers… well except for the first."
"That's kinda the point. We just wanted to see where that brain was turning haha."
"The correct answer to the second is to be a leader not a follower. Your response in the second proves that. Even met with death you're who you are until the day you die. That's respect," Gemini said.
"Time for the power transfer," stated Twin.
Twin turns into yellow energy. Slowly being pulled into Samuel's dual pendant.
The transfer is now complete.
"Gemini. What should I expect?"
"A good time. The one of your life."
Gemini transforms into light blue energy. He copies Twin.
The transfer is now complete.
"That's it?" said Samuel.
A violent tornado takes shape. The winds sucking Samuel in closer to its core.
"No-no!!"
He claws and scratches leaving a trail but there is nothing he can do to stop this.
The tornado sucks him in.
Now in the center of it he looks up.
The twister is carrying stubble and rocks from Mercury.
He's shivering. Trying to cover his mouth with his shirt to breathe but it's getting increasingly difficult.
It lifts him up to the top then he is launched by the winds back down to Drokeo Bay.
Back to his garden where he was already at.
He covers his eyes. Afraid of the possibility of dying and also how high he is in the air.
Butterfly wings form again on his back.
They safely get him back to the ground. Feet first.
He collapses to the ground.
"Never again," he stated.
#
The planet Venus. In all its beauty only things that capture its essence are allowed on it.
Everything is reddish brown. The clouds are extremely thick and yellow.
Volcanic eruptions non-stop. Sounding like a war zone.
A woman is lying on the ground sleeping. Unknowing to her she is dreaming but what she's seeing is very real. She's been blessed to even see the planet. Even in a dream.
Her name? Nicki Reese.
She begins to wake up. Groggy.
Brunette. Brushes yellow rocks out of her fairy waves. Light blue eyes.
Cream-colored jeans are dirty but at least her sneakers are still white.
Pale pink chiffon top. Floral design.
Donning a pair of rose gold scale earrings. One scale for each ear.
Nicki takes a few steps ahead but can't see anything. Her sight totally clouded by the clouds.
Feet shuffling, scraping the ground with each step so she won't accidentally trip and fall.
Then in her sights she sees what appears to be a courthouse. Grandiose, large, and extravagant.
Just outside the pillars is two Starbeings. But not just any Starbeings, but ones specific to Venus.
Both of them have spiritual bodies. 12 feet in height. Bodies are a blinding white light.
Nicki sees them.
"I need to get inside. I can't be outside in these conditions," said Nicki.
She makes it to the entrance but is stopped by them.
One of them holds its palm out. Stopping her.
"You shall not pass without permission," said the Starbeing on the right.
"But I don't know how I got here. What do I do?" asked Nicki.
"You're here to see Libra. Come in," said the other one.
They step to the side and the doors open.
Walks inside.
The place is massive. A waiting area with at least 400 chairs. A lineup of kiosks to her right to the number of 95.
In front of her is double doors.
The signage above it says "JUDGE LIBRA." A logo of a gavel is before "Judge" and one after "Libra."
"Judge Libra. As in scales? Ok," she whispered.
The doors open by themselves.
Now she is in a courtroom. However, no one is present but her.
The double doors close and lock.
Click.
Nicki goes to the defendant's table and waits.
The doors open by themselves.
Now she is in a courtroom. However, no one is present but her.
The double doors close and lock.
Click.
Nicki goes to the defendants table and waits.
A tall man rises from underneath the ground, his essence crystallizing from stars to a more human form, to the right of the judge's bench.
6'3. Wearing a police outfit. His eyes look otherworldly. Scales tip in his pupils. Skinny.
In his hands is a folder with some paperwork.
"Court is starting! No more talking," he states.
Out comes Judge Libra.
Her hair cut shoulder length, dirty blonde, and curly.
Her judicial robe rose colored. Scale earrings. Both ears. Both of them pastel blue. Her eyebrows styled like cat scratches.
Judge Libra takes a seat.
Mini Starbeings appear in the general seating area. Some are eating popcorn, drinking soda.
All of them look mighty youthful. None of them are taller than 6 feet.
"In the case of Reese versus Judgement, all parties rise."
He raises his hands up.
"Judge Libra, this is case number 1015439 for your judgement."
He hands her the folder.
"All parties in attendance must be seated, Judge."
He motions to them. The crowd sits down.
One thing is very weird about this whole encounter though. Who is Judgement? Because nobody is at the Plaintiffs table.
"Thank you, Officer Venus. Ms. Reese, you have a case against you for coming to Venus unaccounted for and without permission. Are you aware if you're found guilty you will be here forever?" said Libra.
"Wait, but hold on, I never asked to come here? What gives??"
"Doesn't matter. You're here, aren't you? Did you not wake up passed out on the surface of this planet? Ignorance of the law is not means of not being punished for it."
"But ma'am, that's not fair!!"
"Plaintiff. Date of birth. The 15th of October," Judge Libra whispers under her breath as she flips through a stack of papers.
Looks back up at Nicki.
"Don't talk back to the judge, madam."
Nicki shuts her mouth.
"Now, Ms. Reese, do you see how you were wrong?" asked Libra.
"How was I wron—"
Bangs her pastel blue gavel.
"You don't ask me questions. I ask you the questions. Now tell me again. Do you see how you were wrong? Do you know where you're at? This is not Drokeo Bay."
"Yes, ma'am."
She hung her head.
"Good. Now you have two choices. Life here or…" She trails off.
"Or what…" she thought.
"Or you can be like me and be a judge. I'll give you my power. To be able to judge with fairness and the power of Libra scales," said Libra.
"Ok, ma'am. I accept."
"You know you were never in trouble, right? I just wanted to see how you would fight against injustice. And you did. Even in front of a judge. Judge Libra herself at that."
Now I'm just as shocked as anyone else. That was all a test? Man, these zodiacs are wildin' for real!
So what's next for her? Seems like they're getting along. Nicki's smiling now, so it can't be all bad. Let's check back in.
"Wow. Ok then, haha," Nicki finally chuckled.
"Yeah, don't worry. Laugh. No one is going to hurt you. Actually, we need you. A great evil is coming in 3 years. You're going to need my power to live," said Libra.
"Who is he?" asked Nicki.
"Argasis. I hate that demon reprobate. He destroyed a quarter of Venus after getting into a fight with Aries and Scorpio. He was brought before me. I put him away for years, and he got out after 3 years. He served his time, sadly."
"So why can't you do it again?" questioned Nicki.
"Because spirits are only meant to serve time once. The second and final offense is death. He knows this. He's getting stronger as we speak. Right now he's in his egg."
Nicki trembles.
"Don't worry. You're not alone. 11 other zodiacs will help you. Plus, you'll get stronger, and with my power you will be formidable."
"Let's get him now."
"Can't do it yet. Zodiac law says second offense is death, and he has to initiate. If you go and start trouble, you will face time for it. You don't want that," stated Libra.
"Ok, well I'm ready for the power now. I accept," said Nicki.
"Perfect. Here you go."
Libra tosses her the gavel.
Nicki barely catches it, nearly slipping out of her fingers.
"Bang it," said Libra.
Nicki bunches her face up.
Bang!
Nicki is covered in light blue and a rose colored aura.
"Woah!"
She disappears with the gavel with her.