Chapter 11
♆ ♑ 25° 13' 🏠 4
"The harvest is ripe for the taking. Time for the ultimate awakening," said Maine as he is flying in the air on a slab of rock.
Daytime. Sunny skies. Right now, Maine is cold because he's so high up in the air.
Luckily, his cloak is keeping him warm, although he still has goosebumps on his arms.
"Stop!" commanded Maine.
Now hovering over Drokeo Bay, he decides to unleash his master plan to speed everything up.
Maine looks down and sees 1000's of people congregated at the fire sector.
"They must be having a BBQ or something," Maine said.
A silhouette of Miranda's face appears across from his face.
"Maine, this is extreme. I don't think you should do this…" Miranda stated.
Maine just stares at her. Not maliciously, but just to study her face and emotions.
"Miranda, I appreciate your concern, but this is my responsibility. Respectfully, you are my guide, but I'm the head. In the end, you won't answer for my actions, but I will," replied Maine.
Diana agrees but still isn't completely on board with him.
"Look. I know you have wisdom, Maine. Just don't forget to show compassion. I'm not saying you're not. Just remember everyone has feelings and limits," she said.
She slowly fades away into stardust from his presence. The stardust is carried in the wind toward the sun.
He's still sitting on the slab of rock. Criss-cross applesauce.
Stands up straight and tall. Looks below.
Hears kids playing below, pop and blues music.
Faint chattering fills his ears.
Dusts himself off. Rock and dust falls down from the slab, and in a second they're not visible to the human eye.
Sniffs. Smells BBQ ribs, rice, and collard greens.
His face relaxed, and for the first time he genuinely smiles.
"Mhmm. Delicious. Just like how mom used to cook back in the day. However, recreational pleasures are not of the essence at the moment. Sorry, everyone. 6th House: Daily Work!"
A giant clock cloaks itself over the sun, blacking everything out.
Everything stops. Music. Eating. Playing outside. Everything.
The minute hand on the clock ticks with every movement. Each one sounds like a cross between a gun being cocked back and the ticking of a clock.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
It's the only thing being heard right now.
Suddenly, everyone below scrambles to their homes.
Lock their doors, taking all of their belongings with them inside.
They begin to work from home inside on their computers.
Everyone is only focused on work like zombies.
The clock moves to the right so the sun can shine again.
No more BBQ smell.
"Time to get this work," he said.
His irises shift to resemble planet Mercury's surface. Yellow, blue, and brown. The texture of them like craters.
Serenity is running through the Earth sector trying to find anyone outside.
To her dismay, no one is outside. It's a complete ghost town.
She's sprinting.
"Where is everyone? Today is a celebration day, not a work day," said Serenity.
A man is sitting on a bench at the local park. He's looking at roses. Maybe he's getting some for his girlfriend.
He gets up and looks behind himself to see Serenity running to him.
Tries to stop her from running into him. Narrowly avoids colliding with him.
She falls to the ground.
Gets back up unscathed.
"Hey! Watch it. You almost hit me," said the man.
"Look, my bad, but what's going on in the Earth sector? Everyone is working, but it's not a workday. I'm so confused."
He adjusts the collar of his shirt.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Isaiah McCall. I'm Capricorn's host," stated Isaiah.
Black. Standing 6'2. Charcoal-colored shoes. Dreadlocks slightly past shoulder length. Taupe buttoned-up shirt. Grey eyes that change color based on his mood.
On his left hand is a platinum signet ring. The inside is designed like a clock. Inside the clock is two goats eating grass.
"Hey, Isaiah. My name is Serenity. I'm Virgo's host. Well, one of them," Serenity said.
"Two hosts?? No way, you definitely messing with me. You don't want no serenity; you want chaos," he said dryly.
He looks dead serious.
"I know you're joking, haha," she laughs half-heartedly.
Isaiah busts out laughing.
"Hahahaha! Sorry, couldn't hold that in. You like that?" asked Isaiah.
"I like dudes that know when to shut up," said Serenity.
"Damn, ok, let me stop messing with you. What's up?" asked Isaiah.
"Good. I know how Capricorns joke around, but I can tell we're both in the same element. But anyway… I don't think this environment is normal," Serenity stated.
Isaiah looks up in the sky.
Sees the faint image of a clock in the sky.
"Well, that's your problem."
He pointed to the sky.
"What you mean?" asked Serenity.
"Take a look," he said.
"Alright, but I—"
Serenity feels a great force trying to pull her body downwards when she sees the faint imagery of the clock.
Isaiah notices and tries to keep her standing.
Puts his arms underneath her armpits while facing her. Lifting.
"Don't look at it!" Isaiah said.
Serenity closes her eyes, and her body returns to normal.
"The hell?" she chimed.
"You can't look at it directly. That's how everyone else is under its spell. But you didn't do this?" asked Isaiah.
Serenity looks at him dumbfounded, then slaps him up the back of his head.
Grabs his head.
"Owww. What was that for?" asked Isaiah.
He smells blueberry and strawberry perfume coming from Serenity's direction.
It's sweet and almost smells edible.
"Yo, that perfume smells nice! Wh—"
She cuts him off.
"Listen, Isaiah. Number one, thanks for the compliment. Two, why on earth do you think I might have done this?" asked Serenity confusingly.
"Well, sometimes we don't have full control over our own power," said Isaiah.
Serenity rubs her face in frustration.
"Isaiah, if it was my technique, I would know enough to not LOOK AT IT," she exclaimed.
Pats her on the head politely.
"Alright, alright, I'm joking."
"No, you aren't. Now get serious."
Isaiah sighs.
"Serenity, that is a 6th house power. Only the ruler of that house can use or even access this ability," Isaiah explained.
"Andddd?"
"So what that means is only a Virgo can do this. Y'all rule the 6th house. Did your zodiac not teach you that? I thought y'all were good bookkeepers or something."
She glares.
"My bad," Isaiah whispered.
"It's not a terrible question because I would respond the same way without context. But it's my brother that did this. I guarantee it," stated Serenity.
"He has the Maiden too? How? It's one zodiac per host," Isaiah said confusingly.
Birds, crickets continue to chirp as they speak.
Shrugs her shoulders.
"I don't make the rules. I was confused when he beat me, Daiyu, and Katrina pretty easily."
"Well, I'll be damned. Let's get him then. What are we waiting for?" Isaiah said.
"Right. Let's go," Serenity replied.
"I have a great idea for a ride. Sea Goat Style: Goat Ride," said Isaiah.
Two goat horns manifest in front of them. Then a goat, although it has the tail of a fish. It's about 9 feet long.
Has Capricorn symbols all over its thighs.
"Baa!"
"Woah, that's a big goat!" said Serenity.
"That's because I'm the GOAT. Now let's go with Cap. We're going to the fire sector. It seems like we aren't affected," Isaiah said.
"So that means the others aren't either. At least no one will get hurt."
They hop on the goat's back.
"Cap! Take flight to the fiyah!" shouted Isaiah.
They start to float.
Capricorn turns its two hind legs into tail fins.
His other tail fin takes on a state of energy, then combining with the other.
Capricorn moves his tail fin. Propelling them forward while increasing their height in the air.
Their body temperature drops. No longer do they hear crickets and birds.
The clock is also completely gone, but everyone is still under its influence.
With Serenity and Isaiah about to go to the fire sector, only a few questions remain.
When will all of the zodiacs meet, and will they see Maine again? When will everything go back to normal?
"Stay strapped for the ride. Go, Cap!" commanded Isaiah.
"Maa!" Cap bleated.
They propel forward.
"Woah, take it easy!" said Serenity.
As they get closer to the fire sector, the sun is brighter. The sun is closer to them.
Inside his lair, Maine is sitting in one of his reclining chairs.
He has 5 crystal chandeliers dangling from the ceiling. 3 of them stained glass.
In the middle of it, a large rectangular table.
He has 9 leather reclining chairs.
In the middle of the table is 4 cloaks.
2 of them air-themed. The other 2 water-themed.
Air theme cloaks are baby blue. Depiction of snow-capped mountains on the back. Etched with designs of wind gusts, hurricanes above the mountains.
The other set of them dark blue. Heavy rain design with lightning bolt coming from overcast clouds. Ocean at the bottom as if it's in a storm.
Kyle, Tyler, Micah, and Emmit walk in together.
They're with 4 other mutant orphans.
The other four are behind them.
Maine motions for them to sit down.
They do.
Maine sits at the head of the table. Looking at all of them, studying their expressions and demeanor.
"So nice for you all to join me today. The four new members to the team, please introduce yourself," Maine said.
He grabs his hot cocoa and sips it while leaning back in his chair.
Two new faces are present that are ready to speak.
One is part bald eagle and the other part crow.
The bald eagle hybrid looks around for any volunteers. She goes first without hesitation.
She cleans her claws as she's speaking. Paying careful attention to just them.
"My name is Emily. I live in the mountains near the air sector. I was raised by bald eagles. After fighting Micah and Emmit in battle, it was my obligation to come here and join," said Emily.
Maine smiles.
"Great. Now for our next guest."
He looks over at the crow woman hybrid.
"They call me Rita. Raised with crows. Emily is my teammate and friend. I came to join because of free meals and getting out of that rigid cold weather sometimes," Rita stated.
After they got done talking, Maine points at their cloaks and urges them to grab them.
They stand up to put them on and pose in them.
They're incredibly satisfied.
"Oh my, these are beautiful!" said Emily.
"Oooh, and they make me look good and stylish!" Rita said.
Both of them begin posing like models at a photo shoot.
Even Emily blows some playful kisses, but not towards anyone.
The other two mutant orphans are Danny and Niloh.
Danny has pale skin with nearly his whole body covered in alligator osteoderms. His tail is 3 feet long.
Black messy hair. Alligator eyes. Above-the-knee blue jeans that are torn at the bottoms.
Alligator mouth, teeth, and claws instead of humans, but they fit his hands and aren't overly long.
"I don't want to be here, but it seems like I don't have much of a choice. Not a bad place either, and I can sunbathe in peace with no other humans around. Glorious. They call me Danny," he stated.
Now all eyes are on Niloh.
Spiky, damp-looking white hair. Mean-looking expression. Turtle eyes that are dark green and yellow.
Light brown, thick rubbery skin just like his snapping turtle kind.
Sporting cargo shorts in the style of his shell. He has patches of green on his shorts that resemble sea moss.
Turtle shell on back. Stocky build.
"I'm Niloh. Born and raised in the swamp. Half snapping turtle, as you can see. I'm just here for a good time. Life has been getting boring," said Niloh.
Grabs his cloak.
Now satisfied, Maine kicks his chair back.
Puts his hot chocolate down.
"As you can see, all of you are not here by chance. Each of you has a special mission. To find and fight the zodiacs to death. By any means necessary," stated Maine.
"Even killing them? What a heartless human being," said Emily.
She chuckled as she twirls her hair in her fingers.
"The Virgo wants more order, but at what cost?" stated Rita.
"And when they die by our hands, what will be your plan then?" asked Emmit.
"I think we're focusing on the wrong question here. He's more strategy-based. He wants natural selection to take its course. Isn't that right, Maine?" asked Micah.
"You happen to be correct," he stated.
"But you don't count on them dying… or do you?" asked Emmit.
They all look at him.
"I'll let you decide their fate. My job is done for now. Whatever happens in your battle with them is your business. I only care about the confrontation. Anything less is a failure," Maine stated.
"We understand. You have our loyalty. You gained our respect. Now let's earn yours," stated Kyle.
Maine looked at him intently.
"Thank you," said Maine.
"Wow, an actual thanks? Must be the end of the zodiac world, hahahaha!" laughed Emily.
The other mutant orphans joined in laughter.
Maine smirks too.
"Look, I'm not all bad. Check the uniforms, food, and the place. It's all yours. Everyone will be working for one week due to my 6th house zodiac power. With that, no one will see your strikes or ambush," Maine stated.
"Got it," all of the mutant orphans said in harmony.
Gets up. Turns his back to them.
"Good. I'm giving you all ample time to chill, plan, then attack. Do it in groups, individually, I don't care. Just get the job done. Got it," he says seriously.
Turns around.
Stares at all of them.
Mercury's insignias rotate in each of his irises for a brief second.
"Don't gotta tell us twice," stated Danny calmly.
"Perfect. I'm out," Maine said.
He fades away as dust.
"You would think he would lighten up a little," said Tyler.
"Yeah, but they ain't us. Zodiacs have vastly different personalities than us mutant orphans," said Micah.
"We're doing teams. Each with their own element. Aka by environment. That means Danny and I, Emily and Rita. So on and so forth," Niloh said.
"All settled. Operation 12: Zodiac Hunt is the mission name," said Rita.
They all begin to get ready to find the other 12 zodiac defenders.
The hunt is on.