Zodiac Signs - Way of the Stars

Chapter 7: Clear, Cold

Their narrowed eyes sweeps through the area. They certainly did not expect Earth to be in this state. Noisy, unnaturally warm, and reeking of smoke.

Aquarius glances at the others, watching them take in their surroundings. Cancer peers at the tall buildings uneasily while Leo stands straighter, shoulders squared as if bracing for some sort of attack.

They are between two tall buildings that casts a shadow over the group. In front of them, in the light, are pathways of black stone with large, metal boxes of different shapes and sizes speeding past on black wheels.

Suddenly, the air-sign hears a wheezing gasp. They turn quickly towards the source of the noise.

Taurus blinks rapidly, shuddering before leaning against the wall for support. They appear drained.

"What's wrong?" Capricorn steps towards her friend, resting a hand on their shoulder.

"I- fine. I'm fine." The earth-sign murmurs softly. They manage a reassuring, albeit tired smile.

Aquarius sighs through their nose. The air is definitely not clean. Taurus has a slight breathing problem that worsens depending on the environment, but it was never this bad. Is this really the paradise that Aquarius had imagined?

"Ain't too bad." Scorpio sidles up next to Aries. "Smells bad though." He sniffs at the direction of the fire-sign, then wrinkles up his nose, feigning disgust.

"Hey!" Aries pushes Scorpio away playfully as he lets out a light laugh.

Aquarius rolls their eyes at the exchange before approaching Leo. "Hey. We gonna get going or..?"

The lion nods, looking around once more. "Looks like we're in some sort of city, as they call it. We should probably get outta here though. Not a really good place to stay."

The others nod in agreement. They don't know where they are, but they know that they should already start moving.

"Where to?" Sagittarius spins once, obviously antsy and wishing to go.

"Hmm." Leo looks out from the shadows, watching the light bounce off of the metal boxes. He then peers behind the group, further into the shadows where it leads behind the buildings.

"Well, they didn't really give us much information." Leo pauses, taking one last look at the dark areas before glancing back at the lighter open areas. "I think that all we have to do is keep moving and stay safe. The reason why we came here was to escape the Blackhole."

The others nod silently in understanding. Pisces continues to glance behind the group nervously, gripping the hands of Cancer as they both peer at the dark corners of the buildings.

"Then where do we go?" Aquarius leans against the wall, raising an eyebrow at what is supposedly the leader. "Which way?"

Leo glances at the two directions once more, a slight frown forming on his face. After another moment of hesitation, he replies, "Let's get out in the open. I'm sure that we won't look too weird walking in the streets.

Pisces visibly relaxes, letting Cancer drag her towards the front. Virgo peers at Taurus from the side before walking away with Gemini, who had stopped hovering in the air as to not attract unwanted attention.

Capricorn silently walks beside Taurus. She crosses her arms over her chest as if to guard herself from the world.

Aries grins at Scorpio, shaking the brown locks out of her eyes. Scorpio returns a smirk and starts forwards.

They step out of the shadows, blinking to adjust their eyes to the light. They walk across the sidewalk in a huge group, close together and still taking in their surroundings.