The Final Cycle: A Zodiac Story

𝕍𝕀𝕀

It made her chuckle a bit. The sun was already setting, and not a thing had happened to her yet. No wings. No dragons. No powers. Just a subtle headache.

A subtle headache that seemed to grow as Gemini stared at herself in the mirror. At first the pain was pulsing like a heartbeat, then a strange stabbing sensation. She clutched her head, tangling her fingers in her short hair.

It was oddly intense so quickly, and Gemini wanted to curl into a little ball. She tried, crouching onto the floor and panting.

The pain surged. Gemini screamed. Hopefully, no one was in the bathroom, hopefully no one heard her. She was sobbing now, a rarity for her but the stabbing was too intense.

Suddenly, it was changing again, the pain subsiding, or morphing into something else. Gemini didn't know what was happening anymore.

Voices. Lots of voices flooding into her head. They weren't hers. It was so loud, so scary, Gemini couldn't stop her sobs. The pain was gone now, but there was so much noise, and if Gemini were honest with herself, the pain was much better than this.

"Leo!" Libra yelled. Gemini flinched, further curling into her ball. Her pretty voice was faint, like it was outside. Nothing like the swirling voices. "She's in here! Somethings wrong, she's crying!"

"Gemini?" Leo called out. She felt him get closer, and his thoughts invaded her mind. She screamed, scooting back. "Gem, it's okay... it's just me and Libra. We can help..."

"It's so loud..." Gemini whispered. "Too loud..."

Leo held out his hand. "No one's saying anything."

He was right, he and Libra were silent. And Gemini could tell no one else was in the bathroom. That could mean only one thing: these voices were in Gemini's head.

She told Leo this, and he clicked his tongue. "Okay. Just focus on me. Tune everyone out, and focus on me."

Gemini nodded and tried. She centered her energy around listening to Leo's mental monologue, and to Gemini's surprise, it worked. She engulfed in his thoughts, and let him scoop her up. Outside thoughts were still there, but they weren't nearly as prominent as Leo.

"Libra, can you drive? We have to get her out of here." Leo gently ordered. Libra nodded and dashed off. She already had his keys. "Gem, you feel better?"

She nodded, the tears long subsided. Leo lifted her up with ease, slowly walking out of the bathroom. The voices started up again as Leo walked past onlookers. Gemini squeezed her eyes shut, keeping her mind on Leo. "Don't worry guys," Leo said, not elaborating. Gemini knew he couldn't even if he wanted to. "She just had an accident, that's all. She's gonna be a-ok!"

Gemini smiled, burying her petite frame in his chest. He didn't have to do this. He could have just let her rot alone in the University bathroom, crying from voices apparently only she could hear. But he was taking her home, sacrificing his evening for her. Gemini didn't care how anyone else felt, Leo was her beacon of light.

Libra already had the car started, Leo easily slid in the back. He didn't let go of Gem once. "Hey," He asked her as Libra drove off. "Gem, are you okay?"

She took a deep breath and nodded. "Yep!" Gemini tried to chime, but it came out broken. The voices were gone, but Leo's loud inner monologue still rung through her head, along with Libra's worries about her. "I'm... better."