11:57...
11:58...
Aquarius didn't take his eyes off his analog clock. He was shaking from excitement and anticipation. Almost there...
11:59...
12:00!
Midnight! Aquarius cheered, immediately running to his mirror and looking at himself. His hair was still brown, and still went down to his back. His eyes were still brown, too. He had a feeling his reawakening wouldn't be as soon as the clock struck midnight. Still, it left him a little disappointed.
Leaving his room, he wandered to the kitchen to get something to eat. He had missed dinner because of his clock-staring, which was fine. His father most likely only heated up leftovers, or not even eaten at all.
Aqua stopped when he saw his father, Philander, idly spreading mayonnaise on slices of bread. He looked horrible, with baggy eyes and stiff movements. Aqua had to cast his eyes away.
Every day since the terrible light in the sky, Phil had seemed to grow more tired and jumpy. Aqua - and the rest of the small town - knew him to be a sporadic man, but Aqua never thought he was... paranoid.
Why is he so nervous about the light? Does he know what it is? If so, why won't he talk to me about it?
"Aquarius," Phil asked, his guarded eyes still fixed on his sandwich. "Why are you just standing there?" Finally, he looked up. Aqua couldn't meet his eyes. "Are you alright?"
Are you alright? Aqua wanted to answer his dad with a question of his own, but stopped himself. Now isn't the time... I'll get answers soon. "Yeah." Aqua nodded. "I've been fine."
Phil smiled, then peered back at his sandwich. "Ah, I forgot to make dinner. Want this sandwich? I can take the mayo off."
Aqua raises his hands. "No, Dad, you have it." Phil smiled and took a bite, chewing slowly. "You should get to bed. Don't you have work in the morning?"
"I do," Phil sighed. "But I just couldn't sleep..."
Aqua dared to ask, "Why?"
"Oh, you know," Phil's eyes wandered past Aqua. His father's mind was always an enigma, even more so now that Phil had grown antsy. "I was thinking about you."
Aqua's eyes widened. "Me?" Phil never worried about his son. It was the main reason why Aqua grew to be so independent. "Dad, I'm fine-"
"I know, I know..." Phil's sigh turned into a weak chuckle. "It's just... you'll be 21 soon, you're growing up so fast and... I feel like it'll disappear soon..." Phil leaned against the counter. Aqua bit his tongue. "Ah, it's probably nothing. You should go to bed, Aqua. You have classes in the morning."
Aqua sucked in his cheeks, nodding. He hasn't been to class in days, too busy hanging out with friends and observing magic and pestering Hecate for more answers about everything she told them. "Goodnight, Dad."
Grabbing his sandwich, Phil nodded once before heading into his small room.
Alone again, Aquarius's stomach growled. He decided that dinner wasn't necessary and grabbed an apple from the fridge. Making sure his steps were faintly heard, he made his way back to his room.
The clock was passed midnight now, and there was still no changes within him. Aqua sighed, remembering words Phil had taught to him. "A watched pot never boils." He murmured to himself.
He quickly glanced at his backpack before sitting on his bed. More than a week ago, it contained numerous organs of another species, but now, only ash was inside it. Aqua had no idea what happened, but there was no one to ask. All it was now was just a bunch of disappointment. Just like the rest of my findings...
But now, now that his own magical awakening was close, Aqua couldn't help but be hopeful. He didn't have a clue what to expect - since literally everyone before him had a vastly different experience - but there was hope that he'd become something extraordinary.
Laying back into his bed, Aqua closed his eyes and let himself drift to sleep, dreaming of his infinite possibilities.
***
Aqua slowly opened his eyes, and quickly realized he wasn't in his room anymore.
He sat up, taking in his surroundings. Surrounding him was an open, field-like plain, except the ground beneath him felt soft and fluffy. Nothing surrounded him, and the sky was a smooth blend of purples and oranges. What is this place?
"Where am I?" Aqua asked himself, hoping someone or something would answer him. He knew for certain that being here was because of his reawakening. Despite this, all he got was a small gust of wind for a response. The looming idea that he could be completely alone in this vast expanse of clouds mad Aqua swallow. "Hello?" He called out, starting to walk in an aimless direction. "Dad? Anyone?"
Aqua rubbed his bare shoulders. He felt the same - scrawny, tall, long hair. What changed? How did I get here? Wait! I could be dreaming! Quickly, he pinched himself and winced. Okay... not a dream.
More questions were coming, and less answers were being made for them. Still, Aqua pressed in into the endless cloudy expanse, shouting for someone, anyone.
He was about to give up when a dark cloud formed in front of him. It quickly manifested into the shape of a woman.
Aquarius blinked, rubbed his eyes and blinked again. Is she real? She was tall - almost as tall as him - and had pretty almond skin. Even with her slightly angling her neck to meet his eyes, Aqua shivered under her golden, snake-eye gaze. Dark curls ran down her shoulders in a beautifully messy arrangement.
"State your presence here, mortal." The woman declared. Rows of sharp teeth showed as she spoke. Aqua stiffened as she approached. There was a intricate silver and golden staff in her hand, one she thrusted to Aqua's neck, stopping mere centimeters away from connecting him. "It would do you good to answer me now."
She's real! She's real! "I... I'm a friend!" Aqua blurted, rapidly raising his hands in the air. "I have no idea where I am, or how I got here. Please, I... just want to get back home, my dad must be worried-"
"Wait." The woman interrupted him. Aqua clamped his mouth shut. "You are no mere mortal. You..." She gave him some space by steeping back, and flicking her wrist. The staff in her hand retracted fluidly in her hand. "You are like me." Her lips curled, and Aqua hoped that was her way of smiling.
"L-Like you?" Aqua dared to ask. "I'm sorry... I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about."
A fleeting giggle left her mouth. It was one of the most delicate sounds Aqua had ever heard. "You and I are Realm Crossers."
The title was completely foreign to Aquarius. He blinked slowly again, processing what it could mean. His silent confusion reached the snake-woman, so she tilted her head and asked, "Do... you not know what a Realm Crosser is?" Aqua only shook his head.
"Ah." She said simply. "I don't blame you. Currently, there are only three of our kind in existence. Me, you, and another..." Looking down at the cloudy ground beneath her, she sat criss-crossed in front of him. "Sit. There is no need to be so tense here."
"Where..." Aqua did as he was told, mainly because he didn't know what else to do. There wasn't any known means of escape, and this strange woman seemed trustable enough, for now. "Where are we?"
"Your mind has left its body, and has traveled to the Lost Realm." The woman explained, stretching her arm out as a gesture. Aqua noticed there were several small bumps that traced her body. "This feat is only capable of a Realm Crosser with Psychic abilities."
"My mind?" Absentmindedly, Aqua ran a hand through his maple locks. "Does it go back? I'm not stuck here forever, right?"
She raised a calm hand, and Aqua closed his mouth again. "You will retreat to your body when you wake up."
"So you're asleep, too."
"As I have been for many mortal days."
"Why?"
"I had to do my duty, and it sapped most of my strength." Her eyes cast downward to her staff. "Such is the life of a Realm Crosser."
Aquarius dared to ask, "What is your... our duty?"
When her jaw clenched at the question, he immediately regretted asking. Her smile grew sullen, and Aqua hoped he hadn't overstepped his boundaries. "Our sole purpose of existence," She started slowly, letting each word hang in the air. "Is to create a gateway for our people to other Realms."
"Oh." It was all Aqua could manage. Even if the information would benefit him, he didn't want to ask how she does what she does. It was clearly a bitter topic for her. Deciding to change the subject, Aqua asked, "Do you know the other Realm Crosser?"
Her smile's bitterness withered away when she answered. "I do." Fingering her staff, Aqua waited patiently for her to continue. She spoke slowly and wisely, much like Pisces. "He, unlike me, is a traveler. It has been a while since I've physically seen him..."
She trailed off, and Aqua asked another question. "What's his name?"
"That, I cannot tell you." Her eyes met his, her golden orbs gleaming. "It isn't my place. Nor will I tell you my name. He and I have many enemies, and you could unknowingly be one of them. Spreading our names only causes trouble."
Aqua crossed his arms. "Fine. I won't tell you mine, either."
She nodded once; it resonated with nobility. "I understand."
"But what should I call you?"
"Hm," The woman blinked. "I have one title you can use. I am known as the Daughter of the Demons."
"Demons?" Alarm racked through Aquarius, and he did his best to keep composed in front of the Daughter of the Demons.
"Yes, they exist, for I am half of one." She observed one of her hands, idly turning it over. Not once did her grip on her staff loosen. "And the other half of me is Divine. That is what Realm Crossers are at their core. Two separate Realms, united into one being."
Hybrids. It was a simple thought that crossed Aquarius. I am a hybrid. He looked at his own hands, they still were a dull ivory. "My mother must be someone extraordinary, then..." He said to himself.
The Daughter of the Demons heard him, and asked him a question. "Do you not know her?" Aqua shook his head. "Hm. That is quite unfortunate. Is there no idea of her in your mind, friend?"
Being called her friend made Aqua blush. Still, he shook his head again. "She left me and my dad as soon as I was born." When she pouted a bit, he shrugged and continued honestly. "I never needed her though, me and my dad got by just fine without her."
"I see." Her smile returned, with her fangs on display. "I hope you discover her soon, for you need to know both Realms of which you came. Without that knowledge and understanding, you will be hindered."
"When you wake up, do you want to help me?" Aqua asked, leaning in. An adventure with this woman sounded like a delight. The Zodiac stuff could wait if it meant finding his mother. "I think I'm in the Mortal Realm, and you could get me-"
"I can't." She interrupted firmly. Gripping her staff harder, she spoke flatly, as if she was reciting from memory. "I am forbidden to cross the Realms without permission of the Demon King and Queen. I'm sorry, friend."
Aqua couldn't imagine Phil restricting him in that manner. It sounded like torture. "You've never left your Realm?"
"Only a few times."
"Didn't you have fun leaving and seeing new places?"
"Most times..." Her gaze cast off into the distance. A small breeze pulled at her loose curls. "Yes."
"So you should escape more!" Aqua exclaimed, throwing his hands out. The Daughter of the Demons made no reaction to his gesture. "Your parents don't control you. If you have a power, you should use it... if it doesn't hurt anyone."
A sad, knowing smile grew past her fangs. "If I were to be caught, disaster would befall me, friend." Meeting his eyes, Aqua knew how much she longed to leave her home. "Staying within the Cursed Realm is for my safety."
"Oh..." Aqua swallowed, his rebellious outburst dissipated. "I'm sorry."
"No need for apologies, friend." She put a hand on his shoulder. Oddly, her skin was both soft and coarse. "I don't mind being inspired every once in a while. Your energy was a breath of fresh air."
Before Aqua could respond, a burst of thunder erupted from the clouds. They suddenly darkened when the air boomed for a second time. Aqua's new friend gasped and watched the blackened sky. Horror laced her features.
"What's going on?" Aqua asked as wind started to pick up, blowing their hair to the side.
"The connection is breaking." She answered, pulling Aqua up. She grabbed his cheeks to make him look at her. He noticed that her face was covered in the same small bumps. Quickly, he realized they weren't bumps, but scales, etched into her brown skin. "One of us is waking up. Promise that we will meet again, friend."
"I-"
"Promise me!" Her voice desperately yelled.
"Okay, I promise!" Aqua agreed, grabbing onto her hands. He hated to see her so distressed.
"Good..." She tried to calm herself, but another roar of thunder ripped through their little world. "The other Realm Crosser might be in your world, find him and he will help you find yourself."
"How will I find him if I don't know his name?"
"You will know." The clouds cracked beneath them, slowly in a circle. Letting go, the woman took a step back, tears in her golden eyes.
Aquarius barely heard her whisper over the wind. "Goodbye for now, friend."
Before he could utter the words, the clouds beneath them disappeared, dropping them both into the abyss below.
***
Aqua sat up with a jolt. He was panting, and his tank top was soaked with sweat. Blinking, he patted himself down, slowly getting up. There was no time to process his dream Dizziness struck him like lightning, and then, the piercing headache.
Wincing, he dropped to his knees, digging his hands in his hair. Aqua had yet to register that teal strands that fell into his face.
He forced himself to bite back a scream as voices flooded his head. Aqua recognized them as his neighbors across the trailer park, yelling, whispering, talking, sharing.
It was a clear overload, and Aqua collapsed, tremors racking his slim figure. He did all he could to find a way to make the countless voices stop. There weren't any, and the dead end made Aqua choke out a sob.
This is my reawakening... Aqua could barely hear himself reach the conclusion, falling onto his side. There was nothing, nothing he could do. Nothing but cry and let the voices consume him.
"Aquarius!" Philander's voice echoed externally, but Aqua had to strain himself to hear. Footsteps were muffled, and Aqua felt his body be embraced by thin arms. More teal hair fell into his face. "I'm here, I'm here... stay with me."
Aqua closed his eyes, sinking into his father's grip. He felt his tears leak through his eyelids. It was a physical strain to speak. "Dad..." Aqua choked out. A hand grazed his cheek. The outside world seems to fade to Aquarius. "It's..."
"I know." Phil's heart thumped against Aqua's ear. "Focus on me, Aqua. It'll be over soon, just focus on me."
Focus... impossible. Even with the onslaught of thoughts and sounds in his head, Aquarius focused on every aspect of his father. Phil's mental presence was so close, Aqua attacked it instantly, gripping onto his father's conscience.
Phil let out a mangled cry as Aqua let out one of his own. His father's memories of him shot to him like bullets, each one nearly a blur. Most of them involved Aqua. Homework. Nature treks. Fishing. Stories. Puzzles.
Aqua pinpointed and hyper focused on each thought his father had until the others dimmed to a whisper. The pain went with it, and it left both father and son a panting mess. Peeling his eyes open, Aqua relaxed and loosened the grip on his father's mind. Other voices were still there, but now only felt like several minor buzzes he could ignore.
"Dad..." Aqua sat up, shaking off his uneasy feelings. He still trembled when he gazed at his dad. Blood dripped from Phil's nose. "Dad! Oh, shit, did I-"
"It's alright Aqua." Phil stopped his son, patting him on the shoulder. "I've been through worse. Are you alright?"
"I... I think so." Aqua finally took in his surroundings. His room was a catastrophe, with books and Legos strewn everywhere. He knew he did this while he was in a psychic frenzy. "I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize." Phil wiped his nose with his sleeve. Even without Aqua's mental vice grip on his father, he could tell there were some walls, barriers. He didn't want to comment on them, not yet. "I know it was just your reawakening overwhelming you."
"What?" He knew?! "I never told you-"
"I noticed you didn't. You were probably worried about me, but I knew this was going to happen from the moment you were born here."
"You knew..." Aqua laughed breathlessly, running a shaky hand through his hair. Finally, he took notice that wasn't brown anymore, but a deep teal. Even the roots were colored, as he observed in the mirror.
But the most striking new feature, was Aquarius's purple left eye. It was deep, royal violet, much like Hecate's secret eyes. When he closed it and opened it again, the color still lingered.
"That's how you looked before you became Mortal." Phil commented, leaning back and watching his son for a reaction.
Aqua didn't give him one. His eyes still stared at the strange reflection as he asked monotonously, "What am I?" He knew the Daughter of the Demons didn't lie to him.
"You are a Realm Crosser, Aquarius." Phil answered, unfazed by Aqua's voice. "One of only three in existence."
Aqua felt the blood drain from his cheeks as he whipped his head to his father again. "How do you-"
"I know the other two personally, one more than the other." Phil answered again, but his tone became somber as he continued. "There's only three of you because... the Gods consider your kind to be a threat. Every time one is born, the Gods execute the baby."
Aqua felt his body curl, absolutely disgusted. That's what she meant... He was morbidly happy that the Daughter of the Demons was still alive. "How... how could they?"
"It's the way of the Gods." Phil shrugged. "I can't do anything about it, and you shouldn't either."
"But Dad!" Aqua protested. Phil fought a smile. "These are my people... I met a Realm Crosser in my sleep, and she was nice! Sad, but nice! We aren't tools for them to jump from Realm to Realm, we're people too!"
"Oh I know, bud." Phil's tone returned to his casual nature. As much as Aqua missed it, he couldn't help but despise it at the moment. "But there is no way I'm letting you take on the Gods by yourself, or even with your friends. It's too risky."
"How so?"
"Because the Gods don't know you exist. To them, you're just a rumor. As soon as they know the truth - that a Realm Crosser is a Zodiac Sign, among other things - The God King will reset this timeline without a second thought. Everything will fall." Phil pursed his lips, staring into Aqua's new eye. Aqua clenched his teeth.
"Why not tell me this any sooner?" The question came out harsher than intended, but the guilt soon left Aqua. "We could have prepared, joined together with Hecate, and-"
"She wanted the same thing I did: a normal life with her child." Phil hardened, and Aqua's anger dissipated. "I didn't know you in your other life, and I was so afraid of losing you again..."
For the first time in his nearly 21 years of living, Aquarius watched his father cry. Tears squeezed out of Phil's eyes as he said, "This second chance with you has been the greatest time I've ever spent on this Earth. I wouldn't replace it for the all of the Realms combined."
For the first time that night, Aqua felt himself soften. "Dad..." was all he could muster up to say.
"Ah, shit." Phil wiped his eyes, and got up from the floor. "I didn't mean to get all sentimental like that, sorry. But don't worry about it, we should start practicing your telekinesis."
"I have telekinesis?!" Aqua exclaimed, jumping up to meet his father. To his surprise, he didn't fall back down. I can fly like Gemini, too!
"That, along with other things." Phil let out a laugh, his eyes still glassy. "Come on, I doubt you want to sleep after this."
For the rest of the night and well into the morning, Aquarius had learned he had many abilities. For one, he could do everything he saw Gemini do - read minds, teleport, fly, telekinesis - as he was Psychic now. The Daughter of the Demons wasn't lying.
Every thing that came out of Aquarius's mouth was a question. Phil answered most. Questions about either his or Aqua's past, however, he kept to himself. It drew a bit of skepticism from Aqua - especially when Aqua discovered mental barriers - but he knew that everything will be revealed with time.
There was one topic Aqua skipped over intentionally. He needed to be careful while discussing it, so he mulled it over the entire day. That's why it was late in the evening when he asked Phil, "Dad, what do you know about the other Realm Crossers?"
"Hm." Phil pursed his lips on their old couch. Aqua sat on the other side of him, observant of every move his father made. "There's a man and a woman."
"What are they like?" Aqua asked, hoping to know more about The Daughter of The Demons.
"I've only met the girl once," Aqua pouted. "but the boy..." Phil sighed. "He's dangerous. If he ever finds you, get away as fast as you can."
"What?" It was the first time that Aqua's friend and Phil's information went in two different directions. He refused to rule out her guidance just yet. "Why? He's like me, right?"
"No, he isn't." Phil's voice was suddenly stern. Aqua shrank back a bit. "Promise me you won't go look for him."
"I promise." Aqua lied, smiling calmly. Sorry, Dad. I already made one promise today.
"Good." Phil nodded once, and the matter was dropped.
To Phil's surprise, Aqua went to bed early that night. When Phil asked why, Aqua kept it to himself. He didn't want to reveal that he met The Daughter of The Demons, especially after their talk about the male Realm Crosser. This will be my secret to keep. For her safety.
When Aqua woke up later that morning, he was disappointed that his mind didn't travel to the Lost Realm again. I wonder why it didn't work this time... Stretching, he gets up and noticed that Cancer - of all people - had left him several messages.
Aqua liked Cancer, they shared many nice conversations and did each other's homework often. Although she wasn't as much of a pleasant surprise as Pisces, she was exponentially more pleasant that Scorpio.
Calling her back, it rang once before Cancer answered. "Aqua, hello?"
"Cancer?" Aqua asked. She sounded frantic and hoarse, as if she had been crying. That wasn't out of the ordinary. What was out of the ordinary, however, was that she called him - of all people - for comfort. "Are you alright?"
"You need to get to Pisces's house..." She choked out before giving herself time to continue.
Aqua felt his blood run cold when she told him, "I think... Pisces is dead."
•••
Hey everyone! I hope you guys liked this chapter, I had fun with this one too! What do you think happened to Pisces? Will she be okay? You'll have to wait and see! The final reawakening awaits!
Stay Starry! 💫