"Hey, take my hand?" The boy asked, pushing his hair out of his face. "We'll make it, I swear."
"Woah, Livin' on a prayer." The girl smiled, taking it.
Everyone else joined hands, creating a circle of thirteen. Each clasped each other tightly, as i...
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"So, Phoenix, have you noticed anything odd about Pisces and her friends?" Hydrus asked his cousin.
"Nope," Phoenix told him with a shrug. "They're a bit... energetic, but otherwise they're all good."
"Really? That's it?" Hydrus prides. "Nothing strange or unusual? They seem a bit on edge to me."
"From what Pisces has told me, it's just because they're pretty used to drama and stuff, no biggie," Phoenix countered. He was getting a bit irritated.
"They're something off about them, Nix. I'm telling you. You should break up with Pisces," Hydrus told him. His voice was seeping with a manipulative undertone.
"Fuck off, man. I'm not going to break up with Pisces just because you wanna sleep with her." Phoenix glared at his cousin. "I can't believe you. Every time you visit, I have a girlfriend. And every time, you beg me to break up with her and then go behind my back and sleep with her!"
"This is different, Phoenix. I promise," Hydrus pleaded with his cousin. "I think she and all of those freaks she calls friends are dangerous."
"She isn't a freak, and neither are the rest of them." Phoenix gave him a disgusted look. "And if you're going to talk about my friends that way, you can leave."
"You're with them or against them. You just chose the losing side of a war," Hydrus sneered. He walked away haughtily.
Phoenix immediately dialed Pisces' number. "I'm coming over. Grab your friends. Something tells me we need to talk."
————————
All thirteen Zodiacs, plus Phoenix were gathered in Pisces living room. None looked too happy. I'm fact, Cancer and Gem's eyes were blotchy red. Gem cling onto her best friend, boyfriend, and brother desperately. Cancer wouldn't let Scorpio, Pisces, or Virgo go.
"What aren't you telling me?" Phoenix asked.
Nobody looked him in the eye, with the exception of Pisces.
"You guys have been hiding something for weeks, and didn't tell me about it," Phoenix chided. He talked with exasperation, fear, and anger all mixing in his voice. "I'm no idiot. And if you don't tell me, I think all of us will be in danger."
Everyone looked at each other. They were unsure what to say or do. So instead they avoided eye contact. This time, it was Aries who dared to speak up.
"We all have powers," Aries told him. He allowed fire to dance on his finger tips.
"I already told you I'm not an idiot," Phoenix sighed. "What is it? Really?"
"It's true." Pisces started controlling water from her cup.
"That's-that's insane." Phoenix stepped away from them. "But it seems... true. Who has what?"
Aries kept the finger fire going. "I can make and control flames."
