The Twelve Realms (A Zodiac Story)

Chapter 1 - the Airship

Gemini POV

For once, I didn't look back.

I stared at the line, stared it so hard it started to turn green. 

"That's not it," I said. "That can't be it. There has to be more. RICK RIORDIAN CAN'T JUST END THE SERIES LIKE THIS."

"Shut, up, it's five in the morning," Aries groaned. She was still in her bed with the covers twisted all up. From the sound of her, she needed more sleep.

I glanced at the clock. "Really? Because last time I checked, it was 5:56."

Aries bolted up in bed, amber eyes wide. Her hair was kinda messy and her clothes were rumpled, but she still looked so much better in the morning than I did that I kinda envied her. "Oh shit."

I tapped my wrist. "Better get going. You have four minutes."

I watched as Aries scrambled out of her bed and ran into the bathroom. Even though she was probably half-asleep right now, dang, that girl was fast. I returned my attention to The Last Olympian.

"There has to be more," I muttered, leaning against my bed frame. I Xd out Libby on my computer and searched for anything regarding Percy Jackson. My fingers skittered over the keyboard so fast and the ideas kept coming to my brain so quickly that I didn't even have to wait a minute before I found my answer.

"HEROES OF OLYMPUS?" I gasped. A muffled "Shut up!" came from the bathroom, but I ignored it and explored further. "Ok, so it still has the same characters . ."

At 5:58 on the dot Aries stumbled out of the bathroom, pulling her jean jacket on while simultaneously combing her hair. "That has got to be the fastest shower I've ever taken in my entire life," she muttered, yanking the comb through her hair. "Come on, Gem, we have two minutes."

"Yeah, yeah," I murmured distractedly.

"GEM! DO YOU WANT TO GET A SUSPENSION SLIP OR NOT?" Aries slammed the lid shut on my computer and threw the comb onto the dresser we shared. 

"Hey!" I protested, getting up from my bed. Then I realized what Aries said. "Shit . . You actually think I'll get one again?"

Aries glared at me and opened the door, her jacket on and her bag slung over one shoulder. "Yeah, the teachers hate you. Get ready." 

She disappeared down the dorm hallway while I hurriedly packed my stuff.

*time skip*

I checked my phone as I hurried down the stairs. My Bio class was all the way on the other side of campus, so I would have to hurry to get there on time. Aries was a fast runner, so she probably went through the gardens, but still, the campus was big and I had 13 minutes to get to the classroom.

I checked the time. 6:03 am.

12 minutes now.

I reached the bottom of the stairs and pushed open the double doors that led to the garden. Virgo, one of the only female seniors I actually knew, had showed me and Aries the shortcut at the beginning of the year, and she probably went through there. If I walked fast it would take 10 minutes, easy. I found the path and hurried through the trees, determined to make it to my class early, when I realized that something was off.

I looked around and realized that the sun was being blotted out. Everything was in shadow —how did I not notice that before?

I gazed up at the school and gasped. How had I not noticed that before?

Hovering above the boarding school, the one place I hated more than my house, was a giant airship. It was HUGE, like larger than life.

"What the fudge?" I whispered.

The airship stayed there.

Long story short, I got to class 10 minutes late. Mrs. Gonzales gave me the "look", but didn't say anything. I guess I should've been thankful, but when I slid into my seat beside Aries, I was anything but, and thinking hard.

"Where were you?" she hissed. "Does it really take that long to come here?"

"No — you don't understand —"

"Understand what?"

"There's an airship. And it's right above the school."

*time skip*

Nobody POV

"I don't see it."

Gemini huffed. "It was right there."

Capricorn tilted his head at the empty space above the school. "Maybe it moved. It is an airship, after all." He sounded doubtful that it even existed.

Aries folded her arms. "You said nobody else noticed it?"

"Well, or else there would be a giant crowd, and there wasn't. Believe me, I was there."

Aquarius grabbed Gemini's arm. "Maybe it's invisible?"

"Yeah, no," she said.

"Well there has to be a reason we're all standing here, on this shortcut that I didn't know about," Leo said. Aries slapped him. He shot her a look. "Owww."

She ignored him. "Well, I was on the path, like two minutes before you, so I would've noticed it. Are you sure you're not hallucinating again?"

Gemini shot her a look while Aquarius tried to get her opinion in. "No, but guys, what if it was an alien airship?"

"I mean, it could be possible," Sagittarius said, scratching the back of his neck while looking up at the empty space above the school. "But the only thing that's there is clouds."

"And despair," Pisces chimed in. "So much despair."

"I'll check if anybody else saw it," Libra said, her phone already out. Aquarius tried again.

"But aliens, guys—"

"Wouldn't that one alien agency be here already, then?" Virgo asked, her arms folded. She was standing close to Capricorn, who was talking to Aries. They looked like they were having a serious conversation, which was rare for Aries. Cap then spoke up.

"Gemini, I don't think it was there," Capricorn said. 

Gemini's face fell and Taurus patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Gemini. Maybe you just saw something."

"Gemini, you're wasting our time," Scorpio said from where he was leaning against a tree. Aries shot him a look and he quieted down.

Cancer was kicking said tree. "Listen, I know that you think that you saw something, Gem, but we all have class to get to, so . ."

The other ten agreed. Gemini sighed. "Fine. But if we see it again, the blame's on you!"

"Nobody saw it," Libra said, putting her phone back into her pocket and looking at Gemini. "We should all get to class, Gem."

The other Zodiacs all nodded, except for Gemini. 

"I think I'll stay here," she said. "I know that airship meant something."

The other eleven nodded and left for their classes, but Gemini kept staring up at the sky. She knew something was happening, and whatever it was, it wasn't good.

Hey, guys. I just want you to know, this story will include every sign's POV, and that all the signs are the main character. Gemini was just mostly focused on in this chapter because she was the one that saw the airship. Just so you guys know! :)