Museum of Stars- A Zodiac Story

Chapter 33: Toponymy Paid Off

In Sagittarius' Point of View

So- basically- we just had to figure out what task Marie Anne had done before she "retired" (had finished) from "Moon Agency" (working for Moon), and then we go to the "Detectives in the Sky" (Aries, Aquarius, Libra and Virgo) to tell them the information. Thing is, we needed Leo to do that. Or at least, someone who knew how to communicate from Earth to Space.

"We won't have to travel to NASA," Scorpio told me. That was the fifth time he'd told me that, and he was rubbing his temples irritadedly.

"Are you sure?" I asked him again.

"Yes, I'm completely sure. Now, we have to figure out which country we're in. Or at least, which continent," Scorpio looked around.

I mean, there were supposed to be signs around here right? Something that told us which province or city we were in. Then, I realized something. What if Moon didn't want us to know which country we were in? What if...

"Marie Anne's job!" Scorpio and I said at once. He looked at me, his eyes gleaming. "You know what I know, don't you?"

"Yep, I'm completely sure I do," I beamed. We were working so well together.

Marie Anne's one and only job for Moon was to take down signs. She was the one who leveled the flags in the library from when Aries and Leo were searching with me. Er... that was what I told Scorpio. But apparently, he thought of something else. So much for 'I'm completely sure I know what you know.'

"Well... that was what I had in mind too... at first," he said. "But that would be too obvious for everyone else in this country. I was thinking she put some sort of something to make sure our eyes don't figure out where we are."

"I guess that does make more sense," I replied.

"The airports had nothing to say about where we were. Even the countries we went to didn't have anything."

"Except for the landmarks," I told him.

"The landmarks!" Scorpio exclaimed. Did I mention we were working so well together? I mean, honestly, we should've been paired together from the very beginning.

After hours of looking around, we finally figured out we were residing in the Philippines- a southeast Asian country. The house was close to the Laguna de Bay, which had a shore in Victora, which- in the road- had these big duck statues.

"That was oddly specific information," Scorpio said, jotting down everything I was saying. "Someone cleary took their toponymy seriously."

"Heh..." I scratched the back of my neck. "At least we finally know where we are. It's easier to pinpoint locations and find our items."

But Scorpio still looked confused. "There's no Marine Aquatic Museum anywhere when people look up museums on their uh... phones, was it?"

"Should we check if it's still there?"

It wasn't there anymore.

"Is this because Pisces and Cancer aren't here?" I asked. "Will the MC and MA Cafe be taken down if you and the others disappear too?"

"I... don't know," Scorpio was silent after that. I followed his example.

I didn't know if I was happy I knew where we were. First, I have no idea how to speak their native language- since there are too many to keep count of. Second, Scorpio was acting creepy, like it just dawned on him that Cancer and Pisces weren't here right now. And last, everything just seemed... wider. You know, like Earth turned big all of a sudden, and we had to roam around the whole thing to find our items.

Moments later, Scorpio walked off. He told me he would walk around, just to see if he could find Leo and tell her we've found Alice Preya, or figure out where to find the next item- whichever happened first. I said, "Sure," and I didn't know what to do next.

So I started talking to Jade.

"What's my favorite number?" I asked, as if Jade was playing Ice Breaker with me. "It would have to be nine. I mean, with me being in the Ninth House and all. But also because... my brother always told me to- Dang, this is getting sentimental."

I laughed at myself. "Maybe," I continued, "if he could just come back, he could tell me why he liked the ninth day of the ninth month so much."

Chongyang cakes, I heard someone tell me.

"Well, that answers it. Though, I've never tasted one before," I said. "Thanks anyway, Jade."

"Chongyang cakes?" the 'someone' asked again. I turned around and there was Capricorn.

Bad timing. Very bad timing. I always turned moody when Capricorn was around. I was easily annoyed when around him, and I knew exactly why.

He keeps toying with people's feelings, and I hated it when people toyed with others' feelings.

I mean, for example, he talks to Libra so casually, so friendly, as if he never broke her heart. Now, he's trying to mend it, knowing he'd still be forgiven because Libra still loves him. Then there's Virgo. He's always been close to her, then he sstarts to wander off all the time- yes, I'm talking about the Madrid, Spain thing- as if Virgo was someone who could easily be left behind. Then there's me myself. He talks to me as if he's the only one with problems, which of course, was not true.

"Capricorn," I grinned with grit teeth.

He looked at me, horrified, guilt forming in his eyes.

I sighed. "Stop it. I know I should be comforting Gemini, but I have stuff to do. So, just stop it."

"Sagittarius, I..." his voice faltered. "I'm sorry you have to feel that way."

"Feel what way?"

"Mad at me. Annoyed with me," he told me. It wasn't entirely false. "I... I just came here to told you I wanted to change. Even though it was... too late I figured out."

"Too late you figured out what? Dang it, Capricorn. You're leaving me with the worst context clues. And yes, I know what the words mean."

"I didn't say you didn't know what the words mean." Okay, that was creepy. He actually looked sorry even when he did nothing to me. He did make my friends feel hurt. And by friends, I mean companions in the group I'm in. Heh. I wish we all were a little closer to each other though!

"Um... I know this is a weird thing to say, but I think I need to entrust you with a secret."

"What- you're going to tell me you're actually someone who deserves to treat others that way? Because as far as I can tell, you're-"

"A mind reader. A mind controller."

"-not. Uh, what?" I frowned at him. "As in, you can read my mind right now? And you can warp it too?"

"Yeah, and I think this is one of the times I'm glad I could read minds. I realized... a mistake. And well, looking back at it, it does make it seem I was taking advantage of everyone, doesn't it?"

"That's a question I'm sure I don't need to answer," I said. "Anyways, it's never too late to make up for anything. And I think that's what you're trying to do, right?"

"I think so."

"Anyway, we're in the Philippines. Victoria, Laguna, to be exact," I beamed. "Scorpio figured it out too."

I gave him more information, and suddenly, a random thought, I was glad I took Toponymy seriously.