Serpents and Descendants

Prologue (pt 2)

Aquarius winced as Nemina's screams roared from inside the ship, piercing the evening air.

He paced just outside the cargo hold as he waited for Gemos and Libra, his boots crunching along the blush-colored rock of the mountains. He assumed Gemos was well aware that the baby was on its way, about a week ahead of schedule, which Aquarius found particularly annoying.

He ran a hand through his black wavy hair and picked at his fingernails. He understood why he was to stand guard, but he hated leaving Nemina in Leo's care. He rolled his eyes and looked down at his hands, the setting sun illuminating his russet brown skin. What did that fool even know about delivering a baby?

Shaking his head, Aquarius glanced back at the ship. Despite the improvements he and Gemos had made to it in the last few weeks, he had to admit that a worn out Fasmoran freight ship wasn't the most beautiful place to have a baby. But this was really their only option.

With Nemina needing to maintain her human form for the baby, there wasn't a medical center on the planet that could cater to her biological needs. Plus, her unusual appearance (compared to the green and bony Fasmorans) would garner much unwanted attention, including Aries'. They had done a decent job concealing the pregnancy so far, but Aquarius was eager to leave Fasmore to ensure the safety of his complimentals.

He couldn't believe they were leaving after all this time. Aquarius peered into the sky and took in the infinite beauty that was the Fasmoran atmosphere. As the sky's typical cerulean melted into its charming amethyst color, Fasmore's nearby moons invaded the skyline, nearly taking up its entirety while the stars speckled the remainder.

The sky was always Aquarius' favorite part about any new planet the primes encountered in their travels. He had grown especially fond of Fasmore's. This planet had been his home for a few centuries, now. He was going to miss it dearly.

Another guttural scream yanked Aquarius from his daze. None of the Fasmoran medicine in that medical bay would be able to alleviate Nemina's agony. He grimaced at the amount of pain she was having to endure. All to deliver Leo's spawn.

When Nemina shared her pregnancy with Aquarius, he struggled with the joy he had for her and the disgust at knowing it was Leo's. He began to worry over how his disposition towards the child may manifest once it arrived. Because it would be the child of both his complimental and his polar, Aquarius worried that he would end up hating it solely because of the presence of Leo's aura. He wanted to have a relationship with the child of his best friend, but what if he couldn't even stand it due to their conflicting celestial auras?

The sound of a weak puttering motor nearing the triangular freight ship had Aquarius on alert. He gingerly lifted his hands into the air, ready to pull water from the nearby stream should the need arise.

Through the ever-growing darkness, he could make out a lanky figure atop a pitiful land speeder. Aquarius lowered his arms when the recognizable silhouette faded into the other half of his complimental.

The mousy speeder slowed to a halt, and Gemos hobbled towards the ship, holding his middle and bearing his teeth.

Aquarius jogged over to help his friend before he fell face first into the red dust of the mountain.

"Nemina..." Gemos ground out. He tapped his temples. "I can't feel her. The pain-" He clenched his eyes shut, breathing heavily as he tried to stand upright.

Aquarius rubbed Gemos' shoulders. "She's doing alright."

Another scream rolled from the ship.