The Zodiac Cycle

2.4 There's No I In Team

"Good job Clementine!" Keith called out to the Hippocampi. She had managed to summon her weapon, a large spiked mace made out of lime green light.

Nolan watched the other water sign swing her weapon around, testing its weight, before he turned back to Ash. Nolan had figured out how to summon his on command a few days ago, leaving Ash as the only water sign left to figure his out.

All three Air signs had also managed to summon theirs, Alex with a Naginata and Iris with twin swords. This left Elizabeth, Avery, Brianna, and Ash who had not yet pulled theirs out.

The group had docked at a river-side village on the edge of The Cooperative called Serpents Tounge. It was where Butterfly River fed into La Rivera De Noel, which would take them straight to the ocean. They would still be on the edge of Axton for a while before they passed the Human Zone, then Soliel.

Keith had said that once they reached a port-city, they would hire a captain and set sail to Abbadon.

Ash plopped down next to Nolan angrily.

"You'll get it, dont worry." Nolan patted his shoulder. Ash shrugged it off. Nolan knew this kind of mood. When Ash was like this, he didn't really like to be touched. He held himself to such high expectations that moments like this made him disappointed in himself. Nolan still hadn't figured out how to completely deal with these kinds of moods, but nevertheless, he still tried.

Nolan and Ash had met in high school. Nolan had just moved to The Cooperative with his grandparents, and he couldnt walk all that well yet. He ended up in PE, and was made fun of when he wasnt able to run around the track without falling. Ash stepped in, beat the crap put of the mean kids, and got suspended for two weeks.

About a month later, Ash ran into him again, running errands with his grandfather. The two of them found Ash being jumped in an alley and Nolans grandfather slapped the assulters so hard with his tail that they were all knocked unconscious. That was when Nolan found the gang.

Soon after, the people that had attacked Nolan before went after his grandfather for his interference, killing both of Nolans grandparents. From then on, Nolan lived with Ash, and held tightly to Ashs best kept secrets.

Ash had defended Nolan, even though he had never met him. Ash had told Nolan later that he felt weirdly drawn to him, and he felt the need to protect him. Nolan had also felt the same pull towards Ash, but he wanted more to be friends with Ash than protect him.

Ash huffed a bit, making Nolan chuckle. Ash might not like being touched when he was being salty, but he still wanted attention. He really was just a big baby when they were alone.

Well, when they were just hanging out alone. Not so much at other times.

"You want me to help you try again?" Nolan leaned forward, trying to get Ash to look at him.

Ash gave him a skeptical look before agreeing.

The two boys stood up, Nolan positioning himself in front of Ash.

"Give me your hands." Nolan reached his webbed hands out for Ash's normal ones.

Ash put his hands in Nolans and smirked. "I do."

"Oh hush." Nolan refrained from rolling his eyes, his heart skipping a beat.

Nolan held Ashs hands palms up, and told him to close his eyes. "I've always felt more connected to knives, and that connection made a lot more sense when I first summoned mine. Try to imagine a weapon that you feel the most connected to, the one you feel safest with."

"Do you count?" Ash raised his eyebrows, his eyes still closed.

Cheeky Bastard.

"No." Nolan closed his as well.