Who We Are (A Zodiac Story)

POV: Cancer (Part 3)

"Everyone knows how to play?" Capricorn asked, his gaze sweeping across the assembled group, his expression one of calculated calculation.

Sagittarius groaned and flicked his wrist in a dismissive gesture. "Yes," he replied, his voice filled with exasperation. "Can we get on with it?"

Capricorn rolled his eyes, the annoyance evident in the subtle twitch of his brow, but he nevertheless pressed forward. "We need two teams," he announced, holding up two fingers.

Both Sagittarius and Capricorn volunteered to be team captains, setting the stage for what was sure to be a fiercely competitive matchup. However, it was immediately clear that the selection process was anything but fair, as Capricorn possessed an intimate knowledge of everyone's individual strengths and weaknesses.

Sagittarius, on the other hand, made his choices with a more casual air, starting with his girlfriend Gemini, followed by Scorpio, Virgo, and Pisces. Then, as the final pick, Sagittarius turned his gaze towards me, his expression betraying a flicker of indifference. Not that I was chosen out of any sense of friendship or fondness, but rather because I was the last remaining option - the unwanted afterthought in a group that had already cast doubt upon my credibility.

...

Virgo, with a deft display of her magical prowess, conjured a sturdy tree trunk from the ground, swiftly planting our team's flag atop its towering branches. With a nimble leap, she bounded down, her descent caught by the strong, steady arms of Sagittarius, who gently eased her to the ground.

"Okay! Scorp, Virgo, and I will guard our flag," Sagittarius announced, his voice ringing with a confident authority as he laid out the strategic plan. Though the odds didn't seem to be in his favor, the archer's expression radiated a cautious optimism, his eyes shining with the thrill of the challenge.

"Pi, you'll be the lookout," he continued, his gaze shifting to the shy, unassuming Pisces, who nodded with unease at the prospect of being entrusted with such an important role.

"Cancer and Gemini, you look for the flag," Sagittarius added, his eyes flitting between the two of us.

Gemini tried to discreetly roll her eyes, but I caught the subtle gesture. It was obvious that she had no desire to be alone with me and would have much preferred to partner with her actual friend and boyfriend.

Ever the manipulator, Gemini pouted, wrapping her arms around Sagittarius in a display of feigned affection. "I think it would be better if I guarded the flag," she suggested, her voice dripping with false sweetness.

It wasn't, Gemini was the only one among us who possessed the ability to take to the skies, her power of flight giving her a distinct advantage in the search for the opposing team's standard. And yet, Sagittarius, seemingly entranced by her charms, acquiesced to her request, his hand trailing down the curves of her waist to rest suggestively on her bottom.

"Fine," he grinned, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief. "Scorp, you can go look for the flag."

Forget what I said, it is better this way.

Scorpio strode over to stand beside me, as our eyes met, I felt a surge of happiness. We delved into the forest together, the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy of verdant leaves, Sagittarius leveled his gaze at us, his expression infused with a hint of playful caution. "Be on the lookout for Aqua!" he warned, his voice carrying a conspiratorial lilt. "She's our biggest threat."

Beside me, Scorpio let out an audible sigh, flicking away a fallen leaf off his shoulder with a flick of his wrist. "Why am I even participating in this foolishness?" he muttered under his breath, his words betraying his utter disinterest.