Project Zodiac: Pisces, The Fish

Chapter 2

Everything turned color silver. I felt the burning sensation in my right hand again. Just like in my dream. I feel like something is being pulled out of me. Like my soul tries to separate from my body.

Unconsciously, my hand raised forward. My vision going normal. And a silver light traced the Pisces symbol behind my hand. And my palm produced millions of glittering dust.

I know this.

The dust started to form into a creature, half human and half fish.

And there she is again. Right in front of me.

Pisces. The fish.

"Greetings Zacharia." She smiled. Her pearly white teeth almost blinding me. I'm stunned by her beauty. Her silver eyes have the perfect balance of white and black. Peace and darkness. Her long silver hair glittering with the silver dust. Her face is perfect. She looks like those mothers but still pretty and sexy I see on T.V. A silver bra I don't know what are made of covering her breasts. She has a necklace with a pendant of two fishes swimming like the Chinese Yin Yang. Except the fishes on her pendant are really moving and swimming. Her tail with silver scales on her bottom. And. She's floating.

Cool. An intergalactic mermaid.

Maybe I'm dreaming again. I slapped myself. And it hurt.

"Yes. Everything is real." She said. "You are the one I chose."

"What are you?" I don't know what to ask first with a hundred questions in my mind.

"A Zodiac. Protector of the Universe. Peacemaker of the Galaxy. A guardian of all extraterrestrial beings. I'm Pisces. The fish. The dreamer. And people of earth call me a lot of names." She explained.

"No way."

"Yes way Zacharia."

"Oh come on. What do you want from me? I, I thought you guys are just constellations? Or if you really are the security guards of the universe why are you here?" I blurted out.

"Zachar-"

"Call me Zac." I said.

"Zac. The star formations are only representations of us. The universe was once peaceful. But everything has changed recently, when we-"

"Okay look miss Ariel. I don't want to hear some intergalactic history. I want to know what you star guys want and why are you here." I interrupted.

"Ariel?" She asked.

"Uh. Nevermind. Please."

"There is this planet called Lumera. It's people are called Lumerians. The shapeshifters. They look like the people of earth. But they don't have eyes nor mouth. But they have an amazing sense of smell, hearing, and feeling. Their ability to copy another specie or creature is dangerous. For they will absorb the whole being. Killing it. And they will morph into that being. They started to conquer planets when Nelies, space travelers, visited their planet. Some Lumerians killed those Nelies and changed their forms. They were fascinated by the sense of sight and power of the Nelies. So they started to crave for more. And they invaded planets and replaced their people. We tried to stop them from planet to planet but the planet we're protecting also fought us. Because their leaders were already replaced by a Lumerian. And there's one world left to protect. Earth. And this time we don't want to lose. That's why you're here. And the others with their signs. Basically, your world is in your hands." Pisces explained.

It took me a while to process her words. Lumerians? Invasion? The hell is this?

"Okay cool. So one day I'm just a typical schoolboy living his life and the next day I'm a space superhero that needs to save the world with a floating mermaid. Great." I exclaimed.

"Your choice. You fight or you die with your planet."

"Now you're talking about choices. I can do what I want. And I don't care about this 'End of the World' junk. I haven't even had my first kiss! And my mother needs me. I'm the only one she has. There are a million other kids in this world. Go find another. Thanks but no thanks."

"Your choice Zac."

Then she disappeared into dust. I hate it. I think I'll be allergic to glittering dusts. I checked my hand and the symbol of Pisces is gone.

I rode my bike and headed home.

I parked on our backyard. "Mom!" I called as I entered the backdoor that leads to the kitchen. I found her preparing drinks and sandwiches.

"Oh hello my dear." She said as she finished the second sandwich.

"Who's there?" I asked as I walk to our living room. I saw two men in formal suit sitting on our sofa with their briefcases discussing about something.

"They are from the Michael Brile Insurance Company." Mom said.

I walked back to her. She turned her face on me.

"Zac dear, I know. I just want to ensure your future. I don't know how long I can stay. Since your father left us I-"

"Mom. I'm okay. You think about yourself. Don't let dad's disappearance affect you. If he's happy with his woman you need and you can be happy too. And I'm always here mom. I'm always here." And I hugged her.

"Okay then big boy. You go to your room and I will give these drinks to our visitors." She said and gave me a smile.

I walked upstairs and changed my clothes.

Dinner came, and the men left. I let the thought of being a savior of earth drift away from my mind. My mother needs me. I will never leave her. I smiled as I watch her eat her bacon on the other side of the table.

The next day, I did my daily routine, I rode my bike to school and attended my classes. No signs of my sign.

Fortunately.

"Derivational morphemes can be either prefixes or suffixes." Our English teacher, Mr. Roxas explained.

"Mr. Raphael." He called.

"Yes sir?" I stood.

"Can you give examples of affixes?"

And that's when my head got shot by extreme pain. I collapsed.

Hands on my head. I feel like my skull is being beaten by a baseball bat. My vision became blurred. The pain continues. I hear Mr. Roxas but I can't make anything from his words.

And again, my vision turned gray.