Claimed By Zodiacs

Chapter 19 (part 1)

# Cenna Watercress
*Flamecaster Fortress, City of Abril, Aurora Province*

The cuckoo clock chimed six o'clock, the little yellow bird getting in and out of its house. Gordon rubbed his ears, irritated by the noise.

"Can someone please turn that devil off!"

I threw my boot, breaking the damnable clock, crashing to the floor with a crisp crack. It stopped at last. "Now that's better."

"Cenna?!" Silena picked up the toy cuckoo with her hands. "How dare you destroy such a cute creature!!"

Gordon and I shared a look. "That's just a piece of junk Silena."

She didn't listen, placing her hands on her hips. "Apologize."

I laughed. "Someone's got a little cuckoo in the head."

Gordon laughed at that. "Well, I'm better off without that machine."

"See?" I stood up to fetch my boot. "If that stupid bird comes alive, I might consider an apology." Silena giggled as I wore my boot back. Do my feet really smell that much? I laughed. "Now I sound silly."

Gordon reached out the side table for an apple. "You're both silly."

"Look who's talking. You look sillier with bandage all over your face."

His moss green eyes crinkled under the bandage, then he groaned. "Don't make me laugh. My burns aren't totally healed yet." He slowly sliced the apple with a switchblade. "Want some?"

"I'd love to, but I have to fetch Nova." Seeing the bewilderment, I added. "You know, Nova, your girlfriend."

The switchblade almost slipped. "Don't be stupid."

Silena laughed. "Get going before he gets hurt."

We both laughed as Gordon squawked about how wrong we were.  I could even hear him rant about how love is romanticized these days. I closed the door shut. Let Silena deal with mundane stuff. I'm going to check the witch. She's the one everybody's supposed to watch out for.
-------------------

I wandered in the corridors, following the blinking neon arrows that says 'VISITORS' QUARTERS'. It took me more than five minutes to get out of the infirmary due to the stream of medics frantically running to and fro.

"Excuse me," I said to a teenage medic in typical green scrubs blocking my way. She didn't budge and pulled me by the arm instead.

"Hey! What the--"

"Shush!" We hid to the corridor on the left, towards the dining hall. "Where have you been?" She sounded very familiar. "You're late for 10 minutes!"

Huh? Who is this woman? I know I'm late...a little bit...but no one knows it but--

"You..." I stared at the girl in green scrubs, noting every minute detail. A pretty girl with jet black hair in a tight ponytail. Her skin a pinkish fair with thick but aesthetic brows, pert nose, pursed lips, violet eyes... No, wait. There's no friggin' way!

"Nova?" She pinched me. "Oww! What was that for?"

"Of course it's me! And stop staring at me like that!"

I stared at her pert nose, turned pink from constant sun exposure.
"But----you look pretty!!"

She smacked me on head harder than necessary. "Idiot! I look like this all the time!"

"Well... Yeah." My eyes traveled to her hair, reminding me of a starry night. Dark and shiny. "You camouflage all the time though."

She tucked a stray strand under her ear.
"Oh that. Maintaining this takes a lot of concentration. That's why I drop this off when unnecessary. It messes with fighting."