United Against Hate: Chapter 1

Bloop.

Bloop.

Bloop.

The lure bobbed up and down on the edge of the water, the surface like the face of a mirror. Reflecting back on the clouds and deep blue of the sky. Ripples echoed from the edge of the lure as it moved, not because of any underwater influence but from the influence of the line holding it.

It was a large dinghy with tall sides and a large bow. There were two fishing poles leaning off the edges of the boat balanced by leaning through the hoops in the edges of the boats. Neither fishing pole moved that far because of how they were lodged in place. That let the two passengers do what they really came here for.

A book in both their hands, the older of the two holding with one hand and the other holding with both. The older leaned against the bow of the ship, his back snug in the curve of it and his book resting on his face. The other and younger was laying sideways, both legs dangling over the edge of the boat his boots beside him.

They were floating their way down a river that had a bunch of gentle curves that cut through the country. They had grassland on one side of them and on the other was a bank and marshland with reeds and lily pads. From their position, they could see a couple of small villages that were near the water and even a fisherman.

The younger man flipped forward on a page, balancing the book carefully through his brown fingers. His heterochromatic eyes moved slowly, absorbing line by line of his tome with rapt attention.

The older grumbled softly and lowered the edge of his book slowly, raising one dark eyebrow and eyes catching the light. His dark brown skin glistened with some sweat from being under the sun’s light and he didn’t mind it much. Though his book was fascinating he was more interested in his son.

The zodiac of the fish was surprised though. Sitting on the water and fishing was something that he’d been doing since he was a kid. Fish rarely bit but the peace and quiet was perfect for reading, sleeping, and occasionally writing. Aries and Cancer had traveled with him on many expeditions traveling on the river. He’d lured Leo out more than once but she hated being on the water. It was the walks on the river bank that she enjoyed herself.

But there were some Zodiac that he’d never taken out with him before. Capricorn could rarely sit still enough for fishing to even be an option and Taurus never wanted to put Pisces through the trouble of buying a bigger boat and declined the offers. Others it just never occurred to Pisces to invite and Gemini was one of them.

Pisces never got the chance to know the Gemini before the last. And the one he did know, that kid was an energetic one with a kind heart. He and Capricorn had been thick as thieves and Leo at the time might as well have been his birth sister. Though he and Gemini had never hung out that much they were still friendly.

And now this generations Gemini was his son and they were reading together as had become their habit ever since he’d come back from the land across the mountains. It was he who asked to come along on the trip one day and they made it a habit. A piece of growth that he’d missed. Something about both his sons had changed, something subtle and yet important.

His attention was snatched by the rattling noise that came from beside them. Pisces glanced at the pole and then at his son who hadn’t budged. Pisces doubted his son had even heard the pole moving. A minute or so passed and finally, the pole went still in the pocket.

Pisces glanced at the water and pointed one finger at the water, “Pisces Control.”

It was a very short burst of power but enough to do what he wanted. The water stilled and then very quickly it jumped, splashing against Gemini’s exposed foot. The sudden cool startled the twin and he jumped backward sending their little dinghy spinning in a slow circle. Pisces broke into laughter as Gemini fought to keep his bearings then glared.

“That’s not cool dad.”

“I thought it was funny. Besides aren’t we supposed to be fishing Gemini?” Pisces motioned toward the pole. “You missed a bite.”

Gemini blinked and grabbed the pole, reeling it back in and sure enough his bait was gone. “Wah. When did that happen?”

“About a minute ago.”

“And you didn’t let me know?”

“I heard it very loudly. I thought you did too.”

Gemini let out a cry and lowered his head. Pouting he mumbled, “I bet you were just asleep.”

“I was not napping this time,” Pisces smiled and glanced at the book in the center of their boat. “What’s got you so engrossed? That book looks old.”

“It’s super old,” Picking it up and making sure it didn’t have any water on it he turned around and handed it over to his father. He took it slowly and brushed a hand over the cover. There was no title but instead, there were twelve symbols along it in a circle. He didn’t know the symbols off the back but they all looked familiar to some part of himself.

Turning the book in his hand he flipped it open going through it slowly. Entire sections were written by different people. In some instances, it was every other chapter, “What is this?”

“It’s a journal that me, Libra, and Aries found last time we went shopping out east near the edge of Xye. The merchant who had it was strange and kept trying to sell it to us. They wouldn’t leave us alone until we took it. All the ‘chapters’ are entries from the previous Zodiac.”

Pisces turned toward one page and one of the symbols was marked in the upper corner of it. It was like a half completed oval, two circles at the ends of it. He traced his finger over it and shrugged his head not knowing what it was. But he started reading it slowly.

We met with the Xye today. They chose the meeting place and I still question the wisdom of having met in a valley such as that. We could have easily been ambushed. The rumors of the dragon have me on edge even if they are just superstition, I have seen enough in this war to not take chances.

The meeting was to discuss a peace treaty. For the first time, I was able to meet the enemy commander, the man simply known as Long. I have never met a man who set me on edge just by looking at me.

His demands were straightforward. He wanted the valley along with the neighboring river for Xye. In response, they would let us have the grasslands. Though the grasslands are wonderful for agriculture the river is transportation which is power.

I told him that we needed time to decide. And that was not a lie. I am waiting for my love to arrive. Once Gem is here we can decide together. I do not want to have a fight but I am prepared for one. Alpha and Omega give me the wisdom to do what I need to.

Pisces closed the book slowly and glanced at his son. “This reads like a history book. If I’m right it’s during the first conflicts with Xye. But those were hundreds of years ago.”

“I know right? And it was written by us. I mean not us us but the past us. This one was by Cancer I think.  I’ve been kinda getting an idea of what the symbols mean. Like you see the ones that are curved and end in a point? I think that’s Aries. Aries has a bunch of entries toward the front half.”

“Since when did you have such an interest in history?” Pisces asked raising his eyebrow.

Gemini scratched the back of his head and looked away, “Remember when we went on our trip four years ago?”

“You mean the one where you went to a foreign country and the only notice your mother and I had was a note and a visit from Alpha that things would be okay?” Pisces fixed an unamused glare on his son. Despite the time that had passed Pisces still wasn’t happy with his son. Or any of them for that matter. There were various amounts of anger, worry, and frustration toward their fellow Zodiac.

“Yeah. That,” Gemini winced looking down.

His father relaxed slightly nodding slowly, “Keep going son.”

“Well when I was in the Free City, Morrigan helped me and Cancer figure out how to use our powers. And for a little while, I talked to the Gemini before me.”

Pisces’ eyes widened slightly, “What? You talked to Gem?”

Gemini nodded. “He was the reason I figured out how to use my other power. And gave me a good confidence boost at the time.” He scratched the back of his head and flashed a grin. “But because of him, I’ve wanted to try and talk to the other Geminis. Ask them questions. And I couldn’t do that so I’ve just been trying to do the next best thing and learn about them.”

“So that explains all the history books I’ve seen you getting into,” Pisces said. “And here I thought you were just getting a new hobby. I know your teachers were getting more excited that you were applying yourself a bit more.” Pisces put his hand on his son’s head smiling, “Okay. So, what you been learning then? About us beforehand?”

Gemini’s eyes shined, “You really want to know?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Only Libra really listened when I talked about it”

“Not your brother?”

“He helps me study but actually reading this kinda stuff. He doesn’t like it. After awhile he told me to stop telling him about it.” Gemini frowned.

He reached into the boat and started to pull at the paddles and dipped them into the water. “Let’s return the boat and head back home. On the ride back tell me all about it. Sound good?”

“Heck yeah. The first book I found was some accounts. There used to be people that were obsessed with the Zodiac and Taurus and Sagittarius from that generation were like the people’s favorites.”

Pisces was impressed that Gemini had known so much information about themselves in the past. The adventures that the previous Pisces had gotten into with Cancer and Leo. The battles and history that they had helped shape of this country in multiple instances.

The two women they’d bought the boat for inspected it closely to make sure it had taken no damage or wear. But they were good to their word and had taken care of it. Putting their books into the bags they bid them farewell with waves before going to the stables attached. Though by stables it was really just a line of wood pounded into the ground. Speedy stamped the ground waiting for them.

She approached Gemini first butting her head against his and he laughed. He stroked his hand through her greying muzzle. He had known her his entire life and she was starting to get old but she was stubborn enough to see age as just a number and not a state of being. She looked from him over to Pisces and let out a soft snort of familiarity.

“At least you finally warmed up to me,” he said and moved to get in the stirrups and then onto her back. Gemini got on behind him and kept the bag over his shoulder. Leading Speedy out of the stables they moved toward the main road and back home.