"There lies within this world 12 zodiacs. Every being is born unto one of these constellations of stars: Aries the ram, Taurus the bull, Gemini the twins, Cancer the crab, Leo the lion, Virgo the virgin, Libra the scales, Scorpio the scorpion, Sagittarius the archer, Capricorn the goat, Aquarius the water bearer, and Pisces the fish. Everyone is born under one, but there are those that are their zodiacs. These beings live separately from regular human beings.
They have physical traits that are easily noticed by others that correspond with which zodiac they are associated with. The Arians bottom half is that of a ram while the top half is human with curled horns on their heads and drooping ram ears on the side of their heads. Taurus' are the same, but with the horns being longer and straight and their tails represent more of a whip. There are always two beings of a single entity that represent Gemini, though there are two bodies, they act of one mind. Cancers are born with four arms too many totaling six in count and have a tendency to slide sideways than walk straight. Leos have feline ears perched on their heads and tails growing from their spines. They are abrasive by nature and are among the most prideful of the zodiacs. There is only one way to tell a Virgo from a regular human, and that is their eyes. Virgos have very bright eyes that have no pupil. One can naturally be born a Virgo, but should they take on a mate they lose their title making them different from regular zodiacs. Librans look no different from humans, but are geniuses that specialize in math and can live freely with humanity. Scorpios have a large scorpion tail at the base of their spine and are known for being cunning and promiscuous. Sagittarians have the bottom half of a horse and are known as centaurs. Being able to shoot a bow is but a sixth sense to them. Capricorns are born with fish tails and curved horns with drooping ears like Arians. As they grow it is common for them to grow gray or white fur on their shoulders. Aquarians, like Librans, have no differences physically with humans, but cannot be away from the ocean for long before they go mad with homesickness and slowly spiral into dementia. It is rumored they can actually manipulate water to their will and become water themselves. Pisceans are what mankind call mermaids. They are known as the ocean's protectors and are very carefree.
There are two ways for zodiacs to be born: first, two of the same zodiac could mate and produce offspring, and the second is for two people to have a child born under a certain constellation while that zodiac's ruling planet is within that constellation (this applies to all but Cancers and Leos since their ruling planets are the moon and the sun). There is no rule stating that two different zodiacs can't mate, but it is quite uncommon for it to happen. Humans too tend to stay away from them since their knowledge on them is not that vast. If two zodiacs of different race decide to mate, then it would be as if the two were sterile since it is impossible to reproduce under such conditions.
Most zodiacs have things that are quite rare and valuable to mankind. For example, the horns of Aries, Taurus, and Capricorn are among the strongest material to be found and worked with. A Scorpio's venom is quite toxic, but if mixed with the right ingredients it can become its own cure. A Virgos eyes turn to gems when plucked from the eye sockets, whether they be alive or dead. It is for this reason there are zodiac hunters. These are people that find and collect what is valuable of a zodiac. Methods for collecting can either be humane or cruel since there is no law restricting the hunters.
Despite the information here, there is still not much known about the zodiac beings. It is in this regard that human beings study as much of them as they can."
-Ayame Fujoshi
Gaara Subaku scanned the article with irritation. There was a lot of information missing on the zodiacs as well as a few lies printed. For instance, a Leo's hair is quite untamable and grows wildly resembling a mane. A Virgo's pride actually outshines a Leo's too (why else would they stay a virgin?). Cancer's are the best at hand-to-hand combat. A Libra is OCD to the point mental breakdowns are common if they are not even, and most are considerably lazy. Of course, these were only a few pieces of information the zodiac found missing. There was also the fact that a Virgo's eyes turned to crystal and not a gem when taken, and the horns on his kind fell off and regrew every five years where they could be found hidden in the sand where they bury them. There was also the small detail that in the middle of every year zodiacs lost their differences with mankind and looked and acted no differently. Though that only lasts the one day.
The paper was set down on the white sand next to the Capricorn who had just read it. Letting out a sigh, he dug a small hole and buried the paper back in the sand where he had put it last. He didn't know why he wanted to bury his possessions in the sand; he just figured it was instinct telling him it was a good idea. There was also a few pairs of horns he had hid that had yet to turn into sand themselves, a Virgo crystal he had found left behind by an ignorant hunter, and a knife hidden in a cove under the water for emergencies. After making sure the mound of sand was flat, the Capricorn crawled back to the body of water he claimed home. Before diving under he took the time to notice his appearance. Red disheveled hair, black circles around his blue-green eyes that could have been mistaken as Virgo if he wasn't so obviously a Capricorn, naturally pale skin that refused to tan, two goat horns placed atop his red hair with drooping, gray goat ears underneath, soft, gray, thick fur on his shoulders, and a red tattoo above his eye that read 'love'. Looking down he figured he was in shape, but not really all that muscular, with a fish tail the same color of his eyes. Shaking his head at his moment of vanity, he dived underneath his reflection into the water.
Despite his body's physique, Gaara didn't really enjoy being in the water as much as he did land. If anyone asked he would blame it on his triplicity or element, earth. Of course it wasn't just him, the few fellow Capricorns he's ever met also admitted their preference for land over water. Personally, he found himself more at home lying in the sand with the sun bathing him in its rays.
Turning to his left when he found a boulder with a large crack running through the middle of it, he saw the sea cave he shared with one other shy Capricorn. Usually Gaara preferred to be alone, but good shelter was hard to come by where he was and the person he lived with wasn't really a bother to him, unlike his first roommate, a Pisces with silver hair and glasses that was always performing weird experiments and calling himself a doctor. He still shivers when he thinks about the way the guy smiled when Gaara woke up to him watching him sleep. Upon entering the cave, the Capricorn's eyes immediantly adjusted to the darkness that surrounded him. After swimming through the narrow entrance he came upon a crossroad where one room belonged to him, and the other to his roomie, Hinata Hyuuga. The only thing seperating them was a short wall of rock. Each room had a ground of sand with a circle of rocks in the middle to indicate where they slept. Gaara had nothing in the way of decoration, but Hinata's room had shells and strings of pearls lying everywhere on the floor that she would use for accessories when she felt particurlarly pretty that day and a small hand mirror she would use often. Right now the female Capricorn was digging through them with haste and humming an upbeat, happy tune with a smile. Gaara stared as he watched her put on a string of pink pearls around her purple tail, only to shake her head, throw them randomly in a corner, and keep looking. Next she tried to clip a black and white shell onto her white fur on her right shoulder, only to disagree with that too. While she was trying to tie shining, white pearls into her dark purple hair Gaara decided to speak up.
"What are you doing?" he asked through waves, which were like sonar to his kind. Because while it was normal to see her dress up, it was not normal for her to get this excited about it.
Not knowing she was being watched, Hinata turned her lilac eyes onto him and gasped at the intrusion as the pearls dropped back to the ground. She blushed at getting caught, but didn't stutter like she would have in the beginning.
"Oh, Gaara I didn't see you there, how long have you been here?"
"Not long, so why are you trying on all of your jewels and shells?"
At first Hinata averted her eyes and her blush reddened even further, but then her smile grew and she started to giggle like a school girl. Gaara just raised a non-existent brow at her behaviour.
"Well, earlier today, while I was picking seashells off the coast, I saw the most beautiful Virgo walking on the beach! Her gait was so graceful, and her eyes were such a beautiful shade of green. I tried talking to her, but I'm afraid I made a fool of myself when I could barely get two words out without stuttering. But she still wanted to meet me tomorrow! I have to be there at the same time and place, and I want to look my best for her."
Gaara guessed this girl had to be special if she made the usually quiet Hinata ramble like that. Though it wasn't surprising to hear Hinata call her beautiful if she was a Virgo since most Virgos are, but it wasn't like Hinata hadn't seen a Virgo before so maybe this girl really was this good looking.
"What's her name?" Gaara asked.
Hinata went back to her searching before she answered him.
"She told me it was Temari."
"Temari?"
"Yes, do you know her?" She asked Gaara while wrapping light blue pearls around her waist and breasts.
"Never heard of her." Gaara shook his head.
That seemed to be the end of the conversation since Hinata started humming again while trying to get a pink shell to clip in her hair after the pearls disappointed her. Gaara decided a nap was out of the question, and turned to head back out.
"Hey Gaara, do you think I should wear a shirt tomorrow?" Hinata asked while tying those pink pearls onto her horns before he could head out.
"I don't see why since she has already seen you naked, and your both women anyway."
"Yeah, but isn't it normal for her kind to wear clothes? I want to make her feel comfortable around me."
"Okay, but what if she decides to strip just to make you comfortable around her?"
Gaara heard a squeek and saw Hinata's face turn redder than his hair with her whole body trembling at the idea he gave her.
"Do what ever you want Hinata, but I think Temari already feels fine around you since she asked to meet you again." With that, Gaara took off before Hinata could stop him.
After getting out of the cave, Gaara heads out to lie on the beach since there is nothing much better to do. He contemplates searching for treasure instead, but right now all he wants is to feel the sun warmed grains of sand on the palms of his hands. Finding the spot he was on earlier, he lies back and lets the sun dry the water on his body. His tail fin is barely in the water, but still makes splashing sounds when he smacks it on the ground. One arm goes behind his head, while the other lies on his stomach in a relaxing pose. Dark rings close as the sun begins to set and a small smile makes itself known before it disappears after only a moments. It isn't really safe to fall asleep on the beach, but Gaara only sleeps a few hours anyway, so the harm isn't that great. He convinces himself of this and turns his head as he rests.
He doesn't know how long he sleeps, but when he wakes up the stars are out, the moon is hiding as it is a new moon tonight, the sun is gone, and alot of hands are on him. These hands tie his arms behind his back and strap a gag around his mouth as he is stuffed into a cramped iron cage. He glares at the hunters as he tries to get his hands out of the rope, only to end up with bleeding, rope burned wrists. As he fights his restraints, his cage is picked up and thrown none too gently onto the back of a caravan with spacious room filled with other cages that are either empty or house other zodiacs.
Gaara looks at the others around him. There's a naked female Scorpio next to him squirming with hate in her eyes, trying hard to get out of her ropes that bind her hands, legs, and tail. The hunters must have got her while she was sleeping too since most fights with Scorpios ended with the other party poisoned and dead.
The being in front of him is kicking at the bars with his tied legs. It's easy to see the male in front of him is a Leo with the ears and lion tail. His hair is black and wild like a mane. Gaara can't be sure, but he thinks he sees the Leo's dark eyes turn red at times.
Sobs can be heard underneath the Capricorn's own cage. Looking down he sees a pink haired Aries curled up, letting tears rain down her face. As expected, she is tied and gagged as well.
Noises can be heard outside the caravan and suddenly they are all lurched back as it starts to move.
'Well, fuck...'
It seems Gaara isn't going to know how Hinata's date went.
Author's Note: Thought you all should know about this nudity thing going on. The zodiacs that go around naked are Aries, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Pisces. So now all of you know. Some of this info I use comes from the book 'The Astrologer's Handbook' by Julia Parker, the rest is what I made up. Also, reviews are always encouraged and loved.
