Gem woke up in her class A bed. She immediately checked her phone to see a Good morning <3 message from Aquarius. She smiled and rolled her eyes as she walked over to her closet to pick out her clothes.

After getting ready, Gem headed downstairs towards the cafeteria. She could hear Aries excitedly explaining something as soon as she stepped off the elevator.

Gem didn't understand how Aries' energy level was on blast no matter what time of day it was.

Grabbing two slices of toast and a cup of apple juice, Gem sat next to Sagittarius. Aries, Leo, Taur, Cancy, and Gemini were also here.

"... and there's also this waterfall park like ten minutes away. There's a really nice ocean side restaurant nearby as well." Aries looked at Gem. "I was just telling everyone about this trip I planned with Leo. We're basically going to this massive hot springs place and I'm trying to see if anyone else wants to come."

"I will!" volunteered Sagittarius. She elbowed Gem. "She's coming too."

"Do I not get a say?"

"Nope."

"Pisces is coming too."

Gem rolled her eyes. "He's not even here."

"He goes where I go."

Aries nodded. "If anyone else wants to go, we'll be leaving at noon."

"Gem, you look awfully happy," noted Gemini.

Gem looked up to frown at him. "I was until you spoke."

"It seems like something happened yesterday." Sagittarius smirked at Gem. "Did anyone confess anything to you?"

"Pisces confessed that he thinks you're ugly."

Sagittarius gasped and began tickling Gem. "Can you guys believe I'm being bullied by her?"

"There's usually more people here." Aquarius walked into the room shirtless, wearing his workout shorts with earphones in his ears. He likely just got back from his morning run.

Gemini pointed to Gem who looked away. "Gem's acting suspicious."

"I'm not. I'm just looking at the wall. The wall paper is so pretty."

Aquarius sat down beside Gem. "Does anyone have any plans today where I can tag along?"

Leo nodded. "We were just talking about visiting the hot springs and a waterfall park. Then we'll eat at this beautiful restaurant."

"Cool. Me and Gem will come."

Gem crossed her arms. "I should refuse to go just because you guys keep volunteering me."

Sagittarius grabbed Gem's arm. "Between me and Aqua we can drag you along with us."

"Why is Gem so popular anyway?" asked Taur light-heartedly.

"Good question." Gemini looked at Aquarius. "Sagittarius bringing her best friend along makes sense. Why do you want her to go?"

Gem's face quickly grew red. "He's just tormenting me he doesn't-"

"Because she's my girlfriend." Aquarius put an arm around her, pulling her close to him.

Sagittarius squealed. "You guys are literally perfect for each other. Took you long enough to confess though."

Aquarius looked at Gem. "Can you elbow her for me?"

Gem elbowed Sagittarius hard enough to make her double over.

"Just remember that Gem belongs to me before she belongs to you." Sagittarius linked arms with Gem and pulled Gem towards herself.

Gem blinked. "Actually I don't think I belong to anyone."

Gemini smirked. "So now I get to get back at you for all the teasing you've done to me and Cap."

"I didn't ever torment Cap. He's cool. I just make fun of you."

"What are you guys saying about me?" Cap walked into the room and grabbed a bowl of fruit before sitting down beside Gemini.

"I'm just talking about how you're so much cooler than my brother." Gem smirked back at Gemini. "You didn't have to settle for him, you know."

"I didn't settle." Capricorn smiled and hugged Gemini. "Gemini is... actually yeah maybe I am a lot cooler than him."

Everyone laughed while Gemini pressed his lips together to suppress his own laughter.

Aquarius played with Gem's hair. "But do we tell Pisces about us or not?"

"Let's tell literally everyone except Pisces."

Sagittarius laughed. "Then when he asks if they're together, let's all play along and pretend we don't know what he's talking about."

"You guys always torment poor Pisces." Taur stretched his arms. "What has Pisces ever done to you?"

Everyone gave Taur a blank stare.

"What hasn't he done?" asked Cancy.

"He's literally always messing with everyone," replied Leo.

Aries finished her breakfast and stood up. "Anyway. Meet us at the lobby at noon if you want to come with us on our trip. Lee isn't invited." And with that she left.

***

Virgo stood under the training room monkey bars. "Do you want to go on that trip?" He showed Libra the texts from the group chat.

Libra hung upside down from one of the bars. "Not really." She wasn't supposed to be in the training room at this time since she was class F, but she snuck in with Taurus anyway.

"Lets go somewhere else instead."

"Lets go canoeing."

"But then Taurus can't come."

They both turned to look at Taurus who lifted weights from her chair. She was completely zoned out, staring ahead as music blasted in her ears.

Libra sighed. "I don't think she'll be able to handle the trials much longer. Ophiuchus screws her over every time."

"Ophiuchus can jump off a cliff, honestly."

"I'm worried about her. The trials have been hard on us but even harder on her."

"Lets go to the aquarium." He pulled up a map on his phone.

Libra nodded. "Taurus!"

Taurus didn't answer.

Libra flipped over the bar, landing on her feet. She walked towards Taurus and pulled out her earphones. "Taurus."

"What?"

"Me and Virgo are going to the aquarium? Do you want to come?"

Taurus frowned. "Thanks, but I'll stay here."

"If you stay here you'll be trapped in your head with nothing but negative thoughts. We'll invite Cancer and Scorpio too."

Taurus sighed. "I don't need you to act like my mother. I just want you to leave me alone."

Libra walked back to Virgo. "So we can respect her boundaries, or we can make her come with us."

Virgo paused to think. "Usually I'd listen to her, but she doesn't look well."

"I wish she'd talk to me." Libra sighed. "If give her my legs if I could."

"I could attempt to make that possible. Go find me an axe."

Libra rolled her eyes and hit Virgo on the chest. "Then I'll chop your neck."

Suddenly they heard voices outside the training room.

"You've already spammed me with texts. It's not that big of a deal!"

"I just want you to remember that I am superior to you in every way."

Ares walked in the room with Scorpio on his back. Ares wore a shirt that said I am inferior to my girlfriend Scorpio who is better than me at everything including the trials. I am lucky she is dating me. Scorpio is the best.

Virgo squinted. "I cant even read all the words on your shirt."

"What I'm hearing is that Ares doesn't like me anymore." Scorpio flicked his forehead.

"She's been bragging about beating me all yesterday. This morning she spammed me with texts like you're a loser and lets normalize not being as good as Scorpio."

Scorpio shrugged. "You made me do that ridiculous chant after the first trial. This is my revenge."

Ares rolled his eyes. "Can I give her back to you guys?"

Libra held her hands up defensively. "We don't want her either. She's your problem now."

"You're the one who confessed to me." Scorpio lovingly tightened her arms around Ares and rested her chin on his shoulder. "You can't live without me."

Virgo nodded. "She's right. You can't live without her."

Ares reached up to place his hands on top of Scorpio's. "I've always known her as stone-cold and emotionless. Why is she so clingy and affectionate now?"

Libra shook her head. "Scorpio is a clingy and affectionate person when you get close to her. She's just cold to people she doesn't know well."

"That's why she liked cuddles so much."

"Tell anyone else about that and we'll role play Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution." Scorpio dragged a finger across Ares's neck. "Guess which one you'll be."

"We have a healthy relationship with an equal amount of love, affection, and threats." Ares squeezed Scorpio's hands. "We'll pretend it's normal."

"Is that not normal?" Virgo looked at Libra. "I thought it was normal for your girlfriend to threaten to break your kneecaps every day."

"I don't do that!" Libra subtly kicked Virgo's kneecaps.

Ares rolled his eyes. "The women in your friend group are an entirely different species. You guys actually make me nervous."

"FUUUUUUUUCK YOU OPHI!" Taurus threw her weight at the wall. The weight broke through, disappearing into another room.

Ares froze. "And she scares me the most."

Virgo and Libra looked at each other.

Scorpio sighed. "Well. That's not good."

***

Later on, Virgo, Libra, Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, and Ares walked through the aquarium. Taurus calmed down after her outburst earlier and was now too tired to protest as Virgo and Libra dragged her along.

"Look at the starfish." Libra smiled at them. "They're so cute but I would panic if I had to swim with them."

"They look so fuzzy." Virgo rubbed his finger against the glass, pretending to pet a starfish stuck to the glass wall.

"Taurus look!" Cancer pointed to an exhibit of glow-in-the-dark fish. "Aren't they cool?"

As much as Taurus tried to space everyone out, she couldn't ignore Cancer who smiled so brightly and saw happiness in everything. She'd feel even worse if she ruined his mood by being miserable. "Yes. They're so cool."

"Not as cool as you though."

Taurus smiled weakly and looked away.

"Let's get lunch after this," suggested Scorpio.

Ares grabbed Scorpio's hand. "Anything for my baby." He smirked at her, tormenting her since she hated being called that.

Scorpio grinned back at him. "I say we eat cake." She dragged a finger across her throat.

Ares rolled his eyes. "You wish you could decapitate me."

"You're right. I do wish that."

Ares picked her up by her hips. "That's it. In the shark tank you go."

Scorpio squealed and pinched Ares until he let her go.

Taurus sighed.

Cancer stopped to look at her. "Talk to me."

"I'm just sick of every trial being made for people with working legs. My disability doesn't stop me from being a good ruler and it doesn't stop me from making good decisions. The trials are built to let everyone succeed except me. I almost died during the Luna trial, and I couldn't even complete the last one. It's ableist as fuck."

"I can see how that would take a toll on you."

"I just don't want to be here anymore. I want to give up my kingdom and live the rest of my life away from all this stress and bullshit. I'd love to buy a seaside bungalow on the beach and live there for the rest of my life. But Ophiuchus won't even let me quit."

Cancer looked Taurus in the eyes. "Then lets run away to a beach somewhere. We'll sneak away, and if Ophiuchus finds us we'll deal with her then. We can buy a bungalow on the beach and live there with our puppies. We can get minimum wage jobs until we graduate university."

"You'd drop your kingdom and everything else in your life to live on the beach with me?"

Cancer nodded. "Of course. All you have to do is ask. I'll do whatever you want."

Taurus pulled Cancer in for a tight hug. "I'll tough it out for a bit longer. But you mean more to me than you'll ever know."

"I love you so much Taurus. It breaks my heart to see you upset."

Taurus tried her best to smile at him. "I love you too. I'd also give up everything to be with you."

***

A group consisting of Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, Pisces, Gem, Aquarius, Capricorn, Gemini, Scor, Cancy, Vinn, Leon, Pie, Capri, and Taur were playing around at the waterfall park. They had just finished relaxing in the hot springs, so now they came here to cool off. The waterfall park was an area under a giant waterfall where it was safe to swim.

Sagittarius was swimming happily until she noticed Pisces rushing over to her.

"Pisces. What's wrong?"

"LOOK!" Pisces pointed to Aquarius and Gem who held hands as they swam together.

Sagittarius shrugged. "So?"

"Isn't that what couples do?"

"No. I hold hands with Gem all the time. Does it mean me and Gem are a couple?"

"No... but they clearly like each other!"

"I don't know. They seem very pla- uh... very friendly."

Pisces furrowed his brow. "You don't think they like each other?"

"Not really."

Pisces shrugged, giving up. "I saw a red fish earlier. It reminded me of you."

"Because I have red hair?"

"I guess so. I really like your hair."

"I don't like yours."

Pisces grabbed Sagittarius' ankle and pulled her underwater for a few seconds.

When Sagittarius resurfaced, she splashed Pisces.

Pisces pointed to Vinn, Leon, Cancy, Taur, and Scor who were relaxing on the rocks beside the pool. "Want to prank them?"

Sagittarius smiled. "Of course I do."

***

Capri and Pie explored the forest around the pool. They weren't really in the mood to swim at the moment, so they went for a walk instead.

"I miss my country already." Capri carefully looked through the forest floor for snakes.

"I like the hot springs here." Pie marched through, not caring if she stepped on anything or not.

"My country doesn't have snakes."

"At all?"

"Nope."

"Not even one?"

"Nope."

"So if someone goes through the forest there they won't see a snake?"

"That's correct."

"Well. Mine doesn't have snakes either."

"Your country is under water."

"We have sharks instead."

Capri chuckled. "I think I'm more scared of snakes."

"I'm more afraid of piranhas."

Capri paused and plucked a leaf off the tree. "Look what I found!" She handed the leaf to Pie.

"That's so pretty!" Pie took a picture of it with her phone. "There. Another one for my collection."

"Collection?"

"Well. You really like leaves so I wanted to make a scrapbook full of leaves for you, but the leaves kept dying. So now I take pictures of cool leaves and then I add them to an album on my laptop. After I get a bunch I'll print them all out and put them in a binder."

Capri's entire face lit up. "Wait really? Because I like them?"

"I wouldn't have any interest in collecting pictures of leaves if it weren't for you."

Capri smiled at the ground, hiding her blush. "You're so sweet."

Pie turned her head, but couldn't hide her red ears. "I'm not. I just like seeing you happy."

***

Aries and Leo sat in a small cave behind the waterfall. Aries leaned against Leo who ran her hand through Aries' hair.

"You're literally so pretty." Aries glanced at Leo.

"Where's this coming from all of the sudden?"

"I don't think I tell you enough. You could be a model."

Leo rolled her eyes. "You're prettier."

"What happens after the trials?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well. What are we going to do if we both win our kingdoms? I can't handle a long distance relationship."

Leo shrugged. "Then we'll run them both together. Even if one of us loses our kingdom."

"And if we both lose?"

"Then we'll buy a house somewhere. I don't care which country. Preferably somewhere warm."

"Can we get a cat?"

"You already have a cat."

"You're the lion. You don't count."

"Yes. We'll get a cat."

Aries pushed Leo down, lying on top of her. "I think I could stay here forever."

"Nothing says romance like cuddling on the floor of a dirty cave behind a waterfall."

Aries laughed and tightened her arms around Leo. "You keep me warm."

"You are a fire sign. Can't you keep yourself warm?"

Aries scrunched her nose. "I'm trying to be cute."

"But you are cute."

"I just want to stay with you forever."

"As if I'd ever let you go anywhere else."

***

Gem, Aquarius, Gemini, and Capricorn were hanging out in a shallow part of the river.

"I still can't process that you actually want to be with her," teased Gemini.

Aquarius shrugged. "Shes less annoying than you are."

"I'm going to stop talking because I know Cappy won't take my side."

"Sorry I spaced out." Capricorn smiled at Gemini. "I was just thinking about how annoying you are. What did you say just then?"

"Take my side. Just once."

"I think I did once a few weeks ago."

"You're literally my boyfriend."

"So then why do you expect me to take your side?"

Aquarius shrugged. "I mean you should know Cappy better than that."

Gemini sighed. "At least I know Gem is dating someone who will take care of you."

"Take care of me?" Gem crossed her arms. "I'm the one who'll take care of him."

Aquarius glanced back and forth between his muscles and Gem. "One of us is addicted to exercise. I think that person would be the better protector."

"But my powers are probably stronger. And I do all kinds of mental exercise when I plot how to mess with everyone."

Aquarius looked at Capricorn. "Tell her she's wrong."

"Why would I do that?" Capricorn glanced at Gem. "She looks like her powers are stronger."

"You can't tell that from looking at someone!"

Gem wrapped her arms around Capricorn. "When are you silly boys going to learn that Cappy always takes my side?"

Aquarius picked Gem up and slung her over his shoulder. "Can Cappy save you now?"

Gem looked at Capricorn. "Beat him up."

"Nah."

"How dare you treat your inlaw like this!"

Gemini rolled his eyes. "You don't have inlaws. Nobody is married yet."

"Exactly. Yet."

Aquarius let Gem down. "Wait what's going on in the water over there?"

They all watched as a wave appeared out of nowhere, growing bigger until it soaked the alternates on the land.

Cancy- who was in the middle of a conversation with Scor- furrowed her brow and quickly scanned the area. Scor and Vinn didn't seem to care. Leon quickly tied his long hair into a messy bun, and Taur looked half annoyed, half amused."

"Pisces is going to get beat up again." Gem watched as him and Sagittarius sprinted away.

"Lets go eat at that restaurant before Cancy kills Pisces." Capricorn began swimming back over to the shore. Soon they managed to find everyone, and the group headed to the restaurant together.

A/N: was inactive due to my heavy course load. It's now summer so I will have more time to update when I'm not working