After her morning workout, Capri showered before walking into the cafeteria on the first floor. Being classless sucked, but at least now everyone suffered together. Being class F while half the zodiacs lived comfortably, and another fraction of zodiacs lived in luxury was what Capri couldn't stand. She was determined to increase her rank this time.

Capri grabbed a lunch tray, choosing to have her favourite high-protein cereal and smoothie. She sat beside Gem, Virgo, Taur, Leon, Vinn, and Saggi. Everyone else was likely still sleeping.

"I assume Scorpio and Ares are still training?" asked Virgo.

"I asked if they wanted to get breakfast with me," replied Capri. "But apparently Scorpio only eats Ares's tears, and Ares only eats silver scorpions."

Saggi rolled his eyes. "Did she punch him after that?"

"She pushed him off the monkey bars."

"I am not in the mood for this trial today," groaned Vinn.

"Me either," sighed Leon. "I'm not feeling well."

"Poor thing." Vinn pulled Leon towards her, allowing him to rest his head on her shoulder. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Not really. I didn't sleep much last night."

"I can knock you out with the snap of my fingers."

"It would hurt you to use your powers since you burnt out a few days ago."

"I'll only use my powers to help you sleep. I don't think it will affect me if I only use a little."

"I have to train later. I'll be alright."

"Oh yeah. The day after the tour we get our trial." Taur sighed. "I forgot about that."

"I need to get better than F class this time." Saggi shook his head. "I refuse to live on the second floor for another few days."

Gem shrugged. "It's not like Ophiuchus is here to make us go."

"That's why Cetus is here." Capri frowned. "She seems nice, but I don't trust her. She must be powerful if she was entrusted to watch over all of us by herself."

"We can outsmart Cetus." Aquarius sat beside the group.

Virgo shook his head. "Cetus will report back to Ophiuchus, who would then skin us all alive."

Taur shuddered. "I don't want to piss Ophiuchus off either."

"What time will the trial be?" asked Saggi.

Virgo shrugged. "Ophiuchus didn't say. But it was at almost midnight last time."

"So we get to wait all day in anticipation." Capri rubbed her temples. I'm already stressing over this."

"I wonder what the next trial will be," announced Virgo before leaving the cafeteria.

"I have no idea." Taur began sketching after he finished his breakfast.

"What if I want a smoothie like the one Capri has?" asked Gem.

"Then you'll get one." Aquarius stood up to get a smoothie for Gem.

"And if I don't want to walk out of here?"

Aquarius handed Gem her smoothie before slinging her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. "Then I'll carry you out."

"What's that what if thing?" asked Capri. "They've been doing it since yesterday. One will ask the other a what if question, and the other will reply."

"Who knows?" shrugged Saggi. "They're weird."

"We should go train," announced Vinn.

Leon nodded. "I would like to, but I don't want to move."

"Me either, but we have to make it to A class together! Me, you, and Scor."

Leon stood up. "Alright. But only because I also want all three of us to get A class together."

"Great!" Vinn dragged Leon out of the room. "Let's start with endurance training."

***

At midnight, the zodiacs were on a private jet again. They were headed towards their second trial. Everyone wore the same black body suits as last time.

Cetus stood at the front of the jet. After being locked in a closet, she was uncomfortable around the zodiacs, but she didn't want to hold any grudges against them. After all, she had yet to find out how Ophiuchus was treating them.

"Alright," Cetus glanced at a piece of paper that Ophiuchus provided her. It had a description of the next trial. "You'll now all be injected by a syringe that will block your powers for a few hours."

A nurse who worked for Ophiuchus began preparing her syringes. Vinn snapped her fingers to knock Lee out before he could cause a scene.

"Your next trial will be timed. Your rank will be determined by how quickly you complete the trial, or how much progress you've made when the three hour time limit has ended. Ares will get a bonus as a reward for placing first place in the last trial. Everyone in class F will receive a penalty. Ares, for your bonus I will explain how the next trial is going to work. Please come up to the front."

Ares walked past the rows of zodiacs, up to Cetus who then began whispering to him. She paused when Vinn suddenly turned invisible, and continued after Vinn gave up on trying to eavesdrop.

"So at what part do the tarantulas come out again?" asked Ares out loud. "I heard they prey upon scorpions."

Scorpio rolled her eyes.

Cetus looked out the window. "Get ready guys. We'll arrive shortly."

***

The zodiacs were dropped off outside a giant dome. The dome stretched upwards, the top being so high up that they couldn't see it. There were twenty four doors, each with a name above them.

Without hesitation, the zodiacs ran to their specific doors, wanting to begin the trial as soon as possible. Everyone was able to enter, except class F whose doors displayed a ten minute timer.

"So our penalty is to wait ten minutes?" asked Gem.

"I'll just use another door." Lee walked to Libra's door, which closed before he could enter.

"The door won't let anyone but one specific person enter," announced Taur. "There's a retina scanner."

"Well this is great," announced Capri sarcastically.

"I already have a penalty as it is!" screamed Lee while pointing to the brace on his almost healed foot, from where he broke his entire leg last trial.

Saggi watched the countdown. "Ten minutes won't matter if the others are struggling with the trial."

Virgo sighed. "But we're screwed if we also struggle in the trial."

***

Taurus felt the blood drain from her face upon seeing the trial. In the center of the dome was a tree with a diameter of ten meters long. The tree looked normal, so far.

Taurus had no idea how she was going to complete this trial, but she was determined to complete it, despite her disability. She grabbed onto a lower branch, and used her upper body strength to pull herself up.

She continued climbing up, managing to adjust herself into a sitting position while holding onto nearby branches when she needed to rest.

Taurus didn't care how far ahead the others were. She just wanted to finish before the time limit.

***

"Why are you climbing beside me?" asked Ares.

"You know how this trial is going to work," replied Aries.

"I'm your alternate. I could push you off the tree and kill you."

"You wouldn't do that."

"How do you know?"

"You seem cold on the outside, but you're not that kind of person on the inside. You're not quite a tsundere, but similar. Also after class F started climbing, safety nets appeared."

Ares looked down to see safety nets to catch anyone who fell. "Why do you original zodiacs always examine everyone's behaviour? Scorpio watches my every move, and even Gemini observes everyone. I don't need you also trying to figure out my weaknesses or whatever."

"You're talking to me about how we analyze you guys? While Leon stalked us, Cancy was sent to spy on us, and I often catch Aquari and Pie also spying."

"Watch out!" Ares grabbed Aries's arm, keeping her from falling as the tree began spinning.

"What's going on?" asked Aries.

"Once you reach a certain point on the tree it starts spinning. It will spin, then stop for a few minutes, then spin again. You can try climbing anyway, or wait for it to stop spinning."

"What else happens further up the tree?"

"Keep climbing and find out."

***

Capricorn stayed in place after falling off the spinning tree. Being unaware of the safety nets, he thought he was falling to his death. Being in shock, it took him a few seconds before he realized what happened.

He slowly sat up and walked back over to the tree. The net stung a bit where he landed on it, but otherwise he was unharmed, despite falling from at least fifty feet.

"Why the hell does the tree SPIN?"

Capricorn turned to see an angry Pie looking up. "At least now we know the tree does weird things."

"Weird is an understatement. What the hell was that?"

Capricorn noticed Taur standing beside Pie. "Did you fall too?"

Taur turned to look at Capricorn. "Fall? I mean, yes. I was all the way up there when the tree started spinning."

"I refuse to waste anymore time." Pie began climbing, jumping from branch to branch like a monkey.

"Come on." Capricorn began climbing.

"You go ahead to me. I'll just stay here for a few more minutes. I'm trying to think of a strategy," replied Taur.

"Alright." Capricorn climbed from branch to branch, more determined than before.

***

Libra watched everyone below her. Deciding to rest, she sat on a tree branch. After making it through a spinning portion of the tree, and another portion where strong winds came out of nowhere, Libra was nervous to find out what was next.

"If you don't speed up, you'll be class B."

Libra looked over to see Gemini beside her. "There's only three people ahead of us."

"Look again."

Libra looked up to see several originals and alternates above her. "Shit!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH." They both watched as Pisces fell towards the safety nets.

"How do the safety nets catch us at these heights?" wondered Libra. "Wouldn't it still hurt if you fell at this height?"

Gemini shrugged. "I think they're made out of some kind of material that completely absorbs the shock of your fall."

Libra looked down, not being able to see the nets from this height. "They make all kinds of technologically advanced stuff in Capra. Ophiuchus probably bought the nets from there."

"Now hurry up," Gemini grabbed a branch above him, resuming his climb. "I'd like it if you made it to class A with me."

"Why?"

"Because Capricorn definitely won't make it." Gemini pointed to Capricorn who once again fell off the spinning part of the tree. "So now I'm hoping that at least more originals make it than alternates."

"Why are you so sure you'll make it to class A? There's at least ten people above us."

"Think positive." And with that Gemini resumed his climb.

***

Pisces groaned as he landed on the safety nets. Again.

"You seem to be struggling," teased Cancer.

"You seem to also keep falling," retorted Pisces.

Cancer sighed. "The people up there could fall off. We just have to keep climbing while they all fall off. Then we'll avoid class F."

"Did you fall too?" asked Pisces who noticed Taur.

"Yeah. I'm really bad at climbing this stupid tree." Taur shook his head. "I refuse to be class F again, but I can't do this."

"What if we all try climbing slowly?" asked Cancer. "Instead if trying to race to the top, let's try a more steady approach."

"We'll never escape class F if we take our time." Pisces quickly started climbing again.

"Pisces..." Cancer watched as Pisces almost fell again. "He doesn't stand a chance."

Taur shook his head. "I hope he likes cold showers."

***

Gem and Sagittarius climbed together.

Gem gasped. "Is that... flies?"

Sagittarius looked up to see millions of tiny flying insects attacking the zodiacs above. "Oh my god."

"We can do this." Gem gulped. "We can face the flies."

"I hate flies so much."

"Me too."

"If we stop here to avoid the flies, do you think we'll still place in class B?"

Gem shook her head. "We can't stop here. I refuse to be class F again."

"Alright. Then let's go." Sagittarius hesitantly reached for the next branch.

"Together. One... two... three..." Gem and Sagittarius pulled themselves up, entering the point at which flies began attacking them.

"Is that a wasp?"

Gem turned to see a wasp overhead. "N-no. It's a bumble bee. They don't sting people."

"I think it's a wasp!"

"It's not..." Gem squeezed her eyes closed. "It's just a bee."

"I hate Ophiuchus."

Gem kept her eyes on the wasp as she grabbed onto the next branch. "Everyone does."

***

"I think it stung me!" Saggi examined a red lump on his arm. "Why did Ophiuchus include wasps?"

"Because she hates us," replied Virgo who stopped to rest beside Saggi.

"I thought the trial would be worst than this." Saggi shrugged. "We're just climbing a tree and trying not to fall off. It's not as bad as that maze with all the hidden traps."

"That's what makes it suspicious." Virgo looked upwards. "It's too painless."

"Maybe it gets worst closer to the top."

"I tried to keep up with Ares since he knows what's going to happen at every new section of the tree, but he climbs too quickly."

"Now I wonder if there's actually tarantulas or if he just said that to torment Scorpio."

"I hope there aren't any. I refuse to climb past tarantulas."

"I think I'm going to start climbing again." Saggi reached for a branch. "Are you coming?"

Virgo glanced upwards, studying the tree. "I think I'll stay down here a bit longer. Something isn't right about this."

Saggi paused, before deciding to sit back down. "You think there's a trap or something."

"Look." Virgo pointed upwards. "That red blob all the way up there is Ares. Aries is just below him. They're stopped. That's suspicious."

"We've been climbing for hours. They're finally tired."

"They're too competitive to let others pass them."

"You're right. They're letting others get ahead of them."

"Ares knows everything that's going to happen." Virgo grabbed a branch above him. "Climb carefully, and watch those two red blobs up there."

"You may have just saved me from class F. If there's actually a trap." And with that Saggi resumed climbing.

***

"How close are we to the top?" Leo wiped her sweaty brow. "Has it been three hours yet?"

Aquarius sighed. "There's a lot of people ahead of us. I don't think it's likely we'll make it to class A."

"You've already been there."

"I still want to go back."

"As long as it's not class F. Ow!" Leo paused to see rocks being thrown at her. "Where are these coming from?"

"The walls of the building!" Aquarius pointed to canons protruding from the walls of the dome, launching rocks towards the tree. "Are you alright?"

Leo nodded. "I think that'll bruise. But at least the rocks aren't pointy."

"They're not pointy yet."

"How does Ophiuchus get away with this stuff again?"

"King Cepheus isn't able to monitor her all the time. He's too busy watching all the other constellations in the sky and ruling his kingdom of stars."

"I wonder if Cetus was really sent down to help Ophiuchus, or to spy on her."

"You think Cepheus is using Cetus to spy on Ophiuchus?"

"Maybe."

"Hopefully she reports all the messed up stuff Ophiuchus does to us. But she understands how this trial works and isn't doing anything to stop it."

"So maybe she's actually on Ophiuchus' side after all."

***

After almost three hours of climbing, Scorpio had almost reached the top. Her arms and legs burned, crying out in pain with every movement she made.

But she was currently in first place. There's no way she'd rest to let that red haired fuck pass her.

Speaking of Ares... where was he? Scorpio looked around and squinted her eyes in suspicion. He was quite the ways behind her.

Too far behind.

Before Scorpio could decide what to do next, an alarm went off. This signalled their time was almost up.

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the room. "One minute... fifty nine seconds... fifty eight seconds..."

Scorpio was close to the top. She used whatever determination she had left to push herself upwards. There was thirty seconds left. Scorpio was an arms length away from the top when suddenly a block of wood popped out of the tree, pushing her off.

As she fell, Scorpio mentally cursed Ares who knew this would happen. He smiled as he dangled from the end of a branch, far enough away from the trunk to avoid the blocks of wood.

Aries who didn't trust Ares enough to listen to him also fell.

What Ares didn't expect was for Aries to grab onto his leg as she fell, pulling him down with her.

When Scorpio finally hit the net, she couldn't breathe. The impact from the heigh that she fell left her stunned and breathless.

She knew her entire body was going to be really sore in the morning.

***

When everyone returned to the meeting room, their new ranks were updated.

Class A:
1. Capri
2. Leo
3. Libra
4. Virgo
5. Saggi
6. Scor

Class B:
7. Vinn
8. Pie
9. Gemini
10. Sagittarius
11. Gem
12. Cancy
13. Taurus
14. Aquari
15. Cancer
16. Leon
17. Pisces
18. Taur

Class F:
19. Scorpio
20. Ares
21. Aries
22. Capricorn
23. Aquarius
24. Lee

Taur signed in relief. He wasn't very far from the ground when time ran out. The only thing that saved him was everyone else falling off last minute.

"Technically my rank is higher than yours," taunted Scorpio as everyone walked to their rooms.

Ares rolled his eyes. "We're both class F. It doesn't even matter."

"How did you know what was going to happen, but still fall off?"

"Because of her." Ares playfully punched Aries.

Aries flinched. "Sorry. I grabbed onto you because I panicked."

"I won't hold it against you. Only because we're both the same sign."

Meanwhile Capri, Virgo, and Saggi were in denial that they were now class A. Lee muttered angry curses at everyone, especially Capri for having the audacity to get first place when he was now last. Virgo and Saggi distracted Capri until she reached her old classless room, so that she wouldn't notice.

After packing their things, class by class, everyone took the elevator to their new rooms. They intended to sleep right away, knowing Ophiuchus likely had something planned for the morning.