Leo walked out of the elevator, wearing her fuzzy pyjamas. As soon as she stepped into the living room, she decided not to ask questions as she sat on the couch.

"She's trying not to laugh. You can't just pretend we're not here," smirked Gemini.

Leo stared at the TV. The news channel suddenly became very interesting.

"We know you want to laugh," taunted Capricorn.

Leo gave in and lost it. "What the fuck."

Gemini was sitting on the other couch, dressed up like Santa. Capricorn was dressed as miss Clause. Cancer, Gem, Sagittarius, and Pisces wore elf costumes.

"Didn't you get the memo?" asked Gem. "You have to dress up for Christmas."

"Taurus is participating too. Her and Libra are reindeers," announced Cancer.

Leo nodded. "Gemini is Santa. Capricorn what are you supposed to be?"

Gemini smirked. "He's my bitch."

Libra and Taurus walked in the living room with a tray of cookies and hot chocolate. They were indeed dressed as reindeers. They even put a black spot on their noses.

Leo grabbed a mug of hot chocolate. "I'm not dressing up for anything."

"Me either, Leo." Aquarius walked in the room. Seeing no space left on the other couch, he sat on the opposite end of the couch where Leo sat.

Sagittarius jumped up and sat beside Aquarius. "Why didn't you dress up?"

Aquarius shrugged.

"Are we the only ones that didn't dress up?" asked Leo.

Sagittarius thought for a second. "It's hard to tell. Probably not."

Suddenly Christmas music started playing all over the house.

"Where's that music coming from?" asked Pisces.

"I hid speakers around the house. The speakers are currently connected to my phone, which is playing Christmas music." Scorpio walked into the living room with Cheeto. She wore a Santa hat, and even placed a small Santa hat on her cat.

"Even Cheeto is dressed up?" chuckled Libra.

"Handsome is too." Pisces whistled.

His golden dog ran into the living room, with an elf hat over his head.

"Cuuuuuuuute!" Libra petted Handsome.

"Watch." Scorpio turned the volume if her phone on blast. Jingle bell rock blasted over the speakers.

Nothing happened.

Cancer looked around. "What's supposed to-"

"Shhhhhhh!" hushed Scorpio.

Everyone heard loud stomping noises from above.

The elevator opened to reveal Aries, who was also still in her pyjamas. "Who woke me up?"

"Eww you just woke up? You have stinky breath. Go brush your teeth before coming down here," ordered Sagittarius.

Aries sighed. "Okay boss." She turned around and went back in the elevator.

"Who are we missing?" Taurus counted heads. "Virgo."

Libra pulled out her phone. "Got it."

A minute later, Virgo stepped out of the elevator. "I heard you guys have decided to start respecting me and you're willing to listen to me."

Libra chuckled. "Actually no, I said that just to get you down here."

"How did I fall for that? You guys never listen to me." Virgo sighed and sat beside Libra.

"The couches are pretty full." Pisces pushed Cancer off the couch. Handsome jumped in Cancer's lap.

Sagittarius tried to push Aquarius off the couch but he ended up pushing her first.

"Why is this a thing that happens when we're all sitting on the couches?" asked Capricorn, before getting pushed off by Gem.

Then Gem pushed Gemini off.

"Don't push me, I have a cat in my lap," warned Scorpio.

Not too long after, everyone was hauled off a couch except Scorpio, Aquarius and Leo.

"Haha! The losers are all on the couch," tormented Gemini.

"We don't care," sighed Leo before going back to watching tv.

Aries walked out of the elevator, wearing a clean pair of pajamas.

Sagittarius face palmed. "Damn. I was going to comment on how she's wearing the same pajamas she slept in, but she's wearing a new pair."

"I like to think ahead." Aries sat on the couch.

Then she got hauled off by Gem. "She doesn't think that far ahead," giggled Gem.

"So, what are we going to do?" asked Virgo.

"Decorate the tree!" suggested Gemini.

Everyone looked at the fake tree was was already set up, it's branches bare without ornaments.

"I think I put the ornament boxes in the art room. I even made a few ornaments to hang up," announced Taurus. "They're made from clay."

Virgo stood up. "Okay, so we're ALL going to get up and help bring the ornaments down."

Everyone stayed in place.

Libra sighed. "Move your asses!"

Everyone stood up and walked to the elevator.

Virgo's shoulders slumped. "Why does this happen to me?"

Libra patted Virgo on the back. "I find it quite amusing."

***

Libra was upstairs in the art room with the other zodiacs. So far they found all the ornaments and carefully put them in a box to be brought downstairs. They even dug up some Christmas lights and a star to put on the top of the tree.

Libra was deciding who would bring what downstairs, when she realized a few people were missing.

Libra counted people. Only Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Virgo, her, Capricorn and Aquarius were left. Aries, Gem, Leo, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Pisces were gone.

Libra cleared her throat. "The escaped zodiacs are now wanted! There will be a reward for whoever brings in one of them. Use any means necessary to catch them, just don't kill them is all."

"What kind of reward?" inquired Gemini.

Libra shrugged. "Catch one of them and find out."

Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Libra, Virgo and Capricorn excitedly rushed into the elevator to catch the others.

Aquarius stuck his hands in his pockets and took his time. He didn't care about the reward, but he did want to find the others.

***

Gem was hiding with Sagittarius in a closet. She pulled out her phone and created a group chat.

Gem named the chat Awesome Squad

Gem: Where are the rest of you hiding? I'm in a closet with Sagittarius.

Pisces: lol

Sagittarius: 😑 anyway! Where's the rest of you?

Aries: me and Scorpio are hiding behind the fake wall

Leo: what fake wall?

Scorpio: ARIES!

Aries: who cares if they know? As long as Libra and Virgo don't find out

Scorpio: alright. We'll guide you to the secret lair.

Pisces: you built a secret lair???

Scorpio: no, I just found it while exploring one day

Aries: Leo and Pisces, go meet up with Sagittarius and Gem in the closet

Gem exchanged a confused look with Sagittarius, when suddenly a square shaped chunk of the wall popped out. Both of them screamed.

"Shhhhhh!" hushed Aries. "That's the fake wall. Put it back when you're done."

Gem and Sagittarius crawled through the hole in the wall. On the other side was a small room that could barely fit five people. Taking up most of the room, was a set of stairs leading downwards.

"Crawl downstairs. I'll stay to show Pisces and Leo where to go."

Being the brave one, Sagittarius walked down the soft carpet stairs until she stepped into a larger room. The larger room had a floor made of white tiles, and black walls. There was also two beanbag chairs, a hammock, and a small sofa. A mini fridge was placed next to the couch and a glass table sat in front of the couch. A ping pong table was set up in the corner. There was even a little bed for Cheeto.

Scorpio was sitting in a beanbag chair facing the glass table, drinking cream soda.

"So.. you have a secret lair." Gem looked around in awe.

Scorpio put her can of soda down and nodded. "I discovered it with Aries one day while exploring the mansion. We use it to hide from Libra and the others sometimes. Well, I guess that makes you guys part of our secret club. You're not allowed or tell anyone and you have to join our prank squad now. We will have regular meetings when we want to plan our pranks."

Sagittarius immediately ran towards the mini fridge. "Ooh there's root beer in here!" Not bothering to ask for permission, she took a can of root beer for herself, and a can of Mountain Dew for Gem.

"Why is there a life sized portrait of you and Aries on the wall?" asked Gem as she caught the Mountain Dew that Sagittarius threw to her.

"Because we discovered this place, so we get to do whatever we want."

Sagittarius nodded. "Fair."

Suddenly Pisces reached the bottom of the stairs. "Is this where you keep your hostages?"

Scorpio threw the empty can of cream soda at Pisces. "It's where I'll keep you if you tell anyone about this place."

"Why would I tell? As long as I get to come here whenever I'll be satisfied."

Finally, Leo and Aries came downstairs.

"I'll explain this again." Scorpio cleared her throat. "This will be used for pranking. No telling anyone else where it is. Got it?"

The newcomers nodded.

"If anyone else were to find out, we wouldn't have a secret lair anymore. This will be a little safe spot for us, so make sure nobody is watching when you enter," warned Aries.

"So, what's the first plan?" asked Pisces.

"I always wondered what was hidden behind that fake wall." Everyone  froze at the footsteps that came down over the stairs. Aquarius smiled at everyone.

"Aqua?" asked Sagittarius.

"Wh-what?" stuttered Scorpio.

"I noticed that fake wall a while ago. I didn't have any interest in finding out where it lead until I saw Leo quietly sneak into the closet and disappear. It's a cool place you guys have here. I won't tell anyone about it though."

Aries squinted her eyes. "I don't trust you."

Aquarius shrugged. "Why would I betray Saggi and her friends?"

Sagittarius nodded. "Our secret is safe with him."

"Anyway-" Gem got interrupted by everyone's notifications going off.

Virgo: okay guys where are you hiding?

Pisces: up ur ass

Libra: PFFFFFFFFT

Virgo: that wasn't funny 😑

Sagittarius: AHAHHAHAHAHA THAT SUDDENLY BECAME SO FUNNY OMG

Pisces: We're behind the fake wall

Taurus: yeah right. Where are you actually? 🙄

Pisces: I'm not lying

Taurus: we don't even have a fake wall nice try though

Pisces: awwww you didn't fall for my trick 😕

Libra: obviously not

Cancer: guys we have hot chocolate

Scorpio: we don't care

Libra: I know how to find you guys 😏

Scorpio: turn your phones on vibrate!

Aries: my phone is always on vibrate

Gem: really Libra? Your tactic is to call us to listen for our ringtones?

Libra: it usually works

Aquarius: hey

Sagittarius: hey

Aquarius: bye

Aquarius left the chat

Sagittarius: I'm not even going to bother adding him back this time

Capricorn: hey Libra?

Libra: yeah?

Capricorn: now I'm hiding too

Libra: why

Gemini: don't worry, I'll find him

Capricorn: no u won't

Gemini: now it's a challenge

Gem: hint: we're in the backyard!

Virgo: they're inside the house. Thanks Gem!

Libra: you guys are so deceptive... can you really call yourself a proud member of the zodiac with all those lies you tell?

Leo: I am a proud liar. So yeah

Pisces: can you really call yourself a proud member of the zodiac with all those rules you make?

Libra: ... I'll just save everyone some time since we're not getting anywhere with Pisces

Libra was kicked from the chat

Pisces: lol she was about to kick me. Bitch u thought

Pisces was kicked from the chat

Gemini: 9/13 left

Taurus: I'm getting pretty bored

Capricorn: hi guys

Gem: hi cap

Cancer: cap is with u guys?

Aries: yeah. We kinda snuck out of the house and now we're all running down the hill together. Come get us

Virgo: guys don't fall for it

Virgo: who opened the door to chase them?

Gem: lol Gemini is sprinting down the hill. Haha we tricked you

Virgo: then you're somewhere with a view outside?

Gem: shit

Scorpio: we're all in different hiding spots now. You'll never know where we were hiding earlier

Virgo: I'll find out eventually

Cancer: guys can't we just decorate the tree now?

Capricorn: someone go find Gemini

Taurus: he'll come back once he realizes he was tricked

Leo: yeah I'm getting tired of hiding. I want to decorate the tree

Sagittarius: aren't we wanted or something?

Virgo: no

Leo: then why is everyone looking for us?

Taurus: because you guys snuck away

Gem: libra probably planned a punishment for if we get caught or something

Cancer: no she offered a reward if we catch you

Gem: ah. Thanks for letting me know

Cancer: no prob

Taurus: CANCER

Cancer: what? She's my friend

Taurus: you still don't tell her that there's a reward if we find her

Gem: I'll let Cancer find me so u can get the reward

Cancer: really?

Gem: yeah. I'll private message you my location

Cancer: no tricks?

Gem: come and find out

Aries: hi Virgo

Virgo: what are you guys doing?

Aries: we are decorations

Capricorn: what are they doing?

Virgo: Aries, Leo and Scorpio are in the living room, making weird poses

Leo: decorations don't speak

Aries: they don't text either

Gemini: they weren't outside. I was lied to

Virgo: ...

Gemini: I could of sworn I heard a group of people running away when I went outside

Cancer: I FOUND GEM

Virgo: I found the "decorations" first

Scorpio: but we're not wanted people. We are just decorations

Virgo: no you are not

Leo: we are decorations that can somehow move. The real Leo, Aries and Scorpio are somewhere else

Virgo: really? 😑

Aries: yeah

Gemini: hmm... these decorations slap me when I try to push them over 🤔

Leo: they'll burn you to a crisp now in a minute

Sagittarius: I kinda want to decorate the tree now so

Virgo was kicked from the chat

Aries was kicked from the chat

Capricorn was kicked from the chat

Gem was kicked from the chat

Gemini was kicked from the chat

Scorpio was kicked from the chat

Taurus was kicked from the chat

Cancer was kicked from the chat

Sagittarius left the chat

***

The zodiacs played Christmas music as they decorated the Christmas tree. Cancer received a cash reward for turning in Gem, and everyone was full of inner Christmas spirit. Even Aquarius, even if he didn't show it. They ate a turkey dinner together, hung their stockings and watched a Christmas movie together.

At midnight, it started to snow. Everyone ran outside in nothing but their winter boots and pajamas to throw snowballs together. They were quick to run back inside to warm up by the fire place. Soon after, everyone was tired and went to bed. Cancer was the last one up since he carried out the common tradition of leaving milk and cookies out for santa.

While the others dreamed Christmas related dreams, Gemini's dream was a little different.

***

Gemini wasn't dreaming about anything until a familiar figure appeared before him.

"Gina."

"I don't have much time."

"You never do."

"I already told you why."

"You ended off by saying you left a note somewhere."

"I left a note in my personal chambers in the castle."

"Your old castle?"

"Yes. It's taped under the bed."

"I'll send a spy to retrieve it."

"Be careful. Don't get caught."

"What does the note say? Can't you just tell me?"

"I don't have enough time."

"Cepheus still watches you closely? Since you can't alter the events on earth?"

"Yes."

"You probably won't contact me again for a while then."

"Only when I'm not closely monitored."

"Spill as much information as you can with the time you have left."

"Where do I start?"

"Pinkie."

"Who?"

"Our stalker."

"I don't know much about your stalker."

"Was she hired by the alternate zodiacs?"

"Not exactly."

"What?"

"He is an alternate zodiac."

"HE?!?"

"Your stalker is a boy."

"But he has long pink hair... and he looked like a girl."

"Obviously he did that so you wouldn't suspect him. He wears a wig and make up and even a heavily stuffed bra to look like a girl, to deceive you."

"WHAT? It's Leon the alternate Leo isn't it?"

"What other alternate zodiac would dress so fabulously?"

"True."

"Leon is naturally a pretty boy. That's how he manages to trick you by dressing up like a girl."

"Well is there any other very important things you want to share?"

"Ophiuchus has been living on the neutral continent for quite a while now. I suspect that if she hasn't already, she'll try to infiltrate your friend group by pretending to be a new student."

"Is it Olive?"

"I have to-"

***

Gemini woke up and replayed his conversation with Gina in his mind. Then he pulled a journal out from under his bed and wrote down what Gina told him.

Gemini proceeded to lie awake lost in thought. So Ophiuchus is coming for the friend group. But I have so many questions. Is she good or is she trying to hurt us? She helped us when we first arrived to earth but she could be helping the alternate zodiacs instead now. Olive is a new student who admittedly is a little suspicious. Is it her, or someone else entirely? While Olive has things going on that she's not telling us, which makes her suspicious, I don't think she's secretly Ophiuchus. I don't recognize her face or her voice. I'll recognize Ophi right away. Unless she's good at disguising herself. No, Olive clearly has something big going on, but I don't think she's someone else in disguise or anything. But I do want to know what kind of secret she has. Even if it's unrelated to everything else, I still want to know what's going on.