The stars will tell

By, Arashi ()

Claimer: All of these characters belong to me, and a few my friend, Sanomi, made up. Do not use, take, claim, without my permission.

Chapter one - First step to a long Journey

Sliding a book out of the shelf, Aisu had found an odd type of book. Examining the cover, he found out this was an old book -- and perfect to flip though. "Zodiac tales?" Aisu’s eyes glimmered in fascination, and without hesitation, he opened it. The first page he had found a chart, of all the stars and symbols next to each other, "These names are familiar..." Flipping to the next few pages he had found a list of names, with pictures and a stone right by them.

"Aisu!"

Aisu shut the booked closed and turned around quickly, "Yeah?"

He found his grandfather looking for him, and entered the room. "Aisu, have you finished cleaning the bookshelves?"

Aisu was never good at lying, so he just stayed silence, sliding the book behind his back so his grandfather would not be able to see.

"What have you got there?" His grandpa asked, seeing Aisu’s hand move away from sight quickly.

"Ah--" No use in lying, he had caught him. Bringing the book out from behind his back, he showed the cover of the book. "Zodiac tales. Wanted to take a look at it, no harm in it huh?"

His grandfather reached for the book, opening it and closing it again to scan the cover, "I thought I had lost this thing..." He chuckled, sitting in the nearest chair flipping through the book. "Do you know what this book is about?" He asked, looking up into Aisu’s eyes.

Aisu shook his head, "No..." He mumbled, "They are familiar... I guess..." Shrugging a bit, "You want to tell me?"

"Did you read any of it?"

Aisu’s head bobbed up and down. "Yeah, I read the powers or something..."

"Well..." The beginning of his grandfather’s story was about to begin, "12 stones were made special for the zodiac signs, which were born into 12 humans, giving them unusual powers. Each power had to do with its sign, for example, cancer, the crab, can manipulate water since its element is water."

"So what’s so special about them?" Aisu crawled onto of his grandpa’s lap, "Why is there a whole book made about it?"

"You see, you can gain those powers too," Instantly Aisu’s little head tilted to the side. "Let me explain," Seeing his young grandsons confusion he said, "You would have to find these humans with the stones born inside of them. To gain them for yourself, you have to gain their trust and do something for them," Patting his grandsons head, "You get it now?"

Aisu nodded, "Yeah! So I can find them?"

"If you want, you can... But when you’re older."

Aisu’s face filled with a smile, "Of course I will!"

--10 years later—

"Hey Aisu!"

Aisu turned around, finding one of his friends running towards him, "AISU BUDDY!" Running into him and giving him a tackle hug, "What’s up!?"

Aisu blinked, and choked for breath, "Air..."

"Ne?" His friend looked up, then down to Aisu again, "Naw, it’s the sky!"

"No... I NEED air!"

"Oh! I see!" Loosening his grip and smiled once again, "So how's life?"

Aisu gave a stiff shrug, "Nothing..."

His friend’s eyes wandered, "Doesn’t look like it ya know?" Placing his hands on his hips and giving an annoying grin, "What’s all yer crap doin’ outside of the house?"

Aisu’s eyes rolled, and flipped his long blue hair and turned to his junk, "It’s called Spring cleaning Yuuki..." He muttered, "Grandfather hates a messy house..."

Aisu heard a choke, and turned his head, "What?"

"Still livin’ with yer old man ne?" His friend Yuuki laughed, "How sad!"

Aisu growled, "Well I have no where to go... and I have no money... So this is my only choice!" Picking up a box and about to carry it inside he turned to his friend one more time, "And what’s so sad with it? I like my—" He paused, hearing a rip, he looked on the bottom of his box, and soon everything fell. "AH!"

"Better get a new box Aisu... That one doesn’t look the best... anymore..."

"It still looks fine... Just a bit of fixing here and there..." Picking up what remained of the box his face faulted, "Ne... Nevermind..."

"Hey what’s this?" Yuuki spotted an old worn out book and picked it up. He removed the dust with the palm of his hand reading, "Zodiac tales... Bit corny..."

Aisu’s eyes widened snatching the book from his hands, "I THOUGHT I LOST YOU!!" He screamed aloud bringing the book into a tight hug, "Oh precious, precious book..." He brought it out of a hug and raised it above his head, "Ah! It is you!" Soon, he squeezed the book again.

"Ne, Aisu, that book looks old. I don’t think you can do that anymore..." His friend blinked, "By the way, what’s so special about that... ‘Precious Precious’ book?"

Aisu thought for a while, eyes wandering along the sky, "Uh... I really don’t remember..." He laughed, "But I found it!"

"You’re a clueless idiot sometimes..." Yuuki scratched his head and sighed, "A huge... idiotic idiot..."

Aisu smiled, "Well..." He opened the book, and "I remember that when I was a kid and my grandpa—"

"—I’m bored already..." Yuuki waved his hand, "I’m going to get goin’ have fun with that book ‘o yers," He turned and walked off.

Aisu watched Yuuki walk off and soon sat down on the ground scanning the book once again. "...Now I remember..." He said, "That there are 12 stones made for the Zodiac signs, that were born into 12 humans and if you get them you can have special powers..." Aisu nodded, "Yea! I think that’s it!" Shutting the book and setting it on his lap, and thought for a while. But soon a mischievous grin spread across his face, "No where to go huh? Well... Now I do..." He stood up, placing the book underneath his arm, "I will go and find the 12 Zodiac stones!" He laughed evilly, but in a few seconds, he paused. "But I won’t be able to do it alone. I need someone strong and someone who will be able to help me along the journey—" After saying that, a large broken down building caught his eye.

No one was allowed there, not even a powerful sorcerer. Why? Since a deadly demon lives up there – well, it was a rumor so we are never too sure. They say he feeds off of blood and mortal souls. But once again, this was a rumor. "Hey doesn’t hurt to try...?" Aisu asked himself, "I have nothing to loose!"

"Okay... Maybe I shouldn’t have come here..." Aisu said, walking through the dark building shuddering. No lights, no sounds, and nothing but... scary things. Aisu shuddered feeling a cold drift against his back. He quickly turned, "Who’s there?" He asked... nothing. He found nothing behind him, and just sighed in relief, "Ah—My imagination..." He turned back around about to head straight when he found what brushed against him standing RIGHT in front of him. "...Hi—ack..."

"You are...?" The demons head tilted a bit. Okay, so maybe the rumors were true, but Aisu never thought the demon would look—this scary. Eyes the color of black and slit pupils that were a deep blood red. He was tall, and did not look very welcoming, and his wings looked like a replica of dragon wings, only made out of bone and torn up.

"Aisu..." His voice rose into a squeak, "You are?"

"Wondering why you’re here," The demon answered Aisu’s question, only the answer was not the one Aisu was hoping for.

Aisu shook his head, "I’m here because—" Aisu’s voice becoming more confident, yet sounding as scared as he was a few seconds ago, "I want you to help me!"

The demons face faulted, "I think I’m going to kill you now—"

"NO! NO! Wait—You haven’t heard my WHOLE story..." Aisu nervously said, "You see—"

"Your boring me, hurry up so I can kill you..." The demons voice sounded bored and cold. He crossed his arms looking down at Aisu. "I’ll give you 5 minutes..."

"Heh..." Aisu gave a nervous half-smile, "You see I’m looking for someone as brave and strong as you. So... I need your help, by helping me find the 12 Zodiac stones!" Pulling out the old book he handed it to the demon and gave a friendly smile, "So, you wanna do it?"

The demon looked more bored than when Aisu first spoke, "What’s in it for me?"

"Well.. You get to get out of this dump—"

"That’s my HOUSE..."

"Er... You get to get out of your house, blow people up, and you can have some of the power... Only if you join me of course..."

The demon stared down at the book again; "This is just a rumor..."

Aisu’s eyes perked up, "So you have heard of them?"

He nodded, "Yes, but it’s just a rumor. What if they aren’t real and you waste my time?"

"...You can blow me up?" Aisu said quickly without thinking.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them, and soon the demon tossed back the book. "Fine..." He said. "Only because you’re the stupidest person to come up here... and only..."

Aisu smiled, "Thank you! I need to know your name before we start the journey..."

"Reikage..." He said.

"Reikage... Can I call you Rei?" Aisu asked with no pause in the middle, "Hey Rei, so it is just a rumor that you feed off of human souls and drink blood?"

Rei’s head shook, "No..."

"Heh... you won’t feed off of my soul will you?"

"Maybe..." Rei looked at Aisu in the corner of his eyes, "You scared of me now...?"

Aisu shook his head, "Nope! But I think you would scare others with your—" He pointed at Reikage’s torn up wings, "Do you think—"

Before Aisu finished his sentence, there was a bit of red smoke, and when it cleared up, his wings were gone. "Better?"

"How about your eyes?"

"Fuck off..." Rei growled, glaring at Aisu, "Would you like to keep yours?"

Aisu squeeked and nodded his head, "Nevermind!" He took out his book and opened it, pulling out a piece of paper. "Here’s a map, and the first place we have to stop at to get more info is the nameless town... Home of the nameless shrine dedicated to nameless things..."

Rei sighed, "How far away is this town?"

Aisu smiled, "You don’t get out much do you?"

"I’m a damn demon... Of course I don’t!" Rei yelled and shot a glare at Aisu.

Aisu blinked for a bit, "Well some do you know... We gotta watch that temper of yours! And it’s right next to us, walking about 10 minutes..."

Rei grumbled, "Meh... Fine... And we are waiting for...?"

"Nothing, let’s go. I think theres a monk there... Named Kyoji? He knows where the stones are!"

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!" Aisu gave a perky smile, "Now, Let’s get out of here, this place creeps me out!"

"This is my home your talking about!"

--End of chapter one

PROFILES

Name: Aisu (Ice in Japanese)

Age: 22

Eyes: pale blue

Hair: Silver Blue

Job: A clumsy ice sorcerer in training.

Other: Aisu is a bit clumsy, and says the wrong things at the wrong time. He loves adventures and was always hoping to go on one. Now since he found the book he thought he had lost, he decides to head off and do something. Aisu is a bit careless, and often will need help. But that’s how every beginner starts off, right?

Name: Reikage

Age:??

Eyes: black with red pupils.

Hair: Orange/Black/red, it’s all mixed.

Job: A annoyed demon.

Other: Rei likes peace and quiet, and has been living in a broken down house for hundreds of years, only going out to eat, which is blood and human souls. Reikage often acts annoyed, pushy, and cranky towards humans and won’t let his emotions scatter around. He’s only in for the adventure since it might be ‘exciting’ Often finds himself helping and saving Aisu, but really does not know why. Could Rei really have a soft side he isn’t showing?