Answer of the Stars - Carrie

【Beginning】
Although Aquarius Court was far from the Zodiac Courts of Alma and Persephone, they always loved to meet there to have chats.

Court of Scorpio - Alma: I would say a young and obedient man is better.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: I’d rather want someone older than me; who is both mature and sedate.

The two sat in the pavilion at the poolside and looked at Carrie at the same time. Carrie was practicing her skills at an open space, not paying any attention to them.

Court of Scorpio - Alma: Is it really good to be with someone of the same age?

Court of Scorpio - Alma: Won’t there be many quarrels?

Court of Virgo - Persephone: And that guy may not be as reliable as a mature man...

The two looked at Carrie again only to see her leaping and kicking, completely ignoring them.

Court of Scorpio - Alma: It’s better for a couple to have different strengths.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Yes! Yes! Yes! So that they can rely on each other—

A flash of a blade slashed through the pavilion. Alma and Persephone evaded in panic, escaping from the collapsed structure. In anger, Carrie yelled at them, stepping on her blade:

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: Get out of my palace!

【Before Battles】

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Carrie, calm down—

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: Shut up! Old hags!

Court of Scorpio - Alma: Even meaner than me, huh?

【Beginning】

Werewolf Monk: Carrie, to do something well. you must treat it as your final goal...

Werewolf Monk: ...but not the means to get to your goal.

Carrie was expelled from her hometown because she had accidentally injured her best friend. She was sent to the remote Fighting Hall of Aquarius, where she trained herself with the heavy stone blades in attempt to control her brute strength.

Werewolf Monk: Keep practicing the basics!

Werewolf Monk: Until the day you can deliver the fastest punch, and the most powerful kick!

Werewolf Monk: Before you can master the first move, don’t think about the next one.

Carrie: Yes! Master!

If one could defeat an enemy with a single blow, the next move would be unnecessary. That was how Carrie interpreted her master’s words. But, whenever she stroke, her master would blame her for putting too much strength in every blow.

Werewolf Monk: What are you actually thinking when you punch?

Werewolf Monk: You want to punch through your enemy with a single strike?

Werewolf Monk: We fighters communicate with our fists.

Werewolf Monk: Every punch is a word, and every move a sentence.

Werewolf Monk: Think about your opponent! Think about what you are going to “say” to him!

Holding the handles tight, Carrie slashed the waterfall hard with her stone blades.

Carrie: ‘I miss you.’

【Before Battles】

Werewolf Monk: Carrie, you’ve learnt all my techniques and are now a better fighter than I am.

Carrie: My master, I...

Werewolf Monk: Stop the nonsense! Just say thank you to us with your skills!

【End】

???: What are you doing?

Carrie: ......

Carrie: Carving.

Although she could sense the essence of the visitor, this had clearly been the visitor's intention, informing her of his arrival. Carrie was sitting at the edge of the cliff behind the Fighting Hall of Aquarius, writing on the stone tablet with her finger. She turned to visitor and hid the “letter” written on the stone behind her.

Fighter: It’s really rare.

Fighter: Don’t worry. I am not interested in your private affairs.

Fighter: I’m just here to say my greetings to the future Court of Aquarius.

Carrie: You don’t sound like typical challengers.

Fighter: I am just looking around.

Fighter: I appreciate the the pureness of the aim of Aquarius Astralists.

Fighter: But the hearts of people are complicated.

Fighter: A fighter will be weak if he can just master one technique.

Fighter: That’s why Aquarius Court has been unoccupied for a long time.

Carrie: I really don’t know what you’re talking about...

Carrie turned back to her carving. However, with her mood disturbed, she simply finished what she was writing, and then pushed the tablets down the cliff.. Soon, from the bottom the noise of crashing rocks came.

Fighter: So, you think it’s broken down there?

Carrie: How come is it not?

The stranger smiled and left. Looking at the dark bottom, Carrie shook her head and returned to the palace.

【Beginning】
Persephone was never good at healing. She just knew the fundamentals, but that was already enough to lead the Courts of Zodiacs to think she was a healer. Therefore, when Carrie reported for duty, the Astralists had assigned Persephone to heal Carrie’s wounded hands.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Unbelievable! How could a man hurt a girl this badly...

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: ...

Persephone guided the light elements into Carrie’s hands. They are still unable to move, but whenever she felt the numbness, she would always smile sweetly.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: ‘She didn’t really suffer brain damage, did she...’

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Be careful when you’re on a mission next time.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Otherwise, your hands may be disabled forever.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Forever...

Carrie nodded lightly. Her eyes were on her hands, which became fine and delicate again after the treatment. But soon, her eyes stared off into the distance, unfocused—her attention had drifted.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: ...Yes. Forever.

Without needing to ask, even Persephone could see it was the illness called love.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: What kind of a man he is?

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: I don’t know.

As Persephone stopped transferring her power, Carrie realized there was something wrong with herself. Face blushed, she tried to explain:

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: No, I didn’t mean I don’t know him...

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: He is a hard-working man.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Oh...I see...

Court of Virgo - Persephone: You did shock me though...You don’t look like an easy person to me...

At that moment, they heard someone knocking the gate with metallic objects. Persephone asked the guards to open the gate, while Carrie looked on inquisitively.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: It seems that the special practitioner has come!

【Before Battles】

Court of Virgo - Persephone: A battle is the best physiotherapy! Carrie, fight as much as you like!

Court of Scorpio - Alma: Hold on! That’s not what you told me!

【End】
Since then, Carrie had made friends with the pair. Although Aquarius Court was not close to the Zodiac Courts of Alma and Persephone, they would always noisily hang out at Carrie's Court. Carrie did understand the two came because they cared about her, but, due to her past life as a martial artist, she was used to silence. Instead of being touched by their act, Carrie was more often annoyed by the two—

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Carrie, calm down——

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: Shut up! Old Hags!

Court of Scorpio - Alma: Even meaner than me, huh?

Carrie admonished the two and expelled them from her palace.^ She was silent not because she was an introvert, but because she was waiting for the goat horn to arrive from the realm of men.

【Beginning】
When the horned fighter was finally recognized by the Astralists and arrived at the corridor towards the Zodiac Courts, the Courts of Zodiacs welcomed him by witnessing his arrival and pointed out the direction to Aquarius Court for him. Due to the efforts of Persephone and Alma, the Courts were all well-informed about Carrie’s romantic stories. Although there might be slight differences among various versions, the Courts of Zodiacs were all awaiting the moment when Carrie reunite with her old friend.

Court of Taurus - Armstrong: Hey, kid!

Court of Capricorn - Domon: Hello, my name is Dom—

Court of Taurus - Armstrong: Let me tell you first! I do hate people who des—

Court of Taurus - Armstrong: What are you doing, Persephone?

Court of Virgo - Persephone: I should be the one asking you!

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Haha, please don’t mind what he said! Go see Carrie!

The confused Court of Capricorn nodded and thanked Persephone. Then he continued his journey to Aquarius Court. Persephone pulled Armstrong aside to blame him for interfering.

Court of Virgo - Persephone: ‘What gibberish are you saying!’

Court of Taurus - Armstrong: ‘But Court of Scorpio told me—’

Court of Virgo - Persephone: ‘Forget about what Alma said! All we have to do is watch!’

At this moment, Carrie paced restlessly in her palace alone, her agitation never as great as it is now.

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: ‘Stay calm, Carrie! Stay calm!’

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: ‘I just have to do what I usually do —’

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: ‘— defeat every challenger brought by the Astalists!’

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: Really?

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: ‘That’s why...I have to beat the heck out of Domon? Just like what I did—’

Court of Scorpio - Alma: Hi! Carr——

Carrie’s swung out her blade immediately, forcing Alma to parry it with her scythe and tail crossed, emitting sparks everywhere—

Court of Scorpio - Alma: You’re in fine condition!

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: Go somewhere else if you wanna die!

Court of Scorpio - Alma: Hehe, you’re just headstrong as always.

After Alma had left, Carrie started worrying again.

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: ‘But what if...we fight again and history repeats itself...’

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: ‘Should I say hello to him? After all we have lost contact for such a long time.’

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: But... he should be missing me...right?

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: ‘Maybe I should get changed before—’

Court of Capricorn - Domon: Hi! Car——

The blade flew to the visitor as fast as a blitz, but it was not Alma this time. Instead, it was her long-separated childhood friend. Domon fended off the silvery blade with his bracer and reached out to her with his right hand, his fingers locking with hers.

Court of Capricorn - Domon: Are your hands alright?

Agitated, Carrie tried to stop herself from trembling, gazing at his caring face. When she was about to grip Domon’s hand, she heard the Courts shouting:

Court of Aries - Poppy: Carrie! Don’t lose to him!

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Stop it! Poppy...

Court of Leo - Galio: This kind of person deserves punishment!

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Court of Leo! How can you say something like this!

Court of Taurus - Armstrong: Court of Aquarius! We are always by your side!

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Armstrong! I’ve just told you—

Court of Capricorn - Domon: Did you tell them what happened between us?

As Domon looked back, Carrie immediately pulled away from him and took a fighting stance—

Court of Capricorn - Domon: Carrie?

Court of Aquarius was roaring in her heart—

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: ‘I don’t care! I don’t care! I don’t care!’

【Enemy Dialog】

Court of Capricorn - Domon: You want to test my skills first?

Court of Capricorn - Domon: Don’t worry! I haven’t break our promise!

【End】

Court of Capricorn - Domon: Alright...I’ve lost again.

Cheers came from the audience, but only Carrie knew clearly that Domon could have hit her crucial points a few times during the battle, but he directed his fists and kicks to her armor. Enraged, Carrie stared at Domon, who was severely injured. He sat on the floor spoke to her:

Court of Capricorn - Domon: I just can’t fake it in front of you...

Court of Capricorn - Domon: But...I just couldn’t hit you.

Court of Capricorn - Domon: How could I hurt my love?

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: But, the last time, I—

Court of Aries - Poppy: They are in this kind of relationship?

Court of Leo - Galio: Isn’t he a heartbreaker?

Court of Taurus - Armstrong: Court of Scorpio, you told me—

Court of Taurus - Armstrong: What? She was there...

Court of Virgo - Persephone: Get out of here! Do you know about romance?

The battle had created a big mess in the palace. Aquarius Court appeared to have been torn apart by a cascade of blades; yet, the culprits sat in the middle of it all, embracing the other.

Court of Capricorn - Domon: Sorry, I did not catch up with you until now.

Court of Aquarius - Carrie: You idiot, I’ve never blamed you.

Domon and Carrie embraced each other, with cheers arising from the onlookers. The silvery scythe stood on the floor and encircled the two. They returned to their childhood, and their hearts were filled with happiness.