"Goddess Venus watch over us. Make us fair and balanced. Make us decisive and beautiful."

The morning prayer goes without a hitch. There is nothing like a Libra prayer in the morning. It's more of a fashion show than anything. The other Libras are classy and simple. They are always full of taste.

Liberty Paris is our teacher for the day. She's an older Libra and one of the most respected Libras on the Scale Mountains. She must be in her 60s but you couldn't tell. Libras age really well probably because the older we get the more surgery we get. Her face is the definition of fair and balanced. Her toga is all white. Many people call her Lady Liberty. She is the mother of all Libras. It's rare she comes to teach us herself but today is special.

Today was the beginning of my new life.

"All of you are going to be sent off to the Capital today. As Libras, you are the most important sign of the Zodiac. Your job is to bring fairness and balance to the world. Today is the last day you are children. After today you'll be assigned homes in the capital, you'll be assigned jobs and most importantly you'll be assigned spouses."

I lean over to my best friend Jackson.

"Man, I'm nervous as ."

He rolls his eyes, "C`mon. We all know who you are going to be compatible with. JB. I'm the one who should be nervous. I might end up with some ing Gemini."

"That's not the point. Compatibility is everything. This is a whole new chapter of my life."

"You'll end up with JB. The matchmakers never get it wrong."

Zodiac. Compatibility. Venus. Matchmakers.

The words and thoughts fly at me. I am so worried that I barely listen to another word of Liberty Paris's farewell speech she is giving us. This is graduation day. We were graduating from the Libra school and we were becoming men.

The year is 3121. 

The world was plagued with wars over decades. World War 3 was pretty bad. World War 4 was worse, then came the great war. Soon we realized had to change. Conflict tore things apart. It was a Taurus who first discovered that there was truth behind Astrology. When you were born and what sign you were became a science. Soon it became common knowledge that living with people who were like you stopped a lot of murder and a lot of the violence. Crime was reduced for most of the year when everyone was separated by their Zodiac sign.

"The Capital City is a dangerous place. They need us. You'll be the new leaders of the Capital City. All Libras are raised to be the leaders. You're prepared. You're ready. You need to go to the Capital City to bring Liberty and justice for all."

Fair and Balance. Liberty and Justice. Decisive and Beautiful.

Those words made the Libras who they were. At the age of four, every child is taken from their parents to go live with their sign and gain their education. I am a Libra. My sign lives in the Scale Mountains. It's a city on top of a mountain range in what used to be the Colorado area 1000 years ago. The mountains are much taller now. We kiss the sky.

"I'm so nervous," I whisper to Jackson.

My stomach turns. Sweat beads up in the back of my neck. Our bags are packed. Soon we hear the train coming. The flying train. The train went to every one of the 11 nations. It went from the Aquarius Water Bearer city by the water. It went to the Pisces' Fish Islands. It went to pick up everyone who was turning 21 this year.

It was over 50 Libras. 50 of us who were going to the Capital. We'd be given jobs. We'd been trained for the jobs we'd be assigned. No one knew what we were assigned but we had an idea. All Libras were qualified to only do specific jobs. Just like everyone else. Everything was very specific.

The train is pulling up. The younger Libras are waving goodbye to us. Little Layla runs over to me and hands me a flower. She wishes me well. I give her a hard hug.

"Law...Promise me something."

Law. That is my nickname. Supposedly my birth parents gave me that name when they found out I was born in the Libra month. Maybe they wanted me to be a lawyer. A lot of Libras became lawyers. I don't know why they did it though. I don't remember them. We weren't allowed to meet our parents. It effected our education as Libras if we did. That wouldn't be fair. That wouldn't be balanced.  Park Jin-young. That’s my name, every just calls me Jr.

"What do you need Layla ?"

"Promise you'll write. Tell me about the Capital," Layla asks me, "I want all the gossip. And I want to know how it's like when you marry JB."

I laugh. Everyone thinks I'm marrying JB. I smile at the idea. I don't mind something like that at all honestly. JB is y as all . I give Layla another hug and promise I'll write. It's the last time I'm going to see her until she turns 21 and comes to the Capital. She won't be able to have access to the outside world until she finishes her education. After all those hard years of getting Libra education I know the importance of her living on this mountain. I promise to write but honestly, I don't think I will. I don't want to affect her education.

Jackson pushes Layla away as soon as he gets the chance and grabs my arm. He pulls me close and points at the train, "A flying ing train. Jr. Look at this . Have you seen anything like this before?"

"The Aquarius boys always came to visit with the flying cars."

Jackson shrugs, "This is different."

"You have to be more civilized," I tell Jackson, "The other signs are used to seeing things like this. We must act like we haven't been so isolated. Don't embarrass me when we get on this train."

Jackson rolls his eyes, "I won't embarrass you in front of JB."

"It's not about---"

I don't get to finish. Jackson runs forward, "Hurry the hell up!"

Jackson is embarrassing. He's always been someone excitable. I keep trying to tell him that Libras aren't supposed to act like that. We are supposed to be classy and civilized. We are above it all. We are fair and balanced. He is getting all excited like one of those Sagittarius people we see on the television shows. They are always so dramatic. Jackson needs to play it cool.

I watch him run off ahead of the other Libras to get on the train. My face blushes red with embarrassment as well when I see the other signs on the trains.

"You see how they look at us?" a voice says from behind me.

I turn at that moment. It's Liberty Paris. She stands almost like a statue. She is the definition of beauty, poise and grace. Her toga wraps around her perfectly slim body. She glides to my side. She's everything that I want to be.

"Who?"

"The other signs. Your friend Jackson doesn’t see it, but I know you do. Notice how they stare at us. They need us. They need us to show them the way," Liberty Paris says.

She's right. There are faces in the train. They are all people my age from all over the world. Not all people go to the Capital City at the age of 21. A lot of them stay in their home nations. The people that go to the Home City were really good in their education. They got high grades. There aren't many Libras however. The other Zodiac signs are plentiful. The way they look at us is intriguing. They stare with this curiosity.

"They aren't used to seeing us," I explain.

"We are like gods to some of them. We are the most important sign," she explains to me, "Don't forget that. You understand? Libra is the only inanimate sign. The other signs are based off humans and animals. The scales are important to maintain it all. If things aren't balanced. They fall apart. Don't let them fall apart Jr."

"I won't."

"Fair and balanced, Jr," she tells me.

I acknowledge her common Libra farewell, "Fair and balanced."

It's strange that out of everyone Liberty Paris is talking to me. She doesn't give me a hug like the others. She gives me a pleasant nod and slight smile. It's tacky and not Libra-like to get too emotional. We have to remain classy and self-contained at all times. We have to be above the fray...always.

I glide towards the train. My toga is the color of pearls. My grace is above all others. Most of the others, besides Jackson, seem to carry the same grace as I do. We know today is the future of the rest of our lives but we can't show it.

We aren't animals after all.

We're Libras.

***

"Jr!"

I get on the train. I hear Jackson 's voice calling from the front of the train. I'm standing with Laurence   and Laura. They are beautiful twins that I grew up with on the mountain. Hearing Jackson scream across the train is the most embarrassing thing ever. I see the other faces turn to look over at me. At the very back of the train are the Cancers. They are the most homely of the Zodiac sign. They are basic figures who don't even look in our eyes as the Libras approach. I have never met a Crab in person but I've read enough about them. I recognize their sign anywhere.

Towards the middle of the train are the Pisces. They are the dreamers of the Zodiac. They are the artistic bunch. Personally I find art to be a waste of time but every society needs to be balanced with that kind of bull I guess. They sit next to the Taurus. They are known as the smartest Zodiac sign. The majority of them are going to be scientists, researches or doctors. They are closely related to their sister sign which are the Capricorns. The Bull city is right next to the Goat city. Capricorns are smart as well but more focused on things like Accounting and Math. The two signs usually work together competing as the most technological nations.

I walk past the Leos. A few of them whistle at me. Guys and girls. They love attention. A lot of them go into Entertainment. So do a lot of the Sags. The Sagittarius are next to them and almost just as loud. Then comes the Aries. All of these signs seem to be a little bit uncivilized if you ask me. I swear I see an Aries push another Aries on the train and small brawl start to break out. That all stops when the Libras walk through though.

All eyes turn.

"That's them..." one of the Aries says.

Liberty Paris was right. By the time we get to the front of the train things get quiet. I notice we are walking past the Virgos. I can tell the sign of the immediately. They are silent. Not too much is known about the City. They keep to themselves like the Libras do. However, no one really looks up to the Virgos. The Virgos are known as Hand to the government. Most of them become personal security, CIA, spies and other highly secretive jobs.

"Sit over here," Jackson tells me.

The Libras section is behind the Aquarius section and next to the Gemini section. I have familiarity with the two groups. They are our most compatible signs. The Geminis are usually businessmen. They don't have an amazing reputation. A lot of people assume they are just shady. The thing is they are the most wealthy of all the Zodiac nations. I guess a level of shadiness worked out every once in a while.

Then there was the Aquarians.

"Let me help you with your bags," a voice tells me.

I look over to see JB. My heart stops. JB is God made man. Laurence   and Laura give me a slight little knowing smile. JB is tan skin, 6'4" with pretty hazel eyes. His hair is cut in a Caesar. For some reason, most of the Aquarians look like him. They are all built like they were designed in a factory or something like that. He wears a suit. I'm not sure why they always wear suits but that's just something they love doing.

Plus they are just...GENTLEMEN.

"Thanks JB."

"No thank you," he says.

"Why?"

"Just being able to see your face today."

I try to fight off a blush. I give a tempting smile. Libras are natural flirts. We aren't supposed to get too excited though but I give him a slight smile and give him my bags. As I hand JB my bags he let his fingers brush against mine.

I take a seat next to Jackson and the other Libras. I watch as JB and his Aquarians friends look back at us. They are all dressed in suits and all these classy looking gentlemen. My eyes can't help but be glued to them for some weird ing reason. They are amazing.

The train is moving before I notice. The middle of the train has all the uncivilized people vying for attention. The back of the train is mostly where the geeks are. The front of the train has the Air signs. Gemini, Aquarius and Libra.

I'm going to marry either a Gemini, Aquarius or another Libra. Those are my compatible signs. I'm praying it's not another Libra. I'm not really attracted to any other Libras. We are too similar. It wouldn't be exciting. It would be like dating a family member or something. Gemini's are too shady for me personally. Aquarius was different though. Aquarius was perfect.

"They all want you," Jackson mentions.

"Can you keep your voice down," I tell Jackson.

He's so loud. He's so uncouth. I have tried for years to train Jackson on how to be a better Libra. It hardly works though. He is just so goddam difficult sometimes.

"I'm just being honest," he tries his best to lower his voice, "You made the best grades in school. You are most likely going to be given the job as a High Liberty one day."

"The current High Liberty is alive and well," I roll my eyes.

"I said one day. Not now. You know it's going to happen."

I try to ignore Jackson. The High Liberty is the equivalent to some sort of Supreme Judge or something, except there is only one High Liberty. The Liberties run the city. They vote on Laws. They judge the guilty. Only Libras are qualified to be Liberties. It's the most important job. Once someone is made a High Liberty they are High Liberty for life.

I wonder if that is the reason so many people are staring at the Libras. They are trying to figure out who the people who will be judging their life are.

"How are you Libras doing?" JB walks over.