Good To Be Home (open)

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Back home. Or well, if one could call it that. He walked around, wild eyes scanning everything and everyone. This was his territory and it was time he reclaimed it. He would be recognized a hero, a martyr perhaps, or they would perish. Easy as that. He rested his hand comfortably on his icy gladius. Thankfully, seeing as it was a phantom blade, it couldn’t really get dirty. Which came in handy at moments like these. Michael walked straight through the lanes of traffic leading to the Caldecott Tunnel. The cars – even a semi – went right through him. Slightly easier than his last trip here in the 70s. Now he was a seasoned veteran. He got to the tunnel and the two campers on guard spotted him, transparent in the light drizzle as he was. He smirked. They drew their weapons. So did he. “Stop, you! State your name and business!” one of them shouted. Michael kept advancing.

His smirk never left his face. “My name is my own. Though if you must, it is Michael Varus. The greatest legionnaire to ever set foot in this camp. Now get out of my way.” One of them lowered their gladius, “You’re a lar then? Steven, maybe we should let him through if he comes from Mors.” Ha, let them think that. Steven held his gladius at the defensive, “No, Amber. I recognize that name. Scourge of this camp. If he comes in, he goes straight to the principia for trial.” “Ah, good, the principia. My old home. I’ve been meaning to return.” Steven took a step forward, “You’re under arrest, Varus!” Even Amber seemed to be getting into the mood to keep the mania out. Michael chuckled, then sheathed his gladius. “Alright, you got me. Take me to your principia.”

Well, that was easy. It got him across that blasted river like cake. When they got to the principia door, he drew his gladius and stabbed Steven through the heart. Amber had been still back at the Tunnel so it would remain guarded. Michael resheathed his gladius as Steven sunk to the ground, gasping. “There’s a good boy. Thank you for the ticket in.” He walked off.

Tag: open! Because I know you all are lining up to meet my little mania!
Word Count: 366
Notes:

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Why did winter have to come fast on them? Sure it was chilly out but still, she was able to go swimming and push through the cold. Even with it being 55 degrees outside she was able to push through the cold and keep her mind focused on the swim. She bolted through the water grinning as she checked up on each of the fish that she had named. No, she couldn’t talk to them like she had heard others of her siblings in the past could do, but she still adored her little underwater friends. Once she was done checking on them all she made her way to the bottom of the lake, yes, this was one of the places she liked to train. The bottom kept you sunk in so you had to work harder to move. Thankfully she could breathe underwater.

Having the weights Ty gave her tied around her wrists and ankles she began her underwater training for the day. Oh yes, after this she was going to have a nice big bowl of ice cream. That would be her reward! She needed to focus on all her surroundings too, what better way to do that than here underwater? When she swung her sword she quickly adjusted it to miss hitting Sari. Her eyes widen and she swims over to where her fish friend was. “Wait up, let me look you over Sari.” Once she was done checking her over she giggled and allowed her fish friend to swim away. That was close.

She returned to her training not knowing what all was going on above the surface. When she was finally finished with her training she swam back to the surface and emerged from the lake. Swimming her way to shore she sat down and pulled the weights off then dried her sword off. Thankfully she had her towel here to make sure it didn’t get rusty from water damage.

Hearing a slight disturbance she looked up and made her way to where something was going on. When her eyes landed on him they widened. Something was wrong with this boy, his eyes, they were wide and crazy looking. Not to say that he was crazy but he really was crazy. The armor, the weapon, what was wrong with this boy? She slowly walked up to him keeping her sword down in a none threatening manner as she made her way to him. “Hello, can I help you?”

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Being immune to the cold was kind of awesome. Then again, it would have come in more handy the days leading up to his death in that gods-forsaken wasteland they called Alaska. Who actually wanted to go there? They even had cruises going that way. To look at ice? Weird. Easier to go to the freezer in the Legion kitchen for that. Plus, that involved food, which some would argue made it better anyway. Okay, so they were glaciers. Ancient ice. Whoopdy-freaking-do. He held out his hand to see. It looked almost corporeal to him, though that was because he was dead, and the owner of the hand. It probably didn’t look so corporeal to the living. Even his fingernails were caked in a thin coating of ice, though thankfully it didn’t touch his skin too much. He’d been the last to die. Alcyoneus had saw to it that he was still breathing when the rest of his cohort died. He had kept fighting though, even when he was the last one standing. He would be the hero. He would complete the Prophecy.

He didn’t. Which, while others it might bring a sense of humility or shame, it only brought him fury. Unadulterated fury. That was his Prophecy. Stolen from him by those not even fit to be called Romans. Maybe he would go seek out that Alcyoneus again now that he couldn’t be harmed and exact his proper revenge. Yes, that would be good. Kill one of the mightiest giants ever born of the Earth Mother. He would be worshipped. Elevated to a god! The thought brought a smile to his face, though not a particularly kind one (some would argue he was incapable of a real smile at all).

That was roughly when he was interrupted. He turned to see who dared approach him. An innocent little girl. Which, naturally, never stopped him before, seeing as the innocent guard hadn’t lasted long either. It was her dress that gave him pause. She was wearing a swimsuit. He raised an eyebrow. “First you can confirm for me that it is, in fact, January. Unless I read the calendar wrong. Then you can put some clothes on. Or at least a towel. Gods, what has this place come to?” He cleared his throat, opting for the Mr. Nice Guy routine this time around. “Sorry, you merely caught me by surprise. Apologies. Though it does seem that one would be rather cold dressed like that. But anyway, actually, I could use help. You might have noticed, but I’m no longer alive, and I haven’t been here in some years. Perhaps you could show me around? Reacquaint me with my old home and what may have changed?”

Tag: Mikayla
Word Count: 460
Notes:

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This person, no not this person…what was he? He looked like a person but it looked like he was covered in ice. Then again he could just be a person and covered in ice. If he was then why wasn’t he cold? Her grip tightened on her sword as she watched this man and how he reacted to everything. His eyes, they still said the most about him. They were wide and crazy, like he was a madman. Maybe he was a mortal? No, the guards would never allow a mortal to get through the gates. Something was off, what had happened to the guards?

Hearing his insult she blinked. What was the problem with this guy? “Yes, it is January.” Did that really matter? Maybe it did. Who knows, normal people who weren’t in the water all the time never really did seem to understand it. Why did he think she needed to put clothes on? Better yet, a towel? Was he scared to look at her the way she was? She was in a bikini and she had been training. There was nothing wrong with that. Not to mention clothes underwater really slowed you down.

When his whole mood changed she raised an eyebrow. What was wrong with this person? She only nodded as he restated and then lowered her sword a little more. This man was no threat to them. “Well to answer, no I’m not cold. It’s like fifty-five degrees and being in the water for a while you warm up. It’s where I do all my training at.” She grins and thinks about being back in the water, it felt like home and she wouldn’t mind going back there. It also made her think about what it would be like to visit her father in his home. Then again, after the conversation with Janus and Prometheus it didn’t seem like a good idea.

Looking back up to the man she nodded her head, he was going to have to do what she said though. “You have to do exactly as I say, understand?” Oh she might not be a centurion but she could still give orders. It was in her blood after all. She pointed her sword to in front of her and motioned to him. “First thing is I will lead but you will be walking in front of me.” Yup, there was something about this guy that was rubbing her wrong. All she needed to do was figure out what it was.

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This girl was amusing. She was obviously confused, which was rather entertaining. If he couldn’t strike fear in hearts, he may as well have a little fun with them, right? He took note of the fact that she seemed to be relying on the comfort of her sword. He casually let his hand drift back in the direction of his own gladius to show that he was not afraid. Then she seemed to lose her balance, so to speak. It was refreshing to see. He came back sarcastically. “Well, isn’t that good to know? Here I was afraid I’d come back in Spring. What good would that do? Good to know it is the dead of winter and the morons of the world are alive and well.” He, naturally, was referring to her. She was hardly to be called a decent Roman. Decent Romans wore armor.

Then she seemed to lose her mental balance yet again, but at least she lowered her sword, not that that was at all frightening for him. “I see. I understand that we are in California, yes, but you are dressed like a less feathery Vegas showgirl, not a legionnaire. And you do all your training in the water, you say? You do know that water renders all work done in it less useful due to buoyancy, right? And not joining your cohort trainings? Disgraceful. Unless you’re telling me you’re a child or descendent of Neptune, at which I do not envy you, seeing as he’s not particularly popular in Roman culture. Cursed, would be the better word, I believe. Shame.” Then she went all totally wacky and started grinning, which rather threw him off in exchange. He gripped his gladius hilt, wanting to end his misery by ending her.

Then she did something even more ridiculous. “Do exactly as you say? Even if you were praetor, I would not be subject to your commands. And I highly doubt someone of your unusual tendencies would make it to that office anyway.” He stood a little taller and, with the hand that was not on his gladius, rubbed at his praetor badge fastening the purple praetorial cloak as if he were polishing it. In all reality, he was just showing off that he was of high rank, or used to be. “Besides, what are you going to do? Stab me? Cold-blooded murder just because I don’t listen? Pride of Neptune, you must be. It wouldn’t do you any good, though. Go ahead, try to touch me.” He knew full well that unless she had the ichor of either Mors or Pluto in her, her hand would go straight through.

Tag: Mika
Word Count: 443
Notes:

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What was going on with this guy? Why did he want to know what the temperature was and what season it was? The way he was speaking, talking and acting, it was, well it was weird for her. When he explained she raised an eyebrow and slowly backed up a little. There was something sketchy about this guy and she wanted to figure it out. Maybe she should go and get someone from first, no better yet! She could go and get Remus! He would be able to do something about this intruder. She was going to have to figure out what to do with this guy.

Hearing him speak up she felt the color rise in her cheeks. Yes, she was now flustered. She looked down. If he really was a past leader she was insulting him. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you. Let me just go get…” She quickly made her way to her things and put them on before returning to this man. As he speaks up she raises an eyebrow. “Bouncy is a problem but the swimming aspect really helps; the water resistance is what helps to build leg and arm muscles. But when I do go down and practice with a sword one of my friends gave me these weights to wear.” She motions to the weights tied around her wrists.

Her eyes widened once more as he spoke up and her cheeks turned a brighter red. “I didn’t mean I don’t train with my cohort, oh gods I do train with them every day. What I meant was that when I have my personal time for training I like to do it here. It’s more calming and it relaxes me.” The way this man was berating Neptune really was getting her blood boiling. If this was any other person….no. She needed to calm down and think clearly here.

Shaking her head her eyes turned to look up at him. “I never wished to be praetor. I want to serve the legion and do my duty to fight alongside my comrades and make them proud. I would never want to stand command over them, they’re my friends.” Actually they were more like family but still, she would never want to give them orders or boss them around in any way.

His words, words about murder and killing him in cold blood. That’s what got to her. She hated thinking she would have to kill anyone. There was just to much death from these wars already. No more people needed to die and that was what she hoped for every day. When he told her to try and touch him she shook her head. “No thank you, I---“ she pauses and looks at him and shivers, something was wrong here. “I’m fine without testing that theory. Now would you like your tour?” She moves aside and allows him to walk next to her if she wished. “I do have a question for you. Back in your time when you were praetor, did you have these uniforms or did you wear your armor everywhere?” Yes, she was just genuinely curious if they always had the uniforms like she had on now or if they were ready for battle at a moments notice.

[Deleted]

Michael was enjoying the array of emotions on this girl’s face. Good, keep her on her toes. It was more fun that way, when they didn’t know what to expect. She seemed a bit dense, but then, Michael believed all people other than himself to be that way, so that really wasn’t saying anything. And there was the blush, ha, good. Offend him? Maybe not, but he still thought her off her rocker. Foolish girl; hardly a legionnaire at all. Thank the gods that she at least put some real clothes on though. That was a relief. Michael had never been attracted to the opposite sex – or any sex for that matter – believing fully that the pursuit of power was the more important thing and required full attention at all times. So a girl in a bikini did not disturb him much. More that he was annoyed by it really. It was an attempted distraction, he saw it as.

Yep, she was definitely a kid of Neptune. Annoying little brat. “Of course buoyancy is a problem. I suppose you have some ground to stand on, so to speak. Have it your way.” He looked over her weight system and decided not to say anything because he didn’t like to be corrected and shown he was wrong. This just happened to be one of those occasions he best stay silent. Thankfully, the subject changed and there went her color again. He held back a smirk. “Good. I was afraid this place had gone to the proverbial dogs since I left, with insubordinates everywhere. Shirking rules and skipping training. What cohort are you in anyway?” Not that he was judging. Okay, he was judging. Though in his books, ironically, fifth was the best. In his day, it had been a great cohort: strong, powerful. Mostly, he argued, because he was leading it.

Never wished to be praetor? Pansy. He wouldn’t hold it against her that she had no ambition though. Ha, yeah right, he would definitely hold it against her. They’re my friends. Gods, she really was a pansy. Friends were overrated. All one needed was respect. Inferiors. People who looked to you for leadership. That was the name of the game. “I see. Well then, I hope you’re happy in your place, because that’s all you have.” And look at that, she was a coward too. She was just a piece of work, now wasn’t she? On the inside, he was laughing. “Sure, the tour sounds nice.” He fell into step beside her. “This place never changes. No, we had the uniforms, the purple shirts, just as you do now. I simply died on a quest, so I still wear what I died in.”

Tag: Mika!
Word Count: 453
Notes: It should be noted that I agree with nothing he says, basically.

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What was this guy doing to her? She was a daughter of Neptune! She shouldn’t be scared of this ghost! She could defend herself and he wouldn’t be able to harm her. Not to mention if she was in the water then she’d have an advantage. What was it they had told her? Never let your enemies see fear! That was what she was going to have to do with this guy. He might be bigger than her but she was still a Roman warrior after all. A member of the legion and she was proving herself day by day, she was training with and without her cohort and she was getting stronger. Thankfully she was perfecting all the moves that she had been shown. She’d gotten perfect at the disarming technique.

Looking up to him a small smirk came to her lips. “Buoyancy isn’t a problem when you’re a child of the sea and you learn the proper ways to work against the water. Most swimmers are stronger because they have to fight the water resistance. That’s why I prefer to train in the water. Add these weights to the training and I’ll be just as strong if not stronger than some of the people in first cohort.” It was true, she’d seen how strong swimmers could be even out of the water and that was her goal. Shakes her head looking at him. “The camp is under the best leaders it’s had in the past hundred years. Remus and Jason do amazing jobs.” What cohort was she in? Did that really matter? Well maybe to this old guy but sure. “Third cohort.” Third and proud!

Wanting to be praetor, how could he ask her that? The people here were her friends and she didn’t want to lead any of them the way a praetor did. Not to mention the fact if they had to go onto trial. How could she put her job as praetor over her friends? That was just something she couldn’t do and if she was ever offered the job as praetor then she would have to think long and hard about it. “I’m happy because I have the sea and my friends. Power corrupts and I don’t plan on being someone who is put into the spot where that temptation can take me over. I’d rather be just a low member of the Legion and do my duty rather than be someone who is over them.”

As she started to walk she noticed a change in him, did he just say something nice? From the moment he had gotten here he’d been rude and well something was still off about the guy. She took him by the archery range where people were practicing and then by the fields where it looked like second cohort was going through a mock battle. “It was different when the war hit us, not to mention the other things that happened after that. It’s been rough on all of us but we still keep the flame and spirit of Rome burning bright.” The war and the aftermath of it had been rough on everyone. She looked to him and his armor and blinked. “What quest did you go on, if I may ask?”

[Deleted]

This was fun. Little Miss Fool here was a good source of entertainment. Yes, he would keep her alive just for that. The way she talked, like she was proud of herself. Daughter of Neptune? Seriously. She obviously had no idea what a true Roman was like. Plus, that she would call herself a true Roman? Made him sick. It was insulting, that was what it was. Neptune was a puny god, not to be respected above paper weight status. The seas were cursed. Neptune was the enemy. And she was proud to call him father? No, she was probably a pansy and called him something stupid and disrespectful like ‘popsidoodle’. Ugh, gods, the humanity. The proper ways to work against the water? She was quite stuck up now wasn’t she? Queen of the lake, this one. Self-proclaimed, obviously. Though how she could swim with that ego weighing her down, that was a curious question. He raised an eyebrow at her, but all he said was “Okay.” His voice was anything but convinced though.

Then she just had to continue. He couldn’t hide his crazed glare at her words. His eyes flashed with flames of loathing and his whole body stiffened as he drew himself up taller as though hoping an added inch or two would earn him some leverage. He swallowed his words for a long moment, waiting to find something that did not involve slitting her throat. “I beg to differ,” he finally said, deadly quiet. A cruel smile crossed his face momentarily as he thought to himself, if these Remus and Jason fools were so amazing, why was a legionnaire dead on their doorstep unchecked? The thought brought him a sick pleasure. Obviously, they weren’t as good as this airhead believed they were.

He resumed his more relaxed stance as the topic shifted. “Third. Interesting.” Third… the nothing cohort. Right smack dab in the middle of everything. In his time, it really wasn’t worth a whole lot. The centurions back then had no idea what they were doing and before he left on his quest, one of them was even set to go before the Senate. He had long forgotten what for, as it was no longer of import. The trial had been postponed until he got back from the quest, so he really wasn’t sure how things ended up going.

Oh gods, she really was a pansy. I’m happy because I have the sea and my friends. Freaking aqua hippy. He shrugged, concluding that she was stupid and was going nowhere in life. She was losing her entertainment value. However, she was his new ticket in, so why argue. Unless she started dissing his ability to lead again. The archery range was boring. He’d never much liked that. Archery had its uses, sure, but close range was better. Archery was for chickens who didn’t want to get their hands dirty. Off to the Field of Mars. Now this was more like it. True combat. He took a moment to study those battling, judging their techniques. Some good, some had room for improvement. Finally, he looked to her when she spoke. “War? With whom?” Being dead did have a way of keeping one out of touch. Flame of Rome burning bright, blah blah blah. Save it for someone who would fall for that. If they let riffraff like her in, obviously the flame was not a healthy one. Her question pulled him from his thoughts. “To Alaska. Hence the ice.” He ran a hand over his breastplate, which was coated in ice. Past the location, he didn’t feel like explaining to an idiot who didn’t know her history.

Tag: Mika
Word Count: 611
Notes: She knows just want to say to tick him off.

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Okay? All this guy was giving her was an okay? Seriously! What was he doing here and why was he not talkative at all? Even the fish were more entertaining than this guy and that was saying something! Oh how she just wished to go back into the lake and see her fish friends. Hector even as shy as he was was more entertaining than this ghosty guy. She was going to have to show him around though, what? She was being nice and it was in her to get to know people and talk. Maybe it was the aura that he was giving off? There was something wrong with him but she couldn’t place her finger on it. Maybe she’d have to see into who he was later.

A smirk played on her lips when she noticed how his mood was changing. So, he didn’t agree with her about Jason and Remus being the best Praetors in the past 100 years? Well he was going to be in for a shock when he learned how amazing they were. “Well we are going to have to debate it. Had it not been for Jason and Remus then the whole camp would be lost about now. We’ve done things that no other camper has done here before. Well in the past century or more. They have proven their leadership and that they are amazing.” Yes, he can get as mad as he wanted to but it wouldn’t change the fact that they were amazing leaders.

She looked over to him with a raised eyebrow and nodded. “Yes, third cohort. We’ve become strong under our centurions. Like Ken, he’s an amazing warrior and he helps train us when we have free time if we wish it. I plan on being the first person to ever actually make him draw his sword from its sheath.” Not to mention she still needed to get with Clare so they could plan a water training exercise for Third. That was going to be something drastically fun!

Showing him around the place she grinned as she looked out and saw some of the third members were out there training and training hard. With a sly smile she looked to the ground and used the water from a puddle to form a water ball. Making sure they were both in combat she grinned and tossed it at them, it exploded on impact soaking them. “Come on you guys, you really have to pay attention to your surroundings in combat or the enemy will get you.” Looking back to him when he questioned the war she sighed. “Saturn, he rose back to power and there was a war. In the end we won though. Then after that we thought we had some time to relax but….” She paused as the memories cam flashing back of the torture. They took away their powers. “The government, they had some demi-gods working for them and they got into camp and…..they took some of us. Tortured us, experimented on us.” She shivered and looked back to him. We beat them too in the end.” She blinked when he stated to Alaska. “No, the quest not the location. What were you going after?” Was he stupid or something?

[Deleted]

Gods, she even looked annoying. She just had this vibe about her that screamed ‘I probably ate Elmer’s glue as a child!’ Maybe still did. Probably thought those roll-on glue sticks were lollipops. And that look she was almost giving him just now, like she was probably trying to hide it or something. But frankly, when your father was so important a deity as the god of decisions, emotions tended to be easier to read. That combined with his intense experience sniffing out traitors in his own cohort as he climbed to power and making sure they saw their true place… well, it was just sort of a winning hand he held.

Okay, so first things first. This little rat had the nerve to talk to him like that!? And then she actually smirked!? Oh no. This ended now. She was lucky he was not going to end her now. His eyes were wild and flaring, but his smile was creepily pleased. “Then I suppose it shall be a debate. Though of course you’re going to lose, because obviously you don’t know anything about the past except likely rudimentary mythology. I dare say you have no place speaking for the last century as a whole. I, however, have been in the Underworld, and have met great Roman leaders the likes of which you could not fathom. And what claim do you have, Miss-… ah…” Okay, so he didn’t know her name. Who honestly cared though?

He kept an expressionless face as she defended her precious cohort. “Well, that’s good. I never had much faith in third, so good to see it’s supposedly amounting to something now.” Well, present company excluded. “Ken… I’m not sure I would follow someone named after a girl’s doll, but suit yourself. I’m sure you’ll find a way to accomplish your goal.” Probably by being so annoying that this Ken person wanted to kill her. Hmm, second thought, perhaps he should speak with Barbie’s boyfriend about this potential.

He followed her lead as she showed him around, keeping a critical eye on everything. Then she went and showed off throwing a ball of water at some legionnaires. Ugh, she was a freak show, this one. Then again, her intent he had to agree with, so he nodded slightly at her tactics. However, his probably would have been more to the tune of attacking them while they focused elsewhere. Worked nine times out of ten in his day. People had quickly learned to keep a careful eye out for him at all costs. He looked back to what’s-her-face and listened, actually paying real attention for once. He nodded slowly as she said her piece. “Well, I’m glad you won. I would hate to see this place under Saturn’s control.” And he was being honest too. This place was not Saturn’s… it was his. Saturn would destroy it no doubt. He frowned at her. “The government?” He fell silent as she seemed a little disturbed by what she was sharing. Finally, he nodded and actually, believe it or not, said something nice. “I’m sorry.” After all, he knew pain too, even if the memory was just a shadow now. But one did not walk away from seeing his entire cohort slaughtered before his eyes… unscathed. One could argue that had played a part in driving him crazy, not that he would openly claim responsibility or any form of caring for the lost. He looked away at her question with a sort of I-can’t-believe-I-have-to-spell-this-out sigh. “I was destined for a great prophecy that led me there. Besides, the place is overrun. The only place in North America not under the control of the Olympians. It was high time that was changed.”

Tag: Mika
Word Count: 622
Notes: