A Lunatic's Reality

Chapter 10: Another Loser for the Fifth Cohort

Chapter 10

*Another Loser for the Fifth Cohort*

I woke up seeing forty strong kids lining up in rows in front of their barracks on either side of the Via Praetoria.

It was a wonderful and amazing sight. All the kids were dressed up for war with polished chain mails and swords. They even wore leather combat boot with iron cleats that look like they could stomp faces flat.

But there was a poor group of kids who assembled at the very end of the line -- in front of the principia. You can see that the barracks near them were tucked in the back corner of camp -- next to stables and fly-infested latrines.

"Hey, you awake?" Jason's familiar voice asked me.

"Um... Sort of." I gulped nervously. "Are they preparing for my execution or something?"

Jason flashed a huge smile. "No way. Minerva asked us to let you join the camp. And that was more than enough answer than Octavian's auguries."

Jason left my side because Reyna arrived with the pegasus she rode in earlier. Its name was Scipio but everyone gave him the nickname Skippy because he has the same color as peanut butter.

"Romans," Reyna said with a voice so loud that it could be heard throughout camp, "I'm sure you have probably heard of what happened today. The goddess, Minerva, appeared at Lord Jupiter's temple and asked us to let her daughter join." she pointed towards me.

All of the campers' eyes shifted towards my direction. My mother, Athena or Minerva or whoever she is, must have a really bad reputation at camp. Everyone, except Jason is giving me dirty looks.

"She asks us to let her Greek form's daughter to join the legion." Reyna continued, "So what do the auguries say?"

"The auguries are favorable," Octavian replied with disgust, "And since the goddess has asked us to... I guess that leaves us no choice."

Cries and murmurs of disapproval filled the whole camp. Reyna had to say 'attention' twice before the whole legion was in order.

Reyna motioned all the senior officers to come forward -- one from each cohort. Octavian was the most senior centurion and he turned to me.

"New recruit, do you have any credentials? Letters of recommendation or whatnot?" he asked.

"Uh... No."

Octavian snorted. Even the other campers suppressed a laugh. I could even hear one snicker and say, "It's another loser for the Fifth Cohort."

"Well then," Octavian cleared his throat, "Will any legionnaire stand for her?"

Silence filled the whole camp. It took a long while and I feared that no one will volunteer. I had to follow Athena's instructions -- to start my life as a demigod at Camp Jupiter. If I am gonna get kicked out, that would be very bad, I'm sure. I know better than to question how wise a wisdom goddess is.

Finally, Jason broke the silence and spoke up, "I will. I will guarantee her good behavior. I will teach her the Roman ways."

"I'm sure you know you also get to die with her whenever she does something to betray the camp." Octavian warned.

"I do. And I am willing -- for a fellow demigod."

"Very well. Jason Grace, you may stand for the new recruit. Does your cohort accept her?" Reyna asked. I knew she was mad at me.

The Fifth Cohort's centurions, Dakota and Gwen, were clearly so-not fond of the idea. They exchanged pained looks that clearly said, NOT AGAIN.

"The Fifth Cohort accepts her." Dakota managed to say.

"Very well, Erika Fernandez, you now belong to the Fifth Cohort. You will have your probatio tablet given to you." Reyna said, "You may earn your first stripe and become a full member of the legion after a year or after you have completed an act of valour."

"Congratulations, Erika!" Jason grinned.

Good gods. He is as dense as... as 1,000 tons of gold. Can't he see Reyna's feelings? It's as plain as the scar on his lip.

"Romans, I have another announcement to make," Reyna cleared her throat, "The War Games have been postponed because of this particular business Octavian and I have to attend to."

More murmurs and cries of disappointment filled the whole camp. It seems like the war games is a "war" which everyone enjoyed. But since it's just a game...

"But don't worry everyone. In the Field of Mars, we have prepared a battle there. A test of skills between two fellow Romans. I hope it will suffice the postponement of the war games."

Smiles replaced the disappointed looks of the campers. Looks like they really DO love wars very much.

"Looks like it's decided then." Reyna smiled triumphantly, "Hail Rome! Senatus Popolusque Romanus!" she cheered.

"Senatus Popolusque Romanus!" the Romans echoed the cheer.