Chow Time! (Open)

[STACY HART]

Stacy was starving. The girl was often hungry though. That came from her training and her own personal exercises. Stacy figured being a Demi-goddess could make her the next great superheroine, even if she had mostly love powers as opposed to Kryptonian ones. She had Batgirl skills though, so there was that. But working towards that had made her hungry and it had been a while since breakfast.

Stacy sat among the Third Cohort for lunch and waited for the floating spirits to serve her. She loved meals in the mess hall. She could have whatever she wanted for lunch. She just had to think of what she wanted. She decided on a big bowl of chili and a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches.

As Stacy ate, she pulled out one of the Midnight Menaces novels she brought back after her last visit home. She didn't always have time to indulge in her fandom's, so she took advantage of times like this. Plus, she just had to find out what would happen to Lilia Lightroom, one of her favorite fictional characters.

[Lux Aurelius Morgenstern]

Lux was considered to be one of the bigger names within the camp due to his father. He wasn't quite as big as some of the other well known names, mostly those included in the big 7 of the prophecy but that didn't change everything. He was known to carry authority and was mostly respected and listened to where he went, for his wisdom if nothing else. So when he entered the Mess Hall he figured he'd spend some time socialising. It helped to connect to other people. He liked being around people. Despite his attitude he was far more warm and jovial than his bearing suggested.

So as he walked into the mess hall, full plate armour and cloak waving in the wind as he entered, he felt and looked every bit the soldier that he knew he ought to be. With a slight smile he searched the hall, looking for company. Then he saw one of the somewhat younger Legionnaires in camp. She was a kind girl and he liked her a lot. Not quite the typical daughter of Venus, attempting to seduce everybody for her own benefit. He liked Stacy.

So he walked over at sat by her at the table, placing his helmet on the seat beside him as he glanced at the books she had. He grabbed a sandwhich and curiously looked at her book. "What are you reading Stace?" He asked, his manner both polite and curious as well as the familiar distant approach people were accustomed to when it came to him. He wasn't known as the kind of person to get touchy and a lot of people had been surprised about his heritage. They all had expected a war god due to how he was raised but Lux knew his father and so he knew the man had a different side to him that remained well hidden, just like with his son. Admittedly, Lux had also been somewhat surprised, always figuring that his immortal parent would have been a Goddess. He never asked beyond it, figuring the Gods were strange enough without adding worries about that to the list.

Still he had a bit of a soft spot for the younger campers, especially those that had kindness so obviously in place. He felt like they understood him, even if they didn't know him. Kindness was very important and he wished regularly that he could more easily show it. It just wasn't how he'd been raised, unfortunately.

STACY HART
Eeeeh, bit rambly but here ya go! First Roman thread!! WHOOT!!

[STACY HART]

Stacy looked up and smiled at Lux. Lux was a good bit older than her, but she saw him as a friend as well as a mentor or sorts. He was a cool guy. She felt a lot of kids of Apollo were cool. After all, they were all about music and healing and bringing light to the world. What was not to like? Okay, as with any kid of any god, there were crappy Apollo offspring too. That's just how it was. Lux wasn't like that though. He was chill. Stacy enjoyed his presence. She guessed he liked her presence too. She didn't act like a swooning derp around him like a good number of her half-siblings after all.

"Hey Lux!" she said. "I'm reading the latest book from the Midnight Menaces series. Well, the latest one that I have anyway. I can only get the books when I visit home after all. Already totally into it. The heroine, who is like one of my favorite fictional characters ever, just got transported to the Dream Quadrant to find herself... like literally find HERSELF. It's a bit complicated. Anyway, pop a squat, dude! Give me the info. How have you been?"

Lux Aurelius Morgenstern

[Lux Aurelius Morgenstern]

Stacy was a bundle of energy in a wrapper made of joy and enthusiasm. At times Lux envied her outgoing and open nature, but he was more than fully aware of why he hid that part of himself deep within. A good leader was part of the people so he could understand them, but not part of the people up to the point he failed to see the difference between his choices as a leader and his choices as a friend. He always had to keep that line very clear in his mind, even if it meant some people found him difficult to befriend. He did consider some people his friends but he always made sure not to show favouritism. If anything, they usually needed to work harder and prove themselves more to him in order for him to give them promotions and the likes. But sometimes it felt like Stacy failed to see that and he felt she had taken him under her wing as much as he had chosen to guide her through the life at camp.

Yet he found it difficult to comprehend what exactly she was telling him, although a half smile crept on his face as she told him about it regardless of whether or not he'd understand. He could admire that. He listened respectfully and quietly as he took a bite to eat as she told her story. Yet when she asked him how he was he considered for a moment, as was his habit. "I've been well." He concluded as he put his bread down so he could speak more on his current state. "I've been considering some of my options for the future. I think I'll try and see if I can join the senate here in New Rome. Despite the current state of peace I can't help but be wary. There is too much history of war between our camp and that of the Greeks to dare dream this will last too long. I'd rather be prepared to defend if the need ever arises." He sighed deeply as he glanced at his plate. "Not everybody seems to agree. I fear their new love of peace clouds their judgement." He confessed, something he didn't do too often but well, Stacy was almost like a younger sister at times. He had to be able to discuss his worries in a way that wouldn't seem like he sought war in front of the senate and it might well serve as practise to voice his concerns now.

STACY HART

[STACY HART]

Stacy listened with full attention, placing the book aside. She was genuinely interested in what Lux had to say as opposed to just eyeing him because he was handsome. Stacy was a strong reader, so that made her a strong listener. She loved words. She loved Lux's words, especially when he spoke of wanting to be in the Senate.

"Cool! Dude, go for it! You'd be amazing. You'd definitely have my vote if they wanted my vote." Whatever the case, Stacy would support Lux in any way she could.

What came next made Stacy frown a bit. Lux showed worry about the peace with Camp Half-Blood. She got his wariness, she really did. Not long ago, they were pretty much enemies. At the same time, she had met some of the Greek Campers, including her half-siblings. She had bonded with her brother Ethan.

"I mean, I think we should always be on alert. That's what we're trained for as soldiers, but I'm sure they feel the same, which tells me that maybe... just maybe we need to be careful and not be TOO cautious. That leads to paranoia, and paranoia can be bad. And look at what we did together. We defeated the forces of Gaea herself." She sighed and shrugged. "I get it, Lux, I really do, but we have to give this whole new thing a chance. We literally have brothers and sisters over there."

Lux Aurelius Morgenstern

[Lux Aurelius Morgenstern]

Lux smiled and awkwardly ran a hand through his hair at her enthusiastic support and full on listening. He wasn't exactly the type that people ignored on average but most people listened more calmly and quietly and she didn't really seem capable of such reserves. It was beautiful but not quite something he was used to and thus it made him a little tiny bit awkward. Still, it was very nice to know he'd have some support when attempting to join the senate. That and his service and reputation in the Legion ought to be of some help. He nodded quietly. "Thanks Stace, it means a lot." He said honestly and genuinely. She was one of the few that could reach behind his military walls and deconstruct them, but he wasn't about to let her know the significance of that. He loved helping others, but that wasn't the job he was raised to perform. "I probably should first find somebody suited to replace me as augur and train them as such though." He mused quietly, not intending on shirking his responsibilities by replacing them with newer and more interesting things to him. He was not yet done serving the Legion, that much was clear.

Her thoughts on the Greaco-Roman politics were obvious. She was cautiously optimistic and he couldn't really blame her. He prodded his food with his fork as he wearily shook his head a little. "Thousands of years Stace. There was war for thousands of years between our two camps. Since our world began we've been at work with the Greacus." He sighed deeply and wearily and he placed his cutlery on the table and leaned back in his chair. "All it takes is one bad choice. All we think we've gained will slip away like the sands of time. This balance is so fragile and delicate that I fear what might happen if one of our ranks or one of the Greacus decide to bring back the old days of war." He closed his eyes and it instantly looked as though he aged several years in mere moments. The weight of his responsibilities clearly weighed heavy on his shoulders. "I want to trust the Greacus, but I find that fear is with me. In the war against Gaea our forces dealt with betrayal. Even in the many years before that we always found ourselves facing those that found our way of life objectionable. No matter how much I wish it was enough to have accomplished this, I dare not believe it blindly." He admitted openly and as he opened his eyes and looked at her once again, he forced himself to smile for her sake and the many years faded back, as if they never had been there.

"But enough about me and my concerns, do you have plans to visit the Greek camp?" He asked curiously. He did want people to feel encouraged to seek out one another to establish the bonds of friendships more closely. It would most certainly help in maintaining this new alliance.

STACY HART

[STACY HART]

Stacy would have loved to be the one Lux trained to replace him, but she was no fool. She was nowhere near the level for that yet. She was a good fighter and had risen a bit in the ranks, but she was no Augur. Maybe one if she kept training hard.

"I'm sure whoever you find will be amazing, especially if they're trained by you. I mean, look at all you've taught me. I was mush when I got here, and you made me muscle. Okay, not total mush. I was a little bit tough already, martial arts classes and all." She chuckled a bit at that.

Stacy really did get it. The rivalry was deep-rooted, thousands of years old. It had just recently showed signs of possibly ceasing. There was a long way to go. Maybe it was the love in her, that had a bit of hope with it. She did want to look at both sides of the coin though.

"Trust me, I understand, especially with all the weird rumors and stuff. But I'd like to think that there are people on both sides who really want peace and are willing to do what it takes to preserve what we've achieved. But at the same time, there are probably those on both sides who want to go back to the fighting. I mean, look at Octavian and what he tried to pull, and he was one of our highest ranked. Ugh, he was such a psycho."

Stacy smiled when Lux asked about her camp visit. She thought of one person right away.

"Yeah, I want to go see my brother Ethan again. He and I really bonded after we met. He's super cool. I hope you can meet him one day."

Lux Aurelius Morgenstern

[Lux Aurelius Morgenstern]

The compliment that Stacy extended to him was not misplaced, although Lux certainly felt that she was putting it on a little thick. He loved training new people but she'd had a very solid base for him to help her get better. That didn't go for all demigods. His face clouded over for a moment as he remembered some of the fallen. Not all demigods lasted. Not all lived to be his age by far. Too many of them died and some of them had been his friends. He still missed them and the memory of their shrouds waving gently in the breeze still haunted him from time to time. If only he'd been a better trainer he might have been able to save them. He managed a smile through the pain as always and clapped her on the shoulder for a moment. "You'll be fine. You grew a lot as a person and warrior. If you keep up the good work you'll get to good places, no doubt." He reassured her, not quite certain if she needed it or not.

The mention of Octavian was, painful to say the least. To Lux, it was a dark shadow on the Legacy of his father and his position. To him it meant ensuring that he restored the reputation of both to the former glory and proving far beyond a doubt that the Roman Empire wanted what was best for all demigods, not just their own or even worse, none. Octavian was one of the few that could tempt Lux to drop his guise and show his downright disgust at his distant relative. He was certain that his father did not approve of him, something that was a slight comfort to the demigod. At least Apollo didn't seem fond of the traitor. "I'm not supposed to show much in the shape of contempt towards the past of the Legion but I found him utterly disgusting." Lux said with a tired voice. He hated to admit it but Octavian had been nothing short of a nightmare to him and Lux had not wanted to listen to him at any turn of the road. Others followed him a lot more easily and it made Lux worry regularly.

Lux raised an eyebrow ever so slightly in amusement as Stacy mentioned her brother. Somehow he couldn't help but find the idea of sons of Venus somewhat amusing. He always wondered if they were more attractive in a tough way or just pretty boys that really enjoyed a lot of girly things. It was really hard to predict which ways the blood of the Gods would carry people. Sanity not included in some cases, clearly. He pondered the idea of meeting her Greek brother for a moment before shrugging. "It sounds like a good enough idea to me. I'm sure we'll get along if he's as cool as you say he is." Lux said with a slight teasing smile. He trusted Stacy's judgement of course, but it was fun to tease her with it regardless. He wasn't typically the teasing type, but around Stacy it was a bit easier to let go of the formality.

STACY HART

[STACY HART]

Stacy smiled when Lux told her she had done well and good things were ahead for her. That meant a lot coming from Lux. He had been through so much, and he believed in her.

"Thanks, Lux. That's amazing of you to say. I really do try my hardest."

Stacy almost thought Lux was going to correct her insult to Octavian out of professionalism, but then he showed that he agreed with her feelings on the scumbag. Yes, the jerk was disgusting. Seriously, who got off on ripping up teddy bears?

"I mean, I don't wish death on anyone outside of crazed monsters and stuff, but Octavian pretty much asked for what he got. He had every chance to change and fight for the greater good, but he decided to be a walking, talking, flying ego. Anyway, he's gone. I guess we shouldn't worry about him anymore."

Stacy smiled about her brother, and liked the idea that Lux was willing to meet him. It was another shot at peace between the camps. Again, she got Lux's feelings on the two camps, but she felt if he met Ethan and saw how great the guy was, he might soften up a bit.

"We should travel there one day... or I can try to get him to come here. If he does, we can hang out in New Rome."

Lux Aurelius Morgenstern

[Lux Aurelius Morgenstern]

Lux admired people so able to speak up against those that had or held position of power in the world. He'd never been able to do so in anything less than a fully professional manner and it hardly got him where he wanted in terms of change. He rose through the ranks in hopes of being in a position where he could suggest and make the changes, rather than just follow orders. So far he'd done well enough but he wasn't done rising just yet. There was still plenty of road ahead. Still he felt a little uncomfortable with the very outspoken opinions of Stacy in regards to his late half brother. "He wasn't the most stable, I agree." Lux said mildly, which was a pretty huge insult coming from the very moderated man in terms of words. "But I feel we should worry, not so much about him as an individual but about him as a type of person. Those that are hungry for power, aggressive reform towards malicious ways of governing will always be a threat. He wanted to be the only person with unlimited and unquestioned power. He's not the only person to seek that, I'm certain. We should worry about those that wish to disturb the peace and only use other human beings as tools and shields to further their lives and theirs alone." He frowned a deep frown and the frustration on his face was easy to read. "We need to worry so we stay vigilent if anybody like him rises through the ranks again. We need to ensure safety for all demigods, not only those that serve high positions in the leadership or agree with those in power. I want us to listen to those that thing we get it all wrong so we can keep growing."

He easily accepted the topic of her brother and smiled as she suggested hanging out in New Rome. "That sounds like fun." He said calmly, although a smile was on his face. "What is your brother like?" He asked, now curious since she seemed to like him rather much. If she liked him, he had to be a decent sort of guy at least, right?

STACY HART
OOC: Excuse the rant >.>

[STACY HART]

Stacy looked down as Lux got a bit aggressive about worrying over psychos like Octavian. She felt silly for what she had said. She guessed she had a lot to learn if she would ever be like Lux. He was a role model who she aspired to be like, but she couldn't kid herself. She had a long way to go.

"I'm... sorry, Lux. I didn't mean that we shouldn't take who he was or what he did seriously. I didn't mean we shouldn't watch out for others like him. I just... I just couldn't stand him and want to wipe that whole ordeal out of my memory. Just... what he could have done if he had won, the trouble he could have caused. We could have fallen to Gaea."

Stacy perked back up about her brother. She enjoyed the subject of Ethan. She had missed him already.

"Well, he's a bit dorky like me. He's got a serious side, but not too serious. It's super easy to talk to him. like it is to talk to you. I can share stuff with him that I can't share with a lot of other people. He's just one of the special people in my life, just like you."

Lux Aurelius Morgenstern

[Lux Aurelius Morgenstern]

Lux smiled at Stacy, maybe he'd been a bit harsh in his response but that had far more to do with Octavian than her. "We can't learn from out mistakes if we forget or erase them. We must remember the past and all the mistakes in it in order to safeguard our future. No matter how painful remembering that stuff might be, it's important that we do. We don't make it prettier than it was, we don't pretend it never happened. We admit how horribly wrong things went there and take precautions to prevent it from happening again. It's the only way to actually truly move forward. Pretending it never happened leaves us stuck in the times before Octavian and makes us vulnerable to the next madman with a knife intent on destroying half the demigod population. They don't care about the Legion, no matter how much they might pretend to." It was something he probably felt more strongly about than others, considering that Octavian had shared his blood, no matter how thin. He'd been a sickly mortal far more than a legacy but his hunger for power had eaten right through that possible inconvenience.

He felt honoured at the compliment that Stacy bestowed upon him by comparing him to her brother, whom she clearly cared about quite a lot. "He sounds like great company for you." Lux said, both genuinely and politely at the same time. "You should probably make sure you invite him over and show him around camp. We need to make sure we establish some healthy bonds and he sounds like the perfect kind of person to do so with. Besides, with all the praise you have for him I would love to meet him." He was genuinly curious about the guy, although part of him was still nervous about the fact it was her Greek brother. It wasn't too easy for him not to think of them as enemies, even with everything that had happened. He couldn't let the past stop him from at least trying, although he was by nature weary because of the strained history between the two camps. He was certain a lot of people were, but he had to make sure he set the right example. Friendly and kind in a reserved way was the best way they could possibly start out to him.

STACY HART