reflection ● jason grace

As they say, Kool-Aid has consequences

"Michael, you can defend with Nathan. God knows he needs it." Daria adjusted her armor strap. Jason, Clara, and Dakota were already on their side of the field. "Octavian, you can stay with me."

"Aye-aye, captain." She and Nathan talked a lot of smack, but he was a good fighter. Better than some of the older recruits.

"You just do whatever she says?" Daria heard Michael ask as they took their positions on the left flank.

Nathan looked at him like he was insane. "Well, unless you want to be on the receiving end of a landslide."

Michael mussed with his hair, looking unfairly cool. "Fair enough."

"I can fight," Octavian snapped her out of her view. He sounded more confident about that than he had anything else so Daria believed him.

"Great," she patted him on the shoulder. Surprisingly, he didn't fall over. "I'm going to be defending against Jason, the blond one, remember? And you can take, hmm." She thought about it. "Clara will be a good match up for you, I think."

"Be careful!" Kai yelled as he walked past them. "She might stab you."

Octavian's expression faltered, he probably wasn't used to anything but his training. Daria snickered. "Don't worry, she probably won't get this far. And you know, if she does stab you, we've got a pretty good medical team."

Octavian's eyes widened and Daria shook her head. Ah, she loved new recruits.

Since Daria was the highest ranking officer (they didn't technically have a primus pilus yet, or Daria wouldn't have to do this) she made her way to the center of the clearing for a pep talk. "Okay, guys!"

"Stand up!" Someone called from the audience.

She grinned; it was a good joke-especially since she didn't want to be up there. "I'm trying, Marc! Anyway, we can do this. We've done this so many times and besides," she raised her eyebrow. "If Jason Grace beats us, I don't know what I'll do."

"Cheers to that," Nathan agreed. "Let's kick some Fifth Cohort a-" he was met with a fierce glare from his centurion. "-butt." Eager to cover his embarrassment, he let out a rallying cry. Everyone looked like they were trying not to laugh, but they echoed the cheer.

"Legion," Daniel's low voice boomed across the field. He balanced on the wall with a megaphone, something only the magic son of Hekate was good at. "Let the games begin."

Immediately, ranks of legionnaires rushed into the forest, ready to defend their flag at the border instead of waiting for enemies to come to them. Archers lined the trees, on the lookout. War Games were rarely ever deadly, but there was always a good chance that you walked out injured. Daniel said it built tolerance.

"So," she turned to Octavian. "Clara's about to scale the wall. You've got a couple minutes to prepare."

He clutched his dagger so hard that Daria thought his bones would break. "How do you know that?"

She smirked, keeping a feeler out for Jason, who moved quicker than the rest. "I'm just special that way. Now, do you need me here, or can I use the tree cover?"

"I-I think I'll be okay," Octavian looked behind him, the several legionnaires making him feel more secure. Most of their best fighters were here, guarding the flag in case anyone came through. It's where Daria would be, but beating Jason had always been more fun than winning the War Game.

She motioned to Kai who nodded, he would keep an eye out for the lanky teen. Then, without further ado, she dashed to somewhere she could wreak havoc. The forest.