Apples of Immortality Chapter 6: I become a centurion

Chapter 6: I become a centurion
It was really easy to get back to camp. When we landed everyone was at the Decumanian Gate. I guess a camper saw us in the sky, and told everybody we were coming. We were hoping to get in unnoticed, but that hope was gone. Every Cohort was there waiting. I saw the familiar faces of the Fifth Cohort cheering, although none of them knew what we had done. Anthony stood in front of everyone, he came over, raised our hands, and as if he saw what happened, he shouted, "Behold! Richard Smith, and Jason Tonitruum! Conquerors of Ladon!" Some people understood what he meant, gave us nasty faces, but clapped anyway. Anthony put our hands down, but pointed toward New Rome and said, "To the Senate House!"

While walking to the Senate House, everybody from the Fifth Cohort kept coming up to us, right behind Anthony, and congratulated us. They kept asking Rick if he really was immortal, kept asking me if I really killed Ladon with lightning, I just kept repeating, "Nah, but almost killed him, I think." When we got to the Senate House we stood, facing the crowd. Anthony poimted his javelin at Rick, "Richard Smith. Former Centurion of the Fifth Cohort. Son of Mercury. Immortal. Hail!" Everyonee started to clap for him, then, they all stopped, Anthony pointed his javelin at me and said, "Jason Tonitruum. Current Centurion of the Fifith Cohort. Son of Jupiter. Hail!" They all clapped for me. I might have been crazy, or the claps semmed louder for me. The clapping stopped, and Anthony continued, "These two legionnaries have truly demonstarted how we run this camp, Aut vincere aut mori. Conquer or die. They conquered the dragon Ladon, and obtained an apple of immortality." He nodded toward Rick, and he sat down. Anthony turned toward me and said, "Jason." I turned around and the augur, that Apollo kid, was next to him. He mouthed the words Rasie your sleeve. When I did, he raised his javelin and said, "Jason Tonitruum. Son of Jupiter, first year of service!" It felt like I was being branded, one brand for the eagle, one for the SPQR, and one for the single line. "Jason, I pronounce you, Centurion of the Fifth Cohort." The Apollo kid came over and whispered, "It gets worse every year of service." He stuck out his hand, "Name's Fletcher. I would've told you earlier, but, you know." I thought about him talking in his sleep, and falling over. I just smiled and said, "It's okay."

After the whole ceremony thing, I snuck to the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. I took the golden aplle from my bag and placed it on the altar. "Hey dad," I silently said to myself, "You know my only weapon broke, and, I was wondering if you could do anything about it. Like send down a javelin, or gladius, or something like that." I stood there for half an hour, looking around, waiting. I eventually shook my head and said, "Never mind." I kept walking, looking down when a huge man stepped in front of me. He washad winged war boots with an Imperial gold knife down the side. he had camoflague pants, and a purple SPQR T-shirt. I raised an eyebrow and said, "Mercury?" He smiled and said, "You're pretty smart. Yep, I'm Mercury."

Apple of Immortality Chapter 7: I get a package labeled, 'Ouch'