You're a girl out of time (Dark)

It had been a long arduous journey back to Camp Jupiter, but in spite of the numbing aching exhaustion which bit deep into her soul, Valerie could not help to feel a small slither of delight to be home. Weary limbs trudged through the tunnel, boots dusty, leather worn and cracked. They looked to be on the verge of falling apart. Her jeans looked surprisingly new, but were just as dusty and a faded purple t-shirt which she picked up on the return journey because it looked like Imperial Purple. Her dark brown hair was tangled and messy, in need of a good wash as well as cutting. Valerie held her bow drawn, in her left hand but the quiver was empty and had been since before she started the journey back to Camp Jupiter.
Valerie had been greeted by cautious guards who she did not recognise nor they her. They spoke for sometime, they refused to accept that she was a member of the Legion, part of the third cohort no less. Apparently neither of them knew who she was, they said that they had been her for at least three years. Valerie found such a thing impossible to believe, she knew in her heart it was only a few months since she left upon her mission with her friends. The sudden thought of her friends, tainted the home coming somewhat. One was dead, slain in battle, the other... Still a prison at the Lotus Casino. They had lost one another in that prison and now... Who knew if he happened to still draw breath?

The conversation eventually ground down and they decided, somewhat wearily to take her to see the Centurion for the third. They would know their own Legionnaires, Valerie approved of this plan. "Let us go see Carl, he will vouch for me." The two Legionnaires guarding her exchanged a confused glance but said nothing. Carl had been the Legionnaire at the time of Valerie's mission, but now happened to be a very old Roman citizen.
They walked in silence, mercifully slowing their pace to match Valerie's. The trio past the camp, Valerie's eyes searching for faces she recognised in the Legionnaire who they passed. Weirdly, she spotted no one. Surely some of her friends were around? Right?
They entered the first cohort's barracks, a Legionnaire in front, Valerie in the middle and a Legionnaire behind her. It must of looked amusing as both were at least a foot taller than the exhausted, bedraggled and scruffy looking companion.

"Centurion Young." The lead Legionnaire spoke with a salute to girl not much older than Valerie. "We apologise for the interruption but this young girl claims to be a part of the third cohort." Valerie stared at the officer, an expression of sheer bewilderment on her face.

Chastity would look up from the fashion magazine she was reading. Her Tattoo marking her part of the legion would be hidden with makeup, as it was unfashionable. Studying the girl for a few minutes, she'd wave off the others, and beckon the girl to sit down. "You look like you've got a story to share with me. Would you like to share it?" Yes, she was seemingly fine with this potential enemy threat, but just because she was attractive, didn't mean she was stupid. For example, there was something about Valerie that needed to be acknowledged.

Valerie after a brief bit of hesitation sat down near Chastity, propping her bow up against the seat. She clasped her hands together over her lap, the demigod nodded the once her throat feeling suddenly dry. Something must of happened whilst she was away, bit surely the entire of the third could not of been wiped out?
Valerie took a deep breath and started to explain her tale, from how she left with her two closest friends to slay a monster, to the death of one at the claws of the monster, the slaying of the beast itself, followed by the desperate escape and seeking shelter in a casino. The latter of which turned out to be a terrible choice. "I only just managed to escape from the Lotus Casino a few weeks ago... I've been trying to get back to Camp Jupiter ever since." Valerie finished, pausing for a brief moment before asking. "What happened whilst I was gone? Where is Carl? Or Lily? Or Leon?" They were all Legionnaires from her own time, Valerie did not yet know the truth as to what happened to her in the lair of the Lotus eaters.

She'd sigh, heavily. "The Lotus Casino is not unknown to us... But I'm afraid I'm the bearer of bad news. Many decades have passed since you entered the Casino. There are many DemiGods still trapped there, who will never age while time outside passes it. Those you may have known are possibly elderly, or passed on, survived by children." She'd abruptly stand up, ignoring the Fashion Articles that had previously had her attention. "You say you are of the Legion, quiaff? Let me see your marks."

Valerie looked away, disbelief, shock and confusion flashing on her face. "I..." She did not know how to reply to this news. Surely she would of noticed such a thing on her journey back? Unless Valerie had been so focused upon her desire to return that she did not allow herself to think over the new things which she encountered upon her travels.
"Okay." Valerie told Chastity as she rolled up the sleeve of the shirt to reveal her Legion markings. "Don't tell me I need to have tattoos for each of the years I was in the casino?" There was a brief flicker of humour in her gaze, though it swiftly turned to pain. "How many years was I gone?" She had been gone for about sixty four years.

She'd giggle a bit about the tattoos for years in the casino remark. "I don't think you'd like having that many tattoos on your arm. It'd ruin your skin and then it'd be hard to put you in a fancy dress when the occasions called for it." Her expression would soften, the sadness in her eyes taking over. "Valerie, what year do you think it is?"

She shook her head. "Not really no... I don't think that there would be room for it all on my arm." Valerie examined the Legion markings on her own arm, as if to double check that they were still all there. She looked up at the question. "It is nineteen fifty three... Or at least that was it is to me." Though she knew now such a thing to be incorrect. Part of her wanted to not know, to preserve the lie of the time she thought it was, but a greater part of her, the Roman part, needed to know.
Regardless of the cost.

She'd slowly move forward, and embrace the girl in a hug. Speaking softly, she'd drop the bomb. "It's been 64 years, Valerie. I'm sorry, but it's true." She'd release the girl, but wouldn't be surprised if the girl hugged her. It seemed like she'd need some comforting. "The World has changed in the time since you've vanished. We are no longer at war with our Greek Brethren, and... things are mostly peaceful. But not always. The Legion you left may longer be here, but the Third Cohort is still here, in a way, and I'd be a fool to deny you a place in it." She'd spread her arms. "Welcome home, Valerie."

Valerie returned the hug, holding the other girl close. It felt as though her whole life was falling apart. Everything Valerie knew, everyone she knew had for the greater part been ripped away from her, tossing her into a strange new world, into a currently unknown future. She did not let go when the Centurion did, she remained holding her for a few moments longer before reluctantly releasing her grip. "We are at peace with the Greeks?" She sounded utterly surprised by that notion, the future was a different place for sure. "Thank you it would be my honour to rejoin the third Centurion." Valerie smiled at the officer, saluting.

"It's been an eventful past couple of years, actually. We discovered the Greeks were in New York, led into battle by a deranged Praetor who almost got us all killed when his supposed allies turned on us. Fortunately, a team of Greeks and Romans working together was able to stop the slaughter and we defeated the Forces of Gaea and put her back to sleep. Hopefully, she'll never wake up. I don't want to deal with that again." She'd sigh, then wave dismissively at Val. "No need to be so formal when there's nothing formal happening." Yeah, she was a bit lax, but what did you expect from Daughter of Venus? She did things her way.

Valerie nodded slowly as Chastity explained the important historical event. No doubt one of the many things which she missed, the demigod thought bitterly. "That must of been rather rough to deal with." She was still shocked about her having been gone for such a long period of time. Whole generation of demigods had come and gone since Valerie disappeared.
It was crazy when she thought about it. Valerie looked surprised when Chastity said there was no need to be so formal. This might take some getting used to, the child of Apollo happened to be used to a strict commander. "I may need to adjust to that." She took her a deep breath, wincing as when she ran a hand through her hair it tugged on a tuft. She would get some new clothes and then have a long bath later. There was no need to look like she had crawled through a sewer now she sat in the safety of Camp Jupiter.

"You'll probably want to take a nice, long, hot bath. Maybe some of the Lares might remember you. Or even Terminus. I'll have someone take your clothes and... wash them... We'll have some fresh clothes waiting for you once you're done getting cleaned up. Nothing too frilly, I promise." The Frilly stuff was usually used as punishment for those who failed their tasks. Or if she was just bored and wanted some amusement. "We'll have to take good care of your hair, as well."

"Yes." Came Valerie's eager response, it was one of the things she missed on her travels back to Camp Jupiter. The only good thing about the Lotus Casino tended to be their brilliant showers, all manner of Jupiter knows what happened to be available in them. The Lares might remember her, a thought which pleased her greatly. Valerie may still have a few friends around from her time after all, though her age probably would confuse more than one or two of them.
"You can say burn them, I'd rather not have to wear these boots any more." She kicked one of her legs out to show the sorry state of them better. "Honestly I'm fine with trousers like this, a purple Camp Jupiter shirt and some trainers." Valerie avoided dressing herself in needless finery if she could possibly help it.
"Aye it needs cutting and cleaning." Valerie hated how long her hair became over the journey home. She looked more like a scruffy runaway than a daughter of a god.

"No, no, your hair is fine. We just need to style it for you in an easy way that you can remember." Chastity herself had long flowing hair. "My Mom would disapprove of cutting such beautiful hair, and I'd hate to get her mad at me." She'd nod at the request. "We'll burn the boots. Regulation clothes will be issued to you, but the first pair you get will be more... normal for girls our age. After all, fashion has drastically changed, and we're empowered through our clothes."

She twirled a length of her brown hair in her hand absently. "No it is too long for my liking I'm afraid lass." Valerie did not want to keep it at such a length. At the mention of new clothing, a cautious look appeared upon her face. "No skirts and nothing revealing." She stated it as a simply fact rather than a request.
"I'm empowered through my bow." She chuckled as she reached out to tap her bow. The child of Apollo happened to be a crack shot with it.

She raised an eyebrow, half-annoyed yet half-amused that this girl would make a demand of her. "I don't know how you did it in your times, but was it customary to make such a demands of a Centurion freely giving gifts?" Val had essentially signed her own Death Sentence. "Nothing revealing... but... you will be required to wear a skirt." She wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Consider it... a lesson in how we dress in these times. If you're lucky, you may only have to wear the skirt for a few days."

Valerie glared at the other woman, her officer, rage clear in her eyes, burning bright as if the thought of having to wear a skirt was almost as objectionable as orders to attack a fellow Roman. It took her a few minutes to regain some manner of composure, though she shook with barely contained frustration. "I... Fine." She said stiffly. "I will bare that in mine ma'am." Valerie withdrew back to her polite and formal manner with the other officer, inwardly hating the idea of wearing a dress. But, there was little that could do. She wondered if her willingness to decide for herself and argue with a centurion stemmed from the fact that Valerie spent a long period of time in the Lotus Casino.

She'd roll her eyes. "Oh calm down. It's not like I'm going to force you to wear it every single day. And a dress will be required for Formal Events, but luckily for you, we don't have any planned yet. The World has changed, but you don't have to remain stuck in the past." She'd smile warmly. "Everyone will help you adjust, don't fret."

Valerie was quiet for a few minutes, initially it looked like the child of Apollo planned to protest or at the very least voice some manner of disagreement. Instead, with a pained sob, she started to cry. She balled her hands up into fists and buried her head in her hands, the small demigod cried loudly, her body shaking as the tears came. All the stress, all the pain and exhaustion, the shock and loss came out now, demanding to be felt, to be unleashed.
She made no attempt to stop the tears, no attempt to control, she just cried and cried.

She said nothing, instead just wrapping the girl in a hug, and patting her on the back. "Let it all out, Valerie. let it all out." The girl needed time to adjust to the changes, and as one of the Leaders of the 3rd Cohort, she would ensure that the girl ad all the time to adjust and adapt. Those who interfered.... would pay the price.

Valerie continued to cry for a considerable amount of time. Eventually she stopped, taking several deeps breaths before wiping her eyes and nose on the sleeve of her shirt. "Sorry... It has been a lot of stress and tension." She mumbled quietly, looking and sounding like she was on the verge of tears again.

She'd smile warmly. "It's okay. In your position, I would do the same. Finding out that everyone I've ever known has passed or grown old... It's horrifying. But the Legion will always be your home. You can go ahead and hate me for forcing you to dress in the style of the current times, but I just want you to explore the options available to girls these days. To help you fit in with modern times"

"But that is just it." Valerie pointed out raising an issue. "I... I will never fit in her because I am not from this time." Everything would be different and thus therefore difficult for the young child of Apollo. She was very lost. "I don't hate you I just dislike it." She disliked someone else dictating her how to dress.
"You may need to forgive me but it is far too much to take in." Valerie closed her eyes, she felt like she needed to lie down. "Is it okay if I lie down instead for a bit? I am quite tired."

She'd wave a hand to the nearby beds. "Go ahead, sleep. Everything will be taken care of, my dear Valerie. And you will fit in. It'll just take some time, and I'll do my best to make sure that everyone helps you. But yes, go ahead and sleep."