Here It Goes Again ((Sienna Linslee))

Even though he had been at camp for some time, Izzy still often felt like he had absolutely no clue what was going on.  It was the sort of thing where he knew how to follow the schedule and all, but he didn't know why he was following the schedule.  And he was definitely the type of person who wanted to know the why.  There weren't a ton of people he could ask...there were only two people he actually knew, and of them, Violet was just as new as he was and Andrew didn't really operate the same way Izzy did...not that he was in any state to ask the other boy at the moment.  Not with how their relationship currently was.  That was a thought that still saddened the boy.  He was losing his best friend because Izzy was being a fool.  But that wasn't his concern right now.  Right now, the boy just wanted to figure out who he could ask about the details and reasoning of Camp Jupiter 2.0...the whole story, the nuances, the ups, the downs.  The trouble was who to go to.  The boy didn't really have any friends other than Violet and Andrew, and it seemed too awkward to just go up to someone and ask.

The realization hit Izzy like a ton of bricks, and he felt like such an idiot for not thinking of it sooner.  Because there was a reason camp was set up the way that it was...Praetors at the top, and a Centurion for each Cohort.  The Centurions were there to help legionnaires with camp and problems and life and all.  So of course, with all his questions and need for help, Izzy just had to go to his Centurion.  He had yet to meet Centurion Sienna Linslee, but someone had pointed her out and told him a bit about her.  She had been at the old Camp Jupiter, and was a daughter of Venus.  Which made sense...she was certainly very pretty.  Beyond all that, the boy didn't know too much about her.  Hopefully she was friendly, and willing to help him out.  The boy definitely needed someone higher up than he and nice about all of it.  The possibility of her not being nice sort of scared him, but Izzy figured he had to try anyway.

It was another day that Izzy had spent mostly moping in the barrack.  He was still sorting out his feelings for Andrew...he didn't really know how to handle his life with this sort of thing.  Perhaps, when he got to talk to Centurion Linslee, the boy could ask about some help with his ridiculous romantic feelings for his best friend.  But he wanted to talk to her...get to know the person who headed up the Fourth Cohort.  The inner battle was a brutal one, though...Izzy was still so uncomfortable with approaching people.  And a little rude part of him nagged that she should come to him first...get to know the legionnaires in her cohort and all.  But for whatever reason, that hadn't happened, and maybe it really was up to Izzy to take the first step.  Gods knew he needed the help...being shy was so stupid in this situation...it was only hurting himself by acting like a child.

The next question was...did Izzy go to find Centurion Linslee, or did he just wait until she came back to the barrack?  There was still that heavy depression draped over the boy as he tried to read a book in 'easy Latin', and he didn't especially feel like roaming through camp.  The Centurion would end up here sooner or later, and the boy could wait just fine.  It gave him a bit of extra time to figure out what he was going to say.  Although he was getting a bit better about all of it, Izzy still wasn't too good at social stuff.  He had only approached Violet because she reminded him of his once upon a time best friend, and his meeting with Andrew had been a complete accident, and very awkward at the start (though so equally as awkward at the present).  Izzy just didn't know how to talk.  But he had questions...and that was a good start.

The door to the barrack opened, and at first, Izzy decided he was just going to ignore it.  He didn't especially feel like dealing with someone, and if he just pretended he was uninterested, no one would bother him...or so he hoped.  But curiosity got the better of him, and the boy peeked around the edge of his bunk.  Just one of his fellow legionnaires, a girl that he had seen around but had no desire to actually speak to.  Who was he hoping for, anyway?  The door opened again, this time, a dark haired girl walked in...Centurion Linslee.  Gods, what was with divine interjection?  Scrambling out of his bed, Izzy walked over to the girl.  "Centurion Linslee," he exclaimed, nodding at her.  "Izzy...I mean, Legionnaire Izzy Abney.  I was wondering if you had a moment, maybe...I just have some questions."

Reintegration into Camp Jupiter was coming along steadily. In terms of schedule, it wasn’t as hard as Sienna had thought to get back into the swing of things. Admittedly, she wasn’t in as great shape as she used to be, but her body was slowly transitioning back into her old training regimen, and Si wasn’t ending up as winded as she had the first day back. Disturbingly enough, she hadn’t run into anyone she knew. Sure, Camp Jupiter was a big place, and sure, everyone had their own lives, but it was still odd enough. She wasn’t worried yet, but if the re-meetings didn’t occur on their own Sienna was going to have to take matters into her own hands.

Still, there was a pro to being rather isolated the first week back. It allowed Si to explore this new Camp Jupiter (for although the buildings were the same, the demographics had changed drastically), and spend some time collecting her thoughts before she was sure she’d have to explain herself to people. It took a lot of pressure off what would otherwise have been a hectic first week back, and it let Sienna catch her breath and readjust normally. She could spend hours at the library without interruption studying Latin and older texts (Si didn’t consider herself a bookish types, but miracles do happen), and she spent a lot of time catching up on paperwork and reading up on the new legionnaires of the Fourth Cohort.

None of the new legionnaires in particular stood out to Sienna, only the fact that the legion had sent her their rejects (as usual). The stigma of being in Fourth Cohort wasn’t as strong as it had been in the old Camp Jupiter, but Sienna still found herself taking arrogant people down a notch. She wasn’t picky about who was assigned to her cohort-not that she had much choice, anyway-and she put in a lot of effort to make everyone feel at home. At least, she had. Ever since Si had gone on sabbatical, she’d been completely out of touch with her cohort. A couple names were familiar to the girl, but most were new and Sienna hadn’t taken the time to reach out to them yet. A fact that would obviously have to change. She was still a little shy about being the mysterious Centurion most of the legionnaires didn’t know, and although she was determined to change this fact it didn’t make the execution any easier.

Most of these thoughts ran through her head as Si wrapped up paperwork for the day. She was very meticulous in her records, and would continue to update them as she got to know the legionnaires better. For now, it consisted of basic information, and Sienna carefully filed everything away in her own corner of the Principia (she had yet to figure out Elijah’s system). The records definitely weren’t as comprehensive as usual, but that would change…for now, Sienna was happy enough attempting to memorize everybody’s name. Having wrapped that up, Sienna took a slow walk outside as she looked at the sky and figured out the rest of the day’s schedule. Evening muster would be soon (Sienna had been scandalized when she realized some Romans were ditching), and Si was determined to gather her cohort before then so she could give everyone a reminder on the rules of the legion. She wasn’t the strict type, not at all, but she valued the order of the camp and would do her part in enforcing it.

She considered spending the last couple hours outside in order to enjoy the last remnants of good weather before fall truly set in (the time was getting closer), but the reminder of the ghastly state of her armor sent her walking back to the barracks. As Centurion, she had to set a good example for the rest of the cohort, and rusted armor rather did the opposite of that. She took her time to head back to the barracks, however, and took the “scenic route” around camp. After a while, Sienna really couldn’t put it off any longer, so she finally entered the Fourth barracks and zeroed in on her armor.

Before she could make the final steps from the door to her bunk, a boy suddenly appeared in her field of vision. A little surprised, the confusion lasted about a moment until he started speaking (she wasn’t really so intimidating as to make him stutter, right?) At the realization that one of her cohort members was actually approaching her, Sienna’s disposition brightened. “Please, call me Sienna.” She gave him a reassuring smile (because again, one of the new members of the cohort was actually approaching her). She gave him a once-over, trying to determine exactly what she could remember about Izzy Abney, but the files were really too basic for her to glean any relevant information. She held her hand to shake his, and continued, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I have more than enough time for any questions.” Hoping to get the message across, Sienna gave another bright smile and waited for Izzy to shake her hand. Proper manners, right?

In general, people at Camp Jupiter 2.0 were proving themselves quite kind and understanding.  At least, Izzy had yet to cross paths with someone nasty.  In all fairness, that could be because he was the cold one.  But he was learning his lessons and starting to think that maybe people weren't as terrible as he had always thought.  Of course, that didn't mean he was just going to drop his walls right away.  That was obviously something that would take time.  The mere thought of betrayal and broken trust haunted Izzy.  Camp was a second chance...but what happened if things turned out like the boy's old life in the mortal world?  He was pretty sure he didn't get a third chance.  Izzy thought about something his therapist had always said...baby steps.  He just had to listen to that nagging voice...because nothing would happen overnight.  That was just a fact.  That didn't mean the boy wasn't completely terrified.  After a lifetime of absolutely no luck with people, it was definitely going to take time to adjust.  Violet was a good start.

And of course, Centurion Linslee.  The woman's kind smile and friendly greeting caught Izzy off guard.  Not that he really expected anything else, since it would be in pretty poor form for a leader to be otherwise, but it seemed like more than that.  Centurion Linslee...Sienna, seemed completely genuine.  "Then...er...Sienna," Izzy gave a shaky smile.  The whole idea of there being no need for formalities was nice...Izzy certainly didn't like them, despite the hard face he always kept up.  And even if Centurions and Praetors were of a higher rank, they were still just people.  It was a relief that Sienna wasn't pulling rank...or acting like she was better than Izzy.  That was the sort of thing the boy just wouldn't tolerate.  It went beyond being an authority figure, or who ones God or Goddess parent was...it was about being a person.  And being a good person.  Izzy had spent most of his life feeling inferior...and he refused to be in that situation anymore.

But he couldn't keep standing in front of Sienna, lost in his own thoughts.  Even if it wasn't purposeful, Izzy thought it was pretty rude to zone out on someone...especially since he had been the one to initiate the conversation.  The boy's parents had always drilled proper manners into his head...respect and being polite and all.  Just because he was from from London and his mum and dad, Izzy still had to follow what his parents had always taught him.  And he could only imagine the scolding he would get if his parents heard he was being rude and disrespectful.  Hypothetically, of course, as he was going to follow all he had been taught to a T.

Looking at Sienna's outstretched hand for a moment, Izzy recoiled ever so slightly.  It wasn't repulsion as much as it was fear at the contact.  That was something that still made the boy anxious.  But he took the woman's hand and shook it firmly.  "Thanks...it's nice to meet you, too" he said awkwardly, unsure of what the next step was.  Did they just stand there while Izzy asked his questions?  Was there somewhere they could sit down?  It wasn't like there was a ton of furniture around the barrack, just beds really.  Maybe the two could sit down on one of their beds?  It would be a lot less awkward than just standing around.  Was it his move to ask that, or his Centurion's?  Maybe they could sit outside...there were nice benches and stuff set up around the barracks area.  A slight panic clawed at Izzy's stomach...he had definitely not planned anything this far in advance.  And he really should have...because now he had no idea what to do next, but he had to do something.  Anything to not look like a total idiot.

"Maybe we can...er..." the boy motioned around, hoping that would help in some way.  "Maybe we can sit down or something?  I feel like just standing here would be sort of...strange," the words sounded kind of stiff, but it was the best he could manage at this point.  The longer this went, the more scared he felt.  A part of Izzy sort of just wanted to run away...maybe camp out in the woods for the rest of forever.  No, no, no...he had to keep going.  He couldn't run forever, as much as he really wanted to oftentimes.  A new start...and baby steps.  "I'm sorry," Izzy apologized, looking at his feet for a moment before looking up at Sienna again.  "I'm not very good at this...I don't mean to sound rude...I'm just awkward," hopefully clarifying kept anything too crazy from happening.  Something bad would be dreadful to deal with...Izzy certainly wasn't up for that one.

The moment between Sienna holding out her hand and Izzy reaching to shake it seemed to stretch on for a long while. Although Izzy’s handshake was firm and his hesitation lasted only a moment, it wasn’t lost on Sienna and the girl filed away the information for later use. She had considered drawing back her hand (she didn’t want to make the boy too uncomfortable as she was sure it would lead to a bad first impression), but the moment passed and the conversation moved on.

When Izzy brought up the point that they were still standing at the door, Sienna gave a nervous laugh. “Right, of course,” she responded, glancing around the barracks. It honestly hadn’t even occurred to her that it was odd to hold a conversation standing at the door. In California, there had been many times in which Sienna had been required to stand at attention to address her centurion (including at the entrance of the barracks). With all the hustle of the old camp, not to mention the strict regulations, one would have to speak with one’s centurion when one could, which usually meant having conversations anywhere possible. It hadn’t been uncommon to stop for a quick chat in odd places, between training, or after muster, but of course, this wasn’t that Camp Jupiter. Different rules.

Sienna glanced around the barracks briefly again before her eyes rested on her bunk. She considered it for a moment before coming to a decision in her mind that it would have to do. Although it wasn’t in its usual immaculate state, it certainly wasn’t at its worst either. The only things out of place were her yet-to-be-cleaned helmet, which was resting on her pillow, and a few citation slips (one half-way filled out with the usual nonsense of a legionnaire breaking curfew) that Sienna had yet to file. She stacked the papers into a pile before sticking it under her pillow, and she smoothed out the sheets before taking a seat. Although she didn’t expressly invite Izzy to sit next to her, Si was sure the intention was clear.

That task done, Si smoothed out the sheets again in a nervous habit and tried to rack her mind for any other possible mishaps that may come up. Although this certainly wasn’t her first time dealing with a legionnaire, it was the first in a while. There’d been a time when Sienna knew the names of all the members of her cohort, and was on speaking terms with all of them. She’d let that attention slip while she’d focused on her own life, and now she had to readjust with new members and new faces. She hadn’t had much socialization the last few months, and she wanted to get this meeting done right. It really could mean the difference between the legionnaires trusting her or not.

“I hope my bunk’s an acceptable location. Sorry about the mess, still getting back into the swing of things.” Sienna gave a short laugh as she re-did her ponytail to capture loose strands of hair. She brushed off Izzy’s apologies with a wave of her hand (since it wasn’t like she could judge anyway). “I remember what it’s like to be new. Being shoved into new situations doesn’t really bring out the best of us.” Sienna laughed again, in what she hoped was a not-lame attempt to lighten the atmosphere. The smile turned much more genuine when Si allowed herself a small moment to reminisce about her first day in the old Camp Jupiter. She’d been in a really messy state of mind then, but thankfully she’d run into the right people to help sort her out. She couldn’t imagine what her life would have been like if she’d never met Calla, Calix, or Mia, or if she’d met them during one of her…moods. Although years had passed since her first day…it really had been a defining moment for the girl. She could only hope to provide similar helpful services for anybody who had the guts to approach her and ask for help.

Returning from her little dream-land, Sienna gave Izzy an expectant look. “How’s the camp experience been so far?” Si asked, hoping to draw out the boy’s purpose in seeking her out. Although she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what he was hoping to achieve by speaking with her (Izzy seemed like the very quiet type), Sienna was hopeful that it was indeed something within her realm of experience. “Although, I’m afraid I’ve cheated you out of the full cohort experience so far. We’ve all been rather disconnected, and I haven’t set up any new schedules for chores or guard duty yet.” It almost embarrassed Sienna to talk about how her time away from camp had affected her duties as centurion…but she had to move on from that. She was sure her friends would hold her plenty accountable for it, so the last thing she needed was to beat herself up about it. Now that she was back (and staying this time), she had set goals in mind. Bring the cohort together (even if that only meant rallying the legionnaires for muster), be the best centurion she could be…some of the best experiences of Si’s time in California were within the cohort, and the girl genuinely hoped to recreate some of that unity here. At the very least, it’d help make New York feel more like home. And the first step to achieving any of those goals was to be accessible to her legionnaires (hence Sienna’s excitement that Izzy had approached her).

Izzy had to keep reminding himself that this was okay.  That people weren't going to be cruel to him right off the bat...maybe that was how things had mostly happened in the past, but this was different.  Camp was different.  So far, people had been quite nice.  The boy figured there was lots of reasoning behind all that, but above all, it was something of a relief.  Even so, the boy was keeping most of his walls up.  He wasn't ready to be there completely...there was still too much to learn, to get more comfortable with.  It had been over a month, but the surroundings were still a big thing...having lived in a major city his whole life, Izzy was still getting used to living in the middle of nowhere.  And of course, the people.  Always the people.  Demigods were definitely much different than mortals...well, all the ways that the boy had seen thus far.  He was sure some things were still the same...there was still gossip and all, but there was still something different...a different sort of camaraderie.  There was a more common thread between all of them.

That didn't necessarily make it better for Izzy, though...at least, not very quickly.  It would take time to adjust to all that...to people who weren't viciously whispering behind the boy's back.  Who made school so miserable for him...who stopped being his friend because he was gay and could never love them the way they loved him.  Thinking about Leanne like that was too painful, and the boy couldn't right now...he just couldn't.  Izzy smiled shyly at Sienna's words, fidgeting slightly as she looked around the barrack, probably trying to find a place for them to sit.  As she headed towards what the boy figured was her bunk, he trailed behind her, watching her sit down and then, a moment later, sitting down beside her.  He sat rather stiffly...it was slightly uncomfortable, sitting on someone else's bed, but Sienna seemed open enough that it wasn't hard for her, which was definitely sort of reassuring for Izzy.  For a frightening second, the boy prayed she wasn't going to have some sort of turnaround...suddenly get hostile or something now that she had the boy in a figurative corner.  But she wasn't going to...Izzy was just being neurotic.

Still fidgeting a bit, Izzy looked down.  "The bunk is fine," Izzy said, a bit nervously.  He knew his physical stance didn't necessarily portray 'fine'.  But hopefully Sienna would understand that...she was a daughter of Venus, after all...reading that sort of thing should be relatively easy for her.  Or so the boy would assume.  He glanced down...wasn't making assumptions about people and things something he was trying not to do.  Not that the boy put much stock into the Bible, but do not judge lest ye be judged and all...though that was probably a misinterpretation.  "I suppose you've been gone for some time now?" the boy asked, actually quite curious about it.  Between the Centurion not being around and Izzy being new around camp, he couldn't truly match things up...it probably wasn't even his place to ask, but sometimes these things just slipped out.  "I mean, not that you have to say anything about any of it..." Izzy added hastily.  The last thing he needed was to sound presumptuous right off the bat.

Keeping his eyes trained forward, Izzy frowned slightly.  "I don't have a ton of experience being new, honestly.  My mum and dad pulled me from school at a young age to homeschool me...I wasn't doing well there.  And I tended to isolate myself anyway...so...new isn't even an experience I know too well," the more he thought about it, the more Izzy realized that really explained quite a bit.  It did internally, anyway...hopefully it would help explain some things to Sienna as well.  At least he was trying...something the boy had to continue to remind himself of.  A month and a half after arriving at Camp Jupiter 2.0 and the boy was definitely realizing a lot about himself...and growing into a very different person than he'd ever been in the past.  There were still a lot of walls in place, but as the boy also tried to keep reminding himself...they weren't just going to come down overnight.  "The camp experience has been...interesting," honestly, the boy wasn't sure he knew the proper words for all of it...but he had to try.

"It's a really big adjustment," he admitted.  "I mean...I lived in a busy city.  Being in the middle of nowhere is sort of...strange.  And I haven't been around this many peers since I was a child.  I've never been too good with people," it felt strange to be saying all this out loud...but Sienna had asked and Izzy respected her enough to be honest.  How else could she be a good leader and help to him?  "But I like it more and more as I'm getting used to it.  It's just...a different life," the more the boy said, the more he wanted to close up and not go any further.  But he sensed a kindness in his Centurion, and clamming up wouldn't do him any good in the long run.  "But, er, truly...thank you for reaching out like this.  It make a world of difference," hopefully that sounded okay as well.  Izzy already had great respect for his Centurion, and that was already a start.

Sienna watched Izzy settle himself next to her, and as Sienna’s nervous habits exposed themselves, so did Izzy’s. She supposed she shouldn’t be too surprised at his discomfort; he didn’t know her, she hadn’t been accessible until now, and Izzy seemed uncomfortable socializing in general. She didn’t have much to reference regarding the last point, but the boy’s hesitation, stiff back, and other nervous habits suggested that. There wasn’t much to do on Si’s part to combat his social insecurities, but she hoped to draw him out slowly (at his own pace, of course), and to remain positive herself so as to encourage Izzy to become comfortable. Legionnaires tended to emulate their authority figures, which required a conscious effort on her part to be worthy of being imitated.

The girl’s smile faltered at Izzy’s first question. There was no malice behind the comment, she could plainly see, and she couldn’t really blame him for asking (she’d sort of set herself up in that manner). But Sienna hadn’t really talked to anybody else about why she’d left…she hadn’t really had the chance to. She knew why she’d left, but thinking it and saying it were two different matters. When one said things out loud, words would have to be chosen more carefully. “Yes…I left near the beginning of the summer,” Sienna began carefully. She wondered how much she was willing to divulge before it got too personal…her mind flashed over the events of the summer and Sienna picked certain things out cautiously. “I needed some time for myself...needed to figure some things out.” There was a small awkward pause, during which Sienna calculated how best to navigate away from this increasingly sensitive issue. “But I can assure you that everything’s been sorted out and it won’t interfere with my duties any longer.” The smile, which had faded while Sienna had figured things out, came back and Sienna made an effort to not let it disappear again. That was all she was really willing to say on the subject for the moment.

Nodding along to Izzy as he spoke, Sienna gradually grew less guarded as the subject moved away from her absence and back to something she could deal with. Although she couldn’t completely empathize with Izzy’s past experiences, Sienna had heard similar stories from other Romans. Unfortunately, isolation and being the outsider were common demigod experiences. It was one of those inevitable things that one prepared for rather than avoided…which, she supposed, was where her role came in. “That’s what I’m here for,” Sienna assured. “You don’t have to try to understand everything alone. I’m here to make the transition easier.” Izzy’s quiet demeanor was starting to make more sense. Although some of it could be attributed to the novelty of the demigod world, past experiences like Izzy described would certainly do the job as well. Gods know she’d seen plenty of that…the girl had seen a lot of demigods pass through Fourth Cohort. Some went on to the mortal world, some disappeared, but regardless of where they went most of them had trouble adjusting to legion life. She did what she could to help because she knew what it was like to feel out of place and broken. She couldn’t wave a magic wand and make all their problems disappear…but she could relate. Offer advice. Show them that there was hope for the future. Sienna didn’t verbalize any of these thoughts (they’d likely come out in time), but she offered Izzy a sympathetic smile and let him continue.

Izzy’s explanation of his camp experience started a little…vague. Interesting could mean a lot of different things. Sienna was a moment’s away from asking further questions before Izzy began to clarify. Again, Sienna let the boy talk his way through his thoughts, and she nodded along silently as she mulled over everything he had to say. “You’ll get very experienced with people, living in the barracks.” Sienna couldn’t help but let that little quip out. Privacy was a rare thing in the barracks, and although some may argue that it made private affairs public…Sienna honestly loved the living situation. Besides it feeling like one long sleepover, it was precisely the public-ness of it all that she enjoyed. There might come a time when you have to entrust your life to your fellow legionnaires, and nothing builds up a greater sense of camaraderie (in Si’s experience) than sharing living space. It was an uncomfortable experience at first, but everyone got used to it eventually.

Sienna had decided that sometimes being centurion was a thankless job. It required a lot of responsibility, maturity, and occasionally it required siding against the legionnaires rather than with them. It could get tough, but hearing things like Izzy’s last few comments made everything entirely worth it. Sienna beamed with pride, and she could already tell that she liked Izzy very much. Not necessarily due to the flattery, but more because of his display that he was willing to trust her (if not at first, maybe he would eventually get to that point). Either way, Sienna was thrilled that he had decided to approach her. She wasn’t sure how much help she could be, but when a legionnaire put this much effort into contacting her Sienna knew she was willing to match that. She gave Izzy an appreciative look. “That’s so sweet. You have no idea how much I appreciate that.” It really was the affirmation Si needed to hear. Sometimes she wondered whether all the responsibility associated with the position was worth it. But when she was given this sort of opportunity, it felt like the most rewarding job in the world.

There was definitely something very comforting about Sienna...Izzy figured that was something related to who her mother was.  Venus ruled over a vast realm, and the boy was pretty sure that 'emotions' were a part of that.  Therefor, a daughter of Venus would be pretty well versed in that.  That was how the awkward boy had always learned it, anyway.  He didn't doubt for a moment that that could be rather wrong from the actual facts about the Goddess, in the world he now lived in where the Greco-Roman Gods and Goddesses actually existed.  How much of what he had learned from books was wrong about the actual world that he now knew to be true?  The question really bugged Izzy when he thought about it.  Living at camp had taught him a lot more in depth understandings...something the boy figured would continue to happen.  But he was learning, which had to be a start at the very least.

By the look on Sienna's face, Izzy felt a bit ashamed of his question.  It wasn't any of his business, but he had gone there anyway.  "I'm...I'm so sorry," he stammered.  "That wasn't my place to ask.  I apologize," although he figured this was all a part of learning how to interact with people, the boy still felt bad about it.  It was probably very obvious he didn't know how these things work, which possibly saved him some of the embarrassment...at least, Izzy certainly hoped so.  It wasn't like he wanted to blame it all on that...but it was a learning process.  Even though the boy was reeling from the idiocy he had displayed, he tried to keep it off his face.  It was the sort of thing he still wasn't comfortable showing, even if he was feeling it all.  "I'm glad everything is all right, though," Izzy finally said awkwardly.  "I know it must have been important...but again, not really...not really my place," he looked down at the floor, trying to figure out how to remedy all the silly things he had just said.  Maybe it was best to just...forget that one for now.  Move on, and pray Sienna wasn't too upset at him and his words.  That was absolutely the last thing he needed.

Thank the Gods the Centurion was ready to move on...Izzy was more than ready to himself.  "I really do appreciate that...it's always been a struggle for me, and I know it's part of your job, but..." at first, the boy wasn't sure how to finish that.  There were a million different endings running through the boy's head..."I can tell this isn't just your job...you're much more passionate about what you're doing...I can tell," despite his not being too good with people, Izzy could often get a certain...reading.  Years of being bullied had taught him how to spot peer's cruel intentions.  His friendship with Leanne had taught him about good intentions, and the falling apart of that relationship had taught him about selfishness.  Those were the more basic pillars of interactions that the boy knew, but it was enough of a clue when it came to stuff like this.  If Sienna only cared about her Legionnaires as a job, she wouldn't be acting like this with the boy.  She wouldn't have welcomed him, sat with him on her bed.  Izzy might not know the girl, but he could already tell volumes...or so he thought.  In all fairness, he could be completely wrong.  There was still a lot more to interaction than he properly understood.

Sienna's words about getting experienced with people living in the barrack sort of frightened Izzy, but he didn't want to show that.  After all, that could also be a good thing.  People scared him...it was something the boy was more than used to after all this time.  The time he had spent in the barrack, he had mostly kept to himself.  It was easier that way for him...though at the same time, Izzy was managing to find people he was okay speaking with, Violet being his outstanding example.  She just looked so much like Leanne, and the boy hadn't been able to help himself in approaching her.  And thank the Gods for that one, as the girl was quickly becoming his best friend.  And he was pretty sure she wasn't going to turn on him the way Leanne had.  After all, people really did seem to be...different here than they were in the mortal world.  Mostly in a good way, though he was still quite frightened by the majority of people at camp.

But Sienna was quickly becoming a good person in Izzy's books...a person he was glad he had spoken with.  "People have told me you're a good leader," the boy said with a slightly shy smile.  "It's nice to know that truly is the case.  And..." the boy trailed off, looking down at his feet for a moment before looking back up.  He was learning the importance of not hiding by looking at his shoes.  And he was learning the confidence to move forward like that, slowly but surely.  Most of the people he had met thus far were helping him with that, each in their own way.  "I suppose I'm glad to have an understanding Centurion.  Perhaps you can give some tips...stuff about getting through a basic day here.  I've been here some time, but I'm still not sure I have a proper handle on that sort of thing.  Or...most things that have helped the transition.  I'm trying, but I honestly have no idea how I'm...actually doing."

First impressions were never really Sienna’s strong suit. The girl always had the tendency of forming quick judgments, and her more cynical side tended to present itself first with the more decent stuff coming later. She had been a long subscriber of judging a book by its cover, and she was only now starting to move away from that vice. Even so, people had always reciprocated the action and Sienna had to live with whatever judgment they’d formed of her. It had only been recently that Si had found that she just didn’t care about that anymore.

Of course, she had an image to preserve, but that was more out of professional courtesy than personal interest. Reputations, status…it just didn’t mean as much to the girl as it had in the past, and Sienna spent less time working to maintain others’ views of her and more time building what she wanted to be, not necessarily what others wanted her to be. Even with all of this, Sienna had to work hard to mute her judgments of others and to prevent one bad thing from becoming a lasting impression. In the spirit of this goal, the girl let Izzy’s unwelcome (but possibly well-intentioned) comments go. He seemed embarrassed enough about asking, and Si was hardly the type to prolong the negative feelings more than necessary. Beyond that, he was so obviously out of his comfort zone here, and Sienna was less interested in punishing him than in helping him learn.

Besides, the following comments more than made up for the awkward line of questioning. Sienna was still practically glowing with pride, and she was a little embarrassed with the compliments. People were hardly vocal about things like this anymore, and it was honestly so fulfilling to be given a job report like this one. The legionnaires were the ones who mattered most in the system, right? It was also interesting to see Izzy’s improbable combination of awkward social skills mixed with a perceptiveness one usually found in more experienced networkers. It made Si wonder where he had honed these skills, if in fact he was shy and supposedly anti-social. Not necessarily worth asking about (considering they’d just moved from invasive personal questions), but definitely something worth exploring further later.

“You really are too kind.” Sienna let herself enjoy the praise a little longer before she decided it was time to get down to business. Izzy had come for some sort of advice, and there really was nothing more Sienna enjoyed than giving advice. “But enough with the compliments, you’re making me blush,” Si joked. She gave Izzy a teasing smile and was glad to see he was making solid eye contact. Perhaps, over time, his shyness could be alleviated some. But Sienna put that thought aside so she could give serious consideration to Izzy’s request. A daily routine was tricky to establish, and it was true enough that one could pick up handy tips over time. Sienna’s first few months at the original Camp Jupiter had been quite erratic until the girl had established a steady routine. She tried to remember everything she’d done, but it had mostly consisted of following Calla around until Si became more familiar with camp traditions. Not a bad idea, honestly.

Sienna turned her attention back to Izzy. “I’m sure you’re doing better than you think you are. People are their own worst critics.” She mulled over the next few words before she spoke. “I can’t honestly say that there’s a magic formula to follow in terms of settling into Camp Jupiter, but there are things to keep in mind. I shadowed more experienced campers the first few months, and you’re certainly encouraged to do the same. I’d be more than happy to walk you through an average day.” Sienna stopped here to give Izzy time to think over what she’d said, and to figure out what was most important to say next. Her features had settled into a thoughtful expression as Si racked past previous experiences in order to remember what other campers had done. The process was so different for everybody that it was difficult to locate the common parts of each Roman’s schedule.

Considering this further, Sienna thoughtlessly played with her jewelry. Taking a few more moments to think it through, the answer that presented itself seemed fairly obvious. “And, of course, if following your Centurion around doesn’t appeal to you, a training partner is a good alternative.” Si shot Izzy a playful look (although she was half-serious). “It’s much better to train with someone rather than alone. Keeps you honest.” Si emphatically made this point based mostly off her own experience. Although having an attentive Centurion made for an easier experience, there was no replacement for the camaraderie formed between legionnaires. As someone who had had a lonely childhood, the legion became something of an extended family for Sienna. She hoped it could become that for Izzy too. Her next question followed this line of thought, although the girl had to admit she was also curious to see who he’d been socializing with. There were the right kind of people to be around, and the wrong kind. She’d hate to see the boy led astray by the more mischievous Romans. “Is there anybody you know who could fulfill that role?”

This was actually going...okay, when Izzy thought about it.  Despite all the good things he had heard about Sienna, he didn't think she'd be able to make it all as easy as she was.  Part of the problem was how Izzy had always dealt with authority figures...or lack thereof.  Even as a child at the orphanage, the boy always seemed to be at odds with the nuns.  When he was at an actual school, he had the same sort of thing with the teachers.  His mum and dad were proper authority figures, but they also believed in giving their son independence and room to grow.  All in all, Izzy had never experienced much by way of ranking.  Romans seemed pretty obsessed with that in some ways...they liked their order and hierarchal structure.  Though so far, the boy hadn't experienced much trouble with that.  The Praetors, though he really only saw them at Musters, seemed pretty open minded.  And now, interacting with Sienna...these people cared about their Legionnaires.  As they should.

Although he kept his face neutral, Izzy was glad his compliments weren't going unheard.  "A Centurion should care about their Legionnaires," the boy said.  Gods, even that very statement sounded exactly like something a Roman would say.  Perhaps he was adapting a bit better to things than he gave himself credit for.  But he had had that thought, and figured it was necessary to vocalize it.  "It's obvious you care...I think that's quite admirable," a leader, an authority figure...it didn't have to be like that.  Besides, Izzy figured it wasn't necessarily the easiest thing, leading like this.  It made him wonder what sort of leader he would be if put in a situation like this.  At this point, he knew he didn't have to think about it...but even with Centurions and Praetors and all...they didn't start out as leaders.  Somewhere along the line, they were given those responsibilities.  "I don't know how often you hear that you're doing a good job...so let me do that much," even Izzy couldn't help the small smile tugging on the corner of his mouth with that one.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Izzy tried to soak in Sienna's words.  "I suppose this is true..." it also didn't help that the boy was quite often very hard on himself, but he didn't see that as a necessary addition to his words.  There were still some things he wasn't ready to share with anyone...things that took trust.  And trust was one of the hardest things possible for the Brit.  Even his closest friend at camp had yet to hear a lot of the...deeper stuff, though in all fairness, they were reaching that point.  Sienna...well, maybe someday.  For now, Izzy knew he had to hold back at least a little.  "I don't believe in magic formulas anyway," there was that little tugging smile again.  "Shadowing makes sense, though...and I'd definitely appreciate a basic walkthrough a day.  There's only so much I really properly understand...some of it seems so structured, and some of it seems not structured at all..." the boy looked down at the ground.  It seemed sort of silly to say out loud, but it was how things struck him...Musters and meals, of course...but structure through the rest of the day?  People seemed to do their own thing.

It was getting easier to breathe.  For someone who was still having a hard time properly feeling at home, Izzy was actually feeling decent.  It all didn't have to be home right away...and the boy knew it was going to take some time...but he was really starting to feel like this could he home.  Camp Jupiter 2.0...the Fourth Cohort barracks...sooner or later, it would all be like his cozy little flat in the middle of London with his mum and dad.  Despite the fact that the idea seemed a bit far fetched, for the first time, Izzy was feeling it was possible.  As bonkers as it may have been...the boy was a Roman demigod, and for the time being, this was where he belonged.  Someday, he figured, he would return to the mortal world...but as he understood it, the mortal world wasn't necessarily safe.  Apparently, that all changed once someone was aware they were a demigod.  Izzy could barely hold a weapon comfortably...he certainly had some time to go.

"I wouldn't mind following my Centurion around," Izzy said, a bit timidly.  "My only...well, real friend here...for lack of a better word...she got here at the same time I did.  We're pretty much in the same boat," it was always good spending time with Violet, but in some ways, she was just as clueless as he was.  Their time was mostly spent exploring and such, anyway.  "But I would like to...learn.  And really figure things out.  I feel like spending time with a more experienced camper would do me well..." Izzy looked down at the ground again.  What if Sienna didn't want a rookie shadow?  She should say...because the boy sure as hell wasn't going to ask.  That was definitely a next step he wasn't ready for.