Oh, how it's been so long ((Mia Ioannou))

The world was filled to the brim with endless possibilities...but most of all, it was filled with change. For an individual to believe otherwise was unrealistic since change was inevitable and forever present in every single corner of the world, no matter how far in distance. As amusing as the truth was for those who lived within the world of half-bloods and encountered the impossible in their daily lives, the existence of change was irrefutable even for them. Not even those deemed with half-immortal status were ever truly free of change, and some would even argue that they were more prone to it than mortals. This piece of knowledge often caused Marisol to laugh without shame...the fact that a world so encased in magic wasn't even capable of outrunning something so simple was just so fatefully ironic to the young Roman.

Many things in the world around Marisol had fallen victim to change, such as the destruction of the original Camp Jupiter, the sickness that had attacked her grandmother's health and yanked her away from Rome before its inevitable downfall, along with the miraculous return of this new Camp Jupiter 2.0 that housed so many new things that the original did not have. However, while all of these occurrences had been completely out of her control, there were some things deep inside Marisol that had resisted change...and behind that serious exterior of hers, a frightened girl longed for that to remain the same against all odds and logic. She wished to remain resolute in her effort to set herself apart from her family in a noble way that would make a difference for their family name and...if she were to be completely honest with her wishes, to make a difference for someone out there in the world.

Above all, she wished for the person who had helped her so long ago at the original Camp Jupiter. The one who had encouraged her and hadn't been afraid to test the feisty young Roman at the times when she needed it the most. When others had been too afraid to crack the icy surface separating a stubbornly independent girl from interacting with others whom she had believed to be hindrances blocking her from what she desired the most, someone had been there to show her that she was free from the oppression of her stepfather as long as she was here. The two couldn't have been any different from one another...while Marisol held herself in a strict manner and only softened slightly around those she trusted, she was more laid back and undeniably mischievous when she wanted to be.

In the beginning, it had frustrated Marisol to no end that someone so different from her was the person whom she really looked up to and maybe even considered to be like an older sister to her. Even now she didn't understand it, but it just didn't matter to her. After everything that had changed since she had been away from Camp Jupiter...the Greeks, the new aura that now resonated through the streets of Rome that were so familiar and yet not at the same time...the new people she met that made her question if she was even the same person that she was before...she had to know if their friendship would still remain the same. Or if that were too illogical to wish for, if it could just simply stay.

Marisol frowned to herself as she stared down at her feet clad in knee-high stockings, about a million and one things racing through her mind and competing for her undivided attention that she didn't even bother looking up when the door to First Cohort opened. After a little while, she raised her head to offer a half hearted greeting to the newcomer...after all, Marisol would never allow herself to be so rude as to blatantly ignore her fellow legionnaire, especially if they were to be within the same cohort together. A simple greeting was ready at her lips but quickly fluttered away in shock as she found herself gazing at the face of that same person who had previously been residing in her thoughts, and was ever present in her past...and now, apparently, her present.

"Mia!" Marisol found herself calling as she sprang to her feet off of her bed, grinning joyously in her excitement and surprise at seeing one of her most trusted friends again after all this time. Slowly however, Marisol gathered herself accordingly as a delicate blush spread across the apples of her cheeks, embarrassed at the sudden outburst that was extremely unlike the typically cool and composed Spaniard. You're a respectful lady, Ari. "I mean..." She readdressed Mia quickly, bowing her head ever so slightly and curtsying politely to the older Roman. "It's...a pleasure to see you again." She greeted, trying her hardest to conceal the smile that was aching to be revealed for her to see. Even after all this time, it appeared that Mia's presence never failed to brighten Marisol's spirits, and was still capable of summoning a genuine smile from even the most guarded of hearts.