[Six years have passed since the two boys met and Reyna came into their lives. Their friendship has grown a lot since then and their twosome has now become a threesome. Reyna, Octavian and Jason and insuperable and noting could bring them down, but so they thought]

Octavian stood at the altar of the temple of Jupiter preparing to cut open yet another teddy bear to see whether the camp would be blessed with good fortune this year. Octavian was eighteen years old now. He no longer needed his glasses since he wore contacts full time. He was a little more handsome, but still an eyesore too many and unfortunately his increase in height just made his toothpick body look longer and skinnier than it had once been. He was also the augur of camp Jupiter and Jason and Reyna were working together as the newest praetors of New Rome just as he'd seen in the stuffing six years ago. His life was going great. The auguries were getting darker and harder to interpret, but nothing else seemed unchanged.

Octavian cut open the bear prepared to spread it's stuffing across the alter when two hands covered his eyes obscuring his vision.

"Guess who," Reyna tried her best to sound manly, but failed miserably. Octavian knew it was Reyna. The auguries told him so before he even walked into the temple that she was going to surprise him today.

"How did you know it was me?" Reyna moved her hands away from his eyes and Octavian turned around to face her. Reyna has done some growing up to. She's taller and wiser. She's the bravest warrior Octavian has ever seen and her beauty has exceeded what it had once been. Her black hair was woven into a braid and set off to the side. Her obsidian eyes sparkled in the light of the sun. She was wearing a long toga with sandals. Her golden armor covered her shoulders holding up the purple cape the flowed behind her which represented the position of praetor.

"The auguries told me that you were going to surprise me before I even entered the temple this morning."

"That's cheating and we can't have cheating on a day such as this now can we?" Reyna smiled and gave Octavian a quick hug. Octavian's stomach filled with butterflies and his heart raced so fast he was afraid that it was going to burst out his chest. "Happy Birthday, teddy slayer." She laughed and punched Octavian in the arm.

"Thanks, I just love it when people punch me on my birthday." Octavian rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Octavian, how about you finish up that augury and come down for breakfast. We're having oatmeal and hash browns, your favorite."

"I'm guessing my dad had something to do with this?"

"Maybe," Reyna smiled.

"Alright, I'll be down there in a little bit. Just let me finish up this augury. This is the augury for the week." Octavian saluted Reyna farewell with a cheesy smile swept across his pale face. Reyna rolled her eyes and ran down the hill to meet Jason and the other Romans.

Octavian turned his attention back to the altar and the headless teddy bear and gently set the stuffing across the altar and looked down at it for any signs of what was to come. Nothing came for a few seconds, but then his body became stiff and the knife fell from his hands. He was having another vision. Usually the augury said things to him like phrases or showed him little pictures, but on a few occasions he saw visions of the future.

The scenes passed by quickly and were hard to make out. Only a select few were clear and crisp and brought to a slower speed. There were only three scenes like this before the vision ended and Octavian would snap back into reality. The first was of Jason and Octavian. They were sitting at the steps of the Temple of Jupiter. They were making a promise to each other, a double pinky promise, a promise that should never be broken. The scenes flashed by quickly before the next one came into focus. This time it was of Reyna. She was standing by the temple with her hair pulled braided in front watching closely for any that might be coming up the hill. Octavian could see himself standing of to the side of the temple wall. He was holding something in his hand, but he couldn't make it out. The scenes blurred once before the last scene came into focus. Jason and Octavian were inside the temple again, but the mood was darker and full of anger. Octavian's face was red like a tomato. He was yelling at Jason. Jason was screaming back and then the two boys went their separate ways. The scenes blurred and slowly faded to the world around him.

What was that all about? Octavian looked down at the stuffing in confusion. He rolled his eyes and picked up his knife and grabbed a few spare teddy bears and tucked them into his belt for emergencies. Octavian tried to clear his mind. He couldn't be thinking like this on his birthday. This is was his day of the year and nothing was going to ruin it for him.

Octavian marched proudly down the hill into Camp Jupiter. He showed Terminus his tags and smiled. Terminus rolled his eyes and opened the borders into the camp. Everyone glared at him as he walked by except his 'friends' the ones who only followed him because he was the augur. They didn't actually care about him, but he liked their company from time to time. Octavian walked over the mess hall and sat down next to Jessica and James the mischievous twins of Mercury. They laughed and whispered in each other's ears when Octavian sat down. Octavian looked to the front of room to see Jason smiling at him and gesturing for Octavian to sit down next to him. Octavian smiled and quickly ran over to Jason's side.

Jason smiled and pinched Octavian in the arm leaving a prominent red mark. Jason hadn't changed much since they were kid. He was still tan and handsome. He was, of course, taller and stringer but that was all. He was still the perfect Roman.

"Ow, what was that for?" Octavian asked. "I've got a bruise from Reyna punching me in the shoulder and now a nice red mark on the other. I've having really bad luck today."

"Octavian it's your birthday pinch. Traditionally I would have pinched you eighteen times, but since you have baby butt skin I decided to just do it once." Octavian glared at Jason and Jason laughed and patted Octavian on the back. "I'm just kidding; bro, but seriously you really do have baby butt skin. You bruise easier than an apple. Oh and by the way Happy Birthday. You are an old now congratulations!" Jason laughed and handed Octavian a long, thin, square box with the words;

To: The Teddy Slayer

From: Jason

"Oh, gee, thanks." Octavian rolled his eyes and unwrapped the small gift. Inside was a golden ceremonial dagger. Imbedded with the Latin words; Legatum Apollinis, meaning Legacy of Apollo. Octavian had never seen such a fine dagger. The only dagger he'd used for sacrifices was a silver dagger that his dad had gotten on the day he became the augur of Camp Jupiter. "Thank you, Jason. This is thing is amazing!" Octavian raised the dagger in to the air and said with a loud voice. "Fear Octavian, the mighty teddy slayer," Jason and Octavian laughed. The other campers gave them strange looks and rolled their eyes, but Octavian didn't care. Jason was his friend and no one could get in the way of that. Octavian sighed and tied the dagger to his belt for safe keeping.

"Hey, you two go get some breakfast while it's still here, especially you, birthday boy. Your dad and I came down at six this morning to prepare all of this and I am not going to let you miss it, so get off your butt and get some." Reyna pulled them off their seats and dragged them over to the table.

Jason, Reyna and Octavian ate the table shared a few laughs and headed out to camp to train for the war games tomorrow. Octavian practiced with his bow and arrows, his new dagger that Jason had given him and his two edged sword. Jason practiced with his coin that transformed into a spear or a imperial gold sword depending on the flip. Reyna practiced with Octavian on her technique with her sword and her electric spear. She was good, like really good, but her mother is the goddess of war, but Octavian was clever. He knew Reyna's moves and how she attached and defended, so getting close to beating he was getting easier and easier as he got older, but finally today he had beaten her.

Reyna sat down on the ground helpless with her sword just out of arms reach with Octavian sword close to her neck. Reyna laughed and pushed his sword away. "You've improved. Your stance is a little shaky, but your expression is fierce and very Roman. You look very focused on me and the things around you. That's a good technique to master in the battle of war." Reyna stood up and walked around him looking at his posture. Reyna snickered gently pushing his shoulders causing him to fall to the ground. "You need to work on your footing. This is the war games were talking about her, not dance class." Reyna sighed and helped back on his feet, "but that all takes time and patience." Reyna put away her sword and walked over to Jason to battle him and critique his progress.

Octavian watched as Reyna fought Jason. There was something different about the way she fought him. She looked nervous and terrified. Jason looked confused but determined. The battle lasted for five minutes when Reyna sent Jason's sword flying across the arena. Jason looked up at Reyna and smiled. Reyna put down her sword and helped him up. Jason blushed and Reyna smiled and walked away waving goodbye to the two boys.

"Hey, Octavian after dinner can we go up to the temple. I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure, see you later." Octavian waved goodbye to Jason as Jason sprinted out of the arena to catch up with Reyna.

Octavian practiced for another hour then went to the first cohort to read a few prophecies, but stopped when he realized that the process of translating the prophecy was impossible. Octavian took a quick shower got dressed and headed down to dinner. Reyna and Jason were sitting on the praetor's seats watching over the crowd. Octavian took the hint and sat down next to Peter. He was the son of Venus, the goddess of love. Peter looked at Octavian, smiled, then quickly moved away. Octavian's 'friends' replaced the empty seats started talking as if Octavian wasn't even there. Octavian couldn't get his mind away from his vision and what Jason so eagerly wanted to talk to him about, alone.

After dinner Octavian and Jason ran up to temple hill and sat at the steps of the temple of Jupiter.

"Octavian, I have to tell you something. This is important, so don't zone off into rainbow land, okay?" Jason said sternly. Octavian nodded his head and waited for Jason to continue. "Alight, well you know and I know that ever since Reyna has been here we've liked her. Am I right?"

"Yeah."

"Well it's been almost seven years. We're older out of the cuties stage_"

"You're not thinking of_"

"Let me finish." Jason sighed then continued. "Don't you think that's it's a good time to tell her? She's are friend she'll understand. I just don't want to keep this feeling locked up inside and find out that she's got another man in mind. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I know, but you're making it sound like you're the only one here who likes Reyna. Hello, I'm here to. I want her to know just as much as you do, but isn't it to early?"

"Dude it's been seven years. We're older and wiser now. This could be our only chance to let Reyna know how we really feel."

"Alright, but we have to tell her together promise." Octavian held up pinky fingers and crossed them over each other and looked down at Jason to do the same.

"Oh come on, man. Don't you think we're a little old for pinky promises?" Jason looked at Octavian's hands nervously.

"No, especially not a double crossed pinky swear. This is the most sacred pinky promise ever created. You can never ever, ever, ever, break a doubly crossed pinky swear."

"Who told you that?"

"My dad," Octavian pushed his hands closer to Jason's face. "You have to promise me that you and I will tell her together. We will meet her here at the temple tonight before curfew and tell her, understood?"

Jason looked at Octavian that at Octavian's long skinny hands.

"Alright, I promise." Jason grumbled holding up both of his pinkies and intertwining them with Octavian's.

"You not going to break this promise right, Jason?" Octavian asked.

"I won't…I…I promise." Jason hesitated then quickly let go of Octavian's pinkies and took in a deep breath. "I'm going to head down to the forum and by some flowers. You should come with me. I'll race you down the hill." Jason grinned and took off to the skies and flew down to New Rome. He was so lucky that he could fly. All Octavian could do was see the future, create sound waves and barriers and manipulate people with the sound of his voice both in song and words. What was the fun in that?

Octavian walked into the forum and to the nearest flower shop and bought a bouquet of daisies Reyna's favorite flower. Octavian took off his belt and toga and swept back his stingy blonde hair and marched up to the temple to meet Jason and later Reyna.

Octavian stood on the far left just outside the temple out of sight of anyone walking up the hill. Within minutes Reyna was standing next to the temple. Her hair was braided with gold and she wearing a simple white toga with the purple cape of a praetor swaying behind her as the wind blew through the temple hill. Octavian back for a minute and waited for Jason so arrive. Where was he? He was probably still getting ready. He's so slow. Octavian walked out to the forest behind the temple practiced what he was going to say. After two stunning introductions, responses and replies Octavian proudly walked up to the same place he had been standing previously. Octavian took in a deep breath and walked around the corner to talk with Reyna. He wasn't going to tell her anything yet till Jason arrived. He didn't want to leave her standing there waiting along till Jason finally made an appearance. Octavian sighed, smiled and stepped around the corner and froze. Octavian's heart seemed to stop. What he was seeing in front of him was far worse than what he'd imagined while practicing his speech in the forest.

Jason held Reyna tightly in his arms and kissed her patiently on the lips.

Octavian dropped the bouquet of daisies as a tear trickled down his pale white face.