After Shirou's and Sakura's little talk with Artemis, for the remainder of the night, the couple had decided to gather and talk with the rest of the demigods. Now that they were both aware that they were possibly in a world entirely different from their own, it would only do good to learn as much about it as possible.

And as it turned out, it was actually pretty interesting. According to the demigods, and the satyr, "mythological" factors played a huge role in the world. And so extensive was their control of certain factors of the world that Percy, a son of Poseidon, couldn't risk any method of flight at all because of the problems his father and Zeus had with each other. If he were to ever step foot into an airplane and fly through the air in it, a lightning bolt would most likely appear out of nowhere and blow up the vehicle along with everyone else in it.

Every now and then, the gods would come down to Earth to mate with mortals that either possessed certain traits that aligned with ideals that they valued or just simply because they found them pretty or handsome enough. The result of that is a demigod, someone who was half human and half god that possessed certain powers or traits that couldn't be found in mortals. For example, since Percy was a son of Poseidon, he was able to control water to a certain extent as well as strengthen while in water. Thalia, being a daughter of Zeus, was able to control lightning, again, to some extent.

But according to Grover, their very existence was a sin to the gods.

"You see, the Big Three, that's Thalia's dad, Percy's dad, and, um, the Underworld guy, by the way, made a pact to never have children again after a certain…incident because their children would just be too powerful," the satyr explains. "Unfortunately though, Percy's and Thalia's dads, being gods, just couldn't keep their hands to themselves and, um, eventually had Percy and Thalia. The fact that Percy was a son of…Percy's dad…nearly started a civil war between Percy and Thalia's dads. The only thing that prevented that was finding out that Thalia's dad had a daughter. Well, also because of the efforts of me, Percy, and Annabeth, of course."

Shirou just nods, already completely used to Grover's weird way of avoiding the gods' name as much as possible. It was a bit annoying at first though, trying to decipher who exactly he was talking about. When he had asked the other demigods about that, Thalia explained that names contained lots of power.

Shirou could understand that. After all, there was a reason why Servants kept their true names a secret from whoever they deemed an enemy. He remembered back on that first night, when he summoned Saber by complete accident. How her guess of Lancer being Cu Chulainn allowed her to determine the weapon in his hand to be Gae Bolg and give her an opportunity to avoid being killed by the spear. Well, that was also due to a large amount of sheer dumb luck, and even with that she still got very gravely injured, but had it been for the luck factor alone, she would've died.

"Who's Annabeth?" Shirou asks.

"One of our friends," Grover says. "The girl who fell off the cliff."

"Ah."

"Anyways, we've answered all your questions," the satyr says. "Now it's time you've answered ours."

"Oh, okay. Go ahead."

"What's with your arm? Why are you keeping it wrapped around that red cloth like that?"

At that question, both Percy and Thalia nod and focus on the redhead's arm.

"Oh, well, it's not really something that I wanted to have," Shirou says. "It just kinda stuck to me. It's obviously my strongest weapon, but it's not something I'm gonna use unless I'm willing to stake my life on killing someone or something. Because if I ever unwrap this cloth and use this arm, it's unlikely that I'll survive long enough to put it back on."

"Huh? Why?" Percy asks.

"This arm, well, it wasn't originally mine," Shirou explains. "Someone much more powerful than me…gave it to me as he was dying because I had lost my arm and, well, he was about to die anyway. However, because of our difference in power, his arm is incompatible with my body. If I ever use it, his…essence, I'll call it, will invade my body and kill me from the inside. But in exchange, I'll be at the peak of my abilities."

"Ah, so kinda like a last-ditch, no-bars-held kind of weapon," Thalia says with a wry smile. "I like it. Too bad that I like keeping my arm better."

"Personally, so do I," Shirou says with a sigh as he grips his left shoulder with his right hand. "Maintaining this thing is not as easy as you'd think."

The five of them talked into the night, finding brand new companionship in each other.


"Ah geez, those Hunter girls are seriously mean."

Shirou sighs, flopping onto his back on his bedbag. Sakura just giggles at him as she gently sits herself on her own bedbag.

The two had just gotten back from dinner with the rest of the demigods and the Hunters. An experience that Shirou wouldn't have really called enjoyable.

It all started when he came across one of the Hunters, Phoebe, seasoning a boar roasting over a campfire right before it was time for supper. Naturally, being a chef himself at his home, he offered to help her make supper. The Hunter gave him a weird look, then kindly declined before turning back to the boar. Shirou just nodded and continued his lonely walk around the camp.

Had it not been for Archer's E-Rank luck (yes, he was going to blame all of his unfortunate moments on Archer's luck. He was already having to suffer bearing his power, he had the right to take his anger out on him as well), the rest of the night would've continued quietly and peacefully.

For it was at that moment that another Hunter had emerged from a nearby tent to offer Phoebe her help in cooking as well just in time to hear Shirou ask.

The next thing he knew, Shirou was being berated very loudly by the Hunter about how he shouldn't think that men were the only ones who could do anything. So loudly, in fact, that it attracted the other Hunters and the demigods. Thankfully, Phoebe managed to defuse the situation before things could get out of hand. Unfortunately, Shirou had to sit through dinner while receiving glares sharper than arrows from the Hunters sitting around the campfire, making for a very uncomfortable atmosphere.

"And she took it so seriously, too," Shirou says. "I knew that the Hunters were somewhat anti-male, but this is on a whole new level."

"You should've known better, senpai," Sakura says with a smile, looking down at the redhead as she brushes a lock of purple hair away from her face. Shirou feels his face heat up slightly. "I'm surprised that Phoebe-san didn't make too much fuss over it before Naomi-san did."

"Yeah, thinking back on it, I should've known better," the redhead says.

For the next couple of minutes, the two of them remained silently like that. Sakura drags her bedbag a bit closer to Shirou's before laying on it.

"So, um, senpai, how are you going to respond to Artemis-san's deal?" she eventually asks, turning to him.

"Hmm," Shirou says. "I'm inclined to decline. Even if what she said is true, as long as we play our cards right, it can't be too hard hiding even from these gods, right? I mean, Artemis-san just now found out about us today because she came across us by complete chance."

"But we're going to a camp that holds all of their sons and daughters tomorrow morning," Sakura says. "Another god or goddess is bound to find out about us and we'll eventually be stuck in this situation again. Plus, how do we know that Artemis-san will stick to her honor and truly just leave you be if you decline?"

"Yeah, I'm aware of all that," Shirou says, cupping his chin in thought. "Which got me thinking, maybe we should try to sneak out."

"I was thinking the same," Sakura says. "But what are we going to do after that? We're out in the middle of the woods in who knows where. We don't even know how far away we are from Westover Hall."

Shirou closes his eyes.

"I don't know what we'll do next," he says. "But all I know is that nothing good will come out of staying here. Here, it's either that I become that goddess's tool or the other gods that she was talking about me discover my presence and hound after me for the rest of my life. If she really wants to keep me, then she'll try to keep me a secret from the other gods, so if we're on the run, all we have to worry about is not getting found by her. And as long as we don't get found by her, we can continue our lives in peace. We're kind of killing two birds with one stone here."

Sakura just nods with a hum.

"But first, we'll have to get out of here," Shirou says.

"Of course," the purple-haired girl says with a smile. "Whatever you do, I will support you in any way I can."

Shirou just smiles back at her.

"I know," he says. "And that's why I can depend on you."

The two of them just stared into each other's eyes, smiling at each other as they laid side by side.

To Shirou, that fact couldn't be any more true. He and Sakura loved each other as romantic partners, of course, but even in a neutral home environment, he acknowledged that they were at their best when they were working together.

During the War, Sakura heavily leaned onto him as a mental anchor. But after the War, she swore to herself that she would be the one to support Shirou. And support him she did, helping to pull him through having to live with Archer's arm.

So what if they were so far away from home? As long as they were with each other, everything was going to be fine.

"So, what do we do first?" Sakura softly asks.

"We wait," Shirou says. "Then we sneak out while everyone's asleep."

"How about the goddess?"

"Not really much we can do about it other than pray we sneak out from right under her nose," Shirou says. "Well, guess we hang tight for now."

Sakura just nods.

The two of them continue talking quietly with each other, partly about their little escape plan and partly about what they should do next.

Unfortunately for them, however, their little nighttime conversation would not remain private between the two of them.


Phoebe, the Hunter, silently creeps away from the closed tent flap. She tiptoes her way past the tents belonging to the other demigods and satyr, who were all fast asleep, and into her goddess's tent.

Inside of it was Artemis, sitting in the center of the large tent with her with her eyes closed and her legs crossed. Her lieutenant was standing beside her, regarding Phoebe with a slight bow of her head. All around the interior of the tent were the rest of the Hunters. Despite how dark it was outside, they were all geared up, as if ready for combat.

"You were right, my Lady," Phoebe says with a slight bow. "They are discussing attempting to escape from the camp."

"See what I mean?" Artemis replies, her eyes still closed. "Cornered prey tend to act predictably. Now with this, I can force him to submit to me."

"I knew something was up when you decided to grant a male of all people your blessing," Zoe says. "It appears that this was what you had in mind, my Lady."

"Of course," Artemis says. "Now, remember everyone, the priority of this hunt is to capture the quarry, but if killing becomes a necessity, don't hesitate, especially if he kills one of us. This should be simple, just wait for him to wear out his power than go for the kill. Celyn, are the traps set?"

"Yes, my Lady," the Hunter responds with.

"Good," she says, picking herself up from the ground. "Alright then, let's go."


A couple of hours pass.

Shirou didn't exactly know what time it was, but he reckoned that it was well past midnight. He was a bit sleepy, but he was used to staying up late into the night from before the War, so it barely bothered him. Sakura, however, was snuggled up against his side, fast asleep. It was funny, and a bit cute, how quickly she fell asleep, especially since she insisted on staying up with him.

The redhead takes a quick look outside, seeing how the moon was high in the sky. The camp was almost completely silent and dark, the once brightly burning campfire now completely extinguished. Quite a while had passed since the last patrolling Hunters had gone off to sleep, at least an hour, Shirou assumed.

Which means it was right around time to get out.

Shirou grabs Sakura's shoulders and lightly shakes her awake. The purple-haired girl stirs awake.

"Wake up, Sakura, it's time to go," he whispers.

The girl just stares at him for a moment, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. She then nods, rubbing her eyes with her hands.

Shirou just smiles, suppressing the urge to chuckle. He slowly gets up from the ground, inching towards the tent flap and taking a look outside and seeing that it was still completely silent as Sakura stretches her arms.

A minute later, the two of them quietly leave their tents and step out into the leafy ground of the forest.

Careful to make as little noise as possible, the two of them walk to the center of the camp, hoping to find some leftover supplies. Sitting and lying around the extinguished campfire right outside Artemis's tent were a few of the Hunters, fast asleep, ones that he had recognized as those who were patrolling around the camp a while before. Their bows and quivers, full of silver-tipped arrows, were on the ground beside them as were moderately-sized brown satchels.

Shirou starts his way forward, but then suddenly stops. His companion manages to stop herself right before she could bump into him.

"What is it, senpai?" Sakura whispers.

"What are the night watchmen doing here?" Shirou whispers back.

"Maybe they just simply wanted to sleep out here."

"Yeah, I guess…but then wouldn't they just go back to their tents?"

"Well, I think we should be fine as long as they're asleep and we're quiet enough. Let's just grab some of their stuff and go."

Shirou sneaks closer to them, taking care to be as silent as possible. Upon getting close enough, he takes one of the satchels and checks inside. Inside were food provisions, water bottles, and some glass bottles full of some kind of pink liquid. He hoists it across his shoulder, mouthing a silent apology to the Hunter who he had stolen the satchel from.

He then reaches over to one of the Hunters' quivers and pulls out one of her arrows. He ran his gaze up the length of the arrow, attempting to analyze it as he does with any other weapon.

But just as with Percy's sword before, all he was met with was static.

Shirou quickly averts his eyes before the headache he could feel encroaching takes over his head. He gently sets the arrow lying on the quiver.

Another weapon that I can't trace, Shirou thinks to himself, turning back to Sakura, who had fetched a satchel of her own. I guess it makes sense though. These are the personal huntresses of a goddess of the Hunt, so these arrows are at the very least made of some kind of divine metal that I've never heard of.

Shirou turns to Sakura, who had managed to grab a satchel of her own. She peeks into it before holding a thumbs-up in Shirou's direction.

It takes the two a few minutes, considering the size of the camp, but they manage to get past the last ring of outer tents without alerting anyone. The two of them step out into the forest exterior of the camp.

"So, do you remember from which direction we came from?" Sakura asks, a bit louder this time now that they were out of the camp, but still not much above a whisper. "If I remember correctly, we pretty much walked in a straight line the whole way but I don't exactly remember from where."

"Hmm…maybe this way?" Shirou replies, pointing towards the East. "I mean, the moon rises from the East so…it would make sense that the moon goddess would just naturally move in that direction?"

"...senpai, it's okay if you don't remember either."

Shirou just sighs.

"I should've also thought to look for a map somewhere back in the camp," he says. "Oh well, how do you think our odds will be with bounding off in a random direction?"

"Well, it's not like we have another choice…but I'll choose because you're the one with E-Rank luck."

"Gee, thanks for reminding me. Oh well, if you insist."

Sakura just nods. She puts a finger to her chin, cocking her head in thought for a moment. Then she turns around.

"Yeah, maybe we should just go East," she says. "I have no other ideas."

"Okay then, guess that's where we're heading," Shirou says.

He takes a few steps forward in that direction. Sakura starts to follow behind him, but then…

There is a snapping noise. Shirou lets out a yelp of surprise as a silvery-white net suddenly drops from somewhere in the foliage above and right onto him.

Sakura rushes over to help him. She reaches for some of the net strings and grabs onto it with a hand, but she lets out a quiet squeak and quickly retracts her hand just as a sizzling sound starts. The palm of her hand was steaming slightly, with a red net pattern on the palm of it, as the section of the net that she had tried to grab started glowing slightly.

"What the-?" Shirou starts, but then he stops at the sound of something else.

The sound of many leaves rustling, from all around the two of them, suddenly starts. From the foliage above, from the bushes around, and from behind tree trunks, girls in silvery-white parkas emerge. They formed a tight semi-circle around the two, cornering Shirou and Sakura between them and the entrance of the camp, their bows in their hands with arrows nocked into them.

The Hunters?! Shirou thinks to himself in shock, twisting his head around.

One of the girls steps up to the front. Just like with the rest of the Hunters, she had a bow and arrow in her hand, but her bow seemed more elaborately made than the other Hunters'. The point of the arrow nocked into it seemed to glow slightly with a silvery glow akin to that of moonlight.

"Well well well, trying to escape, are we?" Artemis says with a wry smile.


A/N: Trying to forward the plot a little bit. Remind me if y'all think I'm going a bit too fast.

Unrelated second part to A/N: Defeated Exo-Mechs in Terraria Calamity on my third attempt as a Ranger class and now I'm high on adrenaline with nothing to release it all on. Yharon is next.