A Candidate to goddess:

Chapter 3: Faith

Author's Note: I'm not dead! Sorry guys I've neglected my fan fiction trying to catch up to my college stuff… it's all so new (I'm a fresh…woman) and been stuck in exams, then the holidays…. Etc. I promise not to let you guys off for so long… After this here you have it! The third chapter of CtG! Sorry there is some errors, i beta'd this while half asleep in class XD

Glossary:

1- The Olympic Games in ancient times were similar to ours, though it was a celebration done in honor of the gods and only men could witness and participate. (Participants also had to be nude, but I'm ignoring that fact for this fic for obvious reasons also the fact that only men could attend to such event.)

2- Polis – it's what the Greeks called their cities or their colonies. They acted like "states", with their own governmental system, laws and customs.

3- Cupid – God of Love, passion and son of Aphrodite

Natsuki blinked at a loss for words as Shizuru simply watched her reaction half amused, half serious. The whole situation seemed surreal. A few minutes had ticked by in total silence, all the subjects frozen in their actions as if time itself had lost all meaning. Meanwhile Kiyohime ruffled her feathers uncomfortably and hooted angrily.

"For the gods' sake say something!" she ordered the flabbergasted blunette

Natsuki snapped from her trance and closed her mouth which she had left open while she had been ogling at the older woman and began processing the woman's words. In the meantime she gulped trying to alleviate her dry mouth and finally spoke.

"How can you be a goddess?" she started carefully her emerald eyes never leaving Shizuru's crimson.

Shizuru blinked surprised by her question. "I just am" she replied shortly as if this was obvious causing Natsuki to narrow her eyes. A few more minutes passed by in utter silence till the blue haired huntress spoke once more:

"You're one of those nutters from the main town aren't you?"

"I beg your pardon?" Shizuru replied confused at the same time as Kiyohime who ruffled her feathers even more.

Natsuki got up onto her feet once more in a brisk movement causing her tunic to sway violently behind her and stared at Shizuru defiantly.

"You are, aren't you?" she hissed slightly receiving in response a sharp painful peck from Kiyohime on her hand. "Ouch!" Natsuki quickly nursed her hand rubbing the area the bird had pecked her and glared at the owl as it flew back to its owners shoulder.

"How dare you insult her!" she hooted at the blunette while extending its wings menacingly.

"Kiyohime…" Shizuru murmured softly making the bird lower its head and tuck away its wings. "I'm sorry" she apologized reaching out for Natsuki's hand before the younger woman could react. She examined the red mark the bird had left her there and approached her own lips towards it as if she was going to kiss it making Natsuki's face heat up in embarrassment.

But instead she simply mumbled some words that almost sounded like a prayer and Natsuki blinked when she felt the pain dwindle and disappear along with the red mark.

Yelling surprised Natsuki retracted her hand from the older woman's grip and examined it closely not believing what had just happened.

"Do you believe me now?" Shizuru asked focusing her deep crimson eyes upon a pair of still confused emeralds.

"Honestly I don't know what to believe" Natsuki replied averting her gaze from her.

"It is easy." Shizuru replied her face expressionless as she kept watching the huntress intently "Why is it so hard for you?"

The blunette focused her eyes upon Shizuru's once more with a serious expression on her face "I never believed in silly myths and gods. And then suddenly a woman appears claiming to be a goddess, why would it be hard to believe?" she laughed the corner of her mouth twitching "For all I know you could be one of those nutter priestesses trying to get people to join their cult."

Shizuru sighed and stopped Kiyohime from fluttering off her shoulder again to peck the blunette once more. And before she could speak Natsuki quickly stopped her.

"Now if you don't mind it's getting dark, I suggest you leave this place. Follow the rocky path and you will reach the town within a few hours and if you're lucky you might even get there till it's fully night time." And after saying this she waved her hand at her as if she were dismissing her and headed inside her house once more not giving the woman she was leaving behind a single look. "Nutter…" she mumbled to herself before closing the door, separating her from Shizuru.

The sun crept in slowly though the window and into the blunette's room eventually reaching her sleeping face causing her to frown in her sleep and rolled to her side on the bed trying to block the sunlight from her eyes.

When the sun became too strong to hide from she sighed and finally decided to get up. Rubbing her eyes she headed towards the basin which she had filled last night with water and washed her face, the cool liquid getting rid of her sleepiness.

Getting out of her room she looked around "Miroku?" but no reply came. "He must still be out…" she mumbled as she headed to the kitchen for some breakfast.

Once there she opened a cabinet and noticed it was empty. Natsuki face palmed. "I'm out of bread again!" she groaned "Damn Miroku, where is he when I need him?"

Natsuki had always hated to go to the market in the main town, and there was a good reason why she preferred avoiding that place. Whenever she found herself forced to go, people would always stare at her.

The men would ogle at her beauty and give her inappropriate looks while the women would criticize her either for the attention she drew to herself when the men looked at her or talk behind her back about her way of living; so secluded from the rest of the population and unmarried even if she was past the normal age to marry.

Honestly Natsuki didn't really care much for them but, it did make her feel uncomfortable to be watched so intently by other people. She wished she could go unnoticed.

She took at deep sigh covering the sound of her rumbling stomach. She really wanted some bread and honey for breakfast today and making up her mind she decided that she would head out to buy it. Besides she also felt like getting some apples as well and this would be a great chance to get them since they were in season.

Going into her room and changing her clothes she looked at her bandages she was wearing around her chest.

"I guess I should change them" she said to herself softly as she pushed the image of Shizuru putting those bandages on out of her head earning her a feeling of guilt rising up her stomach. Reaching for the end of the bandage she unrolled it gently and eventually it loosened enough to slip it off her chest.

She turned and tried to get a clear view of her back from the wall mirror and noticed something very odd.

She narrowed her eyes more and moved her shoulder slightly to get a better look. Her wounds were gone without a trace.

"That kind of wound doesn't heal this fast…" she said frowning even more. She moved away from the mirror and moved her arms around and felt no pain. It was as if she hadn't been injured at all. She shook her head "Well maybe it does" she told herself not sounding very convinced.

Slapping her cheeks once with the palms of her hands she finished getting dressed and headed to the entrance door. Her eyes fell upon her broken bow which she had left on the table and picked it up. "I guess I'll get you repair as well, while I'm at it."

She opened the door and stepped outside, and as soon as she closed the door behind her she heard a very familiar voice.

"Are you going somewhere?"

Natsuki turned immediately on her heels and scowled when she saw the person who had spoken. Shizuru was sitting on a rock beside Natsuki's house entrance, her expression serene and calm as usual which innerved the huntress even more.

"Didn't I tell you to go away?" she said gritting her teeth slightly

"I would but I'm afraid that I cannot do that yet."

"And why not?" then she shook her head while waving her hand in an uncaring way "Whatever, I don't care." Then ignoring the brunette she started treading down the rocky path towards the town, well aware that Shizuru was following her not too far behind her.

She kept walking trying to concentrate on the road ahead and to pay attention to her unwanted companion a few steps away. Why is she being so stubborn? She picked up her pace and so did Shizuru who still remained behind her at the same distance.

Coughing annoyed she walked faster and faster till she was almost running and looked behind her, Shizuru was still mimicking her actions and was maintaining the distance still.

Then the blunette halted and so did the older woman. "That's it." She sighed resigned while Shizuru arched her eyebrows while looking at her curiously.

"If you are going to follow me, at least do it beside me. Not behind me like some old creep."

This statement took Shizuru by surprise but she reacted quickly by walking over gracefully to her side. Once the blunette saw that Shizuru was next to her she sighed once more and continued her walking not saying another word to her till she reached the town near the outskirts of the sanctuary of Olympia.

Olympia was known as a sanctuary due to its many temples. Despite its religious nature, it was also the home of the Olympic Games that took place every four years.

Natsuki averted her eyes from the far away silhouettes of the Sanctuary and then unconsciously looked at the apple she was holding in her hand which she had been examining from the vendor's stand before she spaced out, smiling to herself, meanwhile Shizuru was watching her puzzled.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked finally after a few minutes of watching the blunette

Natsuki blinked as she snapped out of her thoughts. "What?" then realizing what had happened she shook her head almost unnoticeably "No… it's nothing. I was merely remembering something." Then she turned to the vendor who had been staring at her dumbly from behind the stand "Six red apples please" she asked and immediately the vendor reached out for some apples, but in his haste he ended up dropping one on the floor and quickly crouched down to pick it up while bowing his head apologetically.

But Natsuki didn't even notice this as she spaced out once more while Shizuru tilted her head slightly "May I ask what that may be?"

The blunette turned to look at her "What is what?" she asked confused not knowing what the older woman was referring to.

"What did you remember?" the brunette insisted politely while taking the bag of red apples from the vendor and handing it to Natsuki.

"My sister…" she replied as she took the bag from her and turned to pay the vendor "… She sister was the first woman to ever participate in the Olympic Games (1)" her gaze drifted to the stadium barely visible behind the Sanctuary.

Shizuru raised one of her slender eyebrows seemingly interested in Natsuki's story.

"And how did she manage that?"

The huntress turned to look at her; her eyes were twinkling with a childish enthusiasm as if she couldn't wait to tell her how.

"Simetra had always been a fast runner… I never managed to beat her in a single race, and she was faster than any man as well." She paused and smiled to herself slightly unconsciously "One day she took me to Olympia while they were celebrating the Olympic Games…"

(Sixteen years ago)

A four year old Natsuki was following an older woman but then came into a sudden halt. Her sister noticing this, she stopped in her tracks and turned to look at the little blunette. "What's wrong Natsuki?" she asked with a note of concern in her voice.

"I'm tired-" the little girl complained sitting on the ground pouting.

Simetra sighed relieved that it wasn't anything serious and crouched down reaching for Natsuki's sides and lifting her up like if she were light like a feather and placing her on her shoulders while the blunette giggled happily.

"I think you might getting a bit too old for this though." She sighed again as she continued walking.

"Never!" Natsuki exclaimed hugging her sister's head lovingly as Simetra laughed.

"Look there's Olympia" she exclaimed pointing at the Sanctuary.

Natsuki looked to where her sister was pointing and gasped widening her eyes as she saw the immense marble white temples shining in the bright sun.

"And there is where we are headed" Simetra continued her finger shifting slightly to point at the stadium not far from the temples.

Once they got closer they saw huge crowds of people cheering, dancing and bustling about. Music could be heard all over the place and exotic animals were in display, near them some performers were playing with torches which seemed unable to burn them.

Natsuki fascinated by all this tugged on her sister's hair slightly to get her attention.

"Sis, Sis…" she called out her eyes fixed upon a beautiful peacock extending its tail at its fullest showing its colorful feathers "Why are there so many people?"

"It's the Olympic games Natsuki."

"O- Oily-" she mouthed trying hard to pronounce the words

"O-lym-pic" Simetra repeated slowly emphasizing every syllable

"Oilympick" Natsuki tried again frowning her little brow in the process making her sister chuckle at her cuteness. "And what are the Oilympick Games?" she asked unsure if she was saying it correctly.

"Well, it's a celebration in the honor of the gods, people compete against each other to become the champion and bring prestige to their Polis (2)"

Natsuki tilted her head not understanding a word she was saying but nodded all the same.

"Ah Simetra!" called out a voice and Simetra turned to look at the person calling her.

"Curio" she said recognizing who had called her and nodded at him acknowledging his presence.

Curio had blond curly hair with blue eyes and a formidable body build, he would have looked intimidating if it weren't because of his childish looking face making him look much younger than he was. His charms and handsome boyish façade easily earned him the nickname 'Cupid' (3).

"It's rare to see you near such a crowded place. What made you finally come from your little forest house and into civilization?" he asked in a teasing manner as his blue eyes fell upon Natsuki who was still mounted on her sister's shoulders "Ah, you even brought little Natsuki" he reached out and ruffled her hair much to the little blunette's annoyance. "You're prettier each passing day." He complimented earning a sour look from Simetra.

Curio immediately perceiving danger he pulled away from the little girl and looked at Simetra half seriously and half jokingly "Oh for Zeus's sake! I was just saying hi to little Natsuki, not flirting with her!"

"I wouldn't put it past you; you would flirt with anything that moves Curio."

"Don't be so jealous, you have the looks that would ruin a man in the inside…" he paused and then added "…with love." He complimented and then with a devious grin he added "And of course little Natsuki will also have that affect when she grows up" which earned him a hiss from Simetra. "Anyways..." he said shifting his weight trying to find a comfortable position "you still haven't told me why you're here."

"I came to participate in the Olympic games." She answered with a stern face.

Curio coughed and blinked at her shocked but eventually recovered and laughed "You're joking right? No women are allowed to participate in the games."

Simetra clucked her tongue and looked at him annoyed. "And why shouldn't women participate?"

"Because that is the norm. And it would offend the gods."

"Rules were dictated by men not the Gods."

"They will not allow it. Though you can try" he teased sniggering at her "There is no way a woman can beat a man though, we are stronger and faster. Physically we are superior to a woman, no offense."

Simetra glared at him "None taken" though her tone indicated the contrary.

"Well I must go train some more, after all, I shall be participating today." He turned and walked away humming to himself happily

"Sis?"

"Yes Natsuki?"

"How are you going to 'play' in the Oilympick games?" she asked

"Ah, you understood what we were saying?"

"Mhm" the little blunette nodded while snuggling into her sister's silky hair

Simetra smiled and patted Natsuki on her head "Well… I have an idea." She placed Natsuki back on the floor and winked at her.

Natsuki took out an apple and gave it a bite while Shizuru waited patiently to her to swallow and continue her story.

"You know what she did in the end?" The huntress asked Shizuru who remained silent. "She dressed up as a man and was able to participate" she laughed as Shizuru widened her eyes. "Best thing is… she won! I will never forget Curio's face when he discovered he lost to a woman. Though, he won by default as my sister was disqualified for being a woman and all. But still—you should have seen how the crowd was cheering, it was amazing."

She sighed and took another bite from her apple her mind wandering to that fond memory.

"You really appreciated your sister didn't you?"

"I loved her." Natsuki replied without missing a beat.

"I see…" Shizuru replied thoughtfully she stopped in her tracks and Natsuki did the same looking at her "That's even more of a reason that you should come with me." She said finally after a while.

"What?" Natsuki arched her eyebrows confused. "Oh no… you're pulling my leg with that Goddess thing again aren't you?" she asked annoyed.

"I am not trying to pull your leg; I wouldn't lie to you about my nature."

The blunette rolled her eyes. "Fine. Since you insisted so much… I'll let you prove it to me."

Shizuru tilted her head seemingly confused "Let me prove it to you?"

"Show me that you're a goddess—I don't know… fly or turn a person into an animal… that kinda of stuff you guys do in myths." She said nonchalantly

Shizuru looked around and her eyes fell upon a young man who had been staring at them for a while.

"That man likes you." She stated her eyes narrowing at him as if she was trying to read his mind. At those words, Natsuki looked over her shoulder and scowled at the man making him run away.

"And now he's afraid"

"Thanks for stating the obvious." She said sarcastically "Was that your, 'oh so special' power?"

Shizuru narrowed her crimson eyes and for a second the blunette thought she had offended her. Then without warning Shizuru took her hand and pulled her away into a secluded area surrounded by vegetation.

As soon the older woman stopped Natsuki yanked her hand out from Shizuru's grip. "What was that for-" but she was unable to finish her sentence as she saw Shizuru slowly morph into a beautiful silver fawn with wine colored eyes. The very same fawn she had chased not so long ago.

"Is this enough proof for you?" Shizuru's voice sounded within her own mind causing the young woman to stagger slightly backwards.

"You…" she said her lower lip trembling "How can-"

"As I said, I'm a goddess"

A trick of the light? It had to be right? Natsuki thought frantically looking for a rational explanation as the fawn morphed back into its human form.

The blunette gulped and looked into her crimson eyes "And…" she took a deep breath trying to calm herself and continued carefully "And what does a goddess want with me?"

"I need you to come with me."

Natsuki blinked confused "What?"

"I'm pretty patient and I would wait till you had more time to accept this and come with me willingly, but the times don't allow it. You have to come. The signs are clear; you're the person I've been searching for, the heir of Artemis."

The blunette shook her head "Ok, it's official, I've gone insane. How can I be an Heir of a goddess… wouldn't I have powers and such?"

Shizuru cupped her own chin in a thoughtful posture "that is true…" and Natsuki sighed in relief "… Your powers have yet to awaken" she continued saying this more to herself than to the blunette who had face palmed upon hearing this.

"There is no way I'm the heir of Artemis!" Natsuki tried to reason with the older woman who stillzzzdddszs was immersed in her own thoughts.

"But haven't you noticed?" Shizuru said finally looking at her sternly.

Natsuki blinked once again utterly confused "Noticed?"

"Your sister was a goddess… Simetra, spelt backwards… is Artemis."

Note: here you have it! I hope it was to your liking. I never thought I could invert Artemis' name, it was pure coincidence XD, well now off to try to update Jaded or Symphonia. If you want me to update one more instead of doing my rotational updates vote on the poll on my profile! Also, any questions etc etc, you can ask me in formspring; link is also on my profile! Thanks for all your reviews. Love you guys! 3

OMAKE:

She was unable to finish her sentence as she saw Shizuru slowly morph into a fat silver hippopotamus with wine colored eyes. "Is this enough proof for you?" Shizuru's voice sounded within her own mind causing the young woman to stagger slightly backwards.

Natsuki: *coughs*

Asuka: What?

Natsuki: Another Hippo joke? Don't you think you readers will get tired of the hippo meme?

Asuka: Just for that all I'm going to do is Hippo omakes.

Natsuki: o.o *sweat drop*

(Just joking… or am I? dun dun dun)