Author's note: And now, library.
On the way to the library, Shem-Ha looked around to try and remember as much of the city as she could. Hibiki, Kuriyo, Shiori and Yumi sat beside her, but she paid them no mind. When the bus stopped near a large building, the group got up, and Shem-Ha followed them outside.
"And remember, no running," Kuriyo said, looking at Hibiki.
"You don't have to treat me like a child," Hibiki said.
"The same goes for you," Miku said in the back of Shem-Ha's mind, "Libraries are places of knowledge, so keep quiet, and let the other people read in peace." As the group approached the building, a car pulled into the parking lot, and a familiar-looking woman stepped out and walked over.
"Hibiki, Miku, hello," the woman said, catching Hibiki's attention.
"Mom?" Hibiki asked, "What are you doing here?"
"The God-Slayer's mother," Shem-Ha thought, "What is she doing here?"
"I'm just returning a few books," Hibiki's mother answered, turned to the group and said, "You must be Hibiki's friends. Nice to meet you all. I'm Tachibana Waon." Kuriyo, Shiori and Yumi quickly introduced themselves, and then the group headed into the library.
"Miku, are you there?" Shem-Ha thought, "What did she mean by returning books?" When she looked around the library, she saw rows upon rows of book shelves, many too high for a human to reach the top, with ladders leaning against them.
"Well, people can borrow books, and take them home," Miku explained, "You need a library card, and if you keep the books for too long, or damage them too much, you'll have to pay a fine." The group walked over to the front desk, following Hibiki, who in turn followed her mother.
"So, what brings you kids here?" Waon asked while the man at the desk handled the book return.
"Miku wanted to read some books," Hibiki answered with a smile, and nudged Shem-Ha forward a little.
"Y- yes," Shem-Ha said, "I was curious about… a lot of things. Biology, specifically."
"I see. It's always good to expand your horizons, and learn new things," Waon said, leaned over to Hibiki, lowered her voice and asked, "By the way, do they know about… you know?"
"Yes, they know," Hibiki answered.
"Great," Waon said, turned back to the group as a whole and said, "Come on, I think I know my way around this place enough to find what you're looking for." She took her library card from the front desk and walked away, leading the group through a labyrinth of book shelves. One by one, they all found a book they were interested in, and took it back to a corner where they could read, which offered a small table and several pillows to sit on, until only Shem-Ha and Waon were left.
~o~
Following Waon through the library, Shem-Ha looked around, marveling at the architecture and craftsmanship, as well as the sheer number of books. She knew that, if they had stayed, other custodians, such as Muse, would quite enjoy this place. Then, her curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to speak up.
"I am curious," Shem-Ha said, catching Waon's attention, and asked, "How do you feel about Hibiki's accomplishments?"
"I couldn't be more proud," Waon answered, "She made it so far, and did so much, and got so many friends who know they can count on her if they are ever in trouble. And she does it all with a smile on her face."
"Are you not worried?" Shem-Ha asked.
"Well, of course I am," Waon answered, "She's my daughter, after all. But I know there's nothing I can do to protect her, so I settle for being there for her when she needs me."
"I see," Shem-Ha said, "But I meant to ask whether you are worried she might turn on you." Waon laughed a little.
"Don't be silly," Waon said, "I raised her pretty well, if I may say so myself. She loves me, and would never hurt me."
"But she is stronger than you," Shem-Ha said and asked, "How does it feel knowing a life you created has surpassed you?" Waon paused for a moment, and Shem-Ha got worried she did something wrong.
"It feels… fulfilling," Waon answered, "I mean, it would be a weird world if our children never surpassed us. We'd be stuck in the same time forever, and life would be horribly boring. Also, after what happened with Adam, things are even more clear. He was perfect, so his creator cast him aside and made humanity imperfect, so we could grow and improve."
"Do you mean to presume you understand the thoughts of a God?" Shem-Ha asked, barely managing to hide her anger and not raise her voice.
"Well, we both created human life," Waon answered, "So, I at least understand that much. Seeing a human form from almost nothing, and watching that human grow and develop, and eventually take her very own steps out into this vast world, and then realizing that all your work paid off when she succeeds, is incredibly rewarding."
"Looks like she got you figured out," Miku said mentally.
"As if," Shem-Ha responded.
"Anyway, these look promising," Waon said and pointed at a book shelf full of books about biology, biochemistry, and anatomy.
"They do, yes," Shem-Ha said, "Thank you." She took several books and walked back to the corner, where the others were already waiting. Hibiki read a book about key figures of history, Shiori read a cook book, and Kuriyo held a book about reptiles. Yumi read a different kind of book, which Shem-Ha couldn't quite identify.
"Looks like Hina found a whole bunch," Kuriyo said when Shem-Ha sat down and began reading the first book in her pile.
"I did, yes," Shem-Ha said, "But I just need to cross-reference a few terms, so it should not take me too long."
"Is that the latest edition on biochemistry?" Hibiki asked, looking up from her book, and said, "That should include the Sakurai Theory."
"Y- yes," Shem-Ha said and asked, "And what are you reading?"
"I'm just looking up historical figures," Hibiki answered and explained, "Finé said she was always really important throughout our history, so I was hoping I could learn more about what kind of people she was."
"I see," Shem-Ha said, "Well then, I suppose we both have something to do." She turned back to her book, quickly glancing at different words, and looking them up in other books, to get a better understanding of what humans called different things.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself," Miku piped up in Shem-Ha's mind, "What do you think of the Sakurai Theory?"
"I am not there yet," Shem-Ha responded, "Nor do I even know what that is." She continued reading, and memorizing words, until she reached the part about the Sakurai Theory, and her reading slowed significantly, since she took in everything properly, to understand it as best she could.
"So, what do you think?" Miku asked after Shem-Ha was done reading it.
"This Sakurai woman possesses a remarkable intellect," Shem-Ha answered, "She understands the inner workings of the human body, and how the power of the divine affects it."
"You know she was Finé, right?" Miku asked and said, "Although, I'm sure she developed the theory before that."
"That does not change her intellect," Shem-Ha said, "If anything, it proves the superiority of ancient humans. Although I do find the term heretical technology to be rather ironic."
"Really?" Miku asked, "How come?"
"Because, had mankind not committed heresy, it would not be needed," Shem-Ha answered, "Your ancestors brought misery upon themselves when they refused me." Miku paused for a moment, then sighed, which Shem-Ha had no idea was even possible mentally.
"Alright, let's do a little thought experiment," Miku said and asked, "How would you feel if I had Hibiki banish you again?"
"I would despise it," Shem-Ha answered, "But I fail to see the connection to our conversation."
"The connection is that I would be taking away your freedom," Miku answered, "And humanity felt the same. Not only back then, but also when you first possessed me."
"I- I… suppose that is… possible," Shem-Ha said, "I will think about the matter further."
"And, read anything interesting?" Shiori asked, looking at Shem-Ha and pulling her out of her thoughts.
"Yes, very interesting," Shem-Ha answered, "However, I did not expect there to be this much. It is quite remarkable how much people know about the world."
"I know what you mean," Kuriyo said, "It feels like every day, scientists make another breakthrough, uncover another small piece of the puzzle that is our universe, and we learn more and more. And every once in a while, our computers get better, which helps us learn things even faster than before. There is no telling what else we can find out."
"It is unfortunate that we will not be alive when all the secrets are uncovered, however," Shem-Ha said.
"Yeah, but at least we ensured that the next generation can do it," Hibiki said, "We're only here for a while, and then we'll be gone. So, we need to make the best out of our time, and try to leave behind a world that those who come after us can enjoy even more."
"Exactly," Shiori said, when Yumi shushed them.
"We're in a library, not a philosophical conference," Yumi said with a suppressed voice, then continued reading.
"Sorry," Hibiki said with a chuckle, and went back to reading as well. Shem-Ha turned back to her books, and after reading about the Sakurai Theory, continued reading at a faster pace, only focusing on words she didn't know.
"There you are," Waon said, sat down with a book about house plants and asked, "And, how is it going?"
"It is going pretty well, thank you for asking," Shem-Ha answered, "However, I do have one more question to ask."
"Sure, what is it?" Waon asked.
"Do you and Hibiki ever disagree on what is best for her?" Shem-Ha asked, "And how do you handle it?" The group gave her confused looks, and Shem-Ha was afraid she messed up, but decided to stick with her decision and just hope for the best.
"You know you could've just asked me, right?" Hibiki asked, and Waon chuckled a little before answering.
"Yes, we do disagree," Waon answered, "When she was younger, I would usually put my foot down, but as she got older, I would sometimes let her try something that I knew wouldn't be too big of an issue if it went wrong. And sometimes, it turned out I was wrong. I believe that, deep down, everyone has some vague idea of what they want, and they just have to be honest with themselves."
"I… see," Shem-Ha said, "Thank you for your insights." She returned to her books, and when she finished reading, she read them again, to make sure she properly retained all the information.
"You're pretty fast," Kuriyo said when Shem-Ha finished the books a second time.
"I simply had to look up a few terms," Shem-Ha said, got up and picked up her books, "I suppose I will learn something about computers now as well, while I am here."
"I can show you where those are," Shiori said and got up.
"Thank you, but I can find my way," Shem-Ha said and walked away. She returned the books, looked around and found the books on computers. She picked a few simpler books and returned to the others.
"You keep impressing me," Kuriyo said when Shem-Ha returned with three different books, "Animals, biology, and now computers. You sure have a wide range of interests."
"Yes," Shem-Ha said, sat down and began reading. However, unlike before, she read much slower, since she actually had to take in and process the full information, instead of just learning new words for things she already knew. After a while, Waon went to check out the book she had been reading, and went back home. Once Shem-Ha was done reading her books, she returned them, and the group left the library again.
~o~
On the way back to the dorms, Shem-Ha thought about what she had learned since coming back, and actually interacting with her creations. She looked around, and realized that humanity has come far in her absence. All the wonders, such as cotton candy, would not have been possible had they not surpassed her expectations and broken free of her design. She followed Hibiki into the dorm room, and felt satisfied with herself for having deceived her so long. Then, Hibiki turned to face her.
"And, Shem-Ha, how did you like your first day as a human?" Hibiki asked. Shem-Ha paused, both shocked and confused, and her legs suddenly gave out under her, causing her to fall to her knees.
"You… knew?" Shem-Ha asked, "How?"
"It wasn't really that hard," Hibiki answered and sat down in front of her, "For one, you forgot to change your eyes." She pointed over to the bathroom, and Shem-Ha struggled back onto her legs. She stumbled into the bathroom, took off the sunglasses, and saw that her eyes were her own, and not Miku's. She looked down and saw a small booklet.
"The Goddess Rehabilitation Program?" Shem-Ha asked, reading the title, "What does this mean?"
"Miku felt bad for banishing you," Hibiki answered, "So, she put this thing together and asked all of us for help."
"So, it was all a lie?" Shem-Ha asked, "All of this, just to deceive me? Why?"
"To show you that modern humanity also has its good sides," Hibiki answered, "I know you created us, but Miku wanted to show you what we accomplished, in the hopes that you decide to love us as we are, even if we are not what you wanted us to be."
"I… y- you tricked me," Shem-Ha said and sat down on the toilet, "You, a mere mortal, tricked me, a divine being."
"Yeah, kind of," Hibiki said.
"And you put your friends in danger," Shem-Ha said, "You let me wander around and speak with them, not knowing if I could harm them. You put them in more danger than they realized. You risked Miku's pursuit of academia, as well. All just… to make me forgive you?"
"More like appreciate us," Hibiki answered, "Also, it's Saturday. So the school thing was all an act. The students and teachers were all in on it from the start."
"I would… like a moment alone, please," Shem-Ha said, and looked down.
"Well, alright," Hibiki said, left the bathroom, and closed the door. Shem-Ha got up, locked the door, and sat back down, to really ponder everything that had happened today, now that she knew the whole truth. Or rather, the truth that Miku had told everyone.
Author's note: Shem-Ha learns a lot this chapter. Including one thing that rocked her entire world view.
Also, the alarm clock was important foreshadowing. I actually looked up that date.