Chapter 5
Shirou was leaning against the wall in his house. He clenched his fists, before letting out a deep calming breathe. Just as he did so, the door next to him opened. Out of the door walked his brother. "She wanted to speak to you." He said, though Shirou noticed a somewhat confused expression on his face.
"I'm guessing she finally answered your question. I'm also guessing it was somewhat vague and unclear." Shirou replied with a sigh. Sigma stopped walking, before looking at his hand.
"Hn. I still don't fully understand how to become my own person, but..." He looked at him for a moment, before he nodded to himself. "I feel like I have an idea on how to get there."
"That's good. I suppose we're similar in that way. For now, I think I'll continue on my path of helping others. I have a feeling it will lead me to the place where our mother eventually reached. I'm sure we'll find something to fill the emptiness in us." Shirou replied, fully aware of his own flaws. 'Even my magecraft reflects what I am. A faker.'
It was amazing, she had never seen anything like it before. She had an idea about Shirou's strength before, but this was the first time she was seeing it. With every swing up his sword, no matter if it was blocked or not, instantly sent whatever Amazon challenged him flying.
Mia was even entranced at the movements he performed. His strikes were quick and precise, but filled with such overwhelming power. With every strike, some sort of purplish black and red energy was emitted, generating a streak that followed the blade. However, all of this was after she got used to it.
The power was so dark and overpowering. It was like a pressure was exerted the moment the sword came into existence. The sword radiated pure destructive power. It was magic unlike anything she had ever seen. However, even she could tell that it was blackened. It wasn't in full form, nor was the power anywhere close to what it should be.
She could also see how negatively it was affecting Shirou. The fact that his eyes had changed from their normal golden bronze, to both now possessing half silver coloring told her as much. Then there was his hair. He already had white tips on his hair when she met him, but now, now his hair was changed.
Now, he had a prominent white streak over his left eye. The moment he summoned the sword, the aftereffects appeared. She assumed it was because of strain. Which worried her. She didn't know what would happen if he continued to use it. 'What else might change? Could it affect his mentality too?'
As she was thinking this, Shirou was dodging arrows, or simply deflecting them easily. With every attack, an equally quick counter attack occurred. He battled the Amazons easily, using the same movements of the original wielder. His attacks were devastatingly precise and strong.
He swung his sword downwards, cutting straight through a sword and into the opponent in front of him. His mind was no longer focused on who it was he was facing. There was only one thought running through his mind. 'Protect them.'
Honestly, he wasn't even in control of his movements at the moment. He was just unconsciously following his instincts, as well as using what knowledge was stored in his sword to guide him. 'No, don't think. Just do.' Three amazons attempted to attack his blindspot, causing Shirou to pump more magical energy into his sword.
He turned and swung the sword in a wide horizontal arc, causing a wave of magical energy to blast them all away. It felt like static was filling his brain with each use of the sword. His body creaked and cracked with each swing. His magic circuits were working overtime, causing him to feel like fire was in his veins and marrow.
'I can't stop. Destroy all who threaten and oppose what I have, with all the strength I have.' The very act of tracing his weapon pushed him farther than what he should normally be capable of. He had to tap into the strands he had present in his body to pull it off.
However, even with that extra help, tracing a corrupted version of Excalibur was still something he shouldn't be able to do outside of his reality marble without destroying himself. So, there were still major repercussions. The thing was, Shirou didn't care about harming or destroying his body, as long as it meant he protected those he loved.
He caught sight of another. He shot forward, seemingly catching the opponent off guard, as the enemy didn't seem to be ready to attack. It didn't matter. 'I gave them a warning. They had a chance.' He thought to himself, readying himself to swing his sword, however, he felt another attack was incoming.
The pain was immense, but it only fueled him further. Saber Alter was a version of Saber who was corrupted by Angra Mainyu. She was a version of Arturia he worked with. He felt more static. 'Quit thinking about unimportant things. Focus. Protect Miyu, Annabeth, and Caroline. Keep going.'
Without a second thought, he quickly grabbed his opponent before moving her towards the location of the attack, which appeared to be an arrow of some kind. He looked towards the location where the arrow came from, seeing more enemies. However, it appeared as they were speaking, though he only heard static.
He couldn't allow anymore time to pass, otherwise he would pass out. He was keeping himself up by sheer will alone at this point. He couldn't allow anyone to escape. He couldn't allow them to inform Ares of his family's location. He needed time. Time to plan out a strategy to rid himself of Ares. 'Finish it.'
He threw the foe he was holding at the far away enemy. He switched his stance, before tossing the sword over to his left side. "Vortigern, Hammer of the Vile King. Overturn the rising sun." He could tell, this was too much. The rational side of himself told himself as much. However, rationality was no longer in control.
Instead, crushing the enemy in front of him was the main thought. Ridding his family of those that would harm it. 'Crush the enemy with overwhelming strength.' The voice of Saber Alter resounded in his mind. "Swallow the light." The sword then burst with magical energy, appearing like a large sword mage of purplish black and red energy.
However, thankfully for him and those he was targeting, he was still Shirou. While he was swallowed up in the emotions and power of the sword he was wielding, as well as his own anger, he knew what he fought for. Just as he charged the noble phantasm, a radiant and warm golden light appeared in front of him.
Earlier, Hestia and Aphrodite appeared next to the hearth in her and Shirou's home. Hestia's eyes widened when she saw the bounded field of swords around her children. She rushed over towards it, before seeing the children were still okay. She let out a sigh of relief, before she noticed the Mia and Zoe.
"Um, are they going to be okay if we leave them there?" She asked Hestia, tilting her head at the weapons and the barrier. She slowly reached a hand out towards it, before Hestia grabbed a hold of it.
"I wouldn't do that. If you prefer keeping your hand attached to your arm, don't touch it." She said simply. "If anyone were to cross the threshold of the field, a blade of magical energy will attack whatever it was, and considering how many swords he placed, it has plenty of charges." She explained.
Deciding to find out what was happening, she approached Zoe and Mia, who both flinched when Hestia made herself known. She was about to ask them about the situation when she felt, and heard, Shirou outside of the house. Rather than waste any time, she rushed towards the door and saw Shirou.
Her eyes widened at the sight, noticing the bodies that were scattered about like a battlefield. Shirou was moving quickly, but Hestia could tell he was moving on autopilot. Actually, she could tell that he was merely reacting at this point. In fact, it appeared as if the remaining group of trespassers had given up.
She had hoped that seeing that would cause Shirou to stop, but it appeared that was wrong. One tried to defend herself, but was easily dispatched, causing three others to try and attack him in retaliation. With insane speed, Shirou spun around while swinging his blade, blasting the trio away.
'He's destroying himself.' She thought sadly. Her focus was solely on Shirou, so much that she didn't notice the obvious until it was pointed out. "That idiot! Mr. Fights A lot did this. They bear his insignia." She snapped out of her trance, seeing Aphrodite standing beside her, pointing down at one of the women.
"We'll worry about that later, we need to do something about Shirou before he kills himself." She said, noticing the two huntresses seemed to perk up. It was Mia who ended up speaking up first.
"Lady Hestia, allow me to help you. If I can do something to assist, let me be the one to do so. He saved me once, allow me to do the same." She quickly replied to her. Though, Hestia noticed a somewhat annoyed look on Zoe's face. However, Hestia quickly nodded to her answer.
"Aphrodite, I need you to help me. I have an idea, but it'll be easier to pull off with you around." Aphrodite let out a small hum, taking her eyes off the carnage to look at Hestia.
"You need me to boost the link you have with Darling?" She asked, with Hestia nodding, deciding to ignore her nickname for Shirou. "Hmm, I wish you gave me something more challenging, but very well." She said with a smile. Hestia then noticed Shirou notice a frightened amazon. He quickly shot towards her.
"Mia, I need you to get his attention somehow, now!" Without a second thought, Mia quickly dashed outside and fired an arrow at Shirou, trying to aim for an area that wasn't vital. To her surprise, Shirou merely spun around and let the amazon take the arrow meant for him.
His eyes narrowed at the group. "That's not good. Aphrodite, do it now." Hestia quickly said, noticing Shirou throw the blackened blade over to his left side. She could feel the magical energy beginning to build up.
"Vortigen, Hammer of the Vile King. Overturn the rising sun." Hestia knew what was about to happen. So, she stepped out so Shirou could see her clearly. "Swallow the light." She held out a hand, concentrating her powers onto Shirou. She then smiled at Shirou, noticing his eyes seeming to recognize her.
Hestia could feel the change in Shirou. He was beginning to get ahold of himself. 'He's going to be feeling this for awhile. Nectar may help. I might have to mix it in that flask he carries around.' She thought to herself with some exasperation. She then noticed his sword dissipate, as well as the circuits on his body disappearing.
The moment Hestia used her powers on Shirou, he heard his mother speaking to him. "One day, Shirou, you'll find that one thing that outweighs everything else. When you find it, remember to hold onto it, and to cherish it. It will be your salvation, even if you don't see it at first. Just as you were mine."
He dematerialized his blade and turned off his circuits. He could feel his thoughts clear up and his vision begin return. 'And to think, the berserker class exists.' He thought to himself, trying to shake off the residual effects. Though, this also had the added benefit of causing his adrenaline to wear off.
He could see Hestia running up to him, noticing Aphrodite standing next to Mia, who was holding one of the amazons. His consciousness was beginning to fade as she finally reached him. "I've got you, Shirou. Just sleep now. I'll take care of everything." She said to him.
Thankfully, he listened to her. Hestia could feel him go slack as she held onto him. She gently placed him on the ground, before she let out a sigh. "Why put him to sleep?" Aphrodite asked, walking up to the pair.
"I didn't want him to be in pain when everything came flooding back. It's best that he sleeps." She said, running her hand through his hair. She frowned as her hand passed the streak in his hair. 'If you keep doing this, you're going to end up looking like an old man.'
"I see. While I admit to being very interested in what happened, I think it can wait until later. You should probably take him to a bed." Aphrodite spoke, looking at herself in a small hand mirror. Hestia looked at her with a flat expression. "I didn't mean like that. I meant so that he can rest properly. I don't joke around all the time, you know."
Aphrodite then smiled at her. "Don't worry about all this. I can clean up this mess and deal with any survivors. Besides, his health is important to me too. I haven't met someone who could make my heart race with excitement in a very long time. Such emotion, power, and skill, and the relief in his eyes when he saw you." Hestia's expression remained flat, looking at Aphrodite acting like a little girl.
"Oh, to see such powerful love in a mortal, he truly is a wonderful man. I wish to see more. So, don't worry, dear Hestia. I shall take care of any issues that may spring up or, at the very least, assist you in doing so." Hestia simply let out a sigh, before responding with a grateful smile.
"Well, thank you, Aphrodite. I appreciate your willingness to assist me." She said, before lifting Shirou onto her back. Aphrodite let out a small hum, looking at Shirou closely. She waved her hand, causing Hestia to turn and see the streak in his hair recede, returning to its previous state.
"He looks better like that, more symmetrical." She said with a happy smile. Hestia only sighed, before continuing on. "I'll keep an eye on the little ones while you tend to him. It's the least I could do." Hestia stilled for a moment, before continuing on. 'I'd be worried, but Aphrodite's actually pretty good with children.'
After watching Hestia take Shirou back into the house, Aphrodite turned and looked at a certain someone. She quickly appeared next to her. "Caroline, you can open your eyes now, dear." She said, causing her to slowly open them to see her mother standing in front of her.
"Hello, dear. I must admit, I didn't imagine that the one you who saved you was actually Shirou." She said with a smile on her face. Caroline looked up at her with a shocked expression, but couldn't speak. "Oh, there's no need to say anything. You see, Darling put himself in danger to save you. So, I intend to make sure you are safe. So, run along inside the house. We'll speak later."
Caroline quickly nodded, before rushing away. Aphrodite turned and watched her as she made her way into the house. "Oh, you poor girl. Even for my own child, the obstacles in your path are near insurmountable. But, who knows, that man is full of surprises."
She let out a sigh, before sweeping her eyes around the area. "Truly impressive, Shirou Emiya. Perhaps, I'll take a peek while you're asleep. To wield such a weapon and still have the strength of mind to see your loved ones is truly incredible. I wish to see more, to feel more. Perhaps you will show me a new kind of love. A truly everlasting one."
After laying Shirou down in their bed, Hestia began to take off his clothes and change him. It was then that she saw the full brunt of the damage Shirou had endured. He had multiple cuts and tears on his body. His muscles were torn and he had multiple burn marks. Even his bones, she could tell they were close to breaking.
It was insane. 'Using magic beyond your means will destroy you.' A deep and rough voice resounded through her head. She looked around, but saw no one in the room. Her eyes narrowed on Shirou for a moment. She concentrated, 'Those ideals are bankrupt. Thinking that others are more important than yourself...'
'...wishing for everyone to be happy, is just a fairytale. If you can't even realize that, then let that ideal drag you down and drown you.' Hestia's eyes widened at those words. She looked down at Shirou, before placing her hand onto his forehead, a faint golden light appeared, before Hestia closed her eyes and reappeared in Shirou's inner world.
It was far different than what she remembered. It was a barren desert with monolithic, gears turning and hanging in the sky, defying gravity. The land was obscured by a thick haze from embers and black smog that rose from the ground. She was filled with unbearable sadness looking upon it for some reason.
It was far different than her husband's current world. The last time she saw it, it had a night sky with numerous glittering stars and a moon that brightly illuminated the world. There was gentle falling snow that seemed to cool the ground's heat. There was life in Shirou's patches of green grass, rose and cherry blossom petals, and purple butterflies.
There were many things which represented his connection with others, the most prominent being the few small cages filled with different colored flames that hung off some weapons. There were even small mirages or illusions one could see on the horizon. The one she remembered specifically, was the mirage of castle walls in the direction of a large cross shaped shield.
The stark contrast told her a lot about the situation. She hadn't seen his world in awhile, so she wondered if it had changed, but shook her head. 'Focus, Hestia.' She wondered why there was such a contrast. A part of her wondered if the singularities changed Shirou that fast, but that was dashed with the next words she heard from the red archer.
"The fact that you chose to challenge me yourself with only reinforcement and runes from Caster, tells me that you are no different, despite our different origins. The very fact that you are even here with that organization tells me you are nothing but an idealistic boy. I should cut you down where you stand, however, I have seen that you're different from the previous fool."
Hestia looked at him, wondering what he meant by different origins. "So take a good look, Shirou Emiya. The world where we end up, where you will end up with that ideal you have been following." Hestia then realized it. She felt her chest tighten, her heart twist, and her stomach flip as her eyes began to water.
"Shirou? You...you became a heroic spirit? But why? What caused you to be like this? This world is Shirou's, just not my Shirou's. Is this...is this what you were afraid of? Why you still have trouble?" She looked at Archer, and for the first time, she could see Shirou. "I'm sorry, if only I existed in every world, then perhaps you wouldn't have ended up like this."
She said sadly, before she set her face with a determined expression. "But, I promise, I won't allow my Shirou to end up where you did. He has a family and people who love him. I'll make sure he stays just the way he his, and hopefully, make sure he lives a long, happy life surrounded by people who love him."
She opened her eyes and looked down at Shirou's sleeping face. "Why didn't you tell me about that Shirou? Why lock those memories away?" She began to run her hand through is hair, looking at his hair. "Aphrodite was right, you look better like this." She whispered with a smile.
"You protected our home, Caroline, and our daughters. While I wish you wouldn't have done it in such a violent way, I can understand. It seems we'll be having some problems in the future. But, no matter what happens or what haunts you, I will never leave you." She said, placing a kiss on his forehead. "We're in this together."
Hestia decided to head back to the living room and check on the children, though she knew they were in safe hands. The two huntresses were still there, even if they were probably dealing with the amazons who got lucky and survived, and then there was Aphrodite, who was a lot stronger than most probably thought.
'Who would have thought that pink explosions could be so devastating?' Hestia thought with a small laugh. As she walked through the halls and turned to the living room, she was treated to a rather surprising sight. "Mother?" She said aloud, seeing Rhea sitting on the couch with Miyu in her arms.
She turned her head and saw Hestia, offering a small smile. "Well, hello dear. I thought I'd drop by to see my grandchildren. Or would it be grandchild and great grandchild? Hmm, well, since your raising them, I'll just call them my grandchildren." She said with a laugh, before holding up Miyu.
"Oooh, that's a good point. Technically, you're raising your daughter and your niece's daughter. Will little Ana have to call Miyu her aunt?" Aphrodite added, with Hestia seeing her holding Annabeth. Hestia narrowed her eyes, before shaking her head.
"No, they're sisters, and I'm their mother. So, yes mother, they're your grandchildren. Until Thena comes down and decides to raise her daughter with Shirou and me, which will likely not happen, then Annabeth is my daughter too." She replied as she took a seat on Shirou's chair. 'Oh wow, this is comfortable.'
"Hmm, speaking of Shirou, how is he doing?" Rhea asked as she played Miyu. Aphrodite looked at Hestia with an interested look, wanting to know as well.
"He's currently resting. He'll probably be hurting for awhile, but I already have a plan to help him through that. His body's in pretty bad shape, but I gave him nectar and it's helping him recover slowly." She replied, before remembering the things Shirou returned with after he fought the boar. 'Hmm, maybe I can get Aphrodite to make something for him.'
"Oh, he can take nectar as a human? That's rather fascinating. The more I hear and find out about him, the more I want to know. He was so amazing earlier, you should have seen it Rhea. I haven't seen anything like that sword either. Despite his state of mind, he still recognized Hestia. So much power, love, and raw emotion. It was breathtaking." She said excitedly.
"Oh, is that so? I do wish I could have witnessed it." Rhea replied, with Hestia's eye slightly twitching. Rhea let out a laugh upon noticing. "Oh, don't be like that dear. Despite how destructive everything sounded, or whatever happened to Shirou, I know how resilient he is" She said with a wink.
Hestia let out a small groan, before looking at Aphrodite. "So, what did you do with the bodies and survivors? I noticed that the huntresses and Caroline aren't in here with us." Aphrodite simply smiled at Hestia, before holding up a flower in front of Annabeth.
"Well, I simply used them to fix the damage to the surrounding area by turning them into flower beds. As for the survivors, Arty's huntresses currently have them tied up in the forest, they'll be sent back to the amazons for punishment. And Caroline is in a guest room, asleep." She answered, before laying Annabeth down.
"You turned them into flowers?" She asked with quirked brow. Aphrodite simply nodded.
"Of course I did. They attacked Darling and these little ones, as well as took my daughter hostage. Honestly, turning them into flowers is much more than they deserve, but I doubt Darling would have liked the alternative, so I compromised. Also, don't worry about the survivors, they won't be able to utter a word about what happened." She answered, before looking at herself in a hand mirror.
"When did you become so protective over Shirou, Dite? I didn't expect such anger from you. Especially since said amazons worship a certain warmonger." Rhea asked, rocking Miyu in her arms, a little surprised that Aphrodite managed to put Annabeth to sleep before she could do the same to Miyu.
Aphrodite looked up from her mirror with a slight tilt of her head. "Since I met him in his bakery. Rather, after I realized he could resist my powers and gave me this spectacularly beautiful form. Oh, also after I tried the things he baked for me. Specifically, my chocolate love cake. It was so good!"
"I used a slice as an apology for missing a meeting, and since Hera hasn't been bugging me, I'm guessing it worked." She said with innocent expression. "I think I'll ask him to make me another one when he wakes up."
"You still can't sleep with him, Dite." Hestia said with a sigh, causing Aphrodite to let out a nervous chuckle.
"Oh, Hestia, you know I'd never do that before you. You're wearing a ring, so you're his wife, you have first dibs on everything. I'm totally fine with waiting until afterwards." She said waving her hand at Hestia. Hestia shook her head.
"Shirou's not the type of person to have flings or one night stands anyways, so I don't really have to worry too much. He's quite unlike most men in that sense." Hestia replied, not seeing Rhea simply maintaining her smile on her face. Aphrodite let out a small hum.
"Right, right, even I know that. Still, it'd be nice to be able to experience the love you have, Hestia, even if it was only a fraction. I haven't seen too much, but from what I have observed and felt, it is quite unlike anything I've seen before. Boosting your bond was difficult, since it was already insanely strong." She said with a somewhat sad smile on her face.
Hestia saw it and actually felt a little sad for her. She didn't think Aphrodite was able to change her usual antics, but she did want her to experience the same kind of bond she had with Shirou. Aphrodite, despite being the goddess of love, never experienced love strong enough to dedicate herself to one person.
"Which reminds me, do you mind if I observe the two of you for awhile? I want to see what makes you two so different. It's so intoxicating to be around that I can't help but want to stick around." She explained, causing Hestia to tilt her head a bit.
"Well, I can't stop you from visiting and stuff, besides, I quite enjoy spending time with my family. It has always been my earnest wish for everyone to be happy and to get along." Hestia answered with a happy smile. "Perhaps, you may even find what you're looking for, Dite."
Aphrodite widened her eyes in surprise for a moment, before she smiled at Hestia happily. "Thanks so much, Hestia. I swear to help out however I can, just as I mentioned earlier." She then held out her hand, before a pink scarf appeared in it. "Here, you can have my scarf for when you and Darling decide to consecrate your marriage."
With a few movements of her hand, the scarf flew across the room and around Hestia's shoulders. Hestia held her hands up to it, before her face reddened considerably. "Y-You could have waited to give it to me! Wait, no, I don't need it! I don't want to seduce him or charm him when that happens." She answered.
"Oh, Hestia, you really are something else. Judging by Darling's resistance to my powers, it wouldn't work like it normally should. Rather, it would just set the mood, you know. Or, if you're really dead set on not using it for that, you can use it any other time. Consider it a gift!" She replied with a happy smile.
"Well, I suppose I'll just hold onto it. I do appreciate the gesture though, Aphrodite." Hestia said as she looked at the pink scarf. She could feel the love magic that was imbued into the scarf, as well as smell the perfume Hestia usually associated with her.
"Hestia..." Rhea spoke up, getting both goddess's attention. "How is Shirou?" She asked, causing Hestia to tilt her head. "Not physically, I mean mentally. I'd be a fool to not know that Shirou wouldn't just lose control like he did."
Hestia thought about it for a second, before deciding to answer. "He's been having trouble with his guilt and beliefs. He's been having nightmares every once in awhile, as well as moments where I can tell he's having some sort of flash. It isn't guilt over anything he's done really. I suppose, he's struggling with his nature."
"I guess that makes sense. I thought he was just a normal baker when I first met him, but even I could tell he was something more after speaking with him. He's full of steel. Then, seeing him earlier, I can tell he's someone who has been through many hardships. Returning to a normal life would surely be a challenge." Dite added.
"It's quite something really. When comparing him to another certain man, there's no real comparison to draw on at first. However, if you look deeper, there are similarities. Perhaps, that is why I am so enamored by him. He is sort of the flip side of him." She finished, thinking deeply.
"I've never seen him like that before. I'm pretty sure that Shirou doesn't even know why he did what he did. I know that his magic gives form to what he imagines, but to summon the sword that he did, I can't imagine him doing such a thing knowing the risks." Hestia said, still a bit stumped on what happened.
Rhea let out a hum, before speaking. "I have an idea, but I'm not sure if it's true or not. Perhaps, Shirou hasn't had any issues with it before, is because he's always been in a decently stable frame of mind when it came to his emotions. It's possible that his recovered emotions affected his abilities."
"He was experiencing a storm of emotions when we arrived, anger being the chief among them. However, his love overpowered all of that. It was honestly strange, now that I think about it. Him being unused to emotions makes sense." Aphrodite replied.
"That combined with what you said Hestia, means that Darling simply needs time and care. However, he will also need to confront his problems. I don't know everything, but I can tell that he's struggling with himself." She finished, before looking back at Annabeth. "He's trying hard for all of you though. It's actually kind of romantic."
"Balance and acceptance. I feel like those will help him. I'll try and look deeper when I can, to try and find some clues that will help us. I'm sure you'll do everything you can to help too, right Dite?" Hestia asked with a smile. Aphrodite looked surprised, before she nodded excitedly.
"You can count on me." She answered quickly. Rhea looked at both the goddesses, before she smiled.
"Alright, the two of you seem to have everything under control in regards to Shirou. I'll also do what I can to help you out. Though, if you don't mind, could I offer some advice, as well as a plan to assist you in this endeavor? It will be of great help to Shirou." Rhea said, though she was mainly thinking of the future.
There were still some missing pieces of the puzzle. However, she wasn't someone who manipulated events or people. Prophecies changed all the time, or weren't understood well. She admitted to being self-interested this time, as Shirou was important to her daughter, but also, Shirou didn't deserve to be unhappy. Especially after all he had done.
She knew that the two of them would be able to handle it from here, but there were still some things that needed to done. Shirou's recovery was rather important for the future after all. He was a hero, and heroes overcame challenges. Shirou would have to face these challenges and face different facets of himself. Only then, would he be able to find his happy ending.
She would watch and help where she could. After all, she had already grown attached to little Annabeth and Miyu. They needed their father and their father need them. 'Keep doing what you do, Shirou. You've already changed so much. Perhaps, you'll do what I could not.'
Shirou awoke with a start. He immediately regretted it, as his body groaned in pain. 'Suppose aftereffects are to be expected.' He looked over on the nightstand and noticed a small silver gourd, much like the one Shuten gave him, but made of some kind of silver. He read the note that was besides it. "Drink this when you wake up."
Shirou slowly reached over and grabbed it, before taking a drink of it. His eyes widened at the amazing taste. He recognized it as the liquor that Shuten made him, but it was heavily diluted and seemed to have some sort of extra ingredients added, as it had a gold and silver color to it.
He immediately felt some relief after drinking it, though he wondered what it was that was mixed in. He noticed that Hestia wasn't there when he woke up, which surprised him. Though, the girls weren't there either. So, he guessed that she had taken them with her when she woke up.
His mind was still out of sorts, so he didn't want to think too hard. What mattered was that the girls were safe. A part of him still felt anger at what happened. If there was one thing he hated, it was prophecies or visions of the future. Why? Well, exactly because of what happened. Most of the time, the prophecies only occurred because someone tried to negate it.
He already knew who was to blame. A part of him wanted to confront the war god and kill him. Would it be hard? Probably. Was he confident in pulling it off with preparation? Yes. However, if he did that, then his family would never have any peace. Taking care of that problem, only brought further problems.
'The best way to take care of a threat, is by eliminating all future threats that should arise from it, all at once.' He thought, remembering the words his mother told him long ago. 'She was a mage assassin, so surely, she knew how these things worked.'
He began to change into his clothes, barring his jacket. 'The best way to do it, would be to set a trap.' He thought to himself, but he stopped after slipping his watch and bracelet on. 'This isn't like me. When was I someone who cared about revenge, or sought out conflict?' He shook his head, deciding to not think about it.
He checked his watch, noticing that it was already noon. He let out a small groan. 'Seriously? I suppose I'll just make something to eat and figure out what to do for the rest of the day after that.' He thought, exiting his room and heading towards the kitchen.
As he did so, he smelled someone already cooking something. 'Is Hestia cooking?' He then let out a small hum, before continuing on. The moment he turned into the kitchen, he instantly regretted doing so. He would admit, the food smelled really good, however, the person cooking was starting to give off Kiyohime and Tamamo vibes.
For instance, said person was cooking and humming happily, slightly bobbing side to side. Her long blonde hair gently swaying as she did so. Shirou's eye slightly twitched. 'That's my apron.' He managed to think to himself. It wouldn't be so bad, but the woman wasn't dressed! She was only dressed in underwear, red lace to be specific.
Which he really didn't want to be specific, but it was near impossible. 'I'm going to die. Hestia's going to kill me.' Shirou quickly closed his eyes, before trying to make himself invisible. 'Wait, she hasn't noticed me. I can salvage this. Just need to take a few steps back.' As he attempted to do so, he heard a squeak from the ground.
'I knew I shouldn't have bought wood floors.' He thought, before he noticed Aphrodite turn around with an amazingly bright and sweet smile on her face, her eyes were sparkling with excitement. "Oh, well good morning, Darling! You surprised me. I had a feeling you would wake up today, so I decided to make you something to eat."
'Darling? It's been awhile since I've been called that.' He thought, managing to offer up a smile to her. "Good morning to you too, Dite. I must admit, I wasn't expecting to see you here." He said to her, forcing himself to take a seat at the table. 'Too late to run now.' He then realized what she said. "What do you mean by 'wake up today'?"
"You've been asleep for a few days, dear. Though, after that incident, I expect most people would be in a coma, or dead." She replied, before placing some of the food onto a plate. Shirou let out a sigh, 'How many times is this now?' She then walked over towards him with her plate, her hips swaying slightly, though it didn't seem like it was on purpose.
She placed the plate down in front of him, before smiling at him again. "Thanks, I appreciate it, Dite. I definitely needed it. I hope I didn't cause any trouble for you." He said, seeing her walk back towards the kitchen. The moment she did so, he faced his food. He wasn't going to tempt fate.
He probably wouldn't have had an issue with any other person. However, when the woman was a literal goddess of love and lust, you learn to be careful of looking. He had been hit with enough Charm effects to know how it worked. He was just glad that she wasn't too aggressive. If she acted like a certain few servants, he'd probably be in trouble.
"Oh, don't be silly sweetie, I promised Tia all the help I could provide. Helping take care of you is no problem at all." She answered with a sweet voice, before she appeared in the chair next him. Her elbows were on the table, with her hands brought up to her face. She was watching him intently.
'Geez, she's acting like a newlywed who wants to know how her food tastes.' He thought with a nervous smile on his face. 'Well, it certainly smells good.' He decided to taste the food, taking his fork and placing it into his mouth slowly. His eyes widened. "Oh, wow, that's really good actually."
He ate more, though he noticed a pleased expression on Aphrodite's face. No, while it was happy and pleased, Shirou noticed a wistful quality to it. Shirou found that he didn't like that too much. "You know, they say food made with love always tastes better. I suppose that must be true, considering how great the food is."
Aphrodite's face then changed into one of surprise, before she let out one of her usual giggles. Shirou let out a small smile at the sound. 'Perhaps I'm weak when it comes to women like you.' He thought to himself. 'I'm sure that one day you'll find whatever it is you long for.'
"You know, you really are a fascinating person." She said to him after recovering from her laughing. Shirou raised a brow at her words. "You don't act like any man I've interacted with before. It's clear that you're strong. You're obviously smart and well versed in many talents. You could do anything you want." She said, before looking him closely in the eyes.
"Yet, you chose to run a small bakery and own a large house on the literal edge of the town. The town itself being relatively mediocre, with many of the inhabitants knowing you personally. You choose to live this life, despite having the ability to live a more lavish lifestyle. Tia told me that you choose to work, despite having enough money to not do so."
"It was a choice. One you made easily. Then, there is what I saw when I helped you. While I don't know the specifics, I can tell that you are powerful enough to do whatever you want, yet you go out of your way to hold back and help people, asking for nothing in return no less." She then let out a sigh, before leaning back in her chair.
She then crossed one leg over the other, though Shirou was still maintaining his eye contact with her. Her eyes then narrowed. "Then there's that. I know you find me attractive, I know you are still affected by my power, and I know that you are still a hot blooded male." Shirou's eye slightly twitched at that.
'Did she think I was impotent or something?' Shirou thought for a moment. "Yet, you don't look, nor does your lust grow. In fact, the only time I noticed a spike in your emotions when interacting with me, was during and after I gave you your food." She then looked down at her hands for a moment, before shaking her head.
"You're kind, polite, and thoughtful. You aren't prideful, boastful, or selfish. You care about everyone, and you have a genuine, unbreakable kind of love that is hard to fathom, even for those that don't deserve it." She said, her voice sounded slightly shaky for a moment. 'Is she talking about Athena?'
"I don't understand. How can you be like this? I didn't tell Tia, but I know what was going through your mind when you were holding that sword. I know who you planned to hunt down and kill. I also know, that your thoughts were filled with those you loved. You weren't going to kill him for anger, hatred, or a lust for a battle."
"You were going to do it, to protect all of them. You were prepared to kill a god, and to bear the consequences." Shirou listened to each of her words intently, until she stopped speaking. At which point, Shirou faced forward and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes, remembering everything he had been through.
"I'm not sure what to say, really. Perhaps, at a time, I could have been called selfless, but I think even that is untrue. Helping and saving people wasn't something entirely altruistic. I suppose, I was saving others to save myself. I was searching for something. For a long time, I searched."
"I was broken, I think I still am broken. I've been like that since I was about seven years old. Most of what you asked is simply just me and how I was raised. Being normal doesn't stand out. I was taught that was the way to be. But, I also enjoy it. If it wasn't for me gaining some normalcy, I don't know if we'd be having this conversation." He said with a sad smile.
"The reason we are, is because I found what I was looking for. It's why I'm here, and probably why I'm still alive. I always treasured my bonds with others, but here, those bonds are my life. Which includes you too, despite our limited interactions. I treasure these things, because there were many who wished for them, yet never had them."
"It would be a disservice to the people who helped me along the way to not treasure them. As for why my emotions may have spiked, it's because I prefer you being yourself. You don't need to use your beauty or power, because in those small moments when it's just you, I find you to be at your most beautiful." He said with a smile.
He saw Aphrodite's eyes widen, as well as a faint redness on her cheeks. He continued smiling as he spoke again. "As for my power, well, I abide by noblesse oblige. At least, until you target someone I care about apparently. In which case, I don't care what it is, I'll get rid of it to protect those I care about."
The moment he said those words, his eyes hardened and Aphrodite had that same feeling she always got from him, that being of tempered steel. She was about to say something, but Shirou beat her to it. "And before you ask, yes, I'd even do so for you. Even if you didn't need me to." He said with a slight smirk.
Aphrodite couldn't help but admit that made her happy. 'This guy. Perhaps it's because of how genuine he his, but he really is something else. When was the last time a man made me blush? Has anyone ever done so?' She thought with a smile on her face. 'There's more he isn't telling me, but that's enough for now.'
"Well, thank you, Shirou. Even deities need to be saved sometimes, so I'll hold you to that when the time comes." She said before she let out a small laugh. As she did so, she felt that small change she spoke of earlier. She looked at Shirou, noticing a small smile on his face.
'He's an odd one. I wonder what kind of upbringing you had. Maybe I'll ask Hestia about it.' She thought, before she felt something familiar. A smile appeared on her face. With a snap of her fingers, a white summer dress appeared underneath Shirou's apron.
"You should take it easy for awhile, Darling. I won't ask for specifics, but your body was damaged pretty bad. I managed to fix your hair, but some damage is too much for even a god. Rhea, Tia, the hunters, and I created that for you. Take a drink once every five hours, but no more. Otherwise, your body will begin to fall apart." She said, before standing and grabbing his empty plate.
The thing was, she was slowly beginning to understand more about Shirou. She would be lying if she said she wasn't growing more and more interested in him. She personally liked him being the way he was. While she would admit, that power she saw was incredibly enticing, it wasn't Shirou.
With that power, Shirou would lose what made him, well him. From what she was told, Shirou was someone who brought hope to others. He was someone who only wished to make others smile. Her daughter made that abundantly clear. He wanted to save others, but he wanted to save them in a way that wasn't fleeting.
She noticed it herself. For a moment, she had been thinking about her own insecurities when it came to love, and Shirou must have noticed. He immediately attempted to help her feel better. While he was someone who wanted to save as many as possible, he also was someone who would give his undivided attention and care to a lonely little girl.
She wondered how he came to be like that. Then, she remembered what Shirou had told her. He had found what he was looking for. He wanted to save others the same way he had been saved. 'No, I feel like that's wrong. Such strong beliefs were born from something else. Could it be from when he was young? His mother?'
She was like Hestia in some ways, able to feel certain bonds he had with others. Love was a universal thing. She knew that his mother was a big part of his life, as Hestia had told her. So, it wasn't hard to imagine that he gained such beliefs from his mother.
Though, there was something else about him that told her everything she needed to know. It may have been part of the reason why she felt so comfortable around him. She knew that Hestia probably already knew about it, but it was a very big surprise to her. It made sense why she would keep it a secret.
Shirou was a sword, a literal incarnation of a sword. That was already a big deal on its own. However, there was more. It wasn't long, but she had seen it. Brief flashes of another world. One filled with an endless amount of swords and weapons. However, despite her awe of the world. It was the somewhat static filled words that left a deeper impression on her.
'I am the bone of my sword. How twisted and cruel that is, even for me. I refuse to accept that.' She peered over her shoulder at Shirou, before sighing. 'Love is the most powerful thing in the world. I may not deserve or be able to have that love I long for, but if I can help Hestia and you, that'd be enough for me. So, I will save you, Shirou Emiya.'
Shirou took a deep breath, before calming himself. 'I thought I was about to die for a moment. But, at least she seems happier now.' He looked down at his hands, 'Take it easy? Well, I suppose I can just focus on the bakery and doing things in my workshop.' He nodded to himself, before standing up.
'I wonder how Fujimaru and everyone else is doing? Olga was in pretty bad shape when I got her to the Shadow Border. If not for her, there is no doubt that Fujimaru and I would have gotten slapped with sealing designations when we returned.' He thought with a sad smile.
'I can only imagine the war that would have ensued if that happened.' He shook his head, before deciding to grab his things and head to the bakery. "Hey, Dite, I'm going to head to the bakery. If Hestia returns, let her know." He told her with a wave. She turned and gave him a playful smile.
"If you wait until I finish, we can go and see her together." Shirou looked at her with a puzzled expression, causing her to let out a giggle. "She's at the bakery, dear. I was going to visit her soon anyway. So, give me a moment." She said, before resuming her cleaning.
Shirou simply shrugged, deciding to gather his things while he waited. As he did so, he noticed himself when walking by a mirror. His eyes widened a bit, noticing the half steel, half golden brown coloring of both of his eyes. 'I suppose that's why she said she managed to fix my hair. It must have worsened. Tch.'
After all was said and done, Shirou and Aphrodite were finally able to head to the bakery. Of course, this meant that Shirou had to bear with Aphrodite riding on his motorcycle with him. Which Aphrodite was more than happy with doing, considering she enjoyed seeing Shirou's reactions.
Once they reached their destination, both of them entered the building. When he did so, he saw Hestia standing behind the counter. When she saw him, her face brightened and a sweet smile greeted him. There were still a few patrons in the store, so her next actions actually surprised him.
She ran around the counter and quickly launched herself at him, causing him to have to catch her mid jump, letting a small 'oof' as he did so. He let out a small chuckle, just before Hestia leaned back and placed a small kiss on his lips, surprising him a bit.
"You're finally awake! I was beginning to worry, but I'm glad that my worrying was for nothing. I'm glad you're back, Shirou." She said to him, with slight redness on her cheeks. Shirou noticed a few of the customers looking at them with happy expressions.
"It's good to be back. I'm sorry for worrying you." He replied, though Hestia only shook her head in response. After Shirou let her down, she simply smiled at him.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. You're here now, and that's all that matters. We won't have to worry about anything for awhile because of you." She replied, before remembering something. "Also, if you're wondering about the girls, they're in the back with Mia, Zoe, and Caroline. They've been a big help."
Shirou was surprised by that. "Well, that's good. I wouldn't have wanted you to have to take care of them alone in my absence. Has everything been okay?" He asked, wondering why everything seemed to be going well. He wasn't complaining, just a bit curious.
"Of course. Mother dropped by after everything happened and we all had a great conversation. We won't have to worry about anything for awhile. Though, I hope you don't mind if we have some people move in with us." She said a bit sheepishly. Shirou simply quirked a brow at her words.
"Well, the house was originally meant for that purpose, so no problem. I'm guessing you're talking about Mia, Zoe, and Caroline?" He asked for clarification. He then heard Aphrodite hum sweetly behind him. Despite Hestia smiling sweetly, he noticed a slight twitch on her eye.
"Oh, don't forget about me, Darling." Aphrodite then appeared next to him with usual bright smile. 'Oh, so that's why she was at the house.' It all made sense now. Aphrodite then skipped by them. "I'm sure it'll be tons of fun. Anyways, I'm going to go see the little ones, don't mind me."
As she disappeared into the back, Hestia let out a sigh. "I hope that's alright with you. I know how you felt about her in your world, so I was worried. However, she's been a big help and seems to genuinely want to continue to help. I've never seen her work so hard, if I'm being honest." Shirou slightly chuckled.
"No, it's not a problem. I'll admit, she surprised me when I woke up, but I can see that she has some things she's working out as well. If we can help her, then that's fine. Plus, she might be able to help with the problems I've been having." He replied, with Hestia nodding to herself.
"I really am glad you're okay, Shirou. For a moment, I thought you were about to disappear." She said sadly. Shirou placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I don't plan on going anywhere. Now that I experienced that, I know what not to do. I just need to get better control of my emotions and not let them influence my thinking. Besides, I doubt I'd be able to do something like that again." He replied, rubbing the back of his head.
However, Hestia was of a different mind. Apparently, there was another prophecy. One that wasn't so good, yet that idiot Ares nearly caused it to come true. The so called 'Daughters of Steel', her children, were said to bring about a renewal for the amazons and hunters both. Thankfully, not everyone will think of her children first, as there were others associated with steel.
However, just knowing that any children they had could be tied to that prophecy was annoying. It wasn't just that either, it included the demigod children and heroes. However, the part of that prophecy that bothered her, was the part she knew was about Shirou.
'Treasures and stars the daughters of steel will be. Should these stars ever fall, all that follows will be catastrophe. For blackened steel shall be drawn, curses will take the place of wishes. The Hero's glass heart shall shatter, and his sword will turn the sky to ashes.' There were a few other lines, but those were the only ones that were important.
At least, that's what Hestia thought. She knew what sword Shirou used, and knew what it represented. Which was why she wasn't opposed to help. She wanted to help Shirou as much as possible and surround him with love. Despite how he acted, Shirou was a passionate person.
She had no doubt in her mind that should something that devastating ever occur, Shirou would turn cold. She didn't even want to imagine what Shirou would be like if he ever turned into a cold and ruthless machine. Such a thought saddened her beyond belief.
Thankfully, she doubted that would ever happen. Because, Aphrodite, her mother, Artemis, and herself were determined to make sure that would never come to pass. She knew how much Artemis loved children, and while she had yet to see her, Zoe and Mia told her that she was happy when she learned about Miyu and Annabeth.
She smiled at Shirou, before grabbing ahold of his hand and placing it on her heart. She saw Shirou's face redden at her gesture, which caused her to giggle. "I'm going to hold you to that, Shirou. If your flame ever disappeared, I'm afraid my own would follow suit. Because, I love you, Shirou, and just like a sword needs a sheathe. A hearth needs someone to tend to its flames."
She then leaned into Shirou with a smile. She could feel Shirou's arms wrap around her, causing her to feel that same sense of safety she felt when Miyu was conceived. Of course, she kept herself in check this time. One was enough for now.
After they separated, Hestia couldn't help but feel happy to see a smile on Shirou's face. "I don't think I can do any better than that. So, you win this time." He said to her, causing her to laugh. "So, does my wonderful wife mind if I help you behind the counter?" Hestia let out a small hum, before she flashed him a big smile shook her head.
Hestia would admit, she loved when Shirou called her that. It made her happy, as well as special. It was one of the things she enjoyed most about him, as well as the game they played. Though, what she enjoyed the most was the times like now, where they were able to spend time together like a normal husband and wife.
It was also one of the reasons she liked that Shirou decided on a bakery. It allowed them to work together and make other people happy, especially the children. Which reminded her to place the plate of cookies onto the counter. She hoped there was more of these times in store for everyone.
She knew that it'd be the case for awhile, considering Shirou needed time to recuperate. Hestia happily hummed as the pair worked together on baking different things. Suddenly, her eyes widened. 'Wait, but there's no way. Unless...' She looked towards Shirou who was handing someone their order.
He noticed her, causing him to tilt his head. "Something wrong?" He asked, obviously a bit worried. Just as Hestia was about to reply, she made a snap decision to head into the back before answering.
"I'm going to hide back here, dear. I'll leave everything in your very capable hands." She replied with a guilty smile. Her words seemed to confuse him even more, but she wasn't sure about dealing with this problem just yet. Just as Shirou was about to say something, the door to the shop opened, causing him to look towards it with his usual kind greeting demeanor.
"Hello and welcome to the Unlimited Sweets Bakery." She heard him say their usual greeting, but she could hear a change at the end. If she had to guess, she'd say he was likely making a shocked expression at the moment. That was when she heard her. Her voice was unmistakable.
"Hello, Shirou, I was in the neighborhood, so I decided to drop by. It's been awhile, hasn't it." Hestia wanted to let out a groan, but held it in. 'Wait, was Shirou wearing his ring? Or did he take it off when we started working?'
Honestly, she wasn't planning on dropping by so soon. However, she couldn't help but feel like she should. She wanted to talk to Shirou again, or at the very least, see him. Something was telling her that he was having a hard time. So, she ignored her usual thought processes and went with her instincts.
After changing into the clothes she wore when she first met him, she teleported to the town he told her about. She remembered him speaking about the bakery, as well as how content he was working there. So, she figured that she'd likely find him there. A part of her wanted him to not be there, but a part of her did.
'The last time I saw him, we parted on good terms. Then I had Annabeth delivered to him. I watched him for awhile. Seeing him be so accepting of her told me that I made the right choice.' She thought, remembering how others tended to feel burdened when she delivered her gifts.
She had expected Shirou to contact her right then, but he didn't. Rather, she only noticed how happy he seemed. Grateful even. She didn't watch for too long, as it was always hard to separate from a child. However, she was glad that Shirou wasn't upset.
So, really, she knew she didn't have much to be anxious about, but there was still a small part of her that worried. Shirou was someone she didn't want to despise her. But, she wasn't someone to run away from a problem. So, she chose her timing perfectly, walking into his bakery and seeing him again.
She didn't expect much of a difference, considering that it had only been a few months since she saw him, but she was surprised by the color of his eyes. They now possessed half steel and the usual half golden brown. 'So that's where Annabeth got that color from.' It made sense to her now, why Annabeth's eyes were more of a steel rather than a stormy grey color.
Despite the different colored eyes, they were still filled with the same warmth she remembered. However, they also held that calculating gaze as well. She was slightly nervous after speaking, but calmed down after Shirou shot her one of his usual smiles.
"Well, thanks to a lot of stuff happening, it really does feel like it's been forever for me. It's really nice to see you, uh, should I call you Athena?" He said while rubbing the back of his head. She smiled softly at the familiar habit. She shook her head.
"You can call me by whatever feels most comfortable for you. I sort of just sprung all that on you, so I don't expect you to just be used to it." She replied with a guilty expression. 'Why am I acting like this?' Shirou simply let out an amused hum.
"How about I just call you Thena. It makes us feel less like strangers. Besides, we did have a daughter together, so I think we're past any real formalities." Athena had to admit, usually, she wouldn't exactly feel comfortable with such a statement. However, it didn't bother her too much when he said it.
She wasn't a romance and love type person, so she rarely ever felt attraction to men besides their intellect and such. However, Shirou felt so familiar to her that she couldn't help but forgo it, at least a bit. 'Perhaps, it had to do with the way we bonded? He is the first man who I bonded with through combat.'
"Hn, that's fine. So, how have you and Annabeth been faring so far?" She asked. Unlike many other demigods, Athena claimed her child as soon as she was born. Which meant that there had likely been monsters around. It was part of the reason she gifted Shirou with a spear and a replica of her shield.
She had thought about giving him a sword, but figured it would be safer for him to use a weapon with longer reach. While he was skilled with swords, she didn't want him endangering himself against the more dangerous monsters. Besides, she had a feeling he was just as skilled with a spear as a sword.
"Well, we've actually been doing just fine. I've had some help, like when I'm working, but besides that, everything's been going well. Honestly, I've never been happier." He replied with a grin. "Judging by her looks now, I'm sure she'll end up looking a lot like you when she grows up. Probably just as smart. She's quite the inquisitive baby."
Athena couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at his words. "She may end up being a handful when she grows up. I hope you can handle her. I'm sure she'll be a headstrong girl."
"I'll do my best." He replied, before pausing for a moment. "Would you like to see her? At least, for a minute?" Athena looked away for a moment, before looking back towards Shirou. She couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. A part of her knew that she shouldn't. Even just visiting Shirou was a big risk.
"I...I really shouldn't, Shirou. Us gods, well, we aren't supposed to have any contact with our children. I wouldn't want to cause any trouble for you or Annabeth." She replied, clenching her fists behind her back. 'Why is this bothering me so much?'
Shirou let out a sigh, before shaking his head. "I'm sure that there's nothing saying you can't see your child. As far as I know, I'm sure that as long as you don't interfere with their personal growth and don't abandon your position, that there isn't a problem with it." Athena thought about it for a moment.
'He's not technically wrong. But still, would that be alright?' She then snapped her gaze towards Shirou. "Wait, how do you know about that?" She saw him let out a nervous laugh, while scratching at his cheek.
Thankfully for Shirou, he didn't really need to answer said question. Zoe happened to walk out of the back of the shop holding Miyu. She quickly stopped when she noticed that Shirou was speaking with Athena. She had seen Athena visit Artemis before, so it was easy to tell.
"Lady Athena, tis an honor to be in thy presence." She said, bowing her head to Athena, before turning towards Shirou. "Sir Shirou, Goddess Aphrodite wished to let thee know that she has eaten all of the cookies that thou hast prepared. It would be wise to procure more to sate the goddess." With a final bow, she quickly turned and rushed back where she came from.
Athena could see the poor girl was nervous in her presence. Though, that wasn't what caught her attention. What caught her attention, was the name she spoke of. Shirou slowly turned to face her again with a somewhat strained smile on his face. "Did she just say that Aphrodite was back there?" She asked with narrowed eyes.
Shirou knew he wasn't the best when it came to understanding women all that much. However, he felt like he had gotten a lot better at it. The thing was, this didn't take a genius to figure out. Shirou could see that Athena wasn't in the best of moods now.
He mentally groaned, 'And it was going so well.' "She did, though it isn't what it sounds like. She's just a friend that's been helping me out." He said with some nervousness. "In an entirely platonic way. I wasn't charmed or anything." He quickly added.
"Shirou, while you may be exceptional, I find it hard to believe that, when even gods are affected by her powers." Shirou let out a sigh at that, even he knew that was tough to refute.
"He hasn't been affected by her powers. I can attest to that, Athena." Shirou flinched a bit, though Athena wasn't really paying too much attention to that. Her head snapped towards the location of the voice, recognizing it easily, though the form she saw was much different from what she was used to.
"Hestia? What are you doing here? Wait, what do you mean?" Athena was honestly more shocked than anything, since Hestia wasn't really known for being anywhere except by the hearth. 'Though, now that I think about it, she has been there less than usual.'
"Well, uh, it's kind of a funny story actually." She said with a smile on her face, though she did seem a bit nervous. "You see, well, Shirou and I have known each other for awhile actually. We actually run this place together." Athena was surprised, obviously. Hestia never really showed any interest in such things.
"In fact, the baby that Zoe was holding was ours." She said happily, having a big smile on her face. Shirou, of course, knew why she was like this. Athena, however, appeared as if the world didn't make any sense. She looked at Shirou, who was only giving her a sympathetic smile.
"If it's any consolation on your peace of mind, Miyu was born in a similar way as Annabeth from what I understand. So, she's still, well, like you and Artemis." He informed her, though it didn't really sooth her mind at all.
"Now, as for Aphrodite, while she has been a bit forward, Shirou has managed to hold himself together really well. It's a combination of different things that has allowed that, but he's not lying, but I'm still keeping an eye on her." Hestia resumed, standing besides Shirou.
"It's why he knows about the rules and such, as well as how to circumvent said rules." She then made a somewhat sad smile. "Athena, while I have no problem with raising Annabeth with Miyu, I do believe that Annabeth will need you when she grows up. A true mother's love is hard to replicate, even for me."
"You know, we shouldn't have this conversation here, why don't the two of us go somewhere a bit more private and I can talk to you there. I'll even explain a few things to you, since I can feel your emotions clearly." Athena's eyes widened a bit, before she looked at Shirou again.
"I don't know, I was a bit hesitant to even come here. I'm not really one for such things." She then looked back towards Hestia, who kept her smile on her face. She knew that Hestia would end up saying something to her that would cause her to change, and she didn't know if that was for the best.
Just going against her usual mindset and coming here was already a bit too much. Though, she would admit that being able to be a real mother to Annabeth was something she thought about. None of the gods ever really did such a thing, yet, Hestia was here doing just that.
Then again, it also confirmed what she thought about Shirou, that he was exceptionally special in some way. No ordinary mortal would be able to make Hestia fall in love with them, let alone have a child. She would admit, her intrigue made her want to know what Hestia had to say.
Athena then closed her eyes, before opening them more focused. "Very well. I'll listen to what you have to say." She said, looking at Shirou afterwards. "Then, I want to talk to you, Shirou. Understand?" Shirou quickly nodded. She let out a sigh, "I'll wait outside for you, Hestia."
Shirou watched her walk outside, glad that it ended relatively well. He had to admit, he was worried at first, technically he was still worried, but with Hestia handling things, he was confident everything would be okay. At least, he hoped it would be. He turned towards her, finding her looking at him with a smile.
"Well, I suppose we'll just have to see where this goes. Though, I'd be prepared for that conversation you'll be having with Athena, just in case. However, I don't think it'll be so bad." She said to him, before turning. "Now, wish me luck."
"Hestia, wait." She stopped and turned her head towards him. "Can I ask what all of this is about? I mean, I could understand the hunters and maybe even Caroline, but Aphrodite? Now, it looks like you're trying to rope Athena in. Is there are a reason why you're doing this?" He asked, with Hestia turning around and hugging him.
"If I told you I had a good reason, and that I wanted you to trust me, what would you say?" She asked him, causing Shirou to tilt his head to the side. He answered with a small smile.
"I'd say I trust you and leave it at that. You should know that I trust you more than anyone else. Honestly, I was only asking out of curiosity. Whatever it is you are doing, I know that it's probably for the best." He said to her, running a hand through his hair.
"There are times when you do things that surprise me, but this isn't one of them. I hope you know how much I appreciate the amount of trust you have in me, despite your previous beliefs on gods. I promise, I'll never betray that trust you've placed in me." She replied, before separating from him and shooting him a bright smile.
"Well, I should probably head out before she becomes impatient. Despite her calm exterior, I can tell that she was very confused and her emotions were mixed up. I'm hoping it won't take too long, but you never know. I'll just meet you at home, okay?" Shirou nodded to her question, after which she finally turned and began to walk away.
Normally, this would be the time that Shirou may say something to her before she left, however, this time he couldn't. The moment he knew she was out of sight, he relaxed and grabbed the medicine drink, whatever it is, and did as instructed. He mentally made a note to never attempt to use that particular noble phantasm.
He knew what happened, but how his body wasn't in worse condition amazed him. Overuse of magic circuits should have had more visible ramifications than what he had. Apparently, Aphrodite fixed his hair, somehow. But, that was about it. He guessed it may have had something to do with Hestia's flame, but he wasn't an expert.
Besides that, he knew that this world was essentially accepting his presence. His reality marble was the first example of that he had. He was still wary of deploying it for that very reason. His projections were better, though he attributed that to Hestia's flame. Then, there was the fact he projected Excalibur Morgan at all.
He wondered how Saber Alter was able to handle swinging the thing around like a baseball bat. 'Maybe I just need to kill a dragon.' He thought offhandedly. Though, he highly doubted he'd ever face a dragon. He hadn't heard Hestia mention them, so he doubted they were around.
After feeling the medicine work, he was able to feel a lot better. 'Residual effect of the curses, perhaps?' He let out a hum, before shaking his head. 'Doesn't matter in the end.' His thoughts were actually more on Athena. Rather, he was thinking about his own life in regards to her problems.
'How much different would my life be if I was raised by my biological mother? Or both parents in general? The closest thing he had to a male role model wasn't exactly a role model. He had two. Old man Raiga and his teacher Kuzuki. He never thought about it much, but after what happened, he couldn't help but think about it.
A part of him wondered about being a father, despite having no experience with one. Though, he did make that abundantly clear beforehand, it still bothered him. 'I blame Rhea for those thoughts.' He somewhat joked. He did find his life to be much simpler before, but he wasn't happy then, at least, not truly.
Before, he was an enforcer, even in Chaldea, he viewed himself more as a bodyguard to Fujimaru than a real master. It was easy. He already knew at this point, he was changed. Though, it was only really just hitting him.
Really, there were times that he hardly recognized himself at times. He was conscious of it, but couldn't do anything to stop it. It was one of the more frustrating aspects of his life. Though, he was glad that he was still the same at his core.
It didn't take too long for time to pass, at least, not when Shirou was as busy as he was. He found that he enjoyed that much more than sitting around and waiting. Aphrodite, Caroline, and the hunters tended to go through his food with ease. It was impressive actually, since the only other people he had seen like do something similar was when he was in Chaldea.
He wouldn't complain, as long as people enjoyed eating what he made, he'd continue making it. He was rather surprised that Hestia hadn't returned from her "Talk" with Athena. Equally as surprising, Aphrodite didn't seem to be acting out in her usual ways, settling for shooting him a sweet smile every once in awhile.
It was odd, but it was pretty nice. Mia, Zoe, and Caroline still seemed a bit stiff around her though. He figured it had something to do with two of them being hunters who essentially worked for a goddess, and the other being a child who hadn't spent much, if any, time with her mother.
Still, it was fairly peaceful, something he enjoyed. At the moment, he was outside of his home, shooting arrows at makeshift targets again. It was mainly for meditative purposes, but that didn't really work as intended. He found himself thinking about what Hestia had told him about finding balance.
He didn't mind the life he lived, in fact, he found it quite enjoyable. However, deep down, he wanted to go out and do what he did best. If he didn't figure out how to balance himself out, then he might explode again, or almost stab himself with rule breaker.
He had to get a hold of himself, for his children. He wanted them to have a normal life, but that was impossible. Much like being a mage prevented such a thing, the two were demigods, which meant the same thing. Could they have a semblance of a normal life? Probably. But, it would never last.
That didn't mean he wouldn't try and give them that kind of life for as long as he could. Shirou smiled to himself, 'It's still pretty surreal. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up back in Chaldea at certain times.' He let out a sigh, before noticing a very familiar scent.
"Sorry, I couldn't sleep. But don't worry, the kids are already asleep." He let off another shot before turning around, seeing Hestia standing there in her usual brown dress. She had her usual gentle smile on her face. "I'm guessing that your talk went well?"
Hestia nodded her head. "I believe it did. Though, it will still take some time for her to come around. Just know that she'll be asking you a lot of questions when she does." She slightly chuckled, causing Shirou to realize what she may have talked to her about.
"I see. I suppose that's to be expected, though I don't mind. I know you wouldn't have done that if you weren't sure it'd be okay, so I'll just patiently wait until she does arrive. I'm looking forward to it, actually." He replied, a bit intrigued by what Athena was thinking. She was arguably the smartest person he'd met, barring a few certain servants.
'Sherlock, Moriarty, Paracelsus, and Da Vinci, despite not being gods, are arguably the smartest people I know. That isn't even counting the others like Tesla, Edison, Medea, and Circe.' He thought to himself, though, Athena was more than likely at the top of that list, despite not knowing the full extent of her knowledge.
"Shirou, there was something else, something I thought I should let you know about." Shirou raised a brow, seeing Hestia take a deep breath before exhaling slowly. "While they still don't know it's you, the gods are keeping an eye out. You changed the great prophecy."
"While that's good, it also means that there was another prophecy that made you take the place of it. Apparently, they won't search you out yet, but that could change. The good thing about that, is that my brothers aren't at each others throats as much. Even Poseidon was relieved, despite not having a child." She said, with Shirou smiling.
"Well, I suppose helping make sure your family isn't fighting each other is worth the target on my back. It's a good thing though. If they aren't going to search me out, then that means I only have to worry about one person. A person I know I can defeat under the right circumstances when I'm back to a hundred percent." He replied, before sighing.
"Be that as it may, I want you to be careful, Shirou. Remember what I told you. We all need you." Hestia said before grabbing Shirou's hand.
"I don't plan on doing anything foolish, or going out until I'm back in fighting shape." He said to her, before dematerializing his bow. "You know, you still haven't asked about what happened, or really mentioned it. So, is there a reason for that?" Hestia squeezed his hand, before shaking her head.
"I know enough, and I know the reason behind it. I've had plenty of time to think about it. I'm not mad. In fact, after I got over my worries, I was actually really happy. You've never angry before, at least, not to that level. It was all because of the girls. It really showed me how much you love them. Even Caroline." She answered.
Shirou was surprised, but kept a small smile on his face. Before she pulled his hand. "Come on, instead of standing out here, let's head to bed. We can talk about whatever you want inside. Plus, there are things I want to talk to you about to, mister. Besides, you need to rest if you want to get better faster." He chuckled a bit, before nodding and following along.
'I suppose I can ask her about dragons and other mythical creatures while I'm at it. It'd be nice to have some nice materials for magecraft. The girls will need mystic codes and the like when they grow up. Who knows, maybe I can get something good out of it too.' He thought to himself.
Athena sat in a chair in her house, thinking on what Hestia had told her. She was amazed, but also, a bit worried. She was torn between her daughter and Olympus. Shirou too, but she didn't want to admit that. She didn't understand why, but she didn't want him to die or live on the run.
'I'll need to speak with him first, but I need to think on it first. I'll run through all the options and possibilities, before going back. I'll also do some research.' She thought to herself. She then looked at the shelf above her fireplace, seeing the ship Shirou left her. A small smile appeared on her face.
'Shirou, you never cease to amaze me.'
"And the moon water helped with creating a medicine for him?" Artemis asked.
"It did, milady. Lady Hestia was grateful for the assistance. Was there anything you wished me to tell her or sir Shirou?" Mia asked, standing beside her window, a small bird was sitting on the windowsill.
"Not at the moment. Well, maybe tell them I'll come by to visit the children when I have free time. You and Zoe remain with them and assist in anything they may need. Be sure to keep a close eye on the children. I don't wish for any harm to come to them." Artemis replied to her. Mia nodded.
"Of course, milady. It shall be done." The bird then flew away, leaving Mia standing at the window. Artemis was hoping Shirou recovered quickly. She wished to see his full prowess, and she knew many beasts and monsters that would test him. Of course, she wouldn't let him die. If anything happened, she'd jump in, but it was important for her to know.
'You have the eyes of a hunter, and you're skills with a bow are superb. There was only one who matched that, but he ended up mad. But, I have a feeling about you, Shirou Emiya. Though, I know you won't let me down. For Athena to acknowledge you, and for Hestia to love you, both having your children, then you'll likely surpass my expectations.'
If she wasn't an animal, there would have been a smile on her face. 'I'm looking forward to seeing it.'
"How very interesting. For someone to be able defeat that many amazons from Ares camp is impressive. Are you sure they said they felt it?" A woman sitting on a throne asked her subordinate, who bowed her head as she replied.
"Yes, my lady. There was some sort of curse placed upon them, so we didn't get much, but their description was spot on. It felt intentional, meaning, they knew what they felt." The woman had an amused smile on her face, before taking a drink from her cup of wine.
"Oh, I want to meet this man. I wish to cross blades with him, even if he is mortal. No pure human has ever been able to exude the aura and power of a God of War and bloodlust without being utterly consumed and destroyed by it. The Hero with the Black Sword, I, Bellona, shall keep an eye on you." 'Good luck, brother, I have the feeling you just kicked a hornets nest.'
And end chapter! Had to rewrite a few things, so it took a bit longer, but I hope it turned out okay. There will be a time skip next chapter, three years long. There will be snippets of what happened in-between, but I want to move ahead a bit. There will also be a big change coming with that time skip. I want to say something I noticed, and that's that people are heavily underestimating the Percy Jackson universe. Now, they certainly aren't on the level of their Fate counterparts, but they are by no means weak. Shirou, even with the buff from his counterparts, is still a human. He's strong, but he's not untouchable. His UBW against Orion for example, he didn't use it on him like a lot of people are assuming, he used it as a tool to catch him off guard. Plus, he wasn't trying to keep it deployed, it was meant for a quick move to catch him off guard and give him an opening while allowing him to grab Harpe without cost. I wanted Gae Bolg Alternative to use up most of his mana, which is on top of what he was doing before, firing off arrows, swords, using runes, and reinforcement. He didn't have time to do a long drawn out fight while getting injured, so quick deployment and done. Plus, Orion isn't as weak as people are making him out to be. The Percy Jackson characters are pretty strong, I've tried to put some hints, like Shirou comparing a few of them to servants. Zephyros being likened to a weak heroic spirit. Also, in the case for his daughters able to use tracing, I already said that their circuits are more like magic crests, which have knowledge in them from Shirou. Tracing is like any other spell. Someone could probably learn to do it, but it'd be next to useless without Shirou's analysis and UBW. Annabeth is the daughter of Athena, who has the ability to do what Shirou does, which is fully analyze a weapon and know everything about it. I won't say it'll be the same, but if Chloe and Illya can use projection or tracing to do it with a class card, which doesn't give them UBW, then there shouldn't be problem with Annabeth using it, that's if I go down that route. I want Annabeth and Miyu to be characters that will grow and have their adventures without being copies of Shirou. I think that's it for now. Anyways, I want to say thanks for reading, as well as the reviews. I really hope you enjoyed the chapter. Feel free to answer any questions, I usually try to answer them. I appreciate the support and, as always, until next time.
P.S: If there's weird spacing between the paragraphs, then that's a file thing. I'll fix it later if it's messed up.
Up next: Hero and the Holy Maiden Redux.