Chapter 7
"What can I do for you, Ares" Were the simple words spoken by Hestia. As it was, Ares wasn't exactly her most favorite person at the moment. Shirou was stronger now, but five years prior, Ares stunt nearly caused Shirou to burn out. He may not have died, but he would have been heavily injured.
All over her children, which was the main issue for her. However, she had calmed after that incident. Shirou's body had five years to acclimate to the divine flame inside of his body. That was on top of everything else that was done to him.
Unlike Shirou, she completely understood what Aphrodite had done when she gave him that scarf. It had been done shortly after Ophelia's birth. Four years to soak in the divine power of Love? As well as the right to channel power from her domain? Her husband may not have noticed, but those close to him did.
Quite simply, Shirou wasn't the same Shirou all those years ago. Whatever plans or tricks Ares wanted to pull, she was sure that Shirou would simply overcome them. Which was why she was able to greet Ares cordially as she did. She also knew that he wasn't the smartest god. He likely didn't know of Shirou completely, operating off the vague prophecy's description.
"I've come in search of Aphrodite. Years have passed and I haven't seen her, except for during Olympus's meetings." Were his simple words. 'Straight to the point. As least that makes things simple.' She thought, before looking into her hearth.
"Aphrodite has been having fun running around in the human world. She was searching for something and I believe she has found it and simply wishes to enjoy it while she can." Hestia replied while looking at the fire. "My advice would be to simply allow her to do as she pleases. Aphrodite is a free soul after all."
She heard him let out a grunt, before he made his way closer to the hearth. She let out a sigh, before waving her hand. An image showed Aphrodite playing with two girls, though one was easily noticeable as her child. Hestia could only smile at the image, as Ophelia was a cute child, if a bit timid around strangers.
"A child? She's had another child in the human world and continues to remain?" 'And there it is.' She thought with a mental sigh. "Preposterous, where is location of this image?" Hestia immediately waved away the sight, getting Ares to glare at her.
"Like I'd tell you that. In case you couldn't see, Aphrodite is happy, and I won't let you get in the way of that." She replied in a calm tone, as his glare wasn't anything for her to be worried about.
"You won't tell me? Very well, I'll simply just have to search for her myself. Her divine energy won't be that hard to find." However, before he could take two steps, Hestia spoke up.
"Did you not hear what I said, Ares? I won't let you interfere with her happiness, nor those two children. Especially when I know you've had your own affairs in the human world as of late. You have no right to attempt to be upset at her." At her words, Ares turned and looked at her with narrowed eyes.
"Aphrodite is not supposed to be down there with her own child, or children. I'm sure that even you know this, Hestia. So, why are you attempting to stop me?"
"There is no rule stating that a godly parent cannot be in their child's life, only that we cannot directly interfere in a way that provides them an advantage in the way of their lives and glory as half-bloods. Being a normal parent and providing a stable environment for their child is not against the rules, nor are the rules even clear to begin with." She replied evenly, with the flame of the hearth kicking up a bit.
"You act like it even matters. How many half-bloods even live to reach their sixteenth birthday? How many survive their first quest, or even their first encounter with a monster? The Great Prophecy may be null, but that doesn't change anything. We are still gods and whatever happiness she has now is fleeting."
"She has interacted with her children before, but this? No, even I can tell that something else is going on. Whatever mortal she ensnared to have a child with will die. Whether it is by time, or my hand matters little. We are gods and they are mortals. Surely, even you understand that, Hestia." Hestia's eyes only narrowed.
"If you do this, your life will be forfeit. I will not stop him from killing you." Were her words to Ares. Those words caused Ares's attention to fall solely onto Hestia. "Know this Ares, the only reason these past five years have been peaceful for you, is for the sole reason that I consider you family." She then stood up straight.
"However, if you choose to remain on this path, all that will be null. You will stay away from that family and allow Aphrodite to live her life. You were never meant to be with her in the first place, and with her now formally breaking off her marriage and seeking happiness, I will not allow you to jeopardize that." She could see Ares growing angry at her words.
"You won't allow it? Where have you been, Hestia? All these centuries and no one has cared, but now, you choose to intervene because she thinks she loves a mortal more than me, the God of War? Who do you think you are to suggest such a thing?!" His power then flared out, however, it was a mistake.
"Who do you think you are?!" Her words were sharp and filled with fire. The flames of the hearth behind her erupted. "Do not take me for one of the minor gods who will cower to you! I am Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth, Fire, Home, and Family! I was turning titans to ash before you were even born, Ares."
The flames heat grew more intense, changing from the fiery red, into a resplendent blue. "Do not test me, Ares. For as long as Aphrodite and her family are under the protection of the hearth, the old laws still apply. No harm will be done to them, and should harm befall them..." The fire then contorted, swirling upwards like a snake.
Behind her, the blue flame looked down upon Ares, taking on the visage of a snake-like dragon. "Then I will retaliate in full force, and show you why I will always be The Last Olympian." Hestia's eyes burned bright and furious, though unknown to her, but Ares was also feeling another power pointed at him.
It felt like a blade was held against his throat at that moment. It was steel. Unknown to Hestia, but for a moment, the power of her husband was leaking out of her and manifesting itself through the unborn child she was now bearing. Of course, Ares didn't know this, however, a thought in the back of his mind formed, one that wouldn't make itself known for some time.
The power and flames then reset back to its former peaceful form, with Hestia's former expression being replaced with her usual sweet smile. "Of course, I know you won't make me do such a thing. Not even you would be that foolish." She then turned and rested next to her hearth, conjuring up more images. "You may go now."
Ares stood still for a moment, before he let out a huff and turned and stomped away, fuming. Hestia simply smiled at the flames, seeing an image of her husband spinning Miyu around in his arms, before stopping and picking up Annabeth who was a few feet away.
"Is everything alright, Hestia?" Athena walked up beside her, taking a seat next to her. "I felt your power flare up." Hestia hummed, before looking at Athena.
"Oh, yes, just reminding someone not to start trouble. I admit, I'm surprised to be seeing you. It's been awhile." Hestia said with a smile on her face. Athena let out a sigh, before looking down towards the image Hestia was watching. "Have you come to a decision?" She asked, with Athena nodding her head. "Good."
"I can't let that pile of foam poison my daughter's mind with her unique brand of madness." Was her simple reply, though Hestia only continued to smile, as she knew that wasn't the real reason. 'I suppose that'll do for now.'
Shirou was sitting on the porch and watching his daughters run around the yard, gathering snow. Thalia ended up being pulled into what they were doing, which was attempting to make a snow man. Shirou could only hum contently as he watched them.
"You're acting like an old man." Shirou could only let out a small chuckle. He looked over his shoulder and saw Aphrodite walking over and sitting down beside him and handing him a cup. He raised a brow, wondering what was in it. "It's hot chocolate." Shirou took the cup and took a drink of it.
"There are times where I feel like an old man." He replied with a small smile. After everything he had been through, it only made sense. He wondered if seeing his daughters run around like that was what it was like for the heroic spirits to watch Chaldea run around trying to stop the singularities.
"There isn't much for me to do these days. Except for monsters, there haven't really been any disturbances. Though, I admit, I can't help but feel like it's only a matter of time. Which is why I haven't stopped training." Aphrodite laughed at his response, before leaning over and laying her head on his shoulder.
"You really shouldn't worry too much, otherwise you'll really start looking like an old man." He then felt Aphrodite poke his cheek. "Worrying about the future won't do you any good, dear. Not even prophecies can tell the future completely. It's best to enjoy the here and now. Haven't you been having fun watching the girls play and have fun?"
"I have, I will admit that. I always dreamed of a world where I could do just this." He revealed to her, getting a curious hum from her. "A world without the need for Shirou Emiya, whether that is as a selfish hero, or a hero of justice. A world of peace where others can simply share their happiness with others."
"Ultimately, such a thing is impossible. There will always be a child with no home, a person who gives into greed and lust, and men who wage war for money, not caring about the men having to fight and die in that war. Those that revel in war, ultimately have never lost anything important due to it, or are simply broken or inhuman."
"Of all the things in the world, war is the only thing where there are no winners. Even those that win suffered great losses and numb themselves by focusing on what they gain. Enjoying myself is one thing that is hard for me, as thinking about the the next conflict is engrained within my very being." He said, looking down at his cup.
"Sadly, a time where there will be no need for Shirou Emiya is simply a dream. Which is why I enjoy these times where I can sit here with you and watch the girls. It is the reason why I think about the future, because I wish to protect moments like this." Shirou looked at Aphrodite with a small smile.
"If not for me, then for Hestia and you. Small moments like this are what I fight for, what all heroes fight for. Something is coming Dite and I fear the gods will be blind to it until it is too late. I've felt it since I killed Orion. The dragon I hunted, it caused problems because it was running away from something. I fear that I won't be able to stop it."
Aphrodite didn't say anything. He had never spoken to her like this. In fact, she wondered if he had meant to be saying this to Hestia instead of her. However, after a moment of thinking, she decided to do the only thing she could think of. She gently took a hold of Shirou's free hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
She honestly didn't know what to say. She wasn't Hestia, who always seemed to know what to say. However, for Shirou to share this with her, meant that he trusted her enough to do so. So, she really didn't want to let him down. She took a deep breath, continuing to lay her head on his shoulder.
"Shirou, I've been here for five years, four of those years have been with Ophelia. I may not be Hestia, but I like to think I understand you quite well. You are someone who holds a great burden. Whether that burden is self inflicted or not, it matters little, because that is simply who you are."
"You're right Shirou, there will never be a time where you won't be needed, because Hestia and me, as well as those girls, will always need you. These moments are only enjoyable because you are here, in fact, they wouldn't have occurred if not for you. You still underestimate how important you are." She said, with Shirou looking towards her.
"But that's okay, because Hestia and I decided to remind you of how important you are to us whenever we could five years ago. I don't think you're afraid of whatever is coming, I think you're afraid of losing what we have here. Otherwise, you wouldn't be talking like you're in this alone, because you aren't." She said, before looking at him in the eyes with a smile on her face.
"In case you've forgotten, you won't be facing anything alone anymore. Hestia, Artemis, me, and even that know it all owl will happily stand beside you. That isn't counting them." She said, motioning towards the children. "They're demigods, Shirou. They aren't weak. Each of those children are made from the best parts of us."
"I'm not Hestia. I'm not exactly the best at all this stuff, despite being the goddess of love. Even then, Hestia is experiencing this for the first time too. So, really, you're just like us. All we can do is the best we can in the here and now and hope it's enough for what's to come. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy it with us. So..."
Aphrodite stood up and looked at Shirou with a genuine smile on her face, allowing her to see Shirou's reddening face. "Come on, enjoy this small moment of happiness with your family and give your daughters a reason to smile when they think back on today." She then held out her hands towards Shirou.
After a few moments of looking at her, Shirou simply smiled as he shook his head, taking her hands and being dragged towards the children. Aphrodite let out a laugh, before pushing Shirou forward and jumping onto his back, causing him to have to regain his footing quickly.
The children all noticed them and proceeded to run over and jump onto him causing him to slowly tumble down into the snow. Through it all, Aphrodite could see a small smile on Shirou's face, and could feel the love he was feeling in that moment. It caused a happy smile to appear on her face, knowing that love included her.
Thalia was quite surprised by the way everything flowed in the Emiya home. She could tell everything was done almost like a schedule. Everyone ate breakfast together, then left for whatever they had to do, such as work, which she realized was done on a rotation.
Then, when lunch happened, everyone appeared once again. Returning from work or whatever they may have been doing. Lunch was made by three people, Shirou, Hestia, and Aphrodite. Though, this seemed to be a rotation thing as well. Some days, only Shirou cooked, others were Hestia or Aphrodite, but weekends, all three cooked together.
It was rather pleasant to watch, as the three moved around the kitchen like a dance. She wondered how often they had done this to get the process down like they did. Still, it was nice to see, they were all a big family who enjoyed being in each others company. Even Artemis's hunters.
She also took note of the fact that Caroline tended to flirt with Shirou a lot, and while she would normally chalk this up to her being a daughter of Aphrodite, she could tell it was more than that. Though, Shirou tended to take everything in stride and often replied in a joking manner.
A part of her wondered what Hestia and Aphrodite would say about it, but it almost seemed like they didn't mind, which was rather surprising to her. Then again, almost nothing made sense to her in the house. Though, she really enjoyed that fact.
Most of the day went on like this after lunch, at least until Shirou and her began to train again. She had to admit, it was a lot harder than she was expecting. Though, Shirou did admit she had a lot of natural talent and that she was picking up on it pretty fast.
"Alright, that lightning you generated, have you ever manifested it for anything other than a spear?" Thalia tilted her head at his question. Shirou let out a sigh. "I'll take that as a no. Which means this will take some time. Though, considering your heritage, you should learn it quite fast."
"Um, what do you mean? What did you want me to do?" She asked, a bit excited about what he was going to teach her.
"I'm going to teach you how to augment yourself with your lightning." He replied. Thalia raised a brow, not understanding what he meant. "With how you move and how I want to train you, it'll be the best fit. Not to mention, you have the right temperament for it."
Of course, Thalia didn't know that Shirou was thinking about Mordred when he was talking to her. "Alright, but I've never used my lightning for anything other than coating my weapon with it. How would I even do that?" She asked him.
"The fact that you can generate lightning means that you have, and can manipulate, magical energy. I'm also guessing that you're like my daughters, who have a large amount of it, meaning you can use the technique I'm about to teach you." Shirou then stood beside her, before taking a deep breath. "Trace on."
"There are two ways, one is to infuse the weapon with magical energy. The other, is to infuse the body with it, before expelling it. This will give you a burst of speed like a jet, or nitrous on a car." He said, before took a stance. Thalia noticed the area under him heat up, before he nearly darted forward at insane speed.
She noticed red flames trail behind him as he did so, before he appeared a short distance away. Shirou turned and looked at her. "It's called mana burst. This will be something I want you to practice. However, I want you to learn to control your magical energy before doing so. I don't want you to blow off your legs by pooling too much magical energy." He said with a small smile.
"You mean, you're actually going to teach me how to do that?" She asked with some incredulity. Shirou simply nodded. "Well, what do I have to do to learn that?" Her excitement was plain to see, even though that list bit he said was kind of scary.
"Well, we'll begin with you learning to do it with the wooden practice swords. Put too much, they'll break, too little, and it'll do nothing. The way you use magic is different from me, so we'll have to adjust accordingly. For now, that's how we'll do it. We'll proceed after I think you've mastered the wooden swords." He then tossed her one.
"No time like the present right? Plus, I can see how excited you are to give it a shot." He said with a small laugh. Though, Thalia wouldn't deny it. If she could use that technique, then she'd likely get stronger than most other demigods. She actually hadn't thought about using her powers in that way before.
After she began to train, Shirou called out to her again. "I'll also throw in another bit of motivation." He said, causing her to turn and see him sitting on the porch with a sword in his hands. It was a beautiful white silver sword with red accents. "If I think your ready, I'll give you this sword before you leave for camp in two years."
"I'll even customize it for you. Deal?" He said, holding it up. Thalia didn't know what it was about it, but she really wanted the sword. He wouldn't be offering it up as a reward if it wasn't amazing. She then noticed something that looked like red lightning dance across the blade for a moment.
Her eyes widened for a moment, before she smirked. "You've got a deal. That sword's as good as mine." Was her reply, before she began to focus on what she was doing previously.
Shirou sat on the porch and watched as Thalia was attempting to do as he instructed. He looked down at the sword in his hands. 'Mordred, I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I pass this sword onto her. She rather reminds me of you after all.' He thought with a faint smile.
He then heard the snap of a wooden sword, causing him to look back up at Thalia, who was throwing down the handle of a sword and picking up another one. "Remember, it's your magical energy. You're the one in control. It's a part of you. Feel it flow and don't try to fight it. Lightning is erratic, but it flows along a current."
If Shirou guessed, she had an innate property to her magical energy, making it so that this came natural to her. He wondered if magecraft would be effected by such things. Of course, teaching Thalia magecraft was impossible. Though, he could teach her variants that worked with her.
Essentially, he was teaching her a way to use what she had in order to achieve the same results. As a mage who had to find ways to do that very thing, he felt like it was only right that he was the one who was trying to teach her. Though, she was quite gifted, if he said so himself.
Though, that made him remember, doing a mana burst like that would have normally left him drained afterwards. Yet, he pulled it off easily. "My magic circuits and my magical energy have changed entirely. I feel stronger than ever." He said feeling the magical energy flowing through his body.
Though, as he did so, he noticed another type of magical energy merging into what he already had. He had already gotten used to Hestia's flame, integrating it successfully, though it took five years to do so. This other energy was similar to it, but he didn't exactly know what it was.
'I'm not going to complain about something strengthening my magical energy. Though, if I had to guess where it came from..." The only person that came to mind immediately was Aphrodite. He didn't know how to use it at the moment, besides just drawing extra energy from it, but at least he realized it was there.
Charm skills weren't exactly something he felt like having, so he didn't really know any other way to use it. He let out a sigh, before standing up with Clarent. 'I wonder how all of you are doing right now?' He thought, looking up into the sky.
Funny enough, he imagined someone ray shifting down at any time, or maybe Abigail appearing out of nowhere. A lot of scenarios, but none that he thought would happen. Though, he already knew that even if they did come, he likely wouldn't leave. He had a family and a purpose here.
He did wish to see everyone again though, if only to make sure they were alright. He knew Da Vinci had a back up in the shadow border, so she was fine. Ritsuka and Mash were safe and sound. Twenty plus crew were saved, as well as Olga Marie, though she was injured when he got her there.
Shirou only sighed, knowing that it would take a miracle for such a thing to happen. He wondered what Ophelia would say to seeing one of his daughters named after her. As he was reminiscing, a familiar scent made itself known to him, causing his eyes to widen.
Annabeth was smarter than most children her own age. She tended to understand things a lot quicker than the few children her and her sisters had met. Barring maybe Miyu, she was the smartest daughter. Though, Miyu was smarter than her in other ways. Then there was Ophelia, who also possessed her own intelligence.
But, when it came to pure intelligence and understanding, Annabeth was probably the best. Though, this shouldn't come as a surprise to most, as half-bloods tended to mature faster than normal children. It was one of the reasons why they tended to stand out and get in trouble in the real world.
But that was a topic for another time. As for Annabeth, she loved stories, reading, art, her sisters, and her parents. She suspected she would enjoy training with her father, but he always told her that she was still too young to properly train. Though, he did say that he would start showing her the basics of how to hold a sword.
That had made her excited, so she was looking forward to it. She would be patient and wait, she still had some books and art to complete. Of course, this meant she was with her sisters, who were each doing what they enjoyed. Though, this mainly consisted of watching cartoons on the t.v while they played.
Annabeth then caught a strong scent appear. Technically, it was two, but she was familiar with mama's scent. The other scent wasn't one she had smelled before. Strangely, it wasn't like the other times she smelled things.
Annabeth possessed a strong sense of smell, though it tended to overpower her senses at times, so she usually left the house with a bandana or something similar around her neck. Most of the time, the smells weren't exactly pleasant to her, not like her family. Her dad told her that she might've inherited from him, though she didn't mind it too much.
So, she was used to everyone's unique smell. This one was different and she expected it to overwhelm her, however, it didn't. It smelled familiar. It sort of smelled like her dad, though there was a new book smell to it as well. Apparently, Miyu and Ophelia noticed it as well.
The three looked at each other, before rushing from their places towards the source, which was behind the house where their papa was. They peeked around the corners and saw who they were looking for. It was a woman with blonde hair that faded into a silver and was dressed like their dad, though more business like.
Though, Annabeth wasn't exactly focused on that as much. She felt a pull towards the woman. It was warm and she couldn't help but feel some sort of connection to her. Annabeth noticed that she was really pretty, but she had eyes like her and her dad. She was interested in finding out who the woman was.
Shirou still looked the same, though, he had a bit more of a lively air around him. Athena could tell that it more than likely had to do with his children. Though, he also seemed stronger, she could feel the change in him. Though, she could also feel Aphrodite's power on him as well, causing her to narrow her eyes.
"Shirou, look who I ran into." Hestia said, bouncing forward towards Shirou, who just sat aside a rather beautiful sword. She was having a hard time reading it, but she knew its name. 'Clarent, the Radiant and Brilliant Royal Sword. The wielder was...' Athena concentrated for a moment, before it finally came to her. 'Mordred, The Knight of Treachery.'
Athena couldn't help but be surprised that Shirou was in possession of such a weapon. She honestly couldn't imagine how he had gotten his hands on it. Then again, that was why she was here. Hestia had told her a bit about Shirou, but if she really wished to learn about him, she'd need to speak with him herself.
Hestia then hugged Shirou tight, before looking backwards her. "She's finally came to a decision, so here she is. So, I'll leave you two to it, while I deal with the little munchkins." She said, raising herself up to place a kiss on his cheek before heading inside the house.
Shirou let out a small sigh, before he smiled. "It's good to see you again, Athena. I'm glad you finally decided to stay permanently." Shirou said to her, causing Athena to look at him with a puzzled expression, though Shirou only let out a small chuckle in response. "You're sneaky, but I could tell when you were there at night."
Athena didn't show it, but she felt slightly embarrassed. She was pretty sure that she had hidden herself. Though, Shirou could always sense her when she arrived. She wasn't sure how she felt about that to be honest. "Yes, I don't wish for Annabeth question how much I care about her when she grows up."
"Despite having an excuse, it sort of falls apart when her sisters are being raised with their godly parents. So, I decided that I would raise her with you, just in case." She quickly added, though she was aware that Shirou was already doing a good job of raising Annabeth.
She knew how smart Annabeth was, even at the age of five. She was about to turn six, and Hestia mentioned getting them ready to enroll in school this coming fall. That was something that Athena did not wish to miss, especially when Hestia, and little miss Love, were going to be there for there children.
Then there was Shirou. She truly enjoyed her time with Shirou and wished to get to know him better. There weren't many who were able to do what he did in such a short amount of time. Plus there was the fact that she did have fun with him. A part of her then felt some jealously well up inside of her.
'At least Hestia makes some sense, I can see why the two would get along and fall in love. But, Aphrodite? I honestly thought that Shirou would know better than to get involved with her. I mean, I don't even understand how such a thing even happened.' She thought to herself, holding in a sigh.
"Well, I'm glad that you finally decided to do so. I'm sure that Annabeth will be more than happy to meet you, Thena. She's a very smart and sweet girl, so I'm sure that you two will get along well." He said to her, causing Athena to look at him with a puzzled expression.
"She reminds me of you, Athena. There are small mannerisms, from small habits that would be mostly unnoticeable, to even the way you both look at me when I say something you don't understand. And, personally, I'm very glad that you've decided to join us in our home." He replied to her, before smiling at her.
While Athena was gladdened by his words, there was still more she wished to know. "I still wish to know about you Shirou. Hestia informed me about a small amount, but I wish to know about the truth. I want to know about the truth. I've seen you train, and I know you are more than a normal human. So, could you tell me?" She asked him, with Shirou rubbing the back of his head.
"Of course I can, Athena. However, It's a long story. One that I believe that should be told when we have time to ourselves. For now, why don't you go and greet our daughter? I'm sure it'll be much better than when she is asleep." He said, looking over his shoulder towards the faces peeking in on their conversation, Annabeth's in particular.
Athena saw Annabeth's eyes widen for a moment, before she slipped back behind a wall. She couldn't help the small smile that made it's way onto her face. "Yes, perhaps that would be for the best. Though, I am at a loss as to what to say." She revealed, though Shirou only let out a small hum in reply.
"Perhaps, telling her the truth would be the best. She may be young, but is she very smart for her age. Just follow your heart, rather than your head, and I'm sure you'll do just fine, Athena." He said to her, before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Take your time and don't rush it." He said, before walking off towards the young girl watching in the backyard.
Athena could only ponder on his words, before making her way towards the house. 'Perhaps, Shirou is right in this matter. I'll simply be truthful with her. Though, I admit, I feel some trepidation towards the situation. But, I swear, I'll make up for these five years I haven't been here, my sweet Annabeth.'
Hestia stood beside Annabeth when Athena had decided to finally meet Annabeth. Thankfully, Aphrodite was kind enough to take Miyu and Ophelia away so that it was possible, but Hestia was sure that Aphrodite was up to something. Though, it didn't matter in the end, considering Aphrodite wasn't as malicious as she used to be.
She had stayed with Annabeth when Shirou and Athena spoke, so Ana had heard what they had said to each other. Mainly, the bit about her being her mother. Hestia was rather surprised that Annabeth didn't really react as she thought she would. Only looking up at Hestia when she said so.
"Does that mean that you're not my mommy anymore?" Was her only question, though Hestia only smiled at her and kneeled down to gently hug the small child.
"Of course not, Annabeth. I'll always be your mom, that'll never change. I'll always love you and treat you like my own baby. Thena and you are like Dite and Ophelia. That's all you have to remember. The three of you are my sweet little babies, that'll never change. You don't have to change anything." She said to her, looking at her in the eyes.
"But, like Dite, she'll be here for you, because she loves you little Ana. Just like me, your daddy, and Dite, and one day, you'll realize how special you are. If you don't want to meet her now, that's fine. We can wait until your ready." Annabeth looked down for a moment, before she hugged Hestia.
"As long as you'll always be my mommy, then it's okay." Hestia could only smile at her words, gladdened to hear her say those words. "Can you stay with me?" Hestia then lifted her up in her arms.
"Of course I can little one." Annabeth smiled at her reply, before she began to have one of her usual thinking expressions.
"A lot of pretty ladies love daddy, don't they?" At Annabeth's question, Hestia could only offer a weak smile and laugh, scratching at her cheek nervously.
"It certainly seems that way, doesn't it. Daddy's going to get himself into trouble with that one of these days if he's not careful. So, I'm going to count on all of you to make sure that doesn't happen. Because Daddy has to love Mommy the most out of everyone. Except for you and your sisters." She quickly added, though she already knew that Shirou definitely loved her the most.
When Athena came in and laid eyes on Annabeth, she could see her stormy grey eyes soften immediately upon seeing her. "Hello, Annabeth. Do you know who I am?" Annabeth looked at her, before nodding while holding onto Hestia.
"Mommy said you're like Mama Dite." Hestia could see a slight twitch in Athena's eye and her small smile slightly falter. 'Probably not the best way to put it.' Hestia thought, though she was sure she could hear Aphrodite stifle a giggle in the other room. "You're my mom, like Mama Dite is Ophelia's mom."
"Yes, that's right. I'm here now, and while I'm very late, I want to try and be your mother like I should have been from the start." Hestia would admit, she was rather surprised to see Athena acting so, uncharacteristically. 'Perhaps Shirou has had a bigger impact than I might have thought.' She felt little Annabeth stir in her arms.
"You were the one who played with my hair at night." Her words weren't a question. Annabeth already knew that it was the same woman. That was where the familiar feeling came from, though Hestia was a bit surprised. Athena even seemed surprised, before a small content smile appeared on her face.
"I was, and it seems you're a lot like your father." She said, growing closer and looking into Annabeth's eyes. "Even your eyes are the same."
"Daddy said that my nose is sensitive like his, and that my eyes might be the same." Was her reply, thought both Hestia and Athena could hear some pride in her tone. Of course, this was no surprise to Hestia. Of the three girls, Annabeth seemed to idolize her father's skills the most.
Miyu was more along the lines of idolizing his and her's kindness to strangers, which was why she was so friendly with everyone. Ophelia on the other hand, seemed to be much like her mother, enjoying love and how pretty things were. Though, this also extended to watching her father practicing his archery.
She wondered if it had to do with how they were born. It made sense to her. She couldn't help but smile, as she knew that the more they grew up, the more they might resemble their father. She could already see in Annabeth's eyes and the way she spoke and did things.
Ophelia already looked like a female version of her father, though Aphrodite's beauty was easily noticeable in the cute girl. Miyu was nearly a perfect split between her and him. To her, she thought that Miyu was truly made up of the best of Shirou and her. She couldn't wait to see what she did when she was older.
Shirou was standing by Thalia as she continued to train, watching Athena talk to Annabeth. 'Whatever they're saying, it seems to be going well.' He closed his eyes and thought for a moment, before taking a relaxing breath and turning towards Thalia, who was actually progressing quite well.
"Alright, let's take a break." He said just as another sword broke, though he could see the frustration in her eyes. She looked at him, though Shirou only offered a small smile in response. "Come on, we'll head to the middle of the yard. I have something set up so all this discharged mana won't distract you."
Shirou then sat down with his legs crossed over each other and motioned for Thalia to do the same. With a small groan, Thalia eventually did so as well. "Now, the two of are going to meditate. You must understand yourself and your mind, as well the world around you. However, we'll get to that second part soon enough, for now, focus on the first part."
Thalia looked at him with a quirked brow. "Will this really help me become stronger?" She asked him, though Shirou could tell it was a legitimate question. He let out a small chuckle, before patting her on the head.
"It may not seem like it, but this will be indispensable to you as continue on your path. If your mind and heart are troubled, then your sword will falter when you need it most. You must be one with your mind and heart, so that you you'll always be able to think clearly, even in the most dire of circumstances." He then stood up.
"There will be opponents who can make your knees go weak simply by their aura and blood lust alone. It will cloud your mind with fear and doubt, two things you do not need when protecting others. That's not to say not to feel fear, just do not be overcome with it. Allow me to show you. Trace on."
The flames in his hand then produces a blood red barbed spear. The moment Thalia saw it, she could feel how much blood it had spilled. However, Shirou wasn't done. He turned and looked at her, before then took a stance with his spear, one she hadn't seen before, then the spear erupted blood red magical energy around it.
She could feel all of her nerves lock up and a cold feeling travel through her body. All that went through her mind was how she knew that she was about to die. It didn't last for but a moment, before the spear disappeared, and Thalia was stuck sitting there with a cold sweat running down her face.
She was breathing heavily and she suddenly felt like she could barely keep herself up straight. She was having trouble even focusing, before Shirou placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to immediately snap out of it. "Sorry, using that spear may have been a bit much. You likely won't face anything like that, but that doesn't mean you can't be prepared for it."
Thalia clinched her hands tight, before looking up at him. "If you have something like that, why don't you use it?" Was her question, though Shirou only gave her a somewhat sad smile.
"That spear's only purpose is for killing, that is its curse. To strike the heart, no matter what. Honestly, it doesn't exactly suit me, since I am not a sword whose only goal is to kill. I don't wish for you to be like that either. We protect others, because we have the power to do so." He said to her, before looking up into the sky.
"I despise those who have great power, yet use it selfishly. That is not what a hero is. You do not wish to be like your father, you wish to succeed him, yes?" He asked, with her nodding at him. "Then be better. Your humanity, despite what the gods may think, is your greatest strength. It allows you to grow and learn, while they are static. Save for a few, it seems."
He then let out a small laugh. "Humanity has accomplished great things without the gods, and there have many human heroes that have accomplished the impossible. Always remember that. Humanity's grasp can reach even into the heavens and beyond. That's why I believe you'll be a great leader when you grow up, Thalia."
He said with a reassuring smile, before rubbed the back of his. "Also, I don't use that particular spear because it completely wrecks my arm after I use it. I can still feel a phantom pain from last time." He joked as he moved around his arm. Seeing this caused Thalia to let out a small laugh.
"Now, come on. Give it a try, it'll even help you with your control over your magical energy. Take nice, deep, calming breaths that travels through your body. Visualization will help, and remember what the goal is." Shirou then watched her close her eyes and begin to try and meditate.
He was only showing her how to do it at first, since his meditation was done through Kyudo. Though, he was getting better at that type. 'The Yagyuu Shinkage-Ryuu is truly a beautiful sword school. Though, I'll always be a novice compared to Munenori.'
As he was standing, he closed his eyes and mimicked the movements of Kyudo, while keeping the different meditations he learned in mind. As he did so, he tried to do what he usually did when meditating, he reached out and tried to feel everything around him. For a moment, he stopped moving and simply allowed himself to let go.
For a moment, he felt like he achieved something, a breakthrough in his understanding. To become one with nature, something Li Shuwen had tried teaching him. It had taken him all of this time to even reach this point, but he had finally managed to do it, if even for a moment.
However, just as soon as the feeling began, he was knocked out of it, opening his eyes and grabbing a nearby wooden sword that he altered and reinforced and turned around the moment he felt a presence from behind him. He had been so preoccupied with his meditation that he actually dropped his guard.
'How did he notice me?' That was the first question on Artemis's mind. She had just showed up, and even though the sun had yet to set, she was still the best at blending into her own domain. 'Perhaps, it had to do with that weird feeling from earlier. Though, I don't know any humans capable of doing what he did.'
She didn't mean to sneak up on him, though the fact he sensed her was sort of amazing. 'Was it instinct? Or was it a skill he learned? Would it be possible for him to teach it to her hunters.' Shirou moved quickly, and grabbed a sword made of wood, though she could tell that it was currently able to contend with most weapons.
He was definitely a warrior, more so now than five years ago. He was strong back then, but he was still restricted by his current body. Now, she could feel how strong he had become. He felt similar to a half-blood, but it was different. It was more like he was something else entirely, though he retained his humanity.
It was impressive. Though, she could have done without that sweet scent of Aphrodite's power. When she found out that he had a daughter with her of all people, she was actually a bit disappointed, until she found out how she was born. If anything, the fact he was able to do that with Aphrodite at all was a miracle.
While she was hesitant to admit it, Ophelia was born through the feelings of pure love, rather than lust, which meant that something about Aphrodite had changed. She had seen it. Even that disgusting intoxicatingly sweet aroma around her had lessened. She was having trouble accepting that.
Though, this all led back to Shirou himself. From the very moment she laid eyes on him, something about him felt familiar. It was an odd feeling, though she didn't mind it much. Layer on that with the fact he killed Orion, and well, Shirou was someone she didn't mind being around.
Yet, whenever he saw her, she kept getting the feeling he was looking at someone else. It was a tad frustrating, though she couldn't imagine who else he could have been looking at. Hestia mentioned to her that him and his mother used to watch the moon at night, so she figured it had something to do with that.
She was getting sidetracked. She noticed, over Shirou's shoulder, a young girl with spiky black hair sitting in some sort of circle. It reminded her of one of the magic circles she saw Hecate use before. She seemed to be meditating, or trying to. She was surprised that she hadn't actually noticed Shirou's movement at all.
"Ah, sorry, Lady Artemis. I must have zoned out." He said, lowering the sword and placing it back into the ground. 'Zoned out? Does he not know that I was completely hidden? No, that's not it. I'm sure I felt something from him, perhaps he doesn't know what he did.' She thought, before shaking her head.
"No need to apologize, Shirou. However, I must ask, what was it that you were doing just now? Would it be possible to teach it to my hunters?" She asked, with Shirou tilting his head for a moment. However, understanding then dawned on him.
"Ah, before I reacted like that? It was just simple meditation. Well, my variant anyways. It's a bit different from what I'm teaching Thalia there." He said, pointing over at the young girl. 'Thalia? A half-blood? Not his child it seems. I wonder where he found her.' "Though, I suppose I could show what I was doing, so you could show it to them."
Artemis thought for a moment, before she nodded. She watched as Shirou took a deep breath, before he began to run through the motions of his Japanese archery. It was slow and precise, and Artemis could tell that he was able to visualize everything even without a target or bow in his hands.
As he did so, she saw the point after his release that he truly began to begin the true part of his meditation. She could feel his mana begin to spread out, though it was more like his aura and soul. 'It almost seems like it blends together multiple arts of meditation into one. The moment his imaginary arrow strikes, it spreads from the point of contact.'
'Almost like a beacon. How interesting. Which means, he can likely see just fine in his current state, despite having his eyes closed.' She thought, and as she was thinking, she noticed that Shirou's presence, for but a fraction of a moment, seemed to vanish. To a normal person that would be that case.
However, to become one with the surroundings and nature, wouldn't exactly work on the goddess whose domain was nature. So, while she could see him perfectly, she did feel the change. Needless to say, it was very odd for her. "Okay, you can stop." She quickly said, causing Shirou to open his eyes.
"Yeah, I would have done so anyways. That's as far as I can take it. Maybe a fraction of a second, which really isn't all that impressive now that I'm saying it out loud." He said with a sigh, however, Artemis hit him on the top of the head, causing him to look at her with wide eyes.
"Whatever standards you are holding yourself up to, are not human. What you just did shouldn't be possible for a human, Shirou. In fact, I partially want to fill you with arrows for even doing what you just did." At her words, Shirou paled for a moment, though Artemis simply shook her head.
"Never mind that, I suppose it ties into why I'm here anyways." She said, before gathering herself. "I trust that Hestia and Aphrodite are inside of the house?" She asked, with Shirou nodding.
"Oh, Athena just arrived as well. So, I'm not sure if that complicates anything." Artemis shook her head.
"No, in fact, it makes this much easier. I'll simply do this..." She said, before she flared a bit of her power for a moment. "And they'll be here shortly." She then removed the package from her back. It was wrapped in an ornate silver cloth, considering it was technically her gift.
Right on cue, Hestia, Athena, and Aphrodite exited the house with inquisitive expressions on their faces. "Artemis, is there a problem?" Hestia asked, flashing her a smile. Artemis could only shake her head with a small smile on her face.
"Not exactly. However, I do need you all here to complete this gift. It's a gift for Shirou and his children, though, mainly for Shirou." She said, catching Shirou by surprise. "You didn't think I'd make you hunt all those beasts for nothing did you? You have proven yourself to me with your last quarry." She said to him.
She then untied the cloth on the package, before Shirou quickly moved to grab it to make sure it didn't hit the ground. Artemis simply hummed upon seeing him do so, however, everyone was mainly focused on what was in her hands to completely focus on her watching Shirou.
In her hands was a sword, and while it was still sheathed, the beauty and feel of the weapon was readily apparent. The scabbard was red and black. The cloth on the handle was red, though there was a clear jewel embedded within the handle. The guard was ornate and shaped like a flower.
Though, was caught everyone's eye was that the sword Artemis was holding, was a katana. What metal there was, was made of imperial gold and silver, most likely from Artemis. However, it was when she unsheathed it that they all saw how beautiful of a blade it really was.
The sword was made of Artemis's silver, however, the edge of the blade was imperial gold. It was a beautiful sword, though the goddesses all wondered how Artemis got her hands on Imperial Gold, as it was a part of their Roman aspects lives, not greek. Then again, they figured she had Roman hunters in her bands at times, so that was probably where.
Of course, Shirou was entranced by a completely different reason. His tracing wasn't as limited as it had once been. The moment he looked at the sword, he felt his reality marble fire up like a forge, the remnants of Muramasa still present within him reacting to the craftsmanship of the sword.
The original form of the weapon wasn't a katana. No, it had only just taken that form when Artemis arrived. He could feel it, the sword was tied to him. It was made from many different materials of the beasts he had hunted. The dragon was also present within it, as well as himself. 'Blood. My blood.' He thought, as he looked at the weapon.
The weapon was crafted by Hephaestus and could respond to whoever wielded it, taking the form of a weapon that the wielder preferred. He could see each step taken to forge the weapon, being a weapon created on Artemis's behalf. He saw Artemis hold it out towards him, where Shirou took it graciously.
Shirou held the sword in both hands, laying flat to inspect the sword completely. "While it is no doubt a beautiful sword, created by Hephaestus himself, it is currently incomplete at the moment." She said, looking at the other three goddesses.
"Wait, you mean that we're the key to completing it?" Athena asked, as she knew that Hephaestus rarely made anything like that. Chances were, Artemis had specifically asked for it to be created that way.
"Yes. It was created in such a way, that no one but Shirou and his family may ever wield it. Quite simply, this weapon is unique to Shirou and Shirou alone. All great heroes usually had a weapon of renown, well, this is his. If my instincts are right, he'll need it in the future." She said, before laying her hand down on the sword.
As she did so, the jewel in the handle turned silver, before the symbol of a moon appeared above the guard. Shirou was looking down at the blade when he saw her hand reach down, before he felt the influx of power. He then saw Hestia's hand, seeing the jewel change into a fiery red.
Aphrodite's changed into a pink and Athena's was blue. As the blade began to consolidate the powers, Shirou himself was a bit lost in memory. He didn't know why, but he was brought back to a memory before Goredolf and the others arrived. It was during a free period.
Shirou was sitting in a room with a cryochamber in front of him. He let out a sigh, before he gave off a weak smile. "It's a shame that you weren't able to help out during these singularities. I'm sure you would have meet that hero you were always particular about." He said with a soft laugh.
"It would have been much easier with you here. Unlike me, you were never really a third rate mage, were you Ophelia?" He then let out another sigh. "No matter what may happen, just know, I'll always believe in you. So, when you get out of this coffin, I'll be waiting to tell you that in person." He placed a hand on the coffin, before walking out, looking at a package he had left on the table in her room.
Shirou opened his eyes and looked at his sword. 'Why did I have to remember that? Of all things?' He thought sadly, however, he shook it off. Just as he did, a subtle red flame appeared on the blade, before it then dissipated. "So, what will you name it, Shirou Emiya?" He heard Artemis ask him. Though, he only smiled.
"I'm not all that great at naming things. Only Ophelia, and that was a once in a time thing. So, I'll leave it to you, Hestia." He said, looking at her with a small smile. Hestia could only smile lovingly at him, before ran her hand along the sword, conjuring beautiful red flames.
"I'll name it after the one who wields it." She said, before whispering the sword's name into his ear. His eyes widened for a moment, before he laughed. "Anyone who wield's it, will always have my love, you know that, Shirou." 'Basically, any child of mine.' He thought to himself. 'Hearth's Heart, I like it.'
Night came quickly enough, and dinner was an interesting affair, to say the least. Shirou, Hestia, and Aphrodite cooked dinner, though it was mainly Shirou doing everything. Everyone assumed that Artemis would leave following her mission of delivering Shirou his weapon, however, she uncharacteristically decided to stay for dinner.
While the only person who seemed to raise a brow at this was Shirou, no one else seemed to mind all that much. The two huntresses in his home were more nervous than usual, though that was to be expected. Besides that, everything seemed to be going ahead as usual.
Then it all seemed to evaporate into chaos. It was happy chaos, but chaos all the same. The moment Hestia revealed she was pregnant with another child, it quickly descended into madness. Madness that Shirou was quite at home with, if he was being honest. It reminded him of Chaldea.
Of course, he knew better than to stick around for much longer. He'd rather not become the center of attention after Hestia revealed her news. So, he did what he usually did at night. He silently made his way into the back of the house, before resting on the porch.
He calculated that he had a small window of time before Aphrodite came and suggested something to him. Whatever agreement Hestia and Aphrodite made five years ago was something he wished he knew the specifics of. However, he was pretty sure that agreement didn't include Dite jumping him whenever she wanted.
He was pretty sure if it did, then there would be a whole lot more little children running about. He let out a sigh, before looking up towards the night sky. The moon was visible, despite the snow gently falling onto the ground. It reminded him of a dream he had once, one where he had a pleasant conversation with a woman whose eyes allowed her to kill anything.
Alas, she wasn't here. So, he was here, alone. Probably for the first time in a long time. Truthfully, it was peaceful for him. It seemed to ease all the thoughts and negativity he had inside of him. Was he getting better? He thought so. But, that didn't mean it was all gone.
'Hestia did say that it would take time.' He thought, deciding to simply enjoy the night air and sky. As he did so, he felt another presence appear nearby. He opened an eye, seeing the one goddess he didn't expect. "Lady Artemis, I must admit, it's a bit surprising to see you out here."
Artemis scoffed. "You can stop calling me 'Lady' and 'Goddess'. Just Artemis will do. As for me being out here, well, I suppose I'm satisfying a few curiosities." She replied, before she let out a contemplative hum. "Tell me, Shirou Emiya, are any of the events surrounding you intentional?"
Shirou actually laughed the moment he heard the question, he could see Artemis look at him strangely, before he managed to stop. "Sorry, it's just that out of all the things that happened recently, Hestia's announcement is the only thing I could say was intentional on my part."
"Perhaps, my fight with Orion could be included in that, but everything else? Nope. I didn't mean to associate with gods or goddesses, heck, I didn't think having a family was something I was capable of doing until it happened. However, unintentional or not, my life has been filled with happiness, which I'm glad I'm able to say truthfully." He revealed to her.
Artemis looked down at him, eyeing him closely. She knew his words were true, though it seemed impossible to her. He accidentally drew in four goddesses, including herself, has an ever-growing family, has become involved in prophecies, killed Orion, and it was all done because of luck? Though, Artemis thought the inverse was true. Perhaps it was bad luck?
Of course, Artemis was right. It was a result of bad luck, however, good things arose from Shirou's bad luck. Many mortals would consider all of that to be the worst luck of all, yet, Shirou didn't see it that way. He had a wife that loved him and children he adored. What was there to be upset about?
"You are a good man, Shirou Emiya." He heard her say after pausing for awhile. Those words caused his eyes to widen. His gaze snapped towards Artemis. He saw her looking up into the sky with a small smile on her face. "You are also a great hunter and have impressed me these past five years."
She turned to look at him, before she stretched out her hand and laid it atop his head, causing Shirou to freeze completely. "From the moment I laid eyes upon you, I felt something from you that was different. Most mortal men's gazes sicken me, I do not deny this. However, you are different."
"You hunted down your prey, you made sure to protect nature to the best of your ability, and you have saved my hunters from a dangerous threat. Whatever trials I placed upon you, you passed with flying colors. There haven't been any to have been able to accomplish such a thing." She then sighed.
"Yet, even still, you are apprehensive towards me. I do understand, I haven't done much to try and improve your view of me beyond our interactions. I wish to amend that, in some way." She said, before he felt something change. It wasn't like Hestia's flame, or anything else like that.
Rather, while he knew something was different, there was no real indication of what it was. Honestly, he was rather glad that it wasn't anything like that. He wasn't completely sure how much his very human body could take. Then again, he wasn't exactly the same Shirou he was when he arrived.
"Know this, Shirou." Shirou then remembered what happened and turned towards Artemis. He could see a somewhat sad smile on her face. "there has never been a hero or man, that I respect as much as you. The things you have faced and gone through, they are more than any could bear." Shirou stilled, as he had a feeling that she wasn't talking about his actions in the current world.
"Becoming one with nature goes both ways, Shirou. Just know, I know many stories from many lands, and I quite love a certain story from your home about the princess from the moon. A Lost Hero of Humanity, I doubt any would ever guess the truth in those words." She said in an amused tone, before Shirou blinked, and Artemis was gone.
Shirou would admit to being puzzled by Artemis's words, but also surprised. He didn't know that what he did would caused Artemis to know him better. He sort of wanted to know the extent of it. It likely was only important stuff. He preferred for personal things to stay personal, especially considering he was still sorting that out himself.
"Um, dad?" Shirou flinched, before turning around with a small smile on his face. Sure enough, it was Annabeth with her steel eyes focused on him. "Can I ask you something?"
Shirou motioned for her to sit by him, which she promptly did. Shirou removed his black jacket and placed it around his daughter. "You can ask me anything you, Ana. You never have to ask my permission."
Annabeth fidgeted around, before she finally decided on what she wanted to ask. "Dad, do you love mom?" Shirou was caught off guard, though he recovered quickly. He placed a hand on top of her head and gently began to pet her.
"I'm guessing you're talking about, Thena" He said, as he knew that she would never question how much he loved Hestia, or even Aphrodite. "I can see why you'd be interested to know. The simple answer to that is, yes I do. If not for her, I wouldn't have you to talk to tonight, would I?"
"Then, how come she wasn't here all this time?" She asked, and while she asked in her usual voice, Shirou could tell that there was sadness there.
"There are reasons. Reasons you will learn about when you are older. Just know, that even if she wasn't here personally. She was always watching over you in her own way. She loves you, just as I do. The fact she is here is a big indication of that, and you'll see why as you grow up." He said, smiling at his daughter.
"And, I'm sure that your mom and me can start teaching you how to be a hero tomorrow." He said, causing Annabeth to look up at him with a happy expression. "Your mom is strong, you know. Probably stronger than me. And since you're our daughter, I'm sure you'll be stronger than both of us. So, I thought we should get started now, rather than later."
"But, we can't leave your sisters out." He said, with Annabeth standing up and hugging him, wrapping her arms around his neck tight. He could already feel her half-blood strength coming in. "You also need proper rest, because we'll have a big day ahead of us."
"I love you, daddy." Shirou could only pat her back in response while smiling.
"And I love you too." Was his reply, before she quickly let go and ran inside of the house. Shirou let out a slight chuckle as he shook his head. He was glad she was happy. 'Perhaps this will help Athena grow closer to the girls.' He thought, before letting out a hum.
"It's always so nice to a happy family enjoying each others company, especially seeing the bond between a daughter and her father." A voice lovely voice rang out, causing Shirou to let out a sigh. He turned and shook his head with a deprecating smile on his face.
"I was wondering when you would show up. You look as lovely as ever, Lady Hera." He said to her, causing her to look at him with a raised brow, before she let out a small giggle. Shirou would admit, Hera was among the most beautiful women he had ever seen, though she was a goddess so he sort of expected it.
She had silver hair that was braided over her shoulder and seemed to always wear a beautiful dress that reminded Shirou of peacock feathers, or more specifically, the colors. It was always amazing to see, though Shirou still preferred his wife's beauty above all.
Hera waved her hand, causing a black blanket to cover Shirou's shoulders. Shirou was always amazed by small things like that. While he could do the same, it was the ease of which they did so that always impressed him. There were limits, of course, but that didn't make it any less impressive.
"No need to flatter me, Shirou. Though, I appreciate the compliment. I assumed you were waiting for me, though, I had to choose an opportune time to make myself known, lest I be noticed." She said as she walked around the yard, specifically, around the magic circle he carved and burnt into the ground.
"I see. Well, I can see how now would be that time, not just because of my household, but of the heavens as well." He replied, before standing up and making his way over towards her.
"Yes, quite. Oh, and congratulations by the way, the birth of a child is something that should be celebrated, especially when that child is my sister's." She said with her usual bright and sunny smile. "While your family is everything but ordinary, I can see that it is a family."
"I'm not a big fan of you having other children with anyone other than your wife, however, I understand the extenuating circumstances of your predicament. Rather, my sister and mother explained it to me. However, I must say, I'm impressed by your love and loyalty to your wife, Hestia. Such bonds are rare, especially amongst gods. Do be sure not to ruin it." She said, before turning towards him.
"I won't, I swear it." He replied in a serious tone. Of all the things he had, Hestia was the one thing he loved above all else. The thought of causing her pain or sadness made him feel sick. It was the reason he never asked about what everyone was talking about when they mentioned his 'extenuating circumstances'. He trusted her enough to know that she was doing it for him.
He then heard Hera clap, pulling him from his thoughts. "Very good, now, onto why I'm here and the answer to the question you have. We mustn't doddle, my husband tends to get finicky when I'm gone for too long, and I don't wish for your existence to be made public just yet."
Shirou could only let out an amused huff at that. He had met her five years ago at his bakery. Needless to say, seeing Hestia and Aphrodite with him pretty much told her all she needed to know. He was the hero mentioned in the prophecy. Of course, because of this prophecy, she decided to keep him hidden.
Shirou guessed it had to do with her desire to have a mortal child to guide, which he learned from Rhea. He wouldn't complain. She was kind to him and was even more kind when she learned of his relationship with Hestia. He guessed she had her own reasons for keeping it a secret, but he didn't care as long as his family was safe.
"Right, Thalia. I pretty much figured that you were the reason why she found me. However, I wanted to know why you would send her to me?" He asked, though in his head, he continued with, 'It doesn't really seem like something you'd do.'
Hera simply let out a small hum and a sly smile appeared on her face. 'Great, so it's some form of scheme on her part.' He thought to himself. "The answer is quite simple, Shirou. I wish for you to raise the girl as one of your own." Shirou waited for another part of the story, but nothing came.
"That's it? I mean, I'll do it. I was going to do that anyways, even without you saying that, but I thought there'd be more." He said, though, he kept it to himself that he was thinking, 'I thought that there'd be a twist or something.'
"Yes, that's all I require of you. Simply put, I wish for you to raise her into a fine young lady and to raise her with all the love and kindness you would afford your own daughters. A young lady that will shine brighter than all the other half-bloods. That is all I request, Shirou." She said, before smiling softly.
"I'm not seeing how this will help you. I mean, I'm more than happy to, but why would you lead her to me in order to do that?" He asked, wanting the full picture.
"Because, when she makes her debut, it will be as your daughter. She will have been raised by you and taught by you, a hero. Not my husband. You understand?" She asked him, though she knew he did.
"I do, but what happens when she is revealed? Your husband isn't the type to forgive easily, he will ask questions and then my family will be revealed. I'll be taking all the risk in this, and I don't wish to endanger my family." He replied, though Hera simply smirked.
"Don't you worry, Shirou, I have my ways. Simply put, I will simply reveal everything to him when the time comes. I will reveal how I guided young Thalia towards a loving and kind husband and wife who gladly took her in when she had nowhere else to go. I kept her identity a secret to protect her from those that would try to harm her, waiting to reveal her when she was safe within Camp Half-Blood."
"Of course, if he pushes for more, this place is hidden from his sight, and all I'll have to say is that I am still keeping the couple hidden from those that may wish to come after them for petty revenge and from gods and monsters. If need be, I will invoke my right as your adoptive divine parent. You are kept hidden, and Thalia is raised by a good father."
"There is no other who is more suited than you, especially with your wife, my sister. Even if he attempts to go against you, it would be impossible." She continued, before looking at Shirou, who simply let out a small laugh at her plan. 'So, it's all to embarrass Zeus?' He thought, though it made sense now.
"I'm guessing the hidden ace up your sleeve is Mother Rhea?" He asked, though Hera only smiled sweetly at him, causing him to shake his head. "Alright, I understand. But, I want to be clear, I'm doing this because I want to, not because I'm being forced. I was already going to raise her as my own." He reiterated.
Hera only nodded. "Good, now, I must be heading off now, Shirou. I will see you again, soon, but, be sure to give my sister my best wishes. Having a child is something that should be celebrated. Keep making her happy, Shirou. Of all the gods in Olympus, Hestia is the one who deserves that happiness the most." She said, before turning and walking off.
Shirou watched as Hera disappeared into the night, before he let out a sigh. He then smiled, before quietly letting out a small laugh. 'Hera's truly a terrifying woman. No, it's more like she's a terrifying wife. Then again, I'm sure that Hestia would be as equally terrifying of a mother and wife. Perhaps, they got it from Rhea?' He thought to himself.
Honestly, he was only still out here because his mind was still stuck on other things. One such thing being Artemis, and his relationship with her. He had a feeling the familiar feeling was likely from his connection with Orion, which caused him to feel slightly guilty when he interacted with her.
However, that didn't mean he didn't wish to grow closer to her, to be her friend. He knew the differences between his world's Artemis and this one. It was what made him apprehensive, but, it seemed that was no longer the case. It was taken out of his hands by Artemis himself.
He didn't exactly mind it, as he was growing used to such things. However, that didn't mean he wouldn't try. 'Judging by her words, she'll likely be dropping more often. Perhaps, I can use those times to try and befriend her normally. It'd be a start, though her parting words are bugging me.' He thought.
He shook his head. However, when he thought about befriending her, another thought popped into his head. 'Tomorrow's the day we usually take the girls to the park. The usual big barbecue.' Shirou let out a hum. It was a thing that Hestia had set up to bring everyone in the town closer together.
It was also made so that the girls could interact with children their own age and make friends. 'It'd be nice if Thalia could make some friends while she's here. Maybe I'll make a call to Daniel tomorrow.' Daniel was a friend that Shirou made, he reminded him of Caules from his old world. A mage he met when he was a freelance enforcer for the Clocktower.
He got along with him quite well, so they often spoke. One of the things Daniel had told him, was that a single father and his daughter had just moved in next door to him. A part of him did wonder why someone like that would move into such a small town, but he figured it made sense, as it was arguably the safest place in the state.
With Artemis's hunters usually dropping by, along with his own family, crime was virtually nonexistent. The monsters and what criminals there were, were taken down by the hunters. So, Shirou realized that was probably the reason. 'I'll make a call to Daniel and ask him to invite his neighbor.'
Shirou ran a hand through his hair. He realized that he was going to be quite busy. However, he didn't mind it too much. Shirou was about to head back inside the house when he felt a certain someone jump onto his back. "Hello, Darling." The sweet and lovely voice spoke softly into his ear.
"Dite, I'm guessing that Hestia finally relented to your questioning?" He asked, though he already knew the answer. Shirou reached down and grabbed her legs and hoisted her up into a more comfortable position for himself, to prevent her from rubbing her assets on his back.
"Yep, she did. Which is why I'm here, darling. But don't worry, the kiddos already went to sleep." That was a relief to Shirou. "Which leads me to my next question." She said, as Shirou began to turn and head towards the house. "Will you be joining me tonight? Or, are you going to make it a surprise?" She whispered seductively in his ear.
Shirou managed to hold back a shiver, before he smirked. "Oh, and what makes you so sure that I'll be doing that, dear Dite?" He asked, though, he could feel that Dite had a smirk on her face as well.
"Oh, so you're playing hard to get. Well, that's okay. I'm not going to force you into anything. But, I'm going to show you what happens when the Goddess of Love gets serious, my darling. Especially when that goddess wants to have a baby." She said to him, causing Shirou to pause. 'Different worlds, same problems it seems. Well, at least she isn't as bad as Kiyohime and some of the others.'
"Hestia, Aphrodite's getting lovey dovey again." He called out, expecting the usual response, however, he was surprising when he heard Aphrodite's voice whisper into his ear.
"I'm afraid you're on your own, dear." Shirou's eyes widened, as he stopped in the hallway. 'She sold me out. No wonder Aphrodite got past her so fast. I was sure that it would have taken longer.' "I see you finally realized it." She said, before he heard her giggle. She then hopped off his back before placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.
"Don't worry, dear, as I said, I'm not someone who would force you to do something you don't want. However, this love war is a war of attrition now." She said sweetly, before making her way past him and down the hall towards her room.
It was only then that Shirou saw something that caused his face to redden. Aphrodite was wearing a short pink nightgown that went down to the middle of her thighs. She swayed her hips as she slowly made her way to her room, stopping at the door and blowing a kiss at Shirou, before going inside.
Shirou stood there for a moment, before he turned and decided to do what he did best. Ignore it. 'This is a problem for tomorrow's Shirou.' He thought, before heading to his room, doing his best to keep his mind off of Aphrodite and Hestia's betrayal. 'I'll get her back.'
He reached his room and quickly made his way to his closet and changed, before heading to his bed. Just as he was about to lay down, he saw something that caused him to smile. Laying in the middle of the bed was Annabeth, Miyu, and Ophelia, sleeping soundly.
He then saw Hestia open her eyes and look at him, before she flashed him a guilty smile. She shook his head, before smiling at his wife. He slowly and carefully made his way into the bed, noticing Hestia reach her hand out towards him. He reached out and took her hand, with the two interlocking their fingers as both of them closed their eyes.
The only thought on Shirou's mind, was of his mother. Rather, it was on the fact that his mother didn't get to see him have the family he had now. He had a feeling that she would have loved his daughters, and they would have likely loved her. But, he just wanted her to see that he found what he was looking for.
Shirou would be lying if there wasn't some feelings of guilt about his current situation, however, those thoughts were quickly squashed. He wouldn't let that hold him back any longer. He then remembered what Aphrodite had said to him previously, causing him to smile. 'I'm going to enjoy this small moment of happiness.'
Done, sorry it took long, the power cut out when I was almost done and deleted a portion of the story. I was about to save it and a breaker switched just as I was about to click save. You have no idea how mad I was. Anyways, if anything in this last part seems off, that may be why, but I pretty much got it all back from memory. Now, I want to say, Shirou's child with Hestia will be a boy.
Also, I was going to do it this chapter, but I'm going to do it next chapter instead, which is introduce Shirou's friends, which are male. I've seen a lot of complaints about that, but I've been trying to focus on his family exclusively, but these friends will be important as time goes on. Adding in friends who will show up for a chapter or two and never seen again is boring, which is why I've been waiting. Before anyone asks, yes, the single father and daughter is a father with a half-blood daughter.
Shirou finally received his sword and I got to explain a bit more about it. I may add on to that side story in the Kaleidoscope story, where this Thalia is summoned as Shirou's servant in the HGW, so look forward to that. I may make it a separate story, and just make it a side story piece for this. It'll take a chapter or two before we catch up to The Lightning Thief, since this is mainly Shirou training and bonding with the goddesses and his daughters, not much plot progression except for a few minor things.
However, next chapter will have a plot point that will be rather important. Caroline, Mia, and Zoe will be big parts of the next chapter, since I wanted to save them for a more significant part. I like Caroline, she'll be a important character as this progresses. I'll let you think of that what you will. Someone mentioned doing an interlude about Chaldea, I may do that, just to show what's happening there. I'll say that Ophelia is still alive with Fujimaru.
Oh, the Roman sides will be making an appearance soon, so that's something I wanted to point out, though, how that happens is a secret. Also, some people asked for a Campione crossover, I hadn't thought about it TBH, but it does seem like a good idea. I'll think it over. If I do, I may make it be Executor Shirou who was saved by Kotomine, is partners with Caren, who gets sucked away with him, and was around a version of Gilgamesh that taught him how a king acts, which version that is, I'll think about it. Still, seems cool. Anyways, that's all for now, thanks for reading, I appreciate the reviews, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Feel free to ask me questions, I usually answer them. I appreciate all the support and, as always, until next time.
Next Chapter, The Zero and Her Forge
After, Hero and Holy Maiden Redux