The Lost Hero of Chaldea

by ahdokobo

Shirou Emiya finds himself in another world after sacrificing himself to save Fujimaru, in a world of gods and monsters. On the verge of death, he saves a young girl, before succumbing to his wounds, thankfully, the young girl just may end up being Shirou's salvation, in more ways than one.

8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Across the land, there were many things that were beginning to stir. Though the Great Prophecy was broken, that didn't make the enemies of that prophecy go away. Moves were still being made and eyes were still present on those they deemed dangerous. It was a slow game they were playing, but one they were determined to win.

However, that didn't mean that there wasn't anyone who was prepared for the inevitable. One such person was Shirou Emiya, the Lost Hero. While he was only one man, his impact was already felt throughout the Greek pantheon's sphere of influence. Less and less demigods died everyday, each one was another hero whose story had yet to be written.

Another who would be able to fight against the looming threat. While Shirou didn't know of what threat he would be facing, he was prepared for it nonetheless. And, while he hated to think about it, he knew that he would need to begin preparing his own children soon. However, that time had not yet come.

For now, his family was going to be normal, well, as normal as a family of gods and demigods could be. Already, he had begun to prepare Thalia. She was an exceptional talent, Shirou wouldn't deny that. He wished to see how his daughters fared, considering who each of their mothers were. He already had an idea of what each girl would be suited to, though, they may surprise him in the end.

Either way, Shirou believed that even if something were to happen, he'd be sure to try and deal with it. At the moment, Shirou was enjoying some time to himself. Rare as it was these days, especially with Aphrodite attempting to catch him, so he was being sure to enjoy the time while he could.

After a month of being able to fend off Aphrodite, Shirou was beginning to get worn down. He was used to such things from his time in Chaldea, Medb being the primary example, 'Stupid noble phantasm', but that was a different story and he had some form of help there. Granted, he had help here too, but his help had apparently sold him out. 'I say that, but I feel like Hestia had a reason to do it.'

After thinking on it, Shirou realized that there was more to his situation than he initially thought. It wasn't anything bad, but he did recognize it. He knew that Hestia loved him and that she was oddly possessive, so he began to wonder why she was so accepting of the the ones who attempted to pursue him.

At the moment, that was Aphrodite and Athena, though she was also beginning to encourage him to spend more time with Artemis as well. Of course, it wasn't that he didn't want to, just that it didn't make much sense to him. He was fine with them staying in his home and being mothers to their children, but he didn't understand why he needed to bond with them more than he already had.

After all, he was still getting himself together. Though, Aphrodite had helped him out a bit in that regard. He was pretty sure that Athena was even helping in a small way. Though, now that he thought about, Artemis was actually helping him out too, mainly through hunting and helping some of her hunters.

Even his daughters were helping him. That was when he realized what they were doing. There may have been more to it, but he knew that it was to help him and his rather damaged psyche. Granted, it may not be what it once was, Hestia and Rhea saw to that long ago. Though, attempting to repair it fully had been a slow process.

There were still times where he had nightmares, where voices would haunt him, where it physically hurt him to not want to do what he used to. Granted, there weren't happening nearly as often, but that was largely due to his family. He didn't know why it took him so long to figure that out, but it made sense.

He would admit that he was thankful for it. He preferred to not have to be dealing with such things when his daughters grew up. They were already rather sharp, and would likely pick up on such things when they were able to understand it fully. However, the fact that Hestia was doing something like this told him something.

She had likely seen something. He wasn't a fool. Hestia and him had a bond that was stronger than that of a servant and master. Their souls had quite literally linked together, creating Miyu in the process. However, he knew that Rhea had placed safeguards in his mind, protecting her from some of the more unpleasant things in his mind.

Though, that caused him to remember the night he killed the Calydonian boar and met Artemis for the first time. His mind had cracked and he was even going to stab himself with Rule Breaker to get rid of the mental attack he placed on himself. It was likely that the mental safeguards placed in his mind had weakened.

Meaning, she likely knew about Archer. The way she had been going about things made more sense that way. The fact they weren't more aggressive told him that she hadn't found out about his alter, otherwise things may have been even worse. However, he was glad that she hadn't found out about him.

Archer and him didn't agree on much, but they both agreed that their Alter couldn't be allowed to breathe in their presence. It wasn't hate, more like pity. For both Archer and him, seeing their Alter was a wake up call. A vision of themselves that could have happened, or could still happen. Shirou knew that if he lost everything he had now, such a future was possible. And the thought terrified him.

It was why that part of him was locked up tighter than all the rest. It was a monster that he refused to allow anyone to pay witness to, let alone his wife. The fact she had already planned this much told him that seeing Archer likely broke her heart. She had surrounded him with people like her, people who wouldn't wish to see him disappear.

He let out a sigh. 'I caused Hestia to worry again without even knowing it.' He thought to himself. 'That's not even mentioning what Dite and Artemis know, or Athena.' Honestly, the whole thing caused him to feel a little guilty. That wasn't counting the guilt he had about growing closer to them. Particularly, Hestia and Dite, Artemis and Athena were only recently around.

The fact of the matter was, he would die one day. Sure, he couldn't really see any signs of significant aging. It had been close to six or seven years since he arrived in the world, and he looked like he may have aged a year at most. He guessed it was the flames from Hestia's hearth that she gave him, but still.

If he died, he already heard about how Hestia would react, she told him about it herself. Aphrodite, honestly, he was still surprised how she was acting towards him. She had changed a lot in the five years since they met. Even more so after Ophelia was born. He hoped she wouldn't be bothered by it, being the Goddess of Love and all, but he also knew that was unlikely.

He sighed, "I'm really stuck in a precarious situation, aren't I?" He spoke out loud, knowing that no one was listening, or rather, he hoped no one was listening. He held out his hand, where his new sword appeared in the form of a katana. There were four divinities in the sword, each that empowered it and held it together. 'I guess that's pretty fitting, all things considered.'

---

Artemis was starting to believe that she was going mad. What started as a gesture of thanks for killing Orion had turned into something much more complicated. She hated it. From the very first time she saw him, he felt different. Normally, she would have been repulsed just being around him, but that didn't happen.

It was curiosity mainly, but still, she decided to keep an eye on him. He did the same thing nearly every night, which was stare up at the moon. In the recent years, this extended to others joining him, but it was always him. Though, she would admit, his eyes were a bit intriguing to her as well.

It wasn't just the steel coloring, though that was interesting to her. No, it was the weight they held behind them. Honestly, she would have believed it if she found out he was an immortal of some kind. Though, she knew that wasn't the case. However, she also knew that he likely experienced things that would have broken a normal human.

She didn't realize how right she was all that time ago. The moment Shirou meditated and reached a state to become with one with nature, she saw it all. Mostly, all, as she guessed private moments were reserved for a deeper connection. However, she saw what he had witnessed and the weight he carried.

He had quite literally saved the world, before something else popped up and nearly killed him. However, she realized why she kept feeling like he was looking at someone else when he was talking to her. He was looking at her, but the her from where he was from. Honestly, she never hated herself more than when she saw what her counterpart looked and acted like.

Though, some part of her was amused that Orion was stuck in a rather powerless shell of a teddy bear. However, she quickly realized that Shirou's world was one where most legends matched up with real life. This Artemis and Orion genuinely loved each other, unlike her current world, where such a thing never really happened.

She realized that killing Orion must have been tough on Shirou. The bear and Shirou seemed to be pretty good friends, with her counterpart even taking a liking to him, enough to bless that weird rifle he had in his house. So, it was easy to infer that having to kill a version of his friend must have been tough on him.

Then, there was Archer. She knew that Shirou had experienced a lot of things, but he also gained a lot of memories from his future counterpart. She had a feeling that Athena would have probably liked the counter guardian's way of thinking, but Shirou was arguably better in her eyes. She couldn't get behind the way Archer did things.

She was able to look at everything objectively, but she'd be lying if she didn't feel bad for Shirou. She would need to speak to Hestia, but she thought she knew what her aunt was doing. She didn't exactly know how to interact with him, but she had an idea. Shirou and Atalanta were close, and from her demeanor, she acted a lot like her, so maybe if she went that road, it would work better.

However, she needed to talk to Shirou and make sure he never tells Aphrodite about her other self. She'd never hear the end of it. Speaking of Aphrodite, Artemis focused her attention over towards a small park nearby, where the three daughters were playing happily. She let out a small hum.

She quite enjoyed being around the children. Perhaps it had to do with her domains, but she liked to think that it was because the girls were special in some way. In fact, each one gave off a feeling similar to her hunters. The one that surprised her the most, however, was Ophelia, the daughter of Aphrodite.

While Miyu had something undeniably special about her, Ophelia possessed something similar as well. In Miyu's case, she realized that nature seemed to just love the girl. Normally, this would have been a mystery to her, but she knew about her birth. Miyu's birth was a miracle, much like Ophelia, though that wasn't to say that Annabeth wasn't one, but those two were impossibilities in comparison.

She could feel it from the black and red haired little girl. She could feel the flames that made up her soul. The Little Flame's soul was tied to life, making nature accept her. Honestly, it was so intriguing to her that she couldn't help but imagine what she would be like when she grew older. Though, she was still her father's daughter, as she could also feel steel within her.

Then there was Ophelia. Aphrodite's child, who she wasn't all that fond of at first, admittedly. Though, it had more to do with her mother than the child herself. Though, she actually quite liked the girl. She had a pure aura around her, one that surprised her. Plus, she would admit that the girl was quite cute, being shy and introverted where Aphrodite's daughters were usually extroverted.

Of course, she knew why each of the children acted the way they did. She had a feeling that Shirou had an idea too, however, for her, it was easier to tell. His children inherited gifts that most demigods never would have access to. Annabeth's instincts were already sharp like Shirou's, as well as some of her hunters. She learned really quick, and was a natural warrior.

Miyu would probably end up being more magically inclined like her mother. The little girl was energetic and had a tendency for recklessness, 'More than likely from Shirou.' but she was also the one who was the kindest and tended to take care of her sisters when they were upset. A part of her wondered if that was why she always wore animal themed clothes, considering it'd be hard to be mad at someone with cat ears on their hoodie.

She already possessed a calming aura and Artemis had seen flames react to the girls feelings. Then there was the way animals and nature seemed to coddle the child. 'Hmm, when it comes to her, there are more mysteries than answers. Then again, Aunt Hestia is arguably one of the most powerful gods nowadays.'

Only Athena, Aphrodite, and herself noticed it, but Hestia's power had significantly increased. They had theories, the most likely one being, her domains were being strengthened because of her relationship with Shirou and everyone, as well as the half-bloods devotion to the goddess thanks to Shirou's continued outings to save the children.

She was getting off track, after all, she had yet to talk about Ophelia. Out of all the children, she was the most like Shirou, or she would be if not for her shyness. Archery was in her nature, the bow called to her, she could see her eyes light up when she watched Shirou, Zoe, and Mia train. Honestly, her soul felt just like Shirou's at times. Her eyes would become set in steel, only to disappear shortly after.

She guessed it had to do with her nature as a child of love. She would be comfortable around her family, but others had varied results. Artemis hummed to herself, 'Perhaps, it wouldn't hurt to speak with the child and figure out the problem. She does a good job hiding it, much like Shirou and his...issues, but still, the others are noticing. Maybe...if I help her, Shirou won't be so on edge around me.'

She then flashed close by, before deciding to make herself look a little older. Because of her previous thoughts, she ended up looking closer in age to Atalanta than her normal younger self. She had found that she had began to choose this age more often, with her hunters even commenting on it from time to time.

She brushed off those thoughts, noticing Mia and Caroline recognizing her and bowing their heads towards her. 'They're likely wondering what I'm doing here.' She thought, before seeing the young child notice her. She seemed to see something when she did, smiling at her and proceeding to walk up to her. 'How interesting.'

"Hi Aunty, did you come to play with us?" She asked in a happy tone. Artemis could only smile at the little girl bright smile.

"Well, not originally, but I don't mind playing with you for a bit." She replied with faint smile. Ophelia quickly pulled her along, heading towards some swings. After getting her on the swing and pushing her a few times, Artemis decided to ask her a question. "Ophelia, what do you see when you look at people?"

Ophelia slightly flinched at her words. "Nothing." She replied, though Artemis could easily tell she was lying. 'Honestly, she has the same tells as Shirou.' Artemis slowed down the swing, but kept pushing her lightly.

"It's alright, little one. You won't get in trouble or anything, and no one will think of you any differently. I'm just worried about you." She said in a soft voice.

"Promise?" Artemis stopped the swing and placed a hand on her head as she smiled softly at the young child, before nodding. "Sometimes, I see colors." She said in a small voice. Artemis tilted her head, not understanding. "Like clouds of colors. Mama's is pink and red, Papa's is red and silver, Momma Tia's looks like a fire with pink in it, and you have silver with some red too."

Artemis hummed to herself, thinking about what she said. 'No way. Can she see emotions or something?' "Sometimes, the colors scare me. They make me feel bad." She added on. 'I've never heard of Aphrodite's children having something like that.' Artemis thought to herself. "I like warm colors, they make me feel better."

'So that's why she's so shy. She can feel them, and it might overwhelm her, so she stays by those that are warmer and give her a sense of comfort.' "I see. I'm sure that must have been scary for you." She said, before pushing her again. "I know it seems scary, but you should tell your mom and dad, Ophelia."

"But, what if it makes them sad?" She whispered with trembling shoulders. Artemis could only offer the girl a gentle smile. She understood what the girl was afraid of, as she had some hunters who were afraid to open up about certain things, but she also knew Ophelia's parents. 'Aphrodite's likely to squeal with delight that her daughter's special, while Shirou would smile and reassure her that she's special and that it's a gift and nothing to be ashamed of.'

"You don't have to worry about that at all, dear. What if I go with you when you decide to tell them?" She asked, seeing Ophelia nod to her suggestion. "Good. Now, why don't we enjoy the rest of our day and have some fun?" Artemis couldn't help but laugh at the bright smile Ophelia shot her.

---

Shirou had to admit, he was having a pretty peaceful day so far. Which was actually causing him to become nervous. He still needed to speak with Athena, and maybe Dite, about himself. It wasn't fair for them to not know, especially considering the current circumstances. Though, just about everyone was out doing their own things, mainly goddess things.

The hunters and Caroline were taking care of the girls, while Thalia was hanging out with her new friend Jasmine. Shirou still didn't know who the girl's parent was, but she was a demigod. He didn't reveal that to Thalia, hoping they would bond closer and eventually reveal it themselves. Her scent though, it reminded him of wheat of some kind, and he had a feeling that Hestia knew about it.

He shook his head. It didn't matter really, all that mattered was that he was alone. He couldn't even go to his bakery since he wasn't exactly needed there thanks to Hestia working that day. She told him to stay home and enjoy his day off, which was nice, though he didn't have much to do. However, just as he thought that, a familiar scent entered his nose. 'So that's why she made me stay home.'

---

Aphrodite appeared in her new home, feeling completely renewed for multiple different reasons. However, her focus was on one person, and one person only. She walked through the house and found her target sitting on the back porch, 'He really is predictable, isn't he?' She walked over towards him, her feet softly gliding along the floors, barely making a sound.

She then knelt down and draped herself onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck in the process. She could feel Shirou let out a small hum at her actions, which caused her to smile. She merely closed her eyes and leaned her head onto his left shoulder, content with her place. Surprisingly, the two didn't say anything, and just sat in silence for a few minutes, with Aphrodite using her powers to calm Shirou's turbulent heart.

"I'm sorry I didn't get home sooner. My business in Olympus took a bit longer than expected. But, I'm home now, so why don't you talk to me about why your heart feels so heavy, darling?" She said in a soft voice, but to her surprise, Shirou didn't react like he normally did. 'Did he want to talk about it this time?'

"I know that you've been putting up with my moods quite a bit recently. I suppose that I haven't really had much time to myself to just think about things. Not since, well, not since I was back home. Even these past five years, I've been rather busy. Maybe that's what's happening." He replied with a distant look in his eyes.

"Shirou, nothing's going to happen to you." He turned to look at her with a raised brow, causing Aphrodite to let out a small laugh. "My powers may not work on you like others, but I can still feel your emotions and other such things related to my domain. I've witnessed love longer than anyone, so I can tell what's bothering you, since it's the same feeling most older couples go through at the end of their lives."

"Knowing you as well I do, I know you probably have been worrying this whole time and were probably thinking of ways to talk about it eventually. I get it, since mortals have always been kind of squishy and, well, mortal. However, you aren't like them, Shirou." She said sweetly, even lacing her words with her power to get the point across, even if it didn't work.

"I thought you would have figured it out by now, my dear. You aren't allowed to die, and neither are we. By now, I'm just like Hestia, and I can't live without you by my side anymore. However, unlike Hestia, you'll find that I'm a lot more possessive of my things, and I intend to have you be by our side for a very, very long time my love."

She could feel Shirou shiver at her words, and she was pretty sure she had made her point clear. Unknown to her, but Shirou had taken note of the glowing intensity of her eyes, and for just a moment, Kiyohime's face flashed over Aphrodite's. If she could read minds, she'd be hearing Shirou wondering why he tended to attract girls like that.

"I doubt anyone can get more possessive than Hestia, but I appreciate the sentiment. Though, I suppose it does help to hear that two powerful goddesses don't plan on letting me die. Even if I did, I highly doubt that either of you would let me rest in peace either." He joked, with Aphrodite humming slightly.

"Of course not. Because you managed to make the two of us find something we didn't think was possible. If you really think we'd give you up to death, then you really have another thing coming." At that, Shirou couldn't help but let out a laugh, with Aphrodite responding with a laugh of her own.

"I suppose that makes sense. My life's always been tied to higher powers anyway, not that I mind too much. I can think of worse beings to have my soul tied to." He said with a small smile.

"Oh, well there's no need for you to be so down about it, love. After all, who better to love you than the goddess of love herself? Not to mention Hestia. Though, I'll admit, you are still rather cold to me." She said with a pouty face. Shirou let out a small groan at her words, before he placed a hand on hers.

"Sorry about that. That had more to do with me and some personal issues. However, I decided that I'll just be honest with you, as well as Athena. You both deserve to know what Hestia knows, especially you. Though, it's a very long story." He said with a sigh, however, Aphrodite materialized onto his lap, with her arms hanging around his neck with a smile on her face.

"Oh, I'm finally going to unravel the mysteries of the mysterious hero?" She purred, with Shirou shaking his head with a small smile.

"Right, because I'm sooo mysterious. Who knows, maybe this is all just a ploy to get you to let your guard down?" He said with a small smirk, however, Aphrodite simply giggled at his words.

"Mmmm, well if that's what you're doing, then feel free to continue to do so. How about you tell me all about this later, after all, Hestia made me a promise earlier today." She said with a wink. Shirou raised a brow at this.

"So, she did do this all on purpose. I figured as much, the sneaky goddess." He mused to himself, though Aphrodite couldn't help but lightly snicker. She had a feeling that Shirou was beginning to catch onto his wife. She did have some reservations at first, but Hestia was always a convincing woman.

Watching Shirou these past years showed her that Hestia may have been onto something. Despite not knowing everything, which she now realized was going to change, she knew enough to know that Shirou was a hero once. However, no matter how tough, resilient, and strong he was, his heart was rather fragile. She had seen times where Shirou's facade slipped.

Yet, Hestia explained that he had picked himself up and managed to piece himself back together for her and their family. She was confident in herself keeping him together, but Aphrodite knew that Hestia feared something. She feared losing him, to what Aphrodite didn't know, just that she did.

So, combining Hestia's wishes, along with her fears, she wanted to find a way to make sure Shirou had a system in place to help him. As it was, it was her and Hestia. Aphrodite highly doubted Athena could make that step, though she did have a feeling that Artemis may surprise them.

But she digressed, she cared about Shirou and wanted to be one of the ones who held him up when he needed it. 'Maybe I'll find out just what it is that he needs help with. What was it that scared Hestia so bad? Perhaps, it is tied to that world I saw? And that incantation, "I am the bone of my sword", well no matter, I promised that I would save you.' She thought, still internally frowning at that incantation.

"Indeed, and I think it would be a shame to not take her kindness into consideration. Besides, I have plenty of surprises ready for you, though it'll likely have to wait until you after recover." She said with a playful look on her face, though her voice was quite low and seductive. It had a lot to do with why she was in a good mood.

'Honestly, having Hera be Shirou's adopted parent really helps me out. Not only am I free to be with Shirou now, but I have a gift for him to celebrate that, as well as something else that Hera was reluctant to do, but relented when seeing how serious I was about Shirou.' She inwardly cheered, deciding to side with Hera for awhile in the meetings.

To her surprise, Shirou looked at her incredulously. "Are...are you underestimating me, milady?" He asked, obviously being a bit more playful than usual. 'Wait? Is he being serious? Was he really just waiting until he figured out his own things?' She thought to herself, before her face actually reddened, once again.

"I-I have no idea w-what you're talking about." She said, accidentally stuttering and embarrassing herself. 'What's my problem?! I'm the goddess of love and beauty, as well as everything related to love! I'm not supposed to act like I'm Hestia.' She then looked at Shirou, who was grinning at her. "You won't say anything about this to anyone." She said with a pout.

Shirou could only laugh at the goddess. It actually reminded him of when he would respond to Ishtar's usual teasing. However, he mentally shook that off. Now wasn't the time to think about anyone other than Aphrodite. Aphrodite herself could see that Shirou was finally done being indecisive, which was actually relieving.

She couldn't imagine their relationship getting any closer than it already was, considering Ophelia was, quite literally, a love child born from genuine feelings of love. She was the first child born like that from Aphrodite, making her a one of kind miracle whom she loved with all her heart. However, she would admit to being a bit jealous of Hestia.

"I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Shirou." She said, trying to reestablish herself, however, it wasn't working. Despite everything, she couldn't help but feel like this wasn't like any other time, that it was special. Considering Hera's assistance, she supposed that it really was special, but still. Shirou seemed to understand her thoughts.

He simply smiled at her, before standing up while holding her in his arms. "I think it's too late for me to have second thoughts anymore. The moment Ophelia was born, you became someone special to me. I'm just an idiot who takes too long to realize such things." She said with a small chuckle. Aphrodite couldn't help but smile at Shirou's genuineness.

---

Prophecies and dreams were tricky things at times. No one knew this more than Apollo. However, the thing was, he hadn't been having many of those for awhile. Thanks to a certain prophecy being void, a new oracle was able to be picked. So, he was technically safe from experiencing crazy things prophecies for awhile, though it was still his job to deliver them.

Anyways, dreams were different things. There were no wise words or rhyming schemes. Just a dream of a possible future. The thing was, this dream was unlike any other of his previous dreams. The reason being, his sister was a part of this dream. However, he couldn't quite place just where she was supposed to be.

Only that she had been captured in this dream and looked worse for wear. He couldn't make out who it was that took her, but it did happen. What really got him, was the images he saw. Rather than seeing a group of demigods or hunters, as was usual, he saw one man standing against unspeakable odds. An army of monsters, as well as what appeared to be a titan stood before this man.

He wore a black jacket, chest armor of some kind, and some kind of dark combat pants and a blue scarf of some kind. In his hands was some kind of bayonetted white handgun and a beautiful and ornate gold and silver flaming katana in the other. His white tipped red hair was easily noticeable, as was the dark expression on his face.

To Apollo, it was easily noticeable that he was there to save Artemis. The expression on his sister's face was unlike any he had ever seen her make. It was as if everything was going to be okay, as if the man was unbeatable, despite the odds he faced. Before the dream ended, he heard something that startled him, it was garbled, but the feeling of blades bursting from his body was definitely not normal.

He opened his eyes, startled at what he had witnessed. 'I have to find Artemis.'

---

Hestia finally returned home after the day was done. She knew that the girl's would be gone for a little while longer since they had Zoe, Mia, and Caroline with them, and that Thalia was about to return to help make dinner, so she was quite happy that everyone was going to be meeting around the same time. 'Athena had some divine duties, but I'll make her some food just in case.'

She opened the door and announced her arrival, just as she did everyday. However, the moment she did, she noticing a pleasant aroma enter her nose. Her eyes narrowed, before she quickly appeared in the kitchen area, seeing Shirou making dinner. "Welcome home, Hestia, you're the first one who's returned so far."

"Well, I'm sure the girls are busy having fun, though I'm sure Thalia will be home soon." She replied with a smile, quickly making her way over towards his side. As was usual, she hugged Shirou as she always did. Though, she didn't fail to notice the wince as she did so. She tilted her head, with Shirou letting out a weak laugh. "Are you okay?"

"Eh, I'd rather not talk about it." He said while shaking his head with a faint smile and a chuckle. Hestia hummed, before she realized what was wrong, causing her face to redden.

"O-oh, um, I'm sorry. It's just, I thought that maybe..." She started, before feeling a hand on top of her head. She saw Shirou smiling at her, before he simply shook his head.

"You saw Archer, didn't you?" He asked plainly, causing Hestia's eyes to widen. 'So, he knows? Does that mean he knows about what I'm doing?' As if reading her mind, Shirou continued. "I still don't know the full reason why, but I trust that you have a good reason to do so. I don't know what you know, but it must have scared you. I'm sorry if I ended up worrying you again."

Hestia looked at him with a sad expression, as she knew that he would react like that. However, it did bring her some relief that he wasn't upset. Maybe what she was doing was drastic, but she knew that there were certain things she wasn't good at. When she saw him nearly stab himself with Rule Breaker, it terrified her.

She knew that it wasn't anything she had done, and that it was purely Shirou's own mind doing that to him, but there really was only so much she could do. Healing Shirou wasn't as easy as comforting him and being a family. It helped immensely, but there was more to it than that. That was when the she remembered the words of the prophecy.

There were four domains mentioned. So, Hestia realized that Shirou likely needed them all to fully heal. Since Aphrodite's arrival, she had seen a marked improvement in Shirou's stability. In fact, she knew that Aphrodite had helped him many times when he was going through some tough times.

In a lot of ways, the two really paired together really well. In fact, Shirou was basically perfect for her. The parallels between Hephaestus and Ares weren't lost on her. If Shirou were a god in those times, she would have had no doubt that he would have been married to her, if Hestia herself hadn't already done so at that point.

Then there was Athena, who would be invaluable in the future, after they grew closer. Athena knew more about the mind than anything. If anyone could help mend those wounds, it would be her. That was why she went out of her way to convince Athena to think about it. Of course, she did go out of her way to mention that Shirou belonged to her above all else, as she was his wife.

Though, she was a bit confused about how Artemis could help him. The only way she could think that Artemis would be able to assist Shirou would be to help him when it came to his own nature. Though, she couldn't imagine Artemis actually wanting to do so. She may have been encouraging Shirou to spend time with her, but Artemis was always a tricky goddess to understand.

It didn't really matter to her, as long as Shirou was able to live a full and happy life with his family, then it would be worth it. Shirou was the most important man in her life, and he was someone who she planned on spending the rest of her immortal life with. She was playing a dangerous game, but if it worked, then everyone would be able to be happy, and a new age would come to fruition.

"You don't need to apologize, Shirou. I did see, Archer some time ago. It told me a lot and helped me learn a bit more about you, but I'd be lying if it didn't worry me. You've gotten a lot better, but I can still see that your struggling at times. Thankfully, Aphrodite has been a great help with that." She said with a forced smile.

"I should be the one apologizing. Maybe, I went about this wrong. I'm not entirely sure. Maybe if I was stronger, or more like my mother, I would have been able to help you more." She said in a small voice, though Shirou merely shook his head to her.

"You are more than enough, Hestia. Never question that. You are, and always have been, all I need. You've helped me more than anyone else, and I care about you more than anything else. So, never say that again, because you're perfect the way you are. If you asked me to, I'd run away with you and the girls and never look back. That's not something I'd ever been able to say before." He revealed to her, causing her eyes to water a bit.

"I trust you and I know that what you're doing is to help me." He let out a sigh, causing her to raise a brow for a moment. "I'm happy. That's more than I could say for any version of me I have met, other than Muramasa maybe." He said while rubbing the back of his head. Hestia tilted her head. 'Muramasa? I don't think I've seen anything related to that name.'

She made a note to try and see what he was talking about. However, she realized that he made reference to other versions of himself. Meaning, she hadn't seen all there was to see. She placed her hands onto his face and looked deeply into his eyes. "I love you, Shirou. That'll never change, no matter what I see. I intend on spending the rest of my life with you, as a wife should, so never forget that."

She then wrapped her arms around him and the two stood embracing each other for many minutes. For some reason, she couldn't help but feel the same as she did when she first laid down with Shirou, the night when Miyu was conceived. A smile made its way onto her face, as it meant they could easily bond in such a way, despite it being a rather difficult process usually.

---

She then frowned and groaned when she felt something rather annoying. "Seriously?" Shirou couldn't help but have a pained smile on his face, as he could feel it too. Though, he noticed that Hestia was beginning to become a bit more open when she was annoyed at things lately. Though, rather than be scary, he noticed that her expressions were more cute than anything.

He let out a sigh. "I'll go see what it is. Chances are, its nothing." He said, though he was a bit worried. He wasn't in good condition and was rather exhausted. However, he wasn't on the verge of the death. Those memories of Chaldea caused him to shiver a bit, as well as cause some redness to appear on his cheeks.

"No! This time I'm coming with you. Honestly, every single time..." She then continued to mutter under her breath, causing Shirou to let out a weak chuckle. 'Well, I suppose it's best she does go with me. I'm not in the best condition anyways.' He thought with a mental shrug.

As they made their way outside, he noticed the rest of his family arriving, including Thalia who was coming from her friend's house. He raised a brow when he noticed Ophelia was holding Artemis's hand. He couldn't help but smile a bit, especially when seeing Artemis's somewhat embarrassed expression.

He let out a small hum at seeing his daughter's rather happy face. 'So, Artemis got her to open up then? That's good.' As they all approached, he could see that they were wondering what Hestia and him were doing heading outside. 'Probably wondering where Aphrodite is too. Thankfully, she's sleeping.'

"Is everything okay?" Artemis asked, with her and her hunters reacting to something right after, causing their eyes to narrow. Thankfully, Caroline seemed to understand that something was happening and quickly guided the rest of the young girls inside. Shirou nodded to her, as he was glad that she was around for such things.

Oddly enough, Shirou couldn't help but notice the little fox in Miyu's arms. It almost looked as if it was looking at him with some concern. He shook his head, deciding to ignore it. That was when he felt it. It was unlike Hestia, Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, or even Hera, it was the feeling of a god. It was the feeling of a god at the peak of his powers who wasn't trying to restrain it. Simply put, he was announcing his arrival.

But beyond that, was another familiar feeling. Someone was watching him. No, there were a few others who were watching. As he stood there, he tried to pinpoint the location of the others, but couldn't find anything. 'There's something wrong. Who's the target?' He shook his head, before seeing a rather expensive looking car drive up to the front of his house.

He would admit to internally panicking as it nearly hit his bike, but thankfully it didn't. Considering that was one of the first gifts that Hestia had ever given him, he would prefer for it to remain in one piece. Honestly, he was only outside to make sure that his wife didn't harm anyone too bad.

To his surprise, a rather flashy blonde haired man stepped out of the car. He actually slightly reminded him of Jason, though there were plenty of differences. He noticed Artemis let out an exasperated sigh, with Mia and Zoe even groaning at his appearance. Funnily enough, Hestia even rolled her eyes. Oddly enough, Shirou knew who it was from these reactions.

He couldn't help but have a small smile as he noticed Apollo's expression become worried upon noticing Hestia. He actually considering heading back inside to spend time with his daughters once he realized who it was, but decided against it. He had a feeling that there was something that he needed hear.

"What are you doing here Apollo?" Artemis asked, her eyes narrowing after a quick glance towards Shirou. He held his hands up in a nonthreatening gesture.

"Whoa there, Arty, I come in peace. Rather, I just needed to confirm something." He replied, though Shirou could see her bristle at the name he called her. He then looked at Shirou, who simply tilted his head slightly. Though, he was already tracing a few weapons in case he needed them. A sharp pain then pierced in his head, however, he managed to keep his expression unfazed.

'This one will threaten the peace you have built. It's best to remove any obstacles before they become a problem in the future.' A voice resonated in his mind. However, Shirou merely ignored it.

'Why put on this facade of powerlessness? Why play this role? You are a hero. These gods had their chance. They corrupt everything they touch. They don't even see humanity as anything more than a toy. You could save this world.' Shirou winced slightly. It was a different voice that time.

"And what exactly is it you needed to confirm brother? Because, as you can see, my hunters and I are fine." She replied, unaware of Shirou's dilemma.

'A world of peace for your daughters, is that not a world worth creating? Even if you have to dirty your hands?' Shirou gripped his hands tight, choosing to ignore the voice. He had no desire to kill those that Hestia cared for. 'Oh? So, you're choice relies on that goddess? What will you do should they turn against her? You know Zeus's temperament. You're children are powerful, what will he do when he finds out about them?'

'A power that threatens him will be culled, children of his elder sister or not, he will kill them.' Shirou took a deep breathe. "Indeed, you are. However, I had a vision of the future. I came to check on you, yet I find you here with the same man in my vision? Who is he?" He asked, though Shirou was largely ignoring him, focusing on trying to regain control of his thoughts.

"He is my husband, Shirou, and hopefully that'll change into my divine husband someday." Hestia easily spoke, looking at Apollo with a raised brow. "Is that enough of an answer for you Apollo?" She asked, letting a bit of her frustration show. Apparently, it was easily noticeable, considering Apollo's dumbfounded and slightly pale expression. "And before you say anything, he didn't try to win me over, or seduce me. Quite the opposite, in fact."

'Whoever you are, I suggest you get lost. Should such a time come, I will deal with it, however, I refuse to be controlled. Whoever you are, you have to be on the same level as Rhea, meaning you're a titan. Which one, I have yet to find out, but I will. Just know, you won't turn me into a killer.' He replied to the voice, attempting to silence his mind.

'Oh, but you are, hero. It lies within you, and it plagues your mind. All those sins, all that guilt, it's only a matter of time before you become what you fear most. What will be the thing that pushes you over the edge, I wonder? Only time will tell, until next time, hero.' The voice then faded, leaving Shirou's mind unoccupied.

"He's the one from the prophecy?" He heard, finally returning his attention on what was going on, realizing he missed a portion of that conversation.

"Are you going to inform father?" Artemis asked, with Shirou noticing her looking at him inquisitively. "I would highly advise against that. Though, I can't stop you." She said with a shrug. "However, my stance is clear Apollo, especially if what you told us is true." 'I really did miss what they were saying. What did he tell them?'

"I don't think Apollo would do that, Artemis. After all, Shirou just may be able to help out your mother, and if my brother knew about him, he would be of no use to anyone." She said in a sly tone. "Plus, Aphrodite may curse him and his children if he did." She said with a small laugh, as if it was just an offhanded statement.

"I don't plan on telling father anything. If he heard about what I saw, who knows what he'd do. And, I'll also keep your secret, Hestia. Even I know what might happen should that get out." He said with a pained laugh. Shirou had an idea of what may happen, and it wasn't exactly something he wished to do. At least, not at the moment.

"And as for you, I hope that my vision never comes to pass, but if it does, I trust that you'll be able to save my sister." He said, looking at Shirou in the eyes. Shirou couldn't help but notice the worry in his eyes. Unfortunately, it brought to mind how Shirou often grew worried about Ritsuka, Olga Marie, and Mash.

"If such a situation arises, I'll definitely be there to save her. While I wish I could tell you that I'd risk my life to do so, I'm afraid that my life is tied to another." He replied, ignoring his thoughts. He knew what was happening. The titan had managed to rattle his emotions, and while he had grown accustomed to them, he still struggled with them at times.

"Shirou?" He heard Hestia say questioningly, with him turning to face her. She was looking at him with concern, though Shirou simply smiled at her.

"I'm okay, just a bit exhausted." He said, before looking back at Apollo. "Well, enough about that, I was just about to finish cooking, would you like to join us, Apollo?" He offered, surprising him. However, Artemis elbowed him in the side, causing him to wince slightly, before letting out a weak chuckle.

"You don't need to be kind to him, Shirou. I'd rather he not get friendly with you. I'd hate for him to corrupt you when you've made such progress with my hunters." She said, crossing her arms with a huff. Apollo let out a whine.

"Oh, come on little sis, I'm not that bad. Besides, I'd like to get to know more about the man who's managed to get close to the hunters and you." He said, before dodging an arrow by tilting his head with a laugh.

"I'm older than you, you blockhead. Besides, Hestia might prefer to have Shirou to herself, since she's been so busy." She said with nod. Shirou looked towards Hestia, who seemed to be thinking about something. She stepped over and leaned into Shirou.

"I'm okay with it, besides, I'd like for Shirou to have more than three male friends." She said with a soft smile, surprising Shirou, since she never mentioned such a thing before. Artemis looked at her with surprise, and then resignation. "Also, Shirou and I planned a date night tomorrow, so it's okay."

Shirou was pretty sure he saw a flash of jealousy on Apollo's face, though it quickly faded. Shirou knew the reason. It was also the reason Hestia requested to be turned into a virgin goddess. Apollo and Poseidon both attempted to marry her, or sleep with her. The fact that Shirou was now married to her, and she was no longer a virgin goddess, would ruffle some feathers.

However, he didn't care. It was Hestia's choice, and while he didn't exactly understand why she loved him as much as she did, he understood that neither Poseidon or Apollo would have been good partners for her anyways. Shirou held a strong dislike for Poseidon for multiple reasons, but Apollo was different story.

He didn't particularly like some of the actions he did, but that was true for every goddess in his home, except Hestia. He was willing to look past it, for his wife's sake. 'However, Ares is another story.' He heard a cold, dark voice mutter in his mind. He could feel his connection to Excalibur Morgan flare for a moment, before it settled.

"Well then, I'd be more than glad to partake in your cooking." He said with a grin. He then looked towards Artemis again. "Would it be possible for me to see my daughters tonight as well?" He asked her, with Artemis letting out an exasperated sigh.

"Fine, but no trying to corrupt him. He already gets more than enough of that from Aphrodite." She said with firm voice. At the mention of Aphrodite, Shirou couldn't help but have a pained smile. He wasn't looking forward to all her teasing later. Then again, he supposed he could fire back, considering the circumstances.

---

Surprisingly enough, lunch was a rather fun affair. Rather, Apollo managed to lighten up the atmosphere quite a bit, telling jokes and stories, causing the girl's to laugh and smile. Artemis's jabs and their sibling bickering was also quite funny to them. Thalia noticed his surprise when seeing the three daughters of Shirou, and also his concern when looking at her.

It was a bit odd, but she ignored it. Instead, she wondered why he was so fascinated by her... 'Are they my cousins? Niece's?' She shook her head. It didn't matter. She watched over them and knew they were special, but hoped they weren't going to be the focus of any of the gods in the future. She was already aware of the attention she would get when people found out about her.

Apollo seemed friendly though, especially to Shirou. She wondered if there was something going on that she didn't know about, but figured that Shirou had everything under control, even if he did look like there was something bugging him at times. Caroline was having a lot of fun talking to Shirou, as usual, but she noticed something peculiar.

When Aphrodite joined them, she looked way brighter and prettier than before. It was kind of annoying. Then there was her giddy attitude, which seemed to bother Artemis, but it was more because she didn't like the bubbly goddess getting more bubbly. There was also the way she looked at Shirou, which bugged her. She couldn't understand why, but she was acting weird.

Thalia decided that she'd just ignore her. She was confusing her and she didn't like it. She liked things that were simple. She was still surprised how Shirou was able to be around so many gods and not be fazed. Then again, she remembered that red spear he had, and figured that maybe he was just confident in defending himself.

"Now, onto the next lesson. You've been doing great with your training so far, and I'm really impressed with what you've been able to accomplish. Pretty soon, you'll be ready to move onto forming lightning in your hands, then we'll move onto augmenting your body with it." He said to her with a smile on his face.

"So, what I want you to do, is to channel your power into your sword and try to hit those targets from where you are." He pointed at a group of targets with his training sword. Thalia couldn't help but let out a small laugh at the little tiger strap attached to it.

"Um, are you sure that'll be okay? What if I miss?" She asked, with Shirou humming to himself.

"Well, I placed them over there for that reason. Though, try really hard not to. I don't want Artemis scolding me for hurting the surrounding nature." He said with a nervous laugh. "But don't let that discourage you from messing up. That's how you learn." Thalia noticed that Shirou looked at his left hand after that, almost as if something was missing.

Though, she also noticed the red ribbon tied around his wrist at the same time. She would admit to being curious about it, but then again, it could have just been an ordinary ribbon. She shook her head, deciding to ask him about it later. So, she decided that she'd concentrate on her training.

---

As Thalia began to do as Shirou instructed, as he watched on from the side, knowing that it would be fairly easy for her to figure it out when she got the hang of it. He took a deep breath, before focusing on himself again. He still wasn't in the best state of mind ever since the titan had tried to mess with his mind.

Though, that wasn't all he was focused on. The eyes that were watching them before had left, but something was going on. He felt a familiar power in those prying eyes. The strange thing, was that it felt like the different parties were keeping each other in check. One felt malicious and angry, but the other, it felt more curious and benevolent.

They weren't Greek in origin, but he didn't know of what else it could be. He didn't know if there were any other pantheons in America. Though, he wouldn't have been too surprised if there were some other groups there, considering all the cultures present within the country. However, if that was true, then that meant there was more going on than he realized.

His only hope, was that the titan who attempted to mess with him, wasn't allying itself with other pantheons. If that was so, then that meant Olympus would be outnumbered. 'Perhaps, I should seek out these pantheons.' He thought to himself, but he was also worried about the state of Olympus too.

He let out a sigh. As of now, he needed to prepare and train himself. He had acclimated to the divine flame inside of him. It happened a lot faster than he expected, but he guessed that it had to do with compatibility. He could also feel Aphrodite's domain inside of him too, but that wasn't acclimating as fast as he wanted.

He slightly wondered if he would gain something from Athena and Artemis now that his sword held their essence within it. If he did, then he was worried about what would happen to him. He was comfortable with Hestia's flame, and he accepted Aphrodite's domain gift, but he began to feel like he was leaving behind his humanity. That wasn't something he wanted.

He looked down and looked at his hand, opening and closing it. He didn't mind becoming an immortal for Hestia and Aphrodite, but he refused to become anything remotely close to a god. He was a human, and he would retain that identity no matter what. It was his humanity that allowed him to get this far. It allowed him to grow as strong as he had.

His mind couldn't help but flash to an image of Ritsuka's smiling face. A memory that felt like a lifetime ago, but one that was so deeply ingrained into him that he would never forget it. A memory like so many others. He visualized her red hair that had a ponytail off to the side, her bright and cheerful golden orange eyes, and her amazingly radiant infectious smile.

She was the reason he grew stronger. The reason why he pushed himself so hard. Every scar and injury on his body was a testament to that. Most gained from making sure she never got hurt. Even now, Shirou couldn't help but link his humanity to her. Hestia, Aphrodite, Artemis, Athena, and Rhea all believed he was strong and a hero.

The truth of the matter was that he was nothing without her. He wouldn't have survived without her, and he as much as she relied on him, he relied on her. So many times he would have broken, would have become cold and emotionless, but she kept him grounded and whole. She kept him from becoming Archer or Alter. Her and Mash both.

Hestia and Aphrodite became that for him. While they were goddesses, they had saved him, and continued to do so. Though, comparing them was a bit unfair and he felt guilty doing so. No, he couldn't compare them, because Hestia and Aphrodite, as well as Athena, gave him the greatest gifts he could ask for.

They had given him a part of themselves, and he had done the same, something he wasn't sure he could have done in Chaldea, not without Rhea's help. The result, three perfect little girls, each one giving him more hope and a reason to never lose sight of himself. In them, he saw hope and goodness.

Before he found himself in the new world, he never imagined loving something or someone as much as he loved his children. It really was a shame his mother wasn't able to see them. He had the feeling she would have loved them.

He shook his head. 'I haven't thought about that in a long time.' A sad smile made its way onto his face. He had changed a lot. Though, he knew it was for the better. A part of him wondered what Ritsuka, Mash, Olga, and Ophelia would think of him now. He felt like he was different, but he wasn't sure how much different he was. 'Hestia's never given me a concrete answer on that front.'

---

Lost in his thoughts, he ended up jumping out of his skin when a hand touched his shoulder. He quickly turned around and saw Artemis standing there, dressed in her usual silver hunting jacket, but she was wearing a dress similar to Atalanta, only in colors more her style. She had an amused expression on her face. He had a feeling that she did it on purpose.

She stifled a small laugh, before straightening herself, though he could still see a faint smile on her face. It was then that he remembered how beautiful Artemis was, seeing her standing there made him realize she wasn't that far off from his wife or Aphrodite. "I wasn't expecting that to startle you that much." She said in an amused tone. Shirou could only shake his head with a wry smile.

"I was just deep in thought, so you caught me off guard a bit. Um, did you need something, or did you just want to talk?" He asked.

"Yes, I wished to speak to you regarding Ophelia." She replied, with Shirou humming in response, as he remembered seeing how close she seemed with her. He wondered how Aphrodite would feel about that, though he was pretty sure he knew how she'd react.

"I see. I saw you two together earlier, so I figured she must have opened up to you." He could tell that she was a little embarrassed because of his words, but managed to hide it pretty well. "Well, what happened? It's nothing too serious I hope." He had noticed his daughter's shyness, and had attempted to talk to with her about it, but she always insisted nothing was wrong.

Artemis nodded, "Well, it could be serious if not taken care of." She said to him, catching him a bit off guard. 'Is she okay? There's no way I could have missed that. Maybe I should check her magic circuits.' He thought to himself, though Artemis quickly interrupted his thoughts. "I think it has to do with her being a child of Aphrodite."

"You see, she told me that she can see emotions, as well as feel them. It's why she's so shy and seems to be clingy with everyone at home." She informed him calmly, catching him a bit off guard. When Ophelia was born, he knew that she'd likely inherit many things from Dite, but she never mentioned something like that.

"Wow, none of my other children can do anything like that." Dite's voice called out, causing both Artemis and Shirou to flinch, as she had managed to sneak up on both of them. "It took me awhile to see emotions when I first became a goddess. For Ophelia to be able to do that so soon just means she's super special!" She cried out happily, hanging off of Shirou's back. Artemis's eyes narrowed when Shirou let out a slight wince, but decided to ignore it.

Artemis clicked her tongue, before focusing on Shirou again. "She said it only happens every once in awhile, but it tends to overwhelm her from what I was able to tell." She said, looking at Shirou as he brought a hand up to his chin to think, acting as if Aphrodite hanging on him wasn't even a big deal.

"I'll have to be with her when it happens, but I might have an idea as to why that happens. Because her eyes are already uniquely colored, I may not have noticed, but she may have developed a pair of mystic eyes." He said, almost talking to himself. Artemis raised a brow, before sighing to herself. She then remembered something when she was walking with her.

"Her eyes did change a few times. Granted, she has eyes like a kaleidoscope, and they change quite a bit, but when we were walking home, they changed and looked like a rainbow ring inside of her blue eyes." She remembered seeing it and being amazed by them, as she had never seen anything like it before. She did know some of Aphrodite's children had kaleidoscopic eyes, but this was different. Ophelia's eyes changed from Shirou's golden brown, to pink, to Aphrodite's spring water blue eyes.

Shirou knew about this too, so for Artemis to say they resembled a rainbow was enough for him to realize what was going on. "So, they are mystic eyes then. That's a very rare and incredible gift. She must have only awakened them, which would explain why I never noticed them before." He said, causing Aphrodite to speak up, as she was feeling left out.

"Dear, what are mystic eyes? They sound like they're pretty awesome." Her question caused Shirou to let out a small chuckle.

"Mystic eyes are very 'awesome'. I know a bit about them, as I've encountered many types of mystic eyes in my time, but most of that info came from my friend. Funnily enough, the one who taught me about them is actually the girl Ophelia was named after." He couldn't help but have a sad smile on his face. "She would have been a great teacher for her."

He shook his head, "Where I'm from, mystic eyes are known as the oldest known magecraft, as sight was considered the first magecraft, because sight is the sense that provides the most information. It goes back to many cultures and the way some mysteries were explained through eyes. To put it simply, mystic eyes usually contain single action spells and are activated through magical energy. They contain their own magic circuits, which is why I might have missed them."

"Normally, it is the result of a natural mutation in the magic circuits around the eyes. Being born with them is rare, but they can be achieved by mutating them artificially. Little Ophelia is the former, obviously. The fact they are rainbow colored is almost unthinkable actually, as mystic eyes of that color are said to exercise the authority of the divine, which makes sense considering she's the daughter of Aphrodite."

He could tell Aphrodite was happy from the way she was humming along happily, though he could feel her letting out some of her power unconsciously. "Is there anything harmful about it?" Artemis asked, looking at him seriously, with Shirou shaking his head.

"If she was a normal human girl, I'd say there is a possibility. However, she's a demigod. Her mana reserves are immense, so she should be okay. However, it'd be best for me to try and teach her how to control her circuits, and probably make some mystic eye killers for her." That caused Aphrodite to stiffen a bit.

"Wait, what are you going to do with her eyes?!" Shirou could only sigh, before offering up a small smile as he turned to reassure her.

"It's just a name, all they'll do is suppress their power to a manageable level...hopefully." He added at the end, causing Artemis's eyes to twitch.

"What do you mean by, 'Hopefully'?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Shirou could only rub the back of his head nervously.

"Well, depending on the strength of her eyes, they may not work. I can make some, but she may get headaches from time to time. However, I doubt that'll happen. Was it both of her eyes?" He asked, causing Artemis to think to herself for a moment, before nodding. "Then glasses are the best option, though I'll need to keep an eye on whatever abilities they possess."

"Didn't I already tell you what they did though?" Artemis asked, tilting her head a bit. Shirou, however, merely shook his head.

"If they were a single color, or even gold, I'd say that was it, but you said they were rainbow colored. Which means they are either jewel ranked, or rainbow ranked. However, they're likely jewel ranked, as I've only seen one example of Rainbow ranked eyes, and it'd be best she didn't have that. But either way, it means they aren't as simple as seeing emotions. I'm guessing that's just a byproduct."

"As mentioned, they likely contain some form of Aphrodite's authority, and you know what Aphrodite can do. For all we know, she could manipulate that authority as she sees fit. Which means she'll need to be responsible, considering the Fates here seem to be meddlesome, and powerful mystic eyes could intervene with destiny itself. See what I mean?" He said, though he wasn't that worried actually.

Artemis hummed, thinking about what Shirou said. She did know a bit about what he was talking about, since she had bonded with him before. "What did those rainbow mystic eyes do?" She asked, being a bit interested.

"Yeah, you've really been talking them up, but you haven't told us about any mystic eyes." Aphrodite said, obviously interested in knowing how special her daughter really was. People often made fun of her children, so she wanted to know how much better Ophelia was to the other demigod children.

Shirou sighed. "The only rainbow ranked eyes I saw were called, 'the mystic eyes of death perception'. I don't know much about it, since Shiki never told much, but I know that she was able to kill anything. And I don't mean that lightly. I'm saying she was capable of killing concepts, and anything she saw as 'alive', even souls. Anything she considers alive, she can kill."

"Of all the beings I've faced and all the things I've seen, only Ryougi Shiki's power terrified me enough to never even think about fighting her. While I was scared of her, I actually enjoyed speaking with her." He said, though he was talking about Shiki who reminded him of a dream. Though, Artemis and Aphrodite didn't need to know that.

"As for jewel, that'd be like Medusa's ability to petrify someone and my Ophelia's mystic eye of prolongation, which was able to observe possibilities and cull them to a single course that she chose, or something like that." He said with a slight shrug. Though, he could tell that both Artemis and Aphrodite were surprised by what he said so far. 'Mystic eyes would have that effect on anyone who didn't know about them.'

"So, your saying that little Ophelia may have something on that level?" Artemis asked, a bit worried about the future of her little niece, or cousin, she wasn't sure on that. Shirou nodded to her question. "Well, I suppose the best we could do is try to help her control them, right?" She asked, with Aphrodite narrowing her eyes a bit.

"Yes, and to keep an eye on what her eyes are capable of. I wanted to wait to teach the girls about their magic circuits, but Ophelia's case is special. Though, I'll have to keep an eye on Miyu and Annabeth too, as they may develop them too. I'll get to work on creating her glasses, but we should think about talking to her tonight Dite." Aphrodite simple hummed and nodded.

"We will, actually, I'll go speak with her in a bit. However, I'd like to know why you seem so worried, Artemis? Being this hands on isn't like you at all." She said, looking at Artemis closely, seeing her shift uncomfortably. She hummed for a moment, before a big smile replaced her inquisitive look. "Well, no matter, I'm glad you helped my little Ophelia. I'm going to see Ophelia and talk to her for a bit, feel free to come along when you're free dear."

Aphrodite then placed a kiss on his cheek, before jumping off his back and skipping into the house. Shirou could only shake his head with a small smile, before looking over to see Thalia repeatedly using lightning to hit the targets. In fact, she was even finding new ways to hit the target by manipulating the bolts of lightning and even finding new ways of manipulating it before firing it off.

Shirou was honestly impressed with her progress. 'At this rate, she'll be able to move onto enhancing herself with her magical energy.' He then looked towards Artemis, who was shuffling a bit, which surprised him. "Um, is everything alright, Artemis?" She looked up at him, before letting out a deep breath.

"Yes, thank you for asking. Honestly, I was worried about Ophelia, but you were able to assuage those worries." She said to him. She muttered something to herself, before making up her mind on something. "Shirou, I'd like to be closer to you, though such a thing is near impossible for me, as my habits have been going on for a very, very long time."

That surprised him, as he wasn't expecting anything like that from her. That wasn't to say he thought she was incapable of it, he met a version of Artemis that was very much like Aphrodite after all. "However, near impossible is doable. We are linked, Shirou Emiya, that much is clear. I am not my aunt, nor my sister, nor Aphrodite, I have no experience with relationships with the opposite gender."

"At least, none that aren't antagonistic, or my brother." She said that last one with a small groan. "So, it's safe to say that this is very new to me, however, I'd like to, at the very least, be friends with you. I believe it would be for the best considering..." She paused, before shaking her head. "Anyways, trying to stay away from each other would not end favorable, even with your ability to go against fate."

Shirou was surprised by that last bit. Though, he supposed it made sense, as he wasn't of this world. Though, he knew he was tied to fate a bit, as there were still prophecies about him and his daughters. Though, now that he thought about it, he wondered if he was being tied to fate and the world through his bonds. There had to be some kind of correctional force so he didn't destroy the world on accident.

He digressed, besides, he needed to listen to Artemis now, though he wondered why she thought it was for the best that they were, at least, friends. "I know that you were a bit apprehensive, but I wanted to try and fix that. Thousands of years of habits will be tough to beat, but I'd appreciate it if you tried to help too."

Shirou smiled at her, seeing that she was quite nervous. "I'm not all that familiar with emotions myself, as I've only had normal emotions for the last six or seven years. Though, I've befriended many kinds of people in the past, including another version of you, as well as a huntress who reminds me of you." He said, causing her to wince a bit.

"Whatever apprehensiveness I had is gone now, as it was mainly tied to myself. I'm not sure how we are tied together, but if that's true, then I can only try and do my best to not let you down. Especially considering your past." He said, causing her to look up at him in surprise. "How about this, I swear on the river Styx, that I'll do my best to never let you down and that I'll always be there when you need me."

The moment he did so, he felt some part of himself becoming slightly bound. However, he knew that it was flimsy at best, as he had Rule Breaker, and he wasn't tied to the fate of the world, but he knew that it would likely mean a lot to Artemis. She likely knew what it meant for him, a mage, to enter into what was essentially a geis.

'Though, Hestia did say that even though my oaths would count, the Fates couldn't see me or interfere with me.' He noticed that Artemis was looking at him with a dumbfounded expression. He couldn't blame her, though he thought she should have known about his personality by now. "Shirou, why would you do that?"

Shirou rubbed the back of his head, "Well, I know that it would mean a lot for you. You should know I don't make oaths or promises lightly, but I have a feeling I'd regret it if I didn't make that oath. I can tell you're struggling with something, and I don't want you to end up like Athena, leaving for years and showing up at later at a confusing time."

Honestly, Athena was a handful, though she was spending a lot of time with Annabeth, so that was good. "You really are something else, Shirou. However, there is no need to worry about that. While I may not be as familiar with mortals as Athena, but I understand that doing such a thing wouldn't be in the best interests of those involved. Though, my sister tends to overthink things a lot."

Shirou couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "Yeah, I've noticed. Admittedly, I've met a lot of intelligent people in my life, but Athena is on a whole other level when it comes down to it. Then again, I do find it a bit amusing that the goddess of wisdom can be a bit air headed at times"

"Well, I think that most gods would surprise you with some of their quirks. Contrary to what they would like everyone to believe, we aren't perfect." She said to him, knowing that she wasn't anywhere close to perfect. The fact Shirou was the one who killed Orion was evidence of that.

"Well, most heroes were the same. Everyone can idolize them, but when you actually meet them, well, you find that their personalities are pretty eccentric." He said with a laugh, though Artemis simply raised a brow at his words.

"That's quite ironic coming from you, Shirou. You're pretty eccentric yourself, you know?" She said with a faint smile on her face, causing Shirou to let out a hum. "I've never met a hero capable of doing anything you've done, that didn't wish to be known for it. You simply helped people because you wanted to, and even when you came here, it was the same."

"Then you managed to draw four goddesses to you, have children, and still you insist on maintaining your bakery. Honestly, that isn't even half of it. Though, I must say, I much prefer you now, to who you were." She said to him, catching him a bit off guard. He couldn't help but feel like Artemis was hiding something, but he didn't know what.

It wasn't like it was bad, it was more like she was just bad at interacting with him. The fact she was trying so hard was surprising to him. "Though, I suppose everyone does." She continued, before stopping and thinking about something. "I'll be staying here for awhile, as well as dropping by more frequently. I have grown attached to your children, and being around them has helped me more than you may know, Shirou. Though, if I'm intruding, or make you uncomfortable, I can always wait." She finished in a nervous tone.

Shirou wasn't sure how to respond to that. Honestly, hearing Artemis speak in such a small and nervous tone bothered him. He slightly worried that her actions may have had something to do with whatever Apollo told them when he was trying to fend off that mental invasion. "You don't have to worry about that, Artemis. You're hunters are welcome here anytime, as are you. Just like Zoe and Mia are family, so are you." He said with a smile, attempting to reassure the goddess.

"Besides, I already have three goddesses living in my home, so adding one more won't be a problem really." He joked, though he noticed Artemis's eyes light up a bit, though her expression still remained rather straight. He couldn't help but feel like she had a certain glow to her that wasn't there some time ago. However, he merely brushed it off as nothing.

"Shirou, look what I can do!" Thalia's voice called out, interrupting his thoughts, causing both Artemis and him to look at the young girl. To his surprise, she was able to make lightning dance around her fingers. "I broke another practice sword, but the lightning was still there, so I wondered if I could mess with it and I did this!" She cried out in excitement. Shirou couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, though Artemis let out a small laugh herself.

"I should allow you to get back to training, Thalia. She seems rather excited, after all." She said to him, beginning to turn and walk away. "Oh, and don't feel obligated to humor my brother. He's the worst, so feel free to ignore him." She said in a playful tone, though Shirou was sure he heard Apollo cry out from somewhere nearby. He let out a small sigh, before deciding to focus on Thalia. 'Perhaps, it's time to move onto the next phase of her training.'

---

Thalia was looking at the thin throwing knives, 'They look like those ninja throwing knives from movies.' She thought, before shaking her head. Shirou had given them to her to try and learn how to use. She was a bit skeptical about using them, but Shirou said it was good to have some ranged options other than a bow. "Besides, these are quick to get to, and can serve as a way to throw off your opponent as a distraction and such."

She would admit to finding it a bit fun. "Since you can already channel your lightning in your sword and spear, then you should be able to do it with those too. If you manage to hit something with them, it should stun them. I used something similar when I was younger." He said, showing her some needles with some kind of blue writing on them.

'He called them disposable mystic codes. Apparently his partner would make them for him.' She thought, throwing more knives. She would admit to finding the idea appealing. She was making progress in her training, so she was glad that Shirou was teaching her other things other sparring. She wondered if he was teaching her how to fight like him.

She turned and saw Shirou creating weapons. It still amazed her that he could do that. She wanted to be able to do that, but Shirou said that what she could do was far better than what he was doing, and that his magic was impossible for anyone other than him. 'Though, he did mention that he wasn't sure if his daughters could do it.' Though, she wondered about what magic circuits were.

'He mentioned I didn't need them for what I do, but replicating magecraft would be possible, but it wouldn't be magecraft exactly. I'm still not sure what he means by that, but so far, I can tell I'm getting stronger.' Honestly, she couldn't help but think about how much stronger she'd continue to be as Shirou trained her. He was even trying to teach her some of those breathing and walking exercises.

Admittedly, at times, she found herself thinking about the fact that Shirou still hadn't asked her for her last name. There was a time she was going to, but he told that if she wasn't comfortable with it, that she didn't have to. Which brought up something else, school. Hestia had mentioned enrolling her in school, but she was unsure of how she would do that.

She knew gods could basically do what they wanted, but was still surprised by it. Hestia even mentioned that she could change her last name to, well, Shirou's. She asked Shirou and he simply smiled and said that it wasn't a problem. "Are you sure?"

Shirou looked at her and placed a hand on her head. "Of course. My family has a history of adopting kids anyways. Besides, you're already family." Thalia would admit to being very surprised when she heard that. Shirou had likely considered her family from the moment he knew of her divine parent. She didn't know why, but she could tell that was the case. Though, she would admit, it felt rather nice to know that she had family that actually cared about her.

Her only regret, was that she wasn't able to enjoy that feeling alongside her brother.

---

The little fox ran and jumped across the house, racing throughout before jumping up and climbing onto the shoulders of the child of flames, Miyu. She was a special child, far more special than the others may have realized. There were the other two as well, the child of steel and the child of love, both of whom were equally precious. The little fox could already see how important the three children would one day be. However, Miyu was the one who was bound to life.

She still remembered the first time she had sensed the child's presence. Admittedly, her shrine was small and in the middle of nowhere, left unattended for a long time. However, the moment she felt the child's presence, her shrine's aura brightened and she was able to manifest. She was but a fragment of a whole, one that traveled to this land long ago along with the travelers of her land.

Those travelers and their descendants had passed, leaving her a small shrine to call her home. As a fragment, she was still young compared to her whole self, and so fear enveloped her, causing her to never leave her home. It remained that way for decades, until she felt it. It was mainly curiosity, but then she found a small family, as well as the small child responsible for the feeling she noticed.

It wasn't until recently that she made herself known, quickly bonding with the young girl. Even better, the three daughters, as well as the father, hailed from her homeland. What's more, the three children held the same purity one would expect of a shrine maiden, especially Miyu. She was still a fragment, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up. She had bound herself to the family as a guardian, and already, she could feel herself growing.

She hoped to one day be able to speak with father. She had often overheard the conversations and stories he told his daughters. Tales of heroes from many lands, however, it was easily noticeable that he held great fondness for the heroes of their homeland. He even relayed the tales of the gods of that land, which resulted in them naming her after, well, Inari. It was actually quite serendipitous.

The little fox curled itself around Miyu's neck as she played with her sisters. It would take some time, but she was willing to wait. There was strange things happening in the world, and the sooner the hero found out about it, the better. This was her home now, and there were things stirring in the darkness, evil things. The world needed heroes, not gods. Her mind drifted to Shirou, she hoped that whatever ailed him would vanish soon. For everyone's sake.

---

Athena watched the children playing together, along with that little fox. Something was off about it, even Shirou had noticed it, but he assured her that it wasn't anything to worry about. His guess was that it may have been what he called a phantasmal of some kind, but that Miyu may have unconsciously made it her familiar. She was still having trouble with the things she had recently learned.

She let out a frustrated sigh. A part of her wondered if it would have been better if she never learned about it. Though, she knew that wasn't true. It was fascinating and intrigued her more than anything else she learned of. A whole new world that was far different than the one she knew. Not only that, but her child now had access to a whole new skillset because of it.

Logically, it was a good thing. However, on the flip side, she knew it would make the girls a target should they overdo it. Her father was horrible when it came to things he didn't understand. More so when they threatened his fragile ego. Her little girl was special and just from the few things Shirou and her had taught her, she could tell she had a gift for combat and analysis.

It was to be expected from one of her children, but she wouldn't deny that Annabeth would be leagues ahead of any of her other children. She had to thank Shirou for that. She couldn't deny the similarities she shared with him. Though, he took it a step further, being able to recreate any weapon he had seen, knowing the history, as well as being able to draw out and use the weapon just like the original wielder.

Her initial attraction to him was still there, but it had multiplied once he had told her about himself. She was still a bit frustrated that he squandered his gifts by being a simple baker, but it was offset by the fact that he went out and helped others whenever he could. Besides, Hestia said it was best that he do something so mundane, as well as something that brought joy to others, that way he could be a good father for their children.

She was still rather upset that he attracted the gaze of not one, but two goddesses other than her. Hestia was fine, as she understood how that happened, but Aphrodite, the lustful pile of foam herself? That was, admittedly, a bit hard to fathom. Admittedly, she wasn't as insufferable as she usually was, nor was she whoring around like she normally did, so she begrudgingly got along with her. Besides, Aphrodite had surprised her lately.

Part of her wondered why she put up that act around Olympus when she was decently smart and a rather caring person. She wasn't buying that Shirou changed her that much. Sure, he was definitely responsible for acting like she did, but she always had that capacity and just didn't. It was like she put on a mask and played out the stereotype that she essentially created.

She sighed, deciding not to think on it too much. Besides, she had more important things to worry about, like the fact that Shirou kept ducking her advances. All she wanted was to fight him again. She didn't understand why he was adverse to it. It wasn't like she would hurt him, she wasn't that competitive. At least, she didn't think she was. "Mom?"

Athena was broken from her thoughts by the voice of her daughter, who was looking at her with an inquistive expression. "What is it, dear?" She asked, seeing her daughter hesitate for a moment.

"Um, do you love daddy?" Her voice was quiet, but Athena could still feel the resolve she built up to ask that. She nearly narrowed her eyes, but she held it in, mostly because she didn't want to frighten her daughter. 'That's an odd question.'

"Of course I do, dear. Why would you even ask that?" She asked, trying to make her voice as soft as she could. She held out her hand towards Annabeth, who quickly responded by taking it. Athena pulled the girl up and sat her on her lap.

"Well, you and dad don't seem as close as momma Tia, or momma Dite. I didn't want you to be fighting or sad with each other." She answered, though Athena was easily able to translate what the little girl meant. Though, Hestia was fine, but having Aphrodite outshine her was more than enough to bother her, never mind that she she called her momma. However, it was fine, she was fine. She understood why they did that, and she knew now wasn't the time to get into that at their age.

Though, now that she thought about it. Annabeth was right. 'Even Artemis is probably closer to Shirou than I am at the moment.' That burned a bit more, because Artemis never really interacted with males. Yet, Athena had, and she still felt like her way was the best way to truly love and understand someone. Aphrodite can call it emotionless all she liked, but the truth was, what could be more intimate?

She would admit that, however she did it, Hestia's way was likely equal to, or better than, her way. However, Hestia was also the only goddess she would ever admit that to. Nonetheless, she understood that it may have been bothering their daughter to see them not be as close as her sisters mothers. She didn't even want to think about what kind of effect that may have on her as she grew up.

She knew that Shirou understood what she was like. Honestly, she still remembered the dates the two had before Annabeth was born. She didn't want to make her daughter feel like the two didn't care for each other. She wondered if Annabeth had asked Shirou about it, though she doubted it, as he would have likely confronted her about it. When she was old enough, Athena would explain everything to her, but for now, she just had to assure her daughter.

"You don't have to worry about anything like that dear. Your father and I aren't fighting or upset with each other, understand?" She asked, seeing the girl nod at her. "It's complicated, but you'll learn when you're older. However, you're right, we don't spend enough time together, but that's going to change, for all three of us, I promise." Athena finished, smiling softly at her daughter.

"Now, why don't you keep playing with your sisters and have fun?" Annabeth looked at her with an innocent smile before she nodded and jumped down to play with her sisters. Athena let out a sigh. 'Now, I'll just need to speak with Shirou sometime soon.' She thought to herself. 'Maybe I'll talk him into having another fight with me as well.' She then smiled, remembering the first time they sparred together. She ignored the small part of her that tried to remind her of Hestia's pregnancy. 'Yes, just a spar.'

---

"I would say I was envious of you and your position, but considering who the people are, I feel more sorry for you than jealous." Shirou let out a sigh, before looking up at Apollo. Thalia was doing her meditation, so he had free time, thankfully.

"It isn't that bad, actually. Well, so far it hasn't been, but I have a feeling that's all going to change for some reason." He replied, with Apollo laughing at his answer.

"Man, I'm more surprised that you're still whole, considering how happy and jovial Aphrodite was. While you may have made it through, I can tell it wasn't without consequences." He said as he patted his back, causing Shirou to wince slightly. "A shame you can't have nectar or something to take that away. Though, I suppose you don't have to worry about blood since you're wearing a black shirt."

Apollo raised a brow when Shirou flinched, before hanging his head. Apollo blanked for a moment, before he let out another laugh. "Didn't even come to mind did it? Though, I'm surprised you can have it, if your reaction is anything to go by." Shirou let out an annoyed huff.

"It really didn't, and Hestia was just as surprised. I was on death's door and she gave me nectar as a last resort, and it worked." He said with a shrug. "Don't know why or how, but I'm just glad I can." Shirou rolled his shoulders around, trying to keep himself from getting sore later. "You know, you don't seem as bad as Artemis said you were." He said with a small smirk.

Apollo clicked his tongue. "Ah, she's just jealous she's not as awesome as I am. You'll find that I'm tons of fun to be around. Truthfully, it seems to me like you'll be needing me a whole lot more than you may think my friend." Shirou raised a brow at that.

"Why is that?" He asked simply, though he had a feeling he already knew the answer. It was likely the same answer some of the male servants would give him when they dragged him around to whatever they were doing that day.

"Because you can't just be around all these ladies all the time without some time with someone of your own gender." And there it was. Shirou sighed, it was the same answer, just worded differently. Honestly, it made him miss some of his friends. 'Well, he couldn't be any worse than Merlin.' He thought to himself with a small smile. Though, he would admit missing some of those times.

Oddly enough, most of those friends would have been considered bad guys or villains to most people, at best, morally grey. He got along with them well, like Moriarty, or even all the pirates he spent time with. Then again, three of those pirates were Drake, Anne, and Mary, so he supposed that it was a valid argument.

"Trust me, while you're fine now, eventually you'll forget what it's like just to have some time to yourself. Besides, I noticed those three children, plus that one meditating, so it'll just get harder. I have many children myself, but as a god, I don't have to worry about things like that. For you, you'll definitely need to have time to yourself. Though, as you heard, it's important to balance those things out." He finished saying, surprising Shirou.

'Balance again, huh?' Shirou was trying his best, and he was getting better, or at least he thought so. Then again, he realized that it may be bad if he was just relying on his family for everything. Rather, he was using them as a crutch, even if they didn't see it that way. He could tell as much from the fact that he knew he'd probably turn into a machine if he lost them.

He felt a burning in his chest, filled with a heaviness mixed in, but he quickly took a deep breath and relaxed. "Yeah, I realize that you're right. Artemis understands that, but I think she just wants to make sure you don't overdo it with whatever it is you usually do." He responded, seeing Apollo scratch his cheek nervously.

"Ah, it's not so bad. Besides, my little sis hasn't seemed so lively in a very, very long time, so I feel a bit indebted to you. Especially if what Hestia mentioned about my mother." He replied, before looking at him seriously. "Can you really find a way to help our mother from her curse?"

"I can and I will." He answered just as seriously. Leto, she was a titaness who Shirou thought highly of. In fact, she reminded him of Hestia in a way, in that they didn't really have many negative stories around them. There was the Niobe story, but the translations and such varied. Not to mention, he wanted to help Artemis, besides, after having children himself, as well as seeing the way Dite, Hestia, and Athena acted with them, he felt like he needed to help.

"Very well, then I approve of you for now." Apollo said proudly, though Shirou tilted his head a bit, not understanding. "Oh, so you don't know even know. Well, I suppose I'll just keep my mouth shut for once. I'd rather not be filled with arrows anytime soon." He said, causing Shirou to laugh, imagining Artemis and Orion in Chaldea.

"Say, why are you making the little lady do that anyway?" Apollo asked him, as he was quite interested in the way he was training the young girl. It wasn't anything like he had seen before. Shirou hummed to himself.

"Well, Hestia told me about how demigods usually pick up certain aspects related to their parentage, or something like that. She called it a Fatal Flaw?" He said questioningly, though Apollo simply nodded. "Well, this will help her with that, as well as her ADHD. I don't know much about Fatal Flaws, but this will help her calm herself, as well as help her way of thinking. She's centering herself, trying to gain control of things that, to most, are uncontrollable."

"Like breathing. Usually, that is something unconscious, but martial arts and other things help with it. Learning how to breathe, and even to walk, can help with the flow of energy and whatnot. For Thalia, this will help her control immensely, as well as her combat ability. Soon, she'll just do it all the time. Honestly, demigods could learn a basic version easily, but Thalia, she's a genius."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she was the top demigod by the time she enters that camp. She may be able to master a few techniques I have for her as well, but that's way off into the future. Honestly, I'm proud to see her making such progress." He said with a smile on his face. Apollo raised a brow at that, as he wasn't familiar with it. Though, he didn't know what Shirou knew.

In Shirou's world, it was possible to cause natural interference by simply existing and breathing in the right way. Thalia would have been one of the few who were called geniuses in that field. Though, Miyu, she was different. Shirou noticed it early on, his daughter was simply born with that ability. He likely wouldn't need to teach her about it at all.

"Which child is she? She doesn't look like you or anyone else?" Apollo asked, though Shirou knew better than to answer that.

"She was just a demigod I saved. She was homeless when I met her, and I decided to take her in. Hestia told me not to worry about it too much, so I decided to listen to her." He answered, with Apollo humming in response, before straightening himself.

"Oh, it seems Artemis kept her word. Well, hopefully we'll get to speak some more, but for now, I'm going to see my daughters." He said happily, before walking off while whistling. Shirou couldn't help but shake his head with a small smile. Apollo reminded him of some dear friends, so it was rather easy to speak with him. However, he could feel a strange undertone from him. It wasn't anything dangerous, at least until it came to Artemis, but that was expected. 'As long as he doesn't mess with my family, he'll be fine.' He thought, before deciding to join Thalia in her exercise.

---

Night had come quickly, and Aphrodite wasn't going to ignore how bright the moon was shining, nor how the moonlight seemed to focus on Shirou at random times throughout. Something was going on with the frigid moon goddess, and she had an idea on what it was, however, she'd keep her mouth sealed. It was a lot more fun and interesting that way. 'Three virgin goddesses falling in love with the same man? Now that's super interesting!'

She was getting sidetracked, "It's alright sweetie, you don't have to be scared of anything." She said, petting her daughter's head and stroking her hair. She had come up and spoke to her just recently, so she asked about her eyes, and it led to this. All her children tended to be emotional, so it wasn't anything she wasn't used to. Caroline was like that at times. Strangely, the two girls acted more like Aunt and Niece, rather than sisters, with Ophelia calling her aunt.

'Maybe it has to do with the way Caroline is with Shirou?' She then had a sly smile on her face. 'Well, we'll just have to see.' She shook her head, she was getting off track. She wasn't the goddess of love and lust at the moment, she was just Ophelia's mom, Dite. Ophelia was sniffling a bit, but she wasn't crying. She could feel her daughter's emotions light up when Shirou entered the room.

"Daddy!" She quickly jumped out of Aphrodite's arms and ran towards Shirou, who kneeled down and picked the girl up. Aphrodite couldn't help but smile at the image, especially since the little girl was still holding onto a small teddy bear with a knight helmet. She couldn't help but giggle, before she stood up and made her way over towards the two. "I'm scared."

"It's alright, you don't have to be scared. I'm right here." He said softly, with Aphrodite smiling at the scene. She really enjoyed those little moments, just like Hestia did. "I'm guessing your mom told you that we know about your special eyes?" He asked, with Ophelia nodding into his shoulder. He looked over towards her, with Aphrodite smiling and placing a hand onto their daughter's back.

"It's alright dear, you don't have anything to be scared of. You're really special. In fact, your mama can do the same thing you can, how cool is it that?!" She said in a happy and upbeat tone. It seemed to work, as Ophelia turned and looked at both of them, before looking at her exclusively.

"R-really?" She asked in a small voice. Aphrodite's smile softened, before nodding at her. 'Well, I think I'll have to work on her self esteem and confidence, but that won't be too hard.' She thought, before patting Ophelia on the head.

"Yep, sure can, and I'm not scared of anything. In fact, I help a lot of people with my eyes. You're just seeing how people feel, like if they're sad, they'll look blue or grey. If they're happy, the color will be bright. Or, if you're like your daddy and me, it'll be red or pink." She explained, sliding close to Shirou. She noticed Shirou's cheeks slightly redden, causing Dite to giggle.

"You're eyes are special, Lia. In fact, I knew people with special eyes like yours." Ophelia looked up at Shirou, who smiled at her. "All you need to do is learn how to turn them on and off, and I can teach that to you. Learning how to use them like your mom though, will have to wait until you get a little older." He said with a small chuckle, before he reached into his jacket and pulled out some glasses.

"Until then, you can wear these. Think of them like a gift, it'll make sure that your eyes don't bug you with those bad feelings. You can take them off at home if you want, since Arty said you like to feel warm colors." He opened them up and showed them Ophelia. Aphrodite was still a bit skeptical about them, but Shirou promised that they would work on controlling her eyes together. "Want to try them on?"

Ophelia looked at them for a moment, before looking at her mom, and reaching out with her free hand. The moment she grabbed the glasses, Aphrodite and Shirou both noticed her eyes change. Aphrodite looked at Shirou, who only nodded at her. Aphrodite was entranced by the eyes. They were beautiful, and the ring in her eyes really did shine like a collection of jewels. She could also feel her power in them.

Aphrodite watched as she put the glasses on, that the eyes receded, going back to changing to their normal three kaleidoscope colors. She noticed her little girl let out some noises in awe, as if it was the first time she was seeing normally. Though, according to Shirou, it might have been. He guessed that she had something similar to Annabeth, in that her eyes were rather sensitive, as opposed to Annabeth's sense of smell, and that the byproduct of her mystic eyes may have bled through at a random times.

"How are they, sweetie? Do you like them?" Aphrodite asked. Though, it was an unnecessary question, as Ophelia's face brightened considerably, her smile and even her eyes seemed to shine through even more.

"Mmhmm, everything looks pretty and bright! I like it!" She said happily, before leaning back into Shirou. "I love you, daddy!" Aphrodite, of course, couldn't help the small squeal of happiness she made from hearing something so cute. Especially when she noticed Shirou's widened eyes, and unconscious smile. He seemed a bit lost for words for a moment, before he just hugged the little girl in his arms.

"Daddy loves you too." He said softly, causing Aphrodite to smile in response. She really loved seeing this side of Shirou. She would admit to missing the look he had when he fought those amazons, but this was much better, as it fell under her own domain. Besides, even though Shirou had that side of him that embodied war, he was fully capable of being like he was now, which was perfect.

She walked up and wrapped her arms around Shirou, and by extension, Ophelia, who only giggled at her mother's hugs. She looked up at Shirou, and she knew he noticed the mischievous look on her face. She looked at Ophelia who was peering at her from her spot in Shirou's arms. "Hey, sweetie, guess what? I have a surprise for you."

"Really?! What kind of surprise?" She asked her, a happy smile on her face. Aphrodite tightened her grip on Shirou, before grinning at her daughter.

"You're going to have a little sister!" She said excitedly, hearing Shirou sputter in confusion, and her baby to gasp. She was going to have a lot of fun with this. Shirou may not have expected her to have a child with him so soon, but she couldn't help it. After her dip in that bath, she felt like her time with Shirou was special, so he deserved something special in response. 'I hope I can name her this time. Maybe Lacy? I like that name.'

---

Shirou looked mentally, and physically, exhausted. Hestia could only offer her condolences. After all, it was partly her fault. She had an idea why he was acting this way. He had been rather busy lately, especially when it came to the goddesses in his home. That wasn't mentioning the hunters and Caroline. Then there was his daughters and Thalia, who he was doing an excellent job in spending time with, even if he was looking like this at the end of the night.

She watched as Shirou fell into the bed, before sitting up and taking a deep breath. "I'm guessing you had a pretty long day?" She asked, with Shirou turning slowly, and looking at her with playful glare. She knew it was playful, because Shirou never got mad at her. It was endearing, if a bit hard to live up to. Shirou loved her and she knew that she could do almost anything, and the man would totally forgive her, or go along with, anything she did.

"It was an amazing day, actually. I have no idea what you're talking about, my lovely wife." He said in a happy tone, though she could only respond with a weak laugh. "Honestly, it was good day, just a bit taxing on my heart."

'It was Aphrodite. I told her to wait, but that stubborn goddess just couldn't help herself, could she?' Hestia thought, 'Not to mention Artemis and Athena, both of whom likely surprised poor Shirou with their advances.' "Oh, I'm sorry. Well, we'll have all day tomorrow to relax, so look on the bright side."

"Yeah, I suppose so. You think we should bring Miyu with us? I think it'd be more relaxing to spend my day with the two of you." He said, with Hestia smiling softly at her husband. She crawled over and sat next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I'd love that, Shirou. I think Miyu would like that too. Though, we'll need to keep an eye on her. You know how she gets when we're out." She said with some exasperation. "Honestly, she's going to be a handful when she gets older."

"She's not already?" Shirou asked with a tilt of his head, though Hestia nudged him with his shoulder, causing him to let out a small chuckle. "I feel sorry for whoever is in charge of that camp. It's likely Miyu will definitely be attracted to trouble, especially considering her parents." He hummed, though Hestia let out a small noise of discontent.

"Don't you mean her father?" She asked, though Shirou snorted in amusement.

"That's funny, considering all the things that happen around you. You found me after all. Not to mention, I know you're a sneaky and mischievous goddess." He said, before looking at her with a smirk. "You may have everyone else fooled, but I know. After all, who is it that gave humans fire?" He asked, causing Hestia narrow her eyes, but she slightly paled.

"You know very well who gave fire to humans, Shirou. Don't be preposterous." Shirou couldn't help but chuckle. Hestia groaned. He had her. It was technically her fault that humans had fire. "Fine, I'll take responsibility for at least 50 percent of the reason Miyu is the way she is."

"Well, I suppose that's fair. She's made up of both of us, after all. I still remember when she was little baby and freaking out over being a father." He said in a soft tone. Hestia hummed, and placed her hand onto Shirou's. "Thank you, Hestia, for saving me." Hestia's eyes widened, before looking up at him. "And loving me."

"What are you talking about, Shirou? As I recall, you saved me all those years ago. Though, I will take credit for loving you, as that was all me." She said proudly, causing Shirou to chuckle. "Also, save your thanks for when we really save you. When we have a have a nice peaceful life, without all the fuss going on, and you can sit on the porch and smile freely without a worry. When that happens, you can thank me and everyone else that helped."

Shirou looked at her before nodding. Hestia smiled, before placing a kiss on his cheek. They both could feel their rings resonating, no longer trying to pull themselves together. It was a nice feeling. The two were intertwined at this point. Shirou was never going to get away from her. Even if Chaldea found him. If needs be, she'd simply go with him. Maybe take the others too. That was just how she felt.

If they tried to take him away against his will, then she'd fight and burn them. She may have detested violence, but that didn't mean she wouldn't protect her family. She was kind and loving, being the sweetest goddess known among Olympus. That didn't mean she would let others hurt what she loved. Unknown to Shirou and herself, but her eyes began to glow, her mind not liking the thought of such a thing.

Thankfully, the door to their room opened, causing both to look at the entrance, with Hestia's mind focusing on their adorable visitor. All they saw were two bunny ears that quickly made their way over and quickly jumped up and tackled Shirou to the bed. Hestia couldn't help but giggle as Miyu attached herself to Shirou, dressed in her bunny one-piece pajamas. "Can I sleep with you and mom tonight?" She asked with a playful smile.

Hestia saw Shirou poke Miyu on the forehead, who brought her hands up and giggled at the gesture. "You never have to ask us that, Miyu. You can sleep here whenever you want. Though, wouldn't you usually sleep with your sisters?" Miyu shook her head.

"Ophelia is sleeping sleeping with momma Dite, Ana is sleeping with momma Thena, and Thalia had a sleepover with Aunt Arty, Mia, and Zoe, so I wanted to do the same. Oh! Wanna see something cool?!" She asked, immediately lighting up again, as well as changing the subject.

"Of course, honey, what is it you wanted us to see?" Hestia asked, smiling at her daughter. Hestia grinned before holding out her hand with the palm up. Hestia tilted her head and raised a brow, as their daughter began to concentrate really hard. Hestia was sure she heard her silently muttering something, but was surprised when she noticed Shirou's eyes widen and his mouth open in shock, followed shortly by her.

"I did it!" She exclaimed happily, with a little ball of flame, no larger than a candle light, resting in the center of her hand. Shirou was sitting up and, obviously, couldn't believe what he was seeing. Hestia was also surprised, but for a wholly different reason. She fully expected for Miyu to use flames, but she was amazed that her flame felt so full of life. Though, she also noticed that she didn't really see or feel any of those circuits that Shirou used.

'This is completely her own demigod power.' She thought, before a big smile appeared on her face. She quickly hugged her daughter. "Oh, Miyu, that's so wonderful! You're just like mommy!" She cried out, with her eyes tearing up a bit from happiness. Shirou couldn't help but smile at the sight. Of course, this meant that Shirou would have to start doing what he was doing with Ophelia now, which wasn't a problem.

"I suppose this means I'll have to start training Ana too." He said, with Hestia letting out a little laugh. It was a little early, but Hestia figured he'd keep it to their own innate demigod powers, before focusing on activating their magic circuits. Shirou placed a hand on Miyu's head, "We really do have an amazing little girl. How did you learn how to do that?" He asked, though Hestia was a little interested too.

Miyu looked at them, tilting her head, "Sailor Moon! But, I don't have a magic stick yet, so I had to use my hand." Both of them were silent, before Shirou simply fell back on the bed, causing Hestia to giggle at Shirou's reaction. She knew he was likely amazed she was able to do that by watching T.V and cartoons.

"Well then, mommy and daddy will have to look into getting you a magic stick, won't we daddy?" Hestia said, getting a small, yet playful groan from Shirou. Though, she knew he was just as happy when they saw Miyu's face light up at her words. This was what Hestia loved. These moments, both small and big, where she was able to smile and be happy with her favorite people in the world. So, she would do what she could to protect those moments, as well as those she loved.

---

And done. Sorry for taking so long, I rewrote this multiple times. I have like four drafts of this chapter. Anyways, this was another family building chapter, focused on each of the goddesses, as well as the daughters slightly. I'll likely start the time skip next chapter. I'm unsure if I want to do a two year timeskip, where Thalia enters camp, or simply go straight into Lightning Thief. I'm leaning towards making it lightning Thief, but a two year timeskip does sound slightly appealing. Also, Annabeth didn't get a big moment, but she'll get a lot of time going forward. Then again, so will Miyu and Ophelia. I did hint at some things in this chapter, but I do want to show that there's bigger things going on. Other pantheons are doing things, and its going to be a problem. Next chapter will include the Roman variants of the goddesses. I wanted to put them in here, but they're always around their children and other goddesses, so it'd be close to impossible. However, that won't always be the case. I'll say that their relationship with the kids will be unique, because Shirou possesses ties to Rome. Unlike every other Greek halfblood, Shirou's kids don't immediately make the Roman side's disappear. Anyways, I hope you caught onto a lot of things I'm setting up. The action is really going to start happening soon, as well as some fun deviations, such as Thalia. As hinted at in my side story, which I'm working on another chapter for, she's kind of awesome. Also, the Reading will be out either tonight or tomorrow. The Chaldea interlude or Omake will be coming soon! I promise!

Anyways, that's all for now. I'll try to pump out chapters quicker, maybe another one of these will be quicker depending on what timeskip yall are feeling. 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, it really helps and, as always, until next time.