Kaori

I left the temple and rushed to my law firm. I got as much work as I could done before it was time to meet Ash for lunch. After I left the building and on my way to the restaurant I started to feel strange. I felt myself getting fussy and slipped into an alleyway before everything turned black.

Artemis

I opened my eyes and found myself on the ground in an alleyway. I sat up and looked around. I instantly knew I was in New Orleans. I glanced down at my chest and memories came rushing to the surface as I looked down at a the tattoo on my chest. The human woman, Kaori made an oath not to harm Acheron. I stood up, leaving the alley on a mission. I would kill the mortal bitch for interfering in my relationship with Acheron.

Ash

I was sitting at a table waiting for Kaori. When she called to confirm where we would have lunch she had told me that something was happening. That when she would meet with me today she wanted to talk about it,but she hadn't shown up yet. I was getting worried because she was never late.

Kaori

I opened my eyes to find myself lying on my back looking up at a grey ceiling. I sat up and froze as I found myself in a holding cell. I quickly stood up and walked over to the cell cage wall.

"What the hell? Where am I?" A police officer walked over.

"Shut up," I frowned, "why am I in here?"

"Oh that's rich. Pretend you don't know what crime you have committed? Plea insanity? You have lost your mind if you think that's going to hold up in court." What?

This made no sense. I had no memory of committing a crime. I also know that I would already be out if I did. Something wasn't right.

"Can you bring me a mirror or something I can see my own reflection in?" He frowned at me.

Then it was like some invisible force made him comply. He pulled his phone out and showed me what I looked like through his camera. I gasped stepping away from the bars. I was in a human body.

"Who made you do this? Who wanted you to show me what I looked like?!" I felt a pull in my chest.

I fell to the ground as my vision started to grow blurry. It felt like I was being sucked into someone else's body. I felt myself become drowsy when I heard a voice.

I will get my body back and you will die.

•••

I sat up gasping for air. I started running my hands over my body and noticed I felt sticky and wet. I stood up slowly and willed the lights on in the room. I gasped in horror. I was surrounded my bodies. I looked down to see my hands were red, completely covered in blood. I stepped backwards, tripping over a body and fell on my behind.

What the hell is this? I didn't do this! What's happening to me?

Then I heard a phone start ringing. I looked around the room and then I realized It was mine. I looked down at my red hands and slowly pulled it out of my pocket. I answered the phone hesitantly.

"Kaori," it was Ash, "where are you?"

I looked around the room and felt tears gather in my eyes. I didn't know what to say. I don't remember doing this. I don't remember slaughtering innocent people.

"Kaori. Talk to me. Where are you?" I couldn't answer because of the lump in my throat.

I closed my eyes trying to focus because I know I wouldn't have done this. I had clearly lost time because this is not where I passed out.

Why would I wake up here in a room full of murdered people? Why?

"Kaori, where are you?" I hung up.

I couldn't ask Ash or Inu for help. Not if what I was thinking was true. I would need Leto's help.

"Leto, I need you." I sobbed.

She appeared in front of me quicker than I thought she would. She gasped and I could hear the disgust in her voice. I looked around the room slowly as a tear slipped down my face.

"Artemis is back." She looked down at me.

She knelt down in front of me and I looked up at her.

"How do you know?" I looked down at my hands.

"I blacked out on my way to have lunch with someone. When I came to I found myself in a human body in a prison cell. Then I blacked out again after hearing a voice. I woke back up in this body surrounded by dead bodies." I couldn't look at her.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the blood coating my hands. I didn't know what to expect from her. I didn't know what she would do. Would she be happy that Artemis was back. Would I be killed again? My train of thought was cut off when she wrapped her arms around me. I sobbed and pressed my face into her shoulder.

"Why? Why are you hugging me?" She pulled away and cradled my face in her hands wiping away my tears.

She smiled down at me, "you're my daughter just as much as Artemis is. I know it's hard Kaori, but I need you to pull yourself together. If we are going to thwart her plans we need to find the other body that she is trying to bind you to, and bind her to it instead."

What?

"Why? Why would you allow me to stay in her body? She's your daughter, not me." She looked around the room and then back at me.

"That may be true. She may be my daughter, but so have you. Times have changed, Kaori. In your entire time as the goddess Artemis, you have only killed once and it wasn't unprovoked. You have bent over backwards to make yourself worthy of being a goddess. You risked everything to fix Artemis's mistakes," I was confused, "you proved yourself in a world you had no knowledge of and became my daughter."

"I," my phone started ringing again, "you should answer that, Kaori. The people you care about are worried."

I looked down at my hands. I can't.

I shook my head, "I can't. I don't know how to tell Ash that she is back. I don't know what to tell Inu. I, I don't know what to do."

She gripped my face in her hands, "Kaori. You made yourself a goddess. You kept up Artemis's duties and completed your own. You made yourself a goddess who protects those who can't protect themselves. Your soul is separating from her body, but you can decide where your soul goes. There is a power inside of you, one you've honed. One that has no connection to Artemis. Use it and create your own body. In your own image. Separate from her and separate from her temple. You can do it, Kaori."

I felt warm from her words and felt love from her that I hadn't felt in a long time.

"Are you sure about this?" She smiled at me.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Kaori." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath focusing on my body.

I pictured a new body, one with my blue eyes from my past life. I made my new body like my human disguise as a lawyer that I used that resembled Leto. This body would be mine. Then I saw it inside of myself. I saw mine and Artemis's powers. I opened my eyes and looked up at Leto.

"What will happen when I leave her body?" Leto smiles sadly.

"I will destroy it," I frowned, "what will happen to the power residing inside her body? Is it unheard of for a goddess to die, and are you sure about this?"

She shook her head, "no. Goddesses die and are born. You will help me destroy her body which will bind her soul to the human one. Her hatred will no doubt be endless and as for her power, it will be yours. I am."

I bit my lip and closed my eyes. I wasn't sure about this, but I would do it. I saw my power in its entirety. A blue orb of power. I knew that my body could not be built from nothing. So I used that power and I could feel my new body. I opened my eyes and looked up at Leto who looked surprised.

"You resemble me," she shook her head, "but why?"

I smiled at her, "you could've killed me when you first found out the truth, but you didn't. Eventually over the years a bond grew between us especially when we thought Artemis was dead. Soon, I saw you in a different light and I felt a connection with you. Especially that day when you saw me with Ash."

She nodded in understanding and I turned to Artemis's body. I took a deep breath placed my hands on her face. I closed my eyes and found her powers with my powers. I began taking her powers. I could feel her fighting me. I grit my teeth and then I felt a pair of hands overlap mine. I opened my eyes and looked at Leto. She looked determined and nodded at me.

"We do this together, daughter." I smiled at her and nodded.

Our eyes began to glow. I felt her coax Artemis's powers to leave her body and enter mine. I focused on combining hers with mine. I gasped once Artemis's body fell to the ground. I looked up at Leto.

She looked sad, "Leto?"

She looked up at me, "I am fine. Just sad. She is still my daughter and yet after all you've shown me what she has done I can't. I can't allow her to be a goddess again."

I walked up to her and hugged her.

"It is never easy making that decision. Just as it is never easy to accept that your child is not who you thought she was," I pulled away and looked her in the eye, "she will always be your daughter. You will always love her even with all she's done. You will miss her as well. It would be hard not to."

Leto smiled at me and turned to her daughter's body. I slid my hand into hers and she looked at me.

"We do this together. Not alone," I smiled at her, "are you ready?"

She shook her head, "sadly no, but we must destroy her body."

"I am with you every step of the way, Mother. I swear." She smiled at me.

"Are you ready," I nodded, "take this body, burn it to ashes. Destroy the ashes so that it may never be recreated."

Flames engulfed her body and it burned quickly. The ashes rose up and fizzled into nothing. I felt sad seeing her body burn to ashes even though I hated her. The mark I put on her body fizzled into nothing. I made his mark appear on my arm. I would wear his mark no matter what because he was someone I cared for and I would always be on his side. I turned to Leto.

"Are you okay?" She smiled at me.

"I am," she turned away, "I'm not sure I can face Artemis in her human body and seal her there."

I placed my hand on her shoulder, "let me do it, Matera. What you've done so far is hard and you shouldn't have had to do it. Let me finish this."

I saw the turmoil in her eyes and I couldn't stand it. I pulled her into a hug. I understood her pain at losing her daughter and having to make a difficult decision.

"I've got it from here, Matera. Just rest and take all the time you need. I will go to Artemis." She pulled away from me.

"You shouldn't have to do this," I smiled and took her hands in mine, "I shouldn't have to, but I will. For you I would do anything because without you I wouldn't be here right now."

Tears gathered in her eyes, "Thank you, Kaori."

I nodded and hugged her one last time.

"Always, Matera." I smiled one last time and vanished.