Kaori

I appeared in the holding cell Artemis resided in. I made everyone else fall asleep around us and woke her up. She looked shocked to see me.

"Mother," I scoffed, "I am not your mother, Artemis. I am Kaori. Goddess of protection, knowledge, childbirth, and archery. You no longer hold those titles."

She looked furious, "you lie! You can't replace the goddess Artemis!"

I knelt down in front of her, "that is where you're wrong. I have filled your role for decades. Long enough that any power you had left from people serving you immediately became my own. I played Artemis, and became a goddess of protection and knowledge as well. I fulfilled your role while you were missing. I became you, and now you are mortal. Forever."

She looked so angry, "my mother and father won't stand for this. They will smite you where you stand!"

Suddenly I wasn't alone. I stood and saw Leto and Zeus. I bowed and smiled at them both.

"Mother! Father! Make this imposter give me back my body!" Zeus stepped forward and gripped my chin.

His blue eyes glowed with power. I met his gaze head on never flinching and I smiled at him.

"Hello, Father," Artemis screamed behind me, "she isn't me you fool! I am the real Artemis."

I saw anger appear in his eyes.

He turned his gaze to her without letting my chin go, "silence, you fool."

Artemis couldn't speak any longer. Zeus turned his eyes back to me.

"Who are you," I held my head high, "I am the goddess of childbirth, archery, protection, and knowledge."

I heard the bars rattle. His eyes narrowed at me.

"You claim to be the goddess Artemis and a goddess of protection?" I smiled at him.

"I have been acting in Artemis's stead since the day I gifted mother her pendant and you your cufflinks. I am not the Artemis that helped birth Apollo, but I am still her. I resemble my mother for all she has done for me. I have her powers. I have proven myself worthy of that role. Your partner's attention and willingness to guide me in the ways of being a goddess should be honored. I respect you and I respect her. I would never speak to you the way the old Artemis just did." He looked less angry and his grip on my chin turned gentle.

Leto stepped forward from behind Zeus. I looked at her and she looked up at Zeus.

"She is right. The day that you caught onto the difference in her behavior I helped her step into her role. She searched for Artemis for years before we finally gave up. I don't know why Artemis vanished, but Kaori worked hard to fulfill her duties as Artemis while searching for the real one. However when Kaori came back to me saying Artemis had returned I found that Kaori was covered in blood. Artemis would kill anyone without caring who she hurt. Even now Artemis who is in a mortal body dares to call you a fool. That shows that she doesn't respect you, my love. Kaori does," she turned to me, "she has respected us from the moment she found herself in our daughter's body. She has earned her place my love."

I smiled at her, "you love Leto as your mother, don't you, little one?"

I looked back at Zeus and smiled up at him.

"I do. I also see you as my father. I know you watched me. You noticed the difference in Artemis's behavior and yet you let me be. You allowed me to continue and I don't think you would've allowed me to continue if you didn't see the bond your partner and I share. I love her like she is my mother and that will never change." I heard Leto gasp.

I heard the bars of the cell rattle behind me. I turned to Artemis and saw how angry she was. I knelt down in front of her.

"You failed at your duties Artemis. You almost caused the end of an entire pantheon. Should I tell them or will you?" She looked scared.

Then she began hitting the bars and shaking her head. I felt no pity for her. I stood and turned to Zeus and Leto.

"Artemis is the reason the apollites die on their twenty-seventh birthday. She is also the reason that Apollymi escaped her prison during the time King Didymos reigned and caused so many gods to be turned to stone. Her actions almost caused an entire pantheon to fall." Zeus looked angry.

Leto looked shocked and Zeus turned his attention to Artemis.

"Is that true?" Artemis shook her head denying it.

I snarled at her, "lies. You fear punishment and retribution now that you are mortal. Yet a moment ago you dared call father a fool. Where is your bravery now, Artemis?"

I cringed at the sound of malice in my voice. Yet I also sounded cold and callous. I hated it. The bars vanished and Zeus took Artemis by the throat.

"Speak the truth or I shall smite you where you stand!" Artemis trembled in his arms.

"I did," she sobbed, "I did the things she said."

Zeus dropped her to the ground. He stepped back and the bars reappeared. He turned to me and stepped closer to me. He laid his hands on my shoulders and I glanced at Leto, then looked up at Zeus.

"I, Zeus, ruler of the gods make a decree," what, "you are to be known as Artemis, goddess of childbirth, archery, protection, and knowledge."

A bright light glowed around us and I felt a new power coursing through me. When the light faded I looked down and found my symbol pinned onto my blue peplos and a himation pinned around my neck. I looked up and saw Leto smiling at me.

Being a true goddess suits you, daughter. Thank him, Artemis.

I hugged Zeus.

"Thank you." I didn't need to look at him to know that my show of affection had surprised him.

I opened my eyes and smiled at Leto as he hugged me back. She looked as surprised as I'm sure Zeus did.

"You're welcome, little one." I could hear the humor in his voice.

I pulled away from him and went to Leto and hugged her.

Thank you, mother. Without you I would be nothing. Thank you for giving me a chance.

I pulled away and then heard a scream. I turned and looked at Artemis.

"It's not fair! I am your blood daughter! You welcome her with open arms and I'm left to rot!" I could feel the anger radiating off of Zeus.

I stepped in front of him and leaned up and kissed his cheek, "I will handle this, father. She is my responsibility now."

I went to Leto and kissed her cheek as well, "I love you both. I will handle the situation. I have a lovely surprise waiting for you both as a thank you."

I opened a portal, "a hot spring completely rented out. Just for the both of you for as long as you want."

They both looked surprised, "are you sure, Kaori?"

I smiled at Leto, "I'm sure. Go have a good time, mother and father. If I can't deal with this then I don't deserve the role that was bestowed upon me."

Leto began to speak when Zeus chuckled, "she is right, my love. She has proven herself worthy, but she knows now that she will have more duties and have to do the hard things. Let us enjoy our gift and leave the rest of this to our new daughter."

He kissed her and I smiled. Zeus let Leto through the portal and then it closed. I turned to Artemis and looked down at her. She didn't look up at me.

"Look at me," she looked up, "do you know what mortals do to rapists nowadays?"

Her face paled, "you wouldn't."

I knelt down in front of her, "why not? Or maybe someone else would be more fitting. Maybe Menyara, the Egyptian goddess of Justice."

There was a flash and I stood up. There before me was Menyara. She was beautiful. All I ever knew was her basic description from my old life.

"Hello, Menyara, goddess of Justice. It is an honor to finally meet you." She frowned at me.

"Who are you?" I smiled at her.

"I am a newly born goddess. Though not from Egypt, I have a gift for you." She looked skeptical.

"What is this gift," I pointed towards Artemis, "this mortal body holds the soul of the old Artemis. The one who invaded Egypt and caused Bast's death. She has done terrible deeds and I thought who better than someone who was wronged by her to decide her punishment."

"Who is the new Artemis?" I smiled again.

"I am. I was appointed as the new Artemis today." She looked at the mortal then at me.

"This isn't a trick," I shook my head, "no. She is the old Artemis. She had to answer for her crimes. Rape, murder, tricking someone back to life, the list goes on. I wanted your input on her punishment. You are the goddess of Justice who sees her as your enemy. What would her punishment be?"

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS! SHE'LL KILL ME!" I snarled at her.

"You speak once more and losing your tongue will just be the first step I take in punishing you." Her face paled again.

"You're being honest," I turned to Menyara, "yes. She is yours to decide her punishment if you wish."

Menyara smiled down at Artemis, "you won't regret this?"

I shook my head, "she deserves whatever punishment you give her. Though I believe that she should experience what prisoners do to rapists in a human prison."

Menyara was looking at me, but I was glaring at Artemis.

"Who did she rape?" I looked up at Menyara.

"Someone I care about dearly. Most of the time he would end up tied up while she had her way with him." I glared down at Artemis.

Tears gathered in my eyes as I glared at her. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked at Manyara and she smiled at me.

"Thank you for letting me be the one to choose her punishment," she handed me a card, "give me your number and I will let you know when her punishments are done."

I summoned a card with my number on it and gave it to her, "thank you Menyara. Should you ever need me for anything just call me."

She nodded, "I will. You will make a wonderful Artemis."

"Thank you, Menyara. I have to go now. I have some people who are probably very worried about me. Until we see each other again." I waved and vanished.