Writer's Note I: Hello, everyone! Welcome back to my story! It's been a hot minute because I delayed the chapter due to the notification issues with FanFiction. I had hoped it'd blow over sooner than later, but I don't want to hold the chapter any longer! Enjoy the read. We have more Naruto/Artemis slow burn coming!
Hopefully people find the chapter without too much difficulty. But I'm a realist here, I'm putting this chapter out knowing that reviews might plummet based off alerts alone. It's a bummer but none of our fault. At the very least, the content will be coming out. I'm not going to leave everyone high and dry and drop my stories because of this. You're stuck with me whether you like it or not! Muahahaha! Okay, now onto the story!
The Last Shinto Kami
Chapter Ten: The Hunt
Hephaestus avoided most social contact. The latest council of the gods reinforced this distaste in his innovative mind. All anyone wanted to say to him was, Hephaestus do this... or Hephaestus make that. They didn't treat him like family. They ordered him around like a dog because he understood the forge better than anyone else. And was he ever thanked for his efforts? Not one damned time. It was as humiliating as it was infuriating!
The fire in the forgemaster's belly went from metaphorical to physical as flames burned vengefully on Heph's fingertips. His red hair resonated with this rage. And his lone yellow eye, a massive flaw in his human disguise, lit up dangerously. His one eye reminded Heph of the sins his mother and father committed against him. Never to be fixed, just like the damage Zeus and Hera did to him.
'Forget about them. The sooner I get this done, the better...' Pure chance led the wayward forge god to this nondescript farmstead where a man at work was lamenting the state of his broken tools. Hephaestus watched the mortal fret over feeding his family for ten minutes before the hardworking farmer disappeared into his small but well-built home. Call it kindred spirits, but Heph found something in him aching to assist his fellow craftsman.
All the god needed was a snap of his fingers, and the outdated farming tools were awash in forge flame. Their ordinary outlines housed an otherworldly shine for a moment before they emerged reforged and better than ever. With his oversight, these tools wouldn't ever wither or waver. Smirking at a job done amazingly, Hephaestus disappeared as the mortal stomped onto the tilled field.
"What in the name of-?" Widely set eyes displayed vast disbelief as the tools he left broken now looked brand new. He almost thought he was in a dream and looked around for anyone to confirm what he saw. When he finally grabbed the reborn instrument properly, the awed man's surprise turned into elation. "This is great! Better than ever!"
Hiding in plain sight was a trick every god knew. This same sleight of hand allowed Heph to watch the man vibrate in place, thanking whoever bestowed him with such a treasure. The odd but touching sight put a sideways smile on the fiery smith's bearded he compared this singular mortal to his entire family, the levity in his smile shattered like brittle bronze on an unforgiving anvil.
Against his will, Hephaestus' photographic memory saw Ares' arrogant face smeared with a sickening mixture of hate and jealousy. Right beside him was Hephaestus' wife. Her beauty inspired nothing but boundless betrayal in the forger's heart. Then came his parents; Zeus and Hera were unique in many ways, but both carried the same look of disappointment when he pictured them. And nothing he accomplished changed that.
Hephaestus, our family is not perfect. They hurt and harm, often without thought of the consequences. It is not right, but it is all we have. We owe it to ourselves to do our best for them and us.
'I can't do it, Aunt Hestia. I don't have the same unshakable belief you do. I am not that admirable, but I can do better for myself. Next time I spend time in the forge, I'll pour everything I have into my newest ideas. Greek fire and combustion. It's the future... I see it in the flames.' So lost amongst his never-ending maze of innovative ideas, Heph didn't realize he had long since abandoned his invisibility cloak. But reality came back when the forge deity heard a voice.
"Is everything alright? You look like a man with troubles. I hate to assume, but perhaps a fresh set of ears could be of some assistance?" Though he tried approaching with an inviting tone, Naruto made the mentally absent Olympian jolt in surprise. To allow Hephaestus a momentary reset, Naruto waited patiently for a reply.
Looking at Naruto long enough to memorize his face and no longer, Heph turned the other way. His murmured response was slurred together beneath his breath, making it difficult to decipher. "No... I'm fine... nothing here to worry 'bout."
Naruto offered nothing more than a nod as he settled into the empty seat beside Hephaestus. An easy wind swept across both men, drawing a close-eyed sigh from the blonde. "There is something about tasting fresh air... I can taste it thousands of times, and it never gets old."
Thumping calloused fingers into the top of his thighs... it took more than Heph realized to keep his nervous fidgeting under control. "I guess? I don't know. If that's what you like." In his opinion, the smell of fire and bronze- the smell of a forge in full swing was unmatched.
Seemingly unbothered by the brevity of the responses, Naruto soldiered forth in his attempts to keep a modicum of discussion alive between them. "Excuse me if this comes off as random, but what's your take on the sun, my friend?"
Genuinely shocked by how casual Naruto was with him, Heph's eventual response was clumsily executed. However, the forge man's reply was colored by experiences with a certain golden archer. "It's too bright. And it's annoying when it gets in my way."
"Yes, I can see why some people might think that." A chuckling Naruto agreed in good humor as he looked out at the sprawling land. "Would you like to hear what I think about the sun?"
"...sure."
"Most people view fire as a force of destruction. Chaotic in its application but unprejudiced in its destruction." Naruto's opening comment was strong enough it inspired an interruption from his fellow fire deity.
"They aren't wrong. Fire hurts..." Less speaking about the fire itself and more himself, the disguised forge worker's face darkened with memories of his family's cruelty. Heph wisely kept a lid on his godly energies, but anymore, and he'd blow his top in a glorious geyser of pent-up rage. Doing that, wasn't something he wanted to unleash on the undeserving. That'd make him like Ares... a brute who only cared for the furthering of his own power and reputation. Heph wasn't like that. He was more reserved and often times that lack of assertiveness turned him into the butt of jokes.
"I believe you're right and wrong. Fire can do all those things, but it is capable of much more than a field of smoldering ash. It was the power of flame that brought life. If fire gave birth to our most precious resource, what else can it do?" The more Naruto seemed to muse aloud, the more excited the blonde became. Until it gave birth to a smile teeming with hope.
Stricken by the absurdity of Naruto's comment, a snort from Hephaestus was inevitable. "You believe there is something out there better than life itself? That's ridiculous..." His gruff demeanor made Heph's refusal come across harsher than he intended, but Naruto took the reply in stride.
"Perhaps nothing better than life itself, but who is to say there aren't other miracles out there waiting for us? That is the best thing about fire, in my opinion... the endless potential." Just thinking about the endless opportunities waiting to be discovered had Naruto's expressive eyes glowing with metaphorical hope.
"Endless potential...?" Something unquantifiable clicked in Hephaestus' heart. His demeanor changed from stoic to almost anxious as he mulled over the depth of Naruto's hopes. Like a flame fanned, his kindling doubts became a bright inferno ready to be unleashed. "I have to go..."
"Glad I could help..." Naruto didn't get long to himself before someone else approached him. It was someone with striking beauty. It was someone very familiar to him. It was Leto. "Leto? What are you doing here?" His question was well-earned since Naruto couldn't recall a time outside of their first meeting when Leto wasn't presiding on the island he created for her. So, this rare occurrence was literally blowing the younger blonde's mind.
Leto carried a smile from the pleasant feeling of getting one up on her mischievous friend. She wouldn't call it a competition, but without a doubt, Naruto surprised her more often than not. Now, it was her turn to return the favor. "I happen to be looking for someone. Also, getting off the island is a nice change of pace... lets me stretch my legs."
Of all people, Naruto couldn't blame her for being infected with the wanderlust bug. Some of his best memories came from traveling across the world, so he gave the friendly Titaness an understanding nod. "Is there anything I can do to help find this person?"
His offer for help brought out a small smile but was ultimately waved off by Leto. "That's kind of you, but unnecessary." It was his vast experience with people that helped the golden Titaness answer Naruto's question before he voiced it. "I came to find you because I want to take you with me!"
"Huh..." While not opposed to going on a trip with Leto, Naruto did find the suddenness of her offer more than a little suspicious. Perhaps that's why his eyes squinted as he regarded Leto inquisitively. "I'm inclined to agree, but I should ask... where do you plan on taking me?"
"Why to go and see my daughter!"
"What? Leto, I told you-"
Leto moved forward quickly, preventing Naruto from putting forth a verbal defense. "I grow tired of watching you drag your feet, so I am forcing your hand. One way or the other, you are coming with me, Naruto. You can't put this off any longer. I won't allow it." Her thoughts were clear and stated with the force of her conviction, compounding the impact.
Naruto barely refrained from slapping a palm against his forehead, but the same couldn't be said for the exasperated groan slipping off his lips. "Not this again! We've already talked about this! Several times!" He wanted to be annoyed. And yet, Naruto admired Leto and her unshakable persistence because he knew she thought this was in his best interests.
"Take it from me, Naruto. As someone who has seen paranoia first hand in my former husband, I say this with the utmost respect. You're being paranoid for no reason. No good reason." The golden-haired Titaness dropped her hands onto her hips, preluding the stern glare she unleashed on her fellow blonde. "Since you returned from training with Aether and Hemera, you have been looking for excuses where there are none. Go on, tell me I'm wrong."
Their silent battle didn't last very long before Naruto caved with a forlorn sigh. How could he make a legitimate argument when Leto was right? "I hate it when you're right. Fine, let's go find your daughter."
Alight with joyous delight, Leto helped Naruto to his feet. A hand set on Naruto's shoulder is how she sent them off to meet the Moon Huntress!
Huntress Camp
"Thy training is paying off. The placement of thine arrows is well-struck and plenty deep. If thou perform like this in the field, the monsters won't have a chance against our combined might." Zoe Nightshade served as lieutenant and second-in-command of Artemis' nomadic band of hunters. And today, she had only praise for her sisters as she examined the fruits of their training.
They exhibited coordination and discipline in droves, core tenants of a good huntress.
Smiles went all around as the group soaked in their superior's acknowledgment. The huntress hopefuls lowered their bows and nodded happily. Atalanta, their trainer, was downright deferential to the impact of Zoe's tutelage over the weight of her instruction. "The thanks is yours, Zoe. Without your help, these young women wouldn't have gotten this far. If anyone deserves the praise, it's you."
Atalanta had adopted a new look with her furs and leathers broken up by the occasional accent of silvery white. It was the same for the oaken laurel fastened in her blonde hair. Hair, which now fell to the back of her shoulders.
"Thy words fill my heart with joy. However, it's my honor to make thoust the best thou can be. Remember, we aren't a unit but a family, and family always looks out for each other." And that was the truth. Zoe didn't do these things for the reward of recognition. She worked as hard as she did to ensure her sisters were ready to face a cruel world. Monsters, men, and gods... they all posed a threat to her sisters.
"I couldn't have said it any better myself, Zoe."
"Lady Artemis!"
Taken to her teenage form, Artemis looked much the same. A practical look and long red hair. Similarly, her silver eyes still shined despite losing some of their otherworldly glow in the harsh daytime sun.
The formal way they addressed Artemis wasn't any different from any other follower of a god, but what separated her daughters from others was the unconditional love she felt through their unique bond. "Zoe said it beautifully, but allow me to reiterate. You aren't my followers. You are my daughters. The way you defend me, I will defend you. This is our family... remember that always, and you shall never waver."
This bonding moment between the unorthodox family ended when another huntress arrived at camp with her tracking wolf in toe. Her black hair caught the sun as she bowed slightly to her idol and mother. "Lady Artemis, there is something amiss in the forest."
Her short statement sent a curious ripple through the others, but Artemis seemed less than concerned as she stared into the forest of trees. Artemis shook her head and smiled- her silver eyes returned to her daughter with no shortage of warmth. "What did you find, Kallisto?"
Kallisto adopted a troubled look, but she continued to share what caused her displeasure. "Something out there is eluding me. It would disappear when we approached and reappear after we left the area. I found it... a frustrating experience."
"I apologize for putting you through unneeded stress, Kallisto. I should have warned you that my mother was coming to visit today. That is her presence you felt. She must be waiting for me to greet her personally." The sudden yet unexpected news left everyone with wide eyes. Leto's visits weren't rare, but they were always welcomed by Leto's granddaughters.
"Why don't you girls prepare for lunch? Zoe, Atalanta, and myself will go and greet my mother." With the group of bow-shooting ladies scattering, the goddess took her two trusted daughters into the forest, with Artemis taking the lead.
Atalanta failed to hide a smile while watching her lady patron walk with an extra pep in her step. Zoe saw the same thing beside Atalanta and brought it up in the form of some light chatter. "Lady Artemis is always like this whenever Lady Leto visits."
"Normally, I'd say it's because that is her mother, but we both know it's because Lady Artemis is a glutton when it comes to Lady Leto's homemade meals." The joke had both women laughing softly at the expense of the goddess in front of them. But it was done in good spirit.
None saw it, but their accurate teasing put an emphatic golden blush over Artemis' otherwise fair complexion. So what if she adored her mother's cooking? It was food to die for, and everyone who tasted it would say the same. "You are aware I can hear you two..." Her flat comment deepened the laughter pouring from Zoe and Atalanta.
Leto came forward to this sight. The warmth surrounding the group of three put a brilliant smile on the mother's face. To see her daughter happy is all Leto needed from this world. "I see everyone is in high spirits. May I ask what has them in titters, my dear daughter?"
"My beloved daughters are having fun at my expense, mother." Artemis broke into a near gallop, erasing the space between mother and daughter as she flung herself into her mother's comforting embrace. Nothing needed to be said, not when the hug conveyed everything and then some.
Extracting herself from Leto's arms after getting her fill, Artemis cut to the left with a calculating glint in those resplendent pools. "What are you trying to keep from my senses, mother?" Despite the nature of her accusation, there wasn't anything inherently wrong with the question. Just some wonder and curiosity.
Leto sighed long enough to puff out her cheeks. It was followed with an exaggerated dipping of the titan woman's shoulders. The golden matron shook her head with a hint of a smile. "It was much easier to hide things from you when you were younger." The odd compliment regarding her tracking skills caused Artemis to beam with pride. "You can come out now."
Upon being summoned, Naruto fell from the nearest tree. He skimmed the stray leaves from his hair and smiled in greeting. While Artemis tried recalling where she knew his face from, Atalanta broke into a full-on sprint. "Naruto!"
Credit to him, Naruto was prepared for the reunion as he caught Atalanta mid-leap and lifted her into the air with a rumble of laughter. The two old friends were quickly sent into their own world. One that saw the huntress firing off comments and questions that Naruto answered with a smile.
Zoe's hand went for her bow on instinct when Naruto wrapped his arms around her sister. What stopped her from notching an arrow was Atalanta's genuine smile. Hesitantly, Zoe watched Naruto with a tight stare. Waiting... almost expecting him to go too far.
Unlike her confused lieutenant, Artemis recognized the name. The red hair and purple eyes she remembered were gone, but that was the name of the man she met in Troy. But how was this possible? He should have been long dead from old age! "How are you still alive? That... that's impossible; I'd like answers."
"I'm sure Naruto would be happy to explain. Isn't that right, Naruto?" Leto's prompting was the catalyst that recaptured Naruto and Atalanta's attention. The pair of slightly embarrassed friends tried laughing off their lapse in focus... more so the blonde son of Amaterasu.
"I have met two of you in the past, but for everyone's sake, allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Naruto-Omikami, the Shinto God of the Sun and other things. The pleasure is all mine." Naruto needed all of his restraint to stop himself from snickering at the shocked faces pointed at him. No matter how old, a part of him relished making chaos.
Zoe spent many years by Artemis' side, where she heard murmurs of other pantheons through her mistress. However, this was the first time Zoe had the chance to meet a god outside of her ancestral pantheon. What surprised Zoe the most was how unassuming Naruto was.
"Mother! What were you thinking? Why would you bring someone like this here? You should understand what kind of danger this man poses to us all! Father would-" The moon patron's shock turned her tongue sharper than otherwise. Perhaps aided by a twinge of Zeus' mentality toward other pantheons leaking to the surface.
"Artemis... you are my dearest daughter, and I love you with all my heart... but if you continue to spew that divisive rhetoric your father is enamored with, I will be terribly cross with you." An uncommon splash of disappointment ran over Leto. For those around her, it was surprising, but none more than for her daughter, who physically recoiled with a wince. Leto's slightly raised voice shredded through Artemis' argument, leaving the moon goddess mumbling inconsequentially.
Left with little choice, a thoroughly chastised Artemis looked away momentarily. Once her embarrassment was under control, she looked from her mother to Naruto and dipped her head. "I apologize for jumping to conclusions. I should and will be better than that in the future."
Naruto nodded back while Leto continued her efforts to break the ice between her daughter and Naruto. This was a setback, but her former husband's idiocy wouldn't deter her. "Artemis, you're aware of the curse placed on me by your father's current wife and how it prevented me from giving birth to you and your brother, right?"
"Of course, I remember; I'm not an airhead like Apollo!"
Leto smiled with amusement. No matter how mature her daughter became, mentioning her sunny twin seemed to bring out the childish innocence Leto adored in her daughter. "This young man standing next to me is responsible for creating the island we call home." Naruto scratched at the back of his head sheepishly as their surprised stares fell on him. "The barrier around our island is also his work. He is the sole reason our family is here today, Artemis. We owe Naruto more than we can hope to repay."
Naruto thanked his adoptive mother that the silence didn't last. Because the looks he was getting were really embarrassing. "Wait... you're older than Lady Artemis, Naruto?"
Looking aside to find a stunned Atalanta gaping at him, Naruto nodded nervously in confirmation. "Yeah, I guess I am. Did that never come up?" When he got an almost lifeless nod, Naruto smiled so broadly it forced his eyes shut. "Well, I am! Though not too much older! A decade or two at most!"
As a spectator, the strangeness of this moment had pushed Zoe into forgetting her traditional suspicions in favor of wanting to learn more about the oddity that was Naruto. "How have you gone this many years undetected? Have you met any of the other gods?"
"I've met quite a few! They didn't know they were talking with another god, but I have met them! Some of them were cool... others weren't. It's a lot like meeting a mortal in that regard."
Artemis moving in front of him got Naruto's attention, but nearly as much as her beginning to bow at the waist. Hastily putting a hand on her shoulder, the golden-eyed Shinto sun lord had a point to make. "Please, if you want to thank me, that's fine. But you don't have to do that! Words will be plenty!"
The huntress flared a surge of power in warning, which got Naruto to remove his hand. With that settled, her expression softened, and she nodded. "Thank you. Thank you for helping my mother when she needed it most."
"Fantastic! Now that we have that settled, I'll make lunch for everyone!"
There wasn't anything a good meal couldn't accomplish. Leto's excellent cooking brought high spirits and a good vibe through the camp. Conversations across the improvised hall meshed, creating an air of camaraderie that bathed the afternoon in a pleasant glow, including our resident Shinto Kami.
At the start, Naruto dealt with weary eyes watching everything he did. The few responses he got were clipped, but that didn't stop Naruto from making an effort to integrate himself. With an abundance of tenacity, he worked his way from outsider to being tolerated by the all-female hunting brigade.
However, not everyone treated Naruto with frosty indifference. Atalanta was pivotal in getting his foot into the door. Her willingness toward Naruto was a good start. And it helped Naruto win over some of the hunters; consequently, the group huddled around listening to one of his stories.
This unexpected gathering didn't escape the moon maiden's watchful gaze.
Artemis followed her fellow god's every mouth with the intensity of a hawk. Past experiences told Artemis that Naruto would eventually try and impose on her daughters like the pitiful men who tried leveraging some sense of power. Watching and ever vigilant, Artemis regarded her guest with a predator's gaze.
Her focus on him left Artemis listening to Naruto's far-fetched tale that included an adventure alongside a traveling herbalist and his family. He spoke at length of mystifying caves that went on endlessly and about nights around a campfire where he amused the children with fireworks. Artemis' doubts notwithstanding, she found herself pulled into Naruto's story. She particularly enjoyed the part where Naruto tricked a pair of wandering minotaurs into goring themselves while the blissfully unaware mortals slept the night away.
She wasn't alone in this regard. True or not, Naruto's skilled depictions and flowery theatrics earned him his fair share of laughter from the hunters, who imagined every avid detail with a smile or a smirk. Artemis was drawn away by the taunting jesting from her mother's mouth. "If you look in his direction any harder, there will be those with questions, daughter of mine."
Artemis flinched back aghast as if someone struck her. "Mother! What are you saying!? I am not and will never be interested in any man like you are suggesting!" Embarrassed in a way only Leto could muster, Artemis hastily and emphatically denied her mother's suggestion fundamentally. In fact, she responded so strongly that she knocked some of her stew onto herself, getting the moon maiden to curse as she tried wiping away the mess on her hunting tunic.
Much to the flustered goddess' consternation, Leto only smiled like she knew something Artemis didn't. It was a look that had Artemis fighting back a petulant pout. "If you think so, my daughter. But be mindful you aren't too wrapped up in the future, or else you will miss the present."
Their people had many faults, but what Leto loathed most was their unhealthy fascination with prophecy. It was a problem that went beyond Zeus to his father and beyond. 'It's always a prophecy. A plague on us all... maybe not all of us...'
Here, the woman's eyes drifted toward Naruto, who was putting the finishing touches on his treasure hunt story. "And I swear by Chaos, they had us running from a wave of poisonous mushroom spores!"
Though the huntress snorted, there was a tint of humor in her eyes as she shook her head side-to-side. "You can't be serious... that sort of thing doesn't happen!"
Naruto laughed alongside the others, not offended by the disbelief conveyed by some in his audience. He supposed it was a touch fantastical. "I swear on everything, it's the truth! We all know what kind of world we live in. Is my story really that improbable?"
Another huntress didn't seem to mind like her sister. She was leaning forward and hooked on every word. "So how did the whole thing end? Don't hold out on us!"
"Okay! I hear you! So, the golden coin of Charon we went out looking for? It wasn't what we found. It turns out his grandfather's father stored away this bronze idol of a goat." How his crowd of listeners deflated at the grand reveal made Naruto's laughter resume anew. "Yeah... your expressions are pretty much how the wife looked. Well, up until the realization turned into a murderous mutiny."
Atalanta bumped her elbow into Naruto's ribs with the start of a smirk inching onto her lips. "I bet you loved every moment of the chaos. Don't deny it; I know you too well for that, Naruto."
"I have to agree with Atalanta on this one, Naruto. You're a bright young man, but under your sunny disposition, you're an agent of chaos." Naruto's reply was delayed by the arrival of a smiling Leto and how she pilled onto Atalanta's assertions.
"I deny nothing, but I won't confirm anything either."
Paying little mind to the faux innocent look Naruto tried pulling off, Artemis focused on the grouped gaggle of warrior women. "The time for rest is over, girls. Get ready for our afternoon trials. Remember, any warrior can be defeated by complacency."
The finely-trained warriors snapped into working order in two seconds flat. Atalanta looked to do the same when she suddenly stopped and looked at Naruto. "Stay for a moment, Naruto. There is someone I want you to meet."
Her words got him to stop midstretch and nod his head. That was enough to send Atalanta off, leaving him alone with the mother and daughter. The divine trio lingered a silent heartbeat before Artemis cleared her throat. "I have training to oversee." Artemis paused for a fraction of a moment to address Naruto. "And it was... nice meeting you, Naruto Omikami."
Before Naruto had the chance to formulate a response, Artemis was gone. Her expedited exit left her mother behind to sigh at her antics. Leto should've known her hard headed daughter wouldn't be easily swayed from her overzealous vows. "Don't mind her haste. She has always been a girl on the go."
Tucking his hands behind his spiky locks, Naruto nodded. He understood that feeling. It was one he often found lodged in his own gut. "Nothing to worry over. I know what that feels like; the soul of a wanderer isn't easily contained. Some people are meant to move. We can do more that way."
His response spurred some scheme, but before Leto could unleash her plot, Atalanta returned with her dear friend Kallisto a step behind. "Naruto, I want you to meet my friend, Kallisto. Kallisto, this is the man I told you about. The one who saw me through the Trojan War."
"Good to meet ya!"
"Same here..."
The two shared a strong-armed forearm grip and shake that played out while Atalanta explained why she brought Kallisto to meet with Naruto. "He is why I saw through the love goddess' stupid tricks. Thanks for that, by the way."
Naruto shot a confused look toward his hunter friend but got a gesture that promised an explanation later. "And I was hoping he'd do the same for you?" The look Atalanta gave Naruto was one humming with earnest hope.
Leto had an inkling of what was happening was personal and decided it was time to see herself out. Her presence here wasn't necessary. She trusted Naruto would take care of it. "You don't need an old lady like myself for this. You three take care of your business. Surely, my daughter won't reject an extra set of hands."
Kallisto followed the titan out with her eyes. But when she turned back to Naruto, she was taken aback by the severity in his eyes. It was like Naruto's golden pools were looking right through her soul. And frankly, it put Kallisto on edge. She needed a lot of discipline to stop herself from sighing when Naruto finally broke his heavy silence. "Put your fist out."
The unsure huntress wanted to look at Atalanta for assurance but felt that breaking eye contact with the foreign god would be a mistake. Making her choice, Kallisto balled her hand into a fist and extended it in front of her.
With her taking the first step, Naruto established a proper connection when his fist pressed knuckle against knuckle to Kallisto's fist. This bit of contact is all Naruto needed to tether himself to Kallisto with his godly energies. Using this soulful link, Naruto saw everything in small flashes. The woman's past experiences screamed across his vision like shooting stars roaring through a night sky. In those precious moments, Naruto saw all he needed to make an informed decision.
"You have seen your share of pain, Kallisto, daughter of Lycaon. But I must say, fifty brothers sounds like a lot." God or not, as an only child, Naruto could never imagine himself running around with a family that large.
"How did you..." Kallisto was understandably frazzled hearing Naruto bring up things he shouldn't know about. What prevented her question was the emergence of a glow wrapped around her flesh. Having seen nothing like it, Kallisto was mesmerized by the sheet of luster following her arms as she waved them about at random. "What is this?"
Naruto waited patiently for Kallisto's attention to return to him. He was all too happy to explain what was happening. "I wanted to help shoulder some of your burden. Atalanta speaks on your behalf, and it's well deserved from what I saw. That glow you saw was my blessing to you. Call it clarity. No scheme will fool you if you remain true to your core values. This is my promise to you."
Kallisto stared at Naruto, genuinely at a loss for words. Throughout her life, the hunter learned that men were dangerous. Her father and brothers were horrible examples of men's cruelty, especially with their abhorrent treatment of women. Kallisto discovered this the hard way, when one of her fifty brothers thought he could have his way with her. Her brother learned what pain was after she left him broken. Ever since, Kallisto had been a faithful follower of Artemis.
Now, here she stood, offered a kindness from a god of all beings. She had no idea how to react... and it showed on her gobsmacked face. That and Kallisto's struggle to find the right words. "I... what... I don't know what to say."
Rather than make the woman struggle through her fraying emotions, Naruto settled things with an honest response. "You're welcome, Kallisto. I was happy to help."
Any potential for more conversation stopped when the upper half of Artemis' body peeked into the tent. Her wavy red hair pooled around her silver eyes as a contemplative look weighed across her face. "Are you two coming? Everyone is waiting for you."
Resembling a spooked deer, Kallisto wheeled around with wide eyes. Her thoughts were so scrambled that her spatial awareness suffered as a result. She decided training was just what she needed while she tried making sense of everything. "Right away, Lady Artemis!"
Kallisto ambled into the distance like a woman in a trance. She might have forgotten about Naruto, but not Atalanta. She mouthed a thank you for the both of them before slipping around Artemis in the doorway. This left the sun and moon alone in a semi-awkward silence. Naruto was moving to take his leave when Artemis surprised him by speaking up. "Do you have a moment to speak?"
Naruto's furrowed brow eased over into his customary sunny smile. It was more natural for him than walking around with a frown or a scowl. "Yeah, no problem! Did you need something?"
"When I look at you, I see something I don't understand. Your actions and reasoning... it doesn't make sense to me. I think it's best that I get an explanation from the source." A shimmering veil of pure power formed in front of Artemis' silver eyes, leaving the goddess with a glowing gaze that silently emphasized how seriously she was taking this conversation. "If I find out you are lying to me, there won't be anywhere on the planet for you to hide. Do we understand each other?"
Taking her threat with enough grace to show he wasn't taking her lightly, Naruto's sunshine-crowned head bobbed as he stared fully into the divine archer's soulful silver eyes. "I'll answer what I can, but there are some things I can't talk about. What I do say will be the truth. I can promise you that much. Is that acceptable?"
Artemis took her time and scoured Naruto's demeanor for any sign of deceit. If he planned on fooling her, she'd know his intentions now. She found nothing that gave her reason to doubt the man, so she begrudgingly cut the flow of power that made her eyes glow in the first place. "I don't understand what you stand to gain by helping those like Atalanta or Kallisto? That also includes my mother, so my first question is, why?"
'There has to be a reason his kindness extends to women. Men always have ulterior motives when it comes to women. If it's what I think, he won't leave this camp the way he came. From another pantheon or not... no one takes advantage of my mom!' Despite the strength of her emotion, Artemis didn't let her thoughts show. If Naruto gave her the wrong answer, she wanted her righteous vengeance to surprise him. Catching him by surprise would reduce any chance Naruto had of fighting back.
Naruto remembered those three and the many more he had the chance to help, and he smiled gently. "Those are the ones you know about, but I've also assisted old men with their health. Children with the passing of a loved one. And people of all genders with pressures of life." His smile turned into embarrassment. The same response the god with golden, black-tipped hair came up with when his charitable acts were highlighted. "Whether good or bad, I can't turn away when I see someone in need. That is who I am."
Artemis didn't say anything, not at first. But when she did, it wasn't the nicest of replies. However, her words were honest, something Naruto appreciated. "There are many who would call that foolish. Most of my family included."
"The title of fool is something I'd gladly wear if it means I can help people who desperately need it. The things I do aren't for recognition. I help people of all kinds because it's the right thing. These powers of mine don't make me feel some sense of superiority, Artemis. If anything, I feel obligated to make their lives easier." Unlike the other gods, Naruto saw little reason to extract tribute or demand worship from those he assisted. His ego wasn't so bloated that he needed honeyed words to make himself feel good. And Naruto was more than happy to work himself to the bone to get stronger. If he somehow turned out like some of the gods sitting on Olympus, arrogant and lost in their own power, then he'd ask his adoptive mother to strike him down.
"Why go so far for someone you don't know? Your help could do more harm than good if they use it for selfish desires." Artemis knew godly intervention could do more harm than good. To hear Naruto admit he risked that chance often felt irresponsible.
Naruto took the veiled criticism in stride with a nod of his head. He hated the possibility, but there was every chance his generosity would blow up in his face someday. Yes, he was a god, but gods weren't infallible beings. He could make mistakes. "When that day arrives, I'll do what I must, but I can't let a chance stop me. I won't let it stop me from doing what I think is right."
Circling back to the first question, Naruto opened his eyes and smiled with the strength of his conviction. "Who cares if I don't know them? A stranger isn't worth less. Not to me... a friend or a random person, I want to help both."
Artemis finally understood why she was developing a smidgen of respect for this man despite wanting nothing to do with him or any man in general. As much as she didn't want to admit, she and Naruto were similar at a base level. While she occasionally gave into fits of rage, Artemis tried to show compassion, trust, and honesty to those worthy, whereas Naruto wanted to see the best in everyone.
'Mother probably already realized this, which is why she brought Naruto here in the first place. I bet Atalanta also knew, but at least she is kind enough to keep her suspicions to herself.' Artemis mulled over the options available, and one thing became clear. 'If I let him leave without giving him a chance, Mother won't let it drop. Better get this over with.'
"Would you like to stay and watch our training?" Naruto took his surprise and turned it into a blink before he beamed at the crimson-haired hunter.
END
Writer's Note II: And there's the chapter! In the next chapter, we have more Naruto/Artemis interaction and some monster-hunting action for the sun and moon. See you then!