The next day.

Clop!

Clop!

Clop!

“… If anything happens, I’ll call for you.”

“Stomp!”

Kalion stomps his hoof once as they arrive in front of Hestia’s home.

Coming up to the home, she saw Miach, Takemikazuchi, and Hephaestus coming together.

“So Hestia asked you as well?” said Hephaestus.

“She did. Did she ask you all the strange questions?”

“She did.” Said Miach. “Of course, I was a bit curious.”

“Same when Mikoto explained it to me. I didn’t really know what to make of it?”

“Hm… Shall we go in?”

They enter the premises and as they arrive at their front door, Kalion goes to the side and sits down.

“A rather smart horse.” Said Takemikazuchi. “I never seen one so strong looking?”

“Yeah, it is a bit odd…” Hephaestus said, noticing it had a very odd existence.

Kalion was wearing a very special magic tool that was made from Nox’s hair and blood. Nox herself was an oddity in it herself from the basis of her creation. Artemis found that Nox’s contradictory origins make her a very hard person to read, something that even found its way to Cirrus.

“Thank you, now shall we?”

Artemis knocks on the door, and Hestia opens it.

“Welcome! Welcome, come in!”

They all enter and Hestia shows them the way to their living room, where Bell and a child are in a cloak.

“Bell… Show them.”

He nods and slowly pulls back the hood to show her appearance.

The first thing to catch the eye was her silver-blue hair, then the thing that cemented what she was, a red stone in the center of her forehead.

“Wow!”

All the gods went and looked at her in amazement. They went and asked her various questions and the like.

‘So… it’s a Vouivre… a child.’

“What’s your name, little one?” asked Miach.

“I-its Wiene…” Wiene said shyly.

“What a nice name,” said Hephaestus.

As they asked their questions, Artemis simply looked at her.

“Is something wrong Artemis?” asked Hestia.

“… No, I simply learned enough; I will be back tomorrow.”

She then took her to leave.

Hestia watched as Artemis left.

Hestia felt as though she made a mistake. She has not met Artemis in years. She had found love and gotten married. All the things that Hestia knew about her seemed long gone.

“… I think I may have made a mistake,” Hestia said worriedly.

Leaving the home, Artemis got on Kalion.

“We're going back home.”

“And the Xeno?”

“She’s a child. I need to see if her Familia will stand alongside them. She can’t remain half-hearted or lazy like she was in Heaven. This is something she will need to truly stand and fight tooth and nail for even if no one will come to her aid like in the War Games. This will be a labor for them.”

“… Understood. I take it Master Cirrus will arrive tomorrow?”

“He will and he will test their Familia. They will need to back their kindness.”

“Lady Artemis, please don’t make that expression.”

Kalion turns away as a pained expression is latched onto Artemis’s face.

“I’m sorry but… I never thought I would need to test a friend… especially one as kind and loving as her, but… this is necessary. The fate of a species already on the brink of extinction is on the line.”

“I hope she and her Familia will prove themselves.”

“I hope so as well.”

"... Lady Artemis I know I am asking again but do you really need to do this?"

"Yes. Hestia needs to know, she needs to experience how bad this can go if she is careless as she was today."

The next day.

Clop!

Clop!

Clop!

Clop!

Artemis arrived back again at Hestia’s home in the afternoon.

Artemis passes through the gate and meets Takemikazuchi and Hephaestus, along with Welf and Mikoto.

“Step aside,” Artemis asks sternly.

“Not until you tell us what you're planning Artemis.” Said Hephaestus. “This isn’t like you to do?”

“Hephaestus, I have nothing against you nor Hestia, but…”

“It has to do with Wiene, doesn’t it?” said Takemikazuchi.

“It does, so you can either move aside so I can finish my business, or I will go through you.”

Mikoto and Welf step up front.

“I’m sorry, Lady Artemis, but… We can’t let you.” Said Welf.

“I am sorry as well,” Mikoto said as well.

“… Then I guess the labor begins.”

“!?” Hephaestus and Takemikazuchi now realized what she planned on doing, but before they could speak or utter a letter Welf and Mikoto were already—

“Kalion!!”

Bam!! Thud!!!

Bam!! Thud!!!

 —Struck by Kalion’s hooves, the two of them were knocked out instantly and bashed into the walls of the manor.

Crash!

Crash!

“Gah!?” They both coughed up some blood.

“S-such power…” said Takemikazuchi, amazed by Kalion’s strength.

“Did you think Hestia was the first god to come across the Xeno?” Artemis said with a sharp glare.

“Xeno… New life…” said Hephaestus.

Her and Takemikazuchi’s eyes widen as they understood the significance of the name and especially to Artemis, a goddess of nature.

“We… Should have trusted you more…” Hephaestus was ashamed of thinking that Artemis was against them.

“It is not your fault. You were simply being a good friend, the both of you.” Artemis reaches into her bag and tosses them some High Potions. “Tend to their injuries.” She said, getting off with her bow and arrows on her. “Kalion, roof.”

As Artemis walks past them, she enters the home. Kalion looked at the two gods.

“… I am sorry for having hurt your loved ones,” Kalion said in an eloquent manner, which shocked them as he jumped onto the roof in a single bound.

“Oh… So he was the Xeno she met.” Hephaestus said.

NotOriginal

Man that last Bleach episode was fucking hype as fuck! Anyways I just wanted to say that.