I am Artemis

Aftermath

Ash

I returned to Kaori's temple. I found her asleep in Inu's arms. It wasn't peaceful though. Tears still fell down her face and she clutched onto Inu's shirt. She was terrified.

"Akri," I met Inu's gaze.

He was worried about her. I also saw guilt. I stepped closer to them.

"She'll be fine, hopefully. Just stay by her side." I turned away.

"Wait," I turned back, "I think you should stay as well."

No. No I shouldn't.

I shook my head.

"I have matters to attend to." I turned away.

"I know how she feels about you," I froze, "I also know that she cares about me. Not the way she does you, but she does. I think she will need both of us."

I looked at Kaori. Kaori had become a friend. A true friend. She loved me, but we would never be together. However, as she laid there suffering from the affects of the ambrosia and a human hallucinogenic I knew he was right. She would need the both of us. She had killed people and that takes a large toll. I summoned a chair and sat down. I would stay here until morning.

The next day

Kaori

I woke up feeling really warm and wet? I opened my eyes. I looked up and found Inu asleep next to me. That was confusing.

Why was he here?

"Kaori?" My heart felt like it stopped.

Ash was here?

My word is law. You will die.

I was out of bed so fast the room spun. I had to get away from him.

"Kaori," he removed his glasses, "whatever you saw wasn't real. Apollo showed the apollites how to poison you. They coated their weapons with  Ambrosia that had been mixed with a human hallucinogenic. So whatever you saw wasn't real."

Not real? I looked down at the ground. I shook my head and looked back at Ash. I was drugged with Ambrosia? I remembered what Artemis had done to Ash with Ambrosia. It's why I hated the stuff. Why I never touched it.

I can't trust you. You're just like her.

I bit my lip. Everything I saw wasn't real, but it felt real. It scared me. Seeing Ash that way even as a hallucination scared me. I knew he wouldn't hurt me, but even just seeing him like that terrified me. It was hard for me to look at him and not see his true form.

"Kaori," Ash lifted my head, "I would never hurt you. Alright? No matter what you did. Today you changed, but you didn't lose yourself. You didn't needlessly kill. Even when you reached Apollo. You could've done worse things to him, but you didn't. You stayed yourself. You only did what you felt was right. You defended me and yourself against Apollo. That's a good thing, Kaori. You did walk away unscathed. You felt guilty in the end. You're not like the other gods and goddesses of the pantheons. You didn't take unnecessary life. You took only the lives of those who wanted to take yours. It was self-defense."

I bit my lip. I glanced down. He was right. Ash wouldn't say all that and not mean it. That's not who he was. I took a deep breath and nodded.

"You're right, Ash." I let my head rest on his chest.

"Kaori?" I looked over.

Inu was awake and standing next to Ash. I smiled at him.

"Hi," he placed a hand on my face, "I know, Kaori. I know how you feel about me. I know how you feel about Ash."

What?

I glanced at Ash.

"I also know that those feelings don't go away overnight. It's okay to love two people, but you don't parade us both around. You love Ash, so you respect that he'll never be able to be with you romantically. You care about him too much to destroy the friendship you two have. You love me, and you don't want to hurt me. So you've tried to stay away, but I don't want you to. I don't want you to stay away from me because I want that chance to be with you. Even if you still hold feelings for Ash. I want that chance to be with you." I bit my lip.

I glanced at Ash. He smiled at me.

It's okay, Kaori. You deserve happiness just like I do. You said it yourself. I will find my happiness. It's only fair you find yours as well.

I smiled at him. He was right. I hugged him.

"Thank you, Ash. If you ever need me I'll be there." I kissed him on the cheek.

I pulled away. I turned to Inu.

I deserve to be happy. We all do.

I smiled at him. Then I thought of the letters that I wrote to Ash during the time we were apart.

"Ash?" He turned to me.

"Yes," I smiled, "I have tons of letters that I wrote to you over the years that I never sent. What should I do with them?"

He smiled at me, "I'll read them."

"Okay," I summoned them.

They were bound with string. I placed them in his hands. It felt weird letting them go to him. It felt nice to let them go though. It was like a weight was lifted. I wasn't going to let him leave without saying anything.

"If you ever need me, Ash, I will be there." I smiled at him.

Ash

Her smile was brighter than I had seen it in a long time. I pulled her into a hug. She had become a person I could never live without. She was someone I could trust. Someone I called friend.

Thank you, Kaori. You would've made a wonderful goddess for those who couldn't protect themselves.

She nodded and looked up at me.

Thank you, Ash.

Tears gathered in her eyes.

Hearing you say that means a lot to me. It proves that all I've gone through in my human life and in this one was worth it. I'll see you soon, Ash.

I smiled at her. I nodded and left.