Immediately after we met up with them Hestia bolted. She seemed to be talking to air and when I looked at her like she was crazy Homer just said: "Oh, don't worry about it, she's talking to Athena."
I kept forgetting how weird my life was ever since The Dollmaker picked me up.
We silently went to the desk to start the registration process.
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"Are you sure Leo took well to bonding? I'm a goddess of home which allows me to have some insight into emotion you know, mostly familial love but still, he did not seem fine."
Athena Immediately brushed Hestia off. "He's fine, he's just scarred by losing his family, you never really get over that, I think we can both attest to that."
Hestia started speaking with a hint of irritation. "Do you even know what happens when an artifact bonds with someone? Of course, you don't, you've never bonded to anyone except for Leo."
Her last sentence was followed by a snort. "What, so you're blaming me for not wanting to bond."
"You should've bonded at least once in a while, you didn't even think about the fact that there might be some gods who survived."
"I was afraid of hoping ok, I'd rather not find anybody but have them still alive than looking for them but find out that everybody's actually dead, sorry if you don't get that."
Hestia looked at her niece with an understanding expression, she was mostly angry about the fact that it took her this long to find one of the artifacts that contained another god.
"Back on topic, what do you mean with, what happens when you bond?"
Hestia was really scared now, the bonding affected the host in multiple ways.
"An artifact needs something to bond to because it's the easiest to do they start by latching on the current strongest emotion of the person they want to bond to and then they transmit that specific emotion belonging to every previous owner right into the mind of the new host.
What do you think was Leo's strongest emotion at the time of bonding?"
"Are we talking about the cocoon are about the full bonding?"
"Cocoon."
Athena was frightened by this.
"He was filled with rage, grief, and pain all combining into one."
"How many owners did you have before Leo?"
"372, so you're seeing all of their pain rage, and grief was put into Leo's head?"
Hestia could only nod, she hadn't realized that there were so many before Leo.
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We arrived at the desk when a pink-haired attendant called to us.
I don't know about the hairstyle but hey, I have gills and scales so I'm not one to talk.
"What can I do for you today?"
Her voice seemed made for singing, soft and melodious.
"We want to register this girl for the grooming program."
She perked up and sized me up. She started to describe me to the computer.
"Young Thenke, 1 m 65, long Auburn hair, more human than fish, seems physically fit.
Could I scan your ID please?
Brought in by E-ranked human, Callsign: Homer, ID: 666 666 666, Abilities: Wing manifestation and unknown, artifact user.
Ah, I see you tested her abilities with Hank and ..."
After she saw my ability she trailed off.
"That's ..., is that even possible. Well, Hank tested and he's the foremost expert so it must be true.
Everything seems to be in order for her to register, does she have any relatives?"
"No, my parents died not too long ago."
"So that means she'll sleep here right?"
Leo nodded.
"Since you're E-ranked you need someone to vouch for you that's at least C-ranked."
Kirby stepped forward and let her ID be scanned.
"Demigod-ranked heroine, Callsign: The Almighty Tea, ID: 003 014 901, Abilities: None, artifact user.
That seems ok. Well, I need to generate a grooming ID but then it'll be fine."
While the receptionist hadn't reacted, when people heard her callsign, they started looking into Kirby's direction.
I hadn't realized it but Kirby was quite famous after rising through the ranks at her speed, she was well known.
People then looked at me, probably thinking that a child brought in by a disappeared heroine must be something else.
The receptionist returned and in her hands, she was holding a white bracelet as opposed to the gold of Heroes. For your information Comrades got a dark blue bracelet and mages got a crystal bangle.
"This is a unique ID, it has a tracker that could even be found if it was in the earth's core, it allows you access to the dorms and gives you access to certain missions to give you practical experience and it's a very stylish watch."
I don't know why she had to add the last part but it wasn't wrong.
After putting it on and hearing the clicking noise of it adapting to my wrist we walked to the elevator.