Ah! A Battle Goddess [ON HIATUS]

When Sakura turned five, her parents gifted her a pair of raindrop shaped earrings with what looked to be gold and jade. When she had finally put them on, Sakura started dreaming of magical places and of magical things that she saw herself do as a grown up. 

In one dream she saw herself moving water in the air and giving it different shapes and healing people with it, in another dream she was moving the earth and creating beautiful buildings as well as reshaping mountains, in a few ones she would dream of herself making flowers and trees grow wherever she pleased. 

Her favorite dreams, however, were those in which she hung out with a bronze skinned woman with long white hair, her forehead had a purple equilateral triangle that pointed down and her cheeks had purple right angle triangles on each one. She had a black choker and dark purple evening gloves that reached her forearms, her equally dark purple dress had black thick straps resting on her shoulders and the neckline plunged into a deep v-cut that stopped above her belly button and it had an open slit on the left side. A black cape fell from her shoulders to the floor, with the inside lined with a dark pink, and she wore black ankle boots. Golden triangles outlined the hem of her gloves and her straps while a thin gold line traced her neckline. She had a Silver bracelet on each wrist, and Sakura adored her.

She didn’t know the lady’s name, but she knew she was important and that she admired her a lot. The lady could do magic as well, and she controlled electricity. She would teach Sakura little tricks and some potions, and they laughed and hung out together with another lady and young girl who seemed to be her sisters. 

Whenever she dreamed of her, Sakura felt a little sad. She didn’t know why.

At age 6, Sakura was enrolled in the Ninja Academy.

Although her parents believed she wouldn’t really pursue a military path, like her father, they enrolled her so that she would be able to learn to read and write better, and to learn how to add numbers like her dad does for their sweets shop. During the days she learned a lot about different things like chakra and math, she also met other kids her age and had become friends with a pale blonde girl named Yamanaka Ino and a black haired girl named Hyuuga Hinata.

The three of them would play together and also learn new moves from each other, some of the other kids would tease Sakura about her big forehead or about how she wouldn’t last at the Academy because her parents weren’t ninjas like the others. Hinata would reassure her that those things didn’t matter and Ino always stuck up for her and ended up fighting some of those other kids when they were too mean.  Those times, she was really thankful to have such good friends like them.

When Sakura turned 10, her parents gave her another similar set of earrings and pierced her ears a second time.

Ino told her that the earrings doubled up like that looked super cool, Hinata silently agreed. For her birthday, she celebrated with her parents and grandparents at her house. Her grandma and mom made her a big strawberry cake that she ended sharing with her two besties that night, Sakura had managed to get permission from her parents and arrange a little sleepover for her birthday.

It had been tough to get the head of the Hyuuga clan to agree, but with Ino’s dad reassuring him, they had gotten his permission.

They spent the night in her room reading fashion magazines that Ino brought and talking about who wore what best and which model or actress was better. Finally, they talked about the one topic Ino really wanted to discuss.

“You guys, I think I have a boy I like!” she squeaked, Sakura giggled at her exclamation. Next to her on the tatami, Hinata blushed a deep red “... Me- Me too” she said quietly. The other two girls gasped dramatically, jumping on her as soon as she confessed, “OMG you totally have to tell us who it is Hinata!” demanded Ino.

“Totally! Who is it? C’mon spill!” Sakura said while shaking her for an answer. Ino hummed, “Let me guess… Is it Naruto?” Her face flushed even more, providing them with the answer they were looking for.

The Sakura and Ino squealed in delight together, the pink haired girl holding Hinata’s hands “I can’t believe it! How did you even fall in love with him, Hina-chan? Did he do a big romantic gesture? What happened?”

Ino rolled her eyes, “Ugh as if! That loser deadlast can’t even throw a kunai, he really doesn’t have the brain to even do something romantic! I don’t even think he knows what that word means!” Hinata frowned at the comment, “Please don’t insult him Ino-chan.”

Sakura nodded, “Yeah Ino, don’t insult her man. She’ll use her cool eye thingy on you otherwise” she teased. The blonde girl chuckled, holding her hands up in defeat, “Alright okay sorry, now spill the beans Hinata! How did it happen?!”

The Hyuuga heiress started detailing a short story where in one of the very few days she found herself alone, two bigger kids started to tease and bully her for being ‘a coward’ and ‘an embarrsment’ to her clan because she did not give off the ‘Hyuuga aura’. They started pushing her around when a blond boy stood between them and her, demanding they back off. In the end they ended up beating him up real bad until one of Hinata’s bodyguards found her and scared away the bullies. The next day she had thanked him for helping her and apologized for not being able to do anything for him. The kid shrugged and told her it was okay, he could handle those types of things and proper girls like her shouldn’t really get their hands dirty anyways. They exchanged names and he told her that one day he would become Hokage and then if anyone ever tried bullying her again he would fight them off again. ‘Because the Hokage protects others from bullies!’ he exclaimed.

“Wow…” Ino sighed

“... Yeah.” Sakura nodded.

“That’s… actually super romantic. Huh, who could have guessed…” Ino said thoughtfully, making Hinata blush red again. She patted her black haired friend on the shoulder, “Honestly? I think you could do better anyways, but I will support you and your prince charming until the very end Hina-chan!” 

Sakura patted her other shoulder similarly, “Same here Hina-chan.” she turned to look at Ino, “Anyways, who is your prince charming Ino?” Sakura questioned, wiggling her eyebrows.

Ino beamed, “Uchiha Sasuke! He’s so totally cool and indifferent! He’s like an ice prince, he ignores the girls and focuses only on being a top tier Shinobi! I have no doubt he’s gonna end up becoming the top student when we graduate, and who is a better match than the top female student?” she said in one hurried breath, pointing at herself with her thumb, “Which is so totally going to be me! I heard from the senpai’s that the top male and female students at graduation become a couple end up being happily married later when they’re grownups!” the blonde said with a big smile.

Hinata chuckled softly at her friend's antics, “Well, it’s a rather weird way to set a goal of becoming a top female student. But I am proud regardless.”

“Thank you?” 

“You’re welcome.”

“How about you Sakura?” pearl colored eyes and ocean blue eyes stared at her. “Huh?” 

Ino leaned in closer, expectation written across her face. “Is there a boy you like?” Sakura thought about a raven haired boy with pitch black eyes that carried a red and white fan on his back. “Not really… I don’t think I’ve found someone... So, yeah.” she ended lamely.

Ino huffed with disappointment, “Well whatever, there’s a ton of boys at the Academy so I’m sure you’ll find your prince charming too soon enough.” Hinata simply chuckled in response, Sakura hoped her smile seemed genuine enough.

“You know? I heard that Uchiha Sasuke-san likes girls with long hair.” the pink haired girl quipped.

“Really?” Ino asked while passing her fingers through her short hair. Sakura nodded.

Ino gave them a sly smirk with an arched eyebrow, “Then ladies, I think I know what my next mission is!”

A few hours later, the three of them were sound asleep. That night, Sakura dreamed that she was a skilled double axe wielder and a ferocious fighter in battles. She learned that her mystery Lady was named Urd, and that she, as well as her sisters and herself, were Goddesses. She dreamed of a beautiful garden she created and of a brunette angel that followed her around.

When she woke up, she had a feeling her dreams were probably a bit more than just dreams.

The day graduation had arrived, Sakura's parents had celebrated her at a nearby restaurant. Gifting her a basic set of Genin-level Shinobi necessities, they let her reunite and celebrate with her friends but made her promise to go home before 9:00pm. The rest of her day she had spent getting assigned to a rather peculiar group (Naruto, Sasuke and herself), meeting their Jonin-level sensei (a 20-something year old, cryptic guy named Kakashi) and sharing introductions with her new Genin team. 

The meeting on the rooftop had been rather quick and left her with some time between seeing her friends and having to meet her parents, therefore she set herself to just walk around the nearby park and read a book while waiting for her friends to catch up with her. She actually wanted to at least be on good terms with both Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun, trying to invite them to eat out before splitting up. Sakura didn’t count on Sasuke-kun taking it as her trying to ask her on a date or Naruto-kun actually accepting the date, so she just canceled altogether. 

A couple hours passed and Hinata and Ino caught up with her, they shared experiences and hung out for two hours or so before having to go back home, by the time Sakura arrived at her house the clock read 7:48pm. When she stepped out the main hall and into the living room, her parents were waiting for her.

Two jade rings sat atop an envelope that had silver detailing. With permission, she picked up the envelope that had her name written in a foregn language that she could somehow read. It read as such:

“Sakura,

By the time you have read this letter, you will already have lived 12 years as a human girl. I wonder what type of simple life you have been experiencing and how it feels to have to learn to grow up again. I hope you are doing well and that you are standing your ground and behaving like the powerful being you truly are.

Unfortunately, I am forbidden from disclosing too much information to you as per the regulation. Do not fret, once you put on the rings, you will know.

Best of luck little flower,

-Your mentor, Urd

P.S. Belldandy and Skuld send their regards.”

Hesitating only slightly, she looked at her parents for further explanation but to her surprise, they couldn’t really give her one. Sakura let out a sigh and placed both rings, one on her little finger and the other on her ring finger, and then everything made sense.

She remembered that she wasn’t only Haruno Sakura, but a First class, Second category, Unlimited license Battle Goddess. She remembered that her hair used to reach to the bottom of her spine, but she liked having it pinned back and that she was a fearsome warrior when needed. She remembered that her natural affinity was water, but she could command the earth and nature to her will. She remembered that her singing voice was powerful enough to seal away demons and stop apocalypses. 

She remembered her Angel*, Garden of Eden, the physical reflection of her soul.

And she remembered her powerful and headstrong magical teacher, Urd from the Norse Division**. 

Sakura stood up from where she was sitting and hugged both of her parents, remembering how her mother looked so fragile and hopeful at the thought of being able to bear a child of her own. How they must have suffered greatly for them to be given the opportunity to reach the Goddess Relief Agency Help Line, and how they have raised and cared for her for so long. 

Maybe another person in her place would have felt trapped, but all Sakura felt was thankful for this opportunity. 

Time passed and Sakura had stayed up talking with her parents till 10:30ish at night, finally she had to excuse herself and went to her room. There another white envelope was waiting for her on her bed, except this one was lined with a soft golden light: A message from The Almighty. The letter was written in the language of the Heavens, thus only she could read its contents, this is what they said:

“Sakura,

As you know, your memory should not have resurfaced until your current mission is complete or unless you were under great mortal peril. We believe this is a side effect from the wish Haruno Mebuki  asked for since it is slightly conflicting with the system, yet still valid. The issue has been resolved by giving you back your limiters, which in turn gave you back your memories and divinity.

This does not mean you’re a full fledged Goddess however, unless you’re in mortal peril or both of the Haruno couple passes on, your full powers cannot be entirely unleashed. You will be able to use a certain amount of your powers so as not to raise suspicion of your true identity. Be careful and do not let your guard down, the enemy is moving.

Best regards,

The Almighty.”

The letter banished into nothing as she finished reading it, with a new resolve and with a reminder of her real mission, Haruno Sakura turned in for the night, excited for tomorrow’s first team meeting.