Prologue: Falling into the spirit world

Hello grand readers! We're passing the halfway mark of 2024, am I the only one who feels like their resolutions are mocking them right now? Well let's escape all that, pull up some chapters and get comfy.

This is a new version of one of my olders stories I had lost touch with once upon a time, but I've been inspired once again to bring this back. 

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"Fate works in mysterious ways,"

In the ethereal dance of existence, fate weaved its intricate patterns, unseen yet omnipresent, guiding destinies with a touch both subtle and profound. But amidst the enigmatic workings of fate, there existed a paradox, a paradox born of human hubris and the relentless pursuit of agency. While fate played a role far grander than mortal minds could fathom, there were always those who fancied themselves adversaries of destiny, blind to the immutable design that had been woven since the dawn of time.

Mankind, with its boundless ambition and insatiable greed, stood as a testament to this paradox. They were creatures driven by an innate desire to challenge the forces that governed their lives, heedless of the consequences that lay in wait. For within the very fabric of their being was encoded a primal urge to defy fate, to grasp at the illusion of control even as it slipped through their fingers like grains of sand.

And so, they sought to disrupt the delicate balance of the universe, believing that in chaos they would find purpose, that in rebellion they would find meaning. But the universe, always sought to restore equilibrium, to mend the fractures wrought by mortal folly.

Yet there were moments when the resilience of mankind exceeded the bounds of the natural order, when the universe faltered in its efforts to right the course of destiny. It was in those moments that fate devised a new strategy, a subtle manipulation of the cosmic tapestry.

An extra factor, borrowed from realms unseen, was introduced into the equation, a catalyst to restore harmony where none could be found. It seemed a simple solution, a temporary reprieve from the inexorable march of fate.

But borrowing, as with all things, came with its own perils. For once fate had taken hold of something, it was loath to relinquish its grasp. The borrowed factor, once deemed inconsequential, revealed itself to be indispensable, a linchpin upon which the very fabric of reality depended.

Sakura breathed in the familiar scent of home, as she overlooked her village encased in its walls. She would be coming back with caution as this was not an ordinary return. But a sneak-in after she once again escaped from Konoha. She had been hunting. Hunting for the information that was denied to her in the village. Anything regarding her missing teammate, and it was a decent hobby while waiting for Naruto the return. Three years, he needed for this.

'Just one year left.' she murmured to herself, her gaze drifting skyward to the painted hues of azure and cotton-white. A gentle breeze caressed her skin, carrying with it the familiar fragrance of pine and earth. Scents that spoke of home.

Already, Sakura's mind drifted to the simple pleasures that awaited her—a steaming hot bath, a hearty meal, and a well-deserved rest on what remained of her fleeting day off from training.

"If Tsunade ever found out…" Sakura's thoughts trailed off, a shiver running down her spine at the mere prospect of her mentor's wrath. The consequences of her actions loomed large, threatening to shatter the fragile semblance of normalcy she had painstakingly preserved.

"Almost home," she whispered, a note of determination in her voice as she pushed back a stray lock of pink hair, her trademark tresses dancing in the breeze.

With practiced ease, Sakura navigated the treacherous terrain, her movements fluid and graceful.

Sakura made her way down the cliff edge, leaping easily without fear, she felt a cold front around her entire form. She didn't notice for a minute the skies darkened and filled with gray clouds followed by the familiar rumbling that promised a storm-and one unlike anything Sakura had ever seen before. She looked up as the wind began to become more vicious; her pink locks hitting her face like whips. 

The swirling clouds above Sakura churned with an ominous intensity, their movements reminiscent of a gathering storm, a hurricane in the making. Yet, amidst this tumultuous weather, an inexplicable phenomenon unfolded—an opening, a tear in the fabric of the skies itself like a mouth yawning wide above her. Sakura then realized she was under threat of being completely engulfed by this phenomenon stood under and proceeded to make her escape towards the village.

But even as she fled, her curiosity beckoned her back, pulling at the fringes of her consciousness like an invisible thread. What was this? Sakura's mind raced with questions, her senses heightened as she dared to steal a glance back towards the swirling vortex above.

And then, it happened—a blinding light, radiant and incandescent, pierced through the swirling colors. Sakura's breath caught in her throat as she beheld the spectacle unfolding before her, her mind struggling to make sense.

Before she could react, before she could comprehend the magnitude of what was happening, the light enveloped her, surrounding her form in a cocoon. And then, as if guided by an unseen force, Sakura felt herself being lifted into the air.

A cacophony of voices echoed in her ears, Sakura heard a single word, repeated in myriad voices, each one a whisper in the vast expanse of the cosmos.

"Restore."

..

..

As Sakura's eyelids fluttered open, she was greeted not by the familiar sights and sounds of the forest, but by a world cloaked in surreal hues and eerie silence. The sky stretched above her, an abyss pierced by streaks of vibrant colors—green, pink, red, and purple swirling together in a mesmerizing display.

Beneath her feet, the ground rippled like clear water, its surface undulating with a strange, otherworldly energy. There was a forest, but it held no life, withered branches, void of leaves. Yet, despite its liquid-like appearance, it did not reflect the sky above or Sakura's form, adding to the disorienting sense of unreality that surrounded her. Was she under some kind of genjutsu?

She placed her palms together in an attempt to free her mind of this, but nothing came to fruition. She was still standing in the same place.

A sense of unease crept over Sakura as she took in her surroundings.

And then, as if to punctuate her realization, the ground beneath her began to tremble. A figure rose from the rippling ground. A shadow, or silhouette with distinctions she couldn't make out, like water holding a solid shape in the air.

Sakura's stance shifted to a battle form, parting her feet, and squaring her shoulders with power. She waited for the figure to move in to attack however it didn't move. Only raising its arm. A tree emerged behind, devoid of leaves yet adorned with a profusion of red ribbons that danced in the breeze.

The sight of the tree-filled Sakura with a sense of trepidation, its towering presence casting a long shadow over the barren landscape. And her courage deflated. 

Sakura turned on her heel and ran, the instinct to run hitting her like one of Tsunade's punches. She kept a brisque pace fueled with desperation to escape. As she continued to soar through the barren wasteland, her footing became lost and she waited to hit the ground.

..

..

..

She had put plenty of people under, but for the first time, Sakura could confirm she now knew what it felt like to be waking up from a drug-induced coma. Her shoulders felt exposed but as she shifted, came to realize it was because the rest of her was covered in cloth but she hadn't lost any clothing. She was just under a tarp.

As Sakura gradually stirred from her slumber, she found herself lying in a bed within the confines of an unfamiliar room. Simple, basically empty wooden room with a straw roof and rustic furnishings, not a typical structure in Konoha. So naturally leads Sakura to further inspect her surroundings to help realize where she landed.

Before Sakura could fully orient herself, the door creaked open, revealing the figure of an older woman entering with a small bucket of water in hand. Startled by Sakura's awakening, the woman gasped, dropping the bucket in her haste to rush to Sakura's side.

"Goodness, you're finally awake! How are you feeling?"

Sakura looked at the women, squinting. "I'm alright ma'am."

"I don't believe that. You've been asleep for three days,"

"Three days!" Tsunade was going to kill her when she got back! Not to mention she was now at risk of being discovered for her actual crime of leaving the village without permission. Which was probably going to result in a very unpleasant punishment. Sakura felt like tearing her hair out. Instead, she opted to make a hasty exit, throwing off the blanket and ruffling around to straighten up her clothing.

"Thank you for helping me. If you don't mind could you give me the quickest route back to Konoha?"

The woman looked at her confused, "I'm sorry, is that your village name?"

Sakura nodded hastily while attempting to simultaneously pull herself together, "Yes, and my belongings um, I'm sorry if I seem rude, I'm just in a hurry to get back and-

"I'm sorry as well young lady, but I haven't heard of that village either."

Confusion clouded Sakura's features. "Where... Where am I?"

The woman's brow furrowed in sympathy as she offered Sakura a reassuring smile. "You're in Senlin Village, dear. You were found lying out in the forest by Haiban's statue."

"S-Senlin Village?" Sakura echoed, unable to make sense of half that explanation. Her mind racing to recall any mention of such a place in her travels. Yet, the name eluded her, and she had an excellent memory. "I haven't heard of such a village either,"

"Well you are here." said the woman. "From the color of your hair, we assumed you might be a spirit of some kind."

Sakura frowned, grabbing a piece of her pink locks. "I can assure you I'm very much human. I just can't seem to make much sense of where I am or how I got here."

A sinking feeling settled within her, like glass set on the edge waiting to be pushed over and shatter.

"Well, you were asleep for a few days."

"Ah," Sakura remembered her manners. "Thank you for that um….?"

The woman offered a kind wrinkled smile, "My name is An."

"Sakura Haruno."

..

..

..

Not long after, An offered to take Sakrua to the village chief to discuss her appearance in the forest. Sakura had a few questions of her own and was willing to follow, taking in the area but it wasn't too spectacular. The village was small, with a few homes, but nothing out of the ordinary that would raise her suspicions. Its modest buildings clustered together within the protective embrace of a sturdy wall.

As they traversed the village, Sakura couldn't shake the nagging sense of unease that gnawed at her thoughts. How had she come to be here, in this unfamiliar place, so far removed from where she had last been?

Finally, they arrived at a larger house nestled at the heart of the village It was here that Sakura was introduced to the village chief, an elderly man by the name of Caishen.

"Greetings, young lady. I am Caishen, chief of Senlin Village."

Sakura bowed respectfully, "Thank you for allowing me into your village to recuperate sir. My name is Sakura Haruno."

"Would you mind explaining what happened to you young lady?"

Sakura hesitated, her thoughts muddled by the uncertainty of her memories. "I... I'm not entirely sure you'll believe me."

"There are many things in this world that we cannot imagine, and I assure you this village has seen some of them."

"Well," Sakura took a breath and a chance. "I was on my way back to my village when... when I was engulfed in a strange light. The next thing I knew, I woke up here. I'm sorry I don't have much information to offer other than that."

There was no mention of the strange forest or the unknown creature chasing her through it. Her short statement already sounded like something out of a fantasy novel and Sakura preferred her image remain sane to these strangers or she could risk losing the only possible thread of information she could find.

"It almost sounds as if you were spirited away."

Caishen's words hung in the air like a weighty revelation "Spirited away?"

The village chief nodded "Recently, our village has been plagued by a forest spirit. Every night he would take one of our villagers to the spirit world."

Sakura frowned, was there such a thing? She couldn't believe it.

"We were fearful that this cycle wouldn't end until the avatar came."

"The avatar?" Sakura's expression was a clear page of words reading confusion and absolute obliviousness which shocked the chief.

"The avatar is the only person in this world who can bridge the gap to the spirit realm. He was also able to appease the forest spirit Haiban and return my people from the spirit world. In matters regarding this, he would be the one to talk to."

Though she tried her best to digest the information, it was rather too astonishing to swallow without upsetting her stomach.

"I am just speculating, but unusual events are typically the results of spirits." Well, what happened to her before she fell unconscious was certainly unusual. Even so, she wasn't ready to accept the entirety of it.

"Do you perhaps have a map that I could use?"

"Of course.

..

..

..

The map of the Earth kingdom was given, an old dusty scroll paper but assured to have accurate land markings. Sakura found cities, villagers, and landscapes similar to her home, but vastly different and it finally dawned on her that she was a lot farther from home than she initially believed.

Supernatural forces were beginning to look more plausible than any other explanation. As Sakura poured over the map, her mind raced with a multitude of questions, each one vying for attention amidst the chaos of her thoughts. Yet, amidst the uncertainty, one question loomed largest in her mind: where did she go from here?

The map offered little solace, its layout devoid of any familiar landmarks or indications of Konoha's location.

She was smart. For all her faults, Sakrua could boast that single point of herself. She studied hard, and she trained to fine-tune her thinking and analytical abilities, as a medic it was a key tool to properly use the information studied. And right now, the hypothesis she could only conclude was she no longer stood in her world. The bright light, the spirited away mentioning it all concocted this underlying conclusion.

And if she wanted to confirm further, she would just have to travel and try to learn if it was true or if she had just fallen into another part of her world, with maps she hadn't seen before and locations she hadn't heard of.

"Any luck locating your village?"

Sakura turned to the chief, her voice tinged with urgency. "Do you have any maps of the Land of Fire?"

The chief's response was unexpected, his demeanor shifting from curiosity to suspicion in an instant. "The Land of Fire?" he echoed, his tone laced with disdain. "Are you from the Fire Nation, then?"

Sakura blinked in confusion, the accusation catching her off guard. "I... I'm from the Land of Fire,"

But the chief was unrelenting, his accusation ringing out like a verdict. "Then you are our enemy. The Fire Nation has brought nothing but destruction and suffering to our lands and has been the root cause of angering the forest spirit when they burned down the forest!"

Sakura's mind reeled "I don't understand," she protested, her voice tinged with frustration. "I'm not your enemy."

"You must leave immediately. You are no longer welcome here."

Sakura frowned, placing a hand over her chest, "Please at least explain this much. I will go after and never return I promise because I don't understand why you think I'm your enemy just because I'm from the Land of Fire."

Taking a deep breath, as if the calm his shaking anger the man nodded. "There has been a war going on for the past 100 years, The Fire Nation declared this war against the rest of the world. They have continued to attempt to occupy the Earth Kingdom villages and cities while battling soldiers from both the Earth Kingdom armies and Water Tribes. Even if you cannot recall such a scar in history, you will not be considered blameless if you hale from that nation. So I insist you take your belongings and make yourself scarce immediately."

Though this was a hostile departure, Sakura felt grateful for what the chief had offered her. An insight into the land she now stood on. And it certainly wasn't her own. Even if she was now believed to be the enemy of the world.

She would have to continue looking for a way home away from here. But she certainly learned a good first lesson in surviving this new world.

Don't mention you're from the Land of Fire.

THAT'S ALL FOLKS!

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--Commission: Demon slayer x My hero academia

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