she remembered who she was
and the game changed

SERENA WOKE UP WITH A FROWN ON HER FACE, the dream from the night before coronaed (plagued) her mind. It started with her standing in the middle of a white ballroom that screamed greek royalty. Everything around her was made of the finest material, from the curtains that hung across the large windows to the chairs that sat in the corner of the room. Serena looked around in awe, her eyes absorbing the scene, mapping the room into her unforgettable memory.

"Welcome, Serena." The said girl spun on her heel, coming face to face with a lady that looked very familiar.

"Nike," she acknowledged, nodding her head as a greeting. "Could you tell me where I am and what I'm doing here?" The goddess laughed, the noise sounding like bells drifting through the air, soothing those who heard it — including Serena. The woman's celestial eyes shone with amusement, extending her hand to the girl.

"Follow me."

Serena narrowed her eyes at the hand, glancing at the unknown woman in front of her before deciding YOLO. She placed her hand in hers and Nike whisked them away from the ballroom and into a corridor. Serena's eyes absorbed the details of paintings that hung. There were five of them. Two on each side and one straight at the end. She noticed that one was a painting of Nike.

It leant against the wall, clean and well taken cared of. The painting of Nike was exquisite. It captured her beauty and ferocity completely. Serena ran a finger along the gold framing, her baby blue nail polish almost white in the bright lighting. "Nike, the goddess of victory," she read the engraved writing along the bottom of the frame, her eyes widening as the words set into her brain.

Serena looked at the other painting next to Nike's; it was one of a woman with darker hair than Nike. She was holding an ignited sword, a fierce expression on her face. Whoever drew the painting managed to capture the fire that burned brightly in her eyes, it was like she was staring right at Serena. At the bottom of the painting, in the middle of the gold frame, was written: 'Enyo, the goddess of destructive warfare'.

The painting opposite Nike's was a familiar one. She recognised the woman in it. She was one of the famous greek goddesses: Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness and the moon. The painting was soft, inviting anyone who saw it for a closer look. One would think she was the goddess of love as her beauty was alluring, yet the golden bow beside her informed them all that she was one of the more powerful goddesses.

The painting after Artemis was one of a goddess Serena wasn't familiar with. Though, judging by the balance scales she held in her hand, Serena guessed she brought upon justice, and as she read the engravings under the painting, Serena was right. 'Nemesis, the goddess of vengeful fate, rightful retribution, or revenge'.

The painting in the centre was another one Serena knew of. She recognised the goddess. Her eyes trailed over the woman dressed in a traditional greek dress. The painter managed to capture the woman's muscles, emphasising her strength. The owl and the head armour symbolised what she was known for. The inscription at the bottom read: 'Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war.'

"So, you're the goddess of victory?" Serena questioned, glancing back at the woman who wore an amiable expression on her face. Nike nodded. "I thought you guys were just fairy tales. Guess I was wrong."

Nike chuckled.

"There is one more you need to see," she said, directing her through another hallway, one that was longer than the previous one. No paintings littered the sides. Instead, one stood at the back, hanging in all its glory. Serena gasped upon seeing it. The painting was of a woman with blue hair and blue eyes, much like Serena.

"She looks like me," Serena mumbled, taking a step closer to the painting. The woman had smooth skin with small freckles sprinkled about like confetti. Her eyebrows curved softly in swooping arches over her eyes and her small button like nose completed her clear forehead and chin. These features would not turn heads, or make anyone look twice; they were normal, plain even. But her eyes were like the stars, the way they drew you in to explore the swirling emotion held in their depths. The black of her pupil was surrounded by a ring of jagged silver fire swallowed by sapphire blue. At one glance her eyes merely shone, but if you dared to look closer, you could see the sadness of heartbreak, the joy of love, the hope of the future, the pain of sorrow, and the fire of a spirit that would never give up.

What accentuated her beauty was the majestic colour of hair on top of her head. There was a warmth her blue hair brought to her features, a simple frame for that smile and eyes that sparkled like storm clouds right before lightning hit. Her hair was pulled back into braids that laid contently atop her head with the front being left open.

She looked like a goddess, far more beautiful than those she saw.

"Who is she?" Serena asked, her eyes never leaving the painting that resembled her quite a bit.

"That is Maeve. Your ancestor," Nike answered. Serena's eyes trailed down the painting, catching the engravings at the bottom.

"The warrior queen?" she read aloud, her brows furrowing in confusion.

"Long ago, when us gods and goddesses were worshipped widely, a mortal was born with the strangest features. Blue eyes and blue hair. It was uncommon at that time to have hair of that colour," Nike started, telling the story of the girl that she loved with her whole heart. "The mortal possessed a beauty that had the goddesses burn with envy and the gods yearn to bed her. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, placed a hex upon the mortal, cursing her to deflect any attention and turn cold to those who shared with her even a smile. The goddess hoped this would ward away the attention the mortal received by both mortals, gods and goddesses alike, but all it did was increase it. They desired to know all about the maiden that refused to talk to any." Nike paused, glancing back at the teenager. She watched as she absorbed the information into her ingenious mind.

"What did Aphrodite do when she realised her curse failed?" Serena asked, her eyes never leaving the painting. There was something about it, a familiarity. She felt like she had heard of Maeve before, but she couldn't recall when.

"She tried again, and again, and again. But every curse placed upon the mortal failed."

A small smile tugged at Nike's face as she recalled her memory of the goddess and the mortal. She remembered the way Aphrodite's face grew red with rage when she realised that no curse of hers would stop the attention Maeve got.

"One day, when war struck Greece, Maeve came across a group that was terrorising the town she grew up in. Although she was just a babe, she fought bravely, using a stick she found upon the ground. Touched by her courage and determination to protect, I, along with the other goddesses in the paintings, blessed Maeve with powers that would allow her to fight those with ill intentions."

"And I'm guessing that's how quirks were born?" Nike nodded.

"Maeve was one of the first mortals with inhuman powers. But unlike others who were also gifted with powers from the gods, she didn't use them for personal reasons. Instead, she helped those in need, shedding light and hope to the world," Nike turned to the child, who was already staring at her. "And it is your destiny to follow in her footsteps." 

Serena's eyes widened. "W-what?"

"We saw the bravery and determination you possessed while fighting off those villains to save your fellow classmates and teachers. The other goddesses and I have agreed that we shall bestow upon you the same power we gave Maeve," Nike informed her, a gentle expression on her face. "Each goddess will come for you in your time of need, just as I did. Each will give you a gift. Mine was an increase in stamina and the ability to fly." The winged brunette stepped closer to the girl, pressing her hand to her cheek. She sensed the shift in the air. "Morning awaits. If you ever need me, call my name, and I will be of service." The area around them grew bright, blinding Serena, who was still filled with so many unanswered questions.

"Wait!"

Serena reached for the goddess, but she was too late. She was back in her room, any presence of Nike gone. She sat in bed for a while, her mind taking a bit of time to process the dream she just awoke from.

"What. The. Actual. Fuck."

"SERENA! IT'S TIME TO GET READY FOR SCHOOL!" Hearing the voice of her bombastic father, Serena shook the remanents of the dream, deciding to think about it later. She threw the blankets off her, getting out of bed and continuing her morning routine. She did her business in the bathroom and hurried to slip on her uniform. If she remained at this sluggish pace of hers, the teenager was bound to be late, and she did not want to get a lecture from her dad about the importance of being on time.

After grabbing the food her dad prepared for her to take to school, her bag, and some breakfast, Serena rushed out of the house, bidding her dad a quick goodbye as she did so. Her way to school was no surprise. People recognised her from the sports festival, complimenting her on her prowess. The attention wasn't an unfamiliar thing. When you have bright blue hair and striking blue eyes, you get used to it all — just as Serena did.

She politely nodded at those who waved to her, acknowledging their existence. She didn't want to come off as rude to the public. If Serena wanted to become number one, she'd have to gain the people's respect.

While ruminating the thought of her becoming number one, a drop of crystal-clear water appeared on her fragile skin. Serena smiled to herself. The waves of the salty liquid washed the pavement creating a melancholic song. Waiting for the rain to wash all of the misery away, Serena stood there, her gaze burning into the horizon, staring at the beauty of the upcoming storm and the crying clouds.

There was something about the rain that stopped her thoughts from buzzing, calmed her, but at the same time excited her.