It felt as if she was drowning...

Cold and dark...

The life she could have lived with her family, her mentor, her close-knit group of friends, the close bond with Daisy... Wishing to go back or at least think back to the times that could have been, she allows herself to drift off and live the life she could have lived.

Dimly lit and lots of vibrations... she seems to be on a plane, the fateful day that would act as the catalyst to an onslaught of suffering. With her short, blond, and wavy hair, she slowly woke up and looked out of the window. Overlooking the city of New York, she's admiring the view her mind is conjuring. With awe and a sense of urgency, she awaited their landing.

Upon leaving the airport, they're met with three familiar faces. Bianca and Marco, Elenas niece and nephew, and Theresa, her aunt. All of these people were shadowy but felt warm. She knew that it was wrong to indulge in such fantasies but she couldn't resist partaking in it.

"Elena! What's with that pimple", Marco asked. Out of nowhere, a pimple popped into existence. As she had expected, or rather, as she had imagined, he was as bold as the last time she met him. Bianca however took Elena by her hand and dragged her to the car acting cute.

"Hey, Bianca! You can't just drag her away like that! She's probably tired from traveling all the way here from Germany!", Theresa said as a means to lecture her kids.

"But-"

"But nothing! We're going to eat out if they're hungry! After that, we'll drive home and let them rest! They don't have the energy to play with you upon arrival!". Theresa asserted. Though Theresa would be a lot more lax than that when dealing with her children, Elena wishes her aunt had been more like that.

"It's fine, I'll play with you when we get home." Satisfied by Elena's choice to play with her, she stopped trying to drag her big sister figure away and only clung to her walking alongside her. Taking Marco by his hand, all three of them walked towards their next destination.

"Are you hungry?", Marco asked.

"You want to visit that one diner we always visit, right", Elena replied. Conveniently, the restaurant that should have been across town was right around the corner. Stepping in, the night sky changed from utter darkness to dawn. Only they were present and a single waitress greated them at the door. Taking advantage of the dreamscape that the Authority of Sentience is trying to trap her in, she makes the waitress do a backflip onto the counter just to test how much she could change. Successfully making her land face-first into the counter, Elena decides that it is time to move on and think about other variations of her life.

"I wonder if Marcela would avoid me if she had known she would die thanks to me?", Elena asked herself as the dreamscape changed to entirely different scenery. Marco, Bianca, Theresa, her mother, her father all perished in flames as she moved on to the next dreamscape.

The domain of her mentor, Marcela, was that of highlands that spanned across a massive barrier. Far from her was a mountain whose peak reached into the clouds. A river originating from the mountain gently swept across the fertile grasslands away from the mountains. Though wide and intimidating, dipping her toes into it felt relaxing. She closed her eyes and lied down enjoying the breeze as someone stepped closer to her. Elena, avoiding eye contact with the one that taught her the basics of magic, was trying to start a conversation but couldn't get out any words.

"What's wrong?", Marcela asked.

"I've been wondering... you've lost many people haven't you?"

"I have. So what?", Marcela replied. She was as soft-spoken and kind as Elena had remembered her.

"Do you sometimes... Are there times where you've thought about abandoning your duties as a Dream Catcher?", Elena desired to know. As Marcela was someone she could easily converse with even if their opinions often oppose each other, she had to ask her whether it was worth fighting.

"I did and I still think about what could've been every single night. Honestly, it haunts me but I can't let that stop me."

Something Elena hadn't expected... Something that shouldn't have come out of her mentor's mouth...

"I know you're strong... probably far stronger than I am. I can tell that this is the kind of person you are. When you had to confront the fact that your parents had passed and that you had been forgotten by your dear relatives, you took that fact head-on. That honestly would have broken me but that is the difference between you and me. Your willpower far surpasses mine and likely will grow even stronger with time and more hurtful experiences."

Even though she knew that she was pretty much talking with herself, those words were slightly reassuring, though not enough to convince her to leave this dreamscape. Sitting up, Elena looked at her palm allowing colorful embers to form. The flames that came with them were tiny and rather insignificant but enough to satisfy her. Representing her lack of belief in herself but also the little hope she has left of accomplishing anything, she went up in flames. Clouding her view, Marcela and her barrier slowly faded away. The gentle breeze, the beautiful view, the river she would dip her feet in, and Marcela herself all vanished.

"I'll always be with you, at least in memory and spirit that is," Marcela said before Elena departed.

Nothing was left behind as she burned up as well.

Awoken while resting on the shoulder of one of her friends, she became a little teary-eyed as she observed her friend though the only thing she could observe was the shadowy silhouette. Though it hurt to even be around her, she still couldn't resist hugging her.

Mei yawned as she said, "Elena? Why so teary-eyed?"

Elena, just like before couldn't force out a single word. She wiped away her tears to take a proper look at her friend but to no avail. Looking around there were others. Three others, two of which were leaning onto each other as they slept and another who drooled onto Mei's shoulder. Valeria, Fay, Astrid, and Mei were her dear she lived with on the streets. As she had lost her parent, was forgotten by her relatives, and even left to fend for herself on the streets after her mentor had died, she wandered across the States only to be shooed away by other territorial Dream Catchers. Picked up by an organization whose name she still doesn't know of, she met a new group of friends that escaped from the facility and were allowed to rest on Canadian land. Because they held value as lab rats, all of them were allowed to cross over and do as they please while they were under heavy surveillance.

"Lie down and fall asleep. We're safe here."

Even though these words were reassuring, Elena was here just to consult with her friends, what she considered family, on how she should live her life. She whispered, "Can I ask you something?"

Mei nodded and slowly but surely repositioned Astrid, the one that was drooling onto her shoulder. Keeping her mouth shut, she stepped out of the room with Elena to discuss whatever is on her mind. Though it took her a minute, she finally forced out a question.

"I... If I decided to attack politicians, but without killing them of course, would you condemn me for doing so?", Elena asked.

"What are you attacking them for?"

"For hurting others like us just because we could develop a special ability," Elena answered.

While Mei was thinking about what would be an appropriate answer, Elena grew more and more anxious. Expecting to be scolded though she has no reason to believe so considering how lenient and patient Mei was with her in the past.

"If you fight to liberate those that are oppressed and have no voice, then I'll allow that. Anything else is a no."

"I did try to kill a couple of dozen politicians... I was angry because of their inaction an entire city was wiped out by weird powerful abilities. The anger that had built up made me snap and even made me fight my allies."

"I see... Then-"

Astrid flung open the door and came to interrupt after she heard Mei and Elena talking with each other.

"Can't you just sleep when we've had such a fun day?!", she yelled.

"You're the one that busted down the door!", Elena countered. Though the dark fog that made Elena's friends look like silhouettes cleared up within that moment, she could only see Astrid's pink strawberry pajamas. Valeria and Fay followed right after rubbing their eyes trying to grasp what is going on.

"Why do you two always have to fight?" Mei sighed and stood aside while Valeria and Fay tore these two apart.

"Anyway, why were you two out here conspiring?", Valeria asked.

They headed back inside the empty room to discuss what is bothering Elena though Elena gave them a quick recap about events that are currently going on in the real world.

"So you're saying you recruited three newbies, fought off three members of a council the one you're leading now, and now you're in the midst of a battle against an ability that will induce dreams in which you can live out your dream life?. You're not making any sense! Especially as to why you would stay with us when you could have lived with your family...", Astrid said in one quick breath.

Blushing as Elena hadn't uttered such sentences in a while, she yelled out, "Because I wanted to spend time with you..."

"Hmph!", was the only thing Astrid could force out after she had heard that.

"Aren't you being used by your fellow council members?", Valeria asked Elena worried about her well-being and potential naivety.

"How could they use me? I won by definitely fair means. That's why I'm the leader!"

"I mean... They didn't fight back at all after those fights. They didn't even bother voting who should lead and they seem to have more expertise as Dream Catchers than you do..."

Elena avoided their gazes or what could be their gazes as she couldn't even see their eyes. She hadn't thought about the fact how easily they had given her the leading position and was starting to wonder whether or not she could be good for anything.

"I guess I'm easy to take advantage of..."

Astrid chimed in with a headbutt while yelling, "You haven't confirmed that yet so check in with them!"

"Calm down, Astrid! You can't just-"

"Shut up, Fay!" Fay retreated behind Valeria.

"Then you should probably get this over with and move on. Defeat Sentience and clear everything up after. Also, don't forget about the Authority of Whatever. Maybe it's already acting behind the scenes!", Mei said. She was happy to know that Elena had gotten that far but sad to know that she may not get to see her grow into a better person.

"Beat them up! Only I'm allowed to hurt you! Remember that, Elena!", Astrid added.

"Don't let yourself be discouraged!", Fay cheered.

"Beware of scum that will take advantage of you!", said Valeria.

With that they all burst into colorful flames and became just mere memories as Elena moved on to the next life she could have lived.

This time she found herself within a well-kept house. The sun's out, birds are singing and the TV is blaring on about random news. It was right after she had lost her new group of friends. Many called those that she's lost to be lucky while she had been lucky to be born. Others started to consider her a cursed child that would bring death with her. As such, no one cared whether she traveled in Nation A or rested in Nation B as she was considered insignificant and just another statistic. Two were kind enough to take her in, though it wouldn't take long for them to send her back home as at least one of them had said she'd be a burden here. Even after being cast aside, she still wanted to talk with them and consider her choices.

One was preparing a meal while the other watched TV. The one preparing a meal was Flora while Drayke and Elena skimmed through random channels looking for something entertaining.

"I've wondered," Elena let out. "Why do you fight?"

Flora, disgruntled, stomped towards Elena offended by her question. "What do you mean?", Flora asked.

"Why do you fight for the same people that put you on the streets within your childhood? You don't owe them anything. You don't have to save anyone."

"Why not? We can so we should. What's the point in having all this power then?", said Drayke.

"It's that attitude that got your friends and family killed! Hell, Marcela would still be alive if it weren't for you! If only you weren't so naive and indecisive!", Flora shouted at Elena. It was apparent that bad blood was between them. Elena, mad that she had been neglected and abandoned by the world, and Flora, mad that she had lost a dear friend in exchange for Elena's life, were often incapable of talking to each other. Drayke, being too passive despite having something to say, didn't help either which lead to Elena being sent back home on her own without anyone to help her adjust to the losses she's made.

"That's all I wanted to know," Elena said as she got up. She stepped towards a door a couple of feet away and expected a lot more words from them.

"We'll meet again soon and this time, I'll make sure to have you know what was on my mind!", she said slightly agitated though agreeing to what Flora had claimed.

Everything went up in flames. Before Elena could depart, however, she took a look at the silhouettes and stared them down as they vanished. She too burned but didn't cease to be instead burning through her dreamworld and moving onto the next scene.

It was a sunny day out. Waves gently swept over her feet. The sand was getting in between her toes. It was a perfect day. In front of her were a teenage boy just at the age of 14 and a man at the age of 21. Behind her were three people, two young women and one young man, one of which was approaching Elena. Her hair was short and she was rather petite and was known as Daisy. The ones behind her and feeding each other ice cream were Rouge and Brook.

"What's wrong? Missing your friends?", Daisy asked while soft-spoken.

"I wasn't thinking of them just know, but-" Elena said before she was cut off by Daisy.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to open up fresh wounds," she said. "Then what's it this time?"

"People grow apart, don't they?", Elena asked.

Daisy nodded.

"Can you prevent that, or rather, can you bring them back together?"

"Some you can and some you cannot. Depending on the emotions that you left behind while parting, you may be guaranteed to be brought back together as long as one makes the effort or you may never align with each other again. Why do you ask?"

Though she's speaking of herself and Daisys now non-existent relationship, she told Daisy, "I once had this friend who helped me while I was at a low point and we grew apart. It was within the battle of a Fusion. I got in the way and it got someone else killed which resulted in the group not wanting me around them anymore. Is there a way I can fix that?"

"Did you just accept that2"

Elena nodded with genuinely regretting having met them as the one that was lost in battle may be alive if it weren't for her.

"Do you want to uphold a relationship?"

"At least with a few of them..."

"Then go back and try again. Since time has passed since that incident, you could try again. Maybe that anger has faded away. Maybe it hasn't. But it's worth trying, isn't it?"

Elena nodded again. Determined and urging to go back she thought of a way to escape the dream world. The scenery and the dark shadowy versions of her friends all faded away. Surrounded by empty space, standing within the blank void of her mind, a figure emerges acting as a means to keep her contained. Though she had shown no interest in her, Sentience came into being and wanted to hinder her from passing. The final hurdle would be beating her on a spiritual level even if there's no way to tell how much more powerful she is within her element, the spirituality of all that is sentient.