"(Y/N)?" A feminine voice asked, sending a jolt throughout my body. "You okay?"

My eyes stayed narrowed on the coffee cup that was clutched in my hands. That voice was so familiar and I was terrified to look up. How was she here? There was no way for her to be sitting across from my, I was still inside the nightmare, right?

Someone's small hand reached up, one of their slender fingers pulling my chin up. My (E/C) eyes met their vibrant onyx ones and it took everything in me to not show how much it pained to see her. If she were here that meant suffering for both her and I.

"You okay chickadee?" Emiko's voice was soft and comforting as she gave me a concerned look. "Ever since we took down the fighting ring last week you've been acting strange."

Confusion littered my thoughts as I tried to focus back on that night, the last thing I remember was stepping through the white door. Had I made it out of the nightmare? If so why couldn't I recall any of what happened after that.

"We-" I was at a lost for words. Why couldn't I remember what happened? "We completed the mission?"

Her head tilted to the side a bit, several striking blue locks of hair fell in her face. Distress crisscrossed it's way through her furrowed brows. "You still can't remember? It's been a week already, the doctor said the shock of what happened would wear off soon. Maybe you should go back and see him, make sure that this isn't serious."

"I'm fine." My lips were slightly agape as I brought the steaming coffee in my hands to my lips. Yet even as I sipped on the warm drink my gaze never left the short woman sitting across from me. Emiko looked so real that I wasn't sure what to believe anymore.

There was a moment of silence. It was so still in the suffocating quietness that the only thing keeping me from asking a question was my teeth buried into my tongue. Biting down harshly I kept my mouth shut and scanned over the room.

People mingled about talking to one another as if nothing were wrong. Something was definitely wrong. If I couldn't remember what happened then I can only assume that I'm still trapped inside the nightmare. Soon enough I would find out anyway.

Unease crept up my spine like a monkey climbing a tree, landing on the branch that was my heart. Even the air around me seemed to agree that something was about to happen. Emiko was unfazed, not even attempting to use her quirk to rake through the anxieties I kept locked behind a straight face.

"Maybe we should get going." Standing up, I began to make a B-line to the door. There was something going on, I could just feel it.

The short woman leapt from her spot in her chair and rushed to follow me, her body bouncing excitedly with every step. What had put so much pep in her step all of a sudden? "(Y/N)?" With only a small nod, I told her to continue. "Can we go to the square?"

"Why would you want to go to there?" Glancing up I looked around for a clock, my eyes eventually landing on a bright neon light. "It's about noon- It'll be packed right now."

A glum look spread over her face, eyes wide in a beg and head tilted to the side a bit. I couldn't cave, if this were actually a part of the nightmare then something bad would happen there. Even if it weren't real I didn't know how long I could keep a stable mental state if anything happens to her.

For now I had to focus on staying me: (Y/N) (L/N). I'll have to also try and find a way out of this.

"Come on (Y/N)." The short woman grabbed onto my wrist, pulling me in the direction she wanted to go. Ignoring that it was the exact opposite way I desired to go. "There's supposed to be a manga signing there, please just come with me."

We would end up there no matter what I tried, that's the way these nightmares work. Right now I was confident that this was a nightmare. That fearful uneasiness still hadn't left my body meaning that I was probably right to assume this wasn't real.

What would happen when we got there? Would we get into an argument and she says she hates me? Perhaps she'd tell me I was never her truly her friend, that our relationship was formed upon her pity for me. Just the thought of seeing those words leave her plump lips made my body tense with disquiet.

Emiko was my first real friend. Even if it weren't real it would still shatter a piece of me. Keeping my guard up was the best option, that way I'd be prepared to deal with whatever she may say to me. The main goal right now was to stay in the right frame of mind and not slip further and further into the mindset of Phoenix's so called bride. To do that I couldn't let her words phase me.

"Thank you for coming (Y/N)!" The short girl beside me chirped, a large smile gracing her delicate face. "It means a lot to know that you're willing to come with me."

I nodded, to entranced by my own thoughts to think much of what she was saying. My eyes stayed narrowed on the path ahead: A sidewalk littered with people. They seemed so unconcerned with everything happening around them, laughing and talking with their friends like it were a part of their routine.

Was this really a nightmare? It was so calm and tranquil walking with Emiko as if nothing were wrong.

A little early to come to that conclusion (Y/N).

"Do you wanna go for sushi after this?" The girl beside me spoke up again, trying to start up conversation once again. "Before the mission you said we should and I think-"

She was cut off, a dull expression spreading across her face as she fell forward. Blood poured from a large wound in her chest, three silver chains embedding themselves in her chest. Everything stopped in a matter of seconds; The screams of people around me fell on deaf ears as I looked down upon her body.

Tears burned at my eyes but I didn't dare let them fall. Looking up I was met with a familiar face, a woman who I knew well. Cane's second hand woman and strongest of the talons: Moria. She gave me a small smile, at this moment I wanted nothing more than to beat that look right off her.

"Sorry, didn't realize that was your friend birdie." Her well groomed, shoulder length brown hair taunted me. It was the opposite of my (H/C) hair, the (H/L) strands falling in front of my face. "She was a beautiful girl. To bad you couldn't protect her."

"How-" Just saying a single word was hard, the sound sticking to my throat and not wanting to leave my mouth. "Why?"

Emotions flooded through my mind as I completely forgot this was a dream: Every inch of me filled with anger and rage but masked by dejection. So many thoughts rushed through my mind that it was hard to focus on words. Emiko had just died right in front of my eyes and I did nothing to save her.

"I'm here to get you of course." She was so calm even as people rushed past screaming, her attention almost entirely on me, yet still using her quirk to fight off approaching heroes. Chains, maybe a dozen or so, flew through the air; All controlled by her.

My eyes followed the chains that all connected to the woman's wrist, their metal glistening in the sunlight. They were so familiar. "What are those made out of?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

She gave me a smile so genuine that it didn't make sense. Delivering news with a smile like that was just a cruel form of punishment. "The metal from your wings of course. Makes for strong chains."

Even with the sun beating down on me I still felt cold. The unease leaving my body in an instant only to be replaced by grief just as fast. Blinking back tears I could only look at the woman standing several feet away. She just had to use the metal from my own wings to kill my best friend.

"Come on birdie." She tapped her foot impatiently. "I don't have all day and Cane wants you back at Phoenix as soon as possible."

A sob chocked out of my throat, the sound startling both the woman and I. She looked so surprised to see the tears streaming down my cheeks like a waterfall in a forgotten forest. Neither of us remembered the last time I had cried, it'd been so long.

Blue orbs connected with my (E/C) eyes. Her concentration faltered for a moment and the chains came crashing down around me. That small second gave me just the right chance I needed; I lunged at the woman, my hands wrapping themselves in her all to straight hair.

Her back slammed into the ground as we fell to the ground. I had her pinned down, if I wanted to kill her now was the time. Reaching back I felt the familiar metal of my wings: When had they grown back? Since they were there did that mean- No, this isn't real. It just CAN'T be.

Only a small sliver of my mind fought back the hateful insanity creeping it's way through my thoughts. That voice rang in my ears over and over again: It's only a nightmare (Y/N). There it was, my name. Not the one whispered to me during my time with Phoenix but the one that truly belong to me.

With just the small moment of hesitation from me, Moria made her move. The chains that connected to her wrist began to move again. As long as they stayed connected to her body she would be able to move them even pinned like this. That's what made her strong; A versatile quirk such as her was invaluable.

One of the chains, made from my own wings, grasped onto my ankle. The cool metal pressed into my skin as it launched me up into the air. Flapping my wings several time I slowed to a stop in midair. Moria met my gaze, her blue eyes holding unreadable emotions.

"Just give it up birdie." Her voice reminded me of Esther, the way it engulfed your body with the chilling sensation of fear. "Your friend is dead. You're all alone. No one is coming to save you."

My tears had long since stopped, drying upon my cheeks as I fought with the older woman before me. "Oh shut it you crone. How old are you now anyways? Forty? You look like you should be turning sixty soon."

A jab at her appearance was enough to get Moria going, nostrils flaring with annoyance. Once again a chain came towards my body. However, this time I was ready. Only a hard flap from my wings and the metal links flew back towards her.

That wasn't enough to stop her onslaught of attacks though. Chains flew at me from every direction, a dozen or more all trying ot land a hit on their mark. I wonder how I looked dodging the chains in the sky: An elegant falcon dancing across the bright blue horizon.

I wasn't a falcon. No, I'm just a birdie. A caged animal not allowed to spread it's wings.

Several of the chains flew in front of my face, causing me to jolt backwards. With a delayed reaction two of the metal objects secured themselves around my wrists. They pulled me to the ground with ease, maybe it would've been a different story if I had struggled.

"Dead or alive." The woman trailed off, stepping ever so closer to me. "I really wanted this to end with the latter, birdie. But if you aren't going to come willingly then-"

Before she could finish her sentence, a chain stabbed itself through my thigh. The dagger like end shooting straight through my leg and connecting with the floor. Pain surged up from the wound but I didn't dare show that pain. I shoved down the burning pain with a bite to my tongue.

Another one shot at my other leg and did the same as it's counterpart. My legs threatened to give out but the chains through them held them still. Blood stained my jeans that I didn't remember ever changing into.

"You really have become numb haven't you?" Moria said, taking a step closer. Accompanying that step was another chain shooting at my arm. The cold metal digging through the skin in my arm and connecting with the ground behind them. "Most people would've passed out from pain by now. Not you though. You're still standing strong. How vexatious."

Her blue eyes reminded me the sky that I yearned to fly through once again. Their color so prominent it was hard to believe they were natural. Yet they held no show of readable emotions, things clouded together inside of them to give an alluring look.

A fourth chain embedded itself in my other arm, earning a small yelp of pain from me. The others I had been prepared for but that one had come as a surprise. "This must be hell for you. Watching your first and probably only friend die. Don't worry though you'll be joining her soon enough." Her hand grasped at my chin and lifted my gaze to meet hers. "Any last words birdie?"

"Screw you."

"Such an exquisitely graceful way to say goodbye to this planet." Behind her danced the chain that would take the final blow. Light glistened off the polished metal, blood dripping off its end from its previous victim.

It's funny how the thing to kill me would come from my own wings.

With that thought, the metal chain buried itself deep within my chest. Blood bubbled in my throat and rolled out of my mouth. Moria gave a cold, stone-faced look as a haunting smile dragged at my lips. Black danced through my vision as I felt the chains leave their spots inside my appendages. With no strength left I fell to the floor, my final breath leaving in a small puff.