Chapter 5 : Midnight

“Fingers crossed he's in a good mood.” chuckled Anton as he put the phone to his ear.

Mica kept her eyes lowered as she worked to avoid the glaring looks that both Fiona and Kianna were giving her. She and the dark elves all stayed silent as Anton lightly rocked his head back and forth while he listened to the phone ringing on the other end.

“Hello. Leopold! It's Anton. ...Good evening to you too. How's it going? ...Good, good. Listen, sorry I'm calling you so late, I hope I didn't wake you?” said Anton as the line was answered “Oh, still working? ...So are you still at your office then? ...Ah, you're at home. ...Okay great. Perfect scenario actually.”

Having shifted their ears forward, the two dark elves were clearly trying their best to listen in on both sides of the conversation as they leaned in over Anton.

Noticing their efforts, Anton waved them both off as he gave each of them a tired look.

“So is Ila there with you? ...And how's she doing? ...Good to hear. ...It really has been too long.” he said as he leaned his head back and looked up at the ceiling “Oh, it had to have been this last new years party? ...Or maybe the one before? Regardless, it really has been too long. Way too long.”

Mica couldn't help but to shift about uncomfortably in her seat as she listened to the unnervingly casual conversation.

“Right. Real quick though, before we get to the actual reason I called you tonight. Did you happen to get that e-mail I sent you?” asked Anton as he glanced down at Mica “...Yes, that's right. The apartment complex. ...No, no. That's a real acquisition now. ...Well, yes, originally it was going to be a purchase. But not anymore. ...Well, truth be told, I've acquired the previous owners as my slaves. So now it can be treated as a straight acquisition. ...No, this is a first. I generally don't make a habit of collecting slaves. This was a unique situation though. A very unique situation in fact.”

Reminded of their circumstances, Fiona grimaced in annoyance as Kianna grinned sheepishly.

“...No, not yet. I know I need to. But like I said, this situation is unique, so I'm taking my time with their registrations. ...Well, the truth is things with them might be a bit, controversial. So I'm trying to get as prepared as possible before I take that step. ...Exactly, I want to be ready for any fallout I might experience over this.” explained Anton “...Oh no, no, it's nothing like that. No, the truth is that they're dark elves. ...That's right, dark elves. ...No, they are definitely dark elves alright. Real dark elves. ...Normally it is impossible, or it was. But, believe it or not, I found a way to do it. ...No, as far as I know this is a first. ...Well, if it has ever happened before it was either never documented or buried outright. ...Exactly. That's why I said it's going to be controversial. ...No, it's not a fluke, I've actually done it more than once now. ...Two of them. ...Mm hm. Females, both of them. ...Hm, well, I wouldn't say that. They're not quite as monstrous as you'd think they would be. One of them is actually quite the little sweetheart. Or, most of the time she is. The other one though... mm, not so much. She would be closer to what a normal dark elf is expected to be... Yeah, pretty much.”

Kianna hummed a small sound and rocked her head in a cutesy manner as Fiona narrowed her eyes into a glare and pointed her ears straight back behind her head.

“Excuse me? ...Oh, well, that. ...Oh really? ...I see, hm, possibly?” muttered Anton as he glanced up at Fiona “Well the biggest thing is that she's young, and has no experience. ...That is a pretty big factor though. ...Are you sure this is something you would even want to try, Leopold? ...Well I can't guarantee that it'll work out the way you're thinking it will. ...Well, yes, of course it might. But I think another factor that you're not taking into consideration is the cost. ...You do have to understand that she is a dark elf after all. So unfortunately, no matter how we slice it, this will not exactly be cheap.”

Fiona's face softened as Anton looked away from her. Shifting her gaze to her sister, the two dark elves stared at each other as uncertainty formed in their eyes.

“Tell you what. Let's just see how things go with the rest of this conversation. And if things go well, we can come back to this topic.” smiled Anton as he focused his attention back on Mica “...Oh no! I'm not saying no, I'm not at all against the idea. ...Well we can figure it all out later of course. And if we do decide to go ahead and actually do something, then I'll definitely give you a good deal. So don't worry about that.”

Fiona's ears pointed themselves straight upwards as her eyes went wide and her mouth fell open. Across from her Kianna was shaking her head as a disbelieving expression masked her face.

“In any case, I think it's time that we got to the real reason I'm calling you tonight.” said Anton as he grinned at the miserable looking kiochi “Well. Believe it or not. I'm afraid to say that somebody actually tried to kill me earlier this evening. And I think there is a very, very good chance that this somebody, is someone you might know...”

Groaning softly, Mica began to chew on her lower lip as she dropped her eyes back to the floor.

“Yes, I'm very serious. ...No, it was a full blown assassination attempt. ...Oh, no! No, I'm fine. Not even a scratch. ...Well, an effort was certainly made, I can say that much. Unfortunately for her though, she never stood a chance.” chuckled Anton “...Oh, I'm fairly sure you do know her. ...Well, you see. I'm afraid to say that my assailant was an eager, but very unskilled little kiochi, named Mica.”

Anton's grin broadened as he watched Mica become more and more crestfallen.

“...Mm hm. That's right. ...No, no, this one is definitely yours! I guarantee it!” smiled Anton “...No. Of course not. She's alive. I have her right here in front of me. ...Oh yes, I'm completely serious. I'm looking right at her. ...No, this is definitely your daughter, Leopold. ...Well, would you like to talk to her?”

Mica brought her eyes up as Anton eased forward and held the phone out towards her. Leaning as far forward as her bounds would allow, Mica tilted her head to the side so Anton could hold the phone to her ear.

“Hello, Daddy!?” cried Mica into the phone “Can you hear me!? ...Yeah, it's me... No, I...! ...Yeah...”

Mica was silent for a moment as she listened to the muffled voice on the other side of the line.

“...But, it's...! ...No, I, I got a contract! Yeah, it's a real one. ...I told you I could! ...Yeah, it's a real contract! ...It's from that Renegade place. ...Yeah? ...They were in your Rolodex thingy. That's where I found them. ...Well I didn't know that! ...Yeah, I did. Why? It's not like it's a secret? ...Yeah? ...Why not? ...I don't see why it even matters! It's not like they weren't going to know exactly what I am as soon as they saw me!? ...It was kind of weird. ...Because when I first talked to the guy he didn't really say much until I said I was a shinoccubi, and then he got really excited and just started giving me jobs. ...No, this is the only one, so far. ...Well I had to! ...Because you guys wouldn't listen! ...No you wouldn't! ...No! No you wouldn't!” exclaimed Mica as her face became more and more agitated “Because you all kept saying I needed to prove myself! ...Yes you did! ...Well how else was I supposed to do that then!? It's not like you guys were trying to help me! ...No, no you didn't! All you kept saying was “You're not ready, Mica! You're not ready!” over and over!”

“For the record, I'd like it to be known that I do agree with that.” chuckled Anton “I don't think you're ready either, Mica. Not even close.”

“Will you shut up, you jackass!” snapped Mica “What!? ...No, Dad not you! It's this guy, the one I was supposed to kill. He's talking shit! ...I guess? They didn't tell me what his name was. ...No. They just said to kill him and not the two dark elves that were with him. Which by the way, fuck these bitches! First chance I get I'm slicing their fucking ears off! ...Yeah, you say that now! But you don't even know what these two psycho bitches did to me!”

“Wait? Renegade didn't even tell you my name?” mumbled Anton as he cocked an eyebrow “Well that just shows how completely incompetent they are... Although, actually, thinking about it. They probably didn't even know it was me... Since there's no way they would have only sent one person if they did... Hm, that's interesting...”

“...I don't know! They didn't tell me why, and I didn't ask. ...I don't know! Cause I didn't think I was supposed to!? ...Well how the Hell was I supposed to know you knew him!?” exclaimed Mica “What are even the odds on that!?”

“Apparently they're better than zero...” mumbled Anton.

“Shut up!” snarled Mica as Anton merely grinned at her “Not you Dad! This guy is still talking, and-! ...Huh? ...Uh, sure! ...Yeah! I can do that! ...Yeah! If you can get him to do it. ...Okay! Hold on!”

Anton creased his brow in confusion as Mica smiled up at him.

“My Dad wants to talk to you again.” she said as she eased back in her seat “He's got an interesting proposition for you!”

Arching his eyebrow at the phone, Anton settled back into his own seat as he planted the phone back to his ear.

“Hello.” he said in way of greeting before going silent and listening “...What? ...Well, yes, that's? I mean, yes, I can. Not that I would. ...Because I would never do that to your daughter. Obviously. ...Well that was before I knew who she was. ...Excuse me? ...That, wait, you can't be serious? ...No, absolutely not. Because I'm not going to, I refuse. ...Because there's no point to that. I don't even know where this is coming from? And it doesn't even matter, I'm not going to do it. ...No. ...No, Leopold! What are you even trying to accomplish with this? ...I mean, I can understand...! ...Wait, what? What did you just say!?”

Leaning in over Anton, and having apparently been listening back in on the conversation, Fiona and Kianna both blinked in surprise as their ears pointed themselves straight upwards. They stared at the phone for a moment before as one they slowly turned to Mica.

The kiochi's brow creased in confusion as she took in their blank expressions and then watched as the emotion drained from Anton's face.

“...Hey? Hey, what's going on?” she mumbled as she tightened her eyes in irritation “Why are you all looking at me like that!?”

Anton's empty expression hardened as he stared forward at nothing and listened to the voice on the other side of the phone.

“Leopold. I am not appreciating the direction this conversation has taken.” he said calmly “If this is your idea of a joke, then I have to say, it is not funny.”

Mica and the dark elves all flinched back in surprise as Anton suddenly stood up out of his seat.

“Stay here.” he said softly to the dark elves as he quickly moved around his chair and made his way across the open space behind it.

“Hey! Wait! What's happening!?” questioned Mica as she looked up at the two stoic dark elves.

Her confused expression shifted into a glare as a thin, smug grin slowly spread across Kianna's face.

“Wow. You're fucked...” mocked Kianna as her grin grew into a thin smile.

“Wha, why!?” demanded Mica “What's going on!?”

“Oh, you'll see. Soon enough...” cooed Kianna as she turned away to gaze at Anton.

Across the room and standing with his back to them, Anton kept his voice lowered as he continued his conversation.

“Alright, Leopold, enough of this nonsense. I am going to open a portal to right outside your office, and you are going to meet me there to pick up your daughter. I am not going to fight with your daughter again, and I am absolutely! Not going to kill her. Now, how long is it going to take for you to get to your office?” said Anton as he set his jaw and stared up at the ceiling “...Enough. This is your child. What is wrong with you. I can't believe you would even say that. ...That is not what happened. ...She didn't “give” you away, Leopold. Or “betray” you. I was the one who put two and two together and figured out who she was. ...It doesn't matter what was said. ...No, it doesn't. ...She, ...yes, she did. ...Well, I'll be honest. It certainly affects my opinion of you and Ila. ...Can't be helped. ...That's hardly fair, Leopold. At least consider her situation. ...Oh, she was certainly under duress. ...There are two dark elves here, Leopold. I'm sure you can imagine how things went for her. ...To say the least. ...That is irrelevant. ...Because it's irrelevant. ...Because as far as I'm concerned it changes nothing between us. Mica is only here because of a job. It's just business. And this business between me and her, will not affect the business between you and me. ...Again, irrelevant. ...Because how you choose to live your life is none of my business, Leopold. And I have no intention of intruding any further into your, or your families personal affairs. ...No, I don't see any reason that I should be concerned with it. ...Because it has absolutely nothing to do with me. ...I don't see how it does? ...Leopold, I'm starting to get the impression that you are trying to imply that I do have a reason to be concerned. ...Well, I assure you. It is not something I am going to be concerned with. ...No. I'm not. ...Leopold, I'm going to pretend you didn't say that. ...Okay. Now you listen to me, Leopold. I understand that you're upset. I do. But if you dare to-!”

Anton stopped short as the stillness in the room was suddenly shattered by the customized musical tone of a ringing phone.

Everyone's head immediately turned to face the same direction as their eyes all fell onto the pile of Mica's stripped garments that had been left laying on the king sized bed.

Bewilderment was clear on Anton's face as he quickly looked from the ringing clothing to Mica and then back.

“...Leopold. ...I'm going to need to call you back.” he mumbled into the phone “There's apparently another call I need to deal with.”

Dropping the phone away from his ear, Anton ended the call amid the muffled protests from the other side. He then turned completely around and locked eyes with Mica before going still and staring at her until the ringing from her garments finally came to an end.

“...Mica, did you bring your cell phone with you?” asked Anton as he stared right at her.

“...Yeah.” answered Mica.

“...Seriously. You really brought your cell phone with you? To assassinate someone?” questioned Anton as he shook his head in disbelief “And you didn't even silence it!?”

“...I, forgot!” growled Mica through her teeth.

The dark elves both bowed their heads forward and covered their mouths with their hands as they tried to stifle their laughter.

“Oh, I see.” said Anton calmly as he nodded his head “...And why, in the world, did you bring it?”

“Cause I needed it!” snapped Mica “No one was I gonna believe me without any proof! So I brought it to take some pictures...”

Anton stood still for a moment before he slowly raised his hand and began to roughly rub his eyes with his thumb and index finger.

“So your saying that you brought your own, personal, very traceable cell phone, with you to commit a murder... And you did this for the specific purpose of taking pictures of your victim... And thus creating evidence of the crime... That you then planned to show off... As infallible proof of what you've done...” said Anton as he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head “And you honestly think that you should be considered ready... Are you serious!?”

Losing control of themselves, both Fiona and Kianna doubled over at their waists as they began to laugh hysterically.

“Shut up! Shut! Up! Stop laughing at me!” raged Mica as she hung her head and struggled in her binds “I didn't think about any of that!”

“For God's sake's, Mica. You need to be sanctioned...” grumbled Anton “What is wrong with you!?”

“Shut up!” screamed Mica.

Anton sighed and began to rub his eyes again as the cell phone on the bed stated to ring anew.

“Kianna, can you bring me that phone, please!” he said as he moved back in front of his chair and dropped down into it “I need to sit down for a second...”

“Yes! Of course!” chirped Kianna as she choked back her laughter “Right away!”

Mica grumbled miserably but said nothing as she glared at the haughty dark elf. Seething at Kianna's smugness, Mica watched her sashay her way over to the bed and start searching for the ringing phone.

“...It's in the arm-guard-thingy!” she called before looking back at Anton.

Sitting rigid in his seat, Anton was staring at her with wide open eyes as he slowly shook his head back and forth.

Mica couldn't help but to grimace as she looked at the floor in embarrassment.

“Here you go, Master!” cried Kianna as she quickly came up to the chair and handed Anton the still ringing phone.

“Thank you.” said Anton as he looked at the name spread across the front of the phones screen “Who is “Nokko”, Mica?”

“That's my sister!” cried Mica as she leaned as far forward as her bounds would allow “Let me talk to her! Please!”

“Hm... Alright...” said Anton as he slid his finger across the phones screen to answer the call and then tapped the speaker button before facing the phone towards Mica.

“Nokko!” cried Mica as she spoke at the phone “Hey! Can you hear me!?”

“Hello? Mica, is that you?” answered a voice through the phone.

Save for a seemingly older more mature tone, the voice speaking through the phone had a very similar cadence to Mica's, and could have easily been mistaken for her.

“Yeah, it's me.” mumbled Mica.

“Mica, what's going on? Mom and Dad are screaming their heads off at each other, all while talking about you?” said Nokko “What happened?”

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“I! Uh, I kinda fucked up, petty badly...” admitted Mica as she grimaced at the phone “And I think it's really bad, actually...”

“You? How?” questioned Nokko “What did you do?”

“...I, uh, I got a job. A contract. ...To go, hurt somebody.” explained Mica “...And I fucked it up.”

The phone went silent and remained so as the numbers on the calls time keeper continued to rise.

“...Hello?” prompted Mica as she stared at the phone “Hey! Are you still there?”

“...Are you joking?” asked Nokko after another pause “Or are you being serious right now?”

“...I'm being serious.” confirmed Mica.

“...Okay. Okay, so everything that Dad's been yelling about is actually true then!?” exclaimed Nokko as irritation began to mar her voice “You really did go off to kill somebody!? No jokes! You really actually did that!?”

“...Yeah.” muttered Mica.

“Unbelievable!” sighed Nokko “Mica, you! What were you thinking! Just! ...I can't even! ...Okay! Okay, so! Did you at least, complete this job!? Or no!?”

“...No, not exactly.” grumbled Mica.

“Not exactly?” questioned Nokko “What do you mean by not exactly!? What does that mean!?”

“Look! I already said I fucked up! Okay!” stated Mica as she narrowed her eyes at the phone “I didn't kill the guy, but it's fine! It doesn't matter! Turns out this guy knows Daddy, and he's not even mad. He thinks the whole thing is funny! But it doesn't matter anyway! He's going to let me go home, so now we can all just forget this whole thing ever even happened!”

“Hey now, hold on a second.” said Anton “I never said I wasn't mad.”

“Seriously!?” snapped Mica as she shifted her glare to him “Whatever! Fucking get over it!”

“Wait, who was that!?” asked Nokko.

“Nobody. That's just the bastard I was supposed to kill.” explained Mica “He doesn't matter though. Just ignore him.”

“What!? That's your target!? Your target is with you right now!?” demanded Nokko.

“Ugh, yeah...” sighed Mica “He's right here. And he can hear you...”

“He can!? ...Mica! Why is the target still with you?” asked Nokko “And why can he hear me!?”

“Cause... He's, kinda helping me hold the phone up, so I can talk...” answered Mica “And he can hear you because you're on speaker right now...”

“Hello, Nokko.” smiled Anton as Mica fumed in embarrassment.

“...Hi!” growled Nokko “Mica! Why is this guy helping you hold up the phone? Are you injured?”

“No.” mumbled Mica “Not anymore...”

“...Then why does he need to help you!?” prompted Nokko.

“Cause I'm, kinda, tied up right now...” grumbled Mica.

“You're! ...You were captured?” asked Nokko.

“Yeah, pretty much...” answered Mica.

“How!? How, did!? Mica! You can teleport!” exclaimed Nokko.

“No, I can't!” growled Mica through her clenched teeth “I got this, stupid metal ring thing around my neck! And it won't let me do anything!”

“...You, have a manabinder around your neck?” questioned Nokko “How!? How did he even get that on you!? What happened!?”

“...I'd rather not talk about that!” grumbled Mica as her eye began to twitch in irritation.

Standing on either side of Anton, the dark elves both turned away as they once again began to snicker.

“Look! None of this even matters anymore! Okay! I fucked up! I get it! You get it, he gets it! Elf bitches get it! Everybody gets it!” exclaimed Mica “Now will you just go get Mom and Dad and come get me already, please!? I've had a shitty enough day as it is, and really want it to be over now!”

“...Right. Over. That sounds good.” mumbled Nokko as her tone darkened “Fine. Where are you right now?”

“Um... Actually, I don't know?” said Mica as she looked around the dungeon.

“You don't know? How do you not know!?” questioned Nokko “Are you not at the same target location!?”

“Yeah, I guess?” said Mica as she watched Anton nod his head “I still don't know where this is though?”

“...How do you not know where you are!?” demanded Nokko “Didn't you go there yourself!?”

“Yeah. Well, kinda. They didn't tell where I was going. They just opened a portal.” explained Mica “And then they gave me a disc that would take me home whenever I was done.”

“...Take you home? You mean like back to their office?” asked Nokko.

“...No. I mean home.” said Mica as her eyes suddenly filled with uncertainty “Like, home, home.”

“...Home, home!” cried Nokko “...How did they!? Did you tell them where you live!?”

“...Uh, well yeah? Why?” questioned Mica as Anton closed his eyes and shook his head “What!? What's wrong!? ...Was I not supposed to!?”

“...How!? How can you possibly be this stupid!?” groaned Nokko as the faint sounds of background commotion could be heard through the phone “It's just so unbelievable... I just... I don't even know what to say!?”

“Seriously!? C'mon!” exclaimed Mica “It's not like those guys are going to try anything! They know they'll be jumping into a house full of assassins! They're not going to do shit!”

“They! They know what!?” cried Nokko “Wait, what else did you tell them!?”

“Chill, Nokko!” said Mica as she glared at the phone “I already told Dad about all this so there's no reason for you to freak out!”

The background commotion grew louder as Nokko's voice seemed to have joined in on what was clearly sounding like a heated discussion.

Anton sighed softly as he eyed the phone and shook his head.

“This could be bad...” he whispered to himself as his eyes shifted to Mica.

“Anton! Can you hear me!?” cried out a masculine voice from the phone “I'd like to speak with you, please!”

With another sigh, Anton tapped the speaker button to off and placed the phone to his ear.

“Hello.” he said calmly as a muffled barrage of excitement immediately began to resonate out from the phone “...Hm, I see. ...I would agree. ...No, I'm afraid not.”

Anton went silent for several long moments as he listened to what was being said on the other side of the line. Although his facial expression remained blank throughout the seemingly one sided conversation, his eyes still sharpened in intensity as he gazed at Mica.

Unnerved by his silent scrutiny, the kiochi grimaced as she glared right back at him.

“...Leopold. I hate to interrupt. But I'd like to ask you a few questions real quick.” said Anton as he kept his eyes locked to Mica's “...Of course, they'd obviously be in regards to this situation. ...Well, to begin with. Is your family actually part of a clan, or not? ...I don't see how that would be an inappropriate question. ...I see. Well, that being the case, I won't ask you for any details about the potential clan then. Just a simple yes or no is enough. ...I see, that is a surprise. ...Because you have a surname. Or at least you claim to have one. ...Yes, truth be told, I'm much more informed on your kind than I liked to let on. ...Oh no, it's nothing personal. I've had an invested interest in all Infernals for some time now. Long before I ever even met you. ...That's a conversation we can save for another time. For now, let's stay focused on the matter at hand. ...Exactly. ...So, were you exiled? Or are you in hiding? ...Hm, so I take it that they are not aware of your children then? ...Ah, right, fair enough. I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry. ...Not at all, I'm simply trying to fully understand this situation. ...Far from irrelevant. In fact, I'd say it's-”

“Hey! Hi! Hate to break up your guy's cute little chat!” interjected Mica “But can we just get this over with please!? My tail is starting to seriously cramp up right now!”

Anton sat still for a moment before narrowing his eyes in annoyance.

“You know what, Leopold. I think I'm beginning to understand where your lack of patience with her is coming from...” he muttered into the phone “...No. That does not mean that I'll agree to your request. Nor do I have any intention of telling you where she is. ...Because at this point it has become clear to me that she is not safe with you. ...Oh, make no mistake, I know her guilt is above question. Better than anyone. However, as your friend, I can not allow you to do something that I know both you and Ila will regret. ...Be that as it may, I won't be able to help but to feel responsible for your loss.”

“...Wait, what?” mumbled Mica as her brow creased in confusion “What are you talking about now?”

“Of course I'd feel responsible, Leopold! I'm in the center of this situation! ...Regardless, it's not going to happen. I understand that you feel betrayed, and that you think this is necessary, but there has to be another way to handle this. ...Punishment is one thing, Leopold. But this is simply too far over the top. ...I'm sorry, but the answer is still no. ...Because, Leopold! It's simple! I refuse to be the reason that you kill your own daughter!”

“...Hey. What!?” questioned Mica as she began to slowly twist back and forth in her bounds “...That's not what he said! We're going to fight again! ...Just! Let me out, and we'll fight! ...Let me out! Let me go!”

“Stop! That's enough, Leopold! Don't make this any worse than it already is!” growled Anton into the phone “Because I'm trying to preserve a friendship here! Don't try to pretend that you will ever be able to look at me again while knowing that I'm the reason your daughter is dead!”

“Shut up!” cried Mica as she began to struggle wildly “Fight me! Fight me you bastard! ...Let me go! Let me go!”

“Will you please be silent!” exclaimed Anton as he turned his attention to Mica.

“Let me go! Let me go!” raged Mica “Let! Me! Go!”

Dropping the phone into his lap, Anton's face hardened in anger as he stretched his arm out and pointed his finger right at Mica's head.

“Be silent!” he growled as a bright, baseball sized orb of golden light blinked into existence at his finger tip.

Mica instantly froze mid-motion as her eyes became locked to the ball of light. Cringing away from the stinging heat that was radiating out from the strange orb, she couldn't help but to stare mesmerized as she eased away from it and pressed herself back into her seat. She had never seen or felt a ball of energy quite like this one before, and seemingly through instinct alone, she immediately knew that it wasn't merely fire, plasma, or some other simple form of light, but was instead something that was somehow far more dangerous.

Anton remained motionless for a moment as he watched the cowed and now confused looking cubi stare unblinkingly at the orb. Without a word, he cut off the power to the orb and let the ball of light dim down into almost nothing. It then vanished completely as he let his arm fall away.

“Thank you.” stated Anton dryly as he picked the phone back up and put it to his ear “Hello. ...Yes, I agree. Your daughter has very poor manners. Hopefully she won't be interrupting us again...”

Blinking, Mica clenched her jaw and glared at Anton as well as the two watching dark elves.

“...Endlessly repeating yourself is not going to help your case. I already gave you my answer, and I have no intention of changing my mind.” said Anton as he slowly shook his head “...I'm not the only one being stubborn. And I would hardly call myself the unreasonable one when you are currently advocating for the death of your own progeny!”

Kianna began to grin wickedly as Mica's glaring expression softened into a look of uncertainty.

A long moment of silence passed before Anton sighed through his nose.

“At this point I think both of our stances have been firmly established.” he stated as he again shook his head “...If anything? Perhaps a night of rest. And enough time for the minds to fully clear. ...What else can be said? ...No, honestly I'm hoping that by morning you'll come to your senses. ...Again, I don't see how I'm being the unreasonable one. ...Okay, I think we're done here. ...For the time being I think we are. ...Leopold, I think it's best! If we continue this again once we've both had some time to calm down. ...Right, please tell Ila and Nokko I said goodnight and that I will speak with you all again tomorrow. ...No. Now goodnight, Leopold!”

Ending the call with a tap of his thumb, Anton stared at the phone for a moment before setting it back back down on his lap. Closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath, he balled his hands into fists and flexed the muscles in his arms in irritation before relaxing and blowing his breath out of his mouth. Recomposed, he opened his eyes into a glare that he aimed directly at the kiochi sitting in front of him.

Oblivious to the look Anton was giving her, Mica remained completely still as she stared miserably at her phone. She continued to stay silent and unmoving as she watched Anton pick the phone back up, take it out of its protective case, pop off its back panel and remove its battery.

“Kianna.” said Anton as he turned to the dark elf and handed her the phone along with all of its pieces “Can you set this back over there with the rest of Mica's things, please.”

“Sure.” said the dark elf as she quickly took up the dismantled phone and made her way to the bed.

“Thank you.” said Anton as he pulled his own phone back out of his pocket and set it to a silent mode.

Disheartened by the sight of the dark elf making off with her phone, Mica slowly raised her eyes to Anton and found him now resting with his arms laid out across the chairs armrests, his eyes closed and his jaw set in obvious annoyance. Cowed by his expression, she looked down at the floor and remained silent.

Making her way back from the bed, Kianna glanced at Fiona and was saddened to find her sister staring at the floor and looking almost as degenerated as Mica.

“Hey.” she whispered softly as she sidled up right next to her “Are you okay?”

Fiona looked up at her before giving Anton a quick glance.

“Yeah, sorry...” she whispered back “Just thinking...”

“...Thinking about how we might just get to keep the little ninja-bitch after all?” teased Kianna.

“...Yeah.” mumbled Fiona “That would be cool...”

“...Hey. It's gonna be okay.” reassured Kianna “He wasn't serious. You know he wasn't serious.”

“...Right.” whispered Fiona “Yeah, I know... I'm okay...”

“...Are you sure?” questioned Kianna.

“Yeah! Don't worry. I'll be fine.” claimed Fiona.

“...Okay.” nodded Kianna “...It is gonna be okay. ...It really is.”

“I know! I know!” nodded Fiona “It's okay, I'm good. Don't worry!”

“...Okay then, I believe you.” mumbled Kianna as she stepped away and continued on to her place on the other side of Anton's chair.

After several minutes of stillness, Anton began to silently tap his fingertips against the front edges of the chairs armrests. Sighing softly as he finished putting his thoughts together, he opened his eyes and looked down at the slumping kiochi.

“You know, Mica. I have to say. You really have done one amazing job of making me very angry...” he mumbled in a calm but stern tone.

The kiochi stiffed and then bobbed her head up just enough to look at him. She said nothing as she narrowed her eyes in defiance.

Registering her attitude, Anton leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees as he glared right back at her.

“Out of all of the people alive today. I don't think there's anyone out there that I'd like to flog to death more than you at this very moment...” he growled softly “Not only did you foolishly invade my home and try to kill me! But you have somehow now managed to put me into a standoff with a close friend, who's very life you have since put in mortal danger!”

Mica kept her hardened expression in place for only a moment before blinking in confusion.

Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, Anton sighed and shook his head as he settled back in his seat.

“And that right there is the worst part of it all!” he mumbled through his clenched teeth “You don't even know what you've done. You have no idea just how badly you've messed things up for your parents. After everything they've tried to do for you. The freedoms they've tried to give you. The lives they've built! All of it's in jeopardy now!”

“Shut up! You're full of shit!” snapped Mica “Like I'm going to believe anything you say!”

“It doesn't matter whether you believe me or not, it makes no difference at all.” stated Anton “This ridiculous situation remains the same regardless...”

Apparently having nothing else to say to each other, both Mica and Anton settled in to a silent glaring match.

After a few moments of watching them, Kianna cocked one of her ears in a curious manner and turned to Anton.

“So? What are we going to do now?” she asked as she looked from him to Mica and back “Just wait and talk to Leopold again tomorrow? And see if he's calmed down?”

Anton sighed in irritation as he shook his head.

“He won't. Really, he can't. Or at least that's his mindset.” he mumbled “I don't know how much you actually heard, but I'm guessing it was enough to know how he plans to fix things...”

“Um, I couldn't really hear everything he was saying. Especially not after he started yelling. But I did hear it when he asked you to kill her.” said Kianna “Which, what's the deal with that? I mean, isn't she really his daughter? Why does he want you to kill her?”

“I wouldn't go so far as to say he necessarily wants me to kill her.” said Anton “As he see's it though, that's what has to be done. If he is actually in a clan, then he has no choice. He can't let it become known to his clan that she's his and Ila's daughter. Or that he even has a daughter at all.”

“Why not? Why can't the clan know?” asked Kianna.

“Because... it's, complicated...” sighed Anton “But in a nutshell, he doesn't want the clan to know because if they find out... They will kill him. As well as Ila, Nokko, Mica and any other siblings that Mica and Nokko may have... They will kill them all, and wipe out the whole family...”