Night struck quicker than Lass imagined it to have as he was waiting with his invitation at hand outside the royal palace. As it turned out these formal wears had no protection in combat and are quite hard to move in , something which he heavily disliked. But at the very least he was not wearing something super flashy that draws all the attention. He was eagerly waiting for Ikarisa as well as he was curious to see what she and Anya would make out of the tailors pack they got. It was definitely worth the wait. Ikarisa appeared in front of him wearing a gorgeous dress made by all sorts of vivid colors...but yet it wasn't super flashy when on her, which was something he admired for how right it just fit. It was just...perfect. And Ikarisa herself was yet worried about how he would appreciate it. Yet despite all of that she was still being accompanied by the one and only smug wolf merchant...

"Hmm...don't you think you should be the one picking your date up from my house?", Anya said with a smug.

"It's not a date! I like to think of it as a professional information meeting."

"Key word, 'think'."

"If you're in the mood to start a fight this specific night, mutt, then you can bet your a-"

Before the situation could escalate again Ikarisa got in the way.

"Hey-hey both of you, stop! Lass, let's not ruin this beautiful night now ok? Anya, thanks a ton for your help with the dress and preparations, we'll meet up tomorrow alright?"

"Actually...I'm invited myself. Hence the suit.", Anya chuckled.

"Oh yea...shouldn't you be wearing a dress? I mean it is what people expect to see you in, right?", Lass said.

"Yes, yes it is.", she sighed. "And really I hope I don't end up ruining the night for everyone with what I'm about to do..."

Lass calmly took Anya to the side nodding at Ikarisa behind him.

"Right. What's the deal, mutt??"

"Ya know...I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm scared. Not for what I'm about do. I've made up my mind about that. What worries me is the part that comes after..."

"Damn...I've got it.", Lass soothed her.

"You can really see through me that easily big guy?", she clenched her fist.

"Not my fault mutt.", he scoffed. "You make it easy to do so. But I'll hand it over to you for having the courage to do such a thing. It takes a lot to pop out of your comfort zone..."

"Lass...thank you. It took you literally a week to-", Lass stopped her words of gratitude.

"Don't mention it. I didn't do a thing. It's all on you...you did it."

"Modest as always." Anya chuckled. "Really though...did I do it on my own?"

"'To break chains you need strength. To break riddles you need mind. To break free you need a heart'. Some words I remembered recently. And no, if you ask me the only thing I can say I own is strength and mind. Those not enough and with a missing heart.

"Hmph...maybe you don't have a heart.", she smiled as she looked at Ikarisa. "Because you've already given it to someone. But even then there's still remnants with lots to give."

With that Anya steadily got up and took the lead, walking into the ongoing party within the palace...

"Huh, Anya? Aren't you-", Ikarisa's words were stopped by Lass's hand.

"This is her moment Risa. Let her have it.", he smirked.

"O-Oh I see...well that being said, I almost forgot to ask you.", she backed away slowly, blushing. "So Lass...how do I look?"

"I-I uh yea...you're pretty.", he replied.

"Huh?"

"Pretty good! You're pretty good!", he sighed. "Let's just...go inside."

"A step closer to truth, through our date!", she chuckled.

"Ah...yes. Yes it is...", he for once accepted her words, showing no resistance.

Going inside it wasn't before long that they where both recognized and approached by the press. But to their pleasure they have also been spotted by a familiar savior.

"Mr. Lass can you please tell me who taught you all those moves as the rising star?!"

"Miss can you please tell us why you're escorting the rising star?! Are you a relative, or perhaps a lover?"

"Over here please!", the cameraman shoved the camera in their faces.

"Please! N-No more! I beg of you! L-Lass...I-I don't like it here!", she said as she covered her face, scared to death.

"You bastards.", he took his fighting stance.

Before he could make another move their savior stepped in to help.

"Piss off", she shoved the first reporter away. "Die.", she smacked the second reporter. "Get out. All of you. Now!", she smashed the camera in half.

Within the next few seconds a small patrol of soldiers stepped in and swiftly removed the presence of all press in the area, the acts of which had left the tiny goddess in fright and tears.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know why I cried. Senpai I'm so sorry!", she said as she tried to wipe her tears away.

"Take it easy Risa. I know you don't trust me but come with me for awhile ok?", Magi calmed Ikarisa down.

"I should be the one being sorry. I didn't expect-", Lass's words were cut by Magi.

"You did the right thing. One step out of line and these assholes would have typed down half-assed truths about you two for the public to see.”

”I’d like to see them try.”, Lass angrily said.

”Yeah believe me, they will. It’s an endless cycle of who gets it worse to make some dumbass story to boost the ratings instead of saying anything of relevance. Hence why most just don’t watch them at all, so they just have to rile up the drama more. But I, on the other hand, am more..."authorized" to do such things. Trust me on that, I'm talking entirely out of personal experience."

"Such as?", Lass folded his arms.

"Let's just say that me and Anya drank a little...too much one night. Surprisingly, her father was only pissed about the drinking part, not the other."

"Other what?"

"I uh...nevermind that! It ain't your bussiness anyway, kid!", Magi blushed.

"Fine. Just let me...", he tried to approach Ikarisa.

"Don't worry I'll patch her up quick. Give me a few minutes to have a word with her and I'll be back with you."

"Right. I'll be waiting. God...I need some air.", he put his trust in Magi for once.

"Over there. Take a breather kid.", Magi pointed to the balcony.

"Got it."

Lass then calmly made his way to the sizeable empty balcony to catch his breath. Despite the circumstances he somehow knew that at that point, Magi was the only one who'd set Ikarisa straight.

"These fancy dresses, giant lights, publicity and glamour...really it isn't both our thing is it Risa?", his words stopped from the screams coming his way. "Hmm? The hell?"

Before he knew it, he located the source of the screaming, coming just above him on the second floor. He only needed but few words to realize who it was and why they were screaming...

"I'm telling you to back off already!", Anya screamed.

"You are going to tell me what?! May I remind you who you are? What you are?! My daughter showing up in the arena like a brute and now showing up in a tuxedo no less?!", Gado screamed back.

"Daughter?! What daughter? The only thing I've seen over the last years in the mirror was a puppet! And you playing the god damn puppeteer!"

"You have no right to be and act this way! Not after all I've done!"

"After what you've done?! There you go, treating me like your property again! Did I ask for all this?! Did I?!"

"What do you mean you never asked for it?! Your sisters and you where raised with nothing missing from your life!"

"Yea a bunch of spoiled jackasses, having damn never near worked to have a single thing they can actually call their own! Except from me...you specifically chose me out of everyone, not to work, but to make my life a living hell!"

"You call having absolutely everything a living hell?

"I do dammit, I do!", she said in a tough manner, not showing tears or sorrow. "I don't care about this, I never did! Not the money, not the fame no nothing! As far as I can remember anymore, I've only ever been miserable! I never had a life of my own...one I wanted. I'm being the one dumb moron that you picked out of the entire family to capitalize and make your personal slave to take over once your miserable existence comes to an end!"

"Anya..."

"No shut up! Just shut the hell up!", Anya started to break into tears. "I can't, I just can't anymore! I don't want this! You're just crushing down what you want me to be all the time! I don't want to be like this! Maria, Sarah, Wendy, Misha, pick any of them, they'd love this! But why me?! You know that I'd never fit in this!"

"Honey listen. You're emotionally distressed right now. Let's go home first and-", Gado's words where rudely cut by Anya.

"No...I'm done taking on your half baked crap all the time. I'm leaving.", she toughened up.

"What?! You can't just walk out!"

"Watch me."

"And where exactly are you going to go? What are you going to do?"

"Lass will be leaving alongside with his girlfriend tomorrow, probably heading for Delpha. I'll follow him, if he let's me tag along...otherwise I'm heading god knows where."

"What kind of moronic plan is that? You're placing a life's worth of preparation and funds into either going off with a stranger or just walk into the unknown?!"

"In a week I felt more love from that 'stranger', than what I felt from you ever since I was born."

"Oh please, for crying out loud, he had you half dead pinned on the ground the other day!"

"Did you see the look on his face? He realized his mistake right then and there. He broke his character, hugged me, picked me up and rushed me for treatment. Something you never did, even now when confronted by it."

"You mean to tell me that raising you was a mistake?!"

"Can't help but feeling like I was one."

"Anya!", Gado's tone changed, raising an angry voice.

"I'm leaving with them both and that's final."

"Please! For all I know it could just be a rush of your fantasies where he could just hump you while you're- Gah!", his words where cut short by Anya's fist meeting his face.

"Say that again you bastard. Just try to say something so disgusting about him. He would never do such thing...hell he can't even catch ques and comprehend his feelings on such matters. If I'm to screw or be screwed, it's my business, not yours. So cut the shit, because it's my life."

"So that's it...you're just neglecting your duties and pact and just walk away?", Gado said as he recovered from the punch.

"When was I ever part of this family? I'm just the weight you drag around to stack all your problems on to, so that you can live happily ever after...even my sisters."

"Just put yourself in our shoes! What do you think your sisters would say? What do you think your-"

"Don't you even dare.", Anya tried to stop his words.

"What do you think your mother would say?!"

At that moment something inside Anya snapped...but it wasn't quite normal. At that point all hesitation faded away as clarity started to take over. And the words she craved to once say, came out as naturally as taking a breath...

"Hmm...let me think. My sisters...had I confronted them the same way I'm doing right now, they would probably support me all the way and then send me on my marry way...but..."

"But what?!

"I'm pretty sure I know precisely what mom would also say, had been here. And I can tell you something myself since I'm here."

"Which is?!"

"..."

"Come on! Say it!", Gado provoked her.

"You weren't worth it in the first place.", she scoffed, turning around and walking away.

At that moment silence was all that had filled the upper floor. Gado knew he could not stop his daughter, yet he could also not say another word. He for once had a taste of true defeat...which he did not take to heart. He had but finally realized that the biggest mistake in his life, and how it had caught up to him that night. All while bellow, an unnatural pleasure had taken over Lass. Not for the weight of the situation, but the result of it. He was happy that once more, Anya could finally taste the true freedom of life.

"Well played mutt. Well played...checkmate indeed.", he smirked.

Walking inside Lass was immediately greeted with a happy looking Ikarisa as well as a happy looking Magi, something which he thought he would never be able to see…