Victor sat next to his daughter's bed, lost in thought.

"I'm sorry this had to happen here, Victor," Minoru apologized sincerely.

"Where were the guards?" Victor asked with a grim expression.

Minoru went silent... Debating what would happen if he told Victor.

"Drinking... They didn't want to keep watch of the bratty princess..." Minoru said with great difficulty.

Victor took a deep breath in and out.

"How much is that vase over there?" Victor asked, surprisingly calm.

"Fourteen--," Minoru began before being interrupted by the shattering of that very vase.

"Million... Damn it, Victor. That was sea glass! If your daughter successfully closes the wall, I'm not getting another one!" Minoru complained.

"I'll replace it," Victor replied plainly.

"How much is that cabinet?" Victor asked again.

"Victor, no--," Again, Minoru's protests fell on deaf ears and it was destroyed.

"I said I'd replace it," Victor glared at the cabinet.

"Victor..." Minoru whined.

"If it's broken, I'll replace it. Because I can. But. Could you ever fix the damage done to my daughter?" Victor asked with an icy stare.

"... Alright... I'll deal with the Count's son... You stay here," Minoru sighed.

"No... You need to stay true to Slade... Until Trie gives us the signal... I'll deal with it. Personally." Victor growled, on his way to presumably torture someone.

"Victor," Lilian called.

"Yes? Lili?" He asked calmly. No matter how mad Victor was, he would never take it out on others. Unless it was just for friendly fun.

"If you deal with this directly, we'd be pushed to a war," Lilian said with a blank expression.

"A war that Sterling would win. And if that happens, we'll clean this place up the way I intended to in the first place," Victor laughed in a low tone.

"And let everyone's effort go to waste?" Lilian asked, disappointed.

"No. I'll deal with this myself. If it's just the crazy mother, you would be fine," Lilian sighed, walking to the door.

"... Lili... Are you sure?" Victor asked. Knowing that Lilian wanted to leave her past as an assasin behind.

"No one does this to my daughter and gets away with it..." she said in an icy voice.

"Then I'll watch her over here... Be careful," Victor fussed and kissed her forehead as she laughed.

"I won't be too long," she smiled then walked out.

"You're both equally frightening parents..." Minoru shivered.

"Thank you," Victor smiled.

"... Here, I should never have made Snow sign this," Minoru handed Victor the earrings that Snow gave to Minoru to use for the contract.

"Sign what?" Victor narrowed his eyes and snatched the earrings.

"Autillia," Victor chanted, the letters appearing in the air for him to read.

"What's with these conditions? It completely restricts me..." Victor complained.

"Haha, that was the point... But, I don't think I want her to stay here in this condition..." Minoru said sadly.

"What did she agree to?" Victor asked curiously.

"Uhm... It's better that you ask her yourself. I-- have to go... Be a king now, haha, bye," Minoru panicked then ran out.

Victor was skeptical and got the feeling that he wanted to chase Minoru down, but he was too tired, and he didn't want to leave Snow alone.

He looked at the earrings and debated whether or not he should cut the contract.

On one hand Minoru probably asked Snow to do something that would drive Victor psycho, but on the other hand he trusted his daughter.

Eventually he decided to let Snow choose whether she wanted the contract or not.

"Sleep well, Snowflake,"

-------------------

I woke up in the grassy plains of my Mindscape, disappointed in myself...

I just sat laid there. Looking up at the clear sky and perfect fluffy clouds, the sun wasn't too bright and didn't hurt my eyes.

"Hi, Princess," Glade greeted, towering above my still body.

"What happened to them?" I asked in a monotone voice.

"... They can't re-form at the moment, but they'll be back when you've recovered," Glade smiled, sitting next to me.

My vision blur with tears.

"Even here... With all this power... I'm still weak," I covered my eyes and tried to muffle my cries as best as I could.

"You did what you could with your circumstances," Glade said in a comforting tone.

I shot up and glared at the grass, tears not stopping.

"I used my own spirits as a shield! What kind of a person uses their friends as a meat shield!?" I screamed.

"Snow, there is something you have to understand. We were made to protect you. We are not people, we aren't your friends. We live to serve you," Flare said behind us.

"But... If you aren't my friends... Then why does it hurt so much to see you in pain? Why, would I feel like I'd rather be the one to take the hit in place of any of you?" I asked, unable to stop crying, making it sound like a jumbled mess.

"Who isn't here?" I sniffled, wiping my runny nose with a hankerchief that Glade gave me.

"Why don't you come see for yourself? They've been waiting to see you," Flare said gently, putting his hand out to help me up.

I took his hand as Glade supported my other arm.

We walked up to the hill with the tree. Our favorite place.

Rafael was sitting, leaning onto the tree weakly as Lumiere and Harley helped him stand up.

"Rafael..." He immediately hugged me and laughed.

"Hey there, light. I'm glad you're alright, sorry I couldn't be there," Rafael apologized.

I couldn't help but let a few tears escape.

"I'm the one who should be apologizing," I hiccuped.

"... Drake was the first to be struck down... He knew that if he stayed, the demon seed would have fed off of him. And I had to retreat early... So, I should be sorry, that you have such a coward for a light spirit," he laughed, his voice cracking.

"... It's... It's not your fault Rafael. You couldn't become MIA and you were needed here to contain the seed. Why are you apologizing?" I asked, confused.

"Would it really be alright? When Drake was first to sacrifice his own skin so that I could save mine?" Rafael asked in a low tone.

"... He did it for you, because he believes in you..." I smiled.

"Like we believe in you, Snow. So stop beating yourself up. This is our job, we're proud to serve you, and nothing you could do would change that," Harley removed his hat and put it on my head.

"You always take things harder than you're supposed to. Because you care that deeply about those you love. Until there's no love left, for yourself," he continued.

Finally, I could laugh. When things were dark. It was always Harley who stepped up to make me smile, laugh, feel... Happy.

He's the worst part of me. Narcissistic, manipulative, childish, and selfish.

But he's also what keeps me together. Who keeps me from being other people's punching bag. He makes me remember why I'm loved, and should love myself.

"Like you said. It's not your fault, Snow," Flare smiled, taking my hand and planting a kiss.

"If people come and go, we will stay with you," Rafael comforted, sitting me down.

"... Alright, alright... But I still want to apologize. To Roxas, Drake, and... Aerial," I realized, looking around for him.

"I'll go check on them now. You rest here, Snow," Flare pat my head.

"Yes, Flare," I agreed as he went to the house.

"Hey, Stormy," Sylar called.

The spirits all came up with nicknames for me and I found it adorable.

"Do you remember what view you loved the most?" He asked, climbing up one branch, then putting his hand out to pull me up.

I took his hand and was pulled up to sit with him on the branch.

I looked at the endless plains.

"... My favorite?... When we'd go to the mountains to my mother's friend's house, there was one twisty tree I loved to climb," I laughed.

"When I was in it, I could see the mountain range, and the stair like terraces that decorated the neighboring mountains, feeling the cool breeze, and warm sun on my face," I sighed in nostalgia.

Sylar covered my eyes, and when I opened them, I saw that same view, felt the same breeze, and heard the birds chirp amongst themselves.

"It's perfect," I smiled, leaning onto Sylar.

"Of course it is. This is your mindscape. Your escape, your home," he stroked my head comfortingly.

"... Why can't i just stay here forever? In a perfect paradise?" I asked offhandedly.

"Because you don't want to. This is your home, but you are an adventurer, Snow. You want to know and discover more about the world outside," he explained as I felt a little drowsy.

"If everything would fall... Would that mean nothing at all... Hear the dreams of midnight call, and sleep so soundly with this song, when you are lost it is I who'll find you bravely through the storm..." Sylar sang as my eyelids got heavier and heavier.

"Be still, don't fuss, through dream and through dust, let comfort rule you now," he continued as my breath steadied.

"I'll join you sleeping sound... "

And with that. I was asleep.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°and cut!°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°