Chapter 2

The subtle muffled sound of angry shouting, the silence then the slamming of the bedroom door once more awakened her. She only heard a vague "Unlock the room." Before hearing the robotic and cold answer of the house Ai speaks for her. "The occupant inside is currently unavailable and in lockdown mode. Would sir like to initiate a forced takeover?" Farrah felt her heart run cold, and before the person could answer positively she sat up and tidied her appearance. Flicking the desk lamp on and tossing a relatively thick book on top of it the child took a moment before writing nonsense in the back of her memory on the pages in plain view. Then taking a pen, she tightly grips a pen with all her might to force her hands to turn a bright red afterward.

"Initiating forced take over-" Smoothing her black hair, Farrah quietly opens the door before the house Ai could open it for the intruder. She kept her eyes down under the intimidating man's gaze, his eyes much similar to her own calmly looking down at her as if seeing a soldier not his own flesh and blood. A bright white tiger towering over herself standing behind her father dwarfing the hallway with ease and regality. Shared the same arrogant and proud gaze her father had and was looking her up and down. Her father's intimidating Aniala staring her down with his soul mate like meat on a platter. The amber eyes sharing the color of her fathers seemed to see right through her soul, Farrah did her best not to flinch under its unwavering stare.

"Father." He grunts lightly and took in the state of her barren room, his eyes staying on the desk with textbooks and papers neatly placed on top with writing on it. The stern disapproval in his eyes lessened after spotting this, "What were you doing?" He asks even if the answer was obvious as if wanting to see if he could detect a lie in her words. She straightens her posture answering diligently without missing a beat "I was reading about Anialas and became so engrossed in the texts I couldn't hear you at the door. I apologize." The white tiger in the corner of her vision butts its head closer to her as if wanting to gaze into her eyes but was quickly stopped by her father's leg nudging it back.

Blinking once and preparing herself, Farrah rose her gaze to meet her father's. He was staring down at her quietly, the pressure of those amber eyes making her flinch back reflectively. With that flinch, she saw it, the quick flash of disappointment before there was nothing but the usual apathy. Whether he believed her or not, the man said simply "I see." Before turning to enter his and her mother's bedroom down the hall without another word. Farrah flinches again when the door closes, her stiff shoulders not daring to relax yet as her father's Aniala was still standing in the same place eyeing her with mild disdain. It was only when the Aniala followed after her father disappearing into white mist did she let go of the breath she had been holding.

With pursed lips and reddening eyes, Farrah lowers her gaze before turning around and reentering her bedroom. "Would you like to reinitiate lockdown mode?" "No!" Snapping at the house who asked this Farrah went to open her window and jump out not caring she was on the second floor. Rushing out with tears of frustration and shame blurring her vision, the child didn't look over and notice the extra hover car arriving at their home as she ran off. Out of the car a man sharing similar appearance with her father but holding a pair of gentle eyes strolls towards the house with a faint smile at the thought of seeing his family again. His eyes especially curled at the ends when thinking of the sweet voice of his sister whose surprised exclamations never failed to melt his heart.

The snowy owl Aniala quietly appeared above his head in a similar show of white mist to his father's Aniala before landing upon his arm with its powerful talons. Watching it as it ruffles its feathers and coo at him softly, the man's smile widens. "Mmn, it has been awhile since I've been back." His brain sensor suddenly gives a mild nudge drawing his attention. The voice of his friend enters his ears as he accepts the intermission "What is it?" His friend hesitates before reporting full of apology "The admiral said that your vacation can't exceed longer than two days. The southern fortress can't hold out long without you and your Aniala."

After being told this, Isiah's smile turns into a frown which his friend seemed to predict. His warm voice became cold "The council dictates that each front-line Aniala is guaranteed at least a week of rest if they fulfill their duties diligently." The cheerful youth did his best to comfort the young man, also thinking that his friend's treatment was rather biased. They both knew this was just the admiral picking flaws in him on purpose out of jealousy. "Think of it this way, at least the admiral considers you useful as much as he dislikes it." The owl on his arm ruffles his feathers out of ire much like its soulmate. Isiah stayed silent for an agonizing amount of time before responding indifferently.

"Fine. Tell the admiral I shall return to the southern base at dawn on the third day as he commands." Before he could utter useless words of comfort Isiah hung up and showed a frustrated expression. However, taking a deep breath, it only took a moment before the man put a smile back on his face as if nothing were wrong despite the bubbles of annoyance inside. At least the admiral couldn't deny his vacation entirely without drawing the council's attention and could only use childish tricks like this. Isiah already knew that not everyone was bound to like him in this line of work. Especially the ones who wanted to guard their reputation and position seeing him as a threat.

Raising a hand to the scanner it only took a moment before he was recognized like Farrah. "Welcome home Isiah Yang, would you like to inform Kara Yang and Richard Yang of your return?" Isiah's eyes soften at the word home and the smile became a bit more genuine "No." When he enters a hint of nostalgia enters his eyes at the sight before him. Nothing had changed since he left. As if on cue, from the kitchen his mother who seemed to have not aged even a bit since his last visit enters the room.

Her eyes furrowed when she spots a pair of unfamiliar boots as she was wiping her hands on her apron before following the shoes up to the owner's face. Dark brown hair and hazel eyes like her own met her stunned gaze as well a familiar gentle smile. Frozen in place, for a second Kara thought she was dreaming until the object of her staring chuckles lightly because of her reaction. "Mom, I'm back. Did you miss me?" Kara could barely recover before her eyes water slightly and she hurriedly took his hands pulling him further inside. The young man lifts his wrist letting his Aniala take flight and land on a shelf making himself comfortable nearby before allowing his mother to bombard him.

"Isiah! When did you get here?! Why didn't you tell us earlier?! If I knew you were coming home I would have gone shopping for your favorites! Aish, my baby boy. How are you? Why are you thinner than before? Come come, sit down and I'll prepare something for you. You must have been tired because of traveling so far."

As if unwilling to let the silence overtake them, his mother enthusiastically welcomed him home patting his hand with love and familiarity as if he never left. Isiah instantly felt the last of the irritation in his heart ebb away under her pampering laughing helplessly. "Mom stop it, you're overexaggerating I look the exact same as before." Looking around the room he asks curiously a tad bit expectantly "Where is little Fae and dad? Are they upstairs?" His mother nods and stood after settling him down on the sofa "Your dad doesn't say it but since you left the capital he's been a bit lonely and missed you a lot. As if that stern old man couldn't get any more boring. Richard!"

Due to his mother's shout, Isiah winces a bit wearily but still couldn't help feeling happier at the familiarity of the shout. The owl sitting above them shook its feathers and lazily began shutting its eyes as if about to fall asleep. However, even if she didn't call for him, the man himself had long sensed his son and Anialas' presence. The first thing he saw was a powerful large tiger slowly making its way down the stairs, it met Isiah's warm smile before opening his large jaws to yawn and lay at the young man's feet with familiarity. Isiah chuckles softly and turns his attention back to the top of the stairs where his father was making his way down leisurely. When laying his eyes upon his son, Richard's stern gaze became somewhat gentle nodding at him.

"Welcome home." Isiah felt his heart warm up further "Mmn, I'm back." Looking up the stairs, Isiah half expected the tiny patter of bare feet running down the stairs as well as a head of dark black hair wildly flying behind its owner's head right after his father's shadow. However, even after his father took his seat across from them, that tiny pitter-patter of feet and childish squeals of joy didn't enter his ears confusing as well as disappointing him. He sent his mother and father a questioning look to which both of them returned with a frown up the stairs as well. He waited for a bit longer just in case she was a bit delayed, however, he still heard nothing from upstairs.

"...Notify Farrah Yang of my presence." Isiah finally orders the house AI who was quick to answer matter of factly. "Farrah Yang is currently not detected within the perimeter." All three held their breath and looking outside at the darkening sky their hearts skip a few beats. "Would you like me to notify authorities for a "Missing Child" report?" Isiah's happy heart tensed as his Aniala agitatedly shuffled to its feet, his father's own Aniala got to his with his ears up and alert.

An anxious yowl leaves its lips while Isiah pales and without thinking about it ran up the stairs to check his younger sister's room not believing it until he saw it with his own eyes. Scanning the bedroom, Isiah hurriedly looks over the room not caring for the items scattered around the child's barren room only reacting when the wide open window came into view. He held his breath in disbelief. "Fae.."