I'm really sorry for not updating sooner. It's just that, you know, college life is pretty stressful with finals and all that jazz, I really hope that when my grades come out I won't have a failed subject. But advance Merry Christmas to all of you! (Even if I'm not really up to the Christmas spirit, 2015 pretty sucks, no offense.)
Anyway on with the story, don't mind my useless rambling. Don't forget to fave/follow this story and leave a comment if you have time.
Aria, it's almost time, where's your escort?"
"Uh, I can't find Frankie?"
"Figures, he might be with that Sanada kid."
Allen grabbed my elbow and started to lead me towards the stage. I'm still yet to be announced properly but I don't think that's even necessary anymore at this point.
"Have you seen father?"
I lost track of Sasuke and Gaara as soon as I saw Allen and I've still yet to see my dad. How hard is he to be found?
"He's already waiting for you. Now come come, he's eager to reveal his favourite daughter."
"I'm his only daughter dumbass."
"Yeah well consider yourself lucky, you've no chance of being a favourite anyways if we had another sister."
We reached the stage and true enough, the oldest Swan is there, together with his ridiculously expensive suit and fake smile that turned down a notch when he saw us. He really has an intimidating aura that surrounds him.
"Come on Aria, I can't wait to show off my baby girl."
"Dad please, I turned 18 two months ago. I think I'm too old to be a baby."
"And that makes this party two months late."
He tapped the microphone and the music slowly died down.
"May I have your attention ladies and gentlemen, I know that we're celebrating the founding of the Swan Empire but there's another reason why this night is truly special indeed. As you might know, I have two children. My son Allen, whom I believe all of you are acquainted to now and my daughter, Aria. Aria please come beside me so they might see you."
I walked towards the blinding light, I had almost forgotten how harsh spotlights are. It was very hot and on top of that I couldn't even see very well.
"Now that she's 18, she'll start learning the ropes of the business so you'll definitely see more of her after this. That's all and thank you, please enjoy the night."
We just barely stepped down when one of the Swan's private guard whispered to us.
"There's been a threat sir. They said that there are some terrorists attempting to disrupt the party. We're surrounding the building as we speak but it would be better for the guests to move rooms since this ballroom is the nearest from the terrorists. We'll turn up the music over there, just in case."
Allen was the one who answered the guard.
"Please lead the guests to the other wing, quickly order the staff to set up the food over there. Make some petty but believable excuse to make them move but don't raise any alarm. I will most likely follow."
The guard disappeared without another word and soon enough people started moving towards the opposite wing. I stayed for a bit looking for the ninjas when Mina unfortunately found me.
"You better watch your back Aria, you wouldn't like it of you got on my bad side."
"I don't even think you have a good side."
"Why you little shit."
She reached for my face but before that happened I heard a loud bang. Immediately Kiba appeared at my side, he must've sensed the loud sound before I did. Right now I couldn't think properly with Mina being hysterical beside me.
"Kiba take this girl away please and if you could calm her down that would be great."
It would be great if they did some magic jutsu thingy on her.
I ran towards the source of this noise even if I know fully well that I should be looking for cover, heck I think I should be with the other guests. I met my father halfway, I guess he's trying to do some damage control.
"What's happening?" I asked him.
"You shouldn't be here Aria. Their target is you."
"Me? Why? And where the hell should I go?"
"Darling you're basically a modern princess, you're a perfect target. Forget about it, stay here it's best if I don't let you out of my sight."
Whatever I wanted to say after that was lost when another bang was heard. I turned to my father only to see that he already started walking away muttering about something about the press being left in the dark.
"Aria-san come with us." Sai was together with Shikamaru, I haven't seen them much since the evening started which made me startled. I just let myself be dragged, somehow, somehow I feel safe.
"Aria we'll take you to Neji, with his Byakugan he'll surely be able to protect you. I heard your conversation with your father. The rest of us will be joining your father or brother."
Everything's too fast. As soon as Shikamaru said those words I was trusted to Neji and they left. I could hear a few shouts here and there, amongst all the noise I could still hear the music blazing from the other side of the hotel.
"Put some men to guard the entrance to the other wing!"
"Deploy more men!"
"Make sure none of the guests wonder out of the other wing!"
"Guard the Young Master Swan, he'll be going to the other wing!"
Neji's POV
I stayed beside Aria in position so I could deflect any attacks that might harm her. I'm more suited in close combat so I would be able to guard Aria quite well. This is a new world, with technology that we had never encountered before. It's true that people here are relatively weaker than us but it doesn't mean that this world any safer.
To make up for their lack of skills, the humans here has more developed weapons, more complex tactics, they definitely have more than just a few tricks up their sleeves.
"The first squad has been breached, I repeat the first squad has been breached. Expect about 20 enemies. They have snipers, beware."
A man in clad in all black shades of black softly whispered to a small mic in his collar. Suddenly I could feel everyone move much faster, a new group comes in replacing the other ones that just went out and they carried bigger guns than what I've been seeing so far.
There's a man situated in each window of the room, I could see Sasuke grab one of the guns, with his Sharingan I'm pretty sure he already knows how to operate it. Sharingan really is a handy bloodlimit.
"Oh my God!" Aria screamed.
A man that was stationed in the window nearest to us was just shot. Aria quickly went to the man and used her handkerchief to slow down the flow of blood from that man's shoulder. I activated Byakugan in hopes that I could see where the bullet came from. With my heightened eyesight I saw another incoming bullet. It would directly hit Aria's head but with my speed I was able to catch it with my hand.
"Stand up Aria, let us take cover."
"But what about this man?" I don't think that Aria would desert this place knowing that other people are getting injured. I saw Shikamaru jogging up to me, it's kind of rare to see the Nara kid jogging instead of the slow pace that he usually has.
"Neji, I told Gaara to cast a mild jutsu over everybody here that doesn't include the six of us. Gaara still has the largest chakra reserve among us so it wouldn't be a problem, we'll be free to use our skills without worrying about the other humans."
That's a relief and the first thing I did was to send the bullet that was in my hand flying towards where it came from previously.
Allen's POV
It's been an hour since we switched ballrooms and I'm starting to have a headache from trying to entertain a bunch of old people, well a bunch of relatively important old people. As much as I love the empire, the one thing I hate the most next to carrots are gold diggers. We don't need any more business partners but my father says that it's for the good of the company. The company's in the best shape it'll ever be right now, it has never been so stable before. Swan is basically a household name.
I think it's time I look for Aria, at first I figured that father would send her over here but after spending twenty minutes inside I figured she wouldn't be coming any time soon. I exited the ballroom with two guards behind me, there's actually a few more guards inside the party but they're camouflaged since the presence of too many guards might raise alarm over the smarter ones in the room.
"Allen there you are, I trust that everything's alright in the other wing?" I met my father as I rounded a corner towards the other wing.
"Yes father I mean what did you expect, your guests aren't as smart as they would like to think."
"And for that we should be grateful Allen. Now let's go to your sister, ah but first would you mind checking the front doors, just make sure that this event doesn't go public."
"Sure."
I made my way now to the front doors but something doesn't feel right, it feels like my father just sent me away. He's not hiding something, is he? After all I'm the heir, I should know everything about anything.
Aria's POV
"Put the wounded on the left side of the room it's a good thing we have no casualties, the medics should be arriving soon. Put the captured terrorists on the right side, I'm sure my father would like to speak with them."
Now that the "battle" is over, with the help of those six handsome ninjas, I started the clean up operation. I haven't seen Allen of my father for about thirty minutes, they must've some more important things to do than to tend the wounded right now.
"Sai could you check which of the wounded is in critical condition, so that they may receive medical attention first." I asked Sai since he's nearest to me. They've been a great help tonight.
"I'll even heal the subtly Aria-san but are sure you're alright? You have a lot of blood in your dress and body."
"Don't worry, none of it is mine you could check of you like."
Sai scanned me up and down before putting his hand on my cheek.
"You have a light scratch here Aria-san, I'll heal it."
"Thanks, oh and remove the honorifics I mean we're all familiar with each other and I really don't even know how it works."
"Okay, I'll go now."
I continued to survey the room, I held the rest of my gown in my left arm since it's easier to walk without a train at my back. Frankie's going to be so pissed at me, it's great that he was with other people when they moved the guests. I don't think he even noticed that I wasn't there.
"Aria honey, could you please call your friends, I would like to talk to them."
Finally I saw my father, and I didn't even need to call Sai and the others since they heard my father and were quick to stand beside me.
"I'll get straight to the point, I saw your wonderful techniques tonight and I have something to offer you."
I felt Kiba stiffen beside me but other than that there was no visible reaction from any of them.
"I would like the six of you to guard Aria, thing are only going to be more dangerous from now on."
I could sense an objection rising up from Shikamaru but I beat him to it.
"Father I know this might seem weird but they're not from here. I mean this world so technically what you're asking for is impossible since I go to school and only registered students could go in there."
"I know Aria, I would gladly provide any paper they might need. This is the greatest offer they'll ever receive, I mean they're basically foreigners. I'm providing them a job and a new identity. I'll even pour in some resources to find a way for them to go back home."
"Wait hold up a second, you mean you know where they came from? And how are going to fake the papers for six people?"
"Darling they're not the first strangers I met and as for the papers, I have friends from all sorts of places and soon they'll be your friends darling. We can come to the top without somebody holding us up."
"Friends? Does Allen know about this?"
"No and that's the reason you're here Aria. We'll talk soon again, this is too much for you for one night. The new house is finally finished, it took a while to set up the new security system. You and your friends are free to move in tomorrow since you have no classes on Mondays."
And with that my father went away. What the hell is happening here?
?'s POV
"We should put a hold in our plans, Swan is more dangerous than we thought."
"What do you mean?"
"They managed to kill one of our top snipers."
"It's one casualty, why are you so psyched?"
"He was killed with our own bullet and was hidden in a building at least a few blocks away. There was no way he could've been seen in such a short time."