Okay, second chapter today! Not bad for not updating in two years... Oh god it's been two years since I touched this story.
(Marshalanime does not own Naruto or Monster Girl Encyclopedia)
"And so we get to stare at stone walls all day. Great" the young prince drawled as he lay in his sparse bed, his gaze locked onto the cold ceiling above him. After separating from their parents both he and his little sister had been lead to this spare room by their temporary guardian, Kioko.
"So says the noble playing the role of a street rat" Luna remarked from her place sitting on the edge of the bed. She was perfectly content reading one of the books she'd brought with her, even if she'd much rather prefer to be present at the negotiations. It was simply cruel fate that left her unable to attend directly because of her young age.
"So says the little girl pretending to be an adult!" her brother shot back as he rolled over so that his back was facing the dual hair colored girl. "Geez, it's like I'm the only normal one around here" the boy muttered. He was sure Luna heard him but she made no indication that she had and so the room fell into an uncomfortable silence, or at least it was uncomfortable for him.
Standing over by the door Kioko stood guard over the two adolescents. She was head of the royal guard and as such it was only obvious that she'd lead the team assigned to their protection during this trip. There safety was her top priority and nothing would cause them harm while she still breathed. That was her sworn...
"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Sakura interjected with an arm covering her small mounds while her free arm flailed about.
Letting out a sigh Aria leveled a hard look at the pinket with an annoyed look on her face. "What is it now?" the lilim asked.
"We're going to be here forever if you keep interrupting" Kurenai remarked. She could live without hearing the end of this story but seeing how enraptured Hinata was she figured the girl was staying and she wasn't about to leave her in a mixed hot spring.
"I know!" Sakura all but shouted before pointing an accusing finger at the monster princess, "But how the hell do you expect us to believe the parts you weren't there for?"
"Hmm? But I was there" Aria told her with a bemused expression. Sakura looked skeptical but the lilim simply waved it off. "If you'd just let me continue."
The sound of the door creaking open drew the attention of the rooms inhabitants. Te prince chose not to do anything, trusting Kioko to handle any sort of danger with Luna lazily glancing up from her book. Kioko had already drawn her weapon and prepared to strike, however it was not on armored soldier of castle servant as she expected but a young girl staring blankly into the room from the now open doorway. A girl with pure white hair, wings, and tail along with black horns and deep red eyes.
"Um... wrong room...?" Aria nervously stammered as she stood there nearly frozen stiff on the spot. She had planned on returning to her room where Naruto was after her brief walk, and in no way after she'd calmed down from a temper tantrum, but when she went to retrace her steps she ended up lost-er, temporarily forgetting her location.
Raising an eyebrow Luna remarked, "Obviously" before returning to her book.
"Man, so annoying" the prince muttered as he stretched out his limbs and started to flip over so he was facing the door. "What sort of idiot goes and gets lo-ohohoaast!" the boy was remarking when his eyes landed on the lilim. Upon seeing her flawless visage his words died in his throat momentarily as he stared slack-jawed at the creature before him.
"You're starting to drool" Luna told him with a sideways glance, brining the boy back to reality as he snapped his mouth shut and hopped out of bed.
"Ignore her if you please. She doesn't know what she's talking about" the prince said as he strolled up to the pretty girl with a wide grin spreading across his face, all the while Aria was giving him an annoyed look.
"And just what were you muttering over there, hm? I must be hearing things because it almost sounded like you were in the middle of calling ME an idi-" Aria was saying, hands placed on her hips when the prince cut her off with a series of nervous laughs.
"Ahahahaha Me? Call You an idiot? Heavens no! Strike the very thought from your mind my fair maiden!" the boy told her while making overly grand gestures with his arms. "If I said anything at all it must have been the ramblings of a man coming out of a deep, restful slumber. The trip here was long and so I simply had to rest my body upon arrival" the boy reasoned before his sister drew an annoyed 'Kek!' from the boy simply by saying "Dumbass" without tearing her eyes away from her book.
"He he he You're a real joker huh sis?" the boy remarked as he shakily turned his head to send a quick glare at the girl, his big grin never leaving his face.
Quickly turning his gaze back to Aria he saw her looking at him with a face of bewilderment. Not his preferred expression but it was better than having her angry with him. "Where are my manners? My name is Stanmore Ludwig Ishikawa. A pleasure to make your acquaintance" Stanmore introduced with a short bow.
"Eh, Aria... Just Aria will be fine enough" Aria gave her name with a forced smile. She just wanted to get back to her Naruto, not deal with some weirdo
"Aria! Ah, what a beautiful name. I shall remember it always" Stanmore declared as he reached out to take one of Aria's hands into his own, only for the girl to easily avoid him with a back step.
"Yes, well... thank you?" the lilim remarked while trying to come across as friendly as she could. Meanwhile Stanmore made his best attempt as coming off as cool while pulling his empty hands back to himself.
"You're one of the Demon Lord's children, are you not?" Kioko asked. Even if one didn't know what the individual members of the royal family looked it was common knowledge that they all shared similar features. Kioko wasn't familiar with the name but this girl was without a doubt a lilim.
Turning to the woman, who was still holding her dagger despite not having it in a position to strike out, Aria placed her hands back on her hips as she puffed up her chest. "That is correct! I am indeed a daughter of the Demon Lord" moving her right hand up to her face she continued as she flipped a strand of white hair out of the way while putting on a smug smile, "The beautiful, elegant, smart, and all around amazing Aria!"
"...Yes, of course..." Kioko finally responded as the young girl held her pose. She had sometimes wondered what a member of the royal family would be like, and this wasn't among her expectations.
'So she's a tad bit arrogant. So What? No way am I going to let such a cutie slip through my grasp!' Stanmore thought to himself with a fist tightened with determination inches from his face. "Of course! You're obviously a princess among princesses! And as such you deserve a prince among prin-Ghau!" Stanmore was in the middle of proclaiming the the corner of a rather thick book found its way to the back of his skull.
"And what is a daughter of the Demon Lord doing in a place like this? You're a bit young to be apart of the negotiations" Luna asked as she pulled her hand back, her book firmly gripped in her tinny hand. She found the height difference between her and her brother annoying from time to time but at least she could reach the bass of his skull if she got on her tip toes.
"And your even younger than me. Your point?" Aria replied with a question of her own as her proud/smug expression was quickly replaced with a sideways glare.
"Is it odd for me to be in my grandfather's castle?" Luna asked. It was in fact odd for her given how 'close' her parents were with the old king but Aria had no need to know that?
"Grandfather?" Aria questioned with a raised eyebrow before quickly pushing her curiosity to the side with a shake of her head. "Forget it" Aria said as she turned to leave. "I have somewhere to be so I'll be taking my lea-" the girl was saying when Stanmore rushed out of the room ahead of her, the bump on the back of his head he'd been nursing forgotten as he puffed out his chest with pride.
"And where are we going?" the boy asked.
"Ah, no... not 'we' just me. I don't need an esco-" Aria was saying with an exasperated look as the little sister strolled past her.
"It's better than staying in this glum room for hours. Very well, lead the way princess" Luna said. From her tone it was easy to tell that she was use to getting what she wanted when she wanted it.
"Listen too me!" Aria blurted out as she threw her hands down. "'I' will be taking my leave! By MYself! Without YOUR company!" Aria told the siblings, her face flush with her annoyance.
"Come back into the room at once. Both of you!" Kioko demanded of her charges as she stepped into the doorway. "I am to watch over and protect you while your parents are busy and thus you can not-"
"They said you had to watch us and take us to the room. They never said we couldn't leave" Stanmore responded while cutting the woman off.
"That'snot what they meant" Kioko told the boy.
"Not their intention but technically true" Luna added.
"That's not how this works" the kunoichi said, not budging on this issue.
"And there you have it so I'll be going!" Aria chose this point to speak up again as she took off down the hall while giving a wave to the siblings she'd encountered by chance.
"Hey! It's dangerous to wander about by yourself!" Stanmore blurted out as he took off after the girl.
Soon after Luna took off after her brother. "Making me run, how annoying" the little girl muttered.
Rushing out of the room Kioko made one last attempt at calling the two children back before she chased after then. If Elizabeth ever found out she'd let her children wander this castle then there'd be hell to pay.