You know when you have an idea but you're not quite sure how to start it...? Well I say just jump right in! Therefore this story begins in the middle. I've had this story in my head for almost a week now but it's been difficult for me to continue developing it in my head, so I figured writing it will help. I don't plan on having anymore OC's than the two that are introduced in this chapter, but I guess anything's possible later on. Now let the awkwardness begin…

She couldn't help but notice the strange black hedgehog glaring at her from directly across the table. He made the hair on the back of her neck stick up.

He wasn't just stealing a glance…he'd been staring at her for a good five minutes straight, ever since she had belatedly joined everyone for dinner.

Maybe it's his first time here on the planet Nadia...maybe he's just never seen our kind before.

Though that was true, nadians weren't a difficult race to adjust to. They were a hybrid species, half human and half animal, not as tall a humans but slightly taller than the anamorphic animals like the ebony hedgehog and ivory bat, who were currently happened to be sitting at her mother's grand dining room table…why? She had yet to discover.

Maybe if the dark hedgehog would stop staring at her, she could actually focus on the conversation going on and find out something about these strange newcomers.

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Before the girl had arrived, Queen Zaila Rousseau had boasted to us several times how much her daughter looked like her.

But in reality, the girl looked almost as though she were her mother's opposite.

Admittedly, Queen Zaila was beautiful, as well as charming, and I had a hunch she was extremely strong willed.

She was tall and pale skinned with long light blonde hair and white pointed dog ears rested atop her head giving her an air of decided innocence. She also had soft yet piercing yellow eyes.

The girl she identified as her daughter, on the other hand, was very small, I doubt she'd even reach eye level with me, leading me to assume she couldn't be older than Cream the Rabbit and she looked just as innocent.

Her hair was dark blonde and cut into an a-line bob, the front ends reaching past her shoulders. Like her mother, she was also part canine but the fur on her ears was black rather than white.

I casually glanced at her round, childish face. She had a similar facial structure to her mother's, a small nose and chin and soft blushing cheeks.

As I continued upward, I noticed the two large orbs that were her eyes sheepishly peering at everyone sitting around the table.

While her curious eyes wandered she 'accidently' looked up and made eye contact with me and for a split second my own eyes locked with her large deep ruby red eyes before she seemed to immediately regret looking up and blushed, quickly dropping her gaze down to the untouched food on the plate in front of her.

But I couldn't stop staring at her eyes, in that split second I had seen a number of different emotions but one had stood out to me.

Fear.

This girl is afraid…of what?

Who knows?

She's a princess on a beautiful planet without a want in the world.

What could a girl so young and innocent be so afraid of?

Wait, what does that matter?

She's no one to me.

I realized that while I'd been lost in thought my gaze had never left the girl's face and it seemed that my examination was making her uncomfortable because now she was avoiding looking up at all costs. Right as I was about to consciously turn away from her, an angry shout interrupted my thoughts.

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"Dusk!" The queen shouted, acknowledging her daughter's presence for the first time since the ten minutes ago she'd arrived.

The frightened girl jumped and quickly answered to the high pitched voice across the table, stumbling over her words.

"Ye-yes m-mother..?" Her ears folded down and her tail drooped as she seemed to already anticipate some sort of degradation coming her way, wondering only at what her mother's excuse for it could be this time.

"You really are a useless girl! I invited visitors, honored guests, from another planet here to dine in my palace, to show them what wonderful conversation and entertainment we nadians can supply, and yet my own daughter can't even speak one word to them after arriving late! AND you don't even eat the delicious food I have provided for you! Really Dusk, you have no manners! I expect more from you!"

Everyone at the table, her mother, the fat bald man sitting next to her, the seductive ivory bat across from him and the strange dark hedgehog all now had their attention fixed on Dusk, who nervously struggled to account for her behavior.

"I-I'm sorry…mother. But you know I'm always late on Thursdays because of my training…and well today I-"

But before she could explain, the queen's tirade continued.

"I don't want to hear your excuses! I want you to behave yourself as a princess should, understand?"

All attention fixed on her once again. Dusk struggled to compose her words and decided she'd say anything to escape all the eyes on her.

"…Yes…of course, your highness. I'm sorry…"

"No matter... I suppose you have had a long day…you may go to your room and rest."

Dusk couldn't help but ponder on how much she felt like a subject sometimes compared to a daughter.

"Yes, thank you mother…"

She quickly stood up and turned away from the table, relieved to escape the odd group of strangers, but as she walked towards the large dining room entrance, she noticed a cold sweat forming on the back of her neck and her body began to heat up.

All of a sudden, her throat tightened and with each step her vision began to go black.

She recognized that her brain was not getting enough oxygen but it was too late.

She blacked out and collapsed on the ground.

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"Dusk!...Guards!" The Queen shouted. "The princess has collapsed, she is unwell!"

Within 2 seconds half a dozen armored dog-eared men were marching through the dining room and to the sleeping body of Dusk which they carefully picked up.

"Take her to her room! And send for the royal doctor!" The distraught queen commanded.

All obeyed except one of the guards who came up to Zaila and whispered something in her ear that he thought the rest of us wouldn't hear, I being the only one who actually did because of my acute senses.

The words he had whispered were loud and clear to me -"The princess has a large gash across her stomach, she's losing a lot of blood and needs stitches."

"See it is done. The doctor should arrive any moment. Proceed without me, I will stay with my guests."

"As you wish, my queen."

The guard performed a low formal bow to her before exiting the same way he and the rest had come in.

Zaila, remembered the rest of us still here at the table and her whole complexion changed as she turned back to us and overly graciously remarked "I am so very sorry for the inconvenience everyone. The princess will be just fine. She just needs a bit of rest."

She smiled her charming reassuring smile and began leading us to the entertainment hall but this whole situation was getting rather suspicious and putting me on guard.

The sooner we get this mission done and leave here, the better.

But why in the world was that girl bleeding…

Sooooo that's the start. I stayed up til 3 am writing this because my mind wouldn't let me rest until I got it out. I'm not too great at descriptions of places but I'll try to work on that. Let me know what you guys think so far. I've got a plan but it's variable so it can change, but I wanna hear what you guys want. I know I haven't given you much to go off of yet but I promise I will if I hear from you guys. Reviews please