Disclaimers ‘n’ crap: Haihai peeps! Yar, I’m back with another chappie. Hope you like this one. Enjoy!

Elsewhere in Royal Palace, a small playroom proved sufficient for two girls and their game of keep-the-beach-ball-up-in-the-air. One was Cason, a 5-year-old bat E-Maxen and William’s only daughter. The other was Gala-Li, a frisky orange echidna girl with streaming yellow hair in her pre-teens and the only child of Jenji. Sitting and quietly observing the girls were Gala-Na, Gala-Li’s mystical, purple echidna mother, and Amelia, Cason’s squirrel E-Maxen mother who was holding her baby squirrel son, Lyle, in her arms. (Note: Because of E-Maxen upgraded intelligence, Lyle will be able to comprehend the upcoming events, which will lead him to don a gas mask in the current series.)

“Amelia, are you alright?” asked Gala-Na, sounding concerned “You’ve been unusually quiet today. Are you worried about something?”

“What’s not to worry about?” said Amelia “Our husbands are fighting in a war and so many friends of ours could get hurt. Some of them already are. Did you hear that young Mr. Sheldon was hospitalized last week for dislocation of both his arms?”

“Yes, I did,” said Gala-Na “But you must remember that keeping the peace in this world is a cause worth fighting for, and now that the destiny of our young Princess Hannah has been decided, it will only be a matter of a few years before our own children rise up to fight the injust.” Amelia sighed.

“You’re right,” she said and turned back to watch the girl’s game. Gala-Li bopped the ball to Cason who hit it with her wing. The ball landed on the floor next to a 4-year-old mouse E-Maxen girl who was sitting quietly and arranging a group of plastic animals on the floor in front of her. It was Princess Hannah.

“Ha ha!” said Gala-Li “I win!” But Cason didn’t seem to hear her. She stared at Hannah for a few moments and then walked over to her.

“Hey, Princess,” she said, playfully “Wanna play with us?”

“I don’t wanna,” said Hannah flatly.

“C’mon, it’ll be fun,” said Cason.

“You won’t know if you like something until you try it,” said Gala-Li.

“I don’t wanna try it,” Hannah whined.

“Pretty please please please please please please please please please?” said Cason. Hannah lost her temper.

“I SAID I DON’T WANNA! LEAVE ME ALONE!” she shrieked, throwing punches randomly at Cason.

“Ow!” yelled Cason “Stop it!”

“EVERYBODY SETTLE DOWN!!!” boomed a voice from the door. Hannah and Cason broke apart, leaving Hannah on the floor crying. The voice belonged to Jenji.

“Father!” cried Gala-Li, rushing up to hug him. Jenji returned the embrace, but only briefly. The princess’ wails had caught his attention and he looked up with great concern in his face.

“Ladies, girls,” he said, solemnly “May I ask you to leave the princess and myself alone for a few minutes?” Gala-Na and Gala-Li left. Amelia, still holding Lyle, looked briefly at Hannah with great pity and sympathy for the girl before taking Cason’s hand, saying “Come, Cason,” and leading her out the door. When the door was shut and there was no other sound in the room except for Hannah’s crying, the great, battle-worn echidna knelt down next to the young, defenseless girl and wrapped her tightly in a warm brown scarf from his pocket. An unusual method, but her parents said that this was a good way to calm her down, should she get distressed.

“Princess,” he said, calmly “This isn’t just about the game, is it?” Hannah, who had stopped wailing, still had a steady stream of tears rolling down her cheeks. “You miss your brothers and sister, don’t you?” Hannah remained silent for a moment.

“Why did mommy send them away?” she said in a small voice.

“It was in your mother’s best interests that her children be protected,” said Jenji.

“What…does that mean?” said Hannah, frustration noticeable in her voice.

“It means,” said Jenji “That your mom wants your brothers and sister to be safe.”

“Then…” said Hannah now sounding panicky “…I’m not safe?”

“No, no!” said Jenji “Of course you’re safe! But you’re going to be taught to keep yourself safe.”

“Mommy and daddy won’t keep me safe anymore?!?” said Hannah, now genuinely panicked “I’ll have to do it by myself?”

“Not quite,” said Jenji “But soon, you will be keeping yourself, and many other people, safe…without your parent’s help.” At this, Hannah flung herself into Jenji’s chest and burst into sobs. Jenji sat there, holding her. He sighed. “Oh, princess,” he said, mournfully “You have a very hard life ahead of you. And for someone’s future to be decided for such greatness at so young an age…”

“I…don’t…wanna do it!” said Hannah, her voice muffled by Jenji’s tunic “I’m…not…ready!”

“Of course you’re not,” said Jenji “But you aren’t going to be doing anything big now. You have learn from William’s brother, Jason, first. And besides, when the big challenges face you in life, I know you’ll be ready for them.” No truer words could be spoken, for in Jenji’s mind, there were memories of a valiant young heroine from the future coming to the past. A 12-year-old Hannah had come from her own time of greatness to recruit Jenji to The Crystal Alliance. The current Jenji knew exactly how the princess was going to turn out because he had seen it for himself.

“But I…don’t…wanna…do it…alone!” said Hannah.

“You’re not going to be alone!” said Jenji.

“But…you just said…”

“I said your parents wouldn’t be protecting you,” said Jenji “But trust me! You’ll have lots of really great friends at your side, helping you and even protecting you if they need to.”