When Worlds Collide

Chapter One

I could hear Princess growling next to me. She was staring so intently at the corner of the room. Her hackles were raised, she was ready to attack!

"Princess, hush!" My father's voice called commandingly into my room. I could see him looking at her from my doorway, a stern expression on his face.  His slender face was framed by his medium length black hair, his green eyes narrowed as he scowled at Princess.

Instantly, she relaxed against me and gave me a hesitant lick on the face. I could feel my skin burning at her touch, but I was used to it now.

"Alessa, it's time for dinner," my mother's cheery voice called from down the hallway. I could feel Princess jump at her voice, still acting protective over me for some reason.

"It's alright girl," I chimed, a wide smile across my face. It was pretty easy to be happy when you were that young. I was only nine years old when things started to change, when I knew I wasn't going to be just like everyone else in our kingdom.

I got to my feet and stared to stomp out of my room, Princess hard on my heels. The sharp horns atop her head jabbed me as she tried to be as close as she could to my side. Her paws left singe marks in the plush pink carpet as we wobbled along.  As I walked through the doorway, my father grabbed a fistful of her magnificent blue fur.

"I've had just about enough of this," he grunted as he started to pull her aggressively down the hall and into the kitchen. Seeing his anger at our family houndoom, I stopped and watched in confusion as he pushed her into a large metal cage in the corner of the kitchen.

"Now, Varian! I don't want to see you being mean to Princess again," my mother spoke commandingly from somewhere in the cooking area. I could tell that she wasn't pleased.

"I just don't like her being so close to Alessa. Fire Pokémon have fire for a reason," he muttered. I made my way down the long hallway, careful not to knock over any of the expensive decorative pieces perched precariously on long legged end tables. My family's wealth had acquired us countless collectibles over the years, many which I didn't understand the need or necessity for.

As I made it to the end of the hallway, I looked into the massive kitchen. Princess was laying in her large metallic cage directly across the porcelain kitchen floor, smoke billowing from her nostrils as she glowered at my father.

Varian, my father, was sitting at our immensely long, mahogany dining room table. His face was dark with stress, his eyes shadowed with suspicion as he stared out one of our kitchen windows.

My mother, the kind and fair Lady Talia, was standing at our massive glass stove. I could see her hand, gripping tightly the spatula which she held. I wasn't sure if she was upset with my father, or if something else was happening.

"What's for dinner mom?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.  At the sound of my voice, Princess started to whimper in her cage.

"Ugh, just let her out Varian," Talia sighed as she slammed the spatula on the counter. I looked over at Princess, noticing that she was staring at me desperately.

What is up with her, I thought to myself as I carefully pulled out a chair and sat myself at the tall, dining room table. Varian smiled at me, his stress seeming to ease a little at my presence.

"We're having food, obviously," he chuckled as he poked me in the forehead with his right pointer finger.

As my mother made our plates and started to place them on the table, someone suddenly burst through the large double doors into our kitchen. He was wearing a large tabard, adorned with the colors and patterns that I had recognized as our kingdom crest.