“This is bullshit!” Skyla shouted, stomping her hoof. She flinched a little as pain laced through her injured limbs but otherwise show no reaction.
 
“Skyla, don’t curse.” Desert gently scolded, petting Skyla’s injured legs comfortingly. “It’s unbecoming of a princess.”
 
“Just add it to the list.” North snorted, standing behind Desert.
 
“Break a wing and jump, ninja bat.” Skyla retorted. Besides, I don’t want to foalsit her! Flurry is old enough to take care of herself.”
 
“She’s 9.” North pointed out.
 
“So? When I was her age, I…” Skyla stopped, her gaze falling on Desert, who was busy grooming herself. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter. But I ain’t doing it alone.” She flicked Desert with her tail. “Des, you coming with?”
 
“Un.” She nodded slowly. “I’ll meet you there. I have other tasks to complete right now.” Skyla beamed, hugging her taller friend.
 
“Awesome.” She turned to North with a grimace. “I’m guessing you’re coming too, ninja bat?”
 
“It is my job.” He stated.
 
“Cool.”
 
***
 
Skyla walked into the bedroom, greeted by the smiling face of Flurry Heart. Skyla scowled.
 
“Sky-” Flurry greeted but was cut off by her sister.
 
“Don’t.” She snapped, warning Flurry. “You know the deal.” Flurry took a step back, her ears drooped low at the rejection. Skyla paid this no mind, looking around the room. “Opal asleep?”
 
“Yes.” Flurry answered, going over the tuck their baby sister in. The foal snuggled deeper into the bed. All the while, Skyla’s scowl deepened.
 
“Then what am I even needed for?” She complained, glaring at Flurry. “Just go to sleep already so I can go.” She demanded, halfway out the door.
 
“W-wait!” Skyla glowered at Flurry, the latter resisting the urge to flinch. “C-can you tell me a story?”
 
“What?!” Flurry wasn’t sure what to make of Skyla’s tone. It wasn’t annoyed, like she anticipated but it wasn’t positive. Almost shocked.
 
“M-mommy usually sings me a lullaby and daddy tells me stories.” She explained. “I need a story to go to sleep. J-just one story and I promise I’ll go to sleep!” Skyla stared at her for a full minute, her eyes misty with something unreadable. Just then, Desert and North showed up.
 
“Ah, were you going to tell a story, Sky?” Desert asked, drawing Skyla’s gaze. After a second, Desert placed a paw on her head comfortingly. “It’s fine, right?”
 
“Of course.” She scoffed, letting the paw remain where it was despite pouting about it. “If’ll it get her to sleep quickly, I’ll her a story.”
 
It should be interesting, to hear a grump like you read bedtimes stories.” North snickered, taking a seat beside Flurry Heart. “Careful not to get to into the happily ever afters that you puke in disgust.”
 
“Puh-lease, don’t insult me, ninja bat.” Skyla stated, taking position in front of the group. “I don’t read bedtime stories, I tell stories.” She clarified, unfurling her somewhat bandaged wings. Despite the stiffness of the action, the princess didn’t even flinch. North frowned, still confused as to why no one seemed concerned about the bandages but knew it wasn’t his place to ask.
 
“Now, once upon a time…” Skyla started, her tone changing from it’s usually bitchiness to a soft and almost gentle tone. North felt his heart clench and looking around, everyone else felt the same. With just four words, she captured everypony’s attention.
 
And so, Princess Skyla told a story.
 

 
Princess Skyla doesn’t like other ponies, especially her adopted sister, Flurry Heart.
 
Despite their meeting being mostly positive, as soon as they got home to the Crystal Empire, Skyla became cold. She is cold and cruel to everypony save for her only friend, Desert Moon and her pet pig, Sir Oinks-a-lot. She does love her parents, though lies to them about how she treats others.
 
The only thing Skyla loves more is to tell stories.
 
She hates others but feels true joy when she spins a tale of adventure or woe. To date, she’d only told her stories to two others and one is Desert, who knows how much Skyla enjoys tugging at the heart strings of her audience. Her method of storytelling draws listeners in, making them feel like they are the main character, that the winds she speaks of are brushing their faces or that the danger faced is their own.
 
Notes: