Petra awoke, mid-snore, with a gasp. Her scaly, white head slowly rose up from the wooden desk it lied on, and her pink-and-red eyes, dark bags from lack of sleep lying under them, looked around, groggily, at the dark cave that made up her surroundings. What lied before her, where her head had been resting, was a book, and it was open on a partially-blank page, its words scribbled in black ink.

"Oh no... not again..." she yawned to herself, as she rubbed her sore face with the palm of one of her claws. "I fell asleep again... another night of writing... lost."

She slowly pushed the wooden chair she sat in back, its four legs screeching as they grated across the cold stone ground, and stood up, unleashing another yawn, and stretching her limbs out, as well as the three fingers that rested on the hands of both of them in the process. Before walking off, she took a moment to stare down at the incomplete book.

Her story, "War in the Dragon Kingdoms," as she titled it, was a romance novel, filled with action and adventure, made for all audiences... or at least it would be, if she could finish the darn thing. Sure, she managed to write a page or two every other day, but the dreaded curse known as writer's block was clouding her mind in a dense, unrelenting fog, and it didn't want to leave. For nearly a week it had been like this, and now, it went from frustrating, to angering. Enough so, that her long tail, and the scorpion-like stinger that rested at the end of it, wagged back-and-forth in sheer, unadulterated vexation just thinking about it.

After reminiscing on the week, Petra chattered her fangs together, as she usually did when thinking of what to do next, and when her mind was set, the wyvern turned, and began to walk toward the coat rack that she had kept at the end of the room. On top of the black pole, a sleeping cryophoenix was perched, its body bearing the appearance of blue, crystalline ice; the polar opposite of its distantly-related, fire-based cousin. Just below, her black, oversized slouchy newsboy-themed hat hung on a hook. Upon hearing his master's footsteps approaching, the bird's beady, yellow eyes snapped open, and like his master had done before it, yawned upon awakening.

"Good morning, Despereaux, Did you have pleasant dreams last night?" she greeted to the bird. He looked back at her, and a cooing noise that reeked of happiness escaped its beak. Petra hid a chuckle behind a closed mouth when she heard it, and ran a hand down her pet's smooth, ice-feathered back.

"Well, Despereaux. How do you suppose I finish this chapter up?" she sighed to the bird. The cryophoenix merely shrugged, his glass-like wings extending slightly, gaining a small smirk from the wyvern. After grabbing her hat off of the rack, and putting it over her head, gently enough not to accidentally poke a hole in it with the long dorsal spikes that lined it, she walked up to a nearby drawer, and picked up a pair of glasses from the top of them, unfolding them with a snap.

She sighed again, as she placed her glasses over her snout, her eyes adjusting to the small lenses. "I guess I won't find any inspiration here. How does a trip to the library in the Crystal Empire sound?" A squawk of delight was the reply from the cryophoenix. His wings opened up and he took flight, continuing the the shrill noise, which quickly would have become annoying, had someone with a short temper been in the room.

Alright, alright! Hehehe..." Petra laughed, his enthusiasm becoming infectious. She walked to the small wooden door that made the entrance to her house, and opened it with a click from the knob, and a squeak from the metal hinges. Peering outside, she heard a howl of wind, and saw a light snow was falling across the frozen, snow-covered land. As per the usual.

Despereaux glided silently over, and perched himself on Petra's scaly shoulder. She looked at him with a cheery face, and pet his head gently. He flapped off again after but a moment's hesitation, into the sky. For the next minute, Petra observed her pet, as he joyfully performed aerial stunts, before she herself stretched her arms out.

Four, extremely long and thin finger-like projections, previously hidden, unfolded from her arms, transforming them into a pair of wings. Each finger was connected by long, thin, membranous skin, like that of a bat's wings, but much, much larger. After kicking the door close with her foot, and a single, quick thrust of the two limbs, Petra ascended to the sky like a bolt of white lightning, joining her pet in the frigid air where the gray clouds roamed.

"Wanna race?" she asked, her tone playful, but competitive. The serious leer he returned told her it was on.

"Ready... ONETWOTHREE, GO!" she yelled, leaving the unprepared bird in the dust, after a sudden burst forward. With an angered squawk over the unfairness of her head start, Despereaux zoomed after his master, determined to not let her win.

"Where could she be..." Thoraxis said to himself, a mischievous grin on his face, as the changeling stalked around the market square. He looked at each pony with suspicious eyes, as if monitoring them, and waiting for them to make a mistake. He continued to walk around the town, leaving no pony unchecked, no hay cart unexamined, and no stone unturned. As he went about, the changeling soon found himself crossing paths with the smaller shape of Apple Bloom, as she was passing by from around the corner.

"Oh. Hello, Mr. Thoraxis," the filly greeted, warmly. "You look like you're looking for somepony. Are you?"

"As a matter of fact, I am," he replied, stopping in his tracks to talk back, politely. "It's Skia. We're practicing her skills in disguising herself as other ponies, and right now I'm trying to find her."

"Oooh. That sounds like a unique take on hide-and-seek," she replied, showing curiosity in his words. "Am I allowed to help?"

"Yes, of course," the changeling said, his eyes shifting around, still searching while he spoke. "Have you seen any ponies exhibiting any... um... strange behavior?"

"Hmmm..." Apple Bloom hummed, placing a hoof to her chin, as she thought back. "If I recall correctly, I think that Pipsqueak was acting a little weird earlier. Do you think she changed herself to look like him?"

"Perhaps she did," he responded. "Where did you see him last?"

"Last I checked, he was hanging out near the playground at school with some friends," she said, pointing in the proper direction.

"Thank you," Thoraxis said, as he turned to leave. Before Apple Bloom could do the same, Thoraxis suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, in a most ominous manner.

"Oh, Apple Bloom..." he suddenly said, turning around again, with a calm, collected look that gave the filly chills. "Can I ask you something else?"

"Uh... sure," she replied. "What do you need?"

"It's just a question, nothing too serious," he spoke, as he trotted closer to her. "I'd just like to know why you aren't speaking with that country accent I usually hear you talk with." The moment these words were uttered, Apple Bloom's innocent smile vanished, only for a large one to appear on Thoraxis's face.

"Aha!" he shouted, pointing at her accusingly. "I found you!"

Just as he bent his body over and moved to pounce, "Apple Bloom" jumped into the air, a grin reappearing on her face, as she was enveloped in green flame. A moment later, the flames departed, revealing a young changeling. Giggling in her real voice, Skia's transparent wings began to flutter, and she flew higher into the air. As she escaped his grasp, she spoke.

"You didn't win yet, Daddy! You still have to catch me!"

With those words, she quickly flew off, dodging busy ponies, buildings, and anything else you'd find in the bustling streets of Ponyville square, her father hot on her heels.

Five days had passed since Cranky and Matilda's wedding. Sure enough, the medicine that Skia had been given did the trick, and she was back to her old, healthy, book-loving self, as seen by how she was doing now. As she finished rounding Sugarcube Corner, Thoraxis was just approaching it, and by the time he got around it himself, his quarry had disappeared. Skia was gone again.

"Hmmm..." he hummed, as he landed on the ground, and scanned the surrounding area. The first movement he got piqued his interest, though it was not what he was looking for.

Sitting on a bench nearby, was a stallion and a mare. Both were a couple, as seen by how each was clutching the other in a loving embrace, and upon listening closer, they were apparently speaking as well.

"I love you, fuzzy-muffin!" the purple-furred mare said, her voice extremely light, and overt as a candle in a dark room.

"Not as much as I love you, snoogy-woogy!" the blue-furred stallion said back, his choice of words most likely seen as positively cringe-worthy by most who were within earshot. With a small chuckle coming between themselves, the two began to nudge their muzzles together, affectionately.

For the next few seconds, Thoraxis just stood there, and stared at the couple with a blank expression of interest, his eyes glued to them. He didn't notice his daughter walking up behind him, and by the time he did, she had already noticed the peculiar situation her father was in, and spoke.

"Um, Daddy? Are you okay?" Skia asked, poking his shoulder to make sure she had his attention.

"I'm fine. It's... it's nothing," he quickly replied, turning his attention to her, as if snapping out of a trance.

"That sure didn't look like nothing," she stated, her greenish, monochromatic eyes now bearing a curious look aimed toward her parent.

"You know what doesn't look like nothing?" he inquired to her, his impish smile returning, along with a devious expression, changing the subject. He opened his forelegs up, as if readying himself to grab her, before shouting his next words.

"A hug! C'mere you!"

Squealing in delight, Skia jumped back, narrowly avoiding his hug, turned around, and took flight once more. As she zipped away, Thoraxis attempted to give chase, hastily tried to gain on her.

"When I catch you Skia, I'm going to give you the biggest hug of your entire life! AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT! Muahahaha!" Thoraxis cackled, his speech as hammy as one would expect from a comic book villain. With the little space the town provided, the two soon found themselves outside of it, flying along the edge of the Everfree Forest, where an idea entered Skia's head.

He'll never find me in there she thought to herself, as she rushed into the treeline without a second thought.

"Skia, wait! Don't go in there! Come back!" Thoraxis yelled. However, as he soon realized, she was too far in to hear him. After trying to force his way into the dense woods failed, he quickly flew above the treetops, and cupped his hooves together in front of his mouth.

"Skia!" he shouted, at the top of his lungs. "Come back!"

With no response, and panic already gripping him, Thoraxis quickly raced through the open air above the forest, and tried to locate his daughter, scared thoughts racing through his head as fast he was flying.

Skia's small, nimble form dashed through the thick foliage of the Everfree Forest, around the dark trees that littered the landscape, darting past multiple thorny briar patches, and dodging large puddles that lied on the ground. It was several minutes of nonstop running and flying later that she finally stopped, and began panting, sure of herself that she had escaped her father's grasp.

"Well, I bet he's given up by now," she said to herself, once she caught her breath, and got ready to jump into the air. "I better go see him before he blows a fuse trying to find me..."

A strange sound stopped her from lifting off. A booming "caw" noise, like that of a crow, only deeper, and more guttural. Skia instantly turned her head about, searching for where the sound came from, until realizing that it was in the dense underbrush from behind her.

Pushing the bushes aside, the young changeling gazed at the clearing in front of herself, until she spied a strange... creature. It had the visage of a bird, specifically a common crow or raven; black feathers covered its body, a pair of wings stretched out from its sides, a long, dark beak poked forward from just below its eyes, and a pair of yellow talons rested under its large shape. What Skia took the greatest notice of, though, was what appeared to be horrendous burns that riddled its left wing, leaving only bare, damaged, and scarred skin where feathers once rested.

The creature croaked and called pitifully as it inched forward. It finally stopped a few moments later, and dropped its weary-looking head to the ground. The look that showed in the bird's eyes told Skia that it was in agonizing pain, and Skia, unable to keep herself away from the unknown being's plight, slowly tiptoed forward through the dense bush, still hidden from sight. She only left the cover after the bird's eyes closed for more than a minute, and was soon out in the open.

"Hello," she started, in a soft, quiet voice. The crow's eyes instantly reopened, and its head practically jumped off of the ground in alarm. When it spotted who spoke, its face curled into one of anger, while the feathers on the back of its neck stood up on end, in an intimidating display. Despite this, Skia, ever so slowly, began walking toward it.

When she was within ten feet of it, the still-stationary crow unleashed a loud, threatening hiss at her, causing the young changeling to freeze in her tracks. After letting out a nervous breath, and with somewhat shaky hooves, she continued forward once more, ignoring her fear.

"Don't worry, I'm friendly," she whispered again, her voice as gentle as she could muster. After coming within leg's distance, the massive crow stopped its vociferating, and instead simply looked at the changeling in front of itself with a silent, cautious, wide-eyed glare, as if judging her. With unparalleled bravery (or possibly naive stupidity), Skia stuck her hoof forward, to let the creature sniff it.

She winced her head away, expecting her gamble to end with a savage bite for her troubles, or at the very least, another roar, but Skia opened her eyes when she felts a soft, feathery feeling rub against her chitinous skin. A smile of pure delight formed on her face, as she witnessed, with both relief and fascination, the crow lowering its head, and allowing her steady forefoot to touch it on its brow.

"See? I'm nice. I won't hurt you," Skia continued on, in a light, kind voice, as she petted it. "You poor thing. That burn on your wing looks like it hurts a lot. How'd you get it?" The crow only looked back up, and let a rumbling moan leave its throat, before gesturing to the mentioned wing, bringing it as close to to Skia as it could manage.

Now able to actually see the full extent of the damage done, Skia could easily discern what had happened. The entire elbow, as well as the fore of the limb was singed badly. The burns were not terrible enough to be third-degree however, as she read about in a medical book before. They more closely matched second-degree burns, complete with the multiple blisters and moist texture. Either way, the feathers were burned off, leaving the creature flightless, and in pain.

As she finished examining it, a new, familiar voice was heard, coming from overhead.

"Skia! Where are you?"

"Hey," she whispered to the bird. "That sounds a lot like my dad."

"Skia!" he shouted, his voice desperate and full of worry. "Skia! Please come out! You win, okay? Please come out, before something happens to you! Pleeeaaase?! I'm begging you!"

"That's my dad alright," she said with a small smile. Her face became sullen once more when she turned back to the crow. "Listen, I have to go now. If you stay here, I promise you I'll be back tomorrow, since I don't have school, and I'll try to bring some food and medicine for your burn with me. I won't tell anypony about you, I swear."

The crow nodded its head, as if in understanding, and then lowered it to the green grass, as it did before Skia began talking to it, closing its eyes afterword. Now, almost sure that the creature would be alright, Skia's wings began to buzz, and she flew through the canopy of the trees, spotting Thoraxis, his back turned to her, scanning the trees some distance away.

"Hi Dad!" Skia yelled. He spun around to her at an almost impossibly fast speed the second he heard her voice.

"Skia! Oh, thank goodness!" Thoraxis exclaimed, as he flew towards her, and grabbed her in a tighter-than-usual hug, in midair. "What in the world were you thinking?! The Everfree Forest is full of monsters! One could have eaten you!"

"Don't worry Daddy, I'm fine," she chuckled. "And I... didn't see any monsters."

"Well, good! I'm just... I'm just glad you're safe," he said, much softer this time, his eyes closing in relief.

"Um... quick question..." he heard his daughter begin again, causing his eyes to open. "Since you clearly said I won, does this mean that we can stop by Twilight's castle and pick up a new book before we go home?"

Thoraxis looked at her strangely. Skia's wide smile was completely innocent, if not somewhat cherubic. It wasn't long before he relented.

"...Yes," he finally spoke, getting a happy cheer from Skia.