The Horrors

At about noon, according to what the Chain had discussed before splitting up, the trio gathered at the edge of town to wait for the others to return from their misadventures. 

Hyrule and Wild came scrambling towards them first, covered in dirt and swearing up and down that they'd seen moving, living bushes in the woods. Legend, following close behind with a much cleaner tunic and a smirk, refused to elaborate.

Time of all people ended up proving them right when he appeared with one of the skittish, very real creatures clinging to his head like a lopsided, leafy hat.

Is that a mammal or bird underneath that plant tail? Four marveled, failing to make sense of the odd specimen.

Wild snapped a photo for "scientific evidence only." Fortunately for the champion, Time was too busy trying to dissuade Twilight from taking the plant creature home to tell Wild to delete the picture.

Four chuckled to himself as his team descended into chaos, deciding to turn his attention back to the young settlement around him. It felt surreal, experiencing history in this way. Everything was so familiar and foreign all at once here. It was like something straight out of a fairy tale, but so much more... alive. Through the hustle and bustle of the young folk and their work, there was a buzzing excitement, a windswept thrill at being a part of a project so new. Four understood the feeling.

This was the birth of his homeland. Many, MANY generations before him, or course, but it was a privilege to witness all the same.

Last to rejoin the motley crew of heroes were Sky and Zelda, strolling towards them with their hands entwined. To Four's relief, they looked incredibly at ease, the light in their eyes shining much brighter than it had when the dangers of the Triforce were being discussed.

Four felt a pang of guilt at that. Like Wild, he'd never really encountered the real Triforce, just seen it in storybooks or on his shield. Though he knew it was powerful, and dangerous to leave unguarded, the cloudy, suffocating heaviness that had dragged down the Skyloftians as they'd spoken about the relic had been heartbreaking.

That weight was eased now, and as Sky and Zelda greeted the group, their combined life force seemed to shine in tune with the magic of the land itself. I suppose being with the one you love most will do that, Four smiled wistfully.

"I had a feeling you'd all be here," Zelda smiled warmly. She nudged Sky. "We have a surprise for you."

"Not another earth-shattering revelation, I hope?" said Hyrule, flashing a slightly nervous grin.

"No," Sky said gently. "At least I hope not. We want to take you to Skyloft."

Four thought his brain must have stalled for a moment. "Skyloft?" he squeaked, embarrassed by the childlike emotion in his voice. "The Skyloft?"

"Well, you didn't think we'd visit my era and be stuck on the Surface the whole time, did you?" Sky teased, tilting his head with a knowing smile.

Four's face flushed as his words jammed in his throat, several different replies coming to mind all at once and gumming up his brain.

Thankfully, the captain came to his rescue. "And just how do you propose we all get there?" Warriors asked.

"The Groosenator?!? Wind guessed with far too much excitement.

Zelda laughed as Sky made a mildly terrified noise, and she quickly shook her head. "No no no, we have a much... gentler approach in mind. It's how we've been transporting large groups of goods and people between the Surface and the sky all these years."

As if on cue, the clanking of wooden gears broke through the clouds above them. With inexplicable grace, a great wooden platform descended towards the ground, supported by two enormous, sturdy propellers. A large bell swayed gently from below the structure, prompting the gathered Hylians to scramble back to witness the descent of the beautifully odd contraption.

"What is that?" Twilight asked.

Sky smirked. "I believe a few of you have mentioned a merchant by the reputable family name of 'Beedle'?"

Wind's eyes went wide. "No way."

"Yours can fly?!?" Wild shouted.

"Yours can't?" Sky grinned. 

The structure lowered enough for the Links to see a warmly colored hut built onto the top of the platform. A large deck and wooden railing extended from it at all sides, offering plenty of space for passengers to stand. With far more grace than Four had expected, it finally settled onto a boarding platform in the grassy clearing, its spinning propellers coming to a gentle halt.

Four stared in disbelief. Disbelief at the familiar merchant's name, disbelief at this... contraption that had descended from the heavens, but most of all, disbelief that he wasn't dreaming when Sky motioned for them to hop aboard and visit his birthplace in the sky. 

Not the Cloud Tops, nor the Tower or even Palace of Winds. 

Skyloft.

Hylia's risen land itself. 

Four barely dared to breathe as he scrambled to catch up with the other heroes boarding the floating shop.

"Heeeyyy, Beedle!" Sky called through the open doorway of the hut. "Got a few passengers for you!"

"OH!" came a shockingly familiar call. "Welcome back, Link! And did you say you brought customers? Come in! Come in!" 

Four poked his head into the shop and felt his jaw fall open. The lean man behind the counter bore an uncanny resemblance to the merchant of the same name from Four's era. There were a few small differences here and there, but the similarity was baffling, even for a family ancestor.

Beedle genes must run strong, Four thought with wonder.

This era's Beedle had just been perched on some sort of foot-peddled device. Gingerly, the man had dismounted, squatting and stretching his legs with a huff. He pulled out a green potion that Four recognized as a stamina potion, and on further inspection, Four noticed that the man was covered in sweat.

"Have you been... powering this entire building yourself?" the smithy asked in disbelief.

A few other Links who had also crowded the doorway made several awed and confused noises behind him.

Beedle finished the potion and gave them an eager salute. "Of COURSE! There's no other shop that takes its wears to you, is there? And no better way to do so than some good ol' fashioned elbow grease. Isn't that right, ol' bug?"

It took a moment to realize he was speaking to Sky. Skyloftian phrasing, maybe? Four noted in his head. Or is it just Beedle? How odd... The smith blinked. Wow. I really am a nerd. Four thanked every goddess above that Sky couldn't read his mind.

"Beedle here works as hard as anyone. He's even made a lot of modifications to his shop lately, to help the settlement efforts," Sky gestured around the item-filled room. "It used to be a lot smaller."

"But now, we sport a new and improved, gen-u-ine layout, complete with a beautiful wrap-around deck, plenty of storage, and even more items from the wonders of the Surface itself!" Beedle spread his hands and hopped back onto the machine behind the counter. "Free trips to Skyloft for non-flyers, but take a look at the wares, mates. Every rupee counts."

Wind, Wild, and Hyrule took that as a personal invitation to browse, but Four was still stuck on the peddle machine. He pointed it out. "And you control the whole shop with that wee thing there?"

"Ah-ha! Yes indeed, it's all in the mechanics, fledgling! New breakthroughs seem to be brought about every day by discoveries down here! I now peddle her with twice the ease, and twice the power!!!" Beedle grinned and triumphantly shook his fist.

Sky leaned over to Four on his way back out the door. "Beedle, Groose, and Gondo have a sort of 'innovators guild' going on," he explained. "They come up with some cool stuff, you'd like it."

Four grinned at the prospect. "That sounds grand."

Beedle rolled his shoulders, doing one final stretch before clapping his hands. "Ready for lift off, then?"

Four looked back to see Sky gently removing the trembling bush creature from Time's head, speaking softly to it, and setting it in the grass to scamper off into the trees. Twilight pouted as it went.

Now free of his burden, Time did a headcount, and nodded to Sky and the merchant. "All accounted for. We're ready."

"EXCELLENT!" Beedle cheered. "And AWAY WE GO!"

Eight Links scrambled for a handhold as the air shop whirred into motion. The floorboards rumbled as the overhead propellers began to spin, faster and faster, until the platform they stood upon began to rise back into the air.

Sky and Zelda, having grabbed onto the railing and each other before the launch, smiled at their guests with knowing expressions. 

Four scrunched his nose at the knight teasingly. Show off.

The higher they went, the more their view was obstructed by the mist of clouds. The ground was getting harder to make out, their destination even more so. 

They'd reached the Cloud Barrier.

Likely noticing just how high up they were, Hyrule pressed his back to the wall of the central hut, sliding down to sit on the floor with a gulp. Time sat beside him casually.

"Not a fan of heights?" their leader asked softly.

"Can't say I'm the biggest fan, no," said Hyrule, his smile thin.

"If it helps," Four said from his place against the rail, "from the stories I heard, Skyloft is just as sturdy as the land we were born on."

"That... may be true," Hyrule shrugged, but didn't quite look convinced. "It's still a long way up... and I miss the ground..."

Time patted the traveler's shoulder. "Courage comes in many forms. You're doing fine."

Hyrule seemed more at ease after hearing that, even as he continued to watch the mist around him with distrust.

"So, what do you think Skyloft really looks like, then? Since someone somewhere refuses to tell us the details." Legend scowled playfully at Sky, who simply tapped his own nose and kept his mouth shut. Zelda laughed silently beside him.

Four shrugged. "Ah... a floating piece of land with a settlement, I suppose?"

"Well yeah, Sky's said at least that much," Legend shook his head. "What I want to know is how it floats."

"Octo balloons? Or maybe a really strong hurricane?" Wind suggested, leaning halfway over the railing. Warriors made a quiet yelp and pulled the sailor back.

"The one time I visited a sky settlement, the creatures that lived there had giant propellers on the bottoms of their floating buildings," Twilight hummed, tapping his fingers on the rail. "Could that be it?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Rancher," said Four. "The sky places I've been to were either magic clouds and platforms atop the Cloud Barrier itself, or a tower that just sort of... hung there, all on its own. But Skyloft is supposed to be higher up than even those."

"Great," huffed Hyrule.

Wild also looked very put-out, but for a different reason entirely. 

"Ugh," groaned the champion. "I wish my era had sky islands. This is just unfair!" 

Twilight shuddered. "Why do I get the feeling you'd go skydiving off the highest one the first chance you got?"

"Because I would and it would be awesome!"

In the corner of his eye, Four saw Sky and Zelda lock eyes. Warm amusement colored their faces in mirth, and Four smiled, looking away to give them privacy. 

His own daydreams conjured up a small memory of strawberry blonde hair tied back in a pretty bow.

Almost immediately, Four was jerked from his romantic distractions as the air shop shuddered beneath him. Something in the mechanism clicked, and a smaller propeller on the side of the air shop began to spin, moving the platform laterally instead of simply up into the air.

All at once, the sky lightened into gold.

With a feeling like breaking the surface of the sea, the air shop cut through the final layer of the Cloud Barrier into the upper sky. The atmosphere was bathed in warmth from a sun just past noon, coloring the billowing clouds in all shades of pink, yellow, and blue. And the sky itself—Four had never seen it so blue. Even his own trips above Hyrule had lacked the undercurrent of rich color and light that permeated every inch of this sky. 

Four laughed, the icy taste of thin air making him extra giddy. Even now he could see small dots of floating islands in the distance. There was no doubt in his mind: this was too real to be a dream. He was going to see Skyloft.

Wind cheered and whooped beside him, the sun turning his wavy hair blindingly yellow. His face was fixed in a huge grin as he ran across the shop's deck, taking in the sky as quickly and energetically as possible. 

"It's like the GREAT SEA!!!" laughed the sailor.

Wild ran alongside him, just as awed by the view. Four wondered for a moment if they'd both snuck some of Beedle’s stamina potion, but he quickly banished the thought at the sight of the rest of his team.

Warriors had a rare, childlike smile on his face as he stuck his hand out to graze a nearby golden cloud. Legend spun in circles with a lopsided grin, head faced skyward. Twilight caught the vet by the shoulders when Legend made himself dizzy, laughing with the younger hero as Legend untangled himself from the rancher. Even Hyrule stood as if in a daze, breathing in the soaring feeling of magic and natural wonder with Time just behind him, doing the same.

"I have to admit," Warriors breathed out an awed laugh, "this has far exceeded my expectations, Sky."

"You haven't seen anything yet," said the Chosen Hero. He looked positively full of life, watching his brothers with the sparkling eyes of a man proud of his homeland. 

Zelda looked just as radiant beside him. "Yeah! Wait until you see—"

She paused mid-sentence. Sky and Zelda froze at the same time, ears pricked as if listening for something far away. An odd expression crossed their faces, not unlike the one that Zelda wore when she spoke the words of Hylia. But when the two of them locked eyes again, their chests lifting with anticipation and excitement, Four knew this was about something else entirely. 

Sky became teary-eyed by whatever realization had just crossed between him and his fiancée. They leaned together in a quick, hushed conversation, took one last glance at the clouds, then hurried to the part of the air shop's deck that was missing a railing.

In tandem, they turned back to the other heroes, twining their hands together.

"Sky? What's going on?" Time asked.

The Chosen Hero's eyes twinkled. He wore that poorly disguised grin that always came before one of his cheeky comments, and tilted his head. "Keep an eye on everyone, Old Man," he winked.

"We'll meet you on Skyloft."

Then Sky and Zelda jumped.

For a second that felt like an hour, the heroes were stunned into silence. The space where the couple had just been standing was now empty air, choked confusion and hollow wind the only sounds to be heard in the vastness of the upper sky. Four's heart began to pound as he grasped, scrambled for any logical explanation for what he had just witnessed, because surely, surely he had not just seen the start of the entire royal family line just jump off the side of a—

SSSSHHREEEEEEE!

Crimson and indigo blurs shot into the sky on a gust of wind. Feathers bloomed in the light as two giant birds unfurled their great wings, stretching their curved beaks in ear-splitting cries of joy. 

Atop their backs, looking more alive than they'd ever been, Sky and Zelda whooped and hollered with just as much gusto as their birds.

These, then, were Loftwings.

Four's breath left him as the birds spun tight corkscrews in the air, sweeping their riders even higher into the clouds. With the grace of songbirds and power of eagles, the great beasts looped and swirled, painting the clouds with the vibrant colors of their plumage. 

Soaring to a point high above the little air shop, the birds stalled, flipped, and tumbled into a playful dive. Several heroes cried out as the Skyloftians gleefully dove off their birds, free falling through the air like they were born with wings of their own. Sky and Zelda even grasped hands, pulling each other in and out, and spinning as if they were dancing. Their wide smiles must have been filled with laughter, but their voices were lost to the rush of the fall.

Air buffered Four's face and blew back his hair as the birds and Skyloftians sped past the platform once more. The smithy raced to the rail to catch a glimpse of where they'd gone, and didn't have to wait long before someone behind him gasped.

Turning around, he was shocked to see Zelda standing on her Loftwing, her hair flowing like feathers as she balanced with years of practiced ease. She caught them staring and waved, doing a quick spin and giving them all heart attacks. No sooner had she settled back onto her bird in what Four presumed was the normal position did another rush of wind hit him from behind.

The powerful wings of Sky's magnificent bird flapped and soared to the rhythm of the air shop's propellers. When Four finally tore his eyes away from the beast, he was taken aback by the freedom written all over Sky's face.

The Chosen Hero sat with his arms flung wide, eyes shut tightly and mouth open in a huge, permanent smile. His chest rose like he couldn't contain the emotions inside it, so instead, he released them to the air, belting out an enormous cry of elation. His long, whooping yell was echoed by his Crimson, who danced his talons through the air like a prancing horse.

Sky's hands tightened to fists. He looked so... free, Four realized. The young smith was no longer looking upon the great hero of his myths and fairy tales. Here was a young man, barely out of his boyhood, who's greatest joys were his loved ones and the feeling of the wind blowing through his feathery hair. Here, in the upper sky, he was Link, of Skyloft. A man brought to pinprick tears by flying on his Loftwing again.

He was just Link. And he was home.

And Four knew exactly what a wondrous feeling that was.

A shadow passed overhead. Four and the others glanced up to see Zelda guide her bird over the air shop and above Sky. She hovered there for only a moment before slipping off her bird and right into Sky's arms. He grunted, and Crimson squawked a complaint at the sudden weight, but Sky fell into lovesick laughter just as quickly, and drew his beloved tightly to his chest. Zelda's Loftwing made a noise that almost sounded like laughter, too.

Like leaves on a gentle breeze, the Loftwings and Skyloftians began to drift away from the platform, losing themselves in their reunion. Four smirked as Sky and Zelda began to share an especially tender kiss.

"When I catch that boy..." Twilight said shakily.

Warriors's laugh was slightly hysterical as he pulled his fingers through his hair. "Of course. Now it makes sense why he tried to jump the horse."

Four snorted out a laugh he couldn't keep contained. It did make sense. To Sky, horses must have seemed like four-legged Loftwings, at least until he'd eaten dirt by falling off Epona.

"Jealous... so jealous..." Wild mumbled quietly.

Wind watched the birds in stunned silence from behind the champion's back.

"You know what, Wild?" said Legend, leaning on the railing. "I’ll admit it. I’m jealous too, actually."

"It's why they're not afraid to fall," Hyrule realized. He held on to Time a bit more loosely than before. "They know their birds will catch them if they do. That's... wow."

"Inspiring is the word you're looking for, I believe," Time said, watching the Skyloftians soar. His eye, which had been so grey and troubled before, now held a soft and subtle fondness.

Four wondered if he was thinking of Malon.

Link and Zelda, childhood friends... the smithy quickly turned his face away to hide his small blush from the others.

He really, really missed his own princess.

Trying to distract himself by finding any clouds that didn't remind him of bows, crowns, or hearts, Four caught a glimpse of something else in the sky. 

"Hey, look!" he shouted, pointing into the clouds ahead.

The heroes rushed to the railing beside him. As if by magic, a large cloud that had been hanging in the air shop's path began to disperse. Like a curtain being drawn away to reveal a stage, the cloud parted, and the heroes gasped.

A flock of Loftwings lifted into the air, dressed in all the colors under the sun. Just beyond the parade of feathers, an impossible island hung in mid-air, and atop its colorful stone and foliage sprawled the beautiful town known as Skyloft.

Four exhaled in delight to find it a quaint, familiar place, all the earthy buildings looking closer to the ones he'd known back home, rather than some collection of strange and ancient ruins. It was awash in light and surprisingly lively, with several Skyloftians still bustling about their day on the isle of their homeland. The smithy nodded to himself. Really, it was foolish to have expected anything else. This place felt exactly like Sky.

The nearby caw of a Loftwing drew his gaze upward. Three new birds had appeared in the air above him, all dressed in goggles that matched the Skyloftian knights atop their backs. The riders waved, one even shouting a greeting to Sky and Zelda, before falling into formation to the left, right, and just behind the air shop. 

Wind had gone a little pale, but Four appreciated the riders’ gesture. It was like Hyrule had surmised. The birds would catch anyone should he be foolish enough to jump.

Good news for Wild, Four thought, grinning at the way Twilight watched the champion like a hawk.

It wasn't very long before the air shop descended again, making its way to a large, cobblestone clearing nearby a large tower and what seemed to be a Skyloftian bazaar. The shop paused about ten feet above the ground.

Wooden gears clunked again as a rope was lowered the rest of the way down. 

"Hurry along down the rope, bugs!" called Beedle from within the hut. "I've got some other errands to run and you're all beginning to get QUITE heavy!"

"O-of course," Time called back, ushering the rest of them off the platform. "Thank you for the lift."

"And the spare adventure pouch!" added Hyrule.

"And the bug net!" Wild chorused.

"And the extra wallet!" Wind laughed.

"How much did you all buy?" Warriors murmured as he shook his head. His question went completely ignored.

"THANK YOU!" Beedle cheered as they slipped down the rope. "Pleasure doing business with you. Come again, bugs!"

When the last of their crew had his feet firmly set on Skyloft, Beedle’s peculiar shop rattled and lifted away like a dandelion seed in the wind. 

"We're actually on a floating island," the sailor said after a moment, voice quivering in awe. "A real, floating island!"

Wild jumped up and down. "Solid ground, too. No bounce or tilt—that's amazing!"

"And reassuring," Hyrule grinned shakily.

Legend patted his shoulder. "Aww, chin up, Traveler. You'll find something fun to do here." 

"And we won't have to worry about you wandering off the island," Time smirked.

Twilight shook his head good-naturedly, gazing out at the island around them. "Somehow he and Wild would find a way."

"Air's a bit thin, though, isn't it?" said Warriors, adjusting his scarf around his neck. "That could be a problem for us in the long run."

"Doesn't make this place any less beautiful," Four whispered, too enraptured by the site of the town to mind his shallower breaths.

Paper pinwheels shaped like pastel flowers spun playfully above the heroes, each decoration done up on long strings that trailed over to a magnificent bazaar. The building was quite the sight, made up of colorful striped stones and topped with flapping pink drapery. The sky trees, the impossible waterfall that slipped off the island but never went dry, and the impressive, elegant stone tower that stood beside them to welcome new arrivals… taking it all in at once felt like visiting a dream. Even the colorful homes built directly into the ground, complete with grassy, curved roofs, were hard to tear one’s eye from.

That is, until Four heard a shout.

Four glanced up just in time to watch Sky leap off his bird right above them. However, instead of diving with him, Crimson flew off into another circle. At that speed, that angle—the bird would never catch him in time!

Four's cry was drowned out by the cacophony of other shouts from his team, Sky hurtling closer and closer to the hard, cold cobblestones every second. Twenty, fifteen, ten feet, and then—!

Woosh!

Four grasped his heart in relief. He'd completely forgotten about the sailcloth.

Grinning like he hadn't just administered eight separate heart attacks, Sky drifted gently downward, holding tightly to the cream and blue sail that had caught the air to slow his fall. He landed in the center of the cobblestone clearing and was immediately tackled by Wild.

"That was AWESOME, Sky!!!!" cheered the champion, grabbing his shoulders.

Sky laughed as he was shaken back and forth. "Thanks, thanks! Just a typical Loftwing stunt."

"When do I get to try?" Wild grinned.

Sky balked. "H-huh?"

"C'mon, I can handle it! I paraglide! I've ridden beasts no one's dared to tame back in my Hyrule! Let me ride a Loftwing!"

 Sky laughed and held up his hands. "Hang on, hang on Wild, that's not—You can't just ride a Loftwing with no experience!"

"But you rode a horse!"

"Yeah! But horses and Loftwings aren't..." For the briefest moment, something somber passed Sky's face before the Skyloftian covered it with a smile. "Horses can sense your touch and some of your emotions. Loftwings sense you. All of you, wherever you are, and vice versa, but only if you're the chosen rider. Without that connection, it's much harder to communicate with one, and if you fell? If your borrowed Loftwing couldn't sense you because you’re not its true rider?" Sky shivered. 

"So...?" Wild bit his lip, still hopeful.

"So, uh, no riding lessons today I'm afraid," said Sky.

"Rrrrr," Wild turned in a circle. "Unfair! Unfair, I'm still jealous and this is unfair!"

Warriors blew out a sharp breath. "You're going to give Twilight and me grey hairs, Chosen Hero! And you too, Wild."

"Sorry?" Sky shrugged, not sorry in the slightest.

"What about Time's hair?" Four asked, glancing at the way the older night scanned Sky for injury.

"His hair's already grey."

Time cuffed Warriors in the head. The captain laughed.

The flapping of great wings signaled the arrival of Zelda and her Loftwing above them. The pair landed much more gracefully than Sky, the indigo bird touching her talons down lightly atop the cobblestone. Zelda slipped off her mount with ease. 

"Nice dive, sweetie!" she said, skipping up to her fiancé.

Four almost snorted as he watched Sky puff out his chest like a proud cucco rooster. "Glad to hear it meets your standards, love," the knight grinned, drawing her in and planting a lingering kiss on her cheek.

"Ugh," Legend groaned with his head in his hands. "If they keep flirting I think I'll die."

Hyrule elbowed him and murmured something Four didn't catch about the royal family and "your princess". Legend went pink and shoved him.

An enormous, shrill cry suddenly shook the sky as a rush of crimson swooped at the huddle of heroes. Sky's bird shrieked, sharp talons and beak spread wide as he careened towards the ground, not bothering to slow himself down as the monster-sized bird roughly hit the stone and started to run. The heroes stepped out of his way in a hurry.

Wind in particular grasped onto Four's arm like he'd die if he let go. Four's heart bled when he saw the deep terror—deep memories—in the sailor's eyes. He covered Wind's hand in his own.

Sky, meanwhile, was completely bowled over in a burst of excited feathers.

"AGH, CRIMSON, HEY, HEH-HEH-HEY, WATCH IT, BUDDY!"

Sky lost himself to a fit of childish laughter as his bird nuzzled him, nearly being thrown into the air with the force of the giant, shoe-shaped beak. Sky ran, delighted as his bird gave chase, and practically skipped like a deer as he dodged and slipped away from the aggressive affection of his feathery half. Crimson, however, was not to be outdone. The bird leapt into the air and grabbed Sky's arms, lifting him like a child playing with a toy. Sky wheeled his legs uselessly in the air.

"Crimsoooooooon!" Sky yelled in delight. "Let me down boy, you caught me, you win! Hahahahaha!"

Pleased to have won their odd little game, the bird set Sky down incredibly gently. Crimson alighted on the stones, and just as Sky had skipped before, the bird pranced, hopping like a newborn foal towards his beloved rider. Reverently, the bird and Sky dipped their heads together.

Crimson let out a tiny, crooning noise, something between a hawk's cry and a whisper, and pressed his face lovingly against Sky's chest. Sky's laughter turned a bit teary at the gesture, and he hugged Crimson's head tightly, burying his face in the crown of plumage atop the bird's head.

"I missed you, buddy," came Sky's muffled, watery voice. "I-I missed you so much."

Zelda watched them with a bittersweet smile, nuzzling against her own Loftwing when the indigo bird draped her beak over Zelda's shoulder.

Twilight let out a long, deep sigh. "All right, Sky. You win." His eyes twinkled. "I think I understand the crazy behavior now."

Sky laughed wetly, still clinging to Crimson. "Sorry if I scared you, Rancher."

"Nah," Twilight waved his hand. "If anything, I think you proved you can handle yourself."

"That's a magnificent bird, that is," murmured Four, feeling his feet drift closer all on their own as he studied the creature.

To his dismay, Wind released him as soon as he moved, silently stepping back and wedging himself between Time and Twilight. The older heroes shared a look of worry, but huddled closer to the sailor all the same.

"He is pretty great," Sky agreed, still wrapped around his bird. "Just don't tell him that, he'll get a big head—OOF!"

Sky giggled as Crimson shoved him. The bird then cawed in protest, and began rapidly nibbling on Sky's hair.

"Ah. And here we go, with the preening." Sky looked at Time, arching a brow. "Told you they do this."

Time surprised everyone with a deep, bouncing laugh. "I can see that now, yes. You have a way with large beasts, Sky." 

Sky smiled softly at their leader, an olive branch seeming to pass between them. Sky buried his face in Crimson's feathers again.

Warriors smirked. "I can't help but wonder how he and Epona would get along."

"Maybe we can summon her and find out!" said Hyrule, already reaching for his recorder.

Twilight shot out his hand to stop him. "Ah, no, thanks. I'd like to keep my horse cozy in a stable and not stuck on a sky island, magic or no magic."

Four held back a laugh at Hyrule's small "Aww", but his joy fell away when he noticed the sailor. 

Something in Time's laugh must have shaken Wind to his senses, because when Four glanced at him, the sailor's face was set in a firm, determined scowl.

Wind stepped forward, inch by inch, his fists shaking at his sides. This time, Sky noticed his distress.

"Sailor?" Sky asked.

The boy gulped like he was trying to swallow all his fear at once, and he plastered a brave smile on his face. "N-no... I-I-I can do it... it's... just like the horse. Just like Epona. I can do it. I-"

The Loftwing shifted, and Wind froze, his pinched brow faltering as another wave of fear took hold. His hand twitched, as if itching for his Phantom Blade.

Warriors stepped closer to him. "What's wrong, Wind?"

Wind's breath shuddered as he tried to regain his composure.

"It looks like a kargarok."

A wave of understanding and empathy rippled through the heroes, and Sky whispered an explanation to a worried Zelda.

Of course, Four thought, kicking himself for not remembering sooner. A kargarok once took away his little sister.

Wind scowled at what he must have seen as pity. "It's stupid! I know it's stupid. Aryll's fine now, I know Sky's bird isn't evil, it's just—!"

Wind flinched as Crimson moved again, but this time, the bird closed his eyes and bowed his head, stretching out his long neck towards the ground.

Sky and Zelda gasped. Sky looked between his Loftwing and Wind, the later looking slightly confused. 

"Wind," Sky nearly whispered, "he's asking for your trust."

"H-huh?"

"That's a very vulnerable position," Zelda explained. "He's completely at your mercy. That's... that's unheard of for anyone who isn't the Loftwing's own rider."

All the worry lines in Sky's face softened. "He can sense our connection," said the Skyloftian. "He knows you're all my brothers. And he knows you need to have a reason to trust him, Wind."

The sailor's shoulders dropped. He studied the Loftwing again with confused eyes, scanning the crimson feathers for any sign of a trick. Finding none, and suddenly looking very dazed, Wind looked back at Sky. 

"So... w-what does it want me to do?" the sailor asked quietly.

Sky walked around Crimson so he could stand next to Wind. Gently, he lowered himself into a bow. "Offer him the same trust he's showing you," said the knight.

Wind hesitated. He looked back at Crimson, still stretched out above the stones, then back at Sky. Slowly, unsure of his own body, Wind dipped his torso to copy Sky, and put his full attention on the Loftwing.

"Promise... not to hurt me or my friends, ok? I... promise I won't harm you, either."

Crimson opened his bright yellow eyes, studying the sailor through half-lids. Another crooning whisper came from his throat as he slowly raised his head, stopping his beak an inch from Wind's chest.

Sky took the sailor’s hand and placed it atop Crimson's beak. The bird sighed softly.

Wind's breath came out in a shudder. "W-whoa..."

"There you go! There's that brave sailor I know!" Warriors cheered, along with several of the others.

Sky patted him on the back. "Good job, Wind!" 

To their delight, Wind began to smile as Crimson nuzzled happily against his palm. "I guess... maybe he's not so bad."

Crimson crooned in agreement.

Four came up beside the sailor, feeling fit to burst with excitement. After Sky waved the smithy forward with a knowing look, Four placed his hand beside Wind's. He marveled at the warmth of the huge animal beneath his fingers.

His eyes met the sailor's, and they shared a disbelieving laugh. 

History turned reality.

Sky may have claimed that his home wasn't perfect, but to Four, both this era and the hero from it were simply, unequivocally, cool.

Zelda scoffed as Crimson ruffled his feathers beneath all the attention. He was surrounded by curious and affectionate heroes now, and absolutely basking in the love. He'd nuzzled everyone at least once, and was currently working very hard to preen Twilight's hair and fur cape to perfection.

"Just look at that bird, Indigo," Zelda shook her head at her own Loftwing. "What a display! How do you put up with him?"

Indigo fluffed her own feathers and preened her wing. She put up a very good show of appearing disinterested… and a bit left-out.

Sky laughed and joined Zelda's side, stroking down Indigo's ruffles. "Don't be jealous, girl. You'll have him all to yourself again soon. Let him say hello!"

Indigo spat a few loose feathers into Sky's hair. 

Zelda burst into laughter.

"Oh you think that's funny, huh?" Sky challenged his fiancée, a devious look in his eye. "Well here, have some!"

Zelda squeaked as she ran from Sky, who chased her around Indigo while trying to throw some of the stray feathers onto Zelda's head. As for Indigo, if birds could roll their eyes, Four was sure she'd be doing so.

Warriors reached down and hooked his arm around Sky's shoulders, holding him in place in a very Groose-like fashion. 

"Weeeeeell loverboy, we all know you're dying to keep flirting with Zelda, but don't you think it's about time you actually show us around, as promised?"

Sky blushed heavily under Warriors's gaze. "I-I…Well, I was just—"

"We're ready to show you around if Crimson's done hoarding everyone's attention," Zelda translated, her own face dusted red.

"Off the Loftwing, boys, you heard her," Time instructed. A chorus of "Awwwww!" 's filled the air as the young men dispersed, Wild slipping down from where he'd halfway crawled up onto the bird.

Crimson crooned at Wind before he could follow the others, nuzzling the boy's shoulder a final time. Wind patted his giant beak with a smile and whispered something that sounded suspiciously like, "good bird".

Sky and Zelda then turned to their respective Loftwings, giving them long hugs before the birds skipped off and alighted into the clouds once more. Sky lingered as he watched them go. 

"We'll see them again, love," Zelda said softly, taking his hand. 

The touch seemed to snap Sky back to the present. Finally tearing his gaze from the clouds, he gave her a small smile. "Thank you. You're right, as always."

Zelda flipped her hair over her shoulder. "I try."

Sky's face broke into a grin. Joyfully, he faced his traveling companions, his brothers, and spread his arms like wings. 

"Welcome, my friends, to Skyloft!"

>>><<<

Masterlist | First | Chapter 11 | Chapter 13 (The final chapter; coming next week!)

Author's Note: Mandatory disclaimer that the next chapter has only a small amount of Skyloft exploration, sorry y’all 😭 I love Skyloft but if these boys split and explore any more we’ll officially lose the plot 😅 However I am SO excited to share the final chapter of this Skyloft 3-parter, and the Grounded fic as a whole, with all of you next week! For now I hope you enjoyed seeing Crimson. ^u^ If you look closely you'll see several themes from earlier Grounded chapters make a return, both in this chapter and the next! ^u^

(Oh and I should note that Warriors has never been to Skyloft as per LU canon! There may have been monsters from the era of the sky called to his time, but no time travel necessarily. This is new to him!)

Extra Note: I am a children’s book/family friendly author, so please keep all comments Safe For Work (no swearing please!) I want to do my best to make this a place for everyone. Cheers!