The bluesteel unicorn mare walked towards the large camp, the Master Sword on her back as well as her Haylian Shield. Around her, the dead lay in heaps, crude and master crafted weaponry and armor scattered like macabre toys. Her royal blue eyes were sad as she regarded the bloody aftermath before her—she had seen it before, but never on a scale this size. Skirmishes and raids were nothing compared to the massive fight they had just gone through. Several Haylian ponies were busy in dealing death blows to still living enemies, or even delivering a mercy strike to a fellow soldier who was too far gone to save. The Haylian ponies who had fallen in battle were being gathered, placed in a ceremonial pile off to the side. She knew that tonight for certain the honored dead would be burned in a massive funeral pyre, their earthly shells cast off to allow them to reach the heavens—and the realm of the Goddesses proper.

The stench of death was in her nose and she coughed, shaking her head a little as she approached the war camp. Upon spotting her, the camp sentries aimed their spears at her—then lowered them, and then allowed her through, bowing their heads. Skyward Spirit saluted them, before she walked into the camp proper…

Only to be swarmed by ponies.

Most of them were soldiers like Golden Marble and herself—earth ponies and unicorns. The healers and priestesses were likely in the healers tents further in the back of the camp. The pegasi were hovering overhead, cheering and whooping, beating their wings against the air in celebration.

“Where hast thou been?”

“Canst thou tell us where thou found the Blade of Evil’s Bane?”

“Glad to see thou made it out of Hayrule Castle Town…”

Skyward Spirit licked her lips, backing her ears and trying to make sense of all the questions being thrown at her…

Until a very familiar voice cut through the commotion with a resounding roar.

“Oi, back off! All of thou! Give the mare some space for Din’s sake!” Golden Marble barked as he trotted up.

The ponies drew back, revealing Golden Marble. His armor was cleaner and not the blood caked mess it had been earlier, but he had asked a couple of unicorns to help clean it because he knew he had been right about Skyward wanting to check on them before she vanished to Goddesses knew where again, and he knew because of her new status she was likely going to get swarmed.

“Keen Eye, Bubble Brew, get thine flanks back to the healers tents, NOW! One knowest thou hath potions to brew for the wounded! Glowing Ember, back to the cook tent with thou—thou too, Deft Blade. Simmering Cauldron wilt need thou soon enough and I knowest neither of thou wish to piss her off. The rest of thou clear out! The honored dead still need tending to!”

Skyward Sword chuckled as she regarded her old friend as the ponies dispersed. “So…thou art Captain of the 3^rd Hayrulean Legion. And who wast the one shedding one’s fur over the promotion, eh, Golden?”

The golden earth pony grinned at her sheepishly. “Well…all right, all right; thou were right about that. One supposes thou won that bet.”

Skyward pulled the earth pony into a fierce hug. “Forget the bet. One hath missed thou and the others. ‘Tis good to see thou once more, hale and hearty no less! How is Divine Design? And where art Shatter Point and Thundering Maelstrom? Getting drunk off their flanks already?”

Golden Marble was surprised at the hug, but he smiled and hugged her back, giving her a playful punch to the shoulder before the golden earth pony sobered at her question, removing his helm, and looking unwontedly serious. His ears drooped and he bowed his head, shaking it.

“Divine Design is with Her Royal Highness—Sheikah scouts send us messages from him when they can be spared. One regrets to tell thou this but…thou would hath found out all the same. Both Shatter Point and Thunderous Maelstrom died in battle at the Hayrule Castle Town gates. They held the line along with a few others to allow us to get away with the last of the refugees.”

Skyward’s royal blue eyes widened, and she bowed her head in grief. Full Sail landed next to her with a rustle of feathers, extended a wing and draped it over her, Golden Marble leaning into her side as tears slipped from the bluesteel mare’s eyes. All three ponies bowed their heads, mourning for the friends they had lost. Hidden in the shadows the Equestrian ponies looked at one another sadly—she had lost friends to war, and it grieved her deeply. These were ponies she had fought with, eaten with and joked with. Losing any of them was like losing family. Trouble Shoes started moving forward to comfort his mare, only to have Sheik stop him, shaking his head at him in silent warning—a reminder that the enchantment was still in place.

“That sandblasted son of a chimera wilt pay in blood for their deaths,” she muttered, and Full Sail nodded his head.

“Aye. I cannot wait to see thou run him through with the Master Sword.”

“Who knew? Thou, the new Hero…or Heroine in thine case,” Golden Marble chuckled, and Skyward Spirit shrugged at him.

“Came as a surprise to one too, Golden. One knew naught of this at all. One discovered that mine five-time great grandsire Skyward Sword wast apparently Time Link’s younger brother—aye, the Hero had twin siblings…two of them. Mine other great uncle was Wind Waker himself.”

“Where hast thou been? We hath been worried sick about thee, considering the princess appeared after we escaped and thou were not with her,” the golden coated stallion asked, and Skyward Spirit shook her head at them.

“One cannot say for the safety of those ponies one ended up with, but…they taught me much whilst I hath been with them. And, one hath realized thou hast been mine friends as well and I…well. I hath not been a very good one to either of you. For that, one apologizes…one hopes thou wilt forgive me for being such a poor friend.”

Golden Marble and Full Sail looked at one another, then smiled; and the golden earth pony reached over and ruffled her mane, making her curse and swat at him, and he laughed.

“ ’Tis all right, Skyward; there is nothing to forgive. Thou hast always been a good friend to the rest of us. Besides, after what those bucking geldings did to thou, and then those vicious gilded nags did to thee with that concubine’s dress; we wanted to aid thee, but thou seemed like thy needed some space?”

She shook her head. “The ponies I hath been with taught me otherwise, Golden. They taught one that a good friend stands for their friends and comforts them when they need it from kindness. They tell them the truth, what they need to hear, not what they desire to hear. They give generously of themselves to heal those wounds, bring laughter to heal the soul, and art loyal to the end. There is no shame in doing so, and why? Because that in itself is the magic of having a friend.”

Skyward sniffed and looked upward, sorrow written on her muzzle. “One prays Shatter Point and Thunderous Maelstrom hears me and understands.”

Golden Marble nodded, an approving smile on his muzzle. “I believe if they were here, they wouldst forgive thou as well, Skyward. One wishes one could meet those ponies. One wouldst like to thank them, not just for keeping thee safe, but also for restoring thine good spirits.”

Full Sail tucked her close with his wing and playfully gave her a noogie, making her headbutt and try to bite at him, but in play. “Quit that, fluffball,” she growled, but in play, and he cackled.

“Says thou, little filly! What dost thou call thyself now?”

She playfully shoved him off her, snickering. “Skyward Spirit.”

Full Sail nodded his head approvingly. “A fine name. Fits thou well, Heroine of Time or no—thou always seemed to protect those who needed it most….eh? What’s this?”

During the tussle, her five-time great-uncle’s cap had fallen off her head—and she had forgotten about the mane-pin she had slipped under it at the last second, until she saw it in Full Sail’s hoof. Her cheeks colored, and Golden Marble’s grin got bigger, a definitive teasing edge to it.

“Soooo, didst a stallion give that to thou before the eve of battle, Skyward Spirit?”

Skyward Spirit lit her horn and levitated the pin out of the sea blue pegasus stallion’s hoof, cradling it in her own tenderly. “Aye. He did.”

Full Sail’s jaw dropped before he roared with laughter, slapping a hoof against the ground and flaring his wings in mirth. “Hah! Tis’ more than worthy of a celebration! The stallion in question must be special indeed to hath caught thine eye!”

Golden Marble looked at the mane-pin, nodding his head in approval. “He hath fine taste. One hopes he treats thou well.”

“He does. Trust in one’s word, Golden, Full—he does.” Skyward Spirit was looking at it with a loving expression, gently brushing one hoof over the crystal sealed petals before she clipped it back behind one ear, and placed her uncle’s hat back onto her head, but not so the clip was hidden this time.

“Must be serious if thou art mooning over him…OW! Golden, the buck was that for?”

The earth pony spit out his friend’s right wingtip and glowered at him. “Enough teasing, thou bucking moron. Canst thou see she misses him? Of course, ‘tis serious, hath thou ever known Skyward Spirit of all ponies to pine for a stallion until now? Most of the time she ignored their advances…and yet this one, this one seems to know her best. This one won her heart.”

Full Sail shook his head, folding his wing back to his side.

“He hath better treat thou akin to royalty or one wilt run him through and leave him for the Wolfos, mark me,” Golden Marble said with a growl, and Full Sail nodded. “Or, one shalt tie stones to him and drop him off a cliff into Pinnacle Rock for the deep pythons if he breaks thine heart.”

Hidden in the shadows Trouble Shoes swallowed hard, shaking his mane a little. Those Haylian stallions weren’t joking—like her Equestrian friends they clearly cared about her just as much and he knew they likely would carry out their threats if he did hurt her. Which, he had no intention on doing so. Sheik had to restrain him once again from going out to embrace her when he could see how much she did miss him.

Skyward blushed furiously but she was smiling despite her embarrassment. “Golden, Full, come now…”

“Nah-ah! Do not even try to dissuade us, missy.” Full Sail guffawed.

“Aye, thou art akin to the sister we dost not have, so suck it up, buttercup,” Golden Marble smirked, and Skyward shoved him.

“Dost one look like a delicate flower to thou,” she snorted, and both stallions looked at one another, smirked, and nodded at her, earning a smack from the amused and slightly annoyed mare.

“Wilt thou be staying, Skyward Spirit? Thine presence wouldst be most welcome here.”

Skyward Spirit shook her mane. “One wishes one could, but…mine trials art not complete. There is still more one must do, Golden.”

Sheik appeared in a puff of white smoke, startling Full Sail and nodding at Golden Marble, who nodded back at him in turn. “The Heroine of Time speaks the truth, Golden Marble. Her quest continues. For now, secure this portion of the Field, and protect Lon Lon Ranch.”

Skyward Spirit nodded at Sheik, before she pulled both Golden Marble and Full Sail into a hug, who returned it.

“Thou take care of thyself, Skyward Spirit.”

“Ye can still call me Skyward if thou wish, thou know. Tell Divine Design when next thou sees him one misses him as well.”

Full Sail wrapped her in one wing and playfully ruffled her mane once more, grinning at her. “Aye, but best to tell him thyself when next thou sees him!”

Skyward Spirit chuckled as she re-adjusted her cap, made sure her mane-pin was still there, turned and followed the Sheikah stallion into the shadows—and vanished from sight.