The year went by in a heartbeat for them. Soon everyone was living the life they had dreamed of, Alaina, Azilph, and Eagus are some of the best knights to have come out of the academy, Horwell and Owlen are furthering their studies to hopefully become professors, Mallara finally got herself a boyfriend, and Gaepora gained the courage to ask Skua to marry him, Spoiler: She said yes.
It's been a year since graduation.
Skua and Gaepora are now married and living happily, Mallara is pregnant with her son and engaged to a man she's not sure she loves. Eagus is slowly making his way through the ranks of the Sky Knights as Alaina and Azilph encourage him to do so. Horwell has found an odd looking Plant that he's been trying to identify with little luck, and Owlen has been cataloging different insects found among the clouds.
Two years into their post-grad lives.
Mallara is married and has a son named Pipit, he's taken a liking to Alaina, one of his first words was even her name, well it sounded more like "A llama" but he pointed to her and everyone knew what he was trying to say. Nowadays the angel and her longtime friend were making daily trips to see the Guardian of the Sky, He had told them once before it was only a matter of time before the prophecy came to light, now that it was only a few years out, they all waited in anticipation.
Skua has been helping in the Bazaar, mixing potions mostly, but she would also help with the item check and general store. Gaepora, on the other hand, has been working alongside Owlen and Horwell helping them and furthering his own knowledge. The three of them now work at the Academy, mostly as Teaching Assistants, but not always limited to that.
After three years, it seems everyone has a routine they're stuck in.
Mallara is spending each day taking care of her son, her husband always on patrol. The only time she's ever seen is if she's shopping in the Bazaar, or someone goes to visit her. The couple is hardly ever seen together, not very surprising. They had grown apart over the few years. As time passed Mallara was seen more and more, usually with Eagus or Alaina.
Eagus, when he's not working his ass off trying to get a promotion, can be found inside the Lumpy Pumpkin more often than not. At least that hasn't changed, they think. Life has altered too much for comfort in recent years.
Skua's health has started to decrease, but most just assume it's another cold going around, her and Gaepora included. She will be alright one day, and the next sometimes she couldn't even get out of bed. This continues on for quite some time.
Horwell has far exceeded anyone's expectation for him and his knowledge. People are also impressed with Owlen's extensive collection and detailed notes. For their age, the two young men are far ahead of the time.
Alaina and Azilph still meet with the guardian of the skies, their only remaining connection to the heavens, and he tells them the same thing. 'The hero will be reborn… soon.' So they continue waiting, watching, and playing the part of two young lovers, forced upon them by the Golden Trio. Maybe that doesn't bad, to Azilph it was great, a dream come true. But for Alaina, her heart was never in it, she loved Azi of course, but it was weird to try and see him as anything more than a brother.
It's now been four years since graduation.
Mallara is in her home watching her son Pipit, now three. There is a knock at the door she opens it, expecting Skua or Alaina, but is greeted by two knights. One wearing a red uniform, the other in blue. She recognized them instantly as the members of her husband's unit. They had been tasked with defeating a horde of Sky Tails, dangerous creatures as everyone knew. So, although heartbroken, she wasn't surprised when they told her he was killed by them. Once they left, though she wasn't to saddened, she started mourning and enter Skua.
Skua is now pregnant with her and Gaepora's child it's only been a few months so she hasn't stopped working and that drives Gaepora crazy. She takes a seat next to Mallara and asks what's wrong. Mallara tells her and continues crying as Skua embraces the woman. Pipit isn't paying to much mind to what's going on as he's happy ignoring the world and drawing pictures of Loftwings, his fascination with the guardian birds started at a very young age. The women glanced down at him and started talking about how it could affect him or if it even would.
Owlen hasn't left his office in the last three days his fascination with plants has him engrossed in botany. When he does finally leave he's met with the news and goes to Horwell, the leading bird expert at the time. The discussion starts with ways to help their friend but eventually turns into a more depressing argument over whether plants or animals are better. The commotion earns the attention of Eagus. He is now Knight Commander, and well respected by the students as well as the rest of Skyloft.
Alaina and Azilph are riding their loftwings, patrolling the skies after a long conversation with the guardian Levias who has passed to them a rather disturbing message. On a small island to the east of Skyloft, there stood a house. Inside the home is the child born with the soul of Hylia's Hero. They go to see the hero, but the sight is, disturbing, to say the least.
The next day the denizens of Skyloft act as if everything's normal, Alaina walks to Mallara's holding a small child, to them he's her son, there are only three who know the truth. Azilph and Alaina act the part of the child's parents. What had greeted them on that small island determined their next move. A smoldering pile of ash where a home once stood, only one place was seemingly intact and inside was a small infant. It wasn't apparent where the fire originated, they both shared a look of understanding. The goddesses told them to protect the child, and have him grow up safe, so they made sure he got to them.
A few months go by, and Skua gives birth to a daughter however, there are complications. She dies shortly after, leaving her husband alone to raise the small child. Everyone mourns her loss, and it's that day she learns what Alaina really is, and is the first to call her by that name.
Two more years pass, no one's forgotten the departed.
Gaepora hasn't forgotten his wife, but the hole has been filled with the endless love he has for his child. Mallara still misses her husband but she spends her time doting on the children of the friend group, so remains cheerful. Zelda and Link have become best friends and they see Pipit as an older brother, a role he's proud to have. They all travel to the home by the graveyard to spend time with one another and reminisce about the past. Alaina gladly welcomes the company while Azilph is working.
The way things are, no one would have thought it was possible, but it seems the goddesses just love making Alaina miserable. Her nephew, the little six-year-old Pipit, adored her and strived to be like her in every way. She was strong, smart, and to the little boy, she was the perfect example of what a knight should truly be. So naturally, he would follow her around when she was patrolling Skyloft, sometimes even sneak off at night so he could see what it was she did. The only problem with this, monsters came out at night, not only that, Remlits became extremely hostile towards people.
It was one of those nights. His mother was asleep and the young boy wanted to see what he could learn from the knight. If he could be unseen for long enough that is. Normally he'd be found almost instantly, though on the rare occasion it would be almost an hour before anyone noticed he was missing, or outside. He couldn't help it, what she did set Pipit down his path to being the best knight possible. She inspired the small boy to strive for his best in every aspect of life.
No one's quite certain how it happened, but the boy was knocked from the edge of Skyloft, he screamed in fear because, at the time, he couldn't call for a loftwing. Alaina heard the cry and leaped off the edge she whistled for her bird and it came, she mounted and the dove down after him. She couldn't reach the boy fast enough and dismounted her ride falling through the barrier. She wrapped her arms around the little boy and from her back the tattoo separated from her skin forming the goddess' symbol. The wing formation acted as a way to soar back above the barrier and her partner came to catch her and the child.
The dark bird was well hidden in the background of the night, which made the red wings of its rider stand out even more. Pipit looked up and saw the familiar face of his aunt smiling back. He noticed the wings protruding from her back and mumbled, "Angel…" She looked ahead and as her bird landed the wings once again settled into her back. The boy remained in her arms as she went to the home of Mallara and opened the door. "Mallara… We need to talk…"
The woman turned in her bed before waking, "...Alaina? What are you doing here?" She set the boy down, "Pipit followed me out again."
"What? He was in bed. I just checked on him before falling asleep."
The brunette sat up and noticed her child sitting at the foot of her bed, "Well what did he do? We know he follows you around sometimes, so that's not to surprising." The knight crossed her arms, "I had to jump off the edge to get to him, Mallara he nearly fell through the cloud barrier." The room was silent for a moment, "So… you're telling me… you saved his life?" The boy finally chimed in, "She did Mommy, she brought me back up," He looked to the silver haired girl a spark in his eye, "Auntie's an angel!"
Tears started falling from his mother's eyes before she hugged her friend, "I'll say… Thank you, Alaina… I'll scold him later, but for now… He's right, you're an angel." Alaina returned the embrace reluctantly, but still genuine. After the separated Mallara put her son back to bed and her friend said goodnight as she left to return to her rounds.
Word quickly spread about the woman saving the young boy, and soon of Skyloft was calling her by the name he bestowed upon her, Angel. All the children of her friends called her Auntie Angel and, though she enjoyed that it made them happy, she knew there would be consequences. Shortly after the incident Azilph and her had talked about what she had done, and they both knew what the goddesses would think. Alaina revealed her wings, it was known by someone that she was a celestial being, they would soon find out and she would be punished. How? They weren't sure, but it was inevitable.
An entire year went by.
Neither Azilph nor Alaina had heard or sensed anything out of the ordinary. They began to think the higher-ups had missed Alaina's reveal, until the day the Loftwing souls spoke up. They were sitting side by side feet hanging off the edge of Pumpkin's Landing when it happened. The black one landed and the silver bird followed shortly after. The way they were acting made it apparent something was amiss. So they jumped and called for their partners.
