A shiver of satisfaction slides along her spine as the mare explains the magic. The idea is pure novelty to her young mind. Though wings are commonplace in her family, the supernatural certainly is not. Another question sits at the tip of her tongue, but Evermind answers it before it can spring to life. Even if it’s only flowers, it’s still quite fascinating.

“I wish you could teach me..” Her tone is dreamy and full of longing. She loves beautiful things and would be thrilled to create them on the smallest whim. Indeed, part of the reason she has not bothered to return to her home is because Beqanna is bursting with pleasing elements, from the sublime plants to the frolicking wildlife to the elegant mare before her. “Are your moms pretty like you?”

She knows that her own dark appearance with its pops of fluorescent colors is attractive enough, but perhaps because it is her own normal that she is always captivated by those with contrasting appearances. They just always seem more angelic, more amicable when she comes across them. The soft glow of Evermind’s voice only confirms the girl’s opinion and her smile shifts from one of enthusiastic joy to one of reassured ease.

“Skywalker, but Sky is easier.”

She looks at their surroundings again as she offers her name, feeling that magnetic pull of its wordless invitation once more. Without missing a beat, she returns her attention to Evermind with an eager question lightly coated in emotional supplication. “Can I stay here?”

She senses that there is a small sliver of sorrow over not being able to teach her how to create her own flowers. Her smile softens into a look of concern.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind if you can’t. It seems like it would be fun, but don’t be sad if you can’t teach me!”

Happiness is one of the only things that motivates and matters to her, so she is mollified when Evermind’s face lights with it again. Whether it is because she is still a child or because of a deeper character flaw, the girl does not notice Evermind’s reluctance to tell more of her parents. Instead, she notices the warm feeling that spreads from her nose to her tail with the compliment on her name. Her smile widens again, but there is a touch of confusion in her storm-colored eyes as she tilts her head at the mare.

“Yes, I think so..?”

She is not quite sure what Evermind means by the name suiting her. Is she just wondering if Sky doesn’t like her name, or is she asking about flying? Because—

“I like being in the clouds very much! I don’t know why the adults always tell me I shouldn’t have my head in them.. it’s very pretty up there and I like to pretend I’m running on them like I run on the ground down here. I wish I could show you!”

She loses herself for a moment, nearly able to feel the crisp winds stroking her cheek and ruffling the feathers of her wings, despite their currently being tucked at her sides.

Truly, flying is an endless supply of joy to the youngster, for many reasons. While the ground has its own beauty and treasures, the aerial views reveal the breathtaking details of the entire picture that are sometimes concealed by limited lines of sight, such as the demarcation where the gentle shimmer of the expansive ocean devolves into chaos as waves swell and crash against the shore. There is also a sense of freedom, of escape, that she is unable to replicate by staying grounded, so she takes to the sky often when feeling overwhelmed or upset.

Her attention snaps back as Evermind speaks again. She misses the first bit about staying in the Gates, but her mind latches onto one of her favorite words.

“Oh, I love friends.. yes, we should be friends! I wonder if there are more friends here?”