By the time the last of the mares cleared out of Maple's lobby, yawning regretfully and watching over their shoulders as they donned whatever raingear they possessed, the sun had long set and the rain not abated, coating the world outside in pitch blackness. It was through that blackness that a beaked figure stepped, protected from the weather by a cloak of his own.
Starlight sagged, letting all the evening's tension flow out of her. Telling stories of Equestria should have gotten easier once she got past her reluctance to put herself in the spotlight, but she had all too quickly been reminded just how little she knew of her homeland. Between her young age, remote hometown, and tendency since Sunburst left to ignore any attempt at tutelage, she had been unable to answer even basic questions like how big the country was, or why there wasn't a queen.
"Starlight. Maple." A voice from the open doorway interrupted her reverie, and a hood was shrugged off to reveal Gerardo Guillaume. "The optimal time for departure draws near. Are you ready?"
"I am," Maple said softly from the shadows. Her sides were bare, a testament to the power of her cutie mark in packing for trips. Idly, Starlight wondered just how much it could carry. "Starlight's been busy, though. Starlight? Do you have anything you want to pack?"
"Mhm." Turning, Starlight quickly ascended the stairs, rounding the corner into Maple's bedroom. She paused for a second at the sight of the bed; it was late and she was tired, even following her experiment-induced nap earlier. She hadn't even known that was the last time she would get to sleep in it... but it didn't matter. If she could leave ponies behind, she could leave a bed. It wasn't like beds could miss her.
She picked up her saddlebags from where they lay. Blanket... water canteens... her cutie mark kit... and two books. She blinked as Sosa's journal floated in front of her. So far, she hadn't told a single pony she had that. It was the one secret of her journey she had managed to keep... for whatever it was worth. But maybe it would be worth a lot? She shrugged and stuffed it back into her bag.
"All right. I'm ready," Starlight announced, reaching the bottom of the staircase again. Maple nodded from where she was locking the storeroom, and Gerardo stopped pacing in front of the door.
"Excellent. Then we should be off." The big griffon pushed open the front door, looking back. "I would offer to carry you both to save time, but given that the rain shows no signs of abatement, I fear that may be unwise..." Apologetically, he bowed his head. "I've already taken the liberty of speaking with Arambai, and Willow and Amber. They will all be meeting us at the dock for a final sendoff."
Maple nodded. "Thank you. And you..." She grinned uneasily. "Probably wouldn't want to carry me. Come on, Starlight. Let's go."
In the midnight rain that coated all of Riverfall, there wasn't a soul in sight to watch or interrupt the trio as they made their way northward. Maple, Gerardo and Starlight stepped purposefully through the mud, the filly walking on her own and keeping her oversized poncho from dragging with her horn. She also lit the way, albeit dimly to preserve her magical strength. Her horn still felt fresh after being knocked out, and she wanted to keep it that way.
In the teal shadows cast by Starlight's illumination, the town looked almost unimaginably alien, forming a stark contrast to the cheery, bustling streets of red and gold that filled the daytime. Whether they had been called home for a week or twenty-five years, those streets weren't there, and wouldn't get a goodbye from the three friends. Maple guided them more by muscle memory than landmarks, hooves treading muddied, familiar paths for what could be the last time, should she fail to keep the promise she had no intention of breaking.
Gerardo brought up the rear, his blue feathers shining handsomely in the light. He bore no load, having the entirety of his possessions stored in Arambai's house save for a suit and a sword. As the buildings grew taller around them, his head rose higher and higher in response, a combination of pride and eagerness driving him onward.
They reached Arambai's house. They didn't have to knock. The door swung open before them as they reached the roof, the yellow stallion pre-emptively standing in wait. "Good evening, you all," he growled. "Your friends are already here."
"Excellent." Gerardo bowed, and moved aside to let Maple and Starlight in. "Shall we continue?"
No further words were spoken. Amber and Willow emerged from a sitting room as if in a vigil, and the six creatures descended to the basement. Arambai ignored his machines entirely, sliding aside the hidden doorway to the tunnel under the river.
Single-file, they descended and then ascended, the stone walls radiating cold from the depth and the night. Starlight shivered, despite still wearing her poncho. She almost cast the wet thing aside, but remembered she might need it once they were back aboveground.
The second intersection came, and they turned left. The tunnel continued to slope upward. The magical lighting in the ceiling vanished, replaced by strips of glowing gemstones along the ground.
Quickly, the strips widened into two guidelines on either side, accompanied by a dramatic broadening in the tunnel. The ceiling ended entirely, and then the six were walking along a rain-soaked stone pathway, illuminated only by magic in the dark. They kept going.
In silent procession, they wound their way westward, the trail making concessions for crags and valleys in some spots and in others showing signs of outcroppings simply having been blasted out of the way. At times unnaturally smooth and at others nearly obstructed by the forest, it held the air of abandonment and repurposing possessed by so much of the city's northern riverside, now serving as host for the six quietest creatures in the city.
With funeral-like somberness afforded by a mix of excitement, anticipation, and impending goodbyes, they drew out of the forest at last. A single sturdy pier floated amid several ruined ones, and it was empty. But the lights on either railing were lit, and Arambai stepped towards it. "Careful," he muttered, the water on the surface nearly reflective if the rain would stop causing it to ripple. "This is not the kind of place you want to slip and fall in."
"So you had this and never told anyone..." Willow breathed, looking around the dock with slight misgiving in her eyes. "You told me not to go to Ironridge, yet you kept a route open for yourself..."
"Hey, uh... sorry about that..." Arambai rubbed at the back of his neck, which would have been more effective without the heavy poncho he wore. "I still stand by that, though. Sending two adults and a filly to Ironridge when one of them is a veteran traveler is one thing, but sending two fillies under the care of someone who's technically still a teenager? Besides, Ironridge is a lot more stable now. In those days, no one knew what would happen. There could have been a violent revolution at any minute."
"If I may," Gerardo broke in, raising a talon, "where are my crates? I was informed you brought my cargo here ahead of time."
"Just a sec, they're right here..." Muttering, Arambai stepped off the path and pulled a hidden cord. A camouflage tarp rolled upwards, revealing a large overturned metal container lit by gemstones that was mostly empty, save for two moderately large wooden boxes. "There. Happy with 'em?"
Gerardo beamed. "Thank you kindly!"
"Everyone, shhhh!" Amber waved a hoof in front of her muzzle. "Look upriver! Is that the boat? I think I see it!"
To the west, a hazy white glow slid into existence beyond the impenetrable curtain of rain. It approached deceptively fast, appearing not to move at all... and then suddenly being right in front of the ponies. The ship slowed to a stop, expertly hovering in the water next to the dock without any sign of moorings. At about twice the length of Gerardo's boat, every bit of it was sleek, technical, and radiating skilled craftsponyship. Its seamless docking complete, a lone stallion appeared at the railing... and mechanically lowered a ramp, stepping professionally onto the pier.
"Good evening," the stallion said, bowing, much of his dark green coat obscured by a heavy jacket. "Are these the ponies I am to take to Ironridge?"
"Yeah." Arambai nodded back. "And griffon. Though two of them are just here to say farewell." He gestured over his shoulder to the five in wait. "You all, I'd like you to meet Gunga. He's a bit of a higher-up up in Sosa, and is the one who keeps Riverfall's food supply delivered on time and without suspicion. Gunga, these are Maple, Starlight, Gerardo... and Amber and Willow. The first three will be accompanying you."
"A pleasure to make your acquaintances." Gunga bowed again, then fixed his eyes on Arambai. "Shall we proceed with unloading, then?"
"Sounds like a plan." Shrugging, Arambai turned to the other five. "This'll only take a few minutes. It's a long ride to Ironridge, though, and we don't want any delays. So if you've got any goodbyes to say... let's just say that now is your chance."
Maple nodded uneasily, looking around at her two staying friends. "Well, we'd better do that, then..."