"That looks like our ship, alright!"
Slipstream hovered, trying for a better look at the boat rounding the hill into sight. Ornate and mastless, its deck hung beneath the airy wire cage that normally held a pink harmony comet, and two figures could vaguely be seen through the glass windshield at the front. Maple waved, Gerardo saluted, and the ponies within waved back, one disappearing and reappearing moments later on the deck as the boat was guided into a dock. A small bustle of activity started below, several hired hooves and talons grabbing and tying rope so that the Dream was securely moored in place out of the river's main flow, and then it was done.
Gerardo and Slipstream flapped down and Valey just jumped, leaving Maple and Starlight to take the lift to the dock level and be the last ones to arrive. By the time Starlight made it to the ship's side, a gangplank had already been hoisted into place, and she hopped aboard, the rest of her friends already fast in conversation with Shinespark and Diego.
"It was probably a good thing I was along to navigate," Diego was modestly narrating, taking a slight bow to Shinespark. "We ran into some trouble near the mouth of the river at the Goldoa-Stormhoof border with a barricade on inbound traffic due to recent threats by pirates, but fortunately the guards recognized me and figured they'd make an exception since they knew who I was. How are you all liking Izvaldi? Anything worth being there for happen?"
Shinespark wiped a hoof across her brow. "It's been nice to have some time relatively alone on the water after Stormhoof. The Dream handles like a dream, too. That's Sosan engineering for you..." She blew on her spiky bangs. "But yeah, how are things here? Tell me what I've been missing out on!"
Gerardo immediately cleared his throat. "While I wasn't present for it, the most immediately interesting event is that some of us ran into another windigo-"
"You found another windigo heart!?" Shinespark interrupted, already tense. "This far away from Yakyakistan?"
"Not a heart, if you'd let me finish," Gerardo went on. "According to miss Maple and Valey, an actual live windigo like we encountered in the skyport on that fateful night."
Shinespark briefly sputtered, but before she could question it Diego hung his head in mourning. "Sounds like someone went and took you to see Puddles, then."
"You could say that." Maple grimaced. "We heard about what happened after from Wallace and Morena."
"Yep..." Diego glanced toward land. "There's no heroic exaggeration in that story. No point in it, when it doesn't have a happy ending. I still wish there was something more we could do for her, even with all we've been doing."
"I..." Shinespark swallowed, glancing around at everyone. "I think I might need the long version on what I missed."
Gerardo stowed his payment of apples in the ship's storeroom, and Maple retreated to busy herself making dinner, but the rest of the friends seated themselves in the reading room and went about catching Shinespark and Diego up. Gerardo did most of the talking, since Maple was absent and Valey uncharacteristically silent, but Starlight had to step in occasionally for things he wasn't there for and Slipstream always tried to help. For the second time that day, hours ticked by as the group caught each other up, and Maple finally returned to inform everyone that food was ready just in time to join in talking about the concert.
"You sure enjoyed singing along," Slipstream remarked halfway through her extolling. "I'm glad you felt it was that special, but..." She shook her head. "Sorry. I don't really know how to say this."
"Hmm?" Maple stopped and tilted her head, halfway settled into her seat at the table.
"No, no." Slipstream waved her off. "It doesn't matter."
Valey raised an eyebrow. "Ironflanks sure seems to like it. Did you not?"
Slipstream frowned in embarrassment, everyone's eyes suddenly on her. "No, I enjoyed it a lot! I just didn't feel any kind of deep magical something like what you're talking about. I don't know, it... just felt like the words and melody were there and I could join in without thinking too much about it. Not all the things you're talking about. It's almost making me feel like I did something wrong or missed out."
"Most intriguing," Gerardo remarked. "I had a similar experience to miss Slipstream, though hardly an unpleasant one. I suppose I presumed the music had a different effect on ponykind than griffons like myself."
Diego shrugged. "Not to gang up on you, Maple, but I've been to plenty of concerts from the Firefly Sisters before and on the nights when there's magic, it feels like what those two said."
"Oh..." Maple bit her lip, looking slightly downcast. "But I couldn't have imagined it. It was like there was a presence, or I was pulled into the song and physically connected... I could feel everyone else around me who was singing too. It reminded me almost of the crystal palace in Ironridge, when I was sitting at the bottom. Did no one else really feel that?"
"I felt it," Starlight volunteered, coming to Maple's defense and recalling her own experience during the song. She had definitely noticed the ponies around her more strongly as well, and she had a recollection at the start of having a choice whether to join in, like it was something external that wanted to make a connection. "What Maple did."
Maple gave her a grateful look, and Shinespark glanced at Valey. "What about you? Did you feel anything?"
Valey frowned. "Yeah. It kinda reminded me of the way the dusk statue I found beneath the Stormhoof bridge felt, except without the intense feeling of being looked at. No danger, but just a little creepy, you know? I didn't actually join in."
Everyone looked at each other, and Diego shrugged. "Don't look at me. Chauncey studies their music and spends a large amount of time figuring out how to record it. Maybe he could tell you why it works differently for different people."
"Well, we'll add that to our list of things to do tomorrow," Slipstream offered. "If it's that great, maybe there's something he can do to make me feel it fully!"
"We could also do it tonight, if no one's too tired," Maple offered. "Chauncey did say last night that if we're looking for him, he's better to talk to at night."
"Hold up," Valey interrupted, looking at the table. "Before you all go making plans for tonight... I've got something I need to talk to you about. At least Sparky and Ironflanks, but Birdo and Starlight and Slipstream are gonna find out soon enough, so might as well have them in on it too. Sorry, though, uh, Diego. Not you."
Diego respectfully nodded. "Just say the word when you're ready, and I'll leave."
"Valey?" Shinespark glanced up, raising an eyebrow.
"You'll see. Be patient." Valey didn't meet her gaze. "If it helps, I'm really not looking forward to talking about this, but I've got a pretty good reason now to go ahead and do it anyway. You might even still have time to go bug Chauncey."
Maple pursed her lips. "If there's something you need us for, we can be here too..."
Valey didn't reply, tending to her dinner. The rest of the meal went by in slightly more silence, Gerardo volunteering yet another retelling of his adventures for the day. Eventually, the room darkened as the commerce building's shadow reached the windows, and Diego announced his farewell, trotting away with an earnest thanks for the food and an offer that everyone who stayed on the Sky Goat was welcome there again if there was anything they needed. One by one, creatures finished their meals, Maple and Shinespark bussing dishes, and finally the dining hall was still.
"...Mind turning this on?" Valey asked, pulling her sound stone out from beneath her hat and nudging it over to Shinespark.
Shinespark's horn pulsed with light, and the stone came alive. It took only a few minutes for Amber to answer, her normally chipper voice cool and reassuring. "Valey?"
"Yo." Valey left the stone on the table, not touching or holding it, its internal swirling of magic reflected in her emerald eyes. "Sparky showed up with her ship. I'm, uhh..." She swallowed. "Pretty sure I'm as ready as I'll ever be for this."
"Then do it. I'll be right here."
Valey touched the pendant on her chest and closed her eyes, but hesitated, stopping just short of saying something. Maple and everyone else watched, mixing concern and curiosity.
"I..." Valey started, then stopped again, pushing back a lump in her throat. "Bananas. I..."
Amber waited patiently. Maple scooted a little closer, offering a hoof. "I don't know what's going on, but we're here to help."
"Why does this have to be the hardest part?" Valey whispered. "Why couldn't I just beat up another yak or something? Ugh..."
"May I?" Amber requested gently, leaving no doubt that she wouldn't push anything too far.
Valey swallowed again. "Ugh. G-Go ahead."
"Shinespark," Amber requested. "The piece of moon glass in Valey's pendant. She wants to put it in Braen's old armor and see if the soul inside can use it as a body. She'll tell you why when she's ready, but I swear on my friendship with Maple and Willow it's for a good cause. Do you still have everything you'd need to do that?"
Shinespark looked slightly surprised. "I should? A soul? Braen's armor was designed specifically for my brand, so I don't know if another could properly power it, but I could find a workaround. And I don't have what I'd need to recharge the self-destruct mechanism I used-"
"No," Valey forcefully said. "No self-destruct mechanisms. That won't be necessary."
Shinespark thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Believe me, Valey, this is too weird a request for me not to want an explanation for sooner or later, but I'll take your word for it. It's not like Braen's being used for anything more important at the moment. Everyone else trusts this, right?"
Maple nodded firmly. "Amber is serious, and I trust what she trusts. And I'd trust you even without that, Valey. Everything I told you a long time ago in the Earth District still applies."
"...Without me even telling a word, huh?" Valey grinned, baring her teeth, and held up the pendant. "Huh. Well. Let's see where this takes my life this time."