//------------------------------//
// We Get Along, Sometimes 
// Story: The Olden World 
// by Czar_Yoshi 
//------------------------------//

In Amber's room, the window blinds were fully drawn back, though the ship wasn't angled right for the room to get much sun. An empty, insectoid pony body sat patiently on the floor, staring at the door with empty eyes, and when Amber pushed it open, the shell thumped its tail against the ground.

"How... quaint," Felicity said, regarding Valey's remains.

"Here you go," Grenada finished, depositing Felicity on the floor and stepping away. "I am going to see what needs doing."

Amber rushed to the shell's side, giving it a caring nuzzle that it accepted with a blank, pupilless stare. "Valey! I'm back! You're still here..."

"It is," Felicity agreed, sitting upright. "Do you think you could pass me a towel, darling?"

"One second." Amber finished hugging the shell, then opened a cabinet built into the wall. She kicked out two towels for herself and three more for Felicity, depositing the beret on the empty Valey's head and throwing her saddlebags in the corner. She rubbed herself down in a brisk ten seconds, fixing the towels around her mane and tail before turning to Felicity. "Alright. Now that I'm back with my friend, we can take our sweet time. Let's get you dry enough not to ruin my bed..."

Felicity hummed as Amber quickly set to work. "You know, you're not quite as poorly-off in here as I was expecting. I supposed the messy mane speaks of poor self-care, but you've got the window cracked and everything..."

"I'm not poorly off," Amber protested, squeegeeing Felicity's tail with a linen. "I'm taking care of my friend. And I messed my mane up on purpose. Valey never brushed hers, so it's my way of paying tribute and making it feel a little more like her in here."

Felicity stretched, relaxing instantly. "Keep being that cheerful, and I'm going to know you're not alright. Though it certainly isn't stopping you from being very helpful and considerate..."

Amber shrugged, wrapping back her mane as well and getting to work on her fur. "Who said anything about me being alright?" she asked, a note of frustration in her otherwise-upbeat voice.

"Well..." Felicity frowned.

"I'm not. I hate losing friends. More than that, I hate seeing my friends lose friends, but Valey was special to me, too." Amber's toweling intensified. "But the last thing I'm going to do is fall into an unproductive rut of feeling sorry for myself and not getting up in the morning, because I've seen that happen and I know where it leads. And I am not going to let Valey come back to see me like that. So I stay on my legs, and this is what that looks like."

Felicity's ears fell. "I see."

"And if you're going to be poking ponies for not being fine, I'm going to do a little prodding of my own, too," Amber continued. "I didn't say anything by the river because Grenada was there, but what's with you? Valey always vouched for you up until you betrayed us... mostly betrayed her, though. And now the moment she's gone, we get you instead, and you're worried about how we're doing? You have to have something against her, but I can't see what. Are you jealous?"

"Odd of you to be verbally tearing me down while pampering me at the same time, darling," Felicity meekly pointed out.

"They're not mutually exclusive." Amber continued drying. "I'm going to continue doing what I can to help us reach the day when Valey can return, and if that means getting you to be productive?" She rolled Felicity partway onto the bed, starting on her chest. "Congratulations, I'll do it."

Felicity frowned. "You're not in a good way."

"It's not stopping me from helping."

Felicity shrugged. "This is the first time I've seen you outside your room in days."

"I am helping by caring for Valey and making sure she'll be in perfect condition for when we can put her back together," Amber insisted. "And it's a job nobody else seems willing or able to do."

"So hypothetically, if someone told you it was time to cut your losses..." Felicity hesitantly began.

Amber squinted at her, pausing in her towel-down. "You do have a problem with her." She resumed her work, not making eye contact.

"I didn't say that," Felicity calmly began.

Amber interrupted her before she could continue. "Well, it sure sounded like you wanted to give up on her body to me. You're going to have to explain to me a little better, because it seems like you just joined on with our ship now that she's gone."

"Well, now you're trying to make me cry," Felicity protested. "What am I supposed to say, agree we must get her back at any means necessary? It's a fool's errand and not one we're even capable of!"

"Don't you tell me what we are and aren't capable of." Amber gritted her teeth. "I have a friend whose name is Starlight. And while everyone else was dead, dying or not even there, I watched her fight off that thing Crystal became and win. After everyone else got destroyed without even a fight! If she can beat the thing that beat Valey, I believe she can make this right. It isn't the first time she's done the impossible."

Felicity blinked. "This isn't Gyre, darling. What are you doing heaping your work and expectations on a filly?"

Amber tensed. "Who else would you turn to?"

"Do you know how many goodbyes I've had over the course of my life?" Felicity frowned again.

Amber toweled harder. "Does it change anything?"

Felicity gave her an intense stare. "I just parted ways with my two sisters, whom I helped raise from birth and shared everything with, over an argument on what to do with you and your friends! I chose trying to get a chance to give you a real apology over going with them, and now not only has that falling-out turned into the last time I will ever see their faces again, the mare I wanted to apologize to isn't even here anymore! So as much as I might deserve it, before you question my loyalties any further I'll have you know I am hurting just as much as anyone else here!"

Amber's mane deflated. "...Fine. Whatever. Just... she was special to me, so think twice before saying we should give her up for dead where I'm listening."

"She was special to me, too, not that anything ever would have come of it." Felicity folded her ears. "It sort of takes that to make one rethink two decades worth of a life dedicated to vengeance. And I prefer to honor the dead rather than burying my head in denial. But... well, whatever, as you put it."

Amber concentrated on her work. "I'm not sure we're talking about the same kind of special."

"And I wouldn't be surprised if we are," Felicity replied. "Clearly special enough to get you this off-balance just by passing away. It's obvious you're deeply hurting, and..."

"Do you mind not talking about how bad I'm trying not to feel?" Amber tensed again. "It's an uncomfortable reminder of things I'm trying not to think about at least until my friend's ribs are healed and we can talk about it together without not being able to hold each other. And you're the one who's trying to cope by getting others to make their body feel nice."

Felicity winced. "Is it awkward? Sorry, darling. This isn't unique to this situation, closeness is just how I unwind and deal with stress..."

"No, not awkward." Amber's voice was unnaturally casual. "Sorry. That's not sarcasm. Figuring out what puts ponies at ease is a big part of what I do, and Riverfall was pretty big on touchy-feely and platonic or non-serious cuddles. And regardless of my personal feelings, if this helps put you in a better emotional place and that helps you help us, it helps Valey, too."

"Rather kind of you not to question that," Felicity mumbled. "And I'm sorry as well. It's obvious feelings are running a little high right now, and I can see where you're coming from..."

Before Amber could respond, Valey's shell walked up close and sat down next to them, staring off to the side.

"Look how alive she is," Amber huffed. "There has to be something we can do."

"I'm not sure there is," Felicity replied.

Amber gave her a challenging look. "Well, there won't be if everyone doesn't give their all. If we ever come to a choice where backing down would be easier than pursuing an option for getting her back, what will you do?"

Felicity raised an eyebrow. "Is that implying we'll find an option?"

Amber countered the expression. "Is that implying taking care of her isn't one already?"

Felicity sighed. "Fair point. I just... I really don't know if this will make you happy, but I feel like I owe it to Valey to-"

"Hey." Amber leaned in closer, putting a hoof around her. "Speaking of happiness? If this is as enjoyable for you as you were talking it up to be in the river, here's a deal: back me up in taking care of Valey and doing what we need to in order to bring her back, then I will do it again whenever you want, as long as we can get along, stop clashing and stop poking into each other's hurts and personal business. No more of that let's-not-do-that business. Sound like a fair and square trade?"

Felicity bit her lip. "You found my weakness. I comply."

She offered a hoof, and Amber took it, then knelt down and returned to drying her off, the shell sitting idly by.