The crew was anxious as they guarded, taking their positions on deck.The night chime rang: the hour before the sun descended approached. The captain made his rounds on deck, looked each crew in the eye, one glare from the captain and they resolved to keep the mares from rushing to the starboard side.
"Pilot!" the captain cried. A electric blue pegasus with white mane and silver wingtips fluttered down to his side.
He talked to him quietly.
Our closest translation: "Are your men in position?"
"Yes sir..."
"All of them standing by, not just the nightflyers."the captain looked to the sky."We will have the moon tonight."
"I.....yes sir!"
"If we have an incedent, I don't think I have enough unicorns on board." Captain Updraft smacked his lip."God bless them! I don't think the crew can stem the tide!"
"I understand sir, I will explain the situation."
"I don't want anypony hurt, tell them to use there best professional judgement, but..."he raised a hoof over his head and slowly brought it down to the deck as he spoke."I never want them to forget the trip down. Do you understand?"
"We've seen the frayed condition of the ropes,they've embarrassed you and taken advantage of your hospitality."he smiled darkly."I'll pass your request along to my crews."
He turned to leave and looked back."If they fall, when they safely land, I don't want them back!"
Pilot nodded his understanding.
The captain again took his positions before the assembled mares and put on a pleasant countenance.
"Tonight,"He began."is the end to the longest day of the year! I am told by reliable sources that Celestia is going to put on a show for us the likes of which Equestria has never seen,"he looked starboard." in the sky,tonight, to the south!" Captain Updraft Tackey Tea Sails pointed starboard."You have an hour to find comfortable seating. Once settled, that will be your assigned place. Everypony is to stay in their assigned places on deck."
He was master of his ship and it would stay that way!
The crew took confidence in his solidity while giving the mares direction, even the snooty stateroom guests followed said directions obediently...nobody likes vermin.
"Keep the designated walkways clear, you "will" be moved!"
The mares chose their respective spots carefully, spread blanket, getting comfortable like cats with luggage used as pillows or walls, being sure to keep the walkways clear.
Poor Marigold was shoved to some cold place near the bow. Asking to buy more blankets, she was ignored. She was just about to move to another spot when crew came to her.
"Stay here. This is your spot. Do not leave your spot or your place."
"Yes sir." she sighed and sat down quietly.
Everpony watched the sky,watched intently and anxiously..Excited as they were.
As the sun was setting:
"I see a small tiny figure descending on the plains! A descending twinkling star!"
Mares on the deck began to shout:
"Who else could it be but Celestia?!!"
"She spreads her wings to bring down the sun!"another shouted.
"Look! She settles, descending on a high hill to the south!"
Crew members smirked, they knew Celestia would be too tiny to see besides Celestia didn't "Twinkle!"
Last light of the sun, spilling over the horizon, then the last sparkle.
It never ended!
The light poured out of that sparkle!
As the it came, it turned into waves of pastel color in the sky of clouds, washing across, whirlpooling, with gentle subsets of light swirling, in an aurora above.
No! Not an aurora.
"Wings!"cried a mare."Her wings!"
Celestia's "wings", their joints somewhere in the valley and plains below, spread across,from horizon to horizon! Great pastel illusory wings they were! Gleaming wings! Swirling as oil on water,mother of pearl and soap bubbles, clear rainbows in starlight! The moon crested over as if riding surf. A great silver bucket, spilling its luminescence.
Lingering sunset's light mixed with moonlight in great clods, fusing with starlight that became smaller clumps, falling from high in the sky to the earth, showering shooting stars, trailing glitter as they fell!
There were millions of them!
Raining down, each containing something dark in the center.
What they saw.
"The stallions!"cried a mare in exuberance, uninhibited, a terrible sound."The stallions, the stallions they arriving!!!"
Mares ran to the side of the ship to watch, nearly sending the ship, slowly dipping, into a slow stall.
Did they really care?
In wisdom the captain's wife, Saffron, had large steaming pots on carts wheeled out.
"Hot spiced punch!" she cried. "Feel the cold air!"she crooned "Feel the chill in yer bones!" She drew a cup for herself.
"Come drink with us! Drink with the scallions of the air!"She swallowed a huge swallow from the mug."Drink! And! Be! Warm!!!!!!!" A voice as ugly and instinctive as on, announcing the stallions arrival.
Distracted, the spell cast, the craft was wrighted as the mares ran back, back to the steaming bowls of hot punch in the center of the decks, back to get their own cup of punch.
"Just in time!" The Captain Sails sneered,secured in the visible confirmation of the mares behavior about his decision.
He was in his rights, of course, rights to put them off.They were a danger.
Saffron Sails made note of the many Mares who had run to the side then had joined in this rabble, greedily guzzling down punch.The crew merely smiled as the rabble demanded and downed second, even thirds! Calmed, they mellowly returned back to their places, to their own respective places,groggy.
"There's magic in those pots!" said a crew.
"Sush you!" said Saffron motherly."Open your mouth and fill it up!" she gave him a small cup filled a little."Such small words.Drink! Mocker! Captains orders!"The stallion's wife came beside him, smiling a wide smile, licking her lips.
"Want some?"he asked sheepishly.
"Oh no darling!" she scooped a bigger draft."All for you!" As she hoofed it back to him smiling, her eyes saying,"Shut your pie hole."
Saffron wheeled the cart, with the large steaming pot on top, down the rows. Encouraging the ones who had stayed seated to drink, everypony did. The streaming stars behind her, lighting her face, were hypnotic and she knew it.
Young Marigold mare watched awestruck, the sky, wrapped in fascination staring, until she was startled by something beside her.
"Here you!"It was Saffron."Help me spread out this blanket."
As soon as the welcome blanket was spread out,a thick comforter like bed sheet, insulated from the cold of the deck, they both settled down ,starring at the sky, as it continued its rain of liquid stars.
Saffron encouraged Marigold to drink.She had to offer three times. Marigold declined.
"I don't feel right eating something I haven't payed for,"marigold protested. "though, a hot drink would be nice I'm hesitant to dip into my life savings around my neck, for just a drink."
"What is your name Raw bones?"
"Ma..Marigold."
"Saffron Spice...er...Tea Sails. Ah me, its been over two decades and I still do that! First thing to go is the gold...er last name.Then the mind. But it is nice to have somepony to lean on."
Marigold clutched her purse her discernment going off wildly.
Very good Marigold your getting better,let's show you everything is ok.
"Marigold what did your mother tell you about being polite?"
Marigold was affronted starting back making an annoyed horsey sound."You're not my mother!"
"No, but I'm old enough to be.What did your mother say? Saffron stared at the mare."This is my house you are my guest...have some punch.""
Marigold would have refused but the scene, below the gondola outside, the showering stars starkly contrasted, in the moon's light with ragged mountains, twisting, looked to marigold like some kind of predator,snarling.She didn't look for the eyes.
She felt like a little filly curling up under an older adults stare as a parent looked on, expecting her to answer politely.
Go on Marigold.
Fortunately, with the heighth, the rigging and railings, reminded her of an embrace, in a dream.
The moon was there!
She sighed and dipped her cup into the nearby pot and brought the cup up to her lips.
Before the cup came to her lips."Dear that's not nearly enough! "More protest, Saffron tossed what was in the cup over the side then drew a large cupful and gave it to Marigold.
"Thank you." Marigold said taking slow small sips as she watched the star fall.
They talked. Conversation wandered.
"Marigold? "Saffron asked. "Why are you going to the capital?"
"I'm going for a husband just like everypony else, just as the proclamation promised. "she said matter a factly.
"I don't believe it." Safforn said chagrinned. "You're much to young. Maybe youngest shipboard! "She stared hard at Marigold till it was uncomfortable. "Are you thinking all your troubles will be solved by a mate? Take my advise! "She touched Marigold shoulder with her hoof and spoke gently. "Go home, back to your parents, we'll make sure you get home safely, and look for a mate when you older."
Marigold looked at the sky, the starfall continued. Maybe Saffron was right.
Marigold took a large sip from her cup. She ran her hoof around the rim of her cup and then spoke. "My father..."she hesitated. "my father said, 'advice is something old and used. The bad bits covered, then cleaned and polished then given out as something new. "
All Marigold wanted was not to be alone.If she had to fight for a mate like everypony else so be it!
"Normally I would agree with you, but I was promised a mate! "Marigold looked at a particular blobby star fall. "Do you think that's him?" Saffron was quiet.
"My parents were old, I've been on my own for quiet a while now." she took a drink. "I walked through my empty house, and looked at my empty bed and though about the horror of my empty life and you know what? I realized it didn't have to be like this!" She took another drink. "I have dam friends, always gets happy round this time of year, this blasted season." Big swallow, coughing.
"Just being single, they think I'm a monster! Coming to take their sires!"
"I have room in my life!"She became sleepy then yawned. "I have room in my life to be with another, to be committed to another..."her eyes began to well with tears. "Even if he never touches me at least he would be there!" She rubbed her eyes. "There is a stallion for me and I...want...him!" she felt really groggy."I..burn..Saffron."yawn "I burn..."
Marigold's blue eyes eyes looked up at the blobby stars again, continued up and up, rolling round back till she was looking behind at the ship. Her head dropped, Saffron caught her , keeping the mug upright.
Saffron Sails stroked Marigold's mane, petted her head, set it on a pillow and pulled the blankets round, nice and warm.
"You've passed my test." she said laying the mare down." I'm convinced. You can stay, Marigold. "she gave her a light hug.
She tucked her, in the way a mother would and as Marigold fell asleep she curled up next to the older mare.
Light snoring came from the decks. At the twelfth hour the star fall finally ceased.
"Time to start clean up." crews gathered to Saffron." Ok guys, just assume blankets and bags belong to mares with them." The blimp began descending. "Put them off together in the clearing but I want the ships blankets back, that's company property!"
"Guess I'm guide."said a mare sourly.
"Its not that far, for all the sweat of complaining of heavy bags and hard hiking, the path is short, going directly across. You should be there an afternoon before, as traffic permits us."Saffron smiled."They have to hike out everything, no littering.They hard hiking will make better of themselves!"
"When they get to the city they'll be like that mare," she laughed."jumping aboard at port the other day!"
"Truly," Smiled back Saffron.She gave the scout a bag."Keep it quiet, your pay, refunds for the rest of the trip and a little extra to pay for what wasn't put off with them.
Saffron remeber something. Calling out to the crew.
"Guys, heaven knows why they would bring such bobbles but, you did remember to check for jewelry in the cabins and staterooms?"
"Unicorn are doing so now ma'am."said a crew member.
"You! Stop snoring, get to work, sleepyhead!" said a foreman to the stallion given punch.