It was much later in the day, bordering on twilight, when they stood in front of the mushroom office again. Seren clutching the dried papers to her chest. The pleasant temperature from before had cooled down to a chilly wind, so she stood close to Rive, letting their bigger body be a windbreaker. Detritus from the day rustled about and scratched against their legs as they looked up and down the emptyish street. It seemed to Seren that all the beings from before had been replaced with tantalizing scents from everyone settling down to dinner.

“I’m guessing it’s dinnertime, and that’s why it feels so empty?”

“Pretty much. People are seeking food, drinks, or company for the night, I’d imagine,” answered Rive. “Most ship people are the same. Spend enough time in the air, when you hit the ground you only want to do ground things. Like eating things you can’t get or make when traveling, drinking in excess since you’re not on duty, and meeting people you’ve only seen in dreams for the past few months.”

“And you still want to fly?”

“With my entire soul.”

Her father, she decided, would have been exactly the person Rive had described, doing the same things. Dad would probably be the person on duty while everyone else went out for their idea of fun.

They crossed the street, and Rive grabbed the handle and opened the door to let her go in first. They followed behind and when it clicked shut behind them, the lights above the counter bloomed and chased away the darker shadows of the corners. Which revealed Briarrshi. Watching the door with a manner Seren thought better suited a hungry hawk surprising a couple of mice.

“I knew you two would be back.”

Rive grabbed Seren’s arm hard enough that she was going to bruise later.

“Why would you think that?” asked Seren, stepping in front of Rive. They had been helping her so much since she had landed here, and if this was one way to shield them from whatever was coming, then she would gladly do so. Besides, she was the Captain. It was the captain’s job to protect their crew.

“Because you’re the one that I threaded earlier.” Bri stepped closer, but Seren didn’t give an inch. “You’ve cut your hair and changed your clothing, but I still remember that face. Did you deliver my letter?”

“Yes. Did you give Jo my…” her mind scrambled to remember what the currency was called here. “My eyes? All ten of them?”

“Yes.”

“Your threading was horrid!” Rive snapped, steeping to Seren’s side. “She had no idea what to do afterwards, or where to go. You could have at least guided her back to the ‘shroom!”

“I didn’t mind helping you.” Seren almost laughed as Bri and Rive both turned to her, their eyes wide in disbelief. “My problem is that you didn’t ask for my consent before controlling me.”

Thinking back, that had been the exact reason she’d run away from her father and dad. Well, more from her father.

“I couldn’t ask.” Bri’s face twisted into a regretful smile.

“You can always ask a person for consent!” Seren felt the force of all those years, all those arguments, all those times of being charmed and ordered to go “cool off” behind her. “What you can’t do is just... just force a person to accept your point of view, or what they think is best for you.”

“He knows.” Bri nodded to Rive and Seren felt her inner fire reach a new heat level.

“They know. They and them. If you bothered to ask a person what they wanted to be called. That’s manners.”

Rive snickered from behind her and their grip on her arm loosened a bit.

“Don’t lecture me on manners little—“

“Why not?” Seren cocked her head and folded her arms. Her arguments with her dad had never reached this level, and she wanted to hammer the point in while she could. “You seem to be either missing them or ignoring them, I’m not sure which, and honestly, I don’t care—.”

“Okay,” Rive said, stepping in with hands high, the rolls of paper obvious. “As much as I’m enjoying this and would like to see it play out, we have more important things that need to be done.”

“What are those?”

“These?” Rive waggled their hand. “Registration papers.”

“Fake,” spat Bri. “I was there when she,”—there was a sharp nod to Seren—“was brought in and I know full well her ship wasn’t registered.”

“Interesting.” Rive smiled, but it was sharp, like a shark. “Was this before or after you illegally threaded her for a personal errand?”

Seren felt a shift in the air. She kept herself from looking at Rive in disbelief, since this was the first time they had mentioned the action being illegal, and made herself focus on

“Are you...” Bri blinked and took a step back, her hand reaching out for the table behind her. “Are you attempting to blackmail me?”

“Why would I need to do that?” asked Rive, their grin growing even bigger. “We have papers proving we’re part of the guild.” He waved them again, and they rustled.

“All I need to do is say they’re fake and you won’t be able to leave Viadora.”

Rive sighed. Seren took a hint from them and also let out a sigh.

“Bri, it’s not—“

“Don’t call me that,” she snapped. “I haven’t worked as hard as I have to be called a child’s name.”

“There’s no ‘attempt’ of blackmail being made,” Rive retorted. “You performed an illegal action on someone who didn’t know it was, so that’s probably another law you broke. My only choices are to talk with your supervisor about your illegal action or to ask you for a favor in return.”

She snorted at the same time Seren did.

“We have papers showing registration for Captain Serri and myself. We just need you to put them where they belong.”

“And show me where my ship is!” added Seren quickly, nodding her head. Briarrshi closed her eyes and sighed, rubbing her head with her fingers.

“If I get caught,” she said, looking between the two of them. “It’ll cost me my name.”

“If we get caught,” Rive said, “we’ll have it worse.”

“Wait.” Seren stepped back as they both turned to look at her. “If they would fire you for that, then committing an illegal act is okay and they’ll reward you?”

Rive chuckled at that remark, then gestured for Bri to answer the question. The sigh she let out echoed around the room.

“No,” Briarrshi finally admitted. “That would have cost me more than simply my name.”

“Then why did you do that, but won’t help us with this?”

“That... that letter was important.”

“And me having my ship isn’t?!”

“No!” Briarrshi froze at Seren’s glare. “I mean yes.”

“Well, which is it?”

“The letter was a matter of life and your ship is just... everyday business.” Briarrshi paused. “What do you know about the gods here?”

Seren shook her head.

“Not much. Only what Rive’s explained.”

“The god of the white tower listens to our prayers when his interest is piqued. That means if you can show yourself to be something or someone unique and special, there is a bigger chance of him listening and granting it. You, not being from here, are as unique as I can get. Not knowing what you were doing also raises the interest factor.”

Rive coughed.

“So. You openly admit that you explained nothing, then threaded Captain Serri without her consent, and did all of this while you were on duty?”

“What was the prayer for?”

Briarrshi looked away, turning to where the books were kept. Seren waited and ticked off the time with her fingers.

“It was for my sister and new-brother. Begging the god to let them have a healthy birth.”

“And even that wasn’t needed!” exploded Rive, throwing their hands up in the air. “This is why your prayers aren’t liked! A family doesn’t need to be made with flesh and blood, it needs to be stitched together with love, acceptance, and trust! Your sister wants a healthy child? Go adopt one; the city has plenty of kids needing good parents!”

“Rive...” Seren put a hand on their shoulder and squeezed.

“...let’s go back to blackmailing me,” said Bri, her voice soft. “You need these papers filed, and she needs her ship, right?”

They both nodded and Briarrshi held out her left hand.

“Then, upon your honor and integrity, if I file the papers correctly and guide you to your ship, neither of you will mention my non-consensual threading of her, correct?”

Rive shook their head.

“I’m not agreeing to that unless my captain does. It’s not my place to say if she’s okay with your actions.” They turned to look at Seren. “And you shouldn’t say you’re okay with it if you’re really not.”

Seren nodded.

“It’s fine. And Rive, I’m not just saying that. No, I didn’t... enjoy it, but it doesn’t bother me like I know it bothers other people.” Seren let out a chuckle. “My dad would say the same thing, but my father would have already challenged her to a duel by now.” She didn’t mention that he would have been the clear winner.

“Then you accept?”

Seren took Briarrshi’s hand and shook it.

“Not your right, your left,” corrected Rive. Seren switched hands and then they added theirs, placing it on top of the two that were shaking.

“Fine. Give me your documents.” Briarrshi took them from Rive and went behind the counter, stamping them with various seals and inks. “This name, though... Raintide Sea faction? I’ve seen nothing like this before.”

“It would work though, right?” pressed Rive. “Unique, yes, but still allowed?”

“It falls within the rules... barely,” Briarrshi said. There was a thudding sound as yet another stamp was inked and pressed. “But you’re correct; it works. Where did you get these papers?”

“That for me to know and for you to find out,” came the flippant answer. “Do you really think I’m going to hand over my replicator?”

Bri didn’t answer that, taking the papers and rubbing over them to make a copy.

“Here. Take these, and when you get to your ship, place them somewhere away from the elements. If you lose them you’ll have to pay for replacements.” She walked away from the counter, paused at the arched doorway, and looked back at them. “Are you coming or not?”

As Seren and Rive hastened to follow, Briarrshi slipped into the hallways.

“Don’t trust her,” Rive whispered as they left the room.

“If I can’t trust her, then why are we trusting her to do this?” asked Seren, whispering back.

“We aren’t. We’re trusting her to do what’s in her best interests. Anything beyond that is up in the air.”

Seren nodded, lengthening her stride. It was easy to follow Bri this time. Mushrooms lit the way and showed where she had been, and the inside reflected the outer street; almost devoid of beings. The three of them walked higher and higher, making their way through a moist scent that changed every so slightly at undetermined sections.

“I’ve never been up this high,” whispered Rive, leaning closer to Seren.

“Does height mean anything?”

“Yes.”

Seren flinched as Bri answered her question.

“I wasn’t asking you.”

“No, but if you want information, you would have done better to ask the person who has the knowledge.” Briarrshi slowed down and turned to look at them. “The length and girth of a ship determines where it needs to be berthed. In your case, if you had been able to come in under your own sail, then you would have been placed in a much smaller berth either closest to the top of the mushroom or nearer to the roots. However, you were attached to Captain Juji’s ship and were berthed with him.”

That made sense. Seren nodded, and then another question came to mind, causing her to hurry to the berth manger.

“How do you know Captain Juji?” she asked. “It’s weird to think the two of you are friends since you’re pretty opposite.”

“That is a fact. Initially, since I was an assistant, I would gather information from his first mate, Jo. Then, she was sick one time and rules state that sick passengers or crew members must keep a one-week quarantine. I had to speak with Captain Juji and he stuck to me like water.”

“Water doesn’t stick to a person,” commented Rive. “It runs off of them.”

“Really?” Briarrshi laughed at that.

“Yeah. It pools down and puddles on the ground, soaks into the earth, or adds itself to other bodies of water.”

“So what remains behind that makes a person’s clothing outline them?”

Rive didn’t answer that. Seren didn’t try either, since the obvious answer was that some water remained behind.

“Captain Juji is like that. Not all of him sticks around. Not all of his thoughts worm their way into a person’s head. However, enough of him stays that when he comes back again, a bit more is added. And more. And more. Until a person becomes friends with him, no matter what they wanted to happen when they first met him.”

They all continued walking in silence until they reached an archway with green, white, and blue beads strung to cover the entrance.

“Here.”

“I don’t remember that curtain.”

There was a snort.

“You wouldn’t because we put these up to show that the area is being used and how.”

“The colors.” Rive touched one of the bead strands. “Or is it the pattern?”

“Colors,” Bri said, nodding. “Dark green means the person has paid and light green shows they have set a date for them to leave. White means that all repairs, if needed, are complete, and blue shows that they are not taking on cargo from our city. Because there is another ship in this circumstance, there’s a second set of beads behind the first one; orange is for non-payment, yellow is for a sunlight road, black means there are repairs to be made, and red means they’re not a cargo ship.”

“But what does the pattern mean?” Seren could see that there was a triangle and two circles in the curtain, made up of alternating colors.

“Nothing. It looks nice, and that’s what the creator intended.” Briarrshi drew back the beaded curtains and nodded for them to go on ahead. Seren stepped through first, followed closely by Rive, and she could hear clicking as the curtains closed behind them.

The Crimson Cloud was sitting regally in the center of the berth. Weak starlight streamed in from the outside, complementing the stronger glow from the lit up mushrooms on the walls. The silence was loud.

“Is no one here to guard the ship?” It had been so easy to steal the smaller ship, Seren was surprised that, with the crew’s belongings and whatever treasure or cargo Captain Juji had on board, there weren’t at least two crew members staying behind.

“Why would there be?” asked Briarrshi, raising an eyebrow. “That’s part of the service we offer and why our fees are much higher than other places. If you berth with us, you have access to engineers, merchants, and bankers, as well as the knowledge that we will guard your ship. If anything is stolen, then that’s something we need to compensate you for.”

“Oh.” She hadn’t thought of that, and it lifted a bit of stress that had previously gone unnoticed off of her shoulders. The few things that she had treasured enough to bring hadn’t been in any danger of walking away.

Briarrshi walked around the curve of The Crimson Cloud and there she was; the newly registered Picotree Drop.

“Wow... you weren’t kidding when you said it was a small ship,” Rive commented, taking long strides forward.

“It’s... a very unique ship,” Bri agreed, frowning. “That shape has never been seen before, the tree grows in a way that is not replicated on other far-traveling ships, and the material is... odd. To say the least.”

At each word, the smile on Seren’s face grew.

“And for all that she doesn’t fit in with other ships that sail the skies, she’s the best,” Captain Serri said, warmth coloring her words.