Near home.

Come the next morning, you repair Luna's dress, and she gives you a winking smile as she retrieves her magical trinket before retreating to wash up and eat what's left of the ship's rations with the others. There's no great way to bathe quite yet--just barrels of water and bars of old soap. You opt to wait until returning to Castle Phoenix for a proper clean, as do your allies. It hasn't been that long anyway. The worst of it is the potent scent of the ocean that will likely take time to fully remove after all that's transpired. It could be a lot worse.

It's near noon when you hear a voice from above.

Vyzia the dragoness shouts, though it's moreso her regular voice carries such power that she can project it across the entire frigate with ease. "I see land," she announces without any further information. It isn't required. The woman climbs her way down the mast and joins the rest of the crew coming together on the deck--your allies and hers, along with Gwynevere. Nelli carries Anyana's barrel, dragging it along the wooden floorboards. It looks rather silly, but it doesn't seem to bother either of them.

Eva is up at the helm. "Oh. Ooh. I can't wait for the others to see us like this!"

"I'll say." Fang stretches her leg up high to push her boot down against the starboard railing. Her flexibility is impressive. "We'll return to Castle Phoenix, like heroes of legend!"

"Yeah!" Eva cheers, spinning the wheel heavily to the right.

Suddenly, the ship begins to turn. Fang nearly falls from the side as most on the deck suddenly struggle to keep balance. You and Thomas run up to the back of the ship before things snowball completely out of control.

Tom grasps the helm and turns it back. "C-Careful," he says.

Eva becomes flustered. "I've got it! I just... Well, it was an accident."

"It's all right, Eva," you say with a hand on her shoulder. "But you gotta stay calm in situations like that."

"I'm always calm," she replies.

"... No."

"What do you mean, no?!"

Niki calls out from below. "Tom's been steering the ship for most of the trip. You're great and all that, but maybe he should land it too."

You look to Eva. She doesn't speak, though you sense an immediate pain in her heart. Before things continue down that path, you turn her to face you, and then place a thumb to her chin. You stare her deeply in the eyes, and then with a sudden movement forth, you push your lips against hers. She lights up like a Christmas tree bulb. Then after lingering a moment longer, you turn to the others. "We're all in this together. Landing will be tricky, but I want Eva to lead the way for now. Tom, you help her out. The rest of you, get ready to unfurl the sails and brace for a strange landing. Put faith in each other, and that goes to Laira and the rest as well, who will hopefully have made the perfect place for us to park."

The bunnyfolk's eyes sparkle with excitement. "I... I won't let you down!" She then squeezes the wooden wheel between her hands with newly focused eyes.

Vodrani looks her over, and then turns to Tom. "She isn't so much different than you in some ways."

"If she's the one landing it, do I still get that reward you promised me?"

She smiles.

You hop down to the deck and then pull the Sending Stone from your pocket. "Hey. This is Kyle. We're going to be arriving within the next couple hours. I can see the mountains from here. How are things?"

Yin responds. "Wonderfully. Well, mostly."

"What do you mean by mostly?"

"We all worked hard to follow Laira's design, though she put in more work than anybody else. By that I mean she didn't sleep a minute last night. Right now, she's sleeping not far from me, on the ground. She said she was going to catch her breath, and then passed out immediately. But we're ready for your return, Master!"

"That sounds like her. All right. See you soon, Yin. You've done a wonderful job in my absence. I can tell."

"Th-Thank you, Master. Would you... Uhm. So would you say I've been, y-you know, good?"

"Yes, Yin. Of course."

"As in, a good..."

You stare at the Sending Stone for a moment. "You've been a good girl, Yin."

There's no response for a short time. Finally, she speaks again, though her voice is quiet. "Th-Thank you, Master."

Ariusia crosses her arms and rolls her eyes. "Oh brother. Do you gotta have a conversation like that in front of everyone?"

"I don't think she knew everyone was listening. Maybe forget you heard that," you say.

Amara giggles. "I think it is sweet. Yin just enjoys praise from her master. Nothing strange about that, yes?"

"Indeed," says Vyzia of all people. "Everybody likes praise."

You look to her. "... So should I call you a good girl too?"

"No. I've done little. But you've been a good boy. Keep it up."

"R-Right. Let's start making preparations to land."