He-Who-Will-Greet-The-Singers-From-The-Softer-To-Share-Songs was very nervous. He had a very important name-wish. He had spent his entire life preparing for the song he was about to sing. He was the first singer ever born who never had to worry about his songs being stopped, and he had put all of that gratitude into the song he would play for the Singers responsible for that blessing.

Greeter checked his shell-resonator again. It was still ready.

There were a few thousand singers now, and all of them were here. Greeter hoped he would not let them down, but more than anything, he hoped the Singers would like his song. They had always liked all the songs that the singers sang for Them, but that would just make it worse if this most important one was not good.

Greeter reassured himself. He had thought long and hard about how to make his song very special, and it had come to him a long time ago. It would be a grand song.

The Singers had said that the shell-resonator Their friends were building was a large cylinder that stretched all the way up to the Softer, where They and Their friends lived. That made possible something that no singer had ever done. Greeter knew how the cylinder made sounds--he had made models and studied it. He would connect his shell-resonator to the Singers' shell-resonator, and play a song that would be heard all the way from the Hard up through the Soft to the Softer. All would hear the song.

Greeter had told no one of his plan, as was tradition. The name-wish song was to be a surprise.

He checked his shell-resonator again. It was still in perfect position, connected to the shell-resonator that reached to the Softer. Greeter could feel all of it. It was very big, but the singers had an easier time finding food after the songstoppers were gone. He would be strong enough.

The only question that remained was what song to play. Greeter had not known what could possibly be good enough. Then, he had heard from elder Legato that the Singer Who Had Helped had a favorite song, sang by Her Sister, a song that She called grandest of all, a "Song of Salvation." The name seemed appropriate, and all knew that there was no finer way to thank any singer than to create an accompaniment for their favorite song.

Elder Legato had tried and tried and tried to sing the song for Greeter, until at last he had managed a singing that he thought was accurate enough, just before he died. Greeter remembered; it was memorable. It was very difficult to sing, so difficult that even elder Legato had struggled. But he had managed, and so had Greeter. He had made something he was very proud of, to complement it.

He hoped the Singers from the Softer would approve enough to sing with him. If They did, Greeter had done his job. He chirruped in joy at the imagining. But, he was nervous that They wouldn't.

Greeter checked his shell-resonator again. It was still perfect.

He had to be ready to surprise Them as soon as They entered the very large shell-resonator he had borrowed.

Any singer knew the touch of The Singer Who Had Helped on their shell-resonators. He would be ready, even though his shell-resonator was now very big.

----

Izenakee had now heard over half a million Songs of Salvation. She remembered every single one, and She had a list of favorites. She was a connoisseur of song unlike any the world had ever seen.

The exact moment that Izenakee and Menelyn passed through the door to the Temple of the Beginning to perform its first Filling ceremony, the world started ringing with an accompaniment that, to Izenakee's expert ears, begged for Menelyn's greatest masterpiece to be its melody.

Menelyn blinked at Her, and Izenakee smiled. Izenakee was a connoisseur, because Menelyn was Her personal virtuoso. Menelyn knew as well as Izenakee what this music demanded.

Izenakee smiled when She detected what was happening. She connected to Her Sisters.

<One of the singers has linked to the building. He's saying hello,> She explained.

Menelyn smiled back, and nodded slowly.

<Ah, fitting that it's blue magic as soon as We enter this time,> She said, replying to Izenakee mentally to avoid spoiling the song. <I'm feeling inspired. They want a duet, right?>

Izenakee checked...

<...The one singing this is praying that both of Us will find his song worthy, and sing with him. He sees it as the purpose of his life.>

But this was dangerous. The people in the Dome for the Filling ceremony, and everyone in the surrounding area, were already overcome by what they were hearing. As far as they could tell, reality itself had greeted the Goddesses' arrival in Their Temple with the most sacred of Songs.

<Perfect. I've never sang a duet before, never mind a trio. Come, quickly, to the Fountain. Let's do Our best.>

Izenakee hesitated. If Menelyn really went all out...The White Goddess still had never given a public performance before. She was only heard through the Sanctuary doors, during Their dawn-and-dusk ritual, by the Guards outside. Somehow it felt like...like it was too much to show, like doing it in public was too...disrespectful, unfair, humiliating to mortal singers. And as far as Izenakee participating...She was just a Listener. She could replay Menelyn's actual singing telepathically, and She could hum it well enough to provide people some comfort, but that was it. Next to the mastery of Menelyn and the singer producing the accompaniment, Izenakee would be an embarrassment.

Menelyn, sensing Her reluctance, tried to encourage Her.

<Goddesses do not do half-measures. We are excessive, spectacular, and extraordinary. I'm not only singing, I'm adding a Light show. We will make this Filling part of Our world's mythology; it will never be forgotten, and not only by Our memories. Do what You normally do, imbue the emotions that You want Your audience to feel into Your lullabies. It really does sound fantastic. You know what it does to people. You're fine.>

Izenakee still hesitated, so Izena broke Her silence.

<Never do that. Never, ever disparage Yourself. You don't 'just hum,' You sing lullabies, divine lullabies that heal the souls of all who listen. You know this, You are proud of this, all that is left is to embrace it. You are more than an imitation of Menelyn; You are You, and You are divine. And, there is no such thing as too sublime. Menelyn owes no apologies for being miraculous. Neither do You. Make sure everyone can hear You both. Show them all how magical You are. Show them why they worship. Go be a Goddess.>

They were at the Fountain of Salvation now. Menelyn pulled Izenakee towards Her, as if They would be dancing, so that She could start the Filling with Them both wrapped in Her trademark coils of liquid Light.

Izenakee took a deep breath, and tried to swallow the lump in Her throat. Her Sisters....

<Fine, but I'm including lyrics, just for You,> She warned. <No matter what, keep singing.>

Izenakee knew what emotions She would put into this Song, which chords She would strike. Menelyn had forgotten a pair of important exceptions when She said that the Goddess of Love belonged to everyone equally.

From this place, the Pinkish-Red Goddess could reach everyone who had come to Her birthday festival. She already knew what they were all feeling--She'd been subjected to enough of it--so it was straightforward to connect to them. They all could hear the Song, playing directly into their minds.

Oh. Apparently, They would be dancing. No half-measures for Goddesses' performances. Izenakee would need to make sure everyone could see the event, too, transmitting the view pulled from a member of the nearby audience.

Menelyn started sing--No. Menelyn started rapturing the souls of everyone listening, putting on full display the intersection of miraculous talent with 1800 years of nonstop practice. Empathy reeled from the audience's pulse of religious devotion. She leaned on Her Sisters, and knew She had to make the duet into a trio soon. Somebody had to ensure that the souls of the tens of millions of audience members stayed in their bodies.

Izenakee resolved that, by the time She finished Her lullaby, She would not be the only Goddess feeling very loved today.

She would complement Menelyn's melody as best She could. She did know this song very well.

~~I know You some-how still believvvvve, that I'mmmm the one doing Youuuuu a favor, though You've given to Meeeee, more, than, half-a-million, in Sooooongs alooone! Has anyone ever received, so many, in Her life? Gifts of life itself!~~

Izenakee projected those emotions to everyone listening, with the corresponding notes, but kept the lyrics private.

~~You gave My whole identity to Me. Had I been born 'fore You saved the world, I'd have lived and died in obscurity. Thank You, Izena, for making Me magical. Thank You, Menelyn, for making Me an heiress, to a leg-a-cy like Mine.~~

Those emotions, and their notes.

~~What kind of gorgeous Goddesses give any random girl, who walks into Their Temple, attention all her own? Where do You think I learned to Listen, to any who want to talk?~~

Those emotions, and their notes.

~~You needed Me, to deprive Yourselves, of the only excuse You had, not to be avail-a-ble, to ev-ry-one, ev-ry-where, all, the, time. Where'd I learn to help, every moment of every day?~~

Those emotions, and their notes.

~~I came to You hoping I'd become special. Who made Me as magical as I am? Who taught Me how to be divine? Who made Me a Goddess? Who taught Me Benevolence, with a capital B?~~

Benevolence Herself was definitely going to add 'Goddess of Song' to Her list of titles if anyone witnessing this survived.

Those emotions, and their notes.

~~You believe You deprived Me of fam-i-ly, of nor-mal re-la-tion-ships. But Who do You think the Goddess of Love cherishes, most of all?~~

Her Sisters.

<I didn't miss those pangs of guilt when You spoke about My lack of personal romantic experience, in Kanenn,> Izenakee chided. <Absurd.>

Those emotions, and their notes.

~~'Ensure that orphans know a family's love.' What have You been doing, ever since My parents died? You are The Creed incarnate, in everything You do.~~

Those emotions, and their notes.

All three Sisters were shedding tears now, but the song continued.

~~What gift can poss-ib-ly compare, to being Your baby Sister? No family is as wonderful as this, and I'm a member for e-ter-nity. And the price I had to payyyyyyyyyy? Love You as family; how easy You made it.~~

Those emotions, and their notes.

~~How could anyone filled with what You've showered on me, be aught but the Goddess of Love?~~

<I need to let the overflow out somewhere.>

Those emotions, and their notes.

~~Please don't ever stop loving My hair.~~

<If You love the pink, then I do too.>

Those emotions, and their notes.

~~Please don't ever stop singing-Me-Songs. I live for them as much as because of them.~~

Those emotions, and their notes.

~~My entire life is too impossible to be a dream.~~

Those emotions, and their notes.

The Song ended, as Menelyn finished the Filling.

"Please never stop giving Me special treatment. Yes, I do want to be Your baby Sister, permanently."

And the best part is, I know You want the same.

Her Sisters' voices stumbled over each other, before Menelyn let Izena speak.

"And You will be," She croaked--Menelyn had done a miraculous job powering through during the Song--and pulled Izenakee deeper into the hug.

Izenakee could sense that all the singers at the floor level were in a state of total euphoria; She didn't dare to examine the state of the audience at the surface too closely. Hopefully, the singers would mellow a bit, by the time the Goddesses finished descending to them. Izenakee was at--, well past the end of Her rope.

When They separated, Izena had one more thing to add, before They set out to meet them.

"We use the lift this time, or I am staying here."

This family was weird, and being a member required a lot of dedication, but it was so, so worth it.

The singers really liked their food gift.