//------------------------------//
// Hot For Valey 
// Story: The Olden World 
// by Czar_Yoshi 
//------------------------------//

"H-Hold on," Shinespark protested, getting up and giving Amber a look. "Did I just hear you right? You want Valey to flirt with me, and think that's a step in the right direction?"

Valey shrugged. "She said make you blush, and it was easy enough. And, I mean, I get where she's coming from." She nodded to Amber. "I seriously did have fun teasing you in Riverfall. Seems like... I dunno, if I'm trying not to let stuff I've learned in the empire stop me from enjoying myself..." She folded her ears. "Don't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"You don't?" Amber grinned. "I thought the whole point was for you to enjoy yourself a little! Come on, the three of us are friends. Shinespark's willing to put up with a little and knows it's for a good cause. Maybe she even enjoys it!"

Shinespark shot her a yes-but grimace. "But Valey was just having trouble feeling like she was being disloyal! I'm fine with it, of course I'm fine, but I'm questioning whether it would help at all!"

"Hmmm..." Amber sagged. "It's a conundrum for sure. I want to just have her do something to prove and demonstrate our trust in her, but the issue is her trust in herself..." She groaned, rolling her shoulders. "Awwwww! Sorry, Valey. That was my best idea."

"Bananas," Valey huffed. "You know what my problem is? I'm completely terrified of being some evil monster so I try as hard as I can to avoid that, but I'm always happiest when I feel like myself and most of the stuff I loved doing in Ironridge is stuff I've gotta not do now. I'm naturally inclined toward causing trouble, or something, so now when I do that I feel bad 'cuz I don't wanna be evil and when I don't do it I also feel bad because I'm already kind of having an identity crisis and really don't need to throw away what makes me me on top of that. It's like an identity crisis within an identity crisis. That's my problem."

"Way to sum it up." Amber patted her on the back. "So what next? Break your new morals and watch as your friends love you anyway? You weren't happy in Ironridge, either."

Valey slumped. "Nah. In Ironridge I was lonely and had a bad reputation, and just convinced myself I enjoyed it. But, like, the reason I started messing with everyone there in the first place was just so I could feel like I got what I deserved."

"And what do you feel like you deserve now?" Amber asked, looking her in the eyes.

"I... uhh..." Valey swallowed. "I dunno. I kinda feel like whatever it is, I'd deserve less if I answered that?"

Amber wrapped her forelegs around her, minding the cast and her still-sore wing. "Well, I'll have to decide you deserve a big hug. So there."

"What happened to you?" Shine spark shook her head, staring. "Valey, you can't even decide what you deserve? How about what you want? In Ironridge, you took whatever you wanted and had no problems with it. We all did! There wasn't some mystical force making sure everyone got what they deserved, so that never even mattered! But you're like a rug now! Whatever happened to charging into danger for your friends or even a quick snack at the drop of a hat?"

Valey gave her a drowsy look. "Getting in danger hasn't exactly been our goal lately..."

Shinespark shoved her. "Don't change the subject. I was watching you fighting Wallace. The first half of that fight, it was like something was wrong with you. You were being too hesitant and not bold enough, with none of your usual flair. You want to talk about good or bad? None of us are keeping score, but if we were, the Ironridge scoreboard is five digits of ponies who kept their lives thanks to you." She punctuated each word with a prod to Valey's chest. "Five. Figures. Do you have any idea how much each one of those lives is worth? Because I sure do. Half of my entire job in Sosa was to just wander the Earth District, talking with my constituents and hearing their stories and about their lives! So next time you think it does matter, ask yourself what you could possibly do to balance all that out and make yourself irredeemable."

Amber whistled.

"Have you got that?" Shinespark's eyes drilled into Valey's. "I can't think of anyone I'd rather have at my back or trust more to have my best interests at heart, except maybe my mother. Even Arambai and Dior, we have an agreement to be loyal to Ironridge before each other. And I don't like seeing you paralyzed or waffling like this. That's why you're feeling bad. Because you're not doing anything. And there is nothing stopping you from going at whatever you set your eyes on with all your usual gusto, especially if what you want turns out to be a good thing."

"Buhhh..." Valey worked her jaw for a moment. "So, uhh... you're agreeing with Amber, right?" She tilted her head. "So you're saying you want me to hit on you?"

Shinespark's blush returned in full force, and her confidence evaporated just like that. "N-No! I mean, you're... Look, I want to see you revel in what you do, okay? That self-assurance? We'll just... not talk about whatever it takes to get there, right?"

"Heh heh..." Valey chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. "Bananas, you're easy. It's almost like you've got a crush on me already or someth..." She trailed off, slowly glancing to Amber, eyes narrowing and going back and forth between the two mares a few times. "Waaait a minute. Amber, you totally knew." She glanced back to Shinespark. "Are you two colluding together? Actually, Sparky, I can't tell if Amber is colluding with you or messing with you. Am I completely misreading something here? What's going on?"

Shinespark's blush faded, and she looked away apologetically. "Sorry. Yes, I do have a crush on you, and I avoid mentioning it because you're not exactly private with your sound stone conversations and it's no secret how you felt about relationships and I didn't want to be a source of pressure or confusion in the wrong direction, and also since Amber is great for you. It's hard to hide though when you flirt with me and I have to react while pretending to still be platonic... Fortunately, you were dense enough not to notice, though I think Amber knew since Riverfall."

Valey stared at her, digging in an ear with a wingtip. She looked to Amber. "Seriously?"

Amber burst out laughing. "Sorry, Valey! Heeheehee... Sorry! Sorry." She thumped a foreleg against the bed a few times. "Whew! Yes, seriously. And sorry if I've been putting you in awkward situations, Shinespark. Just figured you might enjoy it in a fun, dramatic sort of way."

"Huh." Valey blinked, looking back at Shinespark. "Okay. So, uhh... I do think you're super cute, but you're a mare. Big surprise. And I'm pretty sure I still feel the same about relationships. So... what do we do now?"

Shinespark shrugged, getting herself back under control. "I was just going to do nothing. It isn't an extra complication you need, and I can handle it a lot better than Grenada. Unless you want to do something differently now that you know..."

"...Lemme think about that for a bit," Valey sighed, still staring at Shinespark. "Just give me a sec. A mental bathroom break, or something. I'll be right back."