//------------------------------//
// Just One Night 
// Story: The Olden World 
// by Czar_Yoshi 
//------------------------------//

"Bananas. Bananas, bananas... Why am I always the one who gets stuck being therapist..."

Valey muttered to herself under her breath as she trotted down the staircase of the Immortal Dream, having thoroughly checked herself in a mirror to make sure it wasn't obvious just how much she had been crying. She had a job to do, and her nose told her Starlight was right below, staying put in the observation room.

The room itself was fronted by a reinforced glass curve that also covered the floor, designed to let an airborne crew look forward, to the sides, and down all at once. When the ship was seabound, though, the waterline rose nearly to the window's surface, providing a look instead into the dim river depths. The lights were off to conserve power, only moonlight from above filtering down through the water and casting dull, wavering patterns around the filly on the floor.

"Valey!" Starlight greeted, sounding surprised to see her.

"Oh. Uhh... hi." Valey gave a lazy salute, then stepped forward. "You sound kinda glad to see me. Anything different than usual, or are you just glad I'm back?"

"I'm glad you're back," Starlight protested, sounding confused that it wasn't obvious and getting to her hooves. "I was just thinking about you, though."

"Oh?" Valey sat down beside her, patting with a wing for Starlight to stay.

Starlight nodded her little lilac head. "I've been thinking, and I decided I want you to teach me how to fight."

Valey blinked, then grinned nervously. "Uhhh... heh heh. Really? I mean, not that I don't think that's a great idea, being able to defend yourself and all, but... maybe not on a boat in the middle of the night?" Her face straightened. "Besides, I've kinda got something to talk to you about first."

Starlight squinted in confusion. "Huh?"

"Yup." Valey nodded, staring out into the water instead of at Starlight. "Look, I'm not really feeling up to beating around the bush right now, so the short of it is that Ironflanks somehow got it into her head that she hasn't been being the best parent to you. No idea how that happened. And she's feeling kinda bad about it, and asked me to check on you just in case. You think she does a good job as your mom?"

"What?" Starlight looked almost offended. "Of course she does! Why wouldn't she?"

"Told her you'd say that," Valey reassured. "She's just thinking about all the different random stuff parents are totally supposed to do for their kids, and all. Like, off the top of your head, what are the most important things she does for you? Or that parents are supposed to do for their kids. Or both. Or just the things that mean the most to you."

Starlight frowned. "You mean as opposed to when I was in Equestria? She cares about me not being alone, for one. Maple would never leave me on purpose."

Valey raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you got literally abandoned? I thought you ran away."

"I ran away because I was lonely," Starlight huffed. "They did nothing to stop my friend from leaving, and they didn't stop me from leaving, either. Maple isn't like that. She'd be hurt if I left."

Valey winced. "Not that I was there, but ouch, that's kinda cold to your old parents... And yeah, she totally would. Sounds like you're kinda worried about her getting hurt."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Starlight mumbled at the window. "We're always in danger. All of us. Even when we try to avoid it, like by going to this dumb empire!"

"Nope. Not always." Valey patted her flank. "Danger detector, remember? Right now, we are perfectly okay, no trouble in sight. So for now? No need to worry."

Starlight tilted her head. "Where are you going with this?"

"Trying to give you a break. 'Cuz you look like you need one. Wing hug?" Valey offered a wing to Starlight. "I mean, take it from me, it's kinda stressful to never be off your guard about any random thing that could come in and ruin your life."

Starlight didn't take it. "Maple's worried I'll wear myself out and not be able to keep us safe when we need it, isn't she?"

Valey paused, grin freezing on her face and slowly falling. "Uhhh... Not really. No."

Starlight raised an eyebrow.

"Look," Valey sighed. "Not exactly a champion of working with kids here, so be patient with me. Ironflanks got, like... what, locked up by the Defense Force the very first time she looked at them, right? And then totally stabbed with Birdo's dumb sword up on that dam bridge by Herman? And probably a bunch of other stuff you and me had to bail her out of, right? That's the kind of stuff she needs keeping safe from? When was the very first time you had to do something like that?"

"Ummm..." Starlight thought. "The first night I met her. Willow told me she needed me and asked me to give her a chance, so I did."

Valey nodded distantly, focusing on the water outside the window. "Uh huh. And, like, on a scale of one to ten, how nice would it be if that stuff just didn't happen? If the world was magically a nice place with no Herman or Puddles or anything and you could just enjoy not being lonely without having to worry about protecting that?"

That got a reaction, almost a choke. "That's what I want!" Starlight hissed, suddenly glaring at her. "I wish there was a place like that!"

"Woah!" Valey shied an inch away. "Yep. I believe you. Bananas..." She hung her head. "Yeah. Maple is worried because she feels like she gets in danger too much, and you're too afraid of losing her and too busy keeping your guard up and trying to protect her to enjoy yourself and be happy."

Starlight scrutinized her, still bristling. After a while, she said, "You called her Maple, not Ironflanks. You're really serious..."

Valey closed her eyes. "Not gonna joke about stuff that's troubling my friends, unless that's what it takes to make them feel better. She's worried she's not doing her job. But, like, I get how ridiculous it is to just ask someone to feel safer, and asking you in particular to add another job to your plate is the last thing she wants. So what can I do instead? I owe her one. Or a million."

Starlight looked pained. "But it's not her fault! She can't control the world, or make it a better place! The only pony who thinks anyone can do that is Willow, and she thought I could! I wish she was more safe, but that's the world's fault, not hers!"

Valey winced. "Yeah... again, I'm an expert on kicking tail and looking cute, not on parenting or any of this stuff, so roll with me, here. But I think the world has a bajillion other parents with cute, bouncy kids, and those kids actually don't know there's such a thing as losing your job or having a friend die of illness, let alone the stuff we deal with like foreign wars and evil politicians. Still the same world. Is it stuff that exists? Yeah. But they, like... don't find out about it for a while, and get some nice, precious years of growing up thinking their parents are superheroes who can fix any problem, or something. And unfortunately, you already got a lesson in the bigness and badness of the world before you even left your old home, so... yeah. Not her fault. Not yours. And I'm not saying you should pretend to feel happy just so she thinks you are. But between you and me... I didn't exactly get any of that good stuff either, growing up. So I can relate."

"...But..." Starlight stared at the ground. "All that does happen! So what if you aren't told? Wouldn't that just be being lied to?"

"Bananas, I dunno." Valey frowned at the water. "Maybe it's worth it. Gotta get some happy memories in before any bad stuff, or something. Like I said, that wasn't a foalhood I had, so I'm guessing how it works just as much as you. But what I do know." She turned straight to Starlight, leaning forward and staring her directly in the eye. "Is that getting overwhelmed with problems you can never get rid of royally stinks, and it would mean the world to both me and Ironflanks if you could even get one single night of not having to worry about anything. And if that's too much to ask, then let yourself cry about how unfair and frustrating it is, because seriously, it's unfair and frustrating, and let her hug you through it and tell you it's gonna be okay. Think you can do that? For yourself?"

Starlight sniffed up at her, eyes starting to water. Valey waited, low enough to the ground that they were eye to eye.

"It would seriously mean a lot," Valey slowly said, "to everyone who cares about you if you took care of yourself and let others care for you. The coast is all clear right now. Nothing's going to whack us while your guard is down, and if it does, let me deal with that because it's what I deal with best. Please?"

With barely a muffled squeak, Starlight ran forward, and then she was clinging to Valey's chest, face buried in her neck.

"Yeah, yeah. Uh, there there..." Valey stood up, wrapping her wings forward to hold Starlight in place. "Let's, uh, get you back to Ironflanks, and we can all complain about how dumb the world is until we go to bed. Fighting pirates and getting Sparky back can wait until morning."