"Alright," Amber declared once she had pushed Valey back into the pantry and locked them in, barricading the two of them with a crate of cabbages shoved against the door. "We need to talk."
Valey's ears fell. "Seriously? I mean, about serious stuff?"
"Being serious about not being serious," Amber said, not really helping. "Valey? Part of the reason I hauled my rear all the way out here to come hang out with you all instead of laying around Riverfall is because I was worried about you. Really." Her ears folded too, pressed back instead of merely drooped like Valey's. "Remember all the talks we had about Puddles, and you and Nightmare Modules? You've gotten better since then, but apparently now even winning a huge duel is getting you down, and I'm not okay with that. I don't think being in the Griffon Empire is good for you, Valey, so now I'm here in person to help you lighten up."
"You think?" Valey frowned. "Yeah, it's been hard on me. Everyone and their granny here either hates batponies, wants to use them for some weird political stuff, or is Senescey, who I barely even know. I have no idea how this continent's population manages to endure with any sort of self-worth or esteem."
Amber nodded at the door. "You've seen how Senescey is acting. I don't think they do."
"...Meh." Valey sat down against a bag of flower. "Well, I guess you're right, then. But I'm doing my best to keep my priorities in line and not stop to wallow. You wanna give me somewhere I could go that's better, I'm all ears... but I've had enough of Ironridge for a lifetime, Varsidel's at war and Yakyakistan is full of stinking yaks. What's your idea?"
"Mind if I tell you a story?" Amber raised an eyebrow, kicking back next to her and folding her forelegs behind her head.
"Sure." Valey shrugged. "I'm game."
Amber smiled. "Once," she narrated, "I was hanging out in Riverfall and ran into a cute batpony mare who made me blush, and it turned out to be mutual. So we hung out and spent several days doing everything we could think of, and laughing and being carefree and having a fantastic time. That's how I remember us in Riverfall. You remember, right? How we came home after a long day and made faces at Ironflanks through her upper-story window until she let us in, with you carrying me?"
Valey slowly grinned, brightening as the memory resurfaced. "Oh! Heheh, yeah. I remember we had just raided a candy shop earlier in the day, and I had the biggest stomachache and was trying to pretend like I wasn't about to drop you even that time we crashed into someone's roof. Yeah... that was fun."
"I know, right...?" Amber stared off into space.
"Yeah." Valey nudged her. "Thanks for the memory. Makes me wish we could do stuff like that here without getting yelled at by whoever does yelling these days. Might even be worth it, still."
"See?" Amber gave her a hopeful, knowing look. "I know our conversations have gotten... well... less flirty, as the days and weeks have gone by. Willow told me early on that's just what happens with long-distance relationships, and that she had some friends who tried to do that with Ironridge sailors back in the day. So we'll need to have a conversation some time about... us. But I don't think that's urgent? I came all this way to see to it myself that you're having a good time. So... what'cha wanna do?"
Valey stretched, wincing. "Oww... Something that doesn't involve running around. Don't think I'm up for that. We could-" She blinked. "Oh bananas, I just realized my first reaction for how to deal with dumb stuff getting you down is to hug someone and have a good cry about it. Okay, Ironflanks is rubbing off on me, yup. Something else. How about-"
"I can't hear you in there, but I know you're calling me Ironflanks again!" Maple's distant voice called from the kitchen on the other side of the door.
Valey snickered. Amber snickered too, and they turned to each other, grinning. "There's a start," Amber whispered conspiratorially. "Right?"
"Haha. Wow." Valey licked her lips. "You're like a light switch on my mood, or something. Yeah, okay, I'm thinking... Okay, get this. Not something to do, but I got a story. So, very first battle of the tournament, there's this bozo who tries to get the drop on me with a sneak attack before the battle starts. Only he was so not-stealthy..."
Over the next hour, Maple entered the storage room for ingredients several times, Valey and Amber clamming up and giggling with each visit. Maple huffed and rolled her eyes, and every single time they laughed more about the fact that she thought there was a joke when there wasn't than any real joke. Valey shoved Amber and Amber shoved her back, and by the time Maple came in to announce that lunch was finally ready, they were both thoroughly hungry and wore stupid grins to prove it.
"Yeah, yeah, we'll be there." Valey waved her along, getting to her hooves and carefully checking her healing injuries. "Bananas, I needed that. It's great to see you again, Amber."
"Great to see you, too," Amber assured, giving her a shoulder to lean on so she didn't have to hobble in her clunky cast. "Makes me glad I came out here already. So, ten guesses what's for lunch?"
"Nah." Valey licked her lips. "I remember asking. No clue what I asked for. Bigger question is how much she made."
Amber raised an eyebrow. "Eating contest?"
Valey burped. "Eh, I'm just hungry. But we could do that too. Down to take me on, are you?" She gave a cheeky grin, daring Amber to mess with her.
"Oh, am I?" Amber shoved her with a grin of her own. "Can't let you go too undefeated in all your fights. It'll all go to your head! Clearly, you just need an opponent good enough at holding her own."
"Really? You wanna mess?" Valey challenged her eyebrow raise. "You will not eat more of Maple's cooking than me. I mean, uh, Ironflanks' cooking."
Amber waggled her eyebrows, thoroughly determined to one-up her. "Oh yeah? Prove it. Heehee."
Valey giggled again at Amber's expression, punching her side with a wing. "Pretty sure I don't have a choice. I haven't felt this great in forever!"
"Do too. You could roll over and let me win." Amber stuck out her tongue.
"Yeah, yeah..." Valey gave her a consoling pat, secretly tensing her muscles. "I can beat you fair and square. Race you to the table three two one go!"