"...You're right," Amber eventually decided, rubbing Valey's back. "This is a problem we need to solve, because you're a fantastic pony and you putting this much pressure on yourself to be better is giving you so much stress and preventing you from having so much happiness. We need to find a way for you to forget about Nightmare Modules and realize they have no control over your life."
Valey folded her ears, sandwiched between Amber and Shinespark and wishing she could enjoy it more. "Okay, first off, we totally don't know they have no control," she sighed. "I've seen one of them and have no clue what it does, but apparently Dorable has one in Ironridge, along with some way of using it, that can corrupt memories? That sounds kind of controlling to me."
"But they're not controlling you," Amber insisted, putting her head on Valey's shoulder. Blinking, Valey realized Shinespark was doing the same. "You control the Nightmare Modules, Valey, not the other way around. And we can be sure of that."
"Oh yeah?" Valey's tone was confrontational, but she badly wanted Amber to prove herself right.
"Oh yeah," Amber promised with a grin. "You touched one once, didn't you?" She poked Valey's chest. "It gave you a choice whether to use it, and you said no. And you're definitely not misremembering with modified memories, because you haven't undergone a horrific, irreversible transformation, either. You're your usual fuzzy self!" She shamelessly patted Valey's head. "There's a thing. Being polite and asking to transform you or whatever sure doesn't sound like it's both controlling and completely evil at the same time."
Valey blinked. "Huh. Yeah, I guess you're right..." She frowned. "What about moon glass, then? That doesn't exactly ask before turning you into a soulless shell. Doesn't ask if a normal pony wants its weird space cutie mark either."
"But didn't you tell me the Nightmare Modules were more intelligent?" Amber countered. "Maybe the moon glass is just dumb."
"Designed by something intelligent," Valey sighed. "That's what Dorable said. I think. He was kinda way too technical and beat around the bush a lot, but he was pretty clear about that. I think they're inert and just make batponies do stuff we don't want to, or something."
Shinespark shook her head. "But Amber just pointed out they don't make you do anything. Valey, you got to say no, right? Maybe they're more like... tools?"
Valey folded her ears. "Tools designed for bad stuff. Meh. Thanks for arguing it, though. I dunno. I need... like... I dunno what I need."
Amber nudged her cheek with her own. "Does being treated like the real pony you are help?"
"Yeah. It does." Valey leaned into her in return. "If only this stupid empire didn't have a serious divine vendetta against us. Sometimes makes me wonder if it's not me that's the anomaly, but all batponies in general, and Garsheeva knows something no one else does about us."
"Maybe she does." Amber flicked her tail. "Batponies have some physical differences from other ponies. But who knows which one she would care about? Maybe she's offended that your ears are fluffier than hers." She giggled softly. "I, for one, think a lot of your differences are enticing, and I'm sure you're the same as the rest of us in the way that counts most: you're you. You have a you to be. And if you don't like where you came from, that's just an opportunity to be better than it."
Valey planted her face on the bed, groaning into its springy surface. "Bananaaas... Didn't you just say I'm being too pressured to be good, or something? Come on..."
Amber bit her lip. "Sorry! I..."
"Who decides when you've been good or not?" Shinespark asked, looking a little uncomfortable at Valey's side. "You're not as accountable to us as that, you know? Maple wanted to be your friend in Ironridge, even. Is it all just how you feel about yourself?"
Valey waved a hoof. "Not like this empire is spending all its time telling me I'm a fake, or something." She sighed. "And yes, it's how I... like..." She gritted her teeth into the bed, shaking for a second. "You think I spent all my time in Ironridge being a petty nuisance and low-key societal menace because I thought I was the good guy? Bananas no, I did it because I knew I'd get pegged or blamed anyway and figured I'd rather have the fun of getting away with what everyone would see me doing even if I didn't. You hear that?" She poked Amber's chest. "I tried to convince myself I liked messing ponies up and got away with it for six years! Sure, you could say I had no guidance or something, but if that's what I default to on my own..."
"You were a pretty big nuisance," Shinespark admitted.
"No. Hold on." Amber pressed her back, lifting her head and meeting her eyes. "You told me you still had this on your mind even before you met Maple and were always trying to make your pranks be less significant than the good things you did by sabotaging the Defense Force and trying to lower tensions that could have started a war. You don't need to be reinterpreting your past and telling me you were worse than you earlier said you were."
Valey bit her lip.
Shinespark nodded in agreement. "Maybe you need a lower standard for yourself. We want you to be your best, but never so much that your hurt yourself trying to reach an impossible goal. Your best, not perfect. Still yourself." She folded her ears. "Maybe you'd feel better if you let yourself go a little and saw that we're all still right here."
Amber nodded, then grinned. "You were hardly a saint back in Riverfall, remember? Teasing Shinespark mercilessly, shaving Jamjars' mane, sneaking around with me at times... and you loved it! Haven't you always told me you always feel better when you're feeling like yourself?"
"Yeah...?" Valey nodded. "But if myself is a moon-"
"Nope." Amber pressed a hoof to her muzzle, earning a scrunch. "Your self is Valey, and as your friend and someone who cares about you, I'm ordering you to do something naughty, just for fun."
Valey's brow creased. "Such as?"
Amber grinned, than cast an apologetic wink at Shinespark. "Do something to make Sparky blush. I bet you can have her reddening in two seconds."
Valey blinked. "Buh? You mean like..." She turned, and Shinespark was already red. "Huh." Valey shrugged. "That was easy."
"Okay, you might have to try a little harder," Amber prodded, turning Valey's head back toward the unicorn. "I want to hear both of you laugh!"