Star Child 3


                                            "I just think you're overreacting a tad, Glinty."


                                            Starlight's mother could barely suppress her sigh.


                                            "I'm not sure having concerns over how our child behaves is overreacting, Fire."


                                            Firelight chuckled. Bright Glint couldn't hold back her next sigh.


                                            "Glinty-," Firelight swept up beside Glint, taking hold of her dangling hoof as she tiredly stared back at him from her stretched-out vantage on the couch, "she-"


                                            "-has very powerful magic," Glint interjected.


                                            "She is very talented. She's also a good kid. I know this little," Firelight motioned with his free hoof, "debacle has you worried but everything's fine!"


                                            Glint pulled her hoof free from her husband's, shooting him as heavy a glare she could muster.


                                            "I know Starlight and her magic is a novelty to you, but when you're away and it's just me and her it isn't something to be toyed with. Starlight is an angel, but she's also leaps and bounds above the other foals. It's not good that her first reaction is to use magic whenever her emotions get the best of her."


                                            "Glinty, all she did was break a toy-"


                                            Glint held up a hoof. Assured she wasn't going to be interrupted, she continued.


                                            "She melted a toy. Do you not see the problem here, Firelight?"


                                            Firelight turned his head away, frowning. He slowly nodded.


                                            "So how am I overreacting?"


                                            "She's going to have her little fits," Firelight said, "even when we're at our absolute best. It's a part of growing up."


                                            "She's getting to be so strong, Fire. We can't just let her 'have her little fits' because there's a very real chance-"


                                            "She'd never hurt anypony."


                                            "Not intentionally."


                                            Firelight ran a hoof through his mane, giving Glint a disappointed look.


                                            "You're making her out as some sort of violent animal."


                                            Bright's chest constricted as a wave of frustration and hurt flowed through her.


                                            "How can you say that? As if I'm calling my baby girl a monster-"


                                            "It just feels like-"


                                            "She could've seriously hurt another foal, Firelight!"


                                            Firelight flinched back. Shame filled Glint, and after a moment she lets herself sink deeper into the couch, the fatigue she couldn't seem to shake rearing its ugly head once more.


                                            "She's capable of doing very bad things," she whispers. "It seems unfair but we can't be as lenient with her as other parents might be with their foals. She needs to learn restraint."


                                            "I- I know. You're right, dear. It just feels wrong to go at her so harshly for something like this. She messed up but she knows that! She even went and apologized to Tall Wave herself!"


                                            That was news to her.


                                            "She did?"


                                            Firelight nodded. "Tall Wave's mother told me she came over and apologized to them both!"


                                            "That's..."


                                            "It's great," Firelight said, working his way back to her side, "because it shows that Starlight knows what she did was wrong. I'm telling you, she's a good filly. As long as we keep her on the right path, things will be fine."


                                            "I still don't think knowing how to apologize is better than knowing not to do something, Fire..."


                                            "We've already given her a firm talking to, what more should be done when she's already gone and made up for it?"


                                            Something buried deep inside Glint begged her to press the issue. She wanted to, really, but she was so tired, and Firelight's eyes were so earnest...


                                            "Okay," she conceded.


                                            "Okay?"


                                            "Okay," Glint reaffirmed. "I'll trust your judgment on this, Firelight."


                                            "Thank you, snookums." Glint rolled her eyes at the nickname but leaned into his affectionate nuzzle all the same.


                                            Firelight pulled away, his hallmark goofy grin having returned.


                                            "Now then, Star tells me you haven't been eating?"


                                            Glint winced. "I... haven't been able to get much down."


                                            "I know an old cabbage casserole recipe that should fix that," Firelight said as he clapped his forehooves together, "can't have you fading away, can we now?"


                                            ----


                                            Starlight was in bed when Bright Glint stepped into her room. For a moment, she figured she was asleep, only for Starlight to roll over, staring her down with wide eyes.


                                            "You should be asleep, Starlight."


                                            Starlight hastily beckoned Glint closer. Glint shambled over and hauled herself into bed, wincing as Starlight pressed too close to her stomach.


                                            "Dad makes his stories too silly. I like yours better."


                                            "Thank you," Bright said, gingerly wrapping her hooves around Starlight's form.


                                            Starlight wiggled in her grasp. When she finally stilled she looked up, expression somber.


                                            "Are you still upset?"


                                            "Not exactly," Glint says softly.


                                            "That just means you're still upset."


                                            "No, Star, I'm not upset. I'm... proud."


                                            "Proud?"


                                            "You did a good thing, going back to apologize. I'm glad you know what you did was wrong."


                                            "I knew Waves wouldn't let me and Sunburst over if I didn't. Sunburst likes Waves a lot, so I just got it over with."


                                            "...You only did it because of Sunburst?"


                                            "You and Sunburst!"


                                            "Not because you were sorry?"


                                            Starlight ducked her head and said nothing.


                                            Bright sighed, pushing Starlight back to stare deep into her eyes.


                                            "It's not good to give insincere apologies, Star. You have to mean them. If you don't mean them..."


                                            It means you don't regret what you did.


                                            "I wouldn't have had to say sorry if he just let me play with it," Starlight grouses.


                                            Glint's chest tightens as she stares down her foal.


                                            "Tomorrow, " Glint said lowly, "you are going to give him one of your toys."


                                            "But mom-!"


                                            "But nothing. You did a bad thing Starlight, and if you're not sorry you're at least going to pay him back. Now hush, it's late."


                                            "Fine," Starlight hissed out but pressed closer to Bright's side regardless.


                                            Bright worked them both under the covers, and within moments Starlight was asleep.


                                            Starlight was a good filly, but Starlight could make mistakes. Glint would always be there to make sure she learned from them.


                                            I just need to start feeling a little better, Glint thought, and slowly closed her eyes.