How to Hug Your Pegasis

Chapters

Tip One: In Lieu of Sneakiness, Use Overwhelming Tactics
Tip Two: Triangulate Your Sister's Location
Tip Three: Have Your Plans Backfire, Then Get Hugs Anyway
Bonus Tip: Always Make Hugs Seem Like Her Idea, Even When She's Onto You

Tip One: In Lieu of Sneakiness, Use Overwhelming Tactics

"Hey there, everypony! I hope all of my adorable fans are having a splendid weekend, and are trying out their fully functional wings! I know I’ve been!"

Winking at her phone screen, Pipp Petals somersaulted off the end of her bed before holding herself aloft with a flair of her wings. She flicked her mane from her eyes, and emoticons filled her frantically scrolling livestream feed.

Omg Pipp your wings have a sparkle to them now, soooooo majestic

Girl you best be makin an update to your mane-styling series soon cause you know I'm here for that flow

I love you Pipp!

The pegasus giggled.

"Some of my newer followers may not know this, but today is 'Siblings Day,'" Pipp sang, dangling on a high note. She aimed her Pegaphone GS5 at her dresser, towards a family photo featuring herself, Zipp, and their mother. She then refocused on herself, giving a wink. "Which means today is all about my cool big sister, Zipp. So what do you say, Pippsqueaks? Is it time for our yearly hunt? Should we track Zipp down and give her my biggest sister hug, yet?"

Emoticons again flooded the screen. Her grin grew tenfold.

"What's the matter, detective? You can't even get to the top of this problem, let alone the bottom of it."

Zipp smirked as Hitch continued to throw his whole weight behind his hoof, desperately attempting to gain an inch on hers. Try as he might, the barrel top was getting no closer.

"How are you this strong?!" he wheezed.

"Stereotyped character trait."

"Come again?"

"Does the word 'tomcolt' mean anything to you?"

"Uh, no?"

"Don't worry about it, sheriff. I'm just more buff than I look."

"Oh, okay."

Hitch soon collapsed, his forehoof reduced to a flopping fur noodle. Several woodland creatures looked on with disappointed looks, shaking their heads for their stallion.

"Looks like I win again, Hitch," Zipp declared, cracking her hoof and neck. She relished the groaning, defeated mess of a pony below her for a moment before helping him to his hooves. "Thanks for dropping by to try again, though. Always love to put these hooves to the test."

Hitch perked up.

"So, you're saying I was at least a challenge, then?"

Zipp pursed her lips and patted his head.

"Oh, honey, I wouldn't go that far. Izzy got me to forty-five degrees before, and she was distracted by a shiny object while doing it."

Hitch sighed dejectedly.

"Oh, Ziiiiiiiipp!"

A haunting soprano fell on the city, and the color drained from Zipp's face. She retreated behind the barrel.

"What are you doing?" Hitch asked. He yelped as he was pulled to the ground and dragged behind the barrel with her. "Correction: why are we hiding?"

Zipp peeked out from her hiding place. The perpetrator was in sight, hovering over the rooftops a few buildings away. She bit her lip.

"Horsefeathers, I know that tone. Don't tell me it's Siblings Day again already. Where did the year go?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm still lost over here."

Zipp rolled her eyes.

"Pipp is a media superstar in Zephyr Heights."

"Hard to miss."

"She basically lives on her phone, creating content for her fans whenever she's not performing."

"Got it."

"Once a year, for Siblings Day, she makes it a ritual to track me down and give me a hug while on livestream. It's kinda become a cat-and-mouse thing."

Hitch showed his teeth with a dopey smile.

"Aww, that's sweet."

Zipp scowled.

"She's also doing it for her followers. Cute stuff always gets a big reaction."

"Hmm. Less desirable, but no less wholesome."

Mentally filing the stallion away as a lost cause, Zipp got to her hooves. The airborne streamer had fallen out of sight. Now was her chance.

"Anyway, it's gotta be today if she's looking for me like this. Gonna have to put our visit on hold, Hitch. Avoiding her is a nightmare."

Hitch remained quiet. He eyed the blue sky and listened to that angelic voice calling for Zipp off in the distance. A little smirk came to him and left just as quickly.

"Is it really that bad?"

"Yes," Zipp said incredulously, darting another jagged look. "Not only does she have freakishly good hearing—and functional wings, now, by the way—she has eyes and ears everywhere in this city. Her fans will rat me out at first sight."

Hitch trotted up alongside her as she made her way towards the closest wall. His smirk had come back, complemented with suave, lidded eyes.

"That's not what I meant. Is suffering an awkward hug once a year really so bad?"

Zipp opened her mouth and closed it. A faraway look came over her, and for a moment, she grew quiet.

"In a word, yes. Now, are you going to help, or are you going to go home? Pick one, and do it fast."

Hitch's smugness peeled away. He cleared his throat.

"Well, seeing as I'm already here, and that you beat me fair and square in hoof wrestling, I'd say my honor's at stake if I don't assist. So, what's the plan, chief?"

Zipp smiled.

"Oh big siiiiissterrr, where arrrrre youuu?"

Pipp gracefully twisted about in the air as she flew, scanning the ground and sky for that vivid white coat she knew so well. Every so often she refocused on the thousands of virtual eyes watching her through her camera.

"I saw her downtown this afternoon, you guys, so I know she's out here somewhere," she cooed. "If any of my Pippsqueaks out there happen to spot her, be sure to blow up the chat box. We'll find her for sure. No way is my sister going unappreciated on Siblings Day!"

We need missing signs. Missing signs for cool pegasisters.

I'll help, but my wing is sprained rn lol. Anypony have any hot air balloons on hoof? Maybe in a soothing lavender?

Guys, all we need is for somepony to shout 'parkour experts wanted' in the nearest crowded street. Done.

Pipp snorted and fell into a fit of giggling. Hearts lit up her already saturated chat box.

"You guys are too funny! Larsicorn G Four, I bet that would actually work, too. But then again, we do have something far better than a street shoutout, don't we?"

Pipp descended and gracefully touched down on a marble walkway. There, she puffed out her chest and threw back her mane, modeling herself against the decorative tile wall of a local bistro.

With a smile full of stars, she toggled her livestream menu with a hoof and tapped a large red button.

"So your plan is to hide in the bushes of the local park?"

"Yes."

"What about the old station under the city?"

"Being remodeled for modern use now that we're not shutting ourselves out from everypony else anymore. Some of the construction workers probably watch Pipp's content."

"Well, why don't we just, you know, leave the city?"

"I've done exactly that in past years, to great success."

"What changed?"

"Some stallion and his friends trespassed our border this one time. Security—which is made up of guard pegasi who’re also fans—has been tighter ever since."

"Ah. Bushes it is," Hitch proclaimed merrily. He retreated from her glare.

"Hello, Zephyr Heights!"

Zipp leapt at the sudden, booming voice. She wheeled around, expecting to find a rogue hug advancing towards her, but she only found her sister's face, built in millions of pixels.

"I hope everypony is taking ownership of this beautiful day! Now, I know what you're thinking, and yes, I normally save city-wide live feeds for special events. As it turns out, today is a special event! It's Siblings Day, and for me, that means it's another chance for me to show my big sister, Zipp, how much I love her."

"Here we go," Zipp mumbled, rolling her eyes while Hitch started tearing up. "She's milking it."

"Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find Zipp so far, everypony. So to all of Zephyr Heights, I ask of you: If you see my sister, please log into Ponistream.Pipp_Hurray and let me know. And Zipp, wherever you may be, I have just one thing I'd like to say."

Cold sweat raced down Zipp's plumage. Her eyes locked with Pipp's. Her sister couldn't see her through that televised screen, but it made her grin no less unnerving.

"...When I find you I'm gonna give you the biggest sister cuddle you've ever had!"

Hearts and emojis quickly obscured Pipp's face, and a consecutive wave of adoring awws could be heard throughout the city.

Zipp felt her spirit leave her body.

"We need to get moving."

Tip Two: Triangulate Your Sister's Location

"Well, so much for that."

Carefully poking her head out an alley, Zipp surveyed the Zephyr Gardens from a safe distance. Normally a serene collection of hills, flowerbeds, and crafted marble statues, the gardens were now infested with pegasi. Around and around they trotted, their noses in their phones. Every so often, a startled head would rear up and look around.

Hitch's head peeked out above Zipp's.

"Are they all watching your sister look for you?"

"Some of them. A lot of them are probably playing Hoofmon Go. Forgot there's some event going on."

"Hoofmon what?"

"Don't ask."

With a decisive turn, Zipp trotted back into the alley. Hitch was left to stare after her.

"Hold on. Where are you going, now?"

"To find Plan C," Zipp replied, crouching to the ground before doing an impressive series of leaps up the wall. An abrasive clang signaled her touchdown on a fire escape.

"And that would be?" Hitch asked, watching the pegasus let loose a connecting ladder for him.

"First, use the rooftops as a vantage point to find our next spot." Zipp stretched her legs and back while she waited. "Pipp probably gave up on looking for me from the air already. She's always been the impatient type. That city-wide announcement was probably her attempt at speeding this up."

"You sure seem to have this down to a science," Hitch muttered, mostly to himself.

Hoisting himself up, Hitch glanced around at his new surroundings and whistled. The skyline of Zephyr Heights sprawled out into the distance, much of it made up of skyscrapers that towered over them. The royal palace crowned the whole display, shimmering in gold and white marble and watching over the city with powerful iron wings.

"Sightsee later, dude," Zipp said, playfully smacking the stallion in the side as she passed. Hitch frowned, yet followed her dutifully.

"What about the other pegasi? Won't they be flying around, too?"

"Well, yes, but by the numbers, there's going to be fewer pegasi flying than walking, so rooftops are still the advantage."

"Really? Even with functional wings?"

"No restaurants or shopping centers in the sky. As for my sister's fans, only the real tryhards will actively look for me. It's a big city. Most of them are only gonna shout me out if I fall in front of them."

Hitch came to a stop.

"Huh. Again, down to a science. But that only makes me question even more why you're going to such lengths to avoid your sister. If she's this determined, then she must keep it up even if you do wait the day out, right? Why put in all this effort?"

Zipp stopped as well, and Hitch waited for an answer. That telling silence had returned.

"...It's complicated."

Hitch cocked a brow. "That's even vaguer than before. Zipp, what’s going on here? Are you purposefully playing along with all of this for some reason?"

Zipp sighed. She rolled a nearby pebble back and forth with the curve of her hoof.

"Sort of. Look, it's hard to explain. Sibling stuff. It's just that I've been doing this for a while now, and dealing with my sister's fans and drama is getting to be too much. It feels like it gets harder to deal with every time."

"Alright, so let her know how you feel, then," Hitch reasoned. "I don't know what your relationship with Pipp is like, but it should be a two-way street, right?"

Zipp smacked the pebble off the roof.

"I've already put in several years of doing this, Hitch. I don't think I can just one-eighty this. It's not that simple."

"Isn't it? You're allowed to change your mind. Your feelings matter, too. Wouldn't Pipp respect that?"

A comforting hoof politely rested on Zipp's shoulder. She chuckled weakly.

"I've given myself similar pep talks before, and yet here I am. My relationship with Pipp is hard to navigate, even for me. It might always be easier to say that one more year of playing along won't be such a big deal. It might not. I really don't know."

The two sat down and watched the cityscape for a time.

"Don't you owe it to yourself to try? Owe it to Pipp?"

"...You're awfully committed to this, aren't you?"

Hitch beamed. "Well, you did invite me along to help. I'm helping, aren't I? Maybe just not in the way you wanted."

"Maybe," Zipp answered. "Or maybe your peacekeeping tendencies just don't have an off switch there, sheriff. You could be stirring a pot for all you know, and you don't know what's inside."

Zipp winked. Hitch blinked.

"Hold on, are you—we're still talking about your relationship with your sister, right?"

Zipp snorted and began to crack up. Hitch merely ogled her, confused by both his blush and lack of context.

"Zipp Storm? Is that you? Whoa, to think I'd be the one to find you!"

Zipp got to her hooves and wheeled around. As if planted there by the universe itself, a thin, teenage stallion wearing a battered janitorial uniform had come trotting through a rooftop door. He grinned.

"Oh, right, hold on! Let me tell Pipp, she'll be so excited to see you!"

The stallion pulled out his phone, and Zipp leapt.

"Whoa, wait wait wait. Was that taken just now? Oh, is that—Hitch is here? Oh my gosh, why didn't he tell me? That jerk! Now two ponies owe me a hug today."

Reading through her chat box, Pipp pouted, and adoring emotes poured in. More images quickly followed the first one; dramatic close-ups of her sister pouncing upon the camera in three progressive takes.

"Ooh, that looks like it hurts. I'm sorry about that, Window Titan Forty Five! Looks like Zipp is not making things easy this year. I'll be sure to scold her for you."

A phrase and an address followed the sent photos, and Pipp's face lit up. With an exuberant shout, she launched herself high into the sky, spinning as she did so. At her peak, her wings outstretched, and in the unobstructed light of the sun, she smiled wide for her camera.

"We've found Zipp, everypony!" she proclaimed. "Thank you so much for all your help, you guys! Cute sister hugs incoming soon to a livestream near you!"

The young star took off, a pink comet of affectionate intent.

Caught up in her excitement as she was, however, Pipp failed to notice a number of concerning comments flaring up throughout her chat box.

@WindowTitan45 Um you just posted Zipp's location address to the entire chat, not Pipp's PM window. How dumb do you have to be?

Lol. East side is about to be blasted. RIP.

"Hey, hey, Zipp Storm! Can I have a photo with you and Pipp?"

"Hey, Zipp! 'Parkour experts wanted'! ...It's, uh, funnier with context, trust me."

"Zipp, do you have a Ponistream account like your sister? I'd love to follow you!"

"You guys haven't hugged yet, right? I don't want to miss the cuteness!"

Zipp ground her teeth together as she ran. Fan ponies continued to pop out from doorways, window frames, and alleyways with flawless choreographic timing. She glanced at Hitch, galloping alongside her with a stern, albeit frazzled look.

"Just let her find you!"

"No! Do you see all this?" Zipp shouted. "I will not encourage this!"

"Tell that to Pipp directly, then!"

"No, Hitch, I—"

"This will never end if you don't say something, Zipp! You two have to communicate!"

Zipp bit her lip. On her next step she crouched and rocketed into the sky, luring the mob after her.

"Okay fine, just stay here! One way or another, I'll deal with it!"

The two shared a final look before Zipp was obstructed by a veritable mass of excited pegasi.

Left alone in an empty street, Hitch trotted to a stop. He gawked at the growing mass of ponies now rising from the surrounding streets. As their forms and voices grew fainter, Hitch stamped his hoof in frustration.

"Great. Now what, Hitch? How are you supposed to help from down here?"

A bell chime caught Hitch's ear, and he turned. It was the sparkling crown of Zephyr Heights, emerging from a small shop a few dozen yards away. While Queen Haven herself exchanged pleasantries with the shop's owner, Hitch found his jaw dropping.

"Oh, charmed, I'm sure. Thank you again, Kernel Pop. I'm sure she'll adore them. My little Pipp just loves your snacks, and a happy Pipp is a successful Pipp."

"'Look, Pipp, we found her'?"

Fluttering in place, Pipp repeated the message aloud. She watched it rise and fade from view. More photos of Zipp flying followed after it, some of which showed her face. It was cold and agitated, and Pipp couldn't stop the knot now forming in her stomach.

"How did you guys even—"

"Pipp!"

Pipp gasped, nearly dropping her phone.

"Zipp?"

A flicker of movement out of her peripheral vision caused Pipp to turn. There, darting between rooftops, was her sister, being dogged after by a cloud of pegasi. They grew closer by the second.

"What is going on here, you guys?" Pipp demanded to her phone screen. She scrolled up her livestream messages. To her surprise, there was no private message from WindowTitan45 to be found.

The knot in Pipp's belly grew heavier. She looked up just in time to find Zipp halting right in front of her.

"Can you call your flying monkeys off, please? I've just about had it with this!"

Vexation clawed out from Zipp's eyes and tone alike, blind to her sister's surprise.

"Zipp, I'm sorry, this wasn't supposed to happen! I didn't know they'd do something like this."

"You 'didn't know'?" Zipp repeated coldly. Pipp shook her head.

"They were only supposed to let me know if they saw you somewhere, but I think somepony accidentally put your location in the—"

"'They' don't need to be involved, in the first place! I don't see why something as simple as giving your sister a hug needs to involve anypony but you and me! On Siblings Day or any other day!"

"...But, Zipp, you've never—"

"Complained before?" Zipp interjected. "Well, first time for everything, right? Sorry to disappoint. I'm over this whole thing, Pipp."

The air squirmed in awkward silence. Hundreds of chat messages and emoticons continued to flood Pipp's screen, but she didn't glance at it. All of a sudden, the thin collection of metal and wiring felt too heavy to hold.

"Zipp, I—" Pipp began, only to pause again. This time, she did look at her phone. "...Sorry, Pippsqueaks, but this is a Hashtag ‘Real Sister Moment.’ I'll be back later."

The phone turned off, and so too did Pipp's timid face. She glared at the group hovering just behind Zipp.

"Chasing Zipp around was not what I wanted. All I asked for was help finding out where she was, and that's it. Don't harass my sister, please."

More awkward silence. Mouths opened, but Pipp shut them down with a disapproving cross of her hooves. Before long, the crowd retreated and dispersed, granting the siblings a place in the sky to themselves.

Pipp looked at Zipp. Her look had softened, but she avoided Pipp's gaze all the same.

"Zipp, I'm sorry. That wasn't my idea."

"We need to talk, Pipp. At home."

"At home? Why does it need to be at home? Aren't we talking now?"

"Just come with me, okay?"

Zipp turned away, and Pipp watched her. Her frigid tone was gone, but there was something else there in its place. It was exasperation, discomfort. It flattened Pipp's ears. Suddenly, she didn't feel like arguing about it.

Pipp obediently followed her sister's lead, back towards the royal palace. She nervously fluttered around Zipp as they flew.

"Zipp, you believe me, don't you? I would never ask them to chase you like that."

"..."

"And… Why are you so angry all of the sudden? The livestreams, they—you've always been okay with them. At least, I thought so. The hide and seek thing was your idea, wasn't it? It made things more fun. Isn't that what you said?"

"..."

"... Zipp?"

Tip Three: Have Your Plans Backfire, Then Get Hugs Anyway

Zipp touched down on her bedroom balcony with a thud. She walked inside, shrouding herself in shade before Pipp had even found the courage to land. When the starlet finally did she placed her phone down on her sister's dresser and hurriedly joined her side.

"Zipp, I know you're upset, but please talk to me. You're starting to scare me. What’s going on with you?"

Zipp looked up. Bright green eyes full of concern scanned her, looking for something, anything to decipher. She looked past them, to the glitter-ridden device that was, for once, left silent in the back of the room.

Just like that, the brazen heat in her chest was gone, replaced by something softer.

"C'mere."

Pipp stared for a moment. Then, she did as she was told, sitting down next to the older pegasus and pressing up against her. As she did, Zipp tilted her head and pressed her cheek into her sister's violet mane. Her feathers flexed like a hundred fingers, wrapping around Pipp from folded wings.

"I'm sorry for yelling," Zipp said softly. "And yeah, I believe you. As much as I'd sometimes like to think you and your fans have a hive mind thing going on, I know you don't. If the situation got away from you then it's not entirely your fault. I was just frustrated. Frankly, some of this stuff has been a long time coming."

Pipp said nothing. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She leaned into her sister with her entire weight, but Zipp didn't budge. There was a sense of safety here, of serenity that she'd nearly forgotten. Her stresses melted away, as did her willingness to stay awake.

"Y'know, I remember a time when I was still the coolest thing in the world to my little sister."

Pipp's eyes opened up. She pivoted her head to see her sister's somber smile.

"Like I said, I'm not usually one to complain. Lately, though, it's been getting harder not to. You're a star, Pipp, and shining bright is what stars do. I get that. Still, sometimes I can't help but lament. I miss how things were back before you got your first phone, back when it was just the two of us. I miss having my sister's undivided attention, wowing her with my tricks or making her laugh. I guess I'd just prefer it if Siblings Day could stay like that, you know?"

A sting came to Pipp's eyes. Her lip trembled. Zipp's smile blurred through a film of tears, and sniffs and sobs started to fill the air.

Zipp gently laid her chin on her sister's head. A firm forehoof reinforced what her wings had started.

"What are you crying for?"

"...I don't know. Anything. Everything."

"I'm gonna need a little more than that."

Pipp shook her head. She hid her face away in conveniently-placed chest fluff and felt the vibration of her sister's laugh.

"Alright. Just hugs, then."

Several minutes passed with nothing said. Content in her feathery embrace, Pipp listened to the busy sounds of Zephyr Heights just beyond the balcony. She listened to the murmuring of ponies in the streets below; to a pair of bluebirds singing on Zipp's balcony railing, unperturbed by everything else.

All was slow and calm, but Pipp cried regardless.

Why hadn't she come here sooner?

"I miss you, too, Zipp," she said at last. Her voice was plagued by shakes. "I miss this. I see you almost every day but it's not the same. You've been so standoffish for so long, and I'm always so busy. And even when I'm not busy, I don't know how to relate to you at all. I feel like we hardly interact anymore."

Zipp's wings tensed, wrapping the distraught pegasus in a blanket of cotton feathers all the tighter.

"I think that's partially my fault," she said, just above a whisper. "I'm not exactly a poster pony for socializing. Whereas, that's everything you are. Maybe we've been hiding from each other in plain sight."

"I've been trying to reach out and plan things for us to do, Zipp, but you always avoid them, even the ones where running away isn't part of the idea. Karaoke, shopping trips, even weekend spa day invitations. I've sent you, like, five."

Zipp chuckled. "All thoughtful ideas. But maybe activities that don't involve mega fans, large crowds, or excessive pampering would yield better results?"

Pipp pouted through what remained of her tears. "Okay, I should be more subtle. But you could be less subtle, yourself, Zipp. You're so independent and hard to read. Most of the time I don't even know how to get your attention, let alone open up to you about wanting to spend more time together. That's where all of these silly stunts came from in the first place."

Zipp's smile dared to show teeth. As confined within wings as Pipp was, she was unable to stop her sister from making their noses touch.

"Yeah, I can be hard to read. I also should’ve told you way sooner about how much the theatrics were getting to me. But there's two sides to that bit. You should’ve told me a long time ago about how upset you were. Pipp, I thought all of this stuff was more about your fans than us. Standoffish or not, you should know you can always talk to me. I mean, really, all you had to do was ask me."

"Ask you what?"

Zipp grinned wider.

"'Hey, big sister, I feel like we don't spend much time together lately. Do you think maybe we could cuddle for a little while and talk about it?'"

The room rebounded with Zipp's laughter as she was lightly punched. A maddened blush claimed Pipp's face.

"Ugh, don't ruin the moment, Zipp! I was just getting comfortable."

"What, and now you can't be because you're embarrassed? I'm just teasing you, Pipp. Honestly, this is really nice. I think the last time I held you like this was when we were fillies."

Pipp looked back at the balcony and the stream of warm light flowing over them through it. As if pulled by gravity, she found herself pressing against her sister again, her eyelids drooping more forcefully this time. Sleep had found its opportunity, and it would not give up without a fight.

Several more fleeting minutes passed by.

"Somepony sure looks comfy."

Pipp's whole body twitched, jostled from a state of half-sleep.

"Well, I am tired from flying around all afternoon looking for somepony," she mumbled through chest fluff. "Somepony who must finally be using that coat wash I bought them for their birthday, by the way. See? I told you, didn't I? Wildberry Zest fits you perfectly."

A chuckle tickled her ear.

"It does. And you know something, Pipp? I think I understand how you got so many fan ponies. You're pretty cute when you wanna be."

"First of all, you're just noticing this now?" Pipp remarked. "Second of all, 'pretty cute'? Those are fighting words in the influencer world, Zipp. I'll have you know that I'm totes cute."

The corners of Zipp's mouth curled.

"Oh, is that right?"

"I understand you don't care about social media, Zipp, but I thought you'd have overheard chat lingo from me enough times by now to remember it. I know you can hear my morning livestreams, given all the grumbling I hear from upstairs. Would you like me to make you a cheat sheet for—"

Pipp was cut off. Her thought had turned into desperate giggling and subdued flailing that shook the both of them. Zipp's wings, so precariously wrapped around her sister's sides, had begun to wriggle.

"I'm sorry, princess, I don't think you understand the delicate position you're in," Zipp bantered, grinning slyly. "Last I checked, we were having a breakthrough. Where's this sass coming from? I think you should’ve curled up and gone to sleep while you had the chance, sis. You would’ve been 'totes' cuter that way."

The room filled with pleas and laughter. As Pipp thrashed around, she pulled Zipp to the ground with her. Together, the royal sisters rolled about on the floor, bumping into furniture and knocking items from their spots upon them.

"You're s-so mean!" Pipp continued giggling. She attempted to roll herself into a plush, pink ball to escape quivering feathers. "You lured me in with that hug! This is not how a princess should be treated!"

"It is if you're the big sister of the princess, and are thus, also a princess," Zipp countered. "My princess status cancels out yours, Pipp. Those are the rules."

"You're making stuff up as you go!" Pipp squealed. "But that’s fine. If you're gonna play that way, then so will I! Let's see how you like it!"

Golden-tipped hooves assailed the crevice of Zipp's wings, and she jolted. Her composure remained intact, but the same could not be said for her grip. Before she knew it, Pipp had scrambled from her grasp.

"Okay, then, if it's a fight you want—" A pillow collided with Zipp’s face. It fell, and she blinked incredulously at the pink pegasus now tossing a second throw pillow up and down with one hoof.

"Oh, it's not a fight. It's a war," Pipp said venomously. "One I think I'm better equipped to win now that I'm free."

Zipp cracked her neck.

"Oh, we'll see about that."

With a flash of her wings, she darted forward, even as another pillow launched towards her face.

Two sets of hooves hurriedly echoed down a castle corridor.

"Thanks for coming, Your Majesty. I wasn't sure who else to turn to. Pipp's fans started to form a mob and chase after Zipp, and I was getting unpleasant flashbacks."

"Oh, it's no trouble. Pipp has been antagonizing her sister every year like clockwork on this day. Live news feeds, mobs of fans—I'm just about used to all of it. I think Pipp and I need to have another sit-down. If her sister doesn't feel comfortable entertaining her affections, she simply cannot make her, especially when it throws all of Zephyr Heights into chaos."

"Well, it's funny you mention that. I have a sneaking suspicion that things are a little more nuanced than that."

"Hmm? Whatever do you mean?"

"Call it a hunch. I don't think Zipp disapproves of her sister's sentiment. I think she disapproves of her methods. It’s probably a huge lack of communication more than anything."

Queen Haven stared at the stallion for a moment, stopping as she did so. With her hooves laid along her daughter's bedroom door, she raised her brow, and the corner of her lip with it.

"Have you ever considered royal advisory, Hitch?"

"Uh, no, ma'am. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. You're just surprisingly thoughtful for a stallion so handsome. Makes a queen wonder if her staff is due for an upgrade."

Haven winked. As she turned away, Hitch reflexed a grimace.

The polished oak doors parted, and a scene of pandemonium was revealed. Pillows, sofa cushions, and other soft things littered a landscape of strewn rugs and fallen knickknacks. The balcony's glass door was wide open, revealing further messes beyond it. Its curtains were crumpled to one side of their rod, twitching in the breeze.

But it wasn't the mess that Queen Haven was paying attention to. It was the pleasant laughter coming from her daughters, wrestling on what remained of the sofa.

"Well, would you look at that. Hug reacquired," Zipp teased, effortlessly flopping back down to the sofa with a bounce, Pipp securely in hoof. "What was that you were saying about being the best equipped for something? Couldn't have been 'fending off your sister after goading her into playing your game.' I must’ve been hearing things."

"You are such a bully, I swear," Pipp murmured tiredly. She uselessly flopped her head back against Zipp's chest and smiled. "Fine, Zipp, you win. This time. Happy?"

Zipp nodded smugly. Her chin found that violet mane once again.

"Don't sound so defeated. This was all your idea in the first place, after all. 'I'm gonna give you the biggest sister cuddle you've ever had,' remember?"

Pipp blushed at the obvious, mocking impression. Before she could retort, however, a high-pitched noise caused both of them to perk their ears. Zipp released Pipp, and when they turned, their mother's waterworks were waiting for them.

"Oh, my darlings, can it be? I've not seen you play together in years!" she proclaimed, trotting up to them and forcing them into a new embrace. "What a lovely surprise! So you two made up after all, then? Oh, please tell me you did. I don't believe the city can handle much more of the alternative."

"Mom?" Zipp said with a crack in her voice. "What are you doing here? And how did you find us so quickly?"

"Hitch alerted me to what's been going on, honey. I was out running errands with Thunder when I ran into him. He explained the mob, and then Thunder received a text from the palace guards saying that you two had come home, and that they needed assistance with a crowd outside."

Once his name was mentioned, Hitch not so subtly attempted to blend into the background. It proved futile. Zipp found him from over her mother's shoulder.

"That's some impeccable timing, sheriff," she said, eyeing him shrewdly. "I thought I left you somewhere nice and quiet to hide out until things blew over. Shoulda known you'd find some way to continue helping."

The sisters were released, and they all gathered together in the middle of the room. Hitch cleared his throat.

"Well, it's not like I went looking for your mother. She was right where you left me, shockingly enough. I figured I'd try and get that mob of fans under control, in case your sister didn't. Who else could do it but the queen?"

He picked up a throw pillow by his hoof. He dusted it off before tossing it to Zipp.

"I had a feeling you'd make the right choice this time, and talk with Pipp directly. All you needed to do was work up the courage."

The room grew quiet. Zipp looked off to an empty corner. It was Pipp who came to her rescue, resting a hoof against hers. Their eyes met, and they both smiled.

"I should apologize, for realsies this time, Zipp," she said quietly. "I kept doing these little games and randomly inviting you to things instead of just talking to you. I could’ve said something about how I felt, or asked how you felt, but I didn't, and I started involving the Pippsqueaks. I guess I've gotten so used to carrying my social life into everything I do, and how we were doing things in general."

Zipp shook her head. "No. It took me this long to tell you that your fans were ruining something that I wanted to enjoy. We both could stand to communicate better, but I'm supposed to be your older sister, so I think this is more on me. I enabled you by not being honest with you. I let the Siblings Day hunts continue even when I really started to hate them."

"You—wait, you did? But why would you lie?"

Zipp turned to face her sister and smiled a little brighter.

"It wasn't a lack of courage that kept me from telling you the truth. It was because from my perspective, you seemed to be really enjoying yourself. On some level, I hated the fact that you started livestreaming everything, Pipp, and doing all these different things just for your fans. But I couldn't ruin your fun just because I didn't care for it. I told myself I could put up with showy livestream hugs every now and then if they made my sister happy."

Zipp was grinning before Pipp’s tears started streaming down her cheeks. When she was desperately hugged once again, her wings offered comforting pats along Pipp's back.

"You are such a sweetheart, Zipp, oh my gosh!" Pipp sobbed.

Zipp looked at Hitch.

"Hitch, thank you, seriously. I probably wouldn't have said anything today if you hadn't. I guess the sheriff-turned-detective makes for a pretty good relationship counselor, too."

She winked, and the stallion fumbled over his words.

"W-well, you're welcome. I did say I was going to help, didn't I? I'm just glad my hunch was mostly correct."

Zipp looked up to see her mother move around her and Pipp. She stopped to part a stray lock of Pipp's hair, catching her daughter’s attention.

"Pipp, my sweet," Haven cooed. "I know you're a little excited right now, but do you think maybe you could have some words with the mob outside? They've been quite patient so far, thank hoofness."

Having been previously distracted by feathery bliss, Pipp only now processed the hundreds of voices from outside. She pushed herself out of Zipp's embrace and gave her mother a sheepish smile.

"Right, the Pippsqueaks, of course. I'll go corral them, Mom. No problem."

Pipp fixed her mane, and with a swift motion, she rounded the room in flight to grab her phone and head out into the sunny afternoon. She was greeted with rounds of cheering that shook the sky.

"Hello, everypony!" she called out enthusiastically. "Wow, there's a lot of you here. I assume you're all here to see what's become of me, huh? Sorry for blacking out like that. Zipp and I had a heart-to-heart today that needed my full attention. No Siblings Day hug livestream today, I'm afraid, but rest assured, your girl got plenty of hugs and couldn't be happier.

"Everypony, I have to say that I have the greatest big sister in the world, and from now on, I'm going to celebrate that far more often. I want to spend more time with her, and that starts today. You can expect a vlog first thing tomorrow that goes over all of this in detail. For now, this little sister has places to be. Thank you so much for coming out today, you guys! I love you all so much! Pipp-Pipp-Hurray!"

The crowd thundered with applause, repeating the chant while Pipp returned to her sister's bedroom. There, three pairs of eyes awaited her, but only Zipp's carried such pride in them.

"'Spend more time with me starting today,' huh? You sure you're not Zipp'd out already, sis? I mean, we've made up, thoroughly demolished my bedroom, and hugged like three times already. What more could you want out of Siblings Day?"

Trotting by with a spring in her step, Pipp leapt upon her sister's bed with a bounce. She relished the confusion creeping up Zipp's face.

"Well, before you or mom inevitably make me help you clean up your room, I wanna catch up on my favorite show. Some of my fans in chat reminded me that a new episode dropped today. So, I thought we might watch it together." Pipp twirled her phone, now opened to a remote control app. Glee filled her face. "You've heard of My Petite Pony on Hoofflix, right, Zipp?"

"Oh, Petite Pony, right. Hey, isn't that one of the shows you're in?"

"No, this was a cartoon they made years ago. I'm in—" Pipp stopped dead in her tracks. Her sister's grin was shameless. "Height jokes, Zipp? Really? You know you're not funny."

"I've no idea what you're talking about, Pipp," Zipp dismissed, still grinning. She approached her bed, but a pink hoof jabbed her before she could climb up.

"Hang on. We can't watch a show without snacks, Zipp. Mom said she’d pick up that gourmet popcorn I really like today. Would you mind getting some for us before we start? Pretty, pretty please? For me?"

Pipp rolled onto her back, protruding her lip. Zipp scoffed, but the warmness had yet to leave her eyes.

"Popcorn? First of all, I haven't agreed to any of this yet. Second of all, my bedroom, my rules. That means I get to decide what we watch first, sis, so don't get too comfortable with that remote."

Pipp gasped, clutching her phone. Zipp smirked.

"Alright, tell you what—we'll watch Petite Pony first if you can keep that remote away from me for more than, say, ten seconds. If not, it'll have to wait. But hey, I'll get your popcorn for you either way as my treat. Happy Siblings Day, Pipp."

Sheer terror filled Pipp's face. Zipp pounced upon her without warning, and once more, the room filled with pleas, threats, and contagious giggling.

From not so far away, Queen Haven gave an adoring little hum, placing a hoof to her chest.

"You can't know how happy it makes a mother to see this, Hitch. My darlings, getting along for the first time in years."

A pillow sailed through the air and bounced off Zipp's dresser mirror, tilting it.

"Well, relatively, anyway."

Hitch nodded. When Haven motioned to the still-open door, they both stepped out together. Haven slowly closed it behind her.

"I'm sure Zipp says goodbye to you in spirit, Hitch."

"Oh, sure thing. I should probably head back anyway. My deputy tends to need a lot of supervision."

"Come back anytime! You helped my daughters see eye-to-eye again, and I am eternally grateful."

"Well, I appreciate that, Your Majesty. I most certainly will."

"And should you ever wake up one morning and feel that being the sheriff of your humble town isn't all it's cracked up to be, do write to me. I can always find a position for such a talented stallion on my staff, with or without wings."

"Um, sure, I'll keep that in mind, Queen Haven. I definitely, definitely won't forget the offer."

Bonus Tip: Always Make Hugs Seem Like Her Idea, Even When She's Onto You

Later that week...

"Move over, Zipp."

"Say 'please'."

Pipp rolled her eyes. Even when veiled in the dull light of her 4K UHD TV, her sister's smug look vexed her.

"Seriously? I was only gone for like two minutes."

"Say it."

"Fine. Please move over. You're such a pain sometimes."

"They say it takes one to know one, Pipp."

"Oh, real mature, Zipp. Who's the older sister here again? Spoiler alert: it's clearly not you."

Zipp laughed. "Uh-oh, here come the threats to the sister hierarchy. Guess I better get my act together."

Shuffling beneath layers of blankets, Zipp repositioned and allowed Pipp to reinsert herself beneath the same mound of fabric. Pipp sighed contentedly, and pulled a small side table littered with snacks closer to her. Zipp smiled.

"So are you adequately tucked in this time, princess? I've already memorized this movie's main menu pattern."

Pipp frowned through a mouthful of popcorn.

"Don't rush me. Snacks are a part of the experience, and I'm a grazer."

"No rush." Zipp stretched out her hooves. She let her chin sink into her sister's mattress. "Just don't get upset when I inevitably fall asleep halfway through the movie."

"I'll just poke you if you do."

"Yeah, that'll work. Do it too much, though, and I might just poke you back harder."

Pipp scoffed.

"Um, no you won't. You remember our truce—no phones, no roughhousing."

"Darn. Foiled again," Zipp muttered, smiling. She rolled onto her side. "That's alright. I probably won't get any time to sleep anyway. Hitch was telling me about this movie. Apparently, it's a doozy. By the time we get to the first jump scare I bet you'll already be freaking out."

"I will not!" Pipp insisted. A slow head turn and knowing look made her blush. "I don't get spooked that easily, Zipp. I'm not a filly."

"If you say so. Still can't help but think that I'm essentially cuddle fodder. I mean, this 'scary sister movie night' thing isn't really your style, is it?"

"Well maybe I was trying out something new. Something you might like, too."

"Aw, that's sweet of you. Thing is, I know you know that I prefer action and drama, sis. Why go for horror?"

"Because I could, and because the Pippsqueaks recommended I try it. Now shut up, we're missing dialogue."

Zipp smirked, but she kept to herself, for now.

"No, don't go in there! Why would you go in there?! Ugh, these ponies are so stupid!"

Zipp watched her sister rant and rave from beneath a cocoon of safety blankets. What had begun as a single comforter had evolved into several, each folded tight over her body. Only her hair and snout were visible.

"I dunno, Pipp, for all you know there could be something worthwhile in there. Food, water, a spare wheel for Little Spring's wagon..."

Zipp trailed off purposefully, awaiting that incredulous stare.

"Are you insane? Obviously Slenderhoof's in there, waiting for them to stumble in and split up. He'll go after Beaten Path first because he's the strongest among them. After that, it's game over. Ponies will start tripping over branches and doing dumb things one after the other. You'll see."

"You sure do get scared easily by things you can pick apart in a few sentences."

"I'm not scared, Zipp."

"Yeah, alright, blanket queen. You're not scared."

Pipp's emerald eyes flared.

"I'm not scared, Zipp! I'm just getting cozy."

Zipp snorted. "I don't think those are mutually exclusive."

"What's that supposed to mean—"

Without warning, Zipp gripped a section of blanket with her teeth and pulled. Like clockwork, Pipp scrambled to pull it back.

"Hey, quit it! What are you doing? Those are mine!"

Casting half her face in shadow, Zipp put on a disturbing smile. "Come on out, little Pipp. The darkness misses you."

Pipp's eyes went wide. It took all of Zipp's willpower to not fall into hysterics then and there.

There was a scream on screen, and it transferred to Pipp in an instant. Tumbling forward, she snowballed into a sentient mass of fabric, bowling over Zipp in the process. The lower half of the bed became a sprawling mass of hooves and wings sticking out from a shifting comforter.

"Zipp, you're not funny!" chided Pipp, finally breaching the surface. Zipp's muffled laughter only steamed her further. She lightly punched the twitching comforter. "You're such a jerk!"

Zipp pulled herself free from the blankets and tossed back her head, combing a hoof through her frazzled mane. She grinned again.

"It's alright, Pipp. I think I know exactly what's going on here. 'Cozy' must be chat lingo for 'scared.' You know what, that's my bad, sis. As we've already established, I'm pretty bad with that stuff."

Pipp rolled her eyes.

"Are you done?"

"Yeah, I think I'm good now. Thanks for asking."

"Like I said, you're a jerk. You deliberately tried to get me on edge. That's why the jump scare got me."

"Look, I was being good. A model big sister, in fact. But then you started cowering under the covers and I just couldn't resist. It's just too cute, Pipp."

Pipp opened her mouth, but the movie answered for her. Another scream, the loudest one yet, made her go rigid, but not before she sought out her sister's snowy coat.

There was no going back, this time.

"And there's my cue," Zipp cooed triumphantly, ensnaring the pink pegasus in a fluffy trap of wings and hooves. "Don't worry, sis, I'll protect you from the low budget CGI. Oh, and wouldn't you know it, this is perfect timing. I was just wondering where my chin rest had gone. Thanks for finding it, Pipp."

Pipp giggled as she was kneaded like dough into place, her sister's chin vigorously rubbing along her head.

"What are you, a venus flytrap for ponies?"

"I guess that'd make you the fly that should’ve known better," Zipp replied, letting herself fall back against the plush collection of blankets. "You can't fool me, though. This was all by design."

Pipp huffed, shifting her head to a more comfortable angle. "Can't say I know what you mean," she muttered. "You're the reason the jump scare caught me off guard again."

Her smile betrayed her.

It was quiet for a time. Even the movie had reached a lull in action. A welcoming fatigue fell over the both of them, and their bodies grew heavier from it. The next time a jump scare occurred, a high-pitched squeak was all that Pipp could muster.

Of course, even this was enough to relight the fire in her sister's smile.

"'Oh no, it's so scary, Zipp!'" Zipp mocked playfully, gently shaking the smaller pegasus back and forth. "'I totally didn't invite you over to be cuddle fodder from the start, honest! Please don't go or the Slenderpony might eat me!'"

"Slenderhoof doesn't eat ponies, Zipp," Pipp giggled. "You'd know that if you'd actually watched the movie at all! You've done nothing but tease me this whole time!"

Pipp glanced at the TV, listening to patches of dialogue filter through the bouts of teasing coming from behind her ear. All of her sister's shenanigans made the movie seem so trivial, now.

She didn't mind it one bit.

Pipp woke up. This was all she could gather. Rational thought wasn't quite so rational yet.

The moon shone through her balcony door and lit up her bedroom, allowing her eyes to adjust. A familiar gray box, titled 'No Input,' sat in the middle of her TV.

When a gentle squeeze identified hooves and wings curled around her, the night before came rushing back.

"Zipp?"

"..."

"Zipp."

"Mmm."

"Do you know what time it is?"

"I think it's half-past too early for you to be asking," Zipp mumbled, her voice gravelly and slurred. "Go back to sleep, Pipp."

"Wow, okay, mom. Sorry to impede your beauty rest."

"...I'll remember that snark when I'm awake enough to care about it."

Pipp closed her eyes again. She raised her head, and in doing so, wedged herself ever tighter under her sister's chin. Zipp chuckled.

"I imagine this is what living with a cat is like. You got food, attention, and now a warm sleeping spot all on your terms."

"I'm sorry, the flytrap pony says what? I'm just trying to get comfortable and make the most of the situation I was forced into, Zipp. You're the one still hugging me."

Zipp sighed, surrendering with a shake of her head. She would never win that argument, even if she did have access to all her brain cells.

"Yeah, I guess I am. You realize Hitch and the girls aren't gonna believe me, by the way."

"About what?"

"When I tell them how crafty you are with getting hugs from me, now."

"Zipp, I will disown you so fast."

The moody pegasus was squeezed again.

"Come on, why can't I brag about how my sister and I have reconciled? Izzy will probably drop to the floor if we hug in front of her. You don't wanna see that?"

"No, Zipp. If I can't hug you on livestream for my fans then you can't gossip about stuff to Izzy, Sunny, and Hitch."

"Alright, alright, that's fair. No bragging, got it. But that comes with a condition attached."

"To Tartarus it does."

Zipp used her wing to pull the heavy comforter over them more completely.

"If you wake me up again before the sun does, I can't be held responsible for what I might let slip to Izzy."

Pipp thought of a counter, but it didn't come out. Instead, she buried her face away in cotton sheets.

"Hey, Zipp?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For sort-of-not-really watching the movie with me, I mean. This was really fun."

"No problem. I thought so, too. Compared to dealing with loud, demanding crowds or being put on a screen so thousands of strangers can watch my sister hug me, just holding you while we watch stuff isn't so bad, Pipp. I'd be down for more movie nights in the future if you are."

"Aww, Zipp, of course! I'd love to make this a regular thing with you."

Zipp smirked.

"Maybe next time though you can just ask your sister if she'll hold you during the movie, instead of relying on jump scares?"

"I—I wasn't relying on jump scares! Those were natural reactions, Zipp."

"Were they? I thought you said you weren't spooked that easily."

"I'm not! Both times you had me on edge or distracted, so I got caught off guard."

"Uh-huh, sure. I guess I must be imagining this very obvious ploy, then."

"I guess you must be."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not times infinity."

"You can't multiply by infinity, Zipp."

"When dealing with actual values, you're right. However, I'm not trying to define a specific value, Pipp. All that matters is that 'am not', or an, is infinite. I can write out the expression on a cheat sheet for you if you want."

Pipp groaned. The comforters stretched and shook as she endeavored to throw them off.

"And just where is it you think you're going?"

"To my own end of the bed, away from your antagonizing. Let go of me."

"It's too little too late for that, Pipp. You reap what you sow. You wanted to be held, so now you're locked in for the night."

"Zipp, let go of me!" Pipp demanded. Her giggling betrayed any chance of true dissonance. She squirmed in her sister's grasp to no avail. "You know what, I take it back—you're not a flytrap, you're a bear trap."

"What's the difference?"

"Flytraps are elegant and kinda pretty to look at. And then there's bear traps."

"Oh, that's it, c'mere—you just opted to sleep in and miss your livestream in the morning," Zipp retorted, successfully wrestling the giggling pegasus back beneath her chin. "You're better off saving your sass and energy for another time, sis. Neither of us is getting any sleep at this rate."

Properly contained once more, Pipp tilted her head back and found her sister's neck. She shifted against the snowy hooves and wings holding her, and they tightened. Even her tail was subdued from flicking—coiled around by her sister's.

"And so in the pursuit of getting back to sleep, I'll ask again: are you adequately tucked in, princess?" Zipp asked softly. "Don't think I can hug you any tighter than this, so you can drop the act. This is all you've really wanted all night, isn't it?"

Pipp merely hummed, nestling herself into her sister's coat. It shook with Zipp's laugh.

"I'm sticking with my cat metaphor. You're adorable, if not a little manipulative. I'd say, 'you know that, right?', but I already know the answer."

"It's a gift," Pipp replied with a sigh. "Having a big sister who gives great hugs is a gift, too, when she's not being a math nerd or teasing me."

"If this is your attempt at making up for that bear trap comment, it's pretty lousy," Zipp mused. She closed her eyes and laid her cheek along her sister's mane, holding her tight with every hoof and wing. "Luckily for you, I'm easily swayed when I'm this tired."

Author's Note

My Sister, Loyalty — 2012
How to Hug Your Pegasis — 2022

I haven't crafted a sister relationship from scratch like this since I first joined the brony fandom a decade ago. To start G5 fic writing the same way I began G4 feels nostalgic. :pinkiesmile: I consider this my 10th year anniversary as an MLP writer, and my proudest story ever posted after The King of Love Bugs.

Much of the fandom depicts these two as having never gotten along, or focuses on depicting a far more strained relationship between them, and going off the G5 movie, I can't blame them. At the time of this story's publishing, there's little positivity between them to go off of.

But I'm not much of the fandom. I like to depict the potential relationship that sticks out to me when I see a pair of new characters, not what we've seen so far. Zipp and Pipp's detached relationship will almost certainly be built upon somewhere in the flurry of upcoming and future G5 material, and that is what I love to theory craft and write about.

Oh, and hello to any new G5 readers of mine. My name is NavelColt, and I enjoy writing about platonic love, especially between siblings or friends. :twilightsmile: If you enjoyed this, stick around. This won't be the last time I write about these two.

Full Artist Credits:
Cover Art by Luximus
Insert Artwork by JowyB
Author's Note Art by Tomiku