Zipp dashed and dived through the air, laughing, she just loved the feel of the air racing through her fur and feathers. She did spins, dives and drops as she enjoyed the view of Maretine Bay and the sea. Dashing and diving through clouds were a blast, she laughed as diving through a dark cloud made her a little damp. It felt cool and refreshing so she didn’t mind at all! She cheered as she did spins and twirls, then she stopped above some dark clouds with and idea. “Heh, time for Zipp’s Drill-dive!!” Zipp said before a nervous chuckle, “Work in progress!”
She started by flying into the sky and then diving in a diagonal line towards the ground. Before she struck the ground she flapped her wings in a way where her body would spin through the air. Zipp started to get dizzy but didn’t care, a stream on cloud followed her as she went through. But then she noticed the ground was getting closer and closer, she was going directly towards the forest! Her wings wouldn’t open as she was so dizzy and her body wasn’t used to the air pressure from the speed she was going at.
Zipp screamed as she covered her head with her hooves to protect herself, she managed to open her wings but it was too late! The world stopped spinning and went black.
Izzy was in the woods picking up pretty stones and putting them in her bag before she heard a scream followed crashing noise in the trees behind her. She dropped a rock as she jumped out of her skin in fright as the noise was caused, “What was that!?” She exclaimed as her heart raced.
She wondered, breathing heavily, “Proberly nothing to worry about,” She assured herself she had a feeling in her gut. It was like something was tugging her to go look, like a voice telling her she had to go. Izzy soon gave in “I guess a peek won’t hurt she told herself as she walked in the direction of the noise.
She walked as she hummed a tune, on the way she spotted many broken branches, looking as if something big tore them off and left them hanging by a thread. Shining in the sun, there were feathers. Blue, pink, purple and white feathers wedged between the snaps in the twigs. “Oh hey,” she said quietly as she admired the feathers that look as if they were ripped out from a creature in clumps, “These feathers remind me of Zipp! I wonder what she will think of them.”
Izzy gathered them up, pocketed them into her bag and continued walking. Oddly the broken branches seemed to have been getting lower until she found herself looking at a large trench in the dirt. “Huh?” It was as if something crashed at a high speed.
Izzy looked ahead and saw a seemingly lifeless white figure lying on the ground, mud soiling the white fur. Curious, Izzy went up for a closer look until she worked it out, that pink mane, tail, wings and coat combo belonged to nopony other than “Zipp!?” She screamed. Zipp’s wings looked unnatural, besides the fact that skin was showing in many places, feathers missing in many areas.
A leg looked dislocated as well, plus there was blood and dust staining her white coat and colourful wings. One wing was bent in a way Izzy had no idea was possible. She ran over and tried to shake her awake. “Zipp!” She shouted, “Are you okay!?”
There was no response coming from the seemingly lifeless pony, she gulped with worry as she tried keeping calm. She then grabbed her phone out from her bag and dialed the necessary number. “The forest! There’s an injured pony! Please hurry!” Tears appeared in her eyes as she explained the location to the ponies on the other end.
This was the most blood she had seen coming from anypony! She never thought ponies could bleed so much.
Sunny and Hitch were at the beach holding onto ropes that were attached to a branch. It was a rope swing an earth pony and pegasus had made for everypony to enjoy. “I bet I can rope swing in further than you!” Sunny dared.
”Hey, we’ll see about that!”
The two ponies grabbed onto the rope and started to run. Soon they swung and flew across the water before splashing into the water, they laughed after they surfaced. Soon Sunny’s phone started to ring from inside her bag.
”Huh?” She questioned as she took it out and answered it, it was from Izzy.
”Sunny! Sunny! Sunny!” Screamed Izzy quickly, she looked dreadfully frightened.
Hitch swam over with concern, “Are you okay Izzy?” He asked.
”Hitch! Zipp- She-She!”
Sunny tried to assure her as she walked out the water, “Calm down Izzy, deep breathes, tell us slowly...”
Sunny’s heart was racing, she knew it wasn’t good. Izzy was breathing heavily, she gasped for air and tried to calm down.
“Zipp’s hurt- she’s in hospital!” Shouted Izzy, about to cry.
”What!?” Shouted Hitch and Sunny with surprise.
Pipp was happily in her salon putting curlers in a mare’s red and yellow mane. She hummed a tune to herself as she did so. The curlers were almost done, but there was still the mud mask, the mare had already had the cucumbers on. There was a mud container next to her on the table. She grabbed a small, round tub and put some facial mud on the mare’s face. This mare had a bright smile on her face.
“I got the hoof polish,” Pipp’s fellow worker said as she walked over. A grey earth pony known as Ash, got out her hoof file from her sash and gently tended to the mare’s hooves.
A little blue and orange unicorn mare walked into the salon. “Hope Mane Melon will be as nice as ponies say,” she demanded with a scoff and a roll of her eyes.
”Ahem,” Pipp informed, slightly offended as she finished putting curl sets in the customer’s mane. “It’s Mane Melody!” She tried saying it calmly, but she was disgusted at how somepony thought it was melon.
The unicorn gasped in an extremely dramatic way. “Oh no-“ She whimpered like a drama queen as she started jumping in place, “Bing-bong, bing-b- oh no I’m gonna get jinxed!” She said before rushing out the doors, hopping along the way “Bing bong! Bing bong!!” She shouted before screaming outside.
Everyone in the salon at that time stared with confusion. There was perfect silence, besides a pony playing cricket noises on his phone that. “What?” Pipp whispered to herself.
Before long Pipp’s phone started to buzz, “Oh!” She exclaimed as she took out her phone from under her wing. She opened it up and accepted the incoming call only to hear her own mother shout.
”Pipp!? Are you there!?” She shouted.
”Yes mother, and please be a bit quieter, I’m with a customer-“
”Pipp! You must come to the hospital now! Room 10! It’s an emergency!”
”what!?” Gasped Pipp, “What happened!?”
”Your s-!” She said before accidentally hanging up.
Pipp stared at her phone in horror and worry, “Oh no, no!” She panicked, “What was she trying to say!? What happened?”
”Sounded serious, you should go, I’ll finish with the customer.” Rocky worriedly assured.
“Alright,” Pipp sighed, “Thank you!” She thanked before dashing out the doors.
“I hope everypony is okay!” Rocky exclaimed as Pipp left.
Pipp barged through the entrance to the hospital and to the room her mother was in. “I’m here is-“ Then Pipp saw her mother with tears in her eyes standing next to the hospital bed. Along with Izzy who was being comforted by Sunny, crying in her chest as the latter patted her back.
“What’s going on-“ She said before seeing the horrors. She froze in terror as soon as she saw it.
In the bed was Zipp, unconscious with cords attached and a coloured oxygen mask on her muzzle. Zipp’s torso was bandaged up wings were under the bandage. Legs were also bandaged along with her head. Gashes and bruises covered her face and body, she had recently been cleaned by the nurses.
“Z-Zipp?”
Pipp stared, hyperventilating as she tried to process what she was seeing. It was her sister, but why? She didn’t want to believe it. Her own sister was in a critical condition. How did this happened? Who did it?
”Zippy!” Screamed Pipp as tears formed in her eyes. She rushed to her sister’s side and lightly shook her hoof. “Zipp, c’mon, get up!” She begged. She lifted her head to look at Queen Haven. She wanted an answer, any answer to tell her this was a joke.
Pipp choked as she spoke, “W-will she be okay?” Tears streamed down Pipp’s face, she felt pain in her stomach and couldn’t look at her sister. She didn’t want to believe it, why now?
“I-I really hope so,” Queen Haven chocked out, “Your friend, Izzy found her like this in the woods, I-I was shocked when Zoom told me, I-I didn’t believe it... I thought it was some stupid, cruel prank until I was told Izzy sent the message!” Tears went down her eyes, “M-My poor darling, why did this have to happen to you?”
“Zipp...” Pipp whimpered, tears running down her face. “But I didn’t want this to happen! Why her?”
Hitch wiped his eyes before putting a hoof on Pipp’s shoulder. “She’s one of the toughest ponies I know, I’m sure she’ll get through this.”
Pipp sobbed into her hooves, Sunny, Izzy and Hitch comforted Queen Haven and Pipp till visiting hours were over.
That night Pipp couldn’t sleep, she laid on her bed crying to herself as she looked at a photo of her and Zipp on her phone. “Zipp...” She cried, “Please be okay.. Please...” She whimpered. Izzy and Sunny were asleep. Pipp felt anger and grief, she just wished she could have saved her. She turned off her phone and laid down.
She had so much heartache just thinking about her. Could she have possibly stopped it? Why did this have to happen. Pipp was sniffling loudly as she laid there.
Tears rolled down her eyes as she looked at the ceiling, she whimpered as she looked towards Zipp’s empty bed, it was tidy and empty... Pipp closed her tired eyes, “Breath in... Breath out..” She told herself repeatedly, quietly to not wake anyone up. She laid there, images of Zipp, injured flickered in her mind throughout the sleepless night.
“P-please be okay, Zipp.”
Morning came, she barely slept, she let out a yawn as she stretched. Bags were under her eyes and dried tears were spotted down her cheeks. Pipp didn’t want to look at herself in the mirror as she made her way down to the kitchen. But as soon as Izzy and Sunny spotted he, their faces grew with worry. They had eye bags too, but their manes weren’t as messed up.
“Pipp?” Yawned Sunny, indicating she didn’t get much sleep either, “You didn’t sleep either?”
Izzy yawned also, before taking a bite from her cereal.
“I’m sorry...” Pipp said, expressing regret as she looked away with droopy ears.
Sunny put a hoof on her shoulder. “Pipp, don’t apologise, none of this was your fault... I could hardly sleep either.”
”I’m so worried about Zipp...” Pipp whispered as she cuddled Sunny, squeezing her slightly. Sunny hugged back and patted Pipp on the back.
“I’m sure she’ll get through this...” Assured Sunny, “You’re not alone...”
After her breakfast and shower Pipp went to the bedroom and sat on her bed. There was a concert soon so she needed to let her fans know the information, and later she was going to show some gameplay on a trendy game. She turned on the livestream as she stood in front of her bed, trying to not yawn. Her phone started to film and stream the video across the cities.
“Hello Pipsqueaks!” She announced, “Today I have a very special announcement...”
As she watched the screen, she noticed some commenters asking her if she was okay, and asking about Zipp. Pipp brushed them off, not wanting to feel any worse, she didn’t need to me reminded of Zipp’s accident.
“I’m fine,” She assured them, “But next week on Monday there will be a concert in Maretine Bay with this song I just wrote!”
There was a ding as a comment popped up.
“Pipp, you look exhausted, are you sure you’re up to live-streaming today?” The commenter asked.
Another comment popped up, this one was with a typo. “You should go rest, we can wait, you re health is more important.”
”Your*” Another commented corrected, aggressively. “It’s ‘your health’ not you’re, which is short for ‘you are.’ You aren’t saying Pipp is health, you’re saying her heath. You should go back to grammar school MR.SpeckleTickle. Or actually, go back to elementary, my two year old sister can spell better than you sorry excuse of a Pipsqueak!”
Then another popped up, distracting Pipp. “Yes, Grammar-Master123, we know, but it doesn’t matter as long as Pipp understands the message and no one gets hurt.”
”It’s just a typo, geez! Not the end of the world, I make them all the time.” Another commenter argued, Pipp was a bit annoyed at this point.p.
”We are ponies, we aren’t immune from errors, grammar master!” ‘MR.SpeckleTickle responded
Pipp sighed and rolled her eyes. She decided to ignore them about taking a rest and finished the livestream. She hated it when her fans argued, it drove their attention onto the wrong thing! Well, the day before she did say to Sunny she’d help in the garden and harvest the fruit for the cakes. So she went to join her in the garden.
After lunch she raced to the hospital and visited Zipp. She raced into her room shouting, “Zipp!” She shouted only to see her sister, still unconscious. Tears gathered in her eyes and she slowly walked over, “Oh Zipp... She sighed, “Please get up... I’m so worried,”
Tears ran down her cheeks. She had no shame in them. Pipp stood next to the hospital bed, sniffling as she put a hoof on Zipp’s leg. “Hey, Zipp, please get up,” She cried, “Remember when we were foals you’d tell me a bedtime story and let me sleep with you after a nightmare?” She trembled as she glanced at her sisters battered body.
“Please open your eyes...”
The next morning...
Pipp yawned sleepily that morning as she walked to her salon and entered. She smiled a bit as she stopped and looked around, “I’m here everypony,” Yawned Pipp. Her mane was shriveled, and her eyes were droopy. Her stance wobbled slightly.
Her co-workers glanced at each other with worry before looking at Pipp.
”Are you okay?” Her pegasus co-worker, Rocky asked her
”Yeah, I’m fine. Sunny, don’t worry about me,” Pipp tried to assure.
Rocky stared at her with concern. She must be very tired to mistake him as Sunny!
“No- it’s Rocky.“ Rocky corrected her, with concern.
Ash walked up to her, “You didn’t sleep well, are you okay?” She asked.
“Izzy... I mean uh... Whatever- I’m just reallly-*yawn* worried about Zipp I...”
The two co-workers glanced at each other briefly, Rocky spoke first, “Is Zipp doing okay? She’s still-”
”Oh my!” Ash worried, “She’s not recovered yet?”
”Yeah, I’m sure she’ll be fine...” Pipp walked ahead and grabbed what she though was a brush, it was actually a mirror. “I hope she’ll be, but she must, she’s Zipp! She’s gonna be fine, Pipp’s fine, so is Zipp, she has to be-”
The duo watched as Pipp approached a confused customer and petted her head with the mirror. She weakly hummed a tune as she tried to brush the mare’s mane. After a few strokes she realised something was wrong. Pipp yawned as she looked at her co-workers, “I think this brush is broken...”
”Actually that’s-“ Rocky was about to correct before Pipp tossed it aside, almost hitting the duo who had to duck.
Ash sighed and softly spoke ”Pipp, I think you should take today off, both of us are enough t-“
”Nonsense, Hi-Hitch, don’t get your mane in a knot.” Pipp said before a chuckle and an eye twitch.
Pipp grabbed a smoothie that was on a table, “Ugh, smoothies don’t do manes...”
”Wait- that’s my-“ Rocky was about to say, only for it to be thrown and splatter purple berry-flavoured liquid and fruit chunks all over his head and face, soaking his mane in smoothie. He gasped in disappointment, “My mega mixed berry smoothie...”
“Ugh...” Rocky groaned as cold smoothie soaked through his fur and mane. He was gonna be all sticky. But that wasn’t as important as Pipp’s well being. “Pipp, you should take today off,”
Pipp grumbled, “Why did it have to be Zipp!?” She shouted furiously, almost crying, “She didn’t deserve this! She is the best sister!”
She doesn’t like having breakdowns, and she didn’t want to have one in public. But she felt the tears coming, she hurried to the storage room before wailing. “I want Zipp back!”
It could be heard from outside the hidden storage room. Everyone in the salon felt terrible, they couldn’t imagine her pain. “Poor Pipp...” a mare gasped, waiting to get her hoof trimmed.
”So... Should we check on her?” Rocky asked Ash who simply shrugged.
Soon a young, white pegasus filly, with light blue eyes stood between them. She shrugged, “Could be worse,” Then she looked at Rocky, “Think you can make my hooves more... Sparkly?” She asked as she ruffled her light pink mane with darker pink highlights with a single purple highlight. She then looked at Ash, “You still suck. You’re luckily I haven’t told anyone about who you really are...”
”Uh... Maybe later.” Rocky agreed.
“You wouldn’t...” Ash grunted
Inside the storage room Pipp was huddled up, crying, hoping nopony could hear her. “P-p-please, why Zipp?” She asked nopony. Her face was soaked with tears. “Please come back, Zipp...”
After wailing in the storage room, Pipp made her way to Zipp’s room in the hospital. Once she entered, she greeted her sister, “Hello, Zipp...” She tried to not cry, dried tears were already on her cheeks. “How has it been?” She asked.
Soon she went to her side and put her hoof on her foreleg, “Zipp... You’re the best sister any pony could ask for,” she added, “Please Zipp... Open your eyes?”
Pipp closed her eyes as she put her head down on Zipp’s chest, “Please sis, I hate seeing you like this!” Tears poured down her face. “Zi-I-I-IP!”
All Zipp was seeing was blackness, there was a pain in her body as she heard a voice. She was opened her eyes slowly and saw Pipp, head and leg on her, crying her heart out. “Oh- Ziiipp!” Pipp cried, making Zipp feel confused. Concerned, Zipp put a hoof on Pipp’s withers.
”Hey sis, why you crying?” Zipp asked weakly.
“Be-because- Zippp-“ Then Pipp gasped and looked at her, giving her a view of her blood-shot eyes, “Ziipp! Oh my gosh- Zipp!” Pipp quickly took out her phone and did some tapping before putting it away,
“Ziiiiiiipp!” Pipp screamed as she jumped on the bed to give her a huge hug.
”Ugh- Pipp? What happened- What’s going on?” She asked, a bit nervous and very confused. Soon she noticed cords attached to her and a mask on her muzzle, “Where- wha-“ She then looked down at Pipp who was hugging her tightly, crying with joy.
Soon two doctors rushed in with delighted grins. It was hard for Zipp to talk, “P-Pipp? What’s going on?” She asked, feeling very concerned as a doctor gently took her mask off and did whatever he needed. Pipp was now no longer on top of Zipp. She was standing next to her bed on her phone. “There was an accident,” The other doctor noted, “You were found in a critical condition,”
”Oh!” Gasped Zipp, “How long was I out exactly?”
“Two days...” Sighed the doctor.
Soon Queen Haven barged past followed by Hitch, Izzy and Sunny. “Zipp!” Shouted Haven as she ran over and put a hoof on her, “Darling, I was so worried!” She exclaimed. Cloudpuff jumped on her and started licking her, “So was Cloudpuff!”
”I’m so glad you’re back,” Sunny sniffled happily as she wiped a tear.
Izzy nodded, “I found you all mangled up in the forest, it wasn’t fun...”
Zipp had a look around. Hitch had a look than seemed as if he was trying to look strong and formal. “Heh, hiding your feelings, Sheriff?” Asked Zipp with a smug grin.
”No- I’m glad but-“ Hitch tried to stop the tears but they came through, “I was so scared for you!” He exclaimed, “I wanted to figure out the cause, but I couldn’t!”
Zipp gasped in shock. Painfully her head hurt as she tried to remember what happened, then it hit, “Oh-“
”What happened, Zipp? Did someone hurt you and dump your body in the forest?” Asked Queen Haven.
She groaned, “No, mother... It was a miscalculation in- I was flying and this giant whale attacked me-“
”Really?” Asked Sunny, unconvinced, “Are you sure you didn’t mess up while flying and miscalculate while attempting a stunt?” She questioned.
After muttering under her breath, Zipp admitted, “Yes- yes I did-“
She felt a bit ashamed of herself as her eyes moved to the side. Pipp wiped her happy tears and put a hoof on her shoulders. “Everypony messes up sometimes.”
All the ponies in the room made sounds of agreement.
Izzy chuckles, “Yeah, I totally created stuff that didn’t work out in the end-“
Hitch made an embarrassed noises, “And I may have failed to catch a criminal on a few occasions...”
”Yeah, there were times where I completely forgot the lyrics or had a bad-mane day,” Pipp added
”Even I’ve made mistakes,” Queen Haven added
Sunny went to Zipp’s side, “Even the legendary Rainbow Dash had crashed when she was flying... One time she even broke her wing and had to stay at the hospital for a while!”
“Me and her barely have anything in common but okay,” Zipp shrugged,
”Speaking about wings.... Yours have suffered some fractures which means no flying for about a week,”
”Wh-What!?” Exclaimed Zipp in shock, “Oh c’mon!”
Pipp hugged Zipp tightly, “I was so worried for you, big sis!”
