When Zipp woke up it was very quiet. This was surprising, considering she lived under the same roof as Sunny, Izzy, Pipp and Misty. Of the other four mares Misty was the only one Zipp could classify as quiet. When she lifted her head and glanced at her alarm clock she learned why it was so quiet.

“Ah, I overslept.” Zipp cried as she leapt out of bed. She and the others had agreed to get up at eight so they could be in town for half eight to oversee the start of the celebrations. It was now half twelve. The festivities would be well underway by now.

Pipp isn’t going to be happy with me, Zipp thought as she bolted out the door. She was really looking forward to this and now I’ve gone and overslept. Zipp took flight and started flying towards Maretime Bay. From her elevated position she could see rainbow banners and streamers decorating every street. Vendors were selling different pride flags and Sunny and Izzy had even repainted the former’s smoothie stand with a rainbow colour scheme. The Earth Pony liked the finished product so much she was considering making the change permanent.

Well everything seems to have gone off without a hitch, Zipp observed, before spotting a familiar stallion walking along. Speaking of…

“Hey sheriff.” Zipp called as she flew down to meet him.

“Zipp. There you are,” Hitch greeted. “I was worried when you didn’t show up with the others, but they said you were just sleeping in.” Hitch looked at her, concerned. “You seem to be doing that a lot lately. Are you alright?”

Zipp sighed as she landed beside Hitch. Even though Opaline was gone now, Zipp had continued her efforts to investigate magic and the unity crystals, but she still wasn’t making any progress. She had been staying up later as a result, turning night into day as Misty put it.

“I’m fine,” Zipp muttered. “My sleep pattern is just messed up. I’ll get it back on track.”

Hitch nodded as Zipp took the opportunity to look at the celebration from ground level.

“So, everything running smoothly?” Zipp asked.

“So far.” Hitch answered. “A few local residents have been sticks in the mud about the whole thing…” he nodded his head towards a cafe table where a pink coated mare with a curly blonde mane was hiding her face behind a newspaper. “But overall everything is going well. Posey and Windy are organising the parade and even have a firework display planned for the evening.”

Zipp nodded, then noticed the lack of a baby dragon on the stallion’s back.

“Hey, where’s Sparky?” she asked.

“Your mom offered to take care of him for the day,” Hitch responded. “And it’s just as well. I was watching over everything by myself until you showed up.”

“Really? Where are the others?”

“They went to see the celebrations in the other towns. Sunny and Izzy have gone to Bridlewood and Pipp and Misty took the Marestream to Zephyr Heights.”

While Hitch was talking Zipp saw several foals standing around some plants. More specifically two Earth Pony colts seemed to be trying to grow rainbow coloured flowers while two Unicorn fillies and two Pegasi colts watched on in amazement. In one go the Earth Pony colts appeared to put too much magic into one of the flowers as it grew huge and collapsed under its own weight. It nearly fell on the Pegasi colts, but fortunately Zipp flew over quick as a flash and pulled them out of the way.

“Sorry.” The Earth Pony colts cried as Zipp gently dropped the Pegasi colts back on the ground.

“It’s okay. No one got hurt.” Zipp said as she landed, before spotting a crudely made sign one of the Unicorn fillies was holding in her magic. “Pride plants,” she read. “That’s pretty clever.”

The Unicorn filly gave a smile that strongly reminded Zipp of the one Izzy gave the night around the camp fire while the group were travelling to Bridlewood for the first time.

“Thank you, Princess Zipp.” The filly said quietly.

Zipp’s own smile faltered slightly.

“It’s just Zipp.” She corrected before turning tail and diving into the nearby sheriff station.

Hitch, who had been watching the interaction, decided to check on his friend. It wasn’t like Zipp to just take off like that during a conversation, especially since Zipp loved talking to foals.

When Hitch entered the sheriff station Zipp was busy unpacking stuff at her desk. Despite having been appointed detective of Maretime Bay ages ago Zipp had initially refused to have a desk in the sheriff station, insisting that her work space in her room at the Brighthouse was enough. Pipp and Misty were eventually able to get Zipp to accept Hitch’s offer of a workplace desk by pointing out that Zipp was often visiting the station so having her own personal space there would be beneficial. Even though the desk had been installed and Zipp had brought some of her belongings from the Brighthouse to the station she had been dragging her hooves over setting her desk up. Now though she seemed laser focused on the task.

Zipp looked up briefly when Hitch opened the door, then went back to what she was doing. Hitch sighed. He could see what she was doing, avoiding eye contact. Whatever was bothering her she wasn’t ready to talk about yet. Deciding to wait it out Hitch walked over to his own desk, sat down and pulled out a jigsaw puzzle.

“Hitch?” Zipp said suddenly.

“Yeah?” Hitch looked up from the half finished jigsaw to see that Zipp had finished organising her desk. The two had been sitting in silence for the past twenty minutes and it seemed Zipp was finally ready to talk. “What’s up, Zipp?”

Zipp sighed before speaking. “Do you think of me as a princess?”

Hitch tapped his chin in thought. “Not really,” he admitted. “There’s a ton of other things to describe you that come to mind before ‘Princess’. You’re my friend, the detective of Maretime Bay, a talented flyer, Pipp’s sister and Haven’s daughter. Honestly the fact that you’re a princess slips my mind most of the time.”

Zipp smiled. “Thanks, Hitch. It’s just…” she sighed again. “I guess I’m still getting used to the fact that mom is giving me some space from being a princess, especially after she spent most of my foalhood reminding me that I would be the queen one day. She even named me after the fact.”

Hitch tilted his head in confusion at that statement.

“It’s my name,” Zipp explained. “Zephyrina. It comes from Zephyr, as in Zephyr Heights. My mom named me after the place I was ‘destined’ to rule. Pipp was the one to start calling me ‘Zipp’ because she could see how uncomfortable my name made me feel.”

Hitch took in all he had just been told. This explained why Zipp didn’t like being called Zephyrina. It was a reminder of the destiny Zipp wanted no part of. Apparently all of it was still hanging over Zipp, even after Haven gave her daughter the chance to find what she wanted to be.

Zipp started flying around the room, likely trying to work off nerves. Hitch considered going back to his jigsaw, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Zipp.

The mare was quite the enigma. A rather beautiful enigma, Hitch admitted. Most would say Pipp was the better looking of the two sisters, but Hitch disagreed with that statement. While the pop star was indeed pretty, the down to earth sheriff found himself more drawn to Zipp for the lack of effort she put into how she looked. Aside from her mane, which she liked to keep gelled up, Zipp was perfectly comfortable with how she looked naturally.

It wasn’t just her simple looks that made Hitch admire her. Zipp was a joy to be around. She was serious when she needed to be, but loosened up and became more easy going and fun loving when she was with her friends. She could be very sly when she felt like it, and was very intelligent. During all their time spent together as friends and coworkers Hitch had grown rather fond of her.

“Hitch?” Zipp asked suddenly. “Can I get a hug?”

The stallion nodded and spread his forelegs. Zipp flew over and buried her face into Hitch’s neck as he wrapped his forelegs around her. How did I not see this storm brewing inside you? Hitch asked himself.

Hitch wasn’t sure how long they were in that position for, all he was aware of was that Zipp suddenly started laughing out of nowhere.

“What?” he asked as she pulled back slightly to look at him.

“Nothing,” she answered. “Just that making contact with one’s wings during a hug is considered an intimate gesture by Pegasi.”

Hitch swiftly withdrew his hooves, worried he had weirded Zipp out.

“Ah. Sorry.” He apologised.

Zipp giggled. “It’s okay, Hitch. If I was uncomfortable I would have tried to wiggle out.”

Hitch stared for a second, then a thought occurred to him. “What if it had been somepony else?”

“Then I would have been uncomfortable.” Zipp answered without thinking. Then she realised her mistake and covered her mouth with her hooves. She had just admitted she was alright with Hitch specifically hugging her like that. He gave her a cheeky smile.

“Un huh,” he said. “Zipp is there something you want to tell me?”

“Oh!”

Blushing furiously, Zipp buried her face in Hitch’s chest. “This is embarrassing.” She muttered into his fur. Hitch gently pulled her back slightly so she was looking at him again.

“It’s okay, Zipp. You can trust me.” He said softly.

Zipp hesitated. In truth, Hitch made her swoon. He was everything she had always been looking for in a stallion; he was brave, charming, loyal, serious, funny and very handsome.

Deciding that if the worse came to the worse Hitch would let her down gently Zipp finally let it out. “I like you, Hitch. Like like you. A lot.”

“Really? For how long?” Hitch asked, eager to know the full story.

“Since Maretime Bay day.”

“What? That was months ago. Why did you never say anything?”

Zipp looked at the ground, avoiding Hitch’s gaze as she answered. “When I was growing up several of my mom’s friends told me that my tomboyishness would make me seem less attractive to any potential partners and that if I ever wanted a coltfriend I should act more feminine like my sister. I’m not gonna lie, this whole time part of me believed them.”

“Zipp,” Hitch started firmly, lifting her head with his hoof so that their eyes met. “You don’t have to be feminine to be attractive. I love you just the way you are in your natural, simple way.”

Zipp started blushing again as Hitch’s words fully registered. “Wait. You like me too?”

Hitch nodded. Zipp’s eyes widened, but then her muzzle adopted a sly smile.

“Well then, you won’t mind if I do this.” Zipp said, before leaning in and pressing her lips against Hitch’s. Hitch was caught off guard, but then returned the gesture, wrapping his hooves around Zipp’s neck.

“You sly mare.” Hitch muttered as Zipp pulled back and started aggressively nuzzling him.

“I know.” Zipp responded as Hitch hugged her close.

“But I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Hitch said lovingly.

From outside the sheriff station two ponies were watching the events unfolding inside through the window.

“Well, would you look at that.” Windy commented. “We didn’t even have to do anything. They got together all on their own.”

Posey nodded in agreement. “One down, two to go.” She said, taking out her phone and typing in a group chat.

Author's Note

Remastered on June 12th 2024.