Chapters “So…what do we do?” Pipp asked.
“I…don’t know,” Zipp confessed. “I have no idea!”
The two were engaged in a life or death struggle. For, indeed, there was no torture greater. Not even the hounds of Tartarus could come up with something so brutal…so mind boggling…so tormenting. Zipp felt that the muscles binding her feathers to her wings were beginning to fray. Pipp felt that her vocals, which normally sang strong and acutely, would never pump out another word. Sweat dripped down both of their faces as they sat, side by side, in a vain attempt to try and crush their fears. Their eyes darted, their hooves shook, and every last strand of their manes was standing at full attention.
“You know what’s at stake here,” a voice said from the other side of the darkness. “This truly is everything.”
“Everything?” Zipp asked.
“Everything,” the voice repeated, lower and slower.
“Oh…um…uh…” Zipp said, “then…we’ll do……….this!”
Suddenly, she darted a hoof out and made her move…
“Wow! Great move!” Came Izzy’s voice from across the table. “I didn’t think you had it in you, but my hoofness, what a move!”
Pipp and Zipp quickly shared a hi-hoof as they looked at the game board. This particular contest of Unicorns & Utensils had gone very well. It was something of a new game, and the ponies in the Crystal Bright House had become rather obsessed with it. Their preoccupation was such that, in certain cases, they would drag the game out to decide whose turn it was to make dinner. In this case, Zipp and Pipp were playing the team if Izzy and Sunny to see who would do the dishes after dinner. Normally, they had a chores list, but Sparky had devoured it that afternoon. So, instead of making a new list, the ponies decided to play some U&U to determine the tasks for the evening.
“Looks like we’re on dish duty, Izz!” Sunny chirped.
“Yep! Dishes…the final frontier…” Izzy said.
“I still can’t believe we beat you!” Pipp said. “I mean, we were so totally stuck in the mire on this space!”
“Yeah, but the Spell of Stuck-i-tude helped to get us unstuck. How that particular spell works, I still have no idea, but it just…does!”
“That’s what’s so great about U&U!” Izzy said happily. “I mean, isn’t it the greatest game you’ve ever played? It’s certainly the best one I’ve ever played!”
“Um, didn’t you make the game?” Pipp asked.
“Maybe…” Izzy said with a playful gleam in her eye.
“…and isn’t this the only copy in existence?”
“Maybe…”
Zipp and Pipp could do nothing but collectively roll their eyes and get up from the table. Thankfully, they had gotten themselves out of dish duty. Pipp had plans on writing a new single and Zipp wanted to do some detective work. She had picked up a new case recently and was on the verge of cracking it. Thankfully, it wasn’t a tough one. Figuring out who had knocked over the trash cans at Mrs. Hoofington’s place was simple…it had been some wayward unicorn raccoons that had done the deed. The fur samples, critter tracks, and other such evidence matched her theory. All that was left to do was to tell Mrs. Hoofington to leave her trash in a safer area.
“Got any leads on that trash can case, sis?” Pipp asked as they rode the elevator to the second floor of the Bright House.
“Oh, yeah…in fact, I think I’ve closed this one.” Zipp said.
“Good!” Pipp chirped, “because…there’s another case that I think you should undertake.”
“Ooo…undertake…I like that,” Zipp said. “It sounds so…detective-y.”
“Wow, I use ‘undertake,’ and you use, ‘detective-y,’” Pipp said, stifling a laugh.
Zipp smiled. “Oh, come on. I was under a lot of pressure!”
“-and you cracked,” Pipp sang.
“Okay, okay, I admit it,” Zipp said as they stepped off the elevator onto the floor. “So, what is this case you’d like me to undertake?”
“Well…it’s one that we’ve both been wondering about since we were small fillies,” Pipp said.
Zipp suddenly stopped. Her heart began pounding in her chest as she realized what Pipp was referring to. This had, indeed, been a case that she had long since been chasing. The very idea of finding the answer sent shivers down her spine and buzzed through her head. It was something that kept her awake at night, fueled her brightest desires…and her deepest fears. Nightmares abounded surrounding the central figure, and yet…she had also had some of her most wonderful dreams about him. Her eyes widened as she sat down. Her sister, who appeared much calmer, sat across from her.
“You know what I’m talking about, right?” She asked.
Zipp nodded. “Yes, Pipp…I know…and I…thought we agreed not to ask any more questions.”
“But, Zipp-!”
“No buts, Pipp!” Zipp barked. “We said we weren’t gonna pester Mom or anypony in Zephyr Heights anymore about this. You know as well as I do that this is just gonna lead us to a bunch of dead ends. As much as I love solving a good mystery, this one is dead…just like he is.”
“He is not dead!” Pipp cried as tears formed at the corners of her emerald eyes. “He’s just missing…or lost…or…or…”
“…or dead,” Zipp finished grimly. “Sis, I know you don’t want to accept it, but he’s gone. Nopony will tell us about it to spare our feelings, but we both know what the truth is. He’s dead…so this case is closed.”
“It’s not closed until we find a definitive answer,” Pipp said. “I know you’re scared of facing this, but the possibilities are there. Zephyr Heights PD never found a body…all they found was a note.”
“Yes, and did you happen to notice that the note had mentions of wanting things to just end?”
“No! It couldn’t have been!” Pipp cried. “I won’t believe that notion any longer, Zipp!”
Zipp saw the determination in her sister’s eyes. It was something that she’d admired for years…and been envious of a time or two. Sure, she could have her own determination every now and then, but she’d always been the introverted sister. Her eyes had never shone with the glitter and the confidence that Pipp had. It was like watching an artist paint without knowing what the outcome would be. Pipp certainly had every right to be this way. After all, she was the pony pop star of the family. She had to make appearances every night. Zipp just fell into the shadows, silently watching. Though she didn’t care for her sister’s taste in music, she definitely wanted to imbibe some of the subtle strength that Pipp carried.
But, all the same, she couldn’t deny certain evidence. So, she sighed in defeat. “Pipp…the note was conclusive. You saw it…I saw it…all of Zephyr Heights saw it.”
“No, Zipp,” Pipp said, “I know he’s still alive, even if everyone else has completely given up hope. I just…feel that the note hid something deeper. We have to find him, sis. We have to find…Dad.”
Memories and Pages Torn From History
Zipp brushed her way passed her sister, tears burning the edge of her eyes. Somewhere, in her heart of hearts, she knew that Pipp was right. Their father wasn’t dead. No conclusive evidence proved that. All they had was a torn up note that could have been written by some pony else entirely. Still, though, Zipp just couldn’t accept something that was so…incredulously suspicious. Her better instincts wouldn’t allow it. An internal war was fast brewing within the young Pegasus princess. Her mind whirled as she rushed into the quarters she shared with three of her best friends in the whole world.
This can’t be happening, she thought as she maneuvered into her desk area. It was populated with mementos from all the cases she’d solved since moving to Maretime Bay. There was the picture from when she’d cracked the case of Posey’s missing artwork. Then, there was an autographed buckball from where her talents had solved the mystery of the Maretime Buckball League cheating scandal. Finally, there was her most prized memento…a song written by her sister that spoke of her detecting skills. Yes, the lyrics were somewhat corny, but it was from her sister’s heart.
You and I might not agree on music, Zipp thought as she looked at the music sheet and smiled, but that one was a certified banger.
Her thoughts of her sibling were suddenly interrupted by her patriarchal problem. Memories of her father shot through her mind. They were so abrupt that they knocked her off her hooves, and she sat down sharply. She saw her father, the king of Zephyr Heights, smiling at her when she was a small filly. Clips played in her head of she and him playing together, of him taking her to see the different sights of Zephyr Heights, and of royal family outings. Her lip quivered as she remembered the song he used to sing to her and Pipp before they went to sleep. In fact, it had evolved into the song that she and her sister sang each other every Portrait Day.
Once more, the tears came as more memories flooded her consciousness. She saw the days when she and her father had visited the races together. While Pipp and Queen Haven had never been much for such affairs, she and her father were inveterate fans. Not only were they bound by their love of Pegasi racing, but they were also bound by their love of all sports. But Zipp was especially interested in the power of flight, since they were ponies with wings, yet without this magic. She thought that the races would be a lot more exciting if her Pegasi brethren could mount up and soar through the skies.
“Daddy, why can’t we fly?” She had asked him one day.
“Well, my love…I don’t really know,” he said. “I know there was a time, back in the ancient past, when the Pegasi flew with the agility of falcons and the strength of eagles. But…I’m afraid…we’ve lost that ability.”
“So…will we ever fly again?”
“I hope so, darling,” her father said. “I certainly hope so…”
…If only you could see us now, she thought as her eyes finally let loose their dams. Words cannot describe how much I miss you, father.
Out of all of the members of the royal family, Zipp had taken her father’s sudden disappearance the hardest. The press corps had been especially invasive in their efforts to get to the heart of the story. Palace security did everything they could, but the reporters were dangerously determined and horribly creative. Soon enough, Zipp and Pipp were ordered into hiding just to protect them from any nagging questions. For two weeks, they remained locked in their quarters, receiving their meals from the outside and garnering daily affirmations from their extremely distressed mother. The pallor that was constantly current in Haven’s face only made itself known during this time, and it had grown worse ever since.
Where are you, Dad? Zipp thought.
“Hey, sis, you okay?” Came the voice of Zipp’s sister as she entered the room. “I mentioned dad’s name, and you kinda…got super angry.”
Zipp didn’t turn around. She didn’t want Pipp to see her tears. “I’m sorry,” she said in a voice thickened by years of pain. “I’m so sorry…”
Pipp trotted up and sat down, hovering one of her pink wings over Zipp’s shoulder and letting it light ever so slightly. “Hey…it’s okay.”
Zipp sniffed. “No, it’s not. I…I’m not supposed to be this. I’m not supposed to be a blubbering mess.”
“Zipp, I’ve got a bit of a news flash for you. You’re a pony. Ponies cry sometimes. I mean, did you really expect to go your entire life without shedding a single tear?”
Zipp shook her head and furrowed her brows. “No…but…I just…hate it. I hate this with a passion, Pipp. I never wanted Dad brought up…I just…I can’t take it. He and I were so close, and to think that he might have taken a knife to his own throat is…I…”
Pipp nuzzled close to her big sister as tears began burning her own eyes. “I know…I don’t want to think of it, either. I have nightmares about it…I see him…and then there’s this glint…and afterwards…I see nothing but blood. Then, I awake and my pillow is drenched. Oh, Zipp, we’ve just got to find him! I can’t believe that he’d do that to himself…and I know you don’t buy that, either.”
“You’re right,” Zipp said, straightening up. “I don’t…I don’t buy that BS explanation one bit! But…where do we start?”
“You’re the detective,” Pipp said. “Surely, you know somewhere to begin.”
Zipp thought for a moment and then trotted to her desk, a determined look on her face. She began rummaging through a drawer, seeking something that she’d kept private for a very long time. Papers flew as she thought of her father, and the mere wisp of a possibility of seeing him again pushed her further and further. Finally, at the bottom of the compartment, she saw it. It was right where she’d left it when she and Pipp moved into the Bright House moons before. She hadn’t removed it, because she didn’t want to experience the sadness and pain she’d been carrying.
“Found it!” She said.
“What?” Pipp asked.
Zipp dug it out and turned it around. “Now, Pipp…I’ve never shown this to you. This is something that I keep very near to my heart.”
“Aw…” Pipp said, “…is it from some special somepony?”
Zipp’s cheeks burned. “Well…it is from someone special…but it’s not the type of relationship you’re thinking of.”
“Darn it,” Pipp said.
“It’s much more important than that,” Zipp said. “This, my dear sister, is the last remaining remnant of King Thunderbolt.”
Pipp gasped. “Wait…you mean…”
“That’s right,” Zipp said, “this is a letter from our father.”
A Letter & The Ghosts It Contains
Pipp was shocked. The small piece of parchment that her sister clutched held so many emotions that she didn’t even realize were relevant. A sharp pain shot through her heart, followed by a beautiful warmth that ebbed and flowed with her constitution. There was a dichotomy there between light and dark which searched for a source but never found one. Instead, the balance was replaced by a severe sense of urgency that had been placed on a mental shelf. It was urgency that Pipp didn’t want to face, because it brought back memories of the father she’d never really known.
“I…I…” She stammered, then sputtered “…I don’t understand.”
“What?”
“How…how do you have this?”
Zipp smiled. “Dad gave it to me a few weeks before you were born. It’s something I’ve always held close to my heart. Nothing in this world, besides you, is as important as this letter.”
“What about our friends?”
Zipp sighed. “Yes, even them. Much as I love each of them, they could never compare to the words written here. They’re straight from our father’s heart, Pipp…and he means each one of them.”
“Did…did he mention anything about…” Pipp ventured, then stopped. She was scared of using any colloquialisms regarding suicide, even ones that could somewhat mask its terrible nature.
“…suicide?” Zipp finished. “No, he didn’t. In fact, this letter is riddled with positivity. Every nook and cranny of it is full of his love for me…and for you, Pipp. Even though you weren’t here yet…he wanted to stress that he’d be a good father to you.”
“He had doubts?” Pipp asked.
Zipp looked down. “No, not really. I just think he wanted to reassure me. After all, I was very protective of you before you were born.”
Pipp gave her sister a playful look. “What’s your excuse now?”
Zipp laughed. It was a deep, full, honest laugh, and one that Pipp had grown to admire and cherish throughout the years. At its core, it represented her sister’s great appreciation for life and the ways and means in which life was put over. But it also showed Zipp’s terrific desire to shelter and defend Pipp. The young pink Pegasus thought that Zipp only offered that laugh when she said something humorous. It was as if a direct link existed between her, her sister, and her sister’s laugh. If any element of any pony were considered perfect, Zipp’s joyous trill would be such.
When Zipp finished her laugh, she looked at her sister with eyes shining, presenting that special kind of love that only one sibling can offer another. “I don’t need one anymore,” she said. “Protecting you is my way of telling our father that his mission is mine…and that I love you just as much as he did.”
Pipp smiled and wiped a tear away. “So…what does the letter say?”
Zipp gently took a hoof and broke the seal. When she did, it was like ghosts from an unknown past slowly rose from their graves, desperate to reveal their stories. Zipp knew what the letter contained, but she had yet to show it to her sister. Her reasons lay beyond the fact that King Thunderbolt had asked her to keep the letter a secret until Pipp was ready to hear it. No, it was those same ghosts that haunted her…ghosts of a father that had disappeared, almost without a trace. Ghosts of the small piece of paper that she and the entirety of Zephyr Heights had accepted as his suicide note. But the most frightening of all the apparitions were those in her emotional backlog that continued to torment her. Now, she would confront all of those with her sister present. Truth be told, she’d never been more scared in her life.
My dearest Zephyrina Storm,
You, my filly, are the future of Pegasi everywhere. I have no doubt of that. There’s a reason you are meant to ascend the throne and ascertain the most powerful position in all of winged pony-dom. I just hope that I am alive to see it. Darling, I know not where our hooves may go. I know not where our lives may end. But, there is one thing I do know. If somepony were to gift all Pegasi the ability to soar through the heavens with a care free abandon, it would be you. You’re someone with the foresight, the knowledge, and the courage to accomplish such a task. I hereby give it to you. For our family, for the sake of Pegasi everywhere, I beg of you to find a cure for this dreadful disease of flightlessness.
We who are born with wings are meant to be skyward, not bound to this regrettable terra firma. Our dear city may be set in a tall position, but as long as its inhabitants remain confined to the straightforward, dreary, dull world beneath, we shall never survive. I have sought a cure, but have been unable to find one. I am tired of living your mother’s lie…I am tired of faking our flight to please the unwashed masses. We are individuals, Zephyrina, gifted with the same wings, yet meant to chart our own courses. Flight is freedom and freedom is flight, my love. Don’t ever forget this. While my research into the matter has hit more than its fair share of dead ends, I have no doubt that you could push our kind into new realms.
Rest assured, I won’t stop trying to find a cure. But, my dear filly, life has an expiration date. I hope that mine is still far from us, but if not, then I ask that you carry on my work. Find a cure…put the Pegasi back in the air again, Zephyrina. It is not for my legacy that I give you this task. Rather, it is for the good of the winged equine and his natural progression. My heart and my life have been bottled into this quest, so much so that I feel your mother thinks I’ve abandoned her. Nothing could be further from the truth. My great hope, love, is that our entire family may one day take to the skies in an honest showing, flying at the head of a great Pegasi nation. Take up the mantle, darling. It is your destiny.
All my love and more besides,
Father
After the letter was read, a certain pang shot through Pipp’s heart. It was like a small fireball, which burned for a moment but got progressively larger as the seconds ticked away. Soon, her entire being was ablaze with its horrid intentions. Yet, somehow, she welcomed them. She’d never dug so deeply into her psyche and subconscious before, and she didn’t know just how much she missed her father…or how angry she was with him. Zipp had received a special memento from him, just before she was born. She considered this a grave injustice and sought to remedy it, even if it meant harsh words with her sibling.
Her eyebrows furrowed and she swore she felt puffs of steam being released with each breath. Temperament had always been tantamount to her successes in the social media realms. After all, she needed to be happy, whether she wanted to or not. Now, in the private recesses of this collective home, she felt free enough to let her true self show. Anger and stark disappointment were the orders of the day. Her mind felt caged by these emotions, and the only path to freedom was one full of potential pitfalls. But she soldiered ahead anyway. Suddenly, she yanked the letter from Zipp’s hooves and aggressively began scanning through it.
“He…he doesn’t even mention me!”
“Well…” Zipp said, rubbing the back of her neck nervously.
“I thought you said he gave you this letter right before I was born!”
“He did, but-“
“-and that he said he’d be a good father to me and that this was supposed to be some kind of reassurance!”
“I mean, I-“
Pipp stepped up to Zipp, challenging her visage. “Well?”
Zipp didn’t know what to do. She’d wanted the letter to be a source of inspiration to Pipp. The gesture was supposed to be one of friendliness, tenderly nurturing the bond that she and her sibling shared. But the exact opposite had been achieved. Now, Pipp was furious and Zipp couldn’t figure out the reasons why. Her sister’s mane was standing at attention, much like her own, and the small tiara that adorned it almost seemed to glow with Pipp’s fiery rage. Zipp had never seen Pipp in this way, and it frightened her a bit. However, she was still the elder sister, so she stood her ground and cleared her throat.
“I wanted this to bring us closer and help in our new case,” Zipp said firmly.
“Closer? How could this ever bring us closer?” Pipp asked incredulously, shaking the letter in Zipp’s face.
“I thought it would serve as Dad’s voice to us,” Zipp said, “and, perhaps, give us some clues as to his whereabouts.”
Pipp slowly shook her head. “…or is it that you wanted to show off how he gave you a letter and left nothing for me?”
“Look, Pipp,” Zipp said sensibly, “Dad would’ve written you if he’d been able to. But, he disappeared-“
“He disappeared long after I’d been born,” Pipp said in a huff. “He had plenty of time to write me something.”
“Come now, Pipp,” Zipp said, “you’re being unreasonable.”
Pipp rolled her eyes. “Perhaps you think so, but I think I’m perfectly justified. I mean, Dad not writing me something is bad enough, but you keeping this a secret for my entire existence? Really?!”
Zipp shut her eyes as she thought of how to respond to this particular inquiry. She knew that someday she’d have to. Her mind twisted and turned as she tried to come up with an answer to what was, ostensibly, unanswerable. All she knew was that King Thunderbolt had commanded her to keep the letter a secret until the time was right and, as with all orders from her father, she took it to heart. Her love for her father knew no bounds, and she definitely understood what it was to be an obedient daughter. She didn’t want to risk the tightly knit relationship between them. So, she’d fulfilled his every request.
“I…Dad told me to keep it from you.”
Her sister’s eyes, which had been burning with anger, suddenly filled with a deep hurt. “He…told you to keep it from me?”
Zipp nodded. “Yes, he did, Pipp…and, believe me, it wasn’t just you. He told me to keep it from Mom, from the guards, from the castle staff…from everypony that we had daily contact with.”
“But, why…why would he…?”
“I don’t know,” Zipp said, “I have no idea why he asked me to keep this letter a secret. It’s haunted me for years now…ever since his disappearance, really. It’s like these were words from somepony that I knew so well…and now, it’s an imprint that’s speaking to me…an apparition, really.”
“A ghost?” Pipp asked.
“Yeah…a ghost,” Zipp said.
Pipp looked down. “So…keeping the letter from me wasn’t your decision?”
“Not at all,” Zipp said. “If I’d known what kind of damage this might bring, I’d have shown you right away. But, I was sworn to secrecy by our father and I had to keep to those orders. I couldn’t have lived with myself if I hadn’t.”
“I guess I understand,” Pipp said, “but it doesn’t make me feel any better.”
“This might,” Zipp said.
She then used a gentle wing to pull Pipp close, feeling her sister take shelter and nuzzle deeply. It was a very warm, ginger moment between the two, with each seeking some kind of protection from the outside elements. For Zipp, the protection she sought was against the growing feelings of doubt surrounding her father’s absence. Meanwhile, Pipp wanted protection against her own doubts. But these were about her father’s love for her. His leaving of the letter and swearing Zipp to absolute secrecy tore through her soul. What in Equestria could he possibly have been thinking in doing so; and, more importantly, why hadn’t she been let in on things?
Zipp felt her sister’s tears staining her coat. “Hey…it’s gonna be okay,” she said.
“I can’t help but feel that it won’t,” Pipp said in a voice that was shaky, yet mature in its confession.
Zipp used a hoof to turn her sister’s face towards her own. “It will, Pipp…I don’t know how, but it will.”
“I want to believe you…but until I see Dad again…I’m not sure I can.”
The next morning, Zipp and Pipp arrived at breakfast with their bags packed and their hearts full. For the elder, the fullness came as a byproduct of attempting to find what had so long been lost to her. In her sister’s case, the fullness came from a new adventure with some pony she loved…yet, it was cut with a small sense of mistrust. For, after all, Zipp had been keeping a massive secret from her for years. She was also upset by her father’s order to encase the letter in such secrecy…and the idea that he hadn’t written her one. Her mind wandered to some dark places. These were mental boxes where she either didn’t have a father or she had one that had bestowed all his love and affection upon the elder sibling.
But, I don’t want to believe that, she thought, and…I won’t believe it. We’ll find the answer to this mystery, and it’ll be just fine. Everything will work out, just like Zipp said last night. It’s all gonna be alright.
She was lying to herself and she knew it. But, she brushed the thought aside as images of her father began popping into her mind once more. Though she’d never truly known him before his disappearance, she was excited about meeting him. Any foal who had been so detached from a parent would feel this, yet hers was compounded by the mystery of a missing king. She didn’t want to think of herself as being higher than her family’s subjects. However, were she and Zipp to solve this mystery, they wouldn’t just be bringing their father back…they would be restoring a nation’s throne. This made her all the more excited, and she felt a shiver send itself down her spine, popping out her backside and causing her whole body to shake.
While she had been wrapped up in her own little world, Zipp had been explaining things to everypony at the table. Their reactions were mixed, to say the least. Though they were happy for their friends’ dutiful quest, they were also upset to be losing them. Zipp had made it abundantly clear that this trip had no expiration date. The idea that they might never see each other again made its way into the conversation, and Izzy was adamant that they remain at home. She couldn’t bear to see her friends leave, even if it was for reasons as noble and painstakingly familial as these. Hearts shattered in tandem around the table, and that included the royal sisters. However, they were steadfast in their decision.
“I’m sorry, Izzy,” Zipp said, “but, we’re going to find our father.”
“But…but…but…” Izzy stammered
“No buts,” Pipp said in joint determination with Zipp. “Dad’s out there somewhere, and it’s our job to bring him home.”
“This isn’t right,” Izzy said as tears formed, “we just started life together…now you wanna leave?”
“It’s not that we want to leave you,” Zipp said. “But the idea that our father may be lost to the passages of time itself just doesn’t sit with us. It’s all too easy…too…conspiratorial. Our father goes missing & Zephyr Heights PD does a one-week search before coming back with a note detailing our father’s supposed suicide…and they can’t find a body? Come on. Even a foal could see that this is something that needs to be thrown under the microscope and examined further.”
“Zipp’s right,” Pipp said, “much as we hate to leave you, there are things out there that just have to take precedence. Our father was a great king. Though I was too young to remember him as he was, I’ve heard so many stories of his benevolence and great bravery in defending the city from attackers. I’ve also heard how Zephyr Heights mourned when he was pronounced dead.”
Zipp looked down. “I still remember how Mom cried. She locked herself in her quarters and wouldn’t emerge for days and weeks. She and our Dad carried a love that knew no limits…one that taught every Pegasi in Zephyr Heights just what it was to love and care for some pony else. They led by example, and I couldn’t rightly lay claim to the Storm family name if I weren’t willing to do the same.”
“Well…whatever it is, we’re your friends and we’re here to support you,” Sunny said cheerfully. “No matter how much distance is put between us, we’ll always have your back.”
“Thanks, Sun,” Zipp said.
Then, a great sniffle was heard and everyone turned to see Izzy. “I just…feel like our friendship is falling apart right in front of my eyes.”
Hitch, who had joined them for breakfast, placed a comforting hoof on the purple pony’s shoulder. “There is nothing in the world that could break what we’ve built here, Izz. I mean, we’ve been through so much together already, and I know that the future holds more exciting adventures for us. We’re far from being through.”
“Yeah, and like Sunny said, distance is just a number,” Pipp said. “Friendship extends beyond those boundaries, past all borders, and into the hearts and minds of every creature on this planet. Big, small, winged, horned, or otherwise, it is up to us to keep that fire burning on the inside.”
“…and we will,” Zipp said, “you can be sure of that.”
The ponies took a few moments to just be with each other before the sisters took flight. These were bittersweet times, as everyone understood the reason for the departure, but nopony wanted it to happen. It affected Izzy the most, as she had never dealt with these feelings before, since she’d never had friends back in Bridlewood. Her tears were many as her heart and mind bore the weight of possibly never seeing the two Pegasi again. It was a terrible feeling, yet one that was accompanied by a hope that she’d never known. This was a hope that was shared by all the ponies…one where the sisters found their father, shared a joyous reunion, and returned back to the Bright House forever.
Oh, how fleeting such hope can be…
Pipp and Zipp lighted softly back in their old home of Zephyr Heights. They knew what to expect, and nothing surprised them about it. The city still felt massive, with huge skyscrapers reaching towards the azure blue painted above them. Adorning most of these were massive billboards, full of advertisements that spoke to the city’s hard working, competitive nature. Each one clamored for everypony’s attention, much as an animal might fight another to establish dominance. True, things were intense, but they were also fair, as Queen Haven had enacted a series of trade laws to ensure this.
On other buildings rested massive television screens that served to entertain those trotting the streets below. These featured a wide range of spectacles, from digital versions of the aforementioned advertisements to clips of popular concerts held at Zephyr Heights’s very own stadium. Finally, there was the ZBS television headquarters, which displayed the current shows on air. The morning sun was shining over Zephyr Heights and the screens reflected this in both the virtual image and the real one. Zipp and Pipp, curious about the news from their birthplace, stopped to observe.
“Good morning, Zephyr Heights!” The ZBS lead anchor, Halter Cronkite, said. “It’s such a pleasure to be with you this morning. I’m Halter Cronkite.”
“-and I’m Sky Fall,” the other co-anchor chirped. “Here with today’s headlines. Our top story at this hour: tragedy befalls a certain family here in town. Last night, the home of Mr. & Mrs. Wington of 45th Street was broken into and severely vandalized. The culprits stole a valuable piece of technology that Mr. Wington, a locally prominent inventor, was working on.”
“Sources state that this small bit of pony progress was commissioned by Queen Haven herself, though we have no information on what it was or why it was commissioned,” Halter said. “Police have also said that the home was left in a shambles and various things were painted on the wall in a language that has never been seen before. Officials are baffled as to the cause of this or the source of the odd language.”
Pipp didn’t need to look. She could feel her sister’s temperature rising with each passing second. A valuable piece of Pegasi technology, one that was ordered by the queen herself, had been stolen. Pipp knew that Zipp was about to explode with anticipation. But, at the same time, she also knew why they were there. Their missing father had to be the only case they focused on. So, she turned to her sister and prepared to spontaneously lecture her about keeping her eye on the prize and how they couldn’t solve every mystery that came about. But, instead, she found her sister deep in thought.
“Hey…you okay?” She asked.
“I’m just…wondering about Dad,” Zipp said. “Are we crazy for trying to find him?”
Pipp took a step back. “Hey, you were the one who had to talk me into this, remember?”
Zipp looked down. She did remember, and she felt guilty all over again. Ever since she’d revealed the letter to Pipp, her level of shame over hiding it had been rising. The weight of carrying her father’s secrets for moons upon moons sat squarely on her shoulders. If they ever did find him, she would be sure and ask him why he’d ever told her to do such a thing. Her thoughts were full of images of their beloved patriarch and she sat down sharply to try and get control of her emotions.
Then, she felt a hoof on her shoulder. “We’re in this together,” Pipp said. “Don’t you ever forget that.”
Zipp smiled and returned her sister’s touch. “I know…I just…hope we can find him.”
The two then returned to their hooves and continued their trot through the city towards the palace. Aside from getting asked for autographs here and there, it was a rather pleasant stroll. Surprisingly enough, nopony completely mobbed them. Pipp would have been lying if she said she didn’t take a bit of offense to this. After all, she was the biggest star in the entire city and, perhaps, even all of Equestria. However, she would also have been lying if she said that she didn’t find the lack of attention soothing and relaxing. It was nice to just trot along beside her elder sibling, as they did when they were small fillies.
Finally, they arrived at the castle and were immediately escorted inside. The entire place seemed to be on high alert. Zipp and Pipp were curious about this. Each guard had been fitted with new armor and carried the sharpest spears. The princesses gulped as they even saw swords being fitted around the backsides of certain ponies. Weaponry aside, the fierce looks that the guards gave were unsettling and frightening. If looks could kill, both of them would have been dead by the time they hit the castle’s main floor. But, the building was multiple stories high and they were ushered in to the private elevator that would give them direct access to their mother’s throne room. Once left alone inside the armored transport, they had a chance to speak. Even so, they did in hushed tones.
“Why is everypony so…silently angry?” Pipp asked.
“I don’t know,” Zipp said, “usually, they only go to this level of alertness when Mom raises the invasion threat level above an 8. I mean, swords? New spears? This is nuts!”
“I wonder if Zephyr is under threat from somewhere else.”
“Where?!” Zipp asked. “That threat level was implemented to ward off unicorns and earth ponies. Now that we’re all friends again, it’s completely useless!”
“Good point,” Pipp said. “So…what is it, then?”
“Believe me, I wish I knew. We haven’t been escorted around like that since they thought all the unicorns were coming at us with a spell that would chop off everyone’s wings!”
Pipp nodded. “Well, whatever it is, we can ask Mom to straighten it out for us.”
It was at this point that the door opened and the princesses stepped into the throne room. Immediately, their jaws hit the floor. The old place didn’t look like it used to. Instead of the gentle, warm spot that they remembered playing in as fillies, they now stood in a fortress of sorts. Everything was metallic, and their mother’s throne was protected by four different bunkers with ponies manning guns that could spit out magic, machine gun style. They’d been a defensive gift to their mother from the unicorns, and now she was putting them to use.
“Um…wha…wha…what is this?” Pipp asked.
“I have no idea,” Zipp said in complete bewilderment.
In The Queen's Secret Room
Zipp and Pipp continued to stare at their mother’s battlements in complete shock. Never before had they known Haven to be so defensive of her spot in the kingdom. Even when Equestria was severely divided, they always understood that their mother would never take up arms against somepony else. She always left that to her guards, their standing military, and General Flight Hoof. Certainly, she’d never been this possessive of her crown and her rank. But something had definitely shaken her, right down to the very core. Zipp, in particular, was determined to get to the bottom of it.
“MOM!” She cried after wresting her mind away from its stupor.
Suddenly, a shiny helmet poked its way out from the fortress surrounding the throne. Once more, Zipp and her sister found themselves in a state of shock. Their mother, the honorable Queen of Zephyr Heights, was coming out in a complete suit of armor. Her wings were enfolded and encased in two rough and ready protectors. The hooves that had once lovingly lulled and caressed her daughters to sleep, now lay surrounded by spiked horseshoes. Piercing eyes glared out at them from behind the aforementioned head covering, which in itself was topped with a sharp spike. Their mother was certainly battle ready, which was something that they definitely weren’t ready for.
“Darlings!” Their mother said once she’d fully emerged from her hideaway. “It’s so wondrous to see you! But, what brings you to Zephyr Heights?”
“We’ll get to that in a minute,” Zipp said. “First, I’ve got a question for you…what the hay is all this?!”
Their mother blushed and looked down at her battle garments. “Oh…you mean my armor?”
“That and a few other things…” Zipp said, motioning to the controlled chaos around them.
“Oh, well, you see, darlings, I…well…I…er…”
“Yes…?”
“…I can’t tell you…not out here, at least,” Haven said. “Please, follow me and I’ll brief you on the situation.”
Zipp and Pipp followed their mother into a room that neither of them had ever seen before. It was just off the throne room and could only be accessed via Haven’s hoofprint. Inside were a bevy of computer screens, spy equipment, and various other tactical gear. Zipp nearly salivated at the sight, but managed to keep her composure. They were told to sit around a large conference table while their mother took up residence beside them.
“This…is the heart and soul of Zephyr Heights,” Haven said. “It is the absolute heartbeat of our fair city, and the true engine of the Pegasi nation. Many a war has been won…and, sadly, lost…in this room. Everypony from our family who has ever led this country has done so from here, all the way back to your great forebears. Fortunately, we have not had to use it in three hundred years…long before you or I or even your great-grandfather were born. Now, we find ourselves in a situation where it has to be re-opened.”
“What situation?” Pipp asked.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but something very special was stolen last night.”
“We saw it on the news as we came in,” Zipp said. “They told everypony that you’d commissioned the piece of technology that was stolen…did you?”
Haven nodded. “Indeed, I did, dear…and that’s why I’ve put the palace and everypony in Zephyr Heights on such a high alert. That device, should it fall into the wrong hooves, is extremely dangerous.”
“What did it do?” Zipp asked. “Why is it so important?”
“Because…” Haven said, “…it’s the last remaining piece I have…of King Thunderbolt.”
Pipp and Zipp recoiled in shock. They had no idea that their father would be brought up so rapidly…or so importantly. In their minds, they would have to search for eons before coming up with a smidge of a clue. Their mother hadn’t exactly been open with them about him, and they thought they’d have to shake her to get anything out. But, much to their happy surprise, everything just kind of fell into place.
“Wha…our father?” Zipp asked.
“Of course, dear!” Haven said. “Ah, yes, your father. A wonderful king and a lover of ponies…”
Here, Haven’s expression turned somewhat dour. It was very obvious that she had something to relate to her daughters about their father, but she was extremely apprehensive at the prospect. Her eyes darted this way and that as she appeared to seek a way out of the situation. Unfortunately for her, she could find none. In a way, this was pleasing to her detective offspring, as Zipp couldn’t wait to get her investigation underway. Her mother was an obvious starting point, but the very idea that she could get so many answers right away was certainly exciting.
But, still…I don’t want this to be so open and shut, Zipp thought, Dad’s legacy deserves more than that…
Haven sighed, and went on. “Thunderbolt was a lover of ponies…to a fault.”
“What do you mean?” Pipp asked.
“Oh, he certainly loved ponies, but he was always meddling in business that he maybe shouldn’t have been meddling in. That piece of technology that Mr. Wington was working on was based on blueprints that your father came up with…blueprints that could have spelled his success or his doom.”
“Go on,” Zipp urged.
Haven sighed once more. “I’ll never forget the day that they told me that they were pronouncing your father dead. Even amidst the horrible feelings that cast their shadow over my psyche, I remembered these blueprints…and the device that your father was working on before he disappeared. I remembered how much he had loved everypony and how hard he had worked to ensure his new technology benefitted everypony in Equestria, Pegasi or not.”
“So…he was in favor of pony unity?”
“He was, indeed. I warned him that such thoughts could lead him down a path to death, but he didn’t listen. That pony had a heart of pure gold…which is why I loved him so dearly. I wanted him to leave well enough alone, but, he just couldn’t. He also could never get his device to work in the way he wanted, and he knew of the dangers should it be obtained by malevolent forces.”
“What was the device?” Zipp asked.
“Well, it was a device…that could help ponies, regardless of species…fly.”
