Chapters It was a summer’s day in the Pegasus kingdom of Zephyr Heights, things more hustle in bustle in the castle than usual. “What’s going on?” Princess Zipp inquires curiously of her royal nurse. “Where are mom and dad?”
“You’re going to be a big sister soon, Princess Zephyrina,” responds the nurse, a pony named Adora Dash, with a smile as she lifts the young princess onto her back. “Come on, it’s time for some fresh air.” The two then head outside and to the old abandoned Cloudsdale Wonderbolt Barrack Ruins, one of Zipp’s favorite places to explore.
“How do you know this place?” Zipp inquires curiously of her nurse. “You’ve still never told me.”
“Simple,” responds the mare Adora Dash with a smile. “Rainbow and Soaren are my great grandparents so I’ve heard stories.” She watches on as the young princess plays amongst the rubble.
Meanwhile in the castle walls, in the maternity hall, the queen finally gives birth to her second daughter. “What’s wrong with her wings?” She inquires of the medical staff with concern in her voice and tears in her eyes.
“Her wings didn’t fully form, your Majesty, I’m sorry, but it’s likely she’ll never be able to fly,” responds the royal doctor at last. “Other than that, she is a healthy filly.” He then leaves the room at last, leaving Queen Haven alone with her husband the King and their newborn daughter.
Haven looks over at the newborn filly before her with a sigh, a sadness still in her eyes and in her tone of voice. “Armistice, you heard them, she’ll never be able to fly. Just look at her wings, they’re broken, small.”
“Yes, I know Haven, I can see that too,” responds the King with a sigh as he scoops up his daughter in his wings and rocks her. “We can focus on getting her the help she needs as she gets older, promise, now can we please just settle on a name for our new daughter?”
“Pipsqueak Petals suits, don’t you think?” Inquires Haven with a smile as she watches her husband rock their newborn, an adoring smile on his face all the while.
“Yes, but Pipp for short,” responds King Armistice with a smile as he continues to look lovingly, admiringly at his daughter. “Deal?”
“Yes, deal,” responds Queen Haven with a sigh as she finally takes her newborn from her husband at last and holds her in her own hooves, “deal.”
An hour later, Zipp and her nurse, Adora, return to the castle and go to the maternity ward where Zipp is soon introduced to her little sister. “Why are her wings so small, mom? Dad?” Inquires the curious white furred princess.
“They didn’t form properly, that’s all,” responds Queen Haven with a sigh.
“Okay,” responds Zipp once more with a nod, doing her best to understand. “So she can’t fly ever?”
“Yes, that’s right,” responds Queen Haven with a nod and a sigh as tears fill her eyes, “that’s right.”
“Zipp, do you want to hold your sister, Pipp?” Armistice then inquires, trying to break the tension in the air.
“Sure,” responds Zipp with a nod as she climbs up into her mother’s lap, “sure.” She then awaits with open hooves as Haven helps her hold little Pipp. Zipp smiles as she looks up at her mom. “She’s so pretty, momma.”
“Yes, she is,” responds Queen Haven with a nod and a smile, “she is. You’re right, Zephyrina.”
“I’m going to protect you no matter what,” Zipp then quietly whispers into her little sister’s ear, “that’s a promise… that’s a promise…”
Two years later, with her seventh birthday, Pipp and Queen Haven go into a meeting with the royal doctors. “So, why are we here?” Inquires the Queen with a sigh as she looks at the little filly hiding behind her hooves, unsure to what is even going on.
“There is a possible solution to maybe help your daughter fly in the future,” says the doctor as he holds the X-ray of the young princess’s wings in his own.
“Okay, what? You know I’ll do anything for my daughter,” responds Queen Haven, a shakiness in her voice as she’s on the verge of tears.
“They’re called cloud sleeves, your Majesty. They hold up the wing so that the affected Pegasus can catch a breeze and fly,” responds the doctor back. He bends down in front of Pipp, “What do you say, princess? Do you want to give it a go? Give it a try?”
“Uh, um,” responds Pipp nervously, “um. I’ve always wanted to fly.”
“Okay,” responds the doctor with a nod. “Okay. We’ll get you fitted for those tomorrow morning, okay?”
“Okay,” responds Pipp with a nod. “Okay.” She looks at her mother with pouty eyes. “Can we please go enjoy my birthday, now?”
“Sure,” responds Queen Haven with a smile as she lifts her youngest onto her back with her wing, “sure.” They then leave the hospital ward of the castle and make their way elsewhere to go enjoy presents and birthday cake with Zipp and with Armistice.
“Where were you, mom?” Inquires Zipp curiously of her mother.
“It’s not your business, Zephyrina,” Queen Haven politely yet firmly reminds her eldest. “Let’s just enjoy your sister’s birthday, okay?”
“Okay,” responds Zipp with a huff. “Okay.”
A few minutes later, things change as they slice the cake and hand the pieces around. Afterwards, they dive into the present giving. “Pipp, do mine first,” says Zipp with a smile as she hands the small, long, pink colored box to her sister. “I really think you’re going to like it.”
“Okay,” responds Pipp with a nod and a smile as she takes the box from her sister and opens it, her eyes going wide when she sees what’s inside. “Zipp, you didn’t?” Squeals the seven year old filly. “You didn’t?”
“Didn’t what? Buy you the microphone you’ve been begging for for months, yeah I did,” responds Zipp with a chuckle as she holds her little sister close to her in a hug with her wings, “I’m glad you love it. Go on, sing us something, Pipp.”
“Okay,” responds Pipp with a smile as she turns on the microphone. “Okay…” She then begins to sing at last, absolutely beaming as she does, forgetting that she’s even different at all, as she sings. As she sings, her flank begins to glow.
“Sis, sis,” says Zipp, “look at your flank!”
“Okay,” responds Pipp with a nod as she stops singing and looks at her glowing flank. “Is that?”
“Yeah, it’s your cutie mark,” responds Zipp. She throws her little sister in the air gently with her wings. “You got your cutie mark!”
“Zipp, careful,” she is soon reminded by her mother. “Don’t drop your sister, please.”
“Okay, sorry, mom,” responds Zipp apologetically as she carefully lowers Pipp back down to the ground. “Sorry I got carried away.”
“It’s all good, Zephyrina, really,” Queen Haven reassures her eldest. “It’s just your sister is more fragile than you are, so you need to be more careful with her. That’s all. Does that make sense?”
“Yes, mom, it does,” responds Zipp with a nod. “It does.” She then sits down once more and they all listen on as Pipp begins to sing a concert for all of them once more, a smile on her face all the while as she does.
(Time Skip) Meeting the Others
Several years pass and as hoped, Pipp adapts well to the flying aids. “Pipp, you enjoying your clouds?” Zipp cracks a smile as she giggles at her little sister.
“Yeah,” responds Pipp with a smile as she unbraids her mane with her hooves before putting on her crown. “They honestly make me feel normal. That I’m not different from every other Pegasus.” She lets out a sigh. “I don’t know what I’d do if our subjects ever found out.”
“Pipperoni, relax,” responds Zipp as she sits down next to her sister, “they wouldn’t care. Our subjects, they love you. Different or not, they love you for who you are.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” responds Pipp with a sigh. “You’re right. I’m their favorite princess. That will never change.”
“Yes, exactly,” responds Zipp with a smile as she ruffles her little sister’s mane with her hoof. “Exactly.”
A few minutes later, the two are summoned into the throne room by their mother where they soon stand face to face with three ponies unfamiliar to them.
“Who are and what are you?” Queen Haven inquires curiously yet firmly of the three strangers before her. “Not here to ponynap me or my daughters, I hope.”
“No, not at all,” the sun colored earth pony mare assures her. “You see, your Majesty, there is a magical artifact built into your crown and we need it to reunite all ponykind again.”
“Okay?” Responds the Queen as she raises an eyebrow. “I’ll think on it.” She then hops down from her throne and leaves the throne room at last leaving the strangers alone with the princesses.
“Sorry about mom,” Pipp pipes up, being her friendly and perky self. “Do you mean it when you say these crystals will help reunite all ponykind?”
“Yes,” responds Sunny with a nod. “I do mean it. My name is Sunny by the way.”
“And I’m Izzy!” Pipes up Izzy with a smile.
“Hitch, nice to meet you, your Highnesses,” responds Hitch with a bow.
“And what are your names?” Sunny inquires with a smile of the princesses.
“Zipp,” responds Zipp with a smile. She’s confident, bold.
“And I’m Pipp,” responds Pipp with a smile as she lets out a little bit of a sigh.
“We can steal the gem from mom at the concert tonight, maybe,” Zipp finally pipes up.
“But that’s wrong, Zipp,” whines Pipp.
“But don’t you want to truly fly?” Zipp soon snaps at her little sister, covering her mouth in shock once she realizes what she’s done.
“Magic or not, Zipp, you know I’ll never fly,” responds Pipp with a sigh as she bows her head in tears, soon leaving the room as she’s galloped after by her big sister, leaving three very befuddled and confused ponies behind to comprehend what happened.
“What did we fall into?” Inquires Hitch trying to make heads and tails of everything.
Soon enough, Zipp soon finds her sister in the garden, cuddling her fillyhood doll close to her chest. “Pipp, I…” says Zipp as she reaches for her sister. Pipp just bats the hoof away.
“You, what, Zipp?” Pipp snaps at her big sister. “You what?! You’ll get to fly! I never will! Not truly! And you know that?! The clouds aid with flight, sure, but I’ll never be able to fly unassisted, even with magic returned.”
“Yes, I know, and I should never have said that,” responds Zipp with a sigh as she sits down next to her sister, “I really am sorry, Pipp. I’m your biggest supporter. Your biggest fan. Your protector. You know I’d never intentionally hurt you. I just got carried away, that’s all.”
“Yeah, I know,” responds Pipp with a sniffle as she falls into tears in her sister’s hooves, “I know. You’re the best big sister I ever could’ve asked for. You’re right. You’ve been my biggest support, my biggest fan, and my hero since day one. I’ll forever be grateful for that. That being said, for me, the return of magic, it’ll still mean nothing. Just know that. I’ll let you do what you want, steal mom’s crown, but just know, to me, it means nothing."
"Okay," responds Zipp with a sigh and an understanding nod as she hugs her little sister close to herself to comfort her. "That's understood. Thanks Pipp."
"Yes, of course," responds Pipp with a sigh and a feigned smile, she's still hurt regardless of the make up, "of course. Now go. I have to practice for tonight."
"Okay," responds Zipp with an understanding nod. "Okay." She then leaves the garden, leaving Pipp alone once more. Once she's sure her big sister is gone, Pipp reenters the palace as well, retreating away to her room to warm up for the concert while Zipp converses with the guests in one of the auxiliary meeting rooms.
"So, what is the plan?" Sunny inquires curiously of Zipp. "And is everything okay between you and your sister?"
"Yes, everything is fine," Zipp lies through her teeth. "As for the plan, I'll sneak mom's crown while she's distracted by Pipp's performance. Okay?"
"Okay," responds Sunny with a nod. "What did your sister mean when she said she'll never fly?"
"That's not my business to tell," responds Zipp with a sigh. "She'll tell you when she's ready. When she trusts you. Okay?"
"Okay," responds Sunny with an understanding nod. "Okay."
Later that night, the concert goes off without a hitch and according to plan, as a result, Zipp nabbing her mother's crown, only to be confronted by her little sister. "Pipp, I thought you said you wouldn't interfere," says Zipp with a sigh.
"And I'm not, don't worry," responds Pipp with a sigh. "With mom busy with the whole media mess of our subjects knowing we all can't fly and all, I want to come with you and the others. You're the only family I have left, Zipp."
"Yes, but," responds Zipp.
"I'll be fine, promise," responds Pipp with a sigh. "Promise. Now where to Next?" She looks over to Sunny, Hitch, and Izzy.
"Alphabittle has the horn shaped stone," says Izzy. "To get it from him, we'll need to play his game and win."
"Okay," responds Pipp with a nod and a sigh, "okay."
A few minutes later, the five leave Zephyr Heights and make their way to Bridlewood at last, soon heading to the teahouse after a much needed disguise glowup. Once there, Sunny beats Alphabittle at his game and retrieves the unicorn crystal. They then return to the lighthouse at last where Sunny soon finds the earth crystal in the floor all thanks to her father's old journal.
And after a few more events, they reunite the crystals at last and the broken picture and restore magic to the world. Not long after they do, Zipp takes to the sky while Pipp remains grounded, confusing the rest.
"Why don't you fly like your sister?" Izzy inquires of Pipp with concern in her voice as she hands the princess a box of tissues with her magic.
"It's because I can't," responds Pipp with a sigh as she takes a tissue and dries her tears. "I was born with deformed wings. The cloud sleeves help me float, sure, but proper flight, not really."
"Oh?" Inquires Izzy as she sits down next to her new friend. "I'm sorry to hear that, but there's nothing wrong with being different. It's not something to be ashamed of."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," responds Pipp with a sigh. "I suppose you're right." She puts the tissue to the side and grabs at her cloud sleeves with her hooves.
"What are you doing?" Inquires Sunny of her new friend, not entirely sure of what's going on.
"I'm being honest with you. Showing you my true self," responds Pipp with a sigh. She gently pulls off the clouds from her wings and hands them to Zipp to hold. "These are my true wings." She begins to tear up once more, soon taking another tissue from Izzy to dry her tears. "They're small. Broken. Useless." She takes the cloud covers back from Zipp and slips them back on. "I never meant to disappoint you guys. I'm sorry I can't fly."
"Well, don't be," says Izzy as she hugs her friend and dries her tears. "We love you for who you are, wings or no wings."
"Mmhmm," agree the rest with a nod in unison as they join in on a group hug to comfort their new friend. "Wings or no wings, you'll always be our friend. Wings or no wings, you'll always be our friend…"
Five years later, a ten year old Zipp and five year old, Pipp make their way through their mother’s gardens, smiles on their faces as they prance. “Sis, why aren’t my wings like yours?” Pipp inquires, causing Zipp to stop in her tracks.
“Okay, come here, sit,” says Zipp with a sigh as she plops down on a bench in the garden.
“Okay,” responds Pipp with a nod as she goes over to the bench. “Can you please lift me up?”
“Oh, right, sorry,” responds Zipp apologetically as she lifts her little sister up onto the bench with her wings. “There ya go.”
“So, why aren’t my wings like yours?” Pipp inquires of Zipp once more.
“Okay,” responds Zipp with a sigh. “You were born with deformed wings, it’s as simple as that. The doctors still don’t know exactly why, just that it happened.”
“Oh, okay,” responds Pipp still trying to understand it all, take it all in, “okay.”
“So even if we do ever get magic back, I’ll never be able to fly?” Pipp inquires of her big sister once more.
“Yes, that’s right,” responds Zipp with a nod as she lets out a sigh. She holds her sister close to her with her wing, “that’s right.”
“Do you think there are other Pegasi with broken wings like mine? Hurt wings like mine?” She then inquires curiously of her big sister once more. “Zipp?”
“Yeah, probably,” responds Zipp as she holds her little sister close to her. She lets out a sigh. “Probably…”
A few minutes later, the two hear a familiar voice behind them. “Hello your Highnesses, it’s time for tea time with your mother,” says one of their guards.
“Okay, thank you,” responds Zipp with a nod. She helps Pipp down off the bench and onto the back of one of the other guards before following them inside once more to one of the rooms where the two then sit down to tea with their mother.
“Hello girls,” says Queen Haven with a smile, “did you two have a good morning in the gardens?”
“Yes, mom, we did, thanks,” responds Zipp with a nod. She then goes back to sipping on, practically slurping her tea.
“As next in line, you shouldn’t slurp, Zephyrina,” Queen Haven firmly reminds her older daughter. “It’s not befitting of a princess.”
“Yeah, I know,” grumbles Zipp once more, “I know.” She rolls her eyes before going to quietly sipping on her tea at last so as not to offend her mother further.
“You also shouldn’t roll your eyes at me, Zephyrina,” adds Queen Haven once more before returning to sipping on her own tea. “It’s not very befitting of a princess.”
“Okay,” responds Zipp with a defeated sigh, “okay…”
Pipp, meanwhile, just happily sips on her tea from where she’s now cuddled up in her mother’s lap. “That’s my good little flowerette,” says Queen Haven with a smile, praising her younger, “good job. I’m proud of you.” She continues to beam ear to ear as she praises Pipp. “I’m so proud of you.”
Zipp just rolls her eyes as she sits down her tea. Sometimes she loves her sister, but times like these, when all she hears is her mother doting on her little sister, she absolutely can’t stand it, alas she has no choice but to watch as she’s not allowed to be dismissed from tea until they’re all done, until Pipp is done.
Early the next morning, the nurse enters the princesses’ room and nuzzles the two awake. “Girls, it’s time for breakfast with your parents. Time to wake up.”
“Okay,” respond the princesses groggily, “okay.” They stretch with yawns as they wake up and climb out of bed. Pipp, hesitantly, holds her favorite dolly in her hooves.
“Oh Pipps, what are you scared of?” Inquires the nurse pony as she bends down before the younger princess.
“Just nervous,” responds Pipp with a sigh, “because after breakfast, I have the meeting with the doctor.”
“Yes, you do, but you’ll have your mom with you the entire time. You’re her world, Pipps,” responds the nurse trying to relax the young princess before her.
“Can I ride on your back?” She then inquires with a pout. “Please.”
“Sure,” responds the nurse with a nod as she helps Pipp up onto her back with her wing. The three then head to the dining hall at last where they soon go inside. Once inside, the nurse helps Pipp into her seat while Zipp climbs into her own.
“Morning girls,” responds Queen Haven with a smile.
“Yeah,” responds Zipp with a shrug. “It’s morning, alright.” She groans.
“D…do we have to do the doctor after breakfast?” Pipp inquires, her voice quivering from nerves.
“Yes, baby,” responds Queen Haven with a sigh. “I’ll be with you the entire time. Promise.”
“Will Zipp too?” Inquires Pipp with a pout.
“If you want me to, yes, I’ll be there,” Zipp reassures her little sister. “Promise.”
“Okay,” responds Pipp with a sigh as she continues to cling to her dolly, “okay.”
After another hour, the three finish breakfast and head to the hospital ward at last where they’re soon greeted by the doctor. “Queen Haven, princesses,” he says with a bow. “Do come in.”
“Thank you,” responds the Queen with a nod. She and her girls then enter the room.
“Wha, what are you doing?” Inquires Pipp nervously as the doctor pony measures her wings.
“Just measuring your wings, princess, relax,” responds the doctor, doing his best to reassure the young filly before him. “Nothing about this is going to hurt you. That’s a promise. I can assure you.”
“Okay,” responds Pipp with a nod as she looks over to her mom and big sister for support. “Okay.”
“You’ve got this Pipp-Pipp,” Zipp reassures her baby sister with a smile, “you’ve got this.”
“Yeah, thanks, sis,” responds Pipp with a small smile, “thanks…”
Several minutes later, her wings are properly measured for the cloud sleeves.
“Okay, princess, all done,” says the doctor as he tucks away the tape measure at last. “All done.”
A few minutes later, he goes and gets the proper fitting cloud sleeves and brings them in a net into the room. “I’m going to need you to stand still for this, okay?”
“Okay,” responds Pipp quietly with a nod. “Okay.” She stands there, eyes on her mom and sister as the nurses slip the cloud sleeves onto her wings. A few minutes later, they’re done.
“Okay, you’re good to go, princess,” says the doctor as he hands the little filly a cherry flavored lollipop, her favorite.
“Yes, thank you,” responds Pipp with a smile. She then goes to licking on her lollipop at last, only leaving with her mom and sister once she finishes the entire thing. Once they’re done there, Queen Haven heads off to a meeting while the princesses are regathered by their main nurse, Marigold and taken to the gardens to play.
