//------------------------------// // The Royal Turmoil of Zephyr Heights // Story: Solar and Lunar // by marmalado //------------------------------// A knock at the door woke Sunny and Izzy up as they tumbled onto the floor, giving cries of surprise. Izzy was the first to get up, sleepily trudging towards the door and opening it. "Good morning!" Hitch greeted. "Are we ready to go?" "Ugh...no..." Izzy rubbed her head. "You can come in if you want. Just give us..." A yawn. "...a few minutes." "Sure!" As Hitch made his way in, he smiled and waved at Sunny, who was just getting up herself and gave a tired wave back. Lucky for the stallion, he only had to wait a few minutes for the mares to straighten up their looks, pack their supplies, and get ready. "So how long is it going to take us to get to Zephyr Heights, anyway?" he asked. "Well, with our flight abilities, it shouldn't be long." Izzy mused. "Although I don't know where it is..." "I do!" Sunny called from afar. "I have a map that'll guide us! We'll be there before you know it!" "Yeah! And when we get there, maybe we'll meet the other two saviors!" Hitch smiled, being grateful for his mother in that she never taught him to be prejudiced against ponies of different races. A few minutes later, the trio stepped outside and closed the door, bags packed full of snacks and other necessities. "Uhh...how are we gonna carry Hitch?" Izzy asked. "Magic field." came Sunny's simple response, as her horn lit up and encased the stallion in an orange spherical field. He looked rather shocked at the action and mentally kept telling himself not to look down, but couldn't resist giving a muffled scream. "Ooh, why didn't I think of that?" Izzy blinked. "Although he kiiiinda looks uncomfortable..." "I'm fine!" came the muffled cry. "Juuuuust fine! Don't worry about me!" This was enough convincing for Izzy, who simply gave a shrug. Taking deep breaths, the trio took flight, with Hitch experiencing the wonders of being in the air for the first time. Soon enough, they passed the worn-down "Now Leaving Maretime Bay" sign, feeling hopeful that they would reach Zephyr Heights without any sort of problem. Well, okay, there was one problem. Sunny and Izzy hadn't eaten breakfast. So they were forced to make a pit stop at the entrance to an expansive forest, and eat some. As the two alicorns ate their sandwiches, Hitch, free of his spherical confinement for the time being, decided to run around and relish the feeling of his hooves being on the ground while he still could. He didn't go too far -- after all, he didn't know where he was going outside of city limits, and if he got lost, it would only hinder progress in the journey. "Hey, Shunny?" Izzy asked through a mouthful of sandwich. "You think we'll pash by Terra on the way to Shephyr Heightsh?" "Maybe! We can introduce Hitch to her!" Izzy swallowed and nodded in agreement before taking a larger bite. Sunny could see excitement shimmering in her eyes. Hitch has to be the third savior. There's no doubt about it! And when we tell Terra, she'll- A scream from inside the forest made them jump to their hooves within a millisecond. "Hitch?!" Sunny dropped her sandwich and galloped into the forest with nary another thought. "Sunny, hold on!" Izzy looked to her sandwich, then to Sunny, then stuffed the rest of the sandwich in her mouth and took off flying. A large, looming bear stood in front of Hitch, its red beady eyes boring into him. All the stallion could do was crouch in place, his body shivering, his eyes reduced to pinpricks as he became a deer in the headlights. "Uh...h-h-hello?" Hitch offered, mentally berating himself for thinking he could actually talk to a bear and have it understand him. But he was too terrified to ponder any logic right now. "P-p-please don't hurt me, I was j-just passing by!" The bear didn't move. It didn't run away or change its expression. All it did was blink. "I-I'm really sorry to bother you, but do you think you could move, please?" Another blink. Then the bear grumbled, got down on four legs, and moved to Hitch's right. "Oh, t-t-thank you!" The stallion breathed a sigh of relief. "I wasn't sure you understood me, but I figured, why not try? Beats trying to get past you and you chasing me through the forest...hehe..." As he walked, his eyes drifted towards a large thorn that was embedded in the bear's leg. Is that why it was walking on two legs and not four? he wondered. Maybe I should help it. It seems nice enough...if it let me by when it was angry... Swallowing his fear, he walked over to the bear and began operating almost on sheer instinct. "Is that a thorn?" To his surprise, the bear glanced at its leg, and then sadly nodded. "Would you like help getting it out?" The bear nodded again. "All right. Just as a warning, this might sting." Hitch trotted to the side of the creature and gripped the thorn in his teeth. Slowly, he pulled his head back, and the thorn smoothly slid out. The bear gave a cry of pain, but otherwise didn't object. Once the thorn was out, the Earth pony disposed of it by spitting it out as far as he could, resolving to find some water to clear the nasty taste that filled his taste buds. Immediately, the bear calmed down. It gave a happy and grateful cry before pulling Hitch into its grasp. "Y-you're welcome...not so tiiiiiiight..." he uttered out, feeling his lungs being crushed. As he watched the bear go, a smile formed on his face. His heart was filled with a rather weird emotion that he couldn't place. "Hitch!" The familiar voice of Sunny made him turn, and he saw her flying over to him with Izzy following suit. "Oh, thank goodness you're okay!" She breathed a sigh of relief. "What happened?" "I was trying to find my way back when I ran into this bear..." Hitch glanced behind him. "He had a thorn stuck in his leg, so I pulled it out for him." "Aww, how sweet!" Izzy gushed. "I'm not surprised." Sunny remarked. "You've always had a way with animals, Hitch. Remember when you would always pretend you were the 'beach sheriff' of Maretime Bay and gather up animals to serve as your deputies?" "Yeah. And now, I have actual animals as my deputies!" Hitch proudly responded. "But anyway, we should get going. We have a lot of ground to cover. The sooner we get to Zephyr Heights, the better, right?" Sunny nodded. "C'mon. Let's finish eating, and continue forth!" With that, the trio made their way out of the forest and back to their impromptu picnic area, keeping an eye out for any more dangerous creatures of the woods that may or may not eat ponies. Once bellies were filled, they continued on their journey, soaring through the forest and past fields of flowers with ease. It took a shorter time than expected, since Izzy and Sunny could fly, and both could achieve quite the speed thanks to training with Terra. After a couple days of traveling, they came across a canyon, wide and sprawling. Up ahead from the canyon, they could see Zephyr Heights, a large, mountaintop town filled with technology that far exceeded that of Maretime Bay's. Unsurprisingly, no Pegasi could be seen in the sky. Sunny and Izzy landed, taking Hitch with them and freeing him once again. "What's wrong?" Izzy asked. "We have to disguise ourselves, Izzy. Remember? The Pegasi are gonna freak out if they see that we're alicorns!" "Oh! Right, right." With horns alight, the pair changed into the same "Dicey Roll" and "Moon Flower" forms, only with wings attached to their sides. Hitch watched the magical feat in awe, wondering just how they knew this seemingly complicated spell. "Stop right there!" A sudden cry made the trio jump, and they turned to find a Pegasus approaching them. With a striking white coat, a pink tail and a pink mane both streaked with cyan, and a dominating pose, she certainly looked like she knew her way around. Sunny and Izzy stiffened, both of them thinking the same thing: Oh no, did she see us transform?! "Who are you? Why are you traveling with an Earth pony?" "Um...w-w-we-" "We found him outside of the city! W-we were gonna bring him to...to..." Izzy could feel sweat beads beginning to form, and prayed that this Pegasus wasn't the brightest bulb in the hardware store. Unfortunately for her, she was, indeed, a bright bulb in a hardware store. The Pegasus exhaled. "There's no use in lying. You're better off showing yourselves." "S-showing ourselves? B- n- no, w-whatever do you mean? We're authentic Pegasi, in the flesh!" "No you're not." An eye roll. "You're alicorns." Hitch's eyes widened. Somehow, someway, this pony had figured Sunny and Izzy out, and it was clear that running away and escaping -- whether into Zephyr Heights or back the way they came -- was no longer an option. "Sunny. Izzy." he said. "The jig is up." Both mares shot each other nervous looks, before their transformations wore off and they changed back to their usual forms. "H-how did you know?" Izzy asked. "I saw you transforming while I was out here doing some stunts." "You're not going to punish us or anything, are you?" Sunny blinked. "Please, listen to us, we came here for a reason! We have to restore magic and-" "Hold on. Did you just say 'restore magic'?" the Pegasus asked. "Interesting." "Why's that? You don't have magic either?" Izzy asked. "Hm? Me? Oh, I have magic." Jaws dropped. The Pegasus was surprised that none of them dropped low enough to hit the surface of the canyon. "Yeah. The story about that is...a little complicated. But we shouldn't talk out here." She looked around. "Nopony comes out here, but it's better if we stay in an enclosed space. Follow me." With mighty beats of her wings, she took off. Still in shock, Sunny, Izzy and Hitch all followed suit. "Uh...should we trust her?" Hitch asked. "Who knows where she's taking us?" "She has magic, Hitch!" Sunny said. "I'm willing to trust her. She might be one of the saviors!" "'Might be', sure. But what if she's not? She could be somepony who's out to destroy Equestria, for all we know!" "He does have a point." "Izzy!" Sunny's cry was practically a scream, and she clapped her hooves to her mouth, hoping the Pegasus wouldn't overhear. When the coast appeared to be clear, she shook her head and sighed. "Look. Everypony just follow my lead and play along. We'll find out what her true intents are soon enough." It didn't take long before Sunny, Izzy, Hitch and the mysterious Pegasus arrived at some mysterious spot within Zephyr Heights. It was adorned with three stained-glass depictions of a unicorn and a Pegasus, plus one overarching one that sat on the top with a depiction of an Earth pony on it. Above each of the depictions were three Crystals -- one that was round and white, another that was blue and diamond-shaped, and another that was cyan and shaped like a pair of wings. The stained-glass doors slowly opened with a loud creaking sound that definitely showed its age. As Izzy freed Hitch and they made their way inside, Sunny stopped and stared at the glass. "Where are we?" was the first question out of her mouth. "This used to be a station for traveling Earth ponies and unicorns. They would usually come to Zephyr Heights by hot-air balloon." "So is it like the trolley?" "Uh...I guess you could say that?" The Pegasus shrugged. Now that that was out of the way, Sunny could dig into the meat of her curiosity. "And what about the Unity Crystals?" "The Unity Crystals? You know about those?" The Pegasus looked up. "This stained glass was made years ago, back when Equestria was full of magic. The Pegasus Crystal up there was..." "...was?" The Pegasus avoided eye contact. "Part of my mom's crown." A crown? Does that mean...this Pegasus...she's royalty like us?! Sunny's jaw dropped. But it's not the same kind of royalty. She doesn't have a horn. And I doubt she has Earth pony strength. "If you want that story, keep following me." Blinking, Sunny made her way inside, the stained-glass doors creaking closed behind them. As she walked, she made note of all the drab-looking curtains that hung on the sides in what looked like little closets, and wondered what they were for. Whatever questions she had about the room, though, would have to wait -- right now, she wanted answers. "Right, so, uh, first of all...never gave all of you my name, huh?" The Pegasus smiled. "I'm Zipp Storm. But just call me Zipp." "Ooh, are you a princess?" Sunny blurted out without thinking. "I was a princess." Zipp explained. "As were my sister and my mom..." Queen Haven -- that's my mom -- ruled over Zephyr Heights for a long time. In fact, our entire family has ruled over Zephyr Heights in some way or another. Ponies who didn't want to become royalty were often shunned, and in some cases, even disowned. One day, a surprise intruder entered the castle, flanked by almost every single guard in our army. My mom, my sister and I were all surprised when we saw that it was an alicorn. She called herself "Terra" and stated that she had just come to Zephyr Heights for a visit, nothing more and nothing less. My mom, however, wouldn't have it, and locked her in the dungeons, making sure to secure her wings with heavy-duty tape and stop magic in her horn by using a tennis ball. Of course, it didn't last long...mostly because I freed Terra just hours after she was locked up. I took her to the station so we could talk in private. "You are Princess Zephyrina Storm, correct?" "U-um...yeah. But I prefer Zipp." Terra nodded. "I must thank you for freeing me. Your dungeon might be such only in name, but I certainly did not want to cause a ruckus by using my Earth pony strength to get out." "Yeah, that probably would've caused a number of issues." I scratched the back of my neck. "So why are you here in Zephyr Heights?" "If I am honest with you...to get this out of the way first and foremost..." Terra sighed. "I am an alicorn from ancient Equestria." "Ancient Equestria?! B-b-but...how..." Then it dawned on me. "Ah, wait, you're immortal." Terra shook her head. "That is nothing but a myth, my little pony. Like any other living being, alicorns pass away in due time. It just takes them longer to do so than other pony races." "So how are you still alive, then?" "I mastered and used a freezing spell on myself, allowing me to live for many, many moons. You see, Zipp, I come from the time of Princess Twilight Sparkle's rule." My eyes shimmered. "You do?" Terra nodded. "As a matter of fact, Princess Twilight is the pony who made me an alicorn in the first place. Before then, I had been nothing more than an Earth pony who loved Equestria and loved the world it sat on." "So you're a princess." "No. Princess Twilight never granted me such a title. I was simply assigned to travel the world and visit various kingdoms outside of Equestria, keeping up with its citizens and helping out when needed." I took a moment to let this all sink in. It was crazy to think that this pony came from a time when being a princess meant something else entirely, and here I was, having been born one. A Pegasus one, at that. "If I am being honest..." Terra broke the silence. "I did not come here just for a simple visit." "You didn't?" She shook her head. "A short while after Princess Twilight passed away, I had found a scroll that told of a prophecy. Five saviors, five ponies, would save Equestria if it fell into such a wretched and conflicted state." I blinked. "I believe you are one of those saviors, Zipp." I blinked again, and then my jaw dropped. "Now, this is only a feeling I have. I do not know if it is true, and I do not know for sure where the other four saviors might be located." Terra said. "But I do have ideas." "What...what are they?" I asked, feeling my mouth becoming dry. "On my journey across Equestria, I came across two Earth ponies living in a place known as 'Maretime Bay'. Her name was Sunny Starscout, and her father was known as Argyle. I watched as they spread messages of hope and perseverance to their fellow citizens, to no avail as they shouted words of protest. I wanted so badly to help them..." I heard Terra's voice crack at the last sentence, and for a second there, I thought she was gonna start crying. But she got back to it only a few seconds later. "It was then I felt something warm in my heart. This pony, who was so dedicated to her cause, and her father who supported her every step of the way...they were truly a dynamic duo." Terra sighed. "But not even they could restore peace to Equestria. "My next stop was a place known as 'Bridlewood'. It was a thick and expansive forest that felt devoid of life. I despised that place." "Why?" "It only served to remind me of Equestria after Princess Twilight passed away. The lives of everycreature did not slow down, but they were not lived with the same drive and enthusiasm as before. Everywhere I went, it was like a dark cloud hung over my head, the trees looming over me as though they were depressed as well." I held up a hoof, suddenly remembering something. "Wait. After the Princess died, no one ruled in her place?" "No. Equestria was more harmonious then. She had put in everything she had to made sure that harmony would last for years. And her friends had passed away long before." The gears in my mind began to turn faster as I nodded. "Ah, I see. Sorry for interrupting. That question just popped into my head. Please continue." Terra nodded. "As I walked through the sleepy town, I spotted one unicorn who did not seem to be afflicted by the same change in mood that had plagued the town with the loss of Equestrian magic. As surprising as it was, she galloped, and skipped, and sang a happy song, even though no pony was eager to join her. She reminded me so much of Pinkie Pie, one of Princess Twilight's friends..." A smile crossed her face for only a single moment, then faded as her face fell. "My own mood instantly lifted. I felt a sense of... warmth in her presence. It did not take me long to deduce that she was one of the saviors. And the rest is history." So did she come to Zephyr Heights directly after Bridlewood? I thought. Seems like this all just happened. "So if Sunny makes one savior, that unicorn makes two, and I make three...who are the other two?" "I do not know that for certain yet. Given that you are not an only filly, however, it would not be too far-fetched to assume that the other pony who was with you..." "Queen Haven?" "No, no. The one who was holding that rectangular object." "Ohh, Pipp? Yeah, she's my sister." "Ah." Terra nodded. "So it would not be too far-fetched to assume that Pipp is also a savior." At this theory, I had to laugh. "My sister, a savior of Equestria? That's hilarious! She would be more of a savior of her own social standing than the whole of the country!" I then leaned forward and muttered, "Plus, she's sometimes not the brightest pony in the town." "But?" I stared at her with concern. Was she expecting me to say something else? Either way, I knew what she was getting at. I sighed. "She has good intentions. She loves the Pegasi of Zephyr Heights and would do anything for them." She smiled, as though I had given her an answer she had been looking for. "I am sure the time will come when you, Pipp, and the other three saviors will create an alliance of friendship and restore magic to Equestria. When that time does come, I do hope you succeed." I took a deep breath. Saving the whole of Equestria is a big responsibility...but it's not like I don't already have a big enough responsibility with being the crown princess of Zephyr Heights. Maybe I could pull it off. "With that all being said..." Terra's voice cut into my thoughts. "I would like to introduce myself to your Queen once more. Although I am not royalty like her, I believe talking with her and sharing what I know about Ancient Equestria might broaden her worldview and make her less hostile towards me. Could you take me to her, please?" "Um...I could, but..." I bit my lip. "If the other Pegasi of Zephyr Heights saw you, they might be preeeeetty alarmed. Since, you know, you're an alicorn and all that." "I do not mind." So we left the station, and I brought her back to my mother. "Mom, please, you don't understand. Terra is from Ancient Equestria, where alicorns were princesses. Just like me and Pipp!" "Zephyrina, darling. Surely you're aware that a queen holds higher power than a princess?" my mom responded. "Terra holds just as much power as you and Pipp." "But that's not how it was back in olden times! Princess Celestia and Princess Luna ruled for millennia, and Princess Twilight ruled for millennia after they retired. Even Princess Cadance and Princess Flurry Heart ruled the Crystal Empire with iron hooves for that long! They've all weathered Equestria through so much. And meanwhile, what are we in charge of? A Pegasus city!" I scoffed. "How does that happen?!" "We are descended from a line of royal ponies whose very destinies are to lead!" Mom fired back. "That is how." "Mom. Just think. What if we had Terra in charge? Not just in charge of Zephyr Heights, but in charge of all of Equestria? She could...she could..." My face lit up. "She could bring back magic!" As I glanced at the alicorn, I saw her stiffen as she made an expression that told me maybe offering that suggestion was a bad idea. My mom wasn't so receptive to it either. "Zephyrina Storm! I am not sure what nonsense you are spewing out, but it certainly isn't something I will tolerate being said in my castle!" "Your castle? This place belongs to the three of us!" "Keep it up, and it won't be your place anymore." That was enough to get me to shut up, at least for a second. I stared at the guards, who all seemed to be, at the very least, thinking about what I said. It was lucky my sister wasn't here too, otherwise it would be two against...at least eight. Maybe more, if Mom hired more guards when I wasn't looking. I wasn't sure. "That thing you have with you will only kill us! There is a good reason I kept her locked up in the dungeon!" my mom hissed. "Put her back." "No! Terra isn't like that! She's not the menace you think she is!" I retorted. "She just wants peace to be restored to Equestria, just like I do. Haven't you felt it, Mom? The change in the air since Pegasus magic was taken and we all found out we couldn't fly?" "Yes..." She gazed at her hoof. "But you, for whatever strange reason, were immune to it. You can still fly while the rest of us have to suffer." "No I can't! I lost my magic along with the rest of Zephyr Heights!" I stamped my hoof onto the ground. "Why are you still going along with that stupid fantasy? You saw me after magic went missing. I can't fly. Watch." I splayed out my wings and flapped them, only to gain just a tiny bit of air, and then immediately plummet to the ground. My jaw radiated with pain from impact with the hard floor, and as I got up, I rubbed it a little. "Oh, pshh." My mom waved a hoof. "You're just being a drama queen." All I could do was stare at her, not bothering to even try and argue with that logic. However, there was one thing I could leverage against her. One thing that had been a frequent issue among the Pegasi for a long while now. I didn't want to use it just yet, though, as I had one more trick up my sleeve. "Hey, Terra?" I asked. "Can you restore magic to me and Pipp, and allow us to fly again?" Terra blinked. "I am...um...I am not quite sure about that, Zipp. I may be an alicorn, but far be it from me to perform such a feat as giving back Pegasus magic to you and Pipp." I shuffled over to her and whispered into her ear, "Do you see that crown my mom is wearing?" "Yes, I do. That is the Pegasus Unity Crystal." Terra whispered back. "What about it?" "Use it to boost your magic." I explained. "I know it might be really stupid and really risky, but it just might work." A pause lingered over the room. I caught my mom eyeing us suspiciously, and sweat began to pour down my face as I wondered if she heard us. But it didn't seem so. "Well...it does not seem like your mother is willing to negotiate. She is a rather close-minded pony." Terra sighed and shook her head. "I suppose I could try. But what exactly do you have planned?" "You'll see. Just lemme call my sis in first." A few minutes later, Pipp came trotting into the throne room, her expression filled with anxiety. "Zipp? What's going on? You said it was an emergency, where's the emergency?!" "Relax." I said. "Just stand beside me." Pipp gave me a look of uncertainty, but after glancing at my mom and witnessing her look of unbridled rage and upset, she hesitantly trotted over to me. Terra took a deep breath. "Before I do this, please understand that this might come with ramifications neither of you might be ready fo-" "Just do it!" "What ramifications?!" Terra's horn lit up in a brilliant array of blue hues. We found ourselves being lifted into the air, hearing the guards panic down below and my mom screaming something that I had tuned out. I felt a really warm sensation spreading through my wings, and closed my eyes as I prepared for what was to come. My wings were wrapped in what felt like golden tendrils -- maybe from the Pegasus crystal, judging by my mom's screams -- and it was like a power rush. The magic began to flow back into them, and it ricocheted throughout my entire body. It felt a little painful, too, and I winced. It seemed like forever before Pipp and I floated back down to the ground. When I opened my eyes, I saw that my feathers were lined with gold, and so were hers. The tendrils, which I could see had extended from the Pegasus crystal, finished their journey from the crystal to my wings, wrapped around them, and then went away in a poof of magic dust. My mom was speechless. Her jaw hung open as she took in the sight of her two daughters with restored abilities. After what seemed like forever, she closed her mouth and shook her head. "W-what did you do to them?!" "I only did what Zipp had requested." Terra simply said. "I attempted to grant her and her sister the ability to fly once more." As my mom stumbled over her words, I noticed Pipp looking at her wings with concern, then slowly flapping them. My heart raced with all kinds of emotions, and all kinds of thoughts flooded my head. However, to my surprise, she gained liftoff. She flew higher and higher into the air, and then moved around the throne room with ease and comfort, a giddy laugh following her. "Oh. My. Gosh. I can fly!" she cried out. I watched her for a few more seconds, and then decided to try with my own wings. I flapped them, and was surprised when they actually got me off of the ground. I achieved liftoff faster than Pipp -- no doubt due to all the time I've spent gliding and such -- and together, she and I moved about in the air, sharing laughter and hugging each other as we both cried tears of relief and happiness. "This is...this..." my mom said, although I chose to ignore her. "Terra!" I landed in front of the alicorn mare. "Thank you soooo much for this. You don't know how grateful I am. I-I can't believe you were actually able to restore magic to us again!" "And I cannot believe your idea worked, Zipp." Terra smiled. "I did not know the Unity Crystal had such a power, to restore magic to individual ponies rather than restore magic to an entire race..." I turned to Pipp. "Hey sis, you know what? This would be an awesome event to tell your Pippsqueaks about!" "Zipp. You. Are absolutely. Right!" Pipp squealed and immediately whipped out her phone to start a new livestream. "Um...might I ask what Pipp is doing?" "She's gonna livestream this." I explained, before I shook my head and backtracked. "U-uh, I mean, she's gonna tell all of Zephyr Heights about this. In...her own way?" Terra still looked confused. I sighed, knowing that explaining Zephyr Heights's technology to a pony from Ancient Equestria would take a long time. "Pippsqueaks!" Pipp greeted. "Today has been such a day, oh, you will not believe it, where do I begin?! Okay, okay, I should start with introducing this lovely pony!" She swiveled the phone towards Terra, who blinked and gave a sheepish wave. "This is Terra, and she is an alicorn. That's right, she's an Earth pony, a unicorn pony, and a Pegasus pony all in one! Can you believe it?!" I glanced at my mom to see her reaction. She had always been supportive of Pipp and her constant livestreaming of everything, but this time, she looked about ready to burst, and not in a happy way. "Anyway, guess what she did?" Pipp soared into the air once more, making sure to angle her phone so the Pippsqueaks could see what she was doing. "That's right, she gave me back my flight! I can fly again!" She pointed to me. "She gave my sis her flight back, too, of course." As she pointed the phone to me, I smiled and waved, something I had long since gotten used to as both a pony of royalty and a pony who frequently appeared in her livestreams. "Now, do not worry, guys. We will definitely find a way to restore magic to Zephyr Heights so you guys can all fly again, too. It's a Pipp Promise!" My sister grinned. "For now, just keep holding on. I'll work as hard as I can for all of you! Love you bunches! Pipp Pipp hooray!" And with that, she tapped her phone again, ending the livestream. Unfortunately, that was when my mom snapped. "Pipp! M-must you livestream... that to everypony?!" she shouted. "This monster did something to you and- and you're livestreaming it?!" "Well, 'this monster' did kinda give us the ability to fly again, Mom." I pointed out. "Do you know what this means?" Mom's voice dropped lower than I'd ever heard it before. "Now ponies are going to be wondering why I didn't do this when magic was lost. They will turn on u- on me! A-and furthermore..." She stood up and glared at Terra. "Why did you not restore magic to me?!" I stayed silent, waiting for her to tack on "or restore magic to the rest of Zephyr Heights". But nothing came forth. This was a side of my mom that I hated -- she adored the spotlight, but it didn't stop her from becoming vain and narcissistic sometimes. "Because it was not what Zipp had requested of me." Terra said. "And besides that, my own moral judgment would question what common sense is involved with giving magic back to such a baneful pony." My mom blinked once, and then twice, and then a third time. It looked like she was trying to make sense of Terra's mindset. "Hey, Terra..." I said. "Could you restore magic to the other ponies of Zephyr Heights, too?" "I can, but that is a matter you and your sister must take care of." Pipp shot me a concerned and confused glance. Not knowing what the alicorn was talking about, I shrugged in response. "What is that supposed to mean?!" my mother yelled. "Baneful?! Hardly! Why, every ounce of my skills goes to helping Zephyr Heights!" "That's what other ponies see." I said, trying to keep my tone as calm as possible. "What I see is a queen who is closed-minded and prejudiced towards nice ponies without even giving them a chance. You do know Terra is technically all three pony types, right?" "S-s-so what?!" My mother was losing it. "That does not excuse the fact that she simply wandered into Zephyr Heights unprotected! She is just as capable of frying our brains and stinking up the place as unicorns and Earth ponies are!" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "If that's what you have to tell yourself to sleep at night." I uttered. "If she really wanted to fry our brains, wouldn't she have done that the second she made her way into Zephyr Heights?" My mom was doing the pony equivalent of a blue screen of death. She opened her mouth and then closed it a bunch of times, wanting to say something but not being able to. It was then that I noticed Pipp giving a knowing wink at me and jerking her head towards her phone. Which was...recording? Oh my hoofness, it's recording! It was like the pieces snapped into place for me. "Mom, if Terra was so capable of frying our brains as you claim she was..." I continued. "Do you really think a tennis ball and some tape would have stopped her?" The guards' interest became piqued, and I could see their heads swiveling towards me, eyes widening as they became all ears. Feeling confidence surging inside of me, I ran on autopilot. "I've been proposing that we should make the dungeons more dark and imposing for a while now. But you don't listen. Unless it's Pipp doing the talking, of course..." I scoffed. "You listen to her." A noise came out of my mom's mouth that I didn't bother paying attention to. "What's a leader if they can't even properly arrest intruders that trespass on their territory? Terra may be an alicorn, but let's be honest...anypony could remove a tennis ball from their horn and break free of the tape around their wings." A smirk spread on my face. "I say we should use chains instead. Much sturdier, and much harder to break out of. Oh, and a horn ring or something, so unicorns can't use magic." I glanced back at Terra, who was tilting her head in confusion. I gave her a knowing wink, trying to tell her to just follow my lead. "I'm pretty sure the citizens of Zephyr Heights would a-" "THAT'S IT!" Mom's voice was a yell that echoed throughout the entire room. "Guards! Seize her at once!" To my surprise, though, none of them moved. "Okay, but then what?" one of them asked, though I couldn't identify who it was. "Zipp's just gonna break free, anyway. Chains would be so much better." The other guards murmured their agreement. My mom was absolutely floored. She grit her teeth. "Fine, then. Zipp, pack your things and leave at once." I had expected this, but that didn't mean I didn't feel a sense of shock run through me all the same. "What?" "If you are going to preach such nonsense around here, to a point where the guards are even turning against me..." Mom shook her head. "I will not have this in my city!" Pipp caught my eye, with her conflicted expression. She looked like she wanted to protest, but didn't -- maybe she didn't want to get kicked out too, or she just didn't know what to do in general to stand up to the mother that adored her. A small part of me felt betrayed, but I retained hope that maybe, just maybe, she had something up her sleeve. "All right." I simply said. "I'll leave by the end of the day. But what about Terra?" "TAKE HER WITH YOU!!" Terra was upset. I could see it written all over her face. Still, I urged her to come with me as I went to my room. "I'm really sorry." I said. "My mom is...a hoofful. Especially when it comes to unicorns, Earth ponies, alicorns, restoring magic...and me." "It is fine. We tried. That is what matters." Terra nodded. "Although I must question your mother's mental state. Perhaps she is not fit to rule if she is so prejudiced and quick to anger." "You make a good point." I said. "She's kinda unpredictable. She can be a nice and sweet mother one moment, and then completely angry at somepony the next. I've tried to make sense of her, but...I can't." "Then perhaps it is for the best that she has kicked you out." "Well, yeah." I smirked. "But I don't plan on leaving." "Hmm?" "Police are going to arrest her the next time she steps hoof outside. For unlawful jailing practices." Terra tilted her head. "And that is an actual law?" "Yeah. I'm not really sure when the law came into effect, or who made it...just that it was made as a result of police officers harming prisoners. Once she gets arrested..." I looked at Terra with a knowing expression. "Um, I-I do not think me leading is such a wise idea, Zipp." She held up her front hooves defensively. "I am not opposed to it, but if I am to lead the whole of Equestria, perhaps it would be fitting to get the agreement of Maretime Bay and Bridlewood first." "Hmm. Good point." I mused. "Then maybe I could be...a temporary ruler? As the next pony in line for the throne, of course." "Now that sounds more promising." Terra smiled. Sure enough, my mom got arrested within the week, and I became the new queen of Zephyr Heights. Of course, Pipp was still a princess and became the next pony in line, but I vowed to find some way, any way, to make Terra be crowned the new ruler of Equestria, just like how it was back in Ancient Equestrian times. "See, the thing is...I never really wanted to rule Zephyr Heights. My mom wanted me to, but I didn't want to. That's why she hated me so much. She kept pressuring me into being more like 'a proper queen' and hated when I left to do stunts and stuff like that." "So what happened to the Pegasus Crystal?" Sunny asked. Zipp dug a hoof under her wing and pulled it out. "I disassembled the crown. Didn't feel like wearing it." Sunny dug around in her saddlebag for the Earth pony crystal, taking it out and holding it up next to the Pegasus crystal. Her eyes shimmered, and her body felt rather strange, like she was in the presence of strong magic. Izzy, likewise, felt the same way, only her body began to vibrate slightly for some strange reason. "And you said this crystal allowed you and Pipp to get your flight back, with Terra's help?" Hitch clarified, coming up next to Sunny with Izzy flanking her other side. Zipp nodded. "Where's Pipp now?" Sunny asked. "Is she here?" "She should be." Zipp hesitantly took out her phone. "I'll try calling her. Don't get your hopes up too high, though." Although she had hesitant hooves, Zipp took a deep breath, forced herself to remain calm, and went into her Contacts to find Pipp. She tapped her sister's icon, and then the green Call button. Each ringback tone she heard only made her more and more nervous. After the third one, she was starting to wonder if maybe Pipp had been subject to some kind of punishment at Queen Haven's behest before she stepped outside and got arrested, maybe as some kind of residue she had set up -- her mother wasn't that dumb, after all. The tones stopped, and a familiar voice was heard on the other end of the line. "Hello?" "Pipp? It's Zipp. Can you meet us in the station? The old one, where unicorns and Earth ponies used to land when visiting Zephyr Heights?" "Uh, sure. Why?" Zipp glanced at Izzy, Sunny and Hitch, and smiled. "Let's just say there are a few ponies I think you should meet."