It’s Gotta be Perfect
It was that time of the year again in Equestria; Winter Wishday.
The festive feeling filled the air again as ponies everywhere throughout Equestria were anxiously preparing and waiting for the big day. Decorations were being set up, feasts were being prepared, and of course gifts were being bought by the thousands.
The same could be said for our six favorite ponies. After a year of many crazy adventures, it felt nice for Sunny and her friends to just kick back, relax, and have some classic holiday fun together. However, there was one member of the friend group that wasn't in the best of moods for celebrating at the moment.
It wasn't that Zipp wasn't excited to have fun with her friends, she was thrilled for the holidays as she always was, except maybe having to perform in the Royal Carousel Concert again if it was going to be as long as it was the previous year. No, instead Zipp found herself in a predicament many ponies found themselves in during the holidays; find that special gift for the pony she loved.
She and Sunny have been a couple for little over a year now, and it was some of the best times either of them have experienced. It was clear to all who witnessed that the two of them were in love, and it made headlines anytime they showed just the slightest form of PDA.
Zipp loved Sunny with all of her heart, and that was what led to her current predicament. Someone like Sunny deserved the best possible present for Winter Wishday.
That's how the pegasus found herself currently sitting at her desk, covered with catalogs from every store in Equestria either crumbled up or having red scribbles all over them. No matter where she looked, she just couldn't find the perfect gift. And to add more pressure to herself, Wishday was tomorrow, and she had absolutely no idea on how to even narrow down what to get Sunny.
Looking online for anything that might be of quality, the white pegasus was oblivious to her sister coming up the stairs until she spoke up. "Whoa!" Pipp said in response to the mess around her sister's desk, starling Zipp and making her jump, paper covering the pegasus flying off her in various directions. "And I thought I was messy." She commented with a small laugh.
But Zipp did not find the joke funny. "Pipp, what the hay!" She scolded her sister. "A little warning would be appreciated! Lest you're trying to give me a heart attack!"
"Sorry, but you know it's your own fault for getting so sucked into your work again." Pipp pointed out.
Deciding not to start an argument that would eat up precious time, Zipp just sighed and went back to work. That is until a thought crept into her head and she turned around. "Wait a minute. What are you doing up here? You're supposed to be on the lookout for-"
"Calm down. Sunny and the others just left to go visit Grandma Figgy. That should at least take about two or so hours." Pipp assured her sister.
Hearing that calmed Zipp down slightly. Since she didn't want Sunny finding out about the present beforehoof, she enlisted Pipp to act as her lookout incase Sunny ever got too close to figuring her out.
With no fear of spies coming in and finding her sister’s plan out, Pipp walked up to Zipp and picked up one of the catalogs she had tossed on the floor. Looking over it, she could see through the scribbles that it seemed to belong to a jewelry store of some kind. "Ooooh!" She gushed as she read through the pages. "These look pretty. Why don't you buy one of these for Sunny?" She asked.
"Some random jewelry that I came across? No way, Pipp! Sunny deserves something with actual thought put into it." Zipp retorted.
"With prices like these, I would say that this would defiantly have some thought put into it if you're spending this much for her." Pipp pointed out as she showed her sister the catalog.
Again, Zipp did not seem convinced. "We're princesses, Pipp. Money is not an object." She reminded her.
"Yeah, I guess you got a point there." Pipp had to admit.
With still no idea on what get Sunny, Zipp faceplanted on her desk and groaned loudly in frustration. Seeing her distress, Pipp walked up to Zipp and placed a wing around her in comfort. "I feel like I've failed as a marefriend." Zipp muttered.
"Zipp, you haven't failed in anything." Pipp tried to convince the older pegasus otherwise.
"Then why is it that I haven't been able to find a single gift for Sunny after a whole month of searching!?" Zipp raised her head and yelled into Pipp's face. "Meanwhile, I just know Sunny already found the perfect gift for me." Zipp sighed and looked up with a small smile on her face. "Why wouldn't she? She's the perfect marefriend in everyway."
"Oh, no. Here it comes." Pipp said to herself as she knew what that look on her sister's face meant and plugged her ears. Even with both her mother and sister in relationships, there was only so much lovey-dovey she could take.
"How she's able lighten even the darkest rooms with that beautiful smile of hers. Those adorable giggles that are music to my ears. How thoughtful and caring she is to everypony, even after going through all she has." Zipp paused as she remembered the Ali-Conned incident as their group called it, the night that made her fully realize her love for the earth pony mare, and she would later learn vice versa when they shared their first kiss and started their relationship. “There just isn’t anypony else like her. That’s why she deserves the best possible gift. To show her my gratitude for her being the best marefriend, and just friend period." The pegasus said with renewed determination.
Assuming from the look on Zipp's face that she was done goin gaga over Sunny, Pipp uncovered her ears and went to her sister again. "I can see how this is a problem for you. I know for experience with song writing that you're always trying to top the last big thing. It honestly just builds every time you release something new."
"Exactly." Zipp agreed. "So just how am I-"
"I wasn't finished yet." Pipp interrupted Zipp before she continued. "As I was saying, while you should always strive to do your best, you need to understand that perfection isn't something that can be achieved every time. Sometimes what you put out will not be as good as what came previously, sometimes it will be. The point is you need to stop worrying so much about the negatives that could be said, and focus more on the positives."
Zipp took in what her sister said and slowly nodded. "Did we have this conversation before? It feels like we did."
"I'm pretty sure I'd remember if we did." Pipp responded.
The two shared a laugh before Zipp asked. "You really think she'd be happy with whatever I give her?"
Pipp nodded. "I'm positive she would cherish it even if it was literally something from the trash. I mean, come on, you really think Sunny wouldn't love whatever gift you'd give her when she knows how much thought you put into it? She probably was thinking the same thing about your gift when she was getting it. I don't think I need to tell you this, Sis, but she loves you just as much as you love her."
"Yeah. I guess she does." Zipp said with a smile as she recalled all the good times she and Sunny have spent together in the past year: beach days, flying together, playing games, watching movies, solving mysteries, hours of cuddling and kissing, dancing together at parties, falling asleep in each others embrace, even battling and defeating Opaline together.
Like she said before, she was perfect in everyway, and there was nopony else she wanted to be with.
Nopony else.
Just then, a light above Zipp's head suddenly turned on as inspiration hit the pegasus like a meteor. "Oh, that dumb light. It's been turning on by itself all day." Pipp groaned as she turned it off before noticing the look on Zipp's face. It was the look that a plan of some kind was forming in her head. "Uh, Zipp? You okay?"
"THAT'S IT!!" Zipp suddenly shouted loudly, startling Pipp and sending her onto the side of her own bed.
"Oww." Pipp groaned as she rubbed her back before asking. "What's it?"
"I know what to get Sunny for Wishday." Zipp said as she spread her wings and went to the elevator to fly out, but not before grabbing the catalog Pipp was holding. "Cover for me if I'm late!" She said just before she was about to leave.
But Pipp had one last thing to say to her sister. "Whatever you do, don't trade for it." She warned Zipp.
The older pegasus looked at her sister in confusion. "What?"
"You remember that story with the magpies? If you trade something, it will turn out Sunny did the same for her gift and then both of your gifts will be meaningless. I mean, the gesture will be sweet, but-"
"Pipp." Zipp said dryly as she pointed to her Cutie Mark. "Princesses. Money means nothing." She reminded her.
"Oh, yeah." Pipp chuckled in embarrassment as Zipp left. "Good luck!" She called out just before Zipp was out of earshot and on her way to Zephyr Heights.
Hours later, and everypony else had returned home from Grandma Figgy's in time to exchange gifts. Even Zipp had managed to make it back earlier than she had expected from Zephyr Heights with whatever she had purchased. She was definitely making sure to keep it hidden from everypony, including her sister. That told Pipp that whatever Zipp had bought she wanted to reveal in a special way. But just what it was she had no idea.
The time soon came for presents, and everypony ran to the tree like excited foals, eagerly wanting to find out what were in the boxes for them. It didn’t even take an hour before all of the gifts were gone and everypony was fawning over what they got. From new crafting materials for Izzy, to possible future products for Pipp, to toys for Sparky, nopony got a gift they didn’t like.
Of course there was one tiny exception to this, and that was with Sunny. While she loved the gifts the rest of her friends got her, there was one who she hadn’t received anything from yet. And since it was her special somepony, the same pony she had made a skateboard for from scratch, and help from Izzy, it kinda stung that Zipp didn’t seem to even try to replicate the gesture. Still, it would be rude to make a scene over something like a present when others were in the room, so Sunny kept up the smile.
Zipp was still checking out said new skateboard when she put it down and walked over to Sunny and gave her a big hug. “Thank you, Sunny. This skateboard is the best thing you could’ve gotten me.” She said to her lover.
Despite her sadness, Sunny couldn’t help but smile. “You’re welcome, Zipp. A marefriend like you deserves the best gift possible.”
“Hehe.” Zipp chuckled as she pulled away. “That was exactly what I kept telling myself when searching for your gift.”
Hearing that made Sunny gasp, relieved, and feeling slightly foolish with herself, that Zipp hadn’t forgotten after all. “It was?”
“Oh, yeah. It was like that since Harvest and Hugs Day. I made finding the perfect gift for you my main priority. But even after a month of searching, I just couldn’t find the gift for you.” Zipp admitted. “I mean, you’ve been the perfect marefriend even before we got together. We’ve already been through so much together. You deserved something that was beyond perfect for Wish Day.”
“Zipp.” Sunny said softly. “Just knowing how much you care is more than enough.” She told the pegasus. “Everything I have with you and the rest of our friends.” She looked back at the rest of their smiling friends sitting behind her. “I couldn’t wish for anything more.”
Right after she said that, her friends’ eyes widened. Confused by their sudden change in behavior, Sunny turned her head around and froze when she saw Zipp down on one hoof. “I couldn’t agree more, Sunny. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, as I know you do with me. Our love should shine forever, so that is why, as my gift to you, I ask you this.”
Zipp reached into her wing and pulled out a small box and opened it. Sunny gasped when she saw the beautiful ring inside, tears already appearing in her eyes. Zipp, also having tears in her eyes, looked up at Sunny with a smile and asked. “Sunny Starscout, will you marry me?”
Sunny didn’t even need to think about what her reply would be. “YES!!” She screamed with joy. “Yes! Yes! Yes! A million times yes!” She cried before she tackled Zipp to the floor, the pegasus expecting this and welcomed with open hooves and wings.
The two mares rolled around on the floor, laughing and nuzzling each other affectionately before they came to a stop with Sunny on top of Zipp. With their chuckles dying down, they stared lovingly into each other's eyes before they went in for the biggest kiss they’ve either experienced. There was no amount of love that they held back from that kiss. They both made sure to let the other know they were not going to back out of this relationship.
From the sidelines, their friends watched with smiles and tears in their eyes as well. “Oh, my glitter.” Pipp cried the hardest as seeing her sister now become engaged. “That was the proposal ever!” She exclaimed before she blew into the nearest tissue she could grab, which in this case was Sparky, much to the ticklish dragon’s enjoyment.
The unfortunate need to breathe forced the new fiancés to separate begrudgingly. Still, it was a total loss as it allowed Zipp to pick up the ring and take it out of the box. “May I?” She asked.
Sunny giggled and held out her hoof. “You most certainly may.” She answered.
Zipp placed the ring on her future wife’s hoof and Sunny took the moment to really get a good look at it. She couldn’t tell what kind of gem or crystal was used, but that didn’t matter as she was more drawn to the pair of Cutie Marks, hers and Zipp’s, in the center. “It’s beautiful.” She whispered before looking back at Zipp. “I love it, Zipp.”
“But not as much as you love me, right?” She asked teasingly.
The two shared a laugh as they went into for another kiss. “There’s nothing I’d love more than you.” Sunny said as she went back to kissing the best gift she could’ve ever gotten.