//------------------------------//
// Pipp's Freedom 
// Story: Pipp's Freedom 
// by Jhoira 
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Sunny had intended to start the conversation right when they got out into the hall. However since there were guards around she remained as silent as Pipp as they made their way back to the guest suite. After she shut the door she turned and let out a small sigh. "Well Pi..." She was interrupted as Pipp torpedoed into her.

Pipp for her part had expended all her self control to wait until they got to the suite before using all of her energy to give Sunny the biggest hug. Hopping up she started hopping around fluttering her wings happily as she did. Apparently forgetting she could now fly. "I'm free! I'm free! I'm free!"

Sunny stood up and smiled gently. Not to rain on Pipp's parade, but there were realities they both had to face now. "Well not completely, Pipp."

Pipp nodded as she calmed down. Though obviously still very excited. "Right!" Pipp sat down and tried her best to be serious. "I'm sorry about all this..."

Sunny blinked then shook her head. "None of that now Pipp." Pipp looked confused and then blushed brightly as Sunny walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm the one that chose to go confront your mother. This was my doing not yours."

Pipp squirmed where she was sitting. "But if it hadn't been for me..."

Sunny nodded. "And if it hadn't been for me saying yes I wouldn't be here, would I?"

Pipp wasn't a fan of the logic, but it was sound logic. "Wait, but can't I... You should blame me more!"

Sunny grinned. "I'll split it with you, 5% 5%."

Pipp giggled at the obvious mistake. "You mean 50%?"

Sunny shook her head. "Oh no, this is definitely 90% your mother's fault."

Pipp giggled and nodded, smiling a bit. "But still thank you Sunny. I mean we really just met and..."

Sunny took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "True, but I have a good feeling about you."

Pipp didn't want to sabotage herself here but that was unreasonable. "A good feeling about the mare trying to trick you into liking her?"

Sunny shook her head. "You never tricked me." Pipp opened her mouth to object but Sunny went right over her. "I had all that time before your mom gave you this mission. And I know you weren't lying about the crush. I caught you staring a few times." At that Pipp blushed a bit more. "And instead of trying and getting yourself whatever accolades you would have, you warned me." Sunny smiled and leaned in, giving Pipp a hug this time. "I know a lot about you Pipp."

Pipp locked her lips and nodded a little. She didn't really think that Sunny's reasoning made sense. "But... Really I mean..."

Sunny shook her head and smiled. "Things have a way of working out Pipp! I mean, we restored magic a few weeks ago. And what's the worst that could happen anyway?" 

Pipp blinked. "Well we could grow to hate each..."

Sunny put a hoof up to Pipp's lips. "I mean realistically. Say we don't get along well as a couple. We are friends aren't we?" Pipp nodded. "So we simply aren't a "couple" couple. Romance has never been a top priority for me. And..." She coughed a bit, an awkward, slightly mean thing to say, but an important one to point out. "Definitely not the worst outcome you could have had, is it?"

After a moment of thought Pipp nodded her agreement vigorously. "Oh you are so right! Might not be a kirin tale ending, but it's definitely better than many alternatives no matter what happens!" Pipp gave her first smile of the last hour that had no reservation behind it.

With that settled, at least for the immediate future Sunny started to head towards the bedroom, with Pipp following her closely. "You good with heading back to Maretime Bay tonight? I don't really feel like staying here."

Pipp nodded, that certainly made sense. But then something occurred to her and she grinned. "You know, there's one undeniably great thing that'll come out of this for you."

Sunny raised her eyebrows as she grabbed her saddle bags for packing. "You mean besides that I have a hot fiancée now?"

Pipp giggled and nodded. "Besides that. For both of us."

Sunny grinned in response to the returned compliment. "And what's that?"

"We can definitely afford to rebuild your lighthouse however you want." There had been some discussion about the rebuilding of Sunny's home, the cost, who should pay and everything. Now it definitely could simply be paid for and whatever ends up getting decided can be repaid later.

Sunny's eyes widened at the realization and it was her turn to rush forward and hug Pipp a bit harder than required. Sunny giving a hard squeeze her in excitement. She'd been willing to trade her fathers home for his dream. But the concept of having it back... It hit even harder than the fact she was now engaged to a... New friend. Through no fault of her own. Though at least Pipp was very cute. "You're right! Oh! Oh! You're right!"

Pipp let out a rush of air as she was squeezed, unable to do much except wait to be released she took a deep breath after she was released and smiled. "See! Everything has a way of working out!" She blinked and frowned, there was something off about her saying that...

Sunny grinned and raised her eyebrows. "That was more or less what I was telling you earlier." 

Pipp giggled and nodded. She motioned out the doors. "I should go get a few things ready then. I can send for the rest of my things once we have a place to put them."

Sunny nodded and waved to her fiancée until she was out of the room, then out of sight, then Sunny calmly walked over and shut the door... Before having a minor panic attack. Saying in a loud angry whisper to herself "What did you just do!?" She started to pace the center of the room, making sure she was far enough away that no one could be eaves dropping. "Yes, you just needed to barge in there without thinking and try to rescue Pipp from her mother!... Ok, you did that, but if you'd paused for literally one minute you might have been able to think up something smarter!"

Going over to the bed Sunny started to shove her things into her saddle bags, breathing deeply to try and calm herself down. "Dad always said that you needed to stop and think things through. I mean, it's not like I didn't have time to stop! This has been going on for who knows how long!" Blowing out a breathe she shook her head. "Well, face it Sunny, with your track record your plans don't really work out any better than when you don't plan." She shook her head at herself, closing her eyes to gather her thoughts. She usually did better talking her issues out loud, but sometimes she'd get it jumbled and needed a moment to collect herself.

"Ok. You made this deal to protect Pipp. That's good, that's very, very good. That's worth giving up a non-existent romantic life. Pipp is going to help pay for getting my house restored. That's good. Pipp is very pretty. That's shallow, but good. We get along well, that's good. Not in a couple way but still... She has a crush on me, she has at least a passing romantic interest in me. I don't have the same, but I've nothing against the prospect... And if it doesn't work, like I said, we can still just be friends." She let out a sigh. It was still a far, far, far from great, but it was... Manageable. And most importantly she needed to keep up an upbeat attitude. Both to help Pipp with it, but also that'd always been how she did things. Being optimistic helped you see everything as a bit better than you might otherwise.

Sunny snickered as she put the last of her few unpacked items back into her saddle bags and slung them back over her back. "And besides, if nothing else I get to see the look on Hitch's face when he hears about it." Taking a deep breathe she shook her head at her own foolishness and went to the door. Frowning as she opened it and realized she had no idea where Pipp had gone.





Pipp for her part returned to the throne room. Not bursting through the door but pushing it open calmly. Without even a word between them Queen Haven waved a hoof and dismissed the guards. Waiting for them all to depart before she pointed to a tablet on a nearby table. "That has all the data your fiancée will be needing to be your new manager."

Pipp walked over and picked up the tablet, looking at her mother and nodding. "Thank you."

Queen Haven leaned forward, legitimately curious to hear the answer. "Pipp, I must ask. Did you just get extremely lucky, or are you a lot better at this than you let on and you outplayed me like I was a filly?"

Pipp bristled slightly. "I'm not like you mother. I don't manipulate people." Queen Haven raised an eyebrow but then decided to let it drop. She wouldn't bring up when she made Pipp act at least somewhat manipulative. Pipp turned to go. "Goodbye, mother."

Queen Haven sat back. "Tell Sunny this impromptu visit was to ask for my permission to get engaged after such a short time. It will be a good cover for your visit."

Pipp scowled, wrinkling her nose. Of course, at their goodbye, obviously not final one but probably the most meaningful until her mother died... She was thinking of public perception, and the best outcome for their 'royal look.' "Yes, that will fit in perfectly with your desired image won't it?"

Queen Haven sighed and shook her head. This was her own fault. She hadn't been strict enough raising Zipp or Pipp. They didn't understand that it wasn't about them, or her, it was about the family, the royal line. "Believe what you must Pipp... But I did this for your good too."

Pipp turned again and started her way out. "I know you believe that..." As she walked out she added under her breath. "I just wish I could..."

Queen Haven watched one of her daughters leave. Probably to only see her a few times a year from then on. But the queen only allowed herself one, long, deep breath to feel and experience that pain fully. Then let it run out as she breathed out. She was the head of the royal family, the head of a country. She had to do what was right for that, not just what was right for her daughter. Not just what her daughter wanted to happen. 

Queen Haven sighed, rubbing her hooves in worry. She had given her daughter into the keeping of another. Another that was willing to upset her entire life to help Pipp. Queen Haven nodded. She had been too soft on her daughters. But, hopefully, because of that, they'd be happier than she was.





Pipp trotted up to the door to her rooms. To her surprise they were open. She realize she should have known what to expect as she peaked inside to find Sunny waiting for her. She smiled as she trotted around the door frame and depositing the tablet before Sunny.

"What's this?"

Pipp smiled. "My dowry." She pushes open the door to her room and started to rummage around for her saddle bags.

Sunny couldn't help herself but to pick up the tablet and start to look through its connections to folders, files, and other links such as accounts. Sunny was a little surprised by the numbers she found. Pipp was by no means poor but she was not nearly as wealthy as Sunny would have thought. Then she scowled as she realized what Queen Haven must have done. "Pipp?"

Pipp popped her head back out of her bedroom. "Yeah?" She grinned a moment later. "Do you want an autograph?"

Sunny snorted slightly and turned the tablet around. "Is this right?"

Pipp took a few steps over to look at the figures then nodded. "Yeah, that is about right. Why?"

Sunny shrugged. "Oh, sorry. I just assumed you'd make a lot more. I assumed your mother took out a bunch."

Pipp shook her head. "She's a bad mother, she's not evil." Then she gave a small smile. "And she never breaks her word." Pipp turned back to her bedroom to finish her packing. "Most of what I get goes out to fund the Pippsqueaks and other places."

Sunny stared at the number a moment before smiling. "You give your money away."

"Well yeah, goodness knows I don't need that much if it!" There was a long pause. "Should I keep more?"

Sunny shook her head then realized she that Pipp couldn't see her. "No! No! Not at all!" Sunny put the tablet aside and walked around the door to find Pipp.

Pipp looked up and smiled. "Come to help me p...? Mmph...!"

The question was interrupted by a deep kiss from Sunny. "You were right. I don't know you as well as I thought. But I can't wait to get to know you better."

Pipp blushed brightly but couldn't stop her grin. "Oh..."

Sunny reached over and ran a hoof through Pipp's mane. "An amazing mare to come out of here..."

Pipp blushed but couldn't stop from grinning. "Suuuunny. You're embarrassing me."

Sunny smiled and nodded, lowering her hoof. "Ok, ok, I'll relent. For now. But you're in for some more embarrassment later. I want to know everything about you Pipp. After all, you're going to be my wife."

Pipp continued both her blushing and her grinning. "You're terrible Sunny! But agreed." She hesitated and stepped forward again and gave Sunny a kiss on the cheek. "Maybe if we pretend we aren't being forced together it'll go better? That might be the best way to get to know each other?"

Sunny nodded. "As far as that is possible. I don't think we can't ever fully pretend."

Pipp finished her packing much to Sunny's surprise. Sunny had been worrying she was going to bring a baggage train, but Pipp's bag was only slightly more full than Sunny's own. As they got to Pipp's door out of her suite they stopped.

There wasn't a need for words here. The symbolism was obvious. Sunny would be as patient as needed. She wasn't going to prompt Pipp to take that step, it was hers to make.

It was only a few seconds of hesitation before she steppers over the threshold. Followed closely by Sunny, they smiled at each other and Pipp spoke. "Let's go home."