How to Hug Your Pegasis

by NavelColt


Tip One: In Lieu of Sneakiness, Use Overwhelming Tactics

"Hey there, everypony! I hope all of my adorable fans are having a splendid weekend, and are trying out their fully functional wings! I know I’ve been!"

Winking at her phone screen, Pipp Petals somersaulted off the end of her bed before holding herself aloft with a flair of her wings. She flicked her mane from her eyes, and emoticons filled her frantically scrolling livestream feed.

Omg Pipp your wings have a sparkle to them now, soooooo majestic

Girl you best be makin an update to your mane-styling series soon cause you know I'm here for that flow

I love you Pipp!

The pegasus giggled.

"Some of my newer followers may not know this, but today is 'Siblings Day,'" Pipp sang, dangling on a high note. She aimed her Pegaphone GS5 at her dresser, towards a family photo featuring herself, Zipp, and their mother. She then refocused on herself, giving a wink. "Which means today is all about my cool big sister, Zipp. So what do you say, Pippsqueaks? Is it time for our yearly hunt? Should we track Zipp down and give her my biggest sister hug, yet?"

Emoticons again flooded the screen. Her grin grew tenfold.


"What's the matter, detective? You can't even get to the top of this problem, let alone the bottom of it."

Zipp smirked as Hitch continued to throw his whole weight behind his hoof, desperately attempting to gain an inch on hers. Try as he might, the barrel top was getting no closer.

"How are you this strong?!" he wheezed.

"Stereotyped character trait."

"Come again?"

"Does the word 'tomcolt' mean anything to you?"

"Uh, no?"

"Don't worry about it, sheriff. I'm just more buff than I look."

"Oh, okay."

Hitch soon collapsed, his forehoof reduced to a flopping fur noodle. Several woodland creatures looked on with disappointed looks, shaking their heads for their stallion.

"Looks like I win again, Hitch," Zipp declared, cracking her hoof and neck. She relished the groaning, defeated mess of a pony below her for a moment before helping him to his hooves. "Thanks for dropping by to try again, though. Always love to put these hooves to the test."

Hitch perked up.

"So, you're saying I was at least a challenge, then?"

Zipp pursed her lips and patted his head.

"Oh, honey, I wouldn't go that far. Izzy got me to forty-five degrees before, and she was distracted by a shiny object while doing it."

Hitch sighed dejectedly.

"Oh, Ziiiiiiiipp!"

A haunting soprano fell on the city, and the color drained from Zipp's face. She retreated behind the barrel.

"What are you doing?" Hitch asked. He yelped as he was pulled to the ground and dragged behind the barrel with her. "Correction: why are we hiding?"

Zipp peeked out from her hiding place. The perpetrator was in sight, hovering over the rooftops a few buildings away. She bit her lip.

"Horsefeathers, I know that tone. Don't tell me it's Siblings Day again already. Where did the year go?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm still lost over here."

Zipp rolled her eyes.

"Pipp is a media superstar in Zephyr Heights."

"Hard to miss."

"She basically lives on her phone, creating content for her fans whenever she's not performing."

"Got it."

"Once a year, for Siblings Day, she makes it a ritual to track me down and give me a hug while on livestream. It's kinda become a cat-and-mouse thing."

Hitch showed his teeth with a dopey smile.

"Aww, that's sweet."

Zipp scowled.

"She's also doing it for her followers. Cute stuff always gets a big reaction."

"Hmm. Less desirable, but no less wholesome."

Mentally filing the stallion away as a lost cause, Zipp got to her hooves. The airborne streamer had fallen out of sight. Now was her chance.

"Anyway, it's gotta be today if she's looking for me like this. Gonna have to put our visit on hold, Hitch. Avoiding her is a nightmare."

Hitch remained quiet. He eyed the blue sky and listened to that angelic voice calling for Zipp off in the distance. A little smirk came to him and left just as quickly.

"Is it really that bad?"

"Yes," Zipp said incredulously, darting another jagged look. "Not only does she have freakishly good hearing—and functional wings, now, by the way—she has eyes and ears everywhere in this city. Her fans will rat me out at first sight."

Hitch trotted up alongside her as she made her way towards the closest wall. His smirk had come back, complemented with suave, lidded eyes.

"That's not what I meant. Is suffering an awkward hug once a year really so bad?"

Zipp opened her mouth and closed it. A faraway look came over her, and for a moment, she grew quiet.

"In a word, yes. Now, are you going to help, or are you going to go home? Pick one, and do it fast."

Hitch's smugness peeled away. He cleared his throat.

"Well, seeing as I'm already here, and that you beat me fair and square in hoof wrestling, I'd say my honor's at stake if I don't assist. So, what's the plan, chief?"

Zipp smiled.


"Oh big siiiiissterrr, where arrrrre youuu?"

Pipp gracefully twisted about in the air as she flew, scanning the ground and sky for that vivid white coat she knew so well. Every so often she refocused on the thousands of virtual eyes watching her through her camera.

"I saw her downtown this afternoon, you guys, so I know she's out here somewhere," she cooed. "If any of my Pippsqueaks out there happen to spot her, be sure to blow up the chat box. We'll find her for sure. No way is my sister going unappreciated on Siblings Day!"

We need missing signs. Missing signs for cool pegasisters.  

I'll help, but my wing is sprained rn lol. Anypony have any hot air balloons on hoof? Maybe in a soothing lavender?

Guys, all we need is for somepony to shout 'parkour experts wanted' in the nearest crowded street. Done.

Pipp snorted and fell into a fit of giggling. Hearts lit up her already saturated chat box.

"You guys are too funny! Larsicorn G Four, I bet that would actually work, too. But then again, we do have something far better than a street shoutout, don't we?"

Pipp descended and gracefully touched down on a marble walkway. There, she puffed out her chest and threw back her mane, modeling herself against the decorative tile wall of a local bistro.

With a smile full of stars, she toggled her livestream menu with a hoof and tapped a large red button.


"So your plan is to hide in the bushes of the local park?"

"Yes."

"What about the old station under the city?"

"Being remodeled for modern use now that we're not shutting ourselves out from everypony else anymore. Some of the construction workers probably watch Pipp's content."

"Well, why don't we just, you know, leave the city?"

"I've done exactly that in past years, to great success."

"What changed?" 

"Some stallion and his friends trespassed our border this one time. Security—which is made up of guard pegasi who’re also fans—has been tighter ever since."

"Ah. Bushes it is," Hitch proclaimed merrily. He retreated from her glare.

"Hello, Zephyr Heights!"

Zipp leapt at the sudden, booming voice. She wheeled around, expecting to find a rogue hug advancing towards her, but she only found her sister's face, built in millions of pixels.

"I hope everypony is taking ownership of this beautiful day! Now, I know what you're thinking, and yes, I normally save city-wide live feeds for special events. As it turns out, today is a special event! It's Siblings Day, and for me, that means it's another chance for me to show my big sister, Zipp, how much I love her."

"Here we go," Zipp mumbled, rolling her eyes while Hitch started tearing up. "She's milking it."

"Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find Zipp so far, everypony. So to all of Zephyr Heights, I ask of you: If you see my sister, please log into Ponistream.Pipp_Hurray and let me know. And Zipp, wherever you may be, I have just one thing I'd like to say."

Cold sweat raced down Zipp's plumage. Her eyes locked with Pipp's. Her sister couldn't see her through that televised screen, but it made her grin no less unnerving.

"...When I find you I'm gonna give you the biggest sister cuddle you've ever had!"

Hearts and emojis quickly obscured Pipp's face, and a consecutive wave of adoring awws could be heard throughout the city. 

Zipp felt her spirit leave her body.

"We need to get moving."