//------------------------------// // Chapter 7 // Story: Livestream // by bahatumay //------------------------------// Pipp burst into the Crystal Brighthouse. “Ok, everypony. How do we feel about Sage Wisdom?” she demanded. Sunny inhaled slowly through her teeth.  “Speak,” Pipp ordered, eyes narrowed.  “I just… I don’t know,” Sunny said, uncertain of her words. “I don’t think she’s doing anything ‘wrong’. She’s just… I don’t know. If everypony listening to her just did the first ‘nice’ thing she said, then yeah, that’d be great. But the way she jumps right to the ‘here’s how to manipulate others into getting your way’ is just… It bugs me. She’s clearly very good at it.” “I really don’t see the appeal,” Hitch admitted. “I don’t even like being alone with my own thoughts, let alone somepony else’s.” Pipp cocked her head. “Are you… knitting?” “Winters get cold here on the bay,” Hitch said evenly. He held out the string, and McSnipsalot obligingly snipped it.  “Oh, that’s a good skill, I could…” Pipp shook her head. “See? It’s possessing me. This urge to do something new, something to draw attention to meee, but I know I shouldn’t think that way.” “Do you think she’d be down with a collaboration?” Sunny suggested. Pipp scoffed, uninterested in Sage’s content. But Zipp barked a laugh. They turned to look at her. “Come on. She’s clearly a one pony show. Besires, you’re overthinking things, little sis,” Zipp said, raising her sunglasses and letting her red eyes peek out from underneath them at Pipp. “You’re a great streamer. Ponies love watching you! And not just because you’re the cutest pony in Zephyr Heights, or because you’re a princess and a member of the most powerful family in Equestria, or because you were one of the first streamers and ponies stick with you out of habit. You really are good at what you do, and you don’t need to worry so much.” “Thanks, I think,” Pipp said, hesitantly. “Oh, Zephyrina,” Haven said brightly. “Ready for our session?” “Eh,” Zipp said. “I think I’ve learned all I really need to.”  Haven blinked. “Oh,” she said.  “Yep,” Zipp said lightly. “So I’ll just be going now. Bye!” And with that, she took off. Haven blinked again. She watched her leave. She turned to Zoom. “That was… different, wasn’t it?” “Yes, Your Highness,” Zoom said. Haven tapped a hoof. “This isn’t good,” she mused. “That’s the third time she’s avoided me. I’ll need some good advice.” Zoom politely cleared her throat. “Well, if you ask me-” “And I know just where to get it,” Haven said, turning and powerwalking away. Sage Wisdom giggled. “Alright. Here’s another. LovingMom1 says, ‘I think something is up with my daughter. She used to be so into our mother-daughter time, and now she’s finding excuses to do something else. How do I make her want to stay?’ Ha! You can’t,” she said bluntly. “Forcing her to do something she doesn’t want to do is the best way to make sure you burn that relationship forever. I haven’t spoken to my mother in, like, a thousand years. If you drag her into something she doesn’t want, that’s the future you’re looking forward to.” There was a brief pause. Sage shook her head and adjusted her towel again. “Next question. StillHungry114 says, ‘There’s a lunch thief in my building. Lunches keep disappearing and nopony is fessing up. It’s getting crazy. What should we do?’” She pursed her lips. “It’s easy to have your first reaction be anger. But we have to look at every option. It’s possible they’re just hungry. The nice way is to continue making sure there is an extra lunch in the fridge. They could just be incredibly ashamed.”  There was a brief pause.  “But it could be somepony eating others’ food just to be a jerk, and the only way they’ll stop is if the risk outweighs the reward. Now, for some reason, entrapment is against the law, so you can’t booby trap your own food. That said, if something happens to your food accidentally, well, there’s no way you could have known about it, is there? ‘What? I didn’t realize my hay sandwich had gone moldy in the middle. That could have been me puking my guts out!’ ‘The mayo must have gone bad. I’ll have to throw that jar out when I get home’.’ ‘My brother said he was going to prank me back, but that hot sauce in my lunch trick was too far. He’s in for it now’.” You know nothing, you saw nothing, you have no idea how that could have happened, but it’s only by the grace of Celestia that you aren’t in his position now.” Thunder chortled. “Did you see that stream? That LovingMom thing was kinda sad. How bad do you have to be to have Sage Wisdom not even give you anything?” Zoom bumped him with her wing. “That’s the queen, genius!” Thunder froze. “It what?” “Yeah. Weren’t you paying attention?” “Yes?” Thunder said. Zoom shook her head. “She’s trying to do stuff with Zipp. And that-” She quickly stopped and straightened up as she heard the sound of hooves approaching. Haven walked past, her eyes down on the floor, not even acknowledging them. She didn’t even pause for a fanfare as she made her way back to her room. Zoom looked at Thunder and raised an eyebrow. “Huh,” he said. Bright and early the next morning, Haven gingerly approached Zipp’s door and knocked. Zipp poked her head out, rubbing her bleary blue eyes. “Hey, mom,” she said. “Good morning, Zipp,” Haven said. “Are you alright?” “Yeah, just a little tired. What’s up?” “Oh, nothing,” Haven said airily. “Would you like to have one of our sessions today?” Zipp inhaled through her teeth. “Not really?” she said honestly.  “Oh, that’s… not a problem,” Haven said with forced brightness. “Forget I said anything.” And she quickly strode off. Zipp blinked, feeling like she was missing part of a conversation.