Trials of Sarah: A New Mark

by Zipp Storm

Chapter 2: Portrait of a Princess

At the Crystal Brighthouse, a camera beeping sound was heard as Pipp’s bed came into view as Pipp then showed up in front of the camera.

"Good morning, Pippsqueaks!" Pipp greeted her followers, as she lowered the camera a little bit. "Okay, today is..." she started, and then she threw some things out of the camera, just to appear again wearing a Pearl Necklace and white sunglasses with the shape of a heart.

"Zephyr Heights Royal Princess Portrait Day!" Pipp announced as she posed, and then squealed with excitement. "Okay, so. The photo sesh isn't until this afternoon..." she stated, walking elegantly and sensual towards the camera. "... but you know I couldn't get ready without you!"

"Thoughts?" she asked, as she placed her hooves on her chin and posed with her wings extended. Many emojis popped up on the screen, and then Pipp gasped when she saw Zipp on her side of the bedroom.

"Let's see what Princess Zipp thinks about the combo!"

She grabbed the phone and threw her sunglasses away. She send a picture of herself with her outfit to Zipp, who looked at her phone notification and rolled her eyes with annoyance. "Zipp, did you get that photo I just dewdropped to you?" Pipp asked.

"A little busy!" Zipp replied. Pipp flew over her sister's bed, while Zipp placed a draw she made of Twilight Sparkle over her 'detective board'.

"Hmm, now what else is there about this Opaline..." Zipp questioned looking through some books from the Castle of Friendship, "Gotta be something that I'm missing here... " she stated, as she opened her computer and looked for something. “Maybe I should ask Sarah and Twilight to get more information.” She added quietly to herself, going to have to talk with the legendary Twilight and Sarah.

Pipp flew down to her sister's side and rolled her eyes at her attitude. "Come on, Zipp! Just a quick look!" she begged to Zipp, lifting up her phone that kept live streaming and smiling.

"Pipp, you know how Zipp gets when there's a mystery." Ryu chimed in walking over along with Sefu, Tamu and Drake.

"I told you I'm bus–– Pipp!" Zipp cried out with anger once she realized Pipp was livestreaming her, and she quickly closed her computer and turned at Pipp. "This investigation is private!" she said, and placed a hoof on Pipp's phone camera.

"Alright, alright" Pipp said, as she ended the livestream and put her phone aside.

Zipp walked towards her desk and looked at the window with worry. "How can you even think about Portrait Day when the countermeasures against Opaline are still waiting to be put into place? Especially with Twilight, the Guardians of Harmony and the Princess of Old and Discord being back along with everyone else from Ancient Equestria." she asked Pipp with concern.

"We are still in danger, Pipp!" she pointed out with worry.

"We are." Pipp replied with an eyes roll. "In danger of looking awful in a portrait printed on the cover of Pegasus Weekly and referenced by the media for all of time!" she said, flying over her side of the bedroom and standing in front of her microphone. Then she gasped as she had an idea and grabbed the mic. "Oh. Oh, I know what will get you in the mood. Let's sing the Portrait Day Song from when we were fillies!" she said on her mic with a smile, but Zipp just turned around with a bored expression and walked back to her desk.

"Be still. Don't move." Pipp started to sing.

"No song, Pipp." Zipp told her sister, as she grabbed a bag and threw it to Pipp.

“It's easy to smile with you by my side." Pipp kept singing as she dodged the bag Zipp threw. But then Zipp threw another one that did hit her and made her fell in the ground.

"No song!" Zipp yelled at her, getting back to her detective work.

"Ah! Zipp!" Ryu scolded.

"What?" Zipp deadpanned.

---

(The scene opens up with Sunny and Sarah roller skating out of the Brighthouse and Castle of Friendship together with Edge Blade, Tempest Sparkle, Glimmer Glow and Snowdrop Winterfell flying beside them on her back and Spike and Discord on the side before Sunny changed into an Alicorn and their cutie marks appeared behind them)

Hey!

You gotta let it glow

Hey!

You gotta let it shine

(Switching to the Mighty Ones, Zipp and Pipp, the sisters were flying above the clouds together with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy before Zipp flew in front of Zephyr Heights as her cutie mark appeared behind her while Celestia, Luna, Cadence and Pipp appeared in the Mane Melody stage with Jazz Hooves and Rocky signing as Pipp's cutie mark appeared behind her.)

Oh, let's make our mark together

Just riding on forever

Just keeps on getting better, better, better

(Izzy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie is seen next uni-cycling before she happily leaps up and shows Izzy's cutie mark in the background. Applejack, Hitch and Sparky come out of the Police Station together with Hitch's animal friends as he poses and Sparky flies off his back as Hitch's cutie mark is shown)

Everypony, everywhere

You can feel it in the air

Find your spark and just glow and shine

(Opaline's Dark Castle is shown next with the evil Alicorn and Misty in front of what appears to be a magical pool of water as Opaline smirks evilly before the final scene features Edge Blade, the Filly Trio, the Mane Five, the Mighty Ones, their Pokemon all together with Sarah, her family, the Guardians of Harmony, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, adult Six, Discord, Queen Novo, Princess Skystar, Throax, Pharynx, Prince Rutherford and Grandpa Gruff, walking and flying to the beat as Sunny's lantern is shown with Prisbeam Power inside of it before the title appears with the Guardians of Harmony, Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Mane Five, Mighty Ones and Sarah all together as Sunny changes into her Alicorn form)

Make a mark that you can share

Hoof to heart, you know we care

Oh ponies, come on, let's all unite

Trials of Sarah: Mark Your Mark

---

In Opaline's Castle, Opaline herself and Misty were seeing Zipp and Pipp in their bedroom through Pipp's livestream, discussing Twilight Sparkle's warning... mostly Zipp, but still.

"We have to figure out countermeasures for Opaline when she returns with Twilight and the others back with us!" Zipp cried out, while Pipp just posed with her mic in front of the camera. "It's our top priority! Are you still livestreaming?! Give me that phone!" she complained, as she flew over Pipp and took her phone away.

Opaline grumbled to herself with anger. "Meddling ponies." she complained. "Always sticking their noses in places they shouldn't be!" she cried out with rage, while Misty just looked at her both worried and scared. Opaline pulled away the image of the livestream and turned to see Misty.

"And those meddling ponies know of me already. No thanks to Twilight and Guardians of Harmony, Princess of Old and that fool Discord being back from the dead and banishment! Must be because of that young daughter of my old enemies! They will still interfere with my plans!" Opaline continued to complain knowing that Twilight, the Guardians, Celestia, Luna and Cadence were back as Patronus thanks to Sarah and the Spirits of Harmonys' spell.

"We need to get rid of those two princesses as soon as possible before we deal with the daughter of my old enemies!" she stated. "You'll just have to lure them into a trap!" she told Misty, as she sat on her throne.

Misty walked away and entered the library, trying to think of a way to lead Zipp and Pipp into a trap. And then, she saw a picture in the ground that made her smile with an idea. She quickly ran back with Opaline, holding the picture with her hoof.

"Maybe this could help?" Misty told Opaline, placing the picture on her throne. "Their annual Portrait Day is coming up" she told her with a smile.

Opaline looked at the picture that Misty gave her: it was of Queen Haven with her daughters when they were younger. Both Zipp and Pipp had a yellow flower with blue roots on their heads, and Opaline recognized that flower. "An ocean lily" she said, looking at the picture.

"Ah! Childhood memories! Perfect!" she cheered, now having an idea.

She got up from her throne and used her magic to make the boiler in front of her work, summoning an Ocean Lilly from it and she gave it to Misty, who grabbed the plant with an adorable evil grin.

"Just one more thing." Opaline told Misty. "Be extra careful with the older one and that young daughter of Doug and Delilah's." she warned her about Zipp and Sarah. "They are both far too curious for my liking. And their daughter may be just as intelligent as they were."

Misty nodded, and trotted to the main door, while Opaline turned around and chuckled evilly.

---

At Mane Melody, Pipp looked at herself in the mirror as she fixed her mane, while Ryu, Tamu, Drake, Sefu and Zipp sat on a chair bored as she looked at Sunny, Twilight and Sarah who kept walking back and forth while she talked excitedly while Sunset and Twilight, with the necklaced opened, kept watching in amusement from Sunny’s excitement.

"Wow! Royal Portrait Day?" Sunny said with a cheery tone.

"What kind of portrait are we talking?"

"How long has this tradition been a thing?"

"Is the portrait used for anything specific?" Twilight, Sunny and Sarah asked individually.

Zipp rolled her eyes in annoyance while Pipp turned on her chair to face Sunny.

"Avant-Garde! Way before we were born! And the picture shows up everywhere, even on our pegasi money!" Pipp answered all of their questions, while also taking out a bill that showed the Royal Family of Zephyr Heights printed on it.

Twilight giggled at this as she spoke to Sunset. “Sunny sure is an exciting pony, and Pipp is one for socializing. Kinda reminds me of Rarity."

"Come on, Sunny. You aren't actually interested in this stuff, are you?" Zipp questioned her.

"Of course!" Sunny replied with a smile. "Who else gets to learn about royal pegasus traditions like this from the actual royals?" she said, as she sat on an empty chair between Pipp and Sarah. "What's not to like?" she asked, putting a hoof on her chin with a smile.

"Uh... everything?" Zipp said with boredom. "Getting primped and pampered all day just to sit still for hours? My wings are twitching just thinking about it!" she said, as her wings twitched a bit.

"You sound like Rainbow Dash now," Twilight chuckled remembering when she had to attend those princess meetings and special events, royal portraits were one of them. "Sure it may not be fun, but it’s a tradition for family time and for the new royal portraits to be set up. It can’t be that bad I saw Princess Celestia do it before. Granted it was boring half the time, but it wasn’t all that bad."

“See, Zipp. Even Twilight gets it.” Pipp said with a smile.

“Doesn’t make me feel better from it.” Zipp said in a dry tone. “Besides, there are more important matters at hoof. I mean, Opaline is still out there?” She reminded the others.

"Zephyrina Storm!" Pipp scolded her with a frown.

"Only Mom calls me that." Zipp said with a dead tone.

"You used to love this stuff when we were little!" Pipp pointed out. "Why not recapture that feeling and just enjoy it, hmm?" she said with a glare, while Zipp glared at Pipp back.

Ryu and Sefu got between them as she pushed the two sisters aside. “Knock it off you two.” Ryu gently scolded.

“Zipp. Just try to relax and enjoy this portrait time. It’s one of the best ways for families to be together and spend time with one another. And I’m pretty sure Twilight does the same with her friends to save the moments they spent together.”

“It’s true. My friends and I always keep memories remembered.” Twilight confirmed, having done something similar.

“They’re right.” Sunny said in agreement as she got out of her chair and went next to Zipp. “A little relaxation to clear your head. Just have fun today, okay?”

"And this'll be the first one with all of us back together in moons." Drake added.

“There’s that smile.” Sefu smirked at Zipp, seeing that they finally got through to her.

Then, the doors of Mane Melody opened, and Zoom and Thunder entered the salon, kneeling at one side each other while Queen Haven entered next, being followed by Cloudpuff.

“Better hide for now, Twilight. Don’t want other ponies to know that you are here in this necklace yet.” Sunset whispered to Twilight, who nodded in agreement, not ready to reveal herself to the other ponies yet as she went back into the necklace, while she can’t talk to them while inside, she can still see through it to watch the outside.

"Girls! Tamu, everyone" Haven greeted her daughters. "Oh, my hoofness, it's been far too long!" she said with a tired tone. "Quick, hug mother!" she instructed them with a smile.

"Mom!" Pipp said happily, and she quickly ran toward her mother and hugged her, while behind them Sunset and Sunny looked on with a smile and Zipp looked with a sheepish smile.

Tamu, Ryu, Sefu and Drake each hugged Haven happily.

The three decide to get closer as Haven and Pipp break their hug.

"Good afternoon, Queen Haven" Twilight, Sarah and Sunny greeted politely with a smile and little reverence.

“Great to see you again, Queen Haven.” Twilight said with a smile as well.

“Hi mom" Zipp greeted vaguely with a sheepish smile.

"That's it? Just 'hi'?" Haven asked to Zipp with disappointment. Zipp rolled her eyes with a smile and hugged her mother properly as Haven chuckled a little. "Oh. Now that's the Princess–– Oops! Sorry, that's the detective Zipp I like to see" Haven said with a proud smile, while Zipp smiled back as well. But then, Haven's her fell from its usual position.

"Oh dear!" she said, as she looked worried at her reflection. "It seems the trip over has done a number on me, Pipp!" she cried out to her young daughter. "Flying through heavy wind, just dreadful on the mane!"

Then, Jazz and Rocky arrived at Haven's side while Rocky flew with a smile. "Don't worry, Highness. Rocky Riff at your service." he told the Queen. "I can fix those flyaways in no time!" he assured her, as both he and Jazz guided Haven into the salon.

"Here, your Highness!" Sunny told Haven with a smile, as she kneeled at her. "Take my chair" she said, while pointing to the chair she was sitting on before.

"Oh! So sweet of you, Sunny!" Haven told her with a grateful smile. "Thank you!" she thanked her, while Pipp sat on one of the chairs at her side. "Come on, Zipp. One more chair with your name on it" Haven told Zipp.

"I was thinking maybe I'd skip the––" Zipp tried to say, walking towards the exit.

“Zephyrina Storm!” Queen Haven lectured her oldest daughter, which caused Zipp to flinch at her mother’s outburst.

“Uh, never mind.” Zipp said, a little scared at her mother’s outburst as she turned and ran to the chair next to her mother, not wanting to suffer her mother’s wrath.

Twilight giggled at this. “There are some things you can’t fly away from, Zipp.” She said, stifling her giggles.

---

Later, Rocky was putting some facial mask on the royals, while Jazz gave a hooficure to Haven, and Zipp... she was trying to relax, but she simply couldn't.

Sunny and Twilight on the salon's stage reading a magazine, while Sarah was sitting next to her while reading some books on the Ancient Fauna of Equestria to try and think of a permanent home for them in the new era.

"Oh! You girls wouldn't believe the week I've had!" Haven said with a tired voice. "Can you believe the florist asked if we wanted 24-inch roses instead of our usual 23.5-inch?!" she asked in disbelief.

As Haven continued to talk, Zipp used a towel to remove her facial mask, the kiwis on her eyes included, although she still had the one on her right eye. "Ugh! What even is this stuff?" she cried out, while Cloudpuff grabbed the kiwi on Zipp's eyes and ate it.

“It’s called a ‘facial mask’, Zipp. You really need to try out relaxation sometimes.” Sunset answered with a smirk on her face, knowing that Zipp never really done this before as Zipp rolled her eyes at Sunset’s remark.

"And beige throw pillows instead of white! Beige!" Haven kept complaining.

Zipp then smirked as he had an idea. "How about some calming music, Mom?" she told Haven, as she placed some headphones on her mother's ears and pressed the play button, giving Haven some more relaxation with the music.

"Thank you, dear" Haven thanked Zipp, as she focused on the music while Zipp smirked and turned her mother's chair around to talk with Pipp.

"Psst... Hey, Pipp." Zipp called to her sister, while Pipp twitched her ear in response. "So, is this the time you're finally gonna ditch this thing with me?" she asked her with a smirk.

"Pssh! Of course not!" Pipp said, moving her hoof as if it was obvious that she wasn't going anywhere. "I actually like taking time to be pampered." she said, as she opened her wings gracefully. "It's my favorite thing, right after singing, spooky stories and... selfies!" she said, as she brought out her phone and took a lot of selfies.

“Ugh!” Zipp groaned, and then looked at Sunny and Sarah on the stage. “Huh. Hey, Sunny! How well can you do an impression of me?”

"Uh..." Sunny said unsure, as she stood up and tried to imitate Zipp. "It's that a mystery over there?! Cool, cool." she said with a very bad impression of Zipp as she gave an embarrassed smile at Zipp.

Sarah laughed a bit at Sunny’s bad act. “HAHAHAHA! Sorry! I am sorry, but…” She chuckled a bit. “Hahaha! That was just funny and comedy gold there with that bad impression, Sunny.” She chuckled a bit.

Sunny chuckled sheepishly. “Yeah, I even find that a bad impression.” She admittedly said.

"Yeah... maybe not." Zipp said after that weird scene and went back to her chair, groaning as she sat on it. "Looks like I'm stuck suffering through another Portrait Day!" she complained.

“Zipp. Come on, it can’t be all that bad. So you don’t like royalty but it is still a family thing. And you can’t just turn your back on your family tradition. That will hurt their feelings.” Ryu gently advised, since knowing not to break a family tradition could hurt feelings to their own.

Zipp then thought about what her big brother was saying, but didn’t get further as she heard her phone chiming as she brought it out and saw a new message in it. t. "Really, Pipp? I'm right here, I don't need to see your selfies." she said with annoyance. However, once she looked at Pipp, she realized she didn't send anything and felt confused. She opened the message and then saw a picture of the Ocean Lily. "No way..." she said to herself, and then smiled, since this was her perfect opportunity to get out of here. "Hey, Pipp!" she called out to her sister, getting close to her.

"What now?!" Pipp asked with annoyance, as she took off one of the kiwis on her face and Cloudpuff immediately ate it.

"Look!" Zipp said, as she lifted her phone and showed the picture of the Ocean Lily. Pipp gasped as she opened her eyes wide and the other kiwi flew away and she grabbed Zipp's phone. "Wouldn't this flower be just must perfect accessory for a Ponygram selfie?" she asked teasingly.

"Oh. My. Gorgeous!" Pipp said with sparkling eyes as she flapped her wings in an adorable way. "Is that the rare Ocean Lily that only blooms once every decade?!" Pipp asked Zipp excitedly. "The only other time I've seen one is when we wore them on our manes for Portrait Day!"

Pipp grabbed a towel and cleaned the facial mask. "Who sent this to you?" Pipp inquired Zipp.

"I don't know, but it must mean the flower is in bloom right now." Zipp replied with a smile. "We have to go find it!" she said to Pipp, while the young pegasus started to have second thoughts.

"But... but... Portrait Day?" Pipp said, not so sure on what to do.

Then Zipp stopped and looked at Pipp. "Oh, no, you're right." she said in a very bad acted disappointed tone.

"Who needs a picture of the most ponygrammable once-in-a-decade flower there is anyway?" she said, grabbing her phone from Pipp's hoof and shaking it at her, still with the picture of the Ocean Lily.

Ryu and Sefu could clearly see what Zipp is trying to do before they looked at each other and sighed, “Zipp is gonna regret doing this.”

Pipp made her decision, as she grabbed Zipp's phone again. "Okay! But we'll be back to Zephyr Heights in time to sit for the actual portrait, right?" she asked Zipp.

"I promise, we'll get back in time, Hoof to heart" Zipp promised to Pipp, as she grabbed her phone and putted away, then she walked towards the exit.

Then Pipp looked at her mother with a worried expression. "What are we gonna tell Mom?" she asked Zipp.

"I've got it covered." Zipp said with a smirk, as she looked at both Sunset and Sunny, with Sunset moving her head with disapproval at Zipp’s way to ditch Royal Portrait and Sunny eating some of the kiwis. "Hey, Sunset and Sunny!" Zipp called out to them.

"Isn't this so fun?!" Sunny asked the sisters with a smile about this experience.

"We're gonna take a little break from Portrait Day prep, so we're gonna need you and Sunset to cover for us." Zipp stated, while Pipp nodded in agreement. “‘Kay, thanks, bye!” Zipp said quickly without giving them a chance to answer as the two sisters were about to walk up.

"What?! What about Queen Haven?" Sunny asked, as she looked at Haven still listening to the music.

"Keep the cucumbers going and she won't even notice we're gone" Zipp stated with confidence as she and Pipp walked out the door..

Ryu sighed at this rubbing his head. “Sometimes, Zipp always seemed to find her way out of any situation.”

“I’m sure they will be back.” Sunny assured.

---

Outside Mane Melody, Zipp stretched with relief. "Ah, finally!" she said with joy. "Out of that stuffy salon!" she added.

"Hey!" Pipp yelled at her.

"I mean, great Salon!" Zipp corrected herself, as she walked away from Pipp.

"So where are we headed anyway?" Pipp asked her sister.

"Well, I was thinking the first thing we should do is check out the Crystal Room and see if there's anything we might have missed in regards to the hologram" Zipp replied, once again thinking over the thing with Twilight's message. Suddenly, both hers and Pipp's phone chimed, and they took their phones out to see that someone sent them another picture of the Ocean Lily.

"Did I say hologram? I meant Ocean Lily, of course!" Zipp corrected herself with a sheepish smile, while Pipp looked at her with a bored expression.

"Look!" Pipp said as she showed her phone to Zipp, with the picture of the Ocean Lily on it.

Zipp analyzed the picture before gasping. "Those rocks look just like the ones by the beach." she said with a smirk.

"Oooh! Beach Day!" Pipp cheered as she flapped her wings excited before putting her phone away. "Selfie in the sand, definitely good for my feed!"

"Uh... Yeah" Zipp replied unsure, as the two sisters flew towards the beach, not noticing that Misty came out of a hideout behind a building, as she looked at her phone with an evil grin since she was the one that sent the picture to the sisters to lure the two sisters into a trap.

---

At the beach, Zipp and Pipp arrived with Zipp recording voice notes on her phone, while Pipp just took pictures of her surroundings and selfies.

"Note: Beach activity appears calm" Zipp recorded on her phone. "I wonder who send those dewdropped pics of the Ocean Lily." she said with curiosity, putting her phone away and pulling out her magnificent glass. "It feels similar to the Twilight hologram somehow, right?" she asked Pipp.

"Uh-huh" Pipp replied with no interest in Zipp, paying more attention to some seashells in the sand and taking pictures of them.

Zipp groaned quietly and flew while she used her magnificent glass to look for clues. "I mean, what Discord showed us was so horrible!" she added, but didn't notice that Pipp flew apart. "Opaline wants to steal everyponys' magic." she questioned, lifting up a seaweed and then throwing it away. "Everypony has magic now! So that doesn't make any sense..." she stated, looking at a sand castle with her magnificent glass. "What do you think, Pipp?"

Then a crab came out of it and threw some sand at Zipp. "Ugh!" she complained, cleaning the sand from her face.

"Pipp?" she called out again, but didn't find her anyway. Seashell passed running by her and let a seashell fall from the sand castle. "Whoa! This could be important evidence!"

"Sorry, Detective!" Seashell apologized, as she kept running towards a crowd of ponies.

"What is going on over there?" Zipp asked herself, as she walked towards the crowd of ponies.

Zipp found a lot of foals and fillies in the place, looking at Pipp live streaming again. "Hey, hey from the beach, Pippsqueaks!" she greeted on her livestream. "Some sunshine is all I need to looks glowy for tonight's portrait!" she stated with a smile.

"What are you doing?!" Zipp scolded her, as she got at her side. "This stuff is supposed to be secret!" she pointed out with a frown.

"But I told everypony I'd be livestreaming on Clip Trot all day!" Pipp said with a sad face.
"If mom sees your stream, our whole plan is ruined. I thought you wanted to find that Ocean Lily!" Zipp said to her sister with worry.

"Of course I want to find it!" Pipp said.

"Then try to avoid giving away our exact location, okay?" Zipp told her with an eye roll, while Pipp nodded with a smile.

"Alright, Pippsqueaks! Gotta go! Pipp, Pipp, hooray!" Pipp waved at her followers, ending the livestream.

"Pipp, Pipp, hooray!" the Pippsqueaks replied with smiles.

While Pipp put her phone away, Peach Fizz came closer to her holding a coral. "Hey Pipp, this coral would look perfect on a Portrait Day necklace!: she suggested with a smile.

"Oh, that's so sweet!" Pipp replied with a smile.

"What about a flower?" Seashell suggested, as she made a flower grow in the sand and gave it to Pipp.

"Oh! Thank you, Seashell!" Pipp thanked the filly. "How'd you know I was looking for a flower for––" she tried to ask, but then Zipp came to her side and pushed her softly on her shoulder.

"Flower? I meant followers, like you!" she corrected herself nervously, as she placed the flower on her left ear. "Uhm... do you follow me on Feedbag yet? It's new..."

"Come on, we gotta get out of here!" Zipp told Pipp, as she flew away.

"Thank you everypony! Your gifts are all so lovely!" Pipp said, grabbing the flower again and also grabbing the coral from Peach Fizz. "I'll cherish them forever. 'Kay, bye!" she said, blowing a kiss and then flying behind Zipp.

---

Back at Mane Melody, Sunny, Sarah and Twilight spoke to Queen Haven while sitting next to her while reading a magazine with Sarah standing next to Sunny.

"And so, what we was thinking is that a community garden could be just what Maretime Bay needs to start bringing earth ponies together!" Sunny explained to Queen Haven, while Jazz used a towel to take off the facial mask from Haven's face. "Like a designated place to practice magic."

“So that way they can know how to control plants and prevent over growths.” Twilight added with a smile, agreeing since this is a perfect idea Sunny came up with.

"A magical garden sounds wonderful, dear!" Haven told Twilight, Sunny and Sarah with an honest smile.

"Though I can't say I know much about gardening myself... That's what the gardeners are for!" she joked as she started to laugh out loud, while Sunny just gave an awkward smile.

Luckily, Sarah spoke with a smile. “Haha. Good one, your majesty.” She said to Queen Haven.

“Thank you, Sarah. I’ve been saving that one.” Queen Haven replied with a smile.

Rocky came behind Haven. "You're all set, your Majesty." he said to her with a smile, as he turned the chair so Haven could look at herself in the mirror and place her crown on her head. "Portrait Day perfection!"

"Ooh, I'm so excited! Aren't you, girls?" Haven said, looking at the mirror and asking her daughters if they were excited too, but then she turned around when she didn't get an answer and found that Pipp and Zipp were gone. "Sunny, Sarah, Twilight, where did my girls go?" she asked them.

“Oh! They just went... back... to the Brighthouse! They forgot their... tiaras?” Sunny lied nervously as she looked at Queen Haven as Twilight and Sarah resisted the urge to facehooved herself as she played along.

“You know how Pipp is when it comes to looking good for a picture, and Zipp, well you know her rebellious side.” Sunset said to Queen Haven, playing along to cover up for Zipp and Pipp.

Haven chuckled a bit at Sunny's comment, finding that true since they are her daughters. "Oh well, no point waiting here then" she stated. "We should just meet them at the Brighthouse!" she said, starting to walk towards the exit, while Sunny gave a worried look. "I haven't had a chance to check out the new place yet."

Sunny ran quickly and stepped in front of Haven. "You should visit, just not now." She told her. "The Brighthouse is a total mess and I'd hate for you to see it in that state."

"Oh, don't worry. I may be a Queen, but I can handle a little mess." Haven assured. "I’m a Mom." She reminded Sunny as she winked at her, saying that she’d seen how messy her daughters’ rooms can be when not clean so if seeing the Brighthouse a little messy, she can handle it as she walks out the door.

Both Sunny and Sarah got nervous as Queen Haven will see her daughters aren’t there. “Think of something, Sunny. I got nothing.” Sunset whispered to Sunny, got nothing on how to stall Queen Haven.

Sunny then thought of an idea as she turned to Pipp’s stage as an idea popped in her head.

“Queen Haven!” She called out as Haven turned when she heard Sunny. “A little birdie named Pipp told us you have an incredible singing voice, and it'd be such a shame if we missed our chance to hear it for ourselves.” Sunny said as she got on stage with Sunset as Queen Haven walked back towards them, even though Pipp really has told them that their mother can sing, they like to see it for themselves and by Zipp and Pipp a little more time.

“You were always a great singer, Haven. So this would be an exciting experience for us.” Ryu said with a smile, playing along with Sunny’s plan, while also wanting to see if Queen Haven really can sing.

“Would you sing just one song with us before we go?” Sunny asked as she brought out a microphone to Queen Haven.

“If that’s okay with you, that is.” Sefu said, even though they want to by Zipp and Pipp more time, they don’t want to force Queen Haven to do this.

"Well, I suppose one song never hurt anypony!" Haven said with a bright smile. She flew over the stage. “Thunder!” She called out as Thunder gave her own microphone, then he walked backwards once Haven grabbed the mic as Sarah and Sunny got off stage to give Queen Haven some room to sing. "I call this one 'Pony Love'!" she said with a smirk, as the lights of Mane Melody went out and a disco ball appeared as Haven started to sing.

(Pony Love Song)

(Queen Haven)
I remember not so long ago
The feeling of the light
As it kissed my cheek, my time to speak
Came and went like night

While Zoom recorded the Queen with her phone and she and Thunder looked at Haven with a smile, Sunny sat on a chair and sighed with relief, while Sunset sat on the chair at her side.

“Great idea, Sunny. This will buy the girls some time. But truthfully, Queen Haven got some great pipes.” Sarah said, while even though they are stalling for Pipp and Zipp, they have to admit, Queen haven got some great singing voice.

“Yeah, hopefully this will give them enough time.” Sunny said, finding Haven’s singing great as well, but hopefully it’s a long song to stall her for the two sisters as Queen Haven kept singing.

The crack of dawn, the curtain drawn
The mountains I have climbed

---

Back at the beach, Zipp kept looking for clues while Pipp was focusing on her phone.

Then, Zipp saw the rocks that appeared on the picture they received. "These rocks are just like the ones from the photo!" she said with a smile, looking at the picture on her phone and comparing it to the real scene. "We must be close..." she said cheerfully. "Yes! See, Pipp?" she asked her sister, but then turned around to find her sister taking selfies in many poses. "What did I say about keeping our location a secret?!"

"What? I turned the geotagging off" Pipp pointed out with a bored expression. "We're totally off the grid, basically." she assured her sister.

"Whatever. Let's just go find this Ocean Lily already!" Zipp said with annoyance. She then flew away and took her phone out to compare the picture and the environment again, but Pipp kept sending her selfies and annoyed Zipp much more. "Ugh" she complained, walking away from her sister who kept taking selfies. Then the hours passed, and Zipp started to give up as she brought out her phone for recording.

"Flower mission: total fail" she stated with frustration, as she fell in the sand while Pipp just kept taking selfies. But then, a petal of an Ocean Lily appeared in front of Zipp, and she gasped in excitement. "Could this be?"

She grabbed the petal and compared it to the ones of the flower they were looking for.

"It is!" she cheered, standing up and looking at the trail of Ocean Lily's petals in the sand. "Pipp! I have a lead!" she told her sister, who kept taking selfies as she threw some petals of the Ocean Lily in the air.

"Ugh, come on! No social media!" she told her sister.

"But I put a filter on it, so nopony will be able to tell where we are." Pipp assured, as she put some filters on her pictures.

"Your influencer stuff has been getting in the way all day!" Zipp complained with anger.

Now Pipp frowned back at Zipp. "I thought the whole reason we were searching for this flower was for Ponygram?" she pointed out with anger as well.

"And your Clip Trot? And your 'Feedbag'?!" Zipp said with anger too.

"Oh, ha, that last one was a fake." Pipp said with a smirk, putting her phone away and walking away from Zipp.

"Ugh, I know! But you know what?! It was never about the flower!" Zipp confessed, tired of her sister's attitude, while Pipp just turned around and looked at Zipp in shock. "I just need and excuse to get out of Portrait Day, okay?" she said with desperation.

"Uh, what?" Pipp said with anger.

"I have to admit, I did actually get into the search for a while there, but the truth is... I don't care a salt lick about your Ponygram posts!" she shouted at her. That was enough to hurt Pipp's feelings, and it was too late when Zipp realized what she said. "Wait, I didn't mean––" she tried to save herself, but again, it was too late already.

"Well, fine! If this Lily is so silly to you, then why don't you just go home?" Pipp shouted at her with anger, turning around and walking towards the trail of petals.

"What? I'm not giving this up now!" Zipp stated. "I came all the way out here, I'm gonna see it through!" she assured, walking behind her sister.

---

Meanwhile, Misty came out of a rock way behind the sister, and spread some of the petals in the sand with a smirk. "It worked!" she cheered with a smile.

---

Back with the sisters, they followed the trail until they entered a hidden cave. "Ooh! Look at that!" Pipp said with awe.

"Whoa. A hidden cave?!" Zipp said, looking around the place. Pipp started to harmonize while Zipp picked up a seaweed and smelled it.

"It's great acoustics" Pipp said with a cheery smile, that faded away when Zipp threw the seaweed and it almost hit Pipp. "Ah, could you not be so annoying? Don't even know why you're here."

"Uh... I did all the hoofwork in this investigation, I deserve to see what I tracked down." Zipp replied, and then she gasped when she saw the Ocean Lily, growing in a cave full of crystals. Both sisters smiled, but then looked at each other, and frowned again. Zipp took out her phone and took a picture of the Ocean Lily.

"Well, we found it," She said. "Go ahead, take your picture" she told Pipp in a mocking tone.

Pipp, however, wasn't going to do so. "Well, maybe I don't want to anymore." she replied with anger. "Wouldn't want to ruin my feed with the bad vibe you brought to the bloom." she added.

"What? Seriously, you're not gonna take a single pic after all we've gone through?" Zipp said, glaring daggers at her sister.

"Well, if you hadn't lied, we wouldn't have 'gone through' anything!" Pipp shouted at her, glaring daggers as well.

"Oh! I can't believe you're acting this fillyish!" Zipp shouted back, as the two sisters glared at each other.

"Oh! Oh! Well I can't believe that you are a liar!" Pipp cried out. But then, the whole cave started to rumble and the two sisters looked around with worry. "Um, what is that?"

A rock fell at slight meters of the sisters, and they both started to run towards the exit.

However, once they were almost there, a pile of rocks fell and blocked the entrance, and Zipp immediately covered herself and Pipp with her wing, while some dust came out of the rumble. Once everything stopped, both sisters gasped when they saw that the entrance was blocked, leaving them completely trapped.

---

Back at Mane Melody, Haven was finishing her song while Sarah stared at her with awe, since she didn't expect her to sing that well and that long.

A moment in the sun, bathing everyone
In pony love

(End Song)

Thunder and Zoom clapped their hooves excitedly, as Sunset clapped as well with a surprised expression and a smile, while Sunny got down from her chair and cheered.

"Encore! Encore!" Sunny cheered at Haven.

“Wow, Queen Haven. That was beautiful.” Sunset said with a smile as a tiny tear dropped from her eyes. “Now I know where Pipp got her singing talents from, she got it from you.” She said with a smile, now knowing where Pipp got her singing from.

"Oh, thank you!" Haven thanked Sunny and Sunset for the compliment. "But I couldn't possibly do another." she said, as she gave the mic to Zoom and Thunder came by with a towel to dry some sweat off her, while Haven walked down the stage. "Now where were we? The Brighthouse?" she asked both of them.

"We can't!" Sunny replied quickly without thinking, while Tamu facepalmed in frustration, seeing that Sunny needs to work on thinking before she jumps when trying to stall someone.

"Now, why not?" Haven asked, confused. "And don't try to push that mess business again." she said with an eye roll.

"Well, the truth is… Zipp and Pipp, uh…." Sunny started a bit nervously.

“Just texted us!” Sarah called out in a natural tone, helping Sunny out as she took out her phone and looked at it. “They want us to let you know that they’re already headed to Zephyr Heights and that you should meet them there to save enough time.” She added with a confident smile while giving a wink to Sunny, with Sunny winked back with a smile thanking her for the help.

"Ah, of course, they did." Haven said with a smile, convinced with Sarah's story, while Sunny sighed in relief, grateful that she bought it. "You know, those two can be quite the 'hooffull.'" she stated, sitting on the chair again while Sunset and Sunny did the same. "They are doing okay on their own, right?" she asked worried to the other two.

"Absolutely!" Sunny assured her with a smile. "They do have their moments of fighting over who used whose Manewash, but I think living at the Brighthouse has brought them closer." she explained.

“Yep. They sometimes have their differences, but that's how siblings are, they fight sometimes but make up with each other and stick together, no matter what happens.” Sarah added, stating that sometimes Pipp and Zipp may fight over how they have their differences due to their personalities, they still care with each other.

"I'm so happy to hear that." Haven said with a smile at that.

"Did they get along as fillies?" Sunny asked out of curiosity.

“Yeah. I wonder about myself since it’s hard to tell, because, you know, their Pipp and Zipp.” Twilight added, since with how opposite Zipp and Pipp’s personalities are to each other, it’s hard to tell if they ever got along.

"They were attached at the wings and attached to Ryu and the others at the hip!" Haven said, smiling even more. "They did everything together." she stated, bringing out her phone and showing it to the girls with a picture of Haven and her daughters when they were fillies.

"Their personalities were always so different, but they laughed about it then. Not like now." she added with worry, having seen how much her daughters have grown and how often they fought with one another as Sunny and Sarah gave her sympathetic looks.

“Well, there’s something that will never change, Haven, is that no matter how much your daughters fight and argue with one another, they are still sisters and care for each other. No matter how different they are or how much they argue with one another. My brother and I wouldn't get along at sometimes when we were younger and Celestia and Luna don't always see eye to eye but we and they still loved each other.” Twilight said, seeing that there are some things that will never change to others of family or friends, is no matter how different they are, they always stick together.

Queen Haven smiled at Twilight's words. “Thank you for that, Twilight. I guess you’re right. No matter how much my daughters have changed, they still care for each other.” She said with a fond smile.

---

Back in the cave, Zipp tried to move the rocks and dig in the sand, while Pipp tried to get some signal on her phone and call for help.

"Ugh, come on!" Pipp cried out. "I thought we were besties, phone! Come on, just give me one bar. One bar!" she begged, moving around her phone in panic.

"It was your 'bestie' that got us stuck here in the first place" Zipp complained, still digging on the sand.

"Um, if I remember correctly, it was your idea." Pipp pointed out with a frown as she opened her wings. "Who trusts rando dewdrop photos anyway?" she added with anger.

"Well, somepony sure was eager to come along when she thought it'd get her a few extra hooftaps!" Zipp yelled angrily, while Pipp just stood frozen since, like it or not, Zipp was right.

"Ugh, I can't stand you!" Pipp shouted as her eyes widened with a frown.

The two sisters started to shout at each other, and then they just turned around and gave their backs. Zipp went back to try and dig, while Pipp walked towards a small lake and looked at her reflection with sadness.

"Ugh!" Zipp said with frustration.

"Well, looks like you got your wish." Pipp said with a sad tone, which made Zipp stop and look at the ground with sadness. "No Portrait Day for either of us now."

"That's not what I wanted." Zipp said, as she sat on the ground and looked at her hoof with the heart shape. "Hoof to heart." she repeated to herself, remembering the promise she made to Pipp earlier in Mane Melody. She looked at her sister, whose ears were low, and it made Zipp feel more guilty. ‘Sarah was right, I should’ve spent time with my family instead of trying to get away from something I don’t like.’ She thought as she slowly walked backwards as she sat behind her sister, still giving her back.

"Ugh... I really did want you to play hooky with me this one time, to have fun together like we used to." Zipp confessed to her sister, while Pipp still stared at her reflection. "But it was selfish of me to trick you into coming along... in the end, I made it all about me. I haven't been a very good older sister, huh?"

(Portrait Day Song)

(Zipp)
Be still, don't move

Pipp opened her eyes and gasped softly. "Our song..." she muttered, as she slowly turned to Zipp, who started to sing.

It's easy to smile
With you by my side

(Zipp and Pipp)
Don't blink (Pipp: Don't blink)
Big smile (Zipp: Big smile)
Just being with you, my heart opens wide

As the two sisters stood together, the crystals of the cave started to shine bright, and they both looked at each other with smiles.

As it all comes clear to me
You're my best friend, my family
I wanna capture this moment
As we hit our stride
With you by my, you by my side
Side
Side

The two sisters flew around the cave as they sang in harmony, and then they united their hooves.

It's portrait day, I want you by my side

Zipp and Pipp landed in front of the Ocean Lily with smiles, and then they sat laughing in front of the lake.

"I really am sorry, Pipp." Zipp apologized.

"Me too" Pipp apologized as well. "I wasn't exactly present either, being on my phone all day" she pointed out with shame. "I was so excited to be out and about with you, I forgot to spend time with you." she said.

"It's okay." Zipp assured with a little smile. "I know you have to keep up with all of your followers on 'Feedbag'!" she said in a mocking tone.

Pipp just bursted laughing as she lay on the ground with her hooves on her face. "Why did I say that?!" she said, as she and Zipp started to laugh together and Zipp lay on the ground as well. "I don't know why we're laughing when we're still trapped in this cave, possibly forever!" she said, as they stopped laughing at the last sentence.

"Right..." Zipp said, once again worried. "I'm sure we can find a way out!" she stated, standing up along with Pipp.

"Right!" Pipp assured as well, as the two pegasi started to look around for an exit: Zipp touching the walls in the air and Pipp looking on the ground, while at the same time she tried to get some bars again.

Zipp moved aside some rocks and smiled. "Hey! I think I might have found something!" she cheered, while Pipp gasped excited and flew towards her sister.

They both stared at a small hole in the cave, where some sunlight entered. Pipp gasped again, this time looking at her phone. "I've got a bar on Bestie over here!" she cheered with a smile.

"Well, get streaming!" Zipp instructed with a smile. "And this time, geotag it!" she added.

Pipp smirked at Zipp, and she immediately started to livestream. "Hey, Pippsqueaks!" She greeted her followers. "I'm in a bit of a bind! Me and my sister need some help, like yesterday!" she stated, sharing her location in livestream.

After waiting a few seconds, Glory poked her head from the other side of the hole, looking at the two pegasus trapped, since the Pippsqueaks, and a couple of others, were really close to them since they are next to the whole.

"It's working!" Zipp said with a smirk.

"Wow! That was fast!" Pipp cheered, surprised that her Pippsqueaks got the message and got here that quickly as both she and Zipp flew closer to the hole. "I bet with your new pony powers you could totally bust us out of this beach cave!" Pipp told her followers. "Show me what those horns and hooves can do!"

Peach Fuzz levitated some rocks away while Seashell and some other Earth pony fillies used their magic to create vines to push other rocks away while Glory picked up the rocks and moved them out.

The ponies used their magic to move the rocks aside and give Pipp and Zipp enough space to escape.

But before they left, Zipp flew towards the Ocean Lily and grabbed it. "You should take it" she told Pipp, as her sister grabbed the Lily flower with a smile. Then, they both saw that they finally had a full exit out of the cave.

"Pipp, Pipp, hooray!" Seashell cheered, while Pipp put the Lily flower away.

"You said it!" Zipp cheered, as both she and Pipp finally got out of the cave. They both cheered and flew happily in the air, although they got covered in seaweeds, but none of them seemed to care.

They landed, and the Pippsqueaks got close to them and cheered. "Pipp, Pipp, hooray!'' They all cheered at the princesses.

"Pretty strong magic for such young colts and fillies" Zipp said with a smile, while she hoof bumped with Glory.

"Thank you so much for helping us!" Pipp said to her Pippsqueaks.

"How could we not answer your distress call, Princess Pipp?" Seashell said with a smile.

And then, Zipp's phone starts chiming, now having reception now they are out of that cave, she read the messages and saw the many messages from both Sunny and Sunset, meaning that they have to hurry and tell them where they are now. "We gotta get to Zephyr Heights, now!" Zipp told Pipp with worry.

"Right!" Pipp said, as she patted a young colt's head. "We gotta dash, but I'll be sure to give you a shout-out in my next Clip Trot stream, so stay tuned!" she announced, then flew alongside Zipp.

"Catch you on the flippity-flip!" Zipp said to the Pippsqueaks, and then the two sisters flew towards Zephyr Heights.

Misty came out of some bushes, apart from the scene, and she groaned when she saw Zipp and Pipp flying away. Then she looked at the ground sad, knowing that Opaline would be disappointed at her.

---

At Zephyr Heights, Haven walked back and forth in front of her throne, while Sunny looked at her with worry and Sunset is tapping with one of her back hooves, a little worried as well since Zipp and Pipp are here yet.

"Where are they, you two?!" Haven asked Sarah and Sunny. "I'm not surprised Zipp is missing, but Pipp wouldn't miss Portrait Day for anything!"

And then, both Pipp and Zipp entered the Throne Room, still covered in seaweed. "We're here!" Pipp called out.

"Hi, Mom!" Zipp greeted their mother.

Both Sarah and Sunny sighed in relief, while Haven gasped at her daughters’ aspect, and she flew towards them.

"What happened to you two?!" she asked them, then she slightly touched the seaweed wrapped on Zipp's neck. "I thought you didn't like getting seaweed wraps?"

"We had to go and get this!" Pipp said, as she took out the Ocean Lily and extended it to Haven.

Haven gasped in awe at the flower. "An Ocean Lily? Just like the one you wore in the portrait all those moons ago?" she asked her daughters, while Zipp nodded and Haven smelled the flower. "I love it!" she said, grabbing the flower and putting it on her right ear.

Sarah smiled before she used the Scouring Charm to clean the two sisters, "Thanks Sarah." they grinned.

The Mighty Ones, Hawlucha, Swanna and Royal Family all walked towards the throne and stood still for their royal portrait.

Sometime later, the portrait is finished as it is now on the frame wall with the previous portraits taken before the new one.

“It’s Portrait Day, I want you by my side.” Zipp and Pipp’s voices can be heard from the portraits.

---

Back at Opaline’s castle, Misty returned as she opened the door and came into the throne room where Queen Opaline is as she sits on her throne as she looks at Misty.

“So? Did you trap them?” Opaline asked Misty of how her plan to trap the two sisters went.

Misty flinched a bit as she gave a down expression. “For a while…” She answered nervously.

“And?” Opaline asked again, having a feeling that things might’ve gone wrong.

“And then some ponies showed up and helped get them free.” Misty added nervously.

“Ugh!” Opaline groaned as she slammed her hoof in anger, seeing that the plan to trap Zipp and Pipp failed as she got up from her throne.

Misty backed away a bit from Opaline’s outburst. “I'm sure I can lure them out again! I just need to—!” She tried to convince Opaline to give her another chance as she was cut off.

“Don't bother.” Opaline argued as she walked close to the pond as some magic mist swirled around a bit as Opaline looked at her reflection. “It's clear that it's time I intervened.”

She looked at her reflection in the pond as it turned her reflection into Sunny in her Alicorn form as Opaline gave an evil laughter as she had another plan in mind.

Comments

[JesusG0987]

The two new chapters are great, and wow hitch rash decisions and actions really caused trouble, even with twilight and the others help, Hitch really gotta stop being stubborn and not let fear get to him, and boy the two sisters had a rough time together because of the portrait that Zipp wanted to get away from, but she realizes how selfish she is and made amends as the two returns for their portrait with their mother as they stood by, awesome job on those chapters, keep up the great work

[Zipp Storm]

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