Issue 1:
In Zephyr Heights, the Pegasi are going about their day as the Zephyr Heights Royal Palace is shining bright at the kingdom while having a peaceful moment of silence together. Until…
"But Moooom-" Zipp's voice spoke up from inside the palace.
Inside the palace in Queen Haven's room, Queen Haven was packing some things, well her maiden is, as Zipp was in the room with her mother as Haven was looking at her closet. "Now, Princess Zephyrina Storm! Don't you 'But Mom' me." Haven said firmly to her daughter. "We've been talking about this for weeks." She reminded.
"Yeah, but I didn't think you were serious." Zipp said to her mother.
"When have you ever known me to not be serious?" Haven questioned her daughter while looking through her gowns. "I am the Queen of Zephyr Heights. It's my duty to be serious." She stated while Cloudpuff watches while coughing out a piece of dog food that was in his throat , which Zipp gave a disgusted look as Cloudpuff whistles innocently as he kicked the piece away as Haven pick out a gown.
"No, no, no. That's the Amethyst Royal Traveling Gown. I need the wisteria one." Haven said to the maiden, who gave a tired look. "Can you imagine me showing up in the Maredives in an amethyst gown? Hahahahahah." She laughed in her phony laughter since her maiden is here.
Soon, Zipp and her mother are walking down the hallway while the maiden pushes the suitcases. "Are you seriously going to abandon Zephyr Heights for a whole week?" Zipp questioned her mother.
"Abandon? Darling, you're so dramatic." Haven said to her daughter. "It's called a vacation, and it's about time Alfie and I got to spend some time alone together." She stated, since she and Alphabittle have made vacation plans together
"You don't take vacations! You're the Queen of Zephyr Heights" Zipp pointed out, still having a hard time getting her head around this. "That one time when Pipp and I were fillies, you took a long bath and the whole government almost collapsed!"
"Well, that is true." Haven nodded, remembering that time. "I suppose I'll need to appoint a queen regent for the week." She said as she took off her crown and looked at it. "Who could possibly take that much stress and hold the kingdom together for an entire week?" She started before she gave a smirk and tossed it as it landed on Zipp's head. "Oh, I know! You!"
"WHAT?!" Zipp exclaimed in complete shock while Haven kept her smirk at her daughter's reaction.
"Oh com now, Zephyrina." Haven said with a small smile as they entered the throne room. "We've gone round and round about this. You are the next in line for the throne, and you are going to be an excellent Queen."
"You're right, we have talked about it. And I think I can be a good queen…" Zipp started off with a frown. "...someday! Many, many, years from now when you're an old gray mare and I've solved all the mysteries and flown all over the world." She then panicked as she shook her mother, which made Haven yelp. "But not today! Not for a whole week! I don't know what I'm doing! Don't you remember that time I cut my own mane?! It's gonna be like that!" She exclaimed in panic.
Soon Zipp stopped shaking her mother as Have gave a dizzy look from the face. "I do remember that time. I also remembered that's how you ended up with your little mohawk puff thing." She said dizzily. "It's never something I would have chosen for me, but it's perfect for you, and as Aquen, I expect you to make just those sorts of decisions."
"Mom, you can't leave me in charge of all this alone." Zipp complained with a groan.
"Well then, good thing she called in some reinforcements." Pipp's voice spoke up as Zipp perked up and turned with a smile as she saw her friends walk in. "I mean, tha haircut works for you, but we wouldn't want all of Zephyr Heights to end up with it." She joked.
"Oooh!" Izzy said in excitement. "Can I get it, though? I think I'd look cool with a mohawk!" She excitedly said.
"No, Izzy. You really wouldn't." Sunset said with a chuckle.
"Pipp! You're in on this too?" Zipp asked her sister in surprise.
"In on it? No." Pipp answered with a smile. "I made her promise that if I helped, she wouldn't call him Alfie in front of me for at least a month." She said with a smile before she walked up next to her sister. "Besides, I know my big sis can handle anything." She added as she used her wing to nudge her sister on the side. "So, I just signed up to spend a week taking advantage of Mom's spa package."
"And if something does happening, I think the eight of us have proven we can pretty much anything together." Sunny said with a confident smile.
"I even got a babysitter for Sparky for the week." Hitch said with a smile. "That way, I can lend a hoof and he won't… you know… blow anything up." He said with a sheepish chuckle.
"I brought all my crafting supplies!" Izzy cheerfully said as she brought out a box. "By the time Haven gets back, we'll have redorated the whole city."
"And Twilight and I can help out with some extra royal duties if you're being a bit overwhelmed." Sunset said with a shrug.
"Well, mostly me. Because I have the most experience of royal duties." Twilight said with a smile and a shrug.
"Yeah, you do." Sunset said with a smirk and a chuckle.
"And you probably don't need my help with anything." Misty said to Zipp with a smile. "Because you're so awesome but if you do, I'm here!"
Zipp then looked at her friends' support as she gave a smile and she adjusted the crown on her head. "You know what? You guys are right. I mean, heck, we've saved all the world's magic together a bunch of times. We can keep one city from falling apart long enough for my mom to take a break." She said with a smile.
"Oh, Zephyrina, thank you." Haven said to her daughter with a proud smile while feeling touch.
"Besides, my Mom works really hard and deserves to spend some time with her… Alphie." She added.
Just then, Haven gave a disgusted look. "It really does sound just… disgusting when you say it, though. You should probably just call him Alphabittle." She said naturally.
"You're right." Zipp said in a dull look. "I heard it, and it was just… gross." She said as Izzy, Sunset, Twilight and Misty shared a small laugh from that.
Haven and the maid then began to walk off. "Well, I have to be going, my dears. NBut I haven't a single worry. I know the kingdom is in good hooves." She said as she blew a kiss to her eldest daughter.
30 minutes later.
After Haven left, Zipp was finishing up writing on a paper and putting them on an envelope mail. "Okay, and that should wrap up all the signing of Royal Get-Well Cards." Zipp said with a smile as her friends watched while also helping her.
"Really great job, sis." Pipp complimented her sister.
"Wow, you're such a good queen!" Misty cheered with a smile and her hooves raised.
"Very impressive, Zipp." Twilight complimented with a smile at how Zipp handled the royal work.
"I really think you should have let me put googly eyes on it." Izzy said with a smile while eyeing one of the envelopes.
"Yeah, not really how that works, Izzy." Sunset said with a chuckle.
Zipp then turn to the others. "Okay, guys, I really do appreciate the support but… you don't have to stay with me the whole time. I'm just doing paperwork." She said to them.
"No problem. What can we do to help?" Hitch asked with his signature smirk. "Should I run security? Check the castle for structural weaknesses?"
Zip then have a thought. "Actually, why don't you guys have a good time. Pipp, got any ideas?" She asked her sister with a smirk.
"Do I?!" Pipp asked as she leaned against the wall with a smirk while using a toothpick.
A bit later, the seven ponies are walking through the palace hallway while walking to a studio with Pipp's Cutie Mark symbol at the entrance. "If you look to your left, you will see the Royal In-House Recording Studio. This studio has been home to the recording of Princess Pipp's first five singles and countless videos." Pipp said with a proud smile.
"Heh, no surprise there." Sunset said with a chuckle.
"Pipp, not that I don't appreciate the tour, but is it really necessary?" Sunny asked with a smile while Pipp gave a natural look. "We've been coming here for a long time. And sure, maybe we haven't discovered all-" She trailed off as they stopped at a room with many books around them, which surprised the group, but two certain ponies were shocked by this.
"Ooooh!" Both Twilight and Sunny exclaimed in unison with their jaws dropped by the amount of books.
"Oh boy. Here we go." Sunset said with a smirk, while surprised by the amount of books but knowing how her two friends are gonna be.
"And this is the totally dusty old shelf full of history books of our historians dug out of an archive or something." Pipp said with a smirk. "Seemed like both your kind of things, Sunny and Twilight."
Then Sunny and Twilight then quickly zoomed towards the book shelf closest and started grabbing tons of books as fast as they could as Sunset gave a chuckle. "You really know how to make them excited, Pipp." Sunset commented.
"Oh, knowing Twilight and Sunny for so long, I knew they would go for something like this." Pipp said with a smile as the other ponies started spreading out to check the library while Izzy laughed as she was riding the ladder side to side.
"Maybe I can find some spell books!" Misty said with a smile.
"Might as well search for something that piques my interest." Sunset said as she walked off to search for a book.
"Just remember, we're meeting up at the spa in a few hours." Pipp said with a smile to her friends while Twilight and Sunset are reading a book that has Twilight's face on it that said. 'Live at Twilight'.
" OKay, yeah, sure." Sunny said to Pipp while she and Twilight read the book.
"We promise, Pipp." Twilight assured.
"Oh! Wait, I've never heard of Flash Magnus!" Sunny said with a smile. "Twilight, you know this pegasus?!"
"One of the legendary pillars of Equestria, met him in person with the others." Twilight said with a smile.
"Mind telling me more in case this book doesn't have many details?" Sunny asked with an exciting smile.
"Sure thing, Sunny." Twilight said with giggles.
Pipp then opened another door with Izzy beside her, and she gasped in excitement with sparkles in her eyes when she saw many crafting supplies as far as the eye can see. "This is my mother's royal craft room.
"Aaah!" Izzy squealed in excitement as she tackled the supplies while Misty watched as she giggled while Pipp walked off with a smirk.
A bit later, Pipp was guiding Hitch out of the palace and into a gate outside. "Okay, you got them figured out. But I have important work to do keeping order." Hitch bragged with a smirk while Pipp kept a smirk. "There's not some room in this castle where you can distract me from-"
Pipp then opened the gate with a smirk as she showed a bunch of creatures around him, and a couple of Breezies who were enjoying the animals' company. "The Zephyr Heights Royal Gardens." Pipp said with a smirk while Pipp booped a bunny's nose.
"OH MY GOSH!" Hitch cheered in excitement as the animals all crowded around him.
"Have fun. Don't forget, we're heading to the spa in a few hours." Pipp said with a smirk to Hitch as she walked off to let Hitch enjoy the animals.
"Who's a fluffy boy? Yes, you are!" Hitch cheered as he rubbed a tiger's back, which made the tiger give a brow from that.
Back at the library, Sunny, Sunset, and Twilight are still reading a ton of books, which some are piled up as Sunset and Twilight are reading their own books while Sunny was reading a book of 'A History of the Party Cannon'. "Okay, this can't be everything. This doesn't make sense." Sunny said in confusion.
"Uh, yeah. I think that book was written by Pinkie Pie, Sunny." Sunset said with a small smirk at the book.
"Really?" Sunny asked in surprise. "How can you tell?"
Because the only pony who uses party cannons is Pinkie." Twilight said with a smile. "That, and her signature is written in dried frosting." She said while pointing to a pink frosting name on the book, which dried out over time that said 'Written by Pinkie Pie' with hearts around it.
"Oh, right. Didn't see that." Sunny said with a smile as the three ponies shared a small laugh.
Then Zipp walked into the library as she looked around. "Sunny, Sunset, Twilight, are you girls still here?" She asked as she looked around for them.
"Oh, right here, Zipp!" Sunny called as she raised her hoof from the pile. "Turn right at fashion history, then left at culinary history."
"And then you'll find a ton of books stacked together." Sunset added as Zipp followed the instructions until she found them.
"Whoa, you three have been busy." Zipp said in surprise at the amount of books.
"Oh, we have only scratched the surface of these books." Twilight said with a smirk.
"Yeah!" Sunny said as she held up a book that 'The Sombra Saga, Vol 37'. "We look at all this and we can't help but think, what if my dad had access to all this? There are answers to many of his biggest questions right here!" She cheered with a smile.
"Though some of these are not real because some of them are a bit strange. Even for me." Sunset said with a brow as she held up a book that showed a picture of Celestia and a good version of Sombra kissing each other, which made her cringed weirdly. "Seriously, this is weird."
Sunny then realizes something. "Oh, wait! Do you need our help with something? Is there an emergency?" Sunny asked Zipp in confusion about what Zipp is here with them.
"You need help with something, Zipp?" Twilight wondered as she and Sunset thought the same way.
"Oh, no." Zipp shook her head. "I just…" She trailed off as she thought for a moment. "Okay, remember the first time we met? Sunset and I let Sunny and Izzy out of prison while Sunset snuck in because there was something I wanted to show you?" She asked as they remembered that as she remembered the old station before it was restored. "There was an old station that hadn't been used in years. And it had this poster in it… I really wanted to know about it. I felt like it was something important." She added as she remembered the Wonderbolts poster that used to be in the old station. "I kinda got distracted with magic coming back and getting my flight and the Brighthouse and all… but thinking about being queen, that was one mystery I always wanted to solve that I haven't figured out."
Sunny, Sunset, and Twilight looked at each other and wondered what Zipp said as Sunny went to a bookshelf. "Okay, I'm glad you brought that up because we were gonna ask you." Sunny said to Zipp. "There's a lot of recent history here. Then there's a lot of myths and old mares' tales. But…" She then gestured to a gap between some books with cobwebs around. "But everything from around Twilight and Sunset's time is missing. We know from when you told us much and some reading about that Pegasi had history books, Twilight."
"I did." Twilight nodded. "But after so many generations, I'm surprised that books from around our times are missing."
"So… where are they exactly, Zipp?" Sunset asked the pegasus.
"No pony really knows." Zipp answered with a shrug. "We know that before Zephyr Heights, we lived somewhere else. But Archaeologists have never been able to find the Pegasus Homeland."
"Oh, you're talking about Cloudsdale." Sunset said in realization. "Yeah, there's a book about it right here." She said as she brought out a book that tells about Cloudsdale.
"Cloudsdale, I haven't heard that name in a long time." Twilight said with a smile.
"Cloudsdale?" Pipp's voice spoke up as the four mares turned and saw Zipp entering. "You're talking about a city built in the clouds? A magical city where they train the fastest flyers?" She questioned, having heard about Cloudsdale as well as she walked up to them. "That's an old mares' tale. How would that even work? Zipp was obsessed with that myth as a kid. That's just a bunch of Daring Do stories."
"Pipp, are you forgetting two ponies who were once thought to be myths?" Sunset questioned with a brow, gesturing to herself and Twilight. "And newsflash, Cloudsdale is really real."
"Wait, for real? Pipp asked with a surprise look.
"As real as Daring Do, Pipp." Twilight said with a smirk.
"So it is real." Sunny said with a smile. "My Dad's old books about you two talked about it like it was a real place." She said to Sunset and Twilight.
"But, was it real and just not in the clouds?" Pipp suggested. "Maybe it was just on a mountain, so it seemed like it was."
"Uh, no. It really was a city entirely made of clouds, Pipp." Sunset said with a brow as Twilight nodded. "Rainbow Dash lived there her whole life before moving her house close to Ponyville."
"So, it really was real." Zipp said with a hopeful smile before she frowned. "But, what happened to it?"
"Yeah, I've been wondering that myself." Sunset said as she turned to Twilight. "Twilight, what happened to Cloudsdale?"
"To tell you the truth, I have no idea." Twilight said with a frown. "I mean, it has been generations since I was last seen in Equestria. And everything has changed that the places I knew are either not what they used to be or in ruins. And after seeing the conditions Canterlot was in, and the Crystal Empire before it was restored, I'm afraid of what happened to Cloudsdale compared to those two. It could be either in ruins or somewhere in Equestria high above us."
"Well, it is a city in the clouds." Sunset said with a shrug. "I spent so much time in Equestria, I can't even find Cloudsdale anywhere, or up high from where we flew by by wing or Marestream. So it could be anywhere by now."
"If it is still out there. Right, Zipp?" Pipp asked her sister, who gave a thoughtful look.
"Yeah, totally." Zipp said with a sigh.
Pipp then started pushing her sister forward. "But we can talk about myths, legends, and mysteries later. Right now, we have a queen-size spa appointment to make." She said to them with a smile.
"Pipp, what's the big deal? You run a spa!" Sunny reminded her with a smile.
"Yeah, what's so different about one spa salon over another?" Sunset wondered with a brow.
"Oh, but not like this spa." Pipp said with a smirk before she brought her three friends together with sparkles in her eyes. "This spa has lavender-scented waterfalls and mineral pools from real natural hot springs. This is the spa other spas go to when they're stressed out. And because it's my mom's appointment, there will be an army of the best spa ponies waiting on us. Imagine it! It'll be enough to calm Misty down and destress Hitch! Don't you want to see that?" She asked the three with an exciting smile.
"Actually, I do." Sunny said with a smile, wanting to see her coltfriend destress.
"That would be interesting." Sunset said with a shrug and a smile.
"I'm looking forward to this spa now." Twilight said with a smile.
"You've sold me on going to the spa!" Zipp said with a smile as they walked towards the exit. "What do you even think a Hitch that isn't high-strung looks like?" She wondered.
"I don't know! But I'm excited to find out!" Pipp said with an exciting smile.
"SPA TIME!" Pipp cheered as she and her friends regrouped and were in front of a Spa Building while the big TV screen showed Skye showing the news.
"And great news for all of you colts and fillies out there, it's looking like clear warm weather all this week." Skye announced with a smile. "But make sure you get your playing in new because it looks like we have a bit of a storm system coming in for next week." He advises while showing a lightning bolt that looks like a familiar Cutie Mark to Sunset and Twilight.
"Was that Rainbow's Cutie Mark they've shown?" Sunset asked Twilight in surprise.
"I think they did." Twilight said with a small chuckle. "Even after all these years, Rainbow's legacy finds some way to handle the weather."
"True that." Sunset said as the two Alicorns shared a chuckle.
Zipp took a breather with a smile. "Perfect! I can spend the whole week being Queen of the nice warm summer." She said as Misty turned to her in wonder. "Then my mom can come back and deal with telling PEgasi they can't fly because they might get struck by lightning." She commented.
"Whoa. Does that happen?" Misty asked in surprise.
"Not as much now, but when magic came back, it happened all the time!" Zipp stated to her. "Pegasi were really bad at flying between buildings, so everybody tried to fly above the city. So, when it stormed, they were at the highest things and-ZAP!" She exclaimed while smashing her hoof together, which startled Misty from that.
"Whoa." Misty muttered in shock by that while cringing a bit.
No sooner, the Mane 8 are inside the spa Pipp was talking about, which is most luxurious and amazing on the inside, Pipp was having a mud bath while listening to soft music next to a waterfall, Zipp was having a bubble bath with a waiter feeding her grapes, Misty had trouble with relaxing as she was wrapped in towels while having two kiwis on her eyes, Izzy was having her mane and tail being magazine while reading a magazine, Sunny and Hitch were being massage, but Sunny was sitting on her coltfriend to keep him still while the spa mare was rubbing his hoof, which made him tickless as Sunny was eating an able while keeping Hitch down while Sunset and Twilight were having their hooves done as they sighed in relief.
"Wow, Pipp was right." Sunset said with a relaxing smile. "This spa really is amazing then the other ones we went to."
"This is more impressive than Ponyville's old spa." Twilight said with a sigh. "Maybe I should come here more often."
"Don't let Pipp hear ya. She might have competition." Sunset joked, which made Twilight giggled.
"Touche." Twilight said as the Mane 8 continued to relax.
Then after a nice relaxation, Izzy hopped out of the spa with a cheerful smile. "I love spa days!" She cheered as the others followed, but when they got out, it was cloudy and shockingly, it's snowing as snow landed on Izzy's muzzle. "Ooh, what's this? Cold white stuff? Is this a normal part of spa days?" She asked with a smile.
"Snow?" Pipp asked in shock as the rest of the Mane 8 looked up. "But it doesn't snow here in the summer."
"It doesn't snow at all in the summer, Pipp." Twilight said to her.
"And it's a little early for Winter Wishday, that's for sure." Sunset said with a brow. "And we made sure that every Unicorn knows not to say the snow spell."
"This is strange!" Sunny said as she and the others looked up. "You don't think this could be the storm that-"
"Gotta go!" Zipp cried out as she flew off with a panicked look, which surprised the others.
"Zipp! Zipp, wait up! We can help!" Pipp called out as they watched Zipp go at high speed.
"Wow, she's more worried for her kingdom than you used to, Twilight." Sunset commented.
"It's a royalty thing." Twilight said with a sheepish shrug.
Zipp flew around Zephyr Heights as the snow kept falling while some Pegasi were having some fun in the snow. "I knew it! I knew I shouldn't have relaxed and had fun. I know I wouldn't be ready for something!" She cried out in panic as she flew back to the castle.
"Your majesty! Your advisors are looking for you!" A Pegasis guard called out to Zipp as she quickly flew back into the palace and into the room where her advisors are.
"I'm here! Tell me what's going on!" Zipp exclaimed with a worried look as she landed on the ground.
"It's this torm, your majesty! It's like nothing we've ever seen!" A stallion with glasses said to her.
"I thought it wasn't supposed to hit for a week!" Zipp said in shock.
"It wasn't. But look!" The stallion said as he gestured to the monitor that showed the storm above Zephyr Heights, with the temperature at 12 degrees below. "It grew to triple the original size and intensity, and it moved much faster than expected. Now it's slowing down and it seems to be settling right over Zephyr Heights." He explained.
"You're telling me that this is going to get worse?" Zipp asked with a worried look.
"Much worse." The stallion confirmed as the mare next to him held out a huge poster that titled 'Evac Plan'. "We need to get everypony out of here."
Zipp then grabbed the stallion's lab coat and brought him close to his face. "You're telling me that on my first day as queen regent of Zephyr Heights, we need to evacuate the whole city?!" She exclaimed in shock.
"That is what I'm saying, you're majesty, yes." The stallion said with a nervous look.
Just then, the rest of the Mane 8 rushed into the room while having some snow on them as they shook them off. "There you are! It's getting really bad out there." Pipp said to her sister after seeing her and the two ponies. "Wait, what's going on? Sis, what's happening?"
"How can we help?" Sunny asked next.
"We can help!" Izzy cheered.
"We can lend a helping hoof." Twilight offered.
"What's the game plan?" Sunset added.
"Just tell us what you need." Misty said with a smile.
"We're here for you, Zipp." Hitch said with a smile.
Zipp then gave a determined look. "We need to evacuate Zephyr Heights. Here's what we're gonna do." Zipp said with a determined look as she looked at the others. "Pipp, Sunset, Sunny, Twilight, youi guys fly to the outskirts of the city and work your way in. Make sure we alert everyone." She instructed.
"On it!" Pipp said with a smile as Sunny brought out her Alicorn form and gave a horn to Pipp on her head.
"Can do." Twilight nodded as Sunset gave a salute.
"Misty and Izzy, I need you two to use your magic to direct ponies and dig out a clear path down the mountain." Zipp instructed to the two Unicorns.
"Gotcha!" Misty said with a smile as Izzy nodded.
Zipp then turned to Hitch. "Hitch, you get the creatures from the garden and work with them on crowd control. Ponies are going to be worried. They need you to show them the way." She instructed.
"Sounds like a plan." Hitch said with an approving smile.
"I'm going to ge to the TV station and let everyone know what's happening." Zipp said as she opened the gates and exited with a smile, not noticing the shocked and horrified look on her friends' faces. "This is the biggest emergency in the history of Zephyr Heights. But together, the eight of us can handle-" She trailed off as Twilight slowly turned her head and looked ahead as Zipp looked on in horror. "Anything?" She finished in complete shock.
What they're seeing is Pegasi flying around from the strong winds and snow as they can't control their wings or flight.
"This might be tougher then we thought." Sunset muttered, seeing that things just got more complicated for them.
End of Issue 1.