Lines crossed by DCFTEF

(07/10/2021)

https://desuarchive.org/mlp/thread/37619154/#q37646204

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As Princesses of the city-state of Zephyr Heights, it was no surprise that the sisters Zephyrina Storm and Pipp Petals went to the best school available in all pegasusdom. It was also no secret that Queen Haven held her daughters to a high standard; especially Zephyrina, who was heir apparent to the throne. The Monarch's unhappy response to a poor report card was well documented on younger sister Pipp's video blog...the filly really held no filter between what happened in her life and what she broadcast out to her ravenous fans, who consumed every bit of content she doled out with zeal.

Pipp had seriously crossed the line with her older sister a few grading periods ago, when Zipp brought home a report that was less than stellar and definitely less than Queen Mom demanded. Watching and recording from the hallway Pipp livestreamed Zephyrina's desperate (and very embarrassing) pleas to keep the Royal Hairbrush away from her heir-apparent rump. Zipp avoided corporal punishment for her report card that day but went apoplectic with rage when she discovered her little sister had broadcast her promises to be a good filly and blubbering begging for mommy not to spank her bottom out to an audience of thousands.
>”MOOOOOOooooooooommmmm! Zipp is trying to KILL ME!”
>”Pipp dear, I'm sure your sister is not trying to literally kill you.”
>”Yes I am!”

But that was months ago.
On this day Zipp had nothing to be worried about. Spurred to studiousness by the promises she'd made (and threats she'd received) in previous periods, her marks were top-of-the-class this time. Zipp even felt confident asking for a reward. At 15 she was now allowed to go out on the town on non-school nights, provided she was escorted by Royal troopers as bodyguards. Zipp hoped she could talk Mom into reducing her number of bodyguards today and this report card was a fine bargaining chip.

No bodyguard could have saved Zipp from the unexpected attack she was suddenly subjected to within the most secure chambers of the castle. As the teen filly walked happily to see Queen Mom in her office she was tackled from her right side and shoved into an alcove behind a tapestry.
>”Zipp ohmygosh you have to help me!”
It was no assassin or foalnapper that had assailed Zephyrina but something that posed far greater danger; her little sister.
>”Ugh, what now?”

It was not surprising that Pipp's report card was bad. Her grades were not awful but every teacher had left some sort of damning comment;
>”Miss Petals is often giggly and disruptive in class”
>”Student has been cited for mobile phone policy violations multiple times”
>”Pipp fails to apply herself and is working below her potential.”
The younger filly watched with teary eyes and quivering lips as her senior struggled to read the paper in the poorly lit hiding place.
>”Is it bad, Zipp? Is Mom gonna be mad?”
She lowered her voice and asked the most horrible question in a hushed voice.
>”Is she gonna take my phone away?”

At that Zipp had to laugh. She loved her sister but like any sibling was was a little tired of Pipp's shit and relished her getting a little comeuppance.
>”Oh, that's the least of your worries, twerp. Mom is gonna skin your butt for this.”
Pipp only gave out a little squeak of fear. She kinda already knew this but was REALLY hoping her big sister would wash away those fears and tell her she was being silly.
>”Noooo! Zipp, please! Look, I got mostly C's...only one D. It's not so bad, honest!”
But Zephyrina could only shrug her shoulders.
>”It's not me you gotta convince. Good luck with Mom.”
Zipp wasn't mean, she knew how much a spanking from their Mom hurt and felt bad for her sister, but every word written on that report card was truth. Pipp was giggly and disruptive. She was ALWAYS on her phone and she never had to work as hard as Zipp. Half-assed always seemed to be good enough for Pipp because she was cute and everypony loved her. Well, Mom wasn't gonna give a half-assed spanking when she saw that report card.

>”Zipp pleeeeeeeaaaaaaassssssseeeeeeeeee, you gotta help me!”
Zephyrina rolled her eyes. She knew this was coming.
>”Stay with me and help me talk to Mom! I'll just get scared and won't know what to say.”
>”Try 'sorry' and say it a lot of times.”
Pipp pranced on all 4 hooves anxiously and whimpered.
>”Maybe I'm too old for a spanking...”
But her older sister's laugh snuffed that little glimmer of hope.
>”Yeah, right. I'm two years older than you and Mom doesn't even think I'm too old for a spanking.
>”You just gotta take a deep breath, admit to Mom that you mis-prioritized some stuff and promise to do better next time. Even if it is worst-case-scenario and Mom is angry you've gotten a spanking before...it's not the end of the world.”

Pipp's face twisted into one of sorrowful misery and her eyes glistened with tears. Zipp knew what this was and braced herself for one of her sister's most powerful weapons. Pipp was a natural manipulator. It didn't make her a bad pony, it was just her nature that she could convey emotion expertly and use it to get other ponies to do what she wanted. She could use this power for good or evil but now she was only looking for help and a little protection.
The 13-year old pushed herself right to the brink of tears...quivering lips, pouty eyes glazed with tears just about to fall, ears turned down flat...but she held herself there and did not cry.
>”Z-Z-Zipp, I'm still scared. Will you go with me and talk to Mom?”
She wanted to say 'No', Zipp really did. She had worked hard this grading period and was expecting to be praised, even rewarded...not help silly dingbat Pipp out of the hot seat.

>”Fine”
Zipp couldn't believe she was saying this. Her voice was a growl.
>”but you gotta promise not to do that thing you do.”
Pipp looked dumbly innocent.
>”What thing?”
Zipp didn't even reply, she pushed to leave the hiding place and abandon her sister to the terrible fate of the hairbrush, but Pipp took her seriously and stopped her.
>”Right! Sorry. You mean that thing.”
>”Yes, THAT thing!”
Pipp looked up and her angry sister, shrinking down a little to look smaller and helpless.
>”I'm sorry about last time. I just got scared and nervous and did something stupid.”
The understatement made Zipp angry.
>”LAST time? Pipp, you do it EVERY TIME you're in trouble!”
>”Okay, okay, I totally promise I won't do it this time or ever again! Pleeeeaassee help me out, Zipp, Mom is gonna be really mad!” 

Zipp didn't want to do it. She had worked really hard and for weeks had looked forward to walking in, showing Mom a stellar report card and walking right out, hopefully with fewer guards this Friday night. Sticking around and trying to get Pipp out of hot water was not part of the plan.
>”Sis, please?”
But Pipp was her little sister and even though she totally deserved it the thought of her being punished broke Zipp's heart.
>”Fine,”
grumbled the elder sister
>”but I'm going first.”
Pipp squealed with hopeful excitement and whipped out her phone. She threw an arm around Zipp's neck and yanked her close so both of their faces would be in the camera frame.
>”Bonus update for all my fans out there, the Pipp Squeaks! Good news, best big sister in the world, Zipp Storm, has agreed to help me! This meeting with Mom might not turn into total disaster after all. Wish me luck and keep your hooves crossed...pip, pip, hooray!”
Zipp groaned.
>”Seriously, you're streaming this?”
>”Of course, why wouldn't I? I've got like 4,000 hits already.”

They met their mother in her Royal office, where she could usually be found when they got home from school. She was busy with government business so the fillies had no expectation of privacy as they presented their grades. Adult ponies worked all around them, coming and going. The Princesses knew all of them, and they all knew the girls. At least for Zipp this was a good day. Poor Pipp wasn't going to have it so easy.

As expected, Queen Haven was pleased with the achievements of her eldest.
>”Straight A's...special recognition for extra credit and services to the school.
>”This is outstanding, Zephyrina, I am very proud.”
Zipp blushed. She and her mother butted heads on a lot of things, and many times she'd screamed that she didn't care what Mom thought, but at times of more gentle emotion such as these her approval did feel good.
>”Thank you, Mom.”
The Queen grinned and added;
>”I think a filly who applies herself this diligently to her schoolwork has proven herself responsible enough to stay out an extra half-hour on non-school nights.”
Zipp couldn't help but give a little prance and flap her wings happily when she heard that news.
>”11 o'clock? Cool! Thanks Mom!”
She felt brave enough to ask;
>”Do you really think I need four guards?”
Haven grinned and made a concession.
>”Alright, there isn't much to worry about in Zephyr Heights and you're a capable filly. Henceforth you only need to take two troopers but I'd still prefer four during festivals or big events. Use your judgment, dear. Captain, will you inform the Guard Sergeant of my updated wishes?”
Her Captain of the Guard barked out a crisp “Yes Ma'am” and Zipp squeaked with excitement because this made it feel official. Today was a good day.

In a dream world Zephyrina could have walked out of there triumphant, but there was more to be done and Zipp hoped it wouldn't bring her perfect day crashing down.
>”Pipp, I trust your report card is as exemplary as your sister's?”
The younger sister had watched with sorrowful envy as Zipp had been praised, knowing her experience was going to be very different. Summoned, she put her phone away quickly (she had been live streaming) and stepped out of the shadows to report unhappily;
>”Ummm, no Mom. Sorry.”
The Queen read her youngest's report carefully and without words. Both Princesses cringed, Pipp leaning up against her big sister for support and Zipp wrapping her in a loose wing hug.
>”Well, I'd ask you for an explanation but I think these comments tell me most of what I need to know.
>”What do you have to say for yourself, young filly?”

For the next few minutes Pipp stammered out explanations and apologies for her substandard performance in school. She promised to pay less attention to her cell phone, a promise that made both Haven and Zipp roll their eyes in disbelief. She promised to fool around less and study more and respect her teachers but Zipp could tell she was just getting more desperate as her defense went on and Mom was not moved.

Calmer and clearer minded because her rump wasn't in immediate danger, Zipp struggled to think of a defense strategy that would work for her sister. The usual stuff wasn't changing Mom's unhappy expression any.
As ruler, Pipp & Zipp's mother valued public opinion polling highly...a little too much in Zipp's opinion but it was something she could use now.
>”You know, Mom,”
The Queen seemed a little annoyed but allowed her eldest to speak.
>”a lot of those classes Pipp had this semester are really hard...and the latest survey I saw says ponies are 30% more concerned about the stress being put on young ponies these days.”
Haven sighed and muttered;
>”I don't know where you're going with this, but if you want to stick your neck out for your sister go ahead.”

>”Well, Mom, I just thought maybe a more lenient, understanding approach would make you more relatable to the citizens. Corporal punishment is on the decline with modern parents.”
In defense of her sister Zipp spread the bullshit on thick.
>”Plus, you let me off the hook for bad marks a few months ago and I really pulled it together, see?”
Desperate, Pipp just nodded her head and agreed enthusiastically. For a moment they thought their argument might change the Queen's mind but at last Haven replied;
>”Nice try, Zephyrina. I'm glad to see you're thinking like a future ruler but don't try to match me on polling data. 
>”Surveys consistently indicate that 80-90% of adult pegasi believe a foal needs a good whack on the rump now and then. Furthermore, 70% of parents admit to having spanked their own foals at some point within the past 18 months.
>”Zephyrnia, these numbers haven't moved since you were a baby and they haven't changed much since your Grand-Mare was on the throne. They'll probably be the same when you are Queen...ponies love to argue and write books about about these kind of issues but in the end things don't change much.
>”The monarchy reflects the values of the citizenry, girls, that's how we STAY the monarchy. Always remember that.” 
She turned to Pipp and spoke, softly but menacingly;
>”Unfortunately for you, my little pony, in 70% of Zephyr Heights households, a 13 year old filly who has been lazy and prioritized her cell phone over her studies is considered 'highly deserving' of a spanking.”

Mom had used the horrible S-word not once but twice now, and that second one sounded to Pipp like it was directed at her own poor precious tushie. She was trembling all over now and just instants from being in full tears. Zipp recognized the danger signs and muttered to herself;
>”Awww crap,,,no, no, no, no, don't do it!”
Mom asked Pipp one last time;
>”Do you have anything else to say for yourself, young filly?”
And just as her older sister feared, Pipp just exploded.

>”ZIPP WAS SMOKING JOKEWEED AND MESSING AROUND WITH THAT COLT YOU DON'T LIKE BEHIND THE STAGE CONTROLS IN THE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM!” 
Zipp covered her face with her hoof. Every time. Every. Fucking. Time!
Whenever Pipp was in trouble she would ask for help, which Zipp grudgingly agreed to every time. Then, when the heat was on, she panicked and tattled on something her sister had done to draw Mom's attention off her. And it worked. Every fucking time.

>”Zephyrina Storm, is that true!?”
There was no point in lying. Zipp could not believe how quickly this day had gone from great to disaster.
>”...s-sorta...”
Queen Haven held out her hoof to Pipp.
>”I assume you recorded this?”
By now Pipp had regained her composure and knew how badly she'd screwed up. She made a feeble attempt to fix things.
>”Eh,,,umm, no, I don't think I did. I mean, it was too dark for video and I'm not even sure what I really saw. Maybe it wasn't even really Zipp, maybe.”
But it was too late for that.
>”Nonsense, Pipp. You record everything...do you expect me to believe you do not have video of this? Now show me the livestream.”
>”Umm, it's not really a live stream, it's a saved video...”
>”I do NOT CARE, if it is a live-tube, or a vine-gram or an insta blog journal, I told you to show me the video NOW or I will tan your backside right here in front of all these ponies!”
The other ponies in the office looked at each other awkwardly, achingly sympathetic to the two poor Princesses' predicament.

Frantically, Pipp struggled with her phone while Queen Mom tapped her gilded horseshoe impatiently, but at last she brought up the short clip and gave it to her mother. Haven watched the incriminating evidence without a word then tucked the phone under her wing. Pipp whimpered with dismay when she did not get it back.
>”Both of you to your rooms this instant. I will be along shortly and we will have a TALK about these various matters.
>”Guards, ensure the Princesses reach their chambers without delay...and put a lock on Zipp's window.”

Pipp did not want to look her sister in the eye, but could not avoid it forever. At last she turned to meet Zipp's angry glare. She gave a sheepish, embarrassed smile and muttered;
>”Sorry.”
Zipp just shook her head and grumbled;
>”Every friggin' time.”
as they were led away. 

Epilogue
Later that day, after the worst of it was over, Zipp lay on her bed, wrapped in blankets except for her rear end, which was had a fan blowing on it. It didn't help much.
Pipp had done this to her 6 times now...desperately begging for big sister's help when she was in trouble, then losing her nerve and blurting out something secret that Zipp had done. Every time Pipp apologized and felt horrible about it, but she'd done it again and Zipp went along with it every time.

The older sister wasn't even that mad at Pipp. For certain she wanted to beat the tar out of the bratty little tattle-tale, but having just suffered a painful session with Mom's Royal hairbrush across her own rear she had refreshed understanding of why Pipp got so scared. Spankings were one thing Queen Haven did not delegate to underlings and she knew how to make a naughty filly howl from the very first whack.
Her rump still throbbing with pain, Zipp couldn't get comfortable so she unwrapped, got up and went to pay her sister a visit. She wasn't sure if she wanted to comfort or yell at Pipp; she would decide when she got there.

>”Heya dork. How you feelin'?”
When she saw her older sister Pipp exploded into fresh tears. These were real, not fake internet tears.
>”Zipp I'm SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO sorry!
>”I can't believe I panicked and tattled on you, that's totally not what I wanted to do.”
Zipp flopped down on the fluffy bed next to her and groaned;
>”Kinda used to it by now.”
Pipp blushed.
>”Umm, yeah, I guess it's not the first time either.”
>”More like the sixth.”
Pipp didn't think it was six times, but she didn't argue. Once was bad enough.
>”Okay but I'm SOOOO seriously sorry! It will never happen again!”
With a sneer, Zipp growled;
>”I'm not gonna give you the chance again!
>”Hey, you're my sister and I love you, but from now on when you're in trouble DON'T come asking me for help. I'm not getting burned again.”
Pipp stuck out her lip and pouted, but did not argue.
>”I deserve that.”
They both knew it was nonsense. The next time Pipp was in trouble she knew she would run to her big sister for help...and Zipp knew she'd always give in and stick her neck out. 

“So was Mom really mad?”
Zipp considered the question and replied;
>”About 7 outta 10. I'm grounded two weeks.”
>”Me too, more if my grades don't get better. Mom took away my new phone for two weeks as well.”
Pipp went looking for something, sliding open a drawer under her bed. There were at least 4 spare phones down there, all ready and charged.
>”Pipp, didn't Mom..?”
The younger filly innocently said;
>”Mom only took my new phone away. You don't suppose she means I'm not allowed to use any of them, do you? No phone AT ALL?”
Zipp laughed, her first since the spanking,
>”I'd just keep a low profile if I was you.”

But Pipp didn't hear a word of her sister's advice. As soon as a spare phone was booted up she held it at arms length and began streaming;
>”Hey all you Pipsqueaks out there! Tragic news; Mom was NOT happy about my report card and Pipp's poor princess posterior payed a positively painful price! But don't worry, your girl is okay now.
>”I'm here LIVE with best big sister in Zephyr Heights, Zipp Storm! As you know if you've been keeping up with my updates, Zipp bravely tried to help me out of trouble but then she ended up getting a spanking herself! I know, Pippsqueaks, totally unfair, right?” 

Mortified, Zipp pushed the camera away and protested;
>”Pipp! Don't tell all of Zephyr Heights! I don't want ponies to know I got...”
>”What, spanked? Oh, come on, look at the comments you're getting.”
Zipp was still mad but she grudgingly read some of the replies that were scrolling in from Pipp's weird fans.
>”Aww, that one is nice. How do I reply?”
>”We're streaming, you just talk. Hi OATLOVER69! Thanks for your comment, we hope my sister's rear end feels better soon too!
>”And we're not gonna show you our buttholes so everypony stop asking!”
Some of the comments were lewd but most were supportive. A few anonymous ponies posted nasty things about Pipp getting her sister in trouble, but Zipp quickly put them in their place.

That is how the rest of Zipp & Pipp's afternoon went, live streaming and answering embarrassing questions about their ordeal. It was something Zephyrina wouldn't have done on her own, but Pipp knew this world better and made it fun. The sisters stayed online until the sun dipped low and they were called to the dining room for dinner.

Unbeknownst to them, Queen Haven had watched the entire stream with a smile. She knew Pipp had spare phones, and would only act angry if she caught her with one. If not, let her do her insta-chat thing, it kept her connected to the citizens. Zipp was a wild child, but Haven knew she would be okay and make a fine ruler. For now it warmed her heart to see them laughing together; that both of her Princesses had gotten over their punishments and were happy enough to get on with normal (if grounded) teenage fun.

For a brief moment Haven wondered if unicorn and earth pony parents had days like this.

END