Berry Story Rough Draft

        The Cutie Mark Crusaders decide to try their hooves at botany. They wander into the Everfree Forest and to look for mysterious plants. While there, Sweetie Belle gets separated from the other two and stumbles into a bramble. She comes out in a clearing full of vegetation drastically different from the forest surrounding it.

 

        The whole area is bursting with all sorts of flora and fauna, and one particular shrub catches her eye. Full of dark red, plump, berries, Sweetie wants to taste them but ultimately decides to just pick a few. The rest of the CMCs find her and they continue exploring.

 

        They all eventually return to Ponyville but without their marks, though with a saddlebag full of berries from the mysterious bush. They go to Sugarcube Corner to cheer themselves up after another unsuccessful attempt at getting their marks. Sweetie places her saddlebag on the floor next to a bunch of other ones and proceeds to order her milkshake. A frantic Mr. Cake mistakes Sweetie's bag for a similar bag of raspberries, and mutters something about another huge order for Celestia and Canterlot elite. He takes it and goes back into the kitchen. The CMCs return to their clubhouse, where they all say goodbye for the day. Sweetie Belle remains oblivious to that she took the wrong bag and throws it in Rarity's closet.

 

        The next day, As they enter Sugarcube corner, they overhear Mr. Cake talking a new raspberry cake that he's making for the princess. They beg Mr. Cake to let them have a piece, and after some prodding, he gives in, even cutting a piece for himself. Their cake arrives, dropped off by a Mrs. Cake who remarks that Apple Bloom smells like a barnyard and Sweetie's mane is unkempt. She then quickly apologizes and blames it on her lack of sleep. Not wanting to make a big deal out of it, the fillies decide to eat their desserts in a hurry and head off to school.

 

        When they get there, Cheerilee greets them at the front door warmly. She asks Scootaloo her weekend was and jokingly asks if she managed to keep herself out of trouble. Scootaloo instantly blurts out that she ran her scooter into a fruit stand but then got away because nopony was at it, before covering her mouth, horrified. A surprised Cheerilee wanders back into the classroom, and the CMC follow. During the following class period, Apple Bloom blurts out that she went to the Everfree Forest when asked. Sweetie Belle can't believe this, since she promised to keep it a secret.

 

        She departs the school and stops by the Carousel Boutique. Rarity is working on a dress that is incredibly gaudy, but is distressed. She asks Sweetie Belle how her day was and if she likes the dress she's making. Much to both of their surprises, Sweetie screams that it looks like a mule made it and Rarity begins to twitch before breaking down in tears. Sweetie runs out of the room and towards the CMC clubhouse.

 

        On her way there, she sees Ponyville full of angry ponies. She reaches the clubhouse, where Scootaloo and Apple Bloom have a book entitled "Edible Berries and Roots of Equestria" on the table. They beg with her to point out the berry bush in the book that looked like the one she found, and she finds it. The "Everfree Jabberberry," as it is called, is a plant long believed to be extinct in the wild. Stories tell of ponies who ate the berries being unable to withhold their secrets. 'Increased consumption of the berries', the book continues, 'led to increasingly deep secrets being told. Last sample went extinct hundreds of years ago during a particularly harsh winter.' They realize that all of the angry ponies must have eaten a piece of the cake. Sweetie Belle then remembers that the cake made with the berries was originally made for the princess' meeting with the elite. They all gasp and run for the train station.

 

        The scene then switches to Celestia overseeing the deliver of the desserts for her party. She is trying to tell jokes to the elite to break the ice. Mr. Cake remarks that he never liked Celestia's jokes and then collapses from fear when he sees she's right behind him. Mrs. Cake picks him up and scoots away. Celestia knows something is going on, but says nothing.

 

        The CMCs arrive in Canterlot and hurriedly head to the castle. They manage to sneak past the guardsponies and into the room where Celestia and Luna are sitting at a table surrounded by elite. Celestia has a plate of the cake set in front of her. She levitates her fork, takes a piece, and begins to move it to her mouth. Suddenly, the CMCs manage to push through the crowd and Sweetie Belle slaps the fork out of the air. Celestia angrily asks the meaning of three fillies coming to her party and stopping her from eating cake. The three fillies explain what happened, and the origin of the berries in the cake. Celestia gives them a motherly look.

 

        She looks at them deeply and begins to speak. "It seems we've all learned a lesson today about keeping and telling secrets. Sometimes we've just got to think before we say things, wouldn't you fillies agree? Secrets can be fun to have, but not everyone needs to know everything." The crowd nods in agreement.

 

        Suddenly, Rarity's voice is heard screaming "WHO LEFT THESE ROTTEN RASPBERRIES IN MY SUPPLY CLOSET?!" Sweetie Belle and the rest of the CMC run.

 

        End