CUTIE BLOSSOM BASH
Written by Kelly Lynne D’Angelo
Executive producers: Olivier Dumont, Randi Yaffa, Cort Lane
Story editing by Gillian Berrow
Supervising direction by Will Lau
Directed by Randi Rodrigues
Transcribed by Alan Back (ajback@yahoo.com)
Notes: Act One contain a series of flashbacks, in which all main characters are
colts/fillies who have not yet earned their cutie marks. Lines marked with one
asterisk (*) are delivered as a voice over in these sequences.
Background song lyrics are in square brackets; any marked with an exclamation
point are shouted rather than sung.
Prologue
(Opening shot: the Marestream barreling through a calm daytime sky, its rainbow contrail describing a swooping arc above the cloud cover. Its trajectory brings it close enough to the camera to pick out Sunny Starscout and all her friends, including Misty, in the cockpit; Zipp Storm, at the controls, is wearing her favorite sunglasses. Cut to Sunny and Misty; a jolt brings a yelp of shock from the unicorn and very nearly shakes her off her hooves.)
Sunny: Are you okay, Misty?
Misty: Oh, yeah! I’m just— (Another shake; stumble and grunt.) —still finding my balance.
Sunny: The Marestream can take some getting used to. At least we’re taking you on a secret surprise adventure. (Cut to Misty; she continues o.s.) Are you excited?
(A measure of trepidation comes across the blue face as the other five smile expectantly her way, but she responds in kind after a moment. Sparky Sparkeroni is nowhere in sight.)
Misty: Oh, yeah, definitely. Uh, so, um, what is it?
Sunny: We’re going to Zephyr Heights for the annual Equestria Cutie Blossom Bash!
(Varied enthusiastic responses from the other four behind her.)
Misty: (puzzled) Cutie Blossom Bash? What is that?
Pipp Petals: It’s only the cutest springtime celebration of all that is fresh and new. I’m talking flowers, blossoms, bunnies… (Strike a pose.) …fashion! The looks you will see, Misty. The looks!
Hitch Trailblazer: But more importantly, it’s an official ceremony in celebration for all of the ponies that have gotten their new cutie marks that year. A day of honor!
Zipp: (removing her shades) Yeah, and it’s kinda cool how we’re finally combining the tradition we’ve all grown up with.
Izzy Moonbow: (giddily) Ooh, I love the Blossom Bash! It’s so…spring-y. See? I’ve already crafted seven flower corsages. I only need to make a few hundred more.
(On the second half of this line, she holds up a front hoof and the camera cuts to a close-up of a couple of flower/bead bracelets resting on it, then to a slightly bewildered Sunny and Misty. The view returns to Izzy as she finishes, then back to the two spectators on the start of the following.)
Misty: (suddenly panicked) A few hundred?
Pipp: (from o.s.) Yeah! (Cut to her.) For all the ponies who are going to cheer you on!
(She and the rest of the Maretime Bay gang demonstrate, but Misty is clearly ill at ease. Izzy has put away her corsages, and Zipp has donned her tinted lenses again.)
Misty: (to herself, turning to watch the sky) Oh, wow. Okay. It’ll be okay. I can just avoid all those other ponies, right? (Deep breath.) I’ll just keep my head down and blend in. It’ll be smooth sailing. Yep.
(The Marestream describes a wide curve through the sky and finds itself bearing down on a rather large and unfriendly accumulation of gray storm clouds that prickle with lightning. Yells of surprise and fright from all but Hitch and Zipp; Izzy looks a bit thrilled.)
[Animation goof: Zipp’s sunglasses disappear at this point.]
Hitch: (to Zipp) Quick, turn!
(She works the steering yoke with a grunt of acknowledgment, dropping the craft briefly out of sight, and a longer shot on the next line shows her navigating below the thunderhead.)
Zipp: (now o.s.) I got this!
(Once past the obstacle, she gains altitude and resumes the original course. There follows a six-part sigh of relief.)
Misty: Uh…oh, no. I just jinxed the whole “smooth sailing” thing, didn’t I?
(She swallows hard before the view snaps to black.)
OPENING THEME
Act One
(Cut from the title card directly to the Marestream in flight.)
Final verse of the song that Pipp sang in Mane Melody during Chapter One, Act Two
Energetic pop melody with synthesizer/drums and brass accents, fast 4 (F major)
Pipp: So put your hooves up high ’cause we’re feeling all right [Hey!]
(Hitch stares out through the windshield, lost in thought, as the others groove in their own ways.)
Every day is awesome in the Maretime Bay
So put your hooves up, put your hooves up [Hey!]
Everything
A cappella
Is gonna be okay
Song ends
(The Sheriff voices a pensive sigh.)
Izzy: (crossing to him) Thinking about Sparky again? (He turns to her.)
Hitch: Yeah. (Cut to him.) Ever since his run-in with Opaline, he’s been so tired. I didn’t want to drag him all the way to Zephyr Heights, but I miss him.
Izzy: Well, at least he’s resting with Grandma Figgy.
(He smiles ever so slightly at this mention, remembering the ordeal of Sparky’s abduction in “Missing the Mark.” Cut to a long shot of said grandmother’s house, zooming in slowly over the grassy front lawn, and then to Figgy and Sparky taking it easy in a well-padded chair inside. The infant dragon is nestled in the elderly mare’s lap, pacifier in mouth and tucked in under his favorite little blanket as he takes a nap and coos in his sleep. Back to Hitch, his spirits much improved by the thought.)
Hitch: You’re right. Grandma is the best at making anypony feel better.
Izzy: (from o.s.) See? (Cut to her.) Sparky’s in great hooves. You just gotta get your mind off things.
Sunny: I know how we can do that. Let’s go around and share our cutie mark stories with Misty. I’ll go first.
(Dissolve to a close-up of her as a filly, behind a lemonade stand on a street in Maretime Bay: straws, cups, pitcher, and so on.)
* Sunny: Back when I was a little filly, I didn’t have many friends. But…
(A glance off to one side picks out her father, Argyle Starshine, who raises a cup in a silent toast of encouragement.)
* Sunny: …my dad always said… (His mouth moves in time with her words.) …“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade—”
(A longer shot on the end of this line picks out a crate of lemons and a stool set with a tray of cupcakes off to one side, and a sign above Filly SU’s head that depicts one of each. Zoom out as Figgy and another pony approach the stand. Figgy does not appear to be significantly younger in this flashback than in the present.)
* Sunny: “—and sell it to raise money for the library.” So I did. (Figgy pays, takes a cup, and walks off drinking.) My lemonade was a hit! (Others follow suit.) I sold almost every cup right away.
(In short order, she finds herself with an empty pitcher, one last cup—and two prospective customers reaching for it.)
* Sunny: But two ponies wanted the last one. (Angry, indistinct noises from the pair.) They started arguing
(An idea flashes through the youngster’s brain; she pops the lid off the cup and pours half its contents into an empty spare, then offers them both up with a smile.)
* Sunny: But then I stepped in to help. They realized they were fighting for no reason. That’s when my cutie mark appeared.
(Filly SU turns her eyes joyfully to her right haunch just in time to see its three stars manifest themselves there. Evidently this flashback is set sometime between the prologue and Act One of A New Generation, as she did not yet have her mark at the beginning of that film.)
* Sunny: My dad told me it’s because I helped those ponies put aside their differences. (Father and daughter embrace.) He was so proud.
(Dissolve to her walking proudly across a stage with a flower backdrop, to the sound of applause. A banner set with her new mark hangs from a pole on a holder strapped to her back, and a sash crosses her chest.)
* Sunny: That spring, I got to trot the stage in our Cutie Blossom Bash. (Giggle.)
(Cut to a warmly smiling Argyle among the crowd during this line, then to a slow zoom in on the banner. The next words are marked by a dissolve to an extreme close-up of Sunny’s haunch in the here and now, marking the end of this flashback.)
* Sunny: Ah, it’s one of my favorite memories.
[Continuity error: The logo of Mane Melody is visible on a building behind Argyle, even though the depicted moment is set long before Pipp’s arrival in Maretime Bay and the opening of the business.]
(Zoom out to frame her and Misty, both savoring the moment, then cut to Hitch on the next words.)
Hitch: Hmmm…now I want lemonade.
Zipp: (excitedly, waving a foreleg) Me next! My story—
Pipp: Well, technically, our story—
Zipp: —starts back home in ZH.
(Dissolve to her younger self sitting on a sidewalk in Zephyr Heights to do some figuring with notepad and pen. Queen Haven’s dog Cloudpuff—here only a puppy—inspects the cap and begins to chew on it as the camera zooms in slowly.)
* Zipp: Before we had magic, I was always crunching numbers—
(Cut to behind her and tilt up; she is examining an imposing gold/marble fountain decorated with pegasus statues.)
* Zipp: —trying to figure out exactly how pegasi could fly again. (A brainstorm hits; she drops her gear and stands up.) But one day, I had this epic breakthrough moment.
(A few nimble bounds carry Filly ZI up to the topmost portion of the fountain.)
* Zipp: I could tell that I was so close to flying! It felt amazing! (Now she turns her attention to the ledges and columns of a nearby building.) And sure, it was scary, but no other pegasus had tried it before me.
(This last sentence is punctuated by a series of three leaps that send the royal heir zigzagging up a pair of columns, capped off by a launch that sends her up for a respectable bit of hang time. The action briefly shifts to slow motion on this last, then returns to normal speed as she touches down atop one statue. Her respite lasts only a moment, though, as she kicks off into a lazy, gliding arc that brings awed responses from ground level and turns into a spread-legged, four-point landing at the base of the fountain.)
* Zipp: It was awesome!
(Right on cue, her crown/lightning-bolt mark winks into being on her haunch. On the start of the next line, dissolve to it in the present and zoom out to frame her.)
Zipp: That’s the day I got this little wonderbolt. (Pipp straightens up into view and clears her throat.)
Pipp: (singsong) And don’t leave out what happened ne-e-ext.
(Dissolve back to the fountain; now her own younger self is among the onlookers watching the impromptu stunt show.)
* Pipp: Watching my sister soar? I’d never seen anything like it. (Filly ZI lands.) She was so courageous, and that gave me the confidence to perform— (Now Filly PI gathers her nerve and taps the concrete.) —for the first time ever.
Slow loose tempo (G flat major)
Quiet piano chords at first, swelling into bass/strings/percussion flourish
Filly PI’s vocals grow from soft to full-throated
Filly PI: Ooh, make your mark, it’s your spark
Your cutie mark, oh, yeah
Song ends
Filly ZI: Pipp?
Spectator: Pipp!
Crowd: Hooray!
Filly PI: Hey, that’s cute! I’m using it.
(Fluffy white wings shift just in time to fully expose the crown/notes appearing on her haunch in extreme close-up, after which the view dissolves to them on a pole-mounted banner similar to the one Filly SU carried. A longer shot puts the sisters side by side, toting their respective standards and wearing sashes; they are now in a room of Zephyr Heights Palace, and they trot past a sizable floral arrangement as applause drifts around them and their mother watches from a balcony. Cloudpuff is balanced on the rail. Haven does not look or sound any different from the present.)
Haven: Oh, yay!
(Overcome with emotion, she blows her nose on the nearest thing within reach—which happens to be the winged pooch, bringing a soft giggle from the sisters. Dissolve to them in the present.)
Zipp: (nudging Pipp) Kinda stole the spotlight there, sis.
Pipp: (rolling eyes) It’s not my fault! You were the one who was so inspiring. (She toys with her mane.)
Zipp: (addressing herself o.s.) You look like you’re about to burst, buddy.
(Who happens to be Hitch, as revealed when the camera cuts to him—jittering in place and wearing a big dopey smile.)
Zipp: (from o.s.) Want to tell yours? (He pulls in a long gasp.)
Hitch: Do I!
(Dissolve to him as a colt, on the beach in Maretime Bay. He bounces a ball off his head toward two others, one of whom is Sprout Cloverleaf, as a filly wanders up.)
* Hitch: I was playing hoofball on the beach with some colts when this filly asked to join us. (The other two shake their heads…) But they wouldn’t let her play! They just kept shouting… (…and walk off, mouths moving on the next words delivered in a deep voice.) …“No fillies allowed!”
(The filly gallops off crying; now Hitch returns to his normal tone.)
* Hitch: So I did what any decent pony would do. (Colt HI races after her; they commence to knocking the ball around.) I ditched the meanies and played with her. And then— (singsong) —I got my ma-a-ark!
(The horseshoe/shield and two stars fade in on his haunch; dissolve to him carrying a banner of it on the same stage that Filly SU did at her Cutie Blossom Bash and wearing a sash.)
* Hitch: Because the only peace of mind is to be kind.
(The future Sheriff tips a wink to the crowd; among them; Colt SC disdainfully turns his face away while the third member of their trio at least has the decency to look ashamed of himself. Back to the present; Izzy jitters in place.)
Izzy: My turn! Ooh… (Settle down; dramatic tone.) So, it all begins back in Bridlewood, during the days of yore, on the eves of the translucent moonstone moon… (fading away, as if echoing) …moon…moon…doodle-oodle, oodle-oodle, oodle-oodle, flashback.
(The middle part of this line is marked by a brief cut to her perspective of the other five, and the end occurs in time with a dissolve to her as a filly, on the move through a path in Bridlewood. At this point, she does not wear her trademark foreleg bracelet. She comes upon a pile of discarded items and begins to look it over; on the next words, a couple of dissolves show it expanding and being added to by passersby.)
* Izzy: (normal tone and volume) There was this really sad-looking junk pile in the middle of our forest that just kept growing and growing. But I didn’t see it as junk. (Filly IZ holds up a couple of things.) I saw it as stuff that just needed some love.
(She needs only a few moments and hammer strikes to re-fashion the lot into a working fountain. A brightly colored umbrella with a broken handle sits open and upside-down on a small stone pedestal to serve as the basin; a branch juts upward from within, the fork at its upper end holding a pitcher at an angle so that it can pour water out. Other pieces have been mounted on the umbrella shaft to serve as shallow elevated basins, the liquid spilling over their edges and into the main one. Zoom in slowly as Filly IZ gallops away.)
* Izzy: I remade everything into a big teapot statue. (Passing unicorns stop and smile at her work.) Then everypony saw that maybe they’d judged the junk a little too harshly.
Filly IZ: Hey, thanks! (Giggle.) I’m just a unicorn that loves recycling. (thoughtfully) “Uni…cycling.” (Gasp; eyes pop.) Uni-cycling!
* Izzy: And then, bam! (The pierced/buttoned pincushion pops onto the little unicorn’s haunch.) I got my mark!
(Dissolve to a giggling Filly IZ parading on a stage before a crowd, a banner with her new mark sanding up from her back and a sash across her chest.)
Filly IZ: Yay!
(Another dissolve brings up the present time.)
Misty: (chuckling weakly) Wow! Great stories! But, um, they all ended with a big event where you had to stand in front of a lot of ponies? (Close-up of her on this last.)
Sunny: (now o.s.) Yep! (Zoom out to frame her.) Now it’s your turn to do the same. (pulling Misty close) And it’s going to be the biggest, most grand one yet! (Gasp; point ahead.) Look!
(The nearest clouds part to give a clear view of Zephyr Heights, but the city remains under an overcast sky. The Marestream cruises over one busy street and then the walkway leading up to Zephyr Heights Palace, where prep work for the Bash is already underway. Cut to an apprehensive Misty in the cockpit on the start of the next line.)
Misty: (to herself) There’s so many ponies here. (Deep breath.) Be brave, Misty. I don’t want to ruin anything for them. I can do this.
Pipp: (to her) Aren’t you soooo thrilled? (“Soooo” is sung.)
Misty: (forcing a chuckle) Um, it’s all so new!
(She carefully turns her face away before letting her real worry back onto it. The vehicle lands on a balcony, the wings fold away, and the rear door slides open to let the ponies out. Zipp has barely gotten one hoof over the threshold before the great golden doors swing wide—opened from inside by Thunder and Zoom—and Haven and Cloudpuff fly out, pulling up into a hover.)
Haven: My angels! You’ve arrived! (She darts across to hug Pipp and Zipp; the dog takes his time reaching the three.) I was so worried, I nearly had to send Cloudpuff to track you down again. I’m thrilled to have you here, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m a teensy bit stressed.
(She glances skyward as thunder rumbles faintly.)
Zipp: A problem with the Crystals again? (The Unity Crystals, that is; cut to Haven as she finishes.)
Haven: Oh, stars, no. It’s just spring showers. But if it rains, then everything will be ruined.
Hitch: I can most certainly help with that.
Zipp: Me too. We’re problem-solving pros.
Haven: Really? You’d do that for me?
Hitch: Of course. We promise to make sure this event runs seamlessly and that everything is as right as rain. (He and Zipp trade a high five.) Uh, or not-rain, in this case.
Haven: Oh, thank hoofness! Follow me.
(She turns to lead the entire contingent into the palace, the camera tilting up from them.)
Act Two
(Cut to the seven ponies walking along a corridor with Cloudpuff flitting overhead. Decorations of various sorts have been put up; the same will be true of other areas within the palace when they are seen.)
Haven: Here you’ll find our giant springtime floral arrangements, as well as our baby duck nursery.
(A stallion pauses so she can look over the trays of small goodies on the cart he is pushing.)
Haven: (taking one, holding it up) Oh, and our Zephyr Bites appetizers. Clever, huh? (tossing it for Cloudpuff to eat; the stallion goes on his way) I didn’t come up with that one. Cloudpuff did.
(They round a corner, without Sunny/Hitch/Izzy.)
Haven: What do you think, girls? I am devoted to making this the best Cutie Blossom Bash ever— (turning to Misty) —especially for your darling new friend Misty. (Tap floor.) Guards— (Thunder and Zoom swoop in and land behind her.) —prepare for Misty’s cutie mark debut. (All three pivot and walk off, Cloudpuff keeping pace.) This is going to be one fun-packed, pony-filled social event.
(By this point, the camera has shifted to frame only Misty and the departing foursome.)
Zipp: (from o.s.) Yes!
(Cut to frame the visitors, Sunny/Hitch/Izzy having rejoined them. Cheers and laughs ripple among the group as four gallop/fly off along the corridor, leaving only the two unicorns behind.)
Izzy: (to Misty) You’re gonna be so great! This is fun! (She trots away with a laugh.)
Misty: (with great trepidation) Yaaay?
Sunny: (darting back to her) Come on, Misty!
(A bubbly giggle escapes her throat as an orange foreleg latches onto a blue and drags its owner o.s. with remarkable speed, leaving only enough time for one yell of shock. She fetches up in a side room, seated in a swivel chair before a vanity counter that holds a couple of beauty products. As Sunny, Haven, and Cloudpuff watch from a couch farther back, Izzy and Pipp dart up on either side of Misty and set to work. A spray bottle and aerosol can are picked up by a gold hoof and a magic field, respectively, and their contents are applied liberally enough to cloud up the screen. The view clears to present an extreme close-up of a mass of dark red, curly hair, and a quick zoom out puts this squarely on Misty’s head. Her mane has been dyed this color, shading to bright orange at the ends, and Izzy presents the result for evaluation by Sunny and Haven. The younger mare nods at first, but notices the older one’s disapproving head shake and quickly shifts to match it.)
(Izzy thinks hard for a moment before levitating another can, and Pipp swings in with fresh inspiration. Spray and perfume are applied liberally, accompanied by a hailstorm of accessories that sail past the onlookers; one piece even lands briefly on Cloudpuff’s head. This time, the aerosol haze clears to show an expanse of curly green hair; zoom out to reveal that Misty has received a two-tone dye job in this color, lighter at the ends as before. The responses of Sunny and Haven follow their earlier pattern.)
(Now Izzy floats up two cans at once and lets them blast, filling the screen with clouds of different colors for a moment, and Pipp wields her spray bottle to send a wash of liquid across the screen. This clears to present an extreme close-up of Misty’s widened eye; zoom out to frame her from the neck up. Her mane is now deep purple, shading to vivid reddish-pink at the ends, and she smiles and fiddles with a few strands. On the start of the next line, cut to the couch; Izzy and Pipp are now here, standing/hovering alongside Sunny/Haven/Cloudpuff.)
Haven: Hmmm…we could go a little brighter, don’t you think, dear?
Pipp: You’re so right, Mom.
(The two stylists return to their task while Sunny and Haven get off the couch, the latter departing. Misty continues to regard herself happily in the mirror set up before her as part of the vanity, but her spirits sink in the time it takes for all eyes to be looking in directions other than hers. Close-up.)
Sunny: (from o.s.) Hey.
(Misty straightens up with a grunt; zoom out to frame Sunny by the chair on the next line.)
Sunny: Is something bothering you?
Misty: (swiveling to face her) Oh, uh, I-I’m just…worried about what’s going on back home. (catching herself) I-I mean, back at Opaline’s.
Sunny: (as Izzy/Pipp lean/hover closer) Oh, we understand.
Pipp: Luckily, we have more Cutie Blossom activities that focus entirely on you! (She leans over one arm of the chair toward Misty.) That should get your mind off it. (under her breath, addressing herself o.s.) Help me with the baskets?
(She kicks off to fly out of the room, setting the chair spinning, and the other two mares follow. Cloudpuff flutters up off the couch and over to Misty, offering a sympathetic bark and nuzzle.)
Misty: (to him) Okay, so I was lying a little about what’s bothering me, but it’s sort of true. Opaline probably knows I’m gone and is already plotting her evil revenge against me.
(Cut to a long shot of the tallest tower in Opaline Arcana’s castle and zoom in slowly.)
Opaline: (voice over) Gone! Gone! No, no, no! How is this possible?
(A closed door within the structure.)
Opaline: (kicking it open from other side) The ultimate price must be paid!
(She walks through and is soon inside the ritual chamber she used to drain Sparky’s magic in “Missing the Mark.” On the next line, pan away from her to frame the rest of the space; the central table gone.)
Opaline: I can’t believe she’s missing! (Back to her, looking on/under tables.) Gertrude! Where are you, Gertrude? My favorite mane brush! She’s so precious to me! (Zoom in.) I must find her!
(Snarling through gritted teeth, she decides to direct her search elsewhere. Cut to a video clip playing on a cell phone: Filly PI and Filly ZI in a garden at the palace. The younger sister stands by a sapling ready for planting, its roots still bundled up in cloth; the older one speaks while jumping up to push off a tall hedge and do a backflip. As during their Act One flashback, Haven looks and sounds as she does in the present when she appears.)
[Animation goof: She is wearing the purple substitute for the Pegasus Crystal in her crown, even though this sequence takes place long before the original green one was stolen in A New Generation.]
Filly ZI: Mom, Mom! Look at me!
Filly PI: If I sing to the tree, Mom, will it grow faster? (Haven steps into frame and adjusts the camera.)
Haven: Oh, there’s an idea! Let’s try, shall we? (Filly ZI jumps onto her back.)
Sunny, Izzy, Pipp: (from o.s.) Awww…
(On the start of the next line, cut to frame these three and Misty in a palace corridor, clustered in around Haven to watch the clip on her phone. This shot shows that Misty’s tail has been dyed to match her mane.)
Haven: I remember your Cutie Blossom Bash like it was yesterday. (She puts it away.)
Izzy: I just want to pick them up and squeeze them! (She does just that to Misty on these last two words.)
Pipp: We were so cute!
Haven: (leading her and Sunny away) You still are.
(Once again the two unicorns hang back; cut to them as she finishes, Misty’s smile evaporating like water on a hot griddle.)
Izzy: What’s up, Misty?
Misty: (as they follow) Um, i-it’s just that most ponies get their cutie marks when they’re young, because that’s when the magic of their personality—
Izzy: (singsong) And their luminesce-e-ence!
Misty: —starts to shine. (increasingly worked up) But because of Opaline, I never got to shine until now. (They approach the other three, standing by a set of closed doors.) That means not only will I be in front of everypony, but…
(The end of this is accompanied by a cut to the other side of the doors, which are opened by Thunder and Zoom to frame her and Izzy. She goes stock-still, green eyes widening in pure shock; cut to her perspective of the upper reaches in her destination—the Grand Hall, or throne room. Tilt down from the chandelier to ground level and pan slowly across the floor, which is occupied by a half-dozen chattering, laughing foals. Glory, Peach Fizz, and Seashell are among them; the other three are colts, one from each tribe. Back to the horror-stricken blue unicorn.)
Misty: …I’m gonna be the oldest pony here!
(Cut to Hitch addressing a hovering Zipp elsewhere in the Grand Hall.)
Hitch: All righty, Zipp! Perimeter checked, the throne room looks airtight and safe from rain.
Zipp: (landing) That’s great, Sheriff, but what about… (Zoom out slightly to frame a freaked-out Pipp in the fore.)
Pipp: …the fact that the Blossom Bashers will have to trot outside to get from the palace to the stage, potentially ruining their perfect outfits in the puddles and downpour?!?
(She flops bonelessly to the floor, leaving her older sister’s mind utterly blown.)
Zipp: Yeah.
Hitch: We need rain boots! And umbrellas! And fast!
(She nods firmly and both hustle out. Misty backs cautiously into view, the three Maretime Bay fillies approaching from behind, and freezes at the sound of Seashell’s voice.)
Seashell: Misty!
Misty: Hm?
Seashell: We didn’t even know it was possible a pony your age could get a cutie mark for the first time. It’s so cool!
(Cut to Misty, who gasps softly, then back to the trio on the following.)
Seashell: Would you like to join us? Glory and Peach Fizz are here to celebrate my new cutie mark with me. (turning to show her right haunch) Look!
(Said mark consists of a green/white seashell next to two pink stars. Zoom marches into the Grand Hall at a distance behind Misty.)
Misty: (laughing a bit) It’s awesome, Seashell!
Zoom: It is time.
Misty: Time? For what?
Seashell: (moving toward Zoom; others follow) Don’t worry. You can stick with me.
(She, the three colts, and one slightly unstrung mare fall in line as Thunder steps in. Glory and Peach are not among them.)
Thunder: Welcome to the Cutie Blossom Bash Eve Dinner Soiree!
(On this line, cut to a long shot and slow zoom in on a long table off to one side of the Grand Hall. Its floral centerpiece runs nearly half the total length, and it is set for a meal with a sumptuous array of dishes. Foals begin to take their seats as he finishes, and Misty sits after a nervous pause.)
Haven: (softly, winking) You got this.
(Those three words have a real calming effect on the unicorn; now the sovereign seats herself at one end and addresses the group. Zoom in slowly.)
Haven: I am so honored to have you all here in Zephyr Heights for our first Cutie Blossom Bash together.
(Cut to Misty and the pegasus colt, who spreads his wings.)
Haven: (from o.s.) From pegasi to unicorns— (To Seashell.) —to earth ponies— (Back to her as she continues.) —every one of you has reached an important milestone in your journey to become your best, most authentic selves. (Misty becomes slightly unsettled.) It’s time to go out and make your mark on Equestria. But first… (Zoom out quickly to frame the whole table.) …please enjoy this incredibly fancy springtime feast.
(Cut to the earth pony and unicorn colts on the end of this, neither one wasting any time in going for their cutlery, then to a rather more confounded Misty. She picks up one of the two forks by her plate after a long moment’s indecision; across the way, Seashell hefts the other one next to her own, but pauses before digging in.)
Seashell: (whispering) Psst! That’s the wrong fork! (She points at hers.)
Misty: Oops!
(So she hastily swaps her own and strains mightily to bring it to bear against a carrot on her plate. Instead of allowing itself to be punctured by the tines, though, it squirts away and hurtles toward the ceiling.)
Misty: Oh, no!
(Up and up—and then down and down, finally impaling itself on the unicorn colt’s horn. Laughter rings out around the table as Thunder steps up to remove the wayward vegetable; after considerable exertion, it pops away and he tumbles to the floor in a crash of armor.)
Misty: I am so sorry!
Haven: It’s okay, darling. It happens. (addressing the table) Now as per tradition, it’s time to introduce yourselves to one another and tell us about your cutie mark. Misty— (Cut to Misty, about to eat a bite; as she continues.) —why don’t you start?
Misty: (startled, slamming fork down) What?!? Oh! Um, me? Uh, yeah, I’ll go first. (Step back from her seat; zoom in slowly.) So…um…my name is Misty—Misty Brightdawn—and, uh… (Pivot to show the butterfly on her haunch.) …my cutie mark is a butterfly.
(Cut to Seashell, who voices a polite little giggle, then pan quickly around the table to capture the confused expressions and gasps of the three colts. The camera then returns to the uneasy unicorn.)
Misty: Um…that’s it.
Haven: (from o.s.) My dear… (Cut to her.) …you also have to tell everypony why you think it’s a butterfly.
Misty: (from o.s.) Oh! (Back to her.) And, um, uh, because, um…
(Close-up of the two forks by her plate.)
Misty: (from o.s., laughing weakly) …uh… (Zoom out to frame her.) …because… (She knocks one to the floor.) …oh! I-I dropped my fork.
(Down she goes after it; cut to the space under the table as she crawls in through the cloth and huddles into herself.)
Misty: (to herself) This is so awkward! I have no public-speaking skills! My only friend before this was a pile of junk named Madame Taffytail! Opaline was right. Maybe I’m not cut out for this world.
Voice of Seashell: My name is Seashell, and my cutie mark is… (Cut to her, standing and showing off said mark.) …a shell! (tapping front hooves on seat) Because I’m a pony who’s as unique as every shell on the beach is.
(Overhead shot of the table; zoom out slowly. The next two lines overlap, mixed with applause and laughter from the youngsters.)
Haven: Wonderful! That was lovely, dear.
Colts: Wooow!…Yay, Seashell!…Oh, wow!… Yay!…That was awesome!
(Back to Misty on the end of this, sighing despondently to herself, then cut to an infuriated Opaline in the throne room of her castle. She fetches a snarling, savage kick to a cart loaded with glassware and sends one bottle clattering to the floor. The torch Misty broke off to rescue Sunny and company in “Missing the Mark” has been replaced, and the banners bearing Opaline’s cutie mark that were hung in the room have been taken down.)
Opaline: (pacing to throne) First, those five little ponies thwart me and all my brilliant plans— (horn flaring briefly) —and now I can’t even find my mane brush! And I swear something else is missing. (softly, pacing before throne) Miss…miss-miss-miss-miss… (normal volume) …miss-ty! Yes! Where is that sad excuse for a pony? (glancing up the tree-root ramp) Still pouting in her room after our defeat, no doubt.
(The camera pans/tilts to follow her gaze on the end of this, putting her briefly o.s., then cuts back to her.)
Opaline: How long has she been up there? (walking to base of ramp) A few hours? Days? That’s odd.
(One front hoof is lifted to take the first step up the knobbly wooden surface, but stops just short of making contact. She turns away and resumes her pacing, seized by a fresh burst of pique.)
Opaline: But I also don’t care! Misty fails all the time! She’ll be back down soon, begging me to give her a cutie mark like always. (Scornful little laugh; she floats the fallen bottle back up onto the cart.) So silly, that girl. To believe I’d ever actually do that!
(A malicious giggle bubbles up from her throat as the camera tilts up toward the ceiling of the throne room. Dissolve to Glory and Peach outside Zephyr Heights Palace, scattering flower petals from the baskets they now hold; Glory is hovering to do her part. A brass fanfare rings out in time with a cut to Misty, who is dozing on a bed in a guest room inside. The notes jolt her awake so sharply that she pitches to the floor with a yelp.)
Misty: What? What is it? Are we under attack? (Sunny jumps into the open doorway, a happy bundle of nerves.)
Sunny: No, Misty, it’s your big day! The Cutie Blossom Bash! Yippee! Time to get ready! Aren’t you buzzing! (She giggles and darts away.)
Misty: (to herself) Buzzing…with nerves!
(Outside on the grounds, colts and fillies marvel at the attractions that have been set up; a few are petting some rabbits, and others are doing a bit of basket-weaving.)
Izzy: (from o.s.) Flower corsages! Get your flower corsages!
(Pan to frame her at a stall she has set up a short distance away to hawk her wares.)
Izzy: Hoof-made by me, Izzy, of course! (Dazzle Feather approaches.) Smells great! (She sniffs the one she is holding.) Like flowers!
(The news anchor cheerfully takes the item and departs, but Izzy’s attention is swiftly pulled toward the sullen gray sky by a fresh grumble of thunder. Here come Hitch and Zipp from the palace, the latter on wing; both are now wearing galoshes and umbrella hats.)
Hitch: Don’t worry, everypony!
Zipp: There’s no way we’re letting it rain on this parade. (Izzy crosses to them.)
Izzy: Wait, there’s a parade? Why didn’t anypony tell me? Um, I may be able to fashion a float quickly, but I will need a tube of glue, five thousand and fourteen gummy bunnies, and a—
Zipp: No, it’s just an expression. What we mean is, we’ve got this festival of fun under cover.
(Cut to an overhead shot of the palace’s front walkway and zoom out quickly on the end of this. Ornate canopies have been erected to shield the entire course from any errant precipitation. The camera then returns to the three ponies, who are swiftly joined by Hitch’s three-critter “squad.”)
Hitch: We also have critter deputies on duty— (Cut to them, saluting, as he continues.) —to make sure nopony slips—
(He and Zipp bound into view, now carrying portable radios. Kenneth and his bareheaded opposite number perch on Hitch’s back and Zipp’s hat, respectively.)
Hitch: —and trottie-talkies! (A burst of static from his.) Because, well…because trottie-talkies are cool! (Cut to Zipp on the end of this.)
Zipp: We’ve taken every precautionary measure, so now, we wait.
(Tilt up to her fine feathered passenger, who dismounts and touches down by McSnips-a-Lot; Kenneth has left his boss’s back and joined them. The sky voices its displeasure.)
Hitch: (all business) It’ll be here any minute. Kenneth! You take charge. When it rains, you know what to do.
(All three critters salute again, the ponies return the gesture, and Hitch gallops away while Zipp lifts off. Cut to Misty, seated before the vanity mirror at which she received her mane/tail dye job at the beginning of this act. She is now wearing a sash and a choker set with a butterfly gem and is patting one cheek with a powder puff. Zoom in slowly, then cut to a patch of counter space as she sets the implement down and takes up a flower lying next to it—an ocean lily, the sort she used to lure Pipp and Zipp into the beach cave during “Portrait of a Princess.” As she speaks, the camera cuts to an extreme close-up of her tucking it in by an ear and zooms out to frame all of her.)
Pipp: (from o.s., tucking it in by an ear) Well, at least I look pretty. (She deflates with a sigh.) Pretty terrified.
(Sunny, Izzy, and Pipp peek in and enter, voicing a round of gasps; the next two lines overlap.)
Izzy: Wow, Misty!
Pipp: Oh, my hoofness! (flying to her) Misty, you are the picture of spring. A vision in florals, an ode to the beauty of the butterfly. (Izzy pops up on the other side with a little gasp.)
Izzy: (teasingly) You’re gonna stick out, in a good way! (Sunny joins them with a squeal and turns Misty’s chair to face the doorway.)
Sunny: Here goes!
(Exeunt the four mares, Misty trying to drum up her best approximation of a relaxed smile and not quite succeeding.)
Act Three
(Dissolve to an overhead shot of the covered walkway, zooming in slowly, then cut to just inside the end farther from the palace entrance, framed by an arc of rainbow-colored balloons. The camera zooms out, backing up toward the palace and framing crowds of well-wishers that line both sides of the carpeted path, followed by a cut to the open doors and zoom out. The four foal honorees march proudly out, each sporting a sash and flying a banner with his/her cutie mark; a similarly attired Misty brings up the rear, her friends matching her pace and hanging back a few steps as an informal honor guard. Hitch and Zipp are no longer carrying their radios. She smiles gratefully over her shoulder at them, but freezes up with a gasp upon reaching the threshold even as Seashell giggles to herself. Her eyes lock onto one knot of spectators…a yelp, and she sees another…and her nerves finally and completely fail her.)
Misty: (shaking head) I can’t do this. It’s all too much!
(Her horn blazes to life, slamming the doors shut.)
Sunny: What?
Izzy: No! (She and Pipp gasp.)
Pipp: What?
Hitch: Huh?
Zipp: What? (Misty wheels to face them.)
Misty: Wait! I need to confess something! (Cut to Hitch/Zipp.)
Zipp: I knew it!
Misty: (from o.s.) It’s not about Opaline, Zipp. (Back to her.) This is about me. (Her perspective of the five.) The truth is… (Back to her, moving toward them.) …I…can’t go out there!
Pipp: (hovering) What? Is it the outfit? We can change it!
Misty: (turning in place) No, no, it’s perfect. It’s all perfect. (Her perspective; Pipp touches down.) But ever since I got here, I haven’t felt comfortable.
(Back to her on this last word.)
Misty: All these ponies, and all this fuss over me—
Pipp: Wait, you don’t like that?
Misty: (crossing to them) No. All this Cutie Blossom Bash stuff has made me feel so not-me. I may be smiling, but— (Grimace.) —this is what I really feel like.
Izzy: Oh, wow, yeah. That—that looks unhappy.
Misty: I don’t want to trot across that stage with all those eyes on me. I don’t want the spotlight. I just want to be Misty. But if I don’t pretend, then everypony will know the truth about me, that I’m…shy.
Sunny: Oh, Misty, we just wanted to celebrate your new cutie mark.
Misty: I know I should be proud of it. (smiling briefly) And I am. But I don’t want to do this. I’ve been so scared to tell you because you were all so excited. I’m sorry. I should’ve been honest. (stomping in frustration) I’ve ruined everything!
Sunny: (gently, crossing to her) Misty, you haven’t ruined anything at all. We are the ones who should be sorry. We got so caught up in trying to make this moment special for you— (The others gather in.) —we forgot to ask along the way if this is what you even wanted. (Izzy nods.) That’s what good friends would have done.
Misty: (smiling) Thank you for understanding. (Cut briefly to/from Hitch and Zipp as she continues.) I’m still learning about friendship. (Izzy moves to her.)
Izzy: And so are we. (Pipp hovers nearby.)
Pipp: Every day.
(She and Sunny cluster in around Zipp for a brief whispered conference, which leaves the other three at a moment’s loss when the camera cuts to them. Back to the three mares, stepping to them, on the start of the next line.)
Sunny: Maybe we can celebrate in another way?
(Pipp lands as a genuinely warm smile makes its way across the blue face. Cut to a stage on which the four foals are standing against a backdrop of blue sky and a balloon rainbow, with Dazzle at a lectern and microphone off to one side. Zoom in as the unicorn colt moves to the center, then cut to a close-up of him twirling happily in place; his mark is an apple with one bite gone. Applause and murmurs from the gathered crowd as he moves off.)
Dazzle: (amplified) And next we have…Seashell!
(Pan to frame the filly, who takes a beaming turn of her own. At the back of the throng, Misty watches in silent admiration as Sunny and the rest of her friends except Zipp cheer, then turns to them. She is still wearing her sash and banner holder, but the banner itself and the pole have been removed.)
Misty: Thank you, ponies. For the first time in a long time, I feel… (Quiet laugh.) …happy. Probably about as happy as Seashell feels right now.
Seashell: (giggling, stomping) This is the best moment of my life! (Zipp flies in and lands by the group.)
Zipp: Okay. Talked to Mom. She’s totally cool with it. (Sunny giggles.)
Pipp: Yes!
Misty: Cool with…what?
Pipp: A special surprise—that we promise doesn’t involve any other ponies, preparations, or primping. Just us.
(Dissolve to a long overhead shot of the palace garden that figured in the video clip Haven played on her phone in Act Two. This is a large circular terrace jutting from the mountain on which Zephyr Heights is built, ringed by clouds and decorated with gold-accented marble statues. The camera shifts to frame it from another angle before cutting to ground level, where the doors of a building that contains the only entrance/exit swing open under Misty’s control to admit the six ponies. Hitch and Zipp have shed their foul-weather gear. Misty voices a happy gasp upon laying eyes on the verdant tract.)
Misty: Hey! This is the place from the video! It’s beautiful!
(Cut here and there among the sculptures and lush plant life as she finishes, then back to the group. Misty glances down at the grass, the camera following her gaze to frame a fair-sized hole dug into it directly in front of her.)
Misty: But why are we here?
Zipp: We wanted to do something cool to mark your big day in a small way.
(Pipp flies across, carrying a sapling ready for planting whose roots are still bundled up in cloth. The only difference between it and the one seen in the clip is that this one has blue leaves rather than green.)
Pipp: This is one of the saplings I’ve been singing to— (catching herself) —I mean, nurturing for a while. (setting it down, backing o.s.) And now it’s yours. It represents you growing into the pony you were meant to be.
Izzy: Now your sparkle can take roots. (Both sisters launch into a wide arc over the garden; cut to Pipp.)
Pipp: (singsong) Whoo! Like mi-i-ine! (Pan quickly to Zipp.)
Zipp: And mine!
Sunny: (stepping closer) So, what do you say?
Misty: I love it!
(Pipp and Zipp land as her field hoists the sapling, and it is plopped into the hole in close-up. Back to her on the next line, scraping dirt over the roots; tilt up slowly toward her face.)
Misty: It’ll be a long time before my tree catches up to yours.
(By the time she gets the hole filled in, she finds the discarded banner/pole being passed to her courtesy of Izzy’s telekinesis. Slow pan.)
Sunny: Maybe it doesn’t have to.
Stately percussion line with faint backing synthesizer chords, slow 4 (D major)
(Misty thrusts the lower end into the dirt so that it can stand unsupported.)
Sunny: Just plant this seed to be who you want to be
Because the magic, it lives within you and me
Pipp, Zipp: It takes time to grow and to learn on your own
(They carry Misty back a few feet; now Sunny touches a hoof to the grass, directing a glow of green earth pony magic into the sapling.)
Sunny, Pipp, Zipp: The transformation is beginning
(Sunny and Izzy circle around it.)
Izzy: Butterflies don’t get their wings
Over the night
Sunny: It all takes time
Hitch: Birds don’t just wake up and fly
(Pipp flaps across to Misty and flips over her back.)
Pipp: It comes from deep inside
A cappella for last syllable of previous line, held out for four beats, then music resumes
(Misty smiles placidly and closes her eyes, the camera zooming in quickly on her expression. Fade to black, then quickly in to a hazy-ringed series of memories from past episodes. Being addressed gently and then harshly by Opaline in the throne room of the latter’s castle…recoiling from an outburst…receiving an enthusiastic greeting from Izzy…chomping messily into a bowl of popcorn as the other mares watch…being comforted by Zipp…the whole gang hugging her…using a broken torch-end to pop the force field imprisoning them in Opaline’s throne room…being magically lifted off her hooves and gaining her cutie mark…taking a picture of herself with the group at the Manesquerade Ball.)
All but Misty: Find your light
Let it, let it glow, you got it, got it, go
Find your light
You got it, got it, go
A cappella
(Six-way split screen of the ponies’ haunches, with every cutie mark sparking to life.)
All but Misty: Everypony can
Synth only with faint percussion accents
Each set of background lyrics is sung under the preceding lead line
(Pipp rises above the others as rivulets of magic snake from their marks and pour into the sapling, which proceeds to undergo a growth spurt that would blow any botanist’s mind. Yard after yard of trunk stretches upward and thickens, Izzy pulling up the banner to make room, and a lush canopy of blue leaves springs up from the ends of the suddenly mighty branches.)
Pipp: Grow
All others: [Grow, oh, oh-h-h, oh]
Misty: Grow
All others: [Oh, oh, oh-h-h, oh]
[Oh, oh, oh-h-h, oh]
All: Everypony can
Misty, Pipp: Grow
All others: [Grow, oh, oh-h-h, oh]
Misty: Grow
All others: [Oh, oh, oh-h-h, oh]
[Oh, oh, oh-h-h, oh]
(The magic fades away, and Misty bounds across the garden so she can get a good look at the end product. The tree now stands at least ten times a pony’s height, its coiling trunk grown to twice a pony’s length or more in thickness. A final flash of sparks, and a swarm of butterflies takes wing from the vibrant foliage.)
All: Everypony can
A cappella
Misty: Grow
Song ends
Misty: Whoa! Look at that!
(Cut to the others on the end of this, marveling at the sight; they laugh and cavort among the profusion of fluttering insects. As Misty watches one pass before her face, her horn flares for a moment, followed by a flash from her mark; close-up of the latter, then cut to her as she speaks.)
Misty: That’s it! That’s why my cutie mark is a butterfly! It’s because I have the power to change, to transform my own destiny! That’s me! (grimly, turning away) But there’s one more thing I’ve been wanting to tell you. And yes, this time it does have to do with Opaline, Zipp. (Cut to the sisters on the end of this.)
Zipp: (sputtering) I knew it! (Misty wheels to face them again.)
Misty: Opaline hasn’t been defeated yet, not even close.
(Cut to a pan across the others, now standing in a line, on the end of this. Zipp gasps.)
Sunny: That can’t be true. You saw what happened in the lair.
Misty: Yes, but she’s more powerful than you know. And now she has Sparky’s dragon-fire magic too. (pacing) Opaline won’t stop until she has all the power of Equestria! But I think I know how to help.
Zipp: How?
Misty: It’ll be hard to guess her next move. Opaline is unpredictable and mysterious, except to somepony who knows her—somepony who can be near her.
(By this point, the camera has cut to a close-up; a stunned gasp is heard from the o.s. Izzy before the view shifts to frame the group again. She jumps forward.)
Izzy: Misty! No!
Misty: Yes! I have to go back to Opaline and pretend to be on her side. (Dismayed/disbelieving reactions from the other five.) It’s the only way! Twilight Sparkle’s enchanted invisi-bubble can only keep Opaline out of Equestria for so long! I can act as a double agent by giving you all the information I learn.
Hitch: That does not feel like the safest option, Misty.
Zipp: I agree. You can’t go!
Misty: It is risky, but this is what I want to do—what I can do to help. (smiling) At least now I’ll have best friends to get me through
(Cut to said friends on the end of this.)
Izzy: We’ll be by your side, always.
(Cheering, the five pile in around the blue unicorn for a group hug and the camera tilts up past them into the gray-clouded sky. A boom of thunder, and the threat of rain that has loomed over the Bash finally comes to pass. The first drops have barely fallen before a screech drifts up from the o.s. Pipp; back to ground level as she bolts for cover.)
Pipp: My mane!
(The others laugh and follow at a more relaxed pace. Dissolve to a long shot of Opaline’s castle and pan slightly to frame Misty as she gallops into view at a distance and stops. She has stripped off her choker, sash, and banner holder, but kept her mane/tail in their new colors. A head-on view reveals that she is still wearing that ocean lily tucked in by her ear. Steeling herself, she produces the powder puff she used for a final touch-up before the Bash; close-up of her haunch as she applies it to completely hide her mark. Her deep breath is heard before the camera returns to her, and she disposes of the puff and begins walking toward the castle.)
(Inside the throne room, the big boss growls out her frustration while pacing the floor. The creak of an opening door snaps her out of this funk; on the next line, she pivots to find Misty entering.)
Opaline: Oh, there you are! I’m behind on my scheming! I’ve had all these ideas and nopony to take notes! Obscene!
Misty: Sorry, Opaline. I was—
Opaline: (yanking the flower from her mane) What’s this?
(Close-up of it on her hoof; a snarl from o.s., and her magic burns it away to nothing.)
Opaline: (circling around Misty) And what has happened to your mane? (poking at it) It’s all purple and pink and…different.
(She voices a shudder of revulsion, Misty a much softer one of terror at the idea of being caught out. A lightning-fast bit of thought comes to the unicorn’s rescue.)
Misty: (smiling, forcing a laugh) Oh, that! Uh…yeah! (toying with her mane) I, uh, fell into a flower bush. An enchanted one, grown with earth pony flora magic. It instantly changed my mane. (Grumble.) Those cursed ponies got me again.
Opaline: (scoffing) You clumsy girl. (tapping hoof on floor, walking away) Now, chop-chop. I have plots to plan.
(Cut to Misty on the end of this, the last words fading out. She pulls out the photo of herself with Sunny and company that she swiped during “The Jinxie Games” and regards it.)
Misty: You’re by my side, and I won’t let you down.
Opaline: (from o.s., shrilly) MISTYYY!!
(That one word rips the needle off her mental record; she packs the picture away and gets all four hooves in gear to see what grunt work awaits her now.)