THE CUTIE MAP—PART ONE

Story by Meghan McCarthy

Written by Scott Sonneborn, M.A. Larson

Produced by Devon Cody

Story editing by M.A. Larson

Supervising direction by Jayson Thiessen

Co-directed by Jim Miller

Transcribed by Alan Back (ajback@yahoo.com)

Note:                All lines marked with one asterisk (*) are delivered in hushed tones or whispers.

Prologue

(Opening shot: fade in to a stretch of road in Ponyville during the day. Ponies are going about their business in no particular hurry here, and the camera zooms in slowly pat them toward Twilight Sparkle’s tree-styled crystal castle—the end result of her battle against Tirek in “Twilight’s Kingdom.” Dissolve to the upper reaches of the throne room inside and tilt down to frame Twilight and her friends entering. Rainbow Dash, as usual, is the only one of the six airborne.)

(A close-up of Spike’s small throne, alongside Twilight’s, shows him to be fast asleep, snoring loudly and lying sideways over one armrest. Behind him, Pinkie Pie hops across the room and onto her own seat. Rainbow flies past next, the camera panning to follow her toward her throne. The motion brings Twilight into view, standing pensively alongside, during the following line. As each mare in turn sits down, the copy of her cutie mark set into the upper portion of her throne begins to glow.)

Twilight: Let’s go through this one more time. (Rainbow sits.)

Rainbow: (sighing; hoof to face) We’ve been over it, like, a million times, Twilight! (standing on cushion) We found all six keys, defeated Tirek, and got this sweet castle. End of story.

Twilight: Yes, but why? (Cut to Applejack.)

Applejack: (crossing to her throne, jumping on) I don’t know, sugar cube. Maybe it’s just your new house, and there ain’t nothin’ more to it than that.

Rarity: (from o.s.) I must say… (Cut to her, taking a seat.) …speaking strictly on aesthetics, there really doesn’t need to be more to it. It’s all simply divine!

Fluttershy: (climbing onto hers, sitting) I agree with Twilight, and Rarity, and Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie. (Close-up of the snoozing Spike; she continues o.s.) Oh, and probably Spike.

(Twilight paces the gold central circle ringed in by the thrones.)

Twilight: As Princess, I’ve been chosen to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria. So why would the Tree of Harmony want us to sit in a castle in Ponyville? (hopping onto her throne) It doesn’t make any sense!

(The flare of light on her throne’s mark is preceded by a brief flash from the one on her haunch. As all stare worriedly up at the markings set above their heads, the pink star emits a broad, pale violet beam that lances toward the center of the floor. Five more quickly join it from the other thrones, matching their occupants’ coat colors and forming a six-part circle that completely covers the gold of the floor. Low ridges of jagged crystal facets erupt upward from the periphery and trace in toward the center, the light show fading away at the same time. When they intersect, a broad circular table begins to rise and the screen fades to white.)

(Fade in to a close-up of Spike as he finally wakes up from his nap with a yawn, now bathed in radiance from this new phenomenon. He sits up, eyes popping wide in alarm; cut to an overhead view of the table and zoom out to frame the entire room. It now displays a remarkably detailed map, glowing gently in shades of pale blue, and all six ponies are staring in utter disbelief.)

Spike: Is that new? I like it.

(Fade to black.)

OPENING THEME

Act One

(Opening shot: fade in to an overhead shot of the map and the group, now all standing on the cushions of their thrones. Zoom out slowly, then cut to tabletop level. Spike begins to walk across, showing the map to be only an image as his feet pass through the small-scale landscape. Each footstep causes that spot to glow briefly.)

Spike: This is incredible! It’s got all of Equestria! (Pinkie peers at the site of her family’s rock farm.)

Pinkie: Hi, Mom and Dad!

(One scaly foot comes down right on that spot, causing the big blue eyes to instantly fill with tears. Before the waterworks can start in earnest, though, Twilight’s cutie mark begins to pulse again; Pinkie’s is next, eliciting a giggle, then Fluttershy’s. Images of all six marks float free and up toward the ceiling, creating a formation with Twilight’s mark being orbited by the other five. This drops back to the table, hovering just above the map and cruising slowly through the simulated terrain to stop at the foothills of a mountain range that runs close to the Crystal Empire. Spike finds himself unceremoniously hoisted away by the Princess’s magic. The two pegasi have left their seats for a closer look, and the marks of all six have quieted down again.)

Fluttershy: (pointing to spots on map) But…if this is Ponyville, why are our cutie marks over there? (Spike now stands next to Twilight.)

Twilight: I don’t know, but it seems like the map wants us to find out. The Tree, the chest, this castle, and now the map. How can we not follow it? (Rainbow flies over to eye the foothills very closely.)

Rainbow: (smirking) You know what… (crossing to Twilight) …there’s a ton of room for dangerous adventure along that route. Count me in! (Applejack/Pinkie/Rarity are all off their thrones now.)

Applejack: Ah, shoot. I reckon you’re right.

Pinkie: Well, I was planning on organizing my baking sheets… (grinning) …but okay!

Rarity: (sighing contentedly) Very well.

(These last two lean in toward Fluttershy, who soon finds herself hemmed in from behind by Rainbow.)

Fluttershy: Um, maybe I’ll just stay here with Spike. (The daredevil shoots her a dirty look.)

Spike: (from o.s.) Awesome!        

(Cut to him, now standing on his throne again. He has donned a big foam-rubber hand whose fingers are cut into claw shapes, and on his head is a helmet with a gem-shaped beverage container mounted on either side. Straws run from these down the back and curve around under the ears to reach his mouth. He is, in short, ready for a day at the stadium.)

Spike: Me and Big Mac have a huge weekend ahead of us, talking hoofball and…and trading hoofball cards, and… (Back to Fluttershy, cringing mightily, and Rainbow; he continues o.s.) …arguing about hoofball stats…

Fluttershy: (forcing a smile, stammering a bit) On second thought, maybe I’d better go with them. (Rainbow smiles.) In case they need me.

(Zoom out slightly on the start of the next line to frame Twilight crossing to the pair.)

Twilight: Looks like it’s time for a road trip. (Exeunt the trio, followed by Applejack.)

Spike: (from o.s.) Well… (Back to him.) …suit yourself. (walking across table, smirking) But he’s got a Hock Fetlock rookie card I plan to sweet-talk right into these hot little claws.

(Dissolve to a stretch of railroad tracks well outside Ponyville. A train rises into view, topping a couple of hills and racing past; next it chugs across a bridge and through a tunnel, emerging to roll directly toward the camera. Snap to black as its headlight and cowcatcher fill the screen, then fade in to a yellow/black-striped barricade standing in a stretch of desert. The steel rails terminate here, bolted to the surface—the end of the line—and the train pulls into view, braking to a halt with almost no room to spare. There is the sound of clopping hooves, and a moment later the train accelerates back the way it came, exposing the six now standing/hovering on the hardpan. Twilight has a scroll open in her magical grip; after a few seconds of studying, she rolls it up and leads the group away.)

(Dissolve to a long shot of them crossing a rope/plank bridge strung across a broad ravine, then to a spot just behind them as they approach a cliff. The camera zooms in past them, putting them out of view. Laid out below them, among the desert rock formations, is a village consisting of two neatly aligned, parallel rows of plain-looking houses spaced closely together. A road winds across the plain, running through the two rows, and a single house stands alone at the far end to face the others.)

Twilight: (from o.s.) That’s it! (Cut to her, Applejack, and Rarity; the unicorn brushes herself off.) That’s the place on the map!

Rarity: (walking ahead) Right. Let’s get down there and find the spa.

(She is promptly intercepted by a teleporting Twilight, and the others catch up—all except for Pinkie—at the edge of the cliff.)

Twilight: Wait. We don’t know why the map sent us here. We shouldn’t just walk right in. It could be dangerous.

Rainbow: (pumping a hoof) Yes! (Pinkie zips up and holds her forelegs out to keep them all back.)

Pinkie: Stay behind me, everypony! (Extreme close-up.) I’m on it. (She leans out over the edge.)

Applejack: Careful, Pinkie!

(To which the goofball responds by letting gravity do its thing. She drops over the cliff as a whirling pink/magenta blur, then almost instantly comes up behind a rock at ground level to take cover. Throwing a quick glance ahead and a hoof gesture behind, she darts across the plain to crouch under three different rocks in sequence and scout the area. The first two are barely large enough to cover her from head to tail, while the third is at least twice her length and three times her height. It takes her only a bit of effort to hoist it up so she can look out; by this time, the others have made it down from the cliff. Another “come on” gesture is interrupted when the rock slams down on top of Pinkie—but as they begin to move,  its slow, grating progress across the baked earth indicates that she is alive and well under there. Once it comes to a stop, she puts her head up from behind for a look, followed by all but Fluttershy and Rainbow; these two choose to hover instead. Pinkie is slightly disheveled from her unconventional reconnaissance.)

(Cut to just behind Applejack and Pinkie, eyeing the town, and zoom in slowly. The central road is a broad one, and ponies are going about their normal lives.)

* Rainbow: (from o.s.) This is where the map sent us? Looks like the most boring place in Equestria.

(Close-up, panning slowly from one side of the road to the other. The locals, grown-ups and foals alike, have three things in common. One, generally muted mane/tail/coat colors. Two, broad toothy grins. Three, the same cutie mark—a gray equals sign—on every visible haunch.)

* Applejack: (from o.s.) That’s just an ordinary village fulla ordinary pony folk. (Back to the group.)

* Rarity: It could certainly use a few more architectural flourishes— (Funny look from Twilight.) —or any architectural flourishes.

* Fluttershy: I think it’s lovely. (Cut to Pinkie, now cleaned up.)

Pinkie: I don’t like it. (Zoom in to an extreme close-up.) I don’t like it one bit. (The group again.) I know smiles, and those smiles…

(Back to the villagers.)

Pinkie: (from o.s., scoffing) …they’re just not right.

* Twilight: (from o.s.) Forget the smiles. (Zoom in on one stallion’s mark.) Look at the cutie marks!

(The camera pans quickly here and there, showing that equals sign on every stallion, mare, and foal, then cuts back to the six out-of-towners.)

Rainbow: (pointing ahead) Okay. That’s weird.

(Snap to black.)

Act Two

(Opening shot: fade in to an overhead view of the village, close enough to show that every house along the road is identical in appearance to all the others. On the start of the next line, pan away from the tableau to frame the group still hunkered behind their rock.)

* Twilight: An entire village with the same cutie mark? How can that be?

* Rainbow: I bet there’s some sort of horrific monster behind it.

* Twilight: What makes you say that?

* Rainbow: ’Cause fighting a horrific monster would be super-awesome!

* Applejack: I reckon we oughta just head into town and talk to some locals—find out what’s goin’ on.

* Rainbow: Great idea, AJ. Let’s go.

(She zooms ahead, the apple farmer and the winged unicorn following, but Pinkie holds her ground.and her suspicions.)

* Pinkie: Those smiles are bad news!

(She slinks down and o.s. Cut to an extreme close-up of Applejack’s tail, which retreats from the camera to frame the village as she and the others walk down its road, then to a pan across the area. Normal speaking volume resumes at this point as one resident after another calls out “Welcome!” Those big grins never waver even a particle.)

Fluttershy: This must be the most pleasant place in Equestria!

(A pegasus mare, Night Glider, flies up to her. Dark blue-gray coat; straight mane/tail striped in white and pale blue-grays; medium blue eyes.)

Night: Welcome! (Fluttershy giggles; Rainbow groans, hoof to forehead.)

Rainbow: (sarcastically) Thanks a lot, map.

(Street level. A unicorn stallion, Party Favor, approaches the group. Pale blue-gray coat; short-cut mane/tail striped in two shades of medium blue-gray; light blue eyes. A short cloak of rough, dingy brown cloth is tied around his shoulders with a length of rope.)

Party: Welcome! (to Twilight) Pardon my forwardness, but…are you an alicorn? (Twilight grins hugely; Applejack gestures to her.)

Applejack: That there’s the Princess of Friendship.

Party: Well, you’ve certainly come to the right place for friendship.

(He puts a peculiar inflection on this last word, leaning very slightly closer. Now an earth pony stallion joins the gathering; white coat with the faintest gray tinge; short mane/tail in white and pale gray; darker blue eyes than Party’s. This is Double Diamond, whose tone of voice reeks of forced bonhomie.)

Double: What brings you to town?

Twilight: We’re not entirely sure.

Double: I see. Well, all are welcome here in our little village. My name is Double Diamond, and this is Party Favor.

Applejack: Howdy, Double Diamond. I’m Applejack— (gesturing to others in turn) —and this here’s Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle.

(Twilight wipes the unease off her face with a big grin, and Double leans in to eye her cutie mark, moving to Pinkie’s during the next line.)

Double: And you all have your own unique cutie marks!

(The fluffy magenta tail flicks forward to cover the three balloons; he backs away, not noticing the general disquiet his scrutiny has raised.)

Twilight: If you don’t mind, has there been any sort of…trouble here lately?

Double: Trouble? Why, I don’t think we’ve ever had trouble in our little village.

Party: It’s true. You’ll see.

(He makes a tiny little noise of satisfaction; now the two begin to lead the visitors along the road.)

Double: Perhaps you’d care to speak to our founder, Starlight Glimmer.

Fluttershy: I wish everypony in Equestria was as friendly as these ponies are.

Pinkie: (looking behind herself) I’ve got my eye on them.

(Her perspective of the grinning faces.)

Pinkie: Something’s rotten in… (Back to her.) …whatever the name of this village is that we’re in right now!

(The two escorts stop at the door of the single house at the far end of the road; it opens at their knock.)

Double: Starlight? (They lead the mares in.) We have some new visitors.

(Cut to just inside. Nothing remarkable about the construction or furnishings in this area, except for a framed picture of an equals sign hanging crooked on one wall. At the far end of this room are a closed door and a flight of stairs leading to the second story.)

* Rainbow: (to Applejack) Be ready to fight. We don’t know what’s gonna come through that door.

(Zoom in on said door as they face front. It swings open to reveal Starlight Glimmer, who steps out into the light from the semi-darkness beyond. Unicorn mare; light pinkish-violet coat; bright blue eyes with a faint purple tint; deep purple mane/tail with one streak each of lighter purple and light green. The mane is loosely gathered at the back of her head to form a gently curling wave, the end of her tail showing the same contour, and her bangs are split by her horn so that each side contains both additional colors. Unlike the other residents, her coloration is not muted. Her tone of voice is quite cheerful.)

Starlight: Welcome! I’m so pleased to have you here!

(This pronouncement briefly robs Rainbow of her power of speech through sheer surprise, but she recovers it with a disgusted groan.)

Double: (gesturing to each in turn) This is Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash… (Close-up of Twilight; he continues o.s.) …and Twilight Sparkle.

(Zoom out slightly; the Princess grins sheepishly as Starlight runs a critical eye over her. The village founder bears the same equals-sign cutie mark as all others here.)

Starlight: Forgive my bluntness, but I’m assuming it’s Princess Twilight Sparkle? We don’t get many alicorns around here.

Twilight: Yes, but “Twilight” is fine.

Starlight: So, how did you hear of our little village?

Twilight: It’s kind of a long story. Let’s just say we found it on a map.

Pinkie: Technically, it’s a tree-chest-castle map!

(Her bubbly demeanor instantly shifts to deepest distrust as she pulls her head ever so slowly out of view, but Starlight seems not to notice.)

Starlight: Well, however you found us, we’re happy to have you. We’re happy to have anypony who wants to experience true friendship for the first time.

(Her last six words are enough to drain the good vibes from the faces of Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity when the camera cuts back to them.)

Applejack: Say what?

Starlight: (pacing) Oh, indeed. That’s what’s so unique about our village, you see.

(Close-up of the crooked picture.)

Starlight: (from o.s., reaching into view to straighten it) Around here, we don’t flaunt our special talents— (Pan to her.) —because we don’t have any special talents to flaunt.

Twilight: Is that why you all have those cutie marks? (Zoom in to a close-up of Starlight’s as she finishes.)

Starlight: Perhaps it would be easier to understand if I gave you a tour of the village.

Military drum cadence, stately 4

Second bar punctuated by a drum major’s whistle

Woodwinds and brass enter on third bar (E flat major)

(Cut to just outside the closed front door, which opens to let her out, and zoom out as she emerges onto the road, hooves falling in time to the beat. A couple of others stand nearby.)

Starlight: Heads high, ponies! Marching proud! (They fall in.) All together now, every one of you! (Others follow suit; she addresses a closed door.) Nopony left behind!

(It opens; two more join the formation, as does a third from nearby.)

Starlight:        Life is so grand in our town

(She stretches her cheeks into a huge grin.)

                We’re always filled with cheer

(shading her eyes to look back and forth)

                We never have to look around

                To know that we’re all here

(The locals march a circle around the group, none of whom is at ease anymore.)

Ponies:        In our town, in our town

                We don’t have to wait

(Starlight nods her head confidently, keeping the beat.)

                To find out that our destiny

                Is just to emulate

Starlight: (marching past a line) Let’s see those big happy smiles!

(Face after face complies. Cut to a close-up of two stallions side by side; around their grins, the screen fades to light blue.)

Starlight:        Life is a smile in our town

(The two sets of teeth whirl around each other in a circling blur and resolve into the equals sign.)

                Our cutie marks the same

(Zoom out. It is the mark of one pony marching in the formation. They stop, pivot, and face forward in a line.)

                Because we do not separate

                Ourselves by more than name

(Rainbow finds a pegasus stallion flying up on either side of her.)

Ponies:        In our town, in our town

(Each lays a hoof on the shoulder nearest to him.)

                We dare not compete

(Pull her gently down to the ground.)

                Winning only breeds the worst

                Ego-filled conceit

(The flummoxed flyer gets a scare thrown into her when Starlight pops up immediately behind.)

Starlight: You see? Now everypony wins!

F major

(She marches on down the road.)

Starlight:        Life is a joy in our town

                We’re all equal here

(She eyes a unicorn mare whose mane hangs free and magically braids it to match the style of the one next to her.)

                No one is superior

                And no one shakes in fear

(The populace processes past the Ponyville contingent.)

Ponies:        In our town, in our town

                We work as a team

(Assorted negative reactions from all except Fluttershy.)

                You can’t have a nightmare

                If you never dream

(Pinkie’s scowl is directed just past Fluttershy, but the yellow pegasus misses it as Starlight comes up on her other side and begins to slink behind them.)

E flat major

Starlight:        Other ponies argue

                Do you ever wonder why?

(She moves toward Twilight and Rarity.)

                When you think your talent’s special

(running a hoof over Twilight’s horn, pushing her head down)

                You don’t see eye to eye

(Elsewhere, a line of four mares is dancing, one of them out of step.)

Modulate to F major over the next four lines

Starlight:         There’s just too many differences

                That lead to disarray

(This one catches sight of the founder and hurriedly corrects her rhythm.)

                But when you learn to act as one

                It’s like a holiday

(Five of the six friends are really having trouble buying any of this now.)

Ponies:        In our town, in our town

(Fluttershy bobs her head blissfully…)

                We don’t complicate

(…but stops upon getting an eyeful of Pinkie’s squinting glare and head shake. The blue-green eyes go big, sad, and soulful in a twinkling.)

                 When you learn to simplify

                Life is oh so great

(Overhead shot; the ponies are describing a large circle around the six.)

                Join in our utopia

                Come out of the dark

(They rearrange into two parallel lines, one to either side of the group.)

                Banded by equality

(Ground level, zooming out from Starlight and between the two lines.)

                By our cutie mark

(Several pegasi rise into the air above the display, and two fly ahead carrying the ends of a banner displaying the equals sign.)

Song ends

(The moment is broken by raucous laughter from the o.s. Rainbow; cut to her in midair.)

Rainbow: You’re kidding, right? Give up our cutie marks? No way!

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) Rainbow Dash! (Cut to her on the ground; Rainbow descends to her.) Don’t be so rude. I don’t think we should judge them. (smiling) They all seem perfectly happy with their choice. (Pan to frame Pinkie on her other side.)

Pinkie: Don’t believe their smiles, Fluttershy. (Cut to Twilight.)

Twilight: (addressing the o.s. Starlight) I’m sorry, I guess we’re just a little confused by all of this. (To Starlight.)

Starlight: We have no judgments here in our village. (The ponies behind her nod.) Each of us was confused once as well—blinded by the false promise of our cutie marks.

Rainbow: (from o.s.) Whoa-whoa-whoa. (Cut to her.) Is she for real?

(Now it is Twilight’s turn to shut her down with a hard look. The winged unicorn then faces front with a slightly puzzled smile and steps ahead.)

Twilight: When we were sent to this village, we assumed it was to help in some way. But…well…it doesn’t seem like you need any help.

Starlight: (crossing to her) Have you considered, perhaps, that you might have been sent here so we could help you?

(She taps a hoof to Twilight’s chest on this last word to drive her point home.)

Starlight: (turning away) After all, nopony has ever come to our village and wanted to leave. (Slow pan across the Ponyville six; she continues o.s.) Why should you be any different? (Back to her.) But that is entirely your choice. (walking past them) Please, enjoy our little corner of Equestria. We’re all quite fond of it.

(She stops and aims a knowing glance back at the six.)

Starlight: No doubt you will be as well. Double Diamond, please help our guests with whatever they might need.

(Cut to the guests on the end of this; Double steps up, his smile in place as ever.)

Double: Of course.

(They are a bit taken aback by his unrelenting good humor. Pan from them to frame Starlight looking on with perhaps a trace of smugness; she turns away after a moment.)

Starlight: (to herself) Well… (walking off) …this will certainly provide a boost to our little community. When the rest of Equestria sees that a princess gave up her cutie mark to join us… (Zoom in slowly to an extreme close-up, the eyes narrowing.) …they’ll finally understand what we’re trying to accomplish.

(Snap to black.)

Act Three

(Opening shot: fade in to the six walking along the main road. Five ill at ease, one smiling tranquilly as before. Calls of “Welcome” greet them as they pass.)

Twilight: (to herself) A cutie mark is a representation of a pony’s unique talents and skills. How is it possible to—

(Her musings are sharply cut off by a horrified gasp from Rarity.)

Rarity: (pointing ahead) What in the name of Equestria is that?

(Pan quickly ahead to a rack of cloaks standing outside one of the houses—all as shoddy and grungy as the one worn by Party. A zoom out frames this rack and a duplicate in front of a building marked by a hanging sign that has been carved and painted to match these garments. The proprietor, a bulky earth pony stallion, stands at the racks and wears one of his own.)

Shopkeeper: Welcome! Care to sample some local fashion? (flicking his hem) We’ve got cloaks this month!

(His toothy grin is met by Rarity’s bulging cheeks and a mighty strain to keep herself from vomiting at the sight of this sartorial incompetence. She finally gets herself under control, letting her tongue hang out and a strangled noise of disgust escape her lips, and slaps on a queasy smile.)

Rarity: Wha—? Oh, uh… (chuckling, backing away slowly with Twilight) …perhaps another time, good sir. Thank you.

(They join the other four at a table outside a building whose muffin-shaped sign suggests a bakery.)

* Rarity: (to Applejack) No wonder nopony’s wearing anything! (Pan to Fluttershy, on Applejack’s other side.)

* Fluttershy: (reprovingly) Really, girls! They may do things a bit differently than we’re used to, but that’s no reason to be rude.

* Rainbow: No, the reason to be rude is that they all keep staring at us!

(Cut to her perspective on the end of this, panning slowly across the road. Her rough assessment proves to be an accurate one; every passerby’s eyes are turned toward the gang. Cut to Double at a table outside a different house; nearby is a unicorn mare, Sugar Belle. Light pinkish-gray coat; purplish-gray mane/tail, the former in a bun; deep red-violet eyes; battered white apron tied in place around her midsection with a piece of rope. She holds an order pad in one front hoof.)

Double: (waving) Need something?

(Pan to frame the mares; they are seated directly across the road from these two.)

Twilight: (forcing a grin) Uh, no. We’re good. (to the others) Fluttershy’s right.

(Sugar emerges from the bakery and crosses behind them, unnoticed and no longer carrying the pad.)

Twilight: If we’re gonna get to the bottom of why the map sent us here, we’ll need the help of these ponies.

(This shot frames Sugar’s eyes as red-violet; she ends up standing among them, still not drawing any attention to herself.)

Applejack: I think we ran off to the end of Equestria before we even knew what that map was!

Pinkie: If we were at the end of Equestria, we’d be sitting on a big A! (Giggle.) Get it?

(Her wordplay goes over like a lead balloon.)

Rarity: Oh, please, Miss Pie. This is hardly the time for jokes. We’ve come all this way, and for what? (Sugar walks off, worried…)

Twilight: Maybe you’re right. But we’re here now. And it sure feels like something’s wrong. (…and ends up between Applejack and Fluttershy.)

Applejack: (dryly) That and two bits’ll get you a cup of cider.

Sugar: Is this a bad time?

Fluttershy: (not noticing her) We shouldn’t be bickering like this in front of our new friends. (icily) Really, Applejack, you’re almost as bad as Rainbow Dash!

Rainbow: Don’t drag me into this!

(A little way down the block, a stallion and mare put their front hooves over the ears of three foals to keep their little minds untainted by this contention.)

Sugar: (to Rarity) Is your friendship ending?

Pinkie: Are you crazy? We’d never let a disagreement get in the way of food!

Sugar: (a bit rattled) Okay, well…my name is Sugar Belle. What can I bring you? (She levitates her pad up to eye level.) We have muffins…

(The inflection on this last word suggests that she is about to begin a list of items, but there are no more words coming—as the mares realize once the silence begins to drag out.)

Twilight: (smiling uneasily) Then I guess we’ll take six muffins.

Pinkie: (eagerly) Make that twelve! (Funny looks from the other five; Sugar heads off.) Whaaaaat? I’m hungry!

* Twilight: Come on, girls. We’ve gotta stick together. It doesn’t matter what happened before. We’re here now.

Applejack: (smiling briefly) Ah, I guess you’re right. And the sooner we figure out why, the sooner we can go home.

(Order up: a plate piled high with irregularly shaped, thoroughly unappetizing-looking muffins. The curls of vapor rising off their tops are closer in color to smoke than steam, and the overall appearance of this repast is enough to make Applejack think two or three times about biting into them. Sugar has returned to the table and put her pad away.)

Sugar: Forgive me for overhearing, but just a moment ago you were disagreeing, and now it sounds like you’re agreeing.

Applejack: (dryly) Uh-huh.

Sugar: Well, you had such differing opinions—and cutie marks.

Rarity: (airily) We have differing opinions all the time, darling.

Sugar: But you look like you’re friends.

Twilight: We are friends. A simple disagreement wouldn’t change that.

(On the end of this line, pan to Double at the table across the street. He is pretending to read a newspaper, but the slip of his grin gives away his intent eavesdropping. Sugar struggles to keep her own composure, throwing him a sidewise glance.)

Sugar: I’m sorry, I’m just having a hard time understanding. (as if reciting from memory) Different talents lead to different opinions, which lead to bitterness and misery. (normal tone) So, why aren’t you bitter and—

(On the beginning of the recitation, cut to a slow pan across the table; only Pinkie is having a go at the muffins, but they are clearly not up to her usual standards. Back to Sugar for the final sentence; she stops short when the o.s. pink party pony spits out the one she has been chewing on. At the table, her retch of utter revulsion draws a round of confused/dirty looks—so she gets a great big smile in place across her crumb-speckled cheeks.)

Pinkie: Mmmm! (Chuckle.) Good! (There are bits stuck to her teeth as well.)

Sugar: It’s all right. I know I’m not a very good baker—at least, I’m not any better than anypony else in the village.

(A glance of barely contained panic over her shoulder, the camera panning to follow; Double is now listening very carefully. High-strung nerves come through loud and clear in her next words. Pinkie’s face is now clean.)

Sugar: Well, I hope you enjoy our little village.

(As soon as she turns to enter the bakery, Pinkie lets her tongue hang out and begins scrubbing madly at it to remove all traces of the offending pastry residue. She has barely cleaned it all away when Sugar returns to the table, no hint of a smile or fake cheer in evidence.)

* Sugar: Come inside before you go. Meet me downstairs.

(Throwing a grin to the hard-faced Double, she whisks inside.)

Rainbow: Okay, that was weird too.

* Twilight: (floating a muffin up) Let’s all sit here and eat these muffins and act normal. (glancing away) I think we’re being watched.

 (The camera pans quickly from place to place, picking out the fixed grins and wide eyes, then cuts back to a close-up of Rainbow.)

Rainbow: (sarcastically) You think? (Pan to Twilight on the start of the next line.)

* Twilight: No, not like that. (cocking an eye and an ear) I mean, somepony here doesn’t want us talking to Sugar Belle.

(A slight flick of her head across the road, and the camera pans to Double at his table, eagerly chomping into a badly made muffin of his own. A round of hard thinking on the mares’ part ends when Applejack is first to speak.)

Applejack: I got an idea—but you gotta eat all of them muffins, Pinkie.

Pinkie: (shocked, hunkering down, pulling mane over face) Me? Why me?

* Applejack: You got a stronger stomach than any of us. And that filly in there might be our best chance of findin’ out what in the hay is goin’ on around here.

(Cut to a close-up of the tray, framing the pink mare behind it eyeing the contents as if she has just been asked to gulp down a barrel of toxic waste, and zoom in on it. One dissolve later, there is only a single muffin remaining—and a sweating, green-faced Pinkie slumped so far down that only the table edge under her chin is keeping her from keeling over altogether. One trembling foreleg reaches up to collect this last vile item and stuff it into her mouth.)

Applejack: (from o.s., loudly and a bit stilted) I can’t believe you ate all our muffins, Pinkie Pie! (Cut to frame the entire table; all but Pinkie grin widely.) We’d best go inside and get some more!

(Inside the bakery, the five spectators descend a staircase into shadows.)

Twilight: Nice work, Pinkie!

(The equine garbage disposal—literally stuffed to bursting—tumbles down after them. Her face has lost its sickly hue.)

Pinkie: (weakly) I’ve accidentally eaten cardboard tastier than that! (Close-up of Twilight.)

Twilight: Hello? Sugar Belle? (Zoom out to frame all six; Pinkie has recovered her normal dimensions.)

Sugar: (from o.s.) Thank you for coming.

(She steps out from a dim recess of this basement, eyes desperately at odds with her artificial grin.)

Twilight: Why did you want us to come down here?

Sugar: (eyebrows lowering) So nopony could see what’s about to happen.

(Sudden panic takes hold in the Ponyville crew’s minds, fueled by the emergence of Party and then Night from opposite sides. As they and Sugar close in slowly, Twilight tenses herself and prepares a spell—but lets it fizzle out when Party leans toward her, all friendly again.)

Party: Are you really the Princess of Friendship? (Night does the same.)

Night: Do you know Princess Celestia?

Sugar: (lifting Pinkie’s rump) I love your cutie mark! (Night hovers next to Fluttershy and Rarity.)

Night: How can you be friends with different cutie marks? (She lands.) Don’t you end up hating each other? (Close-up of Fluttershy.)

Sugar: (from o.s., reaching to examine her mark) Oh, look at this one! (She leans into view.) This one’s great too! I’d love to have my special talent back, even just for a day. (sadly) Make something besides those disgusting muffins.

Rainbow: So what’s stopping you? Go get your cutie marks back.

Party: Daydreaming is one thing— (Sugar crosses to him and Night.) —but you mean…actually having it put back on? (Night chews her lower lip fearfully.) That seems extreme. (A grimace from Rainbow.)

Sugar: I’m not sure Starlight would like that. She wants us all to be happy in our sameness.

Twilight: How do you take somepony’s cutie mark, anyway?

Night: (smiling blissfully) The Cutie Un-Marking is a beautiful experience. Starlight uses the Staff of Sameness to magically take them away and replace them with these.

(On these last five words, she, Party, and Sugar pivot proudly to display their identical marks.)

Twilight: But…nopony should keep you from your cutie mark. It represents such an essential part of who you are.

Night: Oh, we’re not kept from them. They’re in the vault, up in the caves. We can visit them anytime we like— (Cut to a slow pan across the six, dismayed/irked; she continues o.s.) —to remind us of the heartache of a life with special talents.

(The magical prodigy chews this over a few thousand times within a second or so, then smiles shrewdly.)

Twilight: Can we visit this cave?

(Dissolve to an uphill stretch of a mountain trail. Starlight leads Twilight and company into view.)

Starlight: I’m delighted you’re interested in our cutie mark vault. We hope someday, everypony in Equestria will make a pilgrimage here to our little village, to have theirs removed too, and our message of perfectly equal friendship can finally spread across the land.

(She passes out of view shortly after the beginning of her second sentence; Rarity throws a suspicious glance back down the trail and finds Double following the group. After this, the camera cuts back to Starlight and remains on her until the second half of the sentence, when it returns to the six. Her last few words fade into the background as Twilight begins to address the others and Rainbow drops out of her hover to walk alongside.)

* Twilight: This must be the reason we’re here.

* Pinkie: Pilgrimage-ing?

* Twilight: No. (Close-up.) Helping those ponies get their cutie marks back.         

* Fluttershy: (from o.s.) Oh… (Pan to her.) …are you sure, Twilight? Maybe they miss them a little, but even they didn’t seem all that unhappy.

* Twilight: Then why did they want to meet us in secret?

(Pan back from her on this line, putting her o.s.; Rarity again throws a hairy eyeball at the trailing Double. The camera then cuts back to Twilight.)

* Twilight: And why did they ask us not to tell Starlight who told us about the vault? Something’s not right.

(Cut to Starlight, who has stopped at the entrance to a cave.)

Starlight: (waving) Just through here!

(In she goes, the others following at a distance; cut to just inside and zoom out to frame her, now stopped and bathed in a bluish radiance from something just ahead o.s.)

Starlight: Behold!

(Twelve eyes pop in purest surprise, Twilight’s mouth falling open in close-up, and the camera tracks around her in a semicircle to stop behind the group. A zoom out frames the source of the light: a vast grid of square compartments, a cutie mark housed in nearly every one. The entire assembly is held within a vertical frame, mounted at the far end of the cave and topped by a blue-glowing equals sign. In front of this vault is a pedestal, on which a wooden rod is balanced; the upper portion of its length is carved as a thick spiral and splits into two parallel tines, similar to a tuning fork.)

Starlight: Our cutie mark vault!

(Cut to an extreme close-up of the grid, panning/cutting here and there to clearly display the multitude of pictures that used to adorn various ponies’ haunches. A sheen of reflected light suggests that they are being kept under glass.)

Twilight: (from o.s., awestruck) I’ve never seen anything like it! (Cut to the pedestal.)

Starlight: (approaching) And here is the Staff of Sameness. (floating it away) It was one of the great Mage Meadowbrook’s nine enchanted items.

(Cut to Twilight and Pinkie; the latter gapes at it, but the former gets a thought working.)

Starlight: (from o.s.) We are incredibly fortunate to have it here. (Back to her.) This is the tool that allows us to free ourselves from our marks. (smiling cheerfully) I’m curious. How did the subject of the vault come up? (Cut to Twilight/Applejack/Pinkie.)

Pinkie: Oh, some ponies were telling us how much they missed their cutie marks, and— (Dirty looks from Twilight and Applejack.)

Twilight: (sharply) Pinkie!

Pinkie: (front hooves over mouth) Oops. (She hunkers down.)

Starlight: (from o.s., gasping in fake surprise) Were they?

(Cut to her, magically hefting the Staff of Sameness.)

Starlight: (crossing to group, twirling it) Well, it seems you inspire all sorts of free thinking… (sharply) …don’t you?

Rarity: (chuckling nervously, stammering a bit) Oh! Well, well, we—we certainly didn’t intend to cause any disruptions to your charming little— (Starlight leans into her face.)

Starlight: Good. Let’s just make sure of that, shall we?

(Rarity backs away cautiously during this line, the camera panning to follow her and put Starlight o.s. She remembers Double’s presence only after colliding with him—and he is no longer alone. Ponies begin to advance inexorably from the periphery, every face frozen in a wide-eyed grin.)

Twilight: It’s a trap!

(As the new arrivals steadily close ranks, she warms up her horn and teleports herself to a point several yards above the cave floor. Before she can crank off another spell, however, Starlight levels the tuning-fork end of the Staff and fires a double beam that nails the airborne Princess square in the gut. Its effect is to quell her battle readiness and leave her “standing” frozen in midair; another bit of concentration from the unicorn, and Twilight’s cutie mark begins to pull away from her haunch. She cries out in pain, sweat trickling down her face…the group of stars detaches, connected to the light violet hide only by a thin wisp of energy…and then this breaks and the mark floats away. Twilight falls silent as it floats down to stop between the Staff’s tines, and Starlight shifts the implement toward herself so she can regard the captured mark with a crazed grin. A flick of the Staff sends it hurtling over the shoulder toward the vault; the glass cover on an empty compartment slides open to receive it, then snaps shut again.)

(Twilight’s flank remains blank for only a moment before the gray equals sign fades into view on it. At the same time, her coat/mane/tail colors lose some of their brightness, taking on a subdued appearance similar to those of the other villagers. She thumps insensate to the ground, and Starlight wastes no time in using the Staff against her five friends; they choke back their own cries of torment, and their marks are all too easily separated and locked away. Cut to Fluttershy/Pinkie/Rainbow, being re-marked and with their colors faded and belligerence gone. Back to Starlight on the start of the next line, crossing to the group—all similarly afflicted.)

Starlight: (mock pity) Oh, I don’t blame you for what you tried to do here today. (Twilight stands up.) You’ve spent your whole lives thinking those marks are a good thing.

Twilight: Give them back!

Starlight: (walking away) Well, now you can spend the rest of your lives here, with us. (floating Staff onto its pedestal) And we’ll teach you just how much better life can be without your cutie marks.

(Cut to a long overhead shot of the assembly and zoom out. The extra goons have formed a double line to hem the six mares in on left and right, and Starlight and the pedestal stand at the end of this tableau that is closer to the vault. The camera rotates 90 degrees during the zoom to frame the two lines horizontally; at the same time, the white bars of an equals sign superimpose themselves on these and the screen fades to black behind them. Snap briefly to black, fade in to a “To be continued…” title card, and fade to black.)

Continued in Part Two

THE CUTIE MAP—PART TWO

Story by Meghan McCarthy

Written by Scott Sonneborn, M.A. Larson

Produced by Devon Cody

Story editing by M.A. Larson

Supervising direction by Jayson Thiessen

Co-directed by Jim Miller

Transcribed by Alan Back (ajback@yahoo.com)

Prologue

(Opening shot: fade in to a “Previously on My Little Pony” title card, then to black, then in to Twilight Sparkle addressing her friends in the throne room of her castle—the prologue of Part One.)

Twilight: As Princess, I’ve been chosen to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria.

(Long shot of the castle during the day, zooming in slowly.)

Twilight: (voice over) So why would the Tree of Harmony want us to sit in a castle in Ponyville?

(The throne room again: the ridges of crystal lacing in from the six full-size seats converge at the center of the floor, and the table begins to rise.)

Spike: (voice over) This is incredible!

(Fade to white, then snap to an overhead shot of all seven staring at the magical map that has appeared on the new furniture. Zoom out slowly.)

Spike: (voice over) It’s got all of Equestria!

(Close-up of Twilight and Pinkie Pie in turn, each with her cutie mark flaring up, then cut to the cluster of all six images roving over the map toward the distant foothills.)

Fluttershy: (voice over) Why are our cutie marks over there?

(Cut to a scene from Act One: the group—sans Spike, recall—has reached the cliff overlooking the desert village to which the map has guided them. Zoom in past them to frame the double row of houses and the single one belonging to Starlight Glimmer.)

Twilight: (voice over) Seems like the map wants us to find out.

(Act Two: cut to a stretch of road filled with permanently grinning locals going about their day and pan from here to another busy area.)

Twilight: (voice over, hushed) An entire village with the same cutie mark? (Cut to Starlight, stepping out from a darkened doorway within her house.)

Starlight: Welcome!

(Act Three: cut to one group of smiling, staring ponies and pan to two others.)

Fluttershy: (voice over) This must be the most pleasant place in Equestria!

(To Starlight, leading the group up into the mountains; as she speaks, cut to behind them, now facing the cutie mark vault, and zoom out to frame all of it.)

Starlight: I’m delighted you’re interested in our cutie mark vault. (Twilight realizes that…)

Twilight: It’s a trap!

(The magic from the Staff of Sameness pulls the mark from her haunch; cut to the vault as those of all six are locked away behind glass.)

Starlight: (voice over) Now you can spend the rest of your lives here…

(During this line, cut to Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash—colors faded, fighting spirit gone, equals signs appearing on the newly blank flanks. The camera then shifts to an overhead shot of this cave, having rotated to horizontally frame the double line of ponies that has hemmed in the group. All six have had their colors partially bleached out; recall that by this point, they have all had their marks replaced by equals signs. A large white one superimposes itself on the double line as the entire scene fades to black.)

Starlight: (voice over) …without your cutie marks.

(Fade to black.)

OPENING THEME

Act One

(Opening shot: fade in to a slow pan across the village road, from one side to the other. The area is deserted except for a stallion and mare standing on either side of the front door to one house, at the end opposite the one used by Starlight. Even though she is not present, her voice makes itself heard easily, with an eerily calm tone.)

Starlight: (amplified, slightly muffled) In sameness there is peace. (Muffled thumping from within.) Exceptionalism is a lie.

(Dissolve to the source of these exhortations—a loudspeaker mounted on the rafters inside. The voice is heard clearly now, and all lines spoken by Starlight during this scene come in through the loudspeaker.)

Starlight: Free yourself from your cutie mark.

(Zoom out to frame the entire space. All six mares have been confined to this room, whose walls are liberally decorated with equals-sign posters and pictures, and Pinkie is perusing a book, taken from a shelf, whose pages show nothing but this symbol. Twilight stands thinking; Applejack paces the floor; Fluttershy huddles in a corner, near a feed trough full of hay, to peek out one of the narrow windows; Rainbow hammers ineffectually at the door—the cause of the thumping—and Rarity gloomily regards the drab window curtains in another corner. The purpose of this building is now clear: they have been placed here under guard in an attempt to break their resistance to Starlight’s doctrine, including the propaganda being piped in.)

Starlight: Choose equality as your special talent. (Close-up of Rainbow, ramming the door; the volume fades somewhat.) Difference is frustration. To excel is to fail. (She gives up.)

Pinkie: (from o.s.) Hey! (Cut to her.) This is pretty good! (Flip pages; equals sign on every one.)

Starlight: Be your best by never being your best. (Twilight and Applejack pace; the broadcast volume fades to near-inaudibility as Twilight speaks.)

Twilight: (groaning) We’ve gotta find a way out of here. I can’t take much more of that voice!

Rarity: (distraught, mascara running) Oh, this is horrible! (She starts crying.)

Fluttershy: (crossing to her; gently touching her back) There, there, Rarity. It’s not so bad.

Rarity: (suddenly angry) Yes, it is! Look at those drapes! (Close-up of one window, zooming in; she continues o.s.) I have no idea if they’re tacky or not! (Back to Fluttershy.)

Fluttershy: Well, I think they’re nice.

(The equals sign on Rarity’s haunch flares black for a moment, and she starts into a despairing moan that works its way up toward fire-siren pitch before turning into a fresh crying jag. Two Pinkie-caliber gushers of tears accompany it.)

Rarity: SO DO I!! (Fluttershy backs away slowly; a bird lands at the windowsill with a chirp.)

Fluttershy: Oh, thank goodness! (crossing to it) Can you help us, little birdie?

(It twitters a response—and then the yellow pegasus gets the same flare as her formerly fashion-attuned friend.)

Fluttershy: Go on now! Fly away and get us help!

(It voices a puzzled reply in close-up; zoom out to frame a flustered Fluttershy.)

Fluttershy: Oh… (It flies off.) …even tweets don’t make sense anymore!

(Cut to Rainbow, sitting on her haunches with her back against the door. The clatter of hooves snaps her out of her deep blue funk and prompts her to go airborne an instant before Applejack gallops into view. The farm pony pivots, crashes both rear hooves into the planks—and ends up tumbling forward rather than smashing them to toothpicks. She fetches up on her belly with a groan of pain and disgust.)

Applejack: This door’s shut tighter than a… (losing steam; she stands and Rainbow hovers down) …summer of… (Her mark flashes.) …uh, piglets in…shoot! I can’t even make country-isms no more! (Pinkie stands up into view.)

Pinkie: I don’t know. Maybe it’ll be super-fun to be all the same! (Hers goes off; perkiness goes bye-bye.) Sort of. More pleasant than fun, I guess. (She sits down to her book.)

Twilight: (pacing) Something odd about that staff. I haven’t studied eastern unicorns as much as I should’ve, but I’m pretty sure Meadowbrook only had eight magical items, not nine. And I don’t remember any of them being a staff.

Applejack: (flopping onto her back) Well, it looks like you’ll have plenty of time to try to think about it.

(The camera angle of Twilight’s pacing picks out a tub of water standing next to the hay trough, not previously visible in this sequence. She is referring to Starlight’s claim in Part One that the Staff is one of the nine enchanted items belonging to the mage of old. Applejack pulls her hat over her eyes on the end of the previous line and closes her eyes for a nap; cut to an overhead shot of the room. Twilight sits on her haunches; Rainbow settles onto her belly; Applejack is lying with her hind legs propped against the door; the other three are as before. The propaganda fades up again and continues as shown below, over a sequence of dissolves that shift the mares into assorted positions around the room. Every book Pinkie takes from the shelf has equals signs on pages and cover. One shot, from ground level, picks out Twilight once again pacing the floor and thinking very hard, tongue clamped between teeth. When the view shifts to overhead again, she does her best to keep her wits about her, but the others have gone to sleep in the late-day dimness. Two parallel shafts of sunlight shine in from the front windows, gradually lengthening and lightening the enclosure and eventually fading away altogether—a new morning has come. The repetition of previous slogans gives them away as part of a recording on continuous playback.)

Starlight: Choose equality as your special talent. Difference is frustration. To excel is to fail. Be your best by never being your best. Conformity will set you free. Accept your limitations, and happiness will follow. You’re no better than your friends.

(The winged unicorn snaps to her hooves, the broadcast fading greatly in volume as she begins to speak.)

Twilight: I’ve got it! (The others wake up with a cry of surprise.) I know how we can get out.

Rainbow: (sighing wearily) Forget it, Twilight. This door’s not opening. (Cut to Rarity.)

Rarity: And I’m afraid the windows are much too small for escape. (Zoom out to frame Twilight.)

Twilight: (shrewdly) But there is a third way.

Pinkie: (from o.s.) Of course! (Cut to her.) Eventually the wind and weather will wear down the walls until they start to crumble. Then when [sic] all we have to do is wait for a big enough hole to form, and we can just walk out! It’s the perfect plan! (Mark flares; she loses her cheer.) I guess.

Twilight: We don’t actually have to escape. They’ll just let us out when they think we’ve accepted their philosophy.

Applejack: But they’re never gonna believe we switched over in just one night. (Cut to Twilight.)

Twilight: There’s one of us they might believe.

(As she speaks, pan away from her to frame Fluttershy, who becomes just a tiny bit nervous at finding the attention shifting to her. A cut to her perspective frames the expectant smiles of one Princess, one dressmaker, one daredevil, one farmer—and one party planner when she leans into view. Back to Fluttershy, whose wings and eyes pop wide open in surprise.)

Fluttershy: Oh! Me?

Rainbow: You’ve been saying how great this place is since we got here!

Fluttershy: Well, that’s because everypony’s so nice and their village is so pretty and—and…

(Her wistful smile gives way to a look of resignation—that faded yellow rump is firmly in the hot seat now—and she lets her head droop.)

Fluttershy: Oh, you’re right. (folding wings) They probably would believe me.  (Head up; zoom in slowly.) I hate to lie to them. They’ve been so welcoming and friendly—aside from locking us in here and trying to brainwash us into abandoning the things that make us special.  

(Now she gets it; her head comes up to let her look the others straight on, and she narrows her eyes in determination.)

Fluttershy: Okay. I’ll do it.

Pinkie: (jumping high) WOO-HOO!!

(Her mark flares at the peak of her leap, and she settles sedately back onto her hooves.)

Pinkie: I mean, cool.

Fluttershy: (crossing to Twilight) But…what do I do once I’m out?

Twilight: You’ve gotta find a way to get our cutie marks back.

(Fluttershy swallows hard, just before the loudspeaker cuts in with a crackle of static and a squeal of feedback to end the propaganda recording loop. The noise gives way to Starlight’s normal speech.)

Starlight: Oh, good morning!

(The door opens to admit the beaming village founder.)

Starlight: I trust you had a pleasant night? (turning to lead them out) This way, please. There are some friends who would like to see you.

(Fluttershy gets a round of encouraging smiles from the other five. Outside, a great many grinning ponies have gathered in the road and are awaiting the group’s emergence, with Double Diamond at their front.)

Starlight: (voice raised) Gather ’round, friends, gather ’round! (Close-up of some, then back to her as she continues at normal volume.) We’ve come to ask if any of you are ready to join us. There are so many friends to be made once you realize you don’t need your cutie marks— (leaning into Twilight’s face) —or the talents that come with them. (Cut to Double.)

Double: We have a welcome ceremony for new friends. The whole village joins together to build you your own cottage.

Rainbow: (from o.s.) Not interested! (General shock; cut to her, Applejack, and Pinkie.) You may have them now, but we’re going to get our cutie marks back!

Applejack: Y’all don’t understand, do you? You can’t force nopony to be friends. It don’t work like that.

Stallion: Please! Join us!

Mare: We love new friends!

Starlight: It’s all right, everypony. This is a perfectly normal part of the equalization process for those who haven’t…mmm, quite seen the light yet. We’ll try again tomorrow— (to the six) —once you’ve had a bit more time to consider our philosophy.

(Her slight nod is the cue for them to file back into their prison, bowed in by the ever-grinning guards; Twilight glares daggers back at Starlight with every step. Lagging well behind her and bringing up the rear is Fluttershy, who continues docilely toward the door until Twilight kicks her foreleg to remind her of the plot. She stops short.)

Fluttershy: I’d like to join!

(She claps her front hooves over her mouth, but her decision sets off a buzz of excited chatter among the locals.)

Twilight: (mock disbelief) Fluttershy? How could you?

Fluttershy: If giving up my cutie mark means I get to stay in this lovely village with these lovely ponies… (crossing to Starlight) …then I’ll do it.

(Twilight sends her nastiest look back at the two as she crosses the threshold; once she is in, Starlight magically closes the door.)

Starlight: We have a new friend, everypony!

(Villagers gather happily around Fluttershy for a moment, then back away at Starlight’s approach.)

Starlight: Now, there’s one more order of business. (dramatically, briefly touching Fluttershy’s shoulders) It seems some in our midst might be dissatisfied with the village life.

(Cut to the crowd; general concerned gasps and mutters break out.)

Starlight: (from o.s.) Unfortunately, it’s all too true, my friends.

(Cut to an uneasy Fluttershy during the previous, then zoom out to frame the greasily smiling unicorn addressing her.)

Starlight: Will you kindly tell us the names of those “friends” who so desperately miss their cutie marks that they would sneak around in the shadows—

(The smile vanishes on “friends” and she caresses Fluttershy’s chin in a gentle yet disquieting way. From here, cut to Night Glider, Party Favor, and Sugar Belle at the back of the crowd—all realizing that they could be in a whole heap of trouble for their subversive activities in Part One.)

Starlight: (from o.s.) —talking to strangers about it? (Back to her and Fluttershy; she smiles warmly again.) Just so we can be sure your intentions are indeed pure?

(On this last word, cut to a close-up of one very, very scared pegasus and zoom in slowly. She swallows hard before the view snaps to black.)

Act Two

(Opening shot: fade in to Fluttershy wilting slowly under Starlight’s impatient gaze. Zoom in slowly.)

Fluttershy: (hesitantly) Um…I don’t know who they were. (smiling) Um, I’m sorry.

(Cut to her perspective, panning across the onlookers.)

Fluttershy: I don’t know your names and faces yet. (Back to the pair.)

Starlight: (smiling, airily) Nonsense! Obviously these ponies must have asked you directly. (gesturing toward crowd) Kindly point them out!

(Cut to the slightly freaked out Night, Party, and Sugar and zoom in slowly on them through the crowd. The stallion is first to find some nerve; cut to Fluttershy, slowly backing down as Starlight’s eyes bore into her. She chews her bottom lip and grits her teeth, wishing mightily that she could teleport away like Twilight—and then Party’s voice smashes the silence.)

Party: (from o.s.) It was me!

(The entire crowd quickly backs off to one side or the other, leaving the trio to stand conspicuously alone.)

Party: It was only me! (He races up and kneels in front of Starlight.) I only wanted it back for a little while!

Starlight: (smiling smugly, lifting his chin) And you’re quite certain it was only you?

Party: I just wanted to remember what it was like.

Starlight: (hurt tone) And no thought to the pain you’d cause your friends. (That hits home; he slinks down o.s.) Such selfishness.

(A couple of bystanders add their disapproving glares to hers, and in too short a moment, he is upright and trudging toward the house in which Twilight and company are imprisoned. The stallion who was on guard, a unicorn, uses his magic to open the door as two other ponies usher Party through it.)

Party: I’m sorry, everypony! I never wanted to leave the village! (Cut to Fluttershy and Starlight on the end of this, then back to him.) I love all of—

(His entreaty is cut off by the door slamming in his face. Cut to Night and Sugar and zoom in slowly as their minds race through the prospects for the ordeal their friend is about to face.)

(Inside the house, Party rams the door headfirst, hard enough to get the end of his horn stuck in the wood.)

Party: What was I thinking? I can’t believe I even considered asking for my cutie mark back.

Rainbow: Don’t worry. Fluttershy will have us outta here in no time. (Party darts over to her, suddenly panicked.)

Party: Didn’t you see what just happened out there? Your friend has accepted our way! (Others back away.) You will all accept our way! It’s only a matter of time!

(Sheer brain-melting horror runs through his mind for a split second, after which he hangs his head and clumps over to lie down in a corner.)

Rainbow: (whispering, to others) This guy’s a barrel of laughs.

Pinkie: (matter-of-factly) Laughs don’t come in barrels. They come from inside you as your body’s response to delight.

(Four flabbergasted pairs of eyes turn her way at this unexpected deadpan delivery.)

Applejack: (hushed) So what are we gonna do while Fluttershy’s out there lookin’ for our… (even softer) …cutie marks?

Twilight: We have to stay as positive as we can. If Party Favor sees how much we really do like each other, even though we’re all different, maybe we can use him to spread our message to the rest of the village. (The loudspeaker crackles/whines to life.)

Starlight: (recorded, over loudspeaker) To excel is to fail. (Volume fades.) Be your best by never being your best.

Rarity: (hushed, over end of previous) Let’s just hope they don’t convert any of us first.

(Dissolve to a slow pan along a row of smiling, waving ponies on the road, three of whom call “Welcome” one by one, then cut to Fluttershy walking among them.)

Fluttershy: Gosh. You really are the nicest ponies I’ve ever met. (Pan to frame Starlight as she steps up.)

Starlight: Come. All new friends stay with me until their cottage is completed. (leading Fluttershy to her door, magically opening it) Let’s get you settled, and then you can enjoy all that our little village has to offer.

(On the end of this, cut to her perspective, the camera pointing back along the road and panning from one side to the other. Night and Sugar, walking past in the fore, slap on the most convincing grins they can scrape up and make eye contact with Fluttershy. The camera then shifts to a close-up of the pegasus, who glances dejectedly toward the ground and completely misses the suspicious look coming from Starlight. However, she too works up a smile and allows the unicorn to escort her into the house, this time not catching the squint-eyed smile that Starlight aims back toward the two dissenters. A shot of magic closes the door behind the two.)

(Dissolve to a head-on shot of the house at night. A puff of sooty smoke burps out of the chimney, accompanied by a grinding of stone on stone, and a very grimy Fluttershy pops out after it. One coughing fit and vigorous shake later, she has cleared her lungs and cleaned herself off.)

Fluttershy: (sighing) Get the cutie marks back. That’s all you’ve gotta do, Fluttershy. Just sneak through the dark— (huddling down, increasingly fearful) —to that spooky old cave, with the scary magical staff— (lifting off) —and get the cutie marks back.

(Dissolve to a profile close-up of her walking along, seen from the flanks up.)

Fluttershy: Okay. You’re doing great. The cave’s gotta be close now.

(She stops short and looks down toward her hooves; zoom out to frame all of her. She is still on the roof, having traveled only a few feet from the chimney.)

Starlight: (from o.s. below) Excellent work, Double Diamond. (Fluttershy peeks over the edge.)

Double: (from o.s. below) Of course.

(On the start of the next line, tilt down to ground level. Starlight stands at her open front door, addressing Double at the bottom of the steps. A crate filled with jars stands next to him.)

Double: But I don’t understand why you wanted me to bring them here. (Starlight levitates the crate and walks in with it; he follows.) Fluttershy is one of us now. Surely she can be trusted.

(Her field closes the door; cut to within. Fluttershy puts her head up outside at the windowsill as Starlight paces, floating the crate up. At this distance, the jars—six in all—can be seen to contain the Ponyville group’s cutie marks.)

Starlight: (levitating the jar with Twilight’s mark) This one belongs to a princess. It could be very important to our cause. (Close-up of the horrified yellow face, hunkering down.)

Double: (from o.s.) But if Twilight Sparkle becomes our friend— (Cut to him and Starlight; she sets the crate down.) —then what do we care about this old cutie mark?

Starlight: I just want to keep them close until everything is…settled. You may go, Double Diamond.

(He does so, leaving her to gaze fondly at her stolen prize. Outside, Fluttershy takes cover behind the corner of the house just before he lets himself out, the door swinging shut behind him. She peeks after the departing stallion, then returns to her vantage point at the window and sees Starlight walk past, now floating all the jars from the crate.)

Fluttershy: Oh, dear. How am I ever gonna get the cutie marks back now?

(Cut to just inside the window; the blue-green irises, shrunken with agitation, flick back and forth in time for a loud crash.)

Starlight: (from o.s.) Ow!

(Outside again; Fluttershy flies up toward the roof. Inside, at another window: she looks in and sees a wooden tub roll across the floor, shedding droplets of water as it comes to a stop beneath the sill. The camera returns to her side, giving a clear view of a suddenly sodden Starlight in her own bedroom with the jars floating nearby—she evidently dumped the water over herself.)

Starlight: (slightly muffled by glass) Ugh! Starlight, you clumsy fool!

(Inside again: the jars are placed on a dresser and a nearby towel is levitated over so she can dry herself. Once she moves it away, the equals sign is seen to be gone from her haunch; in its place is a four-pointed violet star overlaid on a white one, trailing wisps of swirling, two-tone blue-green light. Zoom in to a close-up of this—her real cutie mark—then cut to just inside the window as Fluttershy stares in total shock, eyes bugging out and jaw falling wide open.)

(Inside the bedroom, Starlight quickly puts her magic to work, applying makeup to match her coat color and cover the star, then using a stencil and brush to re-apply the fake mark. Fluttershy pulls in a soft gasp, drawing Starlight’s attention instantly to the window and making her drop the tools, but she plunges out of sight with a fragment of a fraction of a second to spare. Cut to just outside the window; Starlight glares through the panes but finds nothing, then steps out of view and turns off the bedroom light. A tilt down brings the covert operative into view—in an upside-down spreadeagle position, hanging for dear life on the underside of a ledge that runs beneath the window. She drops into a hover and rights herself.)

Fluttershy: Oh, no!

(She flies off. Dissolve to a long shot of the village, now seen during the following morning, and cut to the crowd gathered outside her friends’ prison as they are escorted out. As with the previous morning, Starlight is waiting for them; now, though, Fluttershy stands alongside.)

Starlight: (to crowd) I’ve got a good feeling about today! (to the quintet) So, do any of you have… (Cut to a pan along the dispirited mares; she continues o.s.) …anything you’d like to say?

(Silence reigns for several beats.)

Starlight: Aw, a pity. Well, let’s try this again tomorrow, shall we?

(Back into the house they go.)

Starlight: (to the crowd) No new friends today, I’m afraid!

(Fluttershy’s smile turns into a grimace; she speaks up after a moment.)

Fluttershy: Wait! I’d like to lock them in. (Puzzled reaction from Starlight, shifting to a smile; Fluttershy grins.)

Starlight: Marvelous, Fluttershy! (Fluttershy steps ahead.) That’s the spirit! (all business) Party Favor, will you join us, please?

(Said stallion gallops out at full speed as Fluttershy herds the last of her friends toward the door; he throws himself to the ground, hugging Starlight’s foreleg.)

Party: I’m sorry, Starlight! I’m sorry, everypony! I’ve seen the error of my ways! I never want to look at my cutie mark again! (Cut to Starlight.)

Starlight: (smiling) It seems there’s cause for celebration after all! (Cheers from the gathered spectators.)

Party: (from o.s.) They tried to break me! (Cut to him.) They wouldn’t stop talking about how different they are, and that somehow makes their friendship stronger.

Starlight: Such backwards thinking.

(He stands up, now displaying the kind of crazed grin and disjointed eyes that would have given Pinkie a run for her money during her mental breakdown in “Party of One.”)

Party: But I didn’t listen! (Snap back to normal.) I knew what they were up to, and I didn’t listen! (Here it comes again; she touches his chest.)

Starlight: Well done, Party Favor! We welcome you back with open hooves.

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) Um, Starlight?

(Cut to her, standing next to the still-open door with an apologetic little grin.)

Fluttershy: I think we might have one more friend joining us today.

(Out steps a cowed Twilight, prompting a round of gasps from the o.s. crowd. Across the way, Starlight pushes Party aside and aims a slightly incredulous eye toward the pair.)

Starlight: Is this true?

Twilight: I…I think so. But I just want to be sure. (crossing to Starlight) If I agree to leave my cutie mark in the vault, I’ll really be happier?

Starlight: (cheerfully) Just look around. Equality has given us more happiness than you’ve ever known.

Twilight: (spreading wings, eyeing new mark) And you wouldn’t let me just live here in the village with my old cutie mark? (Cut to Starlight.)

Starlight: Out of the question! A pony with a different cutie mark in our midst would destroy our entire philosophy! (smiling, indicating crowd) We are all equal here. (Zoom out slightly; murmurs of assent among them.)

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) Then how do you explain… (Cut to her, hovering overhead with a bucket of water.) …this?!?

(She hurls the contents downward, straight toward Starlight, but a timely sidestep saves the unicorn from her second thorough dousing in twenty-four hours. A drop lands on her back and begins to trickle down toward her haunch, though. Any shred of good humor evaporates as she glares up at Fluttershy with the purest hostility.)

Starlight: I knew you couldn’t be trusted!

(Party’s eyes suddenly go very wide, aimed in Starlight’s general direction, and a close-up of her haunch tells the tale. As the drop descends, it dissolves some of the makeup she has applied and partially exposes her real mark. He quickly steps up, his ragged cloak now held in his teeth, and rubs it over the spot to fully reveal the deception.)

Starlight: No! Get away!

(Party drops the cloak, giving the crowd a full view; they gasp in shock and disbelief, and Starlight grimaces and covers her haunch with her tail.)

Starlight: Wh…what are you looking at? (pointing toward Twilight and company) They’re the problem, not me!

(Fluttershy lands next to them, Twilight standing ahead of the group; confident smiles have taken hold on all six faces.)

Party: (to Starlight, mind blown) How could you?

Double: (stepping up) You said cutie marks were evil! You said special talents led to pain and heartache!

Starlight: They do! Don’t you see? Look at them!

Sugar: (from o.s.) Then why? (She steps up.) Why did you take ours and not give up your own?

Starlight: I… (suddenly angry) …I had to, you fools! How could I collect your cutie marks without my magic?

Night: But…the Staff has all the magic we need! (Starlight leans into her face.)

Starlight: The Staff is a piece of wood I found in the desert! It’s my magic that makes all this possible. You’d all still be living your miserable lives, thinking you’re better than everypony else, if it weren’t for my magical abilities! (turning from one pony to another) I brought you friendship! I brought you equality! I created harmony!

Double: You lied to us!

Starlight: So what? (smiling nervously) E-Everything else I said is true. (pacing a bit) The only way to be happy is if we’re all equal!

Double: Except for you!

(In close-up, she pivots toward him, horn flaring and a grimace of purest fury on her face. On the start of the next line, pan slightly to frame Twilight approaching from behind; the spell dies down and rancor turns into surprise.)

Twilight: Everypony has unique talents and gifts. (Grimace again.) And when we share them with each other, that’s how we—

Starlight: QUIET!!

(None of the six can believe their ears that an adversary has told this Princess to stuff it—least of all the Princess in question.)

Sugar: (from o.s.) You can’t have that cutie mark, Starlight! (Cut to her, addressing Starlight.) Either we’re all equal, or none of us are!

(Hacked-off ponies step closer from one angle after another, each pair of eyes telling exactly what they would like to do to their leader/oppressor. Starlight backs up ever so slightly, only to find that she is about to run into the six mares who triggered the whole collapse of her utopia. As more of the locals move in to cut off her escape route, she fires up her horn and creates a hemispherical force field, expanding it suddenly to shove them all back. As soon as the barrier collapses, she gallops off to take refuge in her house, slamming the door behind herself.)

Double: (rearing up, galloping after her) Come on! Let’s get our cutie marks back!

(There follows a yelling stampede straight past that solitary structure and toward the mountains. Rainbow flies overhead and stops to beckon her friends on.)

Rainbow: Come on! Let’s go get our cutie marks! (She tenses to zoom out…)

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) Our cutie marks aren’t in the vault!

(…but stops dead at these words. The rest of the group has stayed put on the road.)

Fluttershy: (pointing ahead) They’re in there…

(Long shot of Starlight’s house, zooming in quickly.)

Fluttershy: (from o.s.) …with her!

(Snap to black.)

Act Three

(Opening shot: fade in to the vault, now steadily filling with ponies eager to reclaim their special talents. Hoof after hoof pounds against the glass covering with no visible effect, but all cease their efforts when the next voice cuts in.)

Double: (from o.s., distant) STAND BACK, EVERYPONY!

(They clear out at the sound of his rapidly approaching hooves; here he comes with the Staff clamped in his teeth. He flings it ahead, so that it spins end over end in its flight, and the tuning-fork tines connect with enough force to start cracks at the point of impact. These quickly spread to cover the entire surface, and the whole sheet disintegrates in a blinding flash. Motes of multicolored light erupt in all directions like a fireworks display gone haywire, and one of them strikes the equals sign on Double’s haunch, instantly replacing it with three blue snowflakes. He is lifted off the ground in a magic field, becoming a black silhouette as the background fades to white behind him, and he too fades away in turn. The process reverses itself to leave him fully visible again, with two noticeable changes. One: his mane/tail are no longer neat and short, but tousled and grown out somewhat. Two, there is a genuine, unforced smile on his face.)

(He settles to the ground amid a maelstrom of rocketing cutie marks, three of which hit Night, Party, and Sugar in turn. Each one winds up with a more brightly colored coat and mane/tail, the latter growing out and reverting to their original style. Night: deep blue coat; swept-back  mane/tail in white and two shades of light blue; cutie mark of a crescent moon framed by two feathers bent into hemispherical arcs. Party: light blue coat; curly, bright blue mane/tail with lighter blue streaks; cutie mark of a balloon animal overlaid on party streamers. Sugar: light pink coat, curly purple mane/tail loosely held with beaded ties, cutie mark not immediately visible due to the camera angle. The transformation strips off her dingy apron.)

(Cut to outside the cave as more cutie marks come zooming out and the villagers charge/fly out after them, then pan to an overhead shot of the village. At ground level, an enraptured Rarity watches the display.)

Rarity: Even without my cutie mark, I can tell this is beautiful!

(Zoom out during this line to frame Twilight gazing as well, while Applejack, Pinkie, and Rainbow have the front door and windows of Starlight’s house staked out and Fluttershy stands off to one side. Inside, the deposed leader disgustedly watches at the bedroom window as more of the villagers recover their marks.)

Starlight: They think they can come to my village and disrupt my life? (She turns away to her six prize jars.) Let’s see how they like spending the rest of their lives without their precious cutie marks.

(On this last sentence, she gets her horn going and the camera cuts to her bed, which is slung aside to reveal an open floor hatch beneath it, then to just inside this, framing her at the edge. She gallops down an attached stairway, jars in tow. Outside, Applejack bucks the front door and achieves exactly as much success as in her earlier attempt to smash her way out of the brainwashing house—that is to say, none at all. Rarity adds her front hooves to the effort, also with no result, and Twilight joins Pinkie and Rainbow at the windows; only Fluttershy takes no part in the surveillance or breaching attempt. A loud whistle brings them all up short; pan quickly to one side and stop on its source—Double, Night, Party, and Sugar standing proudly on an overlooking ridge. Sugar’s cutie mark can now be seen as a cupcake topped with a cherry. Night lifts off.)

Night: Stand back, everypony!

(She cuts a wide arc down toward the house, the six scattering in all directions as she homes in on the front door. Inside, the pegasus’ impact smashes it off the hinges and throws it to the middle of the floor; she ends up standing on top of it as her friends, old and new, charge in around her. There follows a swift search of the room; cut to just inside the closed bedroom door as Fluttershy pushes it open and looks around.)

Fluttershy: They’re gone! (pointing) They were right over there!

(On the end of this, cut to her perspective of the dresser on which Starlight had kept the jarred marks. Pan across the room to the overturned bed and exposed floor hatch, then cut to just inside, the camera pointing up the stairs at the ten as they start down into the shadows.)

(Cut to outside, a short distance from the house, and pan away from the village to a cave. The team pours out of it—the other end of the secret passage Starlight used to get out of town.)

Rainbow: (pointing) Look!

(Ahead of them is a narrow trail that snakes along a treacherously high ridge toward a range of snow-capped mountain peaks. Starlight is visible only as a speck going like sixty toward these. As Pinkie shades her eyes with a hoof and squints ahead, Party gets an idea and glances back at his cutie mark with a smile. To the great surprise of the faded goofball, he produces a balloon, blows it up, and nimbly ties it into the shape of a pair of binoculars—somehow managing to incorporate a couple of extra colors into it for good measure. Party raises the instrument to his eyes, and the camera cuts to his magnified perspective: Starlight galloping full tilt and pulling a cart that carries the six unreleased marks. The image is tinted yellow due to the main color of the balloon he has used.)

Party: She’s headed for the pass! (Pan quickly to the mountains and re-focus.) If she makes it into those mountains— (Back to him and Pinkie; he lowers the binocs.) —we’ll never find her!

(Now Pinkie takes them for a look; the “lens” ends retract and extend a bit as she speaks.)

Pinkie: These are amazing!

Sugar: There’s a whole network of caves up there! Your cutie marks will be gone forever!

Applejack: Then let’s get movin’, y’all!

(They do so. Rainbow has her wings going in maximum overdrive, but is very much put out to find herself being outpaced—first by Night in the air; then by Double/Party/Sugar at a gallop, and finally by the rest of her friends at a more sedate trot.)

Rainbow: Oh, come on!

(Cut to Starlight going flat out; Night begins to close the gap.)

Starlight: Are you all so willing to give up everything because of these strangers?

(A shot from her horn dislodges a clump of accumulated snow, dumping it onto Night and knocking her out of the air. She puts her head up from the resulting pile, aims a venomous glare after the unicorn, and shakes her mane clean.)

Sugar: (galloping past) We gave up everything for you, because we thought you were our friend!

(Extreme close-up of a patch of snow on the trail. Twilight’s and then Fluttershy’s hooves crunch down through it; cut to frame the Ponyville bunch lagging well behind—with Rainbow still bringing up the rear.)

Rainbow: I can’t believe we have to count on these other ponies to save our cutie marks!

Twilight: If we hadn’t come here to help them, they’d still be living under her rules! (smiling) Now it’s their turn to help us!

Fluttershy: And I know they can do it.

(The fugitive starts across a natural bridge, looks back, and finds Double/Party/Sugar hot on her trail. Now it is Sugar’s turn to take inspiration from her cutie mark; a bit of telekinesis lifts a chunk of snow from a nearby drift and shapes it into a pie.)

Sugar: My newest recipe… (letting fly) …snow pie!

(The camera shifts to follow its arcing trajectory toward Starlight, then cuts to a profile view just before impact. That hit breaks the cart’s harness struts, dumping her into a head-over-heels tumble and sending the jars flying over the side. She desperately starts a spell as they plummet toward the rocks far below, managing to envelop and stop them with only inches to go. Having now shed the remains of the harness, she floats the jars back up, gets clear of the bridge, and stops to fire a beam into it. Most of the stone span’s length explodes into gravel and dust.)

(Double, Party, and Sugar skid to a stop at the edge of the gap; in close-up, the first and third of these find themselves at a loss as to how to continue the chase. The sound of a balloon being blown up catches them by surprise, and a cut to Party shows him ready to get to work with the one he is now holding. His front hooves disappear into a blur of deft manipulation, and within moments a multicolored bridge begins to grow. As it extends, Night swoops in to guide the free end across and secure it to the rock stub at the opposite side. Once it is in place, she flies ahead and the other three hop, Pinkie-style, across this marvel of rubber-based civil engineering. The Ponyville bunch watches from a higher ledge.)

Rainbow: She’s gonna get away!

(Now having traversed the bridge, Double slides to a stop as Party and Sugar continue on. The camera angle frames two long, flat items protruding into view, their ends cut off by the top/bottom edges of the screen, and he regards these with disbelief in a zoom out. Said items are skis, each with bindings to hold two hooves in place, their rear ends stuck in the snow; a helmet with goggles rests nearby.)

Double: Whoa. (walking to them.) These are my old skis! (He runs a hoof over one.) This is where I first met Starlight.

(On the start of the next line, zoom out to frame Night hovering above him nearby.)

Night: Maybe you can reminisce another time. She’s almost to the caves! (He grabs hold of that ski, a new fire in his voice.)

Double: Feel like an air drop?

(Starlight pounds on toward a cave, but gets a mighty surprise upon catching sight of her enforcer sailing past her—wearing the skis/helmet/goggles and a scarf, and being carried upward by Night. She drops him onto a snowy slope and peels out; he cuts a path parallel to Starlight’s, sending a wall of the frozen white stuff straight toward her. The fleeing unicorn has just enough time to warm up her horn before the screen fades to black.)

(Fade in to just outside the cave entrance, now almost completely blocked by the avalanche Double set off. Starlight is nowhere to be seen, but the six precious jars are floating here, still held in her magic. It fizzles out as Party and Sugar gallop to the site, and the jars fall to the ground and shatter; Twilight is first to get her mark back, fading to a silhouette, then white, then the process reversing as with Double’s restoration. Once the view clears, she is grinning from ear to ear, her coloration and wings behaving themselves properly. Her five friends recover theirs in quick succession.)

Applejack: (rearing up) Yee-haa! (bucking the air) Finally I can buck like a five-bit snake herder in an Appleloosa ranch house again!

Fluttershy: Oh, and you got your country-isms back too!

(Twilight leads the bunch in a gallop toward the cave. Night has joined Party and Sugar at the entrance, and Double skis to a stop here as well. They turn their attention toward the snowdrifts as Starlight’s forelegs break through to daylight; up comes her scowling face, prompting the four to recoil out of fear. She extricates herself, kindles a blinding spot of light at the end of her horn, and lets it rip toward the traitors—only for Twilight to land in front of them and throw up a defensive shield. It takes the form of a quarter-sphere, allowing Starlight’s power to wash over the surface and stream off the trailing edge. Finally she lets the beam dissipate and Twilight drops the shield, revealing not even a hair out of place on herself or the others. She is, however, good and sore. Cut to Starlight.)

Starlight: Wha—? I studied that spell for years! How can you— (Cut to Twilight and the four on the start of the next line; she crosses toward Starlight.)

Twilight: I studied magic for years too. But what I didn’t know then was that studying could only take me so far. (gesturing behind herself) Each of my friends has taught me something different about myself.

(Cut to all nine of those friends, gathering on the path, at the start of this last sentence, then back to her for the next line.)

Twilight: It was their unique gifts and passions and personalities that helped bring out the magic inside of me. (Cut to a slow pan across them; she continues o.s.) I never would have learned that I represent the Element of Magic without these five. (Back to her and Starlight.) And I certainly wouldn’t be here to stop you now! (Starlight rolls her eyes.)

Starlight: Spare me your sentimental nonsense! I gave these ponies real friendships they never could have had otherwise!

Double: (from o.s.) How do you know that? (Cut to him, removing his helmet/goggles and tossing them aside.) You never even gave us a chance!

(That does it. Her features contorting into a look of the clearest hate and fury and contempt, Starlight squinches her eyes shut and kick-starts her horn. All ten avert their eyes as a sphere of energy radiates outward from her position, culminating in a brilliant flash of white. When the view clears, the snow is gone from the cave entrance and there is no trace of Starlight except for a curl of smoke rising from the newly bare patch of ground. Cut to just inside, the camera pointing out at the group; a string of snowy prints and the fading sound of her racing hooves give away Starlight’s ploy. Her spell was meant to clear the way and distract them long enough for her to bug out.)

Rainbow: She’s getting away!

Double: We’ll never find her in there! (Outside again.)

Twilight: We just have to hope that when she’s had a chance to think it over, she realizes that you all have taught her something.

Party: It’s you who have taught us something. We all came to this village because we were searching for something missing from our lives. We thought Starlight had given it to us. (Cut to Double/Night/Sugar; he continues o.s.) But now… (crossing to them) …now it seems it was in front of us all along. It’s us. (Four-way group hug.)

Twilight: Does that mean you’ll stay in the village?

Night: It’s our home. I’m not going anywhere.

Double: This is a chance for all of us to get to know each other again, for the very first time.

Sugar: And I finally have a chance to bake something besides terrible muffins!

(All ten share a laugh as the camera tilts up to frame the sun in the clear sky.)

(Dissolve to an overhead shot of the village. The houses are strung with banners, strings of pennants run from one side of the road to the other, and celebrating ponies are all over the place. Twilight and her five longtime friends regard the shindig from the end opposite Starlight’s house. Cuts/pans around the block party pick out Night talking with a stallion, Party tossing a beach ball, a mare floating a cupcake off Sugar’s table of delectable baked goods, and Double—having shed his skis and scarf—chatting with a couple of mares before Party’s ball bounces off his head. Zoom in from him to frame the Ponyville six looking on contentedly.)

Pinkie: Now those are real smiles.

(Close-up of Applejack’s face, which goes slack with sudden shock. A tingle of magic is heard, and the camera tilts down slightly to follow her gaze and frame her cutie mark. Just as in the beginning of Part One, Act One, it is flaring quietly, as is that of Pinkie next to her.)

Applejack: I’ll never get used to that. (Ditto for Rarity.)

Rarity: I think it’s divine. (Cut to Fluttershy and Twilight; each glancing briefly at her own flaring mark.)

Fluttershy: Does that mean the map is calling us somewhere else? (The effect stops.)

Twilight: I have a feeling it means our work here is done.

Applejack: (from o.s.) Looks like you were right, Twilight. (Cut to her.) The map did have a reason for sendin’ us here. (Pinkie nods.) We brought real friendship to these here ponies. (winking) Guess that’s why you’re the Princess of Friendship. (Close-up of Twilight.)

Twilight: But the map didn’t send me. (Zoom out to frame all six.) It sent us. You’re a part of me, all of you. And there’s no doubt you’re a part of my mission to spread friendship too.

(A six-way group hug, with various happy squeals and laughs. A look of concern snaps onto Pinkie’s face, breaking the mood.)

Pinkie: This feels like an ending. (She sits up to her haunches.) It doesn’t have to be an ending yet, right? (smiling hopefully) ’Cause that Sugar Belle can baaake!

Twilight: Maybe we can stay a little while longer. (trotting ahead) Come on!

(The whole crew heads into the heart of the festival. Cut to an overhead shot of the village, zooming out slowly, and fade to black.)

(The usual closing theme does not accompany the credits. In its place is a lush orchestral piece with strings, French horn, and light percussion: brisk 4, triplet feel. The melody starts in E major and works its way through several keys to end up on a final chord in G major.)

CASTLE SWEET CASTLE

Written by Joanna Lewis, Kristine Songco

Produced by Devon Cody

Story editing by Meghan McCarthy

Supervising direction by Jayson Thiessen

Co-directed by Jim Miller

Transcribed by Alan Back (ajback@yahoo.com)

Prologue

(Opening shot: fade in to a close-up of an upside-down wooden bucket resting on the ground. A very dirty animal is levitated over to stand on this, and a soapy scrub brush floats in to give it a thorough cleaning, which it greatly enjoys. Zoom out to show Twilight Sparkle in charge of this grooming session, set up in the backyard of Fluttershy’s cottage. A few other grungy critters are waiting their turn, and she is thoroughly splattered with muck from her work so far. The sky above the canopy of the nearby Everfree Forest shows late afternoon.)

(Elsewhere in the yard, Fluttershy is dealing with a group of her own, focusing for the moment on steadying a garden hose with her mouth to fill a washtub that contains a goat and a great mass of soap suds. She too is a mess from one end to the other. Tossing the hose aside, she nips up a washcloth to start cleaning the quadruped. A bear gets its teeth brushed under the guidance of Twilight’s magic, giving a happy smile and grunt when the job is done. Next the two mares pull on opposite ends of a towel to polish the hide of a freshly scrubbed pig.)

(A cloud of soap bubbles floats up past the screen; behind its lower edge, the view wipes to a close-up of them, straightening up.)

Fluttershy: (wiping forehead) Phew! Thanks for helping me get them so fresh and clean, Twilight.

Twilight: No problem. Happy to do it.

Fluttershy: You probably can’t wait to get back to your castle and take your own bath, huh?

(Close-up of the light violet face on the end of this, the purple eyes popping wide open in a flick of unease. The mouth beneath them rapidly shifts to its best attempt at a casual smile.)

Twilight: Aren’t there more animals that need cleaning? (Big dopey grin.)

Fluttershy: I think you and I are the only ones left— (stroking her mane) —and I can’t wait to get the mud out of my mane.

(Looking frantically about herself, Twilight spots Fluttershy’s rabbit Angel at the edge of a mud puddle and bunts him into it with a hind leg .Once he gets his face out of the gunk, he aims a furious beady-eyed glare up at her.)

Twilight: Oh, no! Angel got dirty! I’d better stay longer to help give him a bath too!

(As the yellow pegasus looks on with clear concern, her friend trots away and levitates the white fuzzball into the washtub. The scrub brush is brought into play as his little bunny brain ponders the most effective way to avenge this indignity. Fade to black.)

OPENING THEME

Act One

(Opening shot: fade in to the exterior of Fluttershy’s cottage, seen from the front, and zoom in slowly.)

Fluttershy: (voice over) Thank you ever so much for staying to give Angel a bath too. (Cut to her inside, now cleaned up; zoom out slowly.) But, um…

(The motion frames a still-filthy Twilight, hunching intently over something covered with a towel under her control.)

Fluttershy: …I think he’s dry.

(The violet winged unicorn stands up, caught off guard, and pulls the towel away. Underneath it is Angel, sparkling clean and very much out of sorts—and his mood does not improve when the white fur fluffs out wildly in every direction.)

Fluttershy: Goodness, it’s gotten late! (Twilight lets the towel drop.) You really didn’t have to stay all day—not that we don’t appreciate it. (to Angel) Isn’t that right?

(His only response is a grumbling glower. Now Twilight maneuvers a feather duster up to clean off a couple of birdhouses and a chair.)

Fluttershy: (pointedly) I, for one, am exhausted. (Yawn.) Plus, I really need to rest up for that big pancake breakfast tomorrow.

(Twilight manages to completely miss this hint and continues dusting.)

Fluttershy: And I’m sure you have to get the castle ready.

(During this line, cut to the resident of said castle, who finally snaps out of housecleaning mode and turns to Fluttershy with panic writ large on her face.)

Twilight: No! The castle’s…fine. (forcing a smile) But maybe I’d better see if Pinkie Pie needs help with the pancakes.

(Cut to just outside the front door, now open. The besmirched Princess flies out; Fluttershy steps to the door to gaze after her, followed by Angel. Animal caretaker and over-dried rabbit trade a concerned glance, and the latter hops back into the house and slams the door. Fluttershy turns to go inside and is surprised to find herself shut out.)

Fluttershy: (knocking) Um, Angel?

(Dissolve to a long shot of Twilight’s castle and zoom in slowly to the sound of enthusiastic gobbling. It is now sunrise of the following day. From here, cut to a slow pan across a round gold table loaded with plates of pancakes sporting a surfeit of various toppings. Each of Twilight’s five friends is seated here—a dining room—on low chairs and getting her eat on, Rarity daintily levitating a fork to dig into her own breakfast. Pinkie Pie, on the other hand, simply plunges her face into her stack of flapjacks. The pan stops on Applejack, who swallows her mouthful and licks her chops.)

Applejack: Mmm…these are dee-licious, Pinkie Pie.

(The baking expert comes up with whipped cream and berries slathered over every square inch of her face. One 360-degree lick gathers all the sweet stuff into a single huge wad, which she cheerfully gulps down before speaking.)

Pinkie: Thanks. Twilight spent all night helping me pick the flavor. (reaching o.s., pulling a stack of pancakes into view) I kept thinking we’d found the right one— (plunking them onto her plate) —but she insisted I make even more to try… (retrieving/stacking more cakes) …and more…

(Close-up of the rapidly growing stack. On each of the first three “more”’s in the next line, she reaches up to add another pile of cakes.)

Pinkie: (from o.s.) …and more, and more, and more, and more. (She leans into view behind the now-massive tower.) It was like she never wanted to—

Fluttershy: —leave?

Pinkie: Exactly! (She takes a bite from the side of the pile.) Eventually we ran out of time, so we just went with Every-Berry-Any-Chip Surprise.

(Now she whisks over to Rarity.)

Pinkie: (whispering loudly) The surprise is, I lost a measuring spoon in the batter! (normal volume, singsong) Somepony’s gonna get a very special pancake!

(She zips back to her seat. Suddenly very concerned for the state of her own teeth and digestive system, the fastidious white unicorn carefully plies her magic to pry up the top half of her stack and peek beneath.)

Rainbow Dash: (from o.s.) Up all night, huh? (Cut to her.) Is that why she’s so…uh…out of it?

(A cut to Twilight reveals that, for once, the flying ace might be understating the situation. She now looks a bedraggled, muddy, scuffed-up wreck and is asleep where she sits, snoring loudly over her plate.)

Fluttershy: Um, I don’t mean to sound unappreciative, but has anypony else noticed that Twilight’s been a little too helpful lately?

Applejack: Now that you mention it, she was lendin’ a hoof at Sweet Apple Acres the other day—

(Dissolve to a pan across a tract of orchard land, peppered with dozens of freshly dug holes.)

Applejack: (voice over) —and stuck around ’til near midnight.

(She comes into view in the fore, as does a shovel in Twilight’s telekinetic grip, pitching dirt up from within one of the holes. Slung on Applejack’s back is a set of baskets loaded with tree seedlings.)

Applejack: (voice over) Dug up fifty tree-plantin’ holes when all I needed was ten.

(Now Twilight puts her head up, showing a spot of dirt between her eyes, and grins placatingly; Applejack returns a humoring but uneasy one. On the beginning of the next line, dissolve to a close-up of Twilight in Rarity’s workspace/living quarters on the upper story of the Carousel Boutique. She has a jeweler’s loupe screwed into one eye and is scrutinizing two gems floating around her head.)

Rarity: (voice over) She spent an entire afternoon rearranging a single gem drawer at the boutique.

(Satisfied, the violet mare magically removes the loupe and sends the stones down to rest in a cushioned drawer. They are identical to each other and to the ten already resting within.)

Rarity: (voice over) An entire afternoon!

Rainbow: (voice over) You think that’s weird?

(Dissolve to the speedster flying among the clouds to break through a tape strung between two pillars. During the next line, Twilight flaps in well after her.)

Rainbow: (voice over) She raced me, like, a hundred times the other day— (Rainbow breaks another tape, Twilight lagging again.) —and lost every time! (The daredevil zooms off…) She just kept going! (…chased by a now-exhausted Twilight…) Best out of ten. Best out of twenty. Best out of a hundred! (…who drops o.s., sending up wisps of cloud.) I mean…

(Dissolve back to her and Fluttershy at the breakfast table.)

Rainbow: …I know hanging out with me is awesome, but it was like she’d rather keep losing than—

Fluttershy: —leave?

Rainbow: Yeah. Who does that?

(Both look in Twilight’s general direction; cut to her. The wiped-out sovereign’s head tumbles forward to plant itself in her pancakes face first, scattering whipped cream and toppings all over the table. She cuddles the stack in her forelegs like a pillow and goes right on snoring. Over on Applejack/Pinkie’s side of the table, the pink nut smacks the edge of her plate, launching her meal toward the ceiling, as the blond mare speaks.)

Applejack: Somepony who’s avoidin’ somethin’, that’s who. Soon as she wakes up— (Pinkie lets the cakes fall into her mouth and swallows them.) —we’re gonna find out what.

(The blue eyes pop with instant discomfort, which is relieved when Pinkie spits out a spoon that can only be the one she admitted to losing. It hurtles across the table, nails Fluttershy dead square in the forehead, and falls to stick in her food, handle down. She stares at this unorthodox culinary tweak with great trepidation, as do Applejack and Rarity.)

Pinkie: I win!

(Twilight wakes up with a start, a pancake impaled on her horn and covering most of her face.)

Twilight: I’m pancake! (moving it aside) I mean, awake. (Sheepish grin.)

Applejack: Uh, Twilight? Is there somethin’ you want to tell us?

(Twilight magically lifts the edge clear of her eyes as Rarity crosses to her, then floats the whole thing free during the next line.)

Rarity: You know how much we appreciate all you do for us.

(Pinkie leaps up from beneath the table, snaps her teeth onto the pancake, and is gone just as quickly.)

Rarity: And we simply adore having you around, but…we worry you might be… (Clear throat.) …avoiding something else?

Twilight: (moaning sadly) Has it been that obvious?

(Fluttershy and Rainbow trade a concerned look, Applejack nods bluntly, Pinkie keeps eating her stolen treat, and Rarity glances away with a cringe.)

Twilight: I’ve been…the thing is…I-I know it’s silly, but I…I’ve been avoiding… (Zoom out to frame the entire room, her voice echoing slightly in the space.) …this place.

(It is indeed expansive, with the same green tree-patterned windows, tiny multicolored lights, and crystal columns seen in other parts of the castle. Back to Twilight/Fluttershy/Rarity; the unicorn gasps in shock.)

Rarity: Why in Equestria would you want to avoid such a gorgeous castle? (Pinkie pops up between her and Twilight.)

Pinkie: Yeah! This place has everything! (She zips away and bounds through another room.) Big tall ceilings that make you feel tiny!

(Close-up of a patch of glossy violet floor, her reflection popping into view here, then zoom out to frame her on the start of the next line.)

Pinkie: (running hooves/cheek over surface) Shiny new floors that are cold to the touch! (She lies down and huddles up, shivering.) Brrr!

(Off she goes, bursting through a set of closed double doors.)

Pinkie: And it even has loooooong empty hallways!

(On “loooooong,” the camera zooms out to frame a stretch of the one in which she has arrived and her voice echoes time and again in the stillness. As the reverberations gradually die away, the camera cuts to a bench up against one wall, then to a hanging tapestry that ripples in a chance breeze. Pinkie then whips back to Twilight’s side in the dining room.)

Pinkie: (glumly) Okay, I get it.

Twilight: The castle is amazing, but it just… (Sigh.) …it doesn’t feel like home.

Rarity: (chuckling) Oh, is that all? Why, you simply need to decorate, darling—make this space your own.

Twilight: It’s just so daunting. Look how big it is! I-I don’t even know where to start!

(She plants her face on the table again, but this time Rarity’s aura slides her plate away first.)

Rarity: You can start by letting us do it for you. (Twilight lifts her head; Rarity crosses to her.) We will make this the castle of your dreams, while you go to the Ponyville Spa for some much-needed rest and relaxation. (Close-up.) I’m saying this with love— (Horn warms up.) —but…

(As she continues, she floats up a hand mirror, blocking herself from view and presenting a clear reflection of Twilight’s disheveled, dismal state.)

Rarity: …have you looked in a mirror lately? (Twilight’s eyes pop; Rarity peeks out from behind.) I’ve never seen you look this…mmm… (Fluttershy’s reflection appears in the glass.)

Fluttershy: …frazzled?

(Cut to frame all three and Pinkie.)

Rarity: (sending mirror away) Yes! That is absolutely the word I was going to use.

Twilight: (smiling) Oh, I guess I do need a little help—and so does my castle. And I just know you’ll do a great job because nopony knows me better than you.

Applejack: (crossing to Pinkie) We’ll make this place feel cozier than hot cider on a rainy day.

(Rainbow, bored, snaps to full attention with a little yelp and pops out of her seat.)

Rainbow: (eagerly) There’s gonna be cider?!? (Dirty look from Applejack; she calms down, rising a bit higher.) Uh, I mean, let’s decorate!

Spike: (from o.s.) Aw, no!

(Cut to him at the open doors leading in from the corridor. A blanket is over one arm, a stuffed Rarity doll under the other.)

Spike: Did I miss the pancakes? (Tossing the doll aside, he runs in and climbs onto the table.) I sleep like a baby under that cold, cavernous ceiling.

(In a possible breach of mealtime etiquette, he tosses the blanket aside, takes a couple of pancakes from Twilight’s plate, and sits down to eat.)

Rarity: Spike! I’m so glad you’re here. (He stops just short of taking the first bite.)

Spike: Really?

Rarity: Yes! You’re taking Twilight to the spa.

Spike: Great! (eyeing one hand) I’ve been meaning to get my claws done.

(Chomp; zoom out to frame all six mares looking expectantly straight at him. It takes a second for him to get the message.)

Spike: (mouth full) Oh! You mean now.

(Stuffing the rest of his two commandeered cakes into his mouth, he turns to an abandoned plate and proceeds to start scarfing down its load as well. Cut to just outside the doors; he steps out into the corridor, a pancake clutched in each hand and Twilight following right behind. As they make their exit, the camera cuts back to the other five.)

Applejack: Come on, y’all! We’ve got work to do!

Acoustic guitar/mandolin/string/bass melody with light percussion, lively 4 (E flat major)

Strings out at start of first verse

(Cut to the upper reaches of the corridor and tilt down to floor level; the doors swing open and they step out. Each runs her eye over a different bit of the architecture.)

Rainbow:                Let’s all work together

                        To make this castle shine

Strings in

(Rarity levitates a cloth and polishes a patch of crystal wall.)

Rarity:                Once we add some sparkle

Full drums in

(Their reflections appear in five separate facets: Rarity/Fluttershy/Applejack one by one, Pinkie/Rainbow together.)

Rarity:                It’ll feel, it’ll feel, it’ll feel

All five:                It’ll feel divine

Glockenspiel in, intermittent throughout remainder of song

Full drums out at start of next verse, leaving light percussion

(All scatter; cut to Applejack loading up a cart with apples inside the main barn of Sweet Apple Acres.)

Applejack:                Crates of apples and bales of hay

(Outside; now hitched to the cart, she hauls it out. Zoom out quickly to a long overhead shot.)

                        Just makes you feel at home

(Fluttershy, in her cottage, watches as various animals hop/scurry/fly past her and Angel. His fur has de-fluffed itself after Twilight’s earlier overzealous drying.)

Fluttershy:                Furry friends and some popinjays

(The birds perch on the horns of a rather irate goat; it brightens and follows her away.)

                        So she won’t be alone

Full drums in

(A panel showing her in close-up slides up to fill the screen, then splits vertically to show each of the others in time.)

All five:                And we’ll make, and we’ll make, and we’ll make this castle a home

(The five panels slide away to top/bottom, showing Pinkie sliding down a banister inside Sugarcube Corner and grabbing bunches of balloons along the way.)

Full drums/guitar/mandolin/bass out; timpani/flute/brass in; intensity builds

Pinkie:                 There’s nothing like balloons and confetti

(She dives off and plunges into a huge bunch; these float away to show her trotting across her bedroom with several tied around her midsection.)

                        To greet you every time you walk through the door

(Opening one; she is met with a screen-filling blast of the stuff, which clears to frame Rainbow at work in her own cloud house. She grabs a Spitfire figurine from a bookshelf, then sweeps up a couple of trophies and several Wonderbolt posters.)

Rainbow:                She’ll need this and those, posters of all my heroes

(Now she eyes a statue by the front door and salutes it, winking; a saddlebag on her back is loaded with the gear.)

                        How could anypony awesome ever ask for more?

Timpani out; guitar/mandolin/bass in

(Off she goes, the camera cutting briefly to the house’s exterior as she zooms out the front door, then to Rarity’s purposefully trotting hooves. Zoom out to frame all five marching along a Ponyville street with their equipment; Rarity is toting her saddlebags.)

All five:                And we’ll make, and we’ll make, and we’ll make a home she’ll adore

(The camera tracks in a circular arc to stop behind the group and show them on the way to the castle, with Rainbow flying ahead. Inside, Rarity magically ties back a set of ornate curtains and strings up a banner to drape from one window to the next.)

Full drums/guitar/mandolin/bass out; timpani/flute in; intensity builds

Rarity:                Bright curtains of flowing silk and lace

(Rainbow straightens a photo she has hung up.)

Rainbow:                This picture of me winning a race

(Pinkie puts final touches on a table loaded with cupcakes, presents, and balloons.)

Pinkie:                Party cannons to give her a surprise

(As soon as she lifts one lid, a confetti blast fills the screen; it clears to show hay bales, a tub of apples, and a barrel. A hoe and rake are thrown into view, and Applejack walks after them, spreading a line of dirt on the floor from which flowers instantly bloom.)

Applejack:                Hoes and rakes and some more garden supplies

(The bear that got its teeth brushed in the prologue happily cuddles several small animals while a bird perches on its head. It scoops Fluttershy into the embrace as well.)

Fluttershy:                Getting hugs from this nice, big, friendly bear

(Cut to a bouquet of flowers high on one wall and tilt down to Rarity, levitating a gem from a basket.)

Rarity:                Decorate with some gemstones bright and rare

(Rainbow flashes to and fro, tacking up Wonderbolt paraphernalia.)

Rainbow:                More of this and that

(Pinkie hops by, leading a line of animals in party hats and wearing several on her head and tail.)

Pinkie:                Don’t forget the party hats

(Rainbow sets her Spitfire figurine on an unoccupied pedestal.)

Rainbow:                How could anypony awesome ask for more than that?

Timpani/flute/brass out; guitar/mandolin/bass in

Full drums in, then out for start of next verse

(She twirls blissfully away through the assemblage. Dissolve to a close-up of a barrel rolling along a hay-strewn carpet, with a fence and more bales visible behind. Applejack’s hooves are on top, keeping the thing rolling; zoom out to frame her. A row of chicken coops has been set up behind the fence. She brings the barrel to a stop, and one end falls open to spill out feed which a passing pig is all too ready to devour.)

Applejack:                 Let’s all work together

(She jumps off; Fluttershy flies overhead to hang a birdhouse from a crystal column.)

Fluttershy:                To show that we have shown

(Here comes Rarity, levitating a stretch of cloth.)

Rarity:                Princess Twilight Sparkle

Full drums and brass in

(Rainbow sets up a trophy, Rarity some curtains; Applejack pushes a hay bale with her head; Pinkie leaps across, stringing up streamers.)

All five:                How we make, how we make, how we make this castle a home

(Applejack opens a barrel of apples; Rainbow dusts a Wonderbolt shield with her tail; a tray of Pinkie’s cupcakes gets gem accents thanks to Rarity’s magic.)

                        How we make, how we make this castle a home

(Zoom out to frame both, then cut to the throne room, just in front of the central table with the map that sent the six friends to parts unknown in “The Cutie Map.” Applejack is here, and the others join her one by one. A few wisps of hay are scattered on the floor behind them.)

                        How we make, how we make this castle a home

(A quick series of cuts picks out a sample of each pony’s contribution, followed by an overhead shot of the group and slow zoom out. This shot reveals that they have all been working in the throne room, producing a haphazard and hopeless mélange of their individual tastes. Two of the six full-sized thrones have Wonderbolt shields attached, while another is draped with a patchwork quilt, and a large framed picture of the six hangs crookedly on the back wall.)

Song ends

(A stray balloon floats loose and upward, only to be punctured by a circling bird; a squirrel runs down one of the columns; and the bear pulls the lid off an apple barrel and starts gorging itself. The combined effect is to shift the five decorators from confidence to deep unease. Snap to black.)

Act Two

(Opening shot: fade in to the upper reaches of the throne room and tilt down slowly. The group comes into view on the start of the next line.)

Applejack: (uneasily) Wow, girls. We did a…great job…together.

(Queasy, sweaty smile and chuckle. The next three lines, all of which overlap, are no more convincing.)

Pinkie: Together.

Rainbow: We sure did…somethin’.

Rarity: All together.

(The blue flyer hunches down as one bird wings past her head and another perches on it, then eyes the creatures making their way to her. Every face has a polite, forced smile on it.)

Rainbow: Fluttershy, I love that you brought soooo many animals.

(Close-up of several trophies on a windowsill; zoom out to show Fluttershy looking at them.)

Fluttershy: (to the o.s. Rainbow) Are these your trophies? (The latter flies up.)

Rainbow: I prefer to think of them as everypony’s trophies, but with my name permanently etched onto them.

(Fluttershy’s smile slips a few notches. Down below, Rarity’s nervous chuckle makes itself heard from behind a few hay bales, and she steps out and into view.)

Rarity: My, my, Applejack. Bringing the outdoors inside, it’s… (losing steam) …earthy… (She levitates the corner of a nearby quilt spread on the floor.) …oh, what a lovely touch!

(Sniff the fabric. Choke back a sudden rise of gorge for a moment. Let the quilt drop.)

Rarity: Are these quilts vintage?

Applejack: Nope, just old. (shading eyes against a radiance shining from o.s.) Unlike your sparkly window doohickeys which are…why, uh, they’re just swell. (Chuckle.)

(After she brings up that hoof, the camera cuts to the source of the light—the jewel accents on Rarity’s new curtains—then back to her. Once she finishes, Pinkie zips in between the two.)

Pinkie: No one’s said anything about my hidden confetti cannons! (Squeaky grin.) Oh, right. They’re hidden. (Giggle.)

(The sound of a door opening is heard; cut to Spike entering. He has disposed of the pancakes he took from the breakfast table.)

Spike: Hey, guys. How do my claws look? (Zoom in quickly as he stops short, flabbergasted.) Sweet Celestia!

(His perspective: he has taken in the whole ghastly smorgasbord of decorating conflicts. Fluttershy flies down to join the others.)

Rarity: (trying not to panic) Oh, Spike! Are you and Twilight done already? (Back to him.)

Spike: Don’t worry. I ordered her the Super Deluxe Mane Blowout. She’ll be a while. (walking a little farther in) Man, this place looks terrible!

(Terrified glances pass between the five pairs of equine eyes, followed by a unison sigh of relief.)

Fluttershy: Thank goodness somepony said something.

Rainbow: It’s pretty bad, right?

Applejack: This place looks like a mishmash of knickknacks.

Rarity: Mmm…I suppose it is a little cluttered. (Pinkie pops up.)

Pinkie: What are you guys talking about? (capering about) I think it looks super-fun!

(One of her hidden confetti cannons chooses this moment to fire off, starting the animals into a ground/air-based stampede that brings down trophies, upsets an apple tub, and reduces several hay bales to a mountain of loose straws. Pinkie gallops through the maelstrom, now wearing a party hat.)

Pinkie: Whee!

Fluttershy: (to animals) Oh…oh, no…please don’t do that… um, if you all just take a deep breath and calm down…

(A column thuds to the ground, barely missing her, and two cute little baby chipmunks leap onto a curtain and start trying to climb it.)

Rarity: No! That bunting is embroidered by hoof! Don’t you move one more paw!

(Back to them on the end of this; they release their grip just enough to let gravity pull them down, shredding the opulent fabric. The designer’s last good nerve goes snap.)

Rarity: EVERYPONY STOP!!

(Animals skid to a halt, as does Pinkie, and within moments the tumult has completely died out—except for one curtain rod that clatters to the floor. The party pony gets herself standing upright in short order.)

Pinkie: Okay, now it’s a mess.

(A confetti cannon discharges from somewhere behind her, and Rainbow hovers over the scene.)

Rainbow: What are we gonna do?

Spike: I don’t know! But Twilight’s blowout won’t take that long! If she was avoiding the castle before— (Eyes widen/dilate with fear.) —she’ll never set hoof in here now!

Rainbow: Come on, guys! We gotta do something! Twilight’s counting on us!

Rarity: Spike, you’ve got to get back to that spa and stall her! Whatever you do, don’t let her come home!

Spike: Like, forever? But we live here.

Rarity: Uh, yes. Well, uh, maybe you can manage until… (smiling alluringly) …sunset-ish?

(That smile, and the batted eyelashes she directs at the little dragon, are enough to win him over. He smiles soppily, floating off the ground with pink hearts drifting and popping around him.)

Spike: Anything for you, Rarity. (Now he floats backward and o.s.)

Applejack: (to the others) Okay, we all agree the castle is too cluttered, right? So why doesn’t everypony take one of their own decorations out, and we’ll see how it looks?

Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow: (nodding) Mmm-hmm!/Uh-huh!

(Dissolve to Twilight—fully cleaned up, sitting contentedly and facing a mirror, the hood of a salon-style hair dryer lowered over her mane. The image of the spa’s hot tub is visible behind hers in the glass, and Spike’s hustles into view as well.)

Twilight: Spike! You’re back!

(Longer shot of her; Lotus does a bit of hoof touch-up with an emery board, then steps away with the item in her teeth. Twilight sits on a floor cushion.)

Twilight: How do I look?

(Her field lifts the hood away as the camera zooms in to a close-up. Most of the striped dark blue mane has been rearranged into an artfully messy style that tumbles around her horn and sweeps back from her forehead, but the portion running down her neck has been left as is. Spike grins broadly.)

Spike: Great!

Twilight: (toying with her bangs) And more importantly, how does the castle look? (They slide down over her eyes. He thinks fast.)

Spike: Great. (Panicked grin.)

Twilight: (standing up, crossing room) I can’t wait to go home and see it!

Spike: Great!…I mean, no!

(He pulls on her tail to stop her, gets a concerned purple-eyed glance, and lets go.)

Spike: I mean, uh… (She resumes walking.) …I’m not quite ready to go yet. (Chuckle.) Uh, why don’t we have a massage? (reaching o.s., grabbing a brochure) I was really hoping to get, uh… (pointing at one entry) …uh, this thingie!

(The Princess leans down for a good close look.)

Twilight: The Extra-Strength Hot Stone Deep Tissue Massage?

(Turning the brochure around, he sees just how far he has put his scaly little foot in it and swallows hard.)

Spike: (small voice) Yep. (Twilight straightens up; Lotus approaches.)

Twilight: (to her) I think I’ll just have a traditional massage. (Lotus nods and heads off.) But you go for it.

(A new female voice cuts in; during the next line, cut to the speaker—Aloe—at the door.)

Aloe: Did somepony order massages?

(A crash from o.s. forces her to throw up a foreleg, and a few bits of rubble hit the floor nearby. Zoom out to reveal that Bulk Biceps has smashed through the wall, dressed in a sleeveless light blue jersey and a headband in a style similar to the white ones worn by Aloe and Lotus. The collar of his jersey resembles the ones around their necks and has a pink gem set into it.)

Bulk: YEAH!! (Spike stands frozen with terror.) Let’s do this, little dragon!

(He leaps over said dragon’s head on the end of this, turning 180 degree and landing to plant his forelegs on either side, and scoops Spike up in a flex of his massive chest muscles. Bulk trots back the way he came in, but instead of using either the door or the hole he made, he bashes through the wall a second time to wreck even more of the masonry.)

Aloe: Oh, I hate it when he does that. (to the passing Twilight) Come with me, Princess.

(As she follows, the view dissolves to a close-up of Rarity in the throne room, looking uncertainly toward the ceiling. A vexed Applejack leans in toward her.)

Applejack: Come on, Rarity. (as Fluttershy/Rainbow gather in) Everypony has taken somethin’ out, except you. (Pinkie joins them, having shed her party hat.)

Rarity: (whining a bit) Oh, I know. I simply can’t decide.

(Rainbow flies up to the picture of the six friends.)

Rainbow: How about this?

Rarity: No! Not that! Anything but that! (Cut to a bunch of flowers; zoom out to frame Rainbow hovering near them.)

Rainbow: (gesturing at them) How about these?

Rarity: (from o.s.) Oh, but those brighten up the whole room! (Back to her, Fluttershy, and Pinkie.) They’re my favorite accent!

Rainbow: (flying to a window) Then let’s lose the curtains! (trying to pull them down) The room wouldn’t need brightening if they weren’t making it so dark!

Rarity: Not them! They’re my favorite too! (The daredevil swoops down and growls in her face.)

Rainbow: They can’t all be your favorite! (Fly to the picture.) Okay, I’m taking down the portrait. We already know what we look like.

(Down it comes, carried out into the corridor. Groaning disgustedly, the prissy unicorn walks over to the thrones.)

Rarity: Well, the room still looks a little bit cluttered, doesn’t it?

(Her perspective: a couple of Wonderbolt posters high on the far wall.)

Rarity: (very snippy, floating them away) Perhaps I’ll take down a poster or two— (The doorway; Rainbow, returning, gapes as they float out and she continues o.s.) —only to be helpful, of course!

(That earns her a glare from the airborne pony.)

Applejack: Okay, everypony calm down. I’m sure we can find a way to remove the clutter together. (She smiles on this last word; Rarity leans in, smiling nastily.)

Rarity: You’re absolutely right, dear.

(And with that, she gets her magic going to remove the stack of “vintage” quilts, much to their owner’s consternation.)

Applejack: Hey! Those are my warmin’ quilts!

(Cut to the door on the end of this; Rainbow assists in this bit of cleanup by bucking the lot out of the throne room. She then drops to the floor next to Rarity.)

Rainbow, Rarity: (trading a high five) Together!

(The sound of a popping balloon comes through clearly in the quiet. Cut to a couple of them meeting their end at the beaks of two birds.)

Pinkie: (from o.s.) Fluttershy— (Cut to these two, Fluttershy not looking too sympathetic.) —tell your birds to stop pecking at my balloons!

Fluttershy: I guess they must not like being scared out of their wits by exploding confetti cannons or something.

Pinkie: But we can’t get rid of the cannons! (smiling, shrugging) I don’t remember where I hid ’em.

(She gets a hint when one blows its stack a few feet away.)

Rarity: (icily) Allow me to help you. (Cut to the exterior of the castle and zoom out slowly.)

Applejack: (from inside) Oh, no, I’ll help you.

Rainbow: (from inside) Not if I help you first!

(Dissolve to a profile close-up of Twilight walking, slow and carefree and utterly at ease, through Ponyville. Her mane has been restored to its usual style, and she voices a blissful sigh.)

Twilight: Great suggestion, Spike. (looking behind herself) I feel totally relaxed.

(On the other hand, his heavy-duty massage has left him in utter agony: gingerly walking bowlegged, neck craned backward as far as it will go, tail bent at a crazy zigzag. Every step yields a loud crackling of joints and vertebrae.)

Spike: Ow…ow…ow…ow…ow…ow… (Twilight has now stopped.)

Twilight: You want to hop on? Maybe I can get us to the castle faster.

(He stops dead, managing to snap his head back to its proper orientation, and throws an unnerved glance back over his shoulder. Pan quickly in that direction and stop on the roof of the town hall, above which the sun is still riding well up in the sky. A supreme force of will allows him to un-kink his back, leaving only his tail out of kilter.)

Spike: (rubbing it) Ow! (catching himself, rushing up to face Twilight) I mean…how…nice is this day! I was…hoping we could take the scenic way back.

Twilight: I don’t know. (His tail straightens out.)

Spike: Come on. (rubbing his back again) Walking is good for post-massage circulation. Twilight: (skeptically, leading him away) Really? I’ve never heard that theory.

(Dissolve to an overhead shot of the two and zoom out slightly as they stop in front of some structure that is only partially in view from this angle. Twilight sighs heavily.)

Twilight: I really miss this place, Spike.

(A cut to behind them discloses the identity of “this place”: the charred, slightly askew remains of the library, which Tirek destroyed in “Twilight’s Kingdom.”)

Twilight: We had so many wonderful memories here.

Spike: We did, didn’t we? (He wipes away a tear.)

Twilight: Oh, Spike, I’m so sorry. (touching his chest) Of course losing the Golden Oak Library was hard for you too.

(They embrace, another tear oozing out of his closed eye, and she smiles after a moment.)

Twilight: I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we have the girls add some things to make the castle feel more like your home as well?

Spike: (brightening) Really?

Twilight: (crouching) Hop on!

(He climbs onto her back, then sneaks another peek toward the town hall as she straightens up. The sun has dipped lower toward the distant mountains, but there is still a good bit of time left before it sets. Spike grimaces at the thought, only to find himself hemmed in by the wings she has spread for liftoff. Thinking fast, he grabs a feather at each wingtip and pulls with all his might; when the Princess tries to fly, she instead ends up belly-flopping back onto the ground.)

Twilight: (rubbing forehead) Ow! What are you doing? (Spike hops off.)

Spike: I, um…I just thought of what I want. (She stands up.)

Twilight: Oh. Okay. What is it?

Spike: It’s a…well, I wanted…it’s… I kinda mean to…a bed. (Big grin.)

Twilight: I thought you said you sleep like a baby in the castle.

Spike: (scoffing) Everypony knows babies are terrible sleepers. Let’s go!

(He runs off, leaving one thoroughly confused winged unicorn to plod after him. Dissolve to just inside the doors of the throne room; Rarity telekinetically directs a Daring Do poster out and into the corridor.)

Rarity: There! Now nothing is cluttering the castle.

(Cut to her four collaborators as they gather near the map table. All of the accoutrements they added have been stripped away.)

Rainbow: (dryly) You’re right. There is literally nothing cluttering this castle.

(On “nothing,” cut to a long overhead shot of them, showing that the entire room has been stripped back to its pre-makeover condition. Cut back to floor level after she finishes.)

Fluttershy: What do we do now?

Rarity: (crossing to them) I hate to be the bearer of more bad news— (gesturing at a window; it is now late afternoon) —but it’s almost sunset! We don’t figure this out soon, it’s going to look like we didn’t lift a hoof to help her! (Cut to Rainbow, now hovering several yards up.)

Rainbow: (exasperated) Why is this so hard? We’re Twilight’s best friends. This should be easy for us.

Applejack: She said it herself. If anypony should be able to make her feel comfortable in her new home, it’s us. (She removes her hat and holds it to her chest.) If we can’t do it…

Fluttershy: …then Twilight will be stuck living in a castle that just makes her feel… (head dropping) …sad.

(Cut to the corridor outside the throne room, then to a different one, then to a broad gallery; her last word reverberates clearly in each silent space. The camera then returns to an overhead shot of the five; Applejack has donned her hat again.)

Pinkie: Wow, Fluttershy! I didn’t know you could be loud enough to echo.

(Fade to black.)

Act Three

(Opening shot: fade to Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Rarity doing the following, respectively. Sitting glumly on haunches behind one throne and poking listlessly at the hat lying on the floor in front of her; hunch down miserably; fly laps above the map table; pace in place.)

Rarity: (muttering to herself) Can’t believe I let go of the portrait. If it had just been me as the decorator, I would— (A panicked Pinkie pops up in the fore.)

Pinkie: What do we do, what do we do? If Twilight comes home now, she’ll be like— (to Fluttershy) —“What did you guys do?” And we’ll have to be like— (jumping up to Rainbow) —“Nothing!” (upside down, to Rarity) And then she’ll be like— (to Applejack, peeking out around throne) —“I was counting on you! Some friends you are!” And we’ll be like—

(Straighten up with a scream, a sob, and a bit of hyperventilation, then flop onto her belly in close-up. Zoom out; Applejack steps over to her, the trusty brown hat back in place.)

Applejack: Calm down, Pinkie! We just need to figure out what we did wrong so we can make it right.

Rarity: (from o.s.) Well, I didn’t do anything wrong. (Cut to her.) I did exactly what I would do if this were my home. (Rainbow drops toward her level.)

Rainbow: But it’s not your home. It’s Twilight’s home.

Rarity: (pointedly) Where she keeps all her Rainbow Dash trophies? (Close-up of the racer.)

Rainbow: Touché. (Cut to Fluttershy during the next line.)

Fluttershy: Maybe we’re all a little guilty of making ourselves feel at home instead of Twilight. (All but Applejack deflate a notch.)

Applejack: Come on, y’all. (pacing a bit) We just need to think about Twilight. What was it she loved about livin’ in the Golden Oak Library? (Fluttershy stands up, smiling.)

Fluttershy: Oh, everything. (The others catch on to her mood.) The books, the smell of books— (Pinkie stands up.) —the joy she felt from organizing books…

Rainbow: Remember that time I crashed into all those books attempting my Sonic Rainboom after you guys just cleaned up? (Laugh, then sigh.) That was good times. (Cut to an incensed Applejack.)

Applejack: Yeah, for you, maybe.

Rarity: (from o.s.) Oh, and Applejack… (Cut to her.) …remember when we were stuck having a sleepover there? (laughing a bit) Oh, that turned out to be so much fun.

Pinkie: (animatedly) Remember the time it got blown up to smithereens?

(They have recalled moments from “Sonic Rainboom, “”Look Before You Sleep,” and Part Two of “Twilight’s Kingdom,” in that order. Pinkie’s contribution, unfortunately, throws a brick through the vibe of warm reminiscence; it takes a couple of seconds for her to figure out her misstep.)

Pinkie: Wait, no. That was the worst.

Applejack: (smiling wistfully) We had a lotta good memories there, though. That’s what made the Golden Oak Library home.

(General sounds of assent from the other four, followed by the blond mare pulling in a beaming gasp as a brainstorm strikes.)

Applejack: That’s it!

(Dissolve to a store showroom full of beds, tables set with folded/rolled blankets, and display cases stocked with pillows. Talking with one of the customers is Davenport, the blue-cardigan-clad proprietor of Quills and Sofas, as seen in “Owl’s Well That Ends Well”—evidently he has decided to expand his product offerings a bit. At the far end of the room are Spike, testing out a bed, and Twilight. Zoom in slowly on them.)

Twilight: (testily) How’s that one? Too soft? Too hard? Too lumpy? (He cracks an eye open and glances at her.)

Spike: Um…

(His perspective, panning from her to the nearest window, through which the sun is now seen starting to drop behind the mountains. Back to him, now sitting up.)

Spike: …just right! I’ll take it!        

Twilight: (smiling, relieved) Oh, thank goodness! I thought you’d never find one you liked. Let’s find a sales-pony and get outta here.

(Davenport steps up behind her with a grin as she says this.)

Spike: Sounds good to me.

(He trails off upon seeing, through the window, the other five mares trotting/flying past with shovels carried in hooves and magic.)

Spike: I…um…

(For “um,” the view cuts to Rainbow outside; she twirls her free front hoof in a “keep stalling” gesture, then flies ahead. Back to Spike, who chuckles nervously.)

Spike: (pointing out window) …uh, do you hear that?

(Another chuckle; now he throws himself spreadeagle onto the mattress and pushes on one spot, making creaking noises with his mouth to simulate an obnoxious spring. A second later, he has jumped off and is crossing past a puzzled Twilight and Davenport.)

Spike: Too squeaky. Better keep looking.

(To which the Princess can only clap a front hoof to her forehead with a frustrated groan. Dissolve to a long shot of the ruined library, the other five gathered at its front door.)

Applejack: (sighing) Maybe my plan won’t work after all.

(Head-on view; the shovels have been deposited on the ground before them, and all spirits are down in hooves. Glancing upward, Rarity begins to smile and fit a few thoughts together.)

Rarity: Of course it will, darling. I can see it! You and Fluttershy stay here. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, you come with me. We’re going shopping! (trotting off) We’ll meet back at the castle.

Same style/tempo/key as start of Act One song

Strings out for start of verse

(Pinkie and Rainbow follow her out, while Applejack and Fluttershy get shovel handles in teeth. The farmer is first to put her blade into the dirt.)

Applejack:                It’s not the things that you gather ’round

(Fluttershy directs a crew of burrowing animals to start digging.)

Fluttershy:                It’s not how much you own

(Rarity trots out of a shop, floating a shopping bag. Behind her, Pinkie has the handles of a few more in her teeth and Rainbow flies backward out the door, chompers clamped onto many more. They get briefly stuck in the frame and need a good pull to come loose.)

Rarity:                The things that hold the meaning in your life

(All three head for the castle.)

                        Are the memories you’ve sown

Strings/brass/full drums in

(The throne room. Pinkie dumps out several bags; Rarity, her reading glasses on, carefully runs a thread through a gemstone; Applejack brushes/blows dust off something large and woody.)

All five:                So we make, so we make, so we make this castle a home

(When the view clears, Rainbow is airborne and running a rope over a pulley mounted near the ceiling. Applejack and Pinkie bite down on the free end and pull.)

                        So we make, so we make this castle a home

(Fluttershy and Rainbow follow suit on a second rope, with Rarity—her glasses off—watching carefully as the huge mass slowly rises.)

                        So we make, so we make this castle a home

(All five trade a round of congratulatory smiles. Cut to the star atop the castle’s highest tower and tilt down slowly.)

Song ends

(When the camera reaches ground level, Twilight and Spike come into view, on their way toward the front doors. The baby dragon is carrying something. Cut to a set of closed doors within; one swings open from the other side and the Princess puts her head through.)

Twilight: Hel-loooo? (Open farther; here comes Spike, a stack of cushions in his grip.) We’re home!

(Zoom out to frame the end of this corridor; the other five gallop/fly toward them.)

Other mares: Welcome home!

(Another corridor; Twilight walks slowly along it, the others following. Spike has put away his load.)

Twilight: (slightly crestfallen) Oh! I, uh…love what you’ve done with the place. You did such a good job of… (Close-up; she stops.) …preserving the integrity of the original design.

Spike: (from o.s., exasperated) Aw, come on! (Cut to frame all seven.) It looks exactly the same! (to the other mares) Do you know how hard it was to keep her from coming back here?

(Cut to him and Rarity.)

Spike: (pulling at his cheeks) I never want to see another dust ruffle as long as I live!

Twilight: (from o.s., puzzled) Wait. (Cut to her.) Keep me from coming back here?

Rarity: (chuckling) It took a teensy bit longer than we thought. (Applejack doffs her hat and holds it to her chest.)

Applejack: What really makes home feel like home isn’t what it looks like. (smiling, glancing toward others) It’s the memories you make when you’re there.

Rarity: So we made something that celebrates the memories we’ve made with you since you moved to Ponyville.

(Cut to just inside the closed doors to the throne room. These are opened from outside by Fluttershy and Rainbow in the air, and the five on the ground walk in; Applejack has her hat on now. Twilight glances upward, her mouth falling open in stunned silence. A cut to the room proper shows that everything is as it was after the well-meaning but insensitive quintet finished pulling all their accessories out of it. However, a tilt up toward the ceiling picks out one item that was definitely not there before: a massive tree stump with roots still attached, from which strings of glowing gems in various colors hang down. The group’s earlier activities now make sense—they dug up the remains of the library, trimmed down the stump, fitted it with lights, and hoisted it into place.)

Fluttershy: (flying to one string, Rainbow to another) The ornaments on the chandelier are reminders of all the fun we’ve had together. (Close-up of one stone.)

Pinkie: (from o.s., nudging it; zoom in) That one shows your party at the Golden Oak Library welcoming you to Ponyville.

(The touch causes an image to appear in the center: the main reading room packed with ponies, and Pinkie hopping around a perplexed Twilight—the new arrival’s party in “Mare in the Moon.” Cut to Fluttershy, flying up to a different one.)

Fluttershy: (nudging it) The time we shared donuts after the Grand Galloping Gala.

(Close-up of this one as she finishes, zooming in: the six in their ruined dresses, gathered around a table at Pony Joe’s donut shop and laughing along with Princess Celestia in “The Best Night Ever.” Back to ground level; Twilight boggles at the entire spectacle.)

Rarity: We were hoping that being able to look at your beautiful old memories would inspire you to make new ones.

Applejack: And the best part of it is— (Long shot of the room.) —it’s made from the roots of the Golden Oak Library, so you’ll never forget where you came from.

(Fluttershy and Rainbow fly back down, and all six who were in on this scheme cringe slightly, fearing the worst. Twilight, though, just stands and stares for a long moment before turning to face them, joyful tears brimming in the big purple eyes.)

Twilight: It’s exactly what the castle needed. (They rush together into a seven-way group hug.) And I am ready to make new memories here. (Break apart.)

Pinkie: Then let’s start right now with a new-memory cake!

(One giant grin and sprint away later, she is walking back in with a seven-tiered masterpiece on her back, each tier frosted in a different color.)

Pinkie: Seven-Layer What’s-That-Flavor Mystery Surprise! (pointing out one layer’s decorations) These might be chocolate chips, or they might be super-spicy black beans!

Twilight: Let’s go to the dining room.

(Cut to just inside the closed doors to this area.)

Twilight: (from outside, through door) It’s a little sparse, but— (Her magic opens them and the group enters.) —at least there’s a table and chairs. (Stop short.) Whoa! (Zoom out slowly.) What happened in here?

(As she is leading them in, she misses the enigmatic smile and cocked eyebrow on Rarity’s face. Cut to her perspective of the room—now thoroughly and tastefully decked out with banners, flowers, and glowing gem lights on the walls. A gold light fixture hangs above the table, which is laid on with an abundance of treats and sporting an ice sculpture of a unicorn.)

Twilight: Last I checked, this place was empty! (Back to the seven.)

Rarity: I couldn’t help myself! (Close-up.) It was just begging for the personal touch! (Pan to Applejack on the start of the next line.)

Applejack: Truth be told…I couldn’t either. Your kitchen might have some rustic farm décor, Twilight.

Rainbow: And there may or may not be some Daring Do posters up in your library.

Fluttershy: And some stuffed animals in your bedroom. (The detonation of an o.s. confetti cannon shakes the entire room, accompanied by a splat.)

Twilight: What was that?

(Long shot of the group. This blast has reduced Pinkie’s cake to mush and plastered it all over her, Applejack, the floor, and the doors.)

Applejack: (sighing wearily) One of Pinkie Pie’s confetti cannons.

Pinkie: Whaaaat? It’s not my fault I hid them so well! (All laugh.)

Applejack: (during laughter) Oh, Pinkie…

(Fade to black.)

BLOOM & GLOOM

Written by Josh Haber

Produced by Devon Cody

Story editing by Meghan McCarthy

Supervising direction by Jayson Thiessen

Directed by Jim Miller

Transcribed by Alan Back (ajback@yahoo.com)

Prologue

(Opening shot: fade in to a long shot of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ clubhouse during the day. Zoom in slowly to the sound of a gavel.)

Apple Bloom: (voice over) Hear ye, hear ye! This meeting of the Cutie Mark Crusaders is now in session!

(Cut to her at a lectern inside.)

Bloom: Who wants to do roll call? (Longer shot; Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are here as well.)

Scootaloo: I’m pretty sure we’re all here.

Sweetie: Yeah. Apple Bloom, what’s this all about?

Bloom: (smiling innocently) Oh, nothin’…

(Long pause, after which she whips out a sheet of paper signed at the bottom, with a pair of scissors drawn in alongside. The finger holes are shaped so that they combine to resemble the exposed surface of a cut apple half.)

Bloom: (excitedly, holding it toward camera) …except this letter from Babs Seed saying she’s got her cutie mark! (She pulls it back; the other two crowd in around her.)

Scootaloo, Sweetie: What?!?

Bloom: She says it’s a pair of scissors. (Close-up of Scootaloo, perplexed.)

Scootaloo: So…she’s good at cutting stuff?

Sweetie: (from o.s.) Of course! (Cut to her, fiddling with her curls.) She was always fussing with her bangs and tail. I’ll bet she grows up to be a celebrity stylist!

Bloom: (as Scootaloo turns away to think) But…if she spends all her time cuttin’ hair, who’s gonna run the Manehattan CMC’s?

Scootaloo: Well, not Babs. She can’t be a Cutie Mark Crusader if she’s already got her cutie mark. (The other two leave the lectern.)

Bloom: Oh, wow. I guess you’re right. (She sits on her haunches.)

Sweetie: I’m glad she’s happy, but…I sure wouldn’t want to be up to my flank in mane hair all day. (Zoom in slowly.) Can you imagine getting stuck with a cutie mark you didn’t like? (Cut to Bloom.)

Bloom: (softly) No…or…at least I hadn’t.

Sweetie: (brightly, crossing to her) Don’t worry, Apple Bloom. Most of your family has apple-related cutie marks. (poking her shoulder) I bet yours will be, too. (Bloom smiles.) And what’s not to like about apples?

Scootaloo: (from o.s.) There’s the core… (Cut to her.) …and sour apples, and rotten apples… (grimacing) …and apples with worms in them…

(Zoom out to show the young unicorn aiming a most disapproving look at her.)

Scootaloo: What?

Sweetie: Not helping.

(A cut to Bloom drives home the point; the yellow filly has hunched down into a shaking, shivering ball of nerves next to the lectern. Zoom in slowly and fade to black.)

OPENING THEME

Act One

(Opening shot: fade in to a long shot of Sweet Apple Acres and zoom in slowly on the main barn. Night has fallen, and a second-story window is the only one showing a light.)

Bloom: (voice over) I guess I spent so much time worryin’ about how to get a cutie mark, I never even thought about what would happen after.

(Cut to a close-up of her, lying on her back in bed and still as worked up as at the end of the prologue.)

Bloom: There’s just so many things I never considered.

(Zoom out quickly to frame Applejack standing at her bedside and nipping a blanket up to tuck her in—this is Bloom’s bedroom.)

Applejack: I’m sure there are, but you don’t need to— (Bloom sits up, throwing the bedclothes off to cover her.)

Bloom: What if I finally get my cutie mark and I-I don’t like it?

(Close-up of the blanket-covered big sister, trying to extract herself.)

Bloom: (from o.s.) What if I get my cutie mark and nopony likes me? (Applejack gets free.)

Applejack: Well, that’s just ridicu—

Bloom: (from o.s.) What if the Crusaders drift apart? (Back to her, huddled into a ball; Applejack gently covers her again.) I mean, we won’t really be the Cutie Mark Crusaders anymore. (Sit up; throw off blanket; huge gasp.) What if it’s not an apple?

(This time, the linens have caught on the brim of Applejack’s hat. If the visible portion of her face is any indication, this whole existential crisis is wearing thin for her.)

Bloom: (pulling them away, grabbing Applejack’s chest) Will I have to move out? Where will I live? (She slides down.)

Applejack: (smiling patiently) All right, that’s enough, sugar cube.

(Cut to the younger pony, curled up miserably against the pillows.)

Applejack: (from o.s.) Those are way too many questions to answer all in one night. (Zoom out to frame her; Bloom shoots upright again.)

Bloom: But—

Applejack: (chuckling, easing her down) And nopony’s gonna make you move out. (Cover her up a third time.)

Bloom: Are you sure, Applejack?

Applejack: Of course I’m sure. Now get some sleep. (Back to Bloom; she continues o.s.) You’ll see. (stepping into view, stroking Bloom’s cheek; she smiles) Everythin’ll be better in the mornin’.

Quiet music-box melody, slow 4 (B major)

Applejack:                Hush now, little sister, you’re loved by all you know

                        You’ll never lose their friendship, no matter where you go

(backing off; Bloom’s eyes drift shut)

                        There ain’t no call to worry, so don’t you cry or fret

(easing out the door)

                        A cutie mark won’t change you, no matter what you get

Song ends

(She gently pulls the door closed behind herself, and the lights go out; Bloom yawns and settles in under the covers.)

Bloom: (sleepily) No matter what I get…

(Zoom in slowly for a few seconds, then dissolve to her sprawled out on her back and snoring peacefully away. Birds can now be heard chirping outside, and a shaft of sunlight makes its way up the bed toward her face—morning has come. The crowing of a rooster causes the red-gold eyes to open drowsily, and she rubs the sleep out of them and puts on an eager little grin as her face becomes fully illuminated. The wake-up ends with her sitting upright.)

Bloom: Hoo-wee! Nothin’ like a good night’s sleep. (An iron triangle rings out.)

Applejack: (from downstairs, through floor) BREAKFAST!!

(The filly is out of bed like a shot. Down in the kitchen, Applejack sets a plate stacked high with pancakes on the table; a bowl of apples has also been set out. Bloom peeks in from around the threshold, the focus shifting to her from Applejack as she speaks.)

Bloom: You were right, Applejack. I feel much better. (Close-up, from the back up; she walks in.) I don’t know what I was so worried about last night. (Cut to Applejack.)

Applejack: See? Now what did I tell you? (Bloom moves closer and stops; only head and forelegs are in frame.) A good night’s sleep’ll fix just about a—

(Her sentence ends as if slashed off by a knife, the green eyes widening as she cocks her head for a look at something not in view and brings it back to horizontal.)

Applejack: (flabbergasted) Well, no wonder you were so worked up!

(She shifts into a smile by the end of this line; close-up of Bloom’s face.)

Bloom: (rubbing cheeks, finding nothing) What? What is it?

Applejack: (from o.s.) Looks like somepony got her cutie mark!

(That gets Bloom’s full and undivided attention, and the camera pans/zooms out very slightly as she runs an eye over her haunch. On it is a canister with a pump handle on top and a hose attached to the side, which terminates in a sprayer wand. The entire rig resembles an old-style, hand-pumped fire extinguisher. The side of the canister displays a circle with a slash through it, and issuing from the wand is a cloud of white vapor with an apple inside. Bloom gasps at the sight.)

Bloom: I can’t believe it! (Zoom out.) I got my cutie mark!

(She wiggles her rump a bit, as if trying to confirm that it is not just a sticker that will peel off, then zips over to Applejack.)

Bloom: (shaking her wildly) I GOT MY CUTIE MARK!!

(The onslaught leaves her big sister’s eyes rattling wildly in their sockets. Long shot of the barn, zooming out slowly; Big Macintosh is plowing a field.)

Bloom: (from inside, echoing) I GOT MY CUTIE MARK!!

(These five words are delivered with enough sheer force to shake the camera, freeze the red stallion in his tracks, and frighten a great many birds out of the distant orchards. Back in the kitchen, Bloom is hopping in place like a Mexican jumping bean pumped full of espresso, while Applejack smiles indulgently and straightens her hat.)

Bloom: Wait ’til I tell the others that my cutie mark is a… (eyeing it, puzzled) …a…

(Close-up of it, then zoom out to frame the sisters’ faces.)

Bloom: What is it?

Applejack: I have no idea what it means. (An old, slightly quavery male voice cuts in.)

Male voice: (slightly muffled) I know what it means!

(Cut to a set of four tan hooves stepping to the threshold of the open door leading from the kitchen to the barnyard, and zoom out/tilt up to frame this new arrival. Earth pony stallion; same cutie mark as Bloom, but without the apple and vapor cloud; collared shirt with foreleg sleeves rolled up; short white/gray mane/tail; face completely hidden by a steel helmet with goggles and respirator attached. Strapped to his back is a piece of machinery from which a cylindrical glass jar stands straight up. Mounted on the side is a flared horn pointing straight back, with a hose running from its base, over the stallion’s chest, and connecting to the other side of the device. After a hissing inhale and exhale, he removes the helmet to expose a wrinkled, smiling face with brown eyes topped by prominent brows, as well as a chin speckled with stubble. The exterminator has arrived.)

Exterminator: It means I can retire!

(Zoom in to a close-up of his mark as he lets off a whooping laugh, then wipe to a long shot of the barn, seen from the side. A zoom out frames Bloom following the old stallion toward the orchards; the latter has traded his helmet for a baseball cap and is chewing on a leaf.)

Bloom: Infestations? (She stops.) You mean like parasprites? (She hurries to catch up.)

Exterminator: (chuckling contemptuously) Please. Anypony with a trombone can get rid of parasprites. I’m talkin’ about the serious stuff! (softly, ominously) You ever hear of…twittermites?

(He has referred to Pinkie Pie’s strategy for dealing with the pests in “Swarm of the Century.” Lightning cracks the sky behind him after he finishes speaking.)

Bloom: (confused) Twittermites?

(A jar is held up to her face—identical to the one on his back, but filled with buzzing insects that emit a bright, pale blue-white glow. She scrunches up her face and allows herself a better look; close-up of the creatures.)

Exterminator: (from o.s.) Pest ponies like you and me are the only things keepin’ these live wires from destroyin’ half of Equestria! (Pan to frame him on the end of this, then cut to Bloom.)

Bloom: Pest ponies?

Exterminator: (from o.s., pulling jar away) It’s no easy trade.

(Longer shot of the two, the jar now mounted on his back.)

Exterminator: (wistfully) Even the best of us yearns for the day they can move on to greener pastures. (smiling, walking off) Oh, now that you’re here to take over, my day has finally come.

Bloom: (skeptically, following him) Take over? (Her perspective: he stops and gives her a squint-eyed glare.)

Exterminator: You’re gonna need to stop repeating everything I say and pay attention if you want to learn anything.

(Cut to frame both; he is leaning so far into her face that she has backed down onto her haunches.)

Bloom: I’m sorry. (He backs off and walks ahead; she stands up.) I guess this just wasn’t what I was expecting.

Exterminator: (chuckling) Don’t worry. (She catches up.) With a cutie mark like that, I’m sure you got the touch.

Bloom: The touch? (Both stop; he glares at her again.) Oh. Sorry.

(As he continues along the path, she lets her unease at this unexpected special talent come through loud and clear on her face. Cut to a close-up of a large metal model of a parasprite and zoom out on the start of the next line. It is mounted atop a rack of containment jars on a cart; a small horn projects from one side, and a net stands vertically in a clamp on the rear end. Bloom now wears a rig on her back identical to his own; he has removed the jar full of twittermites and has installed an empty one in its place.)

Exterminator: Now, you’re gonna need to be quick. (He retrieves the full jar from within the cart.) Once these things get out, it can get pretty shockin’.

(Once he flips the lid away, it takes almost no time for the bugs to zoom skyward in a hissing, incandescent mass and spread out into several smaller groups. The camera follows this motion and stays on them as sparks begin to crackle from one to the next.)

Bloom: (from o.s.) Wait. (Cut to her; one group sneaks up behind.) What do you mean?

(She gets the point when a bolt connects squarely with her rump.)

Bloom: Ouch! (She ends up on her haunches in front of the oldster, who laughs.)

Exterminator: Told you! And the farther apart they spread— (Overhead shot; the groups slowly pull apart.) —the more powerful these jolts’ll get!

(Ground level; the filly leaps away from one that leaves a prominent scorch mark in the dirt.)

Bloom: What do I do?

Exterminator: You call them back, of course.

(With a new burst of determination, Bloom pulls the horn from its resting spot and gets it ready to use.)

Bloom: (calling overhead) Twittermites!

(She moves a few steps ahead and whistles shrilly, following it with a yelping shout and a nimble leap up toward several groups. The device is quickly aimed here and there, sucking up the twittermites like a vacuum cleaner, and within seconds every last one has been pulled into the jar. Bloom makes a perfect three-point landing, looks back at her cargo of captive high-voltage pests, and grins broadly before dashing off. Cut to another swarm hanging out near a tree.)

Bloom: (from o.s.) Twittermites!

(They follow the sound of her voice, only to get vacuumed up in short order when she drops into view, hanging from a tree branch. Next she balances on one rear hoof atop a fence post and leaps to the next one to avoid a shock, all the while rounding up the insects. She leaps away from the fence, continuing her roundup in midair with increasing ease; cut to an extreme close-up of one still on the loose. From this distance, its antennae and the rear half of its body can be seen to have jagged lightning-bolt contours.)

Bloom: (from o.s.) Bug-bug-bug-bug-bug-bug-bug!

(It looks around in confusion, zoom out quickly to frame Bloom standing right next to it. One touch of the trigger pulls it neatly into the machine, after which she twirls the horn and slots it back into place like a gunslinger showing off with his revolver.)

Exterminator: (from o.s.) Well…

(She looks quickly around herself; cut to him, now standing a short distance away. He has traded his work shirt for a flowered one, perched a pair of sunglasses on his cap, and done away with his cart and vacuum rig. Two suitcases stand next to him as well, one on either side—he is ready for a vacation.)

Exterminator: …it looks like you’re all set. (close-up; putting on shades) Drop me a note sometime at the Piney Shade Retirement Community.

Bloom: (from o.s.) Now hold on!

(Cut to her; the cart stands in the background.)

Bloom: (removing/setting down vacuum) I’m sure this job is real important, but I don’t think I want to call bugs for the rest of my life.

(The camera returns to the spot where the elderly stallion had been standing—but he is now gone without trace. She pops up into view to stare down the path.)

Bloom: Hey! Where’d he go?

Diamond Tiara: (from o.s.) Well, well, well.

(The young pest control expert throws a panicked glance back over her shoulder; cut to Diamond and Silver Spoon standing by the cart. Silver has detached the jar of twittermites from the vacuum and is idly tossing it up.)

Diamond: Look at the new bug pony. (Bloom crosses angrily to them.)

Bloom: It’s “pest pony.”

Silver: (walking past, shoving jar into her chest) Ugh. It sure is. Ew!

(The impact knocks Bloom back onto her haunches; in close-up, Diamond crosses to her.)

Diamond: I might have known you’d end up with the worst cutie mark ever!

(Her derisive laughter mingles with that of the o.s. Silver as Bloom looks despondently down at her haunch, the camera zooming in on said mark. From here, cut to Silver.)

Silver: But look on the bright side. (She and Diamond circle slowly around Bloom.) Whenever you need a friend, you can just go out and catch one! (Giggle.)

Bloom: That’s not funny.

Diamond: (as if calling a dog) Here, friend-friend-friend-friend-friend!

Bloom: Stop it!

Silver: (following Diamond’s lead) Here, bug! (to a ladybug) Here, bug! Will you be my friend, bug? (looking over shoulder at Bloom) Because nopony else will! (She and Diamond laugh; Bloom stands up, plenty sore.)

Bloom: You know what? My cutie mark isn’t the worst, you two are!        

(Throwing aside the jar of twittermites, she gallops away as the two snobs have a good laugh, Diamond falling onto her flank. A close-up of the jar picks out the cracks that begin to form due to hitting the ground, as well as the pinpoints of lights that shine through. Bloom races through the countryside, slowing to a walk after several hundred yards; behind her, the terrain slowly shifts from farmland to deep forest.)

Bloom: (sighing) I hate to think that Diamond Tiara is right, but…this cutie mark sure isn’t what I was hopin’ for.

(Her ruminations are cut off by a second unknown voice—this one female, distant, sounding as if carried on the wind, and wavering ever so slightly in pitch. A gust comes through at this point, whipping at Bloom’s mane/tail.)

Female voice: Why should you have to keep it, then?

(Zoom out quickly to show that the filly has arrived in a small clearing, with only a couple of sunbeams shining down through the forest canopy for illumination.)

Bloom: Who’s there? What do you mean?

(A dark blur whisks past in the foreground; Bloom starts to back fearfully away, not seeing it zip behind her.)

Female voice: If your cutie mark bothers you so much, get rid of it.

Bloom: (grimacing) Well, if you know how to wave a hoof and erase a terrible cutie mark, you go right ahead!

Female voice: As easily said as done.

(Another gust, which nearly blows Bloom sideways; when it dies away, she looks at her haunch and finds it unadorned.)

Bloom: (smiling) Huh. Now that is some serious magic.

(A leaf floats down, completely filling the screen; behind its trailing edge, the view wipes to the spot from which she fled. She trots happily to the center of the path, stops, and looks from one side to the other. Here come her two nemeses along with a plethora of other ponies as part of a panicked perambulation—a stampede, that is. Bloom ends up knocked onto her belly.)

Bloom: Hey! Where’s everypony goin’?

(In Ponyville proper, utter bedlam has taken hold. The streets and air are filled with terrified equines dashing madly this way and that, and every building in sight has had its upper portion charred or partially burned away. Bloom gawks at the damage and gallops over to Mayor Mare, who has laid several scrolls on the ground and is frantically reading over one she has unrolled. Nearby, two ponies are loading their possessions into a cart for a fast bug-out.)

Bloom: Mayor! What’s goin’ on?

Mayor Mare: (hoof to Bloom’s shoulder) Apple Bloom, you’ve got to get your family out of town!

(A sizzle of electricity draws their focus to a house that stands a short distance away—but not for long, as a twittermite shock reduces it to a charred jumble of timbers. Tilt up to show the main swarm now broken up into several small groups that are well separated into a loose ring, with far too much electrical energy coursing from one to another.)

Bloom: TWITTERMITES!

(She gallops away. Cut to the jar she threw aside—now empty and broken in two—as she reaches it and gasps in quiet horror. Her features rearrange themselves into an expression of fierce resolve, and the camera pans to a close-up of the empty jars on the pest control wagon. One of these is taken down and fitted to her vacuum rig, and she slings it up, tightens the strap to hold it on her back, and gets ready to do her thing with the horn.)

Bloom: (calling out) Twittermites!

(One group buzzes past behind her, going completely unnoticed.)

Bloom: Here, bug-bug-bug-bug-bug-bug!

(What she gets for her efforts is a hearty jolt that sends her toppling to the earth, a tendril of smoke rising from her form. Looking across the way, she spots another bunch idling past a tree; she hangs from one branch, ready to suck them up.)

Bloom: Here, bugs!

(No dice again; they give her a shock that drops her like a rock. One capture attempt after another ends the same way; unable to capture even a single twittermite this time, she ends up lying at the center of a very large burn mark and with her mane/tail/face nicely singed. The charged-up nuisances fly away.)

Bloom: Come on, here!

Applejack: (from o.s.) Apple Bloom!

(Cut to her, now on the scene with a full sack on her back. Bloom sits up and wipes herself clean.)

Applejack: What in tarnation are you doin’? (Bloom gallops to her; the stampede continues around them.)

Bloom: I’m tryin’ to stop the infestation, of course!

Applejack: Only a pest pony can do that!

(An upward glance shows her that the problem has moved into this area.)

Applejack: (galloping past) Now come on! We gotta skedaddle! (Bloom looks helplessly around herself.)

Bloom: But I’ve gotta do somethin’! (She sprints toward the swarm.)

Applejack: (calling after her) Are you crazy?!?

(The glowing clouds spread out a bit farther and begin to charge up, and the camera zooms out to show that they are now directly above the family’s main barn. Bloom reaches an overlooking hill just in time to see them unleash a massive bolt that hits the structure dead center. Cut to a close-up of her, a reflection of the strike shining in the pupils of two eyes that bug out over a jaw that has fallen open to its fullest extension over this utter catastrophe. Zoom in quickly and snap to black.)

Act Two

(Opening shot: fade in to Bloom staring sadly from her hilltop at the smoking, burned-black framework which is all that remains of the barn. The twittermites slowly move off, having done all the damage they can do here, and she drops despondently to her haunches and lets her gear clatter to the ground. A crackle draws her gaze upward; zoom out to frame a few dozen of the varmints hovering directly overhead. She has time for one short gasp before they let her have it—and then the camera cuts to her sitting up in bed with a scream. The rooster’s crowing from outside marks the start of a new day.)

(A very jittery Bloom lets her eyes flick all around the room for the moment; cut to just outside her window. The rooster, sitting on the sill, leaps away with a squawk when she mashes her face up against the glass—and it somehow manages to leave an egg behind.)

Bloom: (smiling, slightly muffled) Hoo-wee!

(Long shot of the grounds, panning slowly across; the barn is intact.)

Bloom: (voice over) That’s what I call a nightmare! (Back to her, inside.) It seemed so real!

(The triangle in the kitchen sounds off.)

Applejack: (from downstairs, through floor) BREAKFAST!!

(Just as in Act One, the young pony is off at full speed. In the kitchen, Applejack has once again made pancakes—some topped with chocolate chips, whipped cream, and sprinkles, others with blueberries, rather than plain as in Act One. Several muffins are also on the table, and the bowl of apples has been replaced by lemons. The focus stays on Applejack as Bloom peeks into view around the threshold.)

Bloom: Applejack— (Focus on her.) —you are not gonna believe the dream I just had! (Close-up, from the back up; she walks in.) I guess I needed more sleep than I thought. (Cut to Applejack.)

Applejack: See? Now what did I tell you? (Bloom moves closer and stops; only head and forelegs are in frame.) A good night’s sleep’ll fix just about—

(Stop short. Cock the head to one side with a gasp.)

Applejack: (tilting head back to horizontal) Well, no wonder you were so worked up! (Close-up of Bloom’s face.)

Bloom: What?

Applejack: (from o.s.) Looks like somepony got her cutie mark! (Bloom looks toward her haunch; zoom out.)

Bloom: Again?

(That spot now depicts a flask containing a red apple and spurting green liquid from its neck.)

Bloom: I mean… (smiling) …I did? (circling briefly in place) Woo-hoo! Potion-making! Now that’s more like it!

Applejack: More like what?

Bloom: Never mind. I’m just glad Princess Twilight’s lessons finally paid off!

(Referring to Twilight Sparkle’s tutoring of the Crusaders in “Twilight Time.”)

Applejack: I expect you want to run off to the clubhouse and tell your friends all about your new cutie mark.

(During this line, Bloom breaks into a huge grin and the camera cuts to a close-up of Applejack.)

Applejack: But before you go, make sure you do all your…

(She loses her power of speech and stares uncomprehendingly ahead; cut to an overhead shot of the kitchen, in which she is now very much alone. A look all around the room confirms it.)

Applejack: …chores?

(Cut to a stake set up for a game of horseshoes, next to the lectern in the Crusaders’ clubhouse. One shoe has already scored as a ringer, and a second one sails into view and clatters down on top of it. Cut to Scootaloo and Sweetie, the former with a shoe in her mouth and ready to throw, the latter smiling at her accuracy; the sound of the door being thrown open cuts in ,and its edge swings into view.)

Bloom: (from o.s.) WOO-HOO!!

(The interruption startles Scootaloo into throwing the shoe off in some random direction. Zoom out to frame the earth pony at the door.)

Scootaloo: Why all the excitement?

Sweetie: Yeah! What’s going on?

Bloom: (walking in, smiling innocently) Oh, nothin’… (excitedly, presenting her haunch) …except this brand-new cutie mark!

(Close-up of it on the end of this; the other two race across the floor to her. The next two lines overlap.)

Scootaloo: That’s amazing!

Sweetie: Wow!

(There follows a jumble of happy exclamations, accompanied by a jumping group hug.)

Bloom: I don’t suppose either of you got yours.

Scootaloo: (suddenly dejected) Nope.

Sweetie: (ditto) Me neither.

Bloom: I know it’s silly, but I always hoped we’d get our cutie marks together. (She sits on her haunches for this last word.)

Scootaloo: Me too.

Sweetie: (smiling) But I’m still super-excited for you! (Grin.)

Scootaloo: (smiling) Absolutely!

(A synapse or three fires under the big pink bow, and its wearer stands up.)

Bloom: I know! (She zips to the podium and taps her hoof against the gavel block.) Let’s call this meeting to order! I’m sure the three of us can figure out how to get two more cutie marks.

(A worried look passes between her two partners in mayhem.)

Sweetie: (hesitantly) Um…yeah. The thing is…

Bloom: What?

Scootaloo: Well, you can’t be a Cutie Mark Crusader if you’ve already got your cutie mark.

Bloom: (deflated; the others walk away) Oh…yeah. Just like Babs Seed. Well, I can just sit quietly in the corner while you two figure out what you’re gonna do.

Sweetie: (now o.s.) Well…

(Cut to her and Scootaloo, now standing by the open door and utterly devoid of any friendly reaction.)

Sweetie: (gesturing toward it) …technically the clubhouse is for Crusaders only. (Scootaloo nods.)

Bloom: (floored) Oh. Right. (Cut to just outside; she exits.) I guess I should just come back later, then?

Sweetie: Why? I mean, you can’t come in then, either.

Bloom: Oh.

Sweetie: Rules are rules.

Scootaloo: I don’t even think we’re still supposed to be friends.

(The conversation ends when Sweetie slams the door. Close-up of a shocked Bloom.)

Bloom: What?!?

(The eyes pop wide as she looks back toward the structure, finding that the door and windows have been instantly boarded up. Another close-up and zoom out reveal that she has been transported to the same foreboding clearing in which she met the presence that stripped away her first cutie mark.)

Bloom: (pacing, calling out) Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo! Come on, fillies, this isn’t funny!

(Here comes a wind gust that stops her cold, and then that disembodied female voice.)

Female voice: More trouble with cutie marks?

(The dark apparition that whisked through the trees during Bloom’s first visit looms behind her, then zips away.)

Bloom: (looking around herself) No…I mean…wh…yeah…I-I mean…well, I got mine, but my friends didn’t get theirs and now there’s all kinds of trouble.

Female voice: Sounds to me like cutie marks and trouble are two peas in the same pod. (Another quick pass by the image.)

Bloom: (pacing more slowly; it keeps pace behind her) I guess so. I mean, if I was a blank flank again, there wouldn’t be a problem!

Female voice: Your wish is my command.

(A gust blows in, encircling the filly to become a small tornado that expands to fill the screen. Dissolve to a patch of grass littered by fragments of shattered planks. Scootaloo and Sweetie advance into view, seen head-on and goggling at the mess, but are forced to stop suddenly when another piece crashes to the ground right in front of them. They look up and o.s.)

Scootaloo: Hey, Apple Bloom. Why’d you want to meet here?

(Cut to Bloom, standing cheerfully on the ramp that leads up to the clubhouse. The boards on the windows and door have been stripped off, and she kicks a piece of wood off the ramp. Her potion cutie mark is now gone.)

Bloom: (descending) Well, us blank flanks have to meet somewhere. (Sweetie grimaces…)

Scootaloo: Um…actually, Apple Bloom…we both sorta got our cutie marks. (…then nods sadly; Bloom stops short.)

Bloom: You did?

(The fluffy red tail flicks instinctively forward to cover her new lack of one, just as Babs Seed used to do.)

Bloom: (forcing a smile) What are they? (Profile close-up of the other two faces, set in haughty disdain.)

Scootaloo: Oh, we don’t have time to go into all that. (Sweetie whips over to Bloom.)

Sweetie: And we certainly don’t have time to hang out in an old clubhouse. (Here comes Scootaloo on the other side.)

Scootaloo: Yeah. We’ve got responsibilities now. (Both start walking off.)

Sweetie: But maybe we’ll see you later.

Scootaloo: (now o.s.) Much later.

Bloom: Wait! Hold on! I can get my cutie mark back…I think! (Close-up; loud, frustrated groan.) I mean, I got it once, right? Oh, just wait a second!

(Zoom out quickly, the background dissolving around her to become the interior of the clubhouse. The boards are back on the windows, and all of the decorations have been removed from the walls; cobwebs fill the corners, and only a few surviving items lie forlornly scattered about. She is alone at the lectern.)

Bloom: NOOOOOOOOO!!

(The family rooster pops up outside one window, its head visible in a gap between the boards, and crows loudly. Up pops the youngster’s head in the foreground—teeth gritted, eyes staring wildly, and completely scared out of her wits. Zoom out slightly to show her sitting up in bed, the background instantly changing to her room. A fretful glance to each side, and the camera cuts to a shot of the entire room, with blue morning sky beyond the window. The next shot is a long view of the completely intact clubhouse, seen through the glass, followed by a zoom out that frames Bloom gazing at it from bed. She pulls the blanket up like a cloak and hood.)

Bloom: What in Equestria’s goin’ on? (The triangle in the kitchen sounds off.)

Applejack: (from downstairs, through floor) BREAKFAST!!

Bloom: (climbing down from bed, still wearing blanket) I’m not so sure sleep is the cure-all Applejack thinks it is.

(Down in the kitchen, Applejack is making the last adjustments to the breakfast table. This time, though, she has prepared a cake, cinnamon rolls, and cupcakes and set out a punchbowl with fish swimming around in it. Two jars, one filled with honey and the other with dog biscuits, stand off at one end. For the third time, Bloom peeks into view around the threshold, the focus shifting to her as she speaks.)

Bloom: Uh, Applejack? I know you said sleep is supposed to make me feel better, but… (walking in) …I’m pretty sure it’s making me feel worse.

(The blanket falls off her head on the end of this. Cut to Applejack, her hat suddenly gone.)

Applejack: See? Now what did I tell you? (Bloom moves closer and stops; only head and forelegs are in frame.) A good night’s sleep’ll fix—

(Stop short. Eyes pop.)

Applejack: (confusedly) Well, no wonder you were so worked up. (Back to Bloom; the blanket has fallen off her entirely.)

Bloom: Wh—didn’t you hear what I said? I was tryin’ to—

Granny Smith: (from o.s., thoughtfully) Weeeeell…

(On the start of the next line, zoom out to show the youngest Apple now standing on a bare table. Applejack and Granny are eying her skeptically from opposite sides, the former with her hat back on.)

Granny: …what do we have here?

Bloom: What is it, Granny? What’s wrong?

Granny: Oh, nothin’. Right, Applejack?

Bloom: (backing away slightly; hat gone) Right. Nothin’ at all. (addressing herself o.s.) Right, Big Mac?

(The camera follows the turn of Bloom’s head to another side of the table, where the workhorse stands facing the wall. After a long pause, he turns to her.)

Macintosh: Truth is, Apple Bloom, it’s your… (disgustedly) …cutie mark.        

Applejack: Ee-yup.

(Now Bloom’s haunch can be seen for the first time since her wake-up: a cross-eyed dolphin spouting water from its blowhole.)

Bloom: Oh, no! (peering at it) What is it now?

(Her eyes constrict in terror at the sight of it, and the view fades quickly to black, accompanied by the clunk of a switch being thrown. A second clunk flicks on a spotlight that picks out a very, very confused Bloom, now seated on her haunches atop a stool. Zoom out as the other three Apple family members pace slowly around her, staying just beyond the light’s edge. Applejack wears her hat again. All remaining lines in this act reverberate slightly.)

Macintosh: Well, I can tell you what it ain’t. It ain’t no apple!

Granny: Nn-nope.

Bloom: (aghast) What?!? (Applejack leans in toward her, hat off.)

Applejack: (Macintosh’s voice) And we don’t have room for…non-Apples. (Macintosh leans in, wearing the hat.)

Macintosh: (Applejack’s voice) Nn-nope. (Granny’s turn.)

Granny: (Macintosh’s voice) Time for you to mosey on. (Close-up of the dumbfounded Bloom; she/he continues o.s.) You can’t stay here.

Bloom: But this is my home!

(Zoom out to frame all of her as the living room fades into view around her and a bindle on a stick appears on one shoulder. She regards this with great puzzlement; cut to Macintosh, now hatless and standing against a background that shows a couple of snapshots of family events in which Bloom’s face has been covered by a splotch of paint.)

Macintosh: (smirking) Oh, and you’re gonna have to change your name. (Pan to Granny.)

Granny: Ee-yep. (On to Macintosh again.)

Macintosh: I think just “Bloom” has a nice ring to it. Don’t you, Applejack? (Cut to Applejack, with her hat and standing at the front door.)

Applejack: Ee-yup.

(Pulling the knob with her teeth, she opens it to expose a spiraling blue/black void beyond the walls. Zoom out quickly to put a terror-stricken Bloom in the fore; the camera rides with her as she is sucked out into this nothingness, slowly dropping into its depths.)

Bloom: (fading out) NOOOOOOOOO!!

(Fade to black.)

Act Three

(Opening shot: fade in to a patch of floor next to Bloom’s bed. A large wad of blankets thumps to the floor and begins to squirm madly—she is tangled up inside, and she gets her head and forelegs free with a grunt after a few seconds. Zoom out to frame the morning sky visible through her bedroom window as Pinkie floats past it, dressed as a chicken and with a bunch of balloons tied to her midsection. The pink nut crows like the family rooster.)

Bloom: (fed up) All right. This is getting ridiculous!

(She turns her eyes across the room, the camera following to stop on a free-standing mirror near the dresser. Approaching it with infinite caution, she squeezes her eyes shut and then opens one just a fraction to inspect her right haunch—nothing there.)

Bloom: (walking away) Hoo-wee! I never thought I’d be so happy to not get a cutie mark!

(The turn exposes one on the left haunch, though: an ice cream cone. She only notices it after a few steps, then freezes in her tracks.)

Bloom: What the—

(A half-turn presents a gleaming white tooth that has appeared on her right haunch, and the next shows a serving of French fries on her left in place of the cone. One last pivot, and she finds that the tooth has been replaced by her own face. This winks in close-up; the room behind Bloom darkens and warps slightly, and ghostly images of cutie marks begin to swirl around her. With her unnerved visage as the only properly lit feature of the room, she finally comes up with a supremely frustrated growl.)

Bloom: (batting marks away) I don’t want to see another cutie mark as long as I live!

(Normal light and dimensions resume with a cut to the bedroom door as she gallops out, her mark having changed to a door. Back in the forest clearing, she skids to a stop and looks behind herself—showing her mark now gone—to find that the laws of normal space have apparently taken a long lunch. Namely: a doorway has appeared among the trees, leading directly back to her room. This promptly seals itself, and the wind-carried female voice speaks up.)

Female voice: Back so soon?

Bloom: All right, whoever you are! (advancing across clearing) I don’t know what spell you went and cast on me, but I want it to stop right now! (She ends this line at a gallop.)

Female voice: I didn’t cast a spell, on you or anypony else. I only did what you wanted. (Bloom skids to a stop with a growl.)

Bloom: Why would I want you to torment me with nightmares?

(The wind kicks up, the camera tracking slowly around the confounded filly.)

Female voice: You didn’t want to catch bugs, and I helped. You didn’t want to lose friends, and I helped.

(She claps hooves to temples; on the next line, the camera stops to show a lightless blur directly in front of her, with two eyes and a smiling mouth that glow a malevolent yellow. This is the source of the voice, and the thing that has been flitting among the trees on every visit.)

Dark figure: If there’s a problem with your family, I’m sure I can help with that too.         

Bloom: (galloping off) I don’t want your help! Just get away from me!

(She slows her headlong flight to a walk upon realizing that she has emerged into an area with rather better natural light. A very familiar, very calm voice echoes gently through the night.)

Princess Luna: (from o.s.) Oh, Apple Bloom, you can’t get away from your own shadow.

(In the night sky, a few wisps of cloud drift away from the moon, which kindles to a blinding intensity from which a form emerges, its face covered by two blue-violet wings. As the light fades back to normal, the Princess of the Night spreads them to full extension and gains a bit of altitude to gaze tranquilly down at Bloom.)

Bloom: Princess Luna? My shadow? What do you mean?

(Luna responds by directing a spell at the great orb, shifting it higher in the sky. The new angle causes the grinning specter to retreat toward ground level, its face slowly fading away, and Bloom sees it resolve into her own innocuous shadow.)

Bloom: It’s just me? (Overhead shot of her.) You mean I’ve been doin’ all this to myself?