"No, thanks," Berry Bright whispered with eyes downcast. "I don't think I could
do that."
"Sure you could," exclaimed Ivy. "This will be the best fashion show yet!"
"Yes, Berry Bright," interjected Morning Glory. "All of us will be involved. It will
be fun!"
"Certainly," added Petal Blossom as she dreamily combed her pink mane.
"B...b...but," stammered Berry Bright, "I would be too scared."
"Scared of what?" asked Morning Glory. "Everyone in Friendship Gardens is your
friend!"
"I know," answered Berry Bright, "but I won't be a model in your fashion show. I
just can't do it!" With that, Berry Bright burst into tears and ran from the room.
Petal Blossom, Ivy, and Morning Glory looked at one another. Finally, Ivy broke
the silence. "That is so typical! That pony has no self-esteem! What is scarey about wearing
stupendous fashions down a run-way?"
"I know I'll enjoy it," mumbled Petal Blossom as she slipped into a fantasy of satin
and lace.
Just then the door burst open and in pranced Sundance, Sky Skimmer, and Clever
Clover. The three ponies were rumpled and tired after a morning of trekking up and down the
mountains and valleys surrounding Friendship Gardens.
"We discovered a waterfall on the far side of the northern-most mountain,"
exclaimed Sundance. "It was beautiful with the sun sparkling off the spraying mists!"
"It was truly wonderful," added Sky Skimmer. "And the flowers and birds were
unbelievable!"
"And it sure worked up an appetite for me!" Clever Clover commented as he
flopped into an overstuffed chair. "What's to eat?"
With that, all six of the ponies moved off to the kitchen, hungry for a snack.
Luckily for them, Berry Bright had left several of her delicious berry pies on the counter. With
glasses filled to the brim with milk and generous portions of pie on their plates, the ponies enjoyed
a tasty lunch.
When his hunger had been appeased, Clever Clover finally noticed that Berry Bright
was missing. "Don't tell me you guys hurt Berry Bright's feelings again!" he said
accussingly.
"All I did was ask her to model some clothes at the fashion show I'm planning,"
explained Ivy. "You'd think I'd have asked her to eat spiders by the way she responded!"
"Poor Berry Bright!" sighed Sky Skimmer. "She is so shy that she misses out on
lots of fun stuff."
"Yes," agreed Sundance. "She wouldn't even go hiking with us."
"But her berry pies are the greatest!" said Clever Clover as he swallowed the last
bite of the berry pie.
"Well," said Ivy, "the fashion show will do fine without her. Sky Skimmer, you are
slated to model all the casual outfits; Petal Blossom will model the sheer, filmy pieces; Clever
Clover gets all the sportswear; Sundance, you must wear all the safari outfits; and I will, of
course, model the evening gowns. That leaves Morning Glory, who has volunteered to design the
stage and setting, and will act as emcee the night of the show."
Later as Clever Clover was practicing his basketball moves outside on the patio,
Berry Bright came out of the house.
"Where are you headed?" asked Clever Clover, bounding over to Berry
Bright.
Blushing as she always did when near Clever Clover, Berry Bright was barely able
to answer, "To the market."
"I'll go with you," decided Clever Clover in an instant. "I need some more power
snacks!"
So off they went, with Clever Clover chatting enough for the two of them. Berry
Bright wasn't entirely clear on what slam dunks, field goals, or base hits were, but she nodded
appropriately from time to time.
When they got to the market, Berry Bright selected apples, cherries, and peaches
while Clever Clover meandered through the aisles of candy bars and Gatoraid. After making their
purchases, they headed back to Pony Garden.
"Oh, by the way," remembered Clever Clover. "Those pies you left for us today
were the best yet! No one can create pies like you do!"
The usual blush lit Berry Bright's face as she stammered, "Thanks, Clever
Clover."
When they reached the Pony Garden, Clever Clover went straight to Ivy. "Ivy,
when you were listing off everyone's responsibility at the fashion show, I don't remember anyone
in charge of food or refreshments."
"Who needs food when one if surrounded by the glamour of gorgeous fashion?"
snapped Ivy.
"Me, for one," muttered Clever Clover under his breath. But in his most cajoling
voice he said to Ivy, "Berry Bright would be the one to handle the food."
"Hmmm," thought Ivy. "I suppose you might be right. We can work the food table
into Morning Glory's overall plan, and Berry Bright can be in charge of the goodies. Thanks for
the idea, Clever Clover. With yummy food available, the ponies will be doubly pleased with my
fashion show."
"Come on, Berry Bright," said Morning Glory. "Let's get started!"
And because no one had asked Berry Bright her opinion, she didn't have a chance
to say "no."
The night of the fashion show was perfect; Morning Glory's set of flowers and
fountains made a pleasing backdrop for the stunning styles the ponies modeled. The apparel,
whether in silk or khaki, was met with "oohs" and "aahs" from the audience.
And the refreshments were so tasty, Berry Bright was kept too busy keeping the
food tables loaded to have time to blush--and even if she had, Clever Clover would still have
thought that she had never looked more beautiful!