Yet another request for mlpgirl1998. She wanted me to do a fic where Berry meets another imaginary friend named Cherry, who resembles her. Mindy and Panini appear in this one, too.
Cherry belongs to IvyEspoen98. Here's to you, Ivy. I hope you enjoy this fanfic.
The sun shined upon the Foster home as a visitor made her way towards the front entrance. Berry took in the Foster home's quaint appearance. She looked from the freshly manicured lawn to its towering structure. The Foster home was the same as it looked the last time she was here. This place was never going to change, she ventured.
Berry walked up the steps to the front porch. She pressed the doorbell. On the other side, she could hear a rhythmic thumping sound, like hopping. It must've been Mr. Herriman. No sooner did the door open did she get her question answered. It was indeed Mr. Herriman who greeted her.
"Ah, Miss Berry," he said in his upper crust accent. He was the same as before. Black top hat decked his head, crisp black blazer. The works of an elite aristocrat.
"Hi, Mr. Herriman," said Berry in her usual cheerful tone.
"Good day to you, and to what do I owe this fine visitation?" Mr. Herriman asked.
"I'm just here for the day," answered Berry. "Just felt like coming over."
"Well, now, we're always happy to have you back," said Mr. Herriman.
Berry stepped inside. Mr. Herriman closed the door and hopped back towards his office. But before he could, he added, "Ah, and you might find a surprise while you're here."
"Hmm?" Berry's head turned. She looked at him, pressing for an answer, but the rabbit didn't give her any answer. He just hopped away, back to the haven of his office.
Well, that was weird. thought Berry. She kept that in mind as she made her way up the stairs. Her agenda for the day was to see Coco, Wilt and Eduardo. She was slowly getting over Bloo now. After a few times of trying to worm her way into his good graces, she gave up. He was not interested in her. He couldn't even remember her name. Berry didn't blame him, so she let it go. She wondered if today was going to be like one of those days.
"Cherry!" a voice called
Berry turned around and saw a tall magenta-skinned, pink-haired imaginary friend approaching her. This imaginary friend was the definition of feminine beauty: supermodel thin, eyelashes curled on end, lips painted a deep red to accent her hot pink skin and she wore a dark raspberry skirt and a pair of high heels with bows on them. Berry could only wonder what this imaginary friend wanted with her. This wasn't the first time someone got her name wrong.
"Hi, um." Berry couldn't remember this pink girl's name.
"Sally Linda," said the pink girl. That name actually complimented her. "Oh, but you already know me. We've been having make-overs since you got here."
"Oh," said Berry, finally understanding the situation. "You must have me confused for another. My name is Berry. With a 'B.'"
Sally Linda adopted a flustered look. "Oh, uh, heh, heh," she chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry, it's just I thought you were her. You kinda look like her. Sorry." Sally Linda walked away, still looking at Berry kind of funny. Berry watched her amble away, still feeling the nervousness in her.
Well, that was weird. Berry quirked an eyebrow. She didn't dwell on it too much, and continued walking. Two more imaginary friends—an angelic girl with floor-length blond hair; the other a pale, porcelain doll-like girl—passed her. And they were talking about what Sally Linda was talking about.
"That Cherry is such a good girl," said the angel girl.
"I know," said the doll-like girl. "She's always so nice and considerate. She's such a polite girl."
Berry watched them walk by. She didn't find anything weird about that. Just that the way they talked about this girl named Cherry. She hoped this wouldn't interfere with her visit.
"Darling," a stuffy voice said, "we all know that Cherry is the best choice." Berry stopped in her tracks. She recognized that voice. That was Duchess. The aristocratic imaginary friend. Her too? Berry wondered how popular this Cherry had to be to get Duchess's attention.
"Ooh, I say, she's very avant-garde." Duchess's voice said. The other voice was just a agreeable as Duchess.
"Yes." It was Madame Foster. "She does have expensive taste."
Berry's head swam. Thoughts about Cherry flooded her mind. And she didn't even know what she looked like. She had to find her and see her for herself. Berry charged through the corridors. Doors raced past her. Her vision swam and blurred. Dizziness sank its sharp claws into Berry's cranium. Cherry's name was always on her mind. She had to get out of here. She reached a corner and sat on her haunches. Taking slow deep breaths, she let the tension escape her body. She could stay here and not worry about Cherry.
"Yo, nice dress," said a smooth male voice.
"Thank you," answered a girl's voice. "Cherry made it for me." Berry's eyes widened. Cherry? Berry peeked from behind the doorway and listened. She saw a small, one-eyed green imaginary friend. The other one was a pink squirrel-like imaginary friend with a bow on top of her head. She wore a yellow dress decked in ribbons. The dress was a hundred times finer that anything Berry could fabricate. She looked at the ruffled hemline, the frilly sleeves, the ribbons cascading her body like a halo. Cherry could sew, and she did it a thousand times better than Berry did.
"Yo, the turkey sandwiches she makes are like pieces of Heaven," said the one-eyed imaginary friend.
"Not to mention her cherry tarts are to die for," said the pink squirrel. "And her cherry pies, her cherry jam, her cherry cupcakes, her cherry ice cream..."
Berry stood up and turned heel. She had to get out of here. Go somewhere Cherry wasn't. She saw the doorway to the arcade. Berry didn't care if this was the arcade. As long as Cherry wasn't mentioned, she could stay. She dove in and crawled behind a skill crane. She looked around the arcade. There were a few imaginary friends playing video games. She ventured she could stay here and lay low.
"Hey, look at this," said a voice. Berry knew that voice. That was Wilt. And it sounded like he was outside the arcade. She decided to go out there and greet him. She stood up, walked up towards the doorway when his next sentence halted her.
"Cherry made this for me."
Again? Really? Berry looked and saw Wilt wearing the most extravagant tuxedo she'd ever seen. It was a sparkly blue with a fuchsia cummerbund and matching bow tie. He wore a matching top hat to complete the look. It actually looked good on him, Berry had to admit. It made her jealous. That another could sew better than her. Standing next to Wilt was Eduardo.
"Si," said Eduardo in his Spanglish, "es muy bonito. Cherry also fixed mis beanie baggies when Bloo shot them in the sky with rockets."
"You see that?" Wilt continued. "That Cherry is so considerate. Always thinking of others before herself."
Berry's eye twitched. She couldn't take it. She fumed. Berry stomped out of the arcade, careful to keep her composure in front of them. She stood before the tall, red-skinned basketball player and the purple bull.
"Oh, hey, how's it going?" Wilt greeted her. It was obvious to Berry that he and Eduardo didn't remember her too well. Considering the last time they were preoccupied with an addicting soap opera called The Loved and the Loveless.
"Hi, I'm Berry," said Berry as an introduction.
"That's funny," said Wilt. "We have a friend named Cherry. You look a bit like her."
"Really?" Berry replied. "What a coincidence. Where can I find her?"
"She must be in the garden by now." Wilt answered.
"Si." Eduardo chimed in. "Es muy buena para la jardinería."
"She sure is." Wilt agreed.
"Well," said Berry, "thanks for the info. I'll see you guys later." She waved goodbye to them and walked away. Once she made a right turn she took off in a sprint. This was it! Her moment to unearth this mysterious Cherry-person.
Berry raced down the hallways. Thumped down a flight of stairs. She almost knocked Coco down on the way, and nearly crashed into another imaginary friend. Berry went sliding into the kitchen, like a baseball player. She found the backdoor and charged toward it. Kicking it open, she looked around the backward. Pristine hydrangea bushes decorated the yard. Pink roses bloomed in the sunlight. The lawn looked like it had been freshly cut. Berry's ears picked up humming. Cherry must be nearby. Berry started exploring the garden. She went where the humming was carried off. She passed by the deck table and made a turn around a rosebush. There, right there, Berry spotted her. Cherry stopped humming as soon as she felt Berry's presence. She stood up.
"Oh," said Cherry, "hello there." Her voice was warm like sunshine and heavy as gold.
It has to be a conspiracy. It was like looking in a mirror, or a clone. Now Berry saw what everyone was talking about. Cherry was like Berry in appearance. The same height, but Cherry's skin was dark red, whereas Berry's was a violent shade of fuchsia. Cherry had more eyelashes than her. Where Berry's "ears" were like pigtails, Cherry's looked like odango buns, with strands of hair dangling down her head. Standing here, in the open, surrounded by the roses, her body seemed to glow, dispersing this unearthly light. She erased memories of Berry immensely. She made Berry look like an ugly duckling desperate to be a swan. It made Berry cringe.
"There you are!"
It didn't take long for Berry to figure out this was Mindy's voice calling her. She didn't even notice her shuffling feet approaching.
"Hey," said Panini. Berry turned around this time. She saw Panini standing beside her, and Mindy by her side.
"We went to see you at your apartment, but your roommate said you were on your way to Foster's," said Panini. Berry could only look at them, while also keeping in mind she was face to face with Cherry.
"Berry?" Mindy said. That was when she noticed who she was standing in front of.
"Who's she?" Panini asked.
"Is that your sister?" Mindy queried. "Your cousin?"
It took a little while for Berry to work her mouth. "She's none of those things." she finally uttered.
"Hello," said Cherry. "I'm Cherry."
Mindy and Panini both exchanged dumbfounded glances.
Berry spent the whole day following Cherry around. She, Mindy and Panini joined Cherry for what she believed was a "girls' day." The three spent the day doing things Cherry did. First, they baked cherry pies in the kitchen. Mindy, being the least experienced, almost burnt the pie. It came out with the crust all thin, burned and cracked, exposing the cherry filling. Surprisingly, Cherry was not fazed, and told Mindy she did her best. Berry expected her to lash out, but something made her accept her compliment.
Then, they joined Cherry for painting. Berry was painting a fantasy landscape, complete with fairies watching over the world. She added sea foam dolphins. That is, dolphins that came out of the sea foam, blurring the line between ocean and animal. Berry was quite impressed with herself. Proud even. She couldn't wait to see what Cherry's painting would be. By the time she finished, it was time to show their artwork. Mindy showed hers. It was a self-portrait. Figures she would do something like that. She even added things to her portrait that she didn't have, like a beauty mark on her left cheek. Beauty's in the eye of the beholder, Berry ventured. Panini's painting was that of a pink, three-tier cake. Panini put a lot of thought into her work. She may not be an experienced artist, but she still tried.
"Let's see yours," said Berry to Cherry. She was ready to see whatever she tried to pass off as artwork.
"Here it is," said Cherry, turning her canvas over. Berry's jaw opened.
Cherry's painting was an exact remake of the Birth of Venus. Panini and Mindy were stunned. Berry's triumph died the moment she saw Cherry's painting. Her impression soon became replaced with jealousy. Her blood boiled. The technique Cherry used was exactly like the one the original artist used. First, the pie baking and now the painting. What else could Cherry do?
Next, they went to the ballet studio. The girls changed into some tutus. Light pink for Berry; powder blue for Mindy; pale green for Panini; and white for Cherry. The white made Cherry's red skin look lighter. It looked good on her. Berry held on to the bar, warming up.
"Okay," announced Cherry, "let's get started." She turned on the stereo. She put on Tchaikovsky. Appropriate for ballet. Berry finished her warmup and joined the other girls.
Cherry was talented in the art of ballet. Berry watched her leap, like a gazelle. She did graceful pirouettes. Mindy was moved when Cherry performed an elegant brisé. It got a little harder for Mindy to do the entrechat. For a rich girl, she didn't seem well rounded in posh sports. Berry could follow along okay, having taken ballet in the past. Did Cherry have some kind of professional dance training? It looked like it. Who trained with her? Maybe one of the biggest names in dancing history.
Twenty minutes passed with the girls dancing ballet. Cherry looked like she didn't break a sweat. Dancing was like breathing to her. Mindy looked winded. A rich girl like her spent her time lounging around. Today must've been the most exercise she got. Cherry turned off the stereo.
"Well, that's all for today." she said. "Wonderful job all of you." She turned to look at Mindy. "You're performance was swell. I suggest you practice more often. It was a pleasure having you here."
"That's," heaved Mindy, "the—huff—sorry, I'm not used to so much exercise."
Cherry chuckled. "I've noticed. I try to do as much exercise as I can. A healthy mind is found inside a healthy body."
"You've got that right."
"Something's not right with her." Berry whispered to Panini. But there were still a few activities to go to find that out.
The four changed out of their ballet tutus. Panini was the last out and together they walked along to their next activity. On the way, they ran into Wilt, Eduardo, Coco and Bloo.
"Hola, Cherry," said Eduardo.
"Hello, Eduardo," replied Cherry, "fancy meeting you here. How's Paco?"
"Oh, he's muy, muy better," answered Eduardo. "He wants to thank you for fixing him."
"I'll give my thanks." Cherry beamed.
"Cherry, hey," said Bloo, threading out of the group. "I've gotta say, those cherry muffins you baked last night were awesome."
"I'm glad you liked them," responded Cherry.
"Yup, good old Cherry."
Berry couldn't believe it. Bloo remembered her name. Her name. And he had trouble remembering Berry's. Was she her replacement? It seemed so. Why? Why was she created? Why did she have to come on her turf? Why did she have to steal her thunder? Why did have to steal the spotlight? She'd only spent one day with Cherry and she already snubbed Berry in everything. Gardening, sewing, baking, painting, ballet. Cherry was mana sent from Heaven. She was the reigning sun that illuminated the day. She was perfection incarnated. Berry's blood boiled.
Fifteen minutes later, Berry, Panini and Mindy were in the playroom with a couple imaginary friends. Well, they were only three. A rose imaginary friend, an egg-shaped one, and a dark pink, doglike sheep imaginary friend.
"That's very good, Tilly," said Cherry. Tilly was the rose imaginary friend. She and Cherry were playing with dolls, primarily, brushing their hair.
Mindy was playing with a jigsaw puzzle with Shelley, the egg imaginary friend. Berry and Panini were playing ball with Posey, the lamb. The were just tossing the ball to each other. It was boring to Berry, but it kept Posey busy. How long was this playtime going to last? She was ready to go back to her apartment. Sure, she was roommates with a college student who was also a party girl, but it was home. She helped pay the rent. She cooked, she cleaned. Her roommate might say she's the best; better than Cherry. Good thing she'll never have to meet her.
So far, all Cherry's done was beat her at baking, outshine her in painting, out stage her in ballet. Berry saw her work in the garden. She may have been only visiting for one day, and she could tell it was Cherry who had been tending the garden. Maybe Cherry wasn't trying to usurp her, and Berry was just being paranoid. She could get like that when someone she's close to starts paying attention to someone else. She did it to Mac and tried to nearly kill him. Looking back, she was still not proud of that. She would need a lot more help to get her to a brighter future. That was it, Berry was just jealous. She could get past this. Yeah. Just let it go.
"You're the best imaginary friend ever!," cheeped Tilly, hugging Cherry.
"Oh," cooed Cherry, hugging her back.
The words rang in Berry's head. It faded out, discordant. Berry's day hadn't gone how she planned it, and she got one upped. Cherry took away everything from her. It sickened her. Berry saw red.
"THAT'S IT!" Berry bellowed. Her scream caught Cherry's attention. She panicked as soon as she saw Berry's enraged face. She ran.
"Hey!," shouted Berry. "Come back here!" She ran after her. Mindy and Panini followed behind them.
The halls were filled with Cherry's terrified screams and Berry's angry shouts. Mindy and Panini chased after them, huffing breath after breath. Cherry sure could run. And Berry was keen on taking her down. Cherry's screaming caught the attention of most of the house residents. Imaginary friends peeked from their bedroom doors, confused and curious about the commotion. Mindy had a hard time keeping up. This was the second taxing exercise she's had. After this, she was going to join the track team, get a running machine, and go biking.
The four girls passed Bloo's room, whose door was open, and he and Wilt and Coco and Eduardo saw them race by. The gang trailed behind the four girls. Eventually, they all reached the downstairs foyer. Cherry stopped at the front door. She was trapped. She had nowhere to go. She stared Death in the eye and she was not happy. Mindy and Panini watched with trepidation, but they were too afraid to intervene. Bloo and his gang knew not to interfere.
"Oh my tizzy and dizzy stars," squeaked Cherry, even her exclamations irritated Berry, "what's caused you to be in such a fury?"
"You wanna know what's my problem?," barked Berry. "You!" She pointed at Cherry. "You are my problem! You're out to get me, aren't you?! Well, it's not gonna happen!" Her head span, she was overworking herself. "I didn't come here so that you could replace me and take away all my friends! Why? Why are you trying to take my friends? Why are you trying to make me look bad? Why? Why are you doing this to me?"
Cherry sat there, eyes swimming in tears, but she was not about to shed them. "I...," she said between gasps. "I..." She closed her eyes. "I wasn't trying to replace you. Honest, I didn't even know who you were. I was just happy to have you as a friend.
"You see, I came here about a month ago. My creator had gotten too old for me. Her mom told her to give me away. I didn't want to leave her, and she didn't want to see me go, but she had no choice. I was happy to go of my own volition. I was out on my own for the first time. I didn't know anyone. Then I found this place. I was nervous at first, but, luckily, making friends came naturally for me.
"I made new friends, and I wasn't lonely anymore. Everybody's so nice to me, and I wanted to returned that kindness. I helped out around the house. I made gifts for everyone I knew. I baked treats for my friends. I gardened. Anything to get their gratitude. It made me happy to win their approval, and in return, they earned my friendship."
Berry listened, or maybe her anger was still preventing her from fully understanding. Remembering therapy, she took a deep breath, held it for sixty seconds, and exhaled. This was progress.
Cherry stood up, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry for making you feel unwanted. I didn't mean to. I wasn't trying to. And we were having so much fun together." She clasped Berry's shoulder encouragingly. "I really want us to be friends, Berry. I'd really like that, if you'd let me."
Berry said nothing. She just listened to her heartfelt apology and she was now at a crossroads. She was not going to be repeating the same mistakes again. She remembered what she learned in therapy. She was not going to rampage. She was not going to break friends apart. She wasn't going to do any of that. She was sure she was going to regret this, but it was the first step into a better life.
"I'd like that," said Berry, which surprised even herself. She hugged Cherry, the latter in turn returned the hug.
"Aww," the gang behind her chorused.
"I loves a happy ending," sniffled Ed.
Mindy walked up to the two lookalikes. "Well, we all got what we wanted"—she turned to Cherry—"you got a new friend"—she looked at Berry—"you got closure." She heaved out a breath. "And I need a shower. Boy, I've been on the run all day."
"Well, we're all friends," said Bloo. "Now can we go into the kitchen for some cherry pies?" This question was directed to Cherry, who in turn smiled from ear to ear.
"Of course, Bloo," she said.
On their way to the kitchen, Cherry asked Berry about any dessert recipes that they could merge together. Berry was more than glad to oblige, sealing this as the start to their friendship.
Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the story. ^_^ Oh and Tilly, Shelley and Posey are the imaginary friends who appeared in the episode "The Bride to Beat." Caitlin chose the names, not me.