"Go straight, turn right at the torte, and keep going until you see a purple house." These words were ingrained in Strawberry Shortcake's head. She knew what she was doing, and she was going to do it. She took a sip of juice from the thermos Orange Blossom gave her earlier as she pulled Custard and her belongings behind her in the wagon.

"I still really want a nap," Custard said.

"I know Custard," Strawberry replied, "don't worry. Orange Blossom said Plum Pudding will help us out. Just as soon as we reach the house that looks like a torte."

"I think I see it!" Custard exclaimed.

Strawberry looked ahead, and there it was: the house that looked like a torte. The roof was covered in what looked like raspberries. There was a small bridge that led to the front door, and the pink river trickled underneath that bridge. Strawberry stopped pulling her wagon and began admiring the house.

"I wonder who lives here," Strawberry said.

"Well, we need to find that Plum Pudding girl, so I don't think we have much time," Custard added.

Suddenly, a white and hot pink soccer ball came flying towards Strawberry Shortcake and Custard. Custard ducked and covered her eyes. The ball soared through the air and hit Strawberry right in the cheek. She fell over and started rubbing her cheek as the ball slowly rolled away from her.

"Strawberry?" Custard asked, "are you OK?"

"Yeah," she replied, "but that soccer ball sure hurt."

As she continued to rub her cheek, Strawberry noticed a girl approaching her. Her hair was a dark magenta color and tied into a ponytail. She wore a jacket the same color as her hair over a white shirt, a pair of pants, a pair of tennis shoes, and a visor with a raspberry clip. She picked up the soccer ball and dusted it off before walking to Strawberry. She crossed her arms.

"Sorry about that," the girl said, "seems like my ball hits someone in the face at least once a day."

Strawberry put her arms by her side and smiled.

"That's OK!" she replied, "it happens to all of us!"

"Really?" the girl asked.

"Yeah!"

"Hm! Let me help you up. I'm Raspberry Torte by the way. What's your name?"

"I'm Strawberry Shortcake! It's berry nice to meet you too!"

Custard facepalmed as Strawberry Shortcake got up and shook hands with Raspberry Torte. At the rate Strawberry was making new friends, she'd be pals with everyone in town before the two of them found their house.

"So," Raspberry said, "whatcha doing here in Strawberry Stream?"

"I just moved here!" Strawberry exclaimed.

"You just moved here?" Raspberry asked, "I only thought one person was moving here today, welcome to town!"

"Thank you!"

"So, what brought you here?"

"Orange Blossom gave us directions to Plum Pudding's house, and we had to turn here."

"Orange Blossom, huh? She's really cool."

"She sure is!"

"Well, do you wanna come inside? It's a pretty long way from Orange Blossom's to my place, and considering you just moved here..."

"Oh, absolutely!"

Strawberry picked up Custard and began walking towards Raspberry Torte's house. Custard scowled at her owner.

"Strawberry!" Custard exclaimed as quietly as possible.

"What's wrong, Custard?" Strawberry asked.

"We're not even supposed to be here!" Custard whispered, "we need to get to our house!"

"Custard, it'll be OK. We'll get to our house in time."

"I doubt that..."

As the two kept walking, Strawberry heard Raspberry sigh. She looked up at her, and noticed that Raspberry's head was hanging a bit low.

"What's wrong, Raspberry Torte?" Strawberry asked.

"Nothing," Raspberry said with a sigh.

"You seem a little sad," Strawberry said.

"I... I am."

"Why? What's the matter?"

"I've been doing so much party planning that I haven't really had time for having fun today."

"How come you were kicking a soccer ball earlier?"

"Well, I've already finished what I needed to do, but nobody's come over as soon as we started planning, so I've just been... lonely."

Raspberry Torte sighed again, when she suddenly felt something squeezing her. She opened her eyes, and saw that Strawberry Shortcake was tightly embracing her.

"I'm so sorry, Raspberry," she said.

"Um, thanks?" Raspberry replied, "I'm not really a hugger."

Strawberry Shortcake let go of Raspberry.

"I have an idea!" Strawberry exclaimed.

"What is it?" Raspberry asked.

"Would you mind if I hung out with you for a little bit?" Strawberry suggested.

"Oh no, not at all!"

"Strawberry!" Custard shouted.

"Wait," Raspberry began, "did your cat just talk?"

"Yeah," Strawberry said, "this is Custard, she's a talker. She's also berry impatient."

"Strawberry," Custard said, "we need to stop wasting our time!"

"I don't think it's wasting our time if it's helping a friend," Strawberry responded.

"She doesn't need help!" Custard replied.

"She's lonely, Custard, she just needs someone to hang out with her."

Raspberry Torte began to think. Strawberry Shortcake and Custard watched her for a bit.

"Custard," Raspberry said, "you said you and Strawberry need to stop wasting your time, right?"

Custard nodded.

"Well," Raspberry added, "what's up?"

"We're trying to get to our house," Custard said, "but Strawberry's stopping at every house along the way. It's getting darker too."

"I see," Raspberry said, "well, let's make this quick then. Strawberry, how about a quick one-on-one game of soccer?"

"One-on-one?" Strawberry asked, "Raspberry, how does that even work?"

"Simple! You just try to get the ball around me and into the net," she explained, "first person to five points wins, then you and Custard can be on your way."

"Alright then!" Strawberry exclaimed, "let's play!"

Raspberry cheered, while Custard smiled just a little bit. She already liked Raspberry, but she didn't want to let Strawberry know that. If Strawberry knew that she liked the townsfolk, they'd never find their house. Raspberry Torte and Strawberry Shortcake, Custard still in her hands, walked to the yard of the house. It looked like a soccer field, complete with bleachers. Strawberry set Custard down on the bleachers.

"Don't worry Custard," Strawberry said, "we won't be here for long."

"OK," Custard replied, "just don't hit me with the ball, OK?"

"I'll try my best!" Strawberry exclaimed.

Strawberry Shortcake got onto the field. She wasn't exactly prepared for a game of soccer, but she was going to try her best anyways. Raspberry put her soccer ball in the middle of the field as she and Strawberry got into their positions. Custard licked her paw and took a good look at the field.

"You ready?" Raspberry asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be!" Strawberry exclaimed.

With that, Raspberry Torte ran towards the ball and started dribbling. Strawberry was confused, but she kept her eye on Raspberry, waiting for the perfect moment to steal the ball. It never came, and Raspberry shot the ball into Strawberry's net, earning her first point.

They started over. Raspberry got the ball before Strawberry did again. Strawberry got in front of Raspberry, trying to stop her from shooting the ball. When the two got close enough to the net, Raspberry kicked the ball. It went around Strawberry and into the net. Raspberry two, Strawberry zero.

The next round, Raspberry decided to let Strawberry get the ball. She began dribbling it around the field and getting closer to Raspberry's net. She started to laugh, when suddenly, Raspberry stole the ball. Strawberry was only able to look on in shock as Raspberry kicked the ball into her net again.

This time, Strawberry was going to be as focused on the ball as she could possibly be. When Raspberry took the ball, Strawberry ran around, looking for any opportunity to steal it. Eventually, she managed to kick the ball away from Raspberry's feet and get it for herself. As she ran around, kicking the ball, Raspberry ran to her own net. Strawberry got closer and closer to the net, and kicked the ball, hoping to score. Raspberry stopped the ball with her foot and kicked it as hard as she could. Strawberry watched in shock as the ball quickly rolled into the other net.

Raspberry Torte had five points and Strawberry Shortcake still hadn't scored one. She decided to stay at her net and focus on keeping Raspberry from scoring. Raspberry ran with the ball with nobody trying to stop her. When she kicked the ball, Strawberry thought of how to stop it. The ball went straight. Strawberry could've put one of her feet in the way, but she didn't. Instead, the ball rolled in between Strawberry's legs. Raspberry leaped in the air and cheered. Strawberry picked up the ball, dusted it off, and handed it back to Raspberry.

"I'm not really good at this game," Strawberry said.

"You really weren't," Raspberry replied, "but you'll get better with practice. Maybe we can do that another time?"

"Oh, absolutely!" Strawberry exclaimed.

Strawberry Shortcake and Raspberry Torte shook hands again. Custard got off the bleachers and walked over to Strawberry. Strawberry picked up Custard and began petting her head.

"So, you're heading to Plum Pudding's place now?" Raspberry asked.

"We sure are!" Strawberry said.

"Well, I hope I'll see you soon!" Raspberry exclaimed, "later Strawberry, later Custard!"

"Goodbye Raspberry Torte!"

Strawberry Shortcake waved goodbye to her newest friend and got back on the path. As she put Custard back in the wagon, she looked at the house that looked like a torte and turned to her right. Now, she just needed to find that purple house.