The end of another week approached quickly as back in central strawberryland apple dumplin gathered around the tv with crepe, tea, and now joining them was frosty puff who arrived early the previous day. She came into the living room with sundaes and milkshakes "i didn't miss the event did i?" "No not at all they are just explaining the event" apple said. The berry announcer lady smiled as she spoke. "The tea party competition will be set in a large 4 tabled tea room in a special hall in the hotel, there will be microphones and sensors set up to capture everything and the judges will be scoring based on the following conditions:

Dress code: how they dress for this elegant tea party

There manners: how well they show pure true etiquette. They will be very tough on this so a single chewing with the mouth full could cost them a victory

There girl talk: how well can they stay on lady like conversation.

There over all demeanor: how well they treat each other

The score will be based on 100 points, 25 max for each category, and just to remind people here are the standings." They flashed the points on the screen. "Oh this is so exciting" crepe said remembering her tea parties in Pearis. "I know right?" Tea blossom said. "Oh i never had a tea party, it was too cold where i live" frosty said. "Oh you poor dear we have to fix that" crepe said.

Meanwhile the kids got ready all of them wore large full southern belle style dresses with flexible crinoline. They all wore white tea gloves and have there faces made over. They all also wore bonnets in there color. "Are you all ready for this event?" Huckleberry asked after putting on his dark blue dress in triple layer of skirt caked with white satin bows. The girls wore similar outfits. Strawberry said "i sure am. Angel cake and blueberry nodded. Lemmon and raspberry looked to each other and smiled. The rest nodded. Huckleberry smiled "believe it or not I'm actually excited for this". The kids received there instructions from the princess planets to the special office. "Come on everyone lets go." They made sure to drop there pets off at the spa as all the kids gathered. The room had three large pink rock candy tables ornately decorated, there was a ton of tea, finger snacks, baked goods and ornate seats. Everyone had an assigned seat, the kids of strawberry land sat by each other and to huckleberry pies surprise next to him was powder puff. She took a seat with a friendly smile huckleberry knew was for the cameras. huckleberry felt a bit scared she might try to throw him off but was determined to show her he would not be intimidated. Strawberry sat across from them next to orange blossom and gingersnap on her other side. Peppermint sat on the other side of huckleberry. As they all took a seat getting comfortable they waited for the bell to say when the contest started, and in seemingly a second it began. Back at strawberry shortcakes house the guests watched almost as intently as the judges. "I wonder if this is how Monsieur huckleberry feels this way playing his video games?" crepe asked. Tea blossom smiled "it stands to reason". Frosty puff watched with utter concentration.

The contest would last for 1 hour. The kids all went took turns eating snacks and delightful teas. "Strawberry can you please pass me some tea?" Orange blossom asked. "Of course" strawberry said politely as she poured her some. "Oh let me get that for you miss powder puff" huckleberry said pouring her some tea. "Oh why thank you that is awfully kind of you miss huckleberry" powder puff said. The kids were beyond careful to make sure there elbows never were on the table, there napkins were on there laps and not a single drop of food dropped. The judges were eagle eyed looking at every table for even the slightest mistake. Some girls on another table spilled tea on there dresses one of them screamed in pure anger at another, but the kids of strawberry land payed no attention to them too keep on topic. Every so often peppermint fizz forgot to drink with her pinkie out causing several points to drop. Raspberry began to talk about sports to the group, a huge no to the rules and facepalmed when she realized it, but lemon helped her tried to regain her focus. "That is such a lovely dress you girls have on" powder puff said. "Yours is beautiful as well" huckleberry replied never once dropping the persona. Strawberry found herself naturally conversing to orange. "I love the flowers of your dress" strawberry said. "Thank you strawberry i ordered it special." The judges took extra notice of there cheerfulness and marked them all up.

As the contest hit the halfway mark the pets in the salon were equally focused watching there owners, once again custard watched as every-time powder puff was on screen the strawberryland tarantula would do an excited hissing cheer. The animals were then being fed, shoofly noticed the tarantula and hopped over to her, the tarantula looked to the frog as to her amazement the amphibian offered the spider some of his meal of varying insects, to which the spider accepted gladly. Custard rolled her eyes. As she kept watching with marmalade on her head. Marmalade listened intently as the frog and spider actually talked to each other. The caretakers watched carefully to make sure one didn't eat the other but were shocked when neither showed any intention of it. Back at strawberry shortcakes house apple dumplin and her guests watched as the camera began to focus mostly on the central strawberryland kids as they were the ones still in the running. "Oh I'm actually excited for the ballet competition." Huckleberry told powderpuff which made apple dumplin and company laugh out loud. They then began to describe his favorite tutu designs stoping only to chew the food he gently ate to not talk with his mouth full. "I never even dreamed huckleberry would ever say these things" apple dumplin said the girls agreed. The kids spent the rest of the time talking about there favorite fairy tales. "I actually like the frog prince" huckleberry said "oh why is that?" Powderpuff asked hoping to catch him in a trap but was stunned by his answer. "Because the moral of the story is Beauty is every where in nature all you need is to add love to it, that turns anything some call ugly into something everyone respects" shoofly heard his answer and at first felt offended by it but shrugged it off as he understood that lesson too.

The last 30 seconds were ticking down but the strawberry land kids were having so much fun they didn't realize it was almost over. They received a notice from there princess planers to quickly finish there conversation. the kids started talking unicorns and there ideas of there favorite dolls ending it in a polite manner. The alarm sounding like a church bell chimed symbolizing the contest time was over. The girls still left in got up and curtsied to each other and bid each other a farewell as they all headed back to the waiting area for the judges to tally the score. At strawberry's house the girls cheered there friends on as the contest ended, with the exception of crepe who wanted to see the scores first. "That looks like a ton of fun crepe" frosty puff said excited. This caused the others to agree. Apple dumpling was crossing her fingers that strawberry got a high score, her friends too but strawberry especially.

Back in the waiting area the kids sat together, "wow i was so nervous" huckleberry said, strawberry replied "you shouldn't be you were berry excellent" the others agreed. Powder puff walked up to them. "What do you want?" Huckleberry said "i wanted to say i was partially wrong about you, you absolutely have a lady in you,most of you do, and it was a joy talking to all of you in the tea party. huckleberry,strawberry, angel cake, lemon meringe, you have earned my respect." Strawberry said "so friends?" This caused powder puff to get defensive "i said you earned my respect not my friendship" this caused strawberry to get slightly angery but she kept it cool as she replied "Well thank you for the compliments" powder puff gave a slight smile as she went away from them.

Then the scores were tallied.

They quickly found there names and scores

Strawberry shortcake: 100/100

Powder puff: 100/100

Huckleberry pie: 100/100

Ginger snap: 98/100

Angel cake: 100/100

Orange blossom: 99/100

Lemmon merengue: 100/100

Peppermint fizz: 96/100

Blueberry muffin: 95/100

Raspberry torte: 75/100

All the kids felt great about there score. The children at strawberries house cheered loudly reading there scores as did the pets in the salon. before they were to be picked up shoofly and petticoatus nodded to each other, they had become fast friends. Even custard found it impossible to be snarky about this. "You two look amazing together honestly" custard said. Pup cake nodded as he happily barked at the spider. "He said he wants to get to know you next week" custard translated. The spider nodded, before powder puff came in and gently picked her up and placed her on her dress. "Make some new friends?" She asked the spider sweetly. The two headed back to there tower, strawberry and her friends followed shortly after they were out of view. "Come on everyone lets celebrate" strawberry said.