MMMystery on the Friendship Express

**MMMystery on the Friendship Express** is the twenty-fourth episode of the second season of *Legends of the Multiverse: Friendship is Universe* and the fiftieth episode overall. After a cake Rapunzel had been guarding for a contest is partially eaten on the way to Canterlot, she starts out an investigation to find out the culprit. The title is a reference to the 1934 crime novel *Murder on the Orient Express*, written by Agatha Christie.

## Production

On Twitter, the episode's writer Amy Keating Rogers revealed that she wrote a scene in which Kairi commends Mulan for her self-control, and Mulan confesses to taking a bite while Rapunzel was asleep and leaving no clues. However, it was cut for time.

## Summary

### The cake and its transport

The episode begins with Rapunzel commenting on a large cake that King Frederic and Queen Arianna have made for the National Dessert Competition in Canterlot. Rapunzel is in charge of its transport and excited about the responsibility. Mulan interrupts Rapunzel, pointing out that Li Shang is getting exhausted from holding the cake on his back.

 File:Mr and Mrs Cake worried S2E24.png
Rapunzel puts on a hardhat with a red, flashing light, and guides Li Shang out the door, followed by King Frederic and Queen Arianna. Outside, the street has been blocked off so that the cake can be moved safely. As Li Shang falters under the weight of the cake, King Frederic faints out of terror. Li Shang manages to keep the cake upright. Rapunzel calls on Sally and Spectra to help him by holding the cake's tray up with ropes. After the cake nearly falls a second time, and King Frederic faints once again, Rapunzel recruits Kairi Sparkle's help. Kairi casts a protective magic bubble around the cake. Rapunzel asks Mulan and Nene to help by holding a trampoline behind the cake.

### All aboard!

 File:Pinkie Pie protecting the cake S2E24.png   The side panel of the train's dessert car is removed for the cake to be loaded on, and Li Shang hammers it back in place. Rapunzel thanks her friends for helping to get the cake to and aboard the train, and Kairi Sparkle thanks her for letting them accompany her to the National Dessert Competition. Nene talks about how much fun the festivities will be, while Mulan ponders how good all the treats will taste and reaches her hoof out to the Marzipan cake, only to have her hoof smacked aside by Rapunzel. Rapunzel then gushes about the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness—or as she nicknames it, the "MMMM"—describing its deliciousness and believing that it will win first prize.

Just then, three other National Dessert Competition participants board the train. Alfredo Linguini, a pompous rat with a French accent, declares that his Exquisite Éclairs will win first prize. Donut Hugh, the unicorn stallion with a Brooklyn accent that operates Kairi and Olaf and Navi's favorite donut shop in Canterlot, carts in his "Donutopia", a small city model made out of sprinkled donuts. Lastly arrives Shiftless, a mule with a large chocolate mousse moose, and brags how winning will make her the greatest chef in Multitopia. The four entrants argue amongst themselves as the train starts moving. Kairi then recommends that everyone gets rest, and Alfredo, Hugh, and Shiftless head to their compartments. The animals head to their own compartments only to be stopped by Rapunzel, who states that the group needs to guard "MMMM" from the other chefs and potential saboteurs. Believing that Rapunzel is overreacting, Kairi and the others retire to their compartments. Rapunzel, however, decides to spend the night guarding the "MMMM".

### Midnight watch

 File:Cake destroyed S2E24.png   Rapunzel stays awake to keep a close eye on the cake and almost falls asleep while doing so. A shadowy figure zooms behind her, and Rapunzel chases the figure through the train cars to the end of the train. When Rapunzel reaches the caboose, she cannot find the culprit. Rapunzel heads back to the dessert car and notices the shadowy figure again. She once again chases it until she reaches the engine, where she finds the shadow of the engineer shoveling coal into the firebox. Rapunzel returns to the dessert car to resume guarding the cake, but the shades are suddenly closed. In the dark a 'thief' hits a painting by the door while leaving the room, leaving it askew. After straightening the picture, Rapunzel tries to continue her vigil but falls asleep.

### The investigation

 File:Twilight becoming Pinkie's lowly assistant S2E24.png   Rapunzel wakes up and sees that the cake appears fine. Kairi Sparkle comes in the room and notices large bite marks on the three bottom tiers of the back side of the cake. Rapunzel screams that the cake has been half-eaten, waking up the other bakers and the rest of her friends. Rapunzel dons a deerstalker hat and bubble pipe and gives Kairi a bowler hat. Rapunzel declares that she knows who "dun' did it" and accuses Gustave of ruining the "MMMM". The scene cuts to a fantasy reminiscent of an old, black and white silent film. In the fantasy, Gustave is a mustachioed villain who grabs Rapunzel and ties her to train tracks with an oncoming train coming towards her. The scene flashes to a conveyor belt where "MMMM" is placed in-front of a buzz saw which cuts the cake clean in half. Snapping back to reality, Kairi points out the flaws in Rapunzel's story, mainly that Rapunzel is present and not tied to train tracks and that the cake was eaten instead of cut.

Rapunzel then proclaims that Donut Hugh is the culprit. The scene cuts to another fantasy: a James Bond parody with Donut Hugh as a spy called Con Quack. Con Quack gases Rapunzel, knocking her unconscious, and uses another gas to uncover lasers guarding "MMMM". He uses a mirror to make the lasers cut the cake into pieces. Ending the fantasy, Kairi points out the flaws in her second story, namely that there is no laser beam security system and Donut Hugh does not fit into the role of the "sleek, stealthy Con Quack" instead being "big, gruff and messy". Rapunzel then blames everything on Shitfless.

In a third fantasy, Shiftless is a ninja on top of the train. Shiftless sneaks behind Rapunzel and knocks her out with a frying pan. Shiftless pulls out a sword and slices the cake into pieces. Kairi, again, ends the fantasy by reiterating that the cake was not cut, and that Shiftless is too old and fidgety to be a stealthy ninja. Defeated, Rapunzel gushes about how good the other chefs' desserts look. The train goes into a pitch dark tunnel and ponies start to scream. The other chefs' desserts are now also destroyed. Kairi sends everyone but Rapunzel, as she was the only witness, to their cars as they perform an investigation.

### Solving the crime

 File:Pinkie Pie jumping S2E24.png   Kairi swaps hats with Rapunzel and the two then retrace Rapunzel's steps when she was watching the cake. When they reach the caboose, Kairi finds a clue (though it is hidden from view). Retracing further, the two go to the engine where Kairi inspects the engineer's hat and finds a second clue. Back in the dessert car, Kairi discovers a third clue on the bumped painting. Everyone then meets in the dessert car and Twilight reveals the first clue: a blue feather belonging to Sally. Kairi explains that Sally was the first shadowy figure who zipped past her. When Rapunzel reached the caboose, Sally hovered close to the ceiling to avoid being seen.

Kairi then reveals the second clue: a strand of pink hair that belongs to Spectra. The second shadowy figure was Spectra, who donned the driver's hat (piling her long mane into it) and neckerchief and began shoveling coal to fool Rapunzel. The third clue is half a set of false eyelashes that belong to Nene. Nene used her magic to shut the shades and darken the room. When she left, she slammed her head into the painting, leaving one set of fake eyelashes on it; upon realizing it this morning, she adjusted her mane to hang over her right eye. Nene then admits that she wears fake eyelashes and that she took a bite of the cake. Spectra and Sally also admit they ate some of the cake. All three only meant to take one bite, but it was so delicious that they ended up having a lot more than they were planning to. They explain that Rapunzel's earlier description on the cake enticed them into trying it. The three culprits apologize to Rapunzel, who forgives them.

With the mystery of the cake solved, Kairi gives the deerstalker to Rapunzel, who uses what she's learned to look for the clues to solve the mystery of who devoured the other bakers' desserts. Rapunzel soon reveals that the bakers all have traces of another baker's confections on them, and deduces that they ate each other's desserts: Hugh has éclair in his hair, Alfredo has mousse in his mustache, and Shiftless has sprinkles in her wrinkles. The bakers confess to the crimes, stating (once again) that Rapunzel's earlier description of the desserts enticed each one into eating them. Equally guilty, the bakers all forgive each other. The train reaches Canterlot with all the desserts destroyed. However, Rapunzel has an idea of how they can all enter with their goods.

### The resolution

 File:Princess Palutena enticed by cake S2E24.png
Rapunzel and the group head up to the competition with their newly made dessert—a combination of all the bakers' confections—and conclude that you mustn't accuse others of a wrongdoing without any proof, as it can hurt their feelings and make them look silly. They celebrate their success and teamwork with Princess Palutena and a piece of cake, which Rapunzel turns down only to devour the rest of the entire cake, leaving her incredibly bloated before she eats the fourth wall.Template:Clr

## The dishes

Four dishes are made to travel to Canterlot for the National Dessert Competition. The four dishes are the plot device for this episode.

### Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness

 File:The Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness S2E24.png
The **Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness**, called by Rapunzel as the "**MMMM**", is the dish created by King Frederic and Queen Arianna. It is a 4 tiered pink pound cake with cream of meringue sandwiched between the layers, covered with a lemon yellow mascarpone with whipped cream on the top, and the marzipan of red flowers, apples, oranges, and grapes on the side.Template:Clr

### Gustave's Exquisite Éclairs

 File:Gustave's Exquisite Eclairs S2E24.png   **Alfredo's Exquisite Éclairs** is the dish created by the griffon Alfredo Linguini. It contains a baker's dozen of Chou pastries with creamy vanilla filling, chocolate glaze, and laced with gloss cream.Template:Clr

### Donutopia

 File:Doughnut Joe showing off 'Doughnutopia' S2E24.png
**Donutopia** is the dish created by Donut Hugh. It contains various donuts of shapes and sizes in a form of what appears to be a New York city block, all covered in yellow, pink and purple fillings and super sprinkles.Template:Clr

### Chocolate Mousse Moose

 File:Chocolate Mousse Moose S2E24.png
The **Chocolate Mousse Moose** is the dish created by Shiftless. It is a life size moose made out of chocolate mousse.Template:Clr

## Quotes

Template:Maintranscript

**Rapunzel**: Well the tastiest treat of all is sure to be the Rapunzels' Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness. All that rich, creamy goodness of the marzipan combined with the tart and tanginess of the mascarpone, blended perfectly with the smooth silky sweetness of the meringue. That's why I call the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness the "MMMM"!
**All**: MMMM!
**Rapunzel**: Who turned out the moon?! Stop, thief! Don't go near that cake, thief! [bang] Oh! Are you okay, thief?
**Rapunzel**: Now I just need to find who done it!
**Kairi Sparkle**: You mean, who *did* it.
**Rapunzel**: [points] Exactly! Who did-done-dood it!
**Kairi Sparkle**: Rapunzel! There is no laser beam security system. And Hugh is not sleek, stealthy Con Quack! He's big, gruff, and messy!
**Donut Hugh**: Hey!
**Nene Amano**: Although, you would look rather dapper in a tuxedo.
**Rapunzel**: Putting an end to the Rapunzels' dreams of taking first prize. Huh, I hope you're proud of yourself, *Shitfless*.
**Kairi Sparkle**: Pinkie, stop! This is ridiculous! Look at her!
**Shiftless**: [whimper]
**Rapunzel**: [sigh] I guess you're right...
**Kairi Sparkle**: Thank you!
**Rapunzel**: But I was so sure that it was one of the other bitter bakers that destroyed the "MMMM". That way, their delicious dessert would reign supreme. I mean, just look at Hugh's Donutopia. It's a spectacular city of donutty delight, topped temptingly in sprinklicious sprinkles. And Gustave's éclairs look incredibly edible, with glistening glaziness. But then there's Shiftless's Mousse Moose. [sighs] why, this mouth-wateringly marvelous mousse moose tempts the taste buds with its silky, smooth, yummy-nummy, chocolateyness. So why did this criminal devour the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness while leaving this trio of tasty treats untouched?
[munching sounds]
[scream]
**Rapunzel**: [gasp] Now I have *no* idea who do-doned it!
**Rapunzel**: This mystery gets more mysterious every minute.
**Kairi Sparkle**: No, Rapunzel. Remember how when you chased the suspect to the caboose, they suddenly disappeared? That's because they *flew away*. But the thief *did* leave a little something behind, didn't you, Sally Acorn?
**Rainbow Dash**: I-I don't even like cake!
**Rapunzel**: So Rainbow Dash did it! Case solved!
**Kairi Sparkle**: Case not solved, because when we went to the engine, I saw the conductor's hat. And inside the hat was... *this*.
**Rapunzel**: So it *was* you! That pink hair came from your rainbow-colored mane!
**Sally Acorn**: I don't have *Rap* in my ape, *Rapunzel*!
**Rapunzel**: So you're wearing a wig?
**Sally Acorn**: Ow! Cut it out!
**Kairi Sparkle**: Rapunzel, remember? You chased a pony to the engine, where you thought you saw the conductor shoveling coal, but that wasn't the conductor at all. It was... Spectra!
**Spectra Vondergeist**: [gasp] Oh my.
**Rapunzel**: You're goin' down, Spectra!
**Kairi Sparkle**: Rapunzel! But then another clue confounded my suspicions. You were guarding the cake when the curtains mysteriously closed. But that's no mystery, that's magic. But when the thief tried to make their great escape, they left a little addition to the portrait. Has anybody else noticed that Rarity is wearing her hair rather differently today?
**Nene Amano**: [gasp] What? Is it a crime to change one's style now and again? Why, I think it's a crime not to.
**Kairi Sparkle**: *Really?*
**Nene Amano**: Fine, I'm guilty! [crying] I wear false eyelashes! Oh, and I took a bite of the cake.
**Kairi Sparkle**: Well, Rapunzel, did you find the devourer of the desserts?
**Rapunzel**: I most certainly did. It was none other than...the bakers! First of all, Alfredo has mousse in his moustache! And Hugh has eclair in his hair! And Shiftless has sprinkles in her wrinkles!

## References

1. ↑ Amy Keating Rogers on Twitter (2012-06-12). Retrieved on June 27, 2012.

Template:Episodes, films, and shorts
es:El MMMisterio en el Tren de la Amistad
id:MMMystery on the Friendship Express
it:Mmmistero sul Treno
ja:名探偵ピンキーパイ！
ko:특급열차 케이크 난도질 사건!
pl:Zagadka w Ekspresie Przyjaźni
pt:Mistério no Expresso da Amizade
pt-br:Mistério no Expresso da Amizade
ru:Загадочное преступление в поезде Дружбы