If you have gone to Toys R Us or OG shopping outlets, you would have noticed that they are selling "My Little Pony Tales" VCDs! These were actually released all the way back in 1998 by a local company, Appletree. The old packaging was plainer and the later episode discs had mixed up front covers with scenes from the older "My Little Pony & Friends" series.
This year, with the launch of the new 2003 ponies, Appletree has refurbished their VCD packaging a little, with more vibrance and accuracy. They are supposed to be sold in Popular bookstores as well, but somehow I don't see much of them at Popular outlets, more at OG and TRU. They are set beside the new MLP toys with the aim to advertise, although the characters in the cartoon do not reflect the actual ones sold on the racks.
Currently there are 10 discs in all, each containing two episodes. There were news that there will be another three disc coming to complete the whole series of 26 episodes, however as of yet, it hasn't materialized.
"Episode 1"
Bon Bon's DiaryBon Bon cheats on a test in school because she's afraid she'll disappoint her parents if she doesn't do well. After writing in her diary that she cheated, she loses the diary. Teddy finds it before the other Ponies do, and uses the information to blackmail Bon Bon into going to the school dance with him. Not wanting to go with Teddy, and feeling guilty about what she did, Bon Bon confesses to her teacher that she cheated.
Just For KicksStarlight likes Ace, but Ace doesn't pay any attention to her. At the urging of her friends and Miss Hackney, her teacher and secret confidant, Starlight tries out for the school soccer team on which Ace is the star. Instead of accepting her as an equal, Ace tries to humiliate her during practice. But Starlight earns Ace's respect by scoring the winning goal in an important game.
"Episode 2"
Slumber Party
During a slumber party at Sweetheart's house, Patch tells them a ghost story. The Ponies are transfixed as Patch weaves her tale. When rain falls heavily down up on the house, the Ponies think they hear the ghost moving around in the attic. They gather their courage and investigate, only to discover that what they thought was a ghost is really Sweetheart's cat. Or is it?
Too Sick To Notice
Bon Bon is feeling left out and ignored. Especially when Baby Brother is sick with a bad cold and getting attention from every other member of her Family. Bon Bon's scheme to get attention is to "act" sick too! Bon Bon revels in the attention and care that her family lavishes on her... until she realizes how exhausted they are taking care of her and the still sick baby. Feeling guilty, Bon Bon finally admits her "deception" and as the rest of the family comes down with colds, Bon Bon becomes their nurse, enjoying that as much as being nursed.
"Episode 3"
Battle Of The BandsThe Rockin' Beats enter a talent contest hosted by Dazzle on PTV. But Melody forgets that the contest is the dame day that she has to babysit for her twin sisters. Determined not to disappoint her friends, she takes thee twins to the PTV studio. The twins get into all kinds of trouble and Melody has to rescue them from a near disaster - just in time to join the Rockin' beats and help them win the contest.
And The Winner Is...Clover wins two tickets to the Cleveland Bays rock concert. her problem is that she can't decide which of her friends to take with the extra ticket, so she winds up inviting them all. The mix-up only makes her friends upset. Sweetheart resolves the impossible situation by giving away the two tickets so they can all watch the concert together on television.
"Episode 4"
Stand By Me
When Melody's new cassette player turns up missing, Teddy is accused of stealing it. The conflict presents the perfect opportunity to teach the ponies the basics of the Pony court system, with the entire Class taking part in a trial.
Sweetheart volunteers to defend Teddy and must contend with collecting evidence, presenting her case and dealing with a difficult client... Teddy. When Teddy's case looks like its lost, Sweetheart shocks all with a surprise witness!
The Tea Party
When they see their possessions being taken from an abandoned house that they use for their tea parties, the Little Ponies are sure they are being robbed. The Ponies launch a full-scale attack on the robbers when they return for more things, only to learn that the robbers are really the Barringtons, a family of Little Ponies who have bought the abandoned house and are moving in.
"Episode 5"
Masquerade
Bon Bon had always dreamed of becoming a model, but she never believed that it could actually happen. So when Mrs. Hackney announced that the Ponyland School was having a special masquerade, and that everyone was supposed to come dressed as their heart's desire, but Bon Bon know that even if she would never be a model in real life, she could at least pretend to be one.
Bon Bon dressed up with all her lovely extras. She entered the school masquerade and immediately heard everyone laughing. At her? What she do now?
Out Of Luck
Lucky Clover finds an old teapot in the junkyard. Thinking the teapot in magical, Clover makes certain wishes that turn into disasters. Her effort to throw away the teapot proves impossible, and Ponyland's luckiest Pony becomes the unluckiest. But in the end, the teapot proves to be lucky for Clover's father in an unexpected manner.
"Episode 6"
The Play's The Thing
All the ponies are excited about trying out for parts in the school play. Miss Havisham gives the lead to Melody and the rest of the ponies have smaller parts and jobs backstage. Melody's starring role goes to her head and she begins to lord it over the other ponies. The ponies are really enjoying all the work that goes into putting on a show. They decide they have to show Medley that a play is more than just a leading role. It is the sum total of all the parts people play, both on stage and backstage.
Shop Talk
Sweetheart and her girlfriends learn the dangers of gossip when their playful joke about Teddy and his reputed teddy bear is overheard by Ace. Ace tells Lance, and their teasing of Teddy is unmerciful. That is, until Sweetheart and the rest of the girl ponies trick Ace and Lance into frolicking with some baby ponies - and Teddy is a witness to this "unmacho" behavior. Now Lance and Ace have to worry about protecting their reputations as well. As a result, the boys all agree to say nothing more about either incident - and Teddy's standing in the "boy pony" community is restored, thanks to Sweetheart and her repentant friends.
"Episode 7"
Blue Ribbon Blues
Anxious to prove that he is more than just a bully, Teddy invitees Sweetheart to his cousin Corny's farm in the country. Teddy's effort to show Sweetheart his nicer side, turns into nothing but trouble when Teddy thinks Corny is trying to steal Sweetheart's heart. Teddy gets even by harassing Corny's prize pig. The pig runs away, and Teddy rescues him from an old swimming hole in time for the pig to compete for a blue ribbon in the county fair.
Roll Around The Clock
Bright Eyes and Lancer learn a lesson on boy/girl relationships through a charity Roller Skating/Dance-a-thon staged by Bright Eyes. Not feeling that she's a good enough skater, Bright Eyes keeps overly busy so she won't have time to skate and 'embarrass' a partner. Meanwhile, lancer, the best boy skater of the group desperately wants to ask Bright Eyes to be his partner, but is afraid she won't accept his invitation.
The Core girl ponies and thee core boy ponies, meddle in their friend's situation, claiming to teach them what girls/boys are really like. Their good-intentioned help nearly blows Bright Eyes and Lancer's relationship apart before it even begins; but fortunately , Bright Eyes and Lancer have their feet firmly planted on the ground.
Ultimately, they pair up and become the best match and win the contest.
"Episode 8"
Princess Problems
New is spreading through Ponyland that the King and Queen Pony Isle are looking for their long lost daughter. Patch meets all the criteria and the other ponies can't wait to help her prepare to meet the King and Queen and take her rightful place as the Princess.
Patch begins t have doubts as to whether she really wants to be a princess, especially when it would mean leaving her adoptive mother and father. Fortunately, Patch's new friend Rosy, a pony living at the Ponyland Orphanage, turns out to be the true heir and princess.
An Apple For Starlight
When Miss Hackney becomes ill, she turns over the class to Starlight for the day. All the Little Ponies in the class start to act up, and Starlight takes the class on a field trip to study their Ponyland history in person. The whole class goes into Pinto Cave - long off-limits to Little Ponies - as the first Ponyland settlers lived there while building their homes. The Ponies become trapped in a lower cavern, and have to apply what they've learned in the day's lessons to get themselves out of the cave and back home. Miss Hackney returns to school, pleasantly surprised to find that the Ponies learned the day's lessons so well.
"Episode 9"
Up, Up And Away
Patch persuades the other ponies to climb up steep Pony Point to get a glimpse of some UFO's, but they are stopped, and Patch is very disappointed. Patch spends the next day in school dreaming of adventures. When Mr. Kidoo (Miss Hackney's friend) arrives in a hot air balloon, Patch is dying to go for a ride. Bon Bon and Patch accidentally wind up alone on a scary balloon flight where they encounter many dangers and are finally saved by the Glowing Magical Ponies. Once again, Patch is the only pony to have seen the Magical Glowing Ponies on her adventure.
Sister Of The Bride
Clover deems that her beautiful, elegant, graceful and perfect old sister is going to have a perfect wedding! Meadowlark has complete faith in Clover's ability to help with the preparations. But when Clover and her friends happen to see Cheval, Meadowlark's fiancé, kissing another woman, they automatically assume that he's going to call off the wedding.
In an effort to spare Meadowlark the hurt and humiliation, Clover sets out to circumvent what she thinks is Cheval's devious plan, and in the process nearly destroys the wedding. She then finds out that it was all a misunderstanding. The woman that he was kissing was his sister... and Meadowlark's best friend!
In the eleventh hour, they all have to pull together to bring the wedding off as planned.
"Episode 10"
Birds Of A Feather
Bright Eyes wants to know what really became of the Green Wing Songbird, a bird thought to be extinct in Ponyland. First she tries a newspaper campaign to find the bird, with no results. Then she organizes some of her friends, Patch, Ace and Bon Bon, to go on an expedition to the Old Woods to see if they can find the birds. The group gets lost in the woods, runs out of food, runs into a swarm of bees, and finally does find the Green Wings, deep into the woods. They take pictures for the newspaper, happy that the birds are still around, but they're just as lost as ever. Bon Bon's diary holds the key to getting home, and Bon Bon reads her diary backwards so they can trace their steps. The Little Ponies are honored by the Mayor with the Pony-of-the-Month awards for each of them, and the Mayor makes the Old Woods off limits to any new building so that the Green Wings will be safe.
Send In The Clown
Meadowlark, Clover's sister and star of the Royal Lipizanner Ballet Company, comes home to Ponyland for a performance of the Nutcracker. Clover and her ballet class are the understudies for the regular cast. Intimidated by her sister's fame and talent, Clover is suddenly thrust into the spotlight when she has to go on in place of the Harlequin who twisted her ankle. Afraid she isn't good enough, Clover pretends to have amnesia so she won't have to dance in the Nutcracker.