It was early morning in Ponyville. Pound had woken up before Pumpkin, so that he could work on something he preferred she didn't know about.
"'To Cream Puff'." He spoke as he wrote his words down on a card. "'Have a great Hearts and Hooves Day. Love, Pound'. Wait, 'love'? I meant to put 'from'!"
"What are you doing?" Pumpkin suddenly appeared by Pound's side, having woken up without his knowledge.
"Nothing!" Pound quickly tried to cover up the card. "What are you doing?"
"Is that a Hearts and Hooves Day Card?" Pumpkin smirked.
"No!" Pound hid the card behind his back.
Grinning, Pumpkin activated her magic. Pound's card was pulled out of his hooves and floated over to Pumpkin.
"Ooh, it's for Cream Puff!" Pumpkin giggled. "You like Cream Puff!"
"No, I don't!" Pound protested, snatching the card back.
"Then why have you got her a Hearts and Hooves Day card?" Pumpkin grinned.
"What, is there some kind of law that says friends can't give each other cards for Hearts and Hooves Day?" Pound practically yelled.
"Friends, huh?" Pumpkin folded her hooves.
"Yeah, friends." Pound declared. "And besides, even if I did like Cream Puff (Which I'm not saying I do), you've got no right to tease me about it. I don't tease you about your crush on Archie, do I?"
Archie (short for "Archimedes") was a Unicorn colt from school, one whom Pumpkin had long nurtured a crush on.
"That's different." Pumpkin mumbled, rubbing her front leg with her hoof.
"How so?" Pound asked.
"Uhh-" Pumpkin struggled to answer.
Fortunately, she was saved by Mr. Cake poking his head into their room.
"Kids, time for breakfast!" He told them.
"Ooh, breakfast." Pumpkin said with fake enthusiasm. "Let's go!"
After breakfast, the twins went off to school. As usual, Cream Puff was waiting for them outside.
"There's your marefriend." Pumpkin whispered, nudging Pound.
"Don't you dare..." Pound snarled quietly.
"Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of spoiling your confession of loooove..." Pumpkin sniggered.
"I mean it!" Pound roared.
"Mean what, Pound?" Cream Puff asked.
"Nothing." Pound said quietly.
The three joined their fellow students in the classroom. Among their classmates were Ruff and Tuff, the bullying colts who had once menaced Cream Puff, Shining Star, who had recently transferred from Manehattan, Rainbow Flash and Thunder Storm, the children of Rainbow Dash and Thunder Clap, and of course, Archie. The red-maned, orange-coated colt sat opposite Pumpkin, his muzzle in a book, making it easier for Pumpkin to gaze lovingly at him.
As usual, the classroom was decorated for Hearts and Hooves Day. Hearts and ribbons covered the walls.
Pound still had the card he made for Cream Puff, tucked under his wing. He had planned to give it to her, but Pumpkin's teasing had damaged his confidence. Pound looked long and hard at his wing, considering his options.
"Is something wrong, Pound?" Came Cream Puff's voice.
Pound turned, coming practically nose-to-nose with Cream Puff, her luminous green eyes filling his field of vision. Surprised, Pound scooted backwards, falling off his chair.
"Are you alright?" Cream Puff asked as she helped Pound up.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Pound replied, flustered. "I just slipped, that's all."
Cheerilee still served as the school's teacher; The passing of the years had done little to quell her love of teaching.
"Good morning, class." She smiled. "Before we get started, I have an announcement to make: As you all know, today is Hearts and Hooves Day, one of the busiest mail days of the year. Our resident mailmare has taken ill, and Ponyville needs some replacements. Would anypony care to volunteer?"
"Pass." Rainbow Flash shook her head, the multi-colored mane the white filly had inherited from her mother flipping from side to side.
"Boring." Yawned Thunder Storm, running a blue hoof through his golden mane.
"Hey, maybe that's our special talent!" Pumpkin gasped, having turned her attention away from Archie for the moment.
"Yeah!" Cream Puff agreed. As she and Pumpkin raised Pound's hoof with their own, she called out "We volunteer!"
"Wonderful." Cheerilee smiled. "You may report to the post office, right after our Hearts and Hooves Day celebrations."
After a fun-filled morning of games and laughter (During which Pumpkin had slipped a Hearts and Hooves day card onto Archie's desk), the Cutie Mark Crusaders reported to the local post office.
"I can't thank you kids enough for doing this." The sorting stallion thanked them.
"Happy to help." Cream Puff smiled.
The Crusaders picked up the bags of cards, one for each of them. Pound and Cream Puff reached for the same bag, their hooves touching. Pound quickly retracted his.
"Be my guest." He mumbled awkwardly.
Soon after, the Crusaders began their mail run. Most houses only had one or two cards to their name, but not all; A large number of cards were addressed to Carousel Boutique.
"I'll bet Rarity gets this many cards every year." Pumpkin smirked.
After Ponyville, the Crusaders travelled to Sweet Apple Acres, delivering a hoofful of cards to the Apple family, one of which was addressed to Granny Smith.
"Ooh, I'll bet this is from that handsome Mr. Waddle!" She grinned. "He knows a fine-lookin' filly when he sees one!"
After that, they had had to borrow Twilight Sparkle's balloon, so that they could deliver cards to the cloud home of Rainbow Dash and Thunder Clap. As they clambered into the balloon, Pound found himself coming uncomfortably close to Cream Puff, and quickly moved to one side, much to her confusion.
Both Rainbow Dash and Thunder Clap were already at the door when the Crusaders disembarked.
"A Hearts and Hooves Day card? For me?" Rainbow Dash said in mock amazement. "I wonder who it's from?" She asked, placing Thunder Clap in a rough, yet loving headlock.
"Who indeed?" Thunder Clap replied, administring a noogie to to his wife's rainbow mane.
"I got a little something for you, too." Rainbow smirked seductively. "I'll show you what it is... later."
"Ooh, I like the sound of that." Thunder Clap grinned.
"What exactly are you guys talking about?" Pound asked, confused.
"Never you mind, kid." Rainbow said abrubtly. "It's not for young ponies to know."
The Crusaders remained confused during their trip groundward.
"Adults can be so weird sometimes." Cream Puff mused.
"No kidding." Pumpkin agreed.
After returning the ballon to Twilight, the Crusaders found that they only had a few cards left, and, unfortunately, zero cutie marks to show for it. After finally emptying the bags, it was their special talents didn't lie in the postal service.
"So much for being mailponies." Pumpkin signed, turning her mailbag upside down. As she did, a lone card fell out. "Oops, missed one."
Picking up the card, Pumpkin saw that it bore Sugarcube Corner's address, and her name also. Tearing open the envelope, Pumpkin read what was written inside.
"'To Pumpkin. Will you be my special somepony?'" She read out loud. "'Love... Archie'? Oh, wow..."
Pumpkin almost fainted with delight.
"Can you guys take the mailbags back to the post office?" She asked her fellow Crusaders. "I gotta go somewhere!"
Pumpkin practically streaked away through Ponyville, heading for Archie's house.
Pound and Cream Puff returned the mailbags shortly after. Once that had been done, Cream Puff decided to ask Pound something.
"Is there something wrong, Pound?" She asked tentatively. "It's just... you've been kinda distant with me all day."
"It's nothing." Pound mumbled, before finally deciding to go for broke. "I just... forgot to give you this."
Opening his wing, Pound gave Cream Puff the Hearts and Hooves Day card.
"For me?" Cream Puff took the card. "But I didn't get you one."
"No problem." Pound shrugged modestly. "They say it's the thought that counts."
"Thanks, Pound." Cream Puff smiled. "You're such a good friend."
Leaning forward, Cream Puff gave Pound a quick kiss on the cheek.
"I gotta get home for dinner." She smiled. "See ya tomorrow."
As Cream Puff trotted home, Pound rubbed his cheek.
"Yeah, see ya..." He mumbled dazedly.
"I saw that." Pumpkin suddenly appeared at Pound's side. "So, when's the wedding?"
"It's not what you think!" Pound protested. "It was just a friendly peck, that's all!"
"Suuuuure it was." Pumpkin grinned.
"Anyway, where did you dash off to?" Pound asked, trying to change the subject.
"I went to see Archie, my very special somepony." Pumpkin sighed. "He couldn't come out, 'cuz he was having dinner with his folks, but he asked me to eat lunch with him tomorrow... Hey, I got an idea! Why don't we make it a double date? Me and Archie, you and Cream Puff."
"For the last time, I do not like Cream Puff that way!" Pound seethed.
"Keep telling yourself that." Pumpkin smirked.
Pound continued his protests of innocence all the way back to Sugarcube Corner, with Pumpkin absolutely refusing to listen.