The next morning, Pound and Pumpkin awoke bright and early, and were met by Cream Puff practically the moment they set hoof downstairs.
"You ready?" Pumpkin asked.
"Aw, yeah!" Cream Puff smirked.
"Today is the day, Crusaders." Pound declared. "Nothing's gonna stand in way of us finally getting our Cutie Marks!"
"Pound, Pumpkin!" Mr. Cake called from the kitchen.
"Well, except maybe that." Pound sighed.
The twins trotted into the kitchen, Cream Puff following them.
"Hello Cream Puff, dearie." Mrs. Cake smiled warmly.
"Hi, Mrs. Cake." Cream Puff smiled back.
"What's up, dad?" Pound asked.
"I'm afraid we're going to need your help in the kitchen today, kids." Mr. Cake told them. "We've got our annual free tasting event at noon, and with Pinkie in bed with the flu, we need all the help we can get."
"But dad!" Pumpkin protested. "We were going to finally get our Cutie Marks today!"
"I'm sorry, sweetie, but your cutie marks are just going to have to wait." Mr. Cake said firmly.
"Would you like to help out too, dearie?" Mrs. Cake asked Cream Puff.
"Sure." Cream Puff nodded.
"You don't have to do that." Pound protested. "Bad enough me and Pumpkin are stuck here..."
"That's okay." Cream Puff smiled. "It wouldn't feel right getting my Cutie Mark without you guys, anyway."
"Thanks, Cream Puff." Pumpkin smiled back. "I wouldn't be surprised if your Cutie Mark had something to do with loyalty!"
The Crusaders were soon given their tasks. Pound's was to beat dough for bread, Cream Puff's was to organise the Cake's creations into an attractive display, and Pumpkin's was to taste-test the Cake's products.
Although initially dismayed at being forced to stay at home rather then finally discovering his special talent, Pound quickly came to enjoy his assigned duty. Ever since he was a foal, he had loved pounding things with his hooves. Of course, such a destructive trait tended to be restrained as the years passed by; An unfortunate incident with his mother's new muffin tray came to mind. But now, he was actively being encouraged to pound things! Pound couldn't help but enjoy himself. All too soon, however, the final wad of dough had been beaten into shape. Mr. Cake inserted chocolate chips into the dough it and placed into the oven along with the rest. Taking a seat by the device, Pound watched as the fruits of his labor rose in the heat.
Meanwhile, Pumpkin, ever the gourmand, was happily going about her task. Taking a bite out of a sugar-frosted, jelly-filled donut, she savored the flavor for a moment.
"Hmm." Pumpkin mused. "The jelly-to-frosting ratio is a little off. A little more jelly, and a little less frosting."
"Anything you say, sweetie." Mrs. Cake nodded, trusting her daughter's sense of taste. "Now, I've been working on a few new flavors, and I was hoping you'd try them out."
"With pleasure!" Pumpkin beamed.
In the front of the store, Cream Puff had been given the task of arranging the food displays, a task she initially felt nervous about performing, fearing she might do something wrong, but quickly got the hang of. She had already devised a system for the cakes and cupcakes, placing them in order of smallest to largest for the cakes, and sweetest to most filling for the cupcakes.
Soon after, the raisin bread came out of the oven. Mr. Cake noted how well they turned out.
"I don't think I've ever seen bread so firm and well-formed!" He smiled. "Good work, son!"
"Thanks, dad." Pound grinned proudly.
Mrs. Cake and Pumpkin had finished with the taste-testing, Pumpkin having decided which flavors were best for the open house, and, alongside the male Cakes, made for the front of the store, where Cream Puff was finishing off her displays.
"Wonderful job, dearie!" Mrs Cake smiled, looking over the elaborate arrangement of confectioneries.
"Oh, it was nothing." Cream Puff blushed. "I just placed them in what I thought would be the best way to catch a ponie's eye. Like, for instance, I thought the cinnamon swirls would look better on the left, and the eclairs would fit in by the parfaits..."
"Good call." Pound smiled. "It's a real work of art!"
Cream Puff blushed even harder.
"What can I say?" She shrugged. "I've always had a knack for presentation."
Before long, the open house event started. Ponies from all Ponyville came in and tried all the treats on display.
"This chocolate bread is marvellous." Bon Bon declared. "How did you get it so light and fluffy?"
"You can thank my son for that." Mr. Cake smiled proudly. "I've never seen anypony knead dough like he can."
"Well then, congratulations on a job well done, young colt." Bon Bon praised Pound. "I certainly hope this won't be the last bread you have a hoof in making."
"Gee, thanks, ma'am." Pound said modestly. "It was my pleasure, really."
"Mark my words." Bon Bon smiled. "With a talent like yours, you'll go fair."
"Talent?" Pound repeated.
Suddenly, a flash of light sparked on Pound's flank, fading to revealing a literal pound cake with a hammer's handle sticking out of the underside.
"I did it." Pound said quietly. "I DID IT! I finally found my special talent: kneading dough! This is awesome!"
"Well done, son." Mr. Cake ruffled his son's mane. "To tell you the truth, I'm not surprised. Our family's special talents always seemed to have something to do with baking."
Meanwhile, a group of ponies were greatly enjoying the new treats that had been picked out by Pumpkin.
"These are incredible!" Thunderlane smiled.
"I just love these peanut butter and almond nibbles!" Azula crooned. "The perfectly even mix tastes great on my tongue!"
"You hear that, sweetie?" Mrs. Cake asked Pumpkin. "Your discerning palate has done wonders."
"You're right." Pumpkin smiled. "When it comes to finding the right mix of flavors, I'm the tops!"
Another flash lit up another flank. Pumpkin saw her Cutie Mark, a pumpkin cake with a single slice moved slightly apart from it.
"Oh, wow..." Pumpkin gasped. "Wow..."
"Congratulations, sweetie." Mrs. Cake hugged her daughter. "I am so proud of you."
At the same time, Cream Puff had taken it upon herself to show the visiting ponies the various confectioneries.
"And these are some of Sugarcube Corner's famous triple-decker cupcake bonanzas." She waved her hoof. "You won't find a better cupcake in all of Ponyville, maybe even in all of Equestria!"
The crowd murmured with interest. Pinkie Pie, who had shaken off the worst of the flu in the past hour, hopped over to them.
"Everything okay here, everypony?" She asked brightly.
"Everything's fine." Noteworthy smiled. "Your little hostess here has been very informative."
"Hostess? Me?" Cream Puff asked.
"Well, sure!" Pinkie grinned. "You put all this food out, made it look nice, and you're showing everypony around. Sounds like a hostess to me, and a darn good one, to boot!"
"Yeah..." Cream Puff nodded. "Yeah, I am!"
Another flash, and Cream Puff's formerly blank flank was emblazoned with three cream puffs on a plate, stacked in a pyramid formation.
"I don't believe it." Cream Puff gasped. "It finally happened!"
"Good for you, Creamy!" Pinkie unleashed a cloud of confetti from out of nowhere. "You go, girl!"
The Crusaders quickly met each other in the kitchen.
"You'll never guess what!" They said in unison, before showing each other their flanks "You, too? Alright!"
The three cheered and celebrated. Pound hugged Pumpkin, Pumpkin hugged Cream Puff, and Cream Puff hugged Pound. The two suddenly pulled apart, blushing. Pound, emboldened by his success, dared to give Cream Puff a quick kiss on the lips. He then pulled back, immediately regretting his rash action.
"Sorry." He cringed.
"Don't be." Cream Puff smiled, before giving Pound a peck of her own.
Pumpkin rolled her eyes, but said nothing.
Just then, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle entered the kitchen.
"Well, young Crusaders." Apple Bloom smiled. "Congrats!"
"You know?" Pound asked. "How-?"
"Pinkie told us." Scootaloo said matter-of-factly.
"We came back here to say 'great work'!" Sweetie Belle smiled. "You did the Cutie Mark Crusader name proud!"
"It feels great alright." Pumpkin nodded. "Still, it kinda feels like the end of something pretty magical. I almost feel a little sad."
"Yeah, we felt the same way when we all got our cutie marks." Scootaloo agreed. "We had come up with whole idea of a cutie mark finding club, and suddenly we didn't need it anymore."
"Ah actually cried a little." Apple Bloom admitted.
"But we knew that as long as we stayed friends, the spirit of our group would never leave us." Sweetie Belle smiled. "And as long as you stay friends, you'll also carry the spirit of the Cutie Mark Crusaders."
"And who knows?" Apple Bloom grinned. "Maybe in the future, some other kids lookin' fer their special talents will decide to take on the Cutie Mark Crusader name!"
"Maybe." Cream Puff nodded.
"If they do, we can give them the kind of advice you gave us." Pound smiled. "And besides, just 'cuz we got our cutie marks doesn't mean we still can't be Crusaders!"
"Yeah." Pumpkin agreed. "We can crusade for other stuff, like adventure, or fun, or just about good, old fashioned friendship!"
"Hear, hear!" Cream Puff whooped, hugging the twins. "Cutie Mark Crusaders forever!"
The former Cutie Mark Crusaders left Sugarcube Corner soon afterward.
"Great kids, huh?" Apple Bloom asked.
"I'll say." Scootaloo agreed.
"If anypony had to use the Cutie Mark Crusader name, I'm glad it was them." Sweetie Belle declared.
It had been quite a day. For the former Cutie Mark Crusaders, it was a reminder of past glories. And for the current group, it signalled the first day of the rest of their lives.
The End.