The next day dawned, a bright yet chilly morning. The lone winds the pegasi had sent were rolling through town at a slow pace, and most ponies were staying indoors on this chilly day, some engaging themselves with their foals or the latest Daring Do novel.

In fact, a certain flightless pegasus was reading the first Daring Do novel, as recommended by her idol, Rainbow Dash. However, Scootaloo couldn't help admiring her Cutie Mark and her friends' every few seconds.

Sweetie Belle had a pink bell, with a purple horizontal stripe across its middle and a purple inside. The unicorn was trying desperately to lift an apple Applebloom had brought in from the nearby Acres. The renovating pony's Cutie Mark was a strange one, an apple punctured by two nails. However, Applebloom loved it, and so Scootaloo did too.

Giving up, Scootaloo slammed the book shut and bucked it halfway across the room. Sweetie Belle's feeble green magical aura faded as she looked up at the sudden noise.

"What's up, Scoot?" asked Sweetie.

"Definitely not this apple," remarked Applebloom, beginning to munch on it happily.

Scootaloo sighed. "I dunno. I feel... well, tuckered out, I guess."

The night before, the Crusaders had engaged in a mega-big cute-ceanera, where everypony in Ponyville had been invited (courtesy of Pinkie Pie). Diamond Tiara had had her nose broken when Scootaloo lost it upon her mocking of her Cutie Mark, and retorting with "your special talent is wearing a tiara on your head", before a smack to the nose.

However, the Crusaders were still in business, and had resorted to helping other blank flanks get their Cutie Marks. So far, they had helped Pipsqueak the Trottingham colt get his Cutie Mark for bravery (a knight's helmet) and Bloo the cheered-up-by-Pinkie-Pie filly get her Cutie Mark for painting (a painting palette with three different shades of blue on it).

"I hear ya, Scoots!" said Applebloom, accidentally spraying Sweetie Belle with chewed-up apple. "Oops... sorry, Sweetie. Anyhoo, ya prob'ly all tired cuz offa Cutie Mark Crusadin'. Now we've got our Marks, helpin' others get their Marks may be easier, but it's a darn sight harder!"

"Yeah!" said Sweetie, not sure of what else to say.

Suddenly, there came a heavy knocking at the door. The Crusaders looked at each other, then Applebloom mustered up the courage to get up and open the door.

There stood Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity. They were smiling, albeit a bit awkwardly and forced. However, each one was wearing the most amazing necklace the fillies had ever seen.

"WOW!" chorused the trio, rushing to look at the necklaces in awe.

"Those necklaces look like yer Cutie Mark, big sis!" exclaimed Applebloom.

"And they're sooooooooshiny!" sang Sweetie Belle, prancing around in excitement.

"That necklace is so AWESOME!" yelled Scootaloo.

Applejack grinned sheepishly. "Aw, shucks. Ya'll gotta quieten down, now. We needa come in tah talk 'bout summin' important."

"Whut kinda important, AJ?" asked Applebloom, as the other three trooped in.

"Well, if ya listen up, kiddo, you'll know," grinned Rainbow Dash with a wink.

Scootaloo squealed almost fangirl-like. "Rainbow Dash is actually IN OUR CLUBHOUSE! Wearing an awesome necklace! This is the coolest day EVER!"

Rainbow Dash began to laugh, but stopped at the sight of the slightly-torn Daring Do book. In one spectrum blur, the pegasus had swept up the book and was checking it frantically for any more tears.

"Oh, no! Daring Do! Is there anything wrong? Any more tears? Any missing pages? Any folded corners? Ooooh no..."

Rarity gave a high laugh. "Oh, by the stars, Rainbow! Have you not already read 'Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone'?"

"It's still awesome!" countered Rainbow Dash, clutching the book to her chest."

"Now that there's a bit obsessive, doncha think, RD?" asked Applejack, trying not to laugh.

"C'mon, big sis!" whined Applebloom. "What were you gonna tell us?!"

"Well," began Rarity, "do you know what our Elements of Harmony are?"

"Yours is Generosity," said Sweetie Belle.

"Yours is Honesty," said Applebloom.

"And yours is Loyalty, Rainbow Dash!" said Scootaloo.

Rainbow Dash grinned and set down the book. "Well, squirt, we all got letters from Princess Celestia about our Elements of Harmony."

"We need to hand them down to somepony with style," said Rarity.

"Somepony with devotion," said Applejack.

"Somepony like... you," finished Rainbow Dash.

The CMC were shocked. All their faces showed for a few long seconds was shock. Then, Sweetie Belle broke the silence.

"So... does that mean I'm going to have... the Element of Generosity?"

"Yes, it does, Sweetie," replied Rarity.

"And I'll have... the Element o' Honesty?!" demanded Applebloom.

"Eeyup!" mimicked Applejack.

"And I'll have... THE ELEMENT OF LOYALTY?!" shouted Scootaloo.

"Right on the money, Scootaloo," grinned Rainbow Dash, winking.

Suddenly, the clubhouse almost literally exploded, as the filly trio began screaming in delight, hopping around or hovering a few inches across the ground or cantering and bucking at air and generally making a glorious kerfuffle. Eventually, Rainbow Dash managed to catch Scootaloo to give her her Element, Rarity forced her Element into Sweetie Belle's hooves, and Applejack rugby-tackled Applebloom to the ground before pushing her Element into the filly's hooves.

When the mares were done, they straightened up, panting and sweating. Stunned, the fillies lying on the floor slowly got up, staring open-mouthed at their idol and, in two cases, sister.

They all looked at each other, and burst out laughing. The six ponies united in a sweaty, joyful group hug, the fillies squeezing especially tight. When they finally let go, Applebloom looked slightly confused.

"But whadda we do wif' 'em, now?" she asked.

The other three mares looked knowingly at each other. Rarity gave a girly giggle, Applejack tipped her hat to hide her laughing face, and Rainbow Dash just cracked up. But when they were done, they looked down at the Cutie Mark Crusaders and smiled.

"Now, the next step is to meet your fellow Elements of Harmony wielders."