It was one of the calmer moments at Sugarcube Corner. The morning rush had finished, and it was still a while before ponies were coming for the lunchtime one. The main dining room had been swept, some of their most popular pastries were being replaced by fresh ones, and loaves of bread were also being baked for any sandwiches.

A sudden squeal of excitement filled the bakery, shattering the peaceful silence. A half-asleep Pumpkin Cake jerked awake at her spot by the register. Blue eyes wide and ears perked, she shifted, looking around.

"Pound?" she called out.

Pound Cake flew into the room, wings flapping excitedly. Landing in front of the counter and Pumpkin, he held up a sheet of paper, nearly shoving it into her face.

"CHECK IT OUT!!"

As their parents were poking their heads through the doorway from the kitchen to see what the fuss was about, Pumpkin took a hold of the paper and pulled it from her face, moving it so she could actually see it. Before she could actually read it, one of Pound's wings folded around it, pointing at the picture.

"Barnyard Bargains is having a special limited early release of The Wonderbolts Misty Fly sticker!" he announced.

Pulling the paper away, Pound shoved his face forward until he was nearly nose to nose with Pumpkin.

"Do you know what this means?"

"No?" Pumpkin replied, ears folded as she pulled back to get some personal space between her and her brother.

Pound pulled the paper against his chest, crumpling it as he did. A large grin was on his face, and his eyes were wide. His wings gave a flick of excitement as his tail wagged back and forth.

"It means I can finish my collection!" He held up the paper. "Misty Fly is the last one in the Rainbow Dash Rookie Year set, and the only one I don't have. With it, I'll have the complete set!" With a flap and hop, he jumped over the counter, landing on the other side. Pound grabbed Pumpkin by the shoulders, pulling her closer. "We have to go now! They're releasing the sticker and it's only in a small number." He started shaking her. "Ponies are probably lining up as we speak."

Pumpkin lit her horn up, calling on her magic. Her pale blue aura took a hold of her brother's hooves, pulling them off and pushing him back slightly. She gave a her head a hard shake, trying to get rid of the dizziness.

"Alright," she said once everything was right-side up in in their proper numbers. "Let's tell Mom and Dad."

"We already heard," their father, Carrot Cake, called out.

"And since you're going to Barnyard Bargains --" their mother, Cup Cake, pulled out a sheet of paper "-- you can pick up a few things up for us."

The twins threw their heads back, letting out matching groans. With a smile, Cup Cake moved closer, gave Pumpkin the paper, and both of them kisses on the head.

"Go on then. Your sticker's waiting."

With that the two young ponies left, the ringing of the bell announcing their exit. Pound flew, moving at a brisk pace, but not going at full speed. Pumpkin trotted not far behind, half watching where she was going, and half reading the list she had been given.

The feel of paper against her hoof and the sound of it crunching under it drew Pumpkin's full attention. Lifting her hoof, she looked down to see what she had stepped on.

"Is that a letter?" Pound asked, landing in front of his sister.

Horn lighting up, Pumpkin picked up the letter, shook off the excess dust and looked at it.

"Somepony must have dropped it," she said.

"Not just it," Pound said. He pointed with a hoof to where another envelope was laying. As they went over to pick it up, the two of them found another. Then another, and another, and another. Each time, they picked it up, sticking it with the others and moving on to the next.

"These all have postal marks," Pumpkin said, noting the inked stamp placed over the postal stamp. "They're also all addressed to Ponyville, but to different ponies."

As they picked up another, the twins caught sight of Ponyville's main mailpony, Derpy Hooves. Said mare was in front of the music store, pulling mail from her bag and shoving it into the slot. As she turned and flew off, a letter fell from her bag, gently floating to the ground.

"Derpy!" both cried out. Pumpkin picked up the most recently escaped letter as Pound took off, flying up and around Derpy to stop in front of her.

Derpy yanked back, her wings pulling in close, and fell back to the ground with an audible thump. She turned her head, one golden eye focusing on each of the Cake twins, and gave a big friendly smile.

"Oh, hey kids," she said in a chipper voice. "Sorry, but I'm kind of busy with work at the moment."

"You have a hold in your bag," Pound said.

Derpy let out a gasp, eyes going wide and one flicking to look around.

"I do?"

Grabbing a hold of her bag, she pulled it off and lifted it, looking at it. One of the bottom corners had torn open. It was not a very big tear, almost invisible to any pony not looking for it, but wide enough for mail to fall through.

"Oh, I do," Derpy cried out. "I hope I didn't lose anything important."

"We grabbed all the mail we found on the way here," Pumpkin said, holding up the letters in her magic.

"Thank you," Derpy said, taking the mail. She then paused, brow furrowing as she turned to look at the bag. "I can't just stick it back in, though, or it will just fall out again."

That was a problem. The three of them stood there, trying to think of a solution. None of them had a needle and thread, although the twins did not know anything about sewing, anyways. Maybe they could stick something in the hole? Block it up enough to finish the route? Except that neither Pumpkin nor Pound had anything they could use.

"What about your hat?" Pound said.

"My hat?" Derpy asked, reaching up for it. "What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. I mean maybe you can stick your hat in the bottom of the bag, and use it to cover the hole."

"Oh!" Derpy took off her hat, looking at it. "Good idea." She turned to Pumpkin. "Can you hold the mail for me while I do that?"

"...I can try," Pumpkin answered. Her brow furrowed as she looked at the bag. "It looks like more than I've tried to carry at one time. I don't know how well I'll do." She took a deep breath, focused her attention on her horn, and channeled her magic. As it started to glow, she pulled the mail out, trying to do so as one big bulk in hope it would be easier than one at a time.

Several slipped from her magical grip, but Pound was able to catch them before they hit the ground.

As Derpy stuffed the hat into the bag, it bulged slightly as the hard brim forced the sides outward. Eyes narrowed and tip of her tongue sticking out in concentration, the mailmare pushed the hat further and further down, twisting and turning it until she smiled and gave a satisfied nod.

"There," she said. "That should hold it." Derpy held the bag out, letting Pound and Pumpkin put the mail back in. "Although, I should probably stop by Rarity's during my lunch break and see if she can patch it up for me properly."

"Lunch?!" Pound Cake cried out, causing the other two to jump in surprise. "The sticker!" He started bouncing on his hooves, wings fluttering. "I got so caught up in the mail, I forgot about it. Come on, Pumpkin!" He then took off, running as fast as he could.

After dumping all the mail back into Derpy's bag, Pumpkin chased after him.

"Wait up!" she called out.

At the sound of his sister shouting, Pound Cake stopped, turning to look at her. Once she caught up, he started walking again, although at more of a brisk trot.

"Don't worry," Pumpkin said as she now walked along side him. "It's still not noon yet. We have plenty of time."

"But with every minute we aren't there, the line gets longer!" Pound replied. "Which means we'll have to wait longer to get our sticker." He turned away from her, eyes wide as he stared off into the distance. "What if they sell out just as we get to the front?"

With Pound caught up in his imaginings, and Pumpkin watching him, neither noticed the earth filly walking toward them until they crashed into her.

"Hey!" she cried out as she fell backwards.

"Sorry, Fashion Plate," the twins said at the same time. Pumpkin helped Fashion plate back to her hooves, while Pound used one wing to brush some of the dust from her blouse.

"What's got you two so worked up?" Fashion asked, pushing them away and brushing herself off.

"We're on our way to Barnyard Bargains to pick up the new Wonderbolts sticker," Pound answered.

With a snort, Fashion Plate rolled her eyes.

"Puh-lease." She threw her golden-yellow hair back with a hoof. "Stickers are so yesterday. The big thing now is cutie mark charms." She then stuck her jade colored foreleg out toward them. "Check it out."

The Cakes looked at the offered hoof, glanced to each other, and then looked at the hoof again.

"What are we supposed to be looking at?" asked Pumpkin.

Fashion Plate brought her foreleg back, looking down. Her pale pink eyes went wide, ears flopped down and jaw hung open. She then let out a glass shattering shriek, much to the annoyance of nearby home and business owners (and the joy of the local glazier).

"My bracelet!" she cried out. "Where's my charm bracelet?!" Her headed darted from one side to the other, looking around. "It was the glittery crystal version of The Elements of Harmony!"

Her gaze snapped back to the Cake twins, eyes looking more red.

"You!" she growled. Her hoof stomped the ground as she took a step forward.

A small squeak escaped the twins as they took a step back. The two of them pressed into each other, with Pound wrapping his wing around Pumpkin. The two crouched down, ears pulling back and eyes wide as they crouched down, trembling slightly.

"You two caused me to lose it," she stated. "You're going to help me find it."

"Right," Pumpkin said.

"Okay," Pound added.

The two separated and lowered their heads, eyes scanning the ground.

"What are we looking for exactly?" Pumpkin asked.

"A charm bracelet," Fashion Plate answered. "It has little sterling silver disks with suns and moons to make up most of it, and the charms are glittery crystal versions of The Elements of Harmony used by Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends." She stopped, shifting to look at the two of them from the corner of her eye. "They are hard to get, with Princess Twilight's being the hardest at one in ten thousand, and also wanted by Princess Memorabilia collectors." Her jaw clenched. "If I don't find them, I will be very upset."

With fresh chills down their spines, Pound and Pumpkin searched with greater urgency. Pumpkin called on her magic, pushing apart the grass and trying to pick up any little thing that it could (which was mostly pebbles, and the occasional surprised bug). Pound reached out with his wings, stroking the feather tips across the ground and feeling for anything. They moved with their chins nearly touching the ground, eyes shifting back and forth to look for a glint or any clue.

Finally, after minutes and minutes of searching, one of Pound's primaries came across something that felt different. Pressing it down, he moved closer, looking at it best he could.

There was a bracelet, just as Fashion Plate had described it.

"Found it!" he announced, holding it up as high as he could.

With a gasp, Fashion Plate got up and darted over, snatching the bracelet from him, she held it up, eyes narrowing to study it. Slowly she turned it this way and that, letting the light shine through the charms. With a satisfied nod, she put it back onto her wrist. After giving Pumpkin and Pound one last glare, she let out snort, and trotted off.

"That was kinda scary," Pumpkin said.

"Yeah," Pound agreed. "I'd hate to see what would happen if she was really mad."

He glance up at the sky.

"Come on," he called out as he started running again. "We really have to hurry if we want to get that sticker."

Pumpkin rolled her eyes and let out a sigh, but ran after him. They did not run for very long, forced to slow down as other ponies filled the street. They went this way and that, making their way to restaurants to get some lunch, or running afternoon errands that for one reason or other could not wait until later.

Pound stopped, eyes wide as he stared at all the ponies. So many out meant that it was afternoon, which meant that the stickers were being sold at the very moment.

He had to hurry.

"THERE!" he called out, pointing at an empty dirt path that went around the market. "Come on!"

Once again he took off, running as fast as he could. His wings would occasionally flicker and flap, trying to push him forward even faster. The stalls were nearly a blur as they went by. The path letting Pound run would hopefully more than make up for its longer distance. If he was lucky, he would be able to reach Barnyard Bargains in time to still get one the sticker.

Just as the store was about to come into view, the Ponyville Elementary School teacher, Miss Cheerilee, stepped onto the path, carrying a tall pile of stuff on her back. As soon as he saw her, Pound dug his hooves into the ground and flared his wings out, bracing himself as he tried to come to a stop. He could feel his hooves digging into the dirt, kicking up large plumes of dust as they tried to get traction. It strained his entire body, but he managed to stop before hitting the teacher.

The screeching of hooves on dirt reached Pound's ears just before Pumpkin slammed into him, knocking him face first into the dirt, then coming to a stop on top of him.

"My goodness," Cheerilee said, doing her best to lower her head and look at them. "Are you two okay?"

"Yeah," Pumpkin answered, moving to get up.

"I'm fine," said Pound. "At least I was on the bottom this time." He winced at the memory.

The two looked at Cheerilee. The earth mare's legs were spread wide, muscles tense beneath her near purple coat. A number of boxes were balanced on her back: taller than the twins if one they stood on their hind legs, one on the shoulders of the other. It also looked like they would fall over any second.

"What are you doing with those?" asked Pumpkin, pointing.

A smile formed on Cheerilee's face as she turned to look at the boxes.

"Well, the changeling kingdom has decided to start their own school," she explained, "and Twilight asked me if I could help out. So, I'm donating some of the extra books and unused materials from my own classroom for them to use."

Pound and Pumpkin looked from the teacher, to the pile, and up toward the top.

"You're carrying all that stuff all the way to the castle?" Pound asked.

"Fortunately, no," Cheerilee answered with a laugh. "I just need to take this to The Town Hall. Everything is being collected, cataloged, and organized there before getting shipped to the changelings."

The twins looked up at the pile, over to the town hall, then down to all the ponies that were walking around in between.

"Do you want some help?" Pumpkin asked. "I can carry some of them."

"But Pumpkin," Pound cried out, "what about the sticker?"

"You go ahead," answered Pumpkin. "I'll catch up with you when we're done."

With a grumble of frustration, Pound shifted back and forth. He really wanted the sticker, but he did not want to leave his sister. It was the last for his collection, but Miss Cheerilee needed help. It was the whole reason he had come out, but this was for an entire other kingdom. It was just a bunch of educational stuff, though. Pumpkin had even said it would be okay.

Pound sagged slightly, letting out a sigh.

"It'll be easier if we both help," he said.

Besides, what would his parents say if he just left his sister to help out, even if she said it was fine? Worse, what would Pinkie Pie do if she found out he did not help Miss Cheerilee?

And she would find out.

Pinkie always found out.

Always!

Pumpkin's horn lit up the same time that Pound flew up toward the top of the pile. Between the two of them, they were able to take half of it, carrying it on their backs. Pound's wings stretched out and back, becoming side supports for the boxes he was carrying. Pumpkin kept magic flowing through her horn, trying to use telekinesis to keep everything balanced. The two of them followed Cheerilee, slowly making their way through the throngs of ponies. Most were nice enough to slow down or turn, keeping out of their way. The few that were not were instead cowed Miss Cheerilee's disapproving look.

As it turned out, getting through the crowd, up the stairs, and through the doors was not the end of their journey. The three of them could not simply drop off the boxes in the foyer and leave it at that. Instead, they had to make their way to a specific room, where all the supplies and donations were being collected.

Once the donations were removed, and Miss Cheerilee expressed her gratitude, the Cake twins hurried out of Town Hall and ran for Barnyard Bargains as fast as possible.

Pound slammed against the door, throwing it open.

"Excuse me," he called out to the nearest employee. "Where are they selling the Wonderbolts Misty Fly stickers?"

"I'm sorry," the employee replied, "but we're sold out."

With a long, drawn out groan, Pound Cake flopped onto the store's floor.

---

Pumpkin Cake left Barnyard Bargains, shopping bags hanging across her back, and stopped, waiting. Pound Cake was not far behind her, head low and wings drooping at his sides, primary feathers dragging across the ground, as was the end of his tail. Once he had caught up, Pumpkin started walking again, moving at a slow pace.

"Hey," she said. "It's not too bad. I mean it was just an early release, right? You can get it once it gets a full release, right?"

"Yeah," Pound answered. "In a month. I'll be an old stallion by then."

"Besides, we did some good things today. We helped Derpy and Miss Cheerilee." Pumpkin's brow furrowed as she chewed her lip. "And, I guess Fashion Plate, but she doesn't really count." She leaned closer and smiled. "That's something to be proud of, right?"

"Yeah," Pound agreed, "and I'm glad we did, but that sticker was the whole reason I wanted to go to Barnyard Bargains." He let out a sigh. "I just wish I had gotten it."

"What's wrong with the little dude?" a deep, but feminine voice asked.

"He's upset that he didn't get the new Wonderbolts sticker," Pumpkin answered.

There was a flicker of feathered wings, and a shadow across the two of them. A creamy yellow pegasus mare with an icy blue mane landed in front of them. She was wearing a brown flight jacket, the Wonderbolts insignia patched onto the chest, and a knowing smirk.

"Really?" she asked, in that same voice.

Pound Cake looked up at her, his jaw dropping as his eyes went wide.

"Y... you... you're Misty Fly," he managed to say.

Misty's smirk grew wider.

"The one and only," she announced, puffing out her chest. She then raised an eyebrow. "So, what's this about my sticker?"

After working his jaw open and close several times, Pound gave a shake of his head and got everything back in order.

"I've been collecting the ones for Rainbow Dash's rookie year," he explained. "Yours is the last one I needed to complete the set."

"But they were sold out by the time we got here," Pumpkin added.

"That stinks," Misty Fly replied. She took a step toward the pair, eyes narrowing. "Guess you were too busy helping out other ponies, huh?"

The twins glimpsed at each other, then looked up at the mare in front of them, eyes wide.

"You know about that?" they asked together.

Misty Fly chuckled as she stepped forward.

"Yeah." She spread her wings, wrapping the two young ponies in them. She then leaned in close, whispering. "I saw the two of you helping Derpy when I was flying into town. Asked her what was up after the two of you left. Also saw you helping that mare with the boxes. One of the employees told me who she was."

She gave a wink and pulled back, genuinely smiling.

"We've heard a lot about Ponyville, but hearing something and seeing it for yourself is always different, you know?"

Pound and Pumpkin looked from the mare, to each other back.

"No," Pound answered while Pumpkin shook her head.

Misty Fly let out another laugh and shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"The point is, it's nice to see that ponies around here are actually as friendly and helpful as I've heard," she said. "And I know" -- she raised her wings to make air-quotes -- "'being nice and doing good should be it's own reward'" -- she pulled her wings back -- "or such, I know how nice it is when others actually acknowledge you doing good and reward you for it. Especially as a foal."

She pulled open her jacket, reaching a hoof inside.

"When we sign off on the merchandise, we get to keep a few for ourselves," Misty Fly explained. She pulled out a sticker. "Like this." Her smile grew into a grin. "That way, we can keep one for ourselves, have a few to sign, and can give them out to ponies we think would really like them." She gave a wink. "Or, in this case, deserve them for being such a nice colt."

She held the sticker out.

"Here. Take it."

Pound Cake's eyes went wide as he slowly gasped in shock. Reaching out, he took a hold of the sticker, staring at it. Normally, the sticker had: a small Wonderbolts' insignia at the top; the word "Wonderbolts" written under that; a circular picture of the selected member's cutie mark, complete with a background that matched their coat color; and the pony's name written across the bottom. This sticker had all those as well, but it also had Misty Fly's hoof print in bright red ink encircling the cutie mark.

He had to blink back the tears from his eyes.

Pulling out another, Misty Fly turned to Pumpkin.

"And one for you too," she said. "Not only did you help out as much as he did, but you had to put up with him as well."

"I'm used to that part," Pumpkin answered with a grin. She took the offered sticker, and stuck it in her bag. "Thank you. Although I'm not as big a fan as Pound is."

"Eh," Misty Fly replied with a shrug. "That's typical."

She gave a flap of her wings, launching herself off the ground.

"Either way, hope you catch our next show when we're in town."

She then tossed them a salute.

Pumpkin waved good-bye, smiling as she did.

Pound returned the salute, holding it as Misty Fly flew away, and keeping it until she was out of sight. Once she was gone, he dropped the salute and turned to the sticker.

"Best day ever!"

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