Surprise dug around her box of surprises one morning. Magic Star and Apple Jack were helping her.

"What are we looking for?" Magic Star asked.

"A surprise!" Surprise shouted, and then she giggled.

"So what else is new?" Apple Jack asked. She picked out a small box. "I wonder what's in here?"

Apple Jack set the box down on the floor and opened it. A giant monster popped out. Apple Jack screamed.

"YAAAHHHHH!" Her mane and tail stood on end as well!

"I've been looking for that," Surprise said. She flew into the air and stuffed the monster back into the box. Magic Star closed it.

"I don't want to know what you keep in these surprise boxes of yours," she said.

"I have one that explodes!" Surprise laughed. "It's a real BANG at parties! Ha, ha, ha!"

Apple Jack and Magic Star groaned. They sorted out all of Surprise's surprises and walked out of Paradise Estate. They saw Fire Fly and Medley fly above the clouds, giggling all the way. Cupcake came out of the kitchen with a batch of cookies. At that moment Fire Fly and Medley swooped down to them. Medley landed, but Fire Fly snatched some of Cupcake's cookies and flew back into the air.

"Oh, honestly, Fire Fly!" Medley shouted. Fire Fly just grinned and flew around. Medley shook her head.

"I'd better go bake some more cookies," Cupcake said.

"Why not a cake?" Medley asked. "A very special kind of cake. For a special day tomorrow."

"Well, maybe . . ." Cupcake said. Medley smiled and flew into the air.

"Oops," Apple Jack said. "I almost forgot tomorrow was Medley's birthday!"

"I didn't!" Surprise giggled. "Galaxy and I are going throw her a SURPRISE birthday party!"

"But we can't let her know," Cupcake said. "It must remain a surprise."

Apple Jack and Magic Star nodded and ran off to spread the word. The next morning, Medley woke up and walked around Paradise Estate. All the other ponies were running around. Medley walked over to Heart Throb.

"Something big is happening, isn't it?" she asked.

"Oh, darling, something big is happening!" Heart Throb said.

"Incidently, do you know what day it is, Heart Throb?"

"Of course, Medley! It's Tuesday!"

With that, Heart Throb flew off, leaving Medley confused.

"Well, yes," she said to herself. "It is Tuesday, but . . . that's not what I meant."

Medley walked off. She saw Buttons and Ribbon nailing balloons to the wall. Ribbon looked and gasped.

"Here comes Medley!" she shouted. "Pretend you don't know anything!"

"Check!" Buttons said. She spat out her hammer and stood there casually.

"Hi, Ribbon, Buttons," Medley said.

"Hi, Medley," Buttons and Ribbon said in perfect unison.

"What are the balloons for?" Medley asked.

"What balloons?" Buttons asked.

"The balloons on the wall," Medley said.

"I don't see any balloons," said Buttons. "You see any balloons, Ribbon?"

"No, Buttons," Ribbon said. "I don't see any balloons. You must be seeing things, Medley."

"Okay," Medley said. "I'll find out what you're up to later."

Medley left. Buttons and Ribbon breathed of relief and continued hammering balloons. Medley flew around until she found Fizzy, Gusty, and Wind Whistler playing around with boxes, wrapping paper, and ribbons. She walked over to them.

"Hi guys," she said.

"Hi, Medley!" Fizzy said, smiling (as usual). "Hap--ow!"

Gusty had kicked Fizzy on the leg before she blurted anything out.

"What were you about to say?" Medley asked.

"Umm, Happy Tuesday," Fizzy said. Medley sighed.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked.

"Enveloping a special package," Wind Whistler said. "The individualist to accommodate this lagniappe will be very delighted indeed!"

"What'd she say?" Medley whispered to Gusty.

"She said we're enveloping a special package and the individualist to accommodate this lagniappe will be very delighted indeed!" Gusty said.

"You're no help," Medley said and she flew off.

Wind Whistler, Fizzy, and Gusty breathed of relief. Medley few around until she found Bubbles washing up in the lake. She flew down.

"Hi, Bubbles!" she shouted.

"YAAHHH!" Bubbles screamed. "You frightened me, Medley!"

"I'm sorry. Incidently, do you know what today is?"

"Sure! It's Tuesday!"

"No!"

"It isn't? How about Wednesday?"

"No, I mean it is Tuesday, but there's something special about this Tuesday!"

"Oh. Is it Thanksgiving Day?"

"No, it isn't."

"Is it Christmas day?"

"No."

"Is it Mother's Day?"

"Nope."

"Father's Day?"

"Try again."

"Is it President's day?"

"No!"

"It isn't? How about Vice president's day?"

"We don't even have Vice president's day!"

"We don't?"

"No!"

"Well, we should, don't you think?"

"No! Now what's special about today?!"

"Oooh, I know now! It's garbage day!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Medley ran screaming from the lake. Bubbles looked scared to death. Medley ran back to the Estate. She saw Fire Fly and Sky Dancer hang up a banner a blank banner. She flew up to join them.

"What are you two doing?" she asked.

"We're hanging a banner for our guest of honor," Fire Fly said. "We're having a very special party tonight?"

"Who's the guest of honor?" Medley asked.

"We can't tell you," Sky Dancer said. "It's a surprise!"

"Does everybody know?" Medley asked.

"Not everyone," Fire Fly said. "So don't worry. We're not leaving you out."

Little does she know, Medley thought. They forgot completely about my birthday!

Later that night, Medley sat by the nursery, feeling alone. Buttons, Glory, and Moon Dancer came out, with the baby ponies following.

"Hi, Medley," Glory said.

"Isn't it a little late for the baby ponies to be up?" Medley asked.

"It's a special night," Buttons said. "We're going to Fire Fly's party. See you later!"

Medley waited until they left before she flew off in search of at least someone who would remember her birthday. Suddenly, she spotted Megan walking toward Paradise Estate. She knew Megan would never forget her birthday! She flew down to her.

"Hi, Megan!" she shouted.

"Hi, Medley," Megan replied. "What are you doing out here, all alone?"

"Oh, nothing much. How about you?"

"I'm on my way to Paradise Estate. Paradise said something about a special party. I have to go. Bye!"

Megan was off. Medley was crushed. She just couldn't believe Megan forgot her birthday! And then it hit her. The special guest of honor at Fire Fly's party had to be Megan! Of course, it made sense.

"Everyone has forgotten my birthday!" she wailed. She started to cry. Then, she decided she'd go speak her mind at Fire Fly's party. It wasn't fair that she was holding one on Medley's birthday.

Medley walked over to the entrance of the Estate, and noticed all the lights were turned off.

"What did everyone do?" she asked herself. "Go out back?"

Medley opened the door and walked into darkness. Not only was it dark, it was quiet, too. Almost too quiet. Suddenly, the lights came on.

"Surprise!" all the ponies shouted. "Happy birthday, Medley!"

"Oh!" Medley shouted, shocked. "I can't believe it! I thought you all forgot my birthday!"

"How could we forget?" North Star asked. "We always remember a friend's birthday!"

No wonder nobody wished Medley a happy birthday! They were trying to surprise her. All night long, the ponies played games, ate cake, and watched Medley open her presents.

"This is the best birthday I've ever had," Medley said, smiling.