After the mess of not knowing a certain pink pony's birthday, Twilight made surveys for everyone to fill out and share with each other. The others thought that written proof was a little extreme and unnecessary, but the extreme organizer wanted the extra physical proof, just in case.
Luckily, the lavender unicorn never really took a break from all her studying (though she did it in a much more relaxed fashion, though this meant for extended periods of study and work over the course of a week instead of a weekend) and didn't notice when her own birthday started to come up. So it was much easier for her friends to plan the party for her birthday.
Due to force of habit, Twilight planned for studying even on her birthday. The only reason she didn't study on her birthday the previous year was because the Princess made her take a two week vacation during that time (though she still got some reading about the elements of harmony in, which was rather lucky considering how she needed that information not even two days later).
This year though, both the pony in question and her friends were prepared. Admittedly, they were prepared for different things, one a long slow relaxed study session and the others for a surprise party for the studious unicorn, but still. Both groups were prepared.
Pinkie Pie especially wanted it to be a night her heart's desire wouldn't forget.
(That means the most awesome of games and lots of cupcakes! She's been hitting those cupcakes kind of hard lately actually, who would hit poor defenseless innocent cupcakes? But I'll make sure everything goes perfectly, Pinkie Pie Style! Better make sure the Princess doesn't give our smarty smart pants a REEAAALLLY difficult thing to study about...) With this concern foremost in the party mare's mind, Pinkie Pie went in search of the librarian's number one assistant.
It was a month and a half before Twilight's birthday which was June 12th, and while Pinkie still felt that it was cutting it rather close she had most of the supplies needed already. She had actually started to gather the supplies the day after they fought Nightmare Moon, just like she already knew when the unicorn's birthday was because she found out the third day of knowing the mare.
She hopped up to the Gold Oaks Library, where hopefully a certain lavender mare was NOT at so that Pinkie Pie could send her super-secret message without a certain pony finding out.
“Hey Pinkie Pie. If you're looking for Twilight, she just left to put in an order for new books. You actually just missed her by a minute, you could still catch her before she gets too far.” Spike suggested as he lifted a stack of books that were going to being used for the latest study session.
Since they just had a party for two of their friends, Twilight was preparing for another intense relaxed study session, starting with ordering some more books. She thought that since they had two parties at once, surely there wouldn't be another one for a while and could start another study session.
Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash just had their combined birthday party which they've always done since they were fillies, Fluttershy being too nervous to have a party just for her. Even though the two peagasi's birthdays were on the 15th and 16th of May, they've always had a party on the 16th so it didn't feel like Fluttershy was the center of attention.
The two pegasi had to explain to the pink mare about how they usually celebrated when it came time to plan the party. After Pinkie finally got why the two had always celebrated together, she threw them the biggest party while still maintaining a small affair for the shier pony.
But this time, the party mare was excited for a different reason. Twilight was indeed out of the library! Pinkie jumped in place while giggling, her Pinkie Sense was really helpful at times like these. It was the perfect time to send the Princess a secret letter.
“I came to see you silly! Could you send this to Princess Celestia for me? It's super important that she gets this right away!” Pinkie followed the young dragon as he walked over to the desk in the library.
She reached into her cotton candy looking mane and pulled out a sealed scroll which she then presented to Spike.
After setting the books down within hoof's reach of the desk, the purple and green dragon looked at the already hyper mare and raised an eyebrow at the extended scroll as the pink mare gave a large grin.
“What's it say? And why does it have to be sent right now?” He reached a claw out and looked at the mare before him while grabbing a hold of the letter.
“I don't want Twilight to find out that I sent the Princess a message. I want it to be a surprise!” The party mare leaned towards the young dragon as she explained in a rather vague and mysterious way.
“Oh, cool! What's the surprise? Can I help?” Spike looked hopefully at the mare. Pinkie put a hoof to her chin as she looked upwards in thought.
She wanted to include Spike in the plans, but he might crack under the pressure. (Maybe if he promised...)
“You Pinkie Promise not to tell anyone?” The pink mare asked as she eyeballed the dragon before her with one brow raised as she stood back a little to see if he was willing to promise.
Spike nodded rapidly as he made the motions with one claw. “I Pinkie Promise!”
Pinkie nodded slowly before leaning back towards the purple dragon.
“I'm asking the Princess to not give Twilight any large assignments before, during or right after her birthday so she doesn't have anything to worry about. But also to not NOT give her stuff to do otherwise she might think something is going on which it totally would be but it's supposed to be a surprise but she's such a smarty pants that she'll figure it out in minutes and then it wouldn't be much of a surprise or much fun.” Pinkie rapidly explained as she nodded at her own logic.
Spike was slowly getting use to Pinkie's explanations, it didn't take as long to sort through the rush of words. After another moment to put all the pieces together, the young dragon nodded as he crossed his arms.
“Yep. It can sure be hard to hide things from Twilight. I'll send that message right away.” Spike uncrossed his arms and held the scroll up in range of his breath. Pink hooves clapped excitedly as a breath of flame turned the scroll into magic ash that flew northwards.
“Ooohh~ do you think she'll message me back Spike?” Pink hooves covered her muzzled as she tried to hold back her giggles, excited at sending the Princess a letter without Twilight knowing.
Spike shrugged before he suddenly felt the need to burp. With a large belch, a scroll came out with flames and smoke around it. Blue eyes lit up at the fast response as Spike grabbed it out of the air. As he opened it up, Pinkie looked over his shoulder to read the scroll at the same time.
[Dear Pinkie Pie,
Thank you for your letter. I do not mind at all that you sent me a letter,
I love to hear from all my subjects. I do not see any issue with
lessening the work assigned to Twilight
in the week leading up to and immediately after her birthday. So long as you
don't forget about the Gala the week before Twilight's birthday, as that
should also serve as a good distraction for my faithful student
from any preparations you may have left to do.
I am certain that the cupcakes would be lovely, I'm sure that's
why Twilight likes them so. Though I am not sure
if cupcakes would be able to make the trip if Spike
sent it. I do apologize, but there is some business I will have
to attend to during that week, though I will be
sending my well wishes on the day in question.
I am glad to hear that you have a surprise
party planned for Twilight, I don't think she's had anyone
throw her such a party for her birthday. I hope it goes
well and please let me know if there is anything else you need.
Sincerely, Princess Celestia]
As Pinkie read the letter she got more and more exited, hopping in place behind Spike who wondered how the pink mare was able to keep reading while hopping. He was also starting to really wonder what Pinkie's letter was about, considering the response.
He could tell that the party mare finished reading before him, since the hopping became even faster and wondered what she was waiting for, when he realized she was waiting for him to finish reading.
Once he had finished, he rolled up the scroll and turned to face the mare beside him, who stopped hopping and merely smiled a huge grin at him and the letter.
“So, ah, what's this mean Pinkie Pie?”
“Well, that's easy! It means it's a Go for Operation 'Surprise the Super Smarty Pants'!” Pinkie pointed a hoof to the sky as she stood on her hind legs, when suddenly her heart picked up its pace and a warm feeling spread throughout her body.
“Uh oh! Twilight's coming back! I mustn't be seen!” With that Pinkie quickly dropper her hoof towards the ground once more and with a soft 'pop' a smoke pellet exploded and the pink mare disappeared.
As Spike coughed and waved a claw to clear the smoke he tried to figure out what was going on.
“Pinkie, what's going on? How would you know that -” As soon as he began his questions about how she would know when the librarian was getting back, the door opened and in walked the lavender pony.
“Huh? Twilight? But how did – what – uh, never mind. Hey Twilight, how was it?” Spike was confused as to where the scroll went to when he remembered who it was that just left in a mysterious and weird way.
“Hello Spike. It went just fine. Is that smoke I smell? Is everything alright in here?” Twilight looked at her assistant with a brow raised as she trotted over to her desk.
She was pleased to note that everything was ready for the relaxed studying, but was concerned about the smoky smell and she saw some smoke clear up out of the top windows. The last time it smelled a little smoky in the library, Spike had sneezed and burnt one of her books that she had needed right away.
“Everything's fine. I, ah, just sneezed. Nothing got burned though, I promise!” Spike said as he got out the quills and ink for the upcoming studying.
The lavender mare shrugged as she looked about the desk, trying to push aside her worry about what may have happened while she was out.
“Alright, if you're sure. Everything ready for the relaxed studying?”
“Yep!”
“Good, let's get started then, we have a lot of catching up to do!”
The party mare hopped home, already excited about the party that wouldn't happen for another month and a half. She always had everything ready before hoof so that there was less chance of something going wrong.
(Now if only there was a way for me to set up a party in a snap... like BANG and everything's there! Hmmmm, maybe Twilight could help with something like that, I bet she'd go all mad sciency! Oohh, I want my own lab where I can invent stuff. I'd make all sorts of party related things and hang out more with Twilight and it'd be so cool! Right, stick that idea someplace so I don't forget it, it's a good idea. And I should let the others know where the party's going to be, wouldn't want anypony to be left out.)
And with that the pink mare turned around and began to find each of her friends to let them know about the surprise party in the library for the lavender unicorn. They were all surprised at how early the party pony was getting everything ready since they just finished one set of parties for their friends, but they all just accepted it as being a part of Pinkie Pie.
Most of them already got Twilight's gifts ready so all that was left was the set up on the day of the party, which wouldn't be for a while yet. It was also fortunate that they had the Princess on board for the surprise, since the unicorn would be sent from the library on the special day to do whatever errands the Princess gave her, unsuspecting of any party planning or preparations.
(Oh, this is so exciting! I can't wait! I just now that she'll like the party and the gifts and the food! I know that she'll like everything at the party! I just wish I knew if she likes me like I like her or even if she liked mares just in general because then I could try and get her to fall for me like how I fell for her, though I didn't really fall, it was more of a flying feeling... Ooohhh, I don't know if I can stand the tension! Time to just bake! Here I come cupcakes get ready to be made and sold/given away/eaten! Which is what you do most of the time, though there are lots of other things to do with cupcakes, like build a castle of them, or throw them at ponies that need cheering up, or gaining somepony's attention, or....)