Meanwhile, where our old friends were, they had a celebration, not just because the Kankers left, but because there was a surprise.

"Mike... Why do I have to wear this thing?" Cindy asked as she followed Mike with a blindfold over her eyes. "Where are you taking me and how much longer until we get there?"

"Oh, you'll see." Mike chuckled.

Cindy sighed. "Well, I have to tell you, it's better than Maggie's surprise to me on my last birthday."

"What's that?" Mike asked.

"She said close your eyes and you'll get a big surprise... I woke up in the nurse's office with a bloody nose." Cindy explained.

Duncan's snicker was heard.

"It can't be worse than what Abby did to Jimmy one time." Brianna's voice was also heard.

"Hey, do you hear other voices?" Cindy pouted.

"Aw, it's nothing," Mike let go of her and her footsteps seemed to disappear. "Okay... You can take off the blindfold now."

Cindy untied the blindfold from the back of her head and removed it to see all her new friends.

"SURPRISE!"

Cindy let out a small yelp and was really surprised to see everyone there. "Wh-Wh-What is this!?" she stammered a bit.

Buttercup flew in front of her. "Duh, it's your birthday!"

"I know, but do I really need a surprise party?" Cindy asked. "I don't like surprises."

"Sometimes surprises are a good thing." Bubbles smiled.

"Yeah, you've been in this town long enough." Blossom added.

"I didn't think you guys liked me that much..." Cindy had a small smile now.

"You're special to us, silly!" Ella hugged her.

"And don't worry about the cul-de-sac kids we dealt with them or in this case Duncan, Abby and Jo did." June added.

Cindy felt squeezed in the hug, but looked to Duncan and Abby. "What did you do?"

"You let us worry about that, kid..." Duncan pointed to her with a sincere smile. "No one's gonna ruin your special day as long as we're around."

Cindy smiled. "Okay... Let's get this party started then."

Scott, Lightning, and Chicken were by the buffet table, talking to each other.

"So Scott," Chicken smirked. "How's it goin' with youse and Jade, huh?"

"It's really great," Scott smiled as he helped himself to some pigs in a blanket. "I think things are really gonna go my way from now on."

Chicken chuckled, giving him a high feathery five. "That's great! I knew youse could do it!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Scott rolled his eyes a bit, then looked a little nervous, but still happy. "Still a little hard to get used to her grandpa bein' Tumbleweed Tex and all."

"I know you can do it, sha-bam!" Lightning added as he dug into some chips.

"You should've seen it the other day, Courtney was bugging me about being her boyfriend, but, Jade stepped on and told that Little Miss CIT off." Scott grunted in memory.

"Courtney's got serious problems, man..." Chicken rolled his eyes.

"Tell me about it." Scott agreed.

"Hey guys, I'm gonna challenge that Jo guy to an eating contest, you think I'm gonna win?" Lightning challenged.

"Sure if my cousin Sow could fly." Chicken laughed, playing with the 'when pigs fly' expression since Sow was a pig.

Scott laughed with him on that.

"Time for flyin' lessons, piggies, cuz The Lightning challenges Jo to an eating contest!" Lightning declared.

"Oh boy..." Cindy got worried as she sat at a small table with the Powerpuff Girls to get to know them better.

"I'll get the First Aid Kit." Buttercup scoffed.

Bubbles looked confused. "Why?"

"'Cuz Lightning just sent us his last will and testament..." Buttercup rolled her eyes.

"So Cindy, enjoying your party?" Blossom asked with a smile.

"Yeah, it's okay..." Cindy smiled, but she sounded a little scared.

"Cindy, what's wrong?" Blossom sensed the fright in her voice.

"Is this cuz we scared ya when you walked in?" Buttercup asked. "Listen, that was all Mike's idea..."

"No, it's not that... Just... Something else..." Cindy stared at the floor.

"Aw, don't worry, Cindy," Blossom cooed. "I'm sure it's nothing. Just enjoy the party."

Lightning walked over to Jo where she was, talking to Justine. "Hey Jo!" he called to the jockette.

Cindy went to get herself some snacks and take some home with her to give to her parents and Sledgehammer.

"Whatya want now, lobotomy brain?" Jo glanced to him.

"The Lightning challenges you to an eating contest!" Lightning challenged, then folded his arms with a smug smirk on his face. "Unless you're scared to do it." he then mocked.

Everybody except for Jo gasped then.

"Sure ya wanna do that?" Jo folded her arms. "I beat that so-called cadet all the time whenever Chef fed us!"

"So, you in or out?" Lightning grinned darkly to her.

"Totally in, but let's make it a little more interesting, huh?" Jo challenged.

"Ooooohhhhh..." the others oohed.

"What're ya thinkin'?" Lightning looked to her, knowing this was going to involve a bet.

"This is gonna be great." Eddy grinned.

"How 'bout loser has to go around town dressed like the Tooth Fairy for 24 hours?" Jo grinned darkly.

"Oh... Spicy, Elliot, spicy!" Lightning laughed, he then shook hands with her. "Okay, the birthday girl will be the judge."

"Yo Cindy, come over here!" Jo called.

"I'll be right there!" Cindy called. "Just a moment!"

Justine kissed Jo on the cheek. "Good luck." she mused.

"Don't I get a kiss for good luck from you too, Justine?" Lightning flirted.

Justine ignored that and walked off.

"Uhh... What do you guys wanna eat?" Cindy asked as she looked at the various food choices, due to it being her birthday, many of them were her personal favorites.

"Anything that involves meat, there's no way he can beat me with anything that involves meat, I'm the best meat eater ever, Sha-bam!" Lightning told her while gloating about Jo being the loser for the eating contest when he was going to be wrong, oh, so, wrong.

Jo rolled her eyes. 'Doesn't this guy ever learn to shut up?'

Cindy decided to get them hot wings and stacked a bunch on a high pile on a plate and walked over. She tried very hard not to trip and fall, she was so clumsy that it was bound to happen. However, by luck, she was actually able to set the plate down to Jo and Lightning without even falling. "Phew!" she wiped her forehead in utter relief.

"Hot wings..." Jo grinned, rubbing her hands together. "Now we're talkin'."

"And don't worry, they're boneless so you don't have to worry about choking." Cindy told them.

"We need a referee!" Jo called.

"I can be a referee," Zoey volunteered. "If that's okay with everyone."

"Okay Zoey..." Cindy nodded to her, then went off again. "You guys start without me, I'm gonna get a drink."

Zoey looked worried about her, but then looked to Jo and Lightning. "Okay... Ready... Set...EAT!"

Jo and Lightning then started to stuff their faces with the wings as fast as they could.

"Cindy?" a voice came behind the birthday girl.

"GAH!" Cindy jumped back, looking to the source of the voice. "Dawn, you almost gave me a heart attack !"

"I know, dear, I'm sorry..." Dawn tried to relax her. "I couldn't help but notice you seem a little more jumpy than usual... Is everything okay?"

"I-I'm fine, Dawn, really..." Cindy said as she accidentally put food in her glass and poured soda on a plate, obviously not fine.

"Your aura is changing from bright green to light yellow which means you're nervous about something." Dawn stated her business.

"Well... I guess I could tell you..." Cindy shook a little. "I've been having bad dreams lately..."

"Oh Cindy, you should know by now that dreams can't hurt you..." Dawn attempted to soothe the girl, being very motherly, even if she didn't grow up with her own mother. "What were they about anyway?"

Cindy gulped and looked into her eyes. "Ben Ravencroft..." She whispered the currently deceased horror writer they all faced last year who was gone now and couldn't come back, but ever since he showed his true colors, she had been terrified of him and not for his books, but for his evilness and hurting of others.

"Cindy, don't you remember?" Dawn had a small, comforting smile for the girl. "Thorn and I got rid of him, he's trapped in the spell book."

"I know but... He almost tried to take me with him..." Cindy shivered.

"It won't happen... Sarah's book was destroyed by a flaming branch, remember?" Dawn cooed. "Now stop that negative thinking... It's your party and you should have some fun."

Cindy sighed, she just had a strong feeling her nightmares might come true. "I guess..."

"Come on, let's go see how Lightning and Jo are doing." Dawn took Cindy's hand as the two kept eating their wings and Zoey was watching them closer than the others, being the referee.

"Give up, Jo!" Lightning snapped. "I'm gonna win, and win, and win!"

"Uh-huh." Jo smirked as she continued to eat, eat, and eat.

The two really went at it. Lightning ate one more, but then felt hot instantly, he was starting to pant.

"If you get a drink, you're out." Zoey warned him.

"Aw man," Lightning groaned, then looked at Jo. "How come you're not pantin' like the Lightning?!"

"I've been in hot wing eating contests since I was three," Jo replied, totally relaxed as she kept eating. "My stomach and lungs are like calinte proof." she then chuckled.

Lightning couldn't take it anymore, he ran out of his chair and chugged one of the liter bottles of soda to extinguish the wings.

"And the winner by default is Jo!" Zoey cheered with the others.

"It's not fair!" Lightning cried. "It's not fair!"

"Nice job," Justine came up to Jo. "That deserves a reward." she then jumped into Jo's arms and kissed her.

Jo wiped her mouth before holding Justine in her arms and laughed. "Life has been good to me... Guess we'll see ya tomorrow, Tooth Fairy?"

Lightning glared at her with tears in his eyes. "Lightning wants a do-over!"

"There are no do-overs in eating contests..." Zoey said softly.

"Aw come on, Cindy, back me up!" Lightning looked to the birthday girl.

Cindy shrugged. "Rules are rules, Lightning..."

Lightning grunted in anger, even Scott and Chicken were laughing. It was a very good birthday for Cindy and she was really enjoying it, she felt very lucky to have so many friends now.