As the arcade opened, the sound of screaming kids filled the place as they raced over to play their favorite games.
In Sugar Rush, the first quarter alert was heard, and the racers got in position for the first race of the day.
The player behind the wheel of the game console chose Minty as her avatar. The announcer in the game yelled, "Racers, START YOUR ENGINES!"
The racers started their karts and lowered the visors on their helmets. Rancis looked in his mirror, Taffyta eyed another racer, and Candlehead revved the engine on her Ice Screamer.
Minty, however, just sat there even though she revved her kart engine and was ready to race. When the light turned green, she drove slowly behind the other racers until they got to her favorite part of the track, Gumball Gorge. Giant gumball machines shot gumballs from side to side, and this part of the track requires a mass amount of racing skill, and you know Minty has the skills for this part of the track.
But, today just wasn't her day once they got onto that part of the track. Halfway through the gorge, Crumbelina got a power-up.
"SYRUP PUDDLE!" the announcer yelled.
A sticky maple syrup puddle comes out of the back of Crumbelina's Tira-Missile. Minty, unfortunately, forgot to look in front of her and the Veloci-Wrapper was stuck there for a short time.
Minty couldn't care less about the race because she wasn't really acting like herself today. Despite the fact that the player playing as her tried really hard to win, she wound up in 10th place. The player kicked the console in frustration and then walked away.
As the rest of the racers waited for the next quarter alert, Minty got out of her kart and walked over to the grandstands. "I hope my fans know it's my birthday." she thought, sighing. She takes off her green bow-laden helmet, and waves to her gumdrop fans. They cheer and yell "Happy Birthday Minty! We love you!" At this, Minty smiled a bit and said, "Thank you!" she yells back. She then glares at the other racers, who are whispering furiously.
"So, do you guys know what to do later?" Vanellope whispers to the other racers, who are circled around her.
"We sure do! She's going to be so surprised!" Crumbelina squeals softly.
"I know it!" Snowanna whispers back.
Minty walks over to the circle, curious about what's going on.
The racers stop whispering and look at Minty with serious looks on their faces.
"What the fudge are you guys talking about over here?" Minty asks, a sad look in her eyes.
"Uh, nothing. Why, what did you hear?" Vanellope asked.
"I heard plenty. Is there something going on that I don't know about?" Minty replied, feeling hurt.
"I don't know." Rancis replied, looking at Vanellope, who is making a slashing motion with her finger to her throat, meaning Rancis better not spill the beans if he knows what's good for him.
"N-no, nothing's going on! Oh, look, another quarter alert!" Rancis said, nervously backing away toward his kart, and the other racers follow suit.
"Oh, all right, then." Minty then uses a "come over here" motion with her finger to get her sister Sticky to come to where she's standing. Minty feels like crying at this point.
"Sticky, I need you to take my place for the rest of the day, until the Roster Race. I just feel like going home all of a sudden." Minty tells her, her eyes stinging with tears.
"Sure, sis. Whatever you want." Sticky replies as she puts on her racing helmet, and she walks toward her kart.
Minty starts up her kart and heads home. Her tears are still stinging her eyes as she drives away. It isn't long until she starts to cry.
My friends forgot, too? This is the worst birthday ever!
Meanwhile, back at the castle, Adorabeezle, Swizzle, and Gloyd are making Minty's birthday cake in the castle's massive kitchen.
"Wow, Minty's going to love this cake! Vanilla cake with apple pie filling is her favorite!" Swizzle exclaimed.
The massive cake was five layers high, covered in green icing, light green and yellow fondant ribbons on every layer, red, yellow, and blue candies on every layer representing her beautiful sense of style, assorted patterns made from rainbow colored icing, and a message declaring "Happy Birthday Minty!" on the third layer. 12 rainbow swirled candles sat on the top layer, ready to be lit and blown out later at the party. She's going to love this, Swizzle thought with a smile.
Gloyd looks at Swizzle and asks, "Where should we put this cake?"
"We'll take it into the ballroom and set it on a table. I have a pretty good idea of where it's going to go." Swizzle said, smiling at his friend.
Gloyd nods and puts the cake on a cart. The three of them push the cart carefully out of the kitchen and into the ballroom.
Swizzle and Gloyd lift the cake off the cart and put it on a round table covered in an emerald green tablecloth that's decorated with fancy gold ribbons.
"Okay, this place looks great, you guys!" Swizzle tells Gloyd and Adorabeezle. "Now, we better get our formal clothes ready for tonight. It won't be long until party time."
Gloyd and Adorabeezle nod in agreement, and the three of them leave the castle and hop into their karts, going their separate ways.
Back at the racetrack, Sticky was doing a decent job as Minty's replacement. She couldn't help but wonder why Minty got so upset.
"Oh, it's her birthday, and the other racers brushed her off. I know what's going on, but I'm not supposed to tell her." she thought as she was driving through Frosty Rally during what seemed like the tenth race of the day.
Rancis sped past her, and couldn't help but read Sticky's thoughts.
"We did brush Minty off back there. But I have to keep the party a secret. Spilling the beans could come with some dire consequences." he thought to himself.
Minty pulls up to her house and shuts off her kart. She unlocks her front door and walks inside, slipping off her shoes and legwarmers. She takes off her racing jacket and tosses it on a kitchen chair.
She grabs a bottle of apple juice and a slice of apple pie from the fridge, sits on her couch, and turns on some relaxing music.
As she eats her snack, she begins to wonder if anyone knew it was her birthday at all. She knew her fans would never forget it, but her fellow racers? Impossible! They remembered every birthday she's ever had since they became friends. Why would they forget now?
"Maybe I'm just thinking too negatively. Snowanna's right, the day's not over yet. Maybe something good WILL happen between now and then." Minty thinks as she finishes her snack and goes to wash her snack dishes.
After washing the dishes, she goes to her bedroom and lays on her green hard candy bed, her thoughts racing.
She decides to take a nap until the Roster Race, even though her thoughts were racing around in her head.
She falls asleep quickly, even though her thoughts were keeping her from trying.