Peppermint Hot Chocolate Please!
“This is the most pitiful excuse for a coffeehouse I’ve ever seen.” Discord scrutinized the establishment in front of her, crossing her arms.
“But we haven’t even gone inside yet…” Serenity remarked in confusion.
“Exactly, that’s the problem. It looks so underwhelming on the outside that it certainly can’t get any better on the inside,” She scowled as two ponies trotted inside the coffee shop. “Can’t I just snap you up something instead? There’s no need to be searching high and low for a cup of joe.”
“As much as I love the hot chocolate you make, I’m looking for something a little more…Festive!” Serenity enthusiastically waved her hoof.
“Festive, huh? That’s easy, just add some whipped cream, sprinkles, a side of candy cane, maybe some cinn-...Serenity?...Serenity!”
A tiny bell rang over the door as Discord spotted her wife attempting to sneak in while she blabbered on about hot chocolate. She grumbled in annoyance, lowering her shoulders and giving a Hearth’s Warming sign on the window a nasty look.
“Next time, I’m pouring lemon juice into her hot chocolate.”
Discord begrudgingly followed her in, immediately greeted by the smell of freshly brewed coffee. The small chatters of ponies huddled with hot beverages and those from the baristas accompanied the noise of the ice machine humming loudly.
With each step, she could feel the eyes of the others on her, questioning why the Spirit of Chaos would ever set foot into a place such as this. She could ask herself the same question, knowing her powers tended to her every need with so much as a thought. But this wasn’t exactly about her, it was what Serenity wanted. She cherished Serenity deeply and would make her every wish come true. And if she wanted to purchase an overpriced cup of hot cocoa then that’s how it would be.
“Look who decided to come inside!” Serenity smirked at her, waving her over to a small line in front of the counter.
Discord joined her, crossing her arms and fighting back a smile. “Well, of course, I couldn’t expect the little foal to pay for herself.”
“Oh really, what led you to that conclusion?”
“The lack of bits you’re carrying speaks volumes.”
“I just thought that you had more than enough bits to go around. You have magic after all.”
“Relying purely on me? For shame.”
Discord and Serenity bantered back and forth as the line in front of them dwindled.
Every once in a while, a pony wearing a green apron would serve a few drinks, sometimes being followed by a bag carrying a delectable treat to a counter behind the two. Discord would often spot cappuccinos and lattes overflowing with whipped cream, fruit drinks filled to the brim with ice and even a variety of flavors of cake pops being delivered to awaiting ponies. Even though she didn’t have high hopes for this place, the items they offered were certainly appetizing appearance-wise. She was quite tempted to try them.
“Ooh, we’re next!” Serenity said excitedly.
A couple in front finished ordering before walking out of line and Serenity and Discord moved up. They were met with a peppy earth pony who had her mane tied in a messy bun and wore the same apron as the others. She appeared momentarily startled by Discord but she plastered on a smile for them.
“Welcome to Starbits, what can I get you?” She welcomed them joyfully.
“Starbits?” Discord mocked. “What kind of name is that?”
“Shush,” Serenity shot him a dirty look. “Be nice.”
The barista glanced at them puzzled before Serenity replied with her order.
“I’ll have a grande peppermint hot chocolate, please!”
Grande? What was that supposed to mean? Was that some sort of secret code only ponies knew? Perhaps it was an ingredient used in pony delicacies. But why would a place so mundane have any? She didn’t understand what that meant, nor why Serenity knew and she didn’t.
With a click, the barista snatched a pen out of her apron and scribbled down Serenity’s order on a small notepad. She nodded as she looked over it, making sure she had written down the right item before addressing her again.
“Anything else?”
Serenity lightly bumped Discord on cue.
“O-Oh, uh…”
Her eyes flew up to an overhead chalkboard menu, quickly skimming the titles. Espresso, frappuccino, refreshers, the words flew in her mind at a million miles as she panicked, overwhelmed by the number of choices. She stole a glance at the line behind her, seeing ponies and creatures alike almost at the door waiting for their turn to order. It made her panic even more.
“Hun, are you okay?” Serenity stared up at her with concern.
“I-...Uh…”
A few seconds passed before Discord gave up, lowering her shoulders and staring down defeated. “I can’t choose…”
“That’s okay! Why not just get what I’m getting? You like peppermint right?”
“Of course, it’d be a crime for me to not indulge in the candy staple of Hearth’s Warming season!” She immediately perked up again, crossing her arms dramatically to further prove her statement.
“She’ll have a peppermint hot chocolate too!” Serenity added.
“Venti, grande or tall?”
“There’s more than just grande?” Discord asked flabbergasted.
“Just say venti, you won’t regret it.” Serenity smirked.
“I’m not sure I trust your judgment.”
“Why not, it’s not like I’m tricking you into ordering something you won’t like. I promise you’ll thank me later!”
She raised her eyebrow at Serenity, doubting how insistent she was on persuading her to order this so-called “venti”. Did all these beverages have strange terms attached to them? Why was this place so complicated?
Discord sighed. “Fine, venti it is.”
“Perfect,” The barista wrote down the rest of the order. “Will that be all?”
“Yup!” Serenity replied.
“Alright, can I get your names?”
“Serenity and Discord.”
She wrote down their names and waved them over to the left. “Please wait over here! Your drinks will be ready soon, along with the bill.”
Serenity and Discord departed the line and waited at the side as the barista ran to prepare their order. A few other creatures who were waiting to pick up their order hurriedly made space for them, partially frightened by the tall draconequus at Serenity’s side. Discord hardly noticed as she busied herself with picking at a freshly applied coat of nail polish on her claws whilst speaking to her wife.
“This place is still terrible.”
“You still haven’t tried it yet. At least be a little more open-minded.” Serenity rolled her eyes.
“If everyone automatically assumed that the quality of food was what attracted customers over the cleanliness and appearance of your business, we’d all be eating in dumpsters.”
“That’s hardly comparable. You’re just mad because it’s not an old-timey cafe. You really need to get out more.”
Discord scoffed. “Trendy isn’t always better.”
“I’ll make you eat those words once we get our hot chocolate!” She proclaimed.
Luckily, they wouldn’t have to wait far too long as the barista who took their orders carefully set a medium-sized cup and a large cup on the counter, both with a dollop of whip cream, red and green sprinkles and a candy cane propped at the side. An aroma of peppermint mixed with chocolate drifted off into the couple’s direction and Serenity eagerly took hers once it was served.
The barista slid over a smaller piece of paper listing the items they ordered, along with a total of each drink at the side. Altogether, their hot chocolates had come too…
“Fifteen bits?!” Discord exclaimed loudly.
“Yeaahhh…Sorry, I don’t make the rules. I just follow what my boss tells me to charge.” The barista replied, her response coming off less apologetic than expected.
“Fifteen bits for these puny little things?” Discord held up her hot chocolate to the barista’s face. “I could conjure these for free!”
“I’m just doing my job, I can’t do much about it.” The barista shrugged. “Would you like to pay in bits or credit?”
Through the falling snow, Serenity skipped over a patch of ice in the road, clutching her toasty hot chocolate to her chest. She approached a bench covered in snow where her wife sat, scowling at the fluffy sleet below her.
After Discord had paid for her and Serenity’s order, she had slinked off outside for some much-needed air and ended up plopping herself down on a bench. Serenity couldn’t imagine why anypony would want to be outside during the winter, not to mention during these kinds of temperatures but she guessed it was a way for Discord to decompress.
She brushed off a seat for herself and scootched beside Discord, cradling her hot chocolate. The warmth from the liquid inside kept her chilly hooves warm.
“What are you so mad about? Have you tried your hot chocolate yet?” Serenity asked, pointing out the untouched cup of hot cocoa placed in the snow at Discord’s feet.
“No, I’m still furious about that barista in Starbits.”
“Well, that explains why you left and why you’re sitting out in the snow all by yourself.” She giggled. “Aren’t you cold?”
“I suppose a little…It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“Have some of your hot chocolate! It’ll warm you up.”
Discord glanced down at the cup she had simply discarded in her moment of annoyance and reached for it. She popped a small tab in the lid, greeted by the sweet chocolatey smell once again. She tipped it to her mouth and was pleasantly surprised by the creamy taste, accompanied by a hint of peppermint. Small chunks of candy cane crunched in her mouth as she licked whip cream off her lips.
“Sooo…How is it?” Serenity grinned eagerly.
“...It’s delicious. I wasn’t expecting it to be this good.”
“See, I knew you’d like it!”
Discord smirked as Serenity celebrated to herself, doing a small punching motion with her hooves in excitement from her moral victory. She nearly tossed her hot chocolate along with it and quickly caught it before it spilled all over the ground. She smiled sheepishly and took a big gulp from her drink.
Unfortunately, the celebration was immediately interrupted by Discord’s next reply. “But I’m never going back there again.”
“What?!” She gasped. “But you liked the hot chocolate!”
“I can’t simply justify any reason I’d want to go back there,” She said as she twirled the drink around in her cup. “After all, I have magic. There is no need for me to spend endless amounts of currency on a novice cafe.”
“But it’s more fun to go to Starbits!”
“Do you use fun to determine everything you do in your life?” Discord questioned with an amused look.
“Don’t you?”
Discord paused, realizing Serenity had just beat her at her own game. “Touche.”
Serenity stood up from the bench and stretched, taking a moment to loosen herself before snatching up her cup. “Come on, let’s go back home. It’s freezing out here.”
Discord silently nodded and took her cup as well, joining the side of her wife. She reached for her hoof and caressed it into her palm as they began to walk away from Starbits.
Despite Discord’s denial of ever going back, she would eventually eat her words in the future and, in fact, returned to Starbits.
