Author's Note
So funny note, the original plan was to have this story come out before Christmas. Not that its necessarily a Christmas story, but as you'll quickly notice, I did set it around the Holiday season. The original plan was to finish it up the Saturday before Christmas, only to discover last minute that my workplace rescheduled me to work that Saturday. *sigh* Oh well, it's finally done now. So for you all, a new story of Equestria girls shenanigans, this time staring everyone's favorite trio, the CMC's. Hope you all enjoy it.
Hot Chocolate Hijinks
“I feel like a fool.”
“Ah mean, ya kinda look like one, so…”
A young tomboy dressed as Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, complete with light up LED nose, shot her friend a glare. “Gee, thanks Apple Bloom.”
It was wintertime in Canterlot. Christmas lights and garland decorated every lamppost and storefront. Festive music played from every speaker, and everywhere was covered in a blanket of fresh white snow. The smells of holiday treats, like gingerbread and hot cocoa could be found everywhere.
The CMC’s were out selling hot chocolate out of a makeshift stand they’d set up in front of Sweetie Belle’s house. Apple Bloom was on drink-making duties, Sweetie managed the till box, and Scootaloo had been assigned the job of sign spinner, much to her chagrin.
“Why do I have to wear this stupid costume again,” she complained.
“Cause neither a’ y'all can cook ta’ save your life, and you suck at math,” replied Apple Bloom flatly.
“I can make hot chocolate,” Scoot protested hotly.
“Last time ya tried, ya put red pepper flakes an’ Habanero hot sauce in your drink,” Bloom retorted.
“So? Who doesn’t like spicy hot chocolate?”
“And why aren’t I allowed to make hot chocolate again,” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Cause ya’ somehow managed to burn the marshmallows and make the hot chocolate cold the last time you tried,” Bloom deadpanned.
“Oh, right,” replied Sweetie, sheepishly.
“Anyways, we need ta’ sell a lotta hot cocoa ta’ pay for the Cake’s window we broke, and we need someway ta’ advertise our stand.”
“That’s great A.B., but that still doesn’t explain why I have to wear this stupid thing.”
Apple Bloom shrugged. “We needed some way to make you stand out.”
“And the reason we went with the reindeer costume is because…?”
“Because I found it buried in a box of Rarity’s old costumes downstairs covered in dust, so she’s clearly not using it,” replied Sweetie Belle. “Plus it fits you perfectly. It’s like it was made for you!”
“Oh… greaaat…”
“Hello girls.”
The girls turned to see Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, both in a set of winter workout gear.
“Hi Principal Celestia. Hi Vice Principal Luna,” said Apple Bloom cheerfully.
“Hello children,” replied Luna.
“And just Miss Celestia and Luna works outside of the school girls,” chuckled Celestia.
“What are you doing around here,”quizzed Sweetie Belle.
“Oh, just out for a jog,”replied Celestia.
“And finally getting you on a more healthy regiment,” snorted Luna.
Celestia sighed. “I am perfectly capable of taking caring myself without you nagging me Lulu.”
“That’s what you said last week. And the week before that. And the one before that. And…”
“I get it Lulu.”
Luna rolled her eyes at her sister before turning back to the girls. “And what might you three be doing?”
“Sellin’ hot chocolate ta’ pay for the window we broke,” replied Apple Bloom.
The two school administrators both raised an eyebrow at the youngest Apple.
“Urrm…”
“We um… were trying to film Scoot doing a stunt on a her scooter off of a makeshift ramp we made, and we might have miscalculated the exact angle she needed to aim for. So instead of going straight into the snow drift we made for her, she instead wound up going through the Cakes living room window,” explained Sweetie Belle.
“...I see,” replied Luna, flatly. And then she turned to they young daredevil. “How on earth did you not die of a thousand glass cuts?”
“Oh, I fell off before my scooter hit the window. Got a pretty nasty bruise on my arm though.”
“….”
“Any who, might we purchase a couple of hot chocolates from you girls,” asked Celestia
“Tia…”
“It’s one cup of hot chocolate Lulu. I’m not going to die just because I had one cup of hot chocolate.”
Luna sighed. “Fine. I suppose a warm drink would be nice for the run back. But go easy on the marshmallows.”
“Oh very well,”replied Celestia. “Girls?”
“Two cups of hot chocolate, comin’ right up,” replied Apple Bloom, as she set to work mixing up the two ladies drinks. In no time at all, she was soon handing Celestia and Luna their warm beverages.
“That’ll be 3 dollars,” said Sweetie Belle.
“Of course,” replied Celestia, handing her the cash. “Thank you girls.”
“Your welcome.”
“Hope ta’ see ya’ again soon,” added Apple Bloom.
“Indeed,” replied Luna. “Though I sincerely hope said next time won’t be in my office,” she added, giving the girls a knowing look.
“Now Luna, I’m sure the girls will be on their best behavior,” chided Celestia playfully, before winking at the girls. “After all, we wouldn’t want to end up on Santa’s naughty list, would we?”
“Uh...”
“Well…”
“Of course not!”
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shot their friend an incredulous look.
“That’s good to hear,” replied Celestia.
“We should get going Tia. Happy Christmas girls.”
“Alright Luna, I’m coming. Have a Merry Christmas girls.”
“Merry Christmas,” the girls called back.
“Thank you. Come again soon.”
Two hours had passed since the CMC’s opened their stand. Since then, they’d had quite a few customers. The latest being Derpy, who’d decided to buy a cup after nearly crashing her bike into the girls stand while out on her paper route.
“Are ya sure your bike is fine,” questioned Apple Bloom.
“Oh don’t worry about it, Apple Bloom,” the blonde girl replied casually. “It’s not the first time I’ve crashed into something, and my bike’s always survived.”
“...Okay then.”
“Thanks for the cocoa,” she called as she speed away on her bike, and barely avoided hitting Scootaloo in the process.
“You’d think the lit up costume would be easy to avoid, but no, of course not,” Scoot grumbled.
“Well well well, what do we have here?”
Scoot groaned. “Hi Diamond Tiara.”
Diamond Tiara, former bully turned friend after a rather contentious class representative election, as well as her best friend Silver Spoon came into view. Fortunately for Scootaloo, the duos change from the previous year meant that they weren’t likely to utterly torment her over her current predicament. Unfortunately, reformed or not, Diamond Tiara still enjoyed a good gossip story, and somehow, Scoot got the felling that being seen standing on the sidewalk with a homemade sign dressed as a Reindeer fit the bill. Which meant that everyone would be talking about it when school started next January.
Wonderful.
“Hello to you too,” snorted Silver Spoon, a tad miffed that Scootaloo hadn’t initial greeted her as well.
“I heard Diamond Tiara first,” retorted Scootaloo. “But hi.”
Silver Spoon rolled her eyes, before readdressing the young tomboy. “What on earth are you doing?”
“Trying to sell hot chocolate to pay for the Cake’s window. Guess who got shafted with being the walking neon sign holder,” grumbled Scootaloo.
“Ah.”
“Yup.”
“...Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’d say you … uh… wear it well,” suggested Diamond Tiara.
“Thanks, Diamond, but don’t lie to me,” sighed Scootaloo. “It looks stupid, doesn’t it?”
“… Yes. Like, honestly, I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing that thing. Where the heck did you get it from?”
“According to Sweetie, from a box in her basement with a bunch of old costume’s Rarity made.”
“…”
“Yeah, don’t ask. I have no idea why she’d have this.”
“...Okaaaaaay….”
“It could be worse,” remarked Silver Spoon. “At least it fits you well.”
“And in what way could this be worse,” asked Scootaloo.
“Well, it could be tight to a point that you could get into it, but risk tearing it in an embarrassing place,” suggested Silver Spoon. “Or it could be too big, and you’d be practically swimming in it. Or you could be really stacked up top like Apple Bloom and…”
“Uh, Sil,” interrupted Diamond Tiara.
“Yeah Dee?”
“You might wanna stop. Like, now.”
“What, why,” quizzed Silver Spoon, before noticing the now pissed off Scootaloo and the embarrassed, red-faced Apple Bloom. “Oh.”
…
“...Anyways,” said Diamond Tiara, hoping to end the awkwardness, “since your selling, mind if we buy some hot chocolate?”
“Uh, sure,” replied Sweetie Belle. “Apple Bloom?”
“Two hot chocolate coming up,” they youngest Apple squeaked hastily, her face still beet red.
A few moments later, the duo were giving their drinks, and handed over their respective change.
“Thanks for the drinks,” said Diamond Tiara.
“And, sorry for the comment about, well, you know,” added Silver Spoon.
“It’s fine,” mumbled Apple Bloom, who was still blushing.
“Well, see you when school starts back up. Merry Christmas.” And Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon headed off.
All the while, Scootaloo was brooding. ‘First I get stuffed in this stupid costume, then I get called flat chested, and now I’m going to be the laughingstock of the entire school! Can this day get any worse?!’
“Squirt?”
Scootaloo swore under her breath, as the last person she wanted to have see her in there current predicament, Rainbow Dash herself, came up to their stand, along with Rarity, Applejack, and Sunset Shimmer.
“Hi Rainbow Dash.”
“I thought that was you. Whatcha doing?”
“Selling hot chocolate.”
“I know that part. Rarity and Applejack told me you three had a stand going. They didn’t tell me you’d be dressed like Rudolph though. What’s with that?”
“Ask Sweetie Belle.”
The four girls turned to Rarity’s sister.
“Sweetie, darling, where exactly did you find that outfit,” inquired Rarity.
“Oh, that thing,” replied Sweetie, nonchalantly, “I found it in an old box in the basement marked ‘Christmas costumes.’ Figured it worked for what we needed.”
“Old Christmas cost… ah. I think I remember where that costume came from.”
“Really Rare’s, cause ah’ sure as hay don’t remember it,” questioned Applejack.
“Yes, well, there is a reason for that. Do you remember during our freshman year, when we were suppose to be putting that Christmas play?”
“Uhhhh….”
“Oh, I think I remember,” put in Rainbow. “We we’re going to do a stage adaptation of the Rankin/Bass film.”
“Oh uh, is that it,” coughed Sunset, who suddenly found a scuff mark on her boots to be very interesting.
“Yup. Don’t remember why we never did it though.”
“Really,” quizzed Rarity. “You don’t recall our lead actor and actress falling of the stage, or all the lights inexplicably exploding?”
“… Nooooo…”
“I think you got caught in that blast, Dash,” remarked Applejack. “Ya’ probably got brain damage from it. Which, actually explains a lot of things.”
“Oh har har,” snorted Dash. And then she turned to Sunset, “Just so were clear, you didn’t happen to…
“The exploding lights were not my fault,” protested Sunset, before sheepishly rubbing her arm. “I may have had something to do with the grease slick on the stage that On Stage and Raspberry Beret… slipped...on… Remind me to look up their addresses so I can send them an apology card.”
“Noted.”
“Anyways, what are you doing back here sis? I thought you and the others were going to have a sleepover at Pinkie’s today,” asked Sweetie Belle.
“Oh, we are, darling. I just need to grab a few things from upstairs.”
“Hopefully when ya’ says ‘a few things’, ya actually means it this time,” Applejack chided.”
“I’ll have you know, darling, that I’m am quite certain I can fit everything I need in one suitcase,” retorted Rarity, before pausing and putting a finger to her chin. “Well, maybe two suitcases.”
Applejack sighed. “Ah guess that’s an improvement.”
“Anywhom. Mother should be back from her nail appointment in a couple of hours. Try not to burn the house down in the meantime, darling,” Rarity said, giving her sister and her friends a knowing look.
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. “Really, sis? What do you think we are, walking disaster magnets.”
Rarity raised an eyebrow at her sister.
“… *sigh* Ok, point taken.”
“Ya’ don’t need to worry Rarity,” chirped Apple Bloom, “Ah promise, the house will be perfectly fine an’ flame free when ya’ll get back. Scouts honor.”
“That’s a mighty big promise Bloom,” remarked Applejack, before mussing her sisters hair, “Ya better keep it.”
“Ah will,” replied Apple Bloom confidently.
It wouldn’t be even half an hour later when Apple Bloom notice the water jugs she’d been using to fill the electric kettle were empty. Running back inside as quickly as she could, in case another customer came along, she quickly filled one jug, and quickly ran back outside. Unfortunately, she hadn’t properly tightened the lid on the jug. Nor did she notice the patch of ice on the sidewalk, until…
“Whoa!”
Apple Bloom slipped on the ice, spill the water all over the ground. And all over the electrical cable to the electric kettle. Sparks flew, and showered the stand. As it turns out, marshmallows are extremely flammable, and the entire stand was immediately engulfed in flames.
“Yipe,” exclaimed Sweetie Belle, as she scrambled away from the fire.
“Put it out, put out,” yelled Scootaloo. Scooping up a handful of snow she dumped it on the marshmallows. The good news is, this did succeed in putting out the marshmallow fire. The bad news is, the electric kettle was still plugged in, and immediately went up in flames.
“Shoot Shoot Shoot Shoot!”
Apple Bloom quickly ran to unplug the cable from the exterior outlet, and then bolted inside to grab a fire extinguisher.
Soon the fire was out. But their stand was a burnt, mangled, foam covered mess.
The girls felt exhausted.
“Welp… at least you didn’t break your promise, A.B.,” said Sweetie Belle. “The house never caught fire.”
“That’s great Sweetie,” muttered Apple Bloom.
“And look at it this way, at least we made some money before the stand went up in flames.”
“Uhuh. And did any of the money actually survive?”
Sweetie looked at the smoldering remains of their stand. Fortunately for her, she had remembered to actually shut the money box well before the fire started.
“It should have. That things suppose to be fire proof.”
The two other girls sighed in relief. At least their hard work hadn’t completely gone to waste.
“Of course, we only made 51 bucks. And were probably gonna have to spend most of that to repair the stand. And buying a new electric kettle. And more hot chocolate ingredients.”
Scratch that.
“Great, just great,” muttered Apple Bloom. “Now I’m gonna have ta’ bug Big Mac for another trip ta’ the hardware store, and we’re gonna have ta’ try and make even more sales.”
“Yup,” replied Sweetie. “Sorry Scoot, but I think your going just to have to get use to wearing that costume for a lot longer.”
“Oh joy.”
