All's Fair In Love and Pies
Note: With the holidays right around the corner, Mung Daal and Truffles receive thousands of orders for pies of all kinds, but can Chowder keep his grumbling belly from begging him to devour every last one ?
Chapter 1—Busy Season
Truffles was getting inundated with requests for pies in order for the upcoming Christmas season. Many of the customers understood that Mung Daal's only had a couple chefs on the job to mix and bake all the pies, and they would have to be patient. Only a few customers were upset that they couldn't receive their orders immediately, but that didn't ruffle Truffles feathers too terribly much. She maintained her sweetness and her composure even if she did want to reach through the phone line and knock some sense into those impatient customers. And the orders kept on coming !
"I'm working as fast as I can, sir ! I'm sorry I can't run any faster.", Chowder said as he gathered up recently whacked no fruits that were raspberries to make raspberry crumble pies. There were many others he was in the process of making, but his co-worker Schnitzel was ahead of him.
"Radda radda, radda radda radda.", Schnitzel muttered, hoping Chowder wouldn't hear.
"What do you mean I'd be faster if I lost some weight ! I can't help it if I'm big boned !", Chowder refuted, pouting slightly.
"Don't start fighting you two ! We have a plethora of pies to make. I can't afford a scuffle, it'd ruin the pies !", Mung Daal stated in exasperation, throwing his hands up to the air. Schnitzel rolled his eyes. He didn't much like Chowder, but he decided to be tolerant and follow the advice of his boss. Chowder, the ever-diligent student went back to work and prepared the pies for baking. It was exhausting work, but he wanted to become a chef so badly like his mentor. One day he felt he would meet his goal, but for now, this degree of exercise was simply part of his experience along the road to "chef-dom".
Chapter 2—To Eat, or Not To Eat ?
While the pies were baking, Schnitzel had gone into the den to sit down and watch TV and rest for a while. This left Chowder in charge of the kitchen to listen for the bell when the pies were finished baking. Chowder caught himself nearly salivating at the scintillating smell of all of the different pies rising and baking to the searing heat of the ovens.
"No, I mustn't. I can't ! I cannot give into my gluttonous desires…", Chowder thought to himself. Suddenly, a good and evil version of his conscious appeared.
"That's right, Chowder. Schnitzel and Mung Daal are counting on you and the customers will be coming soon. You're going to make their holidays very jolly indeed because you've done a stellar job !", the angel said, perkily.
"Don't listen to that joik, Chowdah ! Those other morons are making youse do all the woik while they lay back and prop der feet up ! I say fugget 'em and eat all ya see. Besides, who's gonna know ? You can just blame dumb ol' Schnitzel !", the devil with a Jersey accent said, cackling a bit. Chowder weighed each opinion slowly, wondering which had the better plan of action. His stomach was still growling loudly at him and he felt himself being inexplicably pulled toward all of the ovens at once. Then, he slapped himself across the face.
"No ! This is Christmas ! I have to be good, or Santa won't bring me any presents this year !", Chowder thought to himself.
"Aw, you're a marshmallow, Chowdah !", the little devil on Chowder's left shoulder said before disappearing in a puff of flames with a harrumph, his nose haughtily held in the air. The little angel squealed and spun a pirouette.
"Good boy ! I am so proud of you !", the little angel stated in pure ecstasy. He then disappeared in a poof of clouds followed by the melody of random harps. Chowder sighed pleasantly, glad he had passed the test. Soon, he heard the bell on the egg timer ring and awakened Schnitzel. He would help him retrieve the pies from the ovens with hot pads. Schnitzel warned Chowder to be careful not to burn himself. Soon all the pies were on top of the ovens and the ovens were turned off. Both wiped sweat from their forehead and shook each other's hands.
"Well I'm glad we came through that without yelling and screaming or killing each other.", Chowder said, shaking his colleague's massive hand.
"Radda.", Schnitzel said, actually being happy to be around Chowder for once.
Chapter 3—Chowder and Schnitzel's Reward
After the customers had swarmed in and out to buy their holiday pies, the store had closed for the night, but while Schnitzel and Chowder were helping with customers, Mung Daal was in the kitchen fixing something extra special for them.
As soon as the closed sign was placed on the golden doors of the shop, the lights had been turned off for the evening and everything had been locked up, Mung stopped them for a while.
"Wait !", he shouted, hoping to get their attention.
"What is it ?", Chowder asked, curiously.
"Because everyone worked so diligently today, I made a treat. It's a cheesecake cherry cordial explosion. Be careful of the tiny cinnamon bombs, they're what add the extra kick, if you get my meaning.", Mung said, with a musical laugh.
The family sat down in the den around a table with hot apple cider, enjoying the rich, decadent cheesecake that Mung had crafted so artfully. The small cinnamon bombs were the right touch to the other flavors in the dessert. They had only been able to eat a small portion of the rhapsodic cheesecake before they saved the rest in a refrigerator in the kitchen, and closed up the shop for the night.
Epilogue
As Christmas came closer and closer, the store was busy almost constantly. None of the workers had time to take a break until later in the evening when everyone was preparing to close for the evening. Chowder had some time to craft a peppermint pie for himself before the store's doors shut for the evening. Unfortunately, his unofficial 'girlfriend', Panini came in and said, in a chirpy tone,
"Oh, Chowder, you shouldn't have !", and took the pie, promptly stuffing it into her mouth and eating it in one bite. Chowder looked annoyed but didn't seem to be too shaken by the fact she had eaten his only source of nourishment for that night.
"Merry Christmas, Panini.", Chowder stated, rolling his eyes. She unexpectedly kissed him on the cheek and pointed upward to the ceiling where a toe of missiles happened to be hanging. Chowder abruptly wiped the smooch from his chin hoping Panini wouldn't notice, and luckily she didn't. She was reaching inside of her fanny pack to search for his gift.
Chowder's gift had been the first to be received that night. It was a cute little button that read, "I'm cute to boot" and a boot had the thought balloon outside of it, speaking the phrase. Chowder actually smiled at the gift and smiled.
"Merry Christmas to you, too.", Chowder chuckled, and was then quickly distracted by the buffet table that Truffles and Mung had displayed so creatively before them. Most of Marzipan City had come to enjoy the gala occasion and open their gifts as they basked in the warmth of the fire's glow. Families would be gathering tomorrow for more Christmas celebrations after the exchange and dinner were over.
Even the bitter Gorgonzola, the rival of Chowder, had given him a gift, and Chowder gave one in return. It figured that Gorgonzola would give him a candle (since he practically was a living candle), but strange that it would be choconilla scented. Thinking Gorgonzola would enjoy Wensleydale cheese, (he was a mouse after all), and Chowder had given him a gift basket full of different types of cheese. Gorgonzola was beside himself with gratitude, but didn't show it outwardly. He just accepted the gift with a smart-aleck smirk and moved on without so much as a 'how-d-ya-do'.
Soon as the festivities wrapped up for the evening, all the guests said their farewells and Chowder yawned. He hoped that his little pet Kimchi was enjoying his present of sugar cookies for the night, but as soon as he checked on him, Kimchi was fast asleep and dreaming. If Chowder didn't know any better he could've sworn he saw gumdrops marching through Kimchi's dreams.
As Chowder quietly wished his pet sweet dreams, he smiled and anticipated Christmas day. He knew it would be delightful as it had been years before. He sighed happily before drifting off into sleep and could hear his surrogate family's words of praise,
"These pies are heavenly, and one day, you'll even surpass me !"
"Chowder, sonny, you've done Mung Daal's caterin' proud !"
"Radda, Radda, Radda. (Good job, Chowder.)". He then stared at the spiffy little nightlight Schnitzel had given him, it read "What do stars do ? Shine."
"I will shine. I'll keep shining, and one day, I'll be the shiniest star in the galaxy. You'll see." And with that vow, he snuggled his head onto his pillow, cuddled with his fluffy teddy bear and fell into a deep sleep.
The End