Do you hear what I hear?

You and Cobalt walk into the candy kitchen. The scent of peppermint, both refreshing and overwhelming, surrounds you.

On the stove, a kettle of red and white liquid cooks while the candy-maker stands over a tray, squeezing candy canes from a tube connected to the candy kettle. Sitting next to him, a coal dwarf with a beard filled with peppermints scarfs down candy almost as quickly as the candy maker can make it.

“Hope you two aren’t hungry,” says the coal dwarf, “not enough candy hear for all of us.”

“I challenge you to a battle of wits, coal dwarf!” says Cobalt.

The coal dwarf bites into a giant peppermint wheel.

“Well,” says Cobalt, “what’s your first question?”

:”Only one question,” says the coal dwarf, “you get it wrong, and you’ll have to work in the kitchen with the candy-maker.”

“What’s your question?” Cobalt says with a steely glare.

“Do you hear what I hear?” says the coal dwarf.