Like clockwork, Sonata smoothly slid another kernel of popcorn past the needle, through the string, until it was settled snugly in line with the rest of it’s popped kind. Bobbing her head to the jazzy holiday music playing subtly in the background, she strung the popcorn over and over somewhat subconsciously. That is, until she ran out of popcorn.

Snapping out of her methodical-like-trance, Sonata glanced around her and when she found not a kernel in sight, she called out, “Harmony, did you finish popping the next batch like I asked?”

Instead of a reply, Sonata heard the sound of crunching that she hadn’t noticed before suddenly stop. Swiveling around, one would have to be blind to miss the dracony hunched over the counter, trying to look completely conspicuous and utterly failing.

“That’s not the bowl of popcorn I asked for that you’re now eating out of, is it?” Sonata asked,

Slowly, Harmony- still hunched over- turned around to face Sonata with a ‘oh-man-I’ve-been-busted’ look, as she hastily shoved her handful of popcorn back into the bowl, before hiding her claws behind her back.

“Mafmbey…” She mumbled, her cheeks stuffed to the brim with the buttery snack.

The mare shook her head and sighed. “Look, just don’t complain to me when we have to pop another batch because you couldn’t control yourself or that bottomless pit of a stomach.”

Gulping obnoxiously loud, Harmony cleared her throat and said hesitantly, “Okay Thank I’ve got some bad news and some good news. Which do you wanna hear first?”

“Bad news first,” Sonata said, somewhat warily. Bad news was old news when it came to Harmony, but it still made her apprehensive just the same.

“Okay, so the bad news is that this is the only popcorn left,” she said, gesturing tonthe half eaten bowl. “The rest of the packages have….gone missing.”

Sonata was tempted to ask, but decided she’d rather not know. Instead, she sighing. “Okay then…what’s the good news?”

Harmony grinned too widely for Sonata’s comfort. “The good news is that I can just conjure us up some more!” She said, her chest puffing out with child-like pride.

Sonata’s pupils dialated as she said, trying to keep her voice steady, ”Oh no, that won’t be necessary. I’ll just run to the store if I need more.”

“Pfft, no way! Why go through all the trouble when it will only take me a second!?”  She said, her left talon already in finger gun position and pointing dangerously at the bowl.

“Harmony, don’t do it!” The mare cried, now visibly worried.

“Gee, Sonny, just relax. I got this. Trust me,” she said, casually waving her off as she turned back towards the popcorn.

“Wait-“ She yelled, but not fast enough.

In the blink of an eye, Harmony snapped her talons and like a ray gun, a bolt of magic shot from her hand and struck the bowl, which now glowed with a pink aura. Before Sonata could think of her next move, a wave of buttery kernels that erupted from the bowl and knocked her right off her hooves and buried her.

After coming to her senses, she scrambled, gasping for air, out of the pile and onto the part of the floor that wasn’t covered in popcorn. Coughing out a kernel or too, she whipped her head around to shoot daggers at Harmony. The dracony was lounging back in the food as if it were you’re everyday hammock, shoving handfuls after handful into her mouth. Noticing Sonata’s threatening glare, she smiled sheepishly.

“Hey, don’t be mad at me, I did conjure up the popcorn you wanted! Now there’s plenty for the tree and plenty for me,” she said, closing her eyes as she shoved in another mouthful.

Standing up, Sonata brushed off the kernels sticking to her fur sweater as she said, “If you want to snack, go right ahead. But you agreed to help, and if you’re not going to help me string the popcorn, then you can help me clean the popcorn.

Harmony’s flew open, only to come face to face with the broom Sonata was smugly levitating in front of her. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed the broom.

“Fine, but I’ll do it after I’ve had my fill of this butter goodness,” she huffed, licking the butter salt off her talons. Sonata didn’t say a word, and only levitated her needle as she began to once again string the endless pile of popcorn.