"Nothing is impossible just improbable," I said repeating what the owl and my mom had said. It seemed like a million years ago that I had been in that play room. I began to wonder if I would ever see my family again and if I did would they believe this story. And it wouldn't be the last.

The Major sighed. "Fine but I will lead this expedition."

I shrugged. I didn't really care who led the 'expedition' I just wanted to fine the Sugar Plum Princess and go home.

"Great so when do we leave?" asked Captain Candy.

"Upon the marrow!" shouted Major Mint. And the ended that.

)()()()()(

What would happen if I was Clara in the nutcracker? This is based on Barbie's the nutcracker. A bit of blood mostly mine. I'm just that stupidly lucky. Book two: The Sea of Storms

Nightly Talks, Part 1

That night I went to the kids' room. They were in there candy pajamas. "Hey guys," I said as I came in.

Masher was there again. She grunted at me again and I hesitated. I seriously did not want to get into another fight.

"S'okay really," Said Éclair. She gestured for Masher to leave and me to come in.

With a grunt Masher and I seemed to subconsciously switch places.

I came to the children's bed sides. "Hey. You comfy?"

Both of the candy kids nodded. "So are you going to try and find that princess?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "But I won't be able to sleep tonight."

"That guy said you were a kid like us. Are you?" Froyo asked.

"I'm not as old as I look. I just came to kiss you good night like my parents always did," I said this with a little sadness. Again I wondered for the hundredth time will I ever see my parents and my annoying little brother again. And if I do somehow manage to survive this strange adventure would they believe me?

"Clara?" Éclair squeaked. "Did the Rat king take your family away from you too?" she seemed like she was afraid to ask.

"Yeah," I breathed "something like that," I tried for a smile but I didn't fool them, they're smart little candy people. Maybe the nurse was the only one that didn't know what she was talking about. Then again maybe she did.

That whack job nurse had said something just mere mutterings about me. It was something like 'you should rest but try not to fall asleep I'll come and wake you up every hour. Seriously get some sword practice in and you'll survive a lot longer you can't fail us Clara. Talk to the nutcracker he needs someone like you with talkin' skills to talk some sense into that thick wooden skull of his, the Major to.'

It seemed like she was going in several directions while staying in one place. I didn't really care what she was saying. But maybe this really is a dream.

I shook my head. Just go along with it. I kissed the two on their foreheads and walked out of the room. "Good night you two," And I clicked out the light.

Nightly Talks, Part 2

I close the door and instantly ran into Masher. I gulped and by the light of the moon I saw her fat pudgy face was scowling and her huge upper lip reminded me of the old pictures of royalty with a huge upper lip that made them seem to be scowling disapprovingly. So scratch the uncle she reminded me of she reminded me of my great aunt Helga. I gulped again.

Masher grunted.

"I-I –I" I stuttered nervously. Dear God she scares me! "I was j-just telling th-them g-good night."

She grunted a deeper grunt than usual. This made me stand a bit straighter. Like she was telling me to stop cowering.

"Uh y-yeah I was just leaving I wanted t-to talk to that nurse who b-bandaged my head."

Another grunt this one almost approving. She leaned forward her right eye closed and the left widened the eye ball looked me up and down. Masher straightened and nodded.

She stepped to one side so she was beside me. This made me feel uncomfortable. She pointed to the other side of the community. "Nurse who bandaged head over there," She said in a Russian accent and broken English. Her voice was deep and gravelly like a man's. Definitely my great aunt Helga.

Then she pointed to a figure walking in the moon light. But it didn't walk normally it walked like a big hunk of wood with legs; the nutcracker. "Girl need to talk to big vooden solider too. Girl need to vrealize vhat is happening to our land. Stupid Vrat take over no vun free to vrun in field pastures again, no vun free to see children again." with a start I realized Masher was talking about herself in the last part. She probably had a family that had been taken by the Rat king. "You must velp us Clara. You are last hope."

No pressure I thought. "But I-I'm just me."

"You vare special Clara."

I wanted to cry. This lady was telling me I would have to save this land that might not even be real and she scared me soooo much, not just because she was scary but the way she talked like I really was their last hope and a pretty desperate one to.

"Please Clara," She pleaded one last time and disappeared.

Nightly Talks, Part 3

So what now? I thought as I hesitated to knock on the nurse's door. This was not familiar at all so I was kind of lost. And I had more to do that night then I had originally thought.

Masher had said some things similar to the nurse like talking to the nutcracker and something about not failing.

Man, people were really putting pressure on me, someone who up until yesterday had no idea this land even existed. These people had to be out of their minds, kind and grateful and way too hopeful but nuts!

I heaved a sigh and opened the door. I stepped through not really paying attention and closed the door.

I looked up and saw two shadows on the wall and curtain. One was I believed to be the nurse and then a smaller one floating in midair like a fairy and it certainly had those sparkles dripping from it (not that I could see that but the sparkles cast fainter shadows) but this fairy seemed too big. It was much bigger than the snow fairy I had helped. At least seven, eight inches bigger.

The two seemed to be talking, and by the movements of the shadows… talking about something important like an argument. And even though I couldn't see them even from the distance by the door I felt a tension; suspenseful and angry.

I resisted the urge to call out. I heard the nurse's shadow say: "she is very special but that's impossible."

I ground my teeth together. Nothing is impossible just improbable! I mentally shouted.

"Improbable," Corrected the smaller shadow, the voice sounded familiar but I couldn't place it. "And yes very special sums her up but she is I'm telling you she is."

"No, I don't believe."

The fairy's shadowy arms thrust downward like in frustration. "Fine but I'm completely serious. But that's not why I came I heard she'd been hurt I wanted to make sure she was okay."

With a small gasped I wondered: were they talking about me.

Then there voices got very hushed like they had heard something but weren't ready to stop the conversation.

On impulse I stepped forward regretting it as soon as I did. Where I stepped the floor board creaked so loudly I nearly fell. But maybe it was only loud to me.

I grimaced and looked up to the shadows. They seemed tense. At least just by looking at their shadows. "It's her I'm sure of It." whispered the fairy flustered.

"Go shoo hurry!" cried the nurse in a hushed tone.

Panicked the fairy quickly flew out of sight.

The nurse took a second to compose herself then she moved the curtain away. She saw me immediately. "Oh! Clara!" she gasped as if she really hadn't expected me, humph faker. "I didn't hear you come in," She smiled polity.

I tried to hide my scowl. "Uh yeah," I grumbled. After that, I didn't feel like talking to the nurse. Not only because she was talking behind my back but also because what I heard had frightened me. 'She is I'm telling you she is.' The way that weird fairy had been talking like this She was going to do something spectacular. But maybe not the good kind of spectacular but the bad kind like a gorgeous fireworks display that goes horribly, maybe even fatally, wrong. I really didn't like the way she had said it.

But it didn't matter at least not at the moment. I had bigger things to worry about. "Yeah," I repeated. "I just came for some pain medicine," I really did need pain medicine. My head was throbbing hard and angry.

The nurse nodded like she understood and went to the cabinet. She pulled something out of it then poured something in it then handed it to me. Pink and blue gooey liquid meshed in a small cup. I drank it. It tasted like cotton candy.

I handed the cup back.

"It will make you drowsy. If you must sleep come to me and I'll lay you on a cot," Said the nurse and it actually made sense. This scared me a bit more.

"Um okay," I nearly tripped running out the door. I put my face in my hands and rubbed my eyes. What the heck was going on here?

I breathed trying to make sense of it all but it just hurt my head more.

Nightly Talks, Part Sword

I decided I would go to the weapons storage and get a new sword. I was kind of fond of the nail file and would keep it in case of a last resort. I would ask the nutcracker or Captain Candy or Major Mint if they could help me with the sword fighting.

I knew a few things about swords. I did read a lot. And an unbalanced sword can be worse than having a nail picker.

I had to find one that was well balanced in my hand, light enough to be able to swing without difficulty but also heavy enough to withstand a blow and jab back.

I search for what seemed like forever! But way in the back in the last lonely barrel of fighting instruments I found a three-in-a-half foot sword, but not just any sword, my sword.

A pearly white and silver blade with a black and red point like onyx and ruby had been melted together. The hilt was gold with soft velvet and silk wrapped around it. It was beautiful. And on the top of the hilt etched in ebony and silver were beautifully in scripted symbols. I stared at them for a long time.

I finally gave up on trying to read the inscription. I would ask one of the guys what it said surly they would know.

I had changed since we had gotten here. I wasn't wearing my red Christmas blouse and white dress pants any more. I had changed into jeans and a normal t-shirt. I had also taken a shower and it felt so good. I grabbed a sheath for it and one for my make shift one.

I walked back to the door. Alright. I told myself time for me to talk some sense into people. I headed in the direction of the nutcracker.