Shadow: Hello readers, it's been one year today since I've written anything new. Welcome to my new story, which is another holiday parody. ^_^ Last year I did a parody of Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, with the cast of Naruto. This years' parody is going to be E. T. A. Hoffmann's, The Nutcracker and The Mouse King, with the cast of D. Gray-Man. Please enjoy, and Merry Christmas. ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own The Nutcracker and The Mouse King or D. Gray-Man.
It was Christmas Eve at the Stahlbaum estate. The children, a boy and a girl, were sitting on the porch of their lovely little house, discussing what present their godfather had made for them this year.
"I think it's something fascinating, even more amazing than his last gift to us," the boy said to his younger sister.
The boy was 13 years old this Christmas. His hair and eyes were as black as the night sky. He wore a pair of silver glasses that sparkled in the light, a white buttoned shirt and a black tie with a navy blue sweater vest over them, a matching pair of slacks and a pair of black shoes completed his attire.
"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure it will be lovely," said the girl.
The girl was 10 years old now. Her hair and eyes were the same color as her brothers. She wore her long hair in two long ponytails draping over her ears, tied up with pretty, red ribbons. She wore a green and red dress for tonight's occasion, with red tights and a pair of polished black shoes.
Their godfather was an inventor and a clockmaker. He really knew his way around mechanical things and always used these in his inventions and gifts to his godchildren.
"Komui, Lenalee, you may come into the parlor now," their mother called for them.
The two children enter the parlor after their mother. The room had many Christmas decorations around it. There was a green pine Christmas tree in the right corner of the room from the entry way. There were many ornaments on the tree, from bright red tinsel to ceramic and glass brightly colored ball shaped ornaments, mostly silver, gold, and red. Green pine garland was nailed to the ceiling edges and ran along the perimeter of the room. There were some white, unlit candles on the piano in the opposite corner from where the tree stood. And under the tree, there were many presents, waiting for the children to open them.
"Merry Christmas Children," said the man, sitting on the sofa near the tree.
"Merry Christmas Father," the children said simultaneously as they went to greet their father with hugs and kisses.
"Here now, open your Christmas presents. They've been waiting for you, and I'm sure you've been waiting a long time for them," their father said as he gestured toward the presents, wrapped in colorful paper, beneath the tree.
The Children unwrapped each of their gifts one at a time. Komui received a few new sweater vests, slacks, ties, and a coat. Lenalee received a new doll, a few dresses to wear around the house and gowns to wear to parties and formal outings. One gift still remained though.
"Here's the one from your godfather. It's addressed to the both of you," The children's mother announced as she picked up the package. "Oh, it's a little heavy," she placed the package between her children.
The two of them unwrapped it quickly, revealing a small, handmade castle. It was a mechanical castle, made out of the same materials used in clocks, with little mechanical people moving around inside it. The children were amazed with what they saw before them, and watched the little people move around for about an hour or so.
The children quickly grew tired of watching the little mechanical people do the same motions repeatedly and decide to do something else. Lenalee noticed something else under the tree. It was a lone nutcracker, standing tall and proud like the soldier he portrayed. He was dressed in a red and white military uniform, with black boots and a black helmet. His hair was white like the snow, his skin was a pale color and he had a red mark above and below his left eye.
"Father, who does this nutcracker belong to?" Lenalee asked as she picked up the nutcracker.
"He belongs to all of us, dear," was his reply. "But since you seem so fond of him, you may be his special caretaker."
Lenalee looked at the nutcracker doll in her hands again and smiled. There was something about him that she adored.
Komui brings a bowl of walnuts for him and his sister to eat. The two pass the nutcracker between them and crack the walnuts with it, until Komui tries cracking quite a large nut.
"Gee, this nut won't crack," he stated as he applied more presser on the nutcracker.
"Please don't force it, brother. I don't want you to break him," said a worried Lenalee.
"Don't worry, this guy can take it," Komui announced as he continued to apply more presser until the nutcrackers jaw finally breaks under all the stress.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry, Lenalee," his voice quivered as he handed the broken nutcracker over to his sister.
Tears started to form in the girls' eyes as she looked upon the broken doll. She then tore the doll from her brothers' hands.
"I asked you to stop, and now look at what you've done," she cried before running to her bedroom.
Lenalee calmed down after she closed the door behind her. She walked over to her bed and laid the nutcracker on it. She took a ribbon from her dress and bandaged the dolls jaw with it.
"I'm sorry this happened to you," she said to the nutcracker as she cradled him in her arms.
Shadow: Well there's the first chapter. Sorry if it seemed short, I was running out of time. ^_^' The next chapter will come very soon. It will be titled, The Dream. Please don't forget to review. Constructive criticism is preferred but words of support are welcome and always appreciated. Thank you. ^_^