So, I know I haven't uploaded like any stories since forever, but now that my first year of college is done, I think I'll be having more time for my fanfics.

Anyway, since it's Christmas, I figured I should do a Christmas story and the first one to come to mind was the Nutcracker... but with a few twists. I hope you guys like it.

Chapter 1

A CHRISTMAS EVE STORY

"Hey! Wait up!" the young redhead called after her two sisters.

The two slightly older girls looked back at their sister and snickered. They stopped walking and waited for the younger girl to finally catch up.

"Come on, Duck," the magenta haired girl sighed. "We weren't even going the fast."

"Yeah, you're just really slow," the blonde haired girl said, pushing her bouncing curls over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I just got distracted," Duck gasped as she caught her breath. "But… mum said we needed to stay together as we did these errands so…"

"We weren't going to leave you, silly," Pique, the magenta said. "Come on, Lillie, after we give out this last present we can go visit Uncle Drosselmeyer's clock shop. He might even have something for you, Duck."

"I doubt it," she sighed and slowly followed her sisters.

She was the youngest in her family and was always picked on by two of her older sisters. Her other sister, Rue, hardly even noticed her, mostly because Duck was only sixteen and she was nearly twenty. Rue felt she had outgrown the childish things that Duck did and so never paid attention to her little sister. It didn't bother Duck much. She liked being in her room with her toys and live in her own world. Sure she was a bot old to play pretend, but it helped her cope with the craziness of her family.

Duck hugged the last present as they walked down the snow covered streets of her small New England town, but it wasn't the cold that made her clutch the package so tightly. It was the fact that she was getting to the age where she will have to start growing up. In other words: no more fantasy worlds, no more pretending to dance ballet, and no more talking to her dolls.

As they reached the last house and she handed the lady inside the package with a big grin on her face, Duck couldn't help but feel like this Christmas was going to be different. She wasn't sure if it was going to be a good different or a bad different, but she was scared all the same.

After Lillie and Pique chatted with the lady about family affairs, they began to walk down the street towards their home. Duck watched her feet drag in the snow and her mind wandered. She thought that the little flakes that broke from the snow and bounced off her boot looked like little fairies dancing across the ground. She smiled softly at her own imagination and ran into Lillie when she unexpectedly stopped in front of a store.

"Duck," the blonde whined. "Watch where you're going."

"We're at Uncle Drosselmeyer's," Pique grinned. "Let's see what new things he has today."

"Um…I'll stay out here. His shop always creeper me out." Duck stepped back and looked away.

The two girls grinned at each other and grabbed Duck, dragging her through the open door. A small bell jingled as it closed and Duck looked around the cluttered shop. Drosselmeyer was very well known for his clocks, but he was also a very good toy maker. However, Duck could never like any of his toys of inventions. They just never peaked her interest, unlike her sisters. They had found a beautiful cuckoo clock with black roses and a black bird that popped out as the hands struck the hour. The two girls squealed as the bird screeched and without knowing it, a figure appeared behind Duck.

"Is there something I can interest you girls with?" a low voice asked.

Shivers were sent up Duck's back and she jumped, turning around to see the smiling face of the old store owner, Drosselmeyer. He had a long white beard and he loved wearing cloaks for some reason. Duck held her chest as she caught her breath and her sisters ran up to him.

"Uncle Drosselmeyer! That cuckoo clock is beautiful!" Pique said.

"How much is it?" Lillie asked.

"Awe, my dear girls. I'm afraid that clock isn't quite done yet. I will let you know when it's finished and then I'll give you a price," he chuckled.

"Ooh, I wanna get it," Pique said, clasping her hands as she imagined how it would look in her room.

"No, I'm going to get it. It will look better in my room," Lillie pouted.

"I'm older so I get it."

"You're only older by a few minutes! I want it."

As the two girls argued, Drosselmeyer looked down at the small redhead and asked, "So, Miss Duck, anything catch your eye?"

"Not really. I'm not much of a clock person," she whispered.

"Hmm, I see," Drosselmeyer said and grinned. "I know you don't like much in my shop, but that's just because you are too sweet. Most of my clocks and toys are more on the dark side. However, I have a gift for you that I think you'll truly enjoy…"

"A gift? For Duck?" Pique asked.

"What could you possible get her that she'd like?" Lillie asked, the two finally breaking from their fight.

"Oh, you'll see it tonight. Anyway, I must get my shop ready. I'm expecting someone tomorrow and I'd like to tidy the place up for him."

"Him?" Pique asked. "Who is it?"

"Is he cute?" Lillie swooned.

"He is my nephew," Drosselmeyer ginned. "He isn't much older than you three, but he's had a long journey so…if you don't mind."

"Is he really your nephew or does he just call you Uncle like we do?" Duck asked.

"Oh, he's my real nephew, now please go."

"Alright, Uncle Drosselmeyer," Pique said. "We'll see you tonight. Merry Christmas."

"Yes you will and Merry Christmas to you girls," he chuckled again and watched the three girls leave his shop. He carefully looked out his window at Duck and muttered to himself, "Tonight, my boy. She is the one."

Duck felt something strange and she looked back at the clock shop only to see the dark curtains flutter shut. She thought it was strange, the feeling that came over her, but she brushed it off. She was able to keep pace with her sisters as well as she could, but out of nowhere, they broke into a run and began to race to their house.

"Come on Duck!" Lillie called. "Race you to the house!"

"Hey! That's not fair!" Duck called as she began to chase after them.

The two older sisters didn't stop and Duck had to take a short cut through the woods. She tripped a few times, scraping her knee, but she was able to get to the house before her sisters. She stood on the porch, panting as her sisters jogged up to her, surprised to see their sister there first.

"How did you…" Pique started when the door opened and Rue stood over them.

"Will you three children get inside? The party will be starting soon and…" the eldest sister stopped and looked down at Duck's knee. "Duck! Your knee! What did you do?"

"I fell," she said, ashamed.

"Get inside and clean that up before the guests arrive," she said and stepped aside as the girls walked past. She stopped Pique and Lillie and said, "What took you three so long? You were only supposed to drop off a few presents."

"It was Duck's fault," they said simultaneously and laughed as Rue groaned with annoyance.

"Just get ready."

Duck looked through the bars at the top of the stairs as she watched Rue close the door and sighted. Her sisters never really paid much attention to her and they always blamed her for everything. She sighted as she stood and went to get ready. She knew there was no need to bring it up. It would merely make her sisters torment her more. She sank into her room and, after quickly taking care of her knee, she put on the Christmas dress she had gotten the year before. It as a simple light blue dress that accented her small figure and enhanced her sky blue eyes. She twirled around in front of the mirror before rushing downstairs, just as the first guests began to arrive.

As the party progressed, Duck sat and watched the guests. There were many young men who all fancied Rue and all wanted to dance with her, but nobody really paid the youngest girl any mind. As she sat there, she began to twiddle with her long braid and her two sisters came and plopped down next to her, making Duck's spirits sink even more.

"So, you see any boys you like?" Pique asked as she looked out over the crowd.

"No," Duck whispered.

"Ooh, I have. I've seen a lot of really cute boys near the buffet," Lillie squealed.

"Why don't you go talk to them?" Duck asked softly, hoping to get them away from her.

"Maybe you should come with us," Pique said. "You know you're getting to that age where a boy can mean more than just a boy."

The two girls giggled and Duck sank down in her seat. She knew what her sisters meant, but it was embarrassing to think about. She as Duck thought her life couldn't be any worse, a loud blast of smoke appeared near the door and when the smoke cleared, Drosselmeyer stood there with a large grandfather clock decorated in all sorts of ornaments. On the top was a large black bird, its wings folded as it looked down from its perch and around the face of the clock were swans, all their heads bowing in graceful arcs. Duck's eyes stopped on those swans. She didn't even see the rest of the designs carved into the body of the clock.

The entire crowd's hushed murmurs from the surprise lifted and everyone rushed to look at the massive clock. The room filled with chatter as young and old huddled around the mechanical creation and just when everyone thought that as it, Drosselmeyer turned a key in the back, switching the contraption to life.

Everyone stood back as the hands hit the hour and the black bird's wings opened as it let out several loud caws. Even the swans moved, lifting their heads to the bird and bowing them back down again. Duck couldn't believe her eyes. It was one of the most beautiful thongs she had seen in her life, but there was still something strange about it all. Something that crept up Duck's spine and made her shiver.

She took a step back and bumped into Drosselmeyer. She looked up at him and took a step back, ashamed for running into him.

"I'm so sorry Uncle Drosselmeyer."

"Oh, it's alright, Duck. No harm done," he said and gestured for her to follow him. "Come with me. I have something special I want to give you."

Duck looked back at the beautiful clock and quickly followed the old man into a nearly empty room where the fire was blazing in the fireplace and the tree filled the room with blinking lights. Drosselmeyer sat down on a chair by the fireplace and he gestured for Duck to sit in the chair next to him.

She did as he wanted and he pulled out a long rectangular box wrapped in a simple green ribbon. He handed the box to Duck and said, "Open it."

She was wary, but she did as he instructed. She untied the silken ribbon and opened the box. She gasped at the contents. It was a nutcracker, but it was unlike any she had ever seen. He was wearing a uniform of green and red with a tall hat. His sword shone brightly as it sat perfectly in its holster and he had the most incredible green eyes she had ever seen. She gently picked him up, his suit shining softly in the firelight.

Duck was speechless. She was so careful with him. He looked ever so delicate and she was afraid that if she held him too tightly, he would break.

Drosselmeyer chuckled and reached his hand out for the doll. "Let me show you how he works."

He grabbed a walnut from the bowl on the table next to him and lifted the nutcracker's hair, placing the nut in his mouth. Duck watched very closely as the old man pushed down on the long pony tail, making the nut crack with the greatest of ease.

"See, Duck? He cracks nuts with very little effort," Drosselmeyer said as handed the doll back to the girl. "What do you think? Do you like him?"

"He's amazing," she said as she stared down at the doll. "Thank you so much."

The old man looked around and leaned in closer to the younger girl, whispering, "I'm going to let you in on a little secret. He wasn't always a nutcracker."

Duck grasped. "What? What do you mean?"

"Would you like to hear the story?"

"Yes. I would."

"Well, it all happened several years ago in a kingdom known as Gold Crown…" Drosselmeyer started. "In this kingdom lived a young prince with the purest heart. He was kind, he was wise and he loved his people. He never lost his anger and anything he could do to help others he did."

"He sounds like a wonderful person," Duck said and looked down at her nutcracker.

Drosselmeyer chuckled again. "My dear, your nutcracker wasn't the prince."

"He wasn't? Then why are you telling me about a prince?"

"I'm getting there," he chuckled again. "As I was saying, anything he could to help others, he did and he had even become friends with a young man, the nephew of the royal clock maker."

Duck laughed softly. "Sounds like you, Uncle Drosselmeyer."

"It does, doesn't it?" he said with a knowing grin. "This young man was usually very quiet, but smart. And when the Prince learned of the young clock maker's dream to become a royal knight, the prince made it so. For several years, the kingdom flourished and the new knight made sure the kingdom was safe at all times. However, in the kingdom of the Raven, trouble was brewing."

"Oh, no. Trouble? What kind of trouble?" Duck asked, holding her nutcracker closer.

"The Raven King hated how pure the young Prince's heart was and how peaceful his kingdom was. So, as a way to infiltrate the kingdom under the noses of the royal knights, the Raven King sent his daughter, Princess Kreahe, to win over the Princes heart and allow the King to come in. The Princess did her duty and the Prince fell in love, but so did she. Even though she wasn't supposed to fall in love with the prince, she did which made her fear her own father's plans and battle with herself to figure out what to do. She didn't know if she should tell her prince or not and on the night of the Prince's coronation and twenty-first birthday (by this time the knight was eighteen so… yeah), the Raven burst into the throne room before the Prince could become king or his princess warn him of the coming danger."

"That's terrible. Did the Raven King kill the Prince?"

"No, he did something far worse. He took the prince's pure heart, leaving an empty shell where a once powerful man stood. The knights all tried to attack the Raven King but he and his daughter disappeared into black smoke. The young knight went back to his emotionless Prince, hoping there was something he could, but nothing fazed his friend. In an attempt to save his friend and royal prince, he went to his uncle and asked if there was anything they could do. Unfortunately, the only think that could bring back the prince's heart was cracking a special nut. Unfortunately, this nut could only be cracked by one who was pure of heart. Everyone in the castle tried to crack the nut, but no one's heart was pure enough. Finally, the young knight tried to crack the nut. He doubted he could do it, but, after pulling his hair to make himself clench his teeth even more, the nut had cracked… but only partially. The knight was going to try again, but the Raven King swooped in and placed a spell on the knight, transforming the young man into a nutcracker."

"That's terrible," Duck said and looked back down at her nutcracker. "What happened to the prince?"

"He is still in his castle, waiting for someone to break the nut and help restore his heart." Drosselmeyer smiled at Duck and said softly, "I wanted to give the nutcracker to you because I think you can help him on his quest to save the prince. Do you think you can do that?"

She looked down at her doll and smiled. "I think I can do that. I think my nutcracker should have a happy ending."

"That's a good girl. Give him the ending he deserves."

At this time, Pique and Lillie rushed into the room, holding matching necklaces and squealing like pigs. They ran over to Duck to show off their new jewelry and they spotted the nutcracker.

"Wow, Duck. You really are immature. We get jewelry and you get a dumb doll," Pique said. "When will you grow up?"

"Yeah. When?" Lillie mimicked.

"He is not a dumb doll. He's a great knight who only wants to protect the kingdom!" Duck said defensively.

"Oh, really? Where is his kingdom?" Pique asked, grabbing the doll before Duck could react. "Oh my gosh, Duck. Is this a nutcracker? How silly. He isn't even a real doll."

Duck looked over to Drosselmeyer only to see that he was gone. She ran to her sister and tried to grab her nutcracker back only for Lillie to join in the tug of war.

"Let him go!" Duck cried, only making her sisters laugh more. "Just let him go! Please!"

Duck's eyes began to water and Pique snickered. She tugged one last time, making Duck lose her balance and everyone froze when they hear a loud crack. Duck looked down at her nutcracker to see that his arm was dangling weakly from the shoulder joint. Pique and Lillie looked at each other and dropped the doll, leaving Duck to sob over the broken soldier's body. She took a ribbon and wrapped it around his arm, making a small sling for him until he could be properly fixed.

She went over to the sofa where she sat and gently caressed the doll's face and broken body. She whispered to him, knowing he couldn't hear her, and said, "I'm so sorry, nutcracker. They didn't know what they were talking about. You are the most amazing doll I've ever seen."

She sat there on the couch until the party was over, but she was no longer just sitting there, she was sleeping. Her parents came in, meaning to wake her up and send her to bed, but her mother thought it best to leave her. She was so happy with her nutcracker, there was no need to wake her. Duck's family turned off all the lights except those on the tree and Duck slept peacefully…until the grandfather clock struck midnight.