Been rewatching movies and such to study the nutcracker tale. How come when I want to write about the nutcracker, all my usual sources suddenly crash? GRRRRR. Luckily, this resourceful author finds other ways!
Read, review, enjoy!
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At first, there was nothing but darkness. Kate couldn't even see the floor or the walls. How could she know where she was going?
WHOOOSSSHHH!
Another rush of wind greeted her. A circle of light appeared underneath her and buizel, with rays of light sprawling high above them. With every passing second, it kept getting brighter and brighter.
"Hang on! We're being transported!" Buizel yelled over the howling wind.
A whirlwind picked up. It circled the pair viciously, soon blocking their sight completed. Kate screamed as the wind grew faster and stronger as it swirled around. When it stopped moments later, Kate found herself and buizel falling.
"WAAHHHHHHH!"
BAM!
Ouch! Rough landing. But at least it was in…snow? Yes there was snow. Several feet of it. A chilly breeze blew within what seemed to be a giant ice cavern. Though it was a bit cold, Kate was too bothered by it.
"You alright?" Buizel asked, digging himself out of the snow.
"Yep." Kate replied. "I'm cool."
The joke earned her a grin from the wooden pokemon. Both of them scanned the walls, trying to find an exit. Didn't seem to be one. Looked as though the walls were solid ice.
"Great. How the heck do we get outta here?" Buizel mumbled under his breath.
In the wind, there was a small cry. Kate heard it and tried to find where it came from.
"G-…glaaayy…."
Aha. There it was. Kate faintly heard it. She crossed over some snow drifts and to the source. Keith, confused, followed. It was deep in the snow that Kate found what made the noise. A glaceon. A glaceon in severe pain, it's front right foot stabbed by an icicle.
"You poor thing…" Kate whispered, inspecting it.
"Glaaay…" The glaceon moaned.
Kate remembered something. She dug through her pockets and found a roll of white medical bandages. Before the Christmas party, Kate found it lying around and told herself she'd put it away later. Good thing she didn't.
"It'll be ok, don't cry…" Kate said in a soothing voice. "Here, I'll help you out."
The glaceon settled down when Kate stroked its fur. As she did so, Kate inspected the icicle. Good news! It wouldn't do much damage! Just get the thing out, wash out the blood and wrap it up. No harm done. Kate kept coaxing the scared pokemon as she readied herself for icicle removal.
One…two….YANK! The glaceon yelped and trembled, feeling a jolt of pain. Kate asked Buizel to wash off the blood with water gun, to which the water pokemon complied. After that, all that needed to be done was wrap the wound with the bandaid.
"You feeling better…girl?" Kate could tell its gender by the patterns on glaceon's back.
"Glay." Glaceon nodded.
"Just be careful on that foot for a little while" Kate warned. "You do that and you'll be healed up in no time."
Kate glanced back at Keith for a second but then held her gaze. Keith was watching her, a gentle expression adorning his face.
"What?" Kate asked.
"You're amazing. Taking care of glaceon like that." Keith told her. "I mean, how do you do it?"
Kate shrugged. "Ranger'ing maybe? I guess I've always been helping pokemon. Even when I was a kid, I nursed pidgey's and zizagoons back to health. Helping pokemon and making the world a better place….it's part of who I am. All I want is to see others be happy."
There was a small smile on the buizel. "You really are something, pigtails."
ACK! Again with that nickname!
"And you're not so bad yourself, nutcracker." Kate retorted.
Buizel groaned at the nickname. Sheesh. He should learn that if he calls her pigtails, he gets his own little nickname thrown right back at him.
"Glay! Glaaaay!" The glaceon got up, its paw wrapped up tightly. "Glay glay glay!"
"No trouble at all." Kate giggled. "Just be careful, ok?"
The glaceon then started to hop over the snow drifts. She looked at Kate from some distance away and nodded its head, motioning to follow her. Kate and buizel glanced at each other. Nothing to lose. Without words, both decided to follow glaceon. Glaceon lead them across the vast winter wonderland. She was bouncing (though cautious with the foot) in the snow, looking back every so often.
Eventually, there was a light. A bright light at the end of the cavern. Kate and buizel ran for it, soon finding it was the way out! YES! The glaceon managed to lead them out of the winter tunnel! Kate wished to thank it but the pokemon already scurried off.
"Stroke of luck, eh?" Keith spoke up. "Nice job helping glaceon."
They left the icy cave and were greeted by warm sunshine. Kate gasped at the sight before her. It…it was beautiful! Mountains in the far distance, miles of forests, snow-covered landscapes here & there and so much to see! Every inch of the land was beauty!...well…minus a storm cloud area in the high distant mountains. Still!
"Amazing!" Kate whispered.
"Welcome to Aimla." Keith said.
"So beautiful! It…it sort of reminds me of Almia." Kate took a deep breath of the fresh, strangely minty, air.
Keith didn't respond to that comment though Kate could've sworn his eyes twinkled for a split moment. As if he knew something she didn't.
"Better get moving." Keith told her instead.
Kate followed him down a steep pathway to the woods. "So this princess is going to help us?"
"So this princess can help us?" Kate asked.
"I'm pretty sure. She's our only hope." Buizel answered. "If we can't find her, then I'll never get this curse taken off me. And there's no chance we'd take down Ice, the Dark King."
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From the tree branches, there was something watching them. A moltres but this one, however, was much smaller; the size of a pidgey.
"Interesting…" She snickered quietly, listening in on the conversation.
Without being seen, the pidgey leapt from the branch and flew into the skies. Using the wind, she soared over the vast land and to a location way up north. On a particularly tall hillside was a dark castle that gave off an eerie vibe. The moltres flew over the hybrid guards and into a window, where there was a throne room filled with shelves of books.
Within the throne room, sitting on top a mighty chair, was Ice. He had been reading a book on programming, not even bothered by the moltres' sudden arrival. Moltres touched the floor and immediately transformed. Bird feet became feet in pink boots, wings into long arms and with the bodily curves of a young woman. A pink haired woman stood where the moltres once had.
"I'm back." The 'moltres' said.
Ice was silent for a moment. "Well? What's new, Lavana? Any news?"
"Oh I wish I could remember! But I can't remember anything! I'm feeling faint! If only…cough…" Lavana dramatically feel to her knees, putting a hand to her forehead in theatrical style. "If only I had my makeup kit...!"
"I really should just slice your powdered head right off…" Ice mumbled bitterly.
"It'd be a shame." Lavana shrugged nonchalantly. "Tsk, tsk. Then you'd never the gossip I overheard. Quite juicy. Might have something to do with you."
Ice grit his teeth. He waved his hands and magically conjured up a makeup bag. The dark king tossed it to Lavana, who quickly started to powder her face and apply lipstick.
"Why thank you." Lavana said, satisfied. "Why don't you look stunning…"
"Just skip to the news!" Ice snapped.
Lavana rolled her eyes. "Sheesh. For starters, the nutcracker's back."
"WHAT!" Ice exclaimed, tossing his book to the side.
"Beats me but he's got some girl with him. Total weirdo. Dunno who she is." Lavana shrugged.
"Oh but I do…" Ice muttered some curses, rubbing his sore head as he remembered the 'slipper attack'.
"Anyways, this part might concern you." Lavana went on. "They're looking for the 'fairest princess in the land' who supposedly can break their spells and take you down."
"Fairest princess in the land?" Ice raised an eyebrow. "Never heard of her."
He rose to his feet. Ice paced the floor, in deep thought. Then he frowned and turned to Lavana and a nearby hybrid guard.
"Get me the Book of Brighton! AND get me that blasted nutcracker!"
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Originally I planned on having Wheeler or Heath be Ice's henchman. But Wheeler was done in another fanfic and seemed to predictable. As for Heath, I really couldn't incorporate him the way I wanted. Ran out of options so I decided, why not Lavana? Hadn't really featured her much yet.
Also you like what I did near the end? *smirks* Heh. References.
Next chapter is soon to arrive!
