Frodo was the last to leave the log tunnel and enter the land of snowy Christmas trees. He heard of Christmas from his time as a teacher. In fact, he remembered celebrating Christmas with his fellow students for the past eighteen years. How would he have known what Christmas was about, unless he experienced it with his students?

The fact that he knew about Christmas said a lot about his past life. Not his old life in the Shire, but the one he had as a teacher, teaching Elijah Molvaro and Ronnie Baggins about their home world, which now felt like it was his home world. It was as if he belonged in the Land of Talking Animals more than in the Shire. Was that wrong?

Frodo looked at the rope as it guided them to the largest Christmas tree in the forest. He looked back at Ronnie and Parker, who observed another Christmas tree. He looked back at the rope as it ended, leading him to a small scroll, which he pulled from the tree's branches. He opened the scroll, reading the message to himself.

Every journey begins with the first step.

-Lao Tzu

Frodo stared at the quote. Was it supposed to mean something? Well, it meant his journey was only beginning. Maybe that was it. He looked up at Parker, as Parker approached. Frodo gulped, passing the scroll to him, who read the quote to himself, too.

"Well, we'd better get going. Who knows what we'll find here?" Parker said, passing the scroll back to Frodo.

"But it could mean something. Maybe that's why Drosselmeyer sent us here," Frodo said, staring at the scroll. He looked up, stopping Parker in his tracks, "Come on. You were never this doubtful. What happened?"

Parker turned his head, telling Frodo and Ronnie, who joined Frodo a moment later, "I already told you. You've been gone for eighteen years. That's around the time that Elijah and Ronnie were born. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help, but you don't know what I've been through. Let's go." He walked on without a second's thought.

Ronnie looked at Frodo, asking him, "Is there something Parker's not telling us?"

Frodo shrugged, shaking his head.

"Well, whatever it is, we'd better follow him," Ronnie suggested with candor.

Frodo nodded. "Good idea. I'm taking this with me," he said, stuffing the scroll inside his jacket pocket.

Ronnie sighed, nodding to him. "Good enough. Let's go."

"Right," Frodo said, following Ronnie after Parker. By the time they caught up to him, Parker looked at the two in intrigue. He so badly wanted to become a light red dragonoid.

Parker looked up at the same time as Frodo and Ronnie, right as an olive-skinned man wearing red armor and riding a white horse approached. This man reminded Parker of someone; someone he'd forgotten long ago.

"Who are you?" Parker asked the olive-skinned soldier.

"I am the Nutcracker," the Nutcracker stated. "Who are you?"

"He's Parker Dooley," Frodo stepped forward, introducing Parker. "I'm Frodo Baggins," he gestured for Ronnie, "and this is my ancestor, Ronnie Baggins. Parker's also my ancestor."

The Nutcracker raised an eyebrow, wondering how it was possible.

Frodo smirked, shrugging, "I know. It's confusing. We've grown used to it." He said, referring to himself, Parker, and Ronnie.

"I haven't yet," Ronnie admitted, causing Frodo to nudge him.

Frodo looked up at the Nutrcracker, saying, "We were wondering if you could—"

The Nutcracker's attention turned to Parker. He told Parker, interrupting Frodo, "Say, you're Parker Dooley. The Parker Dooley?"

Parker nodded. "I am. What's it to you?"

The Nutcracker smiled. "The Four Realms has heard of you. There was a war, but Clara Stahlbaum took care of it, ended it. She's the Princess of the Four Realms, after her mother, Marie Stahlbaum, passed away."

"There's been a war?" Parker asked, curtly. "We're about to enter one, a new war between heroes and villains. Well, heroes versus heroes and villains versus villains. Maleficent's doing."

The Nutcracker's horse reared up, whinnying. The Nutcracker calmed his horse down, pointing out, "Maleficent's growing in strength. Her powers know no bounds."

Parker nodded. "Yes, we understand that. But we need information, and I'm afraid Mother Ginger is the only one who can help. Can she help us?"

"She might not be the only one," Frodo said, pointing this out.

"I'll take you to the palace," the Nutcracker said, following his duty. He turned his horse around, telling the trio, "This way, and Parker?"

"Yes?" Parker asked, curiously.

"You might want to turn into a light red dragonoid. You'll be easily recognizable in this realm, if you do that," the Nutcracker suggested.

That was exactly what Parker feared: turning into a dragonoid. Would he be safe? What if something got to him and he wouldn't know how to turn back? He sighed, deciding to turn himself into a light red dragonoid. The moment his shapeshifted into a light red dragonoid, still wearing his black tuxedo, Parker growled. He moved his hands out, creating a whirlwind that led them to the palace. Parker sighed, exhaustion overwhelming him. He calmed down, his strength returning.

"What did you do?" Frodo asked, confused. He looked around, seeing all the Nutcracker soldiers surround them. He looked at Parker, saying, "Parker, you teleported us here."

"I didn't know I had it in me," Parker said, wondering what other powers he had.

"Calm down," the Nutcracker announced to his fellow soldiers, "Parker Dooley's a friend, as are his companions. They're seeking Mother Ginger. Can you help us?" The soldiers looked at each other in confusion. What did the Nutcracker mean by that? The Nutcracker smiled, knowing everything would be fine. "Give them a minute. I'm sure they'll come around." He clicked his teeth, waiting for the soldiers to realize what was happening.

"Are they friendly?" Frodo asked, standing his ground.

Parker smirked, whispering, "Calm down. You embarrass me."

"And no sign of Mother Ginger," Ronnie said, stretching his neck muscles. He told Frodo and Parker, "Ooh! When she comes, I'll going to have a word with her." He smirked at Frodo and Parker, who only stared at him in confusion. "What? Isn't that why we're here? To fight."

"Certainly," a woman with ginger hair, and wearing a red dress, approached them. Ronnie had no doubts who this was, or so he hoped. The woman reached them, causing the soldiers to back away. She spoke to the Nutcracker and his three companions, "I'm Mother Ginger."

"Oh," Frodo said.

Mother Ginger raised an eyebrow, surprised, "Surprised? You were expecting someone else? Someone who didn't have broken porcelain on her face?" Frodo looked at her face. Indeed, her face did look like broken porcelain, but he didn't mind. In fact, he spoke about it, as if the situation was normal.

"Well, no! It suits you," Frodo said, trying to be polite.

Mother Ginger smirked, enjoying his company. "That'll do." She looked at the three travelers, asking them, "Now, why have you come at this most dreadful hour? We've heard about Maleficent spreading a new curse upon the lands. Word travels fast in the Four Realms." She shrugged, "What do you need?"

Parker moved in front of his friends, telling her, "Please, we need to know if there's a way to stop the curse from spreading."

"The curse is already here. Sadly, it won't be complete until the end of the Third Age," Mother Ginger stated. "Now, what do you need to help you stop this curse from completing, when it completes?"

"Do you—have anything like that?" Parker asked, shocked she knew his question, before he asked it.

"Come," Mother Ginger said, leading Parker and his friends inside the castle, where she hoped she could find what they were looking for.

.

Their journey led them inside a wide room with an oval shaped pool, standing in the centermost part of the room. What this oval pool meant was hard to say. For a moment, Frodo thought he saw himself, dressed like royalty, in the pool. Could such a thing be possible? He hardly knew. He looked up, watching Mother Ginger paw through her scrolls, sitting on a bookshelf, inside a dark mahogany bookcase.

"Ha! Here it is!" Mother Ginger cried, pulling out a golden scroll, which she passed to Parker. "This scroll will tell you what you need. But do not open it until after the Great Battle is over!"

Parker gulped. "You mean after we've been defeated."

Mother Ginger smirked. "No. The scroll will open after the Great Battle is over. For now, it must remain closed. No one can read it. It must be kept in a safe place until after the Great Battle is over. There is hope for us yet. Just wait and see. I'm entrusting you to keep this scroll, until it's time to open it." She smiled, approaching Frodo and resting her hands on his cheeks, "Now, you be good. We wouldn't want to see you get into trouble. Your time is coming." She added, "Don't fret. You'll know everything soon enough."

Frodo sighed, looking at her, admitting, "I may not know everything, but I will try. Your pool showed me as a leader, a king. Is that possible? I don't feel royal."

"Your bloodline is made up of royals. Even Ronnie Baggins will become a great king," Mother Ginger said, smiling at Ronnie. She faced Frodo, adding, "And Elijah Molvaro will need your help. His time as a ruler is coming. Now go," she looked at Parker, Ronnie, and Frodo, telling them, "It's time for you to head home."

"Yes, Mother Ginger," Frodo, Parker, and Ronnie said, following the Nutcracker out of the palace and back to the Christmas Tree Forest.

.

After a walk, the four companions reached the log where Parker, Frodo, and Ronnie had entered the Four Realms. Frodo sighed, wondering when he would see these realms again. He hoped it wouldn't be long before he explored the Four Realms again.

"Well," the Nutcracker said, getting their attentions, "if there's anything you need, don't bother to come to the realms again. The Four Realms will always need their heroes."

Frodo looked at the Nutcracker, saying, "Thank you. I only hope there are more people like you."

The Nutcracker smiled. "You're welcome." He wasn't alone, for a mouse made it up to the Nutcracker's shoulder. The Nutcracker smiled, grateful to see his mouse friend. "And what do you think? Good?" The mouse chirped, leaving the Nutcracker smiling again. The Nutcracker faced Frodo and his friends, telling them, "Good luck."

"You too," Frodo, Parker, and Ronnie said at the same time, right as Parker transformed back into his human/hobbit form and climbed inside the log, dressed in his black tuxedo. Ronnie followed, leaving Frodo to stand by the log. He looked at the Nutcracker, knowing everything would be all right. Frodo nodded, making his way inside the log. It wasn't long before the Nutcracker waved to them, as Frodo and his companions reached Drosselmeyer's house.

.

Frodo followed Parker and Ronnie down the hallway and back down the stairs. There, they found Drosselmeyer, speaking to the guests as one of the servants took care of the rope for them. Drosselmeyer looked at the trio when they came down the stairs to greet him. Parker put the golden scroll inside his jacket pocket, making sure it was small enough to fit inside his pocket.

Drosselmeyer smiled, telling the trio, "You're back. Did you find what you need?"

"Yes," Parker said, curtly. He looked at Frodo and Ronnie, before looking at Drosselmeyer. He told Drosselmeyer, "We need to head back home. I fear something terrible is going to happen."

"Well, take a few cookies, before you go. I'm sure there's plenty," Drosselmeyer said.

"We shouldn't," Parker said, not wanting to carry more stuff with him.

"I'll grab some!" Ronnie said, rushing towards the dessert table to grab more Christmas wreath sugar cookies.

Parker sighed, telling Ronnie, "Just don't take too many! It's a portal away from our home!"

"Our home?" Frodo asked Parker, confused.

Parker looked at him, saying, "Yes, our home. What? Did you think you wouldn't have a new home?" He approached Ronnie, saying, "Come on. Grab however many you want. We'll store them somewhere."

"Really?" Ronnie asked, curtly.

Parker nodded. "We will. Don't worry."

"Great! Well, I'm ready," Ronnie said, finishing putting the Christmas wreath sugar cookies into a sandwich bag, before stuffing them in his jacket pocket. He shrugged, telling Parker, "I'm ready to go," he looked at Frodo, adding, "whenever you are."

"Right," Frodo said, as Parker pulled out his grey device, "let's go."

Parker nodded. "At once," he said, pressing a button that opened a blue-rimmed portal. He sighed, as Maranguan flew inside his body. "Let's go." He made his way towards the portal, with Frodo and Ronnie following him. At last, they were through the portal and back at Dragonoid Castle, without a minute to spare.