Chapter 6: The Plan
"What do you mean their all gone?!"
Rudolph's mouth hung open as he, Clarice, Hermey, and Yukon were shocked by what Queen Camilla said.
The hippo sobbed, wiping tears from her eyes. "Oh, that horrible Toy Taker took all my beautiful toys!" She blew into her handkerchief. "I feel so... unfabulous."
Rudolph lowered his head slightly. "I'm sorry we came too late, Queen Camilla."
"But don't worry!" Clarice added. "We'll catch that crook for sure!"
"And get all the toys back too!" Hermey said.
After leaving Castaway Cove empty-handed, Rudolph and his friends holed up in the Toothmobile as they marked off Castaway Cove on their world map.
"Well, since Castaway Cove was a bust, what are we supposed to do now?" Yukon said. "She was the last source of toys for Santa."
Rudolph sighed. "Guess it's time for plan b. We're gonna have to catch the Toy Taker and get all the toys back before Christmas."
Clarice tilted her head. "But how are we gonna catch him?" She asked. "He could be anywhere in the world."
"Well, from these newspapers and all the investigations, it seems the Toy Taker's been taking toys from all over the world." Hermey stated, placing down a whole stack of papers before turning to map, marking off the locations with some pins. "All except for one place; the Island of Misfit Toys." He then turned to the others. "If he's really been nabbing toys from all over the world, then this might be his next target."
Rudolph nodded. "It's a slim chance, but it's likely the best chance we'll get. Let's set course for the the Island of Misfit Toys."
The ride to the Island of Misfit Toys was quick since there wasn't any storm to throw them off course this time. Sadly, they had to leave Bumble and the dogs behind since Bumble was too big for the Toothmobile and couldn't swim, and also because Yukon's sled dogs wouldn't all be able to fit into the back of the Toothmobile.
Still, the four friends pressed on until they finally reached the island. Disembarking, they wasted no time in gaining an audience with King Moonracer and explaining the situation to him.
"We believe the Toy Taker plans to strike here next, your majesty." Rudolph explained.
"But this time, we'll be waiting for him." Clarice added.
"And we'll give that horrible hooligan what-for!" Yukon also added.
"Except, we won't even try to stop him." Rudolph told him with a small smirk. "I've got a plan…"
Later that night, it was all quiet on the Island of Misfit Toys. All the toys were asleep in their boxes, with four new presents scattered among them.
However, that peace was soon interrupted when the Toy Taker in his giant blimp arrived at the island. One of the bottom compartments of the bimp then opened up, and a long hose descended down as the Toy Taker himself landed softly on the snow covered ground.
Reaching into his pocket, the Toy Taker pulled out his flute and began to play. Seconds later, all of the toys came popping out of their presents, following the harmonious sound of the flute.
Among those toys were Rudolph and Clarice, who beforehand had attached fake wind-up keys to their backs, pretending to be wind-up toys. Acting dazed, they followed the toys as Hermey and Yukon came out of their presents. Yukon was dressed as a ballerina dancer (much to his humiliation and chagrin) while Hermey was dressed… in a tooth costume, much to everyone's chagrin.
"The idea was to dress as toys, Hermey." Rudolph chided quietly upon seeing his costume.
"Um, I'm a… misfit molar?" Hermey whispered back sheepishly.
"Just follow the others." Rudolph whispered as the other toys were sucked up into the hose.
Clarice was first as she found herself being sucked into the large tube by a powerful vacuum. Rudolph and Hermey were next before Yukon went last.
With all the toys loaded up, the Toy Taker grabbed onto the hose as it pulled him back up onto the blimp and flew away.
With the Toy Man steering the blimp towards his hideout, Rudolph and his friends were left alone with the other toys in the hanger.
"If my hunch is right, the Toy Taker will take us right to the missing toys." Rudolph said.
Clarice looked at the toys with them as her expression turned to worried. All of the toys didn't seem to acknowledge them at all, they were just staring into the distance and staying still as statues. "Oh, Rudolph, look at them. They're all in some kind of trance." She said.
"That Toy Taker's flute must pack some kind of hocus pocus voodoo power." Yukon stated.
Rudolph looked at the toys and noticed among them was that kite that he and Hermey had met days earlier. The one who was the new sentry of the island.
"Don't worry, Mr. Kite. We're here to rescue you." Rudolph whispered reassuringly.
However, instead of looking relieved, the kite instead shouted, "Intruders! Intruders!" And soon enough, the other toys began joining in.
"The Toy Taker's flute must have more potency than we thought." Hermey said nervously.
The Taker Taker then came bursting into the room, hearing the toys calls as he left the blimp on autopilot. "What's going on back here?" He questioned before spotting Rudolph and his friends. "You're not toys!" He exclaimed, instantly seeing through their disguises.
"That's right." Rudolph replied. "We're friends of Santa!"
"And we're here to get his toys back!" Hermey added.
"Surrender, ya hooligan!" Yukon said. "We've gotcha outnumbered!"
But the Toy Taker didn't seem frightened at all. Instead he chuckled. "Is that so?" He asked, a smile in his voice, pulling out a small remote from his pocket. "Sorry you can't stay for the holidays! Ta ta!"
With the press of a button on the remote, the floor beneath the four friends slid open, causing the fall out screaming.
As they fell though, Yukon managed to grab onto a small ledge at the bottom of the blimp while Hermey managed to grab onto the prospector's leg. He then quickly managed to catch Clarice by her ankle before she could fall further.
Rudolph, meanwhile, was able to stabilize himself before flying back up. When he saw the trap door was still open, he flew as fast as he could, trying to get back up. But the trap door closed on him just before he could reach it, causing him to hit his head hard against it and knocking him out.
"Rudolph, no!" Clarice cried as she saw her love fall, looking out like a light. Wrestling herself from Hermey's grip, and flew down after him. Remembering what Rudolph taught her, Clarice galloped through the air, managing to fly down and catch her love as he started to wake up.
"Clarice, you saved me!" Rudolph said with a smile, surprised as he began flying on his own again.
Clarice giggled. "Looks like I've truly earned my wings!"
The two reindeer smiled lovingly at each other before realizing that their friends were still in danger.
"Can't hold on much longer!" Yukon cried, feeling his fingers slipping. And before they knew it, the prospector's hands slipped off the blimp, leaving him and Hermey in free fall. And for a moment, it looked like they were done for, until the two reindeer came flying in with Rudolph catching Hermey on his back and Clarice catching Yukon on hers.
With all that said and done, the four friends flew back up to the blimp going right up to the cockpit where the Toy Taker was, much to his dismay. Opening the door, Rudolph and his friends let themselves in as they confronted the Toy Taker once again.
"Now we've got you!" Rudolph said.
However, it seemed the Toy Taker had yet another trick up his sleeve as he pulled out the remote again. "I think not!" He shot back, pressing the button. This time, a rope lowered in through the roof, allowing him to make his escape.
"Why, that little-!" Yukon exclaimed before climbing up through the hole in the roof. "Allow me!"
Climbing through the hatch, the prospector found himself in a large room with a stairway that led up to the top.
Yukon quickly spotted the Toy Taker on the upper levels and quickly gave chase. As the Toy Taker ran, however, Yukon was able to spot brief glimpses of cotton and stuffing seeming to fall out of him, but he didn't mind that now as he was quickly catching up to the thief.
As they climbed up to the roof, the Toy Taker quickly ran to the back of the blimp while Yukon chased him, not noticing that his sharp cleats were poking holes in the blimp, letting air out.
"Hey! You're messing up my blimp!" The Toy Taker cried.
"Huh?" Yukon wondered, confused before looking down to his shoes and realizing his mistake. "Oops."
Just then, the Toy Taker took out what seemed to be a small rock and threw it at Corneilious, hitting him in the head.
Yukon stumbled back, losing balance before falling off the blimp while Rudolph, Clarice, and Hermey could only look on in horror.
"Corneilious! No!" Rudolph cried helplessly.
It seemed that the great Yukon Corneilious was done for as he plummeted to the waters below. In fear, the prospector covered his eyes as he waited for the inevitable cold.
But it never came as he felt something soft hit against him.
Uncovering his eyes, Yukon was surprised to see that the Bumble had caught him.
"Bumble?! What are ya doin' here?" Yukon questioned in surprise. He then looked around and realized that Bumble had leaned over the shore to catch. They were on the mainland!
Back on the blimp, the dials in the cockpit were going crazy as more and more air seemed out of the blimp.
"We're losing altitude!" Clarice realized.
"Hermey, try to save the misfits! We'll go after the Toy Taker!" Rudolph told his best friend.
The elf dentist nodded as he gripped the steering wheel and switched off the auto-pilot. "Aye-aye, Captain!"
With everyone else busy, Rudolph lit up his nose as he and Clarice opened the door to the cockpit and flew up to the roof.
Confronting the Toy Taker once more, the thief immediately shirked away when caught in Rudolph's light. "Augh! Keep that light away from me!" He said, as if he were afraid of it. The Toy Taker then jumped off the blimp, much to the fawns surprise.
But before the Toy Taker hit the ground, he pulled a string on his coat, activating a parachute that slowed his fall and allowed him to gently float to the ground, right outside of Yukon's Peppermint Mine if you could believe that.
Rudolph and Clarice quickly went after him, flying down from the blimp in pursuit as the Toy Taker went into the mines, taking a lantern and getting in one of the carts.
Going into the cave, Rudolph and Clarice got into another cart themselves as Rudolph lit the way.
Back with the blimp, which was still falling out of the sky, Hermey was having a difficult time steering as it looked like he was heading for a large glacier. "Attention, passengers," Hermey spoke through the intercom, "this is Heremy, your pilot, speaking. No need to panic, everythings under control." However, the yelps and cries from the toys in the back said differently.
Just outside on the ground below, the Bumble ran as fast as he could with Yukon Corneilious close behind.
"Faster, Bumble! Faster!" Yukon yelled. "They're about to crash!"
The Bumble seemed to understand as he quickly reached the glacier, climbing up to the top and holding out his arms.
At this time, Hermey lost all control over the steering wheel as he braced himself for the crash. However, after a short rock, Hermey noticed the Bumble outside, having caught the blimp and saving his and the toys' lives.
Now, it was up to Rudolph and Clarice to finally catch the Toy Taker.