The kingdom of the mice was quite desolate now, as Clara and the Nutcracker walked through the empty halls filled with dusty furniture and curtains.

"Where are all the mice?" Clara asked.

"They've been fighting for days upon days..." the Nutcracker said. "I don't think they ever got a chance to come home."

Clara, Dave, and the Nutcracker opened the door to the palace to find it completely desolate.

Enormous paintings lined the massive walls, atop floral printed wallpaper, and a very plush carpet.

"Oh, cool..." Dave said, rubbing his plant feet. "Cashmere."

"Dave, shush!" The Nutcracker said. "We don't know if they're still here!"

"Um, actually, I think the mice are here." Clara said. "Look!"

One of the rooms strangely had light coming from it.

Clara and the Nutcracker went closer to the room. On the inside of the room, was the Mouse Queen, being attended to by her multiple servants.

The Mouse Queen was somewhat smaller than her husband, and slimmer, but she also had a large amount of strength within her smaller body. She wore a purple dress with ermine trim, with a slit alongside her leg, and a golden crown at the top. Her fur was tan, her eyes were brown, and very beady. She carried a scepter in her left paw, with a large rock candy jewel in the center.

She saw Clara, and walked over to her.

"Who are you, child?" She asked. "Why have you come?! I should have my guards arrest you for this tresspassery, but it's Christmas, and I'm feeling gracious today."

"I'm Clara." She said. "Me and my friends have come to end the reign of the Mouse King..."

"Oh, child..." the mouse queen said, hugging Clara. "I agree with you. However—My husband is certainly not to be underestimated...I am surprised that you were able to survive his attacks."

"You're the Mouse Queen?" Clara asked.

"Indeed. I am Lady Maüsrinks XVII." The queen said. "My husband cannot be trusted, not even with my own children—the guy actually ATE no more than HALF of them, for Pete's sake! Thankfully, we have the only weapon capable of defeating him once and for all..."

"And what would that be?" Clara asked.

"Why, none other than the ice clog." The queen replied. "If one was to throw said clog directly at the king, he would very much perish for real."

"I tossed my slipper at that guy," Clara responded. "But he didn't die."

"That's cause it wasn't the clog of Tchaikovsky." The mouse queen replied.

"—the frog of Chai-who-now?!" Dave exclaimed.

"Ssh.." the Nutcracker replied.

"—You must travel to the land of ice in order to get the clog." The Mouse Queen continued. "There you shall find Istapp, Queen of the Ice. She'll know exactly what to do."

"Thank you ever so much, your majesty." Clara replied, bowing before the rodent queen.

"Godspeed, child, nutcracker, and plant man." The Queen replied.

Clara, the Nutcracker, and Dave left the palace of mice and continued their journey.

"Well, we'd better keep movin'!" Dave replied. "Cause I am freezing my dang STAMEN off!"

"TMI, dude." The Nutcracker shushed the plant. "There's a lady present."