Charlotte and Alastor were careful to keep their steps light and quiet, and to keep themselves hidden behind the trees and the shadows. They stopped when something came into sight. It was more of those mice and they appeared to be tossing something around. No, not something. Someone.
"Oh come on guys! Isn't it bad enough that your king turned me into a doll? I mean look at me! My flawless skin is fabric! I've got marbles for eyes! And there's absolutely nothing between my legs anymore! I'm a walking, talking sack of stuffing!"
Alastor and Charlotte squinted, they saw that the person the mice were tormenting was a very large ragdoll with snow-white yarn for hair and two shiny, pink, marbles for eyes. His flesh was snow-white colored fabric and it was all held together by stitches of pink thread. He wore a pink shirt and white leggings, a pink striped scarf, white gloves and long, pink pointed shoes. One his back were a pair of paper wings in the shape of snowflakes.
"Stop it! Put me down! Ahh!"
They threw him up into the air and he came crashing down.
"I don't get it, why isn't he flying?" One mouse asked. "He's got wings doesn't he?"
"Yeah but they don't work anymore." Another mouse said. "Look, they're made out of paper."
"Then I guess he doesn't need them anymore." A third mouse said before sadistically ripping those paper wings right off the poor doll's back.
"No! My wings! You took my wings! Give them back!"
"Why should I? It's not like you'll ever fly with them again."
Just to be even more despicable, that mouse put those paper wings into his mouth and chewed them to bits, as a beaver would do to a block of wood.
"Mmmm...Tasty." He sneered which caused the other mice to laugh.
The doll on the other hand was furious.
"Listen, pal! This harassment has gone on far enough, and I know my rights! I'll report you to the frost patrol!" He threatened.
But the mice were not the least bit intimidated.
"Let's chew up the rest of him!" One mouse suggested.
The other mice nodded and proceeded to tackle him.
"Ahh! Help! Somebody call the exterminator!" The doll cried out.
"Oh I can't bear this." Charlotte whispered in horror. "We have to do something."
"I agree but don't get carried away." Alastor said grabbing her arm in a firm but gentle way to keep her from rushing out. "There's six of them and only two of us. Brute strength and force is not the answer."
"You're right." She said. "But what can we do?"
"Let's check the Inventor's little bag of tricks."
Alastor opened the satchel that the Inventor had given him and pulled out the first thing his wooden fingers touched. It was a box with a note attached to the lid.
"Don't be fooled by the look or smell." Alastor read. "These cubes should serve you well. Just turn the knob, and throw away your trap. Then watch the suckers get a nasty snap-snap."
"What does that mean?" Charlotte asked.
"I have no idea. But only one way to find out."
Alastor lifted the lid off the box and a ghastly smell was released.
"Ugh! What is that?" Charlotte gagged and pinched her nose closed.
Alastor put a wooden hand over his wooden nose and looked at the box's contents. What lay inside were cubes that were either white or a very light yellow.
"Imported French cheese." He said recognizing the look and smell.
"How is cheese going to help?" Charlotte asked.
Alastor picked up one cube and it didn't feel like cheese. In fact it felt hard and metal, and turning it over he found a knob screwed into the back. Recalling the words of the note, Alastor turned the knob and threw the cube. He did the same with all the others, and it wasn't long before the mice picked up the smell.
"Hey you guys smell that?" One mouse said, sniffing the air.
"Yes. I smell cheese." Another mouse answered.
"I see cheese." A third mouse pointed over to a cube.
The mice dropped the doll and hungrily ran to grab and eat all the cheese before any of the others could. But they quickly learned that while the cubes looked and smelled like cheese, they most certainly were not.
Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!
As soon as those mice picked up a cube, it opened up and converted into a mouse trap that clamped on to their bodies hard.
Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!
"Ow! Eek! My paw! My tail! My nose! Get em off me! Get em off me!" The mice went.
In pain and in panic, all six mice ran away squealing and with mouse traps all over them.
"Serves you all right!" The doll shouted as he retrieved his right arm and left leg that had been chewed off of him. "Aww crap, where's glue when you need it?"
Charlotte came out from behind a tree and slowly approached the doll.
"Are you alright?" She asked him gently.
"Who are you? Where did you come from?" The doll asked. Then he held put his right arm in a defensive way. "Stay back! I'm armed!"
"Literally." Alastor chuckled as he came out next.
"Don't be afraid, we won't hurt you." Charlotte said. "We only want to help you."
"Is that right?" He asked suspiciously.
"We understand if you don't trust us." Alastor said. "But if it helps, we're the ones who set up those little mouse traps and saved your hide."
"Really?"
"Yes indeedy."
"Oh...Then thanks. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm just going to drag myself off to find something I can use to reattach my arm and leg."
"I could sew them back on for you." Charlotte offered.
"You could?"
"Yes. I do it all the time with my own dolls, but." She paused for a moment to consider something. "None of my dolls were alive. This won't hurt you, will it?"
"No. I don't feel any pain. I don't feel anything actually."
"Alright then, now does anyone have a needle and thread?"
"I'll check the bag." Alastor opened the satchel and what luck, he found a spool of pink thread and a needle. "Wow, it even gave us the right color."
Charlotte threaded the needle and began to sew the limbs back on with great care. As she did this, the three of them decided to introduce themselves.
"My name is Anthony, I'm a snow fairy." The doll said. "Well I used to be a snow fairy. Then I got turned into a damn toy."
"Let me guess, by the mouse king Vox?" Alastor said.
"Judging by that good guess and the fact that you're a talking nutcracker, I assume you're a victim of his magic too?" Anthony said.
"Not exactly. He didn't turn me into a nutcracker, his mother did."
"His mother?" Anthony said looking confused. "As in the mouse queen?"
"Yep."
"That broad's been dead for eight years. How could she put a hex on you from beyond the grave?"
"She turned me into a nutcracker eight years ago, just before she died. In fact her curse on me was the very last thing she ever spoke."
Anthony's confused stare suddenly turned into one of amazement.
"No way. Then does that mean..." He paused, looking like he was almost afraid to hope for something. "Did she curse you because you cracked her nut?"
"Yes. How did you know?"
Anthony smiled.
"Ha-ha! Glories be! We're saved! We're saved!"
"I beg your pardon?" Alastor said, now he was confused.
"What are you talking about?" Charlotte asked, pulling the thread tightly.
"You're the Nutcracker Prince!" Anthony said to Alastor. "You're here to save us!"
"Save you? What do you mean?"
"I think he's referring to what the Inventor told us earlier." Charlotte reminded Alastor. "Remember? He said the sugar plum fairy mentioned a nutcracker prince defeating the mouse king."
"Oh...That." Alastor gave a small chuckle. "I wouldn't take those words very seriously. I'm not a prince, I don't have a drop of royal blood in me. Actually I don't have a drop of blood in me, period. The point is, I think this the nutcracker prince you were told about is another person. Another unfortunate fellow who was turned into a nutcracker."
"Sugar Plum said that the nutcracker prince was once human but the mouse queen cursed him with her dying breath, because he cracked the shell of darkness and destroyed her power." Anthony said. "Is that your backstory?"
"Yes." Alastor admitted.
"Then I'm pretty sure she was talking about you Smiles." Anthony said. "This is great. Once you get rid of Vox, our huge mouse infestation will be over and I'll be my gorgeous self again. I'll have skin and hair again. I'll have eyes again. I'll get my dong back!"
"What's a do-" But Charlotte's question was cut off by Alastor putting a hand to her mouth. "A word of advice, don't ever say that word at least until your eighteen. Otherwise your parents will put soap in your mouth, like Auntie did to me whenever I used foul language."
Charlotte nodded, Alastor removed his hand and turned to Anthony.
"And you, watch your mouth. She's only thirteen."
"You lie." Anthony said. "There's no way a thirteen year old has a rack that size."
Charlotte blushed and covered her chest in embarrassment.
"How dare you speak of her in such a manner!" Alastor said using his wooden fist to hit Anthony on the head repeatedly.
"Hey! Oof! What's wrong with you? Oof! Quit it!"
"Shame! Shame!" Alastor scolded. "Don't you have any honor or decency? Apologize at once!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"
"Alastor that's enough." Charlotte said grabbing his arm to stop him. "I appreciate the chivalrous act, but I think that's a bit much."
"A bit much?!" Anthony said, sounding very irritated.
"Allow me to explain." Charlotte said. "I really am only thirteen years old. But apparently this sugar plum fairy person turned me into a fully grown woman to serve a purpose, I think."
"Oh...Oh my god I'm a total pervert. No wonder wood boy here tried to beat my brains out."
"It's alright, you didn't know." Charlotte assured him. "Looking like this, who would know without me telling them? But if I succeed in helping Alastor defeat Vox, then I should be changed back."
"And in order to do that, we must go to the Sheltered City and find Princess Mimzy." Alastor said.
"What do you need her for?" Anthony asked.
"They're engaged and her love should be able to break the curse he's under." Charlotte said. "And from what I recall the Inventor saying, it wasn't just the nutcracker prince who needed to defeat the mouse king. It had to be the nutcracker prince and the princess."
"In that case you're probably right to go looking for her. She is technically the only princess around here."
With one more tight pull and tying the knot well, Charlotte had successfully reattached Anthony's arm and leg.
"There." She said. "All done."
"Thanks." Anthony stood up and carefully moved his right arm and left leg. "Wow, you did a really good job. No joke, this is like the work of a professional. Are you a seamstress?"
"No but my godmother sews as a hobby and she taught me."
"Listen, do you think maybe you could help out some of the other residents of the forest? I'm not the only person turned into the toy who those mice like to break and play rough with."
"Of course." Charlotte agreed. "I mean I can't promise anything but I'll do my best."
"And I can help if any of them are mechanical toys." Alastor offered.
"Great!" Anthony said, excitedly. "Follow me."
With that said, the former snow fairy led the nutcracker and the maiden over to where many of Vox's victims had hidden themselves, and to where an excellent opportunity would arise for the two visitors.