Teen Titans – Side Stories and After – Snippets; Foxes Upon Foxes and Magical Girls Galore

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A First Snow – Sealed With a Kiss – Part Five: Do the Nutcracker Rock! – Battle for the Sugarplum Bride.

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~ Their path now assured, the queen of frost on her way, just what will our true protagonists have to do on this day? We now continue…. ~

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Jacklyn eventually relented. The talking squirrel was too much – and yet? They'd gone and found what was yet to be unlocked. Behind iron gates, a glittering silver field adorned the world of winter and cold. "A sweets palace? Why, how peculiar," Narrator squirrel" assessed the situation with a cock of his brow.

Yet Jacklyn Stone countered with a –

/

"Where are we now?"

Right; she was only human. This path was obtuse. Not at all as perceived by the naked eye. For any mortal could tell you, they'd have to cross along by to find where this "was." Why it existed in secrecy for that matter. This was dream, a figment like in the "Warlock of Odd." (COPYRIGHT) A moral or lesson, but if it felt so real, could it really be another world??

Fanfare started off in the distance. The chatty squirrel raised its head along with the brown eyed girl.

~ By scot! It is starting already? I look a disaster, and so too do you! ~

Jacklyn looked him in the eye, his own two getting bigger - and before long there stood a rather tall figure….

A large face and great hands of wood that held on to a rifle. Oh my…

Jackie gawked at the creature; the rhymes had soon stopped. "Nut…. Squirrel…." She fell to her knees in disbelief. "YOU WERE THE NUTCRACKER PRINCE ALL ALONG??" She shouted over the fireworks and hollering of the folk within the city of sweet's walls. ~ I was going to tell you everything when I could, yet if I did not return to my country folk soon, the curse could not therefore be lifted. ~

"Ya think?? I thought you were trying to get on my n – what happened to your dum - diddies??" Jacky shook her head, huffing. "Is Ami inside?" She tapped her foot impatiently.

~ She is why we are also here, mortal child. ~ The nutcracker male reverted in form to a red painted nose and dark hair, a more height appropriate measure at maybe seventeen. Jax blinked. "How'd you do that?"

~ I am as you say, magical. I want to enter the city, yet must not be spotted by my enemy's guards. Right now, my people are in danger, as is your friend. ~ The nutcracker boy nodded and let out a palm for the gates to magically fall away in his presence. ~ We must sneak into my castle and save her, before the tyrant enemy can do harm to your belo –

"She's a family friend, that's all…" Jax rebuked, trying not to be so loose lipped with this chivalrous nut job.

~ I shall then ask you to follow. ~ The nutcracker boy nodded, as Jackie raced to catch up after the not – so – stiff wooden replica brought to life.

/

Raven held her skull as her senses picked up a sound, snowy footfalls. Mal raised his sword to assist, but to their delight it wasn't Skadi going on her rounds. But, Ava and two more of her guard sqad.

"Ava Marie?" Mal blinked, earning that same emotion from the princess. ~ We meet, but I did not think it would be on my world, Warlock and Aunt Rachel. ~ She smiled back, a smirk from her lips as Mal refused to be treated like the step parent.

"Why did my magic call me here? Was it you?" As Raven said this, Ava must have understood. ~ Nej, it was another. A being that has magic like my siblings. ~

"Amelia?" Mal gasped. "She called us both then, is that why?"

~ I am not certain if my sister did so consciously or not or as a cry for help. ~ Ava looked to the mountain top's view while her eyes remained distant. She was not the same, something in her was less human than they'd previously come to recognize.

"Where do we go, then? Is the trail cold, highness?"

Clyde asked this and shielded himself a bit with his woolen knits.

His brother in arms nodded, "We have a long way to turn; it could be by enchantment. This was why Princess Ava's ability to scale the top is paramount to the Crystal lands."

"She has a heart of ice, really." Mal sniffed. Raven elbowed him to stay quiet. "We'll go too. Is the destination on this plane, do you know?"

~ A rift just shifted. A pocket in the space time barrier. No doubt by a time witch from another realm. ~ Ava concluded.

~ The journey won't be long. We need only to traverse the sphere. I can open a door, with my ally's aid? ~

"We'd be happy to accommodate." Mal smiled back, realizing that Ava was not the enemy here after all. Just, stoic as a winter's breadth.

"Ok. Then lead the way, Ava. We're right here for you."

Raven nodded and the sparks flew off of that mountain top as the portal took them to where that faint cry had originated from. A sort of dreamy wonderland created by pure imagination, had Raven expected anything less of a time manipulating witch.

/

Heels tapped as the door chimes that hung across the entrance way clanged boldly in midair.

Getting up from her cat nap. The witch that Raven had realized was up to no good, was visited by one more of her kind. A time traveling witch from Japan. Yuko. Otherwise, a child of Clow Reed.

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"You've got a lot of impressive junk as usually, don't you Rodina?" The tall, lanky dark hair and eyes beautiful woman was ethereal in her movements. She flowed in wearing a stylish set of black flare pants, sandals and a sleeveless hi - fang style dragon embroidered red top. She had her hair up in a bun with a trail of dark hair streaming down from it.

"Yuko!" The character from just as long before even recognized her old trading partner. "I sold you that useless monkey's paw for some enchanted sake, didn't I? Has that relic even sold? It looks so sad…Want me to buy it back??"

"No!" Rodina knew this witch. She was a curse - user as well. An exorcists and soothsayer of evil and grand intent. A monkey's paw in her world would be less than appealing. Rodina shook her mane of hair until her form fell away.

"I hated playing the crone for so long!" Somewhat robust and strong, the younger real Rodina had tangled brown and green locks and was outfitted in Romani attire of her ancestors. "Have you come to review my stock? We traded only months ago, so. What brings you to this universe?"

"I felt a presence and knew it had to be here." Yuko waved her long fingers about, finding a nutcracker with a broken hole in its chest from the corner of her eye. "I wanted to be sure you were not breaking our sacred oath as overseers –

"No! Not me! I just sold some delightful little trinket to a girl who's father also bought from my shop a decade ago. Business as usual…. heh…"

Yuko raised a brow, tentatively. She didn't really trust that answer, or that smile. Nothing was as it could be.

No coincidences existed on her plane, the same for this one.

"If you are so sure, then why is water dripping from that nutcracker doll's heart?" Yuko pointed to the figure with a frown. Rodin's face drew a blank. "That is…. ah…"

"Fix it…Just, don't let me have to clean up…and I'll be taking the monkey's paw as compensation for my services." She let out a fox's grin and snatched up the toy, running a delicate set of fingers over the worn-out seal to reseal the piece. "Make sure your customer is dully satisfied or I'll have to step in." Yuko waved with the paw in her clutches as she dashed for the exit, ignoring Rodina's last plea to be merciful on her soul. The witch in tatters growled and went to patch up the poor Nutcracker, wondering if her decision would be too much of a moralistic trip for the other to bare. The girl was so close! She just had to fight for what her heart was telling her.

To save her princess, just as the nutcracker prince too wanted to wed the sun…

Oh dear. She had gone too far again…

/

Inside of this world of wonderment, there was a different image than the one previously painted at the back of our protagonists' minds…

/

The Nutcracker prince was simply addressed in the way a beggar might; he stayed beneath a borrowed cloak of brown wool as Jackie did the same, not really knowing who this enemy was or what they wanted with her girlfriend.

If Jackie's understanding of the classics was really real, then the nutcracker prince had one sworn enemy. A rather hairy one which took to the Christmas theme as easily and swiftly as a winter storm in the alps.

She got close to the prince as they stayed by an inn to rest. Turns out, little boy blue was actually able to get inside because this particular inn was a place of rebellion. Just as the rebels in Ava or Verra's home world, there was even a rebel army to fight the supposed enemy here in this Sugarplum city.

~ Sir! ~ One of the staff tugged the seventeen-year old's arm as Jax scooted in through the back room to see what they had wanted.

~ Are you with the prince? ~ A fairy with cocoa skin and golden eyes and hair spoke up with her hands to her hips at Jacklyn. Jax nodded and the fae relaxed. ~ It's alright then, come on in! ~

The tables were set to house a dozen who were against the new changes as the prince wove his tale of an enchantment placed upon his body; how Jackie was here to save her soulmate and to help free the kingdom from their fierce opponent.

~ The rat will do us no harm! ~ A lollipop elder swung his fists high into the air, while a blue bell fae who seemed to familiar jotted down notes on a scroll of paper in her hands. ~ May! We need you to stand at attention. ~ The cocoa fae nudged the blue eye and haired bell flower fairy twice.

~I'm keeping a record of the events yet to be listed, ~ Huffed the pompous flower fairy with an upturned delicate nose. ~ If I don't jot, none of you will. ~

They all bickered and even through furniture around, until the nutcracker prince shouted out ina commanding tone to his people.

~ Enough of this!!! We cannot be taken down by the evil rat, yes. Yet we are doing little good in our situation. Has anyone found his lair within the keep? He does not keep to one room and the sun's daughter might very well be weak from –

"Ami!?" Jax stood up and exclaimed. "She's not…. you have to get her back! I don't have any weapons, or what do you mean by sun child?"

~ You did not know, human? ~ The lollipop fairy crossed his arms and sighed. ~That girl is blessed by a goddess from another realm unlike our own. ~

"I know. The one in Japan wants her to replace her job once she's good enough to control it. She's my best friend. I just wanted to ask why YOU all know."

~ Magic. ~ May bell rolled her eyes and scribbled something else into her parchment. Ava was not going to like this one bit…

/

Ava had little to say about where they'd transported after the reunion upon higher peaks. She just wanted to know who had sent that telepathic S.O.S. Only then, she'd be satisfied to return to her world in peace.

Raven didn't understand why Ava's demeanor had become so…cold. Mal said it was because of the time that Ava had spent in the spirit world, that she'd reclaimed a goo chunk of her birth right from Reia and was slowly understanding that immortality here had a price. Like Reia, she had a role to fill that could not be undone once she'd made up her mind. Ava was in a way, the reincarnated priestess, so her freedom was questionable compared to when she'd –

Chris…she was still grieving. It all made sense. She wasn't turning to ice, but stone. She didn't move because of the manipulative lies that Hati had wrought in Chris's form for too long. Ava had depended solely on Chris to remain by her side, yet Hati the wolf demon had corrupted that part of him and had hurt Ava while still alive. It was why Ava had been forced to slay her fenrir. To bury his remains in the snow.

She was in mourning. And…today was the anniversary to celebrate the happier times…but it was not. Had Ava's walls been any taller, Raven might have just missed the signs. She nodded to Mal who'd certainly want to empathize as she telepathically linked to him and told him all she remembered about ava's long fight with her rights as Reia's vassal.

Or retainer.

~ I was not aware that even Alue could grieve, yet gods are no less than humans. ~ Mal shrugged and let out an exasperated sigh. ~ How far to the location? We should be on the correct path. ~

Raven looked up ahead and saw a sun overlooking a field of…. red…..licorice…..grain….?

/

Ava scanned the horizon yet kept walking down the mounds of frost on foot. ~ Clyde, you'll need to scout on ahead and report what you see. We'll wait for you in the thicket. ~

~Right away, highness. ~ Clyde swapped forms to become a red fox as it dashed across the fields of red.

~ And I, Lady? ~

She shook her head to her second mate. ~ You'll need to stay. Our allies do not know anything about the Sugar palace. ~

" Like in a fairy tale about cotton candy gnomes? ~ Mal raised an eye to the joke - ville they'd stumbled upon. ~ Almost as miraculous as the time your team's leader was nearly turned into a cat. ~ he snickered and Raven, had to agree. That was a horrible joke but a better one than Gar's lame puns. (New beginning set arc; cat princess hybrid from spirit realm of ancient Korean Jinmae ends up stealing Robin and making him part cat the longer he stays in her home. The Titans did rescue him, but the results were nothing to spit over….haha!)

~ Guess we're to wait here until your other friend returns? ~ Mal wondered as Ava said not a word in response to the wizard's teasing. She knew how to run her team better than they could. No one had the gall to talk to a princess like an idiot.

/

Jackie looked over her new allies, ones hopefully aware of how to even get she and Ami back home once this snowy disaster was well, finito.

The nutcracker prince had his allies outfitted with plenty of ammunition and weapons to take back the city. Ami was in there, probably bawling her eyes out. The last time had been with the dragon Roku when he was still on team "bad guy." The second was with Marcus Borgges and the mirror being what kept Ami trapped and away from the fight. And then…Hel from Ava's world; she'd saved Ami from kicking the bucket early. Of course, Jax was terrified! Her life wasn't safe either.

But…. something that "witch" had said stuck to her. Kings fought for love, but when they stopped doing so, all was lost. That wasn't how the world worked. Fairy tales were just a part of the imagination as the foxes had explained of the Spirit World's creation – all by the hands of so many human hearts and minds…stories brought to life.

This though? She looked up at the tower outside their post's window where the Rat king was probably getting fatter off of the town's coffers. It was just a bad dream, even if there was something to learn from any of it. She feared for her relationship. If she didn't go into the fire, they'd both end up burning under the pressure of their promises.

/

Jax swept by a corridor with May who was busy staying quiet as a church mouse. Jax had done paintball and laser tag with her family before. This was cov – op work, spy stuff…or SWAT. And she…. didn't mean to brag, but her genes were pretty secure in that department.

The Nutcracker price threw up a hand sign and Jackie knew this world was not that modern to know human symbols for "take em out." She agreed. As long as I snowed in the Rockies by Christmas and new years, she could live with this trippy dream and jumping the gun with a wooden replica from a famous ballet.

They made it to the throne room's wide doors. The nutcracker prince took in an inhale and he and his companions pushed to let the doors be widened. The Rat king was far worse than in the book.

He was NOT fat. He was a villain sized kind of scary, but tall even if his whiskers took up most of his face. He wore robes and a uniform from the time of a Tsar from the times of the Romanovs, but that…was later??

Did this make ANY sense??

~ Rat- sputin….~

Jax had to hold back a chuckle with a gulp of air. ~ What have you done with the other new comer?? ~

The nutcracker prince raised his blade and demanded the scheming elder talk. ~ I only took her to my side, under my care. She had lost her way. She is very scared. You make such a racket when entering the palace…. Did you know?? ~ The rat grinned as Jax gasped by what he was intending to do. Instead, he pulled back his large scarlet cloak to reveal Ami in an outfit that looked…too sweet for her teeth to handle. She was dressed as a sugarplum fairy from the play. Jackie's hands became fists at her sides.

~ That is not the princess! ~ One of the rebels shouted. ~ Where is the real Queen of the Sweet Fairies?? ~

~Yet, she did not oppose playing the role of one, she even offered herself to save her allies…whom…I think are also searching for our castle. She and I are to marry. By the next moon in the time, it takes… ~

The king's rats came marching one by one.

"Oh no…" Jackie saw how outnumbered they were. She swallowed, hard. Even with her wit and quick feet, she could not take them all out!

~ We will not surrender that girl or this kingdom and its people to the likes of you. ~ the Nutcracker prince got ready for a battle as his many followers took up their rifles and blades to gleam under candles so bright.

~ You won't have to. I will have you as kindling to my fireplace! Attack! Capture the prince and his army! We shall not allow this rebellion to follow… ~

Rat -sputin (Pun intended) was serious as his cackle lit up the war drumming drummers at his beck and cal. Rats scurried on all four, a sea of grey, brown, black and white with beady red eyes to match.

~ Do not be intimidated! We will pierce his defenses…ATTAAACK!!!~

/

Ami stayed quieted by the spell that was cast over her. Rasputin of the past was a sorcerer who also healed and helped the Romanov children with his medicinal knowledge. The saddest truth? He was actually not the worst face in history – but this Rat, was!

/

Ava felt that presence again. She lifted up her head and let the moon cast its glow upon her, making contact with an army in the Aurora lands far from this one.

~ Anya…~

~ Small - Paw. I need your help. ~ She beseeched to the tan wolf child as she was granted a nod. Small paw was the only and last child of wolven protectors Aneiu and Anaius of the Frozen Wastes. The Northern direction as its guides of all life.

The convergence ended as Ava gasped into her body. Raven watched in fascination. "You contacted, the other side…"

~ I have learned what must be done. We are to go into the fight. Our allies are there. ~ Ava answered back to the Azarathean woman beside her.

Raven gripped Ava's arm and tried to reason; this was…troubling to know. Mal was right. Ava wasn't going to get through to Ami the way she was now.

"Ava, listen. Your sister is inside those walls and in danger. And if she is, you have to let her know she can trust you. Ami's emotions and powers are like mine. You'd only make her more confused…unable to find he way back. So…Please." Raven pleaded. "Don't forget who you still are to us. To your real family."

/

The fight was getting ugly really quickly. May had to heal a ton of soldiers and the rats were feral in their movements. Jackie was saved by her fellow allies, until she and the Nutcracker prince finally made it to the Rat – sputin of this world. The prince's arm slightly battered by a bludgeoning from so many vermin. He was tough, but Rat – sputin pulled out his sword and dragged the fight to him. He wanted the prince all for himself.

Jackie ran to Ami as her face was glazed over and distant. Jackie slipped a hand round the back of the enchanted child's neck and hugged her close. "Ami…. I'm so sorry…I never told you how I really feel…We have to get you home…get –

~ YYAA!!~" The rat king came at the prince and shoved him down to the floor as Jax looked over, panting and afraid to die.

~Y…ou…. hav…….it…. ~ The prince coughed up a bit of wood dust from his body. He wasn't real. None of this could be.

~ Have…mag…. magic…. save…her…. ~ He coughed again, finding it hard to stand as the rats surrounded them.

~No…...love……loss…. love…..key…..~ The prince grunted and fell back, his leg in splinters. "I …. magic? Ami has all the powers?? I'm just –

~ Your love…. took you this fa…far…...~ The prince gasped as the rats only started to circle them all.

"I…didn't have myself. I had you!" Nearly wept but dried her tears…"I'll do it…for Ami and….for the kingdom!" With a gulp of air, Jackie touched foreheads with her girlfriend. Love…it had to be so soon….

"Ami…. Wake up…I'm here to bring you home. I love you, Ami Grayson. I want you to see me as me, and for us to learn together what that means…I –

~ Your efforts won't succeed. She is devoid of –

"Shut up, rat breath!" Jackie hollered at the figurine in her face. "Ami…If you can hear me…then tell me you feel the same, mama!" She waited but only a light filtered from the girl's brow as a crest appeared. A bit otaku for Ami's vessel state, yet the sun awoke in all its beautiful glory. Jackie felt her heart become lighter as the rats were forced to scatter. Rat – sputin covered his eyes and then screamed.

~ I'm…...in love with YOU, Amelia Am'annd'r Grayson!! Wake up!!~

/

"Jax…"

"Jackie?"

Jacklyn groaned and felt her eyes. No, her cheek. Something wet.

Ami was right there, drenching her girlfriend and significant other in salt and worry. Raven dusted off the snowy dust from her cloak, and even Ava was there!! It wasn't a dream.

The castle was abuzz with a jubilant triumph over the darkness. The nutcracker prince was on crutches made by a fae's magic. As of Ami's right, was a dazzling queen. The nutcracker prince bowed, as did his crew as she appeared into moonlight and blue frost.

~ The queen! ~

They allowed her; the Sugarplum wonder, to reach for Jax's side. Jacklyn looked into those winter rabbit eyes of a marvel and gasped. How she seemed to glimmer as a set of Christmas lights. Her dress the Wanda of another time. Her finger tipped to tap at the girl's brow, speaking in a sweet voice.

~ We honor our heroes and it is now time to return….for love, truly conquers all…. ~

~ All light had downed throughout the realm of everlasting snow. Dark of night now cast upon another, California – bound….For this they know where they must go….to this place devoid of frost and delight. Until tonight….. ~

/

Jackie coughed up snow flakes and rain in her lungs. She and a dozen others, but no sign of Ava again. She was however able to familiarize herself with the hardwood of the Stone family's living room. The Christmas tree was still shimmering rainbow shades as a gust of wind broke the silence in her heart. No, a real pull of her chain connecting the "hero" to this world. Her home…

Ami tugged Jackie so very close to her that the fro on her head stood upright. Her face as red as an ornament by the mantle or Santa's hat.

"You…ok?" She was abe to have something kinder to ask, not pushing Ami off. Ami instead got the ida that she was using her Tamaran might. She let go and blushed at her girlfriend. "I can't be any happier that you're all….ok.." She smiled in a way that lit up the room. Dick had a word with Mal and Rachel, finding that Ava's forces had liberated a good chunk of that figment of some relic's wish gone awry.

"We think it was a curse, yet not of ill intent by it –

"It was some witch at a curio shop I stopped at! Aha!" She pointed at the now reconstructed relic. The globe still had the nutcracker prince, yet he was not alone. The rebels and the queen all gathered round, almost to wave at their heroes who'd saved the kingdom of sweets.

"She laid it on thick, she even asked if my dad –

"Whoa, whoa…..hold up.." Cy gulped, shaking his head now. "You mean to tell me….a WITCH gave you that?? Where? And what did she look like? Big, long nose and green skin??"

"More like olive dad." Jackie huffed. "Kinda rude, but yeah. She said I needed it –

"OHHH!" Dick tried not to laugh. "Cy! That's the witch who sold you the enchanted pie! Holy Ravager on a beach in the DR!" He chuckled.

"Say what??"

Raven and Mal with Kori soon burst out laughing. "I remember that story; you were pulled into a story of Hansel and Gretel. Raven? Did you really –

"We don't have to make this about my experience." She groaned. "Victor bought the pie, and we had to seal the witch inside it –

"But she was so…different?" Jackie didn't think this witch meant to cause trouble. She turned to her aunts and uncle. "I think she wanted me to confess how I felt about Ami." Smiled the brown eyed and bashful teen. She was brimming with a newfound sense of self. Ami bopped Jax on the head and pouted, all eyes on her. "You did not have to slay a dragon to tell me you wanna be together! That's ludicrous!" Ami shook her head. "I'm right here and you are exactly what you need to be and WHO. Magic can make it clearer, but it can't give us all the answers. We are still what, fifteen? Ya dope!" She giggled and hugged her Girlfriend before pecking her mistletoe tween on the cheek. "I like you for you. So don't run away to the land of make believe to make me see that. Kay?"

"That…was not why I went into her shop.." Jackie finally opened up. "I wanted to show you real snow. And we could see it together, right –

"Oh!" Dick broke apart the moment with a click of his tongue. "Grandpa Wayne invited us and a few guests to the ski lodge after Christmas. If….you want to see some snow outside of Gotham? That ok with you, Vic?"

"Yeah!" Karen and Julian both nodded right beside one another. "That would be a great way to get some fresh air. Wanna go, kids?"

"Ami?" Jax smiled, half ready to cry a river as Ami tugged her up from the floor. "We have a lot of packing to do, Best GF!"

/

In the storefront of a certain magical oath barer, Rodina stood beside a smirking Yuko who was delighted to know that things had gone according to the law of all things. "They became closer thanks to your trick. You knew, too. Didn't you?" Yuko raised an eye to the rather standoffish Rodina. "I was just trying to pay back her father for that awful incident…What's it got to do –

" Aaaa!" Yuko spun round and even saw that the beautiful gift of the nutcracker's snow globe was now on the top dresser of Ami, the girl that their protagonist Stone had intended to court. Yuko's eyes began to water. "Young love is so adorable! I hope my protégé Watanuki and that priest's son Doumeki are a match made for each other like that….such reunions always make me cry…" She took up a tissue from the other witch's palm. "That is all I came for." Yuko shrugged with a small grin. "The payment was made so you are free to do as you need in this realm….though, be sure to be a bit more discreet next –

"YUKO! Go home, already!!!"

/

And, we made it! Snippet was cute enough? I thought it would be a fight over Ami with the nutcracker prince instead but after Ava and Hati, I think the drama can stay chill for today. We got to it a few days before new year, y' all! Review and read on for much more to come!