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strawberrygummiess · 5 months ago

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the nutcracker.

chapter 3 | chapter 4: march of the marzipan militia nutcracker x reader staff & reader che'nya x reader 2.3k words cross-posted on ao3 "He continues to talk, but you’ve stopped listening. Surely, he was exaggerating. A millennium? A thousand years? And you were still searching for them? There was no way the only solution to the Rat King was a fairytale. You would simply get Grim back yourself, Sugar Plum Fairy be damned."

The walk to Confiserie is quiet.

It wasn’t for a lack of trying. You’d think that after your near-death experience, you could wrangle answers out of your Nutcracker friend. In the forest, when he held you tight to his chest and looked at you with such a look in his eyes, you figured you had made some progress in getting closer to him (albeit, with minimal effort on your end, but if you were so effortlessly charming than you would use it to your advantage). But once again, when you try to pry information out of him, he smiles and shakes his head, ignoring your badgering to continue walking.

At this point, you admit defeat. Maybe everyone from this mirror world is a strange creature, and you’re only offending him with your pestering. You had yet to meet another human since the rat attack, and based on everything that happened since then, you wouldn’t be surprised if they were far and few between.

You do consider it progress that he acknowledges you now, even if he quickly changes the subject. However, even if he won’t answer your questions about the land, or himself, you are set on finding something else to call him.

“What is your name? Or what can I call you besides Nutcracker?” you ask, looking down at your feet when you hear the clicks of your shoes. Slowly, the snow on the ground has given away to a worn stone path, signaling that you’ve finally left the snowy forest. The ground looks completely untouched by the winter air, the grass is bright green and healthy and the trees bushy and full. The view of the field is beautiful, and you gape in awe at the serenity of the walk.

“You’re very adamant on finding this out,” he says, shocking you out of your reverie. He says, continuing to look forward. You frown, increasing your speed until you move before him, stopping him.

“I will stop asking you personal questions if you tell me your name,”

He stares at you for a second, debating. For a second, you think you might’ve won him over, watching as he opens his mouth to answer you before he frowns, grabs your arm, and pulls you behind him, drawing his sword with the other.

“Who goes there?” he shouts, his grip still tight on your wrist. If the wood of his hand weren’t bruising the skin, it would be a comforting gesture. Instead, you wince in pain, trying to stay quiet.

You cower behind your Nutcracker, peering over his shoulder to see what spooked him. You hadn’t heard anything, and when you looked around him, you couldn’t see anything either. Rook would be ashamed of your subpar hunter instincts.

“What is it?” you whisper, standing on your tippy toes to whisper in his wooden ear. The Nutcracker doesn’t respond, continuing to point his sword ahead. If you squint, you can see the town center up ahead. Otherwise, all you can see are abandoned cottages and empty fields. The outskirts of the town were practically deserted, and you couldn’t help the eerie feeling rising through your chest.

It was a complete ghost town. Paired with the beautiful scenery, it looked more like a painting than a real town.

“It really is I, who should be asking you, ‘Who goes there?’”

The voice is so quiet, it sounds like a whisper in your ear. But when you turn, there is no one beside you. A giggle fills the air, ringing out like a horn, yet no one is around you or the Nutcracker.

“Show yourself!”

“We mean no harm!” You cry, putting your hand over the Nutcracker’s, urging him to lower his sword. “We just want to find the Sugar Plum Fairy.”

The voice laughs again. “A figure more elusive than I. You sure do have your work cut out for you,” You move around the Nutcracker, looking for the source of the voice, trying to find your way closer. Your Nutcracker reaches out for you, urging you to stay beside him, but you continue to search.

And then, out of thin air, pops a boy.

“Oh!” You cry, stumbling backwards. It’s not a full body, but just his head. He peers at you with a cat-like grin, purple locks blending in with his violet military beret. Where an insignia would be, is instead a sugar-coated sugar plum.

“Do you serve the Sugar Plum Fairy? Do you know where they are?” you ask pointing to the candy on his hat.

“We Marzipan serve all who need us,” he says, head bobbing between you and the Nutcracker. “Although we've been stretched awfully thin these days, due to the Rat King,” He sighs. You feel a weight on your back pushing you forward, realizing he’d languidly leaned on you for support. By now you can see his whole body, violet military uniform coming into view. He pokes your nose and giggles again.

“We’ve been stuck recruiting from all over the lands. Candy Canes from the north, Chocolates from the west, Coffee from the south,” he begins listing many different regions. You glance at the Nutcracker, hoping for some sort of clarity, but he glances at you with an equally bewildered look.

Weird meet weirder.

“So… help me understand a little bit,” you say, turning your head to look at the boy on your shoulder. He looked no older than a teenager yet was dressed up to fight in a war. You tried to ignore the pang in your chest at the thought. “You’re a part of a Marzipan Military- “

“-militia,”

“-Right, and you’re fighting the Rat King… and I’m guessing you don’t know where the Sugar Plum Fairy is.” You summarize, shifting your shoulder to get his head to lie comfortably. He takes the bait, practically purring as he stretches his neck into yours, relaxing.

“My, you’re smarter than you look, little human. No one’s heard from Sugar Plum in a millennium, it's unsurprising that in our time of need, they’re nowhere to be found. Our own Royal family though- “

He continues to talk, but you’ve stopped listening. Surely, he was exaggerating. A millennium? A thousand years? And you were still searching for them? There was no way the only solution to the Rat King was a fairytale. You would simply get Grim back yourself, Sugar Plum Fairy be damned.

“Your General, you say? Take us to him, won’t you?” The Nutcracker says, knocking you back into the present. The boy on your shoulder sighs, before pushing himself off your back, standing straight.

“Oh no, not I. I must remain at my post, but go on ahead- you’ll find him eventually,” he giggles, and just as he appears, he fades away, until nothing is left but his Cheshire smile.

You’re left stunned and turn to your Nutcracker, who tsks in irritation, before continuing to walk toward the town center.

Just like the outskirts of the village, Confiserie Town Center is barren. Shops are barricaded and boarded up, looking abandoned. The whole town seems completely deserted.

“Hello?” you cry out, much to the chagrin of your Nutcracker. “Is anyone here? We met your… uh… lookout!” You move through the town center, yelling at anyone who could hear you.

“Are you mad?” The Nutcracker cries, grabbing your arm. “Who knows what’s out here? You’re inviting anything out to attack you!” He chastises you, pulling you behind him, grip tight. You roll your eyes, annoyed with the knightly act by now.

“The Marzipan are fighting the Rat King. Clearly, they’re our allies. We might think to have their help against the Rat King instead of the Sugar Plum Fairy,”

“Preposterous!” A voice cries from the Town Hall. Scrambling out from behind boarded doors is a tall man with a shako hat, strangely bright yellow. In the center was a sugared lemon, matching his uniform. “There is no army in the world that can beat the Rat King, especially a hodgepodge militia!”

He scrambles over, and standing at full height, you’re surprised when he towers above you. He peers down at you, almost like a curious bird, tilting his head back and forth. “You are searching for the Sugar Plum Fairy? You dare brave our dangerous lands? How brave you are, how courageous!” He grins, grabbing your face and squishing your cheeks together.

“Are you the General of the Militia?” The Nutcracker asks, moving between you and the birdman. You’re thankful to be freed from the strong man, rubbing your sore cheeks. Everyone from this world has such a strong grip!

“Yes, yes, I so generously lent my expertise for a failure of a militia, and yet we lack manpower and support. It is quite sad indeed, is it not, my wooden lad?” The birdman says, bringing his hands to his head in shame. “How am I to fight a real army with a plethora of silly children and old men, I ask? If you’re set on finding Sugar Plum you must, oh yes, you must!”

You move to stand next to the Nutcracker, pouting. He gives you a smug look as if to say “See; we must find the Sugar Plum Fairy like I said,” glancing at the Birdman while he had his miniature tantrum.

“Excuse me!” you interrupt, waving your hands in his face. “We know the Sugar Plum Fairy hasn’t been seen in quite some time, but do you happen to know where we could begin to look for them? We need their help to defeat the Rat King, and free my friend.”

The Birdman stops for a second, rubbing his chin with his fingers. He mumbles a series of “no… no… maybe… yes, that’s it!” before snapping his fingers in excitement.

“Peach! Pear! Prune! Plum! I need your assistance!” he practically sings, cupping his hands around his mouth to announce his call.

From the boarded-up building, four men emerge. One is very old, much too old to be a part of any militia. The next is so skinny, you’d think he’s too malnourished to serve any use. The next man is incredibly muscular, large, and boisterous, with a shining smile. The last man is almost model-like, too pretty to be a part of any military.

“Quite a rag-tag group, is it not?” The Nutcracker whispers in your ear. You giggle and nod.

“Lads! These two brave souls are searching for the Sugar Plum Fairy. In my generosity, I’ve allowed them to confer with my intelligence team. Aren’t I so merciful!’

“Maybe so, if we had any information to pass on,” the older man, Prune, quips. “Alas, as you may know, the Sugar Plum Fairy hasn’t been seen in quite some time,”

“Yes sir,” you nod. “But we must! My friend was taken captive by the Rat King. I have to save him, and we can’t do that without their help!”

Prune hums, shaking his head. The muscular and the pretty man mumble to themselves, also seeming stumped by your predicament. The skinny man laughs, grasping you and the Nutcracker in his arms.

“All is not lost, Little Sweets! I may know a way to help you in your quest.” He says, leaning close between your faces. “The Sugar Plum may be elusive, but their magic can be called upon!” He releases your shoulders and fishes through his jacket pockets, pulling out a small sack.

“Sugar Plum is the guardian of the Land of Sweets. Legend states that they can be summoned only by gathering magic from every inch of the land and chanting the spell of Noel. And, luckily for you, Little Sweets, we’ve gathered many of the Lands’ people right here.” He gives you an impish grin. “You find the other soldiers, ask them for a little bit of… ah- pixie dust and you’ll be ready to summon Sugar Plum in no time,”

The Nutcracker outstretches his hand and Peach places the bag in his hand. “As a start, I’ve provided you the magic of the Marzipan. For free, of course, so long as you use your newfound knowledge for good. Help us defeat the Rat King and we’ll be indebted to you.”

“Thank you, thank you so much!” You cry, grasping his hands. “We will. I promise.”

“We will restore order and hope to these lands and release you from your duties. Soon the Marzipan may return to their ordinary lives,” The Nutcracker says, giving a slight, princely bow. “For now, if you may- point us toward your barracks. We must converse with the rest of the soldiers.”

The Lemon-General/Birdman directs you toward the barracks while chanting about his generosity and benevolence which fills you with a deep sense of Deja vu. The Nutcracker chimes in with polite remarks, nodding and agreeing while sending you occasional incredulous glances.

You were happy to see his sense of humor coming out after a while. You hadn’t learned his name yet, but maybe you could make a nickname for him. Nut? Nutty? Cracker? Scratch that- all of those were horrible! Maybe you were losing your touch. Or maybe you could spice it up somehow. How would Rook say it? Casse-noix? You could shorten it to just Noix, and he’d be none the wiser to his nickname just being “nut”.

When you begin giggling to yourself, Noix shoots you a questioning look. You smile at him, tilting your head as you inspect him. The classy red uniform (much nicer than the rest of the colorful military uniforms you have seen thus far) matches his gray hair quite nicely. Despite being made of wood, he was quite handsome. Noix definitely suited him.

With a newfound hope, you follow the Lemon General and Noix, ready to gather some magic.

#oh my god i was so sick yall #sooo so sick #anyways merry christmas #i've taken a lot of cough syrup so im loopy af #this probably reads like crazy dont mind that #twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #twisted wonderland #twst #disney twst #che'nya #che'nya x reader #mozus trein #dire crowley #divus crewel #ashton vargas #sam twst #sam twisted wonderland

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