On Christmas Eve, Sweetie Belle receives a nutcracker from her aunt. When night falls, the Storm King comes in the night, and shrinks her down. Now Sweetie Belle and the Nutcracker must defeat him.
On Christmas Eve, Sweetie Belle receives a beautiful wooden Nutcracker as a gift from her favorite aunt. That night, while Sweetie Belle sleeps, the Nutcracker springs to life to ward off the evil Storm King who has invaded Sweetie Belle’s parlor. She awakes and aids the Nutcracker, but the Storm King shrinks her by casting an evil spell. Sweetie Belle and the Nutcracker set off on a spectacular adventure to unite all the Four Realms in order to find and rescue the Sugar Plum Princess, the only one who can break the Storm King's evil enchantment over the land before it’s too late.
This is inspired by the ballet “The Nutcracker,” but with some references from other sources, and the movies “Barbie in the Nutcracker” and “The Nutcracker and the Four Realms” from Disney
It was Christmas Eve, and that very evening, the snow was falling peacefully, the city streets were joyous, and inside this very home, Sweetie Belle was admiring the snow globe inside her guest bedroom of her and Rarity’s grandfather’s mansion. She had curly light pink and lilac purple hair and green eyes. She also wore a navy blue headband with a light blue bow with light green outlines and matching knot, a light blue skirt with a grayish green ribbon sash tied around her waist with a bow on the back, and a pair of white knee high socks and black strapped shoes.
Sweetie Belle was looking at her snow globe, daydreaming about wanting to ice skate in that diorama, until a sound of knocking came from her door.
“Sweetie Belle? Are you ready yet?” a girly elegant voice called from behind her door. “Just a minute!” Sweetie Belle replied.
Suddenly, entering the door was her big sister Rarity. She had beautiful curly purple hair with a three blue diamond hair clip, sapphire blue eyes and light blue eyeshadow. She also wore a lilac purple dress with a long skirt that reached towards her knees with a few blue and purple diamonds on the hems of her skirt and a purple linen hemline with some purple sprinkle prints, along with a violet ribbon sash around her waist, and a pair of blackish purple high heels.
“Whoa… you look pretty, Rarity,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Thank you, darling,” Rarity said. She then held out her hand for Sweetie Belle to take, which she did, and they both walked downstairs together.
Suddenly, their grandfather, Sir Bluegrass Monsoon III saw them coming. He had white hair and a matching beard, brown eyes, and he wore a gray and white tuxedo suit with a black jacket and pants.
“Oh! Grandfather!” Rarity said.
“Girls, please! Now’s not the time for dilly dallying! We must finish decorating everything else before the guests arrive tomorrow!” he said.
Sweetie Belle faced him and placed her hands behind her back sheepishly, “Yes, Grandpa.”
“We’ll help out the best we can,” Rarity said, placing her hand on Sweetie Belle’s shoulder.
The doorbell chimed, catching the attention of Bluegrass, who pulled out his pocket watch to check the time.
“Twenty-two minutes early. Such bad manners,” he said as he left to get the door, while Rarity and Sweetie Belle turned back around to help finish decorating with Mr and Mrs. Cake. Sweetie Belle unraveled a small pink box and pulled out a white ornament of a ballerina.
“It’s beautiful, dear!” Mrs. Cake said.
“Mother gave this to me a while back,” Rarity said.
“Yep! The Christmas Rarity and I saw my first ballet!” Sweetie Belle said eagerly.
Mrs. Cake smiled at the two sisters, then turned around to grab more decorations from a box behind her. Sweetie Belle carefully hung the ornament on one of the boughs of the Christmas tree.
“Does that look good?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Yes, that will do perfectly, darling,” Rarity said, as she received a hug from her sister, before she hugged the little girl back. “Why don’t we not get ourselves overexcited and maybe continue with the decorating?”
“Okay,” Sweetie Belle replied.
“Would you girls care for a cookie?” Mrs. Cake asked.
“I’m fine, but thank you, Rarity asked, before Sweetie Belle took two.
“Thanks,” she said.
Mrs. Cake nodded and then she and her husband went to go finish whatever was left of the decorating.
After Sweetie Belle finished her treats, Rarity wiped the crumbs and frosting off her sister’s cheeks.
Sweetie Belle suddenly heard two voices, as she turned and saw two girls, along with some other girls she and Rarity immediately recognized.
There were seven teenage girls, one with pink puffy hair, one with blonde hair tied in a ponytail and a brown hat, one with rainbow colored hair, one with long pale pink hair, one with red and yellow fiery hair, and one with purple hair with two pink stripes, along with her puppy, who had purple fur, light green ears and belly fur, and regular spiked green hair on its head.
The two youngest ones were a girl with red hair that had a big bow on the black and the other had dark pink boyish styled hair.
“HEY, SWEETIE BELLE!!” they said.
“Scootaloo! Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed happily. “You two ready for this?!”
The other two nodded, as the three shouted, “CHRISTMAS SLEEPOVER AT GRANDPA BLUEGRASS’ MANSION! YAY!”
The other girls shook their heads.
“Thanks for invitin’ us to your gramps’ place, Rarity,” Applejack said.
“It’s really thoughtful of you,” Sunset said.
“It’s no trouble at all, girls. But since my grandfather’s a little stern but very kind and loving, you’ll have to be on your best behavior. That means you as well, Rainbow Dash, and especially you, Pinkie Pie,” Rarity explained.
“Pfft! No problem!” Rainbow Dash said. “Being on my best behavior’s what I’m good at!”
“Ooh! Ooh! Me too! Me too!” Pinkie Pie bounced.
“Why don’t you all help me and my sister decorate the rest of the room?” Rarity asked, as her friends nodded in agreement.
As they were nearly finished decorating the room, the door opened again, revealing a woman with periwinkle hair with lilac, grayish magenta and grayish heliotrope streaks, lapis blue eyes with lavender eyeshadow, and she wore a dark purple jacket over a matching blouse covering her neck, a plum blue skirt, nylon burgundy leggings, and plum purple shoes.
“Hello there, girls!” she said.
“Auntie Aurora! You’re here!” Sweetie Belle said, as she rushed over to hug her, burying herself in her waist.
“Why of course I am, little Sweetie Belle,” Aurora said, before she hugged her youngest niece back, and stroked her hair tenderly. Rarity then did the two sided smooch with her aunt, until they both held hands after Sweetie Belle released her hug from Aurora’s waist. “Rarity, darling! You’re at least a head taller!”
“I thought you weren’t coming this year!” Rarity said happily.
“And miss a chance to visit you two and vex my uncle?” Aurora then chuckled. Until Bluegrass entered behind her.
“Already conspiring against me as usual, I see?!” Bluegrass asked.
“Don’t worry, I’ll wait until your party is over before I can perform any mischief!” Aurora said, leaving Rarity and Sweetie Belle chuckling, along with the other girls in the room.
Bluegrass frowned disapprovingly, “Hmph.”
As he walked away, Sweetie Belle rushed up to her aunt and grabbed her by the arm, and eagerly asked, “Where did you go this time? I want to hear all about it!”
“Yeah! Tell us!” Apple Bloom said.
“I bet it was so cool!” Scootaloo said.
“Alright, simmer down now,” Applejack said, before they all got comfortable.
“Well, let’s see. I met an emperor, I sailed on a cruise ship, I had my first carriage ride, and I hiked the Great Wall of China!” Aurora said, leaving the girls in awe.
Suddenly, Grandfather Bluegrass interrupted, “I’d appreciate it, Aurora, if you’d stop filling these children’s heads with your stories! Just because you go traipsing all over the globe rather than stay put like a sensible person!”
“There’s a world full of wonders out there Uncle, and many of these children deserve to experience them!” Aurora said.
Grandfather Bluegrass pointed a finger at Aurora and opened his mouth to continue arguing with her, but the doorbell rung once again, cutting him off. He paused, then turned back to say something more to her niece, but this time she cut him off.
“Your guests are waiting,” she said.
Grandfather Bluegrass’s eyes flickered between the door and Aurora for a moment, before he finally huffed and walked away to greet his guests.
“Man, what’s eating your grandpa this year?” Rainbow Dash asked.
Aurora then sighed, “Some people never change. But we can always hope!”
“Can you tell us more, Aunt Aurora?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Of course, dear. I’d be happy to, but why don’t we all get situated first and maybe have some hot chocolate?” Aurora replied.
“We’ll finish decorating while you tell us everything. Is that alright with you, Mrs. Swan?” Twilight asked.
“By all means,” Aurora said.
Later in the evening, Aurora continued to tell the girls about stories of her travels while she and her nieces, and Sweetie Belle’s friends had a few cups of hot chocolate sitting on the couches nearby and the other girls finished decorating.
“Then he bowed and asked me to dance,” she said.
“Ooh! Ooh! Did you?! Did you?!” Pinkie Pie asked, excitedly raising her hand.
“Well, I certainly couldn’t say no to the king!” Aurora said.
Rarity sighed dreamily, “You must have felt like a princess!”
“I bet that you’ve had such a nice trip, Mrs. Swan,” Fluttershy said, hanging up an ornament onto the tree.
“Whatever it was you experienced, we’re glad you enjoyed it,” Sunset said, as Twilight nodded in agreement.
“I wish I could have been there,” Sweetie Belle said.
Aurora looked over her shoulders to make sure Grandfather Bluegrass wasn’t listening, “Maybe next time, you and your sister can come with me. And your friends as well.”
Sweetie Belle frowned, “Grandpa would never allow it.” Rarity then stroked her shoulder.
Aurora then stood up and walked to a nearby table where a few wrapped presents were sitting, “Well, surely he won’t object to these.”
“Presents!” Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo said in unison.
She handed gifts to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, who both stood up eagerly to receive them. “Something to thank you both for being good friends to my youngest niece.”
They both nodded, and sat back down to open their presents.
She then turned to Rarity with the second gift, “For you, Rarity.”
She then gave her third gift to Sweetie Belle, “And for you, my dear.”
Sweetie Belle took the gift, but before she could open it, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo already torn open their gifts on the ground, removing a wooden stacking doll from Germany for Apple Bloom, and a Valkyrie figurine for Scootaloo.
“Whoa! A Valkyrie figurine! Thanks!” Scootaloo said.
“Hey! I can put this one in my bedroom for display!” Apple Bloom said.
Rarity then opened her present, revealing a few jewelry, “Oh, Aunt Aurora! They’re lovely!”
“Those I got from from Paris. Figured you’d like to use them for social gatherings whenever you’d like,” Aurora said.
“Thank you, Auntie!” Rarity said.
Sweetie Belle then carefully unwrapped her gift, as she was given to reveal a nutcracker.
He had white hair with a few lighter blue streaks, that stopped at his chin and was pulled back behind his ears. He also had a small beard that was also white. He had a black curled mustache and blackish blue eyebrows. His eyes were a slightly lighter cerulean blue, and he had two lines on either side of his mouth starting at the mustache and ending at his beard.
He wore a royal blue hat with gold trims and a gold star on the front, and a small royal blue brim with a gold trim, a red military jacket with a light blue braid and gold buttons and straps, gold wood hinged shoulders descending to red sleeves with gold cuffs, grayish blue trousers with red stripes and black boots with gold trims hinged at the knees, and he wore a cutlass sword on his right side with a gold handle.
“A nutcracker!” Sweetie Belle said in amazement. She held him up to the light and moved his arm to open and close his mouth.
“He’s wonderful! Thank you, Aunt Aurora!” Sweetie Belle said, as she stood up and hugged her aunt’s waist.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” Aurora said.
“Aww, he is so adorable!” Rarity said, looking at her sister’s nutcracker. “And he looks very handsome.”
“Maybe I could use him to command my army and protect my dollhouse, maybe from a dragon!” Sweetie Belle said, as she went to play with her dollhouse and her other toys, to show her nutcracker to them.
“Oh, do be careful, dear!” Rarity said.
“Relax, Rarity. He might seem different than most playthings on the outside, maybe… but inside beats the heart of a prince,” Aurora said, leaving Rarity satisfied.
As Sweetie Belle reorganized her dolls, Twilight’s dog Spike unintentionally grabbed the nutcracker with his teeth, before Sweetie Belle tried to wrench the Nutcracker from Spike’s mouth.
“Hey!” she angrily shouted. “Let go!”
The two wrestle over the toy for a moment.
“SPIKE!”
Sweetie Belle finally yanked it from Spike’s mouth, making her trip. Spike saw Twilight sternly looking at him, before picking him up to hold her puppy.
In the process of pulling the toy away from Spike, the nutcracker’s left arm unintentionally broke.
Sweetie Belle gasped, “Oh no!” She then cradled it carefully to see if it was still working, but was upset that her new doll had a injury.
“Sweetie Belle? Is everything alright, darling?” Rarity asked, before she bent down on her knees.
“Rarity, my nutcracker broke,” Sweetie Belle sadly replied to her sister, showing her doll’s broken arm.
“Oh dear,” Rarity said in sorrow, as she and Sweetie Belle sat down on the couch together, with the little girl cradling the Nutcracker in her arms.
“Please don’t be too angry with Spike. I’m sure he didn’t mean to hurt you,” Sweetie Belle said to her nutcracker.
“I’m sorry about your nutcracker’,” Twilight said.
Fluttershy reached over and grabbed a nearby ribbon and with it, fashioned a sling for the Nutcracker’s broken arm, “Is that better?” Sweetie Belle nodded.
As she gave the Nutcracker back to Sweetie Belle, his eyes twinkled magically for a moment. Sweetie Belle stared fondly at the doll, until Rarity brought Sweetie Belle closer towards her, as she laid her sister’s head on her upper stomach, and then gently hugged her to comfort the poor girl.
It was nearing midnight and Sweetie Belle has fallen asleep on the couch with the Nutcracker in her arms, and sleeping on Rarity’s lap, who was keeping her company for the night. The other girls went to bed, along with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
They even changed into their nightgowns, while Sweetie Belle’s was pink with long sleeves that only reached her forearms, and had six small buttons on the top, and had a skirt that reached towards her knees, and on one side of the couch was her grayish pink robe in case she got cold.
Grandfather Bluegrass leaned over the side of the couch and Aurora entered behind him.
Grandfather Bluegrass then whispered, “It’s time we wake her.”
Rarity looked at her little sister sleeping peacefully on her lap, “I’m not sure, but I suppose we should get her into bed?” Rarity whispered, covering her sister with a soft blanket.
Aurora then whispered, “And spoil a beautiful dream? No, let her sleep.”
“I guess you’re right. Anyway, I’m going to bed,” Rarity said, as she carefully got off the couch without waking up her sister. “Goodnight, Aunt Aurora. Goodnight, Grandfather.”
They both nodded, but Rarity carefully hugged her sister, “Goodnight, Sweetie Belle. Sweet dreams, darling.” She then kissed her sister on the cheek, and readjusted her blanket, before walking off to her guest bedroom to join her friends.
“You know, Sweetie Belle’s not just a little girl anymore, but she deserves the chance to follow her dreams someday as she gets older,” Aurora said softly, looking at her youngest niece.
Grandfather Bluegrass walked to turn off a nearby lamp, “A young girl needs to be responsible and practical! I want to make sure that they’re taken care of. Provided for.”
“Rarity and Sweetie Belle are responsible, and so are their friends. Their parents have raised them both well, Uncle, just like you’ve raised them back then. It’s time you trusted them to grow up and make their own choices.”
Grandfather Bluegrass grumbled to himself as he adjusts the grandfather clock with the key, “It’s late. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He turned and left the room. Aunt Elizabeth adjusted Sweetie Belle’s blanket and smiled at her fondly while brushing back the girl’s cute little curls before leaving her to sleep peacefully with her nutcracker in her arms.
As the room got darker later in the evening with the fire slowly but barely still going, the entire scene panned over towards the grandfather clock, which had a realistic owl made of wood and plastic wearing gold armor carved onto the top of it.
Just after the owl’s eyes became aglow with green light, the clock suddenly struck twelve. Midnight fell and the chime of the antique clock echoed hauntingly throughout the entire room.
As it chimed for the second time, light exploded from a small mouse hole near the base of the Christmas tree, until several beams of magic flittered throughout the entire room, and then around the tree, before the owl on the clock blinked its eyes.
The mouse hole started glowing blue as several masked mandrill soldiers flooded into the room. They all had hunched backs, grey skin, white hair, long tails, and black, mask-like faces showing off their beady blue eyes underneath, along with jet-black armor with a strange blue symbol on the belt and shoulder plates. They were all equipped with shields and spears. They began to destroy the ornaments on the Christmas tree, causing a riot in the living room.
While Sweetie Belle was still asleep, one of the magical beams engulfed the Nutcracker, causing him to come alive.
After his eye twinkled, he blinked his eyes and looked around for a moment before his eyes fell upon the invaders.
“Insolent scavengers!” he shouted, as he drew his sword with his free hand.
The Nutcracker then rushed to engage the armored creatures. The noise caused Sweetie Belle to wake up. She yawned softly then realized her nutcracker was missing.
“Oh no!” She whispered, looking for her nutcracker under her pillow and under the sofa. She suddenly spotted one of those invaders on the arm of the couch, mistaking it for a mouse or a rat, eating one of the gingerbread men Mr and Mrs Cake made for either eating or decorating.
“Get away from there, shoo, shoo!” she said, as the soldier was startled before he fell to the ground with a yelp dropping his weapons and the cookie.
Sweetie Belle suddenly heard fighting noises, as she turned to see the Nutcracker, who was severely outnumbered as he tries to fight off the armored mandrills.
The Nutcracker said struggling, “Back off, you… vile… creatures!”
Sweetie Belle began to see this and shook her head, “This is unbelievable! I must be dreaming!” She rubbed her eyes, and looked towards the mouse hole surprised.
Just then, two more soldiers arrive, before they stepped aside as another figure came forward, scanning the room. It was a towering rat with light azureish gray fur and phthalo bluish gray covering most of his hands and feet, and brilliant opal eyes, and he had sharp fangs and fingers, a large nose, and a long, pink tail. He also had black armor covering most of himself, and he wore a dark gray long-sleeved shirt underneath a black tailcoat with armored cuffs and a cowl around his neck and shoulders. He also wore jet-black knee-length pants, light gray calf-high socks and black colonial boots. He was packed with a black crown that held two large dark grayish brown marbled horns, and held a black ancient mystical styled scepter with a blue magical crystal held by a few dead branches made of a invulnerable dark oak wood. It was the Storm King.
He then noticed the nutcracker and growled angrily while walking over towards his most hated enemy, as the nutcracker looked back at the Storm King.
“You know, even as a nutcracker, Shining Armor, you’re a thorn in my side,” The Storm King said.
The nutcracker, now known as Shining Armor looked down at the Storm King from his perch and pointed his sword at him, “And a thorn to you I shall remain!”
Shining Armor kicked over a book onto the Storm King, then leaped down to meet him. The Storm King and his soldiers threw off the book as he readied his scepter, growling. The two began to fight, as Sweetie Belle, now in her lavender pink robe and pale pink slippers, watched them fight from behind the couch with their shadows on display during the struggle. Shining Armor kicked the Storm King into the wall, and then they continued their battle.
“Give it up, Storm King!” he said, before the Storm King disarmed the nutcracker, with his sword clattering to the ground at the feet of two Storm Creatures. The Storm King pointed his scepter in the face of the now vulnerable nutcracker, smiling maliciously.
“I think it’s time I turned you, into something more useful,” The Storm King swung his scepter over his head and back down, turning it into an double axe. “Like should we say… kindling!” he shouted venomously.
Just as the Storm King was about to strike the nutcracker, Sweetie Belle approached behind him carrying a large jar.
“Not in my house!” she said.
The Storm King turned around to face Sweetie Belle while Shining Armor stealthily backed away.
“Well, what have we here? A pretty little girl, being all brave and bold?” The Storm King mocked.
“This isn’t a fair fight, Storm King!” Shining Armor shouted. “Pick on someone your own size!”
“Fine, if that’s the way you want to play it,” The Storm King said, swinging his axe to turn it back into a scepter.
“Don’t you dare touch her, Storm King! Leave her alone! This is between you and me!” The Nutcracker said sternly, as he knew what was about to happen.
Ignoring the nutcracker’s heroically defensive tone, The Storm King smirked at Sweetie Belle, “Now let’s see… Oh, I know! Meddling human girl towering tall, let’s see if my scepter sinks you small!”
“Look out!” Shining Armor shouted.
The Storm King thrusted his scepter forward, shooting a light yellow light with black fog and white flaring and staticky flashes from it and striking Sweetie Belle. He chuckled evilly as Sweetie Belle was caught in his magic, revealing a sparkling light brilliant yellow aura with black streaks flaring repeatedly. She dropped the jar she was holding in surprise, causing it to shatter on the ground, before she glanced around and saw that the whole room was getting bigger. No! She was getting smaller! The shrinking and the magical glow then stopped when she was half the size of a mouse.
“This is not good,” Sweetie Belle said, as the Storm King began to approach her and she retreated nervously backwards, terrified of his towering size.
The Storm King sneeringly looked at her, “Not so fearless now, hmm?”
Suddenly, the Storm King was struck by one of Sweetie Belle’s toy wagons from her doll collection, sending him flying to the ground. Shining Armor hopped off the wagon and retrieved his sword to protect Sweetie Belle, who hid behind him nervously and anxiously. He then engaged the two Storm Creatures again who defended the King, but just disarmed them with one swift of his sword, knocking the spears out of their hands, as one hid his face behind his shield in fear.
The nutcracker looked to Sweetie Belle as he continued his fight, “Can you make it up to the mantle?!”
Sweetie Belle looked up at the mantle above the fireplace warily, before she spotted the horde of more Storm Creatures approaching, “I think so!”
“Then hurry! I’ll hold them off! Run!” Shining Armor said, as he engaged the enemy while Sweetie Belle rushed to the garland hanging around the fireplace and began to climb it escaping one of the soldiers in time before it could grab her.
She made it up a good way before noticing that the nutcracker was being overrun. He stuck his sword into the screen in front of the fireplace so that he could kick two approaching Storm Creatures away from him. He then jostled his blade to try and free it but it was somehow stuck.
“Looks like you’ve lost your touch, nutcracker! You’ve got nowhere to run!” The Storm King said, holding his scepter-turned-axe.
“Oh yeah? Well I’m just getting started,” Shining Armor said.
The nutcracker dodged an incoming swing from the Storm King’s axe and decided to abandon his sword, jumping over the Storm King and landing behind him, now disarmed and surrounded.
“You’re not going to get away from me this time. Unless of course, you’d rather like to feed the fire. It’s your choice,” The Storm King said.
Shining Armor leapt onto the fireplace screen and began to climb away from the villain with his one free arm. The Storm King snarled and swiped his axe at the nutcracker’s feet.
“Nutcracker!” Sweetie Belle said in horror, with her fingers on her lips.
The nutcracker escaped the axe’s swing and climbed higher and leaped from the fireplace screen and onto the garland on the opposite side of the fireplace from Sweetie Belle. He then carefully held himself up by a bauble hanging from the garland, struggling to get his feet under himself. As he struggled, the Storm King changed his scepter into a crossbow, as he fired a bolt, shattering the bauble that Shining was trying to hold onto. The Storm King looked to see if the nutcracker fell, only to realize he was now dangling from the garland with his one good arm. The Storm King lined up for another shot.
Thinking fast, Sweetie Belle removed one of her slippers.
“Hey! Up here!” Sweetie Belle shouted at the Storm King, as she threw it at the Storm King. It hit him square the forehead.
“Ow!” he shouted. “Whoa whoa!” This was enough to knock out the Storm King, causing him to lose his footing on the firewood and fall to the ground unconsciously, before his eyes began spinning as he started seeing stars. The soldiers all gasp, horrified that their leader was taken out so easily. Two of them scooped up the dizzy Storm King as one of them took his scepter carefully, until they all hastily retreated back into the mousehole from whence they came.
Just as they finished retreating, Sweetie Belle was amazed about what she had seen, “Wow…”
She then saw herself high above the fireplace mantle, before her eyes meet the nutcracker below, “Excuse me! Can you help me get down from here?!”
“Okay, you’re gonna have to jump! But don’t worry! When you’re ready, jump to me and I’ll catch you!” Shining Armor said.
Sweetie Belle then took some steps back before she counted to three, and then jumped off the mantle. Suddenly, the nutcracker jumped onto a pillow nearby, before he caught Sweetie Belle in her arms, “Gotcha!”
“Whew! That was close!” Sweetie Belle said in relief.
“Are you alright?” Shining Armor asked, as Sweetie Belle nodded in reply.
The nutcracker then put her down to sit on the pillow before he got off as he held Sweetie Belle’s slipper, which surprised her. “Allow me,” he said, before he gently slid it on her foot, and helped her to her feet.
“Thanks for saving me, by the way. That was really sweet of you,” Sweetie Belle said.
“You’re welcome, but I should be thanking you for saving my life,” he kindly replied, as he undid the ribbon sling binding his left arm. “And for your superior nursing skills.”
Sweetie Belle was somehow flustered, “Uh, you’re welcome!”
As Shining Armor went to another direction, Sweetie Belle couldn’t help but think he looked even handsomer at this size, “I can’t believe that you’re actually alive..” She then looked around the room, now towering above her. “But this has to be a dream…”
“I’m afraid it’s all too real,” Shining Armor said, as he freed his sword from the fireplace screen. “And now I’ve got to return home to my kingdom in Parthenia and help my people while I have the chance.”
“But before you go… who or what were those things that you protected me from?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Those were Storm Creatures, and their leader’s called the Storm King,” Shining Armor replied. “He’s a very powerful deceitful tyrant.”
“So why was he here?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“No clue. Possibly to make a mess out of everything like he usually does,” Shining Armor replied. “But I’m not really sure how he found me here.”
“Is there a way to change me back? Remember? I used to be taller?” Sweetie Belle asked, mentioning her normal size by raising her arm upwards with her hand pointing forward.
“I’m afraid only the Sugar Plum Princess can reverse the Storm King’s spell,” Shining Armor said.
“The Sugar Plum Princess?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Shining Armor nodded, “Yes. You see, I’ve been trying to find and rescue her since the Storm King turned me into a nutcracker.”
Sweetie Belle was shocked about what he said, “...You mean you used to be?”
“Not a nutcracker,” Shining Armor replied.
“So what were you?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“I used to be Captain of the Royal Guard,” Shining Armor then frowned. “And I was going to be a prince, anyway, until the Storm King cursed me and took my true love, Cadance!”
“Cadance?”
“That’s the name of the Sugar Plum Princess,” he sighed, gazing off into space. “My princess.”
Suddenly, the owl swooped down from its perch on the grandfather clock, hooting as it flew. Sweetie Belle ran away as the nutcracker drew his sword defensively, eyeing the owl as it soared overhead.
“Perhaps I can help,” the owl said, as it landed on the arm rest of the couch.
Sweetie Belle scurried out from under the couch. “That owl just came to life. It must be magic!”
Shining Armor then drew his sword away, “You said you know a solution? So how can I defeat the Storm King and save my friends and everyone else?”
The owl nodded, and then spoke, “You will find the Sugar Plum Princess in one of the Four Realms. Journey across the main three realms, the Land of Snow, the Land of Sweets, and the Land of Flowers. And you should find a clue in each one of them to find the Fourth Realm, which should be an island across the Sea of Storms. From there, it will lead you to where she is being held.”
“But it’s impossible to cross the Sea of Storms!” Shining Armor said.
“It’s dangerous, yes. But not impossible,” the owl said.
The nutcracker then walked away towards the mouse hole, as Sweetie Belle peered into the mouse hole from the distance. “You’re not going in there, are you?”
“I must,” the nutcracker said, drawing his sword. “He’s holding my princess captive, along with the other three. It is my sworn duty to rescue her and save my friends!”
“What about me?” Sweetie Belle demanded. “Not to mention I’m now much smaller than him!”
Shining Armor lashed his cutlass. “It’s possible that if the Storm King either dies or is removed from power, whichever one works, all his enchantments, including the one he has on you, will be broken.”
Sweetie Belle was now worried about it how might turn out, “Now I’m really worried about how Rarity might react about where I am right now, if she were here right now. But are you really going to kill him?”
“It’s the only way,” the nutcracker insisted, "if I am ever to be reunited with Cadence and you are ever to be your size again."
Sweetie Belle then felt a knot in her stomach, looking between him and the owl. The owl waved a wing, signaling Sweetie Belle to follow the nutcracker, but she didn’t move. Shining Armor then turned around, “Well? Are you coming?”
“Really? You’re letting me go with?” Sweetie Belle asked in amazement and confusion.
“Surely you really don’t want to spend the rest of your life the size of a mouse!” the owl said.
Sweetie Belle then thought for a moment, until she looked up at the owl, “But how would I get back?”
The owl soared over to the Christmas tree and swiped a locket from the neck of the white ballerina Sweetie Belle had hung on the Christmas tree the day before. She dropped it in Sweetie Belle’s hand and perched back on the arm of the couch.
“Once you’ve found the Sugar Plum Princess, open the locket and you will return home your normal size.”
“But will it work?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“That’s for you to decide,” the owl said, before she was about to take off. “Now may your journey be safe.”
“Wait!” Sweetie Belle asked, getting the owl’s attention. “Thank you.”
The owl nodded, “Good luck.” The owl then flew back up to its place on the grandfather clock and froze back into her regular statue form. Sweetie Belle put on the locket and sighed heavily, before heading over to the mouse hole to meet up with the nutcracker.
“You ready?” he asked.
“Mmhmm,” Sweetie Belle nodded.
He then stepped aside, and bowed with his arm pointing to the entrance, “After you, my lady.”
“Thanks,” Sweetie Belle said with a soft smile on her face, as she and the nutcracker entered the dark mouse hole.
After taking a few steps into the mouse hole, the floor beneath them gave way as they both fell into a magical portal. They were floating in its gravity for a bit before landing in a snowy cave, sliding down a slope until crashing into a pile of snow below. Sweetie Belle stood up and looked around the frozen cave surrounded by walls made of what appeared to be crystals.
“Where are we?” she asked.
Shining Armor then looked around, “Must’ve taken a wrong turn back there.” He then noticed he was missing something. “Now where did my sword go?”
Sweetie Belle spotted the sword’s hilt glittering in the dim light of the cave. She walked over to pick it up, “Here, let me give you a hand with that.”
She pulled out the sword, only to realize her previous statement was literal as the nutcracker’s hand was still attached to the sword.
“Uh… here you go,” she said, holding out his arm.
Shining Armor walked over to Sweetie Belle and grabbed his arm and sword from her.
“Sorry. That sorta happens a lot,” he said sheepishly, after reattaching his arm and putting his sword away.
Sweetie Belle giggled for a moment before the wind picked up, billowing snow throughout the cave. A twinkle of light flitted around them both.
“A firefly?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“No, a snow fairy,” Shining Armor said.
Upon closer inspection, the light is revealed to be a small fairy with fair skin, long blonde hair in a bun with a few sparkles, and blue eyes. She wore a blue sparkling ballet dress and a crown and had delicate wings on her back. She flew up and inspected Sweetie Belle’s face, chittering. She then pulled on Sweetie Belle’s sleeve, causing her to laugh. The fairy lost her grip and was sent flying into the nutcracker’s chest, bending one of her wings, until he caught her in his hand. She stood up, examined her bent wing, and then looked up at the nutcracker and began chirping angrily at him.
Shining Armor then replied, laughing, “Well I’m sorry, but you should have been more careful!”
Sweetie Belle then held out her hand and the nutcracker tipped the little fairy into her hand, “Here, we’ll fix this right up.”
She then used her fingers to flatten out the kinks in the fairy’s wing. The fairy flapped her wings, but after Sweetie Belle tickled her tummy for a moment, the fairy then flew away.
“Hmm. Not so much as a thank you,” Shining Armor said.
“She was kinda cute,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Well, try not to push your luck,” Shining Armor said, as the nutcracker looked around. “Now, to find a way out of here.”
The two approached a towering wall of iced crystal. The nutcracker drew his sword and attempted to smash it to no avail.
“These crystal walls are as hard as solid ice!” Shining Armor said.
“So what do we do now?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Not sure,” Shining Armor replied.
Suddenly, wind and snow began to billow around them again as more snow fairies appear from amongst the flakes. The fairies begin to dance around Sweetie Belle and the nutcracker.
(Shining Armor and Sweetie Belle don’t dance in this one)
While Sweetie Belle was amazed by their performance, the littlest fairy pulled on Sweetie Belle’s finger to get her to dance along.
“Oh, no I…” Sweetie Belle bashfully said.
The little fairy did a simple dance step 4 times and then waved her hands for Sweetie Belle to try. She then sighed, and very hesitantly mimicked the step but gave up partway. The snow fairies continued their dance, with more fairies appearing as the dance continued, popping out like fireworks. As they neared the end of their dance, the fairies swarmed around the nutcracker, causing him to stumble closer to Sweetie Belle.
“Hey!” Shining Armor said.
As the finale of their dance, the snow fairies flew away down the long path, and towards a wall of ice and crystal and shattered it, clearing the way for Sweetie Belle and Shining Armor to leave.
“I guess that was their of saying ‘thank you’!” Shining Armor said.
Sweetie Belle looked around for the fairies, “Where’d they go?”
“Probably off to make a blizzard somewhere,” Shining Armor joked.
“Hey! I think I see a light! Right there!” Sweetie Belle announced pointing ahead, as a tiny speck of light was waiting ahead at the end of the tunnel where the snow fairies left.
“I think we’re close. Come on. We better get moving,” Shining Armor said, as the two continued their way down the cave. From where Sweetie Belle’s footprints lie, flowers began to bloom. As they approached the light, Sweetie Belle had to shield her eyes for them to readjust to the brightness.
When she opened them, she gasped. They had emerged from the exit of the cave and appeared onto a cliff of a big view of a forest of tall, snow-covered pine trees that looked as if they would touch the sky, floating rocks, huge mountains and a big castle far from where they were.
“Welcome to Parthenia!” Shining Armor said, as Sweetie Belle loved the view.
“It’s so beautiful!” Sweetie Belle said in amazement, as she reached down to pick up a handful of snow. “The snow isn’t even cold.”
She then took a deep breath, with a sniff of the air, “The trees smell like actual fresh pine. And I’ve never seen a sky so blue!”
“Oh, just you wait,” Shining Armor chuckled. "This is only the edge of the kingdom. And soon it’ll all be a memory if the Storm King has his way.” He sighed. “I thought as much. It will take us a day, or maybe even longer before we reach the Sugar Plum Palace.”
“Where is the palace?” Sweetie Belle inquired.
“At the kingdom’s very center,” Shining Armor replied, pointing towards the castle on a huge mountain with a waterfall.
“How will we even get there?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“There should be a direct pathway that leads to the palace,” Shining Armor said.
“Oh,” Sweetie Belle said.
“But… we should be very careful following this path,” Shining Armor said as he led the girl forward. “The Storm King may have spies watching over every corner for any approaching intruders, meaning we should stay to the edge of the path, so we can jump in the bushes if anybody approaches.”
“What will we even do when we get to the palace?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Shining Armor bit his lip. “I’m not sure, but I’ll think of something soon enough. Besides, we have at least a day before we reach the palace.”
Sweetie Belle then paused when she heard a twig snap. “Did you hear that?”
Shining Armor held out his sword and waited for something to appear. When nothing came, he relaxed.
“It was probably a squirrel or something. We’re safe for now, Sweetie Belle, but we should still stay on guard. There’s no telling what may be lurking in these woods.”
“And you’re sure the Sugar Plum Princess can help?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“She’s our only hope of defeating him, once we find her and rescue her,” Shining Armor replied.
The duo walked past a tree where a gray pudgy little hedgehog was hanging, and wearing a black shirt. He looked up at the mention of the Sugar Plum Princess, waiting for them to be out of earshot.
“Hmm… Interesting…”
Grubber chuckled and then began running haphazardly away towards the palace where the Storm King resided.
In the center of Parthenia, a large castle stood underneath a swirling sky full of thunderclouds and a few flashes of lightning. The entire castle looked very chaotically gloomy, with a design of a huge black crystal like tower covering most of the castle, except the conical roofs of the towers were reddish violet, and torches with blue flames were lit everywhere. The Storm Creatures were on guard everywhere.
Inside, the Storm King lay sprawled across a throne chair made of black stone, but with the original golden throne chair left with it. However, a second throne sat a few feet away from him, but this one less menacing, with a pink and purple pattern and a crystal heart at its head. There was a thin layer of dust on the seat, as it hadn't been sat in for a while.
Next to him was a woman with a scar on her right eye, and wore a black uniform with matching armor, gloves and boots. It was the Storm King’s top lieutenant, Tempest Shadow.
He then had a ice pack laid onto his head while feeling miserably depressed, or frustrated.
“A girl!” he groaned. “A girl! Outsmarted by a little girl, no more or less!”
“I understand that, sir. Perhaps you shouldn’t have underestimated her,” Tempest said.
“How would you know?” The Storm King said. “You weren’t even there!”
Tempest then scoffed, “But you should be grateful that you’re still in one piece, except you can usually be totally predictable most of the time.”
He then sat up and glared at Tempest. “Will you shut up?! And could someone get me some more ice! This thing’s gone cold!”
The Storm Guard then looked at him, before Tempest looked back, “Well, what are you waiting for?! You heard him! Get him ice!”
The Storm Creature nodded and went to get more ice for the Storm King.
The Storm King then growled in frustration.
“As if knocking me off the firewood wasn’t enough, she decides to throw a slipper at me! A freaking slipper!”
“At least I’m not the one suffering from humiliation or pain,” Tempest mumbled to herself.
He then held his hand against his face in thought. How could he have let his guard down like that? How could he have let himself be beaten by a little girl?!
He was about to think further when Grubber suddenly came back inside the throne room running, but suddenly cried out as he slid across the floor and crashed into a pillar, but then opened his eyes wearily and found himself in an upside-down position, but laying on his back, huffing and puffing to catch his breath.
”I think you put too much wax on the floor, your majesty,” Grubber wheezed.
The Storm King rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “This better be important, Grubber. I nearly had a splitting headache this morning! So what news do you bring?”
“I wish I could remember but I’m so hungry. I feel weak. No, faint!” Grubber dramatically fainted, as he collapsed to the floor, carefully to keep one eye on the Storm King as he did so.
“You insolent little rat! I should turn you into a… poached carpet or some chair cushion of some sort!” The Storm King snarled with a sneer.
Grubber then stood up and began to walk away, with a sly look on his face, “Well, that’d would be a shame, otherwise then I couldn’t tell you the juicy bit of gossip I overheard.”
“And what would that be?” Tempest asked.
“I can’t tell you, because I don’t have the power or the uhh… stomach to do it?” Grubber nervously said.
The Storm King growled irritably before swiping a tray of fruit from off the table and onto the floor for Grubber to eat, “Alright, take it! You happy?!”
Despite his size, the tiny hedgehog gobbled up nearly the entire tray. The Storm King then rolled his eyes at him.
“Thank you very much, your most royal majesty. May I say you’re looking specially regal this evening, sire?”
The Storm King glared at him, “Now, for the last time, what do you have to report?”
Grubber laughed nervously. “Well, you see, I was watching the cave like you told me and…well…you’re probably not gonna like this…”
“Just get to the point!”
Grubber then cleared his throat, “Er, right. Well for starters, Shining Armor’s back.”
“WHAT?! He’s here already?”
The little hedgehog squeaked as he fell to the floor.
“Ugh, I should’ve known Nut Boy would follow me!” The Storm King growled. “If only I were able to open that portal more than once!”
“Uhh… he actually didn’t come alone,” Grubber grunted as he got back up.
“An army, then? Has he come to declare war, I presume?”
“Actually, he’s got some pretty little girl with him. Don’t know where she came from, but she seemed kinda innocently cute or something like that. Never seen her before,” Grubber said.
“I do…” The Storm King grimaced and rubbed his head. “So… what else did you hear?”
“Well, I’m about to get to the good part, so here it come: they’re looking for a Sugar Plum Princess, someone who has the magical ability to supposedly, or maybe possibly… well, defeat… you.”
The Storm King’s eyes widened.
“Er, according to the Nutcracker!” Grubber said.
“What do you make out of all this, your excellency?” Tempest asked.
The Storm King was confused, “Sugar Plum Princess? I’ve never heard of a such a thing, especially a Sugar Plum Princess!”
The Storm King then thought of an idea, and whirled around to face a guard who was falling asleep, startling him.
“You there! Assemble a squadron! Bring me the royal registry! And… bring me the Nutcracker.”
Meanwhile, our heroes Shining Armor and Sweetie Belle were walking through the woods, in the middle of the Land of Sweets. They came across a slightly dilapidated village made entirely out of gingerbread, and covered in a haze.
“It’s what’s left of the gingerbread village. The Storm King’s work, no doubt,” Shining Armor said.
They continued to walk through the village, gazing at the destruction wrought by the Storm King, which almost broke Sweetie Belle’s heart.
“I didn’t know things had gotten this bad.”
Sweetie Belle suddenly spotted a forgotten doll in the snow and picks it up, exchanging somber glances with the Nutcracker. The two look up when they hear a horse whinny in the distance. As they approach the stable, the horse nickers and steps back defensively. It had a blonde coat and a pearly white mane and tail.
“Steady! We won’t hurt you!” Sweetie Belle said.
The horse leaned forward letting Sweetie Belle pet it. A snowball suddenly struck Sweetie Belle in the back, causing her to stumble slightly.
“Ow! Hey!”
They started looking around, as Shining Armor asked, “Who’s there?!” He drew out his sword and stood in a defensive position. “Show yourself! Now!”
Suddenly, more snowballs were thrown towards them both.
“It’s an ambush! Take cover!” Shining Armor carefully grabbed the girl in his arms and hid themselves behind a wall.
Sweetie Belle and Shining Armor peered over the wall they’re hiding behind to catch a glimpse of their assailants. Which revealed to be three young children, a boy and two girls. The boy wore pajamas that looked like winter clothes but styled like a gingerbread man wearing overalls, and had brown hair with a propeller hat, while the two girls had winter clothes that looked like candy canes.
The first girl had light opal eyes, light rose, light amber, and brilliant scarlet hair, and wore a light ceriseish gray winter jacket, and had light opal boots and indigo mittens with her peppermint colored winter gear.
The second girl had brilliant amber eyes, pale, light grayish heliotrope, green, and very light lime green hair, and wore a light cyanish gray coat with her peppermint colored winter gear.
The gingerbread boy was Button Mash and the two peppermint girls were Toola Roola and Coconut Cream.
Shining Armor then laughed, “It’s alright. They’re just children.”
One of the children threw a snowball and knocked the Nutcracker’s hat from his head, “With very good aim!”
Sweetie Belle noticed the doll and held it up over the wall, “Wait! We found this. Is she yours?”
The kids stopped throwing snowballs and then Coconut Cream rushed over to take the doll. “Patty!” She then hugged her doll.
Button Mash uneasily stepped out from his cover, hesitant to approach Sweetie Belle and the nutcracker next to her at first. After a moment’s pause he reluctantly got closer. Then, Shining Armor then knelt down to the Peppermint Girls’ level.
“What happened here?” he asked.
“We went out with Chica Linda to gather some more candleberries,” Toola Roola said.
“...We came back and everything,” Coconut Cream said.
“And everyone.” Toola Roola said.
“Were gone!” Button Mash said.
“It was the Storm King’s army!” Toola Roola said.
Button Mash then crossed his arms and scowled, “This is all Prince Shining Armor’s fault! If he was still here, he’d know what to do!”
“What makes you say that?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Well, he wasn’t much of a prince! But he did have good intentions,” Button Mash said.
“I just don’t know why he would leave us,” Toola Roola commented.
“It’s not like for him to just run away, while the princess needed him the most,” Coconut Cream said.
Shining Armor then looked around, with his somberly-looking expression, “It’s dangerous here. We’ll travel together until we can find you a safe home.”
Suddenly, Chica Linda stepped forward and they all piled into the sleigh she was hitched into. With a toss of her head and a whinny, she took off down the path.
Later on, daytime faded into evening and they stopped for a moment on a cliffside, noticing movement from below. A caravan of the Storm King’s troops were hauling large carts filled with candy and gingerbread.
“The Storm King’s army,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Carrying whatever’s left of our village!” Toola Roola said.
They were startled by the sound of Chica Linda neighing in fear. Two Storm Guards grabbed her reins and were tugging on them. She charged through them and away, sending them toppling to the ground. One guard looked up and noticed the group on the hillside.
“There they are!”
The Storm Guards all grabbed their weapons and began closing in on them.
“Come on!”
Sweetie Belle looked around nervously before waving for the group to follow her, “Come on, into the woods!”
With Sweetie Belle in front, the three candy children behind her and Shining Armor bringing up the rear, they all ran as fast as they can through the forest. The running began to exhaust them, and the Storm Guards began to gain more ground.
“They’re getting closer!” Coconut Cream said.
Suddenly, a rope ladder was thrown down from the trees.
“Quick! Up this way!” a voice shouted from above.
They looked over their shoulders at the Storm Guards.
“Get ‘em!”
They quickly grabbed onto the ladder and clambered their way up into the trees, with Shining Armor being pulled up at the last possible moment before the Storm Guards could spot them. When he got to the top of the ladder, it was revealed that there was a whole treehouse-like village hidden in the trees, hosting many refugees and villagers who live in bunches of thatched huts in different sizes and shapes, and was connected through a series of rope ladders, bridges, vines, and catwalks. Sweetie Belle stood aside with the candy children as the villagers all point weapons at them, with Shining Armor standing in front of them.
“Is everyone alright?” he asked.
“I’m not really sure,” Sweetie Belle asked.
Suddenly, people arrived. One was a wizard in a blue robe and had a long beard, the other was a gladiatorial soldier with grey armor and brown and red leather and a bronze shield, an Egyptian woman with a white panted dress showing off her abdomen and some slits exposing her legs, a glopaz necklace and a cerulean wig, a huge bearded man with a shovel, a woman wearing a tribal themed dress, and a woman wearing a cyan and gray kimono. They’re names were Star Swirl the Bearded, Flash Magnus, Somnambula, Mage Meadowbrook, and Mistmane.
“Well, well, well, what have we here?” Rockhoof asked.
Flash Magnus then glared at Shining Armor, “A wooden spy? Some new kind of Storm King trap? Or maybe a couple of no-good trespassers!”
“Kidnappers as well!” Star Swirl said.
“No! They helped us!” Coconut Cream said, as Toola nodded in agreement.
“Now why would the Storm King hire innocent children as spies?” Mistmane asked.
“Hmm,” Star Swirl said. “A teenager, a oddly dressed man and three children traveling on the colored brick road in these times is mighty suspicious.”
"Oh my, this one’s made of wood!” Mage Meadowbrook declared, pointing at Shining Armor. ”I think he’s a toy soldier of some kind!”
“I’m actually a nutcracker,” Shining Armor replied.
He suddenly turned and saw Flash Magnus.
“Flash Magnus? Is that you? It’s me, Shining Armor! We worked in the palace together!”
The gladiator soldier tilted his head at him. Some of the Resistance members lowered their weapons.
“Did he say ‘Shinin' Armor?’” Mage Meadowbrook questioned. Mistmane and Somnambula were shocked.
Star Swirl approached the nutcracker, “That’s impossible. Captain Shining Armor was destroyed by the Storm King. That rodent may be evil, but he’s no idiotic buffoon. He would’ve made sure there was nothing left of his adversary!”
“I don’t know, Star Swirl,” Flash Magnus said skeptically. “There were some rumors that the captain wasn’t destroyed, but banished.”
”I heard he was turned to wood!” a villager declared.
“I heard he was turned into a doll of some sort!” another villager exclaimed.
“Yes, I was!” Shining Armor said frantically. “And I was banished too! I came back to destroy the Storm King and save Princess Cadance!”
There was a murmur among the Resistance as they heard Shining Armor say Cadance’s name.
“You’re really him?” Toola Roola asked.
Shining Armor nodded in reply, as the children were already guilty for blaming him.
“If you’ll allow me, I’ll take a look at this one before us,” Somnambula said, as she sashayed around the nutcracker, examining him and then brought his face closer to get a better view of him. After a minute of scrutinizing, she smiled and replied, “The captain has returned!”
The Resistance gasped and dropped their weapons with a unified bow.
“Well, if you have nothing to hide you won’t mind answering a few questions,” Flash said.
Rockhoof waved a hand to a woman standing nearby.
“Come, children. She will take care of you.”
The children uneasily approached the woman, until the Pillars gestured Shining Armor and Sweetie Belle to come inside, but she looked back at them one last time before joining the Pillars for questioning.
“Apologies, Captain,” Star Swirl said softly.
“We never meant to intimidate you, lad, but you’ll never know who you can trust these days,” Rockhoof said.
Shining Armor smiled. “Perfectly understandable. I would’ve done the same thing otherwise.”
“I’m just sorry we hadn’t recognized ya earlier,” Mage Meadowbrook said.
“But it pleases us to hear that you’re alive and quite well,” Mistmane said. “But could you tell us who this young one is and why you brought her with?”
“This is Sweetie Belle,” Shining Armor explained, while introducing the girl next to him.
“Hi,” she waved.
“A pleasure to meet you,” Somnambula said kindly.
“So as you can see, we’re both victims of the Storm King’s magic,” Shining Armor explained.
“We’re trying to find the only one who can defeat him, The Sugar Plum Princess,” Sweetie Belle said.
“The Sugar Plum Princess?” Mage Meadowbrook asked.
“Interesting,” Mistmane commented.
“I’ve never heard such a ridiculous story!” Star Swirl scoffed.
“Isn’t Princess Cadance the one we’re talking about?” Sweetie Belle asked.
The group gasped at her question.
Star Swirl then chuffed at the mention of the princess’s name, “And how would you know about her?”
“He told me about her. He even saved my life,” Sweetie Belle said.
“I’m intrigued. But if it weren’t for you, lad, the Storm King wouldn’t be turning everyone into knick-knacks!” Rockhoof said.
“I had no choice! You think I wouldn’t have let the Storm King hurt her if I didn’t do my assignment?!” Shining Armor exclaimed.
“You’re all forgetting that Shining Armor was my friend,” Flash Magnus said. “He did what he had to do, you know.”
“Yes. Shining Armor was the best of the most trained and most loyal out of all the cadets in the Royal Academy, especially Flash Magnus,” Somnambula said.
Shining Armor looked away in guilt.
“We had high hopes for that boy…” Star Swirl said. “Well, no matter... We’ve got more important things to think about, like keeping what’s left of our subjects safe from the Storm King!”
Sweetie Belle stepped forward, “Then perhaps you should be looking for the princess too.”
“I don’t have time to search for some...Sugar...Pie…” Star Swirl grumbled
“Sugar Plum,” Sweetie Belle said.
“...Imaginary princess!” Star Swirl said.
A young paladin named Stygian then spoke up, “Wait, Star Swirl. They may be telling the truth. I once overheard Princess Celestia telling Shining Armor about Cadance’s powerful magic when he assigned her as her bodyguard, but they then fell in love together. The Royal Sisters believed that their love would being balance to the land...and we’ve tried everything else to defeat the rat.”
Star Swirl then thought for a moment, “Do you know where she is?”
“We’ve learned that there’s a way to save her, some kind of clue to where the Storm King hid her, but it’s on an island in one of the Four Realms. Across the Sea of Storms,” Shining Armor answered.
“This is indeed preposterous, but very well. We’ll all go looking for the Princess,” Star Swirl said.
“I’d suggest we travel across the Four Realms, so that the rulers of each realm could provide some answers on how to get there safely. It could be dangerous without a plan,” Shining Armor said.
The Pillars then nodded, and so did Shining Armor and Sweetie Belle.
Then they all left to get some sleep before the journey tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, at the palace, the Storm King was furiously questioning two of the guards responsible for hunting down the Nutcracker and his girly accomplice.
“So let me get this straight, you’re now telling me that the Nutcracker... a so-called courageous wooden utensil… somehow managed to escape a well-armed fighting squadron unharmed? ...And, instead of fleeing into the hills, you chose to return to me and report your incompetence?!”
The Storm Guard timidly nodded, “Uh-huh...” He and the other one nervously shook.
“Why do I get the feeling that we’re surrounded by incompetent morons?” Tempest asked herself.
“You just read my mind, my dear Tempest Shadow,” The Storm King said.
“Why don’t you just blast ‘em with your scepter, sire?” Grubber asked.
“I suppose I could…” The Storm King said, as he swung his scepter, transforming it into a sword, which caused the two soldiers to gasp nervously.
“But let’s be honest. Whenever I use it, I begin to find its power to transform the incompetent much more gratifying. The trick is making you, like should we say… useful.”
He then tossed the sword into the air, transforming it back into a scepter, “Don’t you think so, Tempest?”
“I understand, sir,” Tempest replied.
The Storm King then cleared his throat, “Just to be sure, Grubber, how are we doing with statuary?”
Grubber opened a door revealing a room filled with frozen statues of other unfortunate soldiers and villagers who resisted him, “Full up, your lordiness.”
“Good. Lawn ornaments?”
Grubber then pulled back the rope of a curtain with his stubby little arms, revealing a courtyard filled with more unfortunate souls turned into statues, “Probably too much ornament, and definitely not enough lawn. From what I can see.”
“And… Paperweights?”
Grubber climbed up a stool and opened up a cupboard filled with paperweights made of yet more troops frozen in stone, “Yep! Covered!”
The Storm King groans, “What does one create for the palace that has everything?”
Grubber then thought of a mischievous idea as he stood next to the soldiers, “How ‘bout new bookends, since there’s two of ‘em?”
The soldiers shivered at the sound of that and try to say no.
The Storm King somehow liked the sound of that, “Hmm… Wonderful idea, Grubber! I do believe I’m actually starting to rub off on you.”
Grubber was flattered. The Storm King then began to wave his scepter in a circle, the gem glowing with the same golden yellow light with the black stripes as he chanted his spell after clearing his throat, “Since other tasks posed a challenge to thee, you two shall be bookends for eternity!”
The soldiers begged to be spared, only for The Storm King’s spell to strike them, turning them into a pair of haunting bookends. Tempest however took a look of the royal registry and flipped through it for a moment before pausing on a page, until the Storm King took a look. As he did this, Grubber tries to stand on one of the bookends but falls to ground.
“It says something about her right here,” Tempest said, showing the Storm King the page she was pointing at.
“Here it is--- the Sugar Plum Princess. A very magical and powerful being. Beautiful, kind, caring, charming, clever, and brave.”
He looked up, confused, “That’s it?”
In a bit of rage, he threw the book against a nearby column, “Where is she?!”
He stared at the columns for a moment before getting an idea. He chuckled darkly, snatching his scepter from the table, “I suppose I’ll just have to reduce Shining Armor to a pile of splinters before he can find her! And I think I have a pretty good idea how to do it. Now let’s see…”
He pointed his scepter at the column, “Rock that will walk, destroy whom I seek! Carnage, tyranny and havoc will be yours to wreak!”
The column exploded into pieces as the spell hit it with a chaotic magical aura, then reformed the pile of rubble into a massive towering stone monster.
Grubber yelped at the sight of the monster, cowering in fear as Tempest stood there amazed at the king’s amazement. The monster let out a terrifying roar, causing Grubber to scream and run away, hiding behind one of Tempest’s legs.
“Find the wooden man... and crush him!”
The rock giant turned and lumbered away, with his footsteps thundering through the room. Grubber peeked from his hiding place to watch it leave.
“It’s okay, Grubber. You can come out now,” Tempest said.
“Follow him, Grubber. He’s a bit rough around the edges and may need some… guidance,” The Storm King said.
“You want me to babysit a rock?” Grubber incredulously asked.
The Storm King scowled at Grubber, tapping his scepter against his hand impatiently.
“Alright, alright! Better than bein’ a rock,” Grubber said, as he ran away out the door to follow the rock giant.
“Your highness, the book did say something about the Sugar Plum Princess being all magical and powerful, but we’ll need more information about her, and what this has to do with defeating you,” Tempest said.
“Hmm, I suppose you’re right, Tempest. What to do? What to do?,” The Storm King then thought for a moment, until an idea popped into his mind. “I’ve got it! So since I’ve run out of any other useful ideas, I have one assignment for you: take your finest guardsmen and bring me the witch, the one who lives in the forest, who can predict the future. She might know something about this Sugar Plum Princess.”
“Yes, my lord. I will leave for the forest immediately. You, come with me!” Tempest said, as she and her personal troops with the red feathers left for the forest.