//------------------------------//
// Working Together 
// Story: Nutcracker Ponies and The 4 Realms 
// by Wildcard25 
//------------------------------//

After escaping their prison and down safely on the palace ground, Shiver and Hawthorn went sneaking past the Tin Soldiers and to the dungeons to free the palace guards, while the group went off to find a way into the Engine Room. Unfortunately, with the whole Palace crawling with Tin Soldiers, there was no way. As the group kept themselves hidden, they noticed coming down the stairs towards the gate was Sugarplum and more Tin Soldiers, some playing the drum to the march beat.

“This is more like it,” Sugarplum spoke and then ordered, “Out with the old, in with the new. Stand by the gate and wait for my command.”

The Tin Soldiers did as they were told as Sugarplum returned to the Palace.

“With all those Tin Soldiers marched in line and patrolling the Palace, there’s no way to get in,” Rainbow pointed out.

“No matter what it looks, we just gotta get in there and shut down the Engine, before Sugarplum ends up continues further forming her army,” Twilight instructed.

“We just need to figure out another way in, since the main door is blocked off,” Chet pointed out.

Suddenly, they then heard a couple of squeaking voices coming from under them and noticed none other than the two mice, Mouserinks and Ratsputtle.

“Mouserinks and Ratsputtle!” Captain Philip noticed as he began to try and stop them despite their annoying squeaks, “Get out of here you two!”

“Wait, Captain!” Fluttershy called him as she over heard the squeaks, “I think they trying to tells something,” she leaned down and lend her ear to them as the mice began to squeak something in her ear as she began to understand, “They say there’s another way to the Engine room. They say follow them. Lead the way, my little friends.”

“She can understand them?” Captain Philip asked feeling dumbfounded.

“That there’s our Fluttershy, Captain,” Applejack responded, “She understands all kinds of critters large and small.”

The group then followed the two mice over down by an alley where they came upon a lid that leads tot he sewer. In order to proceed Captain Philip and Chet got down and began to lift the lid up and slid it to the side. One by one they all got in the sewer, despite Rarity being disgusted by the idea.

“Ok, so where to know?” Spike asked Fluttershy whom once again let the mice squeak and point them the way.
“They say it’s this way,” Fluttershy pointed the direction.

“Are you sure we can trust them?” Captain Philip asked, then Mouserinks and Ratsputtle put up their fists and argue in squeaks. 

“Don’t you two start with me,” Captain Philip warned them.

“Stop it, all of you!” Clara got in-between them, “This is no time to argue. We need to work together.”

Mouserinks and Ratsputtle agreed to work together, and Captain Philip, despite not liking the idea, saw no other option. The group then proceeded until they came upon a side sewer lid where the water stream flowed to the outside. They opened the gate and found themselves facing near the great waterfall and river.

“Where do the two go?” Captain Philip noticed where the two went off. 

Clara noticed where they are and pointed the way, “This way.”

The group carefully proceed toward the edge where they then saw the water mills still moving. 

“Looks like there’s an entrance that lead straight to the Engine room,” Twilight noticed as she remember where the engine room was.

“Alright, I’ll go first,” Captain Philip volunteered until Clara stopped him.

“No, I need you and the rest of you to go warn Mother Ginger. Sugarplum is going to set off the Soldiers into the Fourth Realm. She needs to know what’s going on,” Clara instructed.

“What? But we can’t just leave ya to do this alone,” Applejack not liking the idea.

“I can handle this, Applejack,” Clara assured her and the group, “You must trust me on this.”

“I do,” Captain Philip confirmed.

“And so do we,” Twilight spoke on behalf of the group.

Clara then turned to Mouserinks and Ratsputtle on her right shoulder, “Can you two take the Captain and the rest of my friends to Mother Ginger?”

Mouserinks and Ratsputtle nodded in agreement as Clara then handed the two over and place them on Captain Philip’s shoulder.

“You all be very careful and safe,” Clara instructed before turning to the Captain and pointed her finger at her, “And that’s an order.”

Mouserinks and Ratsputtle did the same to the Captain, with mimicking the finger pointing. Clara then began to start climbing down her way to the water wheels. She accident slipped, but Captain Philip caught her hand just in time, saving her life, and a sigh of relief from the others.

“Oh, please be very careful Clara darling,” Rarity calming herself down.

“And you be safe as well,” Twilight instructed

“Yes I know, Rarity and Twilight,” Clara spoke before turning to the Captain, “Thank you, Captain.”

“Please call me, Philip,” Philip instructed Clara before turning to the others, “That goes for all of you.”

“Yes. Thank you, Philip,” Clara understood and rephrase that ‘thank you.’ Philip then lower her down until she was ready to proceed.

Philip then turned to the mice and spoke, “Lead the way mice.”

The mice squeak to the Captain, much to his squeekin' being rusty, “I don’t speak mouse.”

“They say there’s a short cut to the Fourth Realm bridge,” Fluttershy spoke for the mice as the group started to head to the bridge.

Clara continued to climb her way toward the water mills. She was started by a few crows flying through a hole she came upon but she pushed forward. She eventually made it to the water mill hold climbed up and grabbed hold of the water mill as she was then pulled up tot the Engine room.



Meanwhile the group hurried across the bridge to the Fourth Realm and into the woods. They made their way toward Mother Ginger’s Amusement Park and found the Mechanical Mother Ginger. They looked around to see if she was around but were greeted by the six Polichinelles who were ready for payback.

“Wait,” Philip halted, “We all come as friends. Look see,” he motioned to the two mice as they showed signs of the group being friends.

“Let them all through,” came Mother Gingers voice who emerge from her gown tent and walked towards the group, “Where’s Clara?”

“She’s back at the Palace with a plan,” Twilight explained.

“Mother Ginger, please listen, Sugarplum is sending an army of Tin Soldiers over here,” Philip pointed out, “She’s coming for you.”

Mother Ginger faced the group, “Sugarplum thinks she can divide all of us. But a long time ago we all took an oath to Queen Marie to protect the Realm at all costs,” she turned to Philip, “Are you still willing to live up that oath?”

“No matter the cost. I’m ready if you are,” Philip declared.

“And you have our support as well Mother Ginger,” Chet spoke on behalf of the group who nodded in agreement.

Mother Ginger placed her hand on Philip’s shoulder, “Brave Nutcracker,” she then turned tot he rest of the group, “And brave friends of Starswirl the Bearded from Equestria. Now we need draw Sugarplum to us. Lure the fight to us.”

Mouserinks and Ratsputtle went over to Mother Ginger and whispered squeak message into her ear. Mother Ginger looked to where the mice were talking, as did the group and the Polichinelles looking in the same direction referring to the giant mechanical version of Mother Ginger, and so another plan was forming.