//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Sweetie Belle’s Gift // Story: The Nutcracker, The Four Realms, and The Storm King // by GoebelTron //------------------------------// 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.