//------------------------------// // Welcome to the Island of Misfit Toys // Story: G5 Adventures in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer // by ponydog127 //------------------------------// Back in Christmastown, not many things had changed in the lives of building toys and getting ready for the big night of Christmas Eve… …but a lot of things had changed with the Donner family, specifically Donner himself. You can bet he was really worried about Rudolph and how he made Rudolph feel all this time. He realized that the ponies were right… he was the first to tease Rudolph and make him feel insecure about his nose, instead of appreciating that he was healthy and happy otherwise, and he never really accepted Borealis into the family, ever since she was found that day by his precious little buck and his friends And it took Rudolph, Borealis and all their friends running away to help him realize that. After a long while of considering his options, Donner looked outside the cave with a heavy sigh. “I’m going out there to find them. I have to make up for how I’ve acted.” “Oh, Donner,” Mrs. Donner pleaded, “let me go with you. Those are our kids out there.” “No!” Donner said as he began to leave. “This is man’s work.” Of course, this left Mrs. Donner in tears as her husband walked out into the unknown to find their son. But no sooner than when he did leave the cave, Clarice showed up, looking to Rudolph’s downtrodden mother. “Mrs. Donner, has Rudolph come home yet?” “No, I’m afraid not, dear,” Mrs. Donner shook her head. “Donner has gone out to look for him… but I’m not sure how long that will take. I’m planning on going out there and following him.” “May I go with you? Rudolph and Borealis never deserved that treatment, and the ponies should have brought both of them home by now.” “It could be dangerous, Clarice.” “I know…” Clarice sighed. “But I want to help.” Mrs. Donner sighed reluctantly, eventually smiling warmly. “In that case… I’d love to bring you along. Come on, let’s follow Donner before he goes off too far.” XXXXXXXX At the same time, the group had floated for miles and miles on that little boat of ice through an icy cold fog. And along that way, Borealis and Zipp were going over what they found out about her new powers. “Okay,” said Zipp. “When you wag your tail in a certain way, you can use magic blasts and levitation magic just like a unicorn.” “And my eyes glow whenever my powers are in control,” Borealis pointed out. “Do you think my mom could have these same powers?” “Maybe. If we find her, maybe she can teach you a few things.” “Yeah…” Borealis said with a smile. “I sure hope so.” “HELLOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Yukon shouted into the fog, only for silence to be his answer. “Fog's as thick as peanut butter.” “You mean pea soup,” Hermey corrected. “Hmm, I don’t know,” Sunny frowned. “I think this is as thick as my dad’s elderberry gumbo.” “You eat what you like and I'll eat what I like,” Yukon told them before a sudden shift caused them to scream and tumble off the ice boat, right onto a new stretch of land that appeared out of the fog. “LAAAAAAAAND HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!” Hitch groaned, shaking the snow off his back and shooting Yukon an annoyed look. “No kidding, Cornelius.” Misty looked at their surroundings with wide eyes, not recognizing the beautiful and mysterious landscape that they had come across. “W-Where are we?” The others got a good look around the area, and noticed a castle seemingly made from ice at the top of the mountain peak... a truly amazing sight. But before anything could be said, Zipp gasped and pointed to the sky. “Guys! Look at that up there!” Much to their shock and amazement, there was a winged lion with a crown on his head flying toward the castle above. Everyone gasped and murmured in awe and amazement, and as Hermey walked backwards, he bumped into a large purple box, causing a little man suddenly appear out from it, who turned out to be a jack-in-the-box, and Izzy caught Hermey, who fell back in surprise. “Halt!” said the jack-in-the-box firmly. “Who goes there?!” “Us, of course,” Yukon said. “Oh, well, that's okay,” the jack-in-the-box said before realizing what he just said. “Okay? Who, may I ask, are you?” “We’re the Unity Squad, Borealis, Rudolph and Hermey and Yukon Cornelius, Mr. Jack-in-the-Box,” Sunny said politely. “Who are you?” “I'm the official sentry of the Island of Misfit Toys.” “Island of Misfit Toys?” Misty asked. “So that explains why there’s a talking toy in front of us. No offense.” “But wait a sec-- a jack-in-the-box as a sentry?” Hitch asked in confusion. “Yes,” the jack-in-the-box nodded. “My name is…” “Don’t tell me-- Jack!” Rudolph assumed. But when he guessed wrong, the jack-in-the-box broke down in tears. “No, Charlie!” he blubbered. “ That's why I'm a misfit toy. My name is all wrong. No child wants to play with a Charlie-in-the-box, so I had to come here.” Izzy patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Oh, there there, Mr. Charlie-in-the-Box, sir,” she said comfortingly. “Nopony is perfect. I would have totally played with you so you didn’t have to come here.” “But… just one question,” Zipp said, glancing around. “W-Where is here?” Then, to answer the pegasus princess, the toys began to come to life, emerge from their boxes, and sing, to top it all off.  Toys: We're on the Island of Misfit Toys Here we don't want to stay We want to travel with Santa Claus In his magic sleigh! Clown Toy: A pack full of toys Means a sack full of joys For millions of girls and for millions of boys Toys: When Christmas Day is here The most wonderful day of the year A jack-in-the-box waits for children to shout Dolly: (spoken) Wake up! Don't you know it's time to come out? Toys: When Christmas Day is here... The most wonderful day of the year Toys galore, scattered on the floor There's no room for more And it's all because of Santa Claus Scooter: A scooter for Jimmy Dolly: A dolly for Sue Toys: The kind that will even say... Dolly: (spoken) How do you do? Toys: When Christmas Day is here The most wonderful day of the year As the group looked around in sheer amazment, some of the toys began to share what made them misfits to begin with, starting with a polka-dotted elephant that Misty found really cute. “How would you like to be a spotted elephant?” “Or a choo-choo with square wheels on your caboose?” a toy train asked, showing off those particular wheels. “Or a water pistol that shoots jelly?” asked the water pistol, shooting some jelly onto Pipp’s face, causing Izzy to wipe it off and eat it. Then, all three toys shouted, “WE’RE ALL MISFITS!!” Then, some more toys began to tell their misfit stories.  “How would you like to be a bird that doesn't fly? I swim!” “Or a cowboy who rides an ostrich?” “Or a boat that can't stay afloat?” “WE’RE ALL MISFITS!!” Toys: If we're on the Island of Unwanted Toys We'll miss all the fun with the girls and the boys When Christmas Day is here... the most wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, wonderful day of the year! As the song came to a close, Rudolph seemed to get a great idea for a new place that they could call home... at least, temporarily. “Hey, we're all misfits, too.” “Yeah!” Borealis nodded in delight. “Maybe we could stay here for a while!” “Well,” Charlie told the group, “you’d have to get permission from King Moonracer.” “King Moonracer?” asked Sunny. “Who’s he?” “He rules here,” Charlie pointed toward the ice castle in the distance. “Every night, he searches the entire earth. When he finds a misfit toy, one that no girl or boy loves, he brings it to live here to live on this island 'till someone wants it. He's holding court in his castle right now.” “Then we’ll head there and see what he says,” Borealis said, running to the path to the castle. “Come on, guys!” XXXXXXXX By the time the group reached the castle, they were tired and exhausted from climbing up the icy peaks, eventually stopping before the castle doors to take a rest. “Man, I know we have wings,” Pipp gestured to her and her sister, “but that flight was more exhausting than CLIMBING up the mountain!” “Um… hello?” The group looked over to see a pony-like creature with bug-like blue eyes, a pink coat with horns on her head, a light blue mane and tail and bug-like wings, cautiously approaching them. “A-Are you here to see King Moonracer?” “Yes, we are,” Sunny said back before gasping. “Wow… we’ve never met anypony like you before! You have the mane and tail and body like a pony, but the wings and eyes of…” “A changeling?” the mysterious hybrid interrupted. “Yeah, I get that a lot. My name is Frenala.” “Are you a misfit toy too?” Izzy asked. “Well… you could say I’m a misfit for certain,” Frenala admitted. “My mother was a changeling and my father was a unicorn. I didn’t feel like I fit in, so I explored the world and came here. Now, the king is training me so I can be his royal consort someday.” “Wow… that’s pawsome!” Borealis smiled. “We’re misfits too, and we wanna see the king as soon as possible!” “Of course!” Frenala giggled. “Follow me.” The group quickly followed her inside the castle as a royal fanfare played, and Frenala led the group to King Moonracer’s throne room. “Your highness,” Frenala greeted, “I found these new friends outside the castle, and they wanted to see you right away.” “Thank you, Frenala. Come closer, young ones,” King Moonracer said, and the group bowed as they approached. “What do you desire?” “Well, we're a couple of misfits from Christmastown and Equestria,” Rudolph explained politely, “and now we'd like to live here.” Unfortunately, King Moonracer sadly shook his head to this request. “No, that would not be possible. This island is for toys alone.” “Awww, really?” Zipp asked in disappointment. “How do you like that?” Yukon scoffed. “Even among misfits, you're misfits.” “Yukon!” Sunny scolded. “I’m sorry about that, sire. I guess we were all hoping we could stay… well, at least for a little while.” “Unlike playthings, a living creature cannot hide himself on an island,” King Moonracer told them. “But, perhaps, being misfits yourselves, you might help the toys here.” “Help them?” Misty asked curiously. “Yes,” King Moonracer nodded. “When someday you return to Christmastown, would you tell Santa about our homeless toys? I'm sure he could find little boys and girls who would be happy with them. A toy is never truly happy until it is loved by a child.” Borealis thought about that… and it seemed as if it was a fair trade, even though they weren’t sure how long they were going to be away from home. “When and if we ever get back, we'll tell Santa, sir.” “Good. You are free to spend the night,” King Moonracer clapped his front paws, bringing an elephant footman forward. “Frenala? Footman? Show our friends to their chambers.” “Of course,” said Frenala, and the group bowed before beginning to follow. Suddenly, King Moonracer’s voice called out to the ponies, one in particular. “Sunny Starscout? May I speak to you and your friends for a moment?” Sunny and her friends stopped and turned back to the king, a little confused. “Sire? How did you know my name?” asked Sunny. “I saw you on the island’s shore, and I did some searching about you and your Unity Quests over the past year,” King Moonracer spoke. “I’ve known about the Equestrians for many years. In fact… one of them, namely Princess Twilight Sparkle, actually saved my life.” “She did?!” Misty asked in amazement. “Wow…” “Wait,” Zipp spoke up. “Does that mean you know about--”  “Opaline Arcana and Paradise Moonray? Yes, I do. And I do know that Paradise’s plan is almost complete… and she doesn’t know it yet, but she needs your help.” “Oh no… poor Mom!” Misty said with worry. “Do you know where she is?” “Unfortunately not,” King Moonracer frowned. “Somehow she has prevented other magic beings from tracking her. But… I do know that she will make herself known soon. Trust that you can save her, ponies. You may be her last hope of rediscovering her own happiness.” Sunny sighed and nodded. “We’ll keep trying to help her, King Moonracer. Thank you for telling us. But, we have to get back to our friends now.” “Of course.” XXXXXXXX Later that night, the ponies joined their misfit friends in their one-room chambers, discussing their plans for the next morning. “Well, it’s all settled,” said Hermey. “We leave tomorrow together.” “But the Abominable will see my nose and get us all,” Rudolph argued. “Borealis and I have got to go alone.” “Rudolph, it’s way too dangerous for you or Borealis to go out there alone,” Sunny argued. “Besides the snow monster, who knows what else is waiting out there?” “She’s right,” Yukon agreed. “It’s all for all… I mean all for… agh! Let’s get some shuteye.” “Good idea,” Pipp yawned. “I am totally beat.” “But…” “It’s all settled.” Without another word, Hermey switched out the light, and most of the ponies, Hermey and Yukon fell asleep instantly. However, Rudolph, Sunny, Borealis and Misty were those that were not sleepy one bit. “Guys, this is too dangerous for anypony to follow me and Rudolph out into that world,” Borealis whispered. “We can’t endanger you anymore.” “But if you guys are leaving, we’re going too,” Sunny said. “We’re your friends… and we wanna help.” “We could always get the others and leave on our own,” Misty shrugged. “But… we’d have to let Hermey and Cornelius know.” “Are you sure this is what you want?” Sunny asked Rudolph and Borealis, who nodded firmly without hesitation. “...all right then. Let’s get the other ponies awake and have them meet us outside.” XXXXXXXX Although they were unsure of Rudolph and Borealis’ need to leave before they dragged Hermey and Yukon and even the ponies into more trouble, the ponies wanted to make sure their friends were safe, so they ventured onto the little ice boat and out into the open ocean. “Goodbye, Cornelius,” Zipp waved silently. “I hope you find lots of tinsel. Or… whatever it is you were searching for.” “Goodbye, Hermey,” Izzy whispered. “We’re gonna miss you so much.” “Whatever a dentist is,” Rudolph agreed with silent, sad eyes, “I hope, someday, that you're the greatest.” The roar of the abominable snowman was heard over the mountaintops, but somehow, the ponies weren’t afraid of the monster this time. Somehow, someway… they were going to get their friends through this.