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Mina's fingers trace the nutcracker's painted features. Her neon pink nails glide across the enamel.
She's curled up in the well-worn loveseat near the fireplace. The flames are nothing but embers this late at night but the string-lights on the Christmas tree and around the room are more than bright enough to see. They cast a colorful glow on the doll in her lap and the remnants of her dads' big Christmas party.
That strange, extremely tall, man— he had to be one of her parents' work friends or something— had pressed the toy into her arms with a bright, gentle smile. His gingerbread cologne almost still lingered over the room, now pushed out by the nutcracker's own pepperminty scent.
"Nutcrackers are a symbol of protection," he'd said. "Hopefully you both will protect each other."
She'd immediately failed at that, of course, when one of the other kids demanded to see her gift and ended up breaking it before running off. A bit of wood glue helped put it back together, but she can still see a crack on the left arm. She'll have to be careful with it until it fully dries.
The nutcracker itself has an odd design. The hair under the hat is red and white, kind of peppermint themed. The face isn't at all like nutcrackers she's seen before, though. The rosy red cheeks extend up over the eye on one side. That eye is painted blue, not at all matching the gray one on the other side. The outfit is a deep blue with white swirls up one arm and orange up the arm that's broken. It's very asymmetrical and unique.
She yawns. She really should go back to bed.
She settles further into the cushion. She'll close her eyes for a few minutes, and then she'll go…
An overwhelming scent of cinnamon hits her nose. It's absolutely disgusting. Her dads know she hates those stupid broom things, but maybe one of the party guests cursed them with one.
She opens her eyes. The odor is so intense that they're almost watering.
The doll isn't in her lap anymore. Did it fall? Hopefully it didn't break more.
She leans over the side of the sofa to grab it. The glow of the fire reflects on the hardwood floor, but the nutcracker isn't there.
That's when she hears the tiny little tink sounds, like two forks being tapped together.
There's movement over by the fire, the shadow of something blocky moving around the floor.
What the fuck.
Her nutcracker is over by the fireplace, and it looks like it's sword-fighting another doll that's giving off blue sparks. One of the sparks lands on a crumpled napkin and it catches on fire.
Shit!
She's fully awake now as she falls off the couch, rushing over to toss the napkin into the fireplace that definitely wasn't burning that hard a few minutes ago.
Both dolls stop their fighting to look at her. She sets her hands on her hips, glaring down at them.
"What? This is my house, you can't just set things on fire. Go away!"
The pyromaniac doll, which for some reason has a rat's head, moves towards her. The nutcracker lifts its unbroken arm, the one with the white detailing. Frost spreads across the floor and little pieces of ice stop it from getting closer.
Okay, this is a weird-ass dream.
Peppermint smell fights the cinnamon as she walks towards the tiny battle. The rat doll charges the nutcracker again, hitting it with a sword the size of a butter knife. It pushes her toy back towards the fireplace and, uh, no.
She takes off one of her slippers and bats the rat doll away from its opponent.
"Get out of here, shoo!"
The rat doll rips something tiny off of its neck— some kind of necklace?— and it lands at Mina's feet. She doesn't even get the chance to be confused when black smoke starts rising fast out of it, coming right towards her face.
Mina stumbles. When she looks up, everything is huge. She has to steady herself on a wrapped present that's nearly as tall as she is.
"Good. No more interference," the rat says. "Now I can get back to business."
Up close, it's obvious that he isn't a doll at all. He's a real, tiny person with a rat's head, and some of the fur is burnt and matted.
Her nutcracker doll marches forward, brandishing an ice-covered sword. "As if I'd let you win, you rodent bastard. Run back to whatever hole you call home while you still can." He steps to the side, positioning himself solidly between the rat and Mina.
The rat laughs. "We both know you're weakened. I can see the crack in your arm, perfect prince. You're on half power at best, and your ice will never be enough to stop me.
Pungent cinnamon wafts over her as he raises his arms, blue flame nearly hitting the nutcracker as he clumsily dodges backwards. It dissipates harmlessly on the ground, but the intense heat hits Mina even from a distance.
A guy made of wood is fighting a guy who likes fire an awful lot. Mina doesn't have to be a genius to know that it's a terrible matchup, and if no one interferes, her nutcracker is going to be fancy firewood.
She slips around the side of the present, away from the fight. She grabs a stick from her cousin's new drum set.
The rat man doesn't see her coming as she wallops him on the head.
He stumbles and falls, dazed from the sudden hit. "What the hell? This was supposed to be fun, Boss. Time out!"
There's a smell of sickening sweet marshmallow, like the toothpaste her dentist used to use when she was a kid. Then the rat man falls through a dark, misty portal in the ground, finally leaving them alone.
What the fuck was that? She's not so sure it's a dream anymore.
The nutcracker stands still, staring at where the portal remains. She could almost believe he was really just a doll. Then he turns, bowing to Mina. "Thank you. You've saved my life. I apologize for our intrusion, I seem to have only brought bad things upon you."
Mina shakes her head. "I don't think it's your fault, I'm just- I'm extremely confused. It's not every day that your Christmas present comes to life and starts fighting a pyromaniac rat, y'know?"
"I fear that you were an unwilling participant in a plan to keep me safe. This is not my normal state- I was cursed into this form by the wicked King of Rats, so that I'd be easier to subdue. If it weren't for you, I'm sure that Dabi would've defeated me. And now I've brought this trouble to you, and you've been cursed as well."
"Well, we're both in this now. How do we get back to normal?"
The nutcracker offers her his hand. "Come with me. We'll return to my realm and seek help from the magicians within."
Well, this is already her weirdest Christmas ever. Might as well go on an isekai adventure while she's at it.
She takes his hand. Together, they jump into the portal, braving whatever lies beyond.
Shouto has been told before that he has a "wooden" personality. This, of course, is ridiculously literal.
Being turned into a living doll is certainly a new experience. His fire magic is inaccessible due to his new flammability, and as much as he wants it to be, his ice isn't always enough. It was kind of that old man to try hiding him away, even if it only bought them hours before the rats were upon them again. Dabi especially seemed to take delight in the curse. He always seems to hate Shouto the most.
As he marches through the snow towards his kingdom, he can't help but notice all the ways that his body feels wrong. Without functional knees or elbows, his limbs no longer bend. His jaw is locked to up and down motion, allowing him the ability to talk but not much else. And when he does speak, there's the incredibly strange feeling of the lever moving up and down on his back.
At least he's not alone.
The girl from beyond their realm introduces herself as Mina. She is kind, having taken the time to repair his arm the best she could even when he only seemed to be a doll. She is brave, not hesitating to throw herself into danger for his sake. She is bright and cheerful, even though she must be confused and afraid as well.
She does not mind that he is quiet, simply filling the silence herself. It's nice to listen to her talk.
She must be cold, in pajamas and slippers. He warms his left side as much as he can to ease her chills. It'll be better once they reach the castle.
The streets of the surrounding town are empty, everyone huddled in their homes for the night. It's only when they approach the drawbridge that things start getting noisy.
Tenya commands several guards at the front of the castle, arms waving wildly as he shouts instructions that Shouto can't quite make out from this distance. He moves just as woodenly as Shouto does, but that's just how Tenya is.
Someone calls down to the drawbridge from a parapet. Tenya stops addressing the guards and turns towards them. Then he's right in front of them, the mulled orange aroma of his magic fading into Shouto's senses. His stern glare holds no recognition.
"I apologize, but the castle is currently closed to all visitors. If you have business here, it shall have to wait. Please return to your lodgings-"
"Tenya."
The guard captain snaps even further upright, somehow, eyes locking onto Shouto's face and studying it closely.
"Prince Shouto?"
Ah, good, he's not completely unrecognizable.
"Yes, it's me. May we come in now?"
"How can I know it's really you? You may be an impostor. And who is this young lady?"
Shouto lifts his arm and snowflakes dance away from his wooden palm, settling right onto Tenya's glasses.
He huffs as he wipes them away. "And the fire?"
"Tenya, I'm currently made of wood. Do I need to tell you why I'm reluctant to try? Plus, that side is injured."
Tenya hums. "Well, the scent of your magic is certainly correct, and you do raise a valid point. I believe you, but you'll have to explain what happened as well as the identity of your companion."
Mina groans. "Can we at least talk inside? I'm freezing!"
Well, this land is locked in eternal winter. It's bound to be a little cold.
Tenya leads them to the castle, dismissing the guards as they pass.
"Please inform the royal family that I have located the Prince. I'm sure that they will be relieved."
Ah yes. His family, which includes…
"Is my father present?"
Please say no.
Tenya shakes his head. "The Grand Duke is away. I can have a message sent to him as well, if you wish."
"That won't be necessary."
The last thing he wants is for Father to see him like this. Being seen by anyone in this state is humiliating.
He glances at Mina. She looks amazed, head turning to take in as much of his home as she can.
It is somewhat impressive, if one isn't used to such grandeur.
"Have someone fetch more suitable clothing for my guest as well. Some of Fuyumi's old traveling clothes should suffice."
"Very well."
Someone brings the garments for Mina, who gladly goes into another chamber to change. When she returns, she's wearing a burgundy coat over a nice pink dress, with a fluffy white scarf and sturdy boots. They're probably going to have to make a trek, and he doesn't want her to be uncomfortable.
Someone else comes rushing into the room. He's not surprised when the scent of matcha wafts over them. "Prince Shouto! We were just about to go search- oh. Oh wow."
"Hello, Izuku," Shouto says. "As you can see, I've run into a bit of difficulty."
"Y-yeah, I can see that! Um." Izuku turns to Mina. "Hi, I don't think we've met!"
"Mina is an out-realmer. I got her cursed by accident." Shouto says.
Izuku's eyes widen. "Out of the realm?! How did you get out there?"
"It's a long story. Perhaps we should talk about it on our way to the Ginger King."
Izuku blanches. "The Ginger King? That's- that's not a good idea right now."
"But won't he be able to break the curses?"
"Well, yes but no- it's, um, complicated. And it's a very long journey, so maybe he shouldn't be our first stop, y'know? Oh! Let's go see the Gumdrop Fairy first, I bet she'll be able to help. No need to bother the Ginger King."
The wintry forest surrounding them is covered in flowers that Mina has never even seen before. They're vibrant despite the season, in colors that seem too impossible to naturally occur, with petals the size of her head and frosted leaves that dance in the night breeze.
The man coming towards them absolutely does not match the vibe. He's scruffy, in unembellished dark clothing. As he approaches, a smell like her dad's darkest coffee wafts over her. He's a bit intimidating until she sees the way Izuku lights up at his approach.
"Sensei!"
"Problem child. And more problem children. I suppose you have a reason for visiting at this terrible hour?"
"Ah- Shouto got cursed by the King of Rats, and he brought an out-realmer back with him who I guess also got cursed, so…"
The guy sighs, slipping his face into the long gray scarf he's wearing. "It's always something with you brats." He glances at Mina and nods in greeting. "I'm Aizawa, guardian of the Forest of Blooms. Why don't you all come over, and we'll see what can be done."
Aizawa leads them to a sweet little cottage in a small clearing, covered in roots and vines and more beautiful flowers. He lets them inside, and while they're removing their boots, he calls out into the home. "We've got guests."
A man and woman emerge from deeper into the cottage. The man is also wearing darker clothing, but his is shiny like leather and adorned with white piping. His blond hair is spiked upwards, defying the good law of gravity. The woman wears a deep violet night-dress with a soft gray robe on top, with long dark hair and licorice red glasses on her beautiful face.
Maybe she's the Gumdrop Fairy?
Their scents— spiced chocolate and lavender— harmonize well with Aizawa's.
The pointy man does a double take when he sees Shouto. "Whoa- looks like the trees are out for a walk!"
The woman smacks him on the arm. "Yamada, don't be dense. You don't recognize Prince Shouto?"
Shouto grunts. "It's not like I chose to become this. It's the King of Rats's fault."
Yamada's eyes darken, though the smile doesn't leave his face. "Oh, of course. Doesn't that bastard have anything better to do? He should really get a life, yeah?"
The woman's gaze lands on Mina. "And who do we have here?"
Mina steps forward. "I'm Mina, Ma'am. The King of Rats cursed me too, and I really need to get home. I guess we were hoping you could help."
The woman's brows furrow. "Me? I don't know about that. My specialty is sleep magic, not transformation."
"I think there's been a misunderstanding," Izuku says. "I said we were seeking the Gumdrop Fairy, but I didn't exactly clarify."
Yamada laughs. "I see! You want the little lady, yeah? I'll go get her up. I imagine we don't wanna wait long, with the rats on our backs." He disappears into a door at the far end of the hall.
"I'm Kayama, the Midnight Witch," the woman says. Our little Eri-fairy is the one you're looking for, sweetheart. Our little gumdrop. We guard her carefully, since lots of meanies come after her power."
"If Izuku and the Prince weren't here vouching for you, we probably wouldn't have let you approach. We won't just bring her out to anyone who seeks her, for her safety," Aizawa says.
Yamada returns, a sleepy-looking little girl min his arms. Her soft red nightgown matches her eyes and a pair of little red wings on her back. Her long white hair is gently braided with ribbons and she clutches a wand topped with a gumdrop shaped ruby, similar in shape to a marking on her forehead. She perks up when she notices Izuku.
"Deku!" she says, "I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow!"
Okay, Mina will do anything to protect this little angel.
"Hi, Eri," Izuku says. "I know it's super late, but we were hoping you could help us with some things. You remember Prince Shouto, right?"
Eri nods. "He looks funny."
Mina snorts.
"I do look funny," Shouto agrees.
"Shouto got cursed by a meanie, and now we need to bring him back to normal. Do you think you can try, for us?"
Eri looks to Aizawa. He gives her a small, encouraging smile.
"I can try," she finally says.
"Thank you, Eri," Shouto says. "I would very much appreciate your help."
Yamada sets Eri down on a chair next to Shouto. She touches her magic wand to his forehead. Her wings flutter behind her as she concentrates.
Sparkles and the sweet smell of gumdrops fill the air.
A white mist surrounds Shouto. Mina can almost see a cute, regular human boy beneath it, but when it clears he looks the same.
Eri lowers her wand. Tears fill her eyes. "I thought I could help…"
Kayama gently brushes Eri's hair away from her forehead. "You did a good job, Gumdrop. It's probably just a very sticky spell."
Izuku squeezes her hand. "Thank you for trying, Eri. I'll see you soon, okay?"
Kayama leads Eri back to her room.
Aizawa sighs. "Damn. If it were anyone other than the King of Rats, she probably could've done it."
"Now what?" Mina asks. "Is there anyone else that can help?"
Izuku mutters to himself as he thinks. "Maybe, but- no. That wouldn't work. But what about-"
Shouto cuts in. "What about the Sugarplum Prince?"
Another prince? Why are there so many?"
Izuku brightens. "Oh! Yuuga should be able to help, he's definitely pretty strong. If we set out now, we should be able to get there before too long."
Oh, goodie. More trudging through snow. But if it helps Shouto get back to normal and brings her home, she'll do it.
The Sugarplum Prince's palace is smaller in size than Shouto's but no less beautiful, made of clouded amethyst and incredibly sparkly in the moon and starlight.
Izuku lets them in through a back entrance when no one opens the front door. Their footsteps echo on polished white quartz. Whereas Shouto's castle was full of courtesans and staff buzzing around in a frenzy, the palace is… oddly empty. It's opulent, with portraits of the royals and gold decorations and colorful tapestries, but there's not a soul inside.
"Are we sure he's home?" Mina asks.
"I don't see why he wouldn't be," Izuku says. He doesn't seem concerned with the absence of life.
He leads them up the spiral stairs of a tower, to a door at the very top. He knocks. There's a shuffling sound inside, and something falling on the floor. Then the door creaks open the tiniest bit. A wide eye peers out, and when it lands on Izuku, it relaxes. "Ah, juste une minute, mon ami!"
The door shuts. They wait for about a minute before a boy their age steps out, shutting and locking it behind him.
Okay, Mina's been pretty impressed by everything in winter-candy-magic-land, but this guy's whole deal is awesome. Like, she's not entirely sure what a sugarplum is. It's probably a plum with sugar on it, and visions of them dance in your head at Christmas. But if you showed Mina a picture of this dude in a storybook and said "This is the Sugarplum Prince," Mina's response would be "Fuck, dude, he sure is."
His clothes are bright shades of purple, like a lot of the castle is, and they're absolutely loaded with glitter to the point that it looks like the prince is dusted with sugar crystals. This boy is made of sugar. He has puffy medieval shorts, a waistcoat with tails, a fancy satin vest and a deep violet cravat. The golden crown on his head is set with opals and he grips a matching scepter tightly in his hands.
Like, yeah, Shouto's pretty princely, but the Sugarplum Prince goes all out. Mad respect.
"Izuku," he says with a bright smile. "And guests! To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Izuku scratches the back of his neck. "I really wish this was a social visit, but we need your help."
"Oh? Well, a stairwell is no place for a discussion. Come down to the solar with me, and then we shall talk."
The prince leads them to a small, comfortable chamber with lots of seating. "Now, what can your prince assist you with?"
Mina tunes out yet another explanation, this one even longer with the addition of the Gumdrop Fairy.
The Sugarplum Prince taps the scepter against his lips, deep and thought. "Mademoiselle Mina, I believe I will have no problem getting you home. For Shouto, though… that's more difficult. Tell me, Izuku, have you yet sought the Ginger King?"
Izuku bites his lip. "I'm hoping to avoid that. To seek him out may attract… unwanted attention. A-and he's retired, y'know? We shouldn't disturb him, I mean."
"But mon ami, is this not a dire circumstance? If the King of Rats is after you, then we shouldn't delay due to social graces. A little attention is nothing he cannot handle."
"I really, really don't think that's a good idea," Izuku says, shaking his head. "We shouldn't go to the Ginger King."
The prince sighs. "If you're so insistent, there must be a reason, oui? There's- there's something I could try, but it requires a journey deep into the Wicked Woods for a most special component. Mademoiselle, I'd better get you home first. You've had a long night and it's unnecessary for you to stay any longer."
Mina pauses. She could go home, go to bed, and probably pretend that all of this was some weird dream. It would be so simple. She doesn't need to do anymore walking.
But that means abandoning Shouto to whatever awaits him, never knowing if he managed to break his curse or not.
"I kinda wanna see this through. I'll wait until Shouto's back to normal."
Yuuga's eyes widen, smile dropping for just an instant. Then it's back.
"I really must urge you to reconsider. The journey will be difficult, a-and dangerous, not to mention cold. You don't have to do any of that."
"I know I don't have to, but I honestly want to continue. This feels super important, y'know?"
The prince almost looks sad as he looks over the three of them. "I really can't convince you to change your mind?"
"Nah."
"Very well. Allow me a moment to prepare, and then we'll be off."
Yuuga is absolutely rotten to his sparkling, sugary core.
None of them know this, of course. They follow him blindly, trusting in the shiny facade that is the Sugarplum Prince, a source of purity and goodness to rival the King of Rats's dastardly ways. They don't understand how one is a mere puppet of the other.
He has to smile as he leads these wonderful people to the worst kind of fate.
Izuku, of course, he has known for quite a while. The boy is sweet and brave, a hero of the realm and protege of the Ginger King himself. He has always been beyond Yuuga's protection, and this day was always going to arrive.
Poor Prince Shouto, who is likely never going to have his curse lifted. He's kind in his own way, and a shining example of all that a prince should be. Even as a nutcracker, he fights for his realm.
Mina is new to him, but she's bright and funny and so, so real in a way that Yuuga was never allowed to be. Maybe in another life, they could've been friends.
Really, Yuuga should be relieved. Soon the King of Rats will find the Ginger King and it will all be over. It could happen as soon as tonight. The King of Rats will… convince Izuku to give up his master's location, or the Ginger King will be lured out of hiding by his pupil's distress. It will all be over.
He stops the group in the designated clearing, so far into the Wicked Woods that they'd be hopelessly lost if they were to turn and run. Only the north star up above provides a pinprick of light.
He should turn around and address his peers, but he can't bring himself to face them.
"Hey, Sugar Prince." Mina's footsteps crunch in the snow as she moves towards him. "Why'd we stop? Is this the place?"
"Yuuga?" Izuku reaches for him. He flinches away.
It'll be over soon.
The air turns sickeningly sweet as the mists start churning around them. Cinnamon, black licorice, marshmallow, and other odors blend into an olfactory cacophony. Rum undercuts all of them. He's here. They're all here.
"Welcome, little guests," booms the King of Rats as he steps out to block the way forwards. Presumably, his league of rodents block the other exits. There's no turning back,
Izuku rushes forward, sword drawn as if Yuuga needs or deserves his protection. Wood scratches against wood as Prince Shouto likewise moves to guard Mina.
"Now, that won't be necessary." The King of Rats grins, fangs bared. "I have no reason to fight, as long as you all cooperate. You are not my ultimate targets."
"I'd sooner cooperate with a pile of dung," Shouto says. "At least it would be more pleasant company."
"You will show some respect, or I'll turn you into kindling," one of the rats growls.
The King of Rats raises a hand. "Enough, Tomurat. All in due time."
"Sugar Prince," Mina whispers, "do you think we can take this guy?"
The King of Rats smiles impossibly wide as he steps towards Yuuga. Yuuga flinches as the man knocks Izuku aside as if the boy were nothing to him. Because he might as well be.
The King of Rats settles a giant, cold hand on top of Yuuga's head, just as he had all those years ago. The rum scent settles into Yuuga's bones.
"I must say that you've done well, little Prince. You shall have your reward."
Yuuga clenches his scepter tightly. If he were truly the hero everyone thought he was, then he'd raise it right now and smite the devil, consequences be damned.
Of course, he isn't. So he does nothing, as usual.
Mina screams as saccharine marshmallow overwhelms them and they're plunged into darkness.
Mina maybe started to wrap her head around the rat people that have been attacking them, but their king is giant. His white fur and red, unblinking eyes stare right into her soul. Even after he has his minions lock her in a cold, dark cell, the memory of him makes her shudder.
Or maybe she's shivering because it's freezing down here.
Shouto and Izuku are in other parts of this horrible dungeon. They were all separated immediately, with the King implying that he had purposes for the boys. Mina, though, is just… here. The man almost seemed mad at her presence.
As for the Sugarplum Prince… she hopes that reward was worth it. And to think she thought he was cool.
Enough standing around, time to find a way out.
Kicking the door doesn't work. Kicking the walls doesn't work. She can't dig through the floor and she can't reach the stone ceiling to maybe break off a stalactite. She paces back and forth trying to think of another way.
A clatter from the front of the cell makes her jump. There's something on the ground under the tiny window, something shiny. She picks it up.
A key?
She peers out through the window, but there's nobody there. Who would've given her a key?
She unlocks the cell door, sliding it open slowly. Still nobody. She slides it shut behind her and locks it, since an open door would be an obvious sign that no one's there. Hopefully they don't notice she's gone for a while.
She sneaks through a labyrinth of hallways lined with doors, searching for any signs of her friends. This place can't have that many rooms, can it? The halls are full of eerie wails, and she's reluctant to peer into any more windows. She doesn't want to know what's making those sounds.
She ducks behind a pillar as two rat minions walk past. They don't notice her.
Raised voices echo from a nearby cell.
"You will tell us the Ginger King's whereabouts," says a rat minion. "There is no use in resisting. It will only bring more suffering to you and your little friends."
Well, she doesn't exactly like the sound of that.
"Shigaratki," another rat minion says, "you're needed."
The rat minions leave and Mina slips in behind them.
Izuku is seated in the corner of the cell, eyes red and hair messy. He looks up at her, surprised. "How did you-"
"Not important," she says. "Come on."
Shouto's actually not too far away, and once they distract the rat guarding him— the cinnamon one from her house— it's easy to get to him. The hard part is getting him out without attracting any more attention, since a human-sized wooden doll isn't exactly stealthy.
Footsteps echo down another hall, and they duck behind another pillar. Shouto's leg scrapes against the floor, and the footsteps pause.
Shit.
"Hey, Prince!" someone says, and they're not talking to Shouto. "Boss wants to see you, c'mon."
The Sugarplum Prince turns around, looking everywhere but towards the pillar where they're hiding. He follows the other rat minion down the hallway, and then they're alone.
Mina breathes out. "I can't believe he didn't notice us," she whispers.
Izuku shakes his head. "He did. He's just pretending he didn't."
Shouto scoffs. "He's the reason we're here in the first place. Why would he let us go now?"
"I don't know. Let's just- let's go, okay?"
They keep walking.
How exactly are they supposed to leave? They didn't even come in through a front door. This place might not even have one. They could just be wandering in circles until someone catches them and puts them back, just a funny little game.
A deep voice coming from another chamber— the King of Rats himself.
"You may return to your abode. If I have further need of you, you shall know it."
"But my parents-?"
"Shall remain where they are until the Ginger King is defeated. You have done well, but I am not through with you yet."
"I…I see. Of course. I shall return to my castle."
"Do not forget, little prince, how easily I can reverse my generosity. If I catch wind of your betrayal, you and your parents will not live long enough to regret it."
"Your majesty, the out-realmer has escaped. We are checking the other cells now."
There's a crash of furniture being thrown across a room. "This better not have been your doing, little prince. After all I have done for you."
"I swear- I haven't seen her since they were captured! I didn't see that she escaped!"
"Do you think that I am a fool? None born of this realm can break the Peppermint Prince's curse. Find her at once!"
The three of them are running before anyone can spot them.
Finally, they find an exit. They rush out into the snow, still in the Wicked Woods.
"There!"
The rats are right on their tails.
Mina trips over a tree root, slamming into a snow bank. She scrambles onto her hands and knees, attempting to crawl away when somebody grabs her leg.
"Let go of her!"
A whoosh of peppermint smell and a flash of heat from behind her. She turns and sees the rat minion falling backwards, away from red flame that manifested between them. Izuku grabs her hand and Shouto's as they run out of the woods and into the night.
"I think we lost them," Shouto says.
They stop for a moment to catch their breath. Mina collapses in the snow, letting it cool her down. She glances up at the boys.
"That sucked," she says elegantly.
"It did," Shouto agrees, also elegantly.
She can't help but laugh. Then she properly looks at Shouto.
He's holding his left arm together from where it's starting to split. Oh shit.
She sits up, rushing to help him.
"Does that hurt?!"
"Not really. I think I burned off that glue you used. Sorry."
"You shouldn't have used your fire then, idiot." She takes off her scarf, using it to wrap the arm tightly.
"I wasn't really thinking about that. I just knew I couldn't let anyone grab you."
"That's stupid. You injured yourself. But also…"
She kisses him on his wooden cheek. "I guess it was sweet."
She yelps and falls backwards as white mist and sparkles surround him. When it clears…
She was right. He is cute. A normal human boy stands where the nutcracker stood. His arm is now uninjured, and he looks up at Mina with wide eyes. "You… what?"
"Wait, was that it? Was that seriously all we needed to do?"
"Didn't the King of Rats say no one of the realm could break the curse? Maybe it needed to be an out-realmer," Izuku says. She kinda almost forgot he was there.
"That would appear to be so," says a voice from behind them.
Mina spins around, only to see the very tall man that handed the nutcracker to her in the first place.
"Your Majesty!" Izuku says.
The man ruffles Izuku's hair. "Hello, children. I apologize that I was unable to assist earlier. By the time I heard of your trouble, well, you were already out."
"Mina," Izuku says, while Shouto slips his hand into hers "this is the Ginger King. The most powerful magician in the land."
Shouto hums. "Are you sure? I don't remember him looking like that."
The Ginger King scratches the back of his neck. "That's part of the reason I retired, young Prince. I'm no longer the imposing symbol that I used to be, and I fear my magic is fading as well. But I still have a few good fights left in me, if that's needed."
"It's why I didn't really wanna bring you to him if we could avoid it," Izuku says.
"That, and he already helped me. He's how I got out of the realm and to Mina," Shouto says.
Oh.
"Well, let's not just stand here, catching colds," the Ginger King says. Follow me, and I'll help everyone get home."
The Ginger King's place of residence isn't as grand as Mina thought it would be. It's more comparable to the Gumdrop Fairy's cottage than either of the castles she saw earlier, not what she'd expect for royalty. It's a tall gingerbread house overlooking a beautiful view of winter-candy-magic-land, but it doesn't even have the cozy feeling of the floral cottage. It's just kind of lonely.
The inside is warm, which she appreciates. She sinks down into a gingerbread chair at a gingerbread table, her back to a fireplace.
The Ginger King offers them hot chocolate, and she gladly accepts.
"I'm glad that you managed to break the Prince's curse," he says as she sips quietly. "I originally brought him to your realm to buy some time, but I didn't mean to get you caught up in all of this. It seems that things have mostly worked out."
"Why me, though?" Mina asks. "Couldn't you have brought Shouto to anyone?"
"I suppose I could've, but there's something you have that other people don't. You have a kind heart, and a brave one too. That's what let you succeed."
Mina can't help but make a face. "The magic was inside me all along? The power of love and friendship? Don't you think that's a bit cliche?"
The Ginger King nods. "I agree. But it's no wonder that that's what it took to break the curse. The King of Rats has a warped view of love, so he underestimated the strength that it holds."
Izuku looks up from where he's staring into his hot chocolate. "What about Yuuga?" he asks. "He helped us escape, even when it put him and his family in danger. How do we help him?"
The Ginger King thinks. "It certainly won't be easy, my boy. The King of Rats is a difficult foe indeed. We'll have to extract them from his grasp carefully."
"Well, let's get started then," Mina says. She ignores the budding yawn in her throat. "How can my magic of friendship kick some ass?"
Shouto rests his warm hand on her arm. "You need to go back to your realm. You're exhausted, and your family will worry if they notice you're gone."
She shakes her head. "I have plenty of time! I mean, it's only-" She searches for a clock and finds a window showing off the rising sun. "Shit."
Izuku smiles sadly at her. "This'll take more than a couple of hours. It could be days or weeks before we're able to rescue them. You have to go home, Mina."
She bites her lip. "But- if I go home, does that mean I can never come back?"
The Ginger King stands, moving to a chest on the other side of the room. "Not at all, my girl," he says. He brings out a heart shaped locket engraved with a candy cane and hands it to her. "Simply wish on this pendant at night, and you'll be able to return. Try not to use it too often- a young lady needs her rest, after all."
Shouto gazes at her. "Are you ready to go back?"
"Just a second," she says. Then she kisses Shouto on the cheek again. "Now I'm ready."
Mina collapses into her bed. She's ready for a long winter's nap.
She gets about ten minutes.
"Mina, wake up! It's Christmas!"
The End