Remember Me: A Nutcracker Story | ✔

V. The Cave

Dawn soon broke over the hills, sending golden rays over the mountains. In the thicket, Mary stirred and awoke when sunlight found her face, finding Sticks asleep beside her with his back against hers. The steady rise and fall of his back told her that he was still in deep slumber. She rose and draped his jacket on him, then bent down and whispered in his ear: "I'll go on ahead." Then she got up and left, treading carefully and quietly on the forest floor.

It was barely a moment later when Sticks stirred in his sleep, and then opened his eyes. He rolled onto his back and felt an uncomfortable tug in his chest when he didn't feel Mary behind him. He sat up abruptly and his jacket fell off his torso. Sure enough, Mary was gone from her place. Sticks, half-panicking in Mary's sudden disappearance, got up quickly and went to the direction of the cave. He peered inside and saw Mary's body halfway through the stone wall at the back of the cave.

"Mary!"

He ran towards her, and if he had ran faster, if he didn't trip over his own feet, he would have reached her. But he didn't. Mary's whole body dissolved into the wall, with Sticks hopelessly pounding on it as he yelled Mary's name. But there was nothing to be done. It was as if Mary had been swallowed whole by the mountainside.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

With all haste Sticks descended the mountains they traversed, wasting not a second for rest. His chest hurt with lack of air and a terrible stitch started at his side, but he didn't stop. He wouldn't stop. He ran over the plains that led back to the Land of Sweets and demanded to see the Sugar Plum Fairy the moment he arrived at the castle.

"Sticks, for the love of all things sweet, what on earth has happened?" cried the Fairy at the sight of a dirty, sweaty, and wild-eyed Sticks. When she noticed Mary's absence a second later, she paled. "Where is Mary?"

Between pants Sticks explained what happened in the mountains, up to the part where Mary disappeared into the cave without a trace. In shock the Fairy's face grew white and she fell onto her throne, immobile for a moment. Her attendants rushed to her aid, fanning her and giving her a drink of sweet wine. Meanwhile, Tinker and Gielgud ministered to Sticks, who felt rather grateful for their attention but was more worried for Mary that he brushed them off.

"Your Majesty, we have to rescue Mary," he pleaded. "She could be anywhere; she could have been hurt—" He couldn't bring himself to say or worse.

"Yes, of course," mumbled the Fairy, getting over her faint. She sat up in her throne and rang a crystal bell. 

In a moment a squad of candy soldiers paraded into the hall, their numbers totaling in nearly fifty men. In the presence of their ruler they sank down on their knees in unison. The Sugar Plum Fairy stood up and instructed them to prepare readily for a journey through the mountains against unknown foes. Everyone started up and the throne room was alive with activity.

Amidst the orderly chaos, Tinker and Gielgud took Sticks by the arms and led him away to his chambers.

"No, wait! I want to go back. I want to go with the squad to rescue Mary," he protested. He yanked himself away from their grip, but Gielgud placed a firm hand on the younger toy's shoulder.

"Sticks, they can take care of themselves, and I can attest that they can find Miss Mary just fine," said the wizened monkey.

"You have to rest," added Tinker. "You look like someone who's been to hell and back."

"No, but if anything happens to her I will be."

Sticks gave one final yank and came free from their grasp. Tinker started after him, but Gielgud held out a hand to stop him. 

"Don't," he said, "I understand now. He has to do this; he won't listen to reason until he does."

Sticks stalked away from them and didn't look back, and seeing as no one could make him stay in the castle, the Sugar Plum Fairy had an armor fitted out for him. While he was being dressed, one thought and one thought only filled his mind:

If it weren't for you, NC, Mary wouldn't have to go through this.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

In the cave in the mountains, no danger had befallen Mary the moment she disappeared through the cave wall. All that happened was a ferociously cold wind blew like a gale around her, and when it stopped and she had opened her eyes, she found herself in a rather different, but oddly familiar-looking, place.

Steel towers rose from the ground for as far as her eyes could see. The tops of it bellowed coal-black smoke into the sky, blocking out the sun's rays. Everything was coated in a dull, sad light. There were people milling about in drab, gray clothing, and their faces were expressionless, if not sad. 

Mary gave a start of surprise when she realized that they were mice.

Before she could ponder on this realization any longer, the danger came at her. Two buff mouse-men dressed in military uniform caught her by the arms and lifted her inches off her feet. A thinner mouse-man in the same military uniform (but with more pins) pointed a bayonet at her.

"Who are you?" the thinner mouse-man demanded. "How did you get here?"

Mary didn't reply; she couldn't, because her breath was hitched in her throat and fear stoppered it. The thinner mouse-man grew impatient and was about to plunge his blade into her throat when—

"Wait."

The three guards turned and bowed immediately. The two guards got on their knees, forcing Mary to the ground. Mary looked up and gasped, for she knew who it was.

It was none other than the Rat King.

"Well, well, well - who do we have here?" said the Rat King with a terrible sneer. He crouched in front of her so close that his whiskers tickled her face. Mary tried to inch her face away, but the Rat King grabbed her by the chin.

"If it isn't little Miss Mary," the Rat King continued. "But, blimey, you're not so little anymore!"

Mary spat at him, and the Rat King recoiled. The thin mouse-guard lifted his bayonet against Mary's throat, but the Rat King waved him off.

"It's something them humans do when they meet, although it is quite unsophisticated. Take her to the manor," he said dismissively and cast a malicious look at Mary. "We have much to catch up on."

The guards holding her down got up, and panic swelled in Mary's chest. She kicked and struggled against their steel-like grip, only succeeding in bruising her own arms. She tried screaming, and the thin guard got so annoyed that he stuffed a dingy rag in her mouth. Mary was panicking and hyperventilating against the rag and the only outlet she could muster was tears.

Anyone, please... NC, help me...

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"This is it, this is the place."

The squad of candy soldiers and Sticks arrived at the cave. The soldiers looked at each other hesitantly when Sticks showed them the exact spot where Mary disappeared. Some even tried knocking on the back wall, but there wasn't the hollow, ringing sound they have expected to hear.

"But there's nothing here," said one, feeling it necessary to point out the obvious.

Another spoke up. "I was with the first team to come here. Nothing has changed. There's still nothing."

"I saw her go through that wall. I saw her disappear. Are you to believe the stories they've told you almost a year ago, or the eyes of a witness who saw what happened only half a day ago?" snapped Sticks. 

No one answered him after that.

Sticks exhaled loudly and said, "I thought so. Let's start digging."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-