Page 199 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

Giant ugly mice invading the Land of Sweets and led by an even uglier Queen Mouse (who was now twice as round as when Coffee had first seen her.) A Troll dressed up in the rags of a prom dress. A boy with the giant head of a Nutcracker and snapping jaws. And the weirdest of all – a girl. It had been a long time since any of the children of Hamelin had seen an ordinary-looking girl, for they had all grown to look as sweet and silly as they acted. And here was Clara, fresh from home and with all the determination a good heart could hold.
And Coffee knew she knew this new girl, but couldn’t remember how. But she knew she needed to know.
And all during the Mouse Queen’s ridiculous trial, Coffee had thought. And she thought, and she thought – until she finally dredged up a bit of Hamelin, and a dinner at the Stahlbaum’s. And Clara was there, and so was Pirlipat – which explained Clara. Then, as Coffee looked at the Troll’s hair and dress, she realized it also explained the Troll, or Pirlipat.
So, who was the Nutcracker?
And then she remembered the clock – and having followed Drosselmeir and Franz through the clock into the Land of Sweets. Then afterwards, Franz always working on the clock – except when he was...? Oh yes. There it was – except when he cracked nuts for the Princess! Franz always helped us Sweeties, thought Coffee, immediately forgetting that she was a child of Hamelin. And now, I’ve got to help him.
But how?
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