Magic Ballerina 1-6

Just as they were about to go in, Sugar waved her wand at the table. There was a tinkling sound and she magicked up another Nutcracker doll. “I’ll put this on the table in front of the boxes so that they won’t realise the real nutcracker has gone.”

Delphie and Sugar dived into the room and peeped back round the door just in time. Two mice hurried into the hall. One was dressed with boots and a sword like the mice outside had been. The other was wearing a smart waistcoat with gold buttons. He looked very relieved when he saw the fake Nutcracker on the table in front of the boxes. “Lucky for you that the Nutcracker’s still here. King Rat’s been ever so pleased since he turned him into a toy.

He was going to use the quick-drying glue in those boxes to stick all those horrible dancers to the ground but he doesn’t have to now. No one can dance while the Nutcracker’s a prisoner here.” He glowered at the other mouse. “So, stay where you are and don’t let anyone past!”

The other mouse nodded and the Sergeant strode out.

Sugar looked scared. “If that mouse stays outside the door then we’re trapped in here!”

“Maybe there’s another way out.” Delphie looked around. But there were no windows or other doors in the little room.

“If only we could bring the Nutcracker back to life, he would be able to help us fight our way out,” Sugar said.

“Can’t you use your magic to make him come alive again?” Delphie asked hopefully.

Sugar shook her head. “King Rat’s powers are too strong while we’re inside the castle. Only really powerful magic will turn him back.”

Suddenly Delphie heard Madame Za-Za’s words from that afternoon echo in her head: The real magic of the ballet comes from telling a story and making the audience believe in that story. Never forget that – always believe in it.

Delphie remembered how Madame Za-Za had looked straight at her while she had been speaking. It had been as if she had been talking directly to her. Never forget the story …

Maybe she’d been trying to tell her something. Delphie began to think hard. What happened in the story of The Nutcracker before the toy came to life?

Of course, she realised. Clara dances with the toy Nutcracker. An idea grew in her head. Maybe if she danced with this Nutcracker he would come to life too!

Almost before the idea had formed in her mind, Delphie’s feet began to tingle and in her head she heard the opening bars of the dance she had watched the girls doing that afternoon. Delphie moved forward into the opening pose. Holding her arms down low and with her left foot pointed forward in front of her, she looked down at the Nutcracker in her hands.

I’m Clara, she told herself and then she began to do the dance she had been longing to do ever since the class that afternoon.

She skipped forward with tiny steps as if she was floating across the floor. Stopping, she raised her hands, drew her right leg up against her left and stretched it out behind her, staying perfectly balanced.

She gasped. The Nutcracker’s arm had started to raise and his mouth to open…

Sugar stared. “Your dance is bringing him to life! Dance some more, Delphie!”

Delphie didn’t need any more urging. She moved into a pirouette, ran forward a few steps then nimbly jumped into the air. She lifted the Nutcracker high up and spun round with him, her whole body glowing and tingling with the music as in her mind she became Clara dancing with her beloved doll.

There was a bright white flash. Delphie stopped with a gasp. The Nutcracker had come to life!

“Hello, Delphie,” he said, smiling down at her.

Sugar threw her arms around him. “Oh, Nutcracker! Delphie’s brought you back by dancing.”

The Nutcracker nodded. “The strongest magic of all.” He hugged her. “And now everyone in Enchantia will be able to dance again!” He looked at Delphie. “I can’t thank you enough. You must have really believed in the dance to make the magic work.” He took her hand. “Thank you,” he said softly.

Delphie grinned in delight.

Sugar ran to the door. “We need to get out of here then I can use my magic to take us back to the village.

“Follow me!” The Nutcracker pulled out his sword and opened the door.

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The mouse who was standing guard by the table squeaked in surprise. “It’s you!” He swung round and looked at the fake Nutcracker doll. “But…but…how can it be?”

The Nutcracker smiled. “Ballet magic,” he said. “Let us past!”

“Oh no you don’t,” said the mouse running to stand between him and the front door. “You aren’t getting away that easily!”

With one swift movement the Nutcracker danced forward and used his sword to flip the sword out of the mouse’s grip. It flew into the air and landed with a clatter on the floor. With nothing to protect him, the mouse ran hastily backwards. “Help! Help!” he shouted. “The Nutcracker’s escaping!”

There was the sound of running footsteps. Then suddenly a door slammed open and a very loud voice boomed into the room.

“What is the meaning of this?”

The mice cringed, and Delphie stared as a haughty black rat with red eyes walked into the room, flanked by four guards.

He was wearing a purple cloak trimmed with white fur, and he had a golden crown on his head. He saw the Nutcracker and stopped. “You!” he exclaimed. “I turned you into a toy!”

“But now I have turned back!” cried the Nutcracker. “And all of Enchantia will dance again!”

“Not if I have anything to do with it!” King Rat leapt forward, swiping his sword viciously at the Nutcracker. His guards closed in as well. Bravely, the Nutcracker fought them off with strong, sweeping swipes. But he was being beaten back.

“There’s too many of them for the Nutcracker to fight!” Sugar exclaimed as the king and the guards advanced with their swords. They began to back the brave Nutcracker into the corner where the piles of boxes marked GLUE were stacked. He knocked against them and they wobbled precariously.

Suddenly, Delphie had an idea. She pulled off one of her ballet shoes. “Stop it, King Rat!” she shouted.

King Rat swung round. “Who are you?”

“Delphie!” She lifted the shoe up and hurled it at him.

King Rat ducked. “That’s the oldest trick in the book!” he said as the shoe hit the boxes behind him. “Missed!”

“Oh no I didn’t!” exclaimed Delphie as the pile of boxes began to sway.

The Nutcracker leapt nimbly out of the way, grabbing Delphie’s ballet shoe from the floor as he did so, but King Rat was too busy laughing at Delphie to notice the boxes. “You missed! You did! You…”

His voice was drowned out as the boxes toppled over. They crashed down, jars of glue raining on his head. “Ow! Ooh! Ow!” he yelled.

The guards cried and shouted too. The jars smashed into each other as they fell, cracking open and covering King Rat and his soldiers in quick-drying white glue.

King Rat pointed at Delphie, glue dripping down over his face and off his ears and whiskers. “Why you…you…!”

But though he tried to run towards her, his feet were stuck fast!

“Come on,” gasped Delphie, turning to Sugar and the Nutcracker. “Let’s get out of here!”

And quickly they raced out of the castle and back to the woods.