The Nutcracker Suite
Part 4: The Expedition
Pairing: Koo Junhoe x You
Genre: Angst, Ballet!AU, Fluff, Regency!AU
Word Count: 4k
Warnings: Clowns, Mild Language
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The next morning, Y/N made sure she was dressed comfortably as possible. She wore a red dress, the same color as the pants General Hanbin and Lieutenant Donghyuk wore. She even had the same green military jacket they wore. She laced up her boots and pulled her hair into a low and secure bun.
As she made her way down to where she was supposed to meet everyone, she stopped outside the Sugar Plum Fairy’s hut. She stepped past the curtain, calling out to her. She had been hoping for a moment alone with her. She knew she should have left once she realized the Sugar Plum Fairy wasn’t there, but curiosity got the better of her.
She walked around the room, staring at all the magnificent things she owned. The emperor must have been a generous man. Something shiny on the vanity caught her eye. It was the gold key that was supposed to unlock the egg. She picked it up, staring at it. Ju-ne would need this if he was going to defeat the Mouse King. After all, the Sugar Plum Fairy wouldn’t be angry if he had it. He was the prince.
“Looking for something my dear?” Y/N spun around quickly, hiding her arms behind her back. She quickly tucked the key up her sleeve, doing her best to hide her emotions. The Sugar Plum Fairy stood before, looking as regal as she did the day prior. Y/N forced a smile onto her face.
“I was actually looking for you,” she said. Which was true, she had been looking for her. “I was just curious, are you sure you can send me back home?” The Sugar Plum Fairy seemed to relax, a warm smile on her face.
“My dear, once you have the egg, I can send you to wherever your heart desires.” Y/N relaxed her shoulders, a genuine smile on her face. The Sugar Plum Fairy waved her forward. “Now hurry along now, you don’t want to have those boys leave without you now. How rude would that be?” Y/N curtsied briefly before rushing out the door.
Ju-ne was waiting with General Hanbin and Lieutenant Donghyuk. Jiwon and Jinhwan were also there, along with Cocoa and Cinnamon. Y/N smiled, descending the steps as fast as a lady could. Jinhwan glanced over and waved. Everyone else turned and welcomed her. Cinnamon let out a whinny, nuzzling into her neck once she was close enough.
“I hope you’re feeling better boy,” she said, rubbing his neck.
“He’s as good as new,” Jiwon said. “He’s even ready to travel.” Jiwon handed the reins to Y/N. She took them hesitantly. “Don’t worry about it. I know you’ll take good care of him.” Y/N smiled.
“That’s really nice of you to let me take him, but the journey could be really dangerous.” Jiwon shrugged, patting Cinnamon on the neck.
“Then you should have at least someone you can trust.” Ju-ne glanced over, a scowl on his face. Jiwon smirked, shooting Y/N a wink. She shook her head, a smile on her face. Jinhwan excused himself from the conversation, making his way over to Y/N.
“My Lady, I just wanted to wish you luck before your journey,” he said.
“Thank you, Jinhwan. I’m sorry you can’t come with us.” He shrugged.
“I know you’ll be perfectly fine without us. You have General Hanbin and Lieutenant Donghyuk by your side should things turn awry. And the Nutcracker of course.” Y/N nodded, sparing another glance to Ju-ne. He had returned to his conversation with the General and Lieutenant. “The best of luck to you, Lady Y/N.” Ju-ne came to Y/N’s side, Cocoa next to him.
“Let me help you up,” Ju-ne said. He offered Y/N his hand as she found the stirrup and tossed her leg over the saddle. Once she was situated she gave Ju-ne a satisfied nod. “Are you sure you’re ready? I’d hate for you to change your mind halfway there.”
“The only way I won’t be going is if I’m dead, and seeing as I’m rather much alive, I shall continue on,” she said. Ju-ne smiled, nodding his head.
“As you wish, My Lady.” He mounted Cocoa as General Hanbin and Lieutenant Donghyuk mounted their own horses.
“Right then, onward!” General Hanbin called.
The beginning of the journey was, if it had to be put in one word, lackluster. There was a lot of riding and hardly any talk. Y/N let herself fall behind the group slightly. She pulled the key out of her sleeve, staring down at it as it rested in her hand. She glanced up at Ju-ne, who was staring straight ahead. She opened one of the pockets of her coat and tucked the key into it.
She urged Cinnamon forward, falling into pace with Ju-ne. They didn’t talk for a while, enjoying the peace and quiet. General Hanbin and Lieutenant Donghyuk would occasionally turn back, making sure the pair was still with them.
A heavy fog began rolling in, turning the blue sky grey and making it difficult to see anything further than the end of your nose. The horses began to whine and stomp their hooves. Y/N tried to calm Cinnamon down, but nothing she did seemed to work. She was thrown from her horse, landing on her back with a loud groan.
“Y/N? Y/N! Are you alright?” Ju-ne called.
“I’m fine, just a bit bruised,” she replied standing up. She brushed the dirt off her skirt, rubbing her backside. “Where are you?” The fog was still too thick to see anything, she’d been thrown away from everyone else. “Ju-ne?”
“Hello!” Y/N whipped around and almost let out a scream. In front of her was a clown, like the kind at the circus her family once went to. It had been an absolute disaster which had resulted in them never going back. Long story short, Y/N was terrified of clowns. “What’re yer doin’ so far from home?”
“I--I don’t know who you are, but you--you stay over there,” she said, backing away from the clown. It cocked its head at an unnatural angle, staring at Y/N with a big grin. “I mean it! Don’t come any closer!” It stood up straight, its unnatural grin on its face. Then, the most horrifying thing Y/N had ever had the displeasure of witnessing occurred.
Like a locket, the clown snapped in half, its top half falling forward, putting it on its hands and feet. Y/N’s eyes furrowed as her mouth fell open in horror. The clown didn’t move, staring at Y/N with the same grin it had the entire time. Its eyes were unblinking, wide, and terrifying. Its head began to spin in a full circle, making Y/N’s stomach lurch.
“Run.”
Turning on her heel she ran as fast as she could as far away as possible. She could hear the clown’s shrill laugh as it chased after her. She didn’t dare to look back as she raced blindly through the fog. She picked up her skirt and ran as hard as she could. Her boots thudded against the ground as she continued on.
The fog began thinning and she could see what appeared to be the outline of woods. Still hearing the clown behind her, but its laughter beginning to grow slightly faint, she pushed on and ran into the woods. She ran until her legs threatened to give out beneath her. The fog was almost completely gone as she stopped and pressed herself against the tree. She was panting heavily as she heard the clown approaching. She put her hand over her mouth, silencing her desperate need for air.
The clown’s steps were slowing, stopping right behind the tree Y/N hid behind. She held her breath, praying the clown couldn’t hear her heart pounding in her chest. Tears welled in her eyes as her lungs begged for oxygen, yet she resisted, continuing to wait as the woods grew deadly silent.
Ever so slowly, Y/N removed her hand from her mouth, taking slow and deliberate breaths. Her heart was still pounding as she slowly peaked around the trunk of the tree. It was completely empty, the clown nowhere in sight. She let out a sigh of relief, shoulders slumping forward.
She went to turn and smacked into something solid. It grabbed her and panic set in. She began kicking and screaming, doing everything in her power to get away from whatever was holding. She kept her eyes shut firmly, pushing whatever had her as hard as possible and kicking with all her might.
“Y/N! It’s me! It’s Ju-ne! Stop hitting!” Once the voice registered in her brain, she stopped fighting. Daring to open one of her eyes, she realized that it was, indeed, Ju-ne who was holding her. Relief flooded her system as she wrapped her arms around his wooden frame. Taken aback by her sudden change in behavior, he cautiously put his arms around her. She began to cry softly as everything that happened finally settled in her brain. Ju-ne rubbed her back, letting her cry into his chest.
Eventually she began to calm down. She slowly released Ju-ne from her death grip. She pulled out a handkerchief and wiped away her tears. She was rather glad that there wasn’t makeup on her face, otherwise she was sure she’d look more like a wreck than she already did.
“Better?” Ju-ne inquired. Y/N nodded, not quite yet trusting her voice. “Okay. I think you needed that.” Y/N nodded again, folding her handkerchief and tucking it back away.
“There you guys are!” Lieutenant Donghyuk emerged from the trees, General Hanbin closely behind him. “We lost you in the fog there. You and the horses it would seem.”
“What was that?” Y/N asked. Her breathing was still rather labored and her voice was shaking. General Hanbin turned back, glaring menacingly at the direction of the fog.
“That is the Mouse King’s magic,” he said.
“That fog is meant to show you your deepest, darkest fears. It’s a magic tactic used in times of war to keep enemies from coming close, or to drive them so full of fear that they never come back,” Ju-ne added. Y/N frowned, staring back at where the clown had returned.
“What an awful trick,” she said. She looked around the woods. Tree branches tangled themselves together, blocking out the sun. Crows cawed from the treetops, swooping at each other. She let out a loud sigh. “Which way to the castle” The three men stared at her shocked. “We’re out of the fog and we’re all alive. If anything, that fog should motivate us to find that egg and return it to the Sugar Plum Fairy. I don’t know what you all saw, but what I saw will haunt me for the rest of my days. I don’t want anyone to live with the fear I just did. So, which way to the castle?”
“It’s, uh, it’s this way,” the General said. He took the lead of the group and began walking through the woods. They stuck closer together, paying attention to every rustle of leaves and tree branch snap. Ju-ne kept a hand on Y/N’s back, keeping her close to him. The closeness heated Y/N’s cheeks. The only time a man’s hand had ever been placed on her back was when she was dancing, and even then most dances didn’t involve touching unless it was each other’s hands.
They continued through the woods until they came to a clearing with a bridge. The bridge in question was, well, questionable. Pieces were missing and the rope seemed like it would snap if the wind blew. Y/N looked around, but she couldn’t see any other place to cross.
“We aren’t crossing her, are we?” Y/N inquired. General Hanbin turned on his heel, quirking a brow.
“And precisely where would you suggest we cross?” he challenged. She furrowed her brows, planting her hands on her hips.
“Certainly not here! That doesn’t look like it could support one of us let alone all of us.”
“My dear lady, you shall do well to remember who is in charge of this expedition.” Y/N fought the urge to roll her eyes as General Hanbin approached the bridge. He straightened his back and squared his shoulders before he took the first step onto the bridge. The bridge shook slightly, but nothing else happened. He looked back smugly before continuing on. Y/N didn’t bother holding back rolling her eyes as they followed him.
Lieutenant Donghyuk followed behind him, copying his steps to a tee. Ju-ne was next, holding his hand out for Y/N. She slipped her hand into his, allowing him to lead her across the rickety bridge. They slowly made their way across the bridge, careful with each step they made.
Crack!
One of the boards gave way and the Lieutenant fell through. Without thinking, Y/N dove to grab his arm. She was able to just catch his wrist, but his weight was pulling her down. He let out a yelp, holding onto her with both hands.
“Don’t let go!” she called.
“Wasn’t planning on it!”
Ju-ne and the General both went to help her, but the bridge began to sway and they stopped moving. Y/N took a deep breath. With all the strength she could summon, she slowly began to pull Lieutenant Donghyuk back up through the hole. Ju-ne, being the closest, reached down as far as he could until he made contact with the Lieutenant. With effortless strength, he pulled the Lieutenant back onto the bridge.
Lieutenant Donghyuk sat back on the bridge, panting heavily. Y/N rubbed her sore shoulder, shooting the General a pointed look. Not wanting to stay on the bridge any longer than necessary, the group moved swiftly, albeit carefully, until they were safely on the other side. Y/N and the Lieutenant collapsed as soon as their feet touched the solid ground. Ju-ne knelt beside Y/N, carefully massaging her shoulder.
“Are you sure you’re okay to travel?” Ju-ne asked. Y/N nodded, taking a deep breath. She turned to the Lieutenant.
“I’m more concerned for your health. You did almost, well, die.” She hated to put it so bluntly, but after everything, they were well past pleasantries. Lieutenant Donghyuk smiled.
“My Lady, you, quite literally, saved my life. Even if I wasn’t in good health to travel, I would to help you reach your goal. I am forever in your debt,” he said, bowing his head. A shy grin took over Y/N’s face. She bowed her head in return.
“Please, think nothing of it. I’m sure you would have done the same.” He nodded his head. General Hanbin called for their attention, insisting that they must continue if they wanted to reach the Mouse King’s castle at a decent time. As they began their journey once again, Ju-ne held Y/N back slightly.
“You really must stop putting your life in danger,” he said. She pursed her lips, staring up ahead at the Lieutenant and General. She shook her head.
“For the first time in my life, I’m doing something extraordinary. I’m a part of something bigger than myself. I’m not familiar with this land, but I know that I would do anything to help. After all, isn’t that what you’re doing?” Ju-ne shook his head, clasping his hands behind his back.
“What I’m doing is saving my people, my own life be damned. So I suppose I can’t blame you too much for being reckless.” Y/N smirked.
“I guess you’re rubbing off on me,” she said, nudging him slightly. He smirked, shaking his head. She thought he heard him say something, but when she didn’t respond and he didn’t repeat himself, she brushed it off as the wind.
Their journey continued until they came across a field of flowers. The flowers seemed to stretch on forever and ever. They all paused, taking in the breathtaking scenery before them. Further past the field was a sea. While the sky above the field was as blue as could be without a single cloud in the sky, the sky over the sea was dark and cloudy, threatening a violent storm.
“The Mouse King’s Castle, which runs adjacent to the Uncrossable Seas, shouldn’t be too much further. We’re approaching from the South side, which gives us the advantage. However, we need to try and find supplies. Since the horses ran off with our supplies, we need to find a way to recover what we lost. Nutcracker, Lady Y/N try the Valley of Eternal Spring, we’ll look closer to the shoreline.” Everyone nodded at General Hanbin’s words.
Y/N and Ju-ne made their way to the field where the flowers filled the air with their sweet scent. Y/N inhaled deeply, a content smile taking over her face. She had never seen so many flowers in one place, especially on the ground. London wasn’t too fond of them, and her mother didn’t keep a garden. “Much too work,” she claimed. When she returned home, she would persuade her father to put one in. They certainly had the room.
From the flowers, tiny balls of colorful lights began floating. They spun around her, mesmerizing her. She peered closely at the tiny balls of light and realized that they were, in fact, tiny fairies. Like the ones from the Wintry Forest. Soft music filled her ears as they fluttered around her. She turned to Ju-ne, a curious smile on her face.
“They’re talking to you,” he said. She glanced at them briefly before turning back to him. He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. “They’re um, they’re saying you’re--you’re beautiful.” Y/N looked down, turning her head away as a blush crept to her cheeks.
The fairies began dancing around her, going further into the valley. Y/N followed them, curious to see where they were going. They led her over the hill and to the most wonderful thing she could have possibly seen.
“Ju-ne! Come quick!” she called. At the bottom of the hill was the horses, happily munching on grass, and in perfect health. Picking up her skirts, forgetting all proper etiquette she’d been taught since birth, she ran down the hill, positively bubbling with excitement. Cinnamon stopped his lunch briefly to give Y/N a soft neigh. She let out a glorious laugh, resting her head against his.
“I can’t believe it,” Ju-ne said once he reached the bottom of the hill. Y/N smiled, rubbing Cinnamon’s neck affectionately.
“Isn’t it absolutely marvelous?" she said. “Now we won’t have to worry about supplies. We have everything.” The fairies continued to circle around them, dancing to the music only they seemed to hear. Ju-ne watched them too, sneaking peeks at Y/N. The fairies moved closer around them, forcing them to move closer to one another. The fairies continued to do so until Y/N and Ju-ne were almost nose to nose.
They gazed into each other’s eyes, a smile on their faces. Y/N was finding it difficult to continue breathing as Ju-ne watched at her with an unwavering stare. Without breaking eye contact, he reached out for her, his hand barely grazing her knuckles. Y/N felt her breath get caught in her throat as a bolt of electricity shot through her.
Something ran over Y/N’s foot, startling her. She let out a yelp, jumping from her position. Ju-ne let out a hearty laugh, bending over. Y/N looked down and saw a tiny field mouse scampering past her. She let out an annoyed huff, crossing her arms over chest. Ju-ne wiped away imaginary tears, walking past her to grab the General and Lieutenant’s horses, along with Cocoa. Y/N went and grabbed Cinnamon’s reins, leading him towards the hill.
Another mouse ran past her foot, this time only making her jump slightly. Then another one ran past. Then another. Then another. The field seemed to be littered with field mice. Shaking her head, she continued on. Yet she found herself stopping. There was a tall, dark, menacing presence behind her. Ever so slowly she turned around.
All the tiny field mice had come together, running on top of each other to form a giant mouse-like man. Y/N felt her heart jump into her throat at the sight. She mounted Cinnamon, urging him up the hill as fast as he could run. Ju-ne was already with General Hanbin and Lieutenant Donghyuk, standing next to a makeshift boat.
“Lady Y/N? What in heaven’s name are you--”
“No time!” Y/N said, cutting General Hanbin off as she dismounted Cinnamon. “Take the horses and hide in the edge of the woods. Quickly!” The giant mouse man was starting to come into view, letting out a high-pitched roar. Y/N looked around, spotting some large sticks. She grabbed rope from one of the sacks on the horses and started tying the sticks together. “You need to go now!”
Lieutenant Donghyuk grabbed the horses’ reins, pulling them to the safety of the woods. Ju-ne tried to argue but General Hanbin pulled him away from Y/N. She did her best to focus on her idea in front of her and not on the approaching monstrosity she had fled from. She began placing the sticks, semi human-like, onto the makeshift boat before she pushed it out into the sea. As fast as she could she ran to the edge of the woods, hiding behind the trees.
Peeking out from behind the large trunk, she watched as the giant mouse man chased after the boat. A fog had settled over the sea, giving the sticks human shadows. As the mice tried to chase after the boat, the mouse man began falling apart. The mice, unable to chase after it, began to retreat back into the Valley of Eternal Spring.
Once the last of the mice had disappeared into the valley, the group re-emerged from the woods. Cinnamon came up behind Y/N, nudging her softly in the back with his nose. She turned around, rubbing his head.
“That was some quick thinking,” General Hanbin said, coming to stand next to Y/N. She smiled, turning to look at him.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d dare say that was a compliment.” General Hanbin cleared his throat, turning on his heel and returning to his horse. Y/N shook her head, moving to mount Cinnamon once again. Ju-ne joined her side, holding tightly onto Cocoa’s reins.
“He’s right. That was extremely clever,” he said.
“Thank you,” Y/N said smiling. Ju-ne bowed his head, turning to follow General Hanbin. Y/N followed as well, letting herself get lost in her own head.
The rest of the journey wasn’t too hard. They didn’t face more terrifying fog or misshapen monsters, but something nagged Y/N. She occasionally put her hand in her coat pocket, wrapping her fingers around the key. She watched Ju-ne carefully. He seemed so confident riding Cocoa, his back straight, his shoulders squared. He looked like a prince ready to fight for his kingdom.
“Do you think we really need this egg?” Y/N asked softly, making sure General Hanbin and Lieutenant Donghyuk didn’t hear her.
“What do you mean?” Ju-ne asked, turning to stare at her curiously.
“Think about it. We’ve bested the Mouse King’s soldiers, twice, survived facing our worst fears from that horrible fog, survived that bridge that almost claimed Lieutenant Donghyuk’s life, and just bested that horrible monster. All without the egg. With the Sugar Plum Fairy’s magic and your brave, determined spirit, you could defeat the Mouse King.” Ju-ne stared at Y/N, his expression almost unreadable.
“As kind as your words are, you’re wrong. The Mouse King is far too powerful. Besides, we need that egg to return you home to your original size. That is still what you want?”
“Of course.” Despite how fast she said it, Y/N’s answer didn’t sound convincing to herself. Something in her heart felt different when she gave Ju-ne her answer. She brushed it off, focusing on the road ahead of her. They were supposed to be arriving to the Mouse King’s castle soon, and she needed to be focused on finding the egg.
