Rin and The Nutcracker

ACT I

"Wow, one question at a time, and yes to both of them. Let's take a look at the presents first, I have something for every children here." Kaito smiled at the two, then raised to see other children looking at him with the same excitement.

"You are spoiling them, Kaito." Mr. Stahlbaum laughed.

"As I should."

Kaito is the most talented toymaker in town, any toy made from his hands is like a piece of wonder that never failed to fascinate its receiver.

With children sitting quietly in front of the fireplace, Kaito was like a magician from another world to them.

As every box opened, tiny solder troop looks like they are about to march at any time, realistic dolls with delicate dressed and sweet smiles, clockwork dollhouse with automatic porcelain dolls that dances with each others, etc.

As the children drown in the magical sensation of the gifts, Kaito has reached to the last box, the wooden box he was tying a bow to back in his shop.

"Last but not least, my present for my most precious goddaughter."

Rin squealed in excitement as she gently pulled on the ribbon. Removing the lid, inside the box lies a soldier made of wood. He has a big head with blue eyes, and uniform painted with golden chained and some white lily flowers.

She picked the doll to admire it, quickly realize its jaw can be open. Inside the mouth was filled with some kind of metal.

"Did you like it? It's a nutcracker but I made it into a tiny soldier." Kaito asked.

"I love it, it's beautiful! Thank you, Kaito!"

Rin speaks as she quickly took a walnut from the table, putting it into its mouth, then gently closed then opens it, the nuts fall out after the shell had been crushed.

Seeing it happens in front of his eyes, Rinto quickly ran and snatched the nutcracker from his sister's hand.

Crack.

The nutcracker's arm detached from its body. Rinto was in shock with its arm, while Rin still had its body in her arm.

"No! Rinto, you broke it!" Rin immediately took the wooden arm back, looking worryingly as she tries to figure out how to fix it.

"I didn't mean to... I just want to crack the nuts too." His complaints trailed off, knowing he really made a mistake.

"By snatching my nutcracker without asking?!"

Seeing the two about to get into a fight, Kaito quickly steps in between them.

"Hey, it's fine. You got the best toymaker here, I just need to get my tools and come by tomorrow, and now I just need to find something the secure the arm for the night so it would be lost."

The moment the words has been said, Rin took off the white ribbon she used to tie part of her hair, then gently tie it back to the supposed right position with a knot.

"You have done a fantastic job, Rin. Now set it under the Christmas tree like the other presents, and I will find a way to fix it tomorrow."

"You promise?" Rin looked at him rather worriedly.

"I promise."

After Kaito's reassuring smile, she quickly went back to her room then came back with a tiny bed that used to belong to her old dolls, then she finally puts the nutcracker on the bed and under the Christmas tree, proceed to give Rinto one last angry glare.

The party then ended with the family waving their guests goodbye with blessing, and the Stahlbaum all headed to bed and go to sleep.

Lights in the dining and living room were turned off, with moon being the only source of light through the window pane.