An even MORE Unexpected Journey
My dear Frodo :
You had once asked me if I had told you everything there was to know about my past adventures….
And while I can honestly say that I've told you the truth, I might not have told you all of it. I am old now, Frodo, very old indeed. I am not the same Hobbit I once was.
It's time i told you everything that happened. It began long ago...in a land far to the east, the likes of which you will not find in this world.
It was in the city of Dale. It's markets known and wide, streets of vine and vale. Peaceful and Prosperous; for this city stood before the greatest kingdom of middle earth...Erebor.
King Thror, Mightiest of dwarves, king under the mountain and the leader of many. Thror ruled with the greatest surety...knowing that his kingdom would endure...ruling with his son and grandson at his side.
Ah, Frodo. Erebor.
Built deep within the mountain itself, as strong as it's legend. It birthed precious gems hewn from rock, and great seams of gold that ran rivers through stone. The skill of the dwarves was unequaled, crafting things of great beauty. Things of diamond, bronze, jade and Rubies!
Then they struck it. The heart of the mountain...The Arkenstone. King Thror took the stone as a sign of his power, to prove that his right to rule was divine. And all would pay homage to the dwarf ruler, even the great elven king Frandil.
But these times were not to last...The days quickly grew sour, and the watchful nights closed in on Erebor. Thror's love of gold had grown too fierce. A sickness took root in his mind and spread like a fire… and where sickness thrives…
Bad things will follow.
"We're apples forever, Apples together...Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmmmmmm-Hmm!" A certain yellow coated pony half whispered and half sang on her simple journey alongside her best friends. "No matter what comes, mmm mmm mmm hmm! We're Appllles to the coooore!"
Scootaloo smirked a bit. "Applebloom, you sure you don't wanna sing in any talent show?"
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle offered encouragingly. "I can see it all now! 'Equestria's got talent'!"
"I don't think anypony's gonna name a show that." Applebloom shrugged. "An' I'd like ta leave the singin' to th' professionals anyhow!"
The unicorn frowned sourly, only to perk up a few seconds later. "What is that song anyways? Where'd you learn it?"
"Oh, Ah jes' learned it from mah family when Ah went on a trip! Ironically, Pinkie wuz with us!"
The reason for it being ironic was simple: The Cutie Mark Crusaders were on the way to Sugarcube Corner for their weekly visit and volunteer help, in which they'd deliver or help pack things or simply help cook cakes. Such was a part of their self-given duties.
"Huh. So it's a song about your family?" Scootaloo received a few nods. "Oh...I wish we had a song like that."
"...The ooother place that Ah'd rather be, is being with Scoots and Sweeeeeetie!" Applebloom randomly made up and did a little dance to go with it. Her friends giggled at such a sight. "Ah don't know what else to say in this song, Ah''ll end it all right heeeeeeeere!"
Sweetie Belle was the first to calm down from her laughing fit. "Gee Applebloom, you have the voice of an Angel!"
"Maybe the voice of Angel BUNNY." Scootaloo snickered, making her red maned friend roll her eyes. "Oh come on! That was a good pun!"
"Funny! We're about to talk with the Queen of puns! "
Applebloom politely opened the door for her friends before they all trotted inside to catch Pinkie rummaging behind the counter. The pink pony abruptly looked up and over the counter, staring worriedly at the CMC. "Uh, Hi girls! Have you seen Gummy?! I've been looking everywhere for him!"
The fillies all looked to their right, where the small alligator was sitting obviously in the middle of the floor. He blinked both eyes at them, mouth closed as usual. Pinkie gasped dramatically and zipped over to scoop up her pet. "GUMMY?! What I did I say about scaring Mommy like that?!"
Gummy bit her on the nose.
"...Aw, you're right! I can't stay pouty at you!" She giggled and turned around towards her volunteer workers, alligator still attached to her nose. "Hi girls! I see you three are ready to attack the day!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" The three of them said in unison.
"Great! But it's going to take an eeny meeny second!" Pinkie explained, dashing behind the counter before slowing to a halt and walking into the kitchen. She returned, balancing a very big cupcake on her nose until she managed to set it on the counter. "I got this cupcake from a friend of mine, but If I'm being completely honest, I'm not exactly in the mood for a cupcake today."
"You," Scootaloo gasped as loudly as possible. "Not in the mood for a CUPCAKE?!"
"I know." Pinkie shook her head, Gummy swaying dangerously. "I'm so disappointed in myself. But when your tummy says no, you do too! Unless you really want to...Anyways, I'm gonna find someone to give that cake to in a sec."
The Crusaders gazed upon the cupcake again; eyeing the odd blue color and the purple hue of the icing. It wasn't unusual to see a pastry this color of course, so they weren't at all suspicious of the colors. But none of them seemed more interested than Applebloom herself: the cupcake looked as if it had been magically changed by a zap apple! And zap apple cupcakes would undoubtedly be the best. "That's sounds nice of you, Pinkie!"
Pinkie smiled widely as she stepped into the kitchen. "It does! I'm going to do a little remodeling because an accident that may or not have happened recently! No big deal!"
"That's okay! We'll just...watch this cupcake!" Applebloom turned to Sweetie Belle. "Okay! Get the cupcake!"
Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "Are you crazy? She said she was going to give it someone else!"
"Noooo, she said she hadn't decided who to give it to." The earth pony pointed out with a mischevious air about herself. "Which means that we kin still take it! Besides, this is Pinkie Pie! She won't get mad, right?"
"No, but...Whatever."
When Sweetie Belle reluctantly levitated the cupcake down to their level, the fillies gathered around the pastry eagerly and each one took a small bite out of the cupcake. They chewed on it thoughtfully, but their expressions proved what they thought of it.
"...Tastes... Kinda funny..." Applebloom coughed and swallowed.
Scootaloo swallowed soon after. "Yeah...it's a little...sour?"
"Yeah!" Sweetie smacked her lips. "It's like some kind of...pickled cupcake."
A slight crackling sound began to them began to sound, and for some reason the lighting within the room grew a bit darker. The Crusaders looked up in confusion and found that s series of flickering lightning bolts were forming an oval on the ceiling. The three of them squealed in surprise, immediately hugging each other as a reflex. The oval of lightning surged around itself quickly and began to suck in huge amounts of air into a dark hole at the center.
"HEY!" Sweeitie Belle flailed helplessly; her body was being sucked upwards by the force of the electric whirlwind. Applebloom grabbed onto her forelegs, but soon they both were being drawn into the oval. Even as Scootaloo grabbed Applebloom and tried flapping her wings as hard as she could, the strength of the sucking air proved too great.
They gave out a series of screams as their bodies entered darkness.
Bruce grunted when the vehicle abruptly hit the gas station, back end first. He immediately heard the alarm bells ringing from his monitor and rushed turn them all off individually. The vehicle shook abruptly when something landed on the hood, causing him to look up from the screens to the doors of his car. They were abruptly ripped off by the strongest hands known to the world and tossed away on either side of the colorful figure.
Batman slowly stood to his feet, facing Superman with a glare worthy to be feared.
The alien grimly frowned at him, before speaking. "Next time they shine your light in the sky...Don't go to it. The Bat is dead: Bury it...Consider this Mercy."
Superman left his statement at that and turned around, about to leave.
"Tell Me...
He stopped his advance down from the car with those words, and looked back at the Dark Knight. Batman's eyes were angry slits focused upon him and him alone. "...Do you Blee--"
The sound of electricity slicing open the air was heard from his right, and soon Batman was rumbling backwards in an effort to avoid being hit by three colorful,screaming bodies. The strangely cartoonist bodies flew far out beyond them and suddenly disappeared in another flash of electricity. The heroes blankly stared at the space for quite some time, before Batman turned back to Superman.
"What was I talking about...?"
The four minutes of passing through worlds finally ended with them plopping down in the middle of a forest.
The unknown forest was very large given the only viewpoint they were in. All manner of creature could have been found out in this area:wolves, bears, cougars and other animals; predators to cancel out a few of the deer and rabbits they'd spotted. And along with these animals were things of great scenery: such as trees glittered with droplets of dew and mist, making them appear almost as if they were golden in the dying rays of sunlight. Blends of purple walked into the scene under the sun, chatting busily with hue of red that blended with the giant ball of it seemed on this particular sunset that there were three other hues...three particular young fillies trekking through the land, each one partially covered in mud leaves and their own personal feelings.
Applebloom glanced over at one of her best friends, Scootaloo, with a guilty grin, even if she was trying her hardest not to look at her. She, as well as Sweetie Belle, noticed their pegasus pal had been eerily silent for the past half hour or so. They hated silence from her; she was the more talkative and energetic filly most of the time. "...So, Scootaloo..."
Scootaloo didn't even glance over at her. The despondent girl may have narrowed her eyes even more, but nothing beyond that. Sweetie Belle frowned deeper and Applebloom shrugged at this.
"Wanna hear a joke?" She waited for the silence, her big orange eyes sparkling with amusement and a huge smile stretching her lips. There was still no official response, but she took that as a yes anyways. "...okay...so, two stallions walked into mah family's barn..."
"And th' third one ducked! Ha! Get it?"
"It's funny cuz th' other two ran into the side of the barn- the' wall...Y'know...th' bark kind…" Sweetie was making small gestures that begged her to stop, but she merely continued. "How about another joke, eh? I knew a pony with a wooden leg named Smith!"
Scootaloo's eyelid twitched spastically.
"...But he never would tell me the name of his other leg!"
"Woah!" Scootaloo tripped over a large tree root and landed flat on her face. The other crusaders yelped and quickly pulled their member gently to her hooves. The earth filly's face filled with determination not to laugh. "Are you okay?"
The Pegasus merely glared at her again."...Just so you know, I blame you for this."
"...I beg yer pardon?!"
"Girls..." Sweetie Belle tried pitifully.
"That's right!" Scootaloo gestured around them. "It was your idea to eat that stupid cupcake-PINKIE'S cupcake by the way! Now we're lost out here in the middle of nowhere! And my face is ruined! It's all muddy!"
"Geez. Applejack never gave me this kind of trouble...One! Yer face isn't completely covered in mud! Two! Yer the' one who agreed to eat it! I never made you do anything!" Applebloom muttered as she continued to glare at her violet haired companion. " Three! We're not lost! At least I'm not. I know where I'm going."
The unicorn of the group frowned deeper. "Girls..."
"No you don't."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't."
"Yes I do."
"Applebloom, we've been walking for an hour" Scootaloo deadpanned. "...and in circles. Even Sweetie Belle can agree with me."
"Don't bring me into this now!"
Applebloom snorted and rolled her eyes. "You're just jealous of my navigation skills."
"Oh!" Scootaloo struggled to not laugh, her face svrewing a bit from such an effort. "Your navigation skills, hmm?"
"That's right! I am a complete expert at stuff lahk this!" She declared proudly." Or have you not seen my perfect grades in school?"
"...riiiight...Perfect." Scootaloo sat and crossed her arms with a huge look of doubt on her face. "So let me get this straight...You think you know your way out of here?"
"Noooo,I don't think I know! I know I Know!" Applebloom cutely declared and began walking off quickly. "Heres how this'll work: The first of us back gets to boss the other around and the last one has to do what they say...for two months! So prepare to make me whatever I want for...Idunno-yadda yadda days!"
"What? Wait! Applebloom! We shouldn't split up...not now..." Sweetie Belle called after her, but no reply as she disappeared from sight. She rounded on Scootaloo. "Great! If she gets killed, I'm gonna let you tell it to Applejack."
"Relax! I'm not gonna let her run off by herself!"Scootaloo grimaced at her friend's attitude. "Geez. You're not the slightest bit mad at her?"
Sweetie hesitantly shook her head. "Now's not the time to be mad at each other. We have to stick together."
Scootaloo inhaled and exhaled loudly. "Easy for you to say! You're not the one who's pretending like this never happened."
"Ergh, That Scootaloo! Thinks she's sooo much smarter than me! UGH! As if!" Applesbloom told herself as she stomped away. "Since when has she ever led us out of a forest, huh?! Exactly! Never."
She sighed suddenly and sat down on a very big log, her hooves sore from walking over a mile or two.
"Since when did she become a master navigator anyways? She's never even seen a carto...cat-o...uh...a map maker before…*sigh*...But she's been right before...maybe I was too rough on her...It wasn't her fault she came out here with me...*sigh*..." The filly grumped, bringing her knees to her chest with ease. She buried the bottom half of her face in her knees while her arms wrapped around her calves. "Some day this turned out to be."
That was when a small object took a slow tumble through some shrubs and ended up rolling to an abrupt stop by hitting the log. Applebloom yelped in surprise, but calmed down when she didn't see it move again.
"eh?" She curiously picked up the small object and frowned when she made it out in the dim light. It was a glass bowl, one with some rather detailed markings on it and a few dirt smudges. She wiped off the object of her leg and was just about to look at it again when she heard someone coming near her.
"A good napsack! Hah! This one is just fine. I didn't pack things down well enough is all. I should think to do better next time, if there is a next time…"
Finally, a figure crashed through the shrubs and promptly fell flat on his face. The figure stood up, revealing that he was impossibly short for his size, possibly only able to stand at the height of her bosom. He was dressed in a reddish coat, had a stern expression his face, had the largest backpack in humanity, pointed ears and to top it all off..incredibly large naked feet. The figure stared at her curiously, and Applebloom guessed that the weird creature was at least in his mid thirties.
He suddenly took notice of the bowl.
"OH NOW SEE HERE!" He abruptly ambled forward, and before she could move the bowl was snatched from her mouth. "That is MINE! It costed me a good sum of money."
"Ah...uh….Ah wasn't tryna steal it. It just rolled down to mah hoof." She explained, perplexed by his short size. Heck, she was 2/3 of his height for crying out loud. "Ah'm...Applebloom. Who exactly are...you?"
At the mention of her name, the figure looked a bit confused and looked her over up and down. He gave her an awkward curtsy, below raising an eyebrow. "...I'm Bilbo Baggins. One of the Hobbits that lives in the Shire?"
"Shire?" Applebloom repeated, perplexed. "What's a Shire?"
Bilbo shrugged half heartedly. "A town, you might call it. A Hobbit town...with Hobbits in it."
"...Hobbit?"
"You don't know what a Hobbit is?!" Bilbo asked incredulously, and the way he said it made her feel a bit dumb. It must've been obvious what a Hobbit was...some kind of two legged creature with weird hooves. "Sure, we're not the most well known people in Middle Earth, but some people have decent knowledge of us at least! Your parents haven't taught you about anyone here?"
"...Ah don't think my parents would know anything about this place." Applebloom explained. By this point she was on her hooves. "Ah...It's hard to explain...My friends and Ah came here after eating this weird cupcake."
Bilbo nodded in understanding, but was interrupted by said friends when they stepped out of a wall of shrubs. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle stared at the Hobbit with same confusion Applebloom did, which caused him to roll his eyes. "I know, I know... You've never seen a Hobbit before."
"This is Bilbo. Ah just met him a few seconds ago!"
"Do you know which way is out of this stupid forest?" Scootaloo glared at her. "Because she obviously doesn't!"
Applebloom scowled right back. "Ah wuz close to findin' out!"
"Why don't we just let the nice Hobbit TALK?!" Sweetie yelped at the top of her lungs. Her friends quieted themselves, but didn't look at each other in the slightest. The unicorn focused on Bilbo, who was awkwardly shifting in place. "So, DO you know the way out of here?"
Author's Note
And that would be my starter! Hope you enjoyed it!
An even MORE Unexpected Journey
What do you mean, Good Morning?
After a conversation amongst themselves and the most random rainstorm ever, The CMC ultimately agreed to the offer Bilbo made about giving them shelter. They knew the rules about stranger danger of course, but were confident in the ability to protect each other if this Bilbo person was bad. But he was actually turning out to be the most respectful and kind soul they'd met so far in this new world. Not to mention quite the curious one. "And you just have ponies as your...main inhabitants?"
"Pretty much. On occasion," Sweetie Belle spoke halfway through a lettuce and bread sand which. "We get creatures like changelings, or Chimeras! Remember that one Chimera you encountered Applebloom?"
"Ya keep remindin' me." She got as a response. "So ah can't forget."
"Extraordinary... Well, your home that is. I-I'm not talking about you three if,eh..." Bilbo shrugged after some time. "It offends you..."
Sweetie waved a hoof to dismiss his worries. "Nah, that'd be a compliment for us! Which is more than appreciated, Mister! Say Scootaloo, don't you wanna sit over here?"
The pegasus took one annoyed glance at Applebloom and then at her from her spot near the fireplace. "No."
"...Well, I don't believe I have any extra bedrooms at the moment. " Bilbo placed his tea cup back on the tiny plate and hesitantly gestured to the ponies. He obviously wished he could do more to help them, but the matter seemed to be out of his hands. "But I do have more than enough blankets for the three of you. This room might be a lot warmer than any regular bedroom anyways!"
"I think we can manage. We've done sleepovers all the time back in Ponyville. " Sweetie Belle recounted while Bilbo opened one of the nearby closets and fetched a few fluffy looking blanket and fluffy looking pillows. The fillies each selected a different blanket and tested them out with a few hugs. "Thanks, Mr Baggins Sir!"
"You're welcome., although I believe that Bilbo will suffice. " He shrugged and started up a short flight of stairs. "Well, I am off to bed. I've been far more hours than I should before, and I'm going to make up for lost time right about now."
"Good night, Mr...uh...Ah mean, Bilbo!" Applebloom voiced aloud and began to unfurl the blanket, before dragging it over to rest in front of the couch. Her white coated friend noticed this with a worrying gaze.
"Aren't you gonna sleep over here next to us?"
"Ah'm not wanted over there." Applebloom halfheartedly shrugged, with Scootaloo grunting in approval.
Sweetie Belle glared at the pegasus and dragged her blanket on the couch just above and to the right of Applebloom. While she got comfortable there, she yawned. "Well then, I guess you're wanted over here."
Scootaloo didn't turn to look at them, but the faltering glare on her face said everything.
Bilbo had a lot to think over this morning, as he sat comfortably on the bench stationed in front of his house and enjoyed his pipe. The three ponies he was briefly taking watch over were the main subject. They weren't like most ponies, even if you excluded the talking thing, for their bodies were different colors that represented their personalities in some way. The hobbit hadn't the slightest idea of how to get them home to this world they called Equestria, because he'd never heard of any world other than middle earth. Equestria sounded a great many miles away and not in any conventional direction.
He sighed and closed his eyes to hopefully gain some idea that would benefit everyone, puffing a circular cloud of white. The cloud somehow bounced right back in his face, and he opened his eyes to see a peculiar figure standing there. A tall, very old looking male in a dark grey robe and a tall, very crooked grey hat with a long grey beard. The only thing that seemed not grey about him was his heightened walking stick with a peculiar end.
Bilbo stared at the figure with a few confused blinks, and he stared back stoically. Eventually, the hobbit cleared his throat and nodded politely to the figure. "...Good morning."
"What do you mean?" Before Bilbo could even think to respond, thefigure was speaking again. "Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or that it is a good morning whether I like it or not?"
Bilbo furrowed his brow incredulously.
"Or perhaps you mean to tell me that you feel good on this particular morning...or are you simply stating that this a morning to be good on?"
"...All of them at once I suppose. " A silence stretched between awkwardly like a snail, filled with stares and...just quiet. The shorter individual eventually coughed. "Can I help you...?"
"...That," The old fellow responded with interest. " remains to be seen. I'm looking for a few souls to share in an adventure."
It took Bilbo a good moment or two to properly process his words.
"A...A-an...Adventure? Heh. No, I don't imagine anyone west of here would be interested in an adventure...Nasty, disturbing...uncomfortable things...that make you late for dinner!" He busied himself by checking his mailbox all of a sudden, and the envelopes within. The older individual didn't budge. "Mmhmm...Mmhm...hmm...Well,er good morning!"
Bilbo turned to walk back up the steps, but that didn't stop him from hearing anything else. "To think I'd live to be 'good-morninged' by Belladonna tük''s son as if I were selling buttons at the door..."
"I...Beg your pardon?"
"You've changed...and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins."
The hobbit narrowed his eyes in a quizzical manner and added in a raise of the eyebrow too. "I'm sorry, do I know you by any chance?"
The figure sighed. "I am Gandalf...and Gandalf means...uh...Me."
"Oh! You're Gandalf, the wandering wizard who made such excellent fireworks!" Bilbo grinned enthusiastically while the old fellow shrugged proudly. " Mother tük used to have them on summer's eve! Heh! I had no idea you were still in business..."
"And where else should I be?"
"Well..."
He realized he had nothing to say, and so puffed his pipe to stall a bit. Gandalf tsked lightly at him. "Well I'm pleased to find you remember something about me...even if it's only my fireworks. Oh well. That's decided: It'll be very good for you! And most amusing for me...I shall inform the others."
"Inform the who-what? No!No, No! Bilbo exclaimed in frustrated confusion, aiming the end of his pipe at Gandalf. He jogged back up the steps to his door. "We do not want any adventures here! Not today, not t-...*sigh*...I suggest you try over the hill or across the water...er...Good morning!"
And with that, the hobbit disappeared behind his door and shut it. He jumped with surprise when Scootaloo spoke just behind him. "Whatcha doin?"
"Nothing important." He was interrupted by the sound of scraping on the other side of his door. Bilbo pressed his ear to it swiftly, catching more clear sound of scraping before he peeked out the window near his door. Gandalf appeared to walking away briskly, but he was too far away to be blamed for doing anything to his door.
"You sure you're not doing anything...?"
Bilbo stared down at his cards in a specifically serious fashion, but occasionally gave a funny glance at the three ponies sitting at opposite places on the small table. They too giggled and stared down at their cards, even if Scootaloo barely did any laughing. To his understanding, the pegasus and Applebloom had talked and while she was still cross, it was less so than before. That, of course, made playing go fish an excellent game.
It was a time like this when he thought over why he didn't have guests over a lot. This would have been a pretty fun thing to do in his spare time: card games with a few feiends, wether old or new. If only he could think of many friends that he could invite--
"Mister Bilbo!" He snapped his head up to look at Sweetie Belle, who was raising an eyebrow. "I asked if your pot was supposed to be steaming like that?"
After visual confirmation of his pot on the stove, the Hobbit hastily placed the cards on the table and went to the counter. He placed his fish on the halfway filled plate, perfectly aligned with the mashed potatoes and corn. He returned with his plate and a glass of water, holding his cards once again. "Suppose I'll eat and play, hmm? Who's next?"
"Me!" Applebloom excitedly exclaimed and smirked. "Do yoo have a Jack, Mister Bilbo?"
Bilbo stared at his cards, and then accusingly at the three of them...who stifling giggles. "You three looked at my cards, didn't you?"
"...Are you a piscovore?" Scootaloo suddenly asked, obviously trying to change the subject. Her friends laughed harder now. "My teacher says that a piscovore eats fish...and you're eating fish."
Bilbo cleared his throat. "Well, actually...I'm more of an omnivore. I eat this and lamb and pork, but I also eat vegetables like the ones on my plate."
All of the fillies stopped laughing and stared at him a bit worriedly, although it was Applebloom that spoke up soon. "So you eat pigs and lamb?" A nod confirmed this. "So...you killed them?"
"Not me, specifically. And they were...killed...mercifully, I assure you. It's a very sad thing indeed, but I suppose the meat I ingest holds key nutrients that let me live. " Bilbo politely explained, for he understood their slightly horrified faces. Perhaps he wouldn't eat the fish in front of them tonight. "It's like...eating plants, which are a living thing, and taking nutrients from them."
"Ah guess that's true..." Applebloom shared a face of disgust with her friends and looked back at Bilbo. "But what about equines? Y' don't eat them, do ya?"
Bilbo was about to laugh at her question when a loud knock sounded thruought the house. The echo lasted just a few seconds, but it was enough to startle the four of them into silence. Sweetie Belle looked at their host and placed her cards face down on the table. "Were you expecting anyone this time of night?"
"...No, I was not. " Bilbo stood up m, quickly walking out of the dining room and down the hall that would lead him to the door. "I won't be but a moment." The Hobbit reached the door and yanked on the doorknob, finally allowing him to fully see who knocked:
A dwarf was standing on the steps before the doorway, sporting a large black beard that connected to his sideburns and moustache. Unlike his strangely bald top, his burly body was covered in thick looking clothing and a coat or two. He had some kind of weapon but it was slung over his back. The Dwarf regarded Bilbo half interested, and nodded to him. " Dwalin...at your service."
The Hobbit awkwardly bowed back to him. "Eh...Bilbo Baggins...at yours?" With that, the dwarf began to walk inside the house and past the owner of it. "Er, D-Do we know each other?"
Dwalin stopped and stared over his shoulder. "No."
After sighing, he followed the dwarf anxiously after closing the door. His newfound guest stopped in the middle of the hallway and looked at the multiple doorways leading to many different rooms. His first coat was removed diligently and tossed to Bilbo. "Where is it, Lad?"
The hobbit frowned at the coat in his arms. "Where is what?"
"The supper." Was the swift answer, before his guest took a turn into the dining room. " He said there'd be food."
But, who-who said--"
The CMC all flinched when the dwarf suddenly entered the dining room, barely holding a curious stare upon them. Bilbo finally entered into the room and coughed a few times. "Um...girls? This is Dwalin, I believe."
"Uh...Hi?" Scootaloo offered helplessly.
Dwalin snorted, gave the three an acknowledgingredients nod and sat down in front of the fish plate that Bilbo made for himself earlier. Everyone watched at the Dwarf gave no regards for the silverware and simply picked up the fish to eat it like that. The ponies in particular felt a bit sick watching him tear the flesh off the bone so smoothly and eating it like it was a snack. Obviously not liking this but too polite to say so, Bilbo handed him a glass of water wordlessly. In seconds, another loud knock startled him and the fillies.
Dwalin looked at Bilbo with a mouth full of fish and sarcasm. "That'll be the door."
This time the hobbit was accompanied by his band of fillies, who stood behind him as he opened the door to reveal another Dawrf. This one was less heavily clothed and was sporting white hair from the top of his head to his long beard. Adjusting his red robe, the dwarf smiled at Bilbo and the strangely colored ponies below. "Balin! At your service."
Applebloom tilted her head as Bilbo could only stand there and try to process what was happening this night. "Good evening, Mister Balin."
"Heh! Yes, Yes it is! Although I think it might rain later." The Dwarf responded to her with a halfhearted shrug, and Applebloom glanced out past him. She saw a few large clouds, but she doubted rain for more than a minute. " So, am I late?"
Bilbo finally snapped out of it. "What, no! Late for what?"
Balin would've began explaining to him, but the sight of Dwalin try to fish a few cookies of of the cookie jar nearby was enough to distract him. With his host forgotten for the moment, Balin began to shuffle over to the other Dwarf with a laugh or two. " Ah Ha! Evening, brother!"
Dwalin forgot the jar and dropped it noisily to the ground, a smile dawning between his moustache and beard. "By my beard... I remember you shorter the last we met!"
"Ah, wider. Not shorter." Balin winked in the midst of his chuckle. "Sharp enough for the both of us, eh?"
The two laughed softly at each other, while the other watched on...especially when the dwarves abruptly bashed their heads together. A roar of laughter filled the house after this, Balin and Dwalin chuckling and starting to talk about their time before coming here. Everyone else was a bit puzzled about what had just happened, but knew asking would probably make them more confused than before. Bilbo followed the two dwarves as they found themselves in the food pantry and began to sift through all the edible items the hobbit had. The hobbit himself watched this with growing frustration.
"Um...excuse me! I'm very sorry to interrupt you, but...I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house. " Bilbo began, while Dwalin and Balin examined a stack of beef ribs. " It's not that I don't like visitors--no-- I like visitors as much as the next hobbit, I've even got a brood of...er...children that are staying her until I can get them back home. But back to the point-- I would like to know said visitors before they come visiting me...Y-You see the thing is...I don't know either of you in the slightest! I hate to be so blunt, but I'm afraid that's simply the truth-- I am sorry."
"Will it broil or..." The Dwarves trailed off into silence at the last three words Bilbo spoke, before giving equal nods to the house owner. "Apology accepted!"
"Mister Bilbo?! There's two others at the door!"
Groaning from the oncoming headache, the hobbit stomped to the doorway and saw that the CMC had acquainted themselves with two dwarf twins. One had blonde hair entirely and the other had dark brown hair, both sporting beards just the two before them...although notably smaller.
"Fili!" The blonde announced.
"Kili!" The brunette followed. Both bowed dramatically and added the whole 'at your service' part again, which earned a few giggles below a frowning Bilbo. The brunette gestured to all of them. "You must be the ponies and Mr. Boggins!"
By this point didn't care to ask how he knew anything about the fillies or his own name. Which, by the way, he said incorrectly and therefore counted as Kili looking for the wrong hobbit. "Nope! We're not!"
Before the door could shut properly, Fili pushed it open just enough to peek in worriedly. "Wait! It's been cancelled?!"
Scootaloo spoke up helpfully to the dwarves. "Actually, nothings been cancelled--"
"Great!" The brother barged in past Bilbo eagerly, causing the hobbit to stumble back a little while they placed a few heavy swords on Applebloom's back. Fili pointed to the one on the top and she craned her neck to look at it. "Careful where you put that one. I just got it sharpened."
"Got it, Mister!" Applebloom excitedly exclaimed, and set off toward low chair remembered seeing a while ago. This reminded her a bit of the labor she loved doing on the farm, but luckily not enough to sadden her. "Mind if ah set 'em down on this here stool?"
"Certainly! Careful though." Kili answered for his brother and began to wipe his shoes on a specific wooden box, mud staining it. "Hmm. This is nifty."
"That's my mother's toolbox!!!"
"Ah, Fili! Kili! Come along. We have a bit of work to do to prepare for the others." Balin gestured for them to come along from the door way of the second dining room, where Dwalin was preparing the larger table. "We'll need you to set up plates."
"Thank you, Scootaloo." Bilbo snarled under his breath and jogged the fourteen feet after the dwarves, not noticing the sheepish grin on the pegasus' face. "How many more ar you even proposing?!"
A loud knock sounded from the front of the house again. "NO! NO! NO! THERE'S NOBODY HOME! GO AWAY AND BOTHER SOMEBODY ELSE! There's enough company in my house as it is! If this is some muttonhead's idea of a joke...I must say that is in very poor taste."
Eight dwarves fell in through the doorway in one huge pile when he opened the door. Biblo's eyelid twitched spastically at this, and even more when a grey bearded face leaned way down to smile at him through the doorway. "Gandalf..."
Scootaloo walked up to the pile of groaning and moaning dwarves. "I think we're gonna need more food."
Author's Note
The long awaited update has finally arrived. Geez I took long enough.
