Title: The Easter Egg Hunt
Disclaimer: I own everything you see below. Vlahahahahahaha! Yeah, in my
dreams. I do not own the characters or places etc. in this fic. They belong
to Dragonlance or, more likely really, Wizards of the Coast. I'm not
getting paid for this either, more's the pity. This is purely for fun.
Genre: Humour
Summary: It's Easter on Krynn (Do they even HAVE an Easter?) and the
companions decide to join in the Annual Solace Easter Egg Hunt. Which team
will win, and will it be by fair means?
Warning: to make life easier, all the characters here will be in their
teenage years. They are all kinda NON-CANON in this piece, which means they
will mostly be OOC for the entire thing. Also, I am well aware that
Riverwind, Goldmoon and Dalamar etc wouldn't have been in Solace at this
time and Raist wouldn't be cursed, but what the hey! On with the show.
The Easter Egg Hunt
"Right," said Tanis. "It's agreed then. We're going to join this year's Easter egg hunt. Now all we have to do is pick teams of two."
An uneasy look passed around the remaining nine seated at the table. Tanis could see the way the pairs would end up.
"I have an idea," said Sturm, obviously seeing the same pairs Tanis was. "We could all put our names in a box of some kind pick out two names at a time. The teams will be decided that way." Tanis watched Sturm's hand as he waved it around to illustrate what he was saying. The half-elf was sure the Knight had pale pink nail-varnish on. This didn't really surprise him that much; Tanis had always had the feeling Sturm wore Laurana's dresses at weekends.
"That's a good idea, Sturm," Tanis said, reaching for Caramon's empty ale mug. Raistlin removed a small piece of parchment from one of his pouches and began tearing it into ten pieces and handing them out.
"Right everyone, write your name on the paper, fold it twice and put it in the bear mug."
Everyone began scribbling at once. Tanis wrote his name in pencil and put it into the mug. He watched as everyone else did the same. When they were all done, Tanis put his fingers in and pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper.
"Caramon, you will be on a team with." He returned his fingers to the mug. "Oh, me! Cool!"
Caramon gave a big grin. "This isn't gonna be so bad after all."
"Next team is." Tanis pulled out two pieces of parchment, which were neatly folded together. Riverwind and Goldmoon smiled at each other.
"Sorry, guys," Tanis said, returning on of them to the mug. "It's not fair that everyone else has a random partner, and you get to choose." The Plainsmen look very down cast. "Goldmoon, you will be with Kitiara." Tanis blushed to the tips of his slightly pointed ears when he read the footnote Kitiara had added to her parchment. She gave him a crooked smile.
"I will not go with her," Goldmoon exclaimed angrily and stuck her nose in the air. "Well, I don't really want to go with you either," Kit said with another smile. "But, then again, if you get to annoying I can always cut your throat."
"Please refrain from killing your partner," Tanis said, pulling out another couple of pieces. "The next team will be Tasslehoff and Laurana."
"Wow!" Tas said, moving his chair round to sit next to Laurana. "The last time I was in an Easter egg hunt I was with Flint. But that was a long time ago, and now Flint says he doesn't want to play, especially with a doorknob like me. But now I get to be with you. Oh, sorry, did you drop this?"
Laurana snatched back her hairbrush from the excited Kender and began to brush her hair. "If anyone sees us, we not on the same team. Understand?"
Tas looked puzzled, but nodded anyway. Flint had said much the same thing. "Team four will be Riverwind and. um."
"Spit it out already!" Dalamar said, already bored by the droning half- breed. Whoever Dalamar got, he didn't like. Worst-case scenario, he could end up with Sturm. Dalamar shuddered at the very thought of being on the same team as that cross-dressing human. Of he could end up with the red robe, who had got it into his head that he was so much better than Dalamar (Which of course he wasn't). Or, he could get Riverwind. A smirk crossed his lips. He hoped to Nuitari that his name was on the parchment in front of Tanis. Not because he liked Riverwind or anything, quite the opposite in fact. They hated each other, ever since the black robed Dark Elf had taken Goldmoon to the midsummer dance last year. But if they were in a team, it would mean Raistlin and Sturm were also on a team, and with any luck, they might end up killing each other.
"Uh. Dalamar, you are on Riverwind's team. Oh look, you've drawn a little picture of someone being engulfed by flames."
"I was finished so much earlier than everyone else," he said, as he shrugged and smirked at Raistlin. "I suppose that leaves the red robe and the knight on a team, too."
"No it doesn't," Raistlin said, as he stood from the table. I refuse to take part." He began to leave.
"Ah, look, Little Red Riding Raistlin can't take it." Raistlin stopped. He was not going to have that high-on-himself black robe laugh at him and call him that name which Dalamar knew he so hated, no way. He slowly turned around and sat back down at the table. He gave a death glare through golden eyes at the Dark Elf.
"Well, that's settled then," Tanis said, standing up. I'll register us now, so we can join in tomorrow." With that, he walked out of the inn.
"I'll go with him, I think." Kitiara followed him out.
The Companions left the Inn of the Last home, one by one, until only the two mages were left.
"We're gonna kick your arse," Dalamar said as he smirked cockily at Raistlin.
"Don't count on it," Raistlin said, staring at Dalamar unblinking. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeves.
"It'll be a cold day in the Abyss before the knight lets you use them." Dalamar suddenly snapped. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Because in my vision, you are wasting away, and rotting, and decaying." He grinned evilly. "If you were born human, this wouldn't take so long."
Dalamar stood up. "I'm quite happy as I am, thanks, man." And with that, he too, left the Inn.
The next day, the Companions wee standing on the ground beneath Solace waiting to start. They wished each other good luck as Otik, who was in charge this year, told them they could go.
Laurana finished applying her mascara a few minutes after everyone else had left the starting clearing. Tas came running back up to her.
"Look at all the eggs I got!" he said proudly, dumping a dozen of them on the ground. "Another team let us have them."
"Let us have them?" Laurana questioned. "What team?"
"Alhana's team. I didn't ask, but I'm sure she would have said yes if I had done."
"Alhana?" Laurana hated Alhana. She was prettier than her. "That's okay then. Come on, let's go find some more."
Goldmoon and Kitiara had three eggs between them, and they had been wandering round for an hour. They had been too busy trying to stand each other's company to look for eggs and, with another two hours to go before the competition finished, it looked like one of them wouldn't last the whole thing.
"And I don't really give a damn about the way you hate the way me and Tanis make out in public," Kit said, balling her hands into fists. She was going to punch Goldmoon in a minute. "I don't like the way you're always throwing yourself at Dalamar either, but you don't hear me complaining every time I open my mouth!"
"I do not throw myself at Dalamar!"
"Oh, yes you do! Do you remember last midsummer's dance? I caught you two snogging by the punch bowl, and ever since then, every bloody chance you get, you've been coming onto him. I'm surprised Riverwind hasn't noticed yet. He must be pretty thick. Denser than Caramon, even."
Kit would have gone on, but with a primal scream, Goldmoon rugby tackled her to the ground.
The two rolled around, Goldmoon scratching Kitiara's face and pulling her short hair, Kit trying to land a hard punch or slap on the Plainswoman. They didn't even stop when they were approached by a small figure.
"Hi guys. What are you doing?" said Tasslehoff's cheerful voice as the two scuffled.
"That looks really fun! I'd join in, but Laurana told me to get eggs so. say, you don't look like you're using yours, can we have them?" The small chocolate eggs were already in Tas's pouch. "Well, Good luck then guys!"
Tanis and Caramon were at a loss.
"I'm sure we've looked everywhere for these damn eggs," Caramon moaned. "Can we sit down, just for a little bit?"
"No, Caramon, we've got to win!" There was a wild look to Tanis's eyes. When Tanis got competitive, Tanis got competitive.
Sighing, Caramon look over at two small children, looking for eggs amongst the bushes. Tanis saw them too, and quickly dropped to the floor, picking up pebbles and wrapping them in some foil he had.
"What are you doing, Tanis?" Caramon asked, confused. Tanis stood up.
"Watch."
Tanis strode over to the young children, who looked up at him with big grins on their faces.
"Hello, there," he said, pleasantly. "Oh, my! Look at all the eggs you've got! How many are there?"
"Seventeen, mister," said one of the children proudly.
"Seventeen! Why, that's a co-incidence. That's the exact amount we have!" Tanis looked at the kids' eggs hungrily. "Say, yours are all melted and icky. Look at ours." Tanis showed them seventeen egg-shaped pebbles wrapped in colourful foil. "Ours are still at hard and nice. Want to swap?"
The kids' eyes lit up. "Sure, mister!" said the leader of the two, hurriedly giving Tanis the melted eggs.
"There you are, then," Tanis said, before saying goodbye and walking back over to Caramon, who stood staring at him in a dumbfounded way.
"Easier than taking candy from a baby, Tanis informed him, dropping the eggs into their bag.
"But that's what you just did, Tanis!" Caramon exclaimed. "I never knew you could be so heartless."
"Don't be silly, Caramon. How many do we have now?"
Caramon look upset. "Twenty-nine, Tanis."
"Good. Oh, by the Gods, Caramon, don't look so down. You wanna win, right?"
"Well, yes, but."
"Excellent!" Tanis began to walk off again. "I think I saw some eggs in this tree over here."
Raistlin was in Solace. Well, everyone was, but what I mean is, he was in the town, instead of on the ground looking for eggs. He had positioned himself at such a place that he could see all over the part of the forest the eggs were hidden.
"This is wrong, mage," Sturm said behind him. "I'd rather have no eggs than ill-gotten ones."
"Shut up, Knight," Raistlin replied, not looking at him. It's not as though this is cheating, he thought, just using his initiative.
"It's not as though this is cheating, anyway, we're just using our initiative."
Raistlin was surprised to her his thoughts in Dalamar's voice and, as he turned around, he saw the Dark Elf and the Plainsman standing next to Sturm.
"What are you doing here?" Raistlin demanded.
"I could ask you the same question," Dalamar replied.
"Hi Sturm, how's it going?" Riverwind greeted the Knight.
"Terribly. This mage is intending to use his dark arts to gain more of the treasure in question," Sturm babbled, his eyes not leaving Raistlin. "And what's more, I'll never be able to get this grass stain out of my new hose. Hmph!"
This confused Riverwind, who's Common could be improved. Especially the last part. So, assuming he had misunderstood, Riverwind did what he was best at. He nodded and smiled.
"I am here to cast a spell of my own devising. What are you doing here?" the red robe questioned.
"I am also here to cast," the black robe replied. "A spell I spent all night last night working on. 'Detect Egg'."
Raistlin looked surprised and outraged at the same time. "You can't! I have also devised the 'Detect Egg' spell, and I intend to cast it."
Now Dalamar looked outraged. "Not if I get there first, Little Red Riding Raistlin!"
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
Dalamar ducked the magic missiles Raistlin cast at him. From behind the safety of a barrel of ale, he quickly chanted the Fireball spell, which Raistlin dodged buy ducking behind the same barrel.
Raistlin began to chant again "Jistrah tagobar.
Dalamar, recognising the spell, chanted the same thing "Ast miorparann."
"LISSE'!" they both finished together. The first 'Detect Egg' spell was complete. Around the area beneath them, small egg shaped red outlines began to show.
"I did that!" cried Raistlin over his shoulder as he ran to collect as many as he could.
"What?" Dalamar shouted back, following after him. "It was my spell!"
Knight and Plainsman looked at each other and shrugged.
"How many eggs do you have?" Sturm asked.
"About twelve," Riverwind replied. "We would have had more if Dalamar had been helping instead of saying it would all be easier after he cast the spell."
"It was the same with Raistlin," Sturm said as they began to walk away. "We only got ten."
"Wanna be on my team?" Riverwind asked. "We could say the mages were working together and so were we. We could say they wrote down the wrong pairs."
"Good idea." Sturm conceded, "I got some kind of pleasure out of beating Raistlin."
"Yes," Riverwind agreed.
The three hours were finally up. All the contestants stood in the starting clearing, talking excitedly to each other as the eggs were counted. Goldmoon and Kit were glaring at each other, their faces scratched and red, there in a complete mess, which Laurana did not hesitate to point out. Tas was still emptying his pouches of eggs onto the table, while Tanis stood beaming and Caramon looked at the floor. He could hear a child crying about stolen eggs, and knew he would regret this for a long time. Riverwind and Sturm had sorted out the team problem with the mages and the judges. The mages, for their part, looked very fed up and tired. They had only got two eggs in the end. Everyone else also realised that the eggs were now glowing red and, seeing as though they did not have to run all the way down from the Inn of the Last Home, they had got there before them. Both mages were now exhausted, nearly asleep leaning against one another.
"Everyone," Otik finally began. "I would like to start by thanking you all for taking part, and we now have a winner. But first, I would like to give a consolation prize to the team with the least eggs." Otik pulled out a single small cream-filled egg. "Could Raistlin and Dalamar come and collect their prize!"
There was a round of applause, and then. nothing.
The companions looked around for Raistlin and Dalamar, but they had decided, obviously, that it wasn't worth the humiliation. They were like that. To everyone else, it would be just fun but. They were also so like each other, people often wondered why they didn't get on so well.
"Oh," said Otik. "Well, then let me give this to the next lowest amount of eggs. Kitiara and Goldmoon!"
The two girls made their way to collect the small egg, pushing and shoving at each other. When they got there, and Otik thanked them for taking part, Kit made a hand gesture that made mothers gasp and cover their kids' eyes.
"Well, um, thanks, Kit," Otik said nervously. "Now, in third place, we have Tanis and Caramon!" The Half-Elf and warrior collected their prize, two small eggs, and took a bow. Suddenly, a child shouted out: "There he is, Mummy! That's the man that stole our eggs!" It wasn't very loud, but Caramon heard it and he blushed to the very tips of his ears until he returned to his space in the crowd.
"In second place, Laurana and Tasslehoff!"
There were no cheers as the pair cam to claim their prizes, two large chocolate eggs. Just glares and grumbles from the crowd.
Otik cleared his throat again. "And, in fist place." The crowd held it's breath. "Flint and Gilthanas!"
Silence for the third time that afternoon. Dwarf and Elf made their way to the small stage and picked up two very large eggs. Once the surprise was over, the cheering started.
The End
Well, it's not really.
Tanis couldn't stand it. He had tried so hard to win. Third! Beaten by an elderly dwarf and a prissy Elf. Tanis picked a foil covered pebble from his pocket and threw it at the stage. Gilthanas was hit in the head, and immediately fell over, unconscious. As Tanis laughed, he saw a very angry woman approaching him, to children it tow.
Now it's The End (thank goodness)
The Easter Egg Hunt
"Right," said Tanis. "It's agreed then. We're going to join this year's Easter egg hunt. Now all we have to do is pick teams of two."
An uneasy look passed around the remaining nine seated at the table. Tanis could see the way the pairs would end up.
"I have an idea," said Sturm, obviously seeing the same pairs Tanis was. "We could all put our names in a box of some kind pick out two names at a time. The teams will be decided that way." Tanis watched Sturm's hand as he waved it around to illustrate what he was saying. The half-elf was sure the Knight had pale pink nail-varnish on. This didn't really surprise him that much; Tanis had always had the feeling Sturm wore Laurana's dresses at weekends.
"That's a good idea, Sturm," Tanis said, reaching for Caramon's empty ale mug. Raistlin removed a small piece of parchment from one of his pouches and began tearing it into ten pieces and handing them out.
"Right everyone, write your name on the paper, fold it twice and put it in the bear mug."
Everyone began scribbling at once. Tanis wrote his name in pencil and put it into the mug. He watched as everyone else did the same. When they were all done, Tanis put his fingers in and pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper.
"Caramon, you will be on a team with." He returned his fingers to the mug. "Oh, me! Cool!"
Caramon gave a big grin. "This isn't gonna be so bad after all."
"Next team is." Tanis pulled out two pieces of parchment, which were neatly folded together. Riverwind and Goldmoon smiled at each other.
"Sorry, guys," Tanis said, returning on of them to the mug. "It's not fair that everyone else has a random partner, and you get to choose." The Plainsmen look very down cast. "Goldmoon, you will be with Kitiara." Tanis blushed to the tips of his slightly pointed ears when he read the footnote Kitiara had added to her parchment. She gave him a crooked smile.
"I will not go with her," Goldmoon exclaimed angrily and stuck her nose in the air. "Well, I don't really want to go with you either," Kit said with another smile. "But, then again, if you get to annoying I can always cut your throat."
"Please refrain from killing your partner," Tanis said, pulling out another couple of pieces. "The next team will be Tasslehoff and Laurana."
"Wow!" Tas said, moving his chair round to sit next to Laurana. "The last time I was in an Easter egg hunt I was with Flint. But that was a long time ago, and now Flint says he doesn't want to play, especially with a doorknob like me. But now I get to be with you. Oh, sorry, did you drop this?"
Laurana snatched back her hairbrush from the excited Kender and began to brush her hair. "If anyone sees us, we not on the same team. Understand?"
Tas looked puzzled, but nodded anyway. Flint had said much the same thing. "Team four will be Riverwind and. um."
"Spit it out already!" Dalamar said, already bored by the droning half- breed. Whoever Dalamar got, he didn't like. Worst-case scenario, he could end up with Sturm. Dalamar shuddered at the very thought of being on the same team as that cross-dressing human. Of he could end up with the red robe, who had got it into his head that he was so much better than Dalamar (Which of course he wasn't). Or, he could get Riverwind. A smirk crossed his lips. He hoped to Nuitari that his name was on the parchment in front of Tanis. Not because he liked Riverwind or anything, quite the opposite in fact. They hated each other, ever since the black robed Dark Elf had taken Goldmoon to the midsummer dance last year. But if they were in a team, it would mean Raistlin and Sturm were also on a team, and with any luck, they might end up killing each other.
"Uh. Dalamar, you are on Riverwind's team. Oh look, you've drawn a little picture of someone being engulfed by flames."
"I was finished so much earlier than everyone else," he said, as he shrugged and smirked at Raistlin. "I suppose that leaves the red robe and the knight on a team, too."
"No it doesn't," Raistlin said, as he stood from the table. I refuse to take part." He began to leave.
"Ah, look, Little Red Riding Raistlin can't take it." Raistlin stopped. He was not going to have that high-on-himself black robe laugh at him and call him that name which Dalamar knew he so hated, no way. He slowly turned around and sat back down at the table. He gave a death glare through golden eyes at the Dark Elf.
"Well, that's settled then," Tanis said, standing up. I'll register us now, so we can join in tomorrow." With that, he walked out of the inn.
"I'll go with him, I think." Kitiara followed him out.
The Companions left the Inn of the Last home, one by one, until only the two mages were left.
"We're gonna kick your arse," Dalamar said as he smirked cockily at Raistlin.
"Don't count on it," Raistlin said, staring at Dalamar unblinking. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeves.
"It'll be a cold day in the Abyss before the knight lets you use them." Dalamar suddenly snapped. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Because in my vision, you are wasting away, and rotting, and decaying." He grinned evilly. "If you were born human, this wouldn't take so long."
Dalamar stood up. "I'm quite happy as I am, thanks, man." And with that, he too, left the Inn.
The next day, the Companions wee standing on the ground beneath Solace waiting to start. They wished each other good luck as Otik, who was in charge this year, told them they could go.
Laurana finished applying her mascara a few minutes after everyone else had left the starting clearing. Tas came running back up to her.
"Look at all the eggs I got!" he said proudly, dumping a dozen of them on the ground. "Another team let us have them."
"Let us have them?" Laurana questioned. "What team?"
"Alhana's team. I didn't ask, but I'm sure she would have said yes if I had done."
"Alhana?" Laurana hated Alhana. She was prettier than her. "That's okay then. Come on, let's go find some more."
Goldmoon and Kitiara had three eggs between them, and they had been wandering round for an hour. They had been too busy trying to stand each other's company to look for eggs and, with another two hours to go before the competition finished, it looked like one of them wouldn't last the whole thing.
"And I don't really give a damn about the way you hate the way me and Tanis make out in public," Kit said, balling her hands into fists. She was going to punch Goldmoon in a minute. "I don't like the way you're always throwing yourself at Dalamar either, but you don't hear me complaining every time I open my mouth!"
"I do not throw myself at Dalamar!"
"Oh, yes you do! Do you remember last midsummer's dance? I caught you two snogging by the punch bowl, and ever since then, every bloody chance you get, you've been coming onto him. I'm surprised Riverwind hasn't noticed yet. He must be pretty thick. Denser than Caramon, even."
Kit would have gone on, but with a primal scream, Goldmoon rugby tackled her to the ground.
The two rolled around, Goldmoon scratching Kitiara's face and pulling her short hair, Kit trying to land a hard punch or slap on the Plainswoman. They didn't even stop when they were approached by a small figure.
"Hi guys. What are you doing?" said Tasslehoff's cheerful voice as the two scuffled.
"That looks really fun! I'd join in, but Laurana told me to get eggs so. say, you don't look like you're using yours, can we have them?" The small chocolate eggs were already in Tas's pouch. "Well, Good luck then guys!"
Tanis and Caramon were at a loss.
"I'm sure we've looked everywhere for these damn eggs," Caramon moaned. "Can we sit down, just for a little bit?"
"No, Caramon, we've got to win!" There was a wild look to Tanis's eyes. When Tanis got competitive, Tanis got competitive.
Sighing, Caramon look over at two small children, looking for eggs amongst the bushes. Tanis saw them too, and quickly dropped to the floor, picking up pebbles and wrapping them in some foil he had.
"What are you doing, Tanis?" Caramon asked, confused. Tanis stood up.
"Watch."
Tanis strode over to the young children, who looked up at him with big grins on their faces.
"Hello, there," he said, pleasantly. "Oh, my! Look at all the eggs you've got! How many are there?"
"Seventeen, mister," said one of the children proudly.
"Seventeen! Why, that's a co-incidence. That's the exact amount we have!" Tanis looked at the kids' eggs hungrily. "Say, yours are all melted and icky. Look at ours." Tanis showed them seventeen egg-shaped pebbles wrapped in colourful foil. "Ours are still at hard and nice. Want to swap?"
The kids' eyes lit up. "Sure, mister!" said the leader of the two, hurriedly giving Tanis the melted eggs.
"There you are, then," Tanis said, before saying goodbye and walking back over to Caramon, who stood staring at him in a dumbfounded way.
"Easier than taking candy from a baby, Tanis informed him, dropping the eggs into their bag.
"But that's what you just did, Tanis!" Caramon exclaimed. "I never knew you could be so heartless."
"Don't be silly, Caramon. How many do we have now?"
Caramon look upset. "Twenty-nine, Tanis."
"Good. Oh, by the Gods, Caramon, don't look so down. You wanna win, right?"
"Well, yes, but."
"Excellent!" Tanis began to walk off again. "I think I saw some eggs in this tree over here."
Raistlin was in Solace. Well, everyone was, but what I mean is, he was in the town, instead of on the ground looking for eggs. He had positioned himself at such a place that he could see all over the part of the forest the eggs were hidden.
"This is wrong, mage," Sturm said behind him. "I'd rather have no eggs than ill-gotten ones."
"Shut up, Knight," Raistlin replied, not looking at him. It's not as though this is cheating, he thought, just using his initiative.
"It's not as though this is cheating, anyway, we're just using our initiative."
Raistlin was surprised to her his thoughts in Dalamar's voice and, as he turned around, he saw the Dark Elf and the Plainsman standing next to Sturm.
"What are you doing here?" Raistlin demanded.
"I could ask you the same question," Dalamar replied.
"Hi Sturm, how's it going?" Riverwind greeted the Knight.
"Terribly. This mage is intending to use his dark arts to gain more of the treasure in question," Sturm babbled, his eyes not leaving Raistlin. "And what's more, I'll never be able to get this grass stain out of my new hose. Hmph!"
This confused Riverwind, who's Common could be improved. Especially the last part. So, assuming he had misunderstood, Riverwind did what he was best at. He nodded and smiled.
"I am here to cast a spell of my own devising. What are you doing here?" the red robe questioned.
"I am also here to cast," the black robe replied. "A spell I spent all night last night working on. 'Detect Egg'."
Raistlin looked surprised and outraged at the same time. "You can't! I have also devised the 'Detect Egg' spell, and I intend to cast it."
Now Dalamar looked outraged. "Not if I get there first, Little Red Riding Raistlin!"
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!"
Dalamar ducked the magic missiles Raistlin cast at him. From behind the safety of a barrel of ale, he quickly chanted the Fireball spell, which Raistlin dodged buy ducking behind the same barrel.
Raistlin began to chant again "Jistrah tagobar.
Dalamar, recognising the spell, chanted the same thing "Ast miorparann."
"LISSE'!" they both finished together. The first 'Detect Egg' spell was complete. Around the area beneath them, small egg shaped red outlines began to show.
"I did that!" cried Raistlin over his shoulder as he ran to collect as many as he could.
"What?" Dalamar shouted back, following after him. "It was my spell!"
Knight and Plainsman looked at each other and shrugged.
"How many eggs do you have?" Sturm asked.
"About twelve," Riverwind replied. "We would have had more if Dalamar had been helping instead of saying it would all be easier after he cast the spell."
"It was the same with Raistlin," Sturm said as they began to walk away. "We only got ten."
"Wanna be on my team?" Riverwind asked. "We could say the mages were working together and so were we. We could say they wrote down the wrong pairs."
"Good idea." Sturm conceded, "I got some kind of pleasure out of beating Raistlin."
"Yes," Riverwind agreed.
The three hours were finally up. All the contestants stood in the starting clearing, talking excitedly to each other as the eggs were counted. Goldmoon and Kit were glaring at each other, their faces scratched and red, there in a complete mess, which Laurana did not hesitate to point out. Tas was still emptying his pouches of eggs onto the table, while Tanis stood beaming and Caramon looked at the floor. He could hear a child crying about stolen eggs, and knew he would regret this for a long time. Riverwind and Sturm had sorted out the team problem with the mages and the judges. The mages, for their part, looked very fed up and tired. They had only got two eggs in the end. Everyone else also realised that the eggs were now glowing red and, seeing as though they did not have to run all the way down from the Inn of the Last Home, they had got there before them. Both mages were now exhausted, nearly asleep leaning against one another.
"Everyone," Otik finally began. "I would like to start by thanking you all for taking part, and we now have a winner. But first, I would like to give a consolation prize to the team with the least eggs." Otik pulled out a single small cream-filled egg. "Could Raistlin and Dalamar come and collect their prize!"
There was a round of applause, and then. nothing.
The companions looked around for Raistlin and Dalamar, but they had decided, obviously, that it wasn't worth the humiliation. They were like that. To everyone else, it would be just fun but. They were also so like each other, people often wondered why they didn't get on so well.
"Oh," said Otik. "Well, then let me give this to the next lowest amount of eggs. Kitiara and Goldmoon!"
The two girls made their way to collect the small egg, pushing and shoving at each other. When they got there, and Otik thanked them for taking part, Kit made a hand gesture that made mothers gasp and cover their kids' eyes.
"Well, um, thanks, Kit," Otik said nervously. "Now, in third place, we have Tanis and Caramon!" The Half-Elf and warrior collected their prize, two small eggs, and took a bow. Suddenly, a child shouted out: "There he is, Mummy! That's the man that stole our eggs!" It wasn't very loud, but Caramon heard it and he blushed to the very tips of his ears until he returned to his space in the crowd.
"In second place, Laurana and Tasslehoff!"
There were no cheers as the pair cam to claim their prizes, two large chocolate eggs. Just glares and grumbles from the crowd.
Otik cleared his throat again. "And, in fist place." The crowd held it's breath. "Flint and Gilthanas!"
Silence for the third time that afternoon. Dwarf and Elf made their way to the small stage and picked up two very large eggs. Once the surprise was over, the cheering started.
The End
Well, it's not really.
Tanis couldn't stand it. He had tried so hard to win. Third! Beaten by an elderly dwarf and a prissy Elf. Tanis picked a foil covered pebble from his pocket and threw it at the stage. Gilthanas was hit in the head, and immediately fell over, unconscious. As Tanis laughed, he saw a very angry woman approaching him, to children it tow.
Now it's The End (thank goodness)