Chapter II

"Sir, we are all princesses from Upper Earth. We were in the middle of a peace conference when the ground suddenly opened and we fell through! We then saw these two hobbits, and they instructed us to come see you,"Aqua explained."Please, tell me, do you know of the One Ring?"

"The One Ring,"Bilbo said quietly, placing his hand in his vest pocket."No – no, I can't say that I do."

Vi's brow furrowed and she looked at him strangely. She somehow knew that he wasn't entirely telling the truth. "Oh, that's too bad – you see, Bilbo, the four of us have been trying to find it. Our countries have been at war for five hundred years for the Ring. And each other's Rings, too."

"What do you mean?"Bilbo asked.

"We each possess one ring,"Cap explained, pulling a chain out from beneath her clothes."Each has their own power. Some of us," she glared at Pike, "wish to kill others to gain possession of other rings."

"That is extremely interesting. Do you four wish to come to my birthday party tonight?"Bilbo asked.

"Sure! I will!"Vi exclaimed.

"Of course,"Aqua said.

"I'll be there,"Cap nodded.

"Whatever,"Pike muttered.

Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ

Pike sat sullenly on a chair amid the festivities. Thuis wasn't what she had been trained for. Bloodshed, war, rule, that was her calling. The rest of the "princesses" had run off with the small creatures – bobbins, or something along those lines. Names had never been her strong suit.

She hardly even noticed as one of the "bobbins" approached.

"Hello, my name is Frodo Baggins,"it said.

Pike looked at him and sneered. The "bobbin" had hair that looked as though it hadn't been combed in ages.

"What do you want?"she said frostily.

"I don't know,"the bobbin named Frodo shrugged."I thought you looked a bit lonely, so I thought I would…"

Pike snarled."Did it occur to you that maybe I wanted to be left alone?"

"Well… I…"Frodo faltered.

"Please go away,"Pike said coldly."I do not wish to speak to you unless you have some information on the One Ring."

Frodo looked genuinely hurt. He shuffled his large, hairy feet and directed his gaze to the ground.

"It's just that… well, we never get folk from Gondor in these parts,"Frodo said finally.

"I'm not from Gondor,"Pike snapped."I'm from the continent of Thor, in the land of Upper Earth. One day, I will be the most powerful queen to rule on that continent."

Someone started laughing behind them. "Yeah, on your continent – we each rule one, but you'll never be the most powerful in Upper Earth."

Pike whirled around and saw Vi standing there.

"Hi,"said Vi, holding out her hand."I'm Vi."

The hobbit accepted it. "I'm Frodo Baggins!"

Pike snorted. "Virgo, why do you have to go making friends with every damn person you see?"

"Because I'm a friendly kid!"Vi smiled.

"You do not look like a child!"Frodo said, shocked.

"Huh? Oh, I'm seventeen. I still consider myself a kid,"she said.

"Seventeen is no fit age to be a warrior princess,"Pike said with an air of authority.

"And how old are you, twenty-two?"Frodo asked curiously.

"Hardly,"Pike scowled."I'm twenty-seven."

"You look young for your age,"Frodo said.

"I take that as an insult,"Pike said, stomping off.

"Sorry, Frodo – she has a few problems up here,"Vi said, tapping her temple. She saw him still looking downcast."Oooh, do you like her, Frodo?"

"I – ah…"Frodo blushed.

"Aha!"Vi exclaimed."Don't worry. I won't tell her."

Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ

Cap and Aqua were standing nervously near a tent while Merry and pippin planned to steal a firework.

"I will have no part in a theft,"Cap said.

"This isn't theft!"Merry said."It's… uh… borrowing! Yeah, that's right…"

"Oh, dear,"Cap sighed.

Merry and Pippin opened the tent flap and went inside. Cap followed reluctantly, while Aqua remained outside. Merry threw Pippin up on top of the fireworks.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea,"Cap said nervously."What if you blow yourselves up or something?"

"Don't worry!"Merry exclaimed.

Pippin found a big red one and handed it to Merry. He pulled out a match and lit the firework.

"It's supposed to be in the ground,"Merry hissed.

"It is in the ground!"

"Outside!"

"This was your idea!"

The firework went off and flew into the sky. Pippin screamed and ducked. Cap dove to the ground along with Aqua.

"I told you we'd get blown up!"she screeched.

"We're all still alive!"Merry shouted back.

The four of them watched as a dragon appeared out of the firework, flew out over the water and burst into reddish sparks and sparkled.

"Let's get another one!"Pippin exclaimed.

Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ

"Frodo, why don't you ask her to dance?"Vi winked, giving him a little push towards Pike.

"She'll say no, though!"Frodo said.

"You just told Sam to go dance – now I'm telling you to go dance,"Vi smiled.

"She won't, there's no use,"Frodo sighed.

"Well, then I'll dance with you!"Vi smiled.

Frodo grinned and the two went spinning and laughing.

Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ

Pike was sitting on a bench, watching the festivities with a sour face. People had come up to her and asked for a dance, but she refused rather rudely. Vi plopped down next to her, smiling.

"Vi, do you make friends with everyone?"Pike snarled.

"Yes!"Vi beamed."Now go dance with Frodo!"

"No,"she growled, starting to walk away.

"You're so mean, one little dance won't kill you."

"I am supposed to believe you why?"

Vi stuck out her tongue and ran back towards the dancing.

"Hm… kids these days."

Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ

Aqua and Cap were busy washing dishes and cups from the party. Pippin and Merry were piling up the washed ones all under the watchful eye of Gandalf.

"I knew we'd get in trouble,"Cap grumbled.

"What if word of this gets out?!"Aqua said frantically."My father could hear and I'll be disgraced and… and…"

"Getting blown up would have been much more pleasant than this,"Cap grumbled some more.

Clapping came from the direction of the party.

"Speech!"Speech!"

Cap groaned."Why are they so anxious to hear a speech?!"

"Speeches are wonderful!"Aqua gasped, clasping her hands so tightly that dishsoap flew into the eye of a very disgruntled Cap."I wonder what Mr. Bilbo has to say?"

"I regret to inform you that I am leaving!"Bilbo announced."I bid you all a very fond farewell."

A moment later, such a commotion arose that Cap dropped a stack of dishes on Aqua's hand.

"What's going on?"Aqua exclaimed, cradling her injured hand."Wasn't Mr. Bilbo giving a speech?"

"Meh…"Cap said disinterestedly."They're all drunk. What do you expect? I bet the chairs are flying riiight now…"

Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ

"The One Ring!"Vi and Pike gasped in unison.

"I knew he wasn't telling the truth!"Vi exclaimed.

The two of them ran off to Bilbo's hill house. Vi jumped the fence, followed by Pike, and they saw the door open by invisible hands. The two of them stepped into the house and saw Bilbo and Gandalf talking.

"Give me the Ring!"Pike snarled.

"Mr. Bilbo, why did you lie?"Vi asked quietly.

"It's mine!"he said.

"You are leaving the Ring for Frodo,"Gandalf said sternly.

"Yes, yes, it's in an envelope on the mantelpiece."

Pike made a move for it, but Vi held her back.

"Let go of me, fool, I must obtain that Ring,"Pike snarled, straining against Vi to no avail.

"Struggle all you like, I'm using my Ring now, and there's no way you'll get out."

"Bitch."

Bilbo and Gandalf looked at the two in shock.

"What?"Pike growled, trying to get free again."Is there something on my face?"

"You have a ring?"Gandalf asked.

"Yes, I do. We all do!"Vi exclaimed.

"May I please see them?"

"You're just going to steal them,"Pike snarled.

"No I will not!"Gandalf said. Vi took off her Ring and handed it to Gandalf."One Ring to bring them all…"

Pike begrudgingly tossed him her ring while looking ready to pounce.

"And in the darkness bind them,"Gandalf said, turning the ring in his hand.

"There, you read it, now you can give it back,"Pike hissed, sticking out her hand.

"Of course, you can both have your Rings back."

He handed them their Rings and Vi attached it to the chain around her neck. Pike growled as she put hers in her pocket. Bilbo dropped his Ring on the floor. Vi grabbed Pike's shoulder to stop her from trying to take it.

"I think I've found an ending to my book,"Bilbo said."'And he lived happily ever after'."

He left. Gandalf smoked.

"Give me the Ring!"Pike snarled.

"No,"Vi growled.

"I want both of you to keep the Rings to yourselves and not tell Frodo of the Ring's presence here,"Gandalf said.

"No promises,"Pike snarled as she exited.

"I'll try,"Vi mumbled before following Pike.

Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ

Frodo stepped into Bag End, and noticed a ring at his feet. He picked it up and said:

"He's gone, isn't he? Gandalf?"

"My precious,"he muttered, smoking his pipe.

"Bilbo's gone,"Frodo repeated."He always talked about leaving. But I never thought he actually would."

Gandalf turned to Frodo."Bilbo's ring… it's yours now. He's left you Bag End."

He put the Ring in an envelope and stamped it closed. He handed it to Frodo, then turned to leave.

"Are you leaving already, Gandalf?"Frodo asked, setting the envelope on a table.

"Yes, there are many thigns I must attend to,"he said, exiting.

Frodo hid the envelope in his trunk under a bunch of stuff.

Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ

There was a knock on Frodo's door, and he went to answer it. He swung the door open and saw Vi standing there.

"Oh, hi Frodo!"she exclaimed.

"Hello, princess,"he smiled."Please come in."

Vi stepped inside."Um, I have a huge, huge favour to ask of you. Do you… do you midn if I stay here overnight?"

"Of course not,"he said warmly.

"Thanks,"Vi said happily.

She walked inside. Frodo closed the door. A minute later there was a knock on the door. Frodo answered it. Aqua and Cap were standing there.

"Can we please stay here tonight?"Cap asked.

"Er… of course."

Cap and Aqua walked inside. Frodo closed the door. A minute later there was a knock on the door. Frodo answered it. Pike was standing there.

"Hey, Fred, I'm staying here tonight."

Frodo sweatdropped.

"Alright…"Frodo said, stepping aside."You can share Bilbo's room, I suppose."

"Thank you, Frodo,"Cap and Aqua smiled.

Frodo showed them into a rather spacious room with a bed and a chair.

"Good night, princesses,"Frodo said hospitably before going into his own room.

The four girls looked at each other before running to the bed in hopes of claiming it. Aqua dove and landed on the bed while Cap grabbed the chair.

"Meanies,"Vi moaned as she sat on the floor.

There was a loud "clunk" and Pike dropped her armour and used it as a pillow. Vi grabbed a pillow off the bed and stuck it under her head and immediately fell asleep. The rest of them soon followed.

Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ*+*Þ

Frodo stepped into the kitchen and bit into a sour green apple. I wonder why they all came here, he thought. There's an inn in the Shire. Hmm, maybe they don't have this currency. Yes, that's rpobably why.

He sat and ate his apple quietly, thinking about the princesses. He finished his apple and threw it out the window, watching birds quickly fly towards it.

He silently padded over to Bilbo's room to check up on the sleeping princesses. Frodo looked into the room and saw that they were each asleep. His gaze stopped on each of them for a few seconds. He stopped the longest next to Pike. He reached down and touched her cheek. Pike's eyes snapped open, her hand flew up and she grabbed Frodo's fingers, crushing them.

"Don't. Touch. Me,"she said slowly.

"I – I – I'm sorry! I-"

Frodo turned and fled. Pike snarled as she slipped on her armour. She grabbed her mallet and started to follow Frodo, ignoring the fact that one of the others had begun to stir.

Author's Notes: Lalalala… I don't know what to say.