To the lovely people who have taken the time to review: you will appear soon, but the trials are going to be based mostly on hobbit stuff so it might take a few chapters!
Chapter 3 - On your marks, get set, go! Time for the trials!
"We're here, we're here, oh my goodness, I can't believe we're here!" Pippin sang as the four hobbits approached the entrance to the Olympic village. Sam made a mental note at that moment to never ever let Pippin drink coffee again - even if he was falling asleep on a very important journey.
"Yeah, we're here - but where exactly are we going?" said Frodo. This was not an unreasonable question - the Olympic village appeared to be extremely large.
"Hold on," said Sam, "I'll just consult my map." Sam pulled his bottomless bag (A/N - see 'Why hobbits....' chapter 2 for reference) from atop his shoulders and began to rummage through it. Triumphant in finding what he was looking for almost immediately, he held up a small folded square of paper*/parchment*/whatever they used for writing on in the Shire* (*Delete as appropriate). Deftly, he flicked the square and it unfolded into a large pop up map of the Olympic village. The other three hobbits stood still, apparently dumbfounded at Sam's resourcefulness.
"What?" said Sam defensively, "If you lot had paid attention at the meeting with Aragorn then you would have been given one too."
"Right." said Merry, "So are we going in then?"
After much umming and ahhing (if that makes any sense whatsoever) over the map and where the check in centre was, the hobbits entered the Olympic village: and were confronted by a large, brightly coloured tent, that had an equally large 'check in here' sign in front of it.
The check in area consisted mainly of tables. Lots of tables, each with a large sheet of paper (see above note) on. When examined, it could be seen that these pieces of paper were the sign up sheets for the trials.
Abandoning any last pretence of being calm, the four hobbits ran off to the respective tables in a flurry of excitement. Sam signed up for all of the events he intended to (in case you'd forgotten, these were: vegetable picking, mushroom eating, apple throwing, and the piggyback race with Frodo.), and was also - unbeknown to him, signed up for the free for all 100m by Merry and Pippin. Merry and Pippin themselves signed up for surprisingly few events. As you would expect, they signed up for the mushroom eating competition, and also (as did almost every hobbit above the age of 18) for the drinking contest. Merry, Sam and Frodo found it hilarious that a hobbit such as Pippin should choose to sign up for a drinking contest where winning depended on staying sober for a relatively long time. Frodo, however, signed up for virtually every event - including the free for alls! He planned to challenge Legolas at archery (fool), and attempt to win the staring competition against the champion decided from the Middle Earth Games back in the second age: Celeborn. How he would do was anyone's guess, but you have to give him points for enthusiasm!
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Two days later, all of the ceremonies and preparatory talks and explanations were over and it was time for the trials to begin. Merry and Pippin had confessed to Sam their actions, and Sam was now looking forward to his race in nervous anticipation. Just as well really, as the free for alls were the first trials to take place.
"Would all participants in the 100m race please assemble at the starting line in five minutes," the tannoy system screamed over the chatter of the excited and expectant crowd, "I repeat, would all participants in the 100m race please assemble at the starting line....."
"This is you Sam," said Frodo, giving his friend a slap on the back in support. Sam smiled back weakly, looking extremely nervous and also slightly queasy.
"Hey, you'll be fine Sam," said Merry, looking a lot more confident than he felt, " Just pretend that you're chasing Gollum and he's run off with one of your pans."
At that comment, Sam looked up with a determined grimace on his face. He smiled at the group, donned his numbered running vest, and jogged over to the starting line. The hobbits he was to be running against were already assembled, looking extremely confident and mostly in their early twenties.
"Now remember," the official at the starting line was saying to the race's participants, "The eight 'winners' from this race will face the eight 'winners' from tomorrow's race, in a second heat on Thursday. The eight fastest participants in that race will then run against each other in a final race next week. The fastest four make the Olympic team. Everybody understand?" The assembled hobbits nodded. "Now, if you would go to your starting positions."
Sam looked down at the number on his chest (number 9 - the fellowship number) and found the correct starting position. Must think Gollum. He thought to himself. Must think Gollum. Must think Gollum. Must think......
"On your marks. Get set. GO!"
The race was on.
To the audience's surprise and delight, the favourite to win the race (number 4 -an unpopular hobbit in the Hobbiton area) was lagging behind slightly. There was no way he could catch the group of about four who were about to cross the finishing line together. The tape was down, the race was over. But who had one. The tannoy announcer clarified this for the crowd.
"The winner in the first heat of the hobbit division in the free for all 100m is....... number 9 - Samwise Gamgee!"
Sam had won. He was one step closer to competing in the Official Olympics of Middle Earth. Merry, Pippin and Frodo were sat in awe. They knew he could run, they had seen this previously hidden talent on the day with the gas 'incident', but they had never seriously contemplated that he would win.
Only one question remained to be answered as the crowds dispersed ready for the set up of the hobbit classes and events: could he go all the way?
A/N - Yay! Samwise, the superstar athlete! Go Sam! Up next in Chapter 4 - drinking competitions, mushroom eating and the oh so much fun piggyback race (it's all non slash so don't get ideas)! Just so you know...........
Thanks again for the reviews - keep up the good work!
Rachel xx