"I wonder whether Marieke's found the water yet?" Lyra thought aloud.
"I don't care whether she's found it! Please can we go now?" begged Toni.
"We'll get into trouble if we go now," said Lyra. "We need to stay out of the way for a bit."
"But I'm starving!" whined Toni.
"Keep your voice down, someone will hear us," shushed Lyra.
"I don't care. It's uncomfy in here," moaned Toni.
"Stop complaining!" snapped Lyra.
Toni kept her mouth shut but shuffled around. The haystack they were hiding in moved slightly.
"Stop it, someone will find us," said Lyra.
"So what? I'm so hungry, I'm gonna start eating the hay in a minute," muttered Toni.
"You do that, just be quiet," ordered Lyra.
"Ew, it tastes horrible!" cried Toni in disgust.
"You what?" asked Lyra.
"The hay. It doesn't taste very nice," repeated Toni.
"You're not supposed to eat it," said Lyra.
"But you told me to," said Toni, feeling confused.
"I was being sarcastic. I just wanted you to be quiet," explained Lyra.
"Oh," realised Toni.
"Hey! Who's there?" asked someone.
Lyra and Toni peered through the hay to see a figure standing beside them.
"Err, no one?" replied Toni hopefully.
"Is that you, Toni? And Lyra?" asked the person.
"Nope," said Toni.
"Shut up, Tone!" snapped Lyra.
"OK, out you get!" announced the figure, knocking the hay to one side. Lyra and Toni fell out to find Lizzie Lymer.
"Lizzie? What are you doing here?" enquired Toni.
"Looking for you two," answered Lizzie. "You're in big trouble."
"Maybe we should get going then," said Lyra.
As she spoke, Lyra and Toni both got up and fled. However they didn't get too far, as Frodo and Sam jumped out from the bushes and pinned them to the ground.
"Ow! Get off!" cried Lyra.
"Got 'em," smiled Sam, lifting Toni up off the ground, as Marieke, Bilbo, Rosie, Mel, Merry and Pippin arrived.
"I think you two need to apologise to Marieke," said Frodo, pulling Lyra up.
"Sorry Marieke," mumbled Lyra and Toni unconvincingly. They stared hard at their feet to prevent themselves from laughing at the soaking wet Marieke standing in front of them.
"I still don't think that sorry is good enough," said Bilbo. "They haven't even been here for a day and they've already stirred up trouble."
"Can you think of a punishment though?" requested Lizzie.
"Oh yes, I can," smirked Bilbo. "I think Lyra and Toni can help around the house tomorrow. And they can remain in my custody for the night. Come along girls."
"This is your fault," blamed Toni.
"Mine?" cried Lyra. "You got us caught."
"It was your idea in the first place," retorted Toni.
"Now quit arguing. I want you to be quiet and well-mannered for the rest of the night," said Bilbo. "Now follow me."
Lyra and Toni reluctantly followed Bilbo, grumbling. Merry and Pippin smiled at them and gave them the thumbs up, but they were ignored.
"We finally got rid of them," Marieke smiled at last. "I'd forgotten how bad they could be."
"Are they staying here long?" asked Lizzie.
"I think forever's a pretty long time, don't you?" asked Marieke.
"So they're staying permanently?" pressed Mel.
"Yep, sadly," sighed Marieke.
"So what did they do?" asked Pippin.
"They put a bucket on my ceiling and tied it to the door, so that it was tipped up when the door was opened," grumbled Marieke.
Merry and Pippin both started laughing.
"It's not funny!" glared Marieke.
"It is," laughed Pippin.
"Maybe we should try that one," said Merry thoughtfully.
"Don't you dare. Or you'll get the same as Lyra and Toni," warned Frodo.
"Maybe we'll leave it then," said Merry.
The eight hobbits continued conversation for a while longer, and then they all headed off to their separate homes for the night.
~*~
The next day, Mel bounced out of the house bright and early. She wasn't sure why, but she was in a hyper mood that morning. She raced down to the river at the edge of the village, and sat at the edge, dangling her feet in.
Mel watched the silver fish darting past in the water. It was really relaxing. An entire shoal of fish was swimming lazily around her ankles. Suddenly, they all scattered off in different directions. The last thing Mel saw was the reflection of a familiar mischievous face, before she was pushed into the water.
"MERIADOC BRANDYBUCK!" she yelled as she surfaced, soaked from head to foot. She could see Merry steadily running from view.
Mel climbed out of the river, grumbling. She lay on the grass in the sun to try and get dry, and to think of a way to get back at Merry. However, thinking up pranks was not her strong point. She thought for a while longer until she realised who could help.
~*~
"Frodo! Get the door!" ordered Bilbo.
"Yeah Frodo," taunted Lyra and Toni, who were currently sweeping the floor inside Bilbo's house.
Frodo just laughed and ignored them. He opened the front door to find Mel standing on the doorstep, soaking wet. He turned around and gave Lyra and Toni a funny look.
"It wasn't us," said Toni hurriedly.
"Yeah, we've been here," added Lyra.
"How do I know you didn't set something up yesterday?" asked Frodo.
"No, it wasn't them," said Mel. "It was Merry. He pushed me in the river."
"See?" smirked Lyra. "It wasn't us for once."
"And we wouldn't use water again for another prank. Not straightaway anyway. That's boring," declared Toni.
"OK, OK," said Frodo impatiently. He turned back to Mel. "So why did you come here?"
"I want to speak to Bilbo," said Mel. "Is he here?"
"Yeah, just go through to the study," said Frodo, shutting the door behind Mel as she stepped inside. "And you two, get back to work."
Lyra and Toni grumbled and went back to their sweeping. Mel went through to the study, where Bilbo was sitting at the desk writing something on a piece of parchment.
"Knock, knock," said Mel to get Bilbo's attention.
"Ah, Melanie," smiled Bilbo. "What can I do for you?"
"Is it OK if you let Lyra and Toni off early?" asked Mel.
Bilbo raised an eyebrow. "I think they got the punishment they deserved," he said.
"Yeah, I know. But I kinda need their help," confessed Mel.
"Very well," said Bilbo. "As long as they don't get into any more trouble."
"Oh, I can't guarantee that. But I assure you it's for a good cause," grinned Mel.
Not long after, she was sitting outside with Lyra and Toni.
"Wow, thanks for getting us off the hook," thanked Lyra.
"Yeah, cheers," smiled Toni.
"Don't think you're getting out of it that easily. I only did it because I need a favour," said Mel.
"What kind of favour?" asked Lyra.
"Well, I realised that you guys are good at pulling pranks. So I need you to think of something I can do to Merry," explained Mel.
"Merry? Who's Merry?" asked Toni.
"Was he one of the guys who smiled at us yesterday?" enquired Lyra.
"Yeah," replied Mel. "He was the one with lighter-coloured hair."
"He was nice," said Lyra thoughtfully. Toni pretended to gag. "Oh shut up!"
"So can you help me or not?" requested Mel, getting slightly impatient.
"Sure," agreed Toni.
"As long as we don't have to go back and help Bilbo," said Lyra.
"OK, don't worry," assured Mel.
"And we'll do it to the other guy as well as Merry," suggested Toni.
"Good idea," smiled Lyra. "Now I've got something to ask you, Mel. Does this village use scarecrows?"
"I don't care whether she's found it! Please can we go now?" begged Toni.
"We'll get into trouble if we go now," said Lyra. "We need to stay out of the way for a bit."
"But I'm starving!" whined Toni.
"Keep your voice down, someone will hear us," shushed Lyra.
"I don't care. It's uncomfy in here," moaned Toni.
"Stop complaining!" snapped Lyra.
Toni kept her mouth shut but shuffled around. The haystack they were hiding in moved slightly.
"Stop it, someone will find us," said Lyra.
"So what? I'm so hungry, I'm gonna start eating the hay in a minute," muttered Toni.
"You do that, just be quiet," ordered Lyra.
"Ew, it tastes horrible!" cried Toni in disgust.
"You what?" asked Lyra.
"The hay. It doesn't taste very nice," repeated Toni.
"You're not supposed to eat it," said Lyra.
"But you told me to," said Toni, feeling confused.
"I was being sarcastic. I just wanted you to be quiet," explained Lyra.
"Oh," realised Toni.
"Hey! Who's there?" asked someone.
Lyra and Toni peered through the hay to see a figure standing beside them.
"Err, no one?" replied Toni hopefully.
"Is that you, Toni? And Lyra?" asked the person.
"Nope," said Toni.
"Shut up, Tone!" snapped Lyra.
"OK, out you get!" announced the figure, knocking the hay to one side. Lyra and Toni fell out to find Lizzie Lymer.
"Lizzie? What are you doing here?" enquired Toni.
"Looking for you two," answered Lizzie. "You're in big trouble."
"Maybe we should get going then," said Lyra.
As she spoke, Lyra and Toni both got up and fled. However they didn't get too far, as Frodo and Sam jumped out from the bushes and pinned them to the ground.
"Ow! Get off!" cried Lyra.
"Got 'em," smiled Sam, lifting Toni up off the ground, as Marieke, Bilbo, Rosie, Mel, Merry and Pippin arrived.
"I think you two need to apologise to Marieke," said Frodo, pulling Lyra up.
"Sorry Marieke," mumbled Lyra and Toni unconvincingly. They stared hard at their feet to prevent themselves from laughing at the soaking wet Marieke standing in front of them.
"I still don't think that sorry is good enough," said Bilbo. "They haven't even been here for a day and they've already stirred up trouble."
"Can you think of a punishment though?" requested Lizzie.
"Oh yes, I can," smirked Bilbo. "I think Lyra and Toni can help around the house tomorrow. And they can remain in my custody for the night. Come along girls."
"This is your fault," blamed Toni.
"Mine?" cried Lyra. "You got us caught."
"It was your idea in the first place," retorted Toni.
"Now quit arguing. I want you to be quiet and well-mannered for the rest of the night," said Bilbo. "Now follow me."
Lyra and Toni reluctantly followed Bilbo, grumbling. Merry and Pippin smiled at them and gave them the thumbs up, but they were ignored.
"We finally got rid of them," Marieke smiled at last. "I'd forgotten how bad they could be."
"Are they staying here long?" asked Lizzie.
"I think forever's a pretty long time, don't you?" asked Marieke.
"So they're staying permanently?" pressed Mel.
"Yep, sadly," sighed Marieke.
"So what did they do?" asked Pippin.
"They put a bucket on my ceiling and tied it to the door, so that it was tipped up when the door was opened," grumbled Marieke.
Merry and Pippin both started laughing.
"It's not funny!" glared Marieke.
"It is," laughed Pippin.
"Maybe we should try that one," said Merry thoughtfully.
"Don't you dare. Or you'll get the same as Lyra and Toni," warned Frodo.
"Maybe we'll leave it then," said Merry.
The eight hobbits continued conversation for a while longer, and then they all headed off to their separate homes for the night.
~*~
The next day, Mel bounced out of the house bright and early. She wasn't sure why, but she was in a hyper mood that morning. She raced down to the river at the edge of the village, and sat at the edge, dangling her feet in.
Mel watched the silver fish darting past in the water. It was really relaxing. An entire shoal of fish was swimming lazily around her ankles. Suddenly, they all scattered off in different directions. The last thing Mel saw was the reflection of a familiar mischievous face, before she was pushed into the water.
"MERIADOC BRANDYBUCK!" she yelled as she surfaced, soaked from head to foot. She could see Merry steadily running from view.
Mel climbed out of the river, grumbling. She lay on the grass in the sun to try and get dry, and to think of a way to get back at Merry. However, thinking up pranks was not her strong point. She thought for a while longer until she realised who could help.
~*~
"Frodo! Get the door!" ordered Bilbo.
"Yeah Frodo," taunted Lyra and Toni, who were currently sweeping the floor inside Bilbo's house.
Frodo just laughed and ignored them. He opened the front door to find Mel standing on the doorstep, soaking wet. He turned around and gave Lyra and Toni a funny look.
"It wasn't us," said Toni hurriedly.
"Yeah, we've been here," added Lyra.
"How do I know you didn't set something up yesterday?" asked Frodo.
"No, it wasn't them," said Mel. "It was Merry. He pushed me in the river."
"See?" smirked Lyra. "It wasn't us for once."
"And we wouldn't use water again for another prank. Not straightaway anyway. That's boring," declared Toni.
"OK, OK," said Frodo impatiently. He turned back to Mel. "So why did you come here?"
"I want to speak to Bilbo," said Mel. "Is he here?"
"Yeah, just go through to the study," said Frodo, shutting the door behind Mel as she stepped inside. "And you two, get back to work."
Lyra and Toni grumbled and went back to their sweeping. Mel went through to the study, where Bilbo was sitting at the desk writing something on a piece of parchment.
"Knock, knock," said Mel to get Bilbo's attention.
"Ah, Melanie," smiled Bilbo. "What can I do for you?"
"Is it OK if you let Lyra and Toni off early?" asked Mel.
Bilbo raised an eyebrow. "I think they got the punishment they deserved," he said.
"Yeah, I know. But I kinda need their help," confessed Mel.
"Very well," said Bilbo. "As long as they don't get into any more trouble."
"Oh, I can't guarantee that. But I assure you it's for a good cause," grinned Mel.
Not long after, she was sitting outside with Lyra and Toni.
"Wow, thanks for getting us off the hook," thanked Lyra.
"Yeah, cheers," smiled Toni.
"Don't think you're getting out of it that easily. I only did it because I need a favour," said Mel.
"What kind of favour?" asked Lyra.
"Well, I realised that you guys are good at pulling pranks. So I need you to think of something I can do to Merry," explained Mel.
"Merry? Who's Merry?" asked Toni.
"Was he one of the guys who smiled at us yesterday?" enquired Lyra.
"Yeah," replied Mel. "He was the one with lighter-coloured hair."
"He was nice," said Lyra thoughtfully. Toni pretended to gag. "Oh shut up!"
"So can you help me or not?" requested Mel, getting slightly impatient.
"Sure," agreed Toni.
"As long as we don't have to go back and help Bilbo," said Lyra.
"OK, don't worry," assured Mel.
"And we'll do it to the other guy as well as Merry," suggested Toni.
"Good idea," smiled Lyra. "Now I've got something to ask you, Mel. Does this village use scarecrows?"