Chapter Three: "Oh, and what do you know about it?"
Pippin grinned.
"Someone sprayed it with –" The hobbit was cut off as Merry leaped out of bed and dived on him. Unfortunately, Peregrin had said too much already.
"Oh, and what do you know about it?" Legolas narrowed his eyes.
Pippin blushed and looked at his feet.
"…Nothing…" He looked up gave Legolas a big false smile. He was sure he looked very, very cute.
"You lair!" The elf exploded, "You do know what happened!" He grabbed the stricken hobbit and began to shake him violently.
"Stop!" Squeaked Pippin, "Let me go and I'll tell!"
"Alright." Legolas abruptly dropped the hobbit, who scuttled away and cowered in a corner.
"It was…Merry and me," he panted, "We did it last –"
"Pippin!" Merry was horrified, "Didn't your mother ever teach you to tell the truth? This is the biggest load of rubbish I have ever heard! Legolas's hair was turned pink in the night by two goblins with a sense of humor! I saw! I chased them off!" At this point he winked desperately (and a little too obviously) at Pippin. Legolas saw it too.
"You're lying!" The elf snapped. Peregrin could sense that the situation was getting dangerous. He decided to tell the truth, regardless of what his cousin might think. Anyway, he was a safe distance away from both Merry and Legolas.
"Merry's the one that's lying," he said nervously.
Meriadoc stopped dead, gobsmacked.
"What the – Me?"
"Yes!" Pippin sobbed, "It was us! We did it! Last night!"
"Well, that part's obvious. Now go and get me some shampoo!" Legolas was shouting now, "Hurry, before this dye becomes permanent!"
"Yes sir!" Peregrin scampered off as fast as he could go. Legolas made for the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him. Presently, the sound of running water was heard.
Pippin reappeared with a bottle of shampoo.
"Okay, now where's that elf got to?" he panted.
"In the bathroom," Merry told him, "washing his hair."
"How can he do it without shampoo?"
"Dunno." Merry shrugged. "Go give it to him."
"Who? Me?" Pippin squeaked.
"Yes, you, unless you have a twin, which, as far as I'm aware of, you don't, so go."
"But I can't! He's in the shower!"
"Just go in and give him the shampoo. You're the one who spilled the beans!"
"Beans?" Pippin looked about, confused, "What beans? I don't see any –"
"Forget it!" Merry grabbed the bottle of shampoo and marched straight into the bathroom without even bothering to knock on the door.
There was a yell, and the hobbit landed in a heap outside the door, which was banged shut again. Then it opened a crack, and Legolas stuck his head out.
"I've got shampoo, you idiot! There's plenty of it in here!" And with that, he slammed the door in Merry's face.