Chapter 3 – Company in Bag End
As Gandalf and Nanoha were making their way back to Bag End, they encountered several of the Dwarves that were to be in their party.
"Ah Nanoha, Meet Dori, Nori, Ori, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur and Bombur." Gandalf said as he introduced the Dwarves. "All of you, this is Nanoha Takamachi."
"At your service." They greeted her with bow.
"At yours." She answered politely, bowing in return.
"Is this wee lass our burglar?"Gloin asked. "I thought it was supposed to be a fellow named Bilbo. That's what it said in your message."
"Oh no, the message you received is indeed correct. Nanoha is my apprentice and will be accompying me on this venture." Nanoha was surprised by her sudden promotion, but she kept her professional face firmly in place.
"Oh, a wizard's apprentice! Well, that's something you don't see every day." Bofur said as they all gazed at the woman with appraising eyes, deeply impressed. For now they are sure there must be more to her than meets the eye.
"Are you sure you should be telling them that? It's supposed to be a secret." Nanoha whispered to the wizard as they continued on their way to the hobbit's hole, walking behind the others.
"I know, but we need them to assure that you're not burden to them. Dwarves are stubborn and very protective to women." Gandalf answered. One of the dwarves knock the door. The door was pulled open with a jerk, causing them all to fall in one on top of the other. Only Gandalf and Nanoha were spared.
"Gandalf." Bilbo said when he saw the wizard, looking flustered. He had been very angry and altogether bewildered, but found himself relieved now that there were at least one or two familiar faces present.
"This is lovely." Nanoha said once they were all inside, complimenting the hobbit's home.
"Thank you its-" Bilbo began to answer when realized the dwarves were all swarming into his pantry to help themselves. Nanoha blocked Bilbo's ranting about manners and started exploring the house. She used her spatial awareness to see the whole house. She stopped exploring when her shoulder is held by someone's hand. She looked behind her and saw Gandalf. He bid her to follow him into the hall, where the dwarves had moved the dining table to help set it.
"Yes - Ah." The wizard said bumping his head on the chandelier while dodging the roaming dwarves. "Uh Fili, Kili,Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, Ori!" he said when he caught the young dwarf wrestling Bilbo for the basket of tomatoes.
"Not my Prize-winners, thank you." Bilbo said, successfully rescuing them the moment Ori loosened his grip on the basket upon hearing the wizard call his name.
"We appear to be one dwarf short." Nanoha mused.
"He is late, that's all. He travelled North to a meeting of our kin. He will come." Dwalin said. It was a very merry gathering with everyone gathered round the table for the feast the dwarves had set up. The dwarves ate and ate, and talked and talked, and time got on. At last, they pushed their chairs back and Bilbo made a move to collect the plates and glasses.
"Excuse me, that is a doily not a dishcloth." He said sternly, quickly rescuing the poor thing from Nori before he could soil it.
"But it's full of holes." Bofur said.
"It's supposed to look like that. It's crochet." Bilbo retorted.
"And a wonderful game it is too, if you've got the balls for it." Bofur said as the hobbit walked off to put the doily away.
"Bebother and confucticate these dwarves!" Bilbo cursed as Gandalf and Nanoha came over to check on him.
"My dear Bilbo, what on earth is the matter?" Gandalf asked.
"What's the matter? I'm surrounded by dwarves. What are they doing here?" Bilbo answered.
"Excuse me Gandalf, it seems our late dwarf is wandering lost in the Shire. I'm going to fetch him." Nanoha said when she detected a non hobbit signature wandering.
"Of course and thank you Nanoha." Gandalf said. Nanoha opened the door and closed it.
"Raising Heart, Wide Area Scan." Nanoha said. "Alright, Wide Area Scan." Raising Heart said. Writings appeared in the jewel producing a floating pink orb. It flew around the Shire until it located him. "Wide Area Scan completed. Thorin Oakenshield is in 400 meters northeast." Raising Heart said.
"Thank you Raising Heart." Nanoha said. She went to that direction until she found him, walking straight to her. She blocked his way and asked "You are looking Bag End are you not?" Thorin looked at the stranger with a look of distrust. "Don't look at me like that. Gandalf sent me." Nanoha said. "Aye." He finally answered. "Its this way." She said. She turned around and started walking to Bilbo's house. Thorin followed her.
Meanwhile, at Bilbo's house -
"Excuse me, that's my mother's West Farthing pottery. It's over a hundred years old!" Bilbo said anxiously as they continued to juggle and pass the plates amongst each other like a n assembly line. "And can you not do that?" he asked the Dwarves who were still seated at the table, rubbing their forks and knives together and banging the ends on the table. "You'll blunt them."
"Ooh. Do you hear that lads?" Bofur asked. "He says we'll blunt the knives." With that the Dwarves started to sing:
Chip the glasses and crack the plates!
Blunt the knives and bend the forks!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates -
Smash the bottles and burn the corks!
Cut the cloth and tread on the fat!
Pour the milk on the pantry floor!
Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!
Splash the wine on every door!
Dump the crocks in the boiling bowl;
Pound them up with a thumping pole;
And when you've finished if any are whole;
Send them down the hall to roll!
That's what Bilbo Baggins hates!
The plates are all piled up neatly and the Dwarves congratulated themselves and laughed. Gandalf smiled as he watched the show. Thump Thump. They heard someone knocking the door.
"He is here." Gandalf said. The final and most important member of their company had finally arrived.