Mushrooms

A.K.A: Scenery/living quarters Chapter basically

Pippin and Merry knew that Middle Earth held many languages, but the one the man had been speaking was none of them. He was calm, smiling, which should have meant everything was fine, but the crowd around them seemed to think differently. They were almost trampled in the rush to the platform, and all's expression was of war.

In other words, it had been a very distressful day. They didn't even get to have a supper since they were forcibly rushed to their rooms. Some of them had to be sedated.

So it was quite surprising when they woke up peacefully to a woven basket full of greens and reds, great big lettuces that broke apart with a satisfying crunch, and even a pint of ale to wash it off.

"The only thing better," Pippin remarked, "would be a lovely pile of mushrooms at the bottom."

There wasn't, but the hobbits enjoyed their wake-up anyway.

Merry started looking in the cabinets for a washing bowl. "Why do you think we're here?"

"No idea. Perhaps-" He stopped himself, seeing a flash of white out of his peripheral vision. In all of the confusion (and delicious vegetables) they didn't take note of a leaflet on the bed stand.

"Pippin?" Merry peeked his head from around the bathroom archway, wary at his silence.

"There's a note," Pippin said. He reached over and upon picking it up sighed in relief. It was written in Westron. Finally, something the Hobbits could understand.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Merry walked over to where Pippin sat. "Read it, then!"

"Dear halflings-" Pippin stopped again.

"What?"

"I've just realized that we don't have any Pipe-weed."

"Pippin!"

"Alright, fine!" He began again.

"Dear halflings,

Apologies for what happened last night. I cannot imagine how disoriented you might be, and so I've set down everything that I'd spoken on paper, along with a few other things. You are free to share this information with the others, but as there is a language cross, it might be better if you keep it to yourself."

"And I suppose all the others speak just like him," Merry huffed.

"Under various reasons I've taken each of you from your homeland. You, if I recall correctly, were in the after-effects of a war. I would have taken you out earlier if I could, but the truth is that I never meant to take you at all. Your friends were the reason the Peacekeepers came."

Merry recalled how they'd been in the court of Rohan when the 'Peacekeepers' arrived, beginning the chaos of the former day.

"This is meant as a safe house for the former heroes, as many of your lands fall to disaster in the years to come. By lands I do not mean only Middle Earth, but other places beyond the Void. Different worlds, or different consequences of actions in a particular world. Thus a language that you have not heard of. I've included a few phrases at the bottom to help you get around, as well as a map. It is detachable from the rest of the sheet.

There is also a list of the other peoples, along with where they come from. I wish you the best of luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

-Fletcher

Post Note~ As of date I happen to be the only one here who understands you. You also happen to be the only ones who have received this note, so I suggest you use the information wisely."

Below was a list of words and phrases, translated in both pronunciation and in writing to English. Pippin tore it off and as he did so another sheet fell with it, revealing a map and other details that their host had mentioned above. They commented on the names of the other guests and the numbers that were placed next to all of them.

"Look, Pip, it says we're 11. What do you think any of this means?"

"How should I know, Merry?" Pippin sighed. "I was never the philosophical one."

"No, but we know someone who is." Merry's eyes darted back to the page. "How much trouble do you think we have to make to hold a meeting with this Fletcher?"

"We could find out, but then they'll cause trouble for us."

"Well, we better be prepared, then." Merry stretched as he pushed himself off of the bed.

After examining the room and peeking their head outside the doorway, they discovered that the door held a large golden 11 above its arch, that it was near the end of a hallway of doors similar to theirs, and that it opened on a word command. It was a one word lock with no reset.

At that moment Pippin happened to notice a large basket outside their door. "Mushrooms!" He squealed, nearly jumping with joy. The word branded itself in large letters above the rounded door.

Pippin looked up. "Oh."

If anyone is wondering how the door lock could ever be a good idea for security, here's a bit more information.

Each door is specialized to each world. For Pippin in Merry, it's in their native language, which no one else understands. For Percy Jackson, it would be in Greek. Hunger Games would be the whistle, and if Harry Potter was there, it would be a spell that involved his wand. Each door has different rules, but they're all linked to voice command in a way that only the people who lived in that room (it's basically layed out like a dorm room, but specialized and much fancier) would be able to speak it. Anyone can repeat the word 'mushrooms', so that would be a terrible voice lock if it worked like that. The only way someone would be able to open it was if they were a very good mimicker, or they found a way to override the door, which only Fletcher can do.

So even if (hypothetically) Camp Jupiter and Gryffindors would use the same language for their code (Latin) they cannot unlock eachother's rooms.

Thanks for reading! Please leave a review! Merry Christmas! :D