Raised by Hobbits

Chapter Twenty Six~Crashing His Own Party?

BOOM!

A firework explodes into the night sky high above Hobbiton...in the shape of a great green tree with unfolding branches. with glowing flowers as they rain downfrom the branches...evaporating just above the up turned faces of the delighted party-goers.

Hobbits, feasting and drinking. Carts of beer and wine are scattered about, and the tables are piled high with steaming scones and savories. Gandalf hurries about, lighting fireworks with a blue spark that dances magically from his staff... Bilbo is greeting visitors.

Frodo and his best bud Sam sit at a table drinking ale...Frodo notices Sam's eyes keep flicking to another pretty Hobbit, Rosie Cotton, sitting some distance away. "Go on, Sam, ask Rosie for a dance." says Frodo "I think I'll just have myself another          ale." says Sam terrified "Oh, no you don't. Go on." says Frodo Sam goes to drain his glass... suddenly it is snatched out of his hands as Frodo thrusts him into the middle of a passing throng of dancers. Frodo laughs and finishes Sam's beer.

Gandalf sets alight a particularly spectacular fireworkthat draws gasps of admiration from the party guests. Bilbo and Ash are relating stories of there adventure to agroup of young hobbit children. "So, there we were...at the mercy of three          monstrous trolls...Have you ever heard of a troll? Do you know what a Troll is? Great big nasty twenty foot high smelly things..and they're arguing...arguing          about how they were going to cook us!" shouts Bilbo "Whether it be turned on a spit or minced in a pie or whether they were going to sit on us one by one and squash us into jelly! But they spent so long arguing          the whether-to's and why-for's that the sun's first light crept over the top of the trees...and turned them all to stone!" shouts Ash. Stunned gasps from his young audience greet there astonishing feat!

Merry AND Pippin, two mischievous young Hobbits in their late teens. Pippin scrambles on to the backof Gandalf's wagon, snatching up a small firework "No, no..the big one...the big one!" whispers Merry Pippin          grabs a huge rocket.

Fireworks crackle with flame! Merry is holding out the big rocket...he looks aghast at the fizzing fuse that Pippin has just lit. "You're supposed to stick it in the ground!" he shouts "It is in the ground." says Pippin Merry fearfully tosses the Rocket to Pippin!    The fusesizzles angrily. Pippin attempts to throw the fizzing rocket back to Merry.

WHOOSH!

The two hobbits are suddenly blown off their feet ina shower of sparks as the rocket blasts off with frighteningpower. The rocket zooms over the Party..It suddenly burstsapart, forming the shape of a great red golden Dragon! Fire gushes from its nostrils as it turns back and Flies low towards the startled crowd.

Frodo watches the fireworks dragon with alarm...but Bilbo is oblivious to the Panicking crowd and impending danger! "Bilbo!   Watch out for the dragon!!" shouts Frodo "Dragon? Nonsense...hasn't been a dragon in these parts for a thousand years!" shouts Bilbo. Frodo hurriedly pulls Bilbo to the ground, just as the dragon roars a few feet above their heads like a flaming expresstrain! Hobbits dive to the ground, tables overturn, tentscollapse, food flies everywhere.

The fireworks dragon turns asomersault and explodes over the hills with a deafening bang! This gets the biggest Cheer of the night. Ash smiles and claps along to the music she leans down and kisses Bilbo's cheek "Happy birthday Bilbo, I love you brother." she says.

Gandalf was sitting nearby, smoking his pipe andsipping an ale. Cries of "SPEECH! SPEECH" erupt from the party. Bilbo was stepping on a stool...he bows in gratitude at the applause.

"My dear Bagginses, and Boffins, tooks and          Brandybucks...Grubbs, Chubbs, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles and Proudfoots...Today is my one hundred and eleventh birthday. Yes, and alas...Eleventy- one years is far too short a time to live among such excellent and admirable          Hobbits!"

Tremendous outburst of approval! "Just like we practiced." says Ash smiling "I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you as well as well as you deserve."

Scattered clapping as the guests try to work out if that was a compliment or not. "What?" ask Ash to herself because that was not what the two at practiced. With Bilbo...a strange hum seems to fill hishead. A bead of sweat rolls down his brow. Bilbo's hand pulls something out of his waistcoat pocket andholds it behind his back. "I have..things to do and I have put this off for far too long... Bilbo's knuckles turn white as he tightens his grip on the small object behind his back. "I regret to announce, this is the end. I am going now. I bid you all a very fond farewell!!"

Bilbo looks across at Frodo and then to Ash he looks eyes with her, "Goodbye."

Bilbo instantly vanishes. The party explodes into an uproar... the crowd leaps to its feet. Frodo is staring at the empty stool in disbelief. Ash could only think of one thing that would make her brother disappear. "No it was lost in battle how could he......Did Bilbo lie to me?" she ask herself and looks around through the crowd of panicked Hobbits "FRODO!!!" she shouts.

"FRODO!!!"

"ASH!!!"

She turns around to see Frodo running to her the two hug and hold each other "Were did Uncle Bilbo go?" he ask "I don't know Frodo...But we are going to find out." she says.

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"Bilbo! Bilbo!"

Frodo and Ash rush into Bag End...Frodo stops and picks up the ring at his feet. Gandalf continues staring into the fire, as if locked in thought. Ash just stared in disbelief at the ring.

"He's gone, hasn't he?" ask Frodo, the two step into          the living room. "He talked for so long about leaving...I didn't think he'd really do it. Did you know?" ask Ash Gandalf turns...his eyes locking onto the ring in Frodo's fingers. "Bilbo's ring." he says.

Gandalf sorts hurriedly through Bilbo's papers... "He's gone to stay with the Elves. He's          left you Bag End..." Gandalf holds out the envelope...Frodo drops the ring intoit. "What do you mean stay with the Elves?" ask Ash. "...along with all his possessions." says Gandalf ignoring her Gandalf seals the envelope with wax.   He hands it to Frodo. "The ring is yours now. But keep it somewhere out of sight."

Gandalf rises hurriedly and starts to gather his things. "Where are you going?" ask Frodo "I have some things I must see to." "What things?" ask Ash                       "Questions. Questions that need answering." says Gandalf "You've only just arrived!" says Frodo "I don't understand..." says Ash.

Gandalf is already at the door, he turns to Frodo and Ash. "Neither do I. Keep it secret, keep it safe." Gandalf hurries out the door...leaving Frodo and Ash standing alone in the Bag End. Ash runs to the door and shouts after him "NO WAIT, DID YOU KNOW HE WAS GONNA LEAVE!!!" she shouts her voice breaking.

Getting no response she leans against the door way in thought "Ash..." starts Frodo she looks to him and smiles letting out a breath/laugh "We always talked about going to go see the Lonely Mountain, Rivendell, Dale. If he wanted to go he could have just asked, did I change that much to the point were he didn't want to have one last adventure with his sister, another reason to hate who I am." she says starting to tear up.

"Ash don't think that way-"

"GO TO BED FRODO!!!!"

Frodo's stunned Ash had never yelled at him before this showed how distressed she was about Bilbo leaving, "I'm so sorry Frodo I just-"

"No I'm sorry for pushing you here get in bed and I'll make you a cup of tea." he says Ash hugs him and kisses his forehead.

A/N

Hey guys thank you for reading this far just to update I've been thinking about posting a new story, leave a comment should I post a new story or continue the three I'm working on?

Have a wonderful day.

~Roses