ππππ
"Tonight is the night Listal."
"The night for what?" Listal asked while browsing through Instagram and not even looking up at her friend.
"The night that Frodo Baggins realizes that I am his true love." Prisca sighed dreamily as she brushed her wavy, brown hair.
"Psshhh, get real Pris, Frodo has a hard time realizing just about anything."
Prisca whirled around to face her friend, blue eyes blazing.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She snapped.
"Uh, not trying to be rude or anything, but Frodo can be pretty clueless at times. Especially when it comes to this sort of thing." Listal replied looking up from her phone.
"How would you know?"
"Esmerelda told me and she's his cousin so I think you should trust me on this one. Don't go thinking that Frodo's going to notice you right off the bat."
Prisca rolled her eyes.
"Yeah right Listal. You're just jealous because my crush is going to fall in love with me first."
"What?! You think I'm jealous?! And how did you know that I had a crush?"
"Esmerelda told me that you have a crush on Pippin who is also her cousin. She's really protective of them you know."
"Yeah, I figured that out for myself after she threatened to throw me into Mt. Doom should I do anything to hurt Pippin, which I would never even dream of doing."
"Here's what I don't understand Listal," Prisca said digging through her closet trying to find and outfit for tonight, "how can you expect to win Pippin's heart if you're not even going to try and talk to him?"
Listal shrugged and brushed a strand of her black hair out of her face.
"I don't think that things like this should be forced, they should just happen you know?"
Prisca poked her head out of her closet.
"Trust me Listal, if you don't try it'll never happen. Pippin will go about his life and he will never notice you, perhaps he'll even fall in love with another hobbit."
"So you think that Frodo's just going to fall in love with you the moment that he sees you?" Listal asked skeptically.
"Yes." Prisca was 110% certain that it was going to be love at first sight.
"Well, good luck with that." Listal scoffed.
"You wanna bet?" Prisca challenged with her hands on her hips.
"Bet what?"
"You think that you don't have to do anything to win Pippin's love, that it'll happen in its own time. While I believe that you have to make these things happen, so why don't we put our ideas to the test? Tonight."
Listal thought about it for a moment. It would be interesting to see which method would work: Watching and waiting for the right time, or charging forward without hesitation.
"Alright Pris, you got yourself a bet. But you never did answer my question from earlier, what is so special about tonight?"
"Are you kidding?! It's the 6th day of February!"
"And?"
"Uh, HELLO! It's February! The month of true love, romance, and chocolate! And every night leading up to the end of February, there's a Count Down To Valentines Day Party that's immediately followed by the actual Valentines Day party, and for the rest of the month there's going to be the Post Valentines Day party over at a secret place that only those with exclusive membership can get into."
Listal's face suddenly lit up in recognition.
"Oh! You mean the all month Valentines Day party that goes on at the Bowling Alley/Arcade/Buffet/Movie Theater/Gym? Yeah Berylla invited you and me to come with her, Jayden, and Jenrail. Everyone knows about it."
Prisca narrowed her eyes.
"Yes, that would be the place."
"Well what are we waiting around here for? Let's go party!"
Listal skipped out of the room dragging Prisca behind her.
Little did they know just how crazy this party was going to be.
ππππ
"Sorry for not hanging out with you at the party Vili, but I had my hands full with Pippin. I still can't believe he actually drank 729 mugs of pure sugar."
"Liquefied Sugar." Vili corrected.
Merry shrugged, "Right. Anyways, I'm glad that you don't think I'm a major jerk or something like that."
Vili laughed, "You? A jerk? Yeah right! You're the nicest guy I know."
Merry could feel his face turning red and hope that Vili wouldn't notice, but it was kind of obvious and she smiled.
"Aw Merry, you are the cutest hobbit ever!"
"Really? Well, you're the most amazing dwarf I've ever met."
"You're so sweet!"
Just when things were about to get too mushy, Vili punched Merry in the shoulder (hard) and sent him flying through the air.
"Oh my Aulë! Merry I'm so sorry!" Vili raced over to help a dazed Merry off the ground.
"It's fine... At least this time you didn't headbutt me... I blacked out for almost a week."
Vili's face flushed with embarrassment.
"No one ever told me that hobbits don't greet each other by headbutting."
"Well hey, you know now that we don't punch each other either..."
"See? I learn so much from you!"
Vili (carefully) patted Merry on the shoulder, stopping when he winced.
Yup, that was going to bruise.
"So who exactly are we waiting for?"
Vili asked.
"Just the usual guys: Frodo, Sam, and Pippin. I thought that Bilbo was coming but he said that he would be busy tonight."
"That's strange. Bilbo's never busy."
Merry shrugged.
"Also, I'm waiting for Caladhiel and her friends to finish up with Es, they've been getting her ready for her "date" all day."
Vili tilted her head and pursed her lips ever so slightly.
"Isn't it weird that your sister is going on a date with Legolas?"
Merry shrugged.
"Not really, they hang out together all the time, except this time Es knows that Legolas actually likes her. I don't know why she's freaking out though."
"Maybe because Legolas was one of her best friends and she only ever saw him as a friend so now that she knows that he has feelings for her that are deeper than friendship she feels as if there's something she's lost by not having that close friend she could confide in without having to worry about things as complicated as love because she's afraid that she'll do something to hurt someone she cares about so she's acting this way in order to push him away in hopes that he'll give up his love for her?"
Merry thought about it for a long, deep, and intense minute.
"Nah that can't be it, she's just acting up as usual."
Vili shrugged.
"Can't blame a dwarf for trying."
A few minutes later the dwarf and hobbit were joined by Frodo and co.
"Dang Merry, wait until you see what Caladhiel and her elves did." Frodo said shaking his head with a sly grin on his face.
Merry narrowed his eyes.
"What did they do?"
"It's Esmerelda! She looks.... Well... Completely different!" Pippin said also smiling.
"Is that why Sam looks so stunned?" Vili asked pointing to the said hobbit who was staring blankly ahead with his eyes wide and mouth open.
"Oh yeah, he's been like that ever since he saw her." Frodo waved his hand over the gardener's face but there was no response.
"Wait a minute; what did those crazy elves do to my sister?!" Merry shouted entering "protective brother mode."
"You'll see Merry! In fact they're coming this way now!" Pippin looked down the path they had just come from and sure enough the familiar faces of Caladhiel, Piper, and Pely appeared. The three elleths were hiding something behind them.
"Where's Es?" Merry demanded immediately.
"Come on Es, you can't hide behind us forever!" Piper said grinning.
"I can and I am." Esmerelda replied stubbornly.
"Oh I see," Pely said winking at Piper, "she wants Legolas to see her before Merry does."
"What?! No! I'm just trying to rub all this make up off without you guys noticing oops."
All three were on her in an instant, annoyed that they hadn't seen this coming.
"Dang it Es! This is going to set us back ten minutes!" Caladhiel shouted.
"And we were supposed to be leaving already!" Piper added groaning.
"Oh well, guess we can't go." Es said still hidden by the elves. "Just have to tell Legolas that I had to cancel, I'm going to my lab now good day."
"Oh no you don't! You are going on this date Esmerelda Brandybuck AND YOU ARE GOING TO LIKE IT!" Caladhiel roared making everyone jump backwards. She would see her ship sail if it was the last thing she did.
"Okay change of plans," Pely said turning to the hobbits, "we're going to fix Es' make up while you guys go on ahead, let Legolas know that his date will be a few minutes late."
"DON'T CALL ME HIS DATE!" Esmerelda shrieked.
Frodo spoke for all of his companions.
"Sounds good! We'll meet you all there bye Es have fun!"
Quickly the four hobbits (and dwarf) ran as fast as they possibly could while Caladhiel, Piper, and Pely led their victim-I mean-friend away to get her ready (again) for her date.
ππππ
Losider and Thaladir were waiting with the two Thranduilions outside of the Bowling Alley/Arcade/Buffet/Movie Theater/Gym or BAABMTG for short, or you could just call it the Bowling Alley, that's what everyone else calls it.
Losider was grinning and winking at Legolas every time he happened to look his way while Thaladir watched the crowd of people entering the bowling alley.
"It's going to be crowded in there tonight," the dark haired ellon commented glancing at Legolas, "are you sure that you want to do this?"
"Well it seems that the choice is completely out of my hands." Legolas paused to throw Phoenix a death glare before turning back to Thaladir. "This wise guy and his friends have this entire evening planned out, and for the first time in my life I am truly and utterly terrified."
"Of them or your date?" Losider asked grinning like the Cheshire Cat.
"Both. I mean not both! I-uh... It's too late for me to take that back isn't it?"
Both Thaladir and Losider nodded at the same time. Phoenix however was oblivious of their conversation and was furiously texting on his phone.
Phoenix the Prank Lord
Shaz! You're still coming right?
DragonsRepic
Yes I'm on my way now! Don't worry I didn't forget.
Phoenix the Lord of the Pranks:
Do you have the CD?
DragonsRepic:
Yes I have the CD! And I'm literally five minutes away.
Lord Phoenix King of the Pranksters:
Good! Our plan won't work without it!
DragonsRepic:
Do u keep changing your name?
Phoenix_da_Pranksta_Masta:
I have no idea what you're talking about.
DragonsRepic:
Right...
Well be waiting for me outside Ok?
Jedi Phoenix:
Gotcha!
DragonsRepic:
What's a Jedi?
You saw nothing:
Nothing! Just a typo!
DragonsRepic:
Right....
Well, I'll c u soon
JediArentReal:
Ok bye!
Phoenix shoved his phone in his pocket just in time to see Frodo and his band of hobbits (and dwarf) arrive, but strangely Esmerelda wasn't with them.
"Hey guys! How're you doing?" Losider asked.
"You guys seen Lindir?" Pippin asked all of sudden getting strangely serious for once.
"I think I saw him go inside, why do you ask?" Thaladir asked but Pippin didn't answer, instead he pushed his way past the elves and entered the building, shooting a quick glance at Phoenix as he passed by.
Don't worry Phoenix, there's nothing going on that you need to concern yourself with.
What are talking about? Pippin is there something wrong?
Nothing that me and Lindir can't handle! There's a minor disturbance in the Force is all, we'll take care of it you enjoy your time with everyone else.
Phoenix didn't know which unsettled him more: The feeling that something very bad was about to happen, or Pippin being serious for once.
He decided that it was a good mix of both.
"So where Leggy's lucky lady?" Losider asked still grinning.
"Oh, there was some difficulties in convincing Es to come, but she'll be here any moment! Don't worry Legolas." Frodo assured him but the elf did not look assured despite what the narrative just said.
Meanwhile more and more people were arriving, characters who would be getting a lot more page time in the upcoming chapters, so those that created them for this story have nothing to worry about! Their time is coming, but first I must get these unresolved conflicts out of the way.
(And that is how you successfully fit an A/N in the middle of the narrative)
Then finally, she arrived.
"Hey Phoenix!" Shazad called running up to Phoenix, out of breath and tightly grasping her duffle bag.
"What's up Shaz?" Phoenix gave her a high five before glancing down at the bag. "Do you carry that thing with you everywhere you go?"
"Yeah why?" Shazad asked as if carrying a large duffle bag with you all over the place was something everyone did.
Before Phoenix could reply Losider suddenly exclaimed: "There she is!"
Of course everyone looked in the direction Losider was pointing, and found three very annoyed looking elves following behind a triumphant looking hobbit.
"Frodo, I thought you said that they did something different with Es, she looks the exact same." Merry whispered to Frodo who was just as confused as his cousin.
"These foolish elves actually thought that they could get me to wear make up!" Esmerelda laughed. "Oh how wrong they were! This hobbit doesn't wear make up for no reason!"
"You can't blame us for trying." Caladhiel grumbled.
"But Es! You looked so pretty!" Pely argued, "why every gentelhobbit in the Shire has asked you for your number!"
"And those little undersized orcs aren't going to get it." Esmerelda huffed. "I am not interested in a relationship at the moment and the only reason I'm here on this date now is so everyone will get off my back."
Everyone glanced at Legolas to see what his reaction to this would be, but he just shrugged.
"We don't have to do this Esmerelda, we can both just go-hmph!"
Legolas' words were muffled by Phoenix clamping his hand over his brother's mouth.
"What he means Es, is that he can't wait to spend the entire evening with you!"
Es rolled her eyes.
"Great..."
"Well let's get you two inside and started on your date!" Phoenix ushered both hobbit and elf (who were both very uncomfortable) into the bowling alley where that had hung out numerous times before as friends.
"Can't wait to see this, you guys coming?" Frodo asked entering the alley.
"We wouldn't miss this for anything!" Losider said happily following behind the hobbit.
"You coming Sam?" Merry asked as the others entered.
"Huh? Oh yeah! Yes, I'm coming." Sam replied somewhat shakily.
"You alright Sam?"
"I've never been better!" Sam said hastily going inside.
"Right..." Merry followed Sam and let the door swing shut behind him. Unaware of what was about to come.
ππππ
Here is another update!
Before I end this chapter I just wanted to let you all know that I'm going to be doing another video for my YouTube channel soon, and it's going to be another Q and A!
So what I want you guys to do is send me questions! They can be about anything as long as it is appropriate and has nothing to do with my personal personal life which is personal.
So ask away my lovely readers! And I'll do my best to answer your questions!
Alright I'm out.