Chapter Text
Pippin cupped his hands and sipped the ent draft. I did the same. It tasted like spring strawberries and summer clouds. We were alone now, together. Just us and a forest of speaking trees. I didn't know trees could speak. I pondered the things that had led to the present. Life used to be so simple when we were back in the Shire, but now all seemed hopeless as the dark shadow was spreading over Middle-earth. Why had Frodo been gifted such pain? Why couldn't we all have gone on living happily at home.
“It tastes like literal candy!” Exclaimed my cousin. I laughed. He was my only constant source of light in turbulent past days. “I'm not even kidding. It's like, super sweet.”
“It reminds me of something elvish.” I confided. “It seems both sad and sweet at the same time.”
“I don't know about the sad part, but it's definitely sweet.” Said Pippin. He was my only remaining friend in those grim times. “Do you think we think we have the same flavor? I didn't check the label but mine kind of tastes like cotton candy and maybe some sort of fruit?”
“Stop ruining the mood, twerp.” Out of what I can only describe as anger, I held Pippin's head down into the water, depleting him of oxygen. “You are incredibly obnoxious. I wish my fate had lain with Frodo or Sam or Aragorn or Legolas or someone actually cool. I'm not going to write about you in my book if you don't shut up.”
Treebeard laughed a good hearty laugh. “Such are the young generations of Middle-earth. Always so hasty and hasteful and quick to haste.”
Treebeard continued to laugh a wise old laugh for the next seventeen seconds as I continued to hold Pippin's head in the ent-draught.
“You were always the loser out of the two of us anyway. Watching over you as a child was such a pain.” Pippin continud to struggle and gurgle. A futile attempt at breaking free like a foolish little boy avoiding a good spanking. Like a little foolish fuck. “You are a useless goofball, and now everyone thinks I'm one too. A fucking dumb idiot who plays pranks and gets into trouble. If it wasn't for you I'd be the handsome one out of the four of us. Ever since I saw Legolas eyeing Frodo like that I knew I had no chance. He probably sees me as just one of the little funny twins who go around pilfering and playing truant.”
Pippin managed to topple over the bowl. He fell to the floor gasping for air. “Sorry, couldn't hear what you said. I was, like, drowning. It was really weird.” He said, a few minutes later, after he caught his breath.
“I can't understand how you managed to almost drown yourself in that tiny little bowl. It's a good thing for you that I managed to pull you out in time, or it could have gone badly for you. That's why you'll always need me, Pippin. To get you out of trouble. I am like a kind, watchful brother to you.”
“Yeah, Merry. You're the best. I really almost drowned there!”
“Well Pippin, I must tell you that it would be a great task to find another friend just like Merry in the entirety of Middle-earth.” Boomed Treebeard, still laughing.
“Library Tree, you're so smart.” Laughed Pippin. “I really am very lucky to have a friend like Merry.” Pippin embraced me in his arms, his green eyes gleamed. I smiled grimly.
‘I love dragonflies!’ Said Pippin, with a smile. Then he saw one. ‘Oh! A dragonfly!’ He pranced away after it, tripping over on a vine as he went out of sight.
‘Pippin seems alright. I think you’re too hard on the boy. The kiddo.’ Said Treebeard.
‘Yeah, he may seem like a prick but I know he’s a good person. I have nothing against him, in fact I practically raised him back in the Shire. His parents showered him with gifts and rich foods. They gave him everything he wanted except their time. You can be wealthy and still grow up neglected. It isn’t all fun and games being wealthy. Wealth.’
‘Wealth.’ Sighed Treebeard.
‘Do you have a jar I’m trying to catch this dragonfly!’ Called Pippin.
‘Treebeard, do we have a jar?’ Asked Merry.
‘Yes, I have one right here little ones.’ Treebeard took out his jar. ‘But it might be lonely in a jar all by itself.’
‘What about me?’ Said Pippin, ‘I’m here.’
‘Hold on,’ I said, taking the jar from Pippin’s hands and gathering soil for turf and branches and acorns and leaves. I even neatly placed a pinecone in the jar, and fluffed it up with some kind of leaves. It shimmered brightly like a neat terrarium.
‘Well, it’s used to being free in the forest.’ Said Treebard to Pippin ‘A wild animal feels lonesome in sterile captivity. And he may have friends already. Imagine if someone took you away from your home and put you in a little glass jar and carried you far away to isengard.’
‘Oh, I guess that would make me pretty sad.’ Said Pippin, looking down at the struggling dragonfly still caged in his small hands. Buzz Buzz.
‘Alright! Here look!’ I said in amazement. I presented him with the object of his desire. ‘I put a bit of the forest in, so he can always be wild and true. Look, it even has a little acorn!’
‘W-wait, Merry!’ Said Pippin. ‘I’m reconsidering my actions. I think it’d be better to let him go free and stay at his home. I don’t want him to be sad.’ Pippin let the dragon fly go.
‘Oh come on Pippin.’ I said. ‘I served your request and more.’ I had been critical of him at first, but now I was invested in his efforts. I grabbed the dragonfly from the air again and I led it into its new home.
It was confused but wandered in reluctantly. Pippin grabbed it from me.
‘Oh! He does like it! He’s so cute!’ He croons.
The dragonfly fluttered from wall to wall, before landing on the tuft. It spasmed in some sort of seizure before falling limp as it made contact.
Pippin exerted some sort of breathless silence before breaking into ugly weeping.
‘What happened?’ I asked.
‘... It’s dead. I-it’s DEAD- I… killed it!’ He sobbed.
‘It couldn’t have died so soon. A small dragonfly wouldn’t run out of breath in a jar like that.’ I reasoned. ‘Insects don’t suffocate so easily. Not like that. Let me take a look.’ I grab the jar from Pippin.
‘It’s stinging nettle. You put stinging nettle in the jar.’ Said Pippin.
‘Now that you mention it, my hands do blister somewhat and itch.’ I said. ‘Wow Pippin, this was a big mistake.’
Pippin didn’t respond to me, so I continued my verbal intercourse with Treebeard the wise.
‘Yeah, it’s pretty musty but how is life in Fangorn?’
‘Well, it isn’t often we come across a dragonfly like that. Usually it’s centipedes and birds.’
‘But such isn’t life, only an observation.’ I said. ‘ I asked, how is life in Fangorm? Do you meet any Treebeards of the feminine persuasion?’
Treebeard. I thought. What would be the female counterpart of that name? I chuckled.
‘I already told you’ Snapped Treebeard, ‘we do not know the fate of the Entwives.’
‘Did you have an entwife?’
‘You know nothing of life in Fangorn.’
‘Let’s cool down.’ I said. ‘You seem like you have a lot of intense emotions, I was simply trying to make small talk. I never thought such anguish was characteristic of your kind.’
‘I am not a tree, I am an ent.’
‘So you’re some kind of maia?’
‘Maia? Mm. no. I am simply an ent.’
‘Nothing in my research has led me to believe in such beings other than dwarf, elf, man, or ainu. Something strange is afoot.’
‘Hmm, what are you then? You don’t seem like any of those things yourself.’
‘Hobbits are but an offshoot of Mankind, probably splitting off around the time of the younger race’s dwelling at Cuivenen. Though our pointed ears may superficially resemble the leaf-shaped ears of the Eldar, this is simply convergent evolution. Hobbits’ small stature may be the result of insular dwarfism, or simply partner selection for small size due to cultural trends. It is known that we split off far before the Druedain, so we may be considered a kind of our own if “Man” were to be redefined as only including Men that aren’t Hobbits. But I have rambled for far too long- all is to say that it is curious you do not know such about yourself.’
That night as we laid in bed I thought of the Fellowship and deeply considered Legolas the fair. I wondered when they would return.