Title: Merin
Author: Meli aka Dreamiflame
Rating: PG
Note: This fic takes place in the pgy universe, but has a couple of characters from the Middle Earth Sock Puppet Theater. If you're not familiar with MESPT, you're probably not going to get as much out of this. merin is one of the puppets I play in MESPT. He really is a dragbit. elanorgamgee was kind enough to allow herself to be involved in this silliness. I blame Miss Mary, monkeycrackmary, who told Merin he was welcome in her world anytime.

This is unbetaed. I didn't want to try to turn Molly-lark's head inside out.

It was a bright sunny day when Meli Took found the little creature. She, Molly, Daisy and Sammie were being watched by Lila Proudfoot, which meant in actual terms that the four hobbit children were doing their best to tire Lila out before she could do the same to them. Lila was a good sport though, and still young enough to keep up with whatever the troublemakers came up with.

At present, they were playing tag-and-go-seek. Lila was it, and the four children had scattered to try to find hiding spots and not get tagged. Meli and Molly ran in opposite directions while Sammy ran in a third and Lila chased Daisy. Meli ducked under the hedge and into a thicket, where she came face to face with the most unique creature she'd ever seen.

She screamed before she could stop herself, and the strange thing screamed back and started crying. Meli clapped her hands over her mouth and stared for a moment, then approached the little guy cautiously.

He had dark curly hair, and he was small, though the wings made him seem bigger than he was. He had yellow eyes, and tiny fangs, set in a hobbit toddler's face. Large black and green wings rose behind him, but his arms and upper body were hobbit. His lower half was that of a very small dragon, complete with a foot long tail. He was still crying, and to Meli he sounded very young, so she moved a little bit closer and touched his shoulder. "Um, hello? Are you ok?"

The creature hiccuped and a small tongue of flame shot out. Meli jumped back in surprise, then made shushing noises as the little creature seemed like he was about to start crying again. "Shh, it's ok, you just startled me." Meli held out her hands and smiled at the little crossbreed. "I'm Meli Took. Who're you?"

The underbrush crashed, and the creature jumped into Meli's arms as Lila burst into the clearing. "Meli, what happened? I heard screaming." She spotted the little dragbit and stared. "What's that?"

Meli, who had caught the little guy more by habit than by intent, shrugged, and gave him a hug. "I don't know yet, Lila. I just met him. I sort of scared him, and he scared me, so we both screamed." She looked at her burden. "Do you have a name?"

The dragbit nodded and smiled. "Me Merin. Who she?" He pointed at Lila, and Meli smiled back.

"That's Lila. She's our babysitter for today. I say 'our' because she's watching Sammie and Daisy and Molly, too. You'll like them. Now, where are you from? Where are your parents? Who are your parents?"

Merin looked horribly confused and rested his head on Meli's shoulder. "They not here. Pasire is at home with Bilbo 'n Pamum. Padam is gone."

Meli shook her head and looked up at Lila. "We should take him back to Bag End, right? I wanna ask my Ma if I can keep him."

A snort, and Merin poked her shoulder indignantly. "I not a pet. I a little boy." He tilted his head to the side and sniffed the air. "More coming," he informed them, and wrapped his tail around Meli's waist, furling his wings behind him.

Molly slid into the clearing and looked at Meli. Her eyes widened at the sight of Merin. "Who's that?" Sammie tumbled into the clearing behind her and knocked her over, then Daisy fell into both of them. Lila clicked her tongue and helped the three children up.

Meli shifted Merin on her hip and motioned to the others. "This is Merin, everybody. That's Sammie, " she pointed to him, "or Crow, and that's his sister, Daisy, who we call Canary sometimes," Daisy waved obligingly, "and that's my cousin Molly, called Lark." Molly stepped forward and extended her hand to Merin. Merin sniffed at it for a moment, then shook it and smiled.

"You forgot your other name, little Sparrow," Lila laughed, ruffling Meli's curls. Meli stuck her tongue out at Lila and turned to find a better exit out of the clearing.

Merin tugged on a lock of her hair, his little forehead crinkled in thought. "You all birds? Can you fly?"

Sammie reached out a hand to touch one of Merin's wings, then paused. "May I?" he asked, and Merin nodded. Gently, Sammie ran a finger down the ridges of Merin's wings, enrapted by the bones beneath the thin skin. "We're not birds," he answered Merin absently. "My older sister Goldie made up a song for us four when we were young, and so we use the names she gave us. Can you fly?"

Daisy, having obtained permission, lightly traced the pattern of scales on Merin's tail. "I think he's too little, right?" Merin nodded, looking sad. "His wings aren't big enough."

Molly was inspecting Merin's eyes and hands. Meli was the only one to see the look of panic flash on Merin's face, and she abruptly stepped forward, turning so that her body was between her friends and the little visitor. "Lila, should we go back now?" she asked, ignoring Daisy's pout. Merin clutched her shoulders and nuzzled his head into her shoulder. His sigh of relief stirred the wispy curls at her neck, and Meli shivered.

Lila nodded, and began herding the quartet and Meli's burden back to Bag End. "I think so, my dears. Your parents will want to meet Merin, I think. And you said you had parents, right Merin?" A nod, and Lila continued. "So we should probably let Mayor Sam know so he can send people to find them."

Obediently, the children started back, Meli and Merin in the lead. Still very curious about their guest, Molly, Daisy and Sammie were right on her heels, and Lila shook her head. "And to think, I normally have to drag you all kicking and screaming back to Bag End."

Merin wrapped himself tighter around Meli and sighed. "I not where I s'posed to be. Everything smells different."

"What do you mean, everything smells different?" Molly looked carefully at Merin's nose. "Your nose doesn't look any bigger than the rest of ours."

"I half dragon," Merin said quietly. "Padam can smell good in human form, too."

"That explains the wings," Sammie said. Daisy nodded.

"And the tail!"

Lila shook her head. "I never heard of a dragon that could turn into a human. And even so, did you call them both 'pa'?" Merin nodded. "Two men can't have a baby!"

"Why not?" Molly looked very indignant about Lila's declaration, and Lila, knowing well the type of argument that would ensue, tried quickly to soothe Lark's ruffled feathers.

"To have a baby, the mummy needs the daddy to share his seed with her. The daddy can share his seed with another man, but men don't have a growing place for babies."

Molly crossed her arms defiantly. "Well, that's silly."

Meli nodded. "I think it's silly that people talk about Uncle Sam and Uncle Frodo and call them unnatural."

Sammie frowned. "I hate it when they talk like that. I saw two wolves together once, and they were both male."

Daisy hit his shoulder. "How do you know? They could have been a girl wolf and a boy wolf."

Rubbing his shoulder, Sammie stuck out his tongue. "I just know."

"The Dark Man made Padam have me," Merin said. All eyes turned to him.

"The Dark Man?" Meli frowned. "What dark man?"

Merin screwed up his face, trying to recall. "He called... Morgoth. Or Melkieor. Padam and Pasire no like him very much."

"Morgoth?" Meli looked thoughtful. "There's something about someone with that name in one of Uncle Frodo's books. I think. The big one, the one he's translating."

"What's that one called again?" Daisy scrunched up her forehead, thinking hard.

Sammie shrugged. "Don't remember. But it's heavy and thick, and what little bit I read was hard to understand."

Molly clapped her hands. "I know! It's about those stones. The Similirion, or something."

"Silmarillion!" Meli exclaimed. "Yes, now I remember. Morgoth was the first Dark Lord. The one Uncle Fro and Uncle Sam defeated was one of his servants."

Lila shuddered. "That's all well and good, but that still doesn't explain him. Where would a hobbit and a dragon meet a Dark Lord?"

Merin blinked at being the center of attention again, and shook his head. "I no know. There lots of gods where I from."

"Lots of gods?" five voices repeated him at once. Merin giggled, then nodded.

"Weird," Meli proclaimed, then they were in sight of Bag End, and Molly, Sammie and Daisy ran ahead, shouting for their parents. Lila sighed longsufferingly.

"You know the way, right?" Meli rolled her eyes. "I'm just asking." Picking up her skirts, Lila began running as well, trying to keep up with the others.

Merin looked around them in interest as Meli made her way up the road. "You garden nice," he told her.

"Oh, that's not my garden," she told him, laughing. "I live in Tookland with my family. And Molly lives at Brandy Hall with hers. One day, we'll live together. We promised." She nodded firmly.

"Oh," Merin said, and then they were surrounded, adults all peering closely at Merin and talking at once. Even Meli, who knew and loved all of them, felt penned in, and looked eagerly for an escape. Her pleading gaze caught Frodo's, and he stepped forward, raising his hand for silence.

"Hello, Meli-lass," he said, once it was quiet.

Meli shifted Merin to her other hip and smiled. "Hello, Uncle Frodo. This is Merin."

"Hello Merin," Frodo said gravely, and offered his hand to the dragbit.

Merin took his hand gently and shook it, then wrapped his arms tightly around Meli's shoulders again. "Hello, Mr. Frodo. I like your garden."

Frodo smiled. "I like it too, but Sam won't let me do much in it. He's afraid I'll make everything wither and die."

"Begging pardon, Frodo, but I said no such thing." Sam crossed his arms. At his elbow, Frodo-lad laughed.

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Rosie stepped forward. "Merin, dear, I'm Rosie. And this is Elanor." Merin squeaked, then covered his mouth. Undaunted, Rosie went on. "This is Pippin, Meli's father, and Diamond, Meli's mother, and Merry and Estella, Molly's parents. And this is my Merry." Merin squeaked again.

"What is it?" Meli touched his shoulder in concern, and Merin buried his face in her neck.

"That my pasire. 'N my Ant Elly. 'N Stel, my friend, only she was small last time I see her."

Meli blinked. "Merry's your father?!"

Merry Gardner and Merry Brandybuck jumped, then looked at each other. "Which of us are you talking to?"

"Merry-lad, Uncle Merry." Merry-lad looked very confused.

Merin shook his head against her shoulder. "Not him. Don't smell right. But he the same person, only in your world."

Stunned, Meli almost dropped Merin. He squeaked in terror and clutched at her, letting go only when Estella stepped forward and caught him. Meli clapped her hands over her mouth, eyes huge. "Sorry."

Estella smiled at Merin and stroked his hair. He relaxed with a sigh and closed his eyes as he lay his head on her shoulder. "It's all right, Meli-lass. Now, I think you both have had quite enough excitement for one day. Tea and scones are in the kitchen, alright?" Meli nodded eagerly and hurried off. Estella looked around at the others and clicked her tongue. "You all look like vultures, hovering around. The poor little guy's exhausted." Merin nodded against her neck. "Are you hungry, Merin?"

"Rabbit?" Merin asked hopefully.

Frodo's mouth twisted slightly and he glanced at Sam. "We'll see what we have, alright?" Merin nodded and closed his eyes. Stella stroked his hair as she carried him inside where Molly had fixed him a cup of tea with lots of sugar and milk and Meli had set aside a scone for him. Merin ate eagerly, then blinked sleepily and lay his head against Daisy's arm. Daisy patted his head gently and yawned.

"Sounds like you all need naps," Lila said to the groans of the four young hobbits. Meli shook her head sleepily.

"Not tired," she murmured, and Pippin, laughing, scooped his daughter up.

"Sleep now, little Sparrow," he ordered, and carried her into the guest room. She snuggled happily into the pillow and kissed her father on the cheek. Molly curled up next her, an arm around her waist, and Merin was placed in front of Meli. Meli tugged him back towards her and held him close, resting her chin on his head and the three slept. Daisy and Sammie each were placed in their own beds and for a short while, all was quiet.

A knock on the door sometime later came as a surprise. Sam held up a hand and made his way to the door. He opened it to find a young hobbit with short red hair standing there. "Hi. I'm... well, I'm Elanor Gamgee, and I believe you have my nephew."

Sam stared. Rosie elbowed her husband and motioned the girl inside. "Hello, Elanor. I'm Rosie-"

Elanor laughed. "Oh, I know. You look like my mom. My nephew, he's not a normal hobbit."

"You're here for Merin?" Meli's voice sounded very small, and she rubbed her eyes sleepily. Molly took one of her hands and squeezed it.

Elanor nodded. "Yes. Somehow, he fell through a hole in our world and landed in yours. That sort of thing happens a lot where we come from. But his father and step father are missing him, so he really needs to come home."

There was a yelp, and Merin scampered over to hug Elanor's legs. "Ant Elly! You came 'n found me!"

Elanor picked him up and hugged him. "Of course I did, sweetie. Did you think I wouldn't?"

Merin shook his head and hugged his aunt tightly. "No, I knewed you'd come get me. I want you to meet my friends!" He wriggled, and Elanor let him down and allowed herself be dragged over to the two girls. "This is Meli-sparrow, and Molly-lark." Sammie and Daisy came up to the others and Merin pointed at them, too. "'N that's Daisy-canary and Sammie-crow. They birds."

Elanor nodded and smiled. "Nice to meet you all."

"Hi," Sammie whispered for all of them. The four children stood close together, looking from one Elanor to the other.

"Excuse, miss Elanor?" Meli stepped forward a bit and smiled shyly.

The Elanor from Merin's world picked him up again and smiled at Meli. "Yes... Meli?"

Meli nodded. "If Merin fell through a hole, how did you get here?"

Merin nuzzled his aunt's neck and wrapped his tail loosely around her waist. Elanor rubbed his back and looked thoughtful. "Well, I got here because I can move from realm to realm easily using my Maia powers."

"What's a Maia?" Molly stepped up beside Meli, who took her cousin's hand.

"A Maia a baby god," Merin said with a nod. "Pamum told me that."

"Oh," Molly said faintly.

Sammie screwed up his courage and came closer. "It was nice to meet you, Merin." He held out his arms and Merin hugged him, then hugged the rest of them. Meli hugged him last and kissed his forehead.

"You won't forget us?"

Merin shook his head. "No, I promise."

Elanor shifted Merin onto her hip and smiled at everyone. "I'm afraid we really must go. Merry's very worried about his son."

"Of course," Sam said, and opened the door for them. "Would you like something to eat on your trip?"

"No, but thank you," Elanor smiled apologetically. "Dinner is waiting at home." Merin waved over her shoulder as she carried him out, and the Feared Four gathered in the doorway to watch.

The two walked for a bit, then suddenly were gone, and the night was filled with the songs of crickets.

Meli stepped away from the door and looked up at Frodo. "That was a real adventure, right?"

Frodo nodded. "Do you four want to tell me all about it, and we'll make a story of it?"

The yelps of 'yes!' were deafeaning. Frodo was swept along to his study, and the rest of the adult exchanged glances.

"Well," said Rosie, "dinner won't cook itself. Come along, Rose-lass, Elly." Diamond and Estella followed as well, and Sam, Merry and Pippin were left in the hallway.

"That was different," Sam commented.

Pippin laughed. "Life around here always is," he replied, and the three went out to sit in the garden, and smoke. And in his own world, Merin was hugged and kissed, scolded, and sat down for dinner.

Life went on, in its varied ways.

~

Pretty Good Year | email Meli