Bagginshield Fanfics

One Step At A Time

Credit to Fantasyinallforms

Pt.3 of AMUDP

     Knowing you need a plan, having a plan, and executing a plan are three very different things. For the sake of his sanity, he decided to approach this one step at a time. He decided to tackle the comparatively easy task first. He needed a costume and a mask. Bilbo wasn't the best in the handy art of sewing, but he could get by in a pinch. This definitely qualified as a pinch, but he didn't have the time to stitch something together. He would need to find something suitable in the time he had. The flier had said that his clothing had to pay tribute to Aulë and Yavanna. He briefly entertained the idea of going as a particularly bejeweled potted plant but laughed the notion away.

If not a plant, then perhaps an animal? It would be the easiest to create and decorate. The idea brought up memories of the time spent on the road with Gandalf. They had stopped to stay with a friend of his named Beorn. A man big enough that he made even Gandalf look small. Despite his size, Bilbo found him to be pleasant and good company. He had even garnered a nickname in his short time. Little bunny. Bilbo wasn't fond of it at the time, especially with the explanation that he gained it due to his unconscious affinity for twitching his nose when he was thinking or uncomfortable. By the end of their stay, it had grown on him just enough to be worth remembering.

A bunny it is, then, he thought. He would just need to figure out how to make sure it paid tribute to Aulë, too. One step at a time. He spent the evening hunched over a sketchbook, trying to piece out an outfit that would look good enough to let him mingle among dwarves unnoticed. He would be limited to what he could find, but this would give him an idea, at least. He thought of the dwarves in Bree and of the ones he met the other night. Dwarves did seem to be fond of layers, so he started there. Over the simple linen shirt, he drew a dark green tunic with long cuffed sleeves and a slightly open front. Next were gloves to hide how small his hands were, and he added fur to the collar and cuffs to better show off the bunny aspect of the ensemble. He looked at it from a few angles and was happy with it thus far. Though it still seemed to be missing something he couldn't put his finger on. He resolved to let his mind chew it over as he drew accessories like a good size belt dwarves were often fond of and....boots. He looked down at his bare, fuzzy toes. They would give him away instantly, but the idea of covering his feet entirely made him shiver. One step at a time.

The fur was easy enough to find from a tanner, and Mrs. Harper was willing to lend him the needle and thread he would need to put all of this together. The rest was going to be more difficult. Bilbo checked three tailor shops looking for dwarven clothing. Despite living so close to the mountain, they had none. Dwarves, as he should have guessed, purchased fabric from Dale but made their clothing themselves, and the men of Dale seemed indifferent to their neighbor's styles. At about a quarter past three, Bilbo gave up looking. He bought a cornish pastry from a cart and climbed to the very top of some stacked barrels that gave him a view of the area. Dale was quite beautiful from higher up. It was washed with reds and sandy browns.

"Hey, you!" Someone called from nearby. Bilbo didn't respond as he didn't think anyone was speaking to him. "I said hey you! Halfling with the pasty!" Well, now he knew he was being addressed. And rather rudely, too. He looked down and was surprised to see it was a dwarf that was addressing him.

"Hobbit," Bilbo shouted polity. The dwarf cocked his head.

"Is that your name or something?" He shouted back.

"No, it's what I am. I'm not a halfling; I'm a hobbit!" Bilbo replied. The dwarf didn't look amused. Bilbo could see the little vein on his forehead popping.

"Well, get your hobbit backside off my damn merchandise." The dwarf grumbled. Bilbo scampered down only to realize that he had not been perched on the tallest barrel stacked against the building as he thought but on a merchant's cart. His eyes scanned the cart and rested on a small basket with a bundle of clothing in it.