Extra Company

Chapter 1

It was a warm morning, the sun finally rising over the horizon, stretching its golden rays across the small village full of hobbits. "I don't understand how beings so small could ... survive in this environment." I say as I follow Gandalf down the road.

"Hobbits mostly stay in their shire, their home. Hardly ever going out. In fact they have a distaste in adventures." Gandalf informed, nodding to a hobbit working on his farm who waved at him in response.

I look over at Gandalf confused, "Then why are we here?"

"I believe there is one hobbit here that wouldn't mind an adventure." Gandalf said with a smirk as he walked up to one hobbit hole. Outside sat a hobbit with curly brown hair smoking pot. The hobbit blew a perfect ring, closing his eyes as if to bathe in the morning sun's light. Gandalf waved his staff turning the smoke ring into that of a butterfly.

The butterfly flutters around for a moment before crashing into the hobbit's face, causing him to cough and snap open his eyes. That's when the hobbit noticed us, he seemed confused for a moment before smiling, "Good morning." He greeted with a small nod, before putting his pipe back into his mouth for a bit.

Gandalf leaned onto his staff before talking, "What do you mean?" Gandalf questioned, confusing the poor hobbit. "Do you wish me goodmorning or ... do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean to say that you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating that this is a morning to be good on? Hm?" Gandalf looked at the Hobbit expectantly, waiting for an answer.

The hobbit looked at Gandalf confused, taking the pipe out of his mouth and thinking over his answer. "All of them ... at once I suppose." The small hobbit finally answered.

Gandalf hummed in response, seeming to think. All I could do was watch in amusement at the twos exchange, a smile forming on my face.

The hobbit thought for another moment before asking, "Can I help you?"

Gandalf adjusted his stance saying, "That remains to be seen. I'm looking for someone to share an adventure with."

"An adventure?" The hobbit questioned, sounding as if it was one of the most ridiculous things he has ever heard. "No, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures." The hobbit said, gesturing as he spoke, pointing his pipe to the right of him.

He then stood up from his spot on the bench, walking over to his mailbox, opening it and collecting the contents out of it while saying, "Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things." He said in distaste, shaking his head slightly. "Making you late for dinner." He joked, cuckling a bit, as if an adventure would last just a few hours.

The hobbit begins to fiddle with his pipe in his mouth, pretending to be more interested in his mail to avoid the conversation. I couldn't help but let out a little giggle of amusement, hobbits are very interesting in my perspective so far.

He glanced over at me for a moment before looking back at Gandalf, finally taking out his pipe and beginning to climb up the stairs towards his door. He stopped midway turning to us, giving us the same small nod he did earlier, "Good morning."

Gandalf seemed a bit agitated, taking a few steps to the side so he could be in front of the small hobbit's view saying, "To think I should have lived to be 'good morninged' by Belladonna Tooks son as if I were selling buttons at the door."

The hobbit leaned a bit forwards looking at Gandalf confused, "I beg your pardon?"

"You've changed, and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins." Gandalf continued, gesturing to the small hobbit with his staff. Ah so that's his name, how interesting.