[Manardariel]

Pearl strolled down The Hill from Bag End. She caught some looks at the little ones, all terribly exited about what was going to come. She was considering what to do next- mybe she could have a peep in the Green Dragon, but she´d have to change, wash and refresh her make-up first... and she wasn´t in the mood for ale and party. That was so rare she worried herself a bit.

"Pearl" she said firmly to herself. "Don´t pull yourself down, ok? It´s not that bad, travelling around the Shire in summertime..." And then she had one of her rather brilliant, absoloutly Pearlish ideas.

She turned around and sped back to Bag End.
"Uncle Bilbo! It´s me, Pearl. I´ve got to ask you something." The door opened.
"Pearly- dear girl what´s the matter with you?" Bilbo smiled at her in suprise.

"Uncle Bilbo, I need to ask you something. For this suprise-thingy, do you think Caro and Vivi could come along? Please?"

Bilbo looked at her apologeticly. He didn´t even have to say something. Just the way his eyes met hers, she knew what he was going to say. And, sure enough, her request-her only chance to have some fun in the summer!- was denied.

Pearl stared at him. She couldn´t belive it. She didn´t know what to say. "But... but Uncle Bilbo... but..."

In an obvious attempt to comfort her, he patted her arm, telling her not to worry. A hobbitlass her age would be joining them.

"Who, Bilbo?", she asked, hopefully.

"Crystal Gold."

Pearl stared even more. Crystal Gold? He couldn´t be serious.

"Bilbo. Tell me you´re kidding. Not Crystal Gold, please, no."

He stared at her in suprisement. Poor old Bilbo. He didn´t understand it, did he? He really had thought she would be happy about his idea. But how could she? She and Crystal forced to be around each other for at least two weeks, that would end in a massaker!

"Oh Bilbo. Thank you for trying, but... oh whatever. You wouldn´t understand."

And off she was. She sped down, to the marketplace, where she sat down, trying to concentrate. Her realationship with Crystal Gold, a year older, was extremly difficult. It had always been. The two girls were like night and day, like fire and water. They couldn´t be in the same room without having a constant fight going on.

And yet, at the same time, Bilbo was right. They were friends. Next to Vivi, Caro and Narcissa, Pearl considered Crystal one of her closest friends. They would annoy each other constantly, just for the heck of it. They would start completly pointless discussions about anything. They would shout at each other and hit and punch and then- two minutes later- would embrace again, like nothing had happened.

Pearl grinned, she felt better. With Crystal on the road, things couldn´t get boring and maybe they wouldn´t even get bad.

[ January 11, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]

[ January 12, 2003: Message edited by: Manardariel ]

[ January 12, 2003: Message edited by: Manardariel ]