By: Dana
Summary: The Scouring through Pippin's eyes.
Characters: Pippin (Frodo, Merry, Sam, others)
Pairings: None
Rating: PG
Warnings: Gen, canon violence, the Scouring of the Shire in five easy drabbles!
Author's Notes: Written for my fanfic100 claim - I signed up for Pippin. It has been far too long since I did anything for my claim.
Also, December 3rd was gryffinjack's birthday, and this drabble set is a bit of a belated birthday present for her. (Look - I set out to, and finished something, without undue angst! Obviously, today at least, I win at this writing thing!)
Thanks to dreamflower02 for taking a look at these, and convincing me they were worth posting.
Prompt: Enemies (#22). Words: 500.
24/100.
Series Index: In a Sunless Year.
Disclaimer: The author makes no claim to owning the rights of anything to do with J.R.R. Tolkien or New Line Cinema. Any and all characters and situations that have been borrowed are for the author's personal use only, and for the entertainment of others.

          I.

It is too much for Pippin to bear.

His thoughts go back to the Field of Cormallen, where Frodo and Sam had been honoured by the King himself and all the Men of the West: and rightly so, for all they had both suffered. But here now, this squint-eyed rascal is calling Frodo – Frodo, the Ring-bearer, renowned in the West, Aragorn's own dear friend, and Pippin's own dear cousin! – little cock-a-whoop.

Yes: too much to bear.

Thus, casting back his cloak and flashing out his sword, the silver and sable of Gondor gleams on his chest as Pippin strides forward.

          II.

The Tooks of course would have stood against the ruffians: Pippin, and not just for being a Took himself, wouldn't have expected anything less. He will get in, though, and the Tookland is only a short ride away: 'Anyone coming with me to Tuckborough?'

A half dozen lads offer themselves up all at once, and in short order they are all mounted on ponies and ready to depart: and Pippin promises, he'll bring back an army of Tooks in the morning. Merry blows a horn-call as they ride into the gathering night.

And Pippin isn't one for breaking his word.

          III.

Somehow, Pippin does make it home – he rides all the way to Great Smials, only then realizing how very much he'd missed his father and mother (and even his sisters). He can't stay long, and his father at least does seem to understand: but before he departs, he promises his father and his mother, too, that he will come back. And this time, he won't be gone more than a year.

Still, it does seem very strange, riding off once more: when part of him would rather not have to, and would rather ride back to his parent's waiting arms.

          IV.

He has no doubts, not once they make it back: with an army of Tooks marching at his back, and him knowing that this is not the end. But he keeps his promise, and they are back sooner than expected. How grim it all is, and how quickly Merry lays his plans – Captain Meriadoc, they call him, and with Merry not very used to being called by his full given name. But the men are not used to hobbits who fight back, or hobbits who are sworn knights of Rohan and Gondor.

And somehow, at last it is all over.

          V.

Too much blood on Pippin's sword, too many hobbits dead on the ground: one sad hour, and Pippin's heart aches, knowing there will be others. They will be remembered, those hobbits who fought and fell – he will make certain of it, and would have, even if his father hadn't been Thain. And the day, no matter how long it's been, will be longer – their labours are ordered, but that is not the end. Merry takes Pippin's hand, and Pippin takes strength from that – and then they join Frodo once more, and Sam as well.

No, this is not an end.