*****WARNING CHARACTER DEATH*****WARNING CHARACTER DEATH*****

Jana asked, “What is the most unusual and most difficult
Pippin-plot-bunny you can think of?”

Celeritas came up with. “Currently the best I've got is an AU in which
Pippin /kills/ Merry (not Ring!possessed Merry, and not a mercy
killing) but neither of them break character.”

Sorry about the italics, I can't get it to change.

***********************

A Stone’s Throw

“It really is getting unbearable, Merry.”

Merry chuckled. “Oh come now, Pippin. It is just a bit of teasing
and you know it.”

“More than a bit.”

The two cousins were just inside the woods to the north of Brandy
Hall. Pippin had insisted they needed to talk away from anyone else’s
prying eyes or ears.

“All right.” Merry rolled his eyes. “Some teasing. A fair amount of
teasing. Whatever you like. But whatever you decide, it is only
teasing after all.”

A strange sound came from his younger cousin’s throat as the muscles
in his jaws clenched, unclenched and clenched again.

“Teasing. Mean, insulting teasing, Meriadoc, and I’m done with acting
as though it is all just fun. I’m done with it altogether. I mean to
have it out with you.” Pippin wasn’t really feeling as strong as he
was trying to sound.

Merry did well at holding in the explosive laugh that wanted so badly
to leap forth from his mouth. Whatever was the little ass thinking?

“Have it out with me? Explain that to me, Peregrin.”

“A fight, or a contest of some sort that when I win you shall promise
to quit insulting, mocking, teasing and humiliating me in front of
everyone.”

“When you win.” Merry’s tone was unconvinced. “What could we
possibly do that you could win? Wrestle? Fisticuffs? I don’t even
think you could beat me at spitting, Pippin.” He looked down his nose
at his insolent cousin.

Pippin was seething now. He knew Merry was right there were very few
things he could best him at. But there was one he felt he stood a
chance with.

“Rock throwing.” Pippin said between his clenched teeth.

Merry’s left eyebrow rose. “Rock throwing.” He paused to consider
it. “Fair enough. Let’s go.”

They walked off toward a small clearing further into the woods where
there was a log often used to set up targets on. It made a good range
for either archery or throwing. Merry and Pippin both saw to setting
up the straw-stuffed blocks that were left there for just that purpose
then each one set about collecting his stones.

Pippin calmly gave his cousin first throws. “You may have the honor,”

Biting his lower lip in concentration, Merry quickly felled eight of
the ten targets.

“Good luck beating that, Pip-squeak,” he gloated as he walked over to
set the targets up for Pippin’s turn, as courtesy demanded.

Pippin fidgeted as Merry completed the task then turned to walk back
to the throwing line. He never made it back. Pippin’s throw was fast
and on target, hitting Merry squarely between the eyes. The older lad
slipped gracefully to the ground.

“I win.” Pippin whispered, then turned and walked away. It had gone
as he hoped. He had put Merry in his place, at least a little, and
now his cousin would have to quit harassing him. Pippin smiled up at
the sun shining through the leaves. Soon, everything would be good
again. Merry was always telling him he needed to stand up for himself.

Everyone was surprised when Merry didn’t show up for afternoon tea.
Pippin was asked if he had seen Merry; weren’t they usually together?
But it was well known that Pippin had gone off to his room and
slammed his door earlier that day after some of the older lads had
been teasing him. They had been teasing him with a rhyme that Merry
had made up, but that was forgotten. In fact, the grownups had found
young Peregrin in his room yet, having his tea upon a tray. The lad
had gone pale at the question and seemed genuinely surprised at
Merry’s absence, but it made sense that he had no idea where his
cousin was.

The adults left the room. Pippin was drenched with sweat. What did
this mean? Had he hurt Merry seriously? He hadn’t meant to. Just
hurt him a little. Stun him a bit perhaps. He had been a little
surprised that Merry hadn’t caught up to him as he snuck back into the
Hall. If he was hurt badly, how could he admit to it all? Why had he
not run for help when he saw Merry was unconscious? He would be in
more trouble than he had ever been in in his entire life.

Or . . .

Pippin’s eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. Merry was doing this on
purpose! He was larking about somewhere just waiting to be missed,
then he could show up with a lovely goose egg on his forehead and
triumphantly point the finger at Pippin. Oh, how he would gloat over
the lecture and punishment they would give him!

“No,” Pippin muttered. “They already think I’ve been in here all day.
They all just said as much. Let Merry try to prove otherwise when he
shows up. We’ll work it out between us later.”

When Meriadoc did not show up for dinner, searchers were sent
throughout the Hall and the grounds. It was then that the body of the
Master’s son was discovered at the target range. Someone else must
have been there. The targets were all set up and ready and it was
obvious Merry had been struck with a stone, but there were no
witnesses and no one confessed to the accident.

The poor Took lad was beside himself with grief; after all, Merry was
his best friend. It was to be expected that he would be devastated.
Pippin was never quite the same after the accident.

For surely, it was an accident; no hobbit would have thrown a rock at
the Master’s son intentionally.

Would they?