Title: Learning New Games
Fandom: LOTR
Author: amber
Beta: Oli and Fiondil
Rating/Type: Gen/G
Characters: Various Elves, Maiar, and Valar
Disclaimer: All main characters belong to Tolkien; I am just borrowing them. Also thanks to Fiondil for allowing me to borrow some of his Maiar characters from his stories (mainly Erunáro and Manveru).
Summary: The elves from Middle-earth invite the Maiar to play a game of soccer with them, with a slight side show.
The invisible Maiar watched from their place at the edge of the field as the Elves ran around playing some game that involved kicking a ball. They had been watching now for several days and thought they had finally figured out the rules, or rather lack of them, to the game.
"We could play that," Erunáro told the others as they watched the ball fly through the air.
"We could, but is it not rather violent?" his brother, Manveru, asked.
"It is no worse than dodging asteroids or comets, and is much less violent than some of the wrestling matches we have engaged in," Fionwë added.
"Are you sure you know all of the rules?" Maranwë asked as he joined his friends. "I have learned that sometimes they don't play by the rules in practice."
"We can always ask," commented Erunáro.
"But will they let us play?" Maranwë finally asked the question none of them wanted to voice.
"They might if you make a promise to incarnate as Elves and play as if you were Elves," Oromë answered from behind as he came up to them. "It would not be a fair contest otherwise."
Looking amongst themselves, they decided that it was worth a try. Despite its violence, the game looked flat out fun. They decided to have Eönwë approach both their Lords and the Elves, and ask.
"Are they still there watching?" Erestor asked Elrond as he passed the ball to Celeborn.
"Yes," came the winded answer. "Oromë just approached them and assured them we might be interested in a game."
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Erestor wanted to know. "They are Maiar you know. They will wipe the floor with us."
"I had Oromë explain that they would have to agree to be fully incarnate with the regular abilities of Elves," Glorfindel explained. "It will take them a few days to answer us but I am sure they will agree. The game intrigues them too much."
"I would have thought they would consider soccer too violent," Haldir added.
"That is one of the aspects that intrigues them," Glorfindel answered. "They consider many of the Elves from Aman too boring in their habits. Have you not noticed that they seem to spend a lot of time with the Elves from Middle-Earth?"
"But I thought they did that to ensure our healing, and to assess our level of tainted ness?" Elrohir said as he stole the ball from Erestor.
"That is only one of the reasons they are among us," Elrond answered as he passed the ball to his eldest son. "They would not have to be here as often if that was the only reason. It is our varied customs and willingness to try different things that interest them. They say we have acquired some of the Secondborn's traits from our long association with them."
"I still don't think they will bite at the challenge though," Celeborn said as he stopped for a breather. "Let's end this for today. I am getting hungry and the ladies said they would make a nice snack for us."
"I'm in," everyone said to the silver-haired Lord's idea as they quit for the day and headed for the kitchens in Elrond's large house.
"So you wish to challenge them and play?" Manwë clarified before the other Valar.
"Yes we do," Eönwë stated.
"You do realize that you will need more players than you have now?" Oromë asked. "The game is played with eleven players a side, plus you will need alternates."
"I could find that many interested in playing but not all would know how," Eönwë conceded.
"I might be able to arrange a little field trip so they could see and learn," Aulë provided. Then he thought to get clearance from Manwë. "With your permission of course, brother."
"I will allow this," the Eldar King decided. It would provide something for his more energetic Maiar to immerse them selves in for a while. "Oromë, if you will approach them and discuss a match?"
"Actually, they have noticed our people's interest, and already have offered to show them the game," the Lord of the Hunt provided. "I think they will agree to a match easily, but they have one stipulation to make the game more equal."
"And what is that?" Námo asked curiously.
"They said that the Maiar who played would have to agree to play fully incarnated as Elves, complete with elven limitations" he provided.
"That is more than fair," Námo answered. "Will your players agree?"
"We have discussed this, and we agree," Eonwe said.
"Then I will set up a date," Oromë said before disappearing. The other Valar gathered together in small groups to talk of various things as they left.
"You think to even the odds a bit?" Námo asked Varda in amusement as he saw her crafty smile.
"You know I do," she answered. "Eönwë can be sneaky if given the chance. He will take all of his players to Middle-earth to learn the more advanced techniques instead of just showing them the game here."
"And you plan on doing the same with the Elves?" Vairë laughed.
"Actually, I am going to do better than that," she answered. "I am going to arrange a few practice sessions while they are there."
The group all laughed. This was shaping up to be one interesting game at this rate.
The match was set for three months time from that day to give everyone time to prepare. Eonwe selected his players and took them on trips to Middle-earth to see how the game was played and to learn the more advanced points just like Varda thought he would. Varda for her part enlisted Tulkas's help and took the Elven team into the future for their training sessions in small groups. A week before the game, she took the whole team together for a final round of training.
"Erestor, will you quit staring at the cheerleaders," Elladan teased. "I am going to tell your wife."
"I just thought of a way to help ensure our victory, or at least provide a good show if they overrun us too badly," he shot back catching the other's attentions. As they gathered around, they all admired the skimpy outfits the mortal girls were wearing.
"You are not thinking what I think you are thinking," Elrond asked as he suddenly saw the devious look on his father-in-law's face.
"Well, Galadriel has claimed recently that she was getting staid," Celeborn said with a twinkle in his eyes. "She claims to have been good and not stirred up any trouble in too long of a time."
"But will she and the others agree to wear something like that?" Glorfindel asked.
"We can only ask," Haldir quipped as he laughed at the idea. "Our people will understand and laugh. It is the Maiar, Valar, and Amanians who will be shocked."
"You would let Nana wear something like that?" Elrohir asked, shocked that his father would consider the idea.
"When you are married, you will understand," was all Elrond would answer. It was Erestor who tried to explain in a different way.
"They would be wearing more clothing than they swim in would they not?" he asked. "And did we not swim in mixed groups in Imladris?"
Still not happy with the situation because it was their mother and grandmother, the twins reluctantly agreed. Celeborn volunteered to make a drawing and garner the women's cooperation. The others wished him luck as they resumed their practice.
Word of the match had leaked out and the area surrounding the field was flooded with people on the day of the match. Many bets were flowing and the mood was very jolly. Olórin and Aiwendil had been pressed into the roles of referees and had been trained accordingly. When they came onto the field in their shirts and shorts, it was to the cat calls and whistles of many who knew them in their different disguises. They just laughed and shook their heads good naturedly. Olórin took it upon him self to give a quick explanation of the game and rules before bringing out both teams.
The Maiar came out first proceeded by their cheerleaders. The female maiar were dressed in tight fitting body suits of silver that enhanced their forms. There was a shocked gasp from the crowd at the way they were dressed but it was soon followed by a bevy of whistles. The Maiar just smiled as they waved to the crowd and escorted their men onto the field.
"You did a nice job on the cheerleader outfits," Manwë joked with Vairë. "Did any protest wearing such?"
"Only Ilmarë who changed her mind upon talking with her brother," she responded in laughter. "The first time I made them, the costume was actually long clingy skirts. She convinced her brother to allow them to wear the body suits instead."
"Why did he protest?" Varda wanted to know.
"Maranwë kept following her around looking at one part of her anatomy too much," Námo supplied. "He hasn't done much work since. I am hoping that the game will wear off some of his excess energy."
"Well, they are espoused," came Varda's smiling reply. "Now, if we could just find a mate for Eönwë…"
Finally, the Elves took the field in their blue and red uniforms. There was some confusion as they did not seem to have cheerleaders when many had heard that there was to be a uniform competition between the girls.
"Was I wrong in assuming that both sides had cheerleaders?" Aulë asked in surprise.
"No," Varda supplied. "They are just timing their entrance differently."
There were confused looks and comments throughout the crowd when Varda's comment made its way down into the stands.
"That is never a good thing when Galadriel is involved," Irmo commented to the others. They all laughed in agreement.
Suddenly a shocked gasp went through the crowd, followed by a moment of complete silence. Then whistles and cheers erupted from where most of the Middle-earth elves were sitting. Onto the field had come the elven cheerleaders. They were dressed in short blue skirts that only extended from their hips to the bottom of their rear ends. Their red and blue striped tops consisted of a strip of matching material covering their breasts and held in place with thin straps around the back. They wore sturdy black and white leather shoes over ankle hose that matched their clothes.
"Wow," was all that was heard from the Ainur section of the stands.
"Let me guess who designed the outfits?" Manwë muttered with a rueful smile on his lips. That brought laughter from all of them.
After the excitement had died down the game began. It started congenially enough but as it progressed, the game became rougher. Both teams took the game seriously as they ran the ball up and down the field with no score from either side. Penalties and fouls piled up against both teams requiring substitutes but still the game remained scoreless. There were many spectacular passes and plays but the goalies always prevented the score. Many who had seen the game before began to cheer at the quality and play of the game itself. Finally, Elrond managed to fire the ball into the net after bouncing it off the side of Eönwë's head.
The Amanian elves were shocked by the violence and that the Maiar would participate in something like this. King Ingwë took stock of the Valar's reactions and understood that a lesson in tolerance was being taught here. Nodding his understanding to Manwë when he caught his eye, he returned to watch the game and cheerleaders some more. He chuckled when he saw that the Maia who had the ball had become distracted by the elven cheerleaders and the rather questionable moves they were making. That had happened several times now. He began to wonder if that in itself would cause problems later as he realized that all but two of the cheerleaders were married.
"We need to do something," Maranwë gasped out as they huddled during a time out. This game was taking more out of them than they thought it would. "We are losing and are almost out of time."
"Did you really think we would win?" came Eönwë's panting question. "I heard Varda took their team for lessons like Aulë did some of ours."
Everyone nodded as they realized what had been done by the queen and that they would probably not win the game no matter what they did.
"So, is anyone up to having a little fun?" Eönwë asked in the little remaining time left. At the nods, he laid out his plan.
"Who do you plan to pick?" Maranwë asked as he hesitated.
"Celebrían of course," came the laughing answer.
"Are you nuts, most of the team will come after you including Glorfindel," Erunáro exclaimed.
"Yeah, but that is the whole idea, and they won't catch me. You just put the ball in the net to even the score soon after I grab her, before the refs blow their whistles," Eönwë said as they broke the huddle.
"Your herald is up to something," Námo told Manwë as the teams resumed play.
"Yes, but he won't hurt anyone, he knows better," Manwë said. Suddenly Eönwë ran towards the sidelines, grabbed Celebrían, and kissed her soundly on the lips. "I wonder if our team will remember to score instead of watching what happens," he added with a chuckle.
The Elves quickly changed direction from chasing the ball to chasing Eönwë as he picked up Celebrían and started running. Chaos erupted when Erestor picked up the ball instead of kicking it away from Maranwë. Taking careful aim, he threw it at Eönwë's legs tripping him up. Eönwë in turn threw Celebrían into Olórin's nearby arms, laughing as he went down under a pile of Elves.
Manwë called the game after a few minutes and declared the Elves the winners. There was much laughter when the Elves let Eönwë up after taking his clothes. Smiles abounded between the two teams as they came together to shake hands afterwards.
"You guys can come play with us anytime you want," Elrond told them as they all picnicked together afterwards. "I am sure we would enjoy the challenge."
"I think the Maiar would enjoy more interaction with your people, and maybe the stray Amanian," Eönwë said as he took a glass of wine from Galadriel while Elrond placed a cold compress on his eye. "And I promise no more wife stealing. The interaction helps us understand you better and is enjoyable. Who knows, some of you might like some of our pastimes also. We will have to see."