Tsunade walks out of the shade and up to Galadriel, knowing that the jig is up.
"Yeah, I did," Tsunade sighed.
"And you would've only made me sleep." As Galadriel turns to her.
"Yeah, I would've." Her tone of humorous thoughtfulness. "But then there would've been an uproar throughout the place. Look," as Tsunade suddenly turns serious, "I'm gonna get to the point: you shared with me that thought you had with Frodo-san . . . And If he is going to be a problem, I may have to-"
"He's not Sasuke."
Tsunade cannot help but to feel slightly stunned about the casualness of that remark and Galadriel's new knowledge of her world. This of course came from Galadriel reading her mind.
"If you mean that he cannot do what we can do, then no," Tsunade said with a hint of frustration. "But he doesn't need to shatter boulders with his fists or unleash a summon just to overpower Frodo-san and flee with the Ring."
"He will try to take the ring," Galadriel said.
"Yes, that's what-" Tsunade began with frustration, only to stop and understand. "Oh . . . I get it now . . . He won't be successful."
Galadriel turns away and looks down at her mirror. "Will you look into the mirror?"
Tsunade stands there for a moment pondering that, then does so. At first, she doesn't see anything, only to start making out an image forming in the water. She sees a seashore of dunes and grass.
"I know that place! That's the beaches of the Land of Fire!"
In the next instance, there is a close-up image of a woman wearing a cloak bent over and back on.
"Who is-?"
Only to stop upon seeing the woman quickly straighten while turning around to look directly at her with a joyous expression and mouthing something.
"That's me!" As she looked back up at Galadriel with a shocked expression.
"That . . . is yet to happen," Galadriel said.
Tsunade gasps with delight. "Are you saying that I'll be going home?!"
"Not yet."
"Then when?!"
Galadriel is silent for a moment.
"You should return to bed," she answered and turns and walks away, almost gliding.
Tsunade leans over the pool while gripping the sides of the basin. Her eyes are shut tight as she shivers with frustration. She fights to suppress the urge of just running after Galadriel, grabbing her, and shaking the answer out of her. She sighs and opens her eyes to stare back down into that pool, but can only see the bottom of the basin once again.
She lets go of the basin and walks away.
At least I know that I will return to my world. And from the looks of it, it won't be that far into the future either.
That at least makes her feel hopeful.
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The Fellowship is ready to move on as they stand next to a river. There are canoes for them to take. Celeborn and Galadriel are there to see them off. Tsunade helps Legolas load supplies into a boat where Merry and Pippin are sitting. She watches as Legolas takes a piece of what looks like large thick square golden crisp cake out.
"What is that?" Tsunade asked.
"Lembas. Elvish waybread . . . One small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man."
"We have something similar back in my world. Military Rations pills, small pellets that replenished a ninja's chakra and nourish their body. Eating one enabled a ninja to keep fighting for three days and three nights without rest."
When the time finally came for them to leave, Celeborn and Galadriel are there to see them off. Ten other Elves step forward with green cloaks and place them around each of the Fellowship's shoulders and hook them into place.
"Never before have we clad strangers in the garb of our own people," Celeborn said. "May these cloaks help shield you from unfriendly eyes."
Tsunade fingers the cloak, knowing that she will be wearing this back to her world. A fitting parting gift for when the time comes.
Galadriel also presents each of them with a personal gift.
"And what sort of gift would you like, Tsunade, Hokage of Konohagakure?" Galadriel asked upon coming to Tsunade.
"You have already given me the gift of hope, Galadriel-sama. Along with this wonderful cloak." As she looks down briefly and fingers it.
Galadriel smiles.
"We bid you farewell, Fellowship," Galadriel next said. "And may the blessings of the Valar be with you."
They get into their boats and are off, with Tsunade sharing one with Legolas and Gimli. Legolas does the paddling. As they are going around the bend, she sees Galadriel give a motionless wave of goodbye.
"I have taken my worst wound at this parting," Gimli grumbled. "For I've looked my last upon that . . . which is fairest. Argh, henceforth, I will call nothing fair unless it be her gift to me."
"What was it?" Legolas asked.
"I asked her for one hair from her golden head . . . She gave me three."
"That was pretty generous of her," Tsunade mused.
"And what did you mean by her giving you hope, Tsunade?" Gimli asked.
"She let me look into her mirror and I saw myself wearing this cloak, but standing on a beach back in my world."
"Then you saw your future," Legolas said profoundly.
"She told me that it will come to pass, but not just yet."
"Whenever one sees their future in the Lady Galadriel's mirror," Legolas said, "it is something that will come to pass if an action is either done or avoided."
"Then it's obviously something I will have to do," Tsunade said.
The Fellowship continues to travel down the river. They soon reach the end of it as it empties into another larger river, of which is the River Anduin. As they travel further along, Tsunade begins to feel distant but multiple Killing Intents. She notes that Legolas noticed it too. A crow takes flight noisily and it.
We're being tracked. She thought.
The day ends and they go ashore to set up camp for the night. That is when she notices a small log floating down the river. She can feel a presence from it, but there is no one there. It comes to her that the presence is being hidden by the log.
She sees that Boromir noticed it too and walks up as Aragorn walks up too.
"Gollum," Aragorn said. "He has tracked us since Moria . . . I had hoped we would lose him on the river. But he's too clever a waterman."
"Gandalf begged me not to kill him," Tsunade said morosely.
"And if he alerts the enemy to our whereabouts, it'll make the crossing even more dangerous," Boromir said. "Minas Tirith is the safer road; you know that. From there we can regroup. Strike out for Mordor from a place of strength."
"There is no strength in Gondor that can avail us," Aragorn said.
"You were quick enough to trust the Elves," Boromir pleaded. "Have you so little faith in your own people? Yes, there is weakness. There is frailty. But there's courage also, and honor to be found in Men. But you will not see that."
Aragorn turns away, but Boromir yanks him back. "You are afraid! All your life, you have hidden in the shadows. Scared of who you are, of what you are."
Oh yeah, Galadriel-sama was definitely right. Tsunade thought angrily as she is itching to tell Boromir off.
"I will not lead the Ring within a hundred leagues of your city!" Aragorn snapped.
Tsunade feels relief, knowing that Aragorn knew.
The next morning, they once again boat down the Anduin. As the day progresses, Tsunade can make out what looks to be two massive statues in the distance on either side of the river.
"What are those statues?" Tsunade asked.
"The Gates of Argonath," Legolas answered. "The Pillars of Kings. They are of Isildur and his brother, Anarion. They mark the northern border of Gondor."
They get ever closer to the statues and Tsunade can see more detail to them.
"We have something like those back in my world," Tsunade said. "They are in the Valley of the End, marking the borders between the Land of Sound and the Land of Fire. One is of Madara and the other my grandfather, except they're part of a waterfall, and facing each other, ready to do battle. These guys look like they're warning us to stay out."
After passing the Argonath, they make for the shore of Parth Galen, near the foot of Amon Hen, the Hill of Sight. There, they rest and plan their next move.
"We cross the lake at nightfall," Aragorn said. "Hide the boats and continue on foot. We approach Mordor from the north."
"Oh, yes?" Gimli interjected. "It's just a simple matter of finding our way through Emyn Muil? An impassable labyrinth of razor-sharp rocks! And after that, it gets even better . . . ! Festering, stinking marshlands far as the eye can see."
"That is our road," Aragorn said decisively. "I suggest you take some rest and recover your strength, Master Dwarf."
"Recover my-" Gimli sputtered indignantly.
"We should leave now," Legolas said to Aragorn.
"No. Orcs patrol the eastern shore. We must wait for cover of darkness."
"It is not the eastern shore that worries me. A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind. Something draws near. I can feel it."
"You're not the only one, Legolas-sama," Tsunade said with concern, then looks out at the forest. She still feels the multiple Killing Intent, only they keep getting ever closer.
"Where's Frodo?" Merry said, prompting them to look.
Tsunade had suspected that Frodo was going to run off. Her pupils shrink with concern over seeing that Boromir is nowhere around.
I might have to kill Boromir-san! She thought hopelessly.
"They shouldn't have gotten far," Aragorn suddenly announced. "But we'll have to split up to find them. Tsunade, you come with me. Legolas, Gimli, you two go that way."
"What about us?" Pippin protested.
"You three stay here in case they come back," Aragorn answered, then turned to the others. "Now, let's go."
And they are off. Once Tsunade is alone with Aragorn, she speaks her mind.
"Frodo-san was planning to leave us."
"So you suspected it too."
"And I assume you also suspect that Boromir-san is planning to take the Ring from him?"
"You assume correctly."
They follow the tracks that Frodo inadvertently made as they go through the forest.
"His trail leads to Amon Hen," Aragorn announced. "The Hill of Sight. It is nearby."
Tsunade follows Aragorn all the way up until they come to the hill in question, where there is a stone structure with a staircase. There they see Frodo suddenly appear as he falls, seeming out of thin air. They hurry over to him.
"Frodo?" Aragorn said.
He turns around. "It has taken Boromir."
"Where is the Ring?" Aragorn demanded.
"Stay away!" Frodo yelled as he scrambles away and runs from Aragorn and Tsunade.
"Frodo-san," Tsunade called out with apprehension as she pursues with Aragorn.
"We swore to protect you," Aragorn said to Frodo.
"Can either of you protect me from yourselves?" Frodo demanded, then opens his hand and shows them the ring. "Would either of you destroy it?"
Tsunade stares at the Ring and slowly approaches Frodo, along with Aragorn. The Ring seems to softly rasp in her head. Simultaneously, both she and Aragorn kneel down, each with their hand extended as if to take the Ring, which continues to beckon to her. With a firm resolution, she shifts her hand and closes Frodo's hand, just as Aragorn does the same. Together, they push Frodo's hand back toward his chest.
"I would have gone with you to the end," Aragorn sighed. "Into the very fires of Mordor."
"And so would have I," Tsunade sighed profoundly. The Ring no longer taunts her.
"I know," Frodo said with relief. "Look after the others, especially Sam. He will not understand."
In a flash Tsunade is on her feet as she whirls around to face the sudden multiple sources of Killing Intent being directed at them.
"Aragorn-sama!" As she sees an army of large men coming their way.
"Run!" Aragorn stated at Frodo.
Tsunade looks back to see that Frodo is hesitating. "Run, Frodo-san!"
He does so and she looks back toward their attackers. Together she and Aragorn approach them. She notes that they are Orcs, but are bigger and more muscular with straighter well-proportioned bodies. And appear more disciplined.
"They must be those new Orcs that Saruman made," Aragorn said.
They engage the Uruk-Hai. Despite being an improvement over regular Orcs, they still suffer the same fate as the regular ones back in Moria to Tsunade's ferocity. The upgraded Orcs go flying with deep dents in their armor, shattered sternums, ruptured organs, and caved skulls courtesy of Tsunade's fists and feet. She delivers a Heavenly Kick of Pain to several who try to rush her, creating a small shockwave that unbalances them. That is still enough for her to slaughter them all before they can recover.
She notices others dropping full of arrows and does not need to see that Legolas has shown up. At one point, she notices Gimli too as he starts chopping down Orc after Orc. At one point, an Orc has Aragorn pinned to a tree throttling him with one arm as Aragorn beats at it with a rock. Tsunade goes into action as she runs over and slaps that Orc's nape, scrambling his nervous system so that he ends up letting go of Aragorn and swinging his arms wide. Aragorn skewers the Orc with his sword.
The blaring of a horn fills the air.
Boromir-san! As she remembers that horn around his neck.
"The Horn of Gondor!" Legolas proclaimed.
It takes time for Tsunade to get to Boromir with the others as she has to slaughter her way through Orc after Orc. It seems that for every Orc she kills, another rushes in to take its place, slowing her progress.
Eventually, she kills the last of the Orcs and reaches the sight of Aragorn kneeling over a prone Boromir. All around are a lot of dead Orcs. Tsunade hurries over to Boromir to find three arrows in his chest.
"I would have followed you, my brother . . . my captain," Boromir gasped at Aragorn as he holds his own sword against his chest. "My king."
He falls silent. Tsunade smiles sadly as tears trickle down her cheeks over Boromir's last words.
"Be at peace, son of Gondor," Aragorn sobbed softly, then kisses his forehead.
Tsunade remembers what Galadriel had told her about Boromir trying to take the Ring. But only trying, never succeeding.
"They will look for his coming from the White Tower," Aragorn next said. "But he will not return."
They carry Boromir's body back down to the boats and empty one of them of its contents. They lay him out and place his weapons upon him, along with the now cleft Horn of Gondor. The boat goes down the Anduin, past Tol Brandir, the tall island which separates the river into two waterfalls called the Falls of Rauros.
Legolas grabs the last boat and slids it toward the water."Hurry. Frodo and Sam have reached the eastern shore."
Aragorn merely stands there staring out to where Sam and Frodo now run into the forest. Tsunade watches as well, though she cannot help but feel upset over this.
"You mean not to follow them," Legolas said with a tone of finality.
"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands," Aragorn said somberly.
"I can't believe we're doing this!" Tsunade snapped bitterly. "It's as if we're abandoning them."
"If we continued this quest with Frodo and Sam, the Ring would've ended up destroying us all," Aragorn replied somberly. "And besides, you did swear that you would aid Frodo in his quest, did you not, Tsunade . . . ? Well, you will still be aiding him by not becoming a victim of the Ring."
"You're right," Tsunade sighed, while remembering a mission that she was on long before she became Hokage. Her team had ran into a similar situation like this involving a young boy having to deliver an important scroll to a Daimyo. It involved subterfuge by them taking a fake scroll with them. They engaged the ninjas who were sent to attack them. The real scroll got to the Daimyo all thanks to that boy traveling with a retainer disguised as his older brother.
"Then it has all been in vain," Gimli lamented. "The Fellowship has failed."
Aragorn ponders for a moment, then walks up to them, drawing the three of them together, clasping Gimli's and Legola's shoulders with Tsunade in the middle.
"Not if we hold true to each other," he said to them earnestly. "We will not abandon Merry and Pippin to torment and death . . . Not while we have strength left. Leave all that can be spared behind." As he turns away from them to pick up a knife and sheathes it. "We travel light. Let's hunt some Orc." Giving them a humorous yet grim look over that last comment.
He turns and runs into the forest. Tsunade looks at Gimli and Legolas with a grin.
"You heard the man, let's go," she said with amusement and runs after Aragorn. Gimli and Legolas follow.
