"I'm tired... how much longer?" wondered Keroro. "Not really much longer," replied Elrond. It was their twenty-eighth day in the forest. Suddenly, Balin heard a sound from afar. "I heard it too," said Dororo. "What is it?" asked Giroro. "Elves," answered Gandalf. "From Thranduil's halls," added Elrond. They all drew their swords and daggers, readied themselves to fight the wood elves.

Shortly afterwards, some elves came down from the trees. They stopped swiftly, setting their bows and arrows and aimed them at the company. "Fools! Do you all remember our King's command? Do not kill any of them! Their appearances... perfect match! Enwenno hain! (Take them!)" ordered their commander. The elves took their weapons. They were taken as hostages to Thranduil's halls to be prosecuted directly by the Elven king, except for Gandalf and Elrond. The elves thought that they were friendly guests who came to have a talk with Thranduil.

The guards led them to Thranduil's throne. They were chained up because the elves thought that they were dangerous, also to prevent them from escaping. Gandalf and Elrond followed them from behind. "Hîr nín, Thranduil. We found them following the path with these weapons," reported the commander as he showed the weapons to his king. "Leave us alone!" ordered Thranduil.

"A girl with pink hair and four strange colorful creatures, just as he said. Tell me, Mithrandir and Lord of Rivendell. Forgive me, I forgot your name. What are you doing around the borders? Are you trying to help me to capture these fellows?"

"We are not trying to help you, Thranduil. Me and Lord Elrond help them to find and free someone who is held as prisoner here and some more in other places," answered Gandalf.

"And you, dwarf of Erebor. What are you doing here?" asked Thranduil again.

"Actually, I was visiting someone in the Shire when I was offered to join Gandalf and this little black fellow," answered Balin.

"I see... let him go!" commanded Thranduil. The guards freed him from the chains which previously tied around his body.

"So, you all are about to complete your quest..."

"Not yet, we still have a very long way to go," replied Elrond.

"Balin, take the money inside my pocket and throw it at that woodland sprite!" whispered Natsumi to Balin who stood next to her. He showed Thranduil the pocket and shook it. "Take these gold coins and set my brother free!" she exclaimed.

Thranduil walked towards her and smiled at her. "Your brother has been freed. He is not guilty. Take your money back. Lady, forgive me for treating him arbitrarily." He ordered one of his servants to bring Fuyuki to his sister.

Fuyuki appeared with the imitation crown upon his head, he saw Natsumi and his Keronian friends were chained. "Your Majesty, could you order your servants to release the chains, so I can hug them and they can show how much they miss me?" he suggested. The Elven king said yes and he commanded some elves shortly afterwards.

"Nee-chan!" cried Fuyuki happily, hugging his dear sister as tight as he could. "Fuyuki, sorry the long wait," replied Natsumi as she cried happy tears. "It's okay, don't worry about the wait. His Majesty freed me one day ago," he told. Natsumi was shocked to hear that. She asked Thranduil for more details and finally she believed what her brother just said. The four Keronians also hugged Fuyuki to show their gladness, seeing him back.

"Nishizawa-san! Where is she?! And, hey... I haven't seen Kururu."

"Momoka-dono... she's trapped in a place called... uh, I forgot its name," said Keroro. "Dol something..." added Tamama.

"Fuyuki-dono, come with us. Tomorrow, we'll continue our journey. We'll go to the Lonely Mountain to pick up Kururu and Saburo," persuaded Dororo. "And then, we will go south, to Dol Guldur to save your friend whose hair as blue as the sky from the evil hands of the Dark Lord Sauron," explained Elrond.

Later that evening, Thranduil invited them all to have a royal dinner with him and they accepted it with pleasure. At the beginning of their chat, Fuyuki told them about his dream which he experienced months before he was freed.

"So, you all are going to go south after stopping under the mountain... I advice you to be careful, giant spiders surround that fortress."

"I think you are wiser than the last time I met you," said Gandalf to the Elvenking.

"If you said that I am wiser, then you must thank this boy," replied Thranduil, pointing at Fuyuki. "You can count on him, he said that he is ready to lay his life for all of you."

"Fuyuki, you don't need to do that!" begged Natsumi. "Nee-chan, I do this because I love you all. I'm ready to die, Nee-chan... for the ones I love."

Hearing that, Thranduil remembered what he had ever said to Tauriel during the Battle of the Five Armies, "You think it is love? Are you ready to die for it?" He said to all who sat around the dining table, "Honestly, I should admit this. This boy is the most splendid figure I have ever met. He is a more promising person to be a king rather than me. Only, he needs to learn a lot."

"Natsumi's brother, will you join us?" asked Elrond. "Of course, I will! They're all my friends as well, I won't hide here and do nothing! Nishizawa-san... she tried her best to amuse me, now it's my turn. Oh, I'm Fuyuki. Nice to meet you, Lord Elrond."

"I suggest all of you to get some sleep now, a long journey awaits you. I'm sorry, you have to sleep in cells. But I won't lock them." After the supper finished, Gandalf, Elrond and Balin slept in one of the cells, while the rest slept in another cell.

On the next day, Thranduil gave the company some supplies before they left. There came the moment for Fuyuki to leave the Woodland Realm. "Your Majesty, I will not forget you. Thanks for your help," said Fuyuki. "So will I. Be a good man, my friend. Go now with your company, I wish you a good luck," replied Thranduil. They all said goodbyes to the Elvenking and followed the river flow on foot. (At first, Thranduil recommended them to try a more adventurous challenge by rafting in barrels. Fuyuki was the only one who refused to try. Of course, the company couldn't leave him alone for he didn't know which way to go.)