The Day Middle-earth Stood Still

By: Neko-chan

[First, before I write the author's note and the new chapter, I'd like to apologize. I'm SO sorry it took this long to update "The Day Middle-earth Stood Still." Believe me, I didn't want that to happen! It's just that I had an AP US History paper due--a paper on whether or not I am good enough to take AP US History; also, I got a job. x.x;; Scary, isn't it? Anyway, I'm a concessionist for a movie theater...and that means a LOT of hours. So PLEASE bear with me and realize that I'm trying to update ALL of my stuff! (Yes, you heard me right. EVERYTHING.) Thank you all for being so patient and I want to once again thank all of my readers. *MWAH* You're all amazing. ^.~ So, before you decide to lynch my boss for my hours (or me, for that matter...x.x;;...), on with the chapter!)

A/N: :-X

Sean: What's wrong with you?

Neko-chan: x.x;;..........Someone made a fan club about you.

Sean: *blinks* Really? *preens*

Neko-chan: x.x;;

Sean: That is soooo cool! I totally deserve a fan club!

Neko-chan: *glares* Well, I'm sure some of my readers will start a fan club about ME! ;P Sooooo......is anyone planning on starting a fan club about me, The-All-Seeing-All-Knowing-

All Powerful Bryanna? *eyelash bat*

Sean: *snorts* Who'd start a fan club about YOU?!

Neko-chan: ¬.¬;; *tosses Sean into the Bottomless Pit*



Chapter Ten

Bryanna stared off into the mountains, a look of intense concentration on her face, but still somehow or other managing to chew idly on a Pixy Stix. Suddenly, a devilish grin passed over her face as her eyes crinkled in unholy amusement. "Sean isn't going to like this at all...not at all..."

And, speaking of Sean (and the rest of the Ring Group...), Bryanna finally noticed that they had disappeared. Not on purpose, though. After all, why would they leave her? She was _vital_ to the journey...though if Boromir and Gimli continued to smell as bad as they had, Bryanna was sure to be killed not by orcs or goblins and the like, but by the putrid stench emitted by the men-folk. (Except Legolas, of course. After all, how could such a gorgeous creature such as he smell as bad as the rest did? It was impossible!)

Nodding to herself in a final way, Bryanna made off in a random direction, hoping that it would eventually lead her to the others, not knowing that the others hoped that she was lost...permanently.

* * *

"Do you think we actually managed to lose her this time?" Aragorn whispered as he and the Ring Group (now called the Fellowship since Bry wasn't there...) crept as silently as possible through the underbrush.

"Maybe...maybe we did..." Boromir whispered back, his eyes flickering back and forth like a cornered rabbit. He shuddered--he hoped to whatever Valar were listening that they had finally managed to lose the female teenager. She was exactly like Gengis Khan--only taller, female, more cunning, more evil, more merciless...but still as unattractive.

Legolas, who was in the middle of the group (he felt safer that way from unexpected fangirl attacks), suddenly paused. A look of terror flittered across his face and he gasped.

"What's wrong, Legolas?" Merry asked, gazing up at the much-taller Elf.

"We're being hunted," the blonde Elf replied softly, his eyes darting from side to side as Boromir's were.

"Goblins?" Frodo asked, just as softly.

"No."

"Trolls?" Sam suggested.

"Think again."

"Orcs?" Gandalf asked as a feeling of foreboding came over him.

"No...scarier..."

"Sauron?" Aragorn asked, knowing what the answer would be.

"Worse...much, much worse..." Legolas answered. Boromir whimpered in terror and tried to find behind a tree. Too bad the tree he had chosen to hide behind was just a little sapling. Another whimper escaped his throat as he waited for the attack. He didn't have to wait long.

"LEGGIE-CHAN!!!!" once again the Ring Group winced at the fangirl squeal. Aragorn paused, and thought for a minute: What would happen if she sicced Bryanna on Sauron? He shuddered. Even _he_ wouldn't wish that on the Ring Lord.

Bryanna launced from the trees above and latched herself firmly on Legolas' arm. "I missed you so much, Leggie-chan!" she squealed as she beamed happily as him. Legolas winced once again at the decibels she was able to achieve. He suddenly brightened as a though occurred to him: Maybe she would burst his eardrums and he wouldn't have to deal with all of her squealing and giggling anymore! He deflated just as sudden: He would still have to deal with her sneaking peeks at him as he dressed and bathed.

"Where did you guys go?" Bryanna continued. "I turned around and you guys were gone! It was almost as if you were trying to leave me! But I know that you would never do that!"

"Of course we wouldn't!" Pippin chirped. "After all, how could we leave a fellow comrade behind?" He smiled widely at her. "Say, you wouldn't have anymore of those Pixy Stixs, would you?"

Bryanna returned his grin. "Of course I do, silly!" Taking her backpack off her shoulders (but still not relinquishing her hold on Legolas' arm), Bry rummaged around in it, finally bringing out four five foot-long Pixy Stixs for Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin. "Here you go. Share the wealth."

The Hobbits cheered and Boromir's whimpers grew louder.

"Do _I_ get anything?" Sean asked hopefully. Now that Bryanna had one of her several members of her Elf Harem returned to her, she would probably be in an excellent mood for a while.

The red-headed girl turned her attention to Sean and beamed happily. "Of _course_ you get something, Sean! You baka. You get Bill's undying love," she said sweetly as Bill stared at Sean with moon-struck eyes. Sean turned white and edged away from the pony. With his luck, it'd try something horrible. Like kissing him again...or worse. Hobbit-boy shuddered in horror.

Gandalf watched the Ring Group's antics and sighed unhappily. It seemed as if things had returned to their usual disorder. He and Aragorn exchanged a Look and each heaved heartfelt sighs. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to deal with the teenagers for much longer. After all, Sauron and Saruman had orcs, goblins, trolls, Nazgul, and other dark and deadly creatures on their side. The side of good had two teenagers on theirs. Obviously, it was clear who would win. The Ring Lord and Saruman didn't stand a chance.

It was a long time later, and many days had passed without event. Even Bryanna and Sean weren't acting weirder than usual--a huge hurdle for them to pass! They were camped out at Redhorn Gate, Bryanna sprawled all over a rock, watching the others. Sean was playing a game of chance that the Hobbits had taught him...and was losing sorely. One by one, all of the pairs of underwear he had stolen from Gimli were disappearing into Frodo and Sam's winnings. Pippin and Merry were practicing weaponry with Boromir (Bryanna snickered every time they aimed for the poor giant's legs and he was unable to block), while Aragorn looked on in supervision.

"Hey, Gandalf..." the girl began as she rolled onto her stomach and stared at the old man from underneath her eyelashes, looking the epitome picture of innocence. "How does a person learn magic?"

Gandalf blanched; Legolas, who was listening, turned stark white. "Wh-Why would you want to know a thing like that?" he asked her, feeling as if he had swallowed his tongue.

"Oh, no reason. I'm just curious, is all. So, how does a person learn magic? Does a wizard teach them? Have you ever had a student? Would you _want_ one?" All of this was said with Bryanna's most innocent of expressions. Legolas turned even whiter.

"Oh, no. No. Absolutely not," Gandalf roared. "You're deadly enough as it is! You don't need to learn magic! Ye gods, just imagine how it'd be if I set you lose upon this world with magical capabilities. Nothing would ever be safe again. Especially handsome Elves."

The red-head batted her eyelashes. In the background, she could hear Sean curse as he lost yet another pair of Gimli's underwear. "Well..." she began. "Aren't wizards _supposed_ to shake things up? After all, a wizard's job is to make sure no one grows too complacent with their lot in life. Remember with what you did to Bilbo Baggins? I'm just trying to follow in your footsteps. A protégé, so to speak."

From behind the girl, Legolas rapidly shook his head at Gandalf, mouthing "NO!" desperately. The _last_ thing he wanted was the fangirl to have magic! She'd tie him to her forever! He'd never see Mirkwood again...never do _anything_ ever again...except look pretty for her, that is.

"Well..." Gandalf began, gnawing thoughtfully on his long beard. "Maybe...since you put it _that_ way.... I'll consider it."

Before Bryanna could say anything in reply to _that_ (after all, who'd have thought that Gandalf would even consider her as a student?!), Legolas suddenly cried out: "Spies! Hide! They are the eyes of Saruman!"

At once, everyone quickly ducked under either a bush or rock overhang...everyone except for Bry, that is. It was too late and she knew that the birds had seen her. So, she did what any sensible female would do. She acted stupid.

The flock flew overhead, closely examining the ground for traces of a larger group. They circled the hill several times, until a huge black crow landed on the ground several feet away from the red-headed girl.

"Hello," Bryanna chirped as she smiled her stupidest grin at the creature. "It's nice to finally have some company. Me mum and da are dead and me brothers left me to die on a road some many miles from here. But I proved them wrong, I did! I'll prove that I can survive on me own, using only me own wits about meself. I'm headed toward Anfalas. What about you, little beastie? Where are you going? Wait one minute! Ye don't have a name, do ye?" Bryanna paused, 'thinking.' Suddenly, she grinned. "I know! I'll call ye Blackie."

The bird swayed on its feet, as if dazed by the stupidity Bryanna showed. It took flight once it got over its shock and made its way from Bryanna as fast as its wings could flap.

"Wait! Don't ye be leavin' me, too, Blackie! Come on back, ye little beastie!" Bryanna called, brining tears to her eyes. All too soon, the flock of birds was gone from sight.

Slowly, one by one, the others emerged from their hiding spots. They stared at Bryanna. It had been yet another of her facets...one they hoped to never see ever again.

"That...that was disturbing," Boromir murmured as he shuddered at the memory of Bryanna's stupidity-glazed eyes. It was as if she had been possessed by a ghost or a demon or something!

"How did you do that?" Aragorn demanded as Bryanna brought out a grape Pixy Stix and began to eat it. "I have never seen the like of it before!"

"That was cool!" added Pippin, using some of the vocabulary the Hobbits had began to pick up from Sean and Bryanna. Sean just rolled his eyes and stole back Gimli's underwear that the Hobbits had won when their attention was riveted on the girl. He understood what they did not: Bryanna was female. It explained _everything._

"So, where to now?" he asked with a sinking feeling. He _knew_ where they were headed...but it didn't hurt to hope otherwise, now did it?

Gandalf and Aragorn turned to look at the mountain range towering above them. Once again, Gandalf and Aragorn shared a Look when they thought that no one else was looking. "There," Gandalf said, his voice suddenly deeper as he pointed to a particular mountain. "We go to Caradhras."

Sean hung his head, disappointed. What was the point of hoping when they were always slashed to pieces? Bryanna snorted. "_You_ may be going up that huge-ass mountain, but _I_ am not," she retorted. "I'll just wait right here until you all have come to your senses and come back down. I am _not_ moving from this spot. So there."

"I hate Men, Elves, Hobbits, Dwarves, and Wizards," Bryanna grumbled from her position over Boromir's shoulder. She glared down at the others that were making their way behind Legolas, Aragorn, and Boromir, giving each her second-best glare. "Stupid, traitorous, treacherous males. HEY!" she suddenly yelled. "Be careful where you put that hand of yours, buddy."

Boromir growled in frustration, finally having enough. "LEGOLAS!" he bellowed. "Come and take this annoying female from me. At least she won't complain if you accidently grope her." A thump on the Steward's son's head was his answer from his passenger.

"Well, we wouldn't be _having_ this problem if you had just let me stay where I was, now would we?" was the sarcastic retort. "Now let me down before I kick the crap out of you when you release me. Remember last time, B-man?"

Finally Boromir did as Bryanna bade, tossing her over his shoulder and dumping her on her behind. "Happy now?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and a glower.

The girl smiled primly, dusted snow from herself, and said, "Yes, I am. Thank you very much. I'll see you all at the bottom." Then, with a pitying look at Sean, she made her way regally down the mountainside.

A long while later, Bryanna looked up as a dirty and disheveled Ring Group made its way down Caradhras, looking the worse for the wear. Each was dripping melted snow, looked as if they hadn't slept in weeks, and as if they hadn't gotten near a warm fire in years.

Bryanna raised an eyebrow, smiled smugly, and said: "I told you so." Then she continued reading her book as the males dropped to the ground around her, scooting as close to the fire as possible.

Several hours later, when the others were properly thawed out and fed, Bryanna made her way to Gandalf's side, once again avoiding a Hobbit (and Sean) feeding frenzy over Krispy Kremes. "So, since we couldn't go over Caradhras, which route do we take?" she asked, gazing up at the stars. Some of the constellations were similar to those back on Earth--there was the Scorpion, her own zodiac sign, rising high above them in the heavens.

Gandalf was quiet for a long time. Finally, he answered her: "We go through the mines of Moria."

Abruptly, Bryanna sat up and stared at him open-mouthed. "WHAT?! I had forgotten that... Anyway, scratch that, I'd rather face Caradhras _any_ day than go through the mines of Moria."

"It is too late," Gandalf told her softly. "It is already decided. We leave at dawn."

Sean and Bryanna looked at each other, their eyes wide. _They_ knew what awaited them in the mines. After all, Mr. Wagner had made his Sci Fi class read Lord of the Rings in class. They knew what would happen--and they didn't like it one bit, not one bit.

As one, they howled. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"

A/N: And so ends yet another chapter, fair readers. What will happen to Sean and Bryanna and the Ring Group in the mines of Moria? Will the two teenagers survive? Will Bryanna ever stop picking on poor, poor Boromir?? ...probably not. And what other surprises will await them when the group finally manages to travel to Lothlorien? It seems as if Bryanna is hiding more information that she knows...