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Rating: PG-13 (mild violence and hobbit strife in later chapters)
Summary: In the middle of a celebration after the destruction of the Ring, Merry is melancholy. While Pippin is with him, the Lady Galadriel happens upon them. Her words to them provide little comfort at first, but eventually the two hobbits find succor in them.
Feedback: Constructive criticism is welcome. I attempt to keep as close to book canon as possible. Ideas on how to improve in this area are particularly welcome.
Disclaimer: The places, situations and characters of The Lord of the Rings belong to the Tolkien Estate. This work contains no original characters. No money is being made from this work.

Author's Note: This story is inspired by discussions in the Merry's Mob and Pippin's Playgroup threads formerly of Imladris.net and currently of khazaddum.com.

"The Vision of Galadriel"
Chapter Six: The Quest is Complete

From this moment, Galadriel gave both hobbits a unified vision.

Pippin realized that he had crashed straight into Merry, sending him over the Crack; that was why the Ring was gone. As that concrete reality began to bowl him over, he realized that he was not alone. While he had indeed crashed straight into Merry, Merry had not budged. Pippin had been weak, and the Ring had given Merry abnormal strength. The Ring entered Pippin's view from over his head, descending and dancing upon its cord until it was at his eye level. Merry laughed mercilessly.

"You were too weak for such a treasure," he said, clear and stern.

Pippin looked up and saw his cousin, who if his face had not been marred by treacherous thoughts, would have been the most handsome hobbit that had ever drawn breath in Middle-Earth. He seemed to stand taller, and strength pulsated from him. His eyes were keen and he appeared as a great warrior, but he was evil.

"It is now with the one who is worthy of possessing it. For the Shire, and for Brandy Hall!" cried Merry, as he cried out and raised his small, dirty dagger in triumph. "To think, cousin, that you believed you could murder me." Merry deliberately emphasized the word murder in a pitiless voice. Pippin trembled on the ground.

By this time, hope had to have abandoned Peregrin Took. How could hope possibly endure in that wretched furnace so near to the grasp of the Dark Lord? Yet, greater evils than Sauron had existed—and been defeated—and at any rate, it seemed that hope and optimism were as much a part of Pippin as the hair on his feet. Still, he had not the strength to keep the Ring off Merry's finger, and his one chance to send the Ring into the fire had passed. Despite this, he would not allow himself to succumb to inaction, to give up the fight. He tried one last entreaty, hoping his words would reach through the madness, to his older cousin that he looked up to and loved. 'If there's any of him left,' thought Pippin to himself.

In a voice that was so full of fright that it surprised even him, he said, "You are right! I should not have tried to kill you, and I should not have killed that gollum-creature! I was wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong! I am a murderer! A murderer! Forgive me Merry. Please just throw the Ring away, and let's go home. I want to go home! I need you to take me home!"

His voice had become less steady as he stated his final plea, and when he finished, he realized that he had spent all he had. With this, he collapsed on the rocks, began to cry, and gave up sustaining a defense. The path was clear for Merry to claim the Ring, and leave the Cracks. Merry, however, remained still. Although it had not appeared that he had listened to Pippin at all, even in his current state, he had to pause at the sound of his cousin's voice, so desperate and helpless had it been.

From the dark corners of his mind came a foreign yet familiar voice: 'You planned for this. Both Gandalf and you knew this danger existed. The two of you created a plan in the moments before you departed. The plan—you must follow through on the plan. You swore to it.'

He held the Ring in his palm. He was not even aware of it as a separate entity as he stared at it, and with much sadness, he realized that he would not be able to part with it. He had not the control over his own self. He would have to go through with the plan. Fighting back the taint that he could feel poisoning his mind just enough to exercise some control over his limbs, he took a deep breath. He moved slowly, lest Pippin figure out what he was doing and harm himself in trying to stop him. He turned around to face the cracks. Looking at the Ring in his hand, and sadly resigning himself to the fact that he could not give it up, he leapt off the ledge.

He had jumped high, perhaps wishing to delay the inevitable, and as he was coming down, he was somewhat aware of Pippin grabbing the back of his jacket. There was a slight resistance. For a moment, Merry entertained the thought that Pippin was going to pull him back and save him. That, however, was not his cousin's intent. Pippin had let Merry's momentum pull him over the side, and the two began to fall together. By either chance, or the gifts of a higher power, the drop was long enough for them to make eye contact. Pippin saw that the madness had left Merry's eyes and face, and was glad. Merry saw that Pippin understood why he chosen to destroy the Ring in this way, though he did not understand why Pippin chose to go with him. Part of him was happy not to die alone, and to die knowing he was loved. Unaware of anything else that could be done, Merry drew Pippin close and said words of comfort to him in their last moments.