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The ten travelers walked in the dark guided only by the glow of an old wizard's staff. The passage twisted into several turns and then began to descend. The air grew hot and stifling. In the pale ray of the wizard's staff, Rini caught glimpse of stairs and arches, and of other passages and tunnels, sloping up, or running steeply down. Gimli, the dwarf could not help Gandalf's old memory except by his stout courage. There was no sound but that of their own feet; the dull stump of Gimli's dwarf-boots, the heavy tread of Boromir, the light step of Legolas, the soft, scare-heard patter of hobbit-feet, the gentle click of Rini's shoes, and in the rear the slow firm footfalls of Aragorn with his long strides.
It had been several hours since they had entered the mines and had been going with but only brief halts, when Gandalf came to his first check. Before the Fellowship there stood a wide dark arch opening into three passages.
"I have no memory of this place," said the old man in grey. He looked at the walls in hope of finding some marks or inscription that might help his choice; but he found nothing. "I am too weary to decide. We had better rest here for the night."
Seeing as that the old wizard's memory failed them and the stout dwarf was of no help, they could do nothing but set up camp for the time being. Rini unrolled her small cotton blanket and used her pack as a pillow. Huddled in her corner by the right tunnel, she wrapped herself in her cloak and tried to fall asleep. The last thing that she saw, as sleep took her, was a dark glimpse down the tunnel before her. She shuddered as she felt an evil gush of wish come from deep within it. From across the room, a set of eyes bore into her with suspicion as he saw her fall asleep.
It was Gandalf who roused them all from sleep. He had sat and watched alone for several hours while the others rested. "And in the watches I have made up my mind. I don't like the feel of the middle way, and I don't like the smell of the left tunnel: there is a foul air down there. I shall take the right hand passage."
Rini felt uneasy about his decision but decided to ignore her instincts. 'He has been here before, I'm sure he knows what he is doing.' She said to herself.
They had walked for several more hours and had taken yet another rest. They then continued their march and found themselves in a wide corridor. As they went along it a glimmer of sunlight grew bright and they saw that if came through a doorway on their right. The opened the great door and beyond it was a large stone chamber. It was dimly lit, but to their eyes, which had become accostumed to the darkness, it seemed dazzlingly bright. As they stepped into the room they disturbed layers of ancient dust. Inside they found that the ray of sunlight fell directly on a table in the middle of the room; a single block of stone upon which was a slab of stone. Gandalf read "Here is written in the tongues of Men and Dwarves, 'Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria."
Gimli, the cousin of the deceased Balin, recoiled in shock. Rini went to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, "I am truly sorry."
The dwarf shook off her hand and growled, "I don't need any of your sympathy."
Rini quickly took back her had and unknowingly gave him a hurt look. Fortunately, Gimly did not see for he had turned his back to the group to hide his tears.
Suddenly there was a loud crash and all heads turned in the direction of an old well and a small hobbit.
"Oops," Pippin squeaked.
"You fool of a Took. This is a dangerous journey, not a hobbit walking- party. Next time throw yourself in and relieve us of a nuisance." Gandalf barked. The young hobbit shrank back into the shadows. Far off, the elf could hear the sound of drums growing louder.
The ring bearer drew his sword, as did the others, and saw that it glowed a bright blue. "Orcs."
The Fellowship managed to hold off several of the orcs but found that a mountain troll was brought with them. Soon it was evident that the troll was after Frodo. Rini did her best to help without having to transform. Aragorn had given her a sword to use and she was doing better then most of the others had thought she could. She decided not to become Sailor Moon until necessary. She saw that the others were not faring too well and the hobbits needed to help with the troll. Rini was about to transform into Sailor Moon when she saw that Frodo was cornered and no one was able to help. Rini, knowing that she didn't have time to transform, sprinted across the room with her sword and rolled under the legs of the troll. She stood between the troll and Frodo. Holding her sword before her she stood her ground. "Frodo stay behind me!" Frodo watched in horror as he saw the brave woman be flung across the room and hit the other wall by the angered troll. She didn't scream out or cry, all that could be heard was a loud thud as she hit the ground. She blacked out as the others fought on.
~
Rini woke up to find that she was outside in the sunlight, however something was not right. The sun did not seem as kind as when they had first entered the mines. Rini tried to sit up but felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder. She lay there and closed her eyes again and thought, 'Where am I? What happened?' She felt someone pick her up and upon opening her eyes saw the bright blue eyes of an elf looking back at her.
"You are awake."
"Yes. What happened?"
"How do you feel?" He had decided not to answer her question, in an attempt to avoid having to tell the truth.
"I have been better, but nothing to worry about. I'll heal."
"That's good."
Rini ventured back into asking. "What happened?" Looking around she saw the others as Legolas set her down in a sitting position against a tree. She saw everyone but the old man who had been their guide. Denying that anything could have happened to him, she blinked and awaited the answer. But something kept nagging at her mind. The looks upon everyone's face held enormous amounts of gloom and grief.
The others, seeing as that she would find out decided it would be pointless to delay the inevitable. "Rini, how much do you remember?" Legolas asked.
Thinking back, she said, "I remember the mines. It was dark and we were walking. Then we got to a room, no a tomb. Then we were attacked by terrible creatures that shrieked relentlessly. There was a larger creature, a troll I think. It was," she paused as she tried to recall the past events, "attacking Frodo and had cornered him. I went to help him. I stood between the troll and Frodo. Then it hit me. No it threw me. I can't remember anymore."
No one made any eye contact with her. "Please, tell me. What happened after?"
Aragorn, deciding to take charge, cleared his throat and told the rest of the tale. Rini sat in horror as she listened to the events that had occurred; events that she could not help at all. She cried to learn that the wizard had fallen in attempts to save the rest of the Fellowship and make sure that the mission was completed. Tears flowed freely down her face as she cursed herself for not helping. 'If I had been there I could have help. He would still be here. This wasn't supposed to happen!' She angrily thought as she wiped away her tears. All she could muster to say between sobs was, "I'm sorry."
No one replied to say that "it was alright" or "it wasn't your fault." Everyone sat in silence then one by one everyone left to be alone until at last it was only Legolas and Rini. They sat there, not talking or even acknowledging each other.
Finally, Legolas broke the silence by quoting the old one who had been with then less then a day ago. "'Fly you fools.'"
Rini looked at the elf waiting for an explanation.
"Those were his last words. He told us to fly. If any of us could fly we would have saved him. There was nothing any of us could do." Legolas angrily said.
Rini looked down and found that she held her mother's brooch. 'Where did this come from?' Brushing the thought away, she pondered more pressing issues. 'If I had been there I could have helped. Why didn't I just transform sooner? I should not have even questioned whether or not to transform. I cannot be of much help obviously as my normal self.' Then looking up at the sky, thinking of her mother, she said to herself, 'Mama, how did you do it? For all those years, and to lose everyone you loved. Yes they did find their way back to you but it's not like that here. Once he's gone, he'll be gone forever. I could not help him when I should have.' Sighing out loud a single tear tumbled down her cheek. 'Mama, please help me. I'm not ready to do what you did.'
Suddenly, a voice in her mind answered her plea for help. 'Your mother too asked for guidance like you. She too didn't feel ready, but she didn't give up and she believed. She trusted herself and her friends that in the end everything will be alright. You must also trust yourself and those around you. When the time comes you will know your purpose.' Then as suddenly as the voice came, it left. Rini, puzzled but sighed in relief. The voice had known just what to say and how to say it.
'Who in the world was that? And did they just talk to me in my mind?' Rini shook her head and decided that it was her conscience that had just guided her. Little did she know that since the moment she arrived in this new dimension, she was watched. She, like the young hobbit Frodo, had a mission to fulfill that would effect not only this world but also her own and every other world and dimension.
The ten travelers walked in the dark guided only by the glow of an old wizard's staff. The passage twisted into several turns and then began to descend. The air grew hot and stifling. In the pale ray of the wizard's staff, Rini caught glimpse of stairs and arches, and of other passages and tunnels, sloping up, or running steeply down. Gimli, the dwarf could not help Gandalf's old memory except by his stout courage. There was no sound but that of their own feet; the dull stump of Gimli's dwarf-boots, the heavy tread of Boromir, the light step of Legolas, the soft, scare-heard patter of hobbit-feet, the gentle click of Rini's shoes, and in the rear the slow firm footfalls of Aragorn with his long strides.
It had been several hours since they had entered the mines and had been going with but only brief halts, when Gandalf came to his first check. Before the Fellowship there stood a wide dark arch opening into three passages.
"I have no memory of this place," said the old man in grey. He looked at the walls in hope of finding some marks or inscription that might help his choice; but he found nothing. "I am too weary to decide. We had better rest here for the night."
Seeing as that the old wizard's memory failed them and the stout dwarf was of no help, they could do nothing but set up camp for the time being. Rini unrolled her small cotton blanket and used her pack as a pillow. Huddled in her corner by the right tunnel, she wrapped herself in her cloak and tried to fall asleep. The last thing that she saw, as sleep took her, was a dark glimpse down the tunnel before her. She shuddered as she felt an evil gush of wish come from deep within it. From across the room, a set of eyes bore into her with suspicion as he saw her fall asleep.
It was Gandalf who roused them all from sleep. He had sat and watched alone for several hours while the others rested. "And in the watches I have made up my mind. I don't like the feel of the middle way, and I don't like the smell of the left tunnel: there is a foul air down there. I shall take the right hand passage."
Rini felt uneasy about his decision but decided to ignore her instincts. 'He has been here before, I'm sure he knows what he is doing.' She said to herself.
They had walked for several more hours and had taken yet another rest. They then continued their march and found themselves in a wide corridor. As they went along it a glimmer of sunlight grew bright and they saw that if came through a doorway on their right. The opened the great door and beyond it was a large stone chamber. It was dimly lit, but to their eyes, which had become accostumed to the darkness, it seemed dazzlingly bright. As they stepped into the room they disturbed layers of ancient dust. Inside they found that the ray of sunlight fell directly on a table in the middle of the room; a single block of stone upon which was a slab of stone. Gandalf read "Here is written in the tongues of Men and Dwarves, 'Balin son of Fundin, Lord of Moria."
Gimli, the cousin of the deceased Balin, recoiled in shock. Rini went to him and placed her hand on his shoulder, "I am truly sorry."
The dwarf shook off her hand and growled, "I don't need any of your sympathy."
Rini quickly took back her had and unknowingly gave him a hurt look. Fortunately, Gimly did not see for he had turned his back to the group to hide his tears.
Suddenly there was a loud crash and all heads turned in the direction of an old well and a small hobbit.
"Oops," Pippin squeaked.
"You fool of a Took. This is a dangerous journey, not a hobbit walking- party. Next time throw yourself in and relieve us of a nuisance." Gandalf barked. The young hobbit shrank back into the shadows. Far off, the elf could hear the sound of drums growing louder.
The ring bearer drew his sword, as did the others, and saw that it glowed a bright blue. "Orcs."
The Fellowship managed to hold off several of the orcs but found that a mountain troll was brought with them. Soon it was evident that the troll was after Frodo. Rini did her best to help without having to transform. Aragorn had given her a sword to use and she was doing better then most of the others had thought she could. She decided not to become Sailor Moon until necessary. She saw that the others were not faring too well and the hobbits needed to help with the troll. Rini was about to transform into Sailor Moon when she saw that Frodo was cornered and no one was able to help. Rini, knowing that she didn't have time to transform, sprinted across the room with her sword and rolled under the legs of the troll. She stood between the troll and Frodo. Holding her sword before her she stood her ground. "Frodo stay behind me!" Frodo watched in horror as he saw the brave woman be flung across the room and hit the other wall by the angered troll. She didn't scream out or cry, all that could be heard was a loud thud as she hit the ground. She blacked out as the others fought on.
~
Rini woke up to find that she was outside in the sunlight, however something was not right. The sun did not seem as kind as when they had first entered the mines. Rini tried to sit up but felt a sharp pain in her left shoulder. She lay there and closed her eyes again and thought, 'Where am I? What happened?' She felt someone pick her up and upon opening her eyes saw the bright blue eyes of an elf looking back at her.
"You are awake."
"Yes. What happened?"
"How do you feel?" He had decided not to answer her question, in an attempt to avoid having to tell the truth.
"I have been better, but nothing to worry about. I'll heal."
"That's good."
Rini ventured back into asking. "What happened?" Looking around she saw the others as Legolas set her down in a sitting position against a tree. She saw everyone but the old man who had been their guide. Denying that anything could have happened to him, she blinked and awaited the answer. But something kept nagging at her mind. The looks upon everyone's face held enormous amounts of gloom and grief.
The others, seeing as that she would find out decided it would be pointless to delay the inevitable. "Rini, how much do you remember?" Legolas asked.
Thinking back, she said, "I remember the mines. It was dark and we were walking. Then we got to a room, no a tomb. Then we were attacked by terrible creatures that shrieked relentlessly. There was a larger creature, a troll I think. It was," she paused as she tried to recall the past events, "attacking Frodo and had cornered him. I went to help him. I stood between the troll and Frodo. Then it hit me. No it threw me. I can't remember anymore."
No one made any eye contact with her. "Please, tell me. What happened after?"
Aragorn, deciding to take charge, cleared his throat and told the rest of the tale. Rini sat in horror as she listened to the events that had occurred; events that she could not help at all. She cried to learn that the wizard had fallen in attempts to save the rest of the Fellowship and make sure that the mission was completed. Tears flowed freely down her face as she cursed herself for not helping. 'If I had been there I could have help. He would still be here. This wasn't supposed to happen!' She angrily thought as she wiped away her tears. All she could muster to say between sobs was, "I'm sorry."
No one replied to say that "it was alright" or "it wasn't your fault." Everyone sat in silence then one by one everyone left to be alone until at last it was only Legolas and Rini. They sat there, not talking or even acknowledging each other.
Finally, Legolas broke the silence by quoting the old one who had been with then less then a day ago. "'Fly you fools.'"
Rini looked at the elf waiting for an explanation.
"Those were his last words. He told us to fly. If any of us could fly we would have saved him. There was nothing any of us could do." Legolas angrily said.
Rini looked down and found that she held her mother's brooch. 'Where did this come from?' Brushing the thought away, she pondered more pressing issues. 'If I had been there I could have helped. Why didn't I just transform sooner? I should not have even questioned whether or not to transform. I cannot be of much help obviously as my normal self.' Then looking up at the sky, thinking of her mother, she said to herself, 'Mama, how did you do it? For all those years, and to lose everyone you loved. Yes they did find their way back to you but it's not like that here. Once he's gone, he'll be gone forever. I could not help him when I should have.' Sighing out loud a single tear tumbled down her cheek. 'Mama, please help me. I'm not ready to do what you did.'
Suddenly, a voice in her mind answered her plea for help. 'Your mother too asked for guidance like you. She too didn't feel ready, but she didn't give up and she believed. She trusted herself and her friends that in the end everything will be alright. You must also trust yourself and those around you. When the time comes you will know your purpose.' Then as suddenly as the voice came, it left. Rini, puzzled but sighed in relief. The voice had known just what to say and how to say it.
'Who in the world was that? And did they just talk to me in my mind?' Rini shook her head and decided that it was her conscience that had just guided her. Little did she know that since the moment she arrived in this new dimension, she was watched. She, like the young hobbit Frodo, had a mission to fulfill that would effect not only this world but also her own and every other world and dimension.