You know, I keep going to delete this fic, but every time I make up my mind
not to carry it on someone seems to review. So I will finish it. Hopefully
you'll like it. Two chapters to go and it's done. Yay! Sorry once again for
the huge long wait. If there are errors let me know, I didn't have time to
edit it other than to do a spell check.
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Usagi stood, triumphant, waiting for the enemy to make its move. A sharp command from Saruman brought the orcs to attention. The one that had fallen when she had killed the other orc rose to its feet, the four orcs pointed their spears at Usagi and charged forward. She let out a little squeak of fear and Legolas struggled to his feet to stand by her side. Usagi leaped backwards landing awkwardly but with the familiar move she felt less afraid than she had before, she felt like sailor moon again. Sailor moon from the early days, when she'd been uncertain of her self and her abilities but somehow she always came through. Her leap to safety left a weapon less and injured Legolas vulnerable and the orcs seized their chance. Two charged at him whilst the others occupied Usagi, keeping her leaping away from their deadly looking spears. She tried to hit one of them in the same way that she had killed the first but they're spears prevented her from getting close. Legolas ducked one spear and grabbing an orc by its neck swung it round using it's own momentum to dash it's head against the cold stonewall of the cell. Another orc was upon him as he turned and the creature thrust his spear into Legolas stabbing him in his chest. The deadly spear piercing his lung and emerging from his back. Legolas looked the orc in the eye as his knees gave way. He would have fallen but the cruel creature kept him propped up by the spear that it still held in its hands.
Usagi saw Legolas injured from the corner of her eye and loosing her concentration was hit through her knee by a thrown spear. The hard weapon hit just above her kneecap, instantly bringing her to the ground. Her mouth opened in a silent scream of pain and sudden despair. It was over. Saruman had won. The wizard in question advanced toward his fallen prey. A grim smile adorned his face. Usagi raised her self to her arms looking up through her bangs to glare with tear-filled eyes at the malicious man. He looked down on her with contempt.
"Not as powerful as you thought, are you. Nothing can match my power. Join with us child. Soon Sauron will rule all of this land of middle Earth, with me by his side. Things would go smoother with your power. The power you can wield to control, manipulate. It would eliminate the need to battle the free peoples of Middle Earth. Think of the lives you could save."
Usagi let out a small sob but no tears fell. It was a sob of pain, a loosing of hope. One thing still remained with her. Something that could never leave, no matter how bleak things got. Her desire to help the people she loved. At times like this, when it was life or death, she never thought of her self. She didn't care if she survived. She didn't like to live with the pain of loosing someone anyway. All she cared about was saving her friends, her family. All the good people in the world, the people who were her potential friends. She thought of the sweet hobbits, especially of Frodo who at this moment was travelling to save the World. The world she could now help destroy. She thought of the men and the dwarf and she looked at Legolas desperately gasping for air, his eyes glazed and blood oozing from his wound, reddening the hands of the orc that still held him aloft. They would want to be free. They would want her to be strong and survive. Help maybe, if she could. Most of all she had to stay good and stop Saruman from using her power for evil.
Using her uninjured leg she slowly rose, pain evident in her expression but she did not wince or cry out as she pulled the spear from her leg and hurled it at the orc who still held Legolas. It hit the orc in the neck it fell to the ground in a heap. Legolas grunted as he hit the floor. Usagi returned her attention to the wizard.
"I don't think so Gramps. My powers are used for good, nothing else. I wont help you and you can't take them from me by spells or torture or death. I'm a fighter, for love and justice and you oppose those things, for hurting a totally cute nice guy and being generally evil, I will punish you."
She went through the motions she would do as Sailor moon. As she finished up she felt the urge to reach for her tiara, so she did. She felt the warmth on her brow from her moon insignia and something dawned on her. All these weird extra power things, just like Chibi-usa had when she came from the future. These seemed to be things that moon people from this time could do. If she'd had these more developed powers before surely that meant she didn't need her brooch the power was in her. A hard determined look replaced the fear in her eyes and she closed her eyes, trying to look deep inside her and recreate the feelings she had when she changed into the Moon Princess.
"Moon eternal make up!"
The transformation took place as it always did, feeling to Usagi that it took forever but taking only a few seconds.
Her body was magically lifted and she closed her eyes as the transformation took place, opening her eyes with a cheeky grin as it finished and she stood before Saruman and the remaining orcs not as Usagi, but as Eternal sailor moon. Now she had the power of the ginzuishou at her command everything would be ok. Her desire to use her tiara attack made the ancient crystal react and her weapon of old adorned her forehead even in her Eternal form.
Sailor moon again lifted her hand to her forehead. Feeling the comfortable weight of her tiara resting there. She lifted it off; calling out "Moon Tiara action" She tossed the golden Frisbee like energy ball that her tiara became at Saruman. He used his staff to block the attack and it flew off in the direction of Legolas. Alarmed she yelled "Moon tiara stardust" so that the energy dissipated above Legolas causing him no harm. She steeled her self, deciding to go after the wizard's minions first. The orcs ran towards her at a command from Saruman. She leaped high into the air and landed behind them kicking one away from her with a powerful side kick to it's upper thigh and swiftly dodged a lunge from a spear. Her previous injury had healed when she transformed though she knew it would be back when she switched to Usagi. She found she was able to block out the evil of the orcs. As sailor moon, she was a fighter and better able to block their presence from her mind. She was all too aware of Legolas' deteriorating condition and after fending off a few more attacks she managed to clear a space to use a stronger attack.
"Silver moon crystal power kiss." Usagi felt here body being pulled through the graceful movements as she used her strongest attack against her foes. Oddly as they were caught in it's beam they vaporised and fell to the ground as dust. Usagi turned her hard gaze on Saruman still holding the kaleid moon scope in her hand. Saruman gave a sharp cry and motioned with his staff causing her to be flung backwards. Usagi was slammed against the wall at the back of the cell, her large feathered wings protected her from the full force of the blow but it still winded her and she sank to the floor. She held her hand briefly to her winged heart compact feeling the ginzuishou pulsing inside it for comfort. She tried to use her tier attack again but Saruman was too quick with a counter attack. Causing her weapon to be flung across the room. She tried again to attack him, this time with her tiara, but when he flung it back at her, and it hit, burning her arm she tried to think of an alternative. Saruman advanced, his staff held out in front of him pushing her backwards, trying to pin her against the wall.
She shouted "No" and fought against his forceful attack. Usagi noticed a window high up, it was narrow but human sized, she began to form a plan. Usagi managed to force Saruman back a few steps, he was now out of the cell, his back pointing in the direction of the window. With a quick break in her concentration Usagi let herself to be pushed back against the wall allowing Saruman to think he had gained the upper hand in their war of wills. She used her moon Tiara attack, it struck him full force and whilst he was winded and shocked she used her wings to fly towards him, lift him from the ground and force him out of the window.
Usagi heard Saruman's yell of surprise as he fell the hundred or so feet to the ground. However pleased this made Usagi she had a feeling the fall wouldn't hurt him too badly and more orcs or even the awful Uruk-Hai would soon be on their way. She rushed to Legolas' side and stroked his cheek with the back of her forefinger. She smiled comfortingly at him. He was barely conscious and did not acknowledge her save for a small twitching of his hand. Usagi grit her teeth, with one hand pressed against Legolas' shoulder she pulled hard on the spear. It came out with a sickening squelch and caused him to cough, blood spurting from him mouth instead of air.
Usagi let out a small sob and a tear for the pain she had caused him. She pulled out the arrow from his earlier wound too and smiled gently at him. Holding his hand to comfort him.
"It'll be ok, you'll be fine now, just hold on a little bit longer. Please. Legolas, I need you, and I can't help if you give up, stay strong for me 'kay?"
Letting go of his hand that had gently gripped her own was the hardest part, somehow she did it and reached for her brooch. The ginzuishou glowed with its familiar warm light, pulsing in time with her own heart. Usagi offered up a silent prayer to whoever might be watching and then uttered the words that were so familiar to her. Usagi's voice echoed around the stone walls of the tower as the magic of the ginzuishou was activated to save the noble elf. "Moon healing escalation."
An incandescent white light burst from the crystal filling Legolas' prone body and covering the room with a peace it had not known for some time. After a few minutes the light was sucked back into the crystal held in Usagi's hands, she closed it and placed it back on her fuku. Legolas was sitting up, propped on his elbows smiling at her, but looking a little apprehensive.
"Isil Hina, that is indeed a powerful gift you have. I thank you." He raised one eyebrow, his very subtle sense of humour evident in his expression. "But such strange attire. And..." He reached one hand behind to stroke a silky wing. Usagi closed her eyes as a shiver of pleasure ran down her spine. She shook her head and stood, feeling tired and confused. Legolas promptly rose to his feet, checking the holes in his clothes where his wounds had been. He was again his calm regal self.
"So," Usagi asked "What now. I bet any second a very mad Old wizard guy and many evil things are gonna come charging up here to kill us, I can't keep fending them off, it's too hard."
"We have to find a way out, back to the others. Whilst we were alone I heard the sound of a great number of men and orcs getting ready for a great battle, I fear Aragorn may need our help, if it is not already too late."
"Ok, I'm all for helping but how do we get there before the army." Legolas eyed her for a few moments considering, Usagi became a little worried when he seemed to be looking over her shoulder at something. She spun round full circle to see what the problem was. "What, Legolas what's wrong."
"Usagi, how fast can you fly? I would not ask it of you, but the need is great."
Usagi looked confused, her wings fluttered as she thought about them.
"Wha'd' you mean, fly? I can't fly, my wings are just sort of for decoration. They just help me stay up in the air a bit longer; I don't really know how to use them. I'm not a bird Legolas."
"But surely you could fly if you tried."
"What if I fall? What if I'm not strong enough to carry you, I'm only small."
"Now, fair lady, you sound like a hobbit, and see how they have overcome their fears on this journey. You are strong Usagi. That is the person I have some to know. That is the Usagi who does not doubt herself, she simply does what must be done."
Usagi looked at him sceptically, it sounded suspiciously like reverse psychology. The sort of thing Luna used to get her to get out of bed or something. After considering, and hearing the sound of orc grunts running up the stairs she made up her mind.
"Ok let's go but if I drop you or we die, don't blame me." Legolas smiled as they rushed to the window.
"Of course not."
"Ok, ok. You can do this Usagi. Just relax." She embraced Legolas clutching him tightly to her and together they made the almighty leap to the window Saruman fell out of. As they reached the opening Saruman burst through into the cell room with a band of Uruk hai. Usagi gasped at the wave of evil that hit her and as she did fell from the window. They were falling!
Usagi clenched her eyes closed and clutched Legolas to her. Concentrating as hard as she could to open her wings, their descent stopped around 30 feet from an the ground as her wings spread out collecting the air like a parachute. They glided forward and away at an incredible speed. Usagi whooped with delight and managed to flap her wings a few times, gaining altitude and stopping them from crashing into the trees of Fangorn forest. It didn't take long for Usagi to get used to controlling her wings, it felt good to fly, but kind of strange like trying to twitch your nose, it was a tiring and hard work and she was very worried about dropping Legolas but all in all it was an exhilarating experience. Plus it felt good to have the handsome Elf pressed against her, Goddess how she missed having Mamo-chan hold her.
They flew over Fangorn forest, where unknown to them Merry and Pippin were leading Tree beard to Isengard. After travelling for a few hours at high speed Legolas was able to see the huge army Saruman had sent out travelling in the distance. It was a while longer before Usagi could see them clearly. When she did she ended up holding her breath in trepidation, which caused her to falter. Somehow she almost dropped Legolas but grasped his arm at the last moment. Her wings flapping hard to regain her balance. Legolas righted himself holding onto her waist in an iron tight grip but among the commotion some of the men in the army had seen them and began shooting arrows at them. Usagi could go no higher for fear of not being able to breath in a higher altitude so she had to dodge the arrows and rocks that were thrown at them. Legolas itched for his bow and arrow. Luckily they seemed to be high enough for Usagi not to be effected by the uruk's presence too much.
Finally they cleared the immense army and looked at each other with fear, how would they defeat them? They continued in the direction the army was headed, suspecting that path would take them to wherever Aragorn had ended up. Another few hours passed, and the distance they gained on the army increased before they could see a great keep built into the side of a huge mountain.
"That is Helm's Deep." Legolas told her. A they approached Usagi began to wonder how to land. She flew over the gates of the keep under Legolas' instruction so she was over a courtyard. Someone below must have heard the loud whoosh sound her wings made as she tried to stay in one place in the air because Legolas heard shouts and people gathered below them. They spoke of Saruman's spies and a soldier of Edoras put an arrow to a bow and pointed it at them. As he shot it Usagi was forced to wrap her wings tight around her body to prevent them being hit by the arrow. This caused a quick descent to the ground from a very high altitude. Legolas saw Aragorn appear from inside the keep and knew that the man had recognised them. Aragorn gave the order to stop firing and Usagi was able to open her wings in time to slow their fatal descent. They landed hard on the ground, Legolas rolling them as they hit to avoid injury.
Aragorn hurried to Legolas. Studying him, running his eyes up and down, noting the holes in his friend's clothes, the tussled hair and Usagi's strange, and quite indecent clothes, not to mention her wings. The elf returned Aragorn's searching gaze and all Aragorn could do was slap his friends shoulder lightly, smile as the elf returned the gesture and say:
"You're late." To which Legolas replied, with a smile of his own.
"You look terrible."
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Usagi stood, triumphant, waiting for the enemy to make its move. A sharp command from Saruman brought the orcs to attention. The one that had fallen when she had killed the other orc rose to its feet, the four orcs pointed their spears at Usagi and charged forward. She let out a little squeak of fear and Legolas struggled to his feet to stand by her side. Usagi leaped backwards landing awkwardly but with the familiar move she felt less afraid than she had before, she felt like sailor moon again. Sailor moon from the early days, when she'd been uncertain of her self and her abilities but somehow she always came through. Her leap to safety left a weapon less and injured Legolas vulnerable and the orcs seized their chance. Two charged at him whilst the others occupied Usagi, keeping her leaping away from their deadly looking spears. She tried to hit one of them in the same way that she had killed the first but they're spears prevented her from getting close. Legolas ducked one spear and grabbing an orc by its neck swung it round using it's own momentum to dash it's head against the cold stonewall of the cell. Another orc was upon him as he turned and the creature thrust his spear into Legolas stabbing him in his chest. The deadly spear piercing his lung and emerging from his back. Legolas looked the orc in the eye as his knees gave way. He would have fallen but the cruel creature kept him propped up by the spear that it still held in its hands.
Usagi saw Legolas injured from the corner of her eye and loosing her concentration was hit through her knee by a thrown spear. The hard weapon hit just above her kneecap, instantly bringing her to the ground. Her mouth opened in a silent scream of pain and sudden despair. It was over. Saruman had won. The wizard in question advanced toward his fallen prey. A grim smile adorned his face. Usagi raised her self to her arms looking up through her bangs to glare with tear-filled eyes at the malicious man. He looked down on her with contempt.
"Not as powerful as you thought, are you. Nothing can match my power. Join with us child. Soon Sauron will rule all of this land of middle Earth, with me by his side. Things would go smoother with your power. The power you can wield to control, manipulate. It would eliminate the need to battle the free peoples of Middle Earth. Think of the lives you could save."
Usagi let out a small sob but no tears fell. It was a sob of pain, a loosing of hope. One thing still remained with her. Something that could never leave, no matter how bleak things got. Her desire to help the people she loved. At times like this, when it was life or death, she never thought of her self. She didn't care if she survived. She didn't like to live with the pain of loosing someone anyway. All she cared about was saving her friends, her family. All the good people in the world, the people who were her potential friends. She thought of the sweet hobbits, especially of Frodo who at this moment was travelling to save the World. The world she could now help destroy. She thought of the men and the dwarf and she looked at Legolas desperately gasping for air, his eyes glazed and blood oozing from his wound, reddening the hands of the orc that still held him aloft. They would want to be free. They would want her to be strong and survive. Help maybe, if she could. Most of all she had to stay good and stop Saruman from using her power for evil.
Using her uninjured leg she slowly rose, pain evident in her expression but she did not wince or cry out as she pulled the spear from her leg and hurled it at the orc who still held Legolas. It hit the orc in the neck it fell to the ground in a heap. Legolas grunted as he hit the floor. Usagi returned her attention to the wizard.
"I don't think so Gramps. My powers are used for good, nothing else. I wont help you and you can't take them from me by spells or torture or death. I'm a fighter, for love and justice and you oppose those things, for hurting a totally cute nice guy and being generally evil, I will punish you."
She went through the motions she would do as Sailor moon. As she finished up she felt the urge to reach for her tiara, so she did. She felt the warmth on her brow from her moon insignia and something dawned on her. All these weird extra power things, just like Chibi-usa had when she came from the future. These seemed to be things that moon people from this time could do. If she'd had these more developed powers before surely that meant she didn't need her brooch the power was in her. A hard determined look replaced the fear in her eyes and she closed her eyes, trying to look deep inside her and recreate the feelings she had when she changed into the Moon Princess.
"Moon eternal make up!"
The transformation took place as it always did, feeling to Usagi that it took forever but taking only a few seconds.
Her body was magically lifted and she closed her eyes as the transformation took place, opening her eyes with a cheeky grin as it finished and she stood before Saruman and the remaining orcs not as Usagi, but as Eternal sailor moon. Now she had the power of the ginzuishou at her command everything would be ok. Her desire to use her tiara attack made the ancient crystal react and her weapon of old adorned her forehead even in her Eternal form.
Sailor moon again lifted her hand to her forehead. Feeling the comfortable weight of her tiara resting there. She lifted it off; calling out "Moon Tiara action" She tossed the golden Frisbee like energy ball that her tiara became at Saruman. He used his staff to block the attack and it flew off in the direction of Legolas. Alarmed she yelled "Moon tiara stardust" so that the energy dissipated above Legolas causing him no harm. She steeled her self, deciding to go after the wizard's minions first. The orcs ran towards her at a command from Saruman. She leaped high into the air and landed behind them kicking one away from her with a powerful side kick to it's upper thigh and swiftly dodged a lunge from a spear. Her previous injury had healed when she transformed though she knew it would be back when she switched to Usagi. She found she was able to block out the evil of the orcs. As sailor moon, she was a fighter and better able to block their presence from her mind. She was all too aware of Legolas' deteriorating condition and after fending off a few more attacks she managed to clear a space to use a stronger attack.
"Silver moon crystal power kiss." Usagi felt here body being pulled through the graceful movements as she used her strongest attack against her foes. Oddly as they were caught in it's beam they vaporised and fell to the ground as dust. Usagi turned her hard gaze on Saruman still holding the kaleid moon scope in her hand. Saruman gave a sharp cry and motioned with his staff causing her to be flung backwards. Usagi was slammed against the wall at the back of the cell, her large feathered wings protected her from the full force of the blow but it still winded her and she sank to the floor. She held her hand briefly to her winged heart compact feeling the ginzuishou pulsing inside it for comfort. She tried to use her tier attack again but Saruman was too quick with a counter attack. Causing her weapon to be flung across the room. She tried again to attack him, this time with her tiara, but when he flung it back at her, and it hit, burning her arm she tried to think of an alternative. Saruman advanced, his staff held out in front of him pushing her backwards, trying to pin her against the wall.
She shouted "No" and fought against his forceful attack. Usagi noticed a window high up, it was narrow but human sized, she began to form a plan. Usagi managed to force Saruman back a few steps, he was now out of the cell, his back pointing in the direction of the window. With a quick break in her concentration Usagi let herself to be pushed back against the wall allowing Saruman to think he had gained the upper hand in their war of wills. She used her moon Tiara attack, it struck him full force and whilst he was winded and shocked she used her wings to fly towards him, lift him from the ground and force him out of the window.
Usagi heard Saruman's yell of surprise as he fell the hundred or so feet to the ground. However pleased this made Usagi she had a feeling the fall wouldn't hurt him too badly and more orcs or even the awful Uruk-Hai would soon be on their way. She rushed to Legolas' side and stroked his cheek with the back of her forefinger. She smiled comfortingly at him. He was barely conscious and did not acknowledge her save for a small twitching of his hand. Usagi grit her teeth, with one hand pressed against Legolas' shoulder she pulled hard on the spear. It came out with a sickening squelch and caused him to cough, blood spurting from him mouth instead of air.
Usagi let out a small sob and a tear for the pain she had caused him. She pulled out the arrow from his earlier wound too and smiled gently at him. Holding his hand to comfort him.
"It'll be ok, you'll be fine now, just hold on a little bit longer. Please. Legolas, I need you, and I can't help if you give up, stay strong for me 'kay?"
Letting go of his hand that had gently gripped her own was the hardest part, somehow she did it and reached for her brooch. The ginzuishou glowed with its familiar warm light, pulsing in time with her own heart. Usagi offered up a silent prayer to whoever might be watching and then uttered the words that were so familiar to her. Usagi's voice echoed around the stone walls of the tower as the magic of the ginzuishou was activated to save the noble elf. "Moon healing escalation."
An incandescent white light burst from the crystal filling Legolas' prone body and covering the room with a peace it had not known for some time. After a few minutes the light was sucked back into the crystal held in Usagi's hands, she closed it and placed it back on her fuku. Legolas was sitting up, propped on his elbows smiling at her, but looking a little apprehensive.
"Isil Hina, that is indeed a powerful gift you have. I thank you." He raised one eyebrow, his very subtle sense of humour evident in his expression. "But such strange attire. And..." He reached one hand behind to stroke a silky wing. Usagi closed her eyes as a shiver of pleasure ran down her spine. She shook her head and stood, feeling tired and confused. Legolas promptly rose to his feet, checking the holes in his clothes where his wounds had been. He was again his calm regal self.
"So," Usagi asked "What now. I bet any second a very mad Old wizard guy and many evil things are gonna come charging up here to kill us, I can't keep fending them off, it's too hard."
"We have to find a way out, back to the others. Whilst we were alone I heard the sound of a great number of men and orcs getting ready for a great battle, I fear Aragorn may need our help, if it is not already too late."
"Ok, I'm all for helping but how do we get there before the army." Legolas eyed her for a few moments considering, Usagi became a little worried when he seemed to be looking over her shoulder at something. She spun round full circle to see what the problem was. "What, Legolas what's wrong."
"Usagi, how fast can you fly? I would not ask it of you, but the need is great."
Usagi looked confused, her wings fluttered as she thought about them.
"Wha'd' you mean, fly? I can't fly, my wings are just sort of for decoration. They just help me stay up in the air a bit longer; I don't really know how to use them. I'm not a bird Legolas."
"But surely you could fly if you tried."
"What if I fall? What if I'm not strong enough to carry you, I'm only small."
"Now, fair lady, you sound like a hobbit, and see how they have overcome their fears on this journey. You are strong Usagi. That is the person I have some to know. That is the Usagi who does not doubt herself, she simply does what must be done."
Usagi looked at him sceptically, it sounded suspiciously like reverse psychology. The sort of thing Luna used to get her to get out of bed or something. After considering, and hearing the sound of orc grunts running up the stairs she made up her mind.
"Ok let's go but if I drop you or we die, don't blame me." Legolas smiled as they rushed to the window.
"Of course not."
"Ok, ok. You can do this Usagi. Just relax." She embraced Legolas clutching him tightly to her and together they made the almighty leap to the window Saruman fell out of. As they reached the opening Saruman burst through into the cell room with a band of Uruk hai. Usagi gasped at the wave of evil that hit her and as she did fell from the window. They were falling!
Usagi clenched her eyes closed and clutched Legolas to her. Concentrating as hard as she could to open her wings, their descent stopped around 30 feet from an the ground as her wings spread out collecting the air like a parachute. They glided forward and away at an incredible speed. Usagi whooped with delight and managed to flap her wings a few times, gaining altitude and stopping them from crashing into the trees of Fangorn forest. It didn't take long for Usagi to get used to controlling her wings, it felt good to fly, but kind of strange like trying to twitch your nose, it was a tiring and hard work and she was very worried about dropping Legolas but all in all it was an exhilarating experience. Plus it felt good to have the handsome Elf pressed against her, Goddess how she missed having Mamo-chan hold her.
They flew over Fangorn forest, where unknown to them Merry and Pippin were leading Tree beard to Isengard. After travelling for a few hours at high speed Legolas was able to see the huge army Saruman had sent out travelling in the distance. It was a while longer before Usagi could see them clearly. When she did she ended up holding her breath in trepidation, which caused her to falter. Somehow she almost dropped Legolas but grasped his arm at the last moment. Her wings flapping hard to regain her balance. Legolas righted himself holding onto her waist in an iron tight grip but among the commotion some of the men in the army had seen them and began shooting arrows at them. Usagi could go no higher for fear of not being able to breath in a higher altitude so she had to dodge the arrows and rocks that were thrown at them. Legolas itched for his bow and arrow. Luckily they seemed to be high enough for Usagi not to be effected by the uruk's presence too much.
Finally they cleared the immense army and looked at each other with fear, how would they defeat them? They continued in the direction the army was headed, suspecting that path would take them to wherever Aragorn had ended up. Another few hours passed, and the distance they gained on the army increased before they could see a great keep built into the side of a huge mountain.
"That is Helm's Deep." Legolas told her. A they approached Usagi began to wonder how to land. She flew over the gates of the keep under Legolas' instruction so she was over a courtyard. Someone below must have heard the loud whoosh sound her wings made as she tried to stay in one place in the air because Legolas heard shouts and people gathered below them. They spoke of Saruman's spies and a soldier of Edoras put an arrow to a bow and pointed it at them. As he shot it Usagi was forced to wrap her wings tight around her body to prevent them being hit by the arrow. This caused a quick descent to the ground from a very high altitude. Legolas saw Aragorn appear from inside the keep and knew that the man had recognised them. Aragorn gave the order to stop firing and Usagi was able to open her wings in time to slow their fatal descent. They landed hard on the ground, Legolas rolling them as they hit to avoid injury.
Aragorn hurried to Legolas. Studying him, running his eyes up and down, noting the holes in his friend's clothes, the tussled hair and Usagi's strange, and quite indecent clothes, not to mention her wings. The elf returned Aragorn's searching gaze and all Aragorn could do was slap his friends shoulder lightly, smile as the elf returned the gesture and say:
"You're late." To which Legolas replied, with a smile of his own.
"You look terrible."
