One of a Kind
Chapter Eight
Changes
Original Post Date: March 16, 2004
Updated Post Date: April 27, 2004
A/N: I am incredibly sorry for how long it took me to get this chapter! I would have never thought it would take me this long! *sigh* I had about two pages typed up to post, and yet I did not think it long enough. But this is now 9 pages, when formatted for ff.net, so hopefully this should make up for everything.
I'm now using a script from the movie, so things should go faster. And my muse is very willing to work on this story. So I hope to have chapters faster than I had before, while I also do school work and work on my other stories. I thank you all for your patience and hope that you have a lovely day!
I just want to quickly say thank you to all those who have reviewed so far. I have no clue who I have and have-not addressed, so this will be quick, hopefully......
Thanks to KiCreature, espigle tuer, W, Alexandra the Half Wolf, Dragonsdaughter1, Asarielle, chase, Cali-luv, Cassie-Bear01, luckylily (2), Anon, Ashley, Caraphoenix, The Goddess of Purple Coats, opalrose81(the critiquing is a good thing, trust me!), Acacia Jules, Kitten, Lightning Rain, ann(ANGEL IS NOT A POOF!!!), Catlimere(that was exactly what I was thinking...), mirax, nancy (nope. No Legolas/Buffy. SORRY!), Lizz,Rou,andy(Are there more than one of you there? I thought I was the only one who had more than one voice in my head...), Stars-Child (Bloody brilliant?! *faints*), Katie(I agree. I like almost all fanfic I read, but the same old thing gets boring. Somewhere, I have another story that starts from season seven, but starts way earlier in the LOTR verse....), fatalit, Sparrow Luver, Robin...
Water Mage (yeah, I've always thought Dawn should be a slayer, but nobody ever does it! *pouts*...I CALL THE IDEA!! Lol...), LAURA26, Miss. Perfect's shadow(You are not stupid if you don't find anything wrong with it, cuz how could you? I'm Nobody, and that means I'm perfect, right? Lol, jk!), wolfspirit, Pam(methinks you're right!), Lin, Lia3(don't feel bad, I have something like 36 reviews on my own login, this is just for Bek's Fan Alliance, though I tend to get more reviews here than my own....*goes off to ponder)
Ok, I'm back!
Acacia Jules: To answer your question, though it might be a little late, is because she's still uncomfortable with being open about their relationship, or that's at least how I see it. Besides, I'm a hie-hard Buffy/Angel fan, and while this is NOT going to be B/Angel, it will still be B/A! Which makes me sort of happy, lol.
And the reason why I ended it there was because, as a reader, I hate suspense, and all the really good author's do it. So fake it till ya make it, so I had to add some suspense, right?! Lol.
Lia3: Some of your questions I'll answer, other's I wont...I tend to have a very nice muse, so me hopes to have this done by June, but July seems to be the max I'll draw this out...The First shall be showing up real soon, just wait....Yes, it was Dawn's blood that made the seal take them to Middle Earth. Well, her blood, two slayer's blood, and all that potential blood. That's packing some serious power!
Oh, and since everyone keeps saying this should be a Buffy/Legolas, and I haven't seemed to post this yet, these are my reasons for this NOT being a Legolas/Buffy....
* Legolas is immortal. Buffy has died twice, making her NOT immortal.
* They are both blond, which, if they had children, would make their children blond, and we do not want blond slayer/elves running around. It just would not be pretty.
* Everyone else does Legolas and either Buffy or Willow, and I think that Legolas needs some fun. This is why he is not going to be with our good slayer, but with our bad one...
hehehehehe.....there's a hint, if you get it!
This is why we are not going to have Legolas and Buffy.
Reasons for having Aragorn and Buffy:
*Both know what it is like to be in a doomed relationship, where everyone is against it, well, many people are against it, and one person in the couple is immortal.
*Both know what it is like to have responsibility forced upon them, and both know the burden of being forced to rule, when they might not want to.
*Last reason I can think of right now.... They're both coming off of relationships with immortal people, and though I am not going to get into whether they loved each other or not, *cough*buffydidn'tlovespike*cough*, they really need a good solid relationship that is not only liked by people, but also good for them. I don't think Buffy and Aragorn would be together for just the sex, since Aragorn doesn't seem to be that type of person. And he would not stay with her, if he did not love her, or she did not love him.
*Oh! One more reason I can think up right now...CREATIVE LICENSE!! It's my story!
So those are my reasons. You don't have to like them. If you still want to read, then go ahead. If you want to flame my story and denounce my name, then so be it. (hehehe, I used a big word!)
And now, ladies and gentlemen, is your regularly scheduled update:
(This story is now 10 pages long......heheh!)
Author's Notes: March 30, 2004- People are going to hate me for this, but I have decided that I hate the script I am using, no offense to whomever wrote it, but I do. So once again, I have opted to get a book from the library out. For those of you who do not like my switching back and forth: GET OVER IT!!
April 27th- I'm once again working on this story, and will soon probably have the 9th chapter up!!! And just so you know, there are some scenes in the movie I LOVED so they will probably end up in here somewhere...
I forgot I wanted to get rid of all of my unanswered reviews!!! And I might have already addressed these, so sorry! I'm very forgetful!
Opalrose81: I think I've already addressed this one, but I'm a terrible speller, and I don't think your mean at all! You should see some of the reviews I send...I nit pick the chapter, and then spend two minutes praising it, lol! I'm glad you think this story has a lot of potential, and I hope you continue to read!
Thanks to Acacia Jules for reviewing chapter five, but I think I already answered your questions...if not, let me know...
Willow_ph: Yeah, I've found TONS of differences in the books, but I think my story is more different then either of those two, because Buffy's in it, lol. So I'm going to forge ahead. I'm giving her parts that others say, and taking out parts and adding parts, eventually it will all work out! Trust me! But thanks for your concern!
Thanks to Moonlight Evanessence for your review of chapter...6. IO think I still have this one flagged, and will continue to keep it flagged, so I can keep going back to it, because you called my story Bloody brilliant! That review always makes my day!!!
Sparrow Luver: I'm glad your glad that I updated, and you might be a bit mad at me for changing my mind...AGAIN!! But like you said, it's my story! Lol. Hehehe. Enjoy! I'll trey to get a new chapter up ASAP
Catlimere: I'm glad you liked them, and you might be sad that I took them out, but I am going to put them back in. Arwen will be leaving next chapter, and I will probably be getting to that camp place as well, remember that from the movie? And I'm thinking that I can't wait for them to find out either, though I have no clue how I'm going to make them figure it out....hm...maybe one will have a little accident....
Alexandra the Half Wolf: Well, now that we all know that she's going...I am going to have to add that part in again, it just didn't work out right. And of course, in the book, the twin elves come and bring the s2ord...have to chop up that nonsense before it gets to far! She will be gone by the next chapter, most likely! Thanks for your review!
Lostmarbles: Well, here's the same old chapter, with a bit of a twist, and we'll be getting into new stuff next chapter! Thanks for your review!!!
Willow Liz: (review of chapter 6) well how am I supposed to know that?! Just because my dad tells me about a guy that was brought into the jail who had swallowed enough cocaine or whatever to kill him in little plastic bags because he didn't want to get caught with it, and they had to wait for it to go through his system...how was I supposed to know there was a difference!!?!?!?! And are you so certain Buffy would really know the difference?!
But you FINALLY reviewed! Lol.
And that's it, ladies and gents!!
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Aragorn followed her retreating figure with his eyes. He didn't know why he was so mad about what she had done. When they had all faced the troll, and the hobbits had done some pretty dangerous stuff, all of them had, or when Gandalf refused his help, and stood against the Balrog alone, he hadn't been mad at them. He had thought that it was heroic, brave, and selfless. So, when Buffy did a selfless act, why had he made such a big deal?
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Legolas there.
They walked to the ruins of the gate. Aragorn, lost in his own thoughts, was unsure of exactly how long it took them, or if anyone had tried to speak to him.
When they reached the gate, from among the shadows came Treebeard and a dozen other Ents.
Buffy, from inside, felt something shift, she wasn't sure exactly what had alerted her, and she wasn't sure how she had felt it in the first place, but she rushed down the stairs, in stealth mode, in time to see the Ents emerge. She slid into the shadows by the door, hiding herself from the tree things and the company of riders.
Momentarily, before cluing into the conversation, she wondered exactly what it would take to kill one of the tree things. They were big, but the bigger they were, the harder they fell. They were tree like, and so probably burned. Gimli had his axe, he wouldn't mind her borrowing it, she bet, if things came to that. She still had her scythe.
Then she clued into the conversation, and realized that Gandalf seemed pretty tight with these creatures. She trusted the wizard's choice in friends and his decisions, mostly, and decided these things weren't much of a threat. She hoped.
"Here are three of my companions, Treebeard." Said Gandalf, as Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas stared in wonder. From the doorway, getting over the slayer instincts of finding weaknesses, Buffy also stared in wonder. These things were like none she had ever seen. "I have spoken of them, but you have not yet seen them." And then he introduced them, one by one.
The old Ent looked at them long and searchingly, before speaking to them in turn. Finally, he turned to Legolas. "So you have come all the way from Mirkwood, my good elf? A very good forest it used to be."
"And still is. But not so grand that we who dwell within ever tire of seeing hew trees." This proclamation made her think of Giles and Willow. Those two never tired of new books, or websites. Well, Willow for the websites, but both on the books. They were researchers to the core. "I should dearly love to journey into Fangorn's Wood. I scarcely stepped beyond the eaves and I did not wish to turn back."
Treebeard's eyes gleamed with pleasure. "I hope that you may have your wish, ere the hills be much older."
"I would come, if I have the fortune to. I have made a bargain with two of my companions, that if all goes well, we will visit Fangorn together, by your leave."
"Any elf is welcome, if he come with you."
"I am sorry to inform you, neither of my companions is an elf. One is Gimli, Gloin's son, here." Buffy saw Gimli bow low, and the axe slipped from his belt and clattered on the hard packed earth.
"Hoom! Hm! Ah now, a dwarf and an axe bearer! Hoom! I have good will towards elves, but you ask much. This is indeed a strange fellowship."
"Strange as it seems, as long as Gimli lives, I shall not pass through Fangorn alone. His axe is not for trees, but for orc necks. He hewed forty two in the battle."
"Hoo! Come now! That is by far a better story. And who would this other companion be?" Treebeard asked. "Would it be the fellow in the shadows?" Treebeard turned to Buffy.
"Ok, I mighty not be Mr. Stealthy, but how long have you known I was there?" She stepped from the shadows, looking just a bit worse for wear. There was no way that in Sunnydale she would have show up for anything looking as she did. But here, well, it could not be helped, she supposed.
"Hoom! A woman?" Treebeard turned to Gandalf and Theoden.
"She would not be persuaded to stay." Gandalf told him, a slight twinkle in his eye.
"Well, little one, who might you be?"
"Buffy Summers. Vampire Slayer."
"Hm, there once was talk of a wicked creature called vampyr by some tongues, but it traveled out of Middle Earth, I think. Haven't heard or seen one for a long time now."
"Been there, done that, read the book. I've shifted my sights to orcs, for the time being, but any evil should stay on its toes. I don't discriminate." She looked first at the Ents, and then back at the tower of Orthanc.
"Yes, well," Treebeard seemed unimpressed. "But now we must part for awhile. Day is drawing to an end, yet Gandalf says you must go ere nightfall, and the Lord of the Mark is eager for his own house."
"Yes, we must go, and go now. I fear that I must take your gatekeepers from you. But you will manage well without them."
"Maybe I shall. But I shall miss them. We have become friends in so short awhile that I think I must be getting hasty- growing backwards towards youth, perhaps. I shall not forget them, though. I have put their names into the Long List. Ents will remember it.
"Ents the earthborn, old as mountains
And the wide walkers, water drinking;
And hungry as hunters, the Hobbit children
The laughing folk, the little people.
"They shall remain friends as long as the leaves are renewed. Fare you well! But if you hear news up in your pleasant land, in the Shire, send me word. You know what I mean."
"We will!" Said the two young hobbits together, and they turned hastily.
Merry rode with Gandalf, while Pippin rode with Aragorn. Legolas and Gimli once again shared a horse, as they rode from Isengaurd. It was a few days of strained journey from the great black tower to a place everyone was calling The Golden Hall. Buffy would not talk, nor even look at Aragorn. She knew their fight was effecting everyone, and if it didn't resolve itself soon, things were just going to get worse, but she was currently too mad to care.
She listened with a slight disinterest as everyone talked and boasted. Now that the first battle was over, everyone was in better spirits, but she knew worse was to come. She could feel it, and she couldn't help but think about The First. Where did she come into all of this? There had to be a reason for them being there, and she couldn't help but think of what was going on at home. Was the world that she had been forced to protect safe?
A/N: Like I said, changed my mind! Lol! Here's how the story's going to stay!
Oh, and just so you know, this was something I had written in a notebook long ago, and found by chance, and this is how the story was origionally supposed to go, and after reading a tiny bit of it, I love it way more than anything I have written after. I hope you like it as well. It's much more....well, I'll let you figure it out.
"Are we riding far tonight, Gandalf?" Merry asked. "I don't know how you feel about small rag tag dangling behind you, but the rag tag is tired and will be glad to stop dangling and lie down." He said from the back of Gandalf's horse. Pippin was riding with Aragorn, while Gimli and Legolas once again shared a horse. They were riding at a leisurely pace, easy for conversation, but Buffy stayed silent, almost sullen, in thought. She tuned into Gandalf's answer, since it was a question she had had on her mind for a while now, but she soon realized it was the wrong answer, and tuned out again, until Merry asked a second time.
"A most unquenchable hobbit. All wizards should have a hobbit or two in their care to teach them the meaning of the word, and to correct them. I beg pardon, I have given thought to these matters. We will ride for a few hours, to the end of the valley. Tomorrow, we must ride faster." This was the answer Buffy had been waiting for, and she tuned the rest out, sinking into her own thoughts once more.
They strayed from the path headed west for a mile or so. There, guards were set, two to a watch. The rest of the company, after eating, wrapped themselves in cloak and blanket and slept.
Buffy tossed and turned, in the borrowed cloak and blanket. How she wished for a bed! It didn't even have to be a good one! Her room, back before thing got crazy; four poster canopy bed, Dorothy Hamil posters on every inch of wall. Mr. Gordo in his place of honor, ready for bedtime. She wanted it all.
Finally she fell into a fitful sleep, full of apperations and 'memories,' some so twisted and obviously wrong, others wrong, and yet they felt so right, until she was dizzy and confused. An underlying picture lay beneath them all.
Then the 'memories' of her, Celia, Dawn and Clem faded into visions of a war torn land; homes pillaged and burned; children huddled in corners, weeping for parents long dead; bare, burned earth, scarred by fire, drought and poverty.
Her face scrunched, she thrashed, and turned, to yet another set of visions.
People in chains; ill fitting rags hanging from their living skeletons, being prodded and beat by those demony things at the Mountain Stronghold.
There were people she recognized, Gandalf in what she knew to be stocks, ridiculed, his white hair and beard grey with age and filth. Gimli and Legolas being led in front of a line of archers. The girls, her girls, being forced to do manual labor in the mines, Dawn and Faith among them. Theoden, a dark haired elf, and Aragorn hanging, eyes bulging and tongues swollen, from a gateway, swinging in a breeze.
She watched, bird's eye view, as a shadow, followed by fire and destruction covered the land, and one by one, the humans died, and the demons took over.
Now she had a close up view of something she could not determine, and then a ring dropped into her sight in slow motion. Strange writing covered the gold band in a liquid red, as it hit the floor and bounced in a slow arc to slam onto the floor with a huge amount of force.
Fire filled her vision, red, hot, burning! An eye peered from the fire, staring into her soul. She couldn't run, couldn't scream, couldn't turn away. It bore into her. The a pair of figures popped up, and she glimpsed them, recognizing one by his build and the way he held his body, and the other by his clothes and hair.
They fought off the eye, giving her a chance to get away...but again it was on her, and then she saw another figure, one she had only seen twice, and yet it had burned itself into her memory like a hot branding iron. Slowly, it started shifting forms, The Master, Angel, Drusilla, Spike, Adam, Glory, and then it was herself looking out at her. She heard a high pitched screaming.
"Buffy! Buffy!" someone shook her and she fought them off, believingit to be more of the horrid visions that filled her head as she slept. She sat straight up, and the screaming stopped. Her throat was burning, as she clung to the figure, trembling with fear. He patted her back, soothing the shaken slayer.
"It's ok. Shh. It's all a bad dream. Shh." He murmured, as she clung to him, her slayer strength biting into his hard physic, but he said nothing to make her loosen it.
"No, no, no! It's here!" she repeated, over and over. She closed her eyes to cover the darkness, only to see that damned eye burned into her eye lids. She whimpered, and he began to rock her back and forth, as a father would sooth a scared child. He rubbed her back and whispered, "It's ok. Shhh...It's ok." The whole time.
Eventually, she fell back into a dreamless sleep. But as he tried to pull away and lay her back on the hard ground, she whimpered and cried out, holding onto him tighter. Finally, he lay down beside her, letting her cling, and they both slept. He didn't think about the accusations that would be made the next day.
Both were awakened in the pre-dawn hours by some terrible ruckus.
It took Buffy a few minutes to come back to full conscious, a few more to remember her dream, and her rescuer, and a few more for her to tune into the conversation.
"...we must move. The neighborhood of Isenguard is no place to linger in. I will ride ahead at once with Perigrin Took. It will be better for him than lying in the dark as others sleep." She heard Gandalf say, but none was in context, and her brain was fuddled and confused.
"I will keep Eomer and ten Riders." She heard the king reply, "They shall ride with me at early day. The rest may go with Aragorn and ride as soon as they have mind." She felt the figure sitting beside her stand and walk over to the conversation, and she suddenly felt very embarrassed, as the last pieces of her dream fell into place.
"As you will. But make all the speed you may to the over of the hills, to Helm's Deep!"
At that moment, Buffy's 'spider senses' freaked, as a shadow fell over them. The moon was cut from their vision.
Many riders cried out, crouching, covering their heads to shield themselves from a blow from above. A blind fear took them, and a deadly cold fell about them.
Cowering, they all looked up. Buffy looked as well, frightened though the fear, terror and even the coldness was nothing new to her.
A vast winged shape passed over the moon yet again like a black cloud. It wheeled and flew north, flying at a greater speed than any wind of Middle Earth. The stars were blotted out by it, and then it was gone.
Many stood, rigid. Gandalf was gazing after the beast, his arms down, stiff, hands clenched.
"Nazgul! The messenger of Mordor. The storm is coming. The Nazgul have crossed the river! Ride! Ride! Wait not for dawn! Let not the swift wait for the slow!" he cried, and then sprang away, faster than Buffy had thought possible for an old guy, calling to Shadowfax as he went. Aragorn followed. Reaching Pippin, Gandalf picked him up in his arms, "You shall come with me this time. Shadowfax shall show you his paces."
Shadowfax waited where Gandalf had slept, and the wizard quickly packed his things, and then he lept aboard the horse's broad back. Aragorn lifted Pippin up and, tucked him into Gandalf's arms, wrapped in a cloak and blanket.
"Farewell! Follow fast! Away, Shadowfax!" the magnificent horse tossed his head, his flowing tail flickering in the moonlight. Then, in once graceful movement, he lept forward, hooves churning the earth, and he was gone.
"A beautiful, restful night!" Merry said to Aragorn, "Some folk have wonderful luck. He did not want to sleep, and he wanted to ride with Gandalf-and there he goes! Instead of being turned into a stone himself to stand here for ever as a warning."
"If you had been the first to lift the Orthanc-stone, and not he, how would it be now?" asked Aragorn, "You might have done worse. Who can say? But now it is your luck to come with me, I fear. At once. Go and get ready, and bring anything that Pippin left behind. Make haste!"
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So, there we go! Those are the changes, and I found part of chapter Nine on my computer, and have it with me today, in Study Hall, so I shall try to get it up to you guys by Friday's Study Hall!
Read and Review please!!!
And because I have changed my mind so much, you can flame me if you want! (flames are reviews saying how bad the author/story is)
Chapter Eight
Changes
Original Post Date: March 16, 2004
Updated Post Date: April 27, 2004
A/N: I am incredibly sorry for how long it took me to get this chapter! I would have never thought it would take me this long! *sigh* I had about two pages typed up to post, and yet I did not think it long enough. But this is now 9 pages, when formatted for ff.net, so hopefully this should make up for everything.
I'm now using a script from the movie, so things should go faster. And my muse is very willing to work on this story. So I hope to have chapters faster than I had before, while I also do school work and work on my other stories. I thank you all for your patience and hope that you have a lovely day!
I just want to quickly say thank you to all those who have reviewed so far. I have no clue who I have and have-not addressed, so this will be quick, hopefully......
Thanks to KiCreature, espigle tuer, W, Alexandra the Half Wolf, Dragonsdaughter1, Asarielle, chase, Cali-luv, Cassie-Bear01, luckylily (2), Anon, Ashley, Caraphoenix, The Goddess of Purple Coats, opalrose81(the critiquing is a good thing, trust me!), Acacia Jules, Kitten, Lightning Rain, ann(ANGEL IS NOT A POOF!!!), Catlimere(that was exactly what I was thinking...), mirax, nancy (nope. No Legolas/Buffy. SORRY!), Lizz,Rou,andy(Are there more than one of you there? I thought I was the only one who had more than one voice in my head...), Stars-Child (Bloody brilliant?! *faints*), Katie(I agree. I like almost all fanfic I read, but the same old thing gets boring. Somewhere, I have another story that starts from season seven, but starts way earlier in the LOTR verse....), fatalit, Sparrow Luver, Robin...
Water Mage (yeah, I've always thought Dawn should be a slayer, but nobody ever does it! *pouts*...I CALL THE IDEA!! Lol...), LAURA26, Miss. Perfect's shadow(You are not stupid if you don't find anything wrong with it, cuz how could you? I'm Nobody, and that means I'm perfect, right? Lol, jk!), wolfspirit, Pam(methinks you're right!), Lin, Lia3(don't feel bad, I have something like 36 reviews on my own login, this is just for Bek's Fan Alliance, though I tend to get more reviews here than my own....*goes off to ponder)
Ok, I'm back!
Acacia Jules: To answer your question, though it might be a little late, is because she's still uncomfortable with being open about their relationship, or that's at least how I see it. Besides, I'm a hie-hard Buffy/Angel fan, and while this is NOT going to be B/Angel, it will still be B/A! Which makes me sort of happy, lol.
And the reason why I ended it there was because, as a reader, I hate suspense, and all the really good author's do it. So fake it till ya make it, so I had to add some suspense, right?! Lol.
Lia3: Some of your questions I'll answer, other's I wont...I tend to have a very nice muse, so me hopes to have this done by June, but July seems to be the max I'll draw this out...The First shall be showing up real soon, just wait....Yes, it was Dawn's blood that made the seal take them to Middle Earth. Well, her blood, two slayer's blood, and all that potential blood. That's packing some serious power!
Oh, and since everyone keeps saying this should be a Buffy/Legolas, and I haven't seemed to post this yet, these are my reasons for this NOT being a Legolas/Buffy....
* Legolas is immortal. Buffy has died twice, making her NOT immortal.
* They are both blond, which, if they had children, would make their children blond, and we do not want blond slayer/elves running around. It just would not be pretty.
* Everyone else does Legolas and either Buffy or Willow, and I think that Legolas needs some fun. This is why he is not going to be with our good slayer, but with our bad one...
hehehehehe.....there's a hint, if you get it!
This is why we are not going to have Legolas and Buffy.
Reasons for having Aragorn and Buffy:
*Both know what it is like to be in a doomed relationship, where everyone is against it, well, many people are against it, and one person in the couple is immortal.
*Both know what it is like to have responsibility forced upon them, and both know the burden of being forced to rule, when they might not want to.
*Last reason I can think of right now.... They're both coming off of relationships with immortal people, and though I am not going to get into whether they loved each other or not, *cough*buffydidn'tlovespike*cough*, they really need a good solid relationship that is not only liked by people, but also good for them. I don't think Buffy and Aragorn would be together for just the sex, since Aragorn doesn't seem to be that type of person. And he would not stay with her, if he did not love her, or she did not love him.
*Oh! One more reason I can think up right now...CREATIVE LICENSE!! It's my story!
So those are my reasons. You don't have to like them. If you still want to read, then go ahead. If you want to flame my story and denounce my name, then so be it. (hehehe, I used a big word!)
And now, ladies and gentlemen, is your regularly scheduled update:
(This story is now 10 pages long......heheh!)
Author's Notes: March 30, 2004- People are going to hate me for this, but I have decided that I hate the script I am using, no offense to whomever wrote it, but I do. So once again, I have opted to get a book from the library out. For those of you who do not like my switching back and forth: GET OVER IT!!
April 27th- I'm once again working on this story, and will soon probably have the 9th chapter up!!! And just so you know, there are some scenes in the movie I LOVED so they will probably end up in here somewhere...
I forgot I wanted to get rid of all of my unanswered reviews!!! And I might have already addressed these, so sorry! I'm very forgetful!
Opalrose81: I think I've already addressed this one, but I'm a terrible speller, and I don't think your mean at all! You should see some of the reviews I send...I nit pick the chapter, and then spend two minutes praising it, lol! I'm glad you think this story has a lot of potential, and I hope you continue to read!
Thanks to Acacia Jules for reviewing chapter five, but I think I already answered your questions...if not, let me know...
Willow_ph: Yeah, I've found TONS of differences in the books, but I think my story is more different then either of those two, because Buffy's in it, lol. So I'm going to forge ahead. I'm giving her parts that others say, and taking out parts and adding parts, eventually it will all work out! Trust me! But thanks for your concern!
Thanks to Moonlight Evanessence for your review of chapter...6. IO think I still have this one flagged, and will continue to keep it flagged, so I can keep going back to it, because you called my story Bloody brilliant! That review always makes my day!!!
Sparrow Luver: I'm glad your glad that I updated, and you might be a bit mad at me for changing my mind...AGAIN!! But like you said, it's my story! Lol. Hehehe. Enjoy! I'll trey to get a new chapter up ASAP
Catlimere: I'm glad you liked them, and you might be sad that I took them out, but I am going to put them back in. Arwen will be leaving next chapter, and I will probably be getting to that camp place as well, remember that from the movie? And I'm thinking that I can't wait for them to find out either, though I have no clue how I'm going to make them figure it out....hm...maybe one will have a little accident....
Alexandra the Half Wolf: Well, now that we all know that she's going...I am going to have to add that part in again, it just didn't work out right. And of course, in the book, the twin elves come and bring the s2ord...have to chop up that nonsense before it gets to far! She will be gone by the next chapter, most likely! Thanks for your review!
Lostmarbles: Well, here's the same old chapter, with a bit of a twist, and we'll be getting into new stuff next chapter! Thanks for your review!!!
Willow Liz: (review of chapter 6) well how am I supposed to know that?! Just because my dad tells me about a guy that was brought into the jail who had swallowed enough cocaine or whatever to kill him in little plastic bags because he didn't want to get caught with it, and they had to wait for it to go through his system...how was I supposed to know there was a difference!!?!?!?! And are you so certain Buffy would really know the difference?!
But you FINALLY reviewed! Lol.
And that's it, ladies and gents!!
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Aragorn followed her retreating figure with his eyes. He didn't know why he was so mad about what she had done. When they had all faced the troll, and the hobbits had done some pretty dangerous stuff, all of them had, or when Gandalf refused his help, and stood against the Balrog alone, he hadn't been mad at them. He had thought that it was heroic, brave, and selfless. So, when Buffy did a selfless act, why had he made such a big deal?
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Legolas there.
They walked to the ruins of the gate. Aragorn, lost in his own thoughts, was unsure of exactly how long it took them, or if anyone had tried to speak to him.
When they reached the gate, from among the shadows came Treebeard and a dozen other Ents.
Buffy, from inside, felt something shift, she wasn't sure exactly what had alerted her, and she wasn't sure how she had felt it in the first place, but she rushed down the stairs, in stealth mode, in time to see the Ents emerge. She slid into the shadows by the door, hiding herself from the tree things and the company of riders.
Momentarily, before cluing into the conversation, she wondered exactly what it would take to kill one of the tree things. They were big, but the bigger they were, the harder they fell. They were tree like, and so probably burned. Gimli had his axe, he wouldn't mind her borrowing it, she bet, if things came to that. She still had her scythe.
Then she clued into the conversation, and realized that Gandalf seemed pretty tight with these creatures. She trusted the wizard's choice in friends and his decisions, mostly, and decided these things weren't much of a threat. She hoped.
"Here are three of my companions, Treebeard." Said Gandalf, as Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas stared in wonder. From the doorway, getting over the slayer instincts of finding weaknesses, Buffy also stared in wonder. These things were like none she had ever seen. "I have spoken of them, but you have not yet seen them." And then he introduced them, one by one.
The old Ent looked at them long and searchingly, before speaking to them in turn. Finally, he turned to Legolas. "So you have come all the way from Mirkwood, my good elf? A very good forest it used to be."
"And still is. But not so grand that we who dwell within ever tire of seeing hew trees." This proclamation made her think of Giles and Willow. Those two never tired of new books, or websites. Well, Willow for the websites, but both on the books. They were researchers to the core. "I should dearly love to journey into Fangorn's Wood. I scarcely stepped beyond the eaves and I did not wish to turn back."
Treebeard's eyes gleamed with pleasure. "I hope that you may have your wish, ere the hills be much older."
"I would come, if I have the fortune to. I have made a bargain with two of my companions, that if all goes well, we will visit Fangorn together, by your leave."
"Any elf is welcome, if he come with you."
"I am sorry to inform you, neither of my companions is an elf. One is Gimli, Gloin's son, here." Buffy saw Gimli bow low, and the axe slipped from his belt and clattered on the hard packed earth.
"Hoom! Hm! Ah now, a dwarf and an axe bearer! Hoom! I have good will towards elves, but you ask much. This is indeed a strange fellowship."
"Strange as it seems, as long as Gimli lives, I shall not pass through Fangorn alone. His axe is not for trees, but for orc necks. He hewed forty two in the battle."
"Hoo! Come now! That is by far a better story. And who would this other companion be?" Treebeard asked. "Would it be the fellow in the shadows?" Treebeard turned to Buffy.
"Ok, I mighty not be Mr. Stealthy, but how long have you known I was there?" She stepped from the shadows, looking just a bit worse for wear. There was no way that in Sunnydale she would have show up for anything looking as she did. But here, well, it could not be helped, she supposed.
"Hoom! A woman?" Treebeard turned to Gandalf and Theoden.
"She would not be persuaded to stay." Gandalf told him, a slight twinkle in his eye.
"Well, little one, who might you be?"
"Buffy Summers. Vampire Slayer."
"Hm, there once was talk of a wicked creature called vampyr by some tongues, but it traveled out of Middle Earth, I think. Haven't heard or seen one for a long time now."
"Been there, done that, read the book. I've shifted my sights to orcs, for the time being, but any evil should stay on its toes. I don't discriminate." She looked first at the Ents, and then back at the tower of Orthanc.
"Yes, well," Treebeard seemed unimpressed. "But now we must part for awhile. Day is drawing to an end, yet Gandalf says you must go ere nightfall, and the Lord of the Mark is eager for his own house."
"Yes, we must go, and go now. I fear that I must take your gatekeepers from you. But you will manage well without them."
"Maybe I shall. But I shall miss them. We have become friends in so short awhile that I think I must be getting hasty- growing backwards towards youth, perhaps. I shall not forget them, though. I have put their names into the Long List. Ents will remember it.
"Ents the earthborn, old as mountains
And the wide walkers, water drinking;
And hungry as hunters, the Hobbit children
The laughing folk, the little people.
"They shall remain friends as long as the leaves are renewed. Fare you well! But if you hear news up in your pleasant land, in the Shire, send me word. You know what I mean."
"We will!" Said the two young hobbits together, and they turned hastily.
Merry rode with Gandalf, while Pippin rode with Aragorn. Legolas and Gimli once again shared a horse, as they rode from Isengaurd. It was a few days of strained journey from the great black tower to a place everyone was calling The Golden Hall. Buffy would not talk, nor even look at Aragorn. She knew their fight was effecting everyone, and if it didn't resolve itself soon, things were just going to get worse, but she was currently too mad to care.
She listened with a slight disinterest as everyone talked and boasted. Now that the first battle was over, everyone was in better spirits, but she knew worse was to come. She could feel it, and she couldn't help but think about The First. Where did she come into all of this? There had to be a reason for them being there, and she couldn't help but think of what was going on at home. Was the world that she had been forced to protect safe?
A/N: Like I said, changed my mind! Lol! Here's how the story's going to stay!
Oh, and just so you know, this was something I had written in a notebook long ago, and found by chance, and this is how the story was origionally supposed to go, and after reading a tiny bit of it, I love it way more than anything I have written after. I hope you like it as well. It's much more....well, I'll let you figure it out.
"Are we riding far tonight, Gandalf?" Merry asked. "I don't know how you feel about small rag tag dangling behind you, but the rag tag is tired and will be glad to stop dangling and lie down." He said from the back of Gandalf's horse. Pippin was riding with Aragorn, while Gimli and Legolas once again shared a horse. They were riding at a leisurely pace, easy for conversation, but Buffy stayed silent, almost sullen, in thought. She tuned into Gandalf's answer, since it was a question she had had on her mind for a while now, but she soon realized it was the wrong answer, and tuned out again, until Merry asked a second time.
"A most unquenchable hobbit. All wizards should have a hobbit or two in their care to teach them the meaning of the word, and to correct them. I beg pardon, I have given thought to these matters. We will ride for a few hours, to the end of the valley. Tomorrow, we must ride faster." This was the answer Buffy had been waiting for, and she tuned the rest out, sinking into her own thoughts once more.
They strayed from the path headed west for a mile or so. There, guards were set, two to a watch. The rest of the company, after eating, wrapped themselves in cloak and blanket and slept.
Buffy tossed and turned, in the borrowed cloak and blanket. How she wished for a bed! It didn't even have to be a good one! Her room, back before thing got crazy; four poster canopy bed, Dorothy Hamil posters on every inch of wall. Mr. Gordo in his place of honor, ready for bedtime. She wanted it all.
Finally she fell into a fitful sleep, full of apperations and 'memories,' some so twisted and obviously wrong, others wrong, and yet they felt so right, until she was dizzy and confused. An underlying picture lay beneath them all.
Then the 'memories' of her, Celia, Dawn and Clem faded into visions of a war torn land; homes pillaged and burned; children huddled in corners, weeping for parents long dead; bare, burned earth, scarred by fire, drought and poverty.
Her face scrunched, she thrashed, and turned, to yet another set of visions.
People in chains; ill fitting rags hanging from their living skeletons, being prodded and beat by those demony things at the Mountain Stronghold.
There were people she recognized, Gandalf in what she knew to be stocks, ridiculed, his white hair and beard grey with age and filth. Gimli and Legolas being led in front of a line of archers. The girls, her girls, being forced to do manual labor in the mines, Dawn and Faith among them. Theoden, a dark haired elf, and Aragorn hanging, eyes bulging and tongues swollen, from a gateway, swinging in a breeze.
She watched, bird's eye view, as a shadow, followed by fire and destruction covered the land, and one by one, the humans died, and the demons took over.
Now she had a close up view of something she could not determine, and then a ring dropped into her sight in slow motion. Strange writing covered the gold band in a liquid red, as it hit the floor and bounced in a slow arc to slam onto the floor with a huge amount of force.
Fire filled her vision, red, hot, burning! An eye peered from the fire, staring into her soul. She couldn't run, couldn't scream, couldn't turn away. It bore into her. The a pair of figures popped up, and she glimpsed them, recognizing one by his build and the way he held his body, and the other by his clothes and hair.
They fought off the eye, giving her a chance to get away...but again it was on her, and then she saw another figure, one she had only seen twice, and yet it had burned itself into her memory like a hot branding iron. Slowly, it started shifting forms, The Master, Angel, Drusilla, Spike, Adam, Glory, and then it was herself looking out at her. She heard a high pitched screaming.
"Buffy! Buffy!" someone shook her and she fought them off, believingit to be more of the horrid visions that filled her head as she slept. She sat straight up, and the screaming stopped. Her throat was burning, as she clung to the figure, trembling with fear. He patted her back, soothing the shaken slayer.
"It's ok. Shh. It's all a bad dream. Shh." He murmured, as she clung to him, her slayer strength biting into his hard physic, but he said nothing to make her loosen it.
"No, no, no! It's here!" she repeated, over and over. She closed her eyes to cover the darkness, only to see that damned eye burned into her eye lids. She whimpered, and he began to rock her back and forth, as a father would sooth a scared child. He rubbed her back and whispered, "It's ok. Shhh...It's ok." The whole time.
Eventually, she fell back into a dreamless sleep. But as he tried to pull away and lay her back on the hard ground, she whimpered and cried out, holding onto him tighter. Finally, he lay down beside her, letting her cling, and they both slept. He didn't think about the accusations that would be made the next day.
Both were awakened in the pre-dawn hours by some terrible ruckus.
It took Buffy a few minutes to come back to full conscious, a few more to remember her dream, and her rescuer, and a few more for her to tune into the conversation.
"...we must move. The neighborhood of Isenguard is no place to linger in. I will ride ahead at once with Perigrin Took. It will be better for him than lying in the dark as others sleep." She heard Gandalf say, but none was in context, and her brain was fuddled and confused.
"I will keep Eomer and ten Riders." She heard the king reply, "They shall ride with me at early day. The rest may go with Aragorn and ride as soon as they have mind." She felt the figure sitting beside her stand and walk over to the conversation, and she suddenly felt very embarrassed, as the last pieces of her dream fell into place.
"As you will. But make all the speed you may to the over of the hills, to Helm's Deep!"
At that moment, Buffy's 'spider senses' freaked, as a shadow fell over them. The moon was cut from their vision.
Many riders cried out, crouching, covering their heads to shield themselves from a blow from above. A blind fear took them, and a deadly cold fell about them.
Cowering, they all looked up. Buffy looked as well, frightened though the fear, terror and even the coldness was nothing new to her.
A vast winged shape passed over the moon yet again like a black cloud. It wheeled and flew north, flying at a greater speed than any wind of Middle Earth. The stars were blotted out by it, and then it was gone.
Many stood, rigid. Gandalf was gazing after the beast, his arms down, stiff, hands clenched.
"Nazgul! The messenger of Mordor. The storm is coming. The Nazgul have crossed the river! Ride! Ride! Wait not for dawn! Let not the swift wait for the slow!" he cried, and then sprang away, faster than Buffy had thought possible for an old guy, calling to Shadowfax as he went. Aragorn followed. Reaching Pippin, Gandalf picked him up in his arms, "You shall come with me this time. Shadowfax shall show you his paces."
Shadowfax waited where Gandalf had slept, and the wizard quickly packed his things, and then he lept aboard the horse's broad back. Aragorn lifted Pippin up and, tucked him into Gandalf's arms, wrapped in a cloak and blanket.
"Farewell! Follow fast! Away, Shadowfax!" the magnificent horse tossed his head, his flowing tail flickering in the moonlight. Then, in once graceful movement, he lept forward, hooves churning the earth, and he was gone.
"A beautiful, restful night!" Merry said to Aragorn, "Some folk have wonderful luck. He did not want to sleep, and he wanted to ride with Gandalf-and there he goes! Instead of being turned into a stone himself to stand here for ever as a warning."
"If you had been the first to lift the Orthanc-stone, and not he, how would it be now?" asked Aragorn, "You might have done worse. Who can say? But now it is your luck to come with me, I fear. At once. Go and get ready, and bring anything that Pippin left behind. Make haste!"
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So, there we go! Those are the changes, and I found part of chapter Nine on my computer, and have it with me today, in Study Hall, so I shall try to get it up to you guys by Friday's Study Hall!
Read and Review please!!!
And because I have changed my mind so much, you can flame me if you want! (flames are reviews saying how bad the author/story is)