The creature raised its tail blade, defensively. Stand back He warned, speaking telepathically to every member of the council. If you try to attack me I am capable of defense
The ripple appeared again, and this time, a brown-haired human fell through. "Ax! Where are we! Where is everyone else?" He questioned, worry showing on his face.
I am sorry; Prince Jake, but I do not know where the others are
"That's okay, and don't call me-oh, never mind..." Jake looked up, seeing where he was for the first time. He gasped. "I'm seeing things..." he muttered, wide-eyed. "No way this is true."
Lord Elrond stepped forward to address the strange pair. "Who are you? If your intentions are pure, I promise no harm will come to you."
"How do we know if they're telling the truth?" an elf demanded.
"I'm Jake, and this is Ax, who's an Andalite and a good creature." Jake said. "What have you done with my friends?"
"We haven't do-" Aragorn started, when another human appeared. It was a girl, with flowing blonde hair. She picked herself up. "Okay, this so better not be another trick of the Ellmist's," she muttered. "Jake, where on earth are we this time?"
"That's what we're trying to figure out, Rachel," Jake said. "Along with, where's everyone else." Two humans, a boy and a girl, along with a hawk, appeared. "I don't believe this," the dark-haired boy muttered. "We are SO not in Kansas anymore.
"Well, seeing that we're all here," Jake looked for someone in charge. "Our intentions are pure," he said to Elrond.
"Just as long as you aren't controllers," Marco muttered. "And anyways, where are we?"
Elrond looked at the group, judging, that they seemed harmless enough. He could usually faintly sense a person of evil intentions, and anyways, he reasoned, he always had a score of elvish archers guarding. It would be safe to hear them out. "If your intentions are pure, then you must be welcomed as a friend, though I'm interested to know where you come from." Elrond gestured to some empty seats.
Jake sighed. "Well, I'm Jake, and this is Rachel, my cousin, Cassie, and Marco." One by one, he introduced them, before moving to the two harder members to introduce. "This is Tobias, who is a human trapped in the form of a hawk."
It's complicated. Believe me Tobias said.
"And this is Ax, who's an Andalite. We've fought through many battles together and he's given us reason to trust him multiple times."
Elrond had closely examined each person as they were introduced. Somehow, he sensed that they could be trusted, though he could also sense some force flowing within them that their form did not show. Yes, he decided, he would trust them, until they gave him reason not to. "Allow me to introduce all present," he began. "This is Aragorn, son of Arathorn, my foster son, and heir to the throne of Gondor.The other man you see here is Boromir, son of the steward." Aragorn inclined his head politely. Although he had been trained to be wary of outsiders, he respected and trusted his foster father's judgment. Boromir, however, only nodded his head shortly, still not quite trusting this strange group.
Elrond continued. "The dwarf is Gimli, son of Gloin, and the elf you see here is Legolas, prince of Mirkwood. The wizard is Gandalf the Grey, and the hobbit is Frodo Baggins, the ring bearer. I am Elrond, lord of Rivendell. You are in Middle Earth, in the third age."
"I guess that answers any immediate questions," Rachel said. "But what did we interrupt when we appeared?"
"I was about to form a Fellowship to destroy the One Ring," Elrond answered grimly.
Marco frowned, "The One...what?" He asked, confused.
"The One Ring. It was forged..." Elrond paused. "To tell you the history of the One Ring would take much too long. Basically, it was created by the Dark Lord, Sauron. It is a thing of great evil that has the power to corrupt the hearts of all and destroy our world. It must be taken to the fires of Mordor to be destroyed...or we will lose everything we hold dear." He finished, sadness creeping into his voice.
"That must be why we were sent here..." Cassie whispered. "Don't you see? They're fight isn't that much different from ours, if you think about it?" She pointed out.
"What do you mean?" asked Elrond, genuinely interested.
Jake began to explain. "We're fighting our own war, where we live, and if we lose, we lose our world and everything we have. Our home is being attacked by Yeerks. They are evil creatures who have the power to control a person completely. My older brother, along with countless other humans, have already been taken." Jake's voice cracked as he thought of his older brother and all the other controllers.
"In the tongue of our people, we have a similar word for the creatures we fight. In common tongue, they are called the orcs. They were once elves, twisted and tortured until they were a terrible new form of life, serving only evil." Elrond detected no lie in them, and felt empathy for what they must have to go through. Already, he felt that they were truly not so different. "Why do you think you were sent here?"
"Whatever power that sent us here must have meant for us to join together. We wish to join in taking the One Ring to Mordor." Jake said firmly. "Maybe that is our purpose here," he said softly, half to himself.
"The trip will be dangerous and you are unfamiliar with this world," Elrond pointed out.
"Well, we aren't exactly helpless." Rachel argued. "We fight with our power to change into any living creature we can touch. Um...well maybe we better show them, guys. Battle morphs," she said. Then, she began morphing, growing larger, until a full-sized grizzly bear stood where the human had once been. In the places of the others were a tiger, a wolf, a gorilla, and Ax and Tobias morphed polar bears.
These forms are what we usually use to fight, but we can turn into any living thing we touch, she explained.
"You are indeed great warriors," Lord Elrond finally said, amazed. "Your skills would definitely be an asset to the quest."
"What?" Boromir protested. "Will we simply allow these strangers to join our quest. How do we know they speak the truth?"
If we were of evil intent, wouldn't we have attacked already? Ax questioned coldly. Despite his tone, he actually began to like Boromir. Although the human's distrust annoyed him, he respected how Boromir thought like a true warrior and had obviously been well trained.
"The andalite speaks truly. I think their intentions would have been known to us by now. Besides," Elrond pointed out, "have they given us any reason to distrust them?" he asked.
"Well...no," Boromir admitted
"I understand and respect your concern, my friend," Elrond said, graciously, "however, I think they can be trusted, and they would be a great asset to the Fellowship. Very well, together, you shall take the Ring to Mount Doom"
"Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me." Sam ran out to stand next to his best friend.
Elrond lifted his eyebrows, slightly amused. "No indeed, it is hardly possible to separate you even when he is summoned to a secret council and you are not," he gave, good-naturedly.
"Wait! We're coming too!" Two hobbits, Merry and Pippin, ran out to stand by the group." Elrond turned around, surprise and amusement written across his face.
"You'd have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us!" Merry said firmly.
"Besides, you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission, quest...thing," Pippin pointed out.
"And that's exactly the reason why you have me," Marco joked.
"You flatter yourself" Rachel shoved him playfully.
"You cut me deep, girl," he whined in mock hurt.
Elrond gave in, hiding the smile of amusement and relief that threatened to spill across his face. Yes, he thought, if they remained true to each other, this group of people could be trusted to bring the Ring to Mordor. "Very well," he said. "You shall be the Fellowship of the Ring."
"Great. Where are we going?" Pippin asked.
"At least now I know I'm not the only one who doesn't pay attention in class," Marco laughed.
