Author: drakefn
Author's E-mail: drakefn@getwithme.com
Disclaimer: Some are mine, most aren't. *sigh* Would be nice if they'd give me Luke though, or would at least share him...
Spoliers: I began writing this after In the Clamor and the Clangor so anything until that episode (4.11) is fair game to be mentioned in this story, along with things from upcoming episodes possibly. (I will make a note to any future spoliers at the beginning of the chapter.) Also, spoilers to The Lord of the Rings... both book & movie.
Author Note: Please review. I have this real bad habit of not finishing fics (see portfolio) if I don't recieve enough feedback... good or bad! Also, I would really like to give this story a better title. If you can think of one please e-mail me.
Rory Gilmore was studying with her back against a tree. It was a special spot, her spot. The sun shinned down perfectly at most times of the day, the tree fit her back perfectly, and it was a quiet spot - usually.
"No you're wrong," Rory heard a girl yell, making her jump. "The point of The Lord of the Rings is...."
"There is no point to The Lord of the Rings," a guy interrupted. "It was just a fairy tale Tolkein cooked up to keep his kids entertained in the fifties. Now movie producers want to keep everyone entertained with it, so yes they changed it a bit."
Rory, along with many other students, gathered around the two arguing. The guy was tall, at least six foot, with dark, wavy hair. He wore a letter jacket that made it obvious he was a jock in high school. The girl had shoulder length auburn hair, and was dressed very casually, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Rory's eyes were drawn downwards however, and she noticed the girl was wearing cowboy boots. Looking back up she couldn't help but feel she'd seen this girl somewhere before.
"I'm not upset about them changing it a bit," the girl continued. "But there is a point behind the book. When the hobbits go back to the Shire in the book, Saruman had taken over. There's another war, it's not simply happy ever after when the ring is destroyed."
"So what's the point?" the guy asked.
Rory couldn't help herself, and answered the question before the girl could even open her mouth. "The point is, when the source of evil is destroyed evil still lingers."
"Exactly," the girl said, smiling when she noticed Rory had shrunk back, blushing. "Think about it Jason. Tolkein wrote the book around the end of World War II, when Hitler died. It's not like everything became happy ever after immediatly after that happened, or even to this day. The source of some evil was killed, and yet his hatred lingered... it still lingers to this day."
"So you think they should have tried to show all of this in the movie?" The guy, obviously named Jason, replied. "The movie all together is already ten hours long, and you wanted them to show all that?"
The girl shrugged. "I don't know, but it just didn't sit right to have a happily ever after ending like that."
"But it didn't," Jason argued. "Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, Gimli, and the elves all left Middle-Earth. That wasn't happy, everyone was crying in the theatre. Heck, even I was crying."
The girl laughed. "Sure you were," she retorted. "But that's not what I mean. There's more behind them leaving Middle Earth then they put into the movie. All they did that for was to give a sense of closure to the movie.
"Look," the girl continued. "It's still my favourite movie, I just think it's missing a lot of what the book had to offer."
"Like Tom Bombadil!" someone from the crowd shouted. The girl laughed.
"Exactly. I was so mad when they didn't include Tom," she said. "He was such a great character. Can't really blame them for leaving him out though."
Jason shook his head. "Whatever. Look, I've got to get to class, we'll argue this later," he said as he leaned in and kissed the girl. Then he bent down and picked up his books before sprinting off towards the Old Campus.
"Thanks for joining in," the girl said to Rory as the crowd began to disperse.
Rory laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt but I couldn't help it."
"Nonsense," the girl said. "It's always great when people join in on conversations like that. I wish more people around here would do that."
"I'm Sara," she said, holding out her hand. Rory shook it. "Have I seen you around before?"
Rory shrugged. "I don't know, but you do look familiar."
Sara smiled. "One of those faces you know?"
Rory laughed. "Maybe that's it. Oh, I'm Rory by the way."
"Well Rory, would you happen to know where to get a good cup of coffee?" Sara asked. "I'm still not really used to the area, I just transfered this semester so it's all new."
Rory nodded. "I know all the good places, and the not so good. I don't know my way around perfectly yet, by any means, but I'd be happy to show you around a bit if you like."
Sara smiled. "That would be fantastic." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper, then a pen from her back pocket. "I need to get going right now. How about you give me your number and I phone you sometime?"
Rory nodded and gave her the digits. "Thanks," Sara said and she put the paper back in her pocket. "Now, any chance you can point me towards the bus depot?"
"If you take the number three bus it'll drop you off right at it," Rory told her. "Where are you trying to get?"
"Stars Hollow," Sara replied. "It's some small town around here."
Rory laughed. "I know," she told her. "I'm on my way there, it's my hometown."
"No kidding? Small world," Sara said.
Rory nodded. "Would you like a ride in?"
"I don't want to be any trouble," Sara replied.
"No trouble," Rory told her. "I hate making the drive on my own. Besides, I can take you to Luke's when we get there, that's truly the best coffee."
Sara smiled. "You won me over with the coffee." Both girls laughed. "I need to take my guitar though," Sara said, pointing towards a case leaning against a tree. "You got enough room?"
Rory smiled. "We'll manage it."
