Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm so sorry about the slow updates! I feel really bad, but school is now a factor in life. However, I do know where I am going and I'll keep working when I have the time! Yet can you believe that I am now on page 65 of this story? Wow…

Now onto everyone's favorite part, me commenting about your comments!

technetium: I like this story very much. It is interesting, you have good characterization, and I thing Alagi has nicely side-stepped being a Mary Sue. It's obvious that you've read and enjoyed the books. You should not have her flying right away when she decides to try it. She should at least do some stretching exercises to build up to flying. In 5 weeks without use, muscles atrophy pretty quickly.

Thank you! This is what I have been aiming for, a non Mary Sue! :D As for the exercising, read on.

Don't make it a romance, please. I like her friendships with the elves and Bilbo, but honestly, she is far too young and different for there to be a convincing romance. And please don't make her a 10th member - it's overdone, and she couldn't do too much to help them as she could really only serve as an airborne lookout. I'd much rather see her explore M-E, but you have to remember that it's not really safe to explore at this juncture, as there is kind of a war going on. I could see sending her as a wartime messenger between Rivendell and the other Elven regions (the Grey Havens, Lothlorien, Mirkwood), but the first time she visited any of those places she would have to be on horseback with another Elf, because if she just tried flying in, she'd be shot again. Is she getting horseriding lessons? That might be useful. I don't know if a messenger to Lothlorien would be needed, as Elrond and Galadriel can talk telepathically, (there's one part in book 3 where they all talk to Celeborn and Gandalf without speaking) but I don't know what the range on that is (probably short distance).

I realized this, and NO, she will NOT BE A 10th MEMBER. I am so sick of those stories, and romances! As much fun as romance would be, any romance will be between Aragorn and Arwen, yet I might explore other ways love can be shown…

Herald-Mage Brianna: Is this fic dead? Just wondering, since it hasn't been updated in two years or so... Also, if it isn't, how old is Alagi?? I don't think you ever said. And how old are the other X-men chars in this fic??

Define dead… In my mind this fic isn't dead, but it is really slow on the updating. Alagi is about fifteen years old, as the second chapter refers to her stepping out of a ninth grade classroom. The X-Men characters are in their late twenties except for the newer recruits who are now older teens.

Audra: I just wanted to tell you how much I love your X-Men/LotR crossover fic, and that I wish that you would update soon, because I'm dying to know what happens next!

This is one of the many, many comments I've gotten through reviews and one of the few e-mails I've received that helped me get my behind in gear. Thanks everyone!

E-mail me with comments to get moving and the like!

Disclaimer: The disclaimer got thrown into the Bruinen River and froze into a chunk of ice and floated off.

Chapter Ten: Flying

By Dameon

It was rainy the next day, thus postponing the Grand Rivendell Tour, and after my Elvish lessons, which had gone from being taught by Arwen to being taught by Arwen and three other Elves, I went back to bed and slept until noon.

As I (almost) predicted, Bilbo got sick and was confined to bed by Elrond. I brought him items he asked for, which soon dwindled down to nothing, and I was free for the day after my sword lesson with Megiltura, Elrohir, and Elladan.

As I wiped down my sword and put it away, Elrohir broached a subject I hadn't thought about. "So Alagi, have you been thinking about starting exercises to get your shoulders in condition to fly?"

I bit my lip as I wrapped my sword up. "Uh…no."

"Well, I've been thinking," Elrohir said as he rewrapped the leather handle on his sword. "Because you haven't been able to fly for so long, you've probably lost the muscle it takes to move those wings of yours. When a human breaks their leg, after it heals, is that leg not weaker than it was before?"

"Your right," I admitted. "I hadn't thought of the idea of exercises."

"Well, you've only got about a week before your bandages come off," Elladan said.

So I started exercising in whatever way I could think of. I stretched, did push ups, whatever I could think of. It lasted about two days before I forgot about it and went back to drawing, talking, and the various other activities I normally did around Rivendell.

It had been seven weeks since I had been here in Rivendell, granted three and a half of those weeks I had been asleep, but I was growing accustomed to the elves's way of life. I no longer received the odd looks in the halls but instead received greetings and inquiries about my health or what I had been up to lately.

The strange dreams about people I didn't know and places I didn't remember had faded and I no longer dreamed about the people or places until one day in the woods. It was late afternoon and after a particularly hard sword lesson I went into the woods to find certain weeds Elrond wanted, something named King's Foil.

I fell asleep and dreamed one of the most vivid and confusing dreams I ever remember having.

FLASHBACK

There was about ten people in colorful outfits in a room with a roaring fire place. The moon shone through a large window behind someone in a wheelchair, but all of the faces were blurred and the only thing I could really see clearly was the wheelchair that the guy in front of the window was in. "There's been a Brotherhood sighting down at the New York docks. Take the Blackbird."

A guy in the front with brown hair nodded. "Will do Professor."

"Be careful, X-Men," the man in the wheelchair said.

The scene changed to where everyone was sitting somewhere, the guy with the brown hair talking in the front as a man with blue hair sat behind him. "Okay team, remember. Magneto is dangerous and is intent on getting this cargo of ancient artifacts."

"We can do this!" An ice covered figure shouted. "Let's go X-Men!"

Everyone started filing out, and the ice covered figure came up to whoever I was seeing this dream through. "Nervous kid?"

"Yeah."

"I won't let you get hurt," the figure grinned. "Just keep Magneto's goonies busy."

"I think I can do that."

"Oh yeah, watch those wings of yours kid," the icey figure said. "They're broad targets for Pyro and the others."

Outside, I lifted up into the night, water. Shouts from below drifted up as people raced towards a floating person dressed in purple in red, but I concentrated on a guy in a red and orange costume. Flames shot from his hands, and as he concentrated on something else, the world suddenly speeded up and I ran into the flame guy. He went sprawling to the ground as I flew up.

The man shouted something and threw fire at me, which I dodged. As I watched, the scene melted into a different place, where the walls were covered with pictures of people and posters advertising things I had no clue what they were. A man with blurred facial features was sitting near me. He had bright blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes.

"If you try hard enough you can do most anything. Don't get disappointed just because you failed one time. We learn from our mistakes, they build us up, or tear us down. That's the choice you must make. Will you rise above or stay on the ground?"

The man rose and gave me an awkward hug. "I love you, now get some sleep."

The man turned and –

END FLASHBACK

"Alagi?" I woke up to find Arwen in front of me, holding a lantern. "Alagi, you missed dinner. We were worried."

"I'm sorry," I apologized as I stood up. "I fell asleep."

Arwen smiled. "Dreaming of home?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Dreaming of somewhere."

Two days later, as I approached the sword hut for lessons with Megiltura, I noticed he was not wearing his normal warrior outfit but cruder clothing with a large, black stained smock. He was pounding on a sword, two assistants by his side. The klanging hurt my ears and I barely heard Megiltura as he yelled over the strokes of his hammer.

"Alagi, you will not have sword lessons today! Elrond summons you!"

"All right!" I shouted back and left. I found Elrond's medicinal chamber on the first try with little effort, and I grinned to myself as I stepped into the room. Elrond was talking with another Elf. They laughed and Elrond gave him a bag.

"Hello, Alagi," Elrond greeted as the other Elf left. "Has your wing bothered you at all lately?"

"Nope," I smiled.

Elrond smiled lightly back, and checked my wing. "It has healed wonderfully. In fact…" Elrond tore off the bandages and came back in front of me. "I believe you are well enough to fly."

"Seriously?!" I didn't give Elrond time to answer. "YES! YES! YES!"

I was about to run off screaming the good news when Elrond stopped me with a stern, "Alagi!"

I froze and turned back to him. "Yeah?"

Elrond looked me straight in the eyes, his brown eyes scrutinizing my blue ones. "Promise me you will take it easy and slow, or I will not allow you to try flying."

I tried to keep a straight face as I answered. "Yes, sir."

Elrond straightened and smiled lightly again. "Let us see what you can do then."

I smiled weakly, but I wasn't sure if I wanted Elrond watching me as I tried to fly. He noticed my half smile as he asked, "Is something wrong Alagi?"

"I'm not sure if I can even get off the ground," I answered.

"I'm sure you will achieve whatever you think you can," Elrond replied.

Before I knew it, I was out in a courtyard with a large crowd of

curious elves. My excitement had started to become dampened with the large crowd gathered and all eyes on me. I tried to block out the attention and concentrated on my wings.

If you had wings, you'd realize that your shoulder muscles do about two thirds of the work, including special muscles in your back that actually move the muscles. The other one third of the work is your chest muscles, and I found out that to even get one foot of the ground requires concentration and strength.

I concentrated on moving my shoulder muscles, even moving my shoulders, but it didn't work. Taking a deep breath, I tried to ignore the whispering behind me and I concentrated on my wings once more. This time I got them to move.

There was a brief stab of pain, but I ignored it and focused on getting my wings to beat faster. I suddenly realized that dust was being whirled into the air, and as my wings hit the air stronger, I felt myself become lighter, and instinctively, my knees bent and I jumped into the air.

My wings faltered, and I landed back on my feet, but I jumped again and this time my wings caught air and I closed my eyes as I concentrated. After a few seconds of not feeling ground, I cracked my eyes opened and saw that I was about six inches, wobbling, but hovering!

I turned to look at Elrond, causing me to wobble violently, but I righted myself automatically and found myself looking at a sea of smiles. I grinned so hard I thought my face would explode, but I didn't care. I was flying!

My wings gave out and I ungracefully fell to the ground, where I struggled to keep standing. I had been tensing my legs and they were weak. Elrond, Glorfindel, Lindir, Elrohir, and Elladan came up, all smiling.

"Not bad for a first try," Elladan winked. "I am sure you'll be flying as high as an eagle in no time at all."

I grinned. "I hope so!"

Elrond put a hand on my shoulder and nodded his approval. "Your wing has proved itself healed. You are still to take it easy and slow."

I nodded as solemnly as I could manage. "Yes, sir."

Glorfindel smiled. "Congratulations, Alagi."

I smiled and nodded until everyone had disappeared before I sat down. Not only my legs hurt but also my chest, shoulders, and arms. But it was all worth it, just to know that I could fly.

Eressëa, Lanner, and Voronwer came up to me at this point, grinning and congratulating me. I smiled back.

"What does it feel like, flying?" Lanner asked, a wild gleam in his eye.

"Exhilarating!" I said. "It was only hovering, but still… Oh yeah, it hurts to."

Lanner laughed while Voronwer barely contained a chuckle. "When you fly higher you must tell us what the land looks like from a bird's eye view!"

"I wish I could do that right now," I answered with gusto.

"Patience is a virtue," Eressëa commented. "You will get there in time."