Disclaimer: I own Aldrea and the plot, my friend Agarwen owns Pai, and the rest of the characters/worlds belong to their respective owners.

A/N: Thank you for reviewing my story, Cylon One, and I have fixed what you said was wrong. Thanks for pointing that out for me! I hope you keep reading this story for it is my pride and joy. Anyway, please read and review all you other people!

"Japanese"

thoughts

(author notes)

Chapter VIII: A Passage to Middle-Earth

"…after that, I hardened my heart against crying or ever truly falling in love again," said Pai to end her story.

Everyone listening gave a heart felt sigh.

"That was the most beautiful and depressing story I have ever heard," Kagome said between sobs.

The rest of the group nodded in agreement with Kagome's statement, except for Inuyasha and Aldrea. Inuyasha had fainted, and Aldrea was staring into space with a far away look in her eyes.

"When did those two drop off?"

Aldrea suddenly snapped back to reality, and answered Pai. "Forgive me, I was only thinking of a time when a similar experience happened to me. I had tried to kill myself countless times. Immortality is a heavy burden."

"Hey!" Kagome shouted. "You didn't tell us you were immortal!"

Aldrea twisted her mouth into a haughty grin. "I reveal what I wish to, when I wish to, and to whom I wish to."

"So when did Inuyasha faint?" Pai asked exasperatedly, trying to keep everyone on topic.

Goku was the one to reply to her question this time. "Inuyasha fainted when he heard that you had been married."

"That's a bit out of character for him," Sango remarked to herself thoughtfully.

During the entire telling of Pai's story, Miroku had been slowly inching towards Pai herself and he was now right beside her. He quickly grabbed her hands and asked his question. "Will you do me the honor of bearing my child?"

Pai jumped when Miroku had grabbed her hand and before he finished saying child, she had tossed him into the air. Miroku landed a good distance away, and it was a miracle that he was still conscious. Pai growled and turned beet red. "Don't you ever ask me that question again unless you have a death wish!"

Sango giggled at Miroku's misery and didn't stop until Miroku had come back limping and stood beside her.

At this moment Pai had noticed Aldrea's scars, which she had left uncovered since they had first appeared earlier. Being the dangerously curious cat demon that she was, Pai wasted no time in asking questions. "What's that on your cheek? How did you get it? When did you get it?"

Aldrea sighed. "I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you all about my scars. They were put there by a werewolf whom I had considered my friend. It is a painful experience, being betrayed by your closest friend. He was even in his right mind when he attacked me." Aldrea then bowed her head, deep in thought.

"That's just like what happened between me and Hiten," Pai commented.

Aldrea suddenly whipped her head up, and her eyes shot round like the hawk's hunting gaze. Goku soon after turned his head, searching urgently for something. Then Pai's ears perked up, detecting a sound, and Kagome sensed tainted shikon shards. Naraku was approaching!

Aldrea began shouting orders. "Quickly Goku, retrieve Inuyasha and be prepared to flee!"

Goku heaved Inuyasha up off the ground and draped his body on his back, but the hilt of the Tetsugaiga was digging into Goku's back.

"Here," offered Pai to Goku, "I'll take the sword."

"You must make haste," Aldrea reminded them. "Shippou, go with your mother. Pai, you must be ready to run as well. I am assuming you are able to fly, correct?"

"I can't fly in this form, but I can run really fast."

Aldrea shook her head. "You need to be flying now. I guess there is no other choice then to allow you to ride upon me."

Pai nodded, strapped the belt with the Tetsugaiga in its sheath to her waist, and set Shippou on her shoulder. The two dragons, Nall now in his white cat-like form, dug their claws into Pai's clothes because they weren't that fast when flying.

Aldrea then turned to Miroku, Sango, Kagome, Gohan, and Kirara. "Kirara, you must carry Sango and Miroku." The cat demon nodded. "And Kagome, both Pai and yourself must ride upon me. In regular circumstances I would not allow this, but our lives depend on speed." Aldrea transformed, allowed Pai and Kagome to clamber onto her back, then spread her wings slightly, letting them droop down the sides of her body.

Sango and Miroku set themselves upon the now large Kirara; Goku with Inuyasha, Gohan, and Kirara, all spread out. The mismatched band of travelers tensed and readied for Aldrea's signal.

Aldrea's pupils narrowed in excitement as she began to trot forward. The signal was sent and everyone except Aldrea sprung into the air. Two dark shapes began to take form before Aldrea and she quickened her gait to a slow gallop, raising and opening her wings, which were a fifty foot span. The strange shapes were closer now, and could be discerned from the smoky shadows. Aldrea's form was heading directly towards Naraku and Kanna, who had her mirror, gaining speed. Kagome gasped and Pai tightened her grip around Aldrea's waist.

Kagome started to scream hysterically, but the wind blew the sound back into her throat, as if to keep her from changing the galloping creature's doomed course. At the last possible moment, with an almost horrified look from Naraku and a blank stare from Kanna, Aldrea beat her wings and rose into the air. All at once the group plunged through an icy barrier and emerged from the black void to find them in a completely different place.

"Where are we?" Kagome ventured to ask after she had finally dared to look around.

One of Aldrea's globular, yellow eyes fixed itself on Kagome, as one of her long ears turned to listen to what Kagome said. /We have passed through a portal leading into a land beyond the knowledge of all the world history in your time. Only one man succeeded in finding the ancient records of this age. /

Kagome gaxed down in awe at the rivers, streams, forests, and mountains rippling past as if upon the back of a slow moving turtle cursed to roam. Goku, Gohan, and Kirara, moved closer to Aldrea, fearing to become lost in this strange place. Soon Aldrea began to spiral downwards, searching for a safe place to land. She settled for an area beside a small gurgling stream which emerged from an ancient forest draped with leaves from past autumns, giving it an untidy look.

As soon as they landed, everyone who was carried dropped heavily to the ground, except for Inuyasha whom Goku set gently on the grass.

Aldrea, apparently satisfied that everything was alright, began to explain about the place they were in. She seemed not to be in the mood to talk much at that moment in time. /As you have heard from me earlier, we have entered a different time and place. The records found and translated by a man named J.R.R. Tolkien tell of its history. This is the famous land of Middle-Earth. /

Everyone blinked rapidly, dumbfounded by what they had learned. Then those who had not traveled through time and space by way of passing through a portal void of anything but blackness and cold, which was everyone except for Goku, Gohan, and Aldrea, began to collapse from the weakness in their knees.

/Forgive me, I almost forgot about the side effects. /

"Side effects?" shouted Pai. "You should have told us about that earlier!"

Aldrea's eyes flashed in an angry manner. /You should think before you speak, Pai. Harsh words may lay forfeit to your life. / Aldrea turned to the rest. /For a few minuets you shall need to rest before moving your legs or walking. /

Pai snorted in disgust after everyone had shifted their bodies into more comfortable positions. Pai did the same with great reluctance.

/Now that we are all settled, I shall explain to you exactly where we are. / Aldrea swept one of her clawed hands towards the forest. /The forest here is called Fanghorn by many and the stream is called the Entwash. We are in the land of Rohan which belongs to the people of the Rohirrim, Masters of Horses. The King at this time, I believe, is King Theoden. We must travel to Edoras in order to ask for permission to journey through his lands. /

Pai scoffed and scowled. "Why should we ask for permission for something? If I want to go through someone else's land, I don't ask them, I just walk right through!"

Goku jumped up, looking down on Pai with an angry expression. "This is a King's kingdom we're talking about! Not just someone's private land!"

"So? That's never stopped me before!"

Aldrea knelt down on her fore legs, then her hind legs, and sat down, readjusting her wings. /Let her be, Goku. Pai does not know any better than what she was taught. / Aldrea had said this privately to Goku so as not to offend Pai. Goku relaxed and set himself down again.

"So, when's lunch?" asked Pai while rubbing her hands together. "I'm starving. I could even eat one of those trees over there!"

Aldrea narrowed her eyes at Pai. /Please do not change the subject, Pai. /

Pai shot her nose up in the air defiantly. "I can do as I damn well please. I wanted to change the subject, so I did!"

Now it was Aldrea's turn to explode. She began to growl low in her throat, glaring daggers at Pai. Aldrea snapped her jaws open and closed compulsively, and she swished her tail side to side in anger, leaving an indentation in the soft ground. /How dare you speak to me that way. / A hiss escaped from between her sharp, tightly barred teeth. /I do not care how you were raised, I shall dine on your head for that!. /

Goku walked up to Aldrea, it being his turn to stay calm, placed his hand gently on her scaly shoulder, and started speaking in soft tone. "Aldrea, why don't you cool yourself off by running across the plane?" He the added in a whisper, "You're begining to lose control of your evil side again."

Aldrea stood up, swung herself sharply to the right, and cantered off towards the open plane between the mountains and Fanghorn.

A/N: I hoped you liked it! The next chapters are going to be longer and therefore it may talk a long time to get the next one up. But isn't it great that they've finally made it to Middle-Earth? I've finally got the LOTR part up! YAY! Please read and review! Ja ne! Oh, and Aldrea says Hi to all you FAITHFUL readers.