Disclaimer: Lord of the Rings is not mine. So just sit back and enjoy what I do to it. :)

Chapter Eleven

"Didn't hear what, Peregrin?" Gandalf asked in a rather serious tone.

"Pippin knows words like 'vocabulary' and 'dialect,'" Merry said in amazement.

"And 'primitive,'" Faramir added.

"Did I say that?" Pippin asked. Merry and Faramir nodded. "That's strange."

Gandalf looked closely at Pippin. "You don't remember saying them?"

"Well, no."

"Strange. Very strange, indeed."

"Pippin?" Legolas asked as they were eating. "Why were you so interested in pointed ears? Hobbits have pointed ears, too." (A/N: Hannon le to Gods-Girl 12044 for pointing this out; I'd completely forgotten. You can't really see their ears too well most of the time. :))

Pippin felt his ears. "Yes, but our hair is thicker - it would keep our heads from getting poked. Elves have thin hair."

Legolas shrugged. "Makes sense." Then he realized what he had just said. Something Pippin had said had made sense! What was going on?

Pippin was equally surprised. "Really? I made sense? Gandalf, what's happening?"

"I believe I know, Peregrin Took. I feared this when you first volunteered to take the Ring." He turned to Faramir. "You suggested that Pippin's innocence might protect him from the Ring's corruption. This is true to some extent. Pippin will not go power-mad, as many humans would."

Faramir nodded. It was hard to imagine this sweet little Hobbit power-mad.

Gandalf continued. "Yet even Pippin is not immune to its power. It is not power that Pippin wants."

Aragorn shook his head. "I'm not following you, Gandalf. What's going on?"

"I think I understand," Faramir nodded. "The Ring is giving Pippin what it thinks he wants."

"Huh?" the Ranger asked.

"The Ring is making Pippin smart."

The Fellowship gasped. "Really?" Pippin asked.

"It's the only explanation," Gandalf nodded. "First, Pippin figures out about my hat. He knows words like 'vocabulary' and comes up with a good reason for wondering about Elf ears." Everyone stared.

Gandalf exploded. "Don't you realize how dangerous this is? The Ring may have far more effect on Pippin than anyone else! He'll never want to get rid of it! It's making him smart! It'll never be destroyed at this rate!"

Pippin stood up to face Gandalf. Merry stood by his friend's side. Faramir, Boromir, and Radagast stood behind them. Frodo and Sam joined them, followed by Legolas and Gimli.

"I think I understand, Gandalf," Pippin said slowly. "The Ring must be destroyed as soon as possible, before its hold on me grows too strong. I promise, I won't let y'all down. The Ring will be destroyed."

Gandalf immediately softened and put a hand on the Hobbit's shoulder. "Thank you, Pippin. I know what a promise from an innocent Hobbit like you means."

"Good," Pippin sighed. "'Cause I sure don't."

Gods-Girl 12044–Thanks again for pointing out the Hobbit ears thing. :)

Ice Ember–Hmmmm. No idea about Theoden and Palantir and such things. I don't plan that far ahead. In fact, I don't plan ahead at all, which is good because then I couldn't have made such a big deal out of the ears thing. :)

Alza–Yes, indeed, poor rest of them. Especially now that Pip is showing signs of intellegence. :)

Arsinole Selene–Feeling both ears is a little more reasonable than blowing into both sides of a horn, huh? :)

Rhys–Hannon le. For a couple of things. One, your comment about Denethor. I've liked Denethor ever since I saw the weird animated version of Return of the King where they completely mess him up. Glad someone thinks I'm doing it right even though he hasn't shown up yet. Two, thanks for the Pippin learning things from the Ring idea. I needed some reason for him to eventually not want to destroy the Ring. :) Muahahahahaha.

SNAITF–Finally decided that using the abbreviation is easier. :) But if you die from laughing, then who is going to keep writing all of your stories. :)