Don't Own.
Rin watched in silent horror as Gimli tasted a substance he had spotted on a leaf.
The dwarf spat. "Ptui! Orc blood!"
He was fairly sure Kuro just whimpered. Oh my god.
"These are strange tracks." Aragorn said, and Rin suddenly realized that no one was fazed by Gimli's actions except him and Kuro.
I now realize that I am very outclassed by these people.
"You're a little late, Rin."
He tuned back in time to hear Legolas say, "This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory... and anger."
The forest began to moan and the trees shifted. Rin felt his ears twitch slightly and his eyes widened when the voices reached his ear.
"Fire… … axes… "
Holy shit the trees can speak.
Gimli lifted his axe.
"The trees are speaking to each other." Legolas said. Rin nodded. The forest began to rumble, branches shifting overhead. "Gimli, ya should probably put down your axe, they don't seem to like it very much."
He was given strange looks as the group continued to move. Legolas fell back next to the half-demon, an inquiring look on his features. "You can understand the language of the forest?"
Rin rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, yeah, a little." he paused, "but I kinda can do that fer all languages, so..."
"That is a fascinating skill."
Rin blushed slightly at the compliment, but was distracted as he heard something moving through the trees ahead of them.
Legolas must have heard it too, for he called ahead, "- Aragorn, something is out there!"
Rin saw the Ranger tense up. "-What do you see?"
The half-demon squinted ahead, and saw a figure with a white glow masking them moving through the trees.
"The White Wizard approaches." The elf breathed, and they all tensed. Rin drew Kurikara in one fluid movement as Legolas readied his bow. Kuro entered his larger form, but drew back when he did so.
Kuro, what's wrong!
"He smells like Gandalf."
Rin faltered, lowering his sword slightly. Legolas noticed, alarm clear on his face, but Rin moved forward slightly before he could speak.
Rin tightened his grip on the Koma sword, but called out, "Gandalf?". He felt shocked glances land on him, and seconds later the approaching light filled the clearing. Rin winced slightly at the brightness, his enhanced vision working against him.
"Gandalf? Yes, that was what they used to call me." A familiar voice pondered even as the light faded to reveal familiar yet changed features. "Gandalf the Grey. That was my name."
Rin was fairly sure that he had never grinned as wide as he was now.
"Gandalf." Gimli dropped to a knee in shock and awe.
"I am Gandalf the White, and I come back to you now at the turn of the tide."
"I thought you were Saruman, forgive me." Legolas put his arrow away.
"It cannot be. You fell." Aragorn argued weakly.
The wizened old wizard nodded solemnly, "Through fire, and water. On the lowest dungeon, on the highest peak I fought him, the Balrog of Morgoth. Until at last I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin upon the mountainside. Darkness took me and I strayed out of thought and time. The star's field of end, and every day was as long as a life age on the earth. But it was not the end. I felt life in me again. I've been sent back until my task is done." He explained even as he walked closer to them. The wizard smiled at the half-demon assuredly. "Pippin and Merry are fine, their fate is no longer in our hands. One stage of your journey is over, another begins. War has come to Rohan, we must ride to Edoras with all speed."
Kuro whispered in Rin's ear to clarify as the name was uttered. "That's the horse people that we spoke to earlier."
I knew that!
"Edoras! That is no short distance!" Gimli argued as Rin bickered with his cat.
"We hear of trouble in Rohan. It goes ill with the king." Boromir commented and Gandalf looked at him before nodding.
The remainders of the Fellowship began to move.
"Yes, and it will not be easily cured."
Rin gave his cat a final glare before turning back to the group, feeling slightly put out. "Does that mean that we can leave the forest now? I don't need to see Gimli licking more orc blood."
Gandalf raised an eye at the dwarf, who looked slightly affronted. "In the sake of tracking!"
The wizard still looked rather bemused, but he spoke anyways. "It was more than mere chance that brought Merry and Pippin to Fangorn. A great power has been sleeping here for many long years. The coming of Merry and Pippin will be like the falling of small stones that starts an avalanche in the mountains."
Rin looked blankly at the Istari.
"In one thing you have not changed, dear friend." Aragorn commented.
"Hm?"
"You still speak in riddles." They both laughed at that.
"A thing is about to happen that has not happened since the Elder Days. The ents are going to wake up … and find that they are strong."
"Strong!? Oh, that's good." Gimli said sarcastically.
Rin piped up next. "What are Ents?"
"They are the tree-herders of the Forest." Gandalf explained.
Oh, yes, now I understand. Thank you for that fulfilling explanation.
Outside the forest, Gandalf whistled piercingly. Rin heard the hoof beats before he saw the horse, running across the plain they faced.
"That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes deceive me." He heard Legolas whisper in awe.
Rin looked back to the horse. It, ummm, looks like a normal horse. Kuro, does it not look like a normal horse?
"It looks like a normal horse, Rin. But I think it's moving faster than one."
Rin 'ohhed' in comprehension.
"Shadowfax. He's the lord of all horses and has been my friend through many dangers." Gandalf stroked the white mane and then mounted easily.
Rin was really quite impressed by the old man's agility.
The others mounted as well, Legolas helping him up and Gimli firmly seated on Kuro. They took off, and Rin yawned and leaned into the elf prince's back, a cat nap suddenly becoming his topmost priority.
Rin was dreaming of sukiyaki, air-conditioning, and manga, something he was really quite content with. He stared down at the dream plate happily.
There was a flash of orange.
He flinched slightly. What?
His vision began flickering, flashing like a faulty TV screen. In the place of his dream was an eye, glowing with an unholy light, filling his field of vision.
He stared at it, paralyzed.
A hissing voice filled his ears. Hello, little demon.
He woke up.
Someone was gently shaking him, probably to wake him up. He squinted at the elven prince, who was turned half-way around on the horse. "We're here, Rin."
The half-demon nodded and yawned, slipping off the horse onto packed ground. He felt slightly shaky and cold from the dream. God, I hope that was a dream.
Rin looked around the town of Edoras. It was large, much larger than Bree. He could tell it had been grand once, but now… it wasn't. People walked quickly, heads down. The atmosphere was suffocating, somber and heavy.
This should be fun.
Legolas shook his riding companion awake as they arrived in Edoras. "We're here, Rin. "
The blue haired male nodded sleepily and yawned, which was an adorable sight, although he wouldn't have said so aloud.
"You'd find more cheer in a graveyard." Gimli murmured dismounting from Kuro, who shrunk and hopped into Rin's bag. Legolas nodded slightly, remembering similar scenes from over sixty years ago from a town on a lake. They reached the base of the halls and began to walk up to the raised building, but were stopped before they could enter.
One of the three men spoke. "I cannot allow you before Théoden King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame by order of Grima Wormtongue." The elf narrowed his eyes at the guards but began to disarm himself. He glanced over to Rin who looked nervous, although he hid it rather well.
The man gestured to Gandalf. "Your staff."
"Oh, no. You would not part an old man from his walking stick?"
The guard grimaced but nodded, turning to Rin, who had yet to forfeit his sword. "And what is that which you carry on your back."
Legolas watched as the blue-haired male looked blankly at the man. "You mean my camping supplies?"
The guard narrowed his eyes. "You have red silk as a cover for your camping supplies?"
"... yes."
"... just leave it outside, no one will touch it."
The elf's ears picked up on the annoyed-sounding sigh that came from the cat sidhé. It hopped out of Rin's bag before curling itself around the sword which had been carefully laid on the ground.
His friend looked rather put out as he walked into the hall.
Rin was caught between wanting to curl into a ball and die, or wanting to do so later, after the whole Sauron deal was cleared up.
He gazed longingly back at the Koma sword as they walked into the hall.
Rin's ears twitched as he heard a rather slimy looking man whisper to who he assumed was the King. "My lord, Gandalf the Grey is coming." grime-boi whispered to the king as the doors closed behind them. "He's a herald of woe."
"The courtesy of your hall has somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King." Gandalf called out even as the others spread out a bit, seeing the soldiers behind the pillars.
The next words were harshly whispered into the King's ear. "He's not welcome."
"Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow?" Théoden asked croakily.
"A just question my liege. Late is the hour in which this conjuror chooses to appear. Lathspell I name him, ill news is an ill guest." grime-boi (an advisor?) snapped.
"Be silent. Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crude words with a witless worm."
"His staff. I told you to take the wizard's staff." Grima backed away and motioned the soldiers forward. The Fellowship quickly moved to intercept them and keep them away from Gandalf. Rin smirked and kicked one (gently, at least for him) back before grabbing a platter and smacking another.
Gandalf continued forward as if nothing was going on. "Théoden son of Thengel. Too long have you sat in the shadows."
Out of the corner of his eye, Rin spotted the greasy advisor attempting to crawl away but being pinned by Gimli.
"Harken to me." Théoden grimaced and let out a slight growl. Gandalf raised his hand. "I release you from this spell."
"HahAhahAhAha! HahaHahahAhah! You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey." Rin flinched at the laugh. He sounded ... like Shiro when he was possessed by Satan.
Théoden continued to laugh until Gandalf threw off his grey cloak, revealing the white cloak beneath and Théoden screamed, fishing another flinch from Rin. Legolas appeared at his side, having noticed his reaction, and lay a hand on his shoulder for comfort.
"I will draw you Saruman as poison is drawn from a wound." Théoden slammed back against the throne, Gandalf pointing his staff at him. The half-demon's eyes were glued to the scene unfolding, and the fight had stopped completely.
"If I go, Théoden dies." Théoden, no Saruman, snarled. Rin knew he paled further at the words, and peripherally saw a woman being held back by Aragorn as she tried to run to the king.
Gandalf again threw him back against the throne with his staff. "You could not kill me, you will not kill him."
"Rohan is mine!" The possessed King growled.
Gandalf threw him against the throne again. "Be gone." Théoden screamed and lunged at Gandalf, but the Istari simply hit him with his staff. Théoden moaned and slid down in the chair, and Rin watched as the King began to change, his face becoming younger.
He didn't stay to watch the rest, opting for the other option of getting the hell out. Rin plopped next to Kuro, who was fast asleep.
He heard the faintest footsteps, signaling Legolas's approach. The elf sat next to him, and Rin looked up to see a concerned gaze watching him. "Are you alright, mellon-nin?"
The half-demon nodded, turning away slightly, a startling numbness taking hold. What the hell is wrong with me? "I'm fine. "
Rin blinked as the elf grasped his hand and held it up slightly. "Your hands are shaking." The half-demon looked back up at Legolas, and he felt some dam, however small (Yukio had always said that he wore his heart on his sleeve), break.
"It's…I…what happened in there. I… it ," He gulped, "was what ... killed my father." He ground out and Legolas' eyes went wide, a soft 'oh' escaping his mouth.
Rin flushed slightly when he realized that he was practically clamped onto the elf's hand. (He didn't make a move to stop it.)
The half-demon sighed. "It was a long time ago, don't worry."
Legolas nodded but didn't move, and, well, there was really no option for Rin but to stay as well.
:( Poor Rin. I sob, but also I happy at subplot romance finally getting it's shit together. Mellon-nin means my friend. I couldn't have the elvish switch halfway through to -"", so I just gave the Sindarin (elvish) translation.