a/n: I'm horrible I know.. this is shorter than my usual posts. But by gods I'm trying.
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It was midmorning as the Riders of Rohan made it to Isengard. The fields before them were soggy. Slick oily puddles and ash coated ground spread for miles. Men stood in awe at the wreckage around them, who could have come and destroyed the area so thoroughly and disappeared without being seen?
The broken Fellowship led the pack, and the closer they came to Isengard's gates, the larger two dots on the outer wall appeared. At the same moment Legolas' elf eyes sharpened on them, Piccolo's sensitive ears heard a familiar lilt in the voices that came from them. Legolas smiled secretly and Piccolo shook his head. It would seem friends were reuniting. Legolas took it as a good sign, but as the voices grew louder Piccolo could feel himself suffocating on imaginary smoke.
Five minutes later, Goku's eyes lit up and he grinned widely at Vegeta. "Hey! They're okay!"
Merry and Pippin were swinging their feet off the edge of the broken wall, pipe weed smoke curling around their heads in waivery halos. Gimli barked out laughter, torn between knocking the Halflings from the wall and hugging them or shooting them from it and yelling obscenities about how much stress they'd put on his heart. When they drew close enough he settled for a manly intermediate and slapped them on the back, grinned widely and threatened their lives if they ever decided to pull a stunt like it again.
"Well, Peregrin Took and Meriadoc Brandybuck, here we are coming from battle and weary to find you feasting and smoking to your hearts' content. Have you no greeting for those who have slaved to retrieve you?" Gandalf cocked a bushy eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Pippin stood, taking the pipe from his teeth and tipped his curly head. "Have you no eyes in your heads that are worth using? The remains of battle lay all around you with two hearty warriors enjoying their conquests and all you can think are we are lazing about."
Aragorn shook his head and laughed out loud, the smile on his face rare and welcome. Merry and Pippin smiled brightly back at him. "If it isn't Strider returned to us!" Cried Merry.
The ranger nodded, "We have chased you across the plains, and it warms my heart to see you have changed little save for height."
The Hobbits smiled wider still if it were possible, squaring their narrow shoulders. They had indeed grown several inches. Gandalf raised a hand to still the conversation. "As much as I am enjoying this conversation, where is Treebeard?"
Merry nodded his head, "Oh yes, he's down the bend in the river. He asked us to tell you meet him there. He's having a drink in the clean waters."
Gandalf nodded. "Very well. Do not stray far, we still have business to care for here." And he raised his eyes to the Orthanc of Isengard's tower before he rode, King Théoden and his men following in suit.
Those of the Fellowship stayed behind, looking at each other quietly. Merry and Pippin watched Goku and Vegeta carefully before glancing at each other. Something had changed while they had been away. The two saiyajins were abnormally close for warriors, even a little too close for just good friends.
"Come," Aragorn motioned with his hand. "Show us where you've found your bounty--"
"And your pipe weed." Gimli interrupted. The others looked at him and he shifted, shrugging his shoulders.
Aragorn snorted. "And your pipe weed, then tell us all that you have been through and we will tell you our tale in turn."
The Hobbits nodded, hopping from the wall and began to walk their way carefully to a muddled entrance with stone and wood sagging and split surrounding it. "Be wary of where you step." Merry told them. He pointed to the cracked slate under their feet. "They're likely to topple you right into the nasty waters and trap you underneath."
No sooner had the words been spoken when a cry came from the back of their pack and they turned to see who had been taken by the stones. A face the Hobbits did not recognize was swaying on a stone, two identical slender elves on either side of him holding out their arms to catch hold of him if need be. With a shudder and sucking sound the stone began to sink under the man's feet and Pippin gripped Merry's shoulder.
Before the man's pointed boots touched the water, however, he stopped sinking and seemed to stand on the surface. Merry's eyes grew wide and he looked at his cousin who was also doing a very good impression of an owl. Another stone split with a sharp crack and the elf to the man's left tipped precariously, bending so much the tips of his ebony hair trailed the oily water.
Faster than the two could see, the man's hand shot forward and snagged hold of the elf's arm, hauling the taller being to his chest. Without thought, he scooped the other to him as well and hovered there as the stones beneath them sucked down into the depths of water.
Aragorn began to step back to them, but one of the elves held out a hand quickly before burying it tightly into the man's collar again. "Tulunka, Estel." The beauty looked down at his feet and up again at the ranger, a shaky smile on his face. "I believe we are fine."
Strider nodded and side-stepped, giving the three of them room to settle on the stone beside him. Aragorn turned back around, faces varying from amused to relieved were watching him. He motioned the door with his hand. "Let us continue before more ill will befalls us."
With careful steps and slow pace they finally found themselves in a small room with a long table and several abused chairs. Merry and Pippin showed them to their seats and disappeared into a cupboard to the side and returned carrying portions of salted meats and mugs of port. "I'm afraid there isn't much variety but there is quite a stock in the hold." Pippin smiled cheerily at them, laying platters before them.
Gimli snorted, grabbing a slab of meat from the tray. "Anything would be better than eating lambas and meager war rations." He looked up to the amused faces of three elves and cleared his throat. "I mean no offense, it is well fare for an elf, but I am in need of something more substantial."
The others laughed and Gimli huffed before taking a large bite of beef. Merry and Pippin sat down at the end of the table, smiling warmly at the friends they had missed and the new faces they had yet to meet. Piccolo sat directly on Merry's right, sipping at a mug of strong ale with a grimace on his face. The small Hobbit sympathized and patted the alien's large forearm. "I'm afraid there is no clean water on this end. Though I'm sure we can find you some before we leave."
Piccolo's lips tipped into a light smirk. "Thank you."
Legolas, seated next to the Namek, looked over at them from his conversation with Aragorn. "You are out of water?" Piccolo took another sip of ale and shuddered. The fair elf sighed with a small smile and took the water bladder from his side and set it on the table before him.
Merry elbowed Pippin cautiously under the table trying not to draw attention. The son of a Took yelped in surprise but quickly composed himself at his cousin's harsh glare. When the others finally picked up on their conversations and turned from the two, Pippin gave Merry a confused look.
The darker hobbit tilted his head toward Piccolo and Legolas, raising one of his eyebrows. Pippin narrowed his bright eyes and tried to see whatever it was that his cousin had. After a long moment he shrugged. Merry rolled his eyes and leaned over to whisper in Pippin's ear. "Something's happened since we've been gone Pip. Just look at them."
Pippin gave his cousin a queer look but watched again. Piccolo sat with the water bladder now curled in his large fist. He wasn't speaking with anyone, only seemed to be listening to pieces of conversation and wearily looking around the room. Legolas was bickering with Gimli, jibing the dwarf and laughing as insults were thrown back at him. The elf flicked his head, flaxen hair flipping from his shoulder draped delicately across Piccolo's forearm. Pippin looked back at his cousin as though he had gone crazy.
Merry poked him in the ribs and whispered harshly. "Look!"
Piccolo was picking the hair carefully from his arm, the ends of the locks running through his fingers. Pippin and Merry looked quickly at each other and back again. As soon as the last of his hair fell from Piccolo's palms, Legolas would flick it again, sending another layer across the Namek's arm. A smile twitched at Piccolo's lips but never fully formed as he let the fine hair play across his hands over and over.
Merry smirked triumphantly and mouthed 'I told you so' at Pippin. Before a small Hobbit-ish brawl could break out between the two, Aragorn called to them from the opposite end of the table.
"Now that we've feasted, I think you should be introduced to those here you have yet to meet--"
"Along with a good smoke!" Gimli added.
Aragorn laughed. "And some pipe weed if you could."
The Hobbits bowed and happily brought out enough tobacco to fill those pouches that needed to be. "Shall we sit out in the open air?" Legolas asked, standing from his chair. "It would give those who do not 'enjoy' the smoke something far more pleasing."
Nods and choruses of agreement followed and carefully across the stones again, the group found themselves sitting on a small hill overlooking the watery fields and broken walls. Smoke curled from four pipes and an appreciative groan rolled from Gimli as the dwarf lay back against the hill and blew a puff of blue smoke from his lungs.
"You have seen my foster brothers in passing." Aragorn pointed at the twin elves set away from them with his pipe. The Hobbits nodded.
"We have, though I thought I was seeing things when one passed me and I saw him again not a moment later feasting on plums in the hall." Pippin grinned, smoke spilling from his lips.
Elladan and Elrohir smiled, remembering just that same encounter.
Aragorn nodded toward Mirai. "The man there between them is Vegeta's son, Trunks."
Merry scratched his chin, "He's got a queer look about him doesn't he?"
Mirai's head snapped up, embarrassment and anger coloring his face. Elladan smiled brightly, combing lilac hair from the saiyajins face. "I happen to like the odd color." Elrohir nodded, grinning widely, opposite his brother.
"It suits him well." Elrohir added, smiling in a slow secret way that made the color on Mirai's cheeks have nothing to do with his earlier anger.
The Hobbits laughed, offering the demi a smoke. Trunks refused politely and Aragorn cleared his throat to gain the small ones attentions again. "Perhaps now is a good time to tell us what you have seen."
Merry nodded, drawing a deep lung of smoke and blew small rings. "Perhaps it's best to start with Boromir..."
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Far from Isengard flying over lands black as pitch and smelling of charring flesh, Freeza and Zarbon were languidly mucking about.
Zarbon wrinkled his nose at the stench and flipped his braid from his shoulder. "My Lord, why aren't we tracking down Kakkarot and Vegeta? Why bother flying around the same places over and over?
Freeza smiled coldly over his shoulder. "Because my dear Zarbon, we are on vacation. Besides, those monkeys are so stupid they probably don't even know we're here."
Zarbon sighed, feeling down the length of his braid and grimacing at the grime and oil he felt embedded in it. How frustrating could one simple mission get? They were supposed to kill the saiyajins and destroy the earth and now here he was flying around in a cesspool someone called home, ruining his hair and all without a decent bath to be found.
Below them two small shapes moved in and out of the shadows, running and hopping back and forth as though trying not to be seen. Zarbon smirked and flew down, careful to stay hidden in the darkness without actually touching anything.
"Come Mr. Frodo. We'll try to make it to that landing and we'll rest." A short creature spoke, ki level so pathetic Zarbon nearly laughed and gave away his position. Behind the stout one was another, thinner creature with one hand clutched to his chest.
"I'm coming, Sam."
Zarbon stepped from the shadows directly in front of the first. The squat one named Sam jumped back, arm curling behind him to protect Frodo, while the other drew a small dagger from his waist.
"Go on, orc, we have no trouble with you." Sam spoke, voice strong but sword point wavering.
Zarbon laughed and thumbed his earring. "I am no vile thing as an orc, boy."
The dagger wavered further and Zarbon could see the confusion and mistrust waver on the small man's face. "Not an orc? What are you then?"
Taking a step forward, Zarbon leaned down until his lips were barely touching the tip of Sam's ear, golden eyes twinkling at Frodo. "I am something much worse."
Sam gasped, poking at Zarbon's ribs with the dagger but the edge did little more than cut through his robes. Zarbon sneered, fingers playing over the hole in his attire. "How dare you?" He hissed.
He stepped forward again, hand reaching to grab the chubby man by his throat. Frodo bound forward, slapping the hand away. Zarbon grinned, pointed teeth gleaming in the dim lighting. "Don't touch him!"
Zarbon stared down at Frodo, intrigued at his protectiveness and disgusted at being touched by the filthy thing. His eyes caught attention of a gold band swinging freely from a chain around the boy's neck. Golden orbs brightened and a pale blue hand reached forward--new pretty jewels would make the stay on this horrid planet so much more bearable-- but before his hand could close around it Freeza's harsh voice called to him.
"Zarbon! Quit playing with those brats and follow me."
Freeza hovered in the air far above, fists on his hips and face set in a cold sneer. With a half sigh, half snarl Zarbon leapt into the air. "Yes, Freeza."
Sam and Frodo below huddled together a moment as they watched the creatures move on before taking off into the darkness for shelter.
"Honestly, Zarbon. Playing with pathetic children."
Zarbon frowned at the back of Freeza's head. All he had wanted was the boy's bauble, honestly he never asked for much...
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Tulunka = steady
