A/N: Once again I want to thank all of you for the lovely reviews I keep getting. I absolutely love it when I open up my inbox and it is filled with them! It makes my day!
I just want to let you all know that I am not abandoning you. Since summer got here, all of my activities are increasing a tenfold. I will continue with the story full force, but it may be a little while between updates.
That said, on with the story!
*~*~*
I was bored.
There was no getting around the fact. I was bored out of my ever-loving mind. It wasn't my company that was boring; it was everything else! A guy can only talk about his fall into evil and then back out again for so long before you start wanting to bash his brains in with the nearest rock. Trust me on that. But what was even worse, was the fact that all of the other guys were hanging on his every word! And remember, this was not the first, second or even the seventh time we had heard this! Think twenty-seventh!
I was also pissed off at my lack of film. When I left the studio, I had only grabbed about twelve canisters of film. I had already burned about two and a half of them before I met up with the misfits; now I had only about three canisters left. I had been going shutter happy for a little while. Every time a branch shook in the wind, CLICK! It was sad.
Even Babes had stopped answering me; she was too enamored with Shadowfax.
I snapped my fingers in front of her eyes, "Hey! Sweetheart! I'm up here!" I then bunched my fingers into a fist and knocked on her head, "Yoooooouuuuuu whoooooo! Anyone home in there?"
Nothing.
Notta.
Wait! Wait! No, no, never mind, she just sighed.
"Damn horse."
'Shhhh!'
"Oh, so now you answer me?"
She didn't answer me then either. It's a damn conspiracy!
I called to the other guys, "Hey! Where are we going and when are we going to get there?"
Gandalf looked rather pissy since he had to stop his twenty-eight reiteration of his story, but he did answer me. "We are traveling to Edoras. We shall be there before too long."
"How long is 'before too long'? I need it in standard dumb American English."
"What is this 'American English'?"
"It's like a dialect. You know, with the slang in it and everything. There is English English and American English. The English English is all proper and crap and the American English doesn't care what you say as long as you get your point across. You could start squealing and grunting as long as you get someone to understand you."
"I see," answered a bemused Gandalf. "There are many languages where you come from?"
"There's no question about it. Last time I cared to check, there were over six hundred languages spoken all over Earth. Or wait, is that dialects? I dunno. But there are more languages and dialects on Earth than anyone could learn in a life time."
I looked at Legolas who had raised an eyebrow at that statement, "Well except for freaky boy over there. He could learn them all and then some; but it would take over three hundred lifetimes."
"I think I understand. Your Earth is very different, am I correct in that assumption?"
"Blondie, you would be bowled over by a heart attack if you ever got the chance to see it. It is the most amazing place. Everywhere you turn man has managed to leave his mark; be it for good or not. There are giant machines that fly and others that will traverse the deepest oceans. There are billions of people residing on the one planet of Earth; and yet with all those people, we still manage to kill each other. You would think enough of us would have some sense to stop the fighting before it kills us all. But, what can you do, right? There are so many crazies in the world that the few people that actually have enough common sense to do something about them would not stand a chance if given one. It is a beautiful place but so backwards that it is amazing we even survive on it." I stopped to take a breath, but before I could continue, Gimli cut in.
"Is there all that you say there is?"
"That and more, that and more."
"I should very much like to see this Earth," stated Aragorn.
I gave a short laugh, "You and me both."
After that no one really talked. We all just minded our own business, but as you know me, I cannot keep my mouth shut for any length of time.
Since I was so bored, I figured might as well entertain myself by singing. What the hell!
I'm just a simple girl
In a high tech digital world
I really try to understand
All the powers that rule this land
They say Miss J's big butt is boss
Kate Moss can't find a job
In a world of post modern fad
What was good now is bad
It's not hard to understand
Just follow this simple plan
Follow your heart
Your intuition
It will lead you in the right direction
Let go of your mind
Your Intuition
It's easy to find
Just follow your heart baby
You look at me
but you're not quite sure
Am I it or could you get more?
You learn cool from magazines
You learn love from Charlie Sheen
If you want me let me know
I promise I won't say no
Your intuition
It will lead you in the right direction
Let go of your mind
Your intuition
It's easy to find
Just follow your heart baby
You got something that you want me to sell
Sell your sin. Just cash in.
You got something that you want me to tell
You'll love me. Wait and see.
If you want me
Don't play games
I promise
it won't be in vain
Uh-uh-uh
Your intuition
It will lead you in the right direction
Let go of your mind
Your intuition
It's easy to find
Just follow your heart baby
'Shadowfax enjoyed your singing.'
"Well Babes," I drawled, "You can tell him that I am just so incredibly pleased that he liked it."
'He meant well.'
"Ask yourself this: Do I care?"
I heard her grumbling to herself. It sounded suspiciously like 'bitch' but I couldn't be too sure.
Suddenly Aragorn was riding beside me. He must have dropped back while I was singing.
"You have a wondrous voice, Emily."
"Thanks."
We just sat in silence for a while, but it was not the bad oh-my-god-what-should-I-say silence, it was more of the I-enjoy-your-company silence. Finally, I just had to break the silence, even if it was an amiable one.
"Hey Aragorn, I was going to ask you. How do you always have that designer stubble but you never shave? I mean shouldn't you have a beard like Gimli's by now?"
"What do you mean? I do not understand you're meaning. My beard merely grows to this length and then stops."
"Hmm, yeah I'm sure."
I was going to have to stay awake at night just to see if he really does shave. Personally, he is too perfectly rugged not to do anything at all to it. It just doesn't happen.
Obviously he did not appreciate my comments, he abruptly changed the subject on me. Damn man.
"You greatly wish to return to your Earth, do you not? I can see it in your eyes."
"You hit the nail on the head. I really do want to go home, but I don't know if I can. I feel like I am in too deep here to leave even if I could. Besides, I don't even know if there is anyone that is capable of sending me home."
"Do not lose hope. You shall return someday."
"Thanks, I appreciate that."
"You are welcome Emily. I must go, I shall speak with you later." He nodded his head in respect towards me and then rode out ahead of us to scout. He really is a strange man, sweet, but strange all the same.
*~*~*
I had been riding by myself, dozing off and on, when I realized that I really should talk to Gandalf. I had to find out if I would be able to go home again. I mean don't get my wrong, I would miss the guys horribly, but I just had to get back to my life. I felt like I had overstayed my welcome by a few weeks.
I was just going to ask Babes to speed up a bit when my vision clouded over at the edges. All of a sudden, I was viciously assaulted with the image of a fiery eye. It did not have an eye lid, but it merely stared at me with all the evil it possessed, and let me tell you this was no Care Bear.
'So you wish to return? You have yet to serve my purpose, oh young one.'
The words blasted through my mind with an explosive force. The words were thrust into my mind the same way Babes's were, but with the power increased a thousand fold. I felt like my head was going to explode and then the pressure let up abruptly, but only to be replaced a second later.
'Take the Ring! The Ring! Bring! Me! The! Ring!'
Suddenly the power in my head spread to my chest and virtually crushed the breath from me.
'I could snuff out your insignificant life with a fraction of the power I possess. You shall forever be under threat. Your companions shall never be safe. They will fail! Fail! And you with them! Remember little maid, YOU! ARE! MINE!'
With the last forceful word, I fell from Babes's back and landed hard on the ground. Moments later my breath returned enough to allow me to render an ear shattering scream. Oh yes, that got their attention.
All four of them raced to where I lay on the ground shaking with both terror and shock. Gandalf reached me first and tried to push my over onto my back, but I would not yield. I staid on my side curled up tightly in the fetal position, shaking and sobbing with all my terror. Finally, with the help of both Aragorn and Gimli, they managed to get me to sit up. I was still shaking so hard that my teeth were chattering, but I had calmed down enough to actually realize I was safe.
A few moments later, I was able to speak and was immediately drilled as to what happened.
"What happened?"
"Are you hurt?"
"Did you see something?"
"What happened?"
Slowly, after their questions sank into my numb brain, I answered the questions.
"I do not know. I am not hurt. I s-saw a-an eye. It was r-re-d and star-red unblin-kingly at me. It saw in-to m-my sou-l." I managed to hiccup out.
They all starred at me with wonder and worry.
"What did it say to you, dear?" asked Gandalf.
"It tol-d m-me to bring it the R-ring, but I don't k-know what it meant. Then it told me that you would fail and that it had the power to crush me and it would not hurt me yet because I had not brought it the Ring. Oh God! The Ring! It kept going on about the Ring!"
Much to my mounting embarrassment, I could not stop myself from breaking down again. It was just too awful, and then I had to relive it moments after it happened.
"There, there dear. It's gone, it cannot harm you. You are safe, child," soothed Gandalf as he patted my hand. Aragorn had an arm wrapped around my shoulders and Babes had wandered over to nuzzle at my neck. Legolas walked over to me and threw a blanket over my shoulders to try and rid me of my shaking, but I didn't bother to correct him that my shakes were not from the cold.
I was finally calmed down enough to be able to listen to them converse around me and actually heard some information that helped me piece together the growing puzzle.
"It is a good thing that Frodo is no longer with us. There is no telling what Emily would do to gain control of the Ring. Boromir succumbed and she is much more weak then he was."
"Was it really Sauron that she witnessed? The Dark Lord himself?"
I just couldn't let this moment get away from me with out making some kind of nasty remark.
"Well it sure as hell wasn't Mary Poppins."
*~*~*
A/N: Well hmmm, isn't that an interesting meeting? I wonder where it will go with this? Sad that I am the author and I don't even know huh?
By the way, the song was 'Intuition' by Jewel. I thought it fit the moment that Emily was talking about Earth and Jewel is singing about a digital world. I don't know, maybe I am the only one that sees that connection. Oh well....
I cannot tell when the next update will be, but I will try and be as quick as possible.
Until next time,
~A~
I just want to let you all know that I am not abandoning you. Since summer got here, all of my activities are increasing a tenfold. I will continue with the story full force, but it may be a little while between updates.
That said, on with the story!
*~*~*
I was bored.
There was no getting around the fact. I was bored out of my ever-loving mind. It wasn't my company that was boring; it was everything else! A guy can only talk about his fall into evil and then back out again for so long before you start wanting to bash his brains in with the nearest rock. Trust me on that. But what was even worse, was the fact that all of the other guys were hanging on his every word! And remember, this was not the first, second or even the seventh time we had heard this! Think twenty-seventh!
I was also pissed off at my lack of film. When I left the studio, I had only grabbed about twelve canisters of film. I had already burned about two and a half of them before I met up with the misfits; now I had only about three canisters left. I had been going shutter happy for a little while. Every time a branch shook in the wind, CLICK! It was sad.
Even Babes had stopped answering me; she was too enamored with Shadowfax.
I snapped my fingers in front of her eyes, "Hey! Sweetheart! I'm up here!" I then bunched my fingers into a fist and knocked on her head, "Yoooooouuuuuu whoooooo! Anyone home in there?"
Nothing.
Notta.
Wait! Wait! No, no, never mind, she just sighed.
"Damn horse."
'Shhhh!'
"Oh, so now you answer me?"
She didn't answer me then either. It's a damn conspiracy!
I called to the other guys, "Hey! Where are we going and when are we going to get there?"
Gandalf looked rather pissy since he had to stop his twenty-eight reiteration of his story, but he did answer me. "We are traveling to Edoras. We shall be there before too long."
"How long is 'before too long'? I need it in standard dumb American English."
"What is this 'American English'?"
"It's like a dialect. You know, with the slang in it and everything. There is English English and American English. The English English is all proper and crap and the American English doesn't care what you say as long as you get your point across. You could start squealing and grunting as long as you get someone to understand you."
"I see," answered a bemused Gandalf. "There are many languages where you come from?"
"There's no question about it. Last time I cared to check, there were over six hundred languages spoken all over Earth. Or wait, is that dialects? I dunno. But there are more languages and dialects on Earth than anyone could learn in a life time."
I looked at Legolas who had raised an eyebrow at that statement, "Well except for freaky boy over there. He could learn them all and then some; but it would take over three hundred lifetimes."
"I think I understand. Your Earth is very different, am I correct in that assumption?"
"Blondie, you would be bowled over by a heart attack if you ever got the chance to see it. It is the most amazing place. Everywhere you turn man has managed to leave his mark; be it for good or not. There are giant machines that fly and others that will traverse the deepest oceans. There are billions of people residing on the one planet of Earth; and yet with all those people, we still manage to kill each other. You would think enough of us would have some sense to stop the fighting before it kills us all. But, what can you do, right? There are so many crazies in the world that the few people that actually have enough common sense to do something about them would not stand a chance if given one. It is a beautiful place but so backwards that it is amazing we even survive on it." I stopped to take a breath, but before I could continue, Gimli cut in.
"Is there all that you say there is?"
"That and more, that and more."
"I should very much like to see this Earth," stated Aragorn.
I gave a short laugh, "You and me both."
After that no one really talked. We all just minded our own business, but as you know me, I cannot keep my mouth shut for any length of time.
Since I was so bored, I figured might as well entertain myself by singing. What the hell!
I'm just a simple girl
In a high tech digital world
I really try to understand
All the powers that rule this land
They say Miss J's big butt is boss
Kate Moss can't find a job
In a world of post modern fad
What was good now is bad
It's not hard to understand
Just follow this simple plan
Follow your heart
Your intuition
It will lead you in the right direction
Let go of your mind
Your Intuition
It's easy to find
Just follow your heart baby
You look at me
but you're not quite sure
Am I it or could you get more?
You learn cool from magazines
You learn love from Charlie Sheen
If you want me let me know
I promise I won't say no
Your intuition
It will lead you in the right direction
Let go of your mind
Your intuition
It's easy to find
Just follow your heart baby
You got something that you want me to sell
Sell your sin. Just cash in.
You got something that you want me to tell
You'll love me. Wait and see.
If you want me
Don't play games
I promise
it won't be in vain
Uh-uh-uh
Your intuition
It will lead you in the right direction
Let go of your mind
Your intuition
It's easy to find
Just follow your heart baby
'Shadowfax enjoyed your singing.'
"Well Babes," I drawled, "You can tell him that I am just so incredibly pleased that he liked it."
'He meant well.'
"Ask yourself this: Do I care?"
I heard her grumbling to herself. It sounded suspiciously like 'bitch' but I couldn't be too sure.
Suddenly Aragorn was riding beside me. He must have dropped back while I was singing.
"You have a wondrous voice, Emily."
"Thanks."
We just sat in silence for a while, but it was not the bad oh-my-god-what-should-I-say silence, it was more of the I-enjoy-your-company silence. Finally, I just had to break the silence, even if it was an amiable one.
"Hey Aragorn, I was going to ask you. How do you always have that designer stubble but you never shave? I mean shouldn't you have a beard like Gimli's by now?"
"What do you mean? I do not understand you're meaning. My beard merely grows to this length and then stops."
"Hmm, yeah I'm sure."
I was going to have to stay awake at night just to see if he really does shave. Personally, he is too perfectly rugged not to do anything at all to it. It just doesn't happen.
Obviously he did not appreciate my comments, he abruptly changed the subject on me. Damn man.
"You greatly wish to return to your Earth, do you not? I can see it in your eyes."
"You hit the nail on the head. I really do want to go home, but I don't know if I can. I feel like I am in too deep here to leave even if I could. Besides, I don't even know if there is anyone that is capable of sending me home."
"Do not lose hope. You shall return someday."
"Thanks, I appreciate that."
"You are welcome Emily. I must go, I shall speak with you later." He nodded his head in respect towards me and then rode out ahead of us to scout. He really is a strange man, sweet, but strange all the same.
*~*~*
I had been riding by myself, dozing off and on, when I realized that I really should talk to Gandalf. I had to find out if I would be able to go home again. I mean don't get my wrong, I would miss the guys horribly, but I just had to get back to my life. I felt like I had overstayed my welcome by a few weeks.
I was just going to ask Babes to speed up a bit when my vision clouded over at the edges. All of a sudden, I was viciously assaulted with the image of a fiery eye. It did not have an eye lid, but it merely stared at me with all the evil it possessed, and let me tell you this was no Care Bear.
'So you wish to return? You have yet to serve my purpose, oh young one.'
The words blasted through my mind with an explosive force. The words were thrust into my mind the same way Babes's were, but with the power increased a thousand fold. I felt like my head was going to explode and then the pressure let up abruptly, but only to be replaced a second later.
'Take the Ring! The Ring! Bring! Me! The! Ring!'
Suddenly the power in my head spread to my chest and virtually crushed the breath from me.
'I could snuff out your insignificant life with a fraction of the power I possess. You shall forever be under threat. Your companions shall never be safe. They will fail! Fail! And you with them! Remember little maid, YOU! ARE! MINE!'
With the last forceful word, I fell from Babes's back and landed hard on the ground. Moments later my breath returned enough to allow me to render an ear shattering scream. Oh yes, that got their attention.
All four of them raced to where I lay on the ground shaking with both terror and shock. Gandalf reached me first and tried to push my over onto my back, but I would not yield. I staid on my side curled up tightly in the fetal position, shaking and sobbing with all my terror. Finally, with the help of both Aragorn and Gimli, they managed to get me to sit up. I was still shaking so hard that my teeth were chattering, but I had calmed down enough to actually realize I was safe.
A few moments later, I was able to speak and was immediately drilled as to what happened.
"What happened?"
"Are you hurt?"
"Did you see something?"
"What happened?"
Slowly, after their questions sank into my numb brain, I answered the questions.
"I do not know. I am not hurt. I s-saw a-an eye. It was r-re-d and star-red unblin-kingly at me. It saw in-to m-my sou-l." I managed to hiccup out.
They all starred at me with wonder and worry.
"What did it say to you, dear?" asked Gandalf.
"It tol-d m-me to bring it the R-ring, but I don't k-know what it meant. Then it told me that you would fail and that it had the power to crush me and it would not hurt me yet because I had not brought it the Ring. Oh God! The Ring! It kept going on about the Ring!"
Much to my mounting embarrassment, I could not stop myself from breaking down again. It was just too awful, and then I had to relive it moments after it happened.
"There, there dear. It's gone, it cannot harm you. You are safe, child," soothed Gandalf as he patted my hand. Aragorn had an arm wrapped around my shoulders and Babes had wandered over to nuzzle at my neck. Legolas walked over to me and threw a blanket over my shoulders to try and rid me of my shaking, but I didn't bother to correct him that my shakes were not from the cold.
I was finally calmed down enough to be able to listen to them converse around me and actually heard some information that helped me piece together the growing puzzle.
"It is a good thing that Frodo is no longer with us. There is no telling what Emily would do to gain control of the Ring. Boromir succumbed and she is much more weak then he was."
"Was it really Sauron that she witnessed? The Dark Lord himself?"
I just couldn't let this moment get away from me with out making some kind of nasty remark.
"Well it sure as hell wasn't Mary Poppins."
*~*~*
A/N: Well hmmm, isn't that an interesting meeting? I wonder where it will go with this? Sad that I am the author and I don't even know huh?
By the way, the song was 'Intuition' by Jewel. I thought it fit the moment that Emily was talking about Earth and Jewel is singing about a digital world. I don't know, maybe I am the only one that sees that connection. Oh well....
I cannot tell when the next update will be, but I will try and be as quick as possible.
Until next time,
~A~