AN:

Thank you DreamingIn2Eternity and Purple Pallbearer for the reviews! Yes, I have been staying up late and neglecting my homework for this. However, if I put it off for too long, it is guaranteed that I will leave this story unfinished. Also, I am having far too much fun writing this. Thank you again!

Elvish

Obito found himself missing the appliances he often took for granted. The neglected appliance in this case was a shower. Upon waking up in the morning, he learned that there was only baths in this 'middle' earth. Of course, Hoshi didn't have any issues with the lack of plumbing. But the other shinobi did.

"I've always wondered why you lacked good hygiene," grumbled Obito. The pale boy gave him a glare.

"You speak of scruffiness as if it is the root of all evil," he said while digging through his backpack.

"Shinobi can get easily tracked due to their lack of hygiene..." said Kakashi as he climbed back into the talan. He had recently taken his bath, and tried tree-jumping to dry his silver hair. It only succeeded in giving him a wind-blown look.

"...by leaving a scent trail. I know Kakashi, I'm not stupid," he said while pulling out scroll after scroll. Obito did a quick tally. Hoshi had roughly ten scrolls altogether.

"Why do you have so many scrolls?" Obito asked, picking one off the floor.

"Nine of them are mine. The tenth belongs to Susano'o," he answered while unfurling a scroll.

Kakashi pulled a face. While Maito Gai was Kakashi's self-proclaimed rival, his real one was an eleven year old boy named Susano'o Oto. He was a student of the Sannin Orochimaru, along with Anko Mitarashi and an Uchiha named Kuro.

"Why would you have a scroll of his?" Kakashi just about spat. Hoshi didn't bother to look at him.

"His mother forced him to give it to me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some training to do," he grabbed a scroll and jumped out of the talan.

"Lady Akira giving away something?" Obito sounded incredulous. Kakashi shrugged.

"She is arguably insane," he pointed out.

/*\#/*\#/*\#/*\

Legolas was at the archery range early in the morning. He had a lot on his mind, and firing arrows helped him organize his thoughts. The elf was alone at the range for quite some time before someone else arrived at the range.

"Good morning Legolas, sir," he turned his head to see Rin.

"Good morning," he responded politely. Now that she wasn't covered in soot and ash, the elf noticed something peculiar about her appearance.

"Why do you have tattoos on your cheeks?" he asked. Rin seemed to be a bit surprised.

"Oh, um...I am not too sure. Other members of my family have them," she responded.

The brunette reached into a pouch on her leg. The things she withdrew from them were odd-looking weapons. They looked like stars, all points and sharp edges. Rin carefully held three of them between her fingers. The girl stood facing the target head on. The weapons were released from her grasp as she flung her arms out in a sweeping motion. Legolas watched, fascinated, as the weapons spun through the air.

"Her aim is slightly off," he silently noted. Rin made a face before approaching the target to remove them.

"What are those weapons?" he asked when she returned to her spot.

"Oh, these?" Rin answered politely. "They are shuriken,"

She threw them again. This time, only one hit the target. The petite brunette cursed violently as she stomped over to retrieve the projectiles. Amused, Legolas looked on.

"I take it that you are not a master of this weapon?" he said, with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"Defiantly not!'' she declared with a huff. "But it is standard gear. You are expected to know how to use them," Rin was scowling as she returned to her target. But her scowl disappeared when she saw his bow.

"Hoshi told me that you are the best archer in Middle Earth," she said cheerfully. Rin's eyebrow was raised in mock disbelief.

"Did he now?" murmured Legolas. He pulled an arrow out of his quiver and nocked it.

"You don't have to demonstrate if you don't want to," her voice floated from somewhere off to his left.

The Prince of Mirkwood gave the human child a small smile.

"I do not mind," he said, before pulling back the bowstring. Then he let the arrow fly. And another arrow. And another. And another. Soon his quiver was empty due to his rapid firing of arrows. All had hid the target, following the rings of the bull's-eye perfectly. He turned to look at the female shinobi.

Rin's eyes were as wide as saucers and her jaw had dropped in amazement.

"Wow," she managed to say. Legolas smiled. It felt good to surprise the strangers for a change.

/*\#/*\#/*\#/*\

After second breakfast, Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Sam were approached by Obito and Kakashi. Pippin smiled and warmly greeted the two.

"Good Morning! How was your breakfast?" he asked. The two looked at each other and then back at the hobbits.

"Food was...different," answered Obito with a cautious smile. Kakashi nodded in agreement.

An awkward silence descended between the two. The masked boy broke it.

"We were wondering if you could help us. You know how we have been tree-jumping?" he asked. The hobbits nodded. "Well, our sensei wants us to do that, but while carrying someone. Do you mind having us carry one of you around?"

The reactions were mixed. Sam looked offended, and Frodo look doubtful. Merry and Pippin seemed fascinated by the idea.

"You guys could actually carry us?" Frodo said, skeptically.

"That's the idea," Kakashi said nonchalantly.

"Oo! Oo! I'd like to go first!" cried Pippin, jumping up and down like an excited child.

Merry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'll go with you," he agreed.

~•~•~•~

About three minutes into his ride, Merry was regretting his decision. Kakashi was not much taller than he was, and rather willowy in build. That was not very comfortable. But the speed he was going at! Merry was happy that hobbits rarely lost their lunches. He wasn't keen on dealing with the stranger if he threw up on him. Pippin seemed to be having more fun. Obito was going more or less in a straight line, while Kakashi tried to go upside-down on every tree they landed on. Eventually, they stopped on a tree branch. Kakashi was wheezing, trying to catch his breath. Merry realized that his arms were more or less strangling the sliver-haired boy. The hobbit quickly loosened his grip around the shinobi's neck.

"Ha ha! We beat you!" Merry looked below to see Obito and Pippin standing in a clearing. Hoshi and Boromir stood below with amused looks on their faces. Kakashi gave an angry growl and jumped off the tree branch. Merry couldn't help but yell as they plummeted to the ground. The landing jarred his teeth, and he fell off the boy's back. Kakashi promptly sat down, gasping for air.

"Merri-san, please, never ask for me to carry you again," he panted out.

"Agreed," Merry groaned.

"Good grief! What happened?" asked Boromir, bewildered.

"Kakashi run too fast, Merry have tight grip," Obito summarized.

Boromir gave a nod of understanding. Hoshi turned toward Kakashi.

"Where is Minato-sensei?" he asked.

Kakashi shrugged. "I haven't seen him since morning. What have you been doing? And what are you wearing?"

Hoshi scowled. He had dug through his clothes' scroll after training to pull out his old outfit.

"If you don't like blending in, go ahead and don't get used to the clothing here,"

Kakashi frowned back at him, silent.

"And to answer your first question, I have been training with Boromir and talking about Minas Tirith," he said with a slight wistfulness to his voice. Obito let out a small snort of laughter. Hoshi whipped around, annoyed. His annoyance vanished when he noticed that the snort came from his foster brother. Hoshi shook his head and explained.

"When I first told Obito about how Minas Tirith was made entirely out of white stone, he thought that everyone went blind on a sunny day due to the glare,"

Boromir laughed. Merry looked at Pippin. Both were slightly confused.

"Excuse me," said Merry. "But where is Minas Tirith?"

"It is in Gondor. It is the capital," said Boromir, with a hint of pride in his voice.

"Gondor! Gondor, between the Mountains and the Sea!

West Wind blew there; the light upon the Silver Tree

Fell like bright rain in gardens of the Kings of old.

O proud walls! White towers! O wingéd crown and throne of gold!

O Gondor, Gondor! Shall Men behold the Silver Tree,

Or West Wind blow again between the Mountains and the Sea?"*

Hoshi sang passionately, his eyes lighting up with happiness. Kakashi sighed again, while Obito hummed along. Merry was startled by the sudden song.

"Who taught you that?" asked Boromir, looking impressed.

"My Adar," he said before walking over to a sword.

"You sing nicely," said Pippin.

Hoshi gave him a large smile. "Thank you!"

Boromir also picked up his sword. "As much as we would like to chat, I fear that we are unable to at the time. Hoshi would like to learn how to use a sword properly, as his current skills are worse than an orc's,"

Before Merry could approach Obito, Pippin was already on the black-haired boy's back.

"Sorry Merry," the younger hobbit said sheepishly. "But it's nearing lunchtime, and I'd rather have my appetite with me."

"See you later, Kakashi!" Obito grinned. He jumped off into the trees and was gone.

Merry turned to Kakashi. They held their gazes for a couple seconds.

"I will walk," they said in unison. Hoshi began laughing at their predicament. Boromir sighed.

"Please get going. You are distracting my student,"

Merry picked himself off the ground the same time as Kakashi, causing Hoshi to laugh harder.

"Witch-King, be afraid!

Beware the White Lady,

and her Halfling friend!"

Kakashi stared at his laughing friend.

"And good day to you, Hoshi!" he more or less spat. "Let us go, Merri-san."

The hobbit nodded as he walked away from the hysterical Hoshi and the exasperated Boromir.

* This poem is Tolkien's. I found it and *stole* it from a site called tolkien. cro talesong. html (get rid of the spaces and attach to an to go there)