id:7772975

AN:

I really have failed you. So much for last filler chapter. But I would like to thank Targul for putting this on story alert and the community They Who Read Between The Lines for the C2. As a wise fanfiction author once said, "Reviews=Inspiration=Quicker Updates." Also, how am I to make a story more palatable if no one reviews?

Sorry for the rant. You guys/gals really are the best.

*Swoosh*

CLANG!

Boromir blocked Hoshi's attack with his shield. Several weeks ago, the shinobi approached the Fellowship with an idea. Both sides would learn the basic concepts of each other's fighting styles. Neither group was particularly good at the other side's techniques. In fact, Hoshi was the only one to win a fight using the techniques of Middle Earth. It was not often that the participants would come out unscathed. So to minimize damages, everyone had chosen someone to spar with. Boromir had ended up with Hoshi, his student in swordplay and fellow Gondorian (from another age).

At the moment, the tall boy had traded in the sword for a strange weapon. The 'Guan Dao' was a polearm with a heavy, curved single-edged head. The weapon was much taller than Hoshi, who already had an advantage in height.

When the Gondorian was first faced in dueling the child with it, the shield quickly became his new best friend.

Boromir's eyes focused on his dueling partner. He noticed the weapon being pulled back to the boy's side. Hoshi's pale face gave no indication on what his next move would be. Boromir readied his shield-arm. His opponent squared his stance, tensing. The Gondorian prepared himself for the attack.

‡Crark‡

*CLANG*

Both boy and adult jumped back as a blur of green and blonde tumbled backwards into the clearing. The form had deflected a kunai, which embedded itself at Hoshi's feet.

"You get better every battle, Legolas," A voice projected from a mallorn branch.

Legolas beamed at his opponent. Hoshi didn't look so thrilled.

"Sensei!? I was on a roll here!" he whined.

Boromir snorted. "Indeed you were. Eventually your weapon would make a small dent in my trusty shield, eh?"

The elf did his best not to laugh, as did Minato. Hoshi turned beet red.

"I suppose you are correct, Lord Boromir." he mumbled. The Steward's son shook his head and gave him a grin.

"You did keep me pinned back on the defensive. And not everybody can deflect your weapon," Boromir pointed out.

" 'Tis true, I suppose," Hoshi leaned against the bright red shaft of the weapon. "Only your shield and Master Gimli's axe have given my Guan Dao any trouble."

Legolas nodded in agreement. "You move too quickly for my knives or bow to be of any use,"

"You say that as if you were slow!" cried Minato as he jumped to the ground. "You are the fastest member of the Fellowship!" he praised.

Legolas smiled brightly at his new friend. The cheerful elf was the only member of the Fellowship whose reflexes were fast enough for Minato. Aragorn came in at a close second, so Kakashi selected him.

Boromir was content with his abilities in neutralizing the shinobi's way of fighting. He accepted that he was not a shinobi and thus couldn't fight like one. The rest of the Fellowship seemed to feel that way, too.

"I suppose it is time to meet up for lunch, as the sun is high in the sky," Hoshi said as he looked up past the treetops. Minato nodded in agreement.

"Indeed it is," said Legolas as he sheathed his long knives. "I will see you both at lunch, Boromir, Hoshi."

The prince of Mirkwood followed Minato off to lunch. Boromir carefully watched his retreating back. The Gondorian had noticed that Legolas was often shadowing Hoshi. The elf was friendly to the boy, but Boromir saw distrust in his clear blue eyes.

Hoshi gave him a smile and half-bow. "Don't take all the fish, Sensei!" He yelled to his teacher.

Boromir waited as Hoshi activated a seal on his armguards and put away his polearm. The Fellowship had a strange mix of surprise and envy when they learned about storage seals. Boromir was pleasantly surprised when Hoshi volunteered to teach him how to use a storage seal.

"All set, Lord Boromir," Hoshi said when he finished sealing the weapon. The boy threw out his arm in the direction of their mallorn. "To lunch!" he cried.

It was then a round object landed in Hoshi's outstretched hand. Boromir barely had enough time to jump out of the way as a mix of elflings and hobbits tackled Hoshi.

He couldn't help it. Boromir started laughing at the situation. Hoshi managed to stick his head out of the pile and give him a venomous look. That only made the Gondorian laugh harder.

*Tw~WEET!*

Rin entered the clearing holding a whistle in her hand. She strode over to the group and promptly grabbed an elfling by the ear.

"For the umpteenth time, Tharlion, DON'T THROW OUT OF BOUNDS! You have good ears, use them!" she sighed and let go. "The winning point goes to the Shire,"

The hobbits cheered.

Hoshi groaned. "Isn't the playing field several miles from here?" he asked, still clutching the ball.

Another elfling responded. "That it is, Eldarion! I was surprised that the hobbits could keep up,"

"Hey," cried Merry. "Don't underestimate us, Faelon! We won five out of ten games!"

Faelon sighed in defeat. One of the four elflings looked skyward.

"I believe that it is time for our noon meal. Would you excuse us? Hérion and I are expected back at home," a shorter elfling standing beside the speaker nodded.

"Us too," spoke Thalion, who was clutching his ear. Faelon was snickering slightly, while the 'injured' elfling glared at him.

Rin gave the four elflings a charming smile. "Of course you may go. I have no command over you except during games. Have a good lunch!"

The four elflings waved goodbye and disappeared into the golden tree. Boromir noted that as soon as the elflings mentioned lunch, the hobbits took off in a flash. Rin seemed to notice that and shook her head. Hoshi held out the ball and Rin took it.

"All they worry about is food," she muttered before jumping off into the trees. Once again, the two Gondorians were left alone in the clearing.

Boromir turned to Hoshi, confused. "Eldarion? Is that your name?"

The boy stood up and dusted off his clothing. "My Middle Earth name, yes,"

"He's avoiding eye contact," Boromir noted.

"Do you wish to hide your identity?" he asked. Hoshi/Eldarion gave him a wild-eyed look.

"What do you mean? Minato-sensei, Obito, Rin, Kakashi and the rest of the village knows my name. Hoshi is just easier to say, that's all."

"Oh," the Steward's son saw that Hoshi/Eldarion was getting flustered.

"Would you like for me to continue calling you Hoshi?" he said in a pacifying tone.

"Yes, please do!" Hoshi said, relieved.

The pale boy sent him a smile. "Let us go to lunch before anyone else walks into the clearing."

Boromir laughed and the two friends strolled off to lunch.

‡#‡=‡#‡=‡#‡=‡#‡

Obito breathed in deeply. "A fine day today, right Gimli-san?"

The dwarf grunted. "I've seen better, laddie."

As usual, sparring partners Uchiha Obito and Gimli, son of Gloin were the first to lunch. Obito was his usual outgoing self, while Gimli was simply cordial at first.

"Is something the matter? According to Hoshi we should be leaving Lothlórien tomorrow. I am sure you would be happier to be in a place with fewer elves," Obito was playing with an apple, balancing it on his nose.

Gimli laughed. "You know me too well, laddie," Obito grinned, dropping the apple into his mouth.

The dwarf then slowly turned serious. "I am wonderin' what we're going tah do with the Ring."

The shinobi frowned. "Hoshi told me that we are gonna drop it in Mt. Doom,"

Gimli looked at his companion's confused face.

"Oh, we are going tah do that, laddie," he clarified. "It's more of 'how are we going tah get there."

"Oh," Obito nodded in understanding. He took a big bite of the apple.

"You look like a stuffed pig," said a taunting voice.

Gimli looked up to see that Kakashi and Aragorn had returned. Obito's dark eyes narrowed.

"And you look like a stupid scarecrow," he spat after swallowing the bite.

Aragorn sighed and sat across from the dwarf as the two descended into bickering.

Gimli looked over the ranger. "You look as if you got chewed up by a warg," he commented.

Aragorn nodded, exhausted. "I now see why Minato called him a prodigy. He has picked up the use of a sword and bow so quickly. It takes much longer for me to disarm him,"

They turned to the bickering children. They were slinging insults at each other, and most had to do with their respective mothers.

Aragorn looked concerned. "Should we stop them?" he asked.

Gimli shook his head. "Leave them be. If they look like they're going their shinobi magic, than we step it,"

The human and the dwarf listened as Obito's mother was called uglier than an orc and stupider than a sheep. Obito retaliated with an insult with had Gimli stuffing his fist into his mouth to control his laughter. Aragorn seemed to get more and more uneasy as time went on.

Several minutes later, they were still going at it with no sign of slowing down. Their teacher and Legolas had returned, as did Rin and the hobbits. Agitated, Aragorn approached Minato.

"They are bickering again, aren't they?" said the jōnin without looking up.

"Could you break up the fight?" Aragorn asked.

Minato looked thoughtful. "What is the current insult?" he asked.

Surprised, Aragorn responded. "Kakashi's mother is bigger than a bijuu, whatever that means,"

The yellow-haired shinobi took a bite out of a bird's leg. After he swallowed, he looked up at the tall man.

"Leave them be. I haven't seen Obito get this far without taking it personally,"

Aragorn stood, dumbfounded. Rin, the petite brunette healer gave him an apologetic smile.

"It is a skill to give and take insults back at home," she explained. "Kakashi usually wins these sort of fights, so it is nice to see Obito holding his own."

Aragorn nodded in thanks and returned to his seat. Boromir was sitting between Gimli and Legolas. Both did not appear to be in high spirits. Boromir, however, was enthralled by the verbal dual going on next to Gimli.

"It never stops, does it?" a voice sighed. Aragorn turned to see Hoshi sitting next to him, eating a fish.

"Speak for yourself, pansy," growled Kakashi from beside him.

Obito gave a cry of triumph. "I win! You didn't retaliate! I win!"

But his celebration was ended when he noticed Hoshi and Kakashi giving each other 'the Look'.

Aragorn noticed the temperature drop several degrees around Hoshi. Gimli and Boromir seemed to notice as well.

"Oh no," squeaked Obito.

"What did you call me?" Hoshi's voice was as cold and threatening as his expression.

"I called you a spineless cry-baby who can't take an insult," Kakashi responded coolly.

"At least I wouldn't give up on life if I was called that over and over," he spat.

Rin and Obito gasped. Aragorn could tell that the particular insult was incredibly bad because Minato stood up.

"That's enough, you two," he said quietly, walking over to them.

Kakashi ignore the warning.

"At least I wasn't a bitter bastard disappointment," he hissed. "At least I never got any of my friends killed,"

Aragorn saw what was coming. Hoshi lunged forward, but Aragorn restrained him. Minato did the same with Kakashi.

"How Dare You! Let me go, Let me go so I can kill him!" Aragorn was doing his best to hold on the thrashing boy. The child's knowledge of Elvish surprised him. The Ranger was thankful when Boromir helped restrain him.

"You won't know the value of what you have until it's too late!" he screamed to Kakashi. "You will fail to save anybody, and all who you hold dear will be dead! Mark my words, Hatake!"

They managed to drag him behind a mallorn tree, still struggling. When he refused to calm down, Aragorn slapped him.

"Will you calm down!" he half yelled, half pleaded. Hoshi stared back at the two men in shock.

Large grey eyes, with flecks of sapphire blue stared back at him. Emotions swam across his eyes, guilt, sorrow, hurt and betrayal. Aragorn looked at the shaking boy with pity.

"What have I done?" he whispered hoarsely. "Oh, what have I said?"

Hoshi put his face in his hands. The child curled up into a ball. Aragorn had no idea what to do. He had no experience with children. Boromir knelt beside the distraught child and gathered him up into an embrace. Hoshi grabbed on to him like a drowning sailor, muffling his sobs in Boromir's shoulder. Aragorn watched as Gondor's captain stayed there, as silent and constant as a rock, comforting the boy. In what seemed like hours later, Hoshi calmed down. He sniffed, and wiped away the remaining tears.

"Thank You, Lord Boromir," he whispered.

Boromir gave Hoshi a sad smile and a pat on the head. "You should go apologize to your teammate," he said softly.

The child nodded and gave him a small bow. He then turned around. Aragorn was stunned by the scathing and betrayed look that was given to him. Hoshi then walked off without another word.