Never Gonna Give You Up Chapter 3
Total concentration breathing: Circle Step Form 2: Drift of the Storm Evasive Manoeuvre
Chakra danced to her whims, propelling her movements with a blast of speed. Hina spun in the air as she conjured two concentrated wind blades to her arm with the skill of a seasoned Jounin. She spun quickly around the Wraiths, quicker and nimbler than they'd ever have the power to overcome. Save the Kages, the Sannin and Minato, Hina had speed beyond most high level Jounin.
The Nazgul were nowhere near quick enough to match her speed, but as if to frustrate her, the piercing of her wind blade simply broke through their armour and they reattached their shadowy limbs back together. She needed a new tactic. Weaving through her hand seals, she sent out a burst of fire chakra through her wind blades and turned it into a large torrent. She grinned. It was faltering as she'd never done anything of the sort before, but these two affinities came to her naturally and her control had always been impeccable despite her smaller reserves. She would just have to maintain this because she doubted she had the chakra left for more after such an experimental jutsu.
This time the Nazgul were caught off guard by the fire. She had noted it was a weakness of theirs. It caught on their cloaks and they shouted in distress, but to her surprise when she sped around them, she was kicked from behind. The momentum of her building speed was cut short and she was flung straight into another Wraith who caught her by the throat. The breath left her throat, but they made the mistake of giving her a moment to catch herself as they held her up. She hissed in pain as the Nazgul crushed her throat, but despite it she smiled.
"Ha, good one."
Instead of fighting this somehow physically stronger force, she put her hand around the Wraiths head and called forth fire in a one handed jutsu. The Wraith screeched in pain as it dropped back, the fire burning straight through its face.
"Time to wipe out the rest of you fuckers," Hina said as she coughed waspily and rubbed her throat gingerly.
The remaining Nazgul screeched at each other in some horrible language. The sounds of their voices agitated her doubly. Then as if to increase this odd emanating energy that set her on edge, they pulled out their hands and called forth a wave of dark energy. The sensation had pulled her thoughts to the thrill of the battle when suddenly a hot pain shot through her arms. Hina hissed as she felt the burn of poison on her arm suddenly. When she next looked down she saw her dismembered arm falling to the grass below.
She staggered back in pain, and jumped away from the Wraith she had initially thought she had cut down. Somehow it had come back to life, and not only that, it had managed to catch her off her guard and take a limb with it. She could feel the sting of poison even beyond the seering sensation of her bone exposed to air. Before she could give them their rightful comenpance, they all got on their horses and left towards the ring.
"Fucking cowards!" she cried in irritation.
The only Wraith that stayed behind had taken up his sword to face her, his steed lying dead behind him. Hina hissed in agony as her left arm burned, and she decided she needed to cut off more or the poison would spread. Having witnessed Frodo's state, she was not eager to experience it soon. So she quickly took out her chakra string, fumbling to open her pouch as she dodged a strike from the Nazgul. She strung the metal wire around the remaining stub of her arm before biting the string and pulling with all her might. The remainder of her arm tore off painfully and she hissed in agony as the Nazgul kicked her back.
"You've been a fucking nuisance this entire time. Why can't you just die?" Hina cursed as she looked the beast up and down.
There must be some weakness, something that held it together. Her eyes fell on the golden ring on its finger. Yes, that would be it, it would do the trick. Using the remainder of her chakra she jumped from the ground and somersaulted down with a wind blade attached to her feet. It cut the ring of its fingers and Hina tucked into a roll, grabbing the ring in-between her teeth and grinning at the closest thing to alarm she could see on a Nazgul. She had so many clever things to say to him, but alas she had a ring in her mouth and a beast to slay. So without wasting a moment she shot her blade of fire straight into him and ignited it from within.
There was a long inhumane screech before the creature was so entirely engulfed into flames that it fell to the ground and turned into ashy mist. There was a sort of rebound energy she could feel pull tightly inward before it inevitably shot out, so she quickly jumped back as far as she was allowed before tucking and rolling. The blast that resounded would have probably taken her other arm too if she hadn't jumped away.
Hina's vision blurred and she cursed. Those stupid Wraiths had been harder to fight than she'd initially thought. It probably had to do with their supposed immortality. She stumbled to the ground and moved to unseal her scroll. But her body had become numb from loss of blood.
"Hina!"
Although her vision was blurred, Hina understood enough in the moment that it was Strider holding her. She spat out the ring in her mouth and groaned as its terribly twisted energy left her.
"Hold on Hina, I will bring you to Elrond. Don't you dare die before then!"
"Shut up, have you always been so loud?" Hina chuckled through pained gasps as she painfully reminded herself of Kusari's last words to her. "Give me the scroll in my pack. Open it for me."
Thankfully for once someone listened to her. Hina gritted her teeth and cried out as she expended the last of her energy to unseal the items within. Normally she could easily control what she took out, but her brain had taken a feverish state from her exhaustion and everything she had packed came out.
"T-the red pill, give it to me," she stuttered out, as her vision became doubled.
When the pill touched her lips, she greedily took it in and bit down for the extra added chakra boost. It acted quickly and her body seized. One shouldn't normally take it bitten down after all. Still she felt the chakra begin to regulate back in her system and despite the numbness in her body she could think.
"I-I just need a moment," Hina explained.
"What happened to her?!" she heard one of the Hobbits scream.
She didn't need them distracting her right now, but she didn't have the energy or the time to tell them to shut up, so she closed her eyes and concentrated, remembering her training on the human body and its many parts and then she moulded her chakra to spur her cells to regrow. And it did.
Strider watched in shock along with the Hobbits as the white of her bone extended and then the muscles and tendons around it. The skin followed last and before long there was a new limb in place and the only evidence that it had been cut off was the white scar tissue that surrounded the area that had been severed.
Once again, he was in awe of the girl before him.
It only grew into respect when he turned to see the empty armour of one of the Nazgul and a ring of power laying on the ground besides them.
"I'm too exhausted to continue," she whispered, taking his attention from her earlier wound back to her.
"You are one frightening child, you understand?" Strider said with a hint of choking emotion in his voice. "Rest little one. You've done more than enough."
As if finally letting go of the slivers of her strength, her body went limp against his arms.
"This is the Ring Wraith's armour and steed. Did she really destroy it?" Pippin asked in wonder.
"And now there's another ring," Sam noted as he looked at the one laying by Aragorn's side.
"Fold it in a handkerchief and do not touch it. Place it in a bag and pretend it is not there for now. We'll take it to Rivendell," Aragorn instructed. "We still have a journey to make back."
He noted the looks of awe the Hobbit's had given the child in his arms. All Aragorn felt was a deep guilt at allowing her to do something so dangerous. When he had seen her laying there pale and bloodied, he almost thought she would die. He knew even if he took her to Rivendell, the distance would be too long and the blood loss would kill her if the shock didn't do the job earlier, but he hadn't imagined she would regrow a limb before his eyes.
"I'll grab her things. Wouldn't want to leave it behind," Pippin said as he picked up the various items that had come out of the odd paper contraption. He decided not to think too much about it. Magic was beyond him and it would do him no good to question it.
"We should hurry. While the Nazgul aren't searching for us, it is still unsafe to be outside of Rivendell's protection with a ring of power."
The Hobbits didn't have a word of complaint for that.
Hina woke up in the softest most dizzyingly comfortable place she had ever been. It felt like someone had tucked her into a bed stuffed full of cotton and feathers, and she was sinking perfectly into its comforts. Not to mention the sheer brightness of the place almost had a calming tune about it that made her mind dangerously mellow and oddly enough had the opposite effect of the Nazghul's dark magic and made her feel disconcerted. It felt like a heavy calming Genjutsu had been placed over her, and she hated Genjutsu and its accursed affects.
"What manner of hell is this?" Hina muttered as she struggled to sit up.
"Hell?" she heard a voice ask in disbelief.
Hina opened her eyes and startled at the sight of Arwen. This place had made her so calm she hadn't even sensed someone in front of her. No, this wasn't good. This place was terrible. Then after taking a moment to look around at the sheer beautifulness of the architecture around her, she almost took it back.
"You have been asleep for a night. We thought you might awaken much later," she offered an explanation.
"Well this place is so sickeningly nice that it gave me my chakra back somehow quicker than it should," Hina murmured too truthfully for it to be anything but this places' effect on her.
"I've never heard such contradictory descriptions put together before," Arwen smiled. "But you have my thanks little one. Your bravery allowed me to get Frodo across to safety with nary a trouble. For that you have saved his life. Never forget the fact that you managed to kill a Wraith. You are indeed something magnificent."
"Well do keep singing my praises. I am pretty awesome," Hina chuckled.
"And adorable too," Arwen continued with an amused smile.
This place had definitely drugged her with happiness because when Arwen ruffled her hair, she didn't even flinch, nor did she feel embarrassed about the teasing compliment from earlier like she normally would. No trickle of fear came from the action she had learnt to associate with pain. Instead she giggled like a child and quickly began to feel like one. A voice in the back of her head whispered danger but the light of this place drowned it out.
"Hina—she is awake!"
Hina turned to see Strider by the door, and his face upon seeing her awake seemed to relieve some wound up stress. Hina smiled lopsidedly his way.
"I thought I had told you to be safe," Strider breathed out as he pulled her hand up to his forehead.
Hina knew she should feel guilty, but this place made it impossible to feel anything negative, so she just giggled wordlessly. Strider's confused look turned into worry as he watched the normally guarded child plop back onto the bed, smile widely and purr. Her pupils looked bloated up closer inspection and he looked to Arwen for confirmation.
"Did she... smoke anything odd?" Aragorn asked.
"No, we had a healer sing songs for her, but there was no use for a medicinal herb at all," Arwen said, equally incredulous.
"It's this place. It's too comfy! Feels almost like I'm drowning in goodness. Safe, so safe," Hina mumbled, her expression flitting to worry for a second before it snapped back into a dopey grin.
"You remind me of my tousan. He was tall, dark, and handsome like you," Hina blurted out to Strider.
Aragorn had no idea what the title of 'tousan' was, but she had referred to him with the suffix 'san' before. He attributed it to some cultural difference, but he hadn't supposed that she spoke a different language. He should have figured from her thick foreign accent, but it raised the question of where she learnt Westron from.
"This is troubling. You say it is this place that makes you this way. What specifically?" Arwen asked seriously.
"Hmmm like a light-bulb. So much light it's blinding. The forests were less so, and the ring was thick with darkness. I like this though... this feels so gooooood," she groaned in comfort as she sunk into the bed and hugged a pillow.
Aragorn raised a brow at Arwen's chuckle.
"It seems that the magic of our protection makes her drunk. What an odd creature. I sense a sort of energy about her that is different, not dark but certainly different. Maybe we should take her for a walk. That might clear her head, but I suggest keeping a closer eye on her."
Well considering she was high, Aragorn wouldn't have done anything differently. Still a part of him lamented the time he should have alone with Arwen was taken from him. He instead picked up the surprisingly light child and took her out.
"Mmm tousan, I missed you so much," she mumbled into the nape of his neck.
He had no idea what to make of the child in this state, but he figured it would be best to take her to Gandalf to better understand things. He was glad Arwen followed him because it would have been odd to explain what he was doing carrying a mumbling child around to Lord Elrond.
"Arwen, Aragorn," the Elf lord greeted before he looked pointedly at the girl in Aragorn's arms. "What is the little Wraith slayer doing out of her bed rest?"
"She was acting queerly to our magic, so we thought to take her to Gandalf the Grey," Arwen explained.
"Queer in what manner?"
"It's as if she is drugged almost," Arwen hummed in thought.
"That is queer. I do have words I wish to speak to Gandalf, but I feel that it should wait now. Follow me," he gestured.
The three walked down to Frodo's room where Sam lay sleeping on a chair by the bed and Gandalf idled by the balcony. The Wizard turned to his guests puffing out of his pipe before smiling.
"Aye, what a welcome sight," he greeted.
"Indeed Gandalf. Your safe return was a relief," Elrond replied.
The Wizard looked pointedly at the mumbling girl in Aragorn's arms. Said man gently put the child down and Gandalf knelt in front of the girl curiously. Her energy was odd, so balanced in its nature that he'd never seen anything like it before. It was neither light nor dark but the energies surrounding her were prodding at some vile malcontent on her neck.
"Curious," he mumbled, pushing the hair from the nape of her neck and noticing the pulsing of a mark there in the form of what looked to be three curved tear-drops.
"Can you ascertain what's wrong with her?" Aragorn asked worriedly.
Even more curious was the worry in the normally stoic man's words. Gandalf had never come across such a peculiarity, but he deemed a small experiment to be prudent. He doubted whatever was happening to the child wasn't good for her like it was for everyone else.
"Have her sleep by Frodo for the moment."
Aragorn didn't question Gandalf's wisdom and did as he asked. Hina mumbled comfortably in his arms and it took quite a bit to pry her hands from his neck, but after a moment she groaned in discomfort and frowned. Gandalf blew his pipe in realisation. The dark energy from the ring on Frodo was actually helping bring her energy back to a balance.
"Curious indeed. It seems like the magic of this world is affecting her physically. She is neither light nor dark, but a perfect balance of the two and it seems neither overcoming the other is a good thing for her," Gandalf explained.
"And the consensus is that she's from another world?" Elrond asked dubiously. "I still find it hard to believe that a child fought and killed a Ring Wraith, let alone that she has the ability to regrow limbs, or even that she doesn't hail from Middle-Earth."
"It does sound fantastical sir, but I was there to witness it!" the newly awakened Sam contested.
"If it were not for the several eye-witness accounts I would have dismissed it as such, but it still baffles me," Elrond admitted.
"It baffles me too," Hina muttered, catching the attention of the group before she caught Aragorn's eyes, turned a deep crimson in the face and looked pointedly away in embarrassment.
"I'm... sorry for what I said. I didn't mean it?" she muttered.
"You weren't right in the mind. It's not your fault," Aragorn assured her.
"So you've come back to your senses, have you?" Gandalf said lightly.
Hina nodded, frowned, and then looked around with new eyes. It sparked with appreciation once more. While it felt like she was being pulled in two directions right now, it was also infinitely better than that thick cloud of comfort she had allowed herself to succumb to.
"This place is beautiful... maybe too beautiful. It's making me dizzy," she admitted.
"But standing next to the ring you are fine?" Elrond asked with suspicion.
"It's bothering me too, like ants under my skin, but it's not so loud anymore. Are you an Elf?!"
She hated that a part of her was still blurting out whatever came to mind. It seemed she was still somewhat affected.
"Yes, I am," the man replied, his suspicion lessening somewhat into amusement. "I think it is time for introductions. I am Elrond, Lord of Rivendell."
"And I am Gandalf the Grey," the Wizard introduced himself.
Hina bowed her head in respect. "Suzuki Hina at your service."
"Suzuki... I had come to understand that your name is Hina," Elrond asked.
Hina raised a brow and then realised her mistake.
"Ah, that would be because in my culture our family name comes first, and our personal name second; because family is more important than self. Culturally anyway.
"Isn't that confusing," Sam asked.
Hina shook her head in amusement. It wasn't confusing when it's what you grew up with. But it seemed the time for pleasantries was over. Elrond turned to Sam to dismiss him for now.
"I'm sorry little one, but I wish to ask our foreign guest here some questions in private."
"O-of course master Elf, I'll be on my way," Sam said hastily.
Once the Hobbit was out of the room Elrond turned to the curiosity. He noted her odd features, slanted eyes he'd never seen before, and snake-like markings around the eyes, with earrings shaped like the tattoo on her neck. He supposed they meant something to her.
"Now then, shall we get to the crux of the matter. I would like to know your origins, and your intentions here little one," Elrond asked kindly.
Hina had never met such a kind group of interrogators. Normally in the Elemental Nations if you were a suspicious stranger the best hospitality you could hope for was a nice cosy prison cell where they wouldn't torture you for information. She suspected part of their ease around her was her muddled mind, but that was more of a personal worry than she let on. They were surprisingly easy to convince of her fantastical tale of coming here.
"So these seals as you put it can transport you long distances?" Elrond confirmed.
"Some of them can. There's a seal that essentially creates a little pocket dimension to store goods and keep them safe… wait a minute where is it?!"
"Worry not Hina, Pippin collected your items and they're stored away in your room," Strider assured.
Hina sagged in relief. She supposed that's where her armour was too, and it frightened her that she had just now realised that she wasn't wearing it. They had changed her into a plain white dress.
"Is there a way you can travel back to your land?" Elrond asked, hoping to get back on track.
Hina nodded. "A few months of research on my own and I could probably do it. I'd need to be somewhere where the energy isn't so—" she said pointing around her.
"If you'd stayed with Gertrude like I asked, you could be making that progress now," Strider pointed out with a frown.
Hina scowled and looked away. "I don't want to go home, though" she muttered, voice low.
She blinked wide eyed as she realised, she'd just admitted a private thought aloud and cursed under her breath holding her head.
"There is nothing to fear in being truthful," Elrond interjected, noticing her distress. "If you wish I'm sure Middle-Earth will welcome you as long as you remain a presence of good."
"I… don't mean to stay here forever. I have duties back home, but they're so troublesome… and I'm so tired."
There was something seriously wrong with this place. Hina knew she would never admit to being tired. It was against her entire being to complain. She never allowed herself that pleasure. Complaining simply made one weak by admittance.
"This place is making me talk about things I normally wouldn't," she admitted uncomfortably. "It's making me uneasy. Can we stop the questioning for now?"
"Of course. As long as you promise to be a peaceful presence in our lands, you will be welcome."
Hina grinned wryly at that. "I don't think I could be anything but peaceful here even if I wanted to be… which I don't."
"That is good. Unfortunately, I think keeping you by the one ring is too dangerous a compromise. Shall I leave her under your care Strider?" Elrond asked.
Strider bit back a sigh but nodded. He helped Hina out of the bed and led her out alongside Arwen. The child's stresses seemed to slacken in her posture and her face relaxed, but it felt wrong on her. Strider knew then he'd have to keep an eye on her for the remainder of their time here.
Hina hadn't felt so comfortable in her entire life. The food here was delicious, the atmosphere was like a smothering blanket of warmth, and she felt so safe. The back of her mind warned her that nowhere was safe, but Hina for the first time in years ignored that feeling and actively snuggled up next to the closest body to her. Then She was pulled away, much to her irritation, from the pretty Elf man she had latched onto.
"I'm sorry for her behaviour. She isn't right in the head at the moment," she heard her tousan mumble.
"Don't be mean tousan. He's so pretty, it would be a shame if no one hugged him," Hina said with a dopey smile towards the Elf.
"Your child has taste," the Elf laughed before going on his way.
Hina felt her tousan's exasperation and giggled instead of apologising like she normally would. Her heart was too elated being in his presence again. Then she turned to the figure behind her tousan and exclaimed in joy. Bright green hair, long and flowing, deep forest green eyes that were protective and loving and altogether her mother's.
"Kaasan," she choked.
There was a tremble of grief ringing in her head that told her this wasn't real, but she didn't want to admit it. She was so content to stay here, be the child she was meant to be and fade into this sinful comfort.
"No child, I am not your kaasan. It is Arwen, do you not remember?"
Hina tilted her head in confusion. "Don't try and trick me kaasan, you're very bad at lying."
"I think she's too far gone again. This is worrying… can we not bring the other ring here to bring her back to her senses… I fear I understand the titles she addresses us by. It will only bring her more grief later when she understands her words."
"You mean to say she is hallucinating. This is the oddest reaction to our magic I've ever seen. But the rings are a corruptive force we cannot afford to leave with one so young and inexperienced. Its pull is hard to resist for a grown man let alone a child," Arwen said apologetically. "It seems she will simply have to bear through her visit here."
Hina hated that her parents were discussing things she didn't understand… Why? Was it because she was a Shinobi? She was regretful of it. She'd told her mother that before she—no, her mother was here and alive.
"Sorry kaasan. I promise not to be a Shinobi anymore. I'll quit. I've killed Danzo, so now you can rest," Hina replied earnestly. "Taichi and Tsukiya are safe. We can be a family again."
"I am not your mother dear child," Arwen lamented. "Try and concentrate Hina. It may bring you some true peace."
Hina squinted and could see the change from green to brown of Arwen's hair. A pain took her heart and her seal pulsed on her neck. Then she realised her position in Strider's arms and flushed in embarrassment. She jumped out of his hold and held her head, pushing away the fog that threatened to overtake her and for the first time in a long time she activated her cursed seal enough to feel her senses. The mark took her, and she staggered up with deep breaths.
"What is that foul energy?" Arwen asked.
"It is a curse—I don't often activate it, but I need it to think for now," Hina said apologetically as she managed to get her senses again. "I—I need to apologise. I called you my… it's unforgivable."
"Surely that's an over exaggeration. It was the simple mistake of a muddled mind—and mistaking us for your parents isn't that unforgivable."
"It's because they are dead," she mumbled.
Aragorn would be lying if he said a large part of him didn't trust this child who had fallen into his life. Not only had she come at a bad time, but she was of unknown origin and did deceive him once before, but after seeing her be drugged into open truthfulness he almost wished for the lies back. It seemed surrounded by Elven magic, she was forced to show a side of her she had kept hidden away, a side that showed deep pain and loss.
"Do not apologise for that. You're gravely mistaken to think we've taken offence to your words."
While it had been a shocking realisation that she had mistaken him for a dead father, he couldn't exactly hold it against her. She was simply confused by whatever magic was affecting her mind, and apparently deep down she had a propensity to punish herself for the smallest of things.
"Ok... but I don't want to hold you two back... if you want to be alone that is," Hina offered.
"That's ok little one, we can wait," Arwen said calmly before Aragorn even had the moment to be shocked by her astute observations. "For now follow me. I will take you to your belongings."
Hina nodded eagerly, ready to be reunited with her precious few belongings. All that she owned was in that scroll. So when she found it in her guest room, she grabbed her father's omamori first in absolute relief. She could not ever imagine parting with it. Then she turned to the flute Rui had given her, undamaged, and as shabby as it had always been. She felt an immeasurable relief that these two objects were safe.
"Do you play Hina?"
"I was just beginning to learn when—my duties took me away, but this was gifted from a precious friend," she explained briefly before turning to her clothes and grinning.
Arwen was mildly alarmed when the girl brought the bottom of her dress up and quickly took it off. She herded away her love and huffed in exasperation, finally losing her composure.
"What was she thinking?"
"That girl knows no modesty. I have a feeling it's not so taboo to be naked where she comes from," Aragorn sighed.
"Well that's certainly food for thought," Arwen said with a breathless chuckle.
"Certainly is. Now how about we let her alone. She does seem fine."
"It would be my pleasure."
Hina kept the curse seal activated to as little of her exposed skin as possible. She didn't need the chakra boost; she simply needed its corruption to push away this over-abundance of light energy this place pressed into her. With the seal active she could finally look around this beautiful Kingdom and actually appreciate it.
"There she is; the Wraith slayer!"
Hina turned to see three Hobbits and smiled at them in greeting.
"I do like the sound of Wraith slayer. Makes me sound awesome," she agreed with a grin.
"Are you like Gandalf?" Merry asked curiously.
"A Wizard? I guess so? More like a wizard-warrior where I'm from, but we use the energy within ourselves to make magic. I feel like the Wizards here use some outer force," Hina hummed in thought.
"Well whatever it is you are, you helped push back those Ringwraiths and it gave the good lady time to get Mr Frodo to safety. You're good in my books," Sam said with respect.
"Oh, well thank you. I didn't quite catch your names earlier, what with all the fighting and running," Hina said.
Then the little Hobbits introduced themselves and it took everything in Hina not to hug them all. They were adorable. Well they were adorable, right up until Pippin asked her a flood of questions. Hina was a private person and receiving so many questions was making her uneasy. Thankfully for her, the cutest of the lot managed to show up awake and alive and it drew the Hobbit's attention away.
"Thank you for what you did," Frodo said sincerely, holding Hina's hands before his attention turned to another Hobbit in a nearby chair.
"Bilbo!"
The whole scene was just so wholesome that it made Hina hungry. It'd been a while since she ate, and she really wanted to know what real life Elves ate. If it was just boring things like fruits and vegetables, she would be so disappointed though.
"Can you show me to the kitchens?" Hina asked the Hobbits.
Pippin laughed heartily. "You're a lady after my heart! I know where it is. Follow me!"
Hina let the other two wait for their newly recovered friend, but was eagerly dragged away by the littlest Hobbit. She passed by many raised brows and curious looks from the tall Elves, but she figured she must be part Hobbit because it barely phased her as much as the rumblings in her stomach did.
It was worth the travel because the dining hall was massive and beautiful. There was a long table stretching down the middle and pillars surrounded it all flowing with green vines growing ripe fruit on its stems. Hina noticed a bunch of short men laughing and drinking by the end.
"Wow, so many Hobbits. I thought you lot kept to the Shire," Hina said in wonder.
"We ain't no Hobbits Missus. We're Dwarves!" one of the men exclaimed in mild indignation.
"Elves and now Dwarves! Is it true that you can make the finest weapons?" Hina asked, sitting herself right in the middle of the group.
"Of course! Dwarven weaponry beats all other kinds. We Dwarves see the true nature of stones and metals and divine into them our artistry!"
Hina nodded along in fascination. She was intrigued to see what they would make of kunai and shuriken or if they could somehow improve the designs. The R&D department really left a mark on her attitude to new techniques and technologies. She found a yearning in her heart to always know more.
"Fascinating! One day I want to see a Dwarf make their weapons. It's on my bucket list now," she swooned.
"Bucket list?" Pippin asked.
"Well we have a term where we come from called 'kicking the bucket', which is really just a euphemism for dying. So we have a bucket list of things to do before we kick said bucket," Hina explained.
"That is a worthy list indeed," one of the dwarves agreed. "By chance are you this fabled lady who slew a Ringwraith?"
"Ah... hai! Yes, I guess you could say that's me. I'm a Shinobi—kind of like a warrior-wizard where I come from," Hina explained.
"Come then have some ale and regale us with your tale!"
Hina figured they didn't know she was a child just from looking at her. Maybe they hadn't met many humans to know enough about their children. But it was good to be treated like an adult for once, so she didn't bother correcting them. She took the ale and drank it down in one swing. They cheered and she began telling him of the epic battles she'd taken part in.
The Dwarves were great fun. Hina met Gimli who had taken to her a good deal and even Pippin was enjoying their company, entirely drunk at this stage. It took a lot longer for her to get drunk because of the poison resistance she had been forced to improve under Orochimaru. The Dwarves were out drunk for the first time.
"Do you play that instrument Wraith slayer?!"
Hina palmed her practice flute with a wistful smile. She smiled sadly and nodded.
"Oh I'm new at it, but I enjoy it a lot," she drawled.
"Play it for us!"
"Surely someone as skilled as you with the sword, can slay an instrument as easily!"
"Yes, show us!"
Hina spurred on by the liquid courage in her veins, pulled out the instrument and played. Being drunk didn't help her coordination and a horribly off tune music started playing.
"Now that's something vile," Pippin laughed.
"Aye, we better make her stop," Gimli agreed.
"No way; you lot asked for this. Now suffer till the end," Hina laughed evilly before she continued.
She ignored the good-natured jeers and pretended she was playing a masterpiece. That was until she caught sight of Aragorn crossing his arms by the door, throwing her the signature 'I caught you doing something naughty' look. She gulped as he strode across the room towards her and even all the Dwarves turned to look.
"Were you drinking?" he asked with a frown.
"Uh... um whaaaat. Pfft no," she stumbled drunkenly.
"Good men, why you've allowed a child this much ale is beyond me," Aragorn said glaring at the group.
"Why, she's just a lass?" Gimli asked in shock.
"Aye, now I think it's time I impart a few lessons to her. We will take our leave now."
Before Hina could protest she was picked up and carried away. She sent a look of distress to the Dwarves, but they all seemed to just laugh at her plight. She pouted at their betrayal. And to think was beginning to see them as kindred spirits.
"A lady your age should not be drinking," Aragorn chastised.
"No way, I'm an adult. I can do whatever I want," Hina replied with a frown.
"You're thirteen," Aragorn stressed.
Hina held her headband and tapped her metal plate and shook her head.
"I have a headband; therefore I am an adult!"
"I'm sure that's how it works where you hail from, but not in these lands. You should stay away from drinking. It addles the mind and can damage the body in one so young," he explained.
Aragorn had no idea how he'd come about to be the guardian of a child of all things. Hobbits he could understand, but an actual child... and unfortunately not one of the obedient kind.
"Come on, it's getting late and you should be in bed."
"You're not my tousan," she said weakly.
"No I'm not," he agreed, patting her back sympathetically.
"This place sucks," she grumbled, but still settled down in his arms.
He shook his head fondly at her pouting. It was good to see her acting her age at least, but there were things to come that would be hard and dark. He supposed it was good she was normally so independent.
"No way am I wearing anything but my armour," Hina said stubbornly as she looked at the dress an Elf maiden had set out for her.
Not that the dress wasn't beautiful and would absolutely make her look stunning, but she did not so lightly part with her armour. It was a gift and saved her many times, and she wasn't so easy to trust to go into unknown lands without protection on.
"There will be lords of all kinds in this meeting. It would be greatly appreciated if you wore this dress," the beautiful Elf lady implored.
"You can't woo me with your stupidly pretty face. I've grown a resistance to beautiful people. It won't work!"
Aredhal sighed. It had been quite a long time since elves had to deal with children and while that was a sad thought before she was beginning to wonder if it really was all that bad now. The girl seemed intent to wear that inappropriately short foreign dress of hers but refused such fine quality Elven gowns? It was preposterous.
"Little one, it would be inappropriate to go dressed as you are—"
"—Nothing you say will change my mind."
"Hina," a voice called out unimpressed and chiding.
The girl turned around and looked abashed for the first time, pouting at the Dunedain. Aredhal was grateful for Aragorn's presence as it seemed the girl would listen to him.
"Don't be testy to the good Elf. It's just a dress, and you are safe within these walls to take off your armour," Aragorn explained patiently.
Hina shuffled uncomfortably. Nowhere was safe. Safety was a false concept used to lure you into a trap.
"I don't take off my armour as a rule. You never know when someone will attack you," Hina grumbled.
"That is rather paranoid of you to think," Aragorn sighed. "When you weren't in your right mind and vulnerable, nothing happened to you. What makes you think it will be different now?"
Hina mumbled her reluctance but eventually decided to trust Aragorn. She sucked down her instincts, told it to quell like her servant and not her master, and nodded in agreement.
"Fine, I'll wear the dress, but I'm keeping my kunai pouch under," she compromised.
Aredhal looked to Aragorn for confirmation and was relieved when the man nodded to those terms. She didn't think she had the patience to strangle the child for more. The man left and Aredhal thought it was time to make this little tree nymph look stunning.
Hina hated how pretty she looked because she loved it too much. It just leant into the narcissist inside of her that whispered vanity into her mind. But wanting to be pretty wasn't something a combat-oriented Shinobi like herself should fall into. It would distract her from more important things.
She had been rather pretty in her past life and now with this artificial body with almost no imperfections she could almost pass herself off as a tiny, sort of evil looking, Elf. The dress wasn't helping, and neither was the way Aredhal had done up her hair in soft braids that really quelled the normal harsh spikes up the back. The pale green flowy dress was so perfectly tailored that Hina wondered if she could get some kimonos' made for her coming trip. No doubt Elven materials were superior in every way to the traditional cotton she wore.
Eventually she did meet up with Aragorn to go to this supposedly super-secret meeting that she would have definitely not heard of even if it was told to her. The Elves really sucked at being discreet cause Hina was sure even the Hobbits knew of this supposedly super-secret meeting.
"It's best if you stay by Strider's side and out of sight," Gandalf told the girl.
"This ring seems too important for me to be anywhere in the discussion," Hina noted.
"That is possible," Gandalf nodded.
"You will behave?" Aragorn asked in suspicion.
Hina gasped in mock hurt. "When do I not behave? I am the most obedient child in all of Middle-Earth!"
Aragorn shook his head and sighed. He would be getting premature grey hairs at this stage. He was growing a newfound respect for parents everywhere. Though he was surprised the moment that they stepped into the meeting that the girl had gone entirely more serious than he'd ever seen her, eyes sharp and back straight. She took a seat beside him, earning some looks of confusion from most in the meeting, but smiles from the Dwarves and reverence from those who'd heard of her title. She smiled back at the Dwarves for a moment only before Lord Elrond addressed the congregation.
"Strangers from distant lands ... friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer the threat of Mordor. Middle-earth stands upon the brink of destruction. None can escape it. You will unite, or you will fall. Each race is bound to this fate...this one doom."
The council seemed to draw into the Elf lord's words. He spoke seriously and his words brought forth the grave urgency of the situation.
"Bring forth the ring, Frodo."
The little Hobbit made his way towards the stone Plinth in the centre of the circle. He placed the small ring in the centre and sat back down quickly. The ring itself had a call of its own. Hina finally let go of her cursed seal in its presence. There was so much darkness within it that she feared adding any more would make her mad.
"So it is true!" Boromir exclaimed in awe.
"Sauron's Ring! The ring of power!" Legolas murmured.
"The doom of man!" was Gimli's shout.
There were sounds of disbelief from across the room, and Hina ignored it in favour of the ring. Its call was… mesmerising. It took the squeeze of Aragorn's hand on hers for her attention to snap from it. He shook his head at her and she looked on in horror at how she had nearly lost herself there.
"It is a gift...a gift to the foes of Mordor!" Boromir exclaimed, standing up to face the council. "Why not use this Ring? Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, held the forces of Mordor at bay by the blood of our people are your lands kept safe. Give Gondor the weapon of the enemy. Let us use it against him!"
"You cannot wield it. None of us can. The one ring answers to Sauron alone...it has no other master." Aragorn countered.
Boromir turns and looks at Strider, coolly. "And what would a ranger know of this matter?"
Strider says nothing and Boromir turns away dismissively. Hina looked between the two men and then turned to see the hottest Elf she'd ever laid eyes on stand up in Strider's defence.
"This is no mere Ranger. He is Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You owe him your allegiance."
Hina raised a brow at the man besides her although she knew exactly who he was… well not the actual titles and all that—she barely remembered what happened in this world.
"Aragorn? This is Isildur's heir?"
"And heir to the throne of Gondor," Legolas confirmed.
"Havo dad, Legolas. (Sit down, Legolas)," Aragorn said in a calming way.
"Gondor needs no king," Boromir said with a frown as he took his seat.
The council fell into a sort of unsure silence until Gandalf brought the issue back at hand to the forefront of the topic. "Aragorn is right...we cannot use it."
Elrond spoke next, sure, and steadfast. "You have only one choice… the ring must be destroyed."
"Then...what are we waiting for?" Gimli asked impatiently as he brought up his axe. Hina watched in shock as he slammed down the weapon only for it to let out a resounding shock of energy and break into pieces at the strength of the ring. The Dwarf fell back at the backlash.
"The ring cannot be destroyed, Gimli, son of Gloin, by any craft that we here possess. The ring was made in the fires of Mount Doom...only there can it be unmade. It must be taken deep into Mordor and cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this."
That seemed to make the mood drop almost instantly, and almost everyone looked away in terror at the very thought of venturing straight into Mordor. Hina knew a place called Mount Doom was probably not the nicest place to go on a vacation trip to. She figured for people who had grown up hearing of its horrors it must have hit a different note of dread than it did in her. The terrified look on Boromir's face said it all.
"One does not simply walk into Mordor. Its black gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is evil there that does not sleep, and the Great Eye is ever watchful. It is a barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust...the very air you breathe is a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly," he said worriedly.
"Have you heard nothing Lord Elrond has said? The ring must be destroyed!" Legolas demanded.
"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli asked.
"And if we fail, what then? What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?" Boromir asked.
"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf!"
Hina snorted in amusement at the absolute devolvement of the council right now. She'd never seen such chaos in a meeting before. Shinobi were a lot calmer than this, although she supposed this was what it would look like should they have somehow gathered all the Kage together to fight Madara. The rings dark discordant music was still ringing in her ears and she turned to see Frodo look at it with wide fearful eyes. She hissed at herself and moved back and away from all this sudden negative energy as it whispered promises in her mind. It continued its call to her until Frodo stepped out.
"I will take it...I will take it...I will take the Ring to Mordor!"
Even Hina was impressed at the little creature's willpower. She was no coward, but even she wouldn't want to willingly hold that evil thing in her hand. If she did, she knew she would be lost to its call.
"Though...I do not know the way," he admitted unsurely.
Gandalf was the first to raise to his feet in support. "I will help you bear this burden, Frodo Baggins, as long as it is yours to bear."
"If, by my life or death, I can protect you, I will," Aragorn says with a smile as he kneels before Frodo. "You have my sword."
"And you have my bow," Legolas cheered as he came by the Hobbit.
"And my axe!" Gimli said.
"And my kunai! …What I thought we were listing our weapons," Hina said sheepishly as she noted the looks of confusion.
Thankfully, Boromir saved her from being told off. "You carry the fate of us all, little one. If this is indeed the will of the Council, then Gondor will see it done."
Frodo stared in wonder as the Greatest Fighters in all Middle earth stood at his side. Hina watched in amusement as Sam finally came out of the shrubbery, he had hidden himself behind.
"Mr. Frodo's not going anywhere without me!"
The look of amusement in Elrond's face makes Hina chuckle. There's just something about seeing an Elf mildly startled that's kind of hilarious in its own way. It's only exacerbated when both Merry and Pippin jump in as well.
"Oi! We're coming too! You'll have to send us home tied up in a sack to stop us," Merry said stubbornly.
"Anyway...you need people of intelligence on this sort of mission...quest...thing..."
"Well, that rules you out, Pip," Merry jabs at him.
"Ha, your comedic timing is gold," Hina laughs.
Elrond however turned back to his seriousness. "Ten companions ... so be it. You shall be the 'Fellowship of the ring'."
"Great. Where are we going?" Pippin asked.
Hina just devolved into laughter.
A/N
Ayyye, so did you enjoy the three chapters up so far? If so give me your thoughts, preferably in the comments. I was curious how this story would be received.