This is a work in progress (not yet complete). It is the best
combination
of anime and Lord of the Rings that I've seen yet, which is
why I
asked John for permission to post it here. Enjoy. Tim
Seltzer
John's Disclaimer: Disclaimer: The Lord of the Rings and
RK are
not mine. They belong to their authors, respectively J.R.R.
Tolkien and
Watsuki Nobuhiro. This fanfiction is created just for fun, not for
any
commercial purposes.
Summary: Here it is folks, a crossover between
Rurouni
Kenshin and Lord of the Rings. In this Kenshin & company defend
middle
earth and at the same time help a certain hobbit destroy the ring of
power.
A/n: Well, I'm on schedule for my fanfic, aren't I. Sorry about the
3-month wait. I do intend to publish more of this story as soon as
Return
of the King is out in theaters. Anyway, here's section 2,
enjoy.
Interlude
Middle-Earth always has its places of wonder and danger, like the
land
of Mordor, and just recently, the smoking valley of Isengard,
where Saruman,
the head of the wizard's order, has turned to the darkside.
Everywhere
in the lands of Middle-Earth, beauty reigned, even in the lands of
the
Misty Mountains.
On some days, the mountains were beautiful and peaceful, and on
some
nights… who knows? Maybe dark and dangerous events occur. The
lands of
the Misty Mountains were probably more dangerous inside of the
mountains
rather than the outside. Like when the creature Gollum took the
One Ring
of power into the mountains' tunnels and kept it there for 500
years.
The Misty Mountains, even now were full of danger, which is made
clear
by the echoing screams of people, throughout the mountain range…
You cannot pass…!
Gandalf…!
Sir Gandalf…
The echoing continued…
I am the servant of the secret fire, wielder of the flame of
Arnor…
Argh…!
Go back to the shadow…
The dark fire will not avail you, FLAME OF UDUN!
The echoing screams came from inside the mountains, into the
mines of
Moria. An old man, with a staff and sword, was standing on a
bridge, facing
a fiery creature called a Balrog. A company of fifteen, watched
the fight.
Four of them were Hobbits. There were two women and a child. One
was an
Elf, one was a Dwarf, and the others were men. The Balrog cracked
its whip
at the old man, proceeding forward.
"YOU…" shouted the old man, raising his staff, "…SHALL NOT…
PASS!"
The old man quickly slammed the staff on the bridge, illuminating
a
white light that drove the Balrog back a bit. The old man held his
own
when the Balrog proceeded again only… the bridge started to
collapse under
it, taking the Balrog with it as it fell down a chasm.
Exhausted, the old man turned around to leave with his companions
but…
The flaming whip lashed up from the abyss, from which the Balrog
fell
into and grabbed the old man's ankle, pulling him to the edge. The
old
man clings onto the bridge, but is straining to keep his grip. One
of the
Hobbits started to run to the old man, but one of the men held him
back.
"No!" said the man.
"Gandalf!" yelled the Hobbit to the old man on the bridge.
The old man, Gandalf, continued to struggle to keep his grip and
then,
unexpectedly, he looks to his companions and the scared Hobbit,
one last
time…
"…Fly you fools," said Gandalf.
"NOOOOOOO!" yelled the Hobbit.
Gandalf then loosened his grip, directly falling with the Balrog
into
the abyss…
The abyss in which they fell into was very vast and very deep.
Gandalf
then was able to spot… and grab hold of his sword, Glamdring.
Gandalf proceeded
directly towards the fiery Balrog… and started to hack away at it
with
the sword with each hit he made…
SLICE!
The battling pair fought in the bloodiest fashion. And at that
moment…
Gandalf plunged his sword into the creature, emitting sparks of
fire from
it. But…
The Balrog knocked away Gandalf like a pest. However, the wizard
continued
to fall alongside the Balrog in the enclosed cavern…
The battle became fiercer each time as they plunged at even
greater
speeds…
The demon tried to knock Gandalf away again, but the wizard would
not
give up as he struggled to regain his hold on the demon. But
unfortunately,
the Balrog grabbed him first, so he wouldn't be able to strike.
Gandalf
continued his struggle, as he did…
The demon crashed into the walls, releasing Gandalf. Gandalf was
able
to grab one of the horns, enabling him to jump onto the creature's
back…
and plunged his sword into the Balrog's neck.
In the heat of this moment…
The battling pair started to fall into a giant cavern with cold,
frozen
glacial water at the bottom of it. The fiery flames of the Balrog
lit the
cavern as it and Gandalf slowly… but surely… fell into the water.
Just
then…
"…Gandalf!" Frodo cries out as he awakes from his sleep.
He was taking a nap, along with Sam, Kaoru, and Yahiko. When
Frodo woke
up crying out Gandalf's name, the others woke up, worrying about
Frodo.
"What is it, Mr. Frodo?" asked Sam.
"Are you alright, Frodo?" asked Yahiko.
"Anything the matter?" asked Kaoru.
Frodo answered, solemnly, "…Nothing… "
Frodo lays down again.
"…Just a dream," he added.
'…More like a nightmare,' thought Kaoru, '…poor Frodo. He yelled
out
Gandalf's name. Frodo has been upset ever since we lost Gandalf.
He still
misses him…as I miss Kenshin.'
Kaoru and Yahiko lay down and returned to their sleep as well.
SECTION 2: KENSHIN AND THE TWO TOWERS
Once a Fellowship of sixteen…
Now has been cut down to fourteen with the loss of Gandalf and
the recent
loss of Boromir. And recently…
The Fellowship was now scattered when Frodo chose to go on his
own.
However, Kaoru, Yahiko, and most importantly… Sam went along with
the ring-bearing
Hobbit. Also, Merry and Pippin were captured by the Uruk-Hai and
were now
being pursued by Misao, Kenshin, Aragorn, Gimli, Sanosuke,
Legolas, Saito,
and Aoshi.
But unfortunately…
The news of Boromir's loss has not yet reached the four travelers
as
they continued to trek their way through the razor sharp hills of
Emyn
Muil, as they have been for several days hence. As they reached
the top
of a certain hill, they oversaw an ominous, dark, and fiery light
from
a great distance. It was their destination, the mountain of fire
in Mordor.
"Mordor," stated Sam, "the one place in Middle-Earth we don't
want to
see any closer. And it's the one place we're trying to get to.
It's just
where we can't get."
Sam then turned to face Frodo and added, "Let's face it, Mr.
Frodo,
we're lost."
"Yeah," agreed Yahiko, "this is crazy. We just got to get to
Mordor
somehow."
"Well," said Sam, "…I don't think Gandalf meant for us to come
this
way, Mr. Yahiko."
"…He didn't mean for a lot of things to happen Sam," interjected
Frodo,
"…but they did."
As everyone's spirits were nearly down in despair…
Kaoru spoke, "Guys, we mustn't worry so much about this. Even
though
Gandalf is no longer with us, our goals are still the same. We'll
get to
Mordor eventually, and when we do, we're going straight for Mount
Doom
so we can destroy that awful ring, right?"
"…Yeah, Kaoru," Yahiko agreed.
Frodo looked up at Kaoru. "Thank you for your speech of
confidence,
Miss Kaoru," he said smiling.
But out of nowhere…
Frodo looked toward the mountain of fire suddenly… and
immediately felt
and saw the Eye, zooming in on him, in a flash!
AAACKKK!
Frodo gasped and backed away, panting. Everyone gasped at Frodo's
dilemma
and Kaoru rushed towards Frodo as he fell into Kaoru's arms.
"Frodo," Kaoru said, "are you okay?"
Frodo continued to pant heavily. Sam gave a worried look at
Frodo.
"Frodo?" he asked, "…It's the ring, isn't it?"
"It's getting heavier," replied Frodo as he went on panting,
clutching
the ring in his hand.
"Just hold on Frodo," interjected Kaoru, "we'll destroy the ring
soon
enough."
Frodo slowly and weakly nodded at her as he sat down and fumbled
for
his bottle of water to take a sip.
"You know, Frodo," said Yahiko, "seeing you drink your water is
making
me hungry."
"Yeah," Kaoru agreed, "I'm getting hungry too, Yahiko. Lets have
something
to eat while you're resting."
"…Okay," said Frodo as he turned to Sam, "…what food have we got
left,
Sam?"
Sam took off his backpack and set it down to look inside of it.
"Well
let me see," he said as he went through his bag and took out a
package.
"Oh yes, lovely… Lembas bread." Sam then went into his bag again,
"and
look… "
He showed another package to them.
"…More Lembas bread," Sam added sarcastically.
Kaoru giggled, "Oh Sam."
Sam then broke off a few pieces and tossed each piece to Frodo,
Yahiko,
and Kaoru. He munched a piece himself.
"Thanks, Sam," said Yahiko.
"I don't usually hold with foreign food," said Sam, "but this
Elvish
stuff, it's not bad."
"Nothing ever dampens your spirits, does it Sam?" inquired Frodo
as
he smiled.
"You can," added Yahiko, "say the same thing about me too,
Frodo."
Frodo smiled even brighter at the child's enthusiasm. Sam smiled
back
at Frodo and Yahiko.
Suddenly, a front came over them, which Sam looks ominously at.
"Those rain clouds might dampen our spirits, Mr. Yahiko," said
Sam.
The four travelers continue trekking through difficult terrain,
often
huddling underneath their cloaks when it rained, to keep
themselves dry,
so that they wouldn't catch cold. The path of Emyn Muil became
endless
each time they trekked, going on for days and days. When they
reached a
particular spot, Sam looked around like he knew where they are.
"This looks strangely familiar," Sam mentioned.
Frodo did know this particular place as well. "…Its because we've
been
here before," he said, exasperated, "We're going in circles."
"Circles?" said Kaoru with a quizzed look, "it's more like a maze
of
rocks that we can't seem to get out of Frodo."
"I know, Miss Kaoru," Frodo agreed.
"Besides," interjected Yahiko, "Gimli said that this place would
be
impossible."
"Ah! What's that 'orrid stink?" gasped Sam, getting everyone's
attention,
"I'll warrant there's a nasty bog nearby… can any of you smell
it?"
A few moments passed. "Yes," Frodo answered as he came up beside
Sam,
"…I can smell it."
Frodo then turned to face his companions and whispered, "…We're
not
alone."
Night fell over Emyn Muil. The travelers slept quietly. Unaware
of a
dark shape, that has suddenly appeared over the cliff, loomed over
them
like an ominous dark shadow, and was now making its way down to
the travelers.
"They're thieves," said the shape, "they're thieves! The filthy,
little
thieves! Where is it? Where isss it? They stole it from us… my
preciousss…"
The shape loomed closer and closer each time… towards the
travelers…
"Curse them! We hates them! It's ours, it is... and we wantssss
it!"
it finishes while reaching out to the Hobbits with its hand…
The Hobbits then sprang up… and grabbed the intruder. Kaoru and
Yahiko
also woke up and saw the Hobbits struggling with the creepy
intruder and
joined in. The intruder was pulled down.
Amidst the struggle, the intruder wriggles loose and leaps onto
Frodo.
As Frodo falls back, the chain and ring around his neck is
revealed and
the intruder jumps straight for the ring, reaching for it with its
finger.
Sam ran over and tried to grab at him by pulling his leg, but was
knocked
away.
Kaoru and Yahiko grabbed the intruder next and they both
struggled with
him. The intruder was able to knock away Yahiko. Kaoru now
struggled alone
with the creature, trying to subdue him.
"You're not getting away that easily, mister," said Kaoru.
But the intruder was able to pick up a rock and hit her on the
head,
knocking her out.
Yahiko grabbed his new wooden sword, provided by Galadriel, and
tried
to hit the intruder, but it escaped. The same thing happened each
time
when Yahiko tried to hit the intruder.
"Hold still, creepy," he said, exasperated.
But then, the intruder was able to hit Yahiko up against the
rocks,
knocking the wind out of him.
Frodo couldn't believe that the intruder had just knocked out
Kaoru
and Yahiko. The intruder immediately went back for Frodo to reach
for the
ring even as Frodo grabbed his hands… and tries to push him away.
The intruder's
cheeks puff with exertion and his enormous eyes were fixed on the
ring
as he continued struggling with Frodo.
Sam grabbed hold of the intruder again by the arm, enabling the
intruder
to throw Frodo aside with his other arm. The intruder used Sam to
climb
up the cliff… and jumped right back on top of Frodo. Sam wouldn't
give
up defending Frodo as he grabbed the intruder under the arms… and
tore
him away from Frodo, carrying him high in the air.
The intruder then turned around and bit Sam on the shoulder,
wriggled
around… and clasped his arms around Sam's neck and legs around his
waist
in a death grip. Kaoru and Yahiko regain consciousness and see Sam
at the
intruder's mercy. Then…
Frodo drew Sting and ran over with it to the intruder, using his
free
hand to grab the little hairs the intruder had left on its head,
pulling
his head back, while he held the tip of Sting it at its throat…
"This is Sting," Frodo said, menacingly, "you've seen it before,
haven't
you… Gollum!"
Kaoru and Yahiko gasp at this revelation. The intruder was none
other
than Gollum, the creature that had the ring for 500 years.
"Release him," Frodo threatened Gollum, "or I'll cut your
throat."
Slowly, Gollum loosened his grip on Sam and as the latter
disentangled
himself, Gollum began to wail. His wailing lasted throughout the
night…
The next day, Gollum continued to wail and writhe in pain while
being
dragged with Sam's Elvish rope around his neck.
"Hey," cried out Yahiko to Gollum, "would you mind keeping it
down,
ugly?"
"It burns!" Gollum cried out, continuing to be dragged by Sam,
"it burns
us! It freezes!"
Gollum was then able to grab onto a rock, stopping himself from
being
dragged any further.
Gollum grabbed onto the rope and ranted further, "Nasty Elves
twisted
it! Take it off us!"
"You heard Mr. Yahiko," Sam ordered as he tugged fiercely on the
rope,
trying to silence the creature, "keep it down!"
But Gollum kept wailing as he hated being dragged by Sam.
"Quiet you!" Sam ordered again, very fiercely.
"AAAAAAARRRGGGGGGGGGHHH!" Gollum wailed even more loudly, while
on his
knees.
"Man," said Yahiko, "he just doesn't know when to quit, does he?"
"It's hopeless!" cried out Sam, in dismay, "every Orc in Mordor's
going
to hear this racket!"
"I don't know about you, Sam," said Yahiko, "but I'm ready to
take on
those ugly Orcs anytime!"
"Well," replied Sam, "I think we should just tie him up and leave
him."
Gollum didn't seem too happy about that. "No!" he cried, "that
would
kill us! Kill us!"
"It's no more than you deserve!" cried Sam to Gollum as he slowly
collapsed
on his back.
After a pause, Frodo interjected, "…Maybe he does deserve to
die."
Frodo then walked up closer to the cowering Gollum and added,
"but now
that I see him… I do pity him."
After another pause, Kaoru asked Frodo, "…Is it because of what
Gandalf
said about not being too quick to judge about anyone who deserves
to die?"
"…Yes, Miss Kaoru," Frodo solemnly replied, "…it is."
Gollum then brought himself to his knees and begged, "We be nice
to
them if they be nice to us."
"Take it off us," Gollum added as he grabbed the indicated rope
around
his neck, "we swears to do what you wants. We swears."
Frodo said to him, "There is no promise you can make that I can
trust."
"We swears," said Gollum as he bowed to Frodo, offering his
services,
"…to serve the master of the preciousss. We will swear on… on… the
precious!
Gollum! Gollum!"
Frodo retained his sense of caution. "The ring is treacherous,"
he said,
"it will hold you to your word."
"Yes…" answered Gollum, as he crawled closer to Frodo, "…on the
precious…"
Gollum then looked up at Frodo and finished, "…on the precious."
But Sam wouldn't accept Gollum's offer of service. "I don't
believe
you!"
"Me neither," added Yahiko.
Gollum backed away from them, climbing up a boulder, in fear. Sam
strongly
jerked at the rope as Gollum tried to get away from him.
"Get down!" cried Sam, "I said down!" Gollum crashed onto the
ground,
choking.
"Sam!" cried Frodo.
"He's trying to trick us!" Sam warned, "we let him go, he'll
throttle
us in our sleep!"
"I agree, Frodo," added Yahiko, "let's do what Sam said and tie
him
up."
"Sam, Yahiko!" interjected Kaoru, "…we're wasting time. Nothing's
going
to get done by arguing. Since Kenshin isn't here with us… I
believe that
Gollum's fate is decided with Frodo."
Kaoru then turned to Frodo. "…What do you want to do with him,
Frodo?"
she asked earnestly.
Frodo looked at Kaoru for a moment… and then turned to walk over
to
the panting Gollum, who backed away from him in fear and
uncertainty…
Frodo asked Gollum, "You know the way to Mordor?"
"Yes," answered Gollum as he nodded warily.
"You've been there before?"
"…Yes…"
Unexpectedly… Frodo reached out and loosened the rope noose off
of Gollum's
neck, surprising the others. Gollum seemed both surprised and
relieved
at the act of mercy provided by Frodo.
Frodo commanded, "You will lead us to the black gate."
Gollum did as Frodo asked as he began to scramble off in the
direction
of Morannon, the black gate of Mordor. The travelers, who were
many paces
away, managed to catch up to Gollum and saw him covering his face
and muttering
to himself about the dangers of Mordor and the Eye of Sauron.
But then…
Gollum uncovered his face and hissed at the travelers, "AARRGH!"
Gollum then ran off again, forcing the travelers to run after
him.
"Hey!" Sam called out.
"Wait up creepy!" Yahiko called out also.
"Come back now!" Sam continued to call out, as they chased after
Gollum,
"come back!"
The travelers slowed down and stopped to look around for Gollum…
but
he was nowhere to be found.
"There! What did I tell you?" said an exasperated Sam, who
believed
that his suspicions about Gollum were now confirmed, "He's run
off, the
old villain."
"I knew we couldn't trust him," Yahiko added his exasperated
growl,
agreeing with Sam.
"So much for his promises," Sam concluded. Then…
"This way, Hobbits and Travelers!" said a voice from above…
It was Gollum, who was almost ducking behind a rock.
Gollum quickly lifted his head again and quickly added, "Follow
me!"
The travelers slowly began to grow very weary and impatient with
the
creature's obnoxious, frivolous behavior as they continued to
follow in
Gollum's wake…
A/n: Next chapter, enter Rohan. Please r/r. Thanks.
